Sakura's POV
I woke up at ten o'clock the next day, only because Em jumped on me. I'll tell you, I wasn't in the best mood for a good hour but she was so chilled; I guess she was too familiar with it. Tom apparently went to get breakfast.
'I still can't believe I got engaged. Like, I'm getting married - oh crap, I need to look for a wedding dress and plan the wedding and make invitations and -'
'Emma, relax. You've got plenty of time to think about that. I mean, there's no time limit to it or anything.'
'You need to help me, okay?'
'I'll try my best.' I smiled.
She grinned back, then she saw the dark bruise on my neck; she shrieked.
'OH MY GOD.'
Without thinking, I shrunk my neck feeling a bit awkward and also felt myself blush.
'What happened between you two last night?' She wriggled her eyebrows. 'Did you do it?'
'Do what?'
'You know, that.'
There was a pause between us until I finally got it. 'Oh. No, no we didn't.'
Em looked really disappointed, and I honestly didn't know why. Like honestly.
'Well at least he left it at the bottom of your neck where you can't really see it. Did he just give you one?'
I looked dead straight in her eyes before I lifted three fingers which made her snort. 'Really?'
I nodded.
'You can't even see the other two with a shirt! I remember when Matt first gave me one. It was smack-bang in the middle of my neck, and I had a photoshoot the next day.'
'I think I remember that.' I chuckled.
'Well yeah you do, you were laughing your head off while I was panicking so much.'
'The good old days.'
'I miss it. So much.'
'Me too.' I said half dreamily. Then I changed the subject. 'Where're you two going to live?'
'You know, we were talking about that last night and we thought America.'
'Come to LA.'
'That's one of our top preferences.'
'Good.'
'But it might be in a few years when everything settles down. Like uni and stuff.'
'Yeah I get it. But hey, at least uni finishes in a year.'
'Oh I know right. But it's been short and long at the same time.'
'Isn't everything?'
'Okay, I'll give that to you.'
We chuckled together. Then Em's expression suddenly turned serious.
'Evy told me, but was there a girl that tried to get in with Tom last night?'
Rolling my eyes slightly, I replied with a flat 'Yep.'
'Who was it?'
When I told her it was Catherine Stein, creases appeared between her eyebrows. 'Isn't that the girl that half of America hates but the other likes?'
'Yeah that one.'
'Apparently she's a real bitch.'
'Oh she sounded like one, and I think she's Amelia Stein's daughter.'
'Yeah I think so too. Like it kind of makes sense. Amelia has a - you know - soft spot for famous guys.'
I let out a sigh. 'I don't know if I was pissed that he didn't tell me about the audition or Catherine.'
'Definitely both.'
She sounded so certain that it made me laugh. 'You know me more than I know myself.'
'Well duh, I lived with you for like nine years.'
'True true.'
***
I spent that night with my family since we were all leaving the following night. They said they had something really important to tell me too, which I was kind of scared about. What kind of topic made Kazu have a serious face like that? Tom was with us too because they invited him.
We were in a small gathering room in the hotel that was free to use for the guests after dinner at the restaurant with all the others.
When Tom and I walked into the room, mum, dad, Kazu and Junko were already there and so was she, and I shrieked.
'Oh my God!'
Natasia gave the weakest smile while my family had a straight face, which made me shift my attention to.
'What?' I said to them. 'Why're you looking like that?'
'This is serious business that you think.' Kazu replied in English. It took me a second to remember that Natasia wouldn't understand Japanese. But why did she needed to know? Why was she even here?
'Just sit down.' He continued, nodding to the empty sofa on his right, directly facing Natasia.
Slightly confused, I glanced at Tom. He nodded slightly and made his way to the sofa and I continued.
When we settled down, Kazu let out a long sigh.
'Do you want me to talk?' Mum said gently.
'No, it's fine.' Kazu replied rather flatly before he began in English. 'You might of have started to realise that... your hair started to get lighter, the colour of your eyes started to change. There's - there's a reason for that.'
I just blinked at him. I could not see where this was going towards, and why did he look so nervous?
'And that is... that is...' He breathed out shakily before he continued. 'you're not fully Japanese.'
I wasn't sure if I heard that right.
'I... Junko, mum and I... we're not... your real family. That woman right there,' He pointed at Natasia with terribly shaking hands. At that moment his eyes were suddenly cold, filled with so much hatred and his eyes and face was burning red. 'is your real mother.'
It felt like those words came through one ear and straight out from the other. I stared at my brother, my sister, my mum, my dad, Natasia then Tom. For some odd reason, Tom didn't looked shocked as me; he looked nervous as the others. 'You're kidding, right?' I said weakly. 'I mean, if she was my real mum, why was I living with you ever since I could remember? Put aside the fact I was in London with aunty and uncle for like four years.'
I looked at my family to see so much guilt in their eyes, especially my siblings and mum. Dad's, there seemed to be shame.
'She left you at our doorstep when you were hardly two months old, in the middle of bloody winter.' His voice sounded so dangerous as he continued to glare daggers at Natasia, who was avoiding eye contact with everyone. 'And you want to know the reason why?' Before I could reply with a no, he spat out the next words. 'Because you looked like a boy.'
I shifted my gaze to Natasia. The woman I respected and looked up to so much, was my mother. Not only that, but she threw me away right after my birth, because of my looks.
'Natasia Larna Rigsbee, a super model with a new born baby who didn't get up to your expectations at two months old so she abandoned her. What a great fact about you.' Kazu spat at her.
I still couldn't take in, or accept, the fact entirely but my eyes stared to burn.
'Why was I born then?' My voice trembled.
'Dad was drunk, and I mean really drunk. She was in Tokyo at the time and they saw each other at a bar. She tricked him in and then you were born.' Kazu said.
'That was the most shortest serious story I've ever heard in my life.' I tried to calm down my anger, but that failed miserably.
'Do you think I want to talk about this? Do you think I want to remember?'
'If you hate her so much, why would you be so loyal to me? To be honest I think I'd rather you hate me.'
'How can I possibly hate a two-month old baby who got abandoned by her mother?'
I hated the word "abandoned" right now, I didn't want to hear it.
'Oh a poor little soul, her life's been thrashed so many times and it's all started with bloody alcohol.'
'Stop saying that.' Kazu almost snapped at me for the first time.
'Why would you keep it away from me for twenty one years? Might as well not tell me for the rest of my stupid life.'
'We wanted to tell you when we thought you were old enough to understand. We thought maybe eighteen, but so much things were happening to you then. And we wanted to tell you face-to-face, not over a stupid video call. And what would've happened if you found out later in your life? You'd be even more mad -'
'You've all kept it quiet for more than two decades! It won't hurt keeping it for another two, maybe three! When I'm an old grandma I probably couldn't care less!'
'Oh yeah, like that's going to happen! You're the most sensitive person out there!'
'"Oh she's so sensitive I fee so let's not tell her anything, especially this important thing". Every single time! Something shit will happen in my life, then it'll get better, and then some time after that, SURPRISE, shit happens again! I'm so sick of this!' Then I glared at dad. 'And why aren't you the one telling me this? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!'
'Sakura, please don't say that.' Mum, or should I say my step-mum, said desperately.
'Then why tell me? Why tell me at this time?'
'Because she said something stupid and wanted to "claim you back" as her daughter.'
'Oh what a joke.' I spat at Natasia, who finally looked at me in the eyes. It pained me how the shape of her eyes and nose were identical to the ones that I see in the mirror on my face. 'You throw me away when I was a baby because I didn't have much hair and looked like a boy and now you decided to come back more than twenty years later! I don't even remember you as my mum! I thought you were a great model, a great person, but apparently not! You're the most terrible, selfish and fake person I've ever met in my life! And guess what? The thought of "going back" to your as your daughter will never happen! Hear me? NEVER!'
My head was hurting from so many emotions. Anger, sadness, betrayal, loneliness, denial. I didn't think I was able to hold it in for any longer; I sprung to my feet and stormed up to the door.
'Glad to know I have a great family. I feel so loved.' I said coldly and deep inside, I knew that wasn't the right thing to say. But all the emotions washed over that and replaced it with anger and hatred instead.
'Sakura -'
I slammed the door with such force that it made a ear-wrenching crash and shook the wall around it.
Tears streaming down my face, I sprinted down the corridor and out into the night, running as far away from them as possible. I thought I heard Tom's voice calling my name, but my ears were ringing too much to be sure.
I ran and ran and ran until it looked like I was out of the city centre. It was a familiar place.
I slowed down to a walk and kept wondering around, barely thinking. Maybe I looked odd glaring at the air in front of me but I didn't care.
I continued to walk for another while until I stopped in front of a gym that also had a karate dojo sign. This was when it was confirmed that I was well and truly out of the city centre. It was Seiya's place.
Gosh I ran a whole lot more than I thought.
The lights were still on and I checked my phone, which I still had in my pocket, to see the time: eight thirty.
Today was a Saturday, so if he hasn't changed the days, he would be taking an one-on-one training with Seiya.
I slowly made my way to the door of the dojo and pulled it open. There was a few people there, both coaches and students but the two who I was looking for was at the far end from the door.
'Sakura!' One of the coaches noticed me and literally everyone stopped what they were doing.
'Oh my goodness, it really is!'
'Hey!'
I smiled nervously and waved and everyone waved back, smiling widely.
'I went to the premiere, the movie was amazing!' A student said.
'Thank you. It means a lot.' I smiled at her. 'Ah - please, go back to training.' I said and slowly when no one was seeming to be moving. Gradually, people started to go back to whatever they were doing and retained their focus, except for them.
'What brings you here, hey?' Kosuke said, grinning and he gave me the biggest bear hug.
'I don't know.' I replied, squeezing him back.
'About time you came in and said hey.' Seiya said, hugging me too. 'How's everything?'
'Not so great.' I replied honestly, which made both of them frown. 'Do you both have time tonight?'
'Yeah.' Seiya said, looking worried.
'Me too.' Kosuke nodded.
'Great.' I smiled slightly. 'I'll wait till you two finish.'
'Aiko should be home. Wait there.'
Seiya's house was just down the road and Aiko was his wife.
'Thanks Seiya. See you two soon then.'
I exited the dojo, saying goodbye to the others and headed towards Seiya's house.
Aiko was a rather cheery woman and she answered the door with the usual enthusiasm. Her face lit up even further when she saw that it was me.
'Oh it's lovely to see you again.' She brought me into a warming hug.
'You too.' I smiled back. Then I explained that I had seen Seiya and Kosuke and asked if it was okay for me to talk to them here.
'And why would you think I'd say no? Come in!'
'Thank you very much.'
She led me into their living room and she went into the kitchen. A few minutes later she brought back a large pot of tea and some scones.
We chattered until quarter past nine, where we heard the front door open and the voices of Kosuke and Seiya echoed through the corridor.
'You and tea, what a surprise.' Kosuke laughed as he settled into the couch next me.
'Honestly, this should be logic for you.' I said, sipping the English Breakfast from my cup.
'So what do you want to tell us?' Seiya asked partially curiously and partially worried.
'Well...'
I told them everything. The truth, what Natassia wanted and how I felt. But I couldn't stop the tears from spilling out again and all of them gasped or looked shocked when I told them that Natassia was my real mother.
'Oh Sakura...' Aiko whispered when I had finished.
'I just - I just don't know. I don't know what to do.' I said honestly, shaking my head.
'Come here.' Kosuke suddenly pulled me into a hug and tears streamed down my face even more. 'You know you don't have to - er - say that you're actually her daughter to the public, right?'
'Yeah but the media would get the news some how.'
Tom's POV
'Where have you been?' I said half sternly but half relieved when she opened the door.
'Why does it matter?' She raised her eyebrow, giving me a cold look.
'Why does it matter? It's almost midnight.'
'Like I've never came home at this time before.'
'You don't even have a car here and you just kept on running.'
'If you're desperate to know, I was with Kosuke, Seiya and his wife.'
'Why were you with them?'
'To talk to them about tonight, obviously.'
'So what, you ran and just magically saw them?'
'Basically.' She said still in the cold tone.
'Look, I know you're upset about tonight but it doesn't mean you have be so cold to me.'
She gave me the biggest death glare I've seen on her.
'You knew.'
I froze, not just from her words but her expression. I've never seen so much hurt in her eyes.
'They told you before me.'
I didn't say anything.
'And you kept that hidden from me, even now. I thought we weren't going to hide anything from each other, but I suppose you forgot about that.'
'Kazunari told me only because I saw him with Natasia and probably didn't want me to ask you why.' I said quickly, my throat getting tight.
'He didn't have to tell you the whole truth.' Her voice broke as she said so. No, please. Please don't cry. 'All he had to say was to not tell me that you saw them.'
'I know, but -'
'I thought... I thought...' Her body was trembling as she looked down at our feet. Tears shimmered in the air as it dropped down onto the floor.
'No - no, no please. Sakura - please don't cry.' I begged, pulling her into my arms. But she pushed me away almost straight away and it killed me so badly.
'Don't cry...?' She said quietly, her eyes spilling out tears continuously. 'Don't cry...?'
'No - I mean -'
But she wasn't listening. She turned around and slammed the door shut to the bathroom.
I went to push it open after her but she probably leaning against it. It wouldn't move.
Lucky there wasn't a lock on this door, by the not so lucky thing for me was that she was strong.
Then I heard her sniffing, and I stopped pushing for a moment. I didn't know if I was the exact reason she was crying this time, but I felt dreadful.
I waited for another moment to make her think I had given up and pushed the door with my entire weight: it worked.
I stepped into the bathroom quickly before she slammed the door shut again.
She saw me inside the room and was about to jump to her feet but I was quicker. I crushed my lips against hers and hugged her tightly. She tried to pull away few times but I held her face between my hands.
Eventually she calmed down and when I broke the kiss she was looking at me with super red puffy eyes.
'He wanted to tell you, not find out through me.' I said, stroking her hair. 'I'm sorry.'
She shook her head without saying anything but tears started to well up in her eyes again.
I pulled into a hug and this time lifted her up off from the floor and moved to the bed. Sitting her down onto my lap, I pulled the covers over us and made ourselves comfortable. She placed her cheek on my shoulder and wrapped her arms around me while I had one around her and was running my other hand through her hair and down her back.
A part of me was upset that she told how she felt about this situation to another man, and not me.