"Rules are there for a reason."
During his childhood Daiki never found himself questioning the rules of the Shimuzu clan. The power the elders wielded was never challenged which he in turn took as a fact of life, yet the Shimuzu heir thought of his future asset in stone. Nothing changed regarding his relationships within the vast kinship network stemming from years of linages, but no inkling made him think there was something else outside of what the elders planned for him.
The turning point was when he went away for college. Daiki found himself tasting freedom like he never had. At first, he kept the strict routine expected of him, but then met a scarlet-haired female with a fiery spirit he found himself falling in love with. Where once the idea of eloping seemed like an act of childish rebellion he found marrying Robin an act testifying to his love for her. He felt as if they could make a life away from the clan.
Yet, his actions didn't go unnoticed and somehow the elders found out. The fact he cut ties with the clan and tried making his own way proved problematic due to one of the clan rules being one didn't ever cut ties, but as the heir to the headship he was expected even more to follow the rules. Also, against the rules was marrying for love which meant his actions were majorly taboo. The elders never put up with any taboo.
The marriage bliss shattered into a thousand pieces when his uncle showed up. His father's brother held quite a bit of sway over the other elders in the clan, yet somehow managed to place pressure on Daiki and Robin until he got what he wanted. As such the couple divorced soon after their son Sebastian was born leaving her to raise the boy on their own; his uncle made it quite clear the clan wanted nothing to do with a misbegotten child on Daiki's part.
While Sebastian didn't exist in the eyes of the clan, he did exist in the eyes of Daiki.
Sebastian was his son, and his son was important. As such Daiki sought to spend time with the child outside of the purview of the clan. He found Sebastian enjoyed exploring and adventuring as much as Daiki did, yet he never found himself able to introduce his first born to any of the places he frequented as a child. Instead, he found himself taking Sebastian to places such as Aosta Valley. Sebastian liked the cold weather activities far more than the non-cold weather activities.
Yet, somehow, he still grew apart from the boy. When Sebastian became old enough to decide whether he wanted to visit his father the answer became a resounding no. His son never gave any reason why, nor did Daiki push for an answer. He believed though that Sebastian should have the freedom he never got, and thus Daiki went quite a few years without seeing Sebastian let alone hearing how his firstborn was doing.
In fact, he wasn't expecting to see Sebastian again, yet found himself sitting in a ski lodge with his oldest child from his second marriage staring up at the rather shocked look on Sebastian's face.
"What..."
"Sebastian, what are you doing here?" Daiki watched Sebastian's eyes drift over towards Ichiro.
"I... is this some kind of sick joke?" The way Sebastian's face twisted up reminded Daiki of how Robin became angry.
"I'm sorry I got you to come out here on false premises, but how else I'd get the chance to meet you."
"I don't see why." Sebastian looked away at that point.
"I am not understanding what is going on here."
"He told me you were dead and that he was going to spread your ashes whether I came or not." Sebastian took a deep breath. "I told him I didn't give a crap."
Daiki frowned. "Then why are you here?"
"None of your business. None of either of your business."
Daiki watched Sebastian turn indicating he obviously wanted nothing to do with his father or his half-brother. A young female with dark skin and black hair with a red undertone stepped over. "Sebastian, where are you going."
"We're leaving Maru."
"Sebastian..." The girl grabbed Sebastian's arm. "I told you this is a social custom, but that I wasn't letting you get out of it. I know you don't like me, but he's your father so..."
Sebastian turned and pointed at Daiki. "That's my father Maru. As you can see, he is very much alive."
The young female stared making Daiki speak up. "I honestly had no idea Ichiro told Sebastian that."
Maru tugged at Sebastian's ear pulling him down slightly, so he was now closer to her in height. "Are you telling me someone had to lie to you just so that you would go and see your own father? You're horrible Sebastian!"
"I..." His oldest son looked towards the ground rather sheepishly. "You don't know me Maru."
"That's because you don't give anybody have the chance to know you."
Daiki glanced over at his second oldest knowing full well he instigated the whole thing. Any plans of chiding the young man flew out the window when he saw the look of disappointment on Ichiro's face. He turned back towards Sebastian and Maru. "Look, Sebastian. You obviously took the time out of your busy schedule to be here, so why not make the best of it? Hit the sloops and give your head a chance to cool, then you and I can talk."
"About what? There's nothing to talk about."
"Yes, there is."
...
Hitting the slopes probed refreshing. Of course, Maru didn't come with the needed gear, nor did Sebastian. Robin's second child seemed rather surprised at the idea of Sebastian enjoying something like "hitting the slopes", yet Sebastian withdrawing from people seemed worse than before. Ichiro found himself unable to say anything, yet the premise under which he'd gotten his father here was to talk truthfully about the existence of Sebastian.
Once they got their gear on, he found himself riding up the slopes with Sebastian. His oldest remained penchant silent, yet Daiki feared as Sebastian looked around that he might simply drop down out of the ski lift. His son finally glanced back towards where Maru and Ichiro sat and Daiki glanced back. The two were chatting amicably. "What are you thinking?"
"That you brought him here to our spot."
Daiki frowned. "Sebastian, he was asking about you and wanted to know more about you. I couldn't do that around the rest of the family."
"That's why I stopped coming you know." Sebastian continued looking back. "What's going on between him and Maru."
"Ichiro. Your younger brother's name is Ichiro."
"Just my luck they're both talking about how much they hate me. Can't blame them."
"What..." Daiki frowned as muddled emotions spread through his head.
"I don't exactly get along with people."
The two finally found themselves arriving at the top and Daiki found himself getting off. He started forward with Sebastian following close behind. "Are you excited about hitting the slopes. I remember you used to like this."
"It may be cold, but it is also too bright." Sebastian continued glancing back at Maru and Ichiru. "Seriously, what is going on between those two."
Daiki glanced back. "Sebastian does Maru know Ichiro is your half-brother?"
"Why does it matter?"
"Well, I haven't told Ichiro that Maru is your half-sister."
"That still doesn't tell me why that matters."
Daiki took a deep breath and pulled his goggles down. "I'll meet you at the bottom. Let's see who can get their first."
"Aren't you too old?" Ichiro commented.
Maru looked at Sebastian in a worried manner. "Sebastian, do you actually know what you're doing?"
"Oh, I'm fine Maru. You should know that I can take care of myself."
"I wouldn't call smoking taking care of yourself."
Daiki glared at his eldest before deciding to take off rather than telling Ichiro off about how he wasn't too old for this kind of thing. He found the wind rushing in his face. The coldness made his nose and cheeks sting, and yet the exhilaration coursed through his body. As he skied down the slope Daiki found himself moving from left to right in a swift and speedy motion. For a moment he found himself forgetting his troubles, but then Sebastian moved past him beating him to the bottom.
The two glanced up waiting for Ichiro and Maru to catch up. He watched Sebastian start to worry as neither saw the two right away, but then the two burst through the forest.
Unfortunately, Maru with her inexperience took a tumble and fell head over heal.s Daiki felt himself flinch when he saw the young woman tumble over herself a couple of times. One of Maru's skis came off and she landed on her side before sliding the rest of the way down. Sebastian's mouth opened as if he wanted to say something only for the young man to find nothing coming out.
Daiki hurried over, or at least as fast as one could move on skis while Ichiro skied over. His second oldest skied in and sprayed up a bit of snow as he came to a stop. "Are you okay?"
Maru's mouth twisted into a deep frown and Daiki found himself flinching upon thinking of the call Robin would make when she found out. "No. I've twisted up my ankle."
"Maru..." Sebastian spoke in a soft manner.
"Don't act like you care now Sebastian!"
"But..."
Daiki watched his second oldest unstrap his boots from the skis. Ichiro held out his hand before gently lifting Maru into his arms. "I'll take Maru back. This way you two can spend some more quality time with each other."
"What? I don't want..."
"Sebastian. We need to carry Maru and Ichiro's skies back."
"Yes, but..."
Ichiro spoke up. "There's a really nice restaurant further down in the valley. You two really should catch up, right?"
"Why is he smiling like an idiot?" Sebastian watched in confusion.
Daiki found himself taking another deep breath yet felt taking Ichiro's advice to catch up with Sebastian while Ichiro wasn't around a good idea, and yet he also found himself wondering what all he'd need to catch Sebastian up on.
...
Of course, Sebastian wasn't thrilled about riding with him in the limo as it headed down into the valley. He watched his oldest son glance out the window. Before leaving Daiki sent a text to Ichiro letting him know Maru was Sebastian's half-sister as he knew full well reception further down sucked. "Are you going to talk to me?"
"What is there to talk about? Mom and I are the embarrassment in your life you don't want to talk about, so how about we just not talk?"
"Sebastian."
"You told me that you had to talk to Ichiro in..."
Something hit the limo from behind making both jar forward. Daiki felt the limo slide slightly on the ice, yet swallowed knowing something was wrong. He watched Sebastian tense up, but both turned their heads upon hearing the sound of another vehicle attempting to knock their vehicle off the road.
The next thing either knew something hit them from the side. They felt their car slide slightly towards the side as the squealing of wheels burned into their ears in a way Daiki felt he would never forget. "Sebastian."
"Wh..."
Another jarring made Daiki reach for his son despite the fact he knew Sebastian was now an adult. He felt Sebastian tense up as Daiki attempted to pull him close. Before Sebastian could resist any more, Daiki felt the limo start tilting over towards one side. He physically braced himself yet out of the corner of his eye he saw Sebastian get as tossed around as he was. The limo tumbled three or four times before coming to a stop as if it hit something solid.
Through the window Daiki saw a tree line meaning they'd hit a tree line. His eyes closed briefly allowing him to hear what went on around him. His whole body throbbed and he felt as if a few ribs were broken. He heard Sebastian breathing and knew from how Sebastian breathed that his son was in some kind of distress. "Sebastian?"
Daiki opened his eyes and scooted over towards the young man who lay limply on the floor of the limo. Shaking Sebastian didn't get the young man to wake up and he found himself taking a deep breath. The man found himself removing his jacket and placing it over Sebastian's shoulders before brushing a stray lock of hair away from the boy's forehead. Sebastian's eyes flickered open and his mouth moved in an attempt to say something, yet nothing came out.
Daiki moved towards the divide between him and the limo driver only for a gunshot to ring out from the drivers area. Daiki's eyes closed again and he found himself taking a deep breath. He wanted to move towards the door on the limo and brace himself. When someone from the outside opened the door he wanted to be there swinging both feet in their chest and thus sending them flying so he could in fact get the gun.
Instead Daiki found himself unable to move due to the injuries sustained when the limo crashed. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, yet let his eyes snap back open in hopes that he might react in time when the person came through the door. Instead, the man came through the door and quickly punched Daiki in the face.
White lights flashed in front of Daiki's eyes for a few minutes and when he opened them he saw the man moving towards Sebastian. The man grabbed his oldest by Sebastian's dark locks of hair tugging in a manner which caused the injured young man to let out a whimper and close his eyes against the pain felt. Sebastian's jaw dropped slightly as the man jarred him again.
Daiki watched as the man cocked the gun and pointed it right at Sebastian's head.
"Who are you?" Daiki wondered if this were some random mugging, and yet the person's eyes said they were likely of Asian descent.
He couldn't see the man's lips move in a manner he could read their lips, yet he very distinctly heard the man's voice. "Rules are there for a reason."
"What?"
"I'm a spy for your uncle." The man moved the gun from Sebastian's temple to the young man's chin. "Your uncle's message to you is that rules are there for a reason, but that there are consequences Daiki for not following them. It's time this half-breed finally face the consequences of being born."
Daiki found himself taking a deep breath as Sebastian's eyes opened. The eyes of his oldest seemed pained, but not just physically. Sebastian's mouth opened and mouthed the word, "sorry" before his eyes closed again. A surge of adrenaline coursed through his body and Daiki moved forward hoping to move the gun away.
He felt his fingers wrap around the man's arm and start tugging the arm away, yet when the gun went off he didn't know if he actually managed to prevent the man from shooting Sebastian in the head. The smell of gunpowder filled his nose as he continued surging forward knocking the gunman backward. His fist pulled back and then slammed into the man's face. How many times he hit the man he didn't know, yet he did know after he started calming down that he felt warm blood.
Daiki turned his attention back towards Sebastian. He heard the same rough breathing as before and moved over in a graceful manner. However, his hand felt a warm sticky mass pooling near Sebastian. Turning his son slightly from where he lay on the ground, Daiki saw Sebastian's fingers clutching the wound. Taking a deep breath, he said the only thing he knew to say. "It's going to be okay."
The paleness of his son who was already quite pale however said Sebastian wasn't going to be okay unless he got help soon. Daiki kept his own breath even and mentally wondered if he'd be able to stop the bleeding, let alone find help from somewhere nearby. His mental thoughts were brought out of the dark disappear he felt as the blood continued seeping from his son's body.
Another person pulled him aside before taking their own jacket and wrapping it tightly. They pulled on his arm indicating they should move. Daiki found himself moving out of the limo while the man who came to their rescue slowly moved Sebastian out of the limo. He found himself glancing up at the slight slope and saw the two vehicles.
One of the vehicles contained damage indicating this vehicle ran him off the road, but the other was undamaged as if the saw something happened and stopped to help. Everything proved a rush as the person drove him towards what the hoped was a hospital, yet instead they took him and Sebastian to a small building in the middle of nowhere.
Upon arriving, they called out and someone from inside the house hurried out. Daiki closed his eye, remembering the man he punched out still lay unconscious from the beating he'd given him. Whoever found him ushered him inside. He watched them take Sebastian to one room as a woman rushed about heating up water.
The man beckoned him to sit in a chair. Out of the corner of his eye, Daiki saw the sun begin to set and removed his phone only to find he had no cell service. Yet, something told him he should have been thinking of this sooner. For a few brief moments he blacked out as the people chattered. The fact the chair he was in was hard and uncomfortable didn't stop him from falling asleep.
He awoke to a rooster crowing and sat up straight only for someone to say the doctor had said to stay put. He couldn't, however, stay put knowing Sebastian was in trouble. He found himself standing and walking over to the room he remembered them taking Sebastian to. With every step he nearly fell over.
He found Sebastian laying in the bed still pail, but the doctor turned to him. "He'll live, but the sooner we get the two of you the hospital the better. The storm from last night is past, so we should be able to finally do so without trouble."
And yet, he found his entire life a mess simply because of rules which he suddenly felt were only there for the reason that they were a political advantage to someone else in the family rather than for any good reason.