Chapter 18 - Deception

Yukio bent down to his knees as Shige left the room. Tomeo seemed so peaceful simply lying there. Brushing the hair out of his eyes, he leaned closer and kissed him tenderly on the forehead. Everything that he had ever dreamed of was right before him. He couldn't be more thankful. He would wait until he awoke before he would take him home. Yukio just didn't want to disturb him.



“If anyone knew of our love, we could never show our faces again. But, as long as you were with me, I wouldn't care.” Yukio murmured. He knew that his status was important for his social survival but he didn't really need to have social security anymore. He had Tomeo and Tomeo had him.



Yukio watched Tomeo walk through his front door as he stood out of view in the darkness of the night. Smiling softly and jerking the collar of his jacket closer around his jaw line, he turned around in the direction of home. The echo of his shoes, the dull thumping of leather on concrete, continued to invade the night's silence. Yet for a moment he thought there was another intruder and that perhaps he wasn't alone. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Busuke crossing the road. He seemed to be somewhat bothered and troubled. Not his usual self. Yet at the same time he seemed to be in disbelief and confusion. Yukio recognised this expression. It was the same when he had told him his feelings for him and that he wasn't joking. Tomeo was his friend and even though Busuke had come between them in the past, he trusted Tomeo. So he left.



Busuke knocked on the door and for the first time in the long time that he had now known Tomeo, he met his Father. Tomeo had described him perfectly. No wonder. He was topping the class in English for his poetry work and narratives. He was just as intimidating and repulsively drunken as was described. Busuke gagged a little at the scent of alcohol but managed to suppress it from Mr Sato's knowledge.



“Is Tomeo home?” Busuke asked as politely as he could manage under the situation.



Mr Sato growled a few words that he didn't quite catch but still left the door open for him. Busuke reluctantly walked in but found that the place was much cleaner and higher classed than he had expected. Tomeo's doing by the modern style used. Apart from the few stray bottles lying randomly around the lounge room, the little flat had been well treated and maintained. He was relieved when Tomeo greeted him with a friendly wave and invited him to sit down.



“Hey. What are you doing here?” Tomeo asked, a little surprised that he had come around just after they had spent the whole day together.



“What a way to speak to a guy looking for a friend's advice.” Busuke said with a light chuckle.



Tomeo smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.” He tilted his head. “Something on your mind?”



“You could say that.” Busuke replied, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “But it's not just something, it's someone. I've been thinking.”



“A dangerous pass time.” Tomeo muttered and was hushed with a playful shove from Busuke. He continued.



“You know that I still have a thing for Kisa. I have to find a way for me to be alone with her and confess. That's where you come in. Yukio would never let me near her nor would Sakaki. Selfish assholes…”



Tomeo flinched but let it slip.



“You have to get her to come out to the gym after school. She's looking for someone to help her with her English. Of course it won't be you waiting for her, it will be me.” Busuke paused, waiting for some sort of agreement or encouragement on his plan.



Tomeo considered it. He would have to tell Yukio, he'd ask anyway and he wanted to try to have no secrets between them. Kisa was in his group after all. But how was he to avoid Sakaki? Busuke didn't know that she was just as threatening to him.



“Busuke… I don't know….” Tomeo finally answered awkwardly. He knew how much this meant to Busuke. His love for Kisa was exactly how he felt about Yukio. That's what made it hard for him to decline.



“Come on! I'd counting on you! I know it's a huge favour but you just can't fall out on me for this, it means too much!” Busuke protested. “Please?” Pleading came next.



Tomeo made a twisted `I'm not sure' face.



“You just don't know what it feels like to be in love.” Busuke mumbled.



He scoffed at his comment. Busuke didn't have a clue, so much so that it was amusing. “Fine. I'll ask her on Monday.”



Busuke's face lit up and he threw himself at Tomeo, lifting him off the ground in a huge bear hug. “I could kiss you!” He exclaimed.



Tomeo felt his chest tighten and he quickly pointed out that he had better save that for Kisa. With that Busuke agreed, placed him down and thanked him at least five times more before finally leaving. Tomeo sighed wondering what he had got himself into.



“Son. That was a really kind thing to do for that boy.”



Tomeo turned around, his Father was smiling. It was something that he hadn't done in quite a while.



“I've failed to notice what a young man you've become.”



Tomeo stared in disbelief. Where was all this praise coming from?



“I know I haven't been the best Father, but I hope that one day you might forgive me for it.”



Then the cold reality shined through the fog. He'd done this time and time again and yet he still managed to get him sucked in. Tomeo sighed. Looking to the ground.



“What have you done?”



His Father looked hurt at first but then that mask too melted under Tomeo's knowing glare. “I got fired.”



Tomeo laughed half-heartedly. “No surprises in that expect that they kept you for this long.”



“That's the thing. They didn't.”



“What do you mean?”



“I've used up all the saving trying to keep us afloat for the past few months.”



“Months? You mean they fired you months ago and you didn't tell me?”



“I didn't want to worry you-”



“Bullshoot! All you wanted to do was free ride as long as you could!”



Tomeo could see the shame but also the guilt in his eyes as he looked away to the ground.



“So, how long have we got until we get evicted? How much have we got left? Well, how much have you got left? Because I'm sick of you supporting me, I'd rather support myself. In fact, I'm moving out.”



“You can't. You don't have anything.”



“What are you talking about? I have my college fund and my savings and the share Mum left me, that's plenty for me to-”



The realisation hit him like a tone of bricks.



“You… You took all of it? Everything I had?”



His Father wouldn't or couldn't reply. He seemed too heavily burdened with guilt.

“Then what are we going to do?”



“… You're going to live with a new family from now on. Someone who will take care of you.”



Tomeo's eyes widened. He couldn't believe that he was hearing this. He couldn't believe what his Father had done to not only himself, but his Son too. His Father's own flesh and blood. Bowing his head, Tomeo tried to restrain himself from throwing a punch. He was furious. He clenched his fists in his rage, his body trembling. He whispered the words in a low voice, the words that he knew he would regret later but right now they made more sense than anything else that had been said.



“I hate you.”

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