Capítulo 9: Chapter 9: Family Matters
The sun rose slowly, casting soft hues across the sky as I stood on the dorm's rooftop, the cold wind cutting through me like a sharp blade. Below, life was starting up—people hurrying along the roads, shopkeepers preparing for the day. In the midst of it all, I pulled out my phone, hesitating for a second before dialing that number again.
It rang once, twice, three times, and then cut off as my father's voice came through, calm but direct.
"My son," he greeted me. "Did you call me last night?"
"Yes, Father." I paused. "I… have questions."
"Questions?" He sounded intrigued, almost amused. "This is rare. You've never called me for answers, much less in the middle of the night. Getting nostalgic for home already?"
"No, it's not that." I took a breath. "It's about the book you gave me…"
"Ah," he mused. "Tadashi worked fast, I see. That book… it was your mother's. She carried it with her from the day we met. So, if you've received it now and we're speaking like this… it means you passed the trial, didn't you?"
So, he knew.
"If you knew, then why didn't you ever tell me anything about it?" I pressed. "You never mentioned Mother's family, or anything about her past."
A long, tired sigh came from the other end of the line. "The truth is, I don't know much about her family either. When we met, she was alone… and when you were born…" His voice softened, trailing off as though lost in memories. "She told me to give you the book when you were 'old enough to write your own story.' I've seen things your mother could do that defy reason. And lately I've seen things that… certain 'Persona Users' can do as well, so it reminded me of it and thought that maybe you could do it, that's why I gave the book to you."
Persona Users. So, he knew about them too. But that information wasn't something I should know right now. Better to just act that I don't know.
"Persona Users?" I asked, feigning curiosity.
"Ah… so they haven't explained that to you yet." His voice lowered thoughtfully. "You've probably noticed by now that the building you're living in isn't an ordinary dormitory. If I just wanted you to study in that school, you'd have been enrolled at a typical school dorm, not one so far from campus."
"Yeah," I replied dryly. "It's definitely weird that the Kirijo heir is sharing a massive dorm with another guy."
My father chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure it'll stir up some rumors. But listen, son." I could hear his footsteps as he paced somewhere on the other end. "You're old enough now, and after what you probably went through last night, I won't speak to you like a child. If you think I've sold you off to the Kirijo family to play a role in their agenda—then so be it. You can resent me all you want. As for your mother… I'm sorry I haven't told you more. But understand this: she wasn't… conventional. She didn't want you living by the book, just doing as you're told and blindly following orders. And that's all you've done until now, isn't it?"
"You've never asked anything from me. I just assumed you… didn't care."
A sigh drifted through the line. "I see. Well, even with my failings as a father, I'm glad you didn't turn out spoiled or bring any shame to me or her. You've done well, Ruichi. And I'm proud of you for it. She would be too, if she were here."
I was quiet for a moment.
"Mother's powers. My powers. Is this why you set up the arrangement?"
"You want the truth? Fine. It's partly the reason. I hear they have a bit of a shortage of hands there. And… I have thought about your mother's wishes, about 'you making your own story'. I thought that this is an opportunity, with an extra fiance, of course." I could hear him laugh again. "Noticed you weren't all that interested in dating, so I thought I'd lend a hand. You should thank me."
I sighed. "Father, if anything, you're just throwing a bunch of burden on me. Arranged marriages don't typically lead to a happy one, you know?"
"I know," he hummed. "That's your job to make it a happy one."
I shook my head, half amused, half annoyed. What do I deserve to get a father like this?
"Right…" I murmured. "Then about Mother's abilities—"
"Don't ask me." He cut me off. "I've seen her in action. But the details… She never told me. But I know about the trials. She often told me stories of battle that sometimes I myself find hard to believe. But with the escalation regarding the situation around the Kirijo family, I got reminded of those, and thought… maybe it's believable after all…"
I took that in, realizing he knew even less than I hoped. Not exactly reassuring, but maybe it was for the better.
"Just do your best," he said, softer now. "Truth be told, I'm still second-guessing my choice to send you there. But you passed that trial. So, maybe I don't need to worry."
Oh, Father. If only you knew what you'd thrown me into.
"Alright," I murmured. "I'll talk to you soon, Father."
With that, I ended the call, watching the sun continue its steady rise, bathing the road below in soft morning light. I sighed, my breath clouding in the cold air.
"I'm hungry…"
I turned and headed back inside.
—
I decided to go out for some essentials. I came back from the convenience store with a few packs of instant noodles. Classic choice, right? It was around 10 AM, a quiet time with rush hour having tapered off, and the streets were all but deserted.
Once back, I ventured into the kitchen, which was basically uncharted territory for me. I spotted a hot water dispenser tucked away in the corner and set about preparing my gourmet meal: tearing open the noodle pack, filling it up with hot water, and waiting. Not exactly Michelin-star dining, but hey, it works.
I settled down in the dining room, slurping away at my 'breakfast.' Just as I was getting into it, I heard footsteps coming down from upstairs. I looked up, and there was Mitsuru, all polished in her long-sleeved uniform, carrying her brown school purse. Her gaze lingered on my noodles with an expression that bordered on envy (or rather more close to 'wanting'?) before she quickly composed herself and looked at me instead.
"I see you've... recovered," she said, eyes flicking to my face. "But if you don't mind, your bloodied clothing needs to be disposed of properly."
"I'll take care of it," I said, nonchalantly. "What's with the uniform? I thought school starts tomorrow."
She lifted a brow. "I did mention the student council assisting the faculty to prepare for the new term."
"Oh, yeah, guess you did." I shrugged. "Well, don't tire yourself out, and stay safe out there."
She hesitated, her brow creasing—not in her usual authoritative way, but almost... uneasily, as if the casual exchange was somehow foreign territory. She didn't respond, just turned and started toward the door. I figured that was the end of it, so I went back to my noodles.
But then, she stopped. "Ah, right," she said over her shoulder. "The chairman will see you tomorrow after school. If you have any questions, I suggest you prepare them. After a strange few days, I'm sure you have quite a few."
"Got it. Thanks for the heads-up," I replied, still focused on my noodles.
With that, she finally left, and I finished up my meal. Dropping the empty package onto the table, I sighed.
The chairman, huh... Now that's one problem I'm not looking forward to tackling.
After that, it was basically a free day for me, and I spent it productively—at least by my standards. Tidied up my room, got rid of the shredded, bloodstained clothes from last night's horror show, and then set about handling one very pressing issue: finding out where the hell the CCTV in my room was. After a bit of snooping around, I spotted it, tucked in a corner with a clear view of the room. I grabbed a few cloths and layered them over it, making sure it was nice and covered.
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