Capítulo 23: The Encounter with Alice (Fuji's Story)
As Fuji walked home from school one day, he suddenly found himself face to face with Alice, the daughter of his father's business partner. Alice had a reputation for being snobbish and mocking others, especially Fuji.
**Alice:** (*sneering*) "Well, well, if it isn't Fuji Shikimori. Still struggling with your studies, I presume?"
**Fuji:** (*calmly*) "Hello, Alice. I'm doing just fine."
Fuji tried to keep his composure, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of getting under his skin.
**Alice:** (*smirking*) "You may be doing 'fine,' but we all know you'll never catch up to the rest of us. It must be tough being the black sheep of the Shikimori family."
Fuji's jaw tightened, but he resisted the urge to snap back. He knew that his father's business connections were important, and he didn't want to jeopardize them.
**Fuji:** (*polite*) "Well, Alice, it was nice seeing you. I should be heading home."
He began to walk away, determined not to let her taunts get to him.
**Alice:** (*mocking*) "Running away, as usual. You'll never change, Fuji."
As Fuji continued down the path, he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. He knew he had to endure such encounters for the sake of his family's business, but it didn't make the experience any less difficult.
Fuji had never openly discussed with his family the way he was treated by his peers and their relatives. His parents, Jhon and Miyabi, were well aware of the challenges he faced, especially from their business associates, but they always tried to shield him from those harsh realities.
**Miyabi:** (*concerned*) "Fuji, dear, is everything okay at school? We've noticed how Alice and others behave around you."
**Fuji:** (*trying to downplay*) "It's nothing, Mom. I can handle it."
Fuji's parents exchanged a worried look but respected his desire not to dwell on the issue.
**Jhon:** (*reassuring*) "We understand, Fuji, but remember, you don't have to face these challenges alone. We're here to support you."
Despite their support, Fuji chose to keep the extent of his struggles hidden from them, not wanting to burden them further. He believed that by working hard and succeeding in his own way, he could eventually prove his worth without their intervention.
It was a grand dinner event at Fuji's home, with numerous influential celebrities and businessmen gathered to celebrate. Laughter and conversations filled the room, but amidst the cheerful ambiance, there was an undertone of tension. Erica and her father, Mr. Lawrence, had been invited due to their business association with Fuji's family. However, their presence quickly became a source of discomfort.
**Erica:** (*mocking tone*) "Oh, Fuji, you always seem to be at the center of everything, don't you?"
**Mr. Lawrence:** (*smirking*) "Yes, always managing something. Shame it's never in academics."
Fuji clenched his fists and tried to maintain his composure, not wanting to cause a scene in front of the guests. He had grown used to these taunts, but that evening, it cut deeper than usual.
As the comments continued, Fuji excused himself and left the gathering. He wandered outside, feeling the weight of disappointment and embarrassment on his shoulders.
**Fuji:** (*sighing, to himself*) "Am I really just a disappointment to my family? Can't I ever prove myself in their eyes?"
With those heavy thoughts on his mind, Fuji retreated to his room, pondering his place in the family and the world beyond.
The day after the disastrous dinner party, Fuji was emotionally shattered, but he continued to hide his pain behind a mask of composure. As he walked through the familiar streets, he hoped to find solace, but life had other plans. Fuji encountered Alice, the relentless tormentor who had made his life miserable for so long.
**Alice:** (*sarcastic*) "Well, well, well, look who's gracing us with his presence again. Fuji, you must be desperate for attention if you're still wandering around here."
Her words were laced with venom, and they stung Fuji deeply. He had always been the target of Alice's ridicule, but today, he felt like he couldn't take it anymore.
**Fuji:** (*voice trembling*) "What have I ever done to any of you? I'm good for nothing, right?"
Alice, seeing the tears in Fuji's eyes and sensing the depths of her cruelty, was suddenly overcome with guilt. She had never seen him like this before, vulnerable and shattered.
**Alice:** (*feeling guilty*) "Fuji, I... I didn't mean it like that. I was just... I mean, it's just..."
She stammered, struggling to find the right words, but the damage was done. Fuji's heart was breaking, and he couldn't bear to listen any longer.
**Fuji:** (*voice cracking*) "Fine, I'll go, just like you all want."
With those words, Fuji turned and walked away, leaving Alice standing there, utterly shocked and feeling the weight of her actions. She watched him go, her heart heavy with remorse.
**Alice:** (*whispering to herself*) "What have I done?"
As Fuji continued to walk away, his thoughts were a tumultuous storm of emotions.
**Fuji:** (*whispering to himself*) "Mom, Dad, Michan, I'm so sorry for everything... But maybe it's better this way."
With each step, he felt like he was shedding the heavy chains of expectations and judgments, and an odd sense of freedom began to wash over him. But for Alice, this encounter would be a haunting memory, a stark reminder of the pain her thoughtless words had caused.
**Alice:** (*teary-eyed*) "I didn't realize... I didn't know..."
As Fuji disappeared from sight, Alice stood there alone, tears streaming down her face, knowing that her actions had pushed him to the edge. The night had fallen, and the Shikimori household was engulfed in darkness. There was an eerie silence, and Fuji's absence weighed heavily on everyone's minds. His family had noticed that he hadn't returned home, and worry began to gnaw at their hearts.
**Miyabi Shikimori (Fuji's Mother):** (*concerned*) "Jhon, where could Fuji be? He's never stayed out like this before."
**Jhon Shikimori (Fuji's Father):** (*anxious*) "I don't know, Miyabi. This isn't like him at all. He's usually so responsible."
Michan, Fuji's younger sister, sat in her room, her worry mirrored in her eyes. She was close to her brother and couldn't fathom why he hadn't come back home.
**Michan Shikimori:** (*teary-eyed*) "Where could he be, Mom, Dad? Do you think he's in trouble?"
As the minutes ticked by, their anxiety grew. They couldn't reach Fuji on his phone, and his friends hadn't seen him either. The atmosphere in the house was heavy with concern.
**Miyabi Shikimori:** (*on the verge of tears*) "We have to find him, Jhon. We can't just sit here and wait."
**Jhon Shikimori:** (*determined*) "You're right, Miyabi. Let's call his friends and ask if they've seen him. We need to know where he is."
Together, they made frantic phone calls to Fuji's friends, but none of them had any information about his whereabouts. The minutes turned into hours, and desperation set in.
**Miyabi Shikimori:** (*voice trembling*) "What if something's happened to him, Jhon? What if he's hurt?"
**Jhon Shikimori:** (*trying to stay strong*) "We'll find him, Miyabi. We have to. He's our son, and we won't rest until we bring him back home."
Their search for Fuji had begun, but little did they know the extent of the journey that lay ahead. Fuji had vanished without a trace, leaving his family with aching hearts and unanswered questions.
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