Yuta teasingly glided the backside of the knife under my neck while holding onto my tiny bump. He was ready to kill me just as he planned.
"No hard feelings right?" He inquired, letting an eerie chuckle escaped past his pink lips.
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In Japanese culture everyone has three faces. The first face shown to the world is the expectation placed by society to be liked or accepted. The second face is shown mainly to friends and family, revealing an authentic version of yourself while still being cautious. The third face is the face that isn't shown to anyone. It holds the true identity of your character— a secret self that is unfiltered, hidden in the depths of solitude.
Akemi contemplated on many things in her life but she's never been so sure of her decisions now. Invoking her desire to live life as a woman who's never been married has been a liberating revelation.
As bad as that may sound, she remembered how she devoted herself to man who abandoned his duties as a husband. She devoted herself to a man who wouldn't even take a bullet for her the same way she would. The flame that they have once experienced together as teenagers dispersed before it even gotten the chance to grow.
Isamu became the generalization her family and others warned her about.
The heartbreak, the abuse, the tears, the loss, and the trauma aided Akemi to start living her life the way she wanted even if it meant risking it.
She stayed strong for as long as she could for her children, but now she's ready to stay strong for herself.
Months has passed and the abuse by Isamu has lessened a bit. His ongoing battle with alcohol has been worse than ever which caused more of a rift in the family.
On some days when he stumbles through the door, he's too drunk to take his anger out on anyone. Other days, he doesn't know how to deal with the pent up anger from whatever bothered him outside of home. Each day became a balance of apprehension and relief.
Akemi decided to take it upon herself to explore outside of her home when she knew that her husband would be out for more than 12 hours.
"Kiyoshi, watch Yuta for me while I get some groceries for dinner. Tonight I will be making Tonkotsu with ramen!" Akemi spoke with an excited tone. Kiyoshi smiled and nodded before heading off to his room.
Akemi grabbed her house key and mini purse before walking out. She sighed in relief, breathing in as much air as she could. It was a beautiful day out and less cloudy compared to the week before.
She walked 2 miles past the usual grocery store that she shops at, hesitating for a moment. She peeked at the corner around the block, scanning for any signs of suspicion, while her heart was pounding out of her chest.
A waiting white van parked at the curb, its windows tinted darkly to obscure the view inside. Akemi dashed forward as quickly as she could before slipping inside and closing the door.
"You finally made it. I thought you were going to bail out on me again." The man sitting next to her admitted. His smile lines became evident as he smiled while holding Akemi's hands together. The contrast between his dark skin and her pale skin showed a visual testament to the bond between them.
Akemi smiled back, feeling a warmth spread through her body. Despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, she found the peace that she's been searching for all these years. The man pulled her in close and the car finally pulled out of its spot.
Once it reached a quarter before 8, Akemi made it back home with groceries and goodies for the kids to snack on. "Guys, im back!" Her voice rang out excitedly. She removed her shoes from her feet, placed them to their respective spots and strolled to the living room.
However, her smile dropped as she took in the scene of Isamu sitting on the couch in between a crying Yuta and a beat up Kiyoshi. Isamu watched Akemi with a scowl and tried his best to suppress his anger. His brow furrowed and he clenched his jaw tightly. He scratched his throat loudly before spitting out the phlegm, purposely landing near Akemi's foot. It was a calculated gesture to assert dominance and remind everyone the power he held within the confines of their home.
"So, I'm not even going to beat around the bush because if I do, your beating will be 3 times as worse as Kiyoshi's." The seriousness in his voice sent Akemi's legs to feel paralyzed.
"When I came home, I noticed that you weren't here. I asked Kiyoshi for your whereabouts and he told me that you went to get groceries. I asked him that 6 fucking hours ago." Isamu stood up, eyes dark from the burning fury of his anger rising.
"I don't even want to know where you went anymore because when I find out personally, I will kill you." He spat. He removed the buckle of his leather belt and pulled it out of his pants. Without any train of thought, he began to whip Akemi as hard as he could sending her body into shock. The groceries fell down and rolled out of the plastic bags.
Yuta was frozen in place to do anything and Kiyoshi was basically immobile for the time being. The beating went on for what felt like eternity but really, it lasted for 30 minutes. After he finished, Isamu demanded Akemi to cook dinner anyways. He told her that cooking would be her reparation for coming late.
Akemi stood up, stumbling over her steps and made her way over to the kitchen. She began to cry as her body burned from the sensation of the belt whacking against her skin. Dinner took 2 hours instead of the usual routine.
The boys stood by the table and waited for Isamu to sit down first. They proceeded after, trembling with fear.
"Dinner's ready." Akemi said weakly. She flaunted a fake smile as her right eye swelled up. The boys couldn't comprehend as to how she could smile when her husband beat her shitless. She plated the meals neatly and gave them to each person.
Everyone sat in silence dreading for the next day to come.
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