Chapter 4 Matsuri festival

Rinnnnng!!!

" Seems like our lessons will be stopping here, we will continue tomorrow and I want you guys to learn the basics of today's lesson," A female teacher said as she packed her books and left the class.

It was summer in Aomori, The Hibiya junior High School are already in high spirits to celebrate the famous Aomori nebuta matsuri festival which takes place every summer in Japan.

Matsuri festival always reminds Kai of his birthday, that was his thirteen birthday, his parents will always tell him that he was born in the time of brave warriors and that's a blessing to him.

Kai never took any of his parents' words that serious, he's always a guy with less speech. Most of his peers mock him because of his white hair sometimes they bully him, Kai is frail and slim so he's every school bully target.

He got used to putting on a face cap because it causes more trouble for him when it's exposed. When the class dismissed, Kai parked his bags and left for home, he doesn't have friends to hang around with or talk with, his life is just a linear one.

Kai was about to walk into the hallway when he saw a group of guys bullying a boy that is in a lesser grade than them.

"This punks again, what a shame" Kai cursed, he changed his mind about going through the hallway unless he wants to get involved with the beating, so he already mapped out a secret pathway to avoid the bullies.

Kai was trodding on the papers and specks of dirt that were littered along the school dumpster area, that was his secret pathway because it's rare seeing students passing through it, it's a stinky place to be.

"Hey, you white rabbit," A voice said in midst of laughter. It was then dawned on Kai that his secret pathway is already leaked.

"Not again this punks," Kai said quietly, he didn't stop walking, he pretended as if he wasn't the one that they were talking to.

"Hey, you white head am talking to you," The voice said again.

"What a jerk, are you deaf?" Another voice said.

Kai didn't budge he kept walking but within him he was already shaking, it vex him why they always pick on him, Kai was almost at the end pathway of the dumpster, he could run into the streets to escape from them.

" Sato I don't think he's gonna stop and he'll make a run for it when he gets past this dumpster," Choji said.

" Don't worry about that" Sato said as he flicked a smile.

Kai was already at the end of the dumpster area.

" Phew!, It's now or never," Kai said as he buckled up to run. He was set to take off until when a blow got him off guard.

"What the heck" Kai sprawled on the ground, he winced in pain.

Sato and his gang walked down to where Kai was lying down.

"You fool, you think you can outsmart me huh," Sato said as he grabbed Kai's hair, Kai gave a little cry.

"I already knew you would do such a thing, so I had one of my guys hiding behind the wall to take your white rabbit hair by surprise," Sato said still dragging the hair which made Kai wince in pain.

"Let me go, I did nothing wrong to you," Kai said in midst of pain.

"He's looking for his momma, what a poor little thing," One of the bullies said as he gave Kai a boo-boo face which made the others laugh.

"Let...me...go" Kai's voice was strained.

"Shut the fuck up" Sato let go of his hair with a kick in his stomach. Kai curled up cause he couldn't bear the pain of being kicked twice in his stomach again but that didn't stop Sato from kicking him.

"Sato someone's coming" One of the guys alerted him, they took off leaving Kai in a bad state.

Kai laid down for some minutes then raised his head to see who was his saviour but it was just a rat searching for food in the litter.

"Thanks," Kai said, he struggled to get up from the ground but the kicks he got from Sato were mostly at his vital organs, so he barely walk.

"Only if I was strong enough, none of this would happen" Kai vexed.

Kai only got one option which is to stagger home.

...........................

" Kai would love this cake," Mrs Kikuchi said as she puts down the cake on the table.

"I bet he won't, you always use the same flavour for making birthday cakes for him" Mr Kikuchi retorted quietly.

"Oh pls honey, it's matsuri festival today and it's matsuri dish that will be prepared," Mrs Kikuchi said.

" It's always matsuri cause that's when Kai was born," Mr Kikuchi said as he flips the newspaper which he was reading.

"Hmmm," Mr Kikuchi's tone shows signs of worry.

"What's that?" Mrs Kikuchi asked as she noticed her husband's state of worry.

" Seems like the prime minister of Tokyo is backing down from the election" Mr Kikuchi replied still looking into the newspaper.

"Hmph, too bad," Mrs Kikuchi said as she spray flavours on the cake.

The door opened and Kai walked in.

"Hi pa, Hi ma," He said, Kai was looking rough and his mum easily spotted it out.

"Kai, what happened to you?" Mrs Kikuchi asked as she went closer to her son holding him on his shoulder.

Mr Kikuchi was still looking into the newspaper flipping each page loudly, he didn't even notice when Kai walked in.

"Kumiko didn't you see when your son walked in" Mrs Kikuchi retorted but her husband was carried away with the newspaper.

"Drop the heck of a paper Kumiko!" Mrs Kikuchi snarled.

"Jeez, What is it?" He yelped as the newspaper scattered on the floor.

Kai was unconcern with all the action happening in the house, all he wanted was to go inside his room and have some rest.

"Hey son" Mr Kikuchi finally noticed Kai, "wow seems like you had a rough day in school" Mr Kikuchi continued when he saw some bruises on Kai's face.

Kai didn't say a word, he shook off his mum's hand from his shoulder gently and headed for his room, he knew his mother was a worrisome kind of person so he decided to give her a bit of relief.

"I'm fine ma," He said as he walked up to his room.

"What's up with him?" Mr Kikuchi asked as he picked up his newspaper arranging them.

"You give me that" His wife snatched the newspaper from him.

"C'mon!" He winced.

"Help me prepare some of the meals or you sit back there like a log with no paper," Mrs Kikuchi said as she walked into the kitchen.

" I shouldn't have taken a day off from work" Mr Kikuchi sighed.

Kai dropped his bag at the corner of his bed, the beating he got that day made the bag looks like a heavy load to carry, he pulled off his shirt and laid down on the bed, he massaged his arm as he tried to ignore the pain.

"Those idiots" Kai cursed, he turned around to face his window, the sun during the summertime was soothing so he always look through his window letting the sun meet his light skin, not long he started hearing some ruffle downstairs, the voice was familiar that was when Kai knew he won't have a peaceful day.

A rushing tiny footstep was coming up.

"Not him again" Kai sighed.

Immediately someone banged on his door.

"Kaaaaai sensi!"