Yousei no Kuni

by Yuuki-hiro

Five - Worlds Apart … Or maybe not.

"Aiji-kun, was it really necessary to pack so much for this trip? I mean, we might not stay here long." Kaoru groaned as he lifted yet another box of Aiji's into the luggage carriage.

"One has to be prepared for everything. You'll never know what to expect for the future." Aiji reasoned as he passed another box to Kaoru. Kaoru rolled his eyes.

Eventually everything was loaded and they were ready to go.

Kaoru helped Aiji up into the passenger carriage, then got on himself after telling the driver that they were ready to set off.

"Papi-chan! Come here you little cutie-pie~" Aiji coaxed and pulled the ladybug up onto his lap.

Eep! Let me go! No~ Don't you dare!

Aiji planted a kiss smack right onto "Papi's" face.

ARGHH!

Kyo twitched and twitched his antennas and moved his three pairs of legs about.

"Woo~ Guess you like me as much as you like Shin-chan, ne?" Aiji smiled as he hugged the ladybug.

Lemme go! Elf-ling molester! Help!

"I'm surprised Shinya actually sent him over, I would have thought he'd kept Papi with him." Kaoru frowned.

"Mh, I'm not surprised. With what he had to endure for the past week, I am surprised, no, awed at the fact that he hadn't kicked the bucket yet." Aiji spoke in such a casual way as if he was talking about the weather.

"Aiji."

"I know, I know, it's your family problem and you'd rather handle it yourself blah blah blah. Well, news for you Kaoru-kun. One can only do so much by oneself."

Aiji pouted but kept quiet. He's been a friend to Kaoru and Shinya ever since he could remember and he knew about the tense relationship Shinya has with his father. And he doesn't blame him. Yoshiki-san may make tons of money every year, but doesn't make time to spend with his sons.

Aiji sighed again as he thought of himself. His predicament was very much like Kaoru's. His parents were always busy and never spend time with him. Hell, he was lucky if he gets to see them once a week!

Then, he thought of Jun, his sweet dear friend, who is currently bearing the pressure of his parents' divorce.

With a frown, Aiji wondered if all fairylings with rich parents had problems like theirs…

Kaoru looked at his friend, then turned to look at the moving scenery outside. His mind replaying all that had happened to him in the past week….

-----

"What did I do wrong to have a son like you…."

Shinya stopped. The vase aimed at the older fairy forgotten as it slipped from the young fairy's slender hands to shatter into fragments on the polished floor.

The sudden silence of the hall was pierced by thunder, before hysterical laughter joined in the loud, crackling roars of the summer shower.

"Hahahaha….. Son? Ha! How the hell can I still be your son? YOU STOPPED BEING MY FATHER A LONG TIME AGO!" Shinya screamed at Yoshiki as he pushed the older fairy away, storming out into the pouring rain.

"Shinya!" Kaoru ran after his brother.

"Kaoru! You come back here this instant!"

For once in his life, Kaoru disobeyed his father.

 -----

 "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do that? You should know it would break his heart-"

"Please~! Break HIS heart? How about ours? We are alive and kicking, but he doesn't give a damn about us. She's been dead for years but she's all he thinks about."

"Shin-"

"Is it really worth it, Kaoru? Listening to HIS every word. Doing everything HE wants. Being the PREFECT SON but has he been a father to you, no, to us for all these years? All he ever does is work and live in the past of her memories."

"Shinya-"

"It must really hurt, doesn't it Kaoru? Losing to a dead person? Giving up your dreams to please a man who calls himself your father but never cares for you. Hell, he never even talks to you unless it was necessary! And god knows-"

The slap rang clear and sharp into the cool night air. Kaoru looked at his out-stretched hand, then at Shinya, not believing what he had done.

Shinya glared at his older brother, taking in the pain, and the fact that he had slapped him.

"Shinya, I-"

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! AND I HATE HIM!" Tears streamed from Shinya's eyes as he screamed at Kaoru, hitting then pushing him away, knocking him onto the wet dirty ground.

"Shin-!"

"I WISH I WAS NEVER BORN!" Shinya lashed out his final words and with a few powerful flaps of his fairy wings, propelled himself high up into the dark sky.

"Shinya! Wait!"

By the time Kaoru was up in the sky, he had lost sight of Shinya.

 -----

 Several hours later, Kaoru found a badly beaten, barely alive Shinya in one of the lowly parts of the city.

 to be continued~