Haruki frowned, why was every response the man gave trying so hard to persuade him? It made him confused.
"I don't care to know anything more about your family. If my mother left, there is no reason why I should return to the prison she escaped from," he told the man as firmly as he could.
It was a tempting offer but the last thing he wanted was to be known to someone else as a charity case. He awaited any crazy reaction the man might have to his response.
It shocked him when the man nodded and stood up. He gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder after giving him his business card which he collected hesitatingly.
When the man left and his friend returned to the room, he could not help but voice his displeasure at being betrayed by him.
"How could you leave me with him when I wanted you to stay?" Haruki whined as he lay on the bed.
"How could I have stayed when my father wanted me to leave?" Aki asked his friend. "There was nothing I could do about it. He is so powerful that my father did not dare to offend him but you want me to?"
That made sense but he wanted an apology so he continued to frown.
"Okay, I am sorry," Aki finally gave in with a sigh of defeat.
"Thanks. Don't leave me alone like that again," Haruki warned seriously. The only person he could trust at this point was his only friend Aki. "If you betray me, I will have no one else."
"I think you should leave with them. if you do, you will not be alone. Isn't it better that you leave rather than getting bullied every day by those idiots?" Aki suggested.
"No, I will not leave. I will keep staying with my real family members. I will feel out of place with those huge men around me if I go with them."
"Why? They will protect you so what is there to fear?" Aki was forced to ask in confusion.
"What will I do if they all plan to get rid of me?" Haruki asked as he imagined the scenario and how frightening it will be with those huge men chasing him to kill him.
"What about thinking of what will happen if you gain control over all of them and their loyalty lies with you?" Aki asked him seriously.
He closed his eyes at the image of having those men follow his every order without hesitation and he will be able to have whatever wealth the old man had and it felt too good to be real.
He shook his head firmly with his lips pressed together. "Does that make any sense? I don't believe that he is my grandfather. He brought a picture when there are many other ways, he could prove it to me.
"He must be simply looking for the youth he will turn into his puppet to follow his orders and die when he asks him to," Haruki replied trying to brush off the thought of being enslaved under that old man that looked like he will not hesitate to order his men to brutally kill someone for stepping on his toe.
"If he wanted that, why did he choose you?" Aki asked.
"I guess he chose me because he wanted someone who was desperately in need of a savior," Haruki murmured thoughtfully.
"Then at least you know you need a savior and there is no reason why you should not accept his help to get out of your aunt's house," Aki indicated.
"Why does it sound like you want me to leave with them?" Haruki asked as he sat up to look at his friend properly.
"I want you to do what you want and I will not try to force you to do something you don't want to do but what is the use of getting beaten every day and spending your allowance on those bastards?" Aki retorted falling on a sofa with a displeased huff.
"I know you care about me but when I say I do not trust that old man, you should support me shouldn't you?" he asked seriously. "And I don't need anyone's help. I am fine. Just a few beatings can not kill me," he joked as he lay down once again.
"You almost died. You might not know how scared I was. I don't want anyone I know to die before me. It was so traumatizing. I wish I have proof to show how worried that old man was when you were taken to the hospital. He saved your life. isn't that enough to know that he means good for you?"
"It is not that easy."
"You have run out of excuses," Aki sighed as he stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To get fresh air," Aki replied as he continued walking to the door.
"Wait, I want to go with you," Haruki requested.
"No, the doctor forbade you from leaving," Aki replied as he opened the door and left without looking back.
Haruki sat down with a pout. He looked around the room that had too much space which did a good job of showcasing how alone he was in that room.
Moments like this made him wish his parents never died. He knew his mother would have been by his side and his parents would have protected him from the bullying. If they were with him, he would never have allowed anyone to look down on him the way they did.
He sighed as he looked out of the window of the room. The quietness of the room made him wonder why he did not feel good about going with the man and he thought of what his desire to continue living with his aunt could offer him.
There was nothing he could come up with but he could not trust those men enough to throw his life into their hands. He believed nothing came for free and what will happen when they ask him for what they wanted in return and he is unable to give them?
At least his cousin and uncle simply wanted to beat him up a bit. . . Or maybe more?
He sighed once again forcing the thoughts away.