Chapter Text

Gakuhou didn’t really understand if it was possible to love something more than life itself, to have something worth dying over. He’d always had difficulty making attachments with people, and when he did, it was like he was diving in full force, latching on like they were the only life-raft left in a vast ocean.

His future wife, Kairi Akabane, had thought it was charming at first, the complete commitment. He thought he knew what love was when he married her, but that changed with the birth of Gakushuu and then his unexpected second son, Karma.

Gakushuu was perfect when he was born, so perfect he had to step outside of the hospital room just to compose himself and not cry.

Karma had been just as perfect as well, a playful baby who was always laughing and smiling.

They were his pride and joy.

Those first four years had been bliss, perfect. Everything in their family felt complete, and he'd wanted it to last forever.

… Then Ikeda died, and everything started to fall apart.

He had to do whatever it took to protect his two boys and student, to make sure they grew up strong, even if that meant he had to be cruel to be kind.  He wasn’t going to lose them like he’d lost Ikeda. He wasn’t going to fail again.

His sons were brilliant, and they’d be the canvas for his new educational philosophy. They didn’t understand, of course, Karma was four and Gakushuu was five when he started to make major changes in their everyday schedule. He knew they were confused and upset when he’d thrown away their toys and made so many alterations, but he was doing it because he loved them.

They’d thank him one day. When they were strong and successful. They’d thank him.

The road ahead was difficult, he knew that. Karma especially was difficult.

Gakuhou was trying to prepare him for primary school, spending a long amount of his free time teaching them extra lessons in a small study room he’d set up.

His second son may have been four years old and a year younger than Gakushuu, but he knew Karma was smart enough to catch up and attend school the same time. That way the two boys could properly motivate each other and be challenged. 

“No!” Karma decided he didn’t want to study today, throwing the expensive textbooks on the floor. “I don’t want to!”

“Karma.” Gakuhou narrowed his gaze, pausing from writing on the blackboard. “That’s enough, pick up your textbooks—”

“No!” Karma kept screaming, turning red in the face as he started to cry. “I want my blanket! I-I want—”

“Enough.” He grabbed his son’s arm hard, which made the boy scream and kick.

Gakushuu was watching with wide eyes; he never threw tantrums. Perfectly behaved.

“I WANT MY BLANKET!” Karma kept screaming for the ratty blanket which had been thrown out weeks ago.

Gakuhou felt his temper rise at the shouting, his son’s screaming wringing in his ears. “I said, that’s enough!”

He could feel a headache coming on when his son kept screaming. The boy needed to be silent.

(He wanted to slap him.)

He quickly banished those thoughts, slightly alarmed he had thought it since he normally never thought about hurting his sons. Karma was barely out of his toddler years and just about came up to his knee in height, he couldn’t just hit him. He was his tiny baby boy.

“BLANKET!” Karma kept sobbing. “BLANKET!”

His temper grew again. “Stop it!” He dragged Karma out of the room, the child kicking and screaming all the way until he came to a small closet underneath the stairs to the third floor.

He shoved his son in the small tight space and locked the door from the outside.

Karma kept shouting, banging on the door, but the sound was muffled.

Gakuhou sighed in relief when he could finally think properly, keeping his hand pressed on the door while his son kicked against the wood.

Karma just needed a timeout session to calm down, that way Gakushuu’s studying wouldn’t be disturbed.

He ran a hand through his hair and straightened up. “You’ll stay in there until you calm down, son.”

Karma’s screaming grew into sobs, as the banging on the door weakened.

He grimaced when he heard the sobs, the sound of his son crying making his chest hurt, but he couldn’t show weakness. His sons needed to be strong, and he needed to lead by example.

Gakuhou left him there and went back to the study room where his oldest was waiting patiently.

“Where’s Karma?” Gakushuu asked worriedly,  shoulders hunched up like he was afraid.

He picked up his lesson plan. “He’s in timeout.”

His eldest looked scared. “But—”

“No more questions,” he chided lightly, and then resumed writing on the board. “Now, where were we…?”

Gakushuu didn’t ask any further questions, obediently listening and studying. He was a wonderful student.

He loved teaching his sons, and Gakushuu was so diligent and clever, his potential already apparent. More advanced than he’d been as a child.

Before he knew it, six hours had passed in a blink of an eye.

Gakuhou stared at the closet, hand lingering on the lock as he listened. “Karma?”

There was a tiny sniffle from inside the closet. “Daddy…” The boy’s voice sounded broken. “Daddy, I’m sorry… please, can I come out now?”

Much better.

He smiled in relief, opening the closet.

Karma tumbled out and latched onto his leg, smelling of urine.

Gakuhou grimaced at the smell, but it couldn’t be helped. “Honestly...”

His son sniffled loudly, looking like a neglected puppy. “I’ll be good.” The boy clung to his legs and gave a small sob. “I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Alright, that’s enough. Stop crying.” Gakuhou sighed, as he picked the boy up. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

It probably hadn’t been wise to leave Karma in the closet for so long, especially since he was now having to shower the child down and re-dress him to get rid of the putrid smell,  but the lesson had worked, his son was calm now.

Gakuhou slipped a clean polo shirt over the boy’s head, his son now smelling of strawberry and apples, and perfectly clean again. “There. That’s much better, isn’t it?””

“Hm.” Karma rubbed his eyes, and then tried to suck his thumb.

“Stop that,” he chastised, grabbing his son’s hand. “Do you understand why I put you in timeout?”

Karma hiccupped, eyes still puffy from crying. “’Cause I was bad…”

“Yes.” He stroked his son’s head gently. “You didn’t just disrupt your learning, but you also disrupted your brother’s.”

His son’s bottom lip wobbled, looking he’d cry again. “Daddy, I want my blanket back…”

“Your blanket’s gone, Karma. You know that.” He felt a flash of irritation. “You’re a big boy now, you don’t need those things.”

His sons weren’t babies anymore, they needed to grow up quickly if they were going to be strong. He knew it was all a big change, but they needed to just take it as a lesson that they needed to be more independent since the things they cared about could be easily taken away.

Karma’s eyes shone with more tears, but he held them back when Gakuhou shot him a warning look, nodding as he sniffled.  “O-okay.”

Gakuhou stroked his son’s head. “I’m doing this because I care about you, son. Do you understand?”

“…Yes,” his son mumbled, nodding apprehensively. “M’sorry I was bad.” His son clung onto his sleeve. “I’m a big boy now, I don’t need a blanket.”

He smiled faintly. “Exactly.” There was a strong urge to pull his son into a hug, but he refrained, he couldn’t coddle his boys anymore, they needed to learn. “That’s right.”

His sons were geniuses, truly exceptional. No matter how high he rose the bar, they ran towards the challenge and exceeded expectations.

Karma was five and already advanced and ahead, and Gakushuu was six and reading at nearly an age nine level.

They still weren’t perfect, he had to remind himself that, but they were on track to being so. Gakushuu was a leader in the making, and if all went to plan, his son would surpass him and go on to be greater than he could ever imagine. Karma was close too, though a little rough around the edges, he needed more guidance and nudges in the right direction.

Not that his wife was being supportive in that.

“…Why do you need to keep pushing them?” she muttered while they were in bed, gently running her fingers on his bare chest.

His brow furrowed, lips pausing from kissing her red hair. “They have the potential to be amazing, Kairi.” He stroked her cheek gently when she looked away from him. “I just want them to be strong, and they will be.”

His wife was quiet for a while. “…You need to stop.”

He froze, thumb stilled from tracing soft circles on her cheek. “…Stop what?”

When she looked at him her gaze was cold. “If you loved them, you wouldn’t be pushing them this much.”

He tensed, shocked briefly by the sudden coldness, but it faded quickly when his temper sparked. “…Why would you even say that?” His thumb pressed down hard on her cheek until she glared defiantly, he moved his hand away when he realised. “They’re my children, of course I love them.”

(His sons seemed more afraid of him lately.)

His wife took a deep breath, glare never wavering. Stubborn. “They’re just kids, you—”

He pulled away from her. “I don’t need you lecturing me how to raise our children when you’re barely even here, Kairi.” She didn’t respond to that, and how could she when it was true? “I’ll sleep in the guest room,” he said coldly, and got out of bed, leaving her there, as he grabbed his dressing gown. “Goodnight.”

Gakuhou slipped his dressing gown on and shut the door behind him quietly, despite wanting to slam it shut out of spite. He tried to quit his temper, pausing when he walked near his sons’ room.

He quietly opened the door and smiled fondly when he heard Karma snoring, and then saw Gakushuu drooling on the pillow.

Raising his sons and teaching his students at his new school was the reason he got up in the morning, and his wife, who cared more about her career, dared to question if he loved his children? Why couldn’t she understand?

Gakuhou wandered over to his eldest son, and then tucked him in, stroking the boy’s head gently. He felt his anger melt away when he saw Gakushuu stir and chew on the pillow like he had when he was a toddler.

He was strict because he had to be, because he knew his sons were destined for success. There couldn’t be any room for weakness, he had to tow the hard line or they’d never be strong enough.

Gakuhou wandered over and sat down on the edge of Karma’s bed, and then pulled the loose covers up to the boy’s chin. He grew amused when his youngest gave a distinctly loud snore. His little boy was growing up so fast it was almost hard to believe he’d been a tiny baby just under five years ago.

His smile faded slightly, stroking Karma’s head, his children were still young but there was so much to do if he was going to raise them to be strong men in society. Every detail had to be planned out accordingly and even one failure could cause everything to come crashing down.

His wife may not understand but that didn’t matter, nothing mattered except making sure his sons and the next generation of students were strong and crafted to perfection.

He felt his resolve strengthen, pushing away any doubts that may have lingered.

He didn’t like seeing his sons hurt, what loving parent would? But, some pain was necessary, and his boys needed to know how to defend themselves.

Having his sons spar with the first years from his school was a difficult decision since Karma was only six and Gakushuu seven, but he knew it was the right choice to make.

Even when the older boys delivered less than soft blows and made his sons collapse on the mat in exhaustion. It was all for an end goal.

His knuckles still clenched when Gakushuu was kicked hard in the ribs and started choking. It was hard to watch, but he endured it. His sons were growing up fast and needed to fight their own battles. He couldn’t protect them forever.

Hiroshi kicked Karma repeatedly in the stomach, taunting the redhead to get up.

Gakuhou kept his expression blank as he watched, staying strong even when Karma met his gaze with teary eyes. He didn’t look away.

(His tiny baby boy safely tucked away in his arms.)

They’d thank him for this when they were older.

He was soon rewarded for his perseverance, when Karma had been the most surprising result, lashing out with such violence, like a puppy finally sharpening its teeth.

He’d been worried the most about his youngest, since Karma was overall a shy boy who preferred daydreaming and his own company, rather than dominating others and establishing leadership Gakushuu who just seemed to be a natural.

Karma viciously drove his foot into the older boy’s ribs, before delivering a punch to the boy’s face. Ruthless.

It reminded him of himself a little.  

Gakuhou smiled faintly, patting his sons’ head as they looked at the beaten up and unconscious older boys that had been assigned to spar with them.

His children were so strong it made his chest swell with pride.

Cleaning up the bruises afterwards was unpleasant, but he tried to see the marks as badges of his sons’ strength.

“I think it’s best we don’t tell your mother,” he advised as he pressed an icepack to Gakushuu’s bare shoulder, the boy had a large ugly purple bruise running down his shoulder to his ribs. “She’s already busy with work.”

Kairi didn’t understand his methods, and he didn’t have time to go through the same argument over again.

Karma shivered when the ice pack was pressed the large bruise on his stomach. “But lying’s wrong.”

“It’s not lying, son,” Gakuhou replied, the three of them in the bathroom after coming home from the dojo. “There are just some things your mother doesn’t need to concern herself with.” He looked at them pointedly. “You want to be able to keep learning to be strong, don’t you?”

There was a brief pause as his sons stared at him. “…Yes,” Gakushuu replied quietly.

Karma nodded, crunching the ice pack in his hands. “Yeah, we wanna be strong.”

He patted his head. “Then lessons like this aren’t any of your mother’s concern.”

His sons nodded, but Karma still looked unsure. “But, what if she finds out…”

Gakuhou sighed, patting his youngest’s cheek. “If she finds out then she can discuss any issues with me.” His wife could scream and argue all she wanted, it wouldn’t stop him from doing right by his sons and making sure they were strong. “If she cared so much to begin with she’d be here helping.”

The comment slipped out before he realised he probably shouldn’t have said it, Karma’s eyes widening. “Mom doesn’t care?”

He forced a smile, patting their heads reassuringly. “Of course, your mother cares, unfortunately, her work is just a larger priority.”

“Oh…” Gakushuu looked like a kicked puppy.

Karma’s eyes threatened to tear up. “So, mom doesn’t love us?”

A rare wave of panic came over, trying to think quickly of what he was supposed to say. As neglectful as Kairi was, she was still his wife, and he didn’t want his sons thinking their mother didn’t love them or that they were unwanted.

“I never said that, Karma,” he replied stiffly, feeling out of his depth. “The both of you, stop being emotional. Your mother cares for you as any mother would.” He stood up, and then placed a hand on their shoulders. “Now let’s not discuss it further.”

His sons nodded, even though his youngest still looked upset, but that would be temporary just like the bruises and faint tears threatening to spill out.

Recently it felt like he’d become a single parent since all his wife did was work until late hours of the day, and yet she still had the audacity to criticize his methods while she left him to raise their sons.

The whole summer had been non-stop training and competitions, with only one or two failures when Karma came home with a silver trophy in hand, but that had been swiftly thrown in the trash. The silver had appeared so cheap and tacky he couldn’t even bear to look at it.  

He’d entered them in multiple competition together as pairs, and others against each other when he could. A little sibling rivalry helped motivate the two of them, to the point they would clash against each other like sharpening a blade to perfection.

Currently, Gakushuu was showing more promise as a leader, with Karma serving better as a follower, which seemed suitable. His youngest was too impulsive and quick to anger like his wife, the boy needed reigning in more often, while his oldest son was much calmer and logical, much more like himself. A perfect leader.

Either way, they both progressing smoothly with no bumps in the road, Karma was now six and was hardly throwing any tantrums anymore since taking up martial arts, and Gakushuu was slowly becoming more patient and disciplined.

The large shelf in the hallway crowded with trophies, and he considered creating a room to hold them all since he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of any of them.

“Well done, boys.” He added Gakushuu’s Spelling B trophy to the glass cabinet shelf. “It’s been a productive summer.” He added Karma’s golden karate trophy to the shelf as well. “You’ve both performed exceptionally.”

Gakuhou smiled faintly when he looked down at them. They looked exhausted, but that didn’t stop them from smiling proudly at the praise.

(He hadn’t seen them smile in a while.)

A spark returned in Karma’s eyes. “Thanks, dad!”

Gakushuu looked happy as well. “We’ll try even harder next time!”

“Of course.” His smile grew, closing the cabinet. “But I think we’ve all earned a short break,” he said, feeling in a good mood. “Don’t you think?”

If failure was to be punished, then logically success should be rewarded.

“Really!?” Karma started to look excited, jumping up and down “Can we play a game?”

Gakuhou chuckled in amusement, deciding to indulge them. “Yes, within reason.”

“Will you play Sudoku with us?” Gakushuu asked, smile apprehensive, nearly bouncing on his toes.

“Very well.” He agreed. It was an educational game. “Go to the living room.”

His sons looked overjoyed and nearly ran, causing him to smile in amusement. He grabbed a pencil, a clipboard, and paper from a drawer in his office, before heading to the living room.

Karma and Gakushuu stood patiently waiting for him, with his youngest barely able to stay still, waiting for further instruction.

“Alright, sit down then,” he told them, heading towards the sofa.

They quickly sat down alongside him so he was in the middle. When the three of them were sitting on the sofa, he used sheets of paper to make the boards for them while they patiently were by both his sides.

“Can we make one for you, dad, as well?” Gakushuu asked.

“Yes.” Though, he’d be able to solve it easily.

Karma shifted as he watched him create the puzzle. “Can we play Two-ten-jack afterwards, dad?” That was his sons favourite card game it seemed.

“Hm.” He filled in some of the cells on the board. “Let’s see how quickly you can complete this game first.”  

The break still needed to be short, too much overindulgence was like sugar rotting teeth. His sons couldn’t be allowed to lose focus.

Karma nodded, smiling as he seemed to relax. “Okay, dad.” He moved closer to his side. “You make the best puzzles.”

Gakuhou’s brow furrowed slightly when he saw his son lean more on his arm. Coddling wasn’t good for children… but he couldn’t bring himself to scold him, and just patted him on the head. “Thank you, son.”

Karma smiled more, resting his head on his arm.

When Gakuhou finished making the board and handed it to them, they nearly bounced with excitement to complete the first game. He smiled at their enthusiasm and love for learning, and relaxed a little, feeling a moment of peace.

“I finished the first one!” Karma exclaimed.

Gakushuu looked flustered. “What? No way!”

Karma grinned, kicking his feet happily. “You’re too slow.”

His eldest son scowled. “No, I’m not.”

He felt a rise of amusement, patting them both on the heads. “Settle down.” He smiled crookedly. “You were too slow, Gakushuu.”

Gakushuu glared at him, and then grumbled under his breath. “…It’s not fair.”

 Gakuhou’s smile softened when he heard Karma laughed, it was a nice sound, bubbly and taunting. He hadn’t heard either of his children laugh in a while…

“I’ll get the next one!” His eldest said firmly, and hurried to work on the next puzzle.

“Nuh, uh!” Karma’s brow furrowed, quickly racing to solve his first.

He watched them in amusement, impressed by how fast they completed the puzzles he’d set since he knew they were hard enough to make even the students at his middle school struggle, but his sons just found the challenge fun.

It was times like this he knew he was doing the right thing. Yes, he was harsh, but he rewarded good behaviour. He was teaching important lessons for them to be successful in life, and this was just further proof of it.

His education method was working perfectly.

If there was one common frustration in life it was people constantly doubting his methods when the results were obvious. His middle school hadn’t even hit the ten-year mark yet and was already prestigious, crafting the minds of young children and moulding them into brilliant young men and women.

Fights with his wife were commonplace now, but he’d grown used to it and if anything they just strengthened his determination. No one but he knew what was best for his sons, he understood them, they were the perfect examples of his education philosophy.

Even if there was the occasional critique from his sons’ instructors. Whether from their martial art’s teachers complaining Karma was too violent and Gakushuu was too cold, or that the boys were working too hard and that they needed a break. It all ended up sounding like a noise of rapid whining that he dismissed.

His boys were strong, he knew exactly how much they could handle before they’d break, and if they did, then he was around to pick up the pieces and fix them back together.

Yet, still, there were always those who kept acting as if they knew his sons better than he did.

“I’m just concerned, Mr Asano.” His sons’ teacher, Mr Ando, had called him in for a special meeting after school, having the boys waiting outside of the classroom.

“About what specifically?” he asked lightly, smiling politely.

Mr Ando fiddled with the folder in his hand, already showing signs of weakness. “Karma and Gakushuu are brilliant students.” He apprehensively opened the folder. “But… I’m concerned about their mental state.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I see.” He tapped his finger on his thigh. “Please, continue.”

Mr Ando fidgeted with the folder again. “Gakushuu’s only nine, but he’s showing signs of extreme stress.” He looked uncomfortable when Gakuhou just stared at him. “He missed a mark on his Japanese work and was very anxious and restless throughout the whole week.”

Anxious. Gakuhou frowned at the word since a leader was not supposed to be anxious. Anxiety implied doubt and lack of assurance. The fact Mr Ando had been able to pick up on it was even more concerning since it meant Gakushuu wasn’t presenting himself properly and allowing cracks to seep in. A leader had no chinks in their armour.  

“I’ll have words with him,” Gakuhou replied lightly. “We’ll work on correcting it.”

His eldest just needed to stay focussed on the goal ahead, a few more study sessions on strategy and proper leadership.

Mr Ando looked worried, fidgeting more. “Mr Asano, I…I understand you have a certain view on teaching,” he said, looking at him warily. “But what I’m worried about, is that Gakushuu may be anxious because he has a lot of expectations placed on him; he never seems to relax.”

Good. His son needed to keep his guard up at all times.

“He’s just a serious boy,” Gakuhou replied evenly. “Rest assured, I monitor his wellbeing extensively. I know his strengths and weaknesses perfectly.”

Mr Ando picked at the corner, the noise starting to grow irritating. “… Then there’s Karma.” He opened the folder and took out a test sheet. “I’ve been concerned with his behaviour for a while now, and… there was a short test I had him complete following your wife’s permission—”

“My wife?” Gakuhou stopped tapping his finger, narrowing his eyes. “My wife gave consent for you to do a test?”

The teacher frowned. “Yes, we called her after we were unable to get you? She said she would talk to you about it. There were emails as well.”

He clenched his hand tightly, staying calm. “Of course, we’ve both been busy so it must have slipped her mind.”

Just what game was his wife playing!?

Mr Ando frowned, but nodded nevertheless. “Well, the test isn’t anything official, but it’s just so we can determine if a student may have ADD or ADHD and should be referred for an official diagnosis.” He took out the test and handed it over to him. “Karma scored high with a majority of the symptoms.”

Gakuhou stared at the results. “He did?”

Karma did seem to have a lot of the symptoms listed… no. Overdiagnosis of ADD and ADHD was becoming a common paranoia, paranoia and overcoddling. His son was just… energetic. His son didn’t have a medical condition. His children were genetically perfect.

“He isn’t talkative and doesn’t seem to have issues making decisions that much, but they tend to be impulsive and reckless.” Mr Ando was talking again. “From what I’ve observed, if he has a strict schedule he can manage the work fine, it’s when things aren’t structured for him he can easily become distracted and start hyper fixating on things and then become overwhelmed. Though, I still catch him daydreaming and distracted.” The teacher sighed. “It’s hard to say for definite, but he might benefit from a diagnosis so he could get extra help—”

“No.” His smile was gone, as a cold look overcast. “That won’t be necessary. Karma’s perfectly fine.”

Both his sons were physically perfect, for this man to imply anything less was an insult.

Mr Ando paled, skin visibly clammy. “Yes, Karma is a great student, but I just think it’s something that should be looked into at least—”

He scrunched the test in his hand, silencing the teacher. “I know my son like the back of my hand, Mr Ando, a test like this is unnecessary.”

The small ticks of imperfection Mr Ando had brought up could be corrected.

Karma was genetically perfect, having a label like ADD or ADHD would just give him a disadvantage in life. It would ruin him, and give him an excuse to not reach his full potential. Gakuhou would not allow that to happen.

The teacher remained silent as the test was scrunched up into a small ball. “…Mr Asano, please just consider—”

“I think we’re done here,” he said firmly, smiling pleasantly, and then standing up. “Thank you again for your concern, but it’s unwarranted,” he told the man, crushing the test in his hand. “My sons are perfectly fine.”

Mr Ando stood up, balling his hands into fists. “I apologise if I overstepped, Mr Asano, but…” He kept his gaze low like the coward he was. “I just want all of my students to be happy so they can have a good future, and I’m worried that—”

“My sons are happy,” he replied lightly, staring at the teacher intently as he took a step forward. “And, I am dedicated to making sure they have the best future imaginable.” He smiled pleasantly, making Mr Ando tense when he touched his shoulder. “They’re my pride and joy.”

“O-of course.” Mr Ando tensed, shifting uncomfortably. “Mr Asano, could you please remove your hand—”

He tilted his head and dug his nails into the teacher’s shoulder. “Your concern is touching, but I am starting to grow weary of your need to interfere with my sons’ lives.”

Mr Ando’s brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”

His smile was sharp. “Please understand, I’m just curious why you’ve invested such special attention in my boys when you have plenty of other children to concern yourself with.”

The teacher’s eyes widened and then winced when Gakuhou tightened his grip on his shoulder. “Mr Asano, I’m not sure what you’re implying but—”

“Forgive me, I’m just speaking as a concerned parent and an educator.” His eyes narrowed darkly, leaning in close. “And, I’m very selective with  who I allow near my children, especially when they’re easily influenced.” His nails dug in just a little harder than necessary but not enough to bruise. “The trust placed in a teacher is fragile, one misstep and it’s so easily broken.”

Mr Ando cringed, staring at him in fear.  “I—I…”

How was this man supposed to teach his sons anything? Pathetic.

“Now.” He smiled thinly, dusting the teacher's shoulder like he was removing lint. “I trust you’ll respect my judgement and not pursue this further?” he questioned. The teacher remained silent. “Wonderful, now I’m afraid I need to get going.” He grasped the teacher’s hand, making the man flinch. “Thank you for your time, Mr Ando, again.”

Mr Ando withered under his gaze.

Gakuhou hummed, tossing the scrunch up text results in the bin, before leaving the classroom.

Karma and Gakushuu looked up instantly from where they were seated, frowning.

“Are we in trouble?” Karma asked, kicking the air and fidgeting.

He stared at them for a moment, focusing on Gakushuu’s expression which bordered on anxiety, and Karma’s constant movement. He held back a grimace. Once the imperfections were seen it was impossible to ignore.

But, these imperfections were minor bumps, barely a fly in the oil. Flaws could be corrected. His sons would be perfect, and no one was going to jeopardise that. He wouldn’t allow it, no matter what, he’d protect them.

“No.” He grabbed Karma’s hand, causing the boy to still and stop fidgeting. “You’re not in trouble.” He held his youngest son’s hand tight as the two boys rose to their feet. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself about.”

“Oh…” Gakushuu frowned, exchanging a look with his brother, too shrewd for his own good.

“Come along now.” He smiled pleasantly and then started to lead them down the corridor.

After he called the Principal the next day, Mr Ando was fired before the school day had even been drawn to a close.

The divorce hadn’t been a surprise, but he’d still held out some hope Kairi wouldn’t be so selfish, especially since the boys were about to go into middle school and sit their entrance exam – this next year was key.

He’d still been livid when he’d told his sons the news.

“You and mom are getting a divorce?” Karma repeated, frowning as he and his brother stood in the home office.

Gakuhou grimaced, tapping his finger on his desk. “Unfortunately, as usual, your mother is letting her selfishness interfere with your future.” He wanted to smash his fist against the desk, the resentment becoming unbearable. “She’s breaking our family apart.”

“…Ren’s parents got divorced and now he never sees his real mom.” Gakushuu started to look upset, holding his younger brother’s hand. “So… are you going to leave us too?”

“No,” he replied sharply, bristling at the mere thought of it. “You’re not just my children you’re my students. I have a duty as your father and teacher.” He stood up. “And none of your mother’s spite will change that.”

“But, who are we going to live with?” Karma asked, frowning.

“…That hasn’t been decided yet.” He placed his hands on their heads. “But I won’t allow it to jeopardise your future,” he said sternly. “You both are my students until I decide you’re strong enough to graduate.”

“Oh…” Gakushuu’s brow furrowed, holding his brother’s hand tighter.

If his wife thought tearing their family apart would make him abandon his sons then she was even more deluded than he thought. There was nothing in this world that could ever keep him from his children. No matter how many lawyers had to be bought, judges had to be bribed, or how many favours he had to pull. He was staying a part of his sons’ lives.

“Your mother doesn’t care about your future, boys,” he told them grimly. “But, unlike her, I do.”

“But…” Karma’s brow creased, his eyes wide with confusion. “But, mom loves us.”

Something cold grew in his chest. “The only person your mother loves is herself,” he said, causing the two of them to stare at him in alarm. “Your mother’s selfish, boys, because she’s trying to abandon our family.” His hands shook a little as he pulled them closer, resting their heads against his stomach in the closest thing to hug he’d given them in years. “But I’ll never abandon you. Do you understand?”  

They nodded, the both of them shifting awkwardly in the tight embrace like they were afraid he’d crush their skulls. The thought made him pause, but he brushed it aside.

“Yes, dad,” Karma mumbled, looking a little scared when the grip tightened.

“Yes, sir,” Gakushuu replied dully, trying to smile but it looked more like a grimace.

He could understand their apprehension and fear since they were just scared because of the big change the divorce would bring. “We can’t let this distract you from your entrance exams.” He stared at the basketball on the bookshelf, while he stroked their heads, already trying to adapt their plans. “You’ll need to land in the top ten in the Kunugigaoka exam to be put in A-Class, anything less will be a failure – we can’t afford any distractions.”

“Yes, dad.” Karma’s voice was quiet, fidgeting in his grip.

“No distractions,” Gakushuu repeated tiredly.

“After that, we’ll need to focus on club activities and more competitions, high grades aren’t enough anymore,” he continued, speaking mostly to himself as he tried to re-plan the future. “You need to have a strong application for your university. Awards as well, things to help you get scouted early.”

Kairi could do as she pleased, it didn’t matter, he could still secure his sons’ future. This was a large bump in the plan, but it could be chiselled down and smoothed over again. She may have failed their sons, but he wouldn’t do the same.

“Yes, sir.” His eldest son nodded along.

Karma shifted on the spot, frowning. “Yeah…”

He sighed, lifting their chins up so they’d look at him. “The end goal will always be the same, boys,” he told them. “For you to be strong, you must not lose focus of that.”

They nodded diligently, reassuring him slightly that they understood. His soon to be ex-wife was not going to ruin years of hard work over one selfish act.

It had been a shock when Karma stated he wanted to live with his mother when he’d been given the choice. Gakuhou had been livid, and nearly drove his fist into the wall and lost control. He’d hated her, completely and utterly hated her at that moment. She was taking his son away.

He should have seen it coming and anticipated she’d put poison in Karma’s ear. She always played the role of the soft parent, painting him out as the villain and coddling the boys like they were accessories when in reality the only thing she cared about was herself.

She hadn’t even wanted Karma, in fact, if it was up to her his youngest would have never been born.

The only good thing that woman had ever done in her life was giving birth to his sons.  

(He blocked out memories of long nights holding her and combing his hands through her hair, while her fingers traced circles on his chest.)

Gakuhou glared at his wine glass, tempted to refill it when the hole from missing his youngest son grew, but he resisted. He couldn’t lose control and let Kairi win, he had to stay strong.

Karma was still going to attend Kunugigaoka. Gakuhou had made sure the judge had given complete control over both of the boys schooling to him, and his youngest son was still required to visit him once a month. His lawyer had said it was a good deal considering how stubborn Kairi had been.

“…Sir?” Gakushuu interrupted his train of thought, sitting next to him at the dining table.

“Hm?” He glanced up, frowning at the interruption. “What is it?”

(When had Gakushuu started calling him sir, and not dad?)

His son grimaced a little, placing his cutlery on his empty plate. “May I be excused?”

“…Yes.” He looked at his own plate, which was still full, the food was now cold. “We’ll be reviewing your study notes in an hour so be back downstairs by then.”

His eldest nodded, moving from the table and then taking his plate to the kitchen.

 He watched him leave, clutching his glass tightly, staring at his uneaten food. His gaze drifted to the empty seat his youngest had used to occupy, feeling his stomach twist unpleasantly. The house was quieter without Kairi or Karma around, and Gakushuu barely spoke to him unless answering a question.

Gakuhou felt whatever was left of his appetite go, as he drained his glass, before standing up.

Once he’d tossed the uneaten dinner in the bin, he went to his study, spending the time at his desk staring at the recent photo of his two sons.

He’d wanted a recent photo of them together, making sure they looked perfect, dressed in identical suits. Even though, as usual, Karma had to make a fuss about everything, refusing to stay still and just smile for once.

He may have been harsh to Gakushuu as a result, but his eldest had managed to reign his brother in and get him to take the photo. Looking back, he should have been more patient, but the photo had turned out fine. The two of them were smiling.

(They didn’t look happy.)

Gakuhou gripped the photo tight, missing his youngest. He doubted his ex-wife was even properly feeding him, and Karma hadn’t called yet, which again, was most likely Kairi’s doing. His concern grew, wondering if his son was eating properly and studying. The boy was easily distracted and if he didn’t have a structured schedule then he could fall behind.

He wanted to call the boy, just to hear his son’s voice and make sure that poor excuse for a mother was looking after him properly. He resisted the urge, if he appeared needy then Karma would view that as weakness.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring at the photo but, a knock from the door caused him to look up. An hour must have passed already. “Come in.”

Gakushuu came into the office, quietly closing the door behind him and carrying a thick notebook under his arm. “I’m ready to review.”

“Good.” He placed the photo back on the desk.

His son glanced at the photo briefly, a sad look flickering, before he pulled up a seat and sitting down in front of the desk. “Are we continuing from yesterday’s lesson?”

“Yes.” Gakuhou looked at the photo and then his eldest, the son that had chosen to stay like the diligent and responsible student he was. “Has your brother called you?”

Gakushuu remained quiet, turning a page in his notes. “…He tried to, but I was busy.”

He hummed, wondering if he was lying or trying to hide things from him. “Have you tried to call him?”

“No,” Gakushuu replied, beginning to look uncomfortable. “…Am I even allowed?”

“Of course, you’re allowed, son,” he replied lightly. “Your mother just concerns me, that’s all.” He sighed, clasping his hands under his chin as he leaned on the desk. “Your brother’s impressionable, I just worry she’ll jeopardise his future.”

His son’s brow furrowed. “Can’t you just bring him back?”

He smiled bitterly. “Karma made a choice, son.” He narrowed his eyes at the photo. “If he wants to come back, all he need do is ask.” His smile grew grim. “Unfortunately, your mother still seems to have a hold over him, but with a little patience I’m sure your brother will come home.”

Gakushuu looked lost briefly, but then nodded. “He’ll come back…”

“I hope so,” he replied, sighing. “Regardless, life must continue, and this year is crucial. You need to focus everything on preparing for middle school.”

“Yes, sir,” Gakushuu replied, nodding.

“I understand this is a big change but that isn’t an excuse to fall behind,” he continued. “If you fail you have no one to blame but yourself, and then you’ll be nothing.” He grimaced. “When you fail, everyone abandons you.”

It was a tough lesson, but one Gakushuu needed to properly understand if he was going to rise to the top.

“I understand.” His son grimaced, eyes tired and looking older than eleven.

“You’ll need to mind your brother as well,” he reminded him. “He needs guidance, and any failures he has reflect on you.” He picked up the photo of the two of them again. “I trust you’re capable enough to keep him on the right path?”

Gakushuu nodded, staring at the photo. “Yes, I will.”

He nodded, placing the photo down. “Everything from this point needs to be perfect, son,” he told him, feeling a swell of warmth when he imagined the man his son could be. “If you want to surpass me and be the leader I know you can be, there can’t be any room for failure. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” But, there was still a slight hesitation, a tiny flash of anxiety on his son’s face briefly.

Gakuhou sighed when he saw the small chink in his son’s armour, but he decided to ignore it, for now, they had work to do.

The divorce made parenting both his children equally difficult, so it was hard not to play favourites, but he tried. Karma was just… a little too different from Gakushuu.

“Karma, stop fidgeting,” he chided his youngest son as they were all sitting down in the expensive restaurant.

It was the last weekend before the boys started middle school so he decided a nice meal would be a good way to celebrate since they’d met all his expectations this year.

He’d decided to take them to a restaurant that had become a recent favourite of his, and where e regularly had meetings with his high-level associates. It was bright with warm colours, serving New American Cuisine. Exclusive and very hard to get a table booked, which meant the last thing he needed was his children embarrassing him.

He’d managed to convince Karma to dress nicely, since the boy had started looking scruffy and neglecting his appearance since moving out, but his youngest still refused to wear a tie with his suit, claiming he lost it.

Karma frowned, kicking his chair. “Hey, cut me some slack, dad, these chairs are uncomfortable.”

Gakushuu rolled his eyes. “You say that with everything. Quit complaining.”

Karma scowled and kicked him under the table. “Says you.”

“Ow.” Gakushuu kicked him back. “Don’t kick me.”

And, so it begins…

“Boys,” he reprimanded sternly, shooting them a look. “Enough.”

They both scowled at him, acting like toddlers.

“I wasn’t the one who started it,” Gakushuu muttered.

“I said, enough.” Then, Gakuhou sighed. “Just order your food.”

His sons shot each other glares, testing his patience further.

“I’ll be getting the steak, medium rare,” Gakushuu replied promptly. “And a lemonade.”

He nodded. “An excellent choice.”

Karma frowned. “So, we can have anything?” he asked, fiddling with the corner of the menu.

He frowned slightly before remembering he normally got the final say on what his sons ate while they were out since Karma was notorious for either getting the worst thing on the menu or taking too long to choose if they went to a new place.

“Within reason,” Gakuhou replied lightly.

“Okay…” His youngest hummed and scanned the menu. “Why don’t they have anything spicy?”

“Because it’s not that type of restaurant.” He sighed, tapping the table. “Just pick something.”

Karma frowned. “Alright, geez, dad, I’m just asking…”

Gakuhou felt a tick of annoyance at the boy’s tone, it wasn’t lost on him that his youngest was becoming lax in his manners recently, but on the other hand, they were nearly teenagers. “The waiter will be here soon.”

His son sighed. “Okay, fine.” He stared at the menu for a few more seconds. “I’ll get the same as Gakushuu.” Then he frowned. “But I want a strawberry milkshake.”

“That won’t balance well,” Gakuhou replied stiffly.

Karma’s frown grew. “But I like strawberry milk.”

For goodness sake!

“Fine,” he replied, sighing. “You’ll need to have water with it as a pallet cleanser.”

He shrugged, closing the menu. “Okay.”

Gakuhou sighed, thankful the basic matter was settled and started to look through the wine menu.

“That’s my fork.” Gakushuu tried to snatch his fork back from Karma.

“No, it’s not, it was closer to me.” Karma kept the fork out of reach. “Get your own.”

“That was mine,” his eldest son insisted, trying to take the fork back.

Gakuhou’s eye twitched, looking up from the menu. “Boys.”

“He took my fork,” his oldest argued, frowning.

“No, I didn’t.” Karma kicked him under the table again.

“Stop that.” Gakushuu kicked him.

Gakuhou held back a sigh. “Enough.” He raised his voice slightly, making them freeze. “No talking, I’m trying to read the menu.”

His sons scowled but remained silent.

He chose his usual favourite wine that would go well with the chicken.

Then the waiter approached, smiling welcomingly. “Are you gentlemen ready to order?”

“Yes.” Gakuhou handed him the menu. “Two Kobe steaks, both medium rare—”

“I want mine well done,” Karma interrupted.

He shot his youngest a glare. “…One well done while the other is medium rare,” he said dryly. “I’ll have the chicken salad, and the number three wine.” He adjusted his cufflinks. “We’ll also have water for the table, a lemonade—”

“And, a strawberry milkshake,” Karma interrupted again, smiling brightly.

Gakuhou pursed his lips, growing impatient. “…Yes, that as well.”

“And, please may I have a fork?” Gakushuu added, shooting his brother a glare. “Mine’s suddenly disappeared for some reason.”

Gakuhou counted down from ten in his head, trying not to sigh.

“Of course, sirs.” The waiter took their menus after writing down their orders. “Your drinks will arrive shortly.”

“What did I say about interrupting?” he chided sharply to his youngest son.

Karma frowned. “You were forgetting my order.”

“No, I wasn’t.” He neatened his cutlery. “You need to be more patient. You’re both growing up, a lack of basic manners will reflect badly.” He sighed. “If you really want to be a politician you need to care more of how you’ll need to focus on making sure you present properly.”

“Fine.” His youngest scowled, and the huffed.  “…Doesn’t stop your friends from behaving bad.”

Gakushuu raised an eyebrow. “Minister Maeda is developing a rather bad reputation lately.”

His irritation faded a little. “Politicians will be politicians,” he remarked. “Though, he is becoming quite bothersome, I’ll be cutting him loose by the end of the summer.”

His eldest son smirked. “Is he really falling that fast?”

“Yeah, who did he piss off?” Karma asked.

“Mind your language,” Gakuhou reprimanded lightly. “Let’s just say it’s overdue, especially after that scandal with his daughter.” His eyes followed the waiter as he approached with their drinks. “Ah, thank you.”

Karma eagerly slurped his strawberry milkshake when it was handed to him, it looked disgustingly sweet and fattening. A tall clear glass with cream and fresh strawberries crowding the top of the pink milk.

Gakuhou tried to hide his irritation and smiled at the waiter as the wine was poured. “I still can’t fathom why you still insist on drinking that garbage.”

Karma raised an eyebrow, glancing at the glass of wine after the waiter left. “…Yeah, but wine is bad for you and you still drink it.”

Gakushuu snorted, nearly spitting out his lemonade.

He scowled briefly. “Karma.”

His youngest shrugged. “But it’s true…”

“He has a point, sir.” His other son chimed in.

He narrowed his gaze at the both of them, drinking his wine. “That’s enough from the both of you.”

Why did his sons have to have a comeback for everything these days?

Karma looked amused. “Well, if I’m gonna be a politician I want to be someone who actually gets stuff done.”

“You’re in the wrong field then,” Gakushuu commented. “Why do you think I want to go into business?”

His youngest son raised an eyebrow. “Because you want to suck the world dry?”

The corner of Gakuhou’s lips twitched in amusement. 

Gakushuu rolled his eyes. “Look, the world’s unfair, the only thing that matters is making it to the top.”

“And, extort people,” Karma kept teasing.

“The government does that daily,” Gakushuu shot back.

Karma scoffed. “Whatever, big corporations are crooked anyway.” He shrugged. “Plus, I bet I could take over if I got into politics.”

“That would be difficult considering the current laws for the country in place.” Gakuhou felt his amusement grow.

His youngest son grinned, something he hadn’t seen in months. “Yeah, well I’ll just take over the world by secret, like a shadow government.” He kicked under the table. “In Sonic Ninja there’s this organisation that lives in the shadows and is trying to take over. It’d be like that.”

Gakuhou’s brow furrowed. “Sonic Ninja?”

What on Earth was that? Some kind of movie?

Karma’s smile wavered. “Uh, just a video game.”

Video games? His frown grew, amusement fading.

“Yeah, a stupid one.” Gakushuu rolled his eyes.

“No, it’s not.” His youngest son flicked a strawberry at him.

“Karma.” Gakuhou chastised sharply, causing his son to stiffen.

Karma grimaced, hunching his shoulders. “It’s not stupid…” Then he quickly added. “They’re just games, dad. I only play them sometimes.”

He hummed warily, suspecting a lie. “I assume your mother purchased them.”

His son frowned, fiddling with a straw. “Yeah…”

He sighed, letting his irritation show. “You have better things to be doing than wasting time on video games, son.”

Karma kept his gaze low, drinking his milkshake. “…I don’t play them a lot, I promise.” His frown grew. “I still study all the time. I got in the top ten, remember? I’m not slacking off.”

Gakuhou regarded his youngest son for a moment, wondering just how much time the boy had wasted playing video games when he should be studying. “Yes, I’m aware.” He sipped his wine. “And, perhaps if you hadn’t wasted time playing those games you could have studied more and landed first place instead of your brother.”

It may be a little harsh, but it was the truth.

A look of hurt flashed across Karma’s face, before the boy’s expression grew closed off and he shifted his gaze away. “…I did study.”

“But, clearly not as much as Gakushuu.” He shook his head faintly. “Time is precious, Karma, not a single second of it should be wasted,” he lectured, looking at him pointedly. “Do you understand?”

Karma stirred his milkshake, his good mood souring. “…Yes, dad.”

Gakuhou hummed, letting the subject drop as their food was brought over. “Anyway, once school begins you’ll be too busy for those sorts of things.” He unfolded his napkin. “You’ll need to form strong social connections as well to help further your future careers.”

His eldest son shrugged. “Even though most of their IQ’s are still painstakingly low in comparison.”

Karma hummed, eating his steak. “Or most of them are annoying.”

He sighed. “I’m not telling you to make friends, boys, I’m telling you to establish connections that will benefit you.” He frowned, cutting up his chicken. “School friends fade quickly, but the right followers and associates remain steady and useful.” His gaze shifted to Karma pointedly. “If a connection isn’t useful, it’s prudent to cut it off promptly.”

“…Like with Minister Maeda?” Karma asked, frowning.

“Precisely.” He smiled approvingly and then ate some of his meal. “Friendships are fickle, there’s very few in this world you can truly let your guard down with.”

Karma stared at him curiously. “What about when you get married?”

He gripped the cutlery tight. “Yes, well that’s different.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin. “And, even then, your potential partner should be useful as well,” he continued. “When pursuing a potential spouse there are so many things to consider.”

“Such as?” Gakushuu raised an eyebrow.

“Well…” He cleared his throat. “First you need to conduct your research, of course. Learn everything about them, place of residence, family dynamic.” He shrugged while swirling his wine. “Who are their parents, what’s their current salary, their stock portfolio, any and every piece of information you can find really.”

“Um…” Gakushuu looked concerned for some reason.

Karma frowned. “Isn’t that a little… much?”

“Nonsense.” He smiled pleasantly, amused by their naivety. “It’s important to know everything about your potential partner to know what you’re getting into. This is someone you’re marrying after all.”

His sons exchanged a confused look. “But…”

“Boys, relationships are a lifelong commitment that requires thorough research,” he replied lightly, sipping his drink. “I suggest you practice on your classmates. Information is a powerful thing.”

“Uh…but what about actually liking them?” Gakushuu asked warily.

“Oh, yes, that’s important too I suppose.” He shrugged, looking amused. “But can you really like romantically without proper research?”

“So, you did all that before you married mom?” Karma asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” he replied brightly. “I had to be sure after all.”

He still had the full file locked in his office, just in case.

“Oh…” Karma’s brow was still furrowed. “Marriage is kind of weird.”

“You’ll understand when you’re older, son,” he replied, smiling in amusement.

Karma looked at him apprehensively. “So… are you gonna marry someone else now since you and mom aren’t together?”

He paused, caught off guard by the question.

Gakushuu frowned. “Yeah, Ren’s already had five step-moms since his parents' divorce.”

He nearly scoffed at the thought. “Rest assured, I have no plans of any of that.” His gaze shifted back to his sons. “I have no interest in pursuing a relationship currently, not when my focus is on the school and your education.” He stroked Karma’s head. “These next six years will be important to make sure you’re both groomed for greatness.”

Without his wife around he could finally invest all his time and commitment into his students and sons’ futures. Without having to waste time arguing with a wife who didn’t understand. He’d been able to do so much without Kairi holding him back, working later hours, investing more time in teaching his sons.

Karma looked relieved. “Okay, good, because I don’t want a step-mom.”

Gakushuu nodded.  “Yes, me neither.”

He chuckled lightly, resuming his meal. “Yes, well, dating is such a hassle anyway.”

It wasn’t how it used to be where you could just meet people. Now there were strange apps for some reason, and what even was the point of speed dating?

“And, you are kind of old,” Karma quipped daringly, triggering a snort from his brother.

He frowned, bristling a little. “Watch your tone.”

Karma grinned, teeth pointed. “I mean, it’s true. You don’t even know what social media is.”

Gakushuu smirked. “Yeah, you keep calling it weird names, like Bookface, Instantgram, and what was the other one?”

His youngest’s smile was crooked. “Snap photo.”

Gakushuu chuckled. “Oh, yeah!”

They were such annoying little whelps sometimes.

His eye twitched. “I do not have time to memorise every nonsensical media application your generation is using these days.” That just seemed to amuse his sons more, making him scowl. “And, unless you’d like to foot the bill, be quiet and eat your food.”

Fortunately, they obeyed, eating their meal and not pushing the subject.

The corner of his lips curved slightly, allowing his guard to lower a little as he enjoyed the meal with his sons. A moment of peace lingering.

Things started to become turbulent when Karma started Kunugigaoka Junio High, not even halfway through his first year and the boy was causing trouble.

He knew he could be… controlling, but that was necessary. A teacher had to define clear boundaries, even if it meant being feared or even hated.

And, lately, Karma had been difficult. Constantly difficult and failing to just listen when all he wanted was for his son to succeed. His youngest wasn’t like Gakushuu, he wasn’t leadership material yet, he needed more refinement because he was different—

(What was it that Mr Ando had said…?)

--But, still nearly perfect in other ways. He reminded himself of that. Karma could reach even greater heights than Gakushuu if he just applied himself more if he just listened.

That wasn’t an excuse to lose his temper, of course. While fear was important, physical violence was not. Karma had aggravated him, but he shouldn’t have grabbed the boy’s jaw like that and left bruises. It was a small mistake, a moment where he’d lost control just for a second.

Gakuhou sighed, staring at his sons that were huddled on the floor like they were terrified he’d hurt them.

He tried to explain that everything he was doing was for them, which was the truth. They needed to be strong and it was never going to be easy. Gakushuu at least listened but Karma was just… too much like Kairi. Too headstrong and impulsive.

Yet the only thing Karma responded with was, “I hate you…”

 His youngest’s gaze was cold, held protectively in his older brother’s arms as the bruises on his jaw became more pronounced.

(Karma had been such a happy baby.)

Gakuhou swallowed a lump in his throat, the words cutting in deep, but he tried to ignore it. Not responding and letting Gakushuu drag his brother out of the office.

His sons could hate him all he wanted, it didn’t change things. He still loved them enough to do whatever it took to make them strong.

But, no matter how many chances he gave Karma, it was like his youngest son was determined to self-sabotage and throw away everything. It was infuriating and terrifying.

(Ikeda’s skin greyish and dripping wet, while standing at the end of his bed, making him wake up in a cold sweat.)

What was more disappointing was how Gakushuu had failed to keep their youngest family member on the right path, the start of the first year barely beginning and Karma was already demoted to Class D because of bad behaviour and causing fights.

All he had asked was that Gakushuu be a responsible brother, but the boy was too self-absorbed and immature to properly guide his little brother and protect him, inheriting Kairi’s selfishness.

He felt like he was losing control again, his mind wandering and becoming lost.

“I told you to mind your brother,” he said quietly when he came home in the evening. “And you couldn’t even do that.”

Gakushuu didn’t say anything, not even having the decency to look at him, hands in a full bucket of ice while kneeling on the kitchen tiles.  “…I did look after—”

“What did I say about excuses?” he reprimanded sharply, silencing him. “And, stop shaking, you’re supposed to be a leader. Leaders don’t show weakness, son, they stay strong.”

Gakushuu shifted and stopped shaking, staying quiet and keeping his gaze on the floor, breathing deeply as he failed to hide a wince when more ice was poured in.

The boy’s arms had only been submerged in the ice for twenty minutes, Karma had been able to last at least up to forty minutes without trembling when he was nine, so what was Gakushuu’s excuse?

Too soft. That was the problem, he’d still been treating his sons like they were still small when they were fast becoming teenagers and needed a firmer hand.

Karma had his faults, but he never shied from pain, not when getting into fights or facing his punishments. Gakushuu had grown complacent and arrogant, that was the issue, the boy was twelve but already thought he’d learned it all. Now Karma was off the rails, all because he’d put too much trust in his eldest son.

He’d been too indulging with them, letting his paternal instinct cloud his judgement.  That was what had caused the boy to slip. His youngest son had been let loose just for a short time and that had been it. Karma needed a strict schedule and structure to properly grow and learn, things his mother had failed to provide.

Gakuhou wouldn’t let the same happen to Gakushuu, mistakes were a luxury the boy couldn’t afford.

He sighed and then sat down at the table, checking the timer. “Hands up.”

His son lifted his hands up. He pinched the boy’s hand until he winced. “Ah…”

Gakuhou reset the timer for another thirty minutes. “Hands back in.”

He wouldn’t make the same mistakes twice.

Karma’s antics only seemed to be getting worse, but the boy’s grades were still in the top ten and salvageable, and his fighting was less public. There was still some hope.

Since his youngest refused to listen, it was best to let him stew until he crashed and burned, and then Gakuhou would be left to pick up the pieces as usual, since Karma always seemed to bite off more than he could chew in the end.

So, he focussed his attention on Gakushuu who seemed to be growing stronger each day, exceeding every expectation as predicted.  The rough edges slowly being smoothed out.

His son’s phone buzzed during dinner.

Gakuhou picked it up and looked at the text message his son had received without hesitation. His son knew better than to hide things from him, and if Gakushuu had nothing to hide then the boy had nothing to worry about.

“Sakakibara wants you to attend a party?” He raised an eyebrow. “A pool party…”

Honestly, what was wrong with his students? It was spring break and they acted like horses finally let out of the stalls. The new school term was still only a few weeks away, they should be studying.

Gakushuu watched him hesitantly. “Yes, he mentioned it a few days ago…”

He hummed, sipping his wine as he scrolled through his son’s messages with the boy; as expected they talk a lot, with Sakakibara doing most of the talking and sending strange memes and GIFS to his son.

“I’m surprised anyone in A-Class has the time,” he remarked, raising an eyebrow at the strange emoji language he and Sakakibara were communicating in.

“Ren always seems to find the time.” Gakushuu sighed, rolling his eyes.

Another text message came in from his son’s friend of multiple laughing emoji’s followed by some pears and an eggplant.

What was funny about peaches and eggplants? He didn’t understand the joke.

He frowned, shaking his head as he placed the phone back on the table. “What a strange boy.”

Gakushuu didn’t say anything right away, poking at his food. “…So can I go?” he asked, earning a raised eyebrow. “It’s important I attend social functions to connect with my peers, especially if I want to be student council president in third year.”

“And, this party is classed as a social function?” he asked dryly.

His son’s hesitation was enough of an answer. “It would just be a small gathering—”

“No.” He shot down the idea swiftly. “Considering how often his father and step-mother travel, I doubt proper adult supervision would be in place.” To even imagine his son at a strange party was nauseating enough, the boy was thirteen, still a child. “Besides, considering your friend’s recent reputation with flirting with girls, it would be highly inappropriate.”

Sakakibara may have the second to best grades in Class A, but he already was gaining a reputation for kissing girls and flirting. Not to mention it being a pool party would mean they would all be wandering around half-naked, which already a disaster in the making.

The thought of his son being taken advantage of by some brainless girl was enough to make his blood boil. The boy was only thirteen, just barely a teenager.

Gakushuu looked embarrassed. “It wouldn’t be like that—!”

“I’m not arguing about this,” he said sternly. “You’re not going, and that’s final.”

“But—”

“Do you want to keep arguing and be locked out of your room for the rest of the night?” he threatened, raising an eyebrow.

His son was silent, turning his gaze back to his food.

Honestly, why did teenagers have to be such a hazard? If you left them unsupervised they’d run straight first into a disaster.

His son couldn’t be allowed to slip like his youngest, even if it meant keeping him on a tight leash, sometimes such things were necessary.

Gakushuu could resent him all he wanted, but it didn’t matter, so long as the boy was safe and successful, nothing else mattered. Which was something he kept reminding himself every time his eldest son tested his patience, and every time his youngest son continued to disappoint him.

He had to remind himself of it now when he dragged Gakushuu back home from the party he’d decided to attend, despite him clearly telling the boy he wasn’t to go.

His oldest son had snuck out like some hooligan, just like Karma.

Gakuhou was shaking in rage, frightening his son when he drove a  little too fast on the way back home.

This was how it started, small little seeds of rebellion and then that was it. Gakushuu would be on the same downward spiral as Karma, staying out late, getting into fights, ruining his future. If you gave them an inch, they took a mile and that was exactly what was happening.

“Of all the stupid things.” He gripped the steering wheel tight. “Do you think this is all a joke, son? Throwing away your future?”

Gakushuu was pressed up against the passenger seat door like he wanted to jump out. “It was just a party, we weren’t doing anything bad—”

“Do you suddenly think you're too old to listen to me?”

It started with one wild party and escalated, soon things would get out of control as they got older and then they’d start drinking or take drugs.

“What? No!” Gakushuu was cringing, shaking his head. “I just wanted to have fun and swim with my friends—”

“Stop making excuses.”

That was the problem, wasn’t it? Gakushuu had gotten more popular, which just made the boy more arrogant like Kairi.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts. He didn’t need to lose his temper, he just had to educate Gakushuu so the boy understood not to do this again. Teenagers rebelled, it was inevitable, so he needed to make him understand that he couldn’t go off the rails like this.

After they’d entered the house, he dragged his son over to the kitchen sink, holding onto his t-shirt collar tight. “You think just because you’re thirteen, you know everything?” He plugged the sink and ran the water. “When I tell you not to do something, I expect you to listen, Asano.”

Gakushuu tried to get out of his grip. “No, I’m sorry—”

He dunked his son’s head in the water as the tap still ran.

“Do you think being popular affords you the luxury to slack off?”

Gakushuu was gasping and choking, clinging onto the edge of the counter like he was drowning.  “D-dad, please—”

He forced his son’s head back in the water, his own hands trembling when fear took over, holding him down for longer under the water.

“You can’t afford to become complacent, son.” He grimaced, watching the bubbles float rapidly to the top. “I won’t allow it.”

Gakushuu spat water out after his head was lifted, coughing and retching.

He took a deep breath and let go of him. “You’re not like everyone else, son.”

His son moved to a corner of the kitchen and vomited up water on the floor, watching as he curled up tight, shaking.

Gakuhou felt his heartbreak when he saw him like that, and sighed, turning off the tap and then unplugging the sink so the water could drain.

“You’re destined to stand above your peers, not alongside them,” he told his son, walking over to him. “The moment you forget that is when you start to fail. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes.” His son’s eyes were wide, shaking, as he stared up at him like he was some kind of monster.

Maybe he was…

Gakuhou grimaced, trying to maintain his resolve. If he had to be a monster to make sure his son succeeded, then so be it.

He grabbed a kitchen towel from the counter. “It’s my duty to educate you, son, and I will.” He bent down, causing his son to flinch when he placed the small towel on his head. “You’re going to be strong, because you can’t afford to fail. You understand that, don’t you?”

His son wouldn’t stop shaking, curling more in on himself. “Yes…”

Gakuhou sighed, drying the boy’s hair like he’d used to when he was younger. “Once you prove to me you’re a strong leader, I’ll have nothing left to teach you,” he said coldly. “But until then, I expect you to listen, obey, and learn, like any student.”

His son strangled sobbing noise, but the boy didn’t cry, curling tighter into a ball. “… Yes, sir.”

He grimaced a little when he looked at him, his son still had so much to learn before he was strong enough to graduate from him.

“Go upstairs and dry yourself off.” He stood up, taking off his blazer which now had wet sleeves. “I don’t want to hear a sound from you until the morning.”

His son stumbled when he ran out of the kitchen, the boy’s footsteps echoing throughout the house as he hurried to make himself scarce.

Gakuhou sighed, loosening his tie and craving a glass of wine to ease his nerves, as he sat down and then ran a hand down his face. He clasped his hands under his chin.

The end result was all that mattered. There was no backtracking, no room for weakness. No matter what the cost, the end goal stayed the same.