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School Rumble (Broom and I)

"That's a little odd," Jana frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"Dunno," Komoku said with a sigh, leaning back. "Which is why I got a bad feeling about it, Nick wouldn't give up a shot like this for nothing. So, something has to be going on. I'm sure of it."
 
"Maybe he likes her." Eva said in a teasing manner. "Or maybe he wimped out knowing there was a possibility he'd face Mei again. I heard quite the story of the way you kicked his ass, Mei."

"I don't think that's the case..." Mei muttered as she shook her head. "I doubt he would want you or your brother to gain control of DC, Eva. Not after everything he did to put your family out of power. He wouldn't have dropped out unless there's something he knows that we don't."
 
"Either way, Eva...be careful," Komoku said, hands behind his head. "I just got a bad feeling, is all. But I suppose it doesn't matter, by the time the next phase starts, everyone should be good to go in case something happens."
 
"Yeah yeah. Who are you fight, Komoku? Anyone that you need to be careful with?" Eva asked as she tilted her head. She wasn't going to start worrying about her matches now. This was supposed to be fun, at least for her. She didn't really care about DC. She just wanted to see how good she was.
 
"Luce," Komoku mused. "Angry looking girl, she looks like she might be a rough fight. But ah well, that's next week!" he said, already crawling over to the couch like some well fed dog with a wide stretch. "I'm supposed to be healing and recovering, after all!" he laughed.
 
"Figures, changing the subject. I think I'm going to go for a run. Want to come, Jana?" Eva asked. Probably go for a run to another place she could gorge herself with calories. She felt like she hadn't eaten enough.
 
"Sure," Jana smiled, not that her mind was anywhere other than seeing Eva run. What could she say? She had a nice butt, and Jana liked watching it. But maybe it'd be good to burn off some of the tension and stress going on lately. Besides that, she had to make sure she kept her fitness up against Cat. That was one fight she was not looking forward to, in the slightest...but maybe it'd be fun? Assuming Cat could behave.

But when did Cat ever do that?
 
Mei watched Jana and Eva leave before she turned her gaze back to Komoku. She still wasn't done eating...honestly she wasn't even half way finished. But she wanted to actually taste her food. "So you must have given Auntie Roku a lot of trouble growing up, huh?" She asked him casually as she took a sip of water before she resumed eating.
 
"Something like that," Komoku snorted. "Why? What'd she tell you that I did?" Yeah, he wasn't the best child growing up, and anymore, he wasn't quite sure what that meant for him. How much did the Old Man want to tear his hair out dealing with him? How often did Auntie Roku want to boot him out but Grandpa wouldn't let her? He never really thought too much about it until this whole pregnant thing happened. And that annoyed him, and bothered him more than he wanted to admit. And what about his sister?

Ugh, he wasn't good at this feeling crap yet.
 
"She didn't really have to tell me, but more or less, yes she did." Mei told him as she glanced over to him. "I thanked her for being there for you. She seems like a very nice person." Despite the manner she talked in...
 
"...Yeah," Komoku said, eyes closing. "She is, so was the Old Man." So maybe he had a chip on his shoulder, maybe he always wondered why his parents didn't want him and his sister and that's why he was a pain in the ass when he was younger. Being around so many rich kids that seemed like complete assholes having their parents, having families, what was he supposed to do? He got angry, he got upset. He started saying things to them that they didn't deserve, things that he never thought about until now. A lot of things he never thought about until now, he was actually going to be a father, a Dad. Some little kid was going to look to him for some sort of emotional support and help through life.

How in the hell was he going to be ready for any of that?

"...You said that Aunt Roku knew my parents?" he said casually.
 
"Umm, not exactly...but she knows of your father at least. Not sure about your mom." Mei answered as she studied his face. She had never seen him look like that before...like he was upset about something. Not angry, just...upset. "Are you okay, Komoku?" She wanted to change the subject, mainly because Auntie Roku was in such a hurry to when she questioned her about his father. She felt like there was a reason for that.
 
"Yeah, fine," Komoku murmured as an afterthought as he slid up. He wanted to know, to be honest. Why didn't he know his father if the people who raised him did? Was there some deep, dark secret that he didn't know about? Was his father some gigantic asshole? How did he end up with them? He had to find out, because now it was bugging him like nothing else. "I think I'm going to go out for a bit, babe." he decided. "Get some fresh air."
 
"You're kidding right?" He could never sit still when he was injured, but Mei knew him well enough to expect it. "Can I come with you at least? Just to make sure you're okay." Physically and emotionally...he just didn't seem okay to her.
 
He rubbed his neck a moment, glancing at her with a faint frown. "I have the feeling this is a trap question," he said dryly. "You're coming one way or another, aren't you?" He supposed that was also a part he'd have to get used to, he had a small army of people that'd stick their big fat noses into his business. Dujae and Sejae always did it, but he supposed they knew when to distance themselves, or maybe they just didn't know their boundaries. Mei, however...well, she'd shove her way into anything.
 
"Yes, but it would be nice to have your approval." Mei told him as she rose from her chair. She'd finish dinner later, she was satisfied right now anyway. "Besides, I just want to make sure you can get back home if you walk too far and overdo it. I'll be quiet if you just want to think."
 
"...Yeah, thanks," Komoku said, fingers lacing through hers. "I think it's time I visited Auntie Roku," he muttered. He wouldn't care for any other reason, but now...it was bugging him. What kind of Dad was he going to be if he didn't know how his own parents were?
 
"Okay.." Mei wasn't sure what his sudden interest in seeing his Aunt was, but...she wouldn't question it. He always said he didn't care about his parents, but maybe somewhere in there he really did? Either way she slipped on her shoes again. She made this trip once already, but doing it a second time with him wasn't so bad.
 
If the many DC members got rigid when Mei was around, Komoku and Mei together made them ramrod straight and stand at attention like it was a barracks inspection. Truthfully, it was a little bit of an ego boost, but slightly embarrassing. Which felt...odd, but this entire day felt odd, to say the least. It had been a long time since he had came back to Iron Wok, but the place hadn't really changed much. Maybe he never felt much urge to come back after everything, maybe he didn't know what to say after all of it. Maybe he just didn't want her to judge him, but he wasn't too surprised when he came in and Emi Rokujo looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Komoku!" she said, storming forward. Komoku was assuming affectionate, until she got closer and he realized he had made a horrible mistake. Her fingers were right on his ear and yanked viciously as he was dragged towards the bar. "You little brat! You don't keep in touch for months, and I hear all the news through other people and you just show up!?"

"Ow! OW! OW!" Komoku howled, gripping onto Mei like she was a lifeline. "I'm sorry, dammit! Don't do that! I'm not five years old anymore!"
 
Mei had no idea what to do, but considering she was being dragged along with him she had to act fast. "Umm he's here now, Auntie Roku and I already lectured him about not seeing you. So maybe you can let him go?" If this was the reason why he had avoided coming back, she didn't blame him.
 
"Yes, please," Komoku groused, smacking her hand away in irritation as he rubbed his sore ear. "I missed you too, I'm sorry I didn't stop by. Things were just...a lot of things happened," he muttered as Emi huffed, hands on her hips. Yes, she knew that...but not because Komoku told her, and he knew that's why she was so upset. But, there wasn't much he could do about that for the time being. Apologizing wouldn't satisfy Emi, so he'd just come out and ask her:

"You know my Dad," Komoku muttered, eyes narrowed suspiciously as Emi relaxed somewhat. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"What did you want me to tell you?" Emi sighed. "What good would it have done, Komoku?"

"Because I would have known I had a family!" Komoku growled. "What, did you steal me away from my parents!?"

"No," Emi replied flatly. "No, we didn't. My father knew your father and mother, and knew it was better to leave the two of you to us, instead of your parents."

"How generous of you," Komoku muttered. "So what, my parents are awful people?"

"Don't take that tone with me," Emi snapped, which made Komoku hunch his shoulders, just a little. "Do you know how hard it was to try and raise you right, boy? The only thing that put you on a path that didn't make my father sick with worry was that you were doing it for Masami, you're just like your father, and that's what we tried to avoid, but you wouldn't listen. Oh no, all you did was fight, fight, fight. While we had to make sure Masami still had a brother to play with," she frowned. "Don't you dare come to me like that, not after everything we went through to make sure you grew up! And look! You didn't even turn out right with our help! It took some fancy woman beating the shit out of you to set you straight!" she scoffed. "You are just like your father, why do you think we stopped telling you what to do, Komoku? Because you never listened, and you still don't." she said sharply. "And what did it get us? It got the child that my father loved like a son to be a murderer! A murderer! You killed a man, for what!? Because it was fun? Because you like blowing stuff up like some...some psychopath!?"

If Komoku had a capacity to feel embarrassed, he probably would have. But he didn't do embarrassment, he did anger. All he felt was some horrible, crushing, angry mash of emotion in his chest and it made his teeth gnash in frustration. What answer could he give her that would satisfy her? That would satisfy him for that matter? That was the answer, and the fact that it was left him painfully quiet. The air was thick in the restaurant, with some people leaving as Emi stared him down a moment before sighing heavily, glancing away. Komoku didn't stay to find the answer, he broke off from Mei and practically took the door off his hinges on the way out. He needed to leave, to get away from all of them, and he needed to do that right now.
 
Mei wanted to try to stop them arguing but how could she? They were both loud and upset. She felt guilty but it wasn't the time to feel sorry for herself. She had to go after him. "Komoku, wait!" She cried out as she chased him out of the door. She didn't know what he was feeling or what he was going through. All she knew was that she needed to go after him and let him know she was there for him.
 
"What?" Komoku muttered, not that it slowed him down any. That was his grand defense, wasn't it? What could he say to defend himself about...everything that he had done? She was right, and that's the part that burned him up so horribly. What was he supposed to say about any of it? 'They're right, I'm garbage?'. This was different, in ways that he couldn't explain. Before it was just some...dumb kid thing, the murder had never really crossed his mind. No, it was just...it was a side-effect on everything. It didn't bother him, but it'd bother everyone else.

Should it bother him? He didn't know, he never really thought about it. Should he? Ugh. He just...he wasn't normal, was he? Maybe he should have never really embraced this whole 'normal' life, maybe he should have-his thoughts were broken by a man who walked in front of him, arms crossing. Some oddly dressed man in a hakama and jacket draped around his naked shoulders, with scars all across his body. His face looked...familiar, in a way that Komoku couldn't really describe. Sharp features, wild eyes...something about him made his blood boil. That Katana looked practical, hardly ornate, he used it. The roughness of his hands gave Komoku that impression when he rested his hand on the handle.
 
"Just wait!" She was surprised that he finally did stop, but when she caught up with him she saw the reason why. It was the man from earlier...why was he still hanging around this place? Her eyes glanced at his katana, which his hand was over the hilt. She tensed seeing that before she grabbed Komoku's hand. "S-sorry..we'll get out of your way." She mumbled as she pulled on Komoku's hand. She couldn't keep his eyes on this man's face...he was very intimidating.
 
Komoku didn't move, his eyes narrowing a fraction as the man grinned. A grin that seemed oddly familiar, and put a chill down his spine. It was wide and hungry, wild even. Komoku pushed Mei to the side, feeling his knuckles crack from tightness.

"Ah, you wish to fight?" He said in Japanese, that grin never leaving. "Excellent...I hope to be impressed, boy."

"I don't know what the fuck it is you just said, but the way you're looking at me is pissing me off," Komoku muttered, fists already alight with his violent, erratic energy.
 
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