001

I had been waiting for this day for what felt like a lifetime. As I stepped out of my car and onto the street, I could feel a strong sense of conviction in my heart. This was my moment; this was my time. I had chosen to take a stand and make a difference today. I knew that no matter what happened, I was going to succeed. I was determined.

I walked up to the door of the building, feeling a little nervous but confident in my mission. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped inside. Everything was still and quiet, but I could feel a palpable energy in the air. I took a few steps forward, my shoes clicking against the floor.

The people inside the room turned to look at me, their eyes wide with surprise. I could practically feel the tension in the room as I stood there, my voice strong and clear. I spoke out, telling them my story and my beliefs. I could see the disbelief in their eyes, but I didn't falter. I knew that I was right, and I was determined to be heard.

Even as they argued and debated with me, I held my ground. I refused to back down or give in to their pressures. I was here to make a change, and I refused to be silenced. I spoke with strength and conviction, and eventually, I could see that I was making an impact.

In the end, I had succeeded. I had.

"I understand your struggles loud and clear,"

"These weren't just my struggles, but the story of my life. "

I answered the man who looked at me from beyond the pearly white newspaper that hid most of his face from my sight.

"We aren't trying to deny that or anything, Racchan.."

"Stop..." I muttered as I raised my hand to cut off the woman who was speaking. "I don't go by that name anymore."

"But Racchan."

"I said stop!" I repeated myself, raising my voice as I did. "The man you're calling for is dead, buried underneath the several years of hardship and solitude that he had experienced."

My eyebrow scrunched together as I grimaced at the three people in front of me. With gritted teeth and clenched fists, I turned away from them in disgust.

"So stop it, I would never go by that name ever again. That man is dead, forgotten, and I'll never look back."

"How dare you speak like that to us!" The old man that sat idly by not long ago snapped and abruptly stood up, which I rolled my eyes at.

"Why can't you just accept the fact that I'm no longer the same man that you once knew!"

I felt a searing pain at the back of my head at the same time I suddenly began to look down at my foot.

Why were they acting like this? How could they ignore everything I've said and everything I've been through to achieve what I have wanted?

"... Why." I whispered as my vision slowly blurred from the pain I felt while staring at him.

"Even if you graduated College, you're still our child. Remember that? " My father declared as he pointed his index finger at me. "So we're still gonna call you Racchan whether you like it or not!"

"Ehhh!!!??? Otōsan, Okāsan, that's too childish for me!" I whined with tears in my eyes as I felt my confidence and achievements crumbling down just from the mere mention of my childhood nickname.

"Aww, don't be like that, Racchan. " My mother cooed with a pleasant smile. "Girls won't like it if you keep nitpicking at these kinds of things."

I let out an audible groan from my mother's word and begrudgingly walked past both of them to sit on the couch in between them.

My mother and father were both well on their sixties, although it didn't show on their faces or on their bodies as they were more energetic than me most of the time.

Father was a stoic man, staring at me with little to no emotion most of the time, even back then when I was a child. People would say I'm a splitting image of him when he was young, but I couldn't really see it.

My mother, on the other hand, was pretty much the same but had a deeper understanding of emotions than any of us in the family. She would be the first to figure out what any of us were planning and would either talk us out of it or support us in any way she could.

"Otōsan, why are you reading the newspaper from yesterday?" I deadpanned at my father, who only replied with a huff and buried his face in the editorial section.

"Oh dear, your ears are red. " My mother teased with a quiet giggle as she returned to watching her favorite soap opera that she paused when I rudely entered the house.

"... come to think of it, where's Sena?" I asked the two of them, yet neither one bothered to reply.

"Eh? Niisan?"

"Ah, speak of the devil."

I dropped the glare I was giving both of my parents and turned around to greet my little sister, Najisai Sena, the youngest at 18 years old.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? I could have prepared your favorite food!" She complained with a pout while pinching my cheeks.

Why is she acting like she's the older one between us? Had taking care of our parents really taken that huge of a toll on her?

Najisai Kaji and Najisai Hitomi, I had always known my parents were a handful when they weren't in the mood but to think that it would have transformed my carefree, jubilant sister to a mature, responsible woman in just the span of six years pains me deeply.

"I'm so sorry, you should have enjoyed your life more." I whispered to her in great remorse and pulled her into a hug, hoping to pass on my regrets and to apologize for failing as her older brother.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sena asked me with an eyebrow raised, to which I replied with pushing my index finger on her lips.

"Shh, it's okay. I know what you've been through. " I assured her as I buried my face on her toned stomach, ignoring the fact that she had grown some extra assets since the last time I saw her.

"Ugh... Otōsan, Niisan is acting weird."

"Racchan, don't sexually assault your sister. I know it's trending amongst your age group, but don't drag the Najisai name to it."

"Where the hell did you get that idea from old man!" I shouted from the top of my lungs and pointed at my father, who played things cool like he hadn't just accused me of the worst crime I could commit in history.

"There, There Racchan. Your father is just concerned for your sister. "

"He shouldn't be accusing me without evidence, and I told you to stop calling me by that name Okāsan!" I once again complained to my mother, who simply smiled at me.

"It's Raku! Mom! R-A-K-U!" I spelled out my name to both of my parents who stared at me like I was an escaped convict from a mental hospital.

"Racchan, have you forgotten that it was me who gave you that name? You don't have to spell it out for us. "

"I spelled it out for you because you aren't using it, old man!"

Why can't they just let that embarrassing name die for god's sake!??

I scratched my head out of exasperation, desperate to come up with a plan to make them forget about the stupid nickname or at least change it to something that suited my age.

"Alright, that's enough of that, Raku." My father sighed and folded up the newspaper underneath his arm. "Hitomi and I have talked about your future, and we aren't that convinced of it."

His words stopped me dead on my tracks.

They weren't convinced on my future? Mine? When I graduated at the top of the class and passed second place at my board exams?

"What are you talking about Otōsan? Realistically speaking, I'd have a better future than you and mom would have when you were my age!"

"Racchan, we aren't talking about your career or your success in life. " My mom shook his head at my words and gestured for me to sit down, which I did.

"Look, Niisan..." Sena mumbled as she sat down beside me. "They're talking about your future as a man."

...eh?

"Precisely." My father nodded at her words

Eh?

"Racchan, we want you to get a girlfriend soon! Me and your father want some grandkids after all!"

...

• • •

"EHHHHHHHH!!???"