28 You'd Regret It. Don't Do It.

Izumi's confession caused a stir inside the room.

Teacher Goda scratched his head. He didn't expect this to be the reason for the fight. The discipline teacher exchanged glances with Teacher Ayase while the two mothers were filled with incredulity.

Himari unconsciously held the hem of her blouse. A conflicted look flitted across her eyes.

Kazuya felt a pang in his heart as he looked at his crying nephew. He repeatedly rubbed his head, trying to offer comfort to the boy.

"I'm sorry, President Kasai," Kazuya moved his eyes from Izumi to the man, "I might sound bias because Izumi is my nephew but, I know his character. He won't lie about such a thing. Even so, I suggest we ask your son more."

Izumi's weeping turned quieter as he heard his uncle's words.

Uncle... was clearly defending him in front of Yuuto's father, wasn't he?

President Kasai's brows lingered with displeasure as he looked at his son. With deep wrinkles on his forehead, he said, "I also know my own son, Mr. Hayashi. He has been spoiled rotten by our family."

How could he not know his son's tendency to trample on others?

His own cousins, the maids, the children of the maids as well as other people, Yuuto often disregarded who they were and used them as he wished. He was also rude to them.

No matter how many times he warned Yuuto, his son only treated his words as a joke.

Now, whose fault was it?

Because of their overindulgence on the boy, his son openly bullied a schoolmate!

And, there might be more cases that were hidden!

"Dad! I really didn't do it! I have never threatened him!" Yuuto knew he could only rely on his father's forgiveness. He anxiously wrung out excuses to save himself, "Why must I ask him to do my homework? We're not even in the same class! Dad! Don't believe him!"

"Then, bring your workbooks for us to check," President Kasai replied with a stern face. He wasn't affected by his son's pitiful pleading.

Yuuto's eyes widened. He quickly darted his eyes, "That... My school bag fell into the pool. The books got wet so..."

"Do you think you could convince me with those flimsy excuses?" President Kasai retorted back.

In the end, Yuuto couldn't do anything when his father found his workbooks with Izumi's handwriting. It was the hard evidence thus invalidating all his claims.

The atmosphere inside the waiting room turned stifler. No one dared to speak when President Kasai was openly reprimanding his son. The formidable aura he often exuded to his subordinates fille the entire room.

"Your schoolmate has done nothing wrong to you. Why did you use Mr. Hayashi's name to threaten him? What did Izumi do to you? You're not in the same class. There shouldn't be no grievances between the two of you."

The disappointment in the man's eyes was apparent to whoever saw it.

"Who said there are no grievances..." Yuuto mumbled while holding back from crying.

President Kasai narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

At his father's question, Yuuto burst out.

"You! Dad, you always compare me with him! Saying he's good while I'm bad! I hate him for being goody-two-shoes! He's just a boy without a father! What good of me to learn from him?!"

President Kasai was taken aback. Disbelief flickered in his eyes.

"You... If you would just listen to me, I won't ask you to learn from anyone," President Kasai was quick to regain his composure, "So, you'd rather bully others rather than learning to be a good boy?"

"Hump! I don't care!" Yuuto shouted again. He shot a hatred-filled glare at Izumi, "They would just be my minions in the future! I just do it right!"

"You... You're really..."

He really wanted to teach his arrogant son a lesson! He had never felt the urge to beat him until now!

President Kasai stepped forward. He swung his hand high. Yuuto closed his eyes, dreading a slap from his father.

"President Kasai! Stop!"

Kazuya quickly stopped the man when President Kasai lifted up his fist, "You'd regret it. Don't do it."

President Kasai dropped his hand. He heaved a long sigh.

The man's whisper helped to recover his lost senses due to his anger.

Kazuya took a step back after seeing the man's hostility lowered.

"En, Mr. Kasai, I think you should talk to your son without anyone else in presence," Teacher Goda coughed awkwardly, "Even so, since this is the case, it'd be best if Student Kasai apologized to Student Hayashi."

It was finally apparent that the cause of this fight stemmed from the pent-up frustration that Izumi held back for only he knew how long.

Yuuto had been using Izumi's uncle as the means to force the boy to follow his every command. At the same time, Yuuto's arrogant and self-centered behavior made him hate Izumi because his own father kept on urging him to learn how to be good like Izumi and the other children he was fond of.

It seemed like a simple case involving a child's displeasure but, it was not.

If this matter didn't resolve now, both Izumi's resentment toward Yuuto and Yuuto's hatred toward Izumi would only snowball until they exploded. It would lead to an unsightly consequence.

President Kasai closed his eyes. He inwardly agreed with what the PE teacher stated.

"Apologize to Izumi," He ordered his son.

"I won't apologize!" Yuuto snarled.

President Kasai squinted his eyes. His voice lowered and sounded so cold, "Do you want me to cut your expenses? Your grandfather has been asking me if you'd like to join the boarding school where he studied before."

Yuuto flinched.

His old grandfather really wished him to enter the boarding school abroad. The school accepted students as early as six years old. He said it would help to cultivate his character and success. The only thing that prevented Yuuto from being sent there was his mother's disagreement.

If his father chose to follow his grandfather's wish, his mother could no longer protect him.

Like damn he would go to the hellish boarding school! His freedom would only be cut short!

"I don't have much patience now," President Kasai made a threat, "Choose one."

Either to apologize to Izumi or be prepared to be sent to the boarding school.

Yuuto gritted his teeth. Hatred and embarrassment layered in his eyes.

He really wanted to punch that unpleasant Izumi!

"Kasai Yuuto."

Yuuto held back his fury. It was not a good sign if his father started calling his full name.

"...sorry!"

After much difficulty, he spat out the word as if it was laced with venom.

President Kasai glowered at his son, "Once more. Do it properly."

No one dared to interrupt the man while he was disciplining his son.

At the same time, Kazuya stood behind Izumi with both of his hands grasping his shoulders, offering him solidarity.

Yuuto was silent for a long time. He looked at his father with teary eyes but his father didn't give him face.

"I... I... I hate you!"

The boy dashed out of the room, startling all of the people's presence.

"Yuuto!" President Kasai was both shocked and ashamed.

He didn't bring his son up to run from his misdeeds!

"I'll go and get him," Teacher Ayase quickly offered her help. As Yuuto's homeroom teacher, she felt partly responsible for the boy's behavior.

President Kasai rejected her help, "Thank you for your thoughts but, there's no need. Ha, it's my failure in teaching my son."

His attention fell on Izumi. The fierceness in his gaze softened.

Izumi blinked his eyes. He wondered what this uncle wanted to say to him.

"Izumi, let Uncle apologize to you on behalf of Yuuto," His tone was sincere as he stared directly into the child's eyes, "I'll make sure to bring him to see you later. You deserve an apology of his."

Izumi decisively shook his head, "There's no need, Uncle."

"Why?" President Kasai narrowed his eyes. He didn't understand what the child was thinking.

"If he isn't sincere about it, I'd better not have his apology," Izumi said quietly, "En, well, I just don't want to see him actually. I'm sorry, Uncle."

President Kasai nodded with a heavy heart. He moved his gaze to the man who stood upright behind the child.

"Mr. Hayashi, I'm sorry for causing trouble to your nephew," President Kasai didn't mind lowering his dignity by apologizing to the younger man, "I've failed in educating my own son. I have to reflect on myself. I'm too busy to properly educate him."

Before, every time Yuuto made trouble, President Kasai would just give him a stern warning. It seemed like he was too soft on his son.

Yuuto had been pampered by everyone since he was a young baby. All of the indulgences had corrupted his character.

Kazuya gave him a faint smile, "A child's education needs both attention from the parents. You're a good father, President Kasai. You just need to be more involved in your child's life. A child as young as your son could still be instilled proper values in him."

Kazuya didn't mince his words. He directly telling President Kasai that he did fail in his son's upbringing.

Fortunately, there was still room for improvement.

A child was like a blank canvas. The ones he met in the path of him growing up would leave marks on him.

Before the canvas was dyed in horrendous and bizarre colors, it was time to overturn it by painting bright and soft colors on it.