"To love, To mark"

Fuming with anger, Arashi couldn't hold back anymore and she outrightly rushed to where I sat.

She aggressively stretched her arm to slap me.

When she was about to slap me, I stood up, held her wrist with strength, and menacingly looked at her, violence filling up my mind.

I pulled her head close to my mouth where I can whisper something near her ear.

"You're pitiful, Arashi." I whispered to her.

"You're so pitiful and so miserable that I feel sorry for you and I rarely feel sorry for anyone."

Arashi widened her eyes.

I let go of her wrist and pushed her away gently from me.

Arashi didn't respond and couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"Ray-kun?"

"Are you two okay, bro?"

"Looks like you tamed Onee-san, senpai."

The three women genuinely said.

"I'm gonna just go to the bathroom." I excused myself and left the table.

After a minute of private moment, like washing my face with my thoughts running, I left the bathroom.

While walking towards our table, I saw someone, someone with a familiar face that serving our food.

A young, short, petite and brunette woman.

"Thank you for serving our food, Nakamura-san." Sakura warmly thanked the server with a sweet smile and a soft, pleasing tone on her voice.

Nakamura? My former classmate in high school?

Nakamura respectfully bowed in front of Sakura with a smile.

"Do itashimashite, Himura-sama."

Nakamura then turned around and she saw me.

Nakamura stared at me like she was remembering something from her past.

Then, a genuine and beaming smile slowly formed on her face.

She remembers me...

"Shigeyoshi-senpai? Is that you?" Nakamura excitedly asked.

I nodded and smiled at her.

"Oh my god! How are you?! She then rushed towards me to give me a friendly hug.

I didn't reciprocate not because I didn't like her but because I'm not a man used of physical contact.

We broke the hug.

"We've got lot to talk about, Shigeyoshi-senpai." Nakamura excitedly said.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat angrily.

We looked and saw Sakura menacingly glaring at us, her face darkened and she was subtly clenching her teeth in anger.

"Get your flirtatious ass back to work, Nakamura-san!" Sakura angrily ordered her.

Nakamura jumped in fear.

"Gomenasai! Himura-sama!"

She quickly bowed and stormed out of the scene.

My father looked at Sakura, concerned.

"Sakura, what was that all about?" My father, Shinji asked the fuming Sakura.

"She did nothing wrong."

"That was uncalled for."

"You're getting unpredictable lately."

My father rambled again.

Sakura violently slammed the table, shutting him off instantly.

"Shut up! It's none of your fucking business!" The fuming Sakura disrespectfully yelled at him.

My father looked defeated again like the last time. But after what he said to me earlier? After he showed me he never cared about me? I don't want to back him up this time. It's not my problem anymore, it's between them.

Like, since when has my father become so...submissive and weak-willed? Is this what you get when you love a woman like Sakura?

"Okasan? Why the sudden outburst again?" Arashi confusedly asked.

"Yeah, the girl was just having a conversation with Ray-kun." Reina added, though she had a mild annoyed on her face.

Still seething in anger, she completely ignores everyone.

But amidst all that, she never stopped glaring at me menacingly, as I had committed a heavy sin.

Suddenly...

"Am I late for dinner?"

Someone asked with a shy, angelic and soft voice.

I turned around and it was Kitsune, wearing a white casual dress with a blue jeans.

"Onee-san!" Akane happily called her.

"No, but you're late for Okasan's sudden outburst again." Reina half-heartedly joked in hopes of calming her mother down.