Chapter 160 - ALI MINI THEATER Side Story 9

Sometimes, even if someone had everything people could only ever dream about – all the riches, the material things that people could only ever imagine having in their lifetime, it wasn't enough to make him happy. 

He was born, a master of the wind, yet, grew up caged like a bird. He was always in the confines of their ancestral house – a house that was definitely not a home.

At least for him.

Kazehaya Gin.

His name meant "early silver wind".

However, there was nothing silvery about him. Since he was born, there was nothing but a dark aura surrounding him as well as the whole household. After all, his was a cursed existence. He was not supposed to be born at all. Yet, here he was, standing here by the window of his room, looking at the same scenery each and every day.

Still, looking outside was better than gazing at the confines of his room. Since he could remember, everything in his chamber was black or white – the decors as monotonous as his life.

His parents had assigned him to the back of the estate where there was only the garden and the huge wall beyond. He actually had the whole wing to himself. For others, it might sound extravagant or even generous, but the reality was nobody wanted to ever get in contact with him as much as possible.

The only form of human contact he ever had was from the servants, although occasionally, his father dropped by to show his face. Although recently…

A soft knock tapped on the door, and for the first time, his gloomy face smiled. He turned from the window, crossed the room and opened the door to see his smaller sibling standing there.

"Ao, you sneaked out again. Mother would be livid."

Kazehaya Aoi who just turned five years old stared up at his older sibling with a teary-eyed expression.

"What's wrong?"

Gin who was almost ten years old was unusually taller than his age. He bent down on his knees so he could wipe his brother's tears. Since Aoi was born, he was never allowed near him. He only knew he had a younger brother – a brother who opposite him, their mother adored so much. He was only ever able to make contact with him when his younger brother himself heard he had a big brother and decided to sneak into his part of the house to see him. Thus he sneaked out several times a month to do just that.

It was why this cursed being was unbelievably gentle towards his younger sibling.

"Big Brother, is it true? Are you really going away? Is it my fault? Is it because I came to play with you?"

Gin frowned. He never heard about anything like that – not that people told him things. "Where did you hear it?"

Full of innocence, the five-year-old told him what he had eavesdropped from their parents' conversation.

"Mother told father to bring you to the Homura House. She said the prince will want you because you have a monster like him."

Oh…

Kazehaya Gin smiled bitterly. It seemed their mother found a reason to get rid of him finally. She had wanted to get rid of him for a while. If it weren't for his formidable guardian, he would have been dead a long time ago. 

He was born with a harpy, a very powerful wind elemental. However, all harpy casters were doomed from the start. In exchange for power, they were cursed to go insane and go on a killing rampage later in life, depending on their mental health.

This madness was sadly genetic. Then again, no harpy caster in the history of the Kazehaya House ever appeared until now. It meant that the madness would begin with him. Thus the cold and terrible treatment albeit not physically.

Nobody oozing with malice towards him could ever come close. After all, his harpy was a vigilant one. It would come out without permission as soon as it sensed a murderous aura approaching. It was why Gin was confined at the far back part of the estate. It was so it was far enough from his mother who never bothered hiding her hostility towards her firstborn son.

As what Aoi had informed him, he was transferred towards the Homura House in Tokyo the very next day. He was introduced to the Koutaidshidenka and became both his friend and his teacher. Being the latter, however, was so ridiculous since he had been confined in the house since he was born. However, he had access to a window with the view of the garden. From there, he was able to watch people and learned a lot of things by observing them.

In terms of EQ, his was a lot better than the returner to ancestry's. Also, he was allowed to go to school since coming to Tokyo, thus was able to learn more about humans and human relationship that he started teaching the Homura Prince – those and the tons of books he gave as reading materials.

Aello had never appeared again since he left Hakone, thus Kazehaya Gin was finally able to live a normal life wherein he was not reminded of how cursed he was. But of course, life didn't work that way. Sooner or later, a person's true self would come to remind him of what he truly was.

"Young Master Kazehaya,"Yayoi called him on his way to the Koutaishidenka's room, and he stopped walking. The head housekeeper, seeing as she had his attention continued on with what she was going to say. "Your mother had called. She is asking if we can let you go back to Hakone for the weekend."

Huh? His mother? How was that even possible?

Seeing his hesitation, Yayoi continued speaking. "It seems that the Young Master's mother is not feeling well, and has requested for her eldest son's presence."

Eh?

Kazehaya Gin couldn't believe his ears. For the first time in his life, his mother not only summoned him but acknowledged that he was her son. She had declared a long time ago that Aoi was her only child.

Gin couldn't understand why, but even after giving up on his parents years back, he suddenly still felt elated. It was as if a hidden wish deep within himself to be acknowledged by the woman who had birthed him was granted out of the blue.

Yayoi, seeing the happiness in his visage smiled. "I will tell the Young Master Ryuu you need to go home," she told him softly, and he grinned.

"Thanks," he answered and he hurried towards Hakone like the wind.

However, what awaited him in Hakone was a little odd. The Kazehaya House looked more deserted than usual. Even if a pair of servants welcomed him, the little bit of hustle and bustle of the household was absent.

Was there something wrong then? It had been almost six years since he last been in this house, and yet he could still clearly remember how gloomy it was.

"Young Master Gin, the Madam is waiting for you by the garden," one of the servants informed him, and he forgot about the oddity of the place as he raced towards his mother.

He found her at one of the garden tables where she was having some tea. Gin suddenly felt a bit nervous as this would be the first time he would ever talk to her. Whenever there was a family gathering and he needed to appear, his mother always found a way to avoid him, and so he just looked at her from afar.

"Er…"

His voice must have alerted his mother who suddenly turned around, almost spilling her drink on herself. "Be careful!"

Gin used his wind to control the cup and placed it back on the table carefully much to his mother's surprise, and surprisingly… delight . She had never smiled at him before and seeing it up close just for him was blinding.

"Gin, it is real. I heard you are finally able to control your powers and that your harpy doesn't appear anymore," his mother's melodious voice echoed in his ears.

"Y-yes," he answered bashfully.

"That's good!"

Gin was… shocked. He was not expecting to be praised.

"Come here," his mother beckoned and he let himself be guided towards the chair opposite her as she served him drinks and snacks personally.

"Your father had taken Aoi on a business trip. They will be back later," she informed him when she saw him look around.

Kazehaya nodded as he sipped his tea. It was a pleasant feeling to be talked to and served by a mother, after all, he thought. She kept on asking him things about his life in Tokyo as she served him more drinks and food. He was about to tell her about his plans after university since he will finish it early at sixteen years of age when suddenly, a burning feeling and pain started at the pit of his stomach going up to his throat.

What?

Kazehaya Gin tried to stand, but vertigo assailed him and he fell on the floor. He looked at his mother, trying to see if she was okay as he writhed in pain. Then again, he realized that it was odd that she only looked at him coldly while he suffered, and he finally understood.

He was summoned here to be killed.

Why?

"Isn't he dead yet?" the woman who had given birth to him asked the servants who had come, as he fought hard to remain in control of his mind, vomiting and convulsing on the ground. "What stupid poison is that? Why is it taking time?"

If Gin could laugh, he would. The mother whom he had been longing for couldn't wait for him to die. How tragic was that?

Then again, as an all-consuming pain started to devour him, he still fought hard to maintain his sanity for if he lost it, this woman and everyone within the vicinity would be in total danger. He watched the cold-hearted woman walk over to him – not to help him but to scorn him as if she wanted him to feel totally miserable before succumbing to his death.

"What are you looking at?" she snarled as she kicked him.

His body rolled to the side in agony, but her words continued to taunt him. "If you want to hate someone – hate that harlot of an ancestor you have. That Makura bitch ruined everything! I was not supposed to have an abomination as a child! Why me?"

The last part of her words came out as a shrill – a high note that completely shattered his heart and his mind. If it's like this, then it's okay to perish, isn't it?

His breathing turning shallow, Gin let out a laugh before closing his eyes just as Aello appeared and started her massacre, but he didn't care anymore as he embraced the coming oblivion.

But of course, he was not meant to die that day. With the intervention of the Homura House, the Koutaishidenka and Mavara were able to stop Aello's rampage so he was saved. But it was too late for his mother and the servants it seemed. They were all dead. 

"You shouldn't have saved me," he told the eleven-year-old prince. "I was better off dead."

"You still need to teach me about humanity," Ryuu told him matter-of-factly that made him laugh.

Of course. Cursed existence or not, this little Prince at least still needed him.

"Fine. I'll stick around," he said. "But you have to promise me that when insanity consumed me, you will kill me with your own hands."

Silence hung between them as if Ryuu was considering this request before he nodded. "The moment you lose your sanity and the harpy controlled you, I will end your life."

Thus Kazehaya Gin, from that day onwards became the greatest smiling clown to fool everyone including himself.