Chapter 200 - ALI MINI THEATER Side Story 11

Sometimes, the story of a lifetime started with the promise of a child…

"Hold him down and kick him!"

Five young boys crowded over a small one, each of them attacking the other, hitting him anywhere their grubby fists could reach. They were in the sandpit at the school's playground and so the small one being attacked had no way to retaliate. He had lost the fight as soon as he missed his footing and fell on his back on the sand.

"Scratch his face!" the leader of the five ordered again, and the small boy braced himself for the beating to get worse.

He just curled up like a fetus, covering his stomach, chest, and face from the punches and kicks that were given him. It didn't matter that he got hurt, as long as it's not on his face. If his visage got damaged, his parents would know for sure what happened, and at his age, he didn't want to give them trouble.

His mother was pregnant with his younger sister, and he didn't want her to worry about him. At six years of age, Suzuki Aki was already matured in thinking.

Besides, wasn't it embarrassing to tell his parents he's being bullied because of the way he looked?

Yes. Unfortunately, since Aki transferred to this ordinary school, the girls in his class had taken to him – calling him their Prince Charming whatever that meant, thus, earning the ire of most of the boys who couldn't play with the girls.

Today was the last straw it seemed.

They had a cute princess type classmate who smelled nice. Most of the boys liked to play with her – except Aki. He didn't really care. He came from a very exclusive kindergarten before being transferred to this public school and her type was very common where he came from.

In fact, he didn't like her type at all. He preferred the very nice boyish girl in class. But the princess type girl liked him so much; she was even hostile to the other girls who wanted to play with him today.

What a bummer .

So now, it was after school. The princess had long since left when a car arrived to pick her up. She was one of the rare rich kids who came to attend this school. But of course, he was the richest one here – although technically still not that wealthy. His father had after all just launched Suzuki Raiden Group a couple of years back and was still young.

Nobody knew this tiny bit of course. If they did, no parent would let their child harm the heir to the most promising corporation – a tiger in the making in all of Japan.

His parents wanted him to have a normal life so all that wealth wouldn't go to his head. It was why they hadn't left the simple house they owned and moved to a better and bigger place. It was also the reason why from an exclusive kindergarten, they had made their son attend this public pre-school.

The girls called him Prince Charming, but it was because of his face more than his status.

Aki who was always a filial son decided to endure.

"Get his hands away from his face and break his nose," the leader goaded his minions and the smaller Aki was terrified he would fail to protect his face this time around. He had been hit too much that his little arms were starting to weaken. He was also in too much pain he could feel his eyes getting hot with tears.

He was at a loss as to what to do when he heard a mighty yell from afar.

"YOU GUYS! GET OFF HIM!"

Aki opened his eyes, shifting his hand so he could take a look, almost getting hit on the face in the process, but a flash of color beat the foot that was about to land on his nose. The boys who were hovering over him were suddenly pushed back by a force followed by their grunts and groans as they fell on the ground simultaneously.

When Aki finally took a good look, he saw the boyish girl of the class facing his attackers head-on, with her back covering him, protecting him from them. She was not a big girl – she was even on the skinny side. But he'd never seen anyone so majestic and brave as he had today.

"What are you doing? Protecting your boyfriend?" the leader asked sarcastically.

Instead of being disheartened, the girl only looked fiercer. "Yeah, so he's my boyfriend. Better him than any of you ugly ones, right?"

Her boyfriend?

Aki was amused in spite of the pain in his body.

"Shoo! Go bother someone else. If I see you bullying my boy again I'll kick your balls, do you hear?"

He never believed a threat like that would ever work, but he was surprised that it did. The boys who beat him up didn't look happy. But seeing as he was not really a competition, they left without looking back.

Aki found himself being pulled up from the ground and came face to face with his savior – well, kind of. She was at least an inch taller than him in height.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her tone of voice no longer the fierce one she had used towards the other boys earlier.

"Yes, thank you for saving me," Aki answered as he looked at her straight in the eye.

The girl looked taken aback, and he wondered why she seemed so surprised but he didn't know how to ask.

"You're a good kid. Some boys dislike it when girls save them," she told him which made him understand now why she was surprised.  

She might have saved someone like this before but her effort was not appreciated.

"They stopped beating me up because of you. If you didn't come I'd have been more injured. It will worry my mom."

His answer made her smile, and Aki found himself thinking that this girl, in spite of the harsh boyish haircut looked totally cute.

"You really are nice," she said happily. "What's your name?"

"Suzuki Aki," he answered, still mesmerized by her smile.

"I'm Asou Chiaki," she said. "Because you are nice, I will be your girlfriend okay?"

Aki was stunned. Girlfriend?

He wondered if it's like a girl best friend, and so he agreed. "Okay. From now on, you will be my girlfriend and I will be your boyfriend."

"Pinky promise?" she asked as she held her pinky which he happily mimicked.

"Pinky promise…"

But of course, what started as something silly developed into something else with time. The silly understanding of the words became a clearer one as they became aware of each other's existence. As they grew up, they only became more and more familiar and attached to each other. It wasn't surprising when their feelings developed into something more.

Since coming into high school, Aki knew he was in love with her and had been treating her like a real girlfriend ever since pre-school. He knew the promise in their childhood didn't mean a thing, and so he had planned on turning it into something as he knew that she felt the same way about him.

Even after so many years of being together, it was only now that he had the courage to ask her for real, and he did.

Chiaki was stunned.

"You…"

Aki grinned. "Well, if you want to think about it then go ahead," he told her as he wiggled his brows.

He was confident at that time that she would say yes, so he had the courage to tease her like this. He was stupid.

"Then I'll think about it first. I'll tell you tomorrow," she countered smugly, her eyes dancing in mirth.

But Aki knew that she was also teasing him in return. They had been together treating each other as their significant others. Asking her was just a formality. Everything would be fine.

Or so he thought.

Or so she thought.

Or so they thought.

But fate had other plans for the two of them. The Prince Charming that was saved did not really tell the other one that he was truly a living Prince.

Three days ago, Aki had attended a gathering with his parents and sister. Their family had taken a photo at the event, but the photo was published in the newspapers the very day Chiaki was about to give him her answer.

The school was abuzz with noise as all students hurried to their classroom to discuss something big. Suzuki Aki, a student of their lowly school was actually a prince in disguise! Who'd have thought that the heir of the Suzuki Raiden Group would be in their public school?

To everyone else, it was great news. Even the faculty was shocked but pleased with the news.

Except for Aki and Chiaki...

When Aki found out about the discovery of his identity, he was in a panic and searched for Chiaki almost immediately. But when he found her, he tried to explain but she wouldn't let him even if she tried her best to act normally.

"You're such a bad friend. You didn't tell me, your best friend about your real identity,' she complained, although her voice rang with real hurt that Aki couldn't miss.

But he was more bothered by how she emphasized the word "friends" about them that he asked.

"About my confession –" he started but she cut him off.

"It's alright. I know you like joking all the time," she said dismissively with a laugh as she continued. "I was also only joking with you. Don't worry, I'm still your best friend okay?"

Aki swallowed hard. He realized by not being honest, he had ruined things for them.

He lied. The truth came out, but it didn't come from him.

It was the greatest sin.

Because of this, it was as if a huge barrier was placed between them, preventing them from holding each other's hands as lovers from that day forward.