Treasure for Ai

An original anime/manga by Cindy Moon co written by Kei-chan

Love- all it causes is pain and suffering… so why does everyone want it so much?

Prologue

“Mother! Why? You’ve been tormenting me my whole life… it’s not fair!”

“Shut up Ai! You ungrateful wretch, there’s nothing that you can do to change your future now. It’s for your own good. Trust me, you’ll thank us later.”

Having said that, the mother thrust the knife into the cutting board, its blade reflecting the image of a tear-stained face. The face belonging to the girl.

“I hate you!” Ai screamed while running to her room, holding back as many tears as possible.

A hand reached for a daisy and it began pulling it apart petal by petal.

“They love me… they love me not… they love me…”

Her eyes glanced at the remaining petal and her hands trembled to sever the last one.

“They love me not.”

The rain began to fall leaving tear like stains on the windows. Ai ran out of her room and into the streets to the soon to be inclement weather. The weather that could consol her.

“Ai! Dammit get back inside!” the mother called out, her words being ignored for the first time.

The girl stayed outside letting the rain mingle with her tears. Rain fell harder and harder until it began to pour. Thud. Her body, her self-worth fell onto the sidewalk, allowing them both to be swept away by water. Daisy petals carried by the waters drifted aimlessly into the gutters.

In the darkness of the light

In the shadows of our lives

Within out hears of broken stone

There is no space for love alone

“My heart… can’t take anymore.”

My hopes are shattered

By one I thought I could trust

My life condemned to live without you

Why is the world so cruel to me?

Why can’t I live my dream

Instead of this reality?

This is my gift

This is my curse

My life

My destruction

My treasure of love

A treasure for Ai

Chapter 1- Do you love me?

               “Come one Ai, cheer up! Moving wont be that bad. You’ll get to meet new people, make new friends… find cute guys that are easy to manipulate. Shhh, don’t worry I won’t tell Akira you’re cheating on him. Hey, and you get to ditch that evil bitch of a teacher.”

I nodded meekly trying awfully hard to cry. I always thought of crying as a weakness; my parents always thought it to be a weakness. Best not to show that weakness now, especially in front of Suki. A bright orange orb began sinking in the horizon marking my cue to leave.

“Well… I think I should be going now. Don’t want to keep the folks waiting.”

“See you soon okay?” Suki said, giving me a hug as she did.

“Sure, always.”  It felt so good to have her as a friend.

               I picked up my pace and raced the sunset home. In the distance, Suki’s distinct voice was yelling. If I heard correctly she cried, “Sleepover! Call me!”

I sighed and laughed. I knew I would never be able to go; father and mother were always so protective. They’ve been that way as long as I can remember. By the time I reached the front door night had already blanketed the sky, and I knew a lecture awaited me when I stepped inside.

“Ai! Where have you been?” Father barked into my face.

Silence…

“Answer me when I’m talking to you young lady!”

“I was at Suki’s… I lost track of time that’s all”

“I was at Suki’s,” he mimicked then changed his tone, “Well while you were there, you missed dinner. Again!”

I dared not to speak; I dared not to look away from my angry parents’ gaze. It was futile trying because  they always won. The only thing I allowed myself to do was not to look afraid.

“Now,” Father said with fatigue, “Ai… go wash the dishes.” He then motioned me away with the flick of the wrist.

               I nodded meekly and walked, once more to the godforsaken kitchen sink. My hands glided in and out of the water like so many times before. All of a sudden… blank. A dish slipped out of my hands and crashed to the floor, breaking into countless pieces. The ceramic cut into my skin, piercing my body. Yet I could feel no pain. All I could see was the blood coming out of my wounds. What is happening to me?

               In-between contemplating suicide with the broken fragments and picking them up she interrupted me.

“Ai…”
Startled, I dropped the pieces I was holding.

“Your father and I just want what’s best for you that’s all. We just want to keep you safe. You’re our treasure.”

I replied back with an icy tone that matched my icy glare, “Is that all you came to tell me?”

I could see her attempt to reply but then she glanced at my small dilemma.

“Do you need help with that?” she said with her usual mock compassion almost as if she was taunting me.

“No mother… I’m fine.”

               The pieces were being picked up with my already bloody hands, my frustration only made them bloodier. I felt like breaking. Didn’t anyone care about me anymore?

               Later that night, while the rest of this hostile world was sleeping, I was outside by the lake near my house. The moon was out and full spilling her tears out onto the reflection of the waters. I peered in, and all I saw was my ugly face. The breeze picked up dropping a leaf onto my image, distorting to what I really should look like. Gruesome. Which left me to ponder, who am I really?

“Ai!” an excited Suki came to greet me after class, “Can you come? Please say you can!”

I hadn’t asked my parents; it wasn’t as if they were going to say yes if I had asked anyways.

“I can come this time.

I was in enough trouble already; a little more wouldn’t kill me. Might as well make the most of life before I was to lose it. Another school bell rang, and a throng of uniforms filed past us.

“Hey Ai! You know what?”

“What?” I asked.

“Akira has something to tell you!” Suki shouted with a voice the world could hear.

I haven’t the faintest idea of what you’re implying. I told her. My boyfriend and I had no secrets

She just looked at me and giggled.

“You’d better turn around.”

Nervously I turned my head, and to my dismay he was there. Suki wasn’t giggling anymore but laughing hysterically.

“Ummm. Ai, since you're moving would you mind one night with me before you leave?”

Could he be more blunt? I just told him the truth and said that my parents wouldn’t approve.

“Oh. Okay then, well call me anyways when you can,” he told me with much dejection.

I grabbed an out of breath Suki and whispered, “I’ll meet you back at your place.”

               We both ran in opposite directions, Suki to her home and I to mine; although I wouldn’t call my house a home. It was a hell. I tiptoed upstairs trying to create as little noise as possible. Quickly I dumped out my books and replaced them with nightclothes and hygiene care. Then franticly I ran downstairs to leave, but they were too quick for me.

“Ai, Where are you going?” a stern voice asked.

“I was going to study at Suki’s,” I said then motioned at my backpack.

“On a Friday?” Mother questioned.

I gave in and told them in my most disrespectful tone all the details about my plans with Suki. I know, that you are supposed to obey and honor your parents, but I just hated mine. They controlled my life not only emotionally but physically as well. I don’t know why I had such respect for them for this long; but anyways to my surprise, they agreed.

“We’re having business guests over anyways so it’s a good thing you’ll be out of the way. Want to stay until lunch tomorrow?” Father asked.

“Yes please!” This really changed my thoughts about them; perhaps parents aren’t so bad.

“Okay go now,” Mother said while pushing me out of the house.

I had been freed, and I ran as quickly as I could to Suki’s.

“Is it ready?” the man asked.

A small revolver had been revealed.

“Right here,” the woman replied.

“Ai, come on it’s late, it’s three in the morning. Let’s get some sleep,” Suki fell close to a sound sleep until her mother came in to see how we were doing. Her face showed concern. It showed true compassion.

“You girls should be getting to sleep now. Love you both,” Suki’s mom told us then gave us both good night kisses.

“Night mum…” Suki murmured half asleep.

I was there in the semi-darkness, my only light provided by a whole in the window, to ponder what had happened. Perhaps the world wasn’t so bad after all.

“Mother, I’m coming home now,” I said in the receiver the next afternoon, “Don’t worry I already ate.”

“No! Don’t come home. Our guests are still here. Why don’t you stay a little longer?”

“Oh okay then,” I said to myself with suspicion.

I hung up the receiver and became lost. When did your business clients start spending the night? The sun was already above me, and I walked with Suki back to my house. We exchanged good-byes, possibly out last before I went inside.

~ Owari

The mother walked passed the girl’s bedroom not realizing she was still awake.

“Mother,” a faint voice called out, “ Do you love me?”

Ai’s body then began to emit a bizarre glow.

“Well Ai, love is a very strong word that we don’t use very often. Now go to bed.”

Project  65344

Subject reacts under emotional stress.

Proceed with caution.

No signs of insubordination