Chapter 12 – Scars of the Past
Hiroshi sat in silence for a while after Tall Boy stormed out. His gut told him something was off, the way Tall Boy reacted to the name Big Tech Corp wasn't normal, there was something deeper something personal.
He crossed his arms, thinking hard,
"Why did he leave so suddenly…",
Finally, he turned to Chimera, "I need you to follow him",
"Argh, do I have to?" she groaned, slouching back in her chair,
"Yes," Hiroshi said firmly, "I don't know what he's up to, but I have a bad feeling about this, keep an eye on him, just in case",
She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Fine, fine, but you owe me one glasses boy",
"Sure," Hiroshi said, giving a small nod, "The sooner he's back, the better, we can't find the shards if we're not complete",
Chimera shrugged and headed for the door, "Yeah, yeah…I try to bring him back, however I can",
Once she left, Hiroshi leaned over his desk again, staring at the shard pieces glittering under the lamplight, he clenched his jaw, "I finally have a full team…I just hope he doesn't do anything reckless before we finish this", he said frankly.
Meanwhile, Tall Boy was already deep in the streets, his face looked confident and sharp with his usual smug grin flickered across his face—but there was a storm behind it.
He looked up at the tall skyline where the name Big Tech Corp shone in cold silver letters.
He clenched his fists, 'So it's true… they brought it here', he thought to himself,
A small chuckle escaped his lips,
"Heh… been searching for this corp for years, first, they vanish into the States, and now they come crawling back to Japan",
His smirk widened, his eyes glinting dangerously,
"This isn't just any corporation…it belonged to my late father, my adoptive father, to be exact",
He stepped closer, the neon lights reflecting off his brown hair, "And now… my dear stepbrother runs it",
He cracked his neck, smiling darkly, "This is going to be one fun family reunion… brother",
Tall Boy finally reached the new site of Big Tech corp, the building towered high above the streets, far larger and flashier than what he remembered years ago, he stood outside for a moment, staring up at it, his jaw tightened,
Inside, the place was buzzing with life—workers rushing from one end to another, the rhythmic tapping of keyboards echoing faintly. It was sleek, modern, and cold.
His eyes caught a massive portrait hanging in the lobby: a smiling man and a young boy~his stepfather and stepbrother.
"Tsk," he muttered, his voice low and bitter, "What was I expecting? To see me in it?"
He already knew the answer, he was never part of their family in the way they wanted.
Tall Boy walked up to the front desk where a neatly dressed receptionist sat behind a glowing laptop. She looked up immediately with a warm smile, even if deep down she found his height unusual,
"Oh—good morning, sir, Can I help you?",
"Yeah," he said curtly, "Where's your boss?",
Her smile faltered slightly, "Sir, do you have a—"
"I said, where's your boss?" His tone was sharp, his eyes unblinking, "Should I spell it out for you?",
The woman blinked, clearly caught off guard, but kept her composure, "Sir, I can't disclose that information unless I know who you are and what business you have with him," she said, trying to sound firm.
Tall Boy exhaled through his nose out of frustration, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a worn photograph, e placed it gently on the desk. It showed a younger version of himself standing beside the same boy from the portrait,
"I'm his brother," he said quietly, his voice suddenly softer, That's proof",
The receptionist's eyes widened, she glanced between the old photo and the giant portrait behind her, the resemblance was undeniable,
"Oh, I see, sir," she said, her tone is now sympathetic, "You must be looking for him after a long time, Unfortunately, he isn't available right now…"
"Then maybe," Tall Boy interrupted, lowering his voice and forcing a sorrowful look, "you could give me his home address? I've been searching for my brother for years, I'd love to surprise him… you know, face-to-face instead of here",
His fake sadness looked heartbreakingly real, years of surviving and lying had made him good at that.
The receptionist hesitated for a moment, then gave a small, pitiful nod, she scribbled something on a slip of paper and handed it to him, "Here you go, sir, I hope you two reunite soon",
Tall Boy took it with a faint smile and a soft, "Thank you", But the moment he turned away, that gentle expression vanished, his smirk returned, sharp and dangerous.
"Finally," he muttered under his breath, tucking the address into his pocket, "Time to pay you a visit, dear brother." He held the paper tight in his big palm.
Tall Boy reached the location, and in front of him stood the massive mansion allegedly owned by his stepbrother, Tadashi Tachibana.
He stared at it for a few minutes before stepping forward, the gates were locked and a note was placed there saying the owner wasn't home. But to Tall Boy, that was perfect, a surprise was better, he smirked.
He used his beastly hand to forcefully break the mansion door lock open. Since it was a new place, the inside was still mostly empty, he walked through the large halls, eyes scanning every corner of the huge interior.
He told himself he would wait no matter how long it took because he couldn't wait to finally confront his brother, his half-brother, the one who had made his life a living hell.
Then suddenly, memories came rushing back...
FLASHBACK 🕯️
Ten years ago, a small boy named Takae sat alone in a dark corner, his head was down while the other kids played happily, he had been brought to the orphanage recently after his parents died in a car accident, no relatives wanted him, saying they already had "enough to handle".
He didn't want to play, he just wanted his parents back, quiet sobs escaped his lips.
Days turned into weeks, and he remained gloomy, the other kids began to mock him, calling him weird. Soon he became their target, he was short for his age, small, fragile, and weak. They shoved him, teased him, and beat him, and he couldn't fight back.
But then, luck finally found him, a wealthy man came one day, saying he wanted to adopt a boy, his name was Tomoe Tachibana, the powerful owner of Big Tech Corp, he saw something in little Takae, fragile, yes, but with an unusual spark and chose him.
As Takae was taken away, the other kids glared with envy, but the boy had no idea his new 'home' might not be what he was imagining.
Mr. Tachibana already had a son, Tadashi, who was just a year older than Takae, his reason for adopting another boy was simple: he wanted Tadashi to learn responsibility, to have a brother to look after, especially since his wife had died a year earlier.
When Takae first arrived, Tadashi welcomed him with a bright smile and even hugged him as their father watched proudly, but the moment Mr. Tachibana got a business call and left the room, the hug turned into a shove,
"Don't think that just because my dad brought you here, you're part of this family," Tadashi hissed, "You're not and you never will be, shorty",
He pushed past Takae and left, leaving the boy frozen and terrified, the bullying didn't end it only grew worse.
Five years passed, Tadashi never stopped tormenting him not at home, not at school. Takae stayed small while Tadashi grew tall and strong, Tadashi mocked him, beat him most times, made him carry his heavy school bags, and spread rumors about him that made him not have any friends.
Takae stayed silent through it all, Mr. Tachibana was always too busy to notice, when he noticed him, his words and attention felt more like pity than love.
The final straw came on Takae's 16th birthday, Tadashi's "gift" to him was a bucket of cold water dumped over his head, one of the maids, feeling sorry for Takae, secretly called Mr. Tachibana to remind him it was his son's birthday, feeling guilty, the man rushed to buy a present for him but fate was cruel, on his way back, he got into a terrible car crash and died instantly.
The news spread quickly about his death. At the funeral, Tadashi appeared quiet, hugging Takae in front of everyone but his whisper was venom,
"This is your fault, you're a curse, because of you, my father's dead, after this, pray I don't see you again, because if I do… you'll join him in heaven, I promise",
He patted Takae's shoulder and walked away, leaving the boy trembling.
That night, Takae couldn't take it anymore.
He went home, wrote a goodbye letter, and ran away, disappearing into the cold night, terrified of his step brother who swore to kill him.
END OF FLASHBACK 🕯️
Tall Boy grinned as he looked at his reflection in a mirror nearby, "Who's the shorty now?" he muttered, his smirk sharp as his beastly hand flexed,
He turned, staring out the mansion window,
He would wait, no matter how long it took.
Because this time, the reunion would be on his terms.
The evening breeze brushed gently against the tall mansion gates as a sleek black car stopped in front. Tadashi Tachibana stepped out, sharp in his fitted suit, dark hair slicked perfectly into place, he looked every inch the man who had it all until he noticed something odd.
The front door was slightly open,
He frowned, "That's strange… I'm sure I locked it",
Slowly, he pushed it open, the lights inside glowed softly, everything seemed normal until a rich aroma hit his nose, it was dumplings, freshly made,
His heartbeat spiked, "Who's there?", he demanded, stepping toward the dining room, "Show yourself or I'll call the police right now!",
Then, at the semi center of the room, a rolling chair turned,
Tall Boy spun around dramatically, smirking from ear to ear, "Well, well, well… long time no see, Tadashi",
Tadashi froze, "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here? Speak up now before I call the police!",
Tall Boy chuckled, "Come on, my sweet brother, don't you recognize me?",
Tadashi's confusion shifted into shock, he squinted, staring at the man before him, then his eyes widened in disbelief, as Tall boy's face card gave in immediately, "No way...Ta..Takae?!",
"Aww, he remembers", Tall Boy teased, "How sweet", he said mockingly,
Tadashi took a shaky step forward, "But how…? After all these years—wait, don't tell me you came here to beg for help or money?" His tone turned venomous, "You really are pathetic",
Tall Boy laughed softly and gestured toward the table, "Relax!!! Sit, I made these for you, dumplings, your favorite, right?",
Tadashi hesitated, eyes darting between the food and his so called brother, "How do I know they're not poisoned?",
"I'll eat first then", Tall Boy said casually, he picked up one dumpling and ate it, smiling faintly,
Tadashi's voice hardened as he sat down, "Stop playing games, why are you here, Takae?",
Tall Boy's smirk dropped, his expression darkened, "Why? You really don't get it, do you? After what you did to me? After how you made my life hell, you made me feel weak, inferior—"
"That's because you were weak and inferior!", Tadashi barked, slamming his hands on the table, "You were always the pitiful one, always crying, always small and was so pathetic for running away, in fact I was glad you did, I hate you, I didn't need a brother, you were a curse my family! My father died because of you! You ruined everything!...now leave before things get really messy...," he threatened,
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Tall Boy's voice came out low, calm… dangerous, "You know what? That's exactly what I wanted to hear...I want things to get messy...,"
Tadashi blinked, "What! You little piece of—",
Before he could finish, Tall Boy stood up and Tadashi pupils shook at the abnormal height of him, Tall boy's beast hand shot out, gripping Tadashi by the throat. Tadashi's eyes bulged as he was lifted off the floor,
"Cat got your tongue or should I say throat...," Tall Boy growled, his voice deep and unrecognizable, "Remember calling me shorty? Weak? Look at me now!"
He squeezed harder, Tadashi clawed at his arm, gasping for breath,
Tall Boy laughed maniacally, the sound chilling and echoing, Who's the puny one now, huh?! Who's weak now?!"
With a violent swing, he hurled Tadashi across the room, the man crashed through a glass display, shards flying everywhere,
Tadashi groaned, trying to get up,
"You think… I'm scared of you, that hand, hah! Must be fake!!!" he spat, blood trickling from his nose and lip, he charged with a shaky punch,
Tall Boy rolled his eyes, caught the punch easily, and twisted Tadashi's wrist until he screamed, then he pulled him close and slammed a heavy blow into his chest, sending him flying again, Tall boy didn't rest, he gave him blow after blow.
The last blow, Tadashi hit the floor hard, this time, he didn't move, blood stained his face with fresh wounds like design on him, as he gasped for air,
"Please… please, stop!" he coughed weakly, "I'll give you anything… money, a house and car, whatever you want, just don't kill me…",
Tall Boy stepped closer, placing his foot on Tadashi's chest, "You wanna know what I want?", His voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "I want you… dead",
His eyes glowed reddish faint light as he raised his beast hand, claws extending as he raised it above to strike Tadashi,
Then—
"Stop! That's enough!!",
The voice cut through the tension like lightning.
Chimera burst into the room, grabbing Tall Boy's arm mid-swing, his claws froze inches above tadashi's face,
"Chimera?", Tall Boy's eyes dimmed back to normal, "How long have you been there?",
"Long enough to see you lose your damn mind!", she snapped, glaring at him, "He's barely breathing! Are you trying to kill him, dumbass!?",
"This has nothing to do with you", Tall Boy muttered coldly,
"Oh, it has everything to do with me", she said, stepping closer, "Will killing him make you feel better? Huh? Will it erase what he did?",
Tall Boy didn't answer,
"Exactly", she said softly, "It won't, So let's go before you do something you regret",
Tall Boy exhaled heavily, lowering his beast hand, he looked down at Tadashi, trembling and bruised on the floor,
"You're lucky", he muttered, "Thank your stars she stopped me… because if she hadn't, you'd be joining father father in heaven right now",
He turned and started walking away.
Chimera knelt beside Tadashi briefly, helping him sit up, he coughed and groaned, clutching his ribs as he gasped for breath,
"You should clean yourself up", she said bluntly, you're lucky I was here",
Then she stood and followed Tall Boy out.
Outside, the night air hit them both. Chimera looked at him as they walked down the driveway, "You done being dramatic?" she muttered,
Tall Boy didn't respond, his smirk had vanished, replaced with silence.
She sighed, "Good, cause next time, I won't just stop you, I'll knock you out too",
He glanced at her with a half smirk, "ohhh....noted", he rolled his eyes.
They disappeared into the cold evening, leaving the mansion behind—broken glass, cold food, and one terrified man still wondering how his past came back to haunt him, the beating he received was truly personal, he recalled all what he did to him in the past and thought maybe he kind of deserved this, he sighed leaning back against the chair he sat.
Chimera and Tall Boy were walking side by side in silence, the already dark evening breeze brushed past them as the streetlights flickered dimly along the road,
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop", Chimera said suddenly, her voice was low,
"But I heard when he said you ran away…Guess you and I have something in common",
Tall Boy raised an eyebrow, glancing her way, "You ran away too?", he asked bluntly,
Chimera sighed, for a split second, a flash of memory cut through her mind, rain pouring down, her younger self running barefoot in a school uniform, tears mixing with the downpour, she shook her head, forcing the thought away, "Just forget it…let's go, it's getting late", she said quickly, walking ahead.
He watched her for a moment, the determined steps, the quiet sadness and wondered what she truly desired. Why did she join him and Hiroshi in searching for the shards? What did she want to wish for?
But he didn't ask, he just followed.
Soon, they reached Hiroshi's grandfather's old house, the lights inside were dim, and the others were already waiting, it was too late to continue the shard search for today.
Hiroshi adjusted his glasses and looked at Tall Boy seriously, "Where have you been?", he asked
Tall Boy didn't answer, he just sat down, leaning back lazily in his chair, Chimera sighed and decided to explain everything.
"That was very irresponsible of—", Hiroshi began, but Tall Boy cut him off,
"Listen, whatever I did today was my business", Tall Boy said sharply, "Fine, I admit it's my fault we didn't search today, but let's just move past that",
The room fell quiet, all eyes were on him, Hiroshi exhaled slowly, removed his glasses, wiped them clean, then put them back on,
"Look", Hiroshi said calmly, "The sooner we find the shards, the better, I understand it's your personal stuff, but this isn't just about you, we're a team",
Tall Boy groaned, "Okay, I get it, we'll go tomorrow, I promise, I won't run off again, Jeez!!",
Everyone groaned softly, tired and kind of annoyed a bit except Chimera, who simply folded her arms and said nothing, she understood him, at least a little, Mae wanted to say something but the words didn't want to come out at this tight moment,
Hiroshi rubbed his temples, "We'll postpone the search till tomorrow",
Skepter suddenly spoke up, leaning against the wall, "Hey, why are we just searching around Kuroshima? The shards could be anywhere not just here, we should expand our search",
Hiroshi paused, thinking, "You're right… I didn't think of that, we've only been focusing on this area, from tomorrow, we'll widen the search beyond Kuroshima",
Everyone nodded in agreement until Mae raised her hand shyly, but if we go that far, how do we keep in touch?", he asked,
"With our phones, princess, Duh!", Skepter said, smirking as he pulled out an old but still-functioning phone from his bag, "Now come on, everyone, show me your phones",
Silence.
No one moved.
"What?", Skepter blinked, looking around, "Is this 1870 or something? Why don't any of you have cell phones!?",
No one said a word.
He sighed, "Unbelievable, look, we need to communicate, it's modern times, I know a store where I can get used but working phones and SIMs cheap, drop whatever change you've got",
No one argued, they all reached into their pockets, pulling out whatever little they had, he gathered the money, smirked, and left.
About an hour later, Skepter returned triumphantly with a bag of phones,
"Tada! One for each of you", he said, tossing them out like prizes,
They each caught one — even Hiroshi looked impressed,
"This is a good idea", Hiroshi said, nodding, "Let's set them up and exchange numbers, tomorrow, we'll head out, no matter how far we go, we come back with at least one shard, Got it?",
Everyone nodded.
Tall Boy stretched his arms lazily and flopped onto the old couch, he stared at the ceiling, expression blank, while the others were busy figuring out their new phones.
Hiroshi's gaze lingered on him, he still couldn't tell what was going on in that guy's head, was it regret?, anger? Or something else?
Chimera glanced his way too, her expression soft, she couldn't tell either, until she saw him smirk faintly, closing his eyes.
Yeah, that wasn't a regret,
That was satisfaction.
She sighed and looked away, "You're impossible…", she muttered under her breath.
As the night grew quiet, one by one they all began to rest preparing for tomorrow's new search.
The moonlight spilled through the old curtains, shining over the team's broken souls, bound by one goal, one wish,
And somewhere deep inside, something dark and unpredictable stirred again.