The Truth
“Mom, I'm old enough to know the truth. I want to know about my dad,” Hanami turned to her mother.
Neji knew Hanami wasn’t one to stop asking questions. She was a curious little girl who wanted to know everything.
Hanami could always tell when her mother was hiding something, and this time was no different.
Neji sighed and looked away, deciding to tell her the truth.
“Your father is an amazing man Hanami,” Neji said, smiling to himself.
“If he’s so amazing, why isn’t he here? Why doesn’t he love me?” Hanami lowered her head. She felt the tears start to swell in her eyes.
“Your father does love you Hanami,” Neji expressed, trying hard to keep himself together.
“How am I supposed to know that mom I have never seen or met him. How can I tell if he loves me or not,” She replied–rubbing the tears from her eyes.
“I know baby but for you to fully understand everything,” sighing to himself Neji continued. “I have to tell you about my past for you so you can fully grasp everything about what happened between me and your father. Is that okay with you?” he said – squatting down to fully look into her eyes.
Wiping her eyes Hanami lifted her head and stared into his eyes. “Yes, I’m ok with that. And I want to know every little detail,” she smiled lighting the mood.
“OK, I will be sure to include all the little details. Now let’s go to my room to talk.”
Neji guided her down the hall to his bedroom. The room was filled with various kinds of art pieces and photos of him and Hanami. In the middle of the room was a king-sized with silky black covers. Taking a seat on the bed, Hanami waited for her mother to join her.
“Sit down Nami I’ll join you in a second Nami. I must go get something from the closet.” Neji walked out of the room–leaving Hanami alone.
Hanami took a deep breath and sat on the bed. She was curious about what her mom was going to grab. After a few minutes, her mom returned, carrying a box in his hands.
“What’s this?” she questioned, pointing to the box her mother was holding.
“These are the answers to the questions you have been asking.” Neji sat next to Hanami and opened the box to reveal a set of photographs. He handed the box to her, and she began to look through it, her heart racing with anticipation.
“Who are these people?” She asked. Looking at a picture of a man standing with two toddlers and holding a baby. The way he was smiling showed he had so much love for them.
The man had a pale ivory skin tone and a charming face -guess she knew now what skin color she had. His hair was a thick beautiful brunette color like her own. He had his hair pulled up into a messy bun. The man had a tall, toned, muscular figure, and divinely detailed tattoos covering both his hands and neck.
“They are your older siblings and the man holding the baby is your father,” Neji told her turning to look at the picture.
Looking at the picture brought back various memories and feelings that he cherished. The picture showed him that the kids he saw in that picture weren't the same little kids he would see today if he saw them. They were older and more mature, more evolved human beings- at least he hoped so.
“Those are my siblings?” she asked, staring in awe at the picture. Hanami thought she would have to beg her mom till the end of the earth until he told her something about her dad. Just staring at the photo, she wondered why her mother left her dad. Yeah, he didn't exactly look harmless, but he didn’t look like he would hurt the people closest to him either.
“Yes, they are your older siblings Nami, the twins, the two toddlers standing there are Sora and Tobikuma and the little boy in your father’s arms is Shikadai.” Neji’s heart felt like it was bursting out of his chest. Waiting for Hanami to respond felt so surreal because he wanted to hold off on this information until she was at least fifteen at most. Leaving her in a constant guessing game about what her father became overbearing for him.
“So, I'm the baby of the family then,” Neji smiled and nodded his head. He looked down at her trying to get a good visual of her face. He finally broke the silence and said, "Yes, I guess you are." She could tell by the down look her mom had in his eyes looking at the picture it was hard for him to discuss this topic with her.
Hanami smiled at the now lightened mood and fatigue her mom was putting on. She knew they would get through this as they always did. It may take time for them, but they would push through.
“Now let me tell you the story of what led to me leaving our family behind,” Neji looked at Hanami as she nodded.
“What led to me leaving was a threat on your dad’s and siblings' lives. I didn’t want to leave them behind believe me if I could have devised some ideas, I would have done everything I could to prevent me from ever leaving them,” Neji cried.
“But I couldn’t risk it. I love my family and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to them. Do you understand Hanami? I had to leave to protect them. I had to do what was necessary to keep them safe. And if leaving was what I had to do I did it. I had to sacrifice my feelings to make sure my family was safe,” he turned and took Hanami’s hands into his own.
“But when I left, I didn’t know I was pregnant with you. Finding out the news that I was pregnant made me want to turn around and go back. But I didn’t--,” Neji sniffled. He didn’t like being emotional in front of his daughter. He wanted to show her his strengths, not his weaknesses.
“So, what happened after?”
“Well, I moved around to various locations until I settled here in Seattle. I later bought this little house for us and prepared it for you to come into the world. Which brings us to now.”
“I guess that explains the whole Dad part of my life huh,” she noted.
“Yeah, Baby I'm sorry but I hope one day you can understand my decision. I hope you can forgive me one day,” tears ran down Neji’s face.
Finally admitting to someone about his family that he left behind did relieve the pressure of the feeling of as if he was hiding them.
“It’s okay Mom I may not know everything, but I understand why you did what you did. My real question is why would someone want you to leave to leave Dad? Granted he looks like he’ll fuck someone up if they tried him,” she probed.
“I think I know why they wanted me out of the picture I am your dad's only weakness besides your siblings. I still question today who would have wanted me out of the picture so bad they would go so far as to threaten me,” he moved to sit crisscross on the bed.
“Why would getting to you be Dad’s weakness?”
“Well, Hanami your dad is an heir to one of the biggest mafias in the world. The Naras. They run various business companies to cover up the mafia business. They have people stationed worldwide to ensure nothing is out of place in their line of work. They are very thought-out control freaks, that’s what the Naras are known for. Yeah, your father wouldn’t hurt me or you because we’re family but anyone outside of its people would have hell to pay,” he reasoned.
Revealing her shocked face to her mother Hanami had only one remark, "So you’re telling me you married a control freak mafia man. Who is my father?”
“Yes, I still haven’t thought of who would want to have me out of the picture. And I gave up after you were born questioning who it was,” Neji shrugged.
“OK, but I am still shocked and a little gagged at this news I was expecting a bitter baby mama, or he left type story mom. You shocked me with this one and now I know why I have control issues, I guess thanks to genetics?” she exhaled.
“Damn, Nami you thought I would be a bitter baby mama and that I would have gotten left? Wow shows how low you think of me, and I'm too damn sexy for someone to leave me,” he scoffed.
“Mom, you know I would never doubt your appeal to the eyes, but you know I expected that in my head not what you just told me," She rolled her eyes and through a little smirk towards him.
“Yeah yeah, anyway that’s it no more questions for me I would have thought you would have been berating me with a multitude of them right about now,” Neji chuckled to himself.
“Mom I’m tired, so you’ll have all those questions thrown at you tomorrow. "OK,” she yawned.
“Ok, Hanami but just to let you know it’s time for bed.”
“Alright, but I’m sleeping with you, Mom,” she yawned, getting in the bed and pulling up the cover.
“Ok, but only for tonight,” he chuckled, as he climbed into the bed himself.