Chapter 21 - The Born Genius
10 Years Ago
The Year 2015
The Saito's Residence
"Ha... Look dad a shooting star" 5 years old Ten exclaimed pointing at the stars. He was on his dad's lap as they watch the skies together, the night was calm and pleasant with several crickets making their light sounds, the skies embodied with shiny stars to gaze upon, it was quite calm and cool with the light wind swirling around.
Saito Tetsu smiled at his son's antics, he had dark raven hair and dark green eyes.
"Awesome!" Ten giggles watching the skies, not noticing his dad's cheerful stare.
"Tell me Ten, when you look at the sky, what do you see?" Tetsu asked, his eyes shining in amusement.
"The sun and the moon, and the stars!"
With a smile pressed against his lips, Tetsu's eyes averted to the sky.
"Is that-"
"There are stars whose lights are reaching us, originating from a billion years ago. On the planets of those stars civilization could have risen and fallen between when that light left and when it arrived here".
Tetsu was stunned, his eyes widen, trembling.
"Either we look up at the sky, or we look down under our feet, all we are looking at is history, billions of years of history. Under our feet buried in the history of the earth, life, and mankind along with it, out in the sky is the universe itself".
Tetsu turned Ten to face him.
"In orders, we stand in face of history itself and the future if we look further and deeper".
"How did you..." Tetsu was lost of words, his eyes fixed on his son, and he couldn't begin to comprehend what he has just said. Ten smirks mischievously.
"I read the first line from one of your books I found, it looked incomplete so I finished it for you".
"Hope am not in trouble" he adds with puppy dog eyes.
"Not at all!"
Ten's features lit up.
"You see dad, am a genius just like you, I want to be a professor and spread knowledge in all fields," Ten said with fire in his eyes.
"Well am presently just a teacher right now am no professor," Tetsu said scratching the back of his head, chuckling slightly.
"You are to me!" Ten said jumping off him, he stood in front, up straight, hands on his waist, chest out.
"Together we will make the world our private knowledge book".
A smile pressed against Tetsu's lips as he closed his eyes.
"Just you wait dad together we will change the world, we will be recognized not just in Tokyo but others around the world, just like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking's".
"I see you still love your foreign breadwinners," Tetsu said amused as he opened his eyes, Ten nods with flushed cheeks.
"Son do you know why I named you Ten".
"Um...No...I won't lie to you dad, the name is pretty annoying, makes the bullies have a way of teasing me all the time," Ten said with a bird-like shape mouth.
"Ten is known as a symbol of authority. The number symbolizes responsibility, law, and completeness. In numerology Ten is independent and has infinite potential, a person with the Tenth position of the numerology charts tends to be self-determined and urged to explore just like you, I knew that the moment I held you in my arms that you were a progenitor of your kind" Tetsu quotes rising to his feet, Ten just kept a stun expression unable to form words. Tetsu squat to his size placing a hand on his shoulder.
"So son your name isn't annoying or weird or strange, your name makes you who you are, your name makes you unique from others. Too bad the bullies don't know a future great man when they see one" he adds with a wink.
Ten eyes went all teary, he hugs his dad in a tight embrace, his arms around his neck, burying his face in his neck.
"So remember Ten...as great as you are you have the power to do anything as long as you set your mind to it, even though the odds are against you there's always a blink of hope".
"Remember!"
***
The Year 2017
*Loud Car Crash*
Ten on an all-black suit, his dull looks fixed on his dad's picture on the stand. Tears flowed from his eyes uncontrollably, his body trembling as he cried silently. 'You promised dad! You promised me, we would change the world together'. He thought sobbing painfully.
"Did you hear, he died when he was driving home drunk"
"What a waste, I heard he just started being a professor at a prestigious school"
"He went and let it waste because of his addict to drinking"
The whispers from everyone who came for the funeral became harsher.
Ten's teeth clenched.
"Such a waste, all those talents but it didn't last..."
***
A plate came at Ten's head, he blocks it with his hand as it fell on the groundbreaking, the process made his hand bleed.
"We are the talk of the neighborhood now because of your dad's stupid life... And you? You just keep acting like a smart ass" Ten's mother hissed with tears.
"You think you are smart, your dad was too but where is he now... Nothing good comes out of it!"
"Whenever I look at you, I just can't help it... I just can't take it!"
'Ah yes ever since my dad died, my mom could never look at me because I reminded her of her failure husband'
***
Ten on his bed crying bitterly.
"Big brother" little Kagami said walking into his room.
"Are you okay?" she asked worried.
Ten sobs getting up.
"Am fine Kagami" he said cleaning his eyes, his eyes hurt from all the constant crying. Kagami hugs him tightly, Ten smiles at her actions.
"Big brother is fine," Ten said smooching her.
***
The Year 2018
Seto Junior High School
"Who can tell me about the first 20 elements?" the homeroom teacher asked.
"Sir!" Ten hissed.
"You again Ten? Try creating a space for others, you're not the only genius, you know" the homeroom teacher said amuse but there was a hint of irritation.
"Gimme a break!"
"Always showing off"
"Who does he think he is?"
"He should just shut up already"
Whispers filled the classroom against Ten with dark looks, even the homeroom teacher gave him a dark look also.
'I was always judged by everyone I knew all my life... But I didn't care'
"I will answer now sir!" Ten said rising to his feet.
'It was the only way I could move forward'
Ten answering the question despite their intense stare and angry looks.
'I never belonged... Until I met her'
***
The Year 2019
"Settle down everyone" their homeroom teacher hissed at them as they took their seats.
"You have a new classmate, who just transferred recently" he announced.
A girl walked in dressed in their school uniform, it was a white sleeve shirt and a green shirt. She had short white curly hair and light brown eyes. She stops at the front.
Ten turned that moment as his green eyes land on her.
"Nice to meet you everyone, my name is Umi Kaiyo," she said smiling brightly.