THE AWAKENING: BIO-GENETICS

"So dear how long are you staying?!" Aiko asked, turning a plate for Haruto.

They were in their wide dining room filled with several antiques, the walls painted white. They sat at the center, a servant walking to and fro serving the dishes on the dining table, before stepping out.

Hiro's eyes drift to his father for his reply.

"Well I only have a week, the Prime Minister currently has me working on an assignment," Haruto said digging in his food.

"Really dear! We can spend more time together" Aiko said excitedly.

Normally anytime he was back home from the states it was only two or three days he spent at home.

"Well at least it's longer this time," Hiro said under his breath as he ate.

But they heard him, Aiko looks sad. Haruto drops the rice plate and chopsticks on the table.

"Yes Hiro, so tell me is there any place you would like to go?" Haruto asked with a smile against his lips.

Hiro's eyes were fixed on his dad, they both stared at each other in extreme silence. Haruto with a bright look, Hiro scowling.

Aiko looks back and forth between the two.

"Um..." she points out.

"The time I needed you, you weren't there" Hiro blurts.

"I'm sorry I missed your birthday" Haruto said sadly.

"How old am I?" Hiro hissed.

"Hiro!" Aiko warns, she didn't like the tone he used.

"You're 10 of course," Haruto said amused. Hiro slams his hands on the table.

"THAT'S BECAUSE MOM TOLD YOU!" he shouts getting up.

"HIRO!" Aiko shouts at him.

"It's alright Aiko," Haruto said with an unreadable expression.

Aiko turns to him.

"But dear," she said. Hiro clenched his teeth.

"You may be here" Hiro began, his furious eyes landing on Haruto.

"But you will always be away!".

Their eyes lock for seconds, the heated stare coming from Hiro mostly.

He ran out of the dining room upstairs.

"Hiro" Aiko said worried, about going to him but Haruto placed a hand on hers. He shakes his head negatively as he smiled.

"It's alright Aiko, this is my call, I will talk to him," Haruto said nervously.

Aiko's eyes trembles staring at her husband.

She nods.

***

Haruto stood in front of Hiro's door, he took a deep breath adjusting the wrapped package he held, and then loosen his tie a bit before knocking, but no answer. He knocks again.

"Hiro, I'm coming in," Haruto said. He waited for a minute before opening the door, stepping into the wide room.

Hiro was seated on a futon, his legs crossed, his gaze fixed on the widescreen TV, his fingers moving on the game pad. A headset on his head with a mouthpiece.

"Hiro" Haruto began but no answer but he knew Hiro heard him.

He sighs walking toward him and then sitting on his bed dropping the package beside him.

For a second Hiro, eyes drift to it but then back at the screen.

"I'm sorry" Haruto began once more.

"I know I messed up because of my work, and I'm not always around" he adds sighing.

"I just want you to know, I will always love you".

But still no answer, Haruto's eyes drifts to the car race game on the screen. He smiled remembering when he played with Hiro when he was five, back then he wasn't promoted and not too stuck up with work, he missed those times when they had all the time in the world.

"I see you're still into car race games, I thought you would have upgraded to military games so that you could surpass your old man," Haruto said amuse.

"I hate them" Hiro finally said with a stern look playing his game.

"I hate the guns, the explosions, I hate everything".

Haruto's smile fades knowing why he did.

"I see," Haruto said.

"You hate what I do that's why" he adds looking away.

"It's alright," he said again rising to his feet, hands in his pocket.

"Your mom and I planned an outing we haven't picked a day yet though, we think it would be nice so get ready okay. You have me for one week, anything you wanna do" Haruto said walking toward the door.

"Good night son" he turns with a smile.

But then he pauses hoping to hear a response from Hiro but nothing. Haruto's smile fades slowly, he steps out shutting the door.

"You shouldn't be that angry at your dad Hiro" a voice came from his headset.

"Shut it Shinzo, I don't wanna hear it from you" Hiro hissed with a pop-out vein behind his head.

"You are such a brag man! That's it! I'm taking you out to the next level" Shinzo hissed out.

The game on the screen came up for another round.

"You're going down! Hahahaha!".

Hiro sweat-drop at Shinzo's overbearing antics.

Saburo Shinzo was none other than his childhood friend, always a pain in the ass.

His eyes drift to the package, his eyes lingering on it for a moment before turning back to the screen. He sighs turning to the package once more.

"Shinzo, I'm going offline," Hiro said.

"Come on du-".

Hiro shuts down, he quickly unravels the package, a tag there. 'I know it's late but happy birthday son'. He quickly opens it, tearing the gift wraps away and he froze. He brought out a headset, black in color but also in form of neon, the sides with a button each lined with red, It was the latest model not even out on market yet, he has always wanted it ever since he read it online. His looks darken, his fist squeezing against the headset. He didn't even know whether he should be mad at him or not.

"Damn old man!".

***

"How did it go dear?!" Aiko asked as Haruto walks into their large room.

She was on their majestic bed relaxing, a book at hand, wearing her medicated glasses. The table light is on, on the nightstand close to their bed.

"Well, I know you can guess," Haruto said sighing, he was stressed out.

Aiko looks sadden, she removed her glasses placing them on the nightstand.

"I take it...it didn't go well," she said.

Haruto sits on the bed.

"Ever since I got promoted, he's changed, well I know he has always been naive but he's gotten worse, we aren't close like we use to anymore," Haruto said with trembling eyes.

Aiko moves close to her husband, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I also tried to talk to him, he just uses studying to wave it off and games," she said sighing.

"I just feel we should give him time, he's still young, he doesn't understand the way the world works" she adds.

A small smile forms on Haruto's lips.

"He's a gifted kid, he will come around," he said facing his wife.

She closed her eyes giving him a charming smile.

"Now don't think of anything," she said pushing him forward, he stiffens as she placed his head on her lap, patting his head gently.

"You have had a long journey just relax. Hiro is our son, he's strong-willed just like you. We just have to be there for him" she said gently.

Haruto smiles relaxing his head more on her lap.

"Yes, we just have to be there for him, always".