After hacking up half a lung, the teacher's face was a mask of rage. She pointed at Fuzen and screamed,

"You little devil! No wonder Aiko has been such a little demon lately! She learned it from you! You don't care for your sister at all, and would throw her away the first chance you got!" At first, hearing Fuzen's soliloquy, she felt a little guilty. She had not really thought anything through and threatened him on the spur of the moment to get him to cooperate. Then she realized how unreasonable this little delinquent was being. All she had asked him was to talk about Aiko's home life! Then he started drinking liquor right in front of her! If that wasn't enough, he tried to wrap her around his finger with his little speech and blew smoke in her face! How could she not be angry?

In a meek tone, Fuzen asked, "Miss," he threw his eyes around the room and spotted a nameplate, "Ueda, aren't you being unreasonable, Aiko-chan apologized, and she fells truly regretful, even so, isn't in too much to call her such nasty names?" 

"Unreasonable my ass," she screeched, "You're being unreasonable not me!" Fuzen's voice was scratchy as if he was about to cry when he said, 

"Please calm down miss Ueda, if you just tell us what we did wrong, we can try to fix it." 

"Quit trying to play games with me, you vile creature! You know what you did!" At this, Fuzen broke into a huge shit-eating grin. Feeling something was not right, Ueda felt like she was splashed with a bucket of cold water. She grit her teeth and asked, 

"What are you so happy about?" At this, Fuzen pulled his phone out of his pocket, showed her the screen and pressed the stop recording button. He put his phone away, and smiled broadly,

"Miss Ueda, I think it would be unfortunate if we lost a good teacher like you because of the recorded audio of a phone." Ueda took a deep breath and looked at Fuzen with a tranquil expression, but the death grip she had on the desk gave away her mental state.

"What if I'm recording this meeting too?" Hearing her comment, Fuzen looked away in mock thought, and soon focused his eyes back on her as he said slowly,

"You would still lose your job, no? If you are trying to threaten me, you should think again. I'm a NEET, at worst, I'll get fined. Do you want to lose your livelihood, reputation, and future just so I can lose some petty cash? I think not, I think we can make a deal where both of us win. Don't worry, I won't ask too much. Regardless, don't you teachers always love to teach the kids about the spirit of cooperation?" Ueda lowered her eyes and asked softly, 

"What do you want?" 

"I want you to stop bothering me." Fuzen looked over at Aiko and said, "My little sister is a good girl and will behave, but I also expect you to make an environment where she doesn't have to act out. Aiko would not attack someone unless they did something to her. Isn't that right Aiko?" Aiko nodded and sniffled. 

"See, she was provoked. Make sure she isn't next time. However, to be fair, Aiko, promise not to disrupt Ueda-sensei's class." Fuzen crossed his legs and looked over at Aiko expectantly. Aiko didn't disappoint and said, 

"I promise not to make problems Ueda-sensai." Ueda's face changed, and she asked with some concern,

"What did Chizu-chan do to you Aiko-chan?" Fuzen smirked and said,

"Why do you care now?" She shot him a glare before looking back at Aiko softly. Although she had cursed out the little girl earlier, she was in the heat of rage and hated Fuzen more than anything. The problem was a little of her anger spilled over to Aiko too. 

"Just tell me Aiko-chan." she coaxed. Aiko looked towards Fuzen, and he nodded, her voice was quiet and unsteady, but she did not stutter and single time, 

"Chizu kept telling me about how happy her family was. She kept showing me all the things her family bought, and all the places they go. She told me about how her mother would make her breakfast, how her father buy her all her favorite toys and how...," Aiko voice got very soft and became as quiet as a mouse, "Her brother would always play with her and protect her." Aiko looked down at the ground while gripping the hem of her skirt. 

"I got a little angry, I'm sorry. I was wrong"

Ueda's face was as black as a pot. This was here first time hearing this, she would need to admonish that little Chizu later! Even though she might not have meant harm, gloating about your perfect family to someone who lost theirs could drive many to violence. That's even true in adults let alone emotionally undeveloped children. Aiko was still in the wrong, but Chizu needed to be taught better too. Ueda wasn't particularly worried about Aiko lying to her, even the most sly and scheming eight-year-olds and pretty easy to see through if you are paying attention. On the other hand, Fuzen was feeling like finding a hole to bury himself in. How could he not feel guilty? Fuzen sighed and said, "A little is an understatement,” Aiko gripped her skirt tighter, "you beat the poor thing silly. Next time use your words not your fists." Fuzen stood up and looked Ueda in the eye. It was awfully insulting, but he did not care too much. 

"I assume we have a deal. Look out for Aiko, and she will behave herself. If you need her to change anything, just tell her. Don't take advantage though, I still have that recording." Ueda nodded subtly and Fuzen started to walk home. Aiko followed him out and did not make a peep for the entire trip. Aiko finally broke the silence when she grabbed on tightly to Fuzen's shirt and asked, 

"You won't get rid of me right?" Fuzen turned around a pushed her off, he responded very simply, 

"No." Aiko walked back up to him and grabbed his shirt, he still couldn't see her eyes as she was looking down, she whispered,

"Really?"

"Really, now stop asking me. I want to drink." Fuzen started walking to his room, but Aiko did not relent, she held onto him tightly. The more Fuzen would push her off, the stronger she would cling to him. Fuzen was becoming more and more irritated and could only ask, 

"What the hell is up with you? What do you want?"

"Do you love Aiko?" This time she looked up at him. Her eyes were red and her face was covered with snot and tears. Every time Chizu would talk about her brother and what they did, Aiko would not only feel jealous, but also have fear in her heart. She had lost her father just a year ago, and her brother had changed so much. When she heard Ueda-sensai threaten her brother with the police, she was scared out of her wits. Seeing her brother so happy about it broke her heart. The thought of the last person she had left leaving her, hating her... She couldn't take it.

Fuzen seeing her face felt a raging wave of guilt in his heart. He hated this little girl. He hated that she stole his mother from him. He hated that their father loved her more than him. He hated that she could still be so happy even after their father died. He hated that she made her own food and could go to school every day. He hated how strong she was. He hated that she loved him so much despite how he acted. He hated the guilt he felt about what he wasn't, and he hated the fact that he envied this little girl and how strong her heart was. He couldn't take it. He couldn't look at her eyes, he shoved her away and yelled, 

"Leave me alone dammit! Why can't you leave me alone!" She fell into a pile of broken glass that he had thrown out of his room haphazardly in the morning. She screamed and she bled.