4, 6, 8 for the muse past thing !
My Muse’s Past Meme
What kind of childhood did you have?
His eyes went wide as his father handed him the 1000 Yen bill that would just be enough to acquire one of the magazines he’d been ogling at for a few weeks now. It was the first time his parents had decided to give him pocket money, telling him they wanted him to learn the ways of finance, as this would be important for the career he was supposed to pursue.
The young boy didn’t think much of it, too excited about the contents of the magazine he was going to buy. He didn’t notice his father’s deprecatory gaze as he scurried over to the shelf in question to put the very first money he had ever owned to use. He didn’t realize that he had already committed his very first mistake.
When was the moment you started to “grow up”?
“Kaede”, his father said, making him look up at him. His tone of voice made the boy clutch his booklet just a little bit tighter. Had he done something wrong? His father’s eyes were serious. So was the way he spoke. Kaede knew this cold solemnity. “Yes, father?”, he replied with utmost respect for the man, slightly bowing his head. “The time has come for you to walk the path that has been prepared for you. It’s time for you to take the high road.” The boy blinked, a feeling similar to anxiety starting to take hold of him. What did that mean, ’the high road’?
“The high road?”, he repeated, hoping it wouldn’t make him look dumb. He didn’t want to be dumb. “As my son it is your duty to rule this country one day”, the man explained. “Money is this pulsating country’s blood. Without it, its heart cannot beat. It succumbs. Therefore, he who governs Japan’s finances, governs Japan itself. Money is the blade at its throat and at the same time, the blade against its enemies. If you control it, you control the ebb and flow of life itself. Money…” His father paused. “Is everything!” The way he raised his voice almost made Kaede take a step back. Instead, he nodded frantically.
“You will become Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Finance. If you follow the path I prepared for you, you will be King some day. Just work as hard as you can and do not disappoint me.” All the things his father had just said sounded scary in his ears. They overwhelmed him. Did he have to? Couldn’t he be something else? What if he failed? “What if I don’t make it?” It was the question that wouldn’t have left him alone had he not asked it right away and somehow, he had expected his father to soothe his nerves and chase away his fears. He didn’t. Instead, the man raised his chin, dark eyes narrowing behind his glasses.
“Then you’ll have no value to me at all.” Kaede looked at nothing in particular, saying nothing after that.
Do you keep in contact with your family? Why (not)?
“Accountant?”, the voice coming out of his phone sounded irritated. “Why not president?” Kaede opened his mouth, but didn’t reply right away. He thought this was what he had been supposed to do? He wasn’t expected to become prime minister, after all, he was supposed to work in finance. “Father, I-” “Don’t interrupt me, son”, his father warned, in his cold and threatening tone of voice that Kaede knew all too well.
He closed his mouth, swallowing. “Don’t break your mother’s heart. Don’t disappoint me.” He could hear the man smile as he formed his final sentence: “I know you can do better than that.” He opened his mouth once again, but he wasn’t fast enough. “Until next week, Kaede.” His phone almost slipped out of his grasp as he dropped the hand that was holding it back to his side.
