28 What Lies Beneath (1/2)

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In a large western style mansion, a girl locked herself up in her room. This spoiled girl was upset after being ignored and forgotten by a boy in her class. She looking forward to meeting him in school after he got better but he transferred out without even saying goodbye instead.

”I failed…” she sadly murmured while holding a letter of rejection from the Sacred Forest Academy.

This girl was none other than Stockton Kurumi. She looked at the picture on the table with teary eyes. It was a picture of her, Kazuya and her cousin taken at Kazuya's former school. He was in the middle wearing a basketball uniform while holding a basketball.

”Kazuya-kun… do you really hate me now?” she gripped the letter in her hands.

She remembered the cold look he gave her and the words he said about fearing her instinctively. This was unlike the Kazuya she knew and it felt as if he was like a whole different person. His memory may have been lost but shouldn't he be at least feel she was familiar?

She learned recently from one of the directors of the hospital he stayed at that Kazuya had transferred to Sacred Forest Academy. This was hard to imagine since the school had been very well known to have strict and difficult procedures for accepting transfer students.

Kurumi thought that if he could do it then so can she but despite her marks being above his during their time in school, she had failed the exams while he passed on his first try. The boy she helped with his studies actually surpassed her imaginations and went to a school that even her standing couldn't shake.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

”Kurumi-sama, the master would like you to come to his study” one of the maids said through the door.

”I don't want to” She went back to her bed in case the key was used.

”The master says that he has news about Kouzuki Kazuya-sama”

”I'll get ready right away!” Kurumi wasted no time and went to her father's study.

Inside the study was Stockton James, the head of Stockton International. An American that decided to head the Asian division because of Kurumi's intention to stay in the country. His wife and Kurumi's mother, headed the corporation in the west in order to instill the good qualities the eastern companies have to western culture.

*KKOCK KNOCK*

”Come in Kurumi” The man smiled in front of his daughter.

”Dad… I heard you have news about Kazuya-kun” she asked nervously. She knew she would be asked to go back to school especially after she failed to pass the transfer exams.

”I have to apologize to you Kurumi. It looks like I still can't let you transfer to Sacred Forest Academy without passing your exams…” he sighed. He treated his daughter like she was his world and always gave her everything she wanted as long as she remained a good girl.

”Dad… I should be the one sorry for being selfish and not passing the exam”

”It's not like I have no other means but you might have a hard time entering the academy in your current state. Sacred Forest Academy 's reputation is not without reason” he wanted her to understand why he can't make her go there without her making up for it.

”Even if I use my influence to get you admitted, you may not be able to keep up with their current curriculum. It will be extremely hard for you to keep up with them”

”What do you think I should do dad?” she didn't want to give up.

”Is it really worth it for you to go follow that Kouzuki Kazuya? I know that you and Maron are fond of him but you said that he doesn't even remember you” he was concerned. He really did not have much opinion about Kazuya because they have never met.

Everything he knew about him was obtained through reports. He initially didn't really interfere with his daughter's personal life since she was still young and would always tell him everything. James once only knew that this boy was a friend that his daughter grew fond of after a few incidents that showed how quick witted he was.

As a person that has survived the rough and harsh world of business, he didn't like leaving things unchecked. He had this kid investigated and found out that he was the only successor to the famous Kouzuki family. This was the reason why he did not have any complaints about his daughter hanging out with him.

Like Kyouko, James also placed Kurumi in a normal school so that she wont be pressured by the harsh environment he experienced in famous schools. All he wanted was for his daughter's smile to remain as he watched her slowly grow up.

”Yes. I want to help Kazuya-kun regain his memories. I can finally help him after everything he's done for me” she looked determined. She wanted to convince her father that she wasn't willing to give up even after failing.

”I already know what he's done since it's your favorite story to tell me and your mother” his statement made the little girl blush.

”What news about Kouzuki-kun did you get dad?” she tried to change the topic quickly back to what she was called for.

”Right… I already finished touring the facilities of the Academy and have made some connections with the people working there. They were quite helpful after I expressed my interest in investing towards the school” The school needed reliable investors for them to be able to expand their facilities since major construction towards the mountains was very hard and costly.

”I found out that not only did Kouzuki Kazuya pass the transfer exam, he passed it with perfect marks. It looks like the diagnosis about him being able to attain such knowledge was not in any way temporary” to be honest, James at first, didn't believe it.

Because of Kurumi's persistence, James tried to inquire about Kazuya's condition at the hospital but due to doctor and patient confidentiality, there was not much help. Kurumi insisted that he needed some kind of medicine because he wasn't getting any better so he decided to try sending many specialists to get the gist of what really was wrong with the boy.

To avoid the doctors James invited to breach confidentiality, he asked people to bring them to the hospital and interpreters to monitor and help with the situation. He was shocked at what he learned. The boy could speak various languages and from what he heard, Kazuya was nothing like Kurumi had described.

A genius that was able to stump and impress such specialist from overseas was a feat none of them ever expected. From what he gathered from the people that he sent to accompany the specialists, they had various speculations about his current situation but not the cause for him to go through such an incident without any results from the various tests he went through.