Call me Akuma

When Rafael returned home, he hesitated at the front door, nervously debating how to break the news to his parents—especially his father—about what had happened at school. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly opened the door, his face heavy with dread. 

From the kitchen, his mother's voice called out, "Rafael, is that you?" 

She sounded distracted, busy preparing dinner and packing a lunchbox for work the next day. She didn't even glance in his direction. 

"Yes, Mom," Rafael replied, his tone dejected and low. 

The sadness in his voice made his mother pause. Concerned, she started to look over at him to figure out what was wrong. But before she could fully turn, the loud cry of the baby rang out from the other room. 

"Oh, just give me a second, dear, okay? I'll be right back," she said hurriedly, disappearing into the baby's room to comfort the crying child. 

Watching her leave without a second thought, Rafael's chest tightened with frustration. His emotions boiled over as he stomped up to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Seeking comfort, he crawled into the small, familiar space of his closet—his usual retreat when the world felt too overwhelming. Once inside, he used a rope to lock the door from within, ensuring no one could intrude on his solitude. 

He tried his best to fall asleep, the only escape he had from the problems weighing on him. But his body ached all over from the fights—his teeth and face throbbed the most, making rest almost impossible. Yet, it wasn't the pain that truly kept him awake. 

It was his baby sister's cries. 

Every wail pierced through the thin walls, igniting a deep, simmering anger within him. Each cry was like hot nails driven into his ears, until even the physical pain in his body faded, overshadowed by the intensity of his growing rage. 

Yet somehow—just like every other night—he eventually managed to fall asleep. 

"Knock, knock." 

Rafael was awakened by the soft tapping on his closet door. His mother's sweet, calming voice followed, "My love, are you there? Could you open the door? I want to talk to you." 

Rafael remained silent, holding his breath, saying nothing. From outside, her voice came again, this time filled with concern. "Did something happen at school? You can tell me. I promise I won't be mad." 

For a few seconds, there was nothing but quiet. Then, barely audible, Rafael whispered, "No." 

Hearing his faint reply, his mother fell silent for a moment, but then she picked up on the sound of his soft sobbing. Her heart clenched. In a gentle, soothing tone, she said, "Love, mummy just wants to hug you. Please, open the door." 

Another stretch of silence followed before the faint creak of the closet door echoed through the room. His mother quickly opened it the rest of the way and gasped when she saw her child. His tear-streaked eyes were puffy, his face bruised and swollen. 

Unable to hold back her own tears, she pulled Rafael into her arms, cradling him tightly against her chest. "It's okay," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's okay, love. Mummy's here." 

Hearing her soothing words, Rafael's sobs grew louder, his pain spilling out in her comforting embrace as she held him close. 

Rafael's mother held her child in her arms, gently comforting him until his sobs quieted. When she looked at his face, she noticed that Rafael had fallen asleep. Slowly and carefully, she placed him on the bed, making sure not to wake him. She pulled a blanket over him, tucking him in snugly. 

As she was settling him in, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out of Rafael's pocket. Curiosity piqued, she carefully retrieved it and unfolded it. Her eyes scanned the contents, and as she read, her expression hardened with anger. Furious, she quietly closed the door to her son's bedroom to avoid waking him and immediately reached for her phone to call the school. 

The next day: 

When Rafael woke up, he found himself in his bed. Confused, he looked around and noticed the clock—it was getting late for school. Panicking, he hurried to pack his things but suddenly remembered he was supposed to go to school with his parents that day. The thought made him nervous. 

Slowly, he stepped out of his room, unsure how to break the news to his mother. He spotted her in the kitchen, as usual, but something unusual caught his attention—his father was home. Rafael never saw his father in the mornings; he only saw him on Saturdays and Sundays when he didn't have work. 

Seeing his father made Rafael even more anxious. His father never took a day off, and the fact that he was here now sent Rafael's mind into overdrive. Frantically, Rafael checked his pockets, searching for the paper, but it was gone. Realization dawned on him—his mother must have found it. 

If she had, then his parents already knew everything that had happened at school. His anxiety spiraled. His mind raced with possibilities. Had his father taken the day off just to go to school with him? The thought made his heart pound, his nerves fraying with each passing second. 

Rafael's father, sitting on the sofa, noticed that Rafael had woken up. With a warm smile, he gestured for Rafael to come over. 

"Rafael, come sit with me. Your mother is preparing your favorite meal. After that, we can go fishing together, just like we used to." 

Rafael hesitated, confused by his father's cheerful demeanor. Nervously, he asked, "What about school?" 

The only times his father ever got angry with him were always related to school—especially when Rafael skipped or struggled with learning how to read and write. Bracing himself for a scolding, he was surprised when his father replied calmly, "Your mother and I have decided that you won't be going to that school anymore." 

Just as he said this, Rafael's mother called out that the meal was ready. Turning to Rafael with a warm smile, his father said, "Forget about all of that. Sit down and enjoy your favorite meal. After that, we've got a big day ahead—just you and me, buddy." 

Hearing this, Rafael's face lit up with joy. He eagerly sat next to his father, his earlier nervousness forgotten. More than the promise of his favorite meal, he was thrilled about spending time with his father, just like they used to. 

Rafael's mother brought out his favorite meal: a sunny-side-up egg, two sausages, a muffin drizzled with maple syrup, and, finally, two strips of bacon—prepared only on special occasions. Seeing the meal, Rafael's face lit up with joy, and he eagerly dug in. 

Noticing how quickly Rafael was eating, his father smiled warmly, but his mother chuckled and said, "Slow down, love. The food isn't going anywhere. If you eat that fast, you might choke." She handed him a glass of water, her tone gentle but firm. 

Rafael nodded and took a sip of water, slowing down as he continued enjoying his favorite meal, savoring the rare and special moment with his parents. 

After finishing his meal, Rafael quickly went to his room to change into clothes that wouldn't get too dirty while fishing. He put on a pair of patched-up shorts and a worn-out T-shirt. When he stepped out of his room, he saw his father with a backpack, holding his old fishing rod and a small hand shovel. 

Seeing Rafael's choice of clothes, his father frowned slightly but quickly replaced it with a smile. "Come on, buddy. Let's go—we've got to catch the bus on time," he said cheerfully. 

Rafael's father used to own a car, but he had sold it, saying it was too expensive to maintain and insure. Since then, he either walked or took public buses to get around. 

After a short bus ride, they arrived at their destination—a dense forest. Together, they made their way to their favorite fishing pond, which was nestled deeper within the woods. When they reached the pond, Rafael's father began using the hand shovel to dig for worms. Once he had a fistful, he hooked one onto his fishing rod and cast the line into the water. Rafael sat close to him, silently watching. 

For the next half hour, the two of them exchanged small talk. But as time passed and they hadn't caught any fish, Rafael started to grow bored. Finally, he blurted out, "Dad, what's so fun about fishing? We've been sitting here for half an hour, and we haven't caught a single fish. Isn't this boring?" 

His father chuckled and smiled. "Yes, it is boring," he admitted. "But that's what makes it fun. Because when you finally catch one, all that boredom disappears." 

Rafael tilted his head, confused by his father's answer. Seeing the look on his son's face, his father reached over and ruffled Rafael's hair. "You'll get it when the time comes," he said with a knowing smile. 

After waiting for another half hour, they finally caught a fish on the line. Rafael, who had been watching a bird perched nearby, didn't notice until his father called out, "Rafael! We've got one! Come over!" 

Excited, Rafael rushed to his father's side. Seeing his enthusiasm, his father handed him the fishing rod and said, "Give it a try." Rafael's eyes lit up as he eagerly began reeling in the fish. When he finally pulled it out of the water, he saw it was a one-pound bass. 

"Look, Dad! I caught such a big fish!" Rafael exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement. His father chuckled at his son's joy and replied, "Yeah, you did. Great job." 

Over the next few hours, they caught three more fish. Rafael's father started gathering wood to cook their catch. Nearby, Rafael watched intently as his father lit a small fire with a lighter. When the fire finally came to life, both of them cheered, their faces glowing with excitement. 

His father placed a small pan over the fire, then he carefully washed and filleted the fish. After filleting the fish, his father placed it in the hot pan and added only three simple ingredients: butter, salt, and pepper. Despite the simplicity, the aroma was mouthwatering. 

Before they started eating, Rafael's father, as he always did whenever they went fishing, said, "Son, always wash your hands and feet before you start eating." With a big nod, Rafael and his father walked over to the edge of the pond and washed their hands and feet. Then, eagerly, they returned to their cooked fish. 

As they ate, the two of them laughed and enjoyed the meal. But when it came to the last piece of fish, a playful fight broke out between them, each trying to claim it. Their laughter echoed through the woods, filling the air with warmth and joy amidst the serene forest. 

After enjoying their fishing trip, the two of them began preparing to head home. On the bus ride back, Rafael sat by the window, gazing out at the passing scenery. When the bus stopped near a large mall, he noticed the new clothes displayed outside and felt a pang of envy. 

His father, sitting beside him, caught sight of his son's longing gaze and smiled. "Come on, let's check out the mall," he said. 

Rafael turned to him, his face filled with confusion. "Why are we going there, Dad?" 

"To buy you some new clothes, of course," his father replied with a brilliant smile. "Now hurry before the bus leaves the mall." 

Hearing this, Rafael's eyes lit up with excitement. "Okay! Let's go, Dad!" he said enthusiastically, hopping off the bus with his father. 

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Also, Beggar King has left a few pop culture references and memes. If you find them, comment, and Beggar King will give you a like. 

If we reach 100 stones, I'll reward you all with a bonus chapter!

This chapter is the longest I have ever written. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.