Chapter One

Satoshi Oshiro visits his estranged fathers' funeral. Afterwards, he and his second family are read the final will that makes getting an inheritance into a game.

Sometimes in life, it takes death to bring you closer to the ones you never imagined being close to. And sometimes in death, there’s still a lifetime of stories yet to tell.

 

 

            It’s the 12^th of April and the rain is falling like tears that can only be shed from the pain of losing a loved one. A parade of black umbrellas slowly march their way toward and around the casket.

            “Welcome family and friends. We gather here today to mourn the tragic loss of Toshiyuki King. He was a great man known for his kind heart and gentle nature.” says the preacher, reciting all the cliché quotes heard at funerals, not even really knowing who this man was. “And now, if Mrs. King would like to say a few words?”

            Tiffany, only eight years older than I and 15 years younger than Father, steps up and gives one hell of a performance. Choked up and hard pressed for words, she manages to give her farewell speech.

“It seems like only yesterday that I was just a cashier at Toshi’s store. He was a very polite and gentle man even when times got tough. I never would have imagined he had a crush on me. He was always so quiet and shy. When he asked me for dinner one night, he was so nervous” she lets out a little laugh, “he was practically shaking the entire night. But he was such a gentleman that I couldn’t help falling in love with him. A couple years later, we were married. A year after that, we had our first child, William. Toshi was such a great father. I’m gonna miss him so much.”

She dries her eyes with a handkerchief while the preacher tries to calm her down, whispering sympathetic words of comfort.

            I glance over to the right of her where her kids, William and Stephany, are totally ignoring the whole ceremony. William, a tall lanky kid with long shaggy brown hair, has his headphones on with the sound of heavy metal blaring out. He stands there slightly hunched over with one hand inserted in his left pocket and his face is completely emotionless.

            His sister Stephany, however, is a total opposite; she is very mature body-wise for her age with shoulder-length golden blonde hair and the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. With cell phone in one hand, umbrella in the other, she can be seen violently texting and trying her hardest to refrain from giggling.

            Absolutely annoyed with the disrespectful teens, I grit my teeth, clinch my fist and try my hardest to bare no signs of their affect. If it wasn’t for the way they were brought up, they wouldn’t be half bad. But life had given them everything. No, it wasn’t life. It was him.

It isn’t long after Tiffany’s speech that the preacher says a few words and asks me to step up.

“And now, if Satoshi Oshiro could come and say a few words.”

I walk forward, centering myself with the crowd of people. Moments pass as I stand there silent while the rain beats on top my umbrella like hands to a bongo drum. I stare heavily into the crowd. Out of the hundreds of people, there are maybe five people there that aren’t from corporations and didn’t have financial interest in his death. I turn towards the casket, close my eyes and take a deep breath in.

 

“Satoshi. Get up” my father says gently nudging me.

“Father?” I say weakly, rubbing my eyes from just waking up. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”

“We’re leaving son.” he replies as he finishes packing what little items we had; two dirty blankets, two pillows, and a picture of mom.

“Leaving? But where are we going to this time?”

“Far away where we can start over and I can finally make my dream come true”

That night, in the middle of a fierce storm, we got onto a boat headed for America.  I was truly terrified. The waves were wild beasts ramming into the sides of the ship, the rain poured faster than lead from a machine gun. Fearing for my life, I wrapped my arms around my father tighter than a boa. He looks down at me and smiles.

“Don’t be afraid my son. This storm is the final trial for this part in our life. Think of each wave we encounter as a hardship we faced in the past and the boat represents us: As long as we keep moving forward, we’ll make it to our destination. After this, I promise that our lives will be filled with plentiful happiness.”

I woke up that morning to find my father not by my side and exit the room where we endured the storm. Standing right outside leaning on the guard railing, he’s focused on the upcoming shoreline.

“This,” he says as he turns his head towards me with the biggest smile, “is where our happiness begins.”

 

            With a slight grin on my face, I toss aside my umbrella welcoming the rain. Sounds of murmuring echoes from the crowd emits as shock and awe is imprinted on everyone’s face.

“For years now, I’ve been holding up an umbrella trying to hold back this rain. But today seems like a good of a day as any to just let it pour on me. My father and I arrived here with nothing but the clothes on our backs and sheer determination to make a better life for ourselves. We arrived cold and wet so I figured I could endure it one last time together with him. I’m looking at all of you that stand before me and I’m trying to figure out one thing: Why? Why are you all here? Most of you hated my father. Most didn’t even know him other than you had some sort of business associated with him. Is there anyone here that truly loved this man?”. Everyone grew silent. I turn to face my father one last time. “I loved the man you were. But I hated the person you became. Goodbye Father.” I bowed respectfully and left.

 

            Shifting gears up and down, moving from left to right lane, I cruise down the highway. The rain has lightened up since the funeral a couple days ago. I’m caught in the evening rush hour when suddenly I feel a vibration in my jacket. It’s my phone.

“Satoshi Oshiro speaking.”

“Good evening Mr. Oshiro. This is Oswald Simmons, your father’s attorney.”

Mr. Simmons? What’s he want with me?

“Good evening. How can I help you today?”

“First off I’d like to say I’m sorry for your loss. I knew your father better than most. Secondly, I know the two of you had a falling out quite some time ago but regardless of your standing with him, there are still legal matters to which concern you regarding his last will and testimony. If you could please, meet with me in my office on Thursday at 12. Thank you and good day.”

My father’s will? What would I have to do with any of that? There’s no way he left me anything given the fact that we stop speaking to one another for almost twenty years. What if he just wanted me to be present to see his entire fortune go to that ungrateful woman and her spoiled children? Eerrrggg…

“YOU B*****D!!!”

Breathing heavily, I violently slam my fist on the side of my bike, meanwhile the passengers in the car to my right roll up their window and stare at me as if I were a psychopath.

No, I won’t let this bother me. I’ve been on my own long enough that I don’t need any charity from anyone, him especially. I’ll honor him this one last time and humor myself to these “legal matters” that concern me.

 

            Thursday morning came and I’m laying here in my bed with a million things going through my head. Things about the past that, until recently, had been forgotten. Things about what’s going to happen today. I’m all sorts of nervous. I decided to get out of bed, get dressed and go for a walk before I headed down to Mr. Simmons’ office. On the way down the stairs, I accidently bumped into someone.

“O-oh e-excuse me” says this gorgeous woman wearing a red floppy hat and matching red double breasted pea coat.

“No excuse me. I’m so sorry.” I reply as I start to continue my way downstairs. I turn my head back to catch a glance of her one last time.

Man, she is so beautiful.

            I make my way to the local park to try and ease my mind. Once I’m there, I find myself drawn towards the area close by the lake and take a seat on a nearby bench. With my eyes shut, I listen to the sounds around me: mockingbirds singing unfamiliar tunes, a group of squirrels gathering food, a woman playing fetch with her dog. For about the next thirty minutes, I just sit in that bench and listen to the sounds of nature. I happen to look at my phone. It’s eleven thirty-five. Calmed and collected, I head to my bike and take off to Mr. Simmons office.

 

            As I pull up in to a parking spot, I shut my bike off, pull off my helmet and stare up at the gigantic skyscraper of a building. I enter and walk up to the secretary’s desk.

“Hello, can I help you?” she asks.

“Yes, my name is Satoshi Oshiro. I’m here to see Mr. Simmons.”

“Ah yes. He’s waiting for you on the 37^th floor.”

“Thank you.”

I press the button to open the elevator doors. As to be expected, there quite a few people inside already. I step inside and proceed to the 37^th floor. Once out of the elevator, Mr. Simmons’ office doors can be seen at the end of the hall. The wood is a deep mahogany and the lettering on the glass is stenciled in a fine gold, the type of office front you’d expect from a successful lawyer. I open the door and step inside to see Mr. Simmons, Tiffany, and her kids already sitting at the long table.

 

“What’s HE doing here?” Tiffany complains.

“I have every right to be here just like you and those kids of yours.” I say nonchalantly and wave her off.

“Every right? You ran away when you were 18, not to mention the speech you gave at his funeral! For all I’m concerned, you have NO rights!”

“Mom, do you have to shout?” Stephany says in an annoyed manner, texting as usual.

“Mind your business Stephany!” Tiffany shouts.

“Whatever.” Stephany retorts.

There’s a brief moment of silence where Tiffany and I are in a battle of interlocking eyes muffled with the sound of Williams’ music.

“Please, can we act like adults here?” Mr. Simmons says final breaking the internal feud.

“For as many years as I can remember now, I represented Toshiyuki as his attorney and as his friend. Whatever I say here today is a direct representation of what he, himself, has said or what he would say. And I stand here now and tell you that everyone in this room right now is here because it was the last wish of my client.” he says as his fiddles with his tie.

“Now, if you would, I’d like to officially begin.”

“Yes of course. My apologies.” I say respectfully.

Tiffany gives a “Hmph” as she crosses her arms.

Mr. Simmons exits momentarily and re-enters with a very sturdy looking wooden chest and places it on the table. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key.

“About seven or more years ago, Toshiyuki gave me this key here and told me it’d unlock the final piece of business between us. It brings me great sadness to finally have to use it.”, he says as he inserts the key into the lock and twists causing it to unlock. He then pulls out a set of many envelopes and a set of even smaller chests that had each person’s name on them. He picks up one envelope with a red seal on it.

“This letter you see in my hands now is the official last will and testament of Mr. Toshiyuki King. This is the main structure for how this game will go about.”

Game?! Should’ve known him of all people would include games in his will.

All around the table, a look of confusion and interest peaked across the table, even William and Stephany. Mr. Simmons proceeds to opening the letter.

He clears his throat,

            “Dearest family,

If you are being read this today, then it goes without saying that I am no longer one with this world. Even on this dark day it brings me joy now knowing that all of my loved ones are gathered together in the same room. But enough of dwelling on feelings for now. Right now is the time we discuss inheritance and entitlements. When I first came to America, I had nothing in terms of business. But over the years with hard work, I built the most successful puzzle and riddle company in the world. And given that puzzles and riddles gained me my fortune in life, I figured it could be what gains you your fortune with your life. Yes, you heard correct. In order to obtain my royalties, you must first solve a set a puzzles and riddles. But this is not the only hindrance to the ultimate gift. No, there is only one title for everything I own, meaning whoever gets finished first is the heir to my assets. Each person is given their own set of envelopes and chests unique to that individual. The rules to this challenge are simple If anyone cheats, manipulates or tries to sabotage during this, then no one gets anything and my royalties are to be given to charity. I bid you all good luck, and hope that each of you learn something you didn’t know previously. I love you all. Goodbye.”

 

         Signed: Toshiyuki King

Author's Note

Rough draft as of right now, I'm am trying to turn this into a manga/graphic novel

Reviews

[Cindy Marietta]

I really liked this, I'd totally buy the book. Has a cool concept behind it and is written and flows really well. Awesome job