The Fence

Chapter 53: Dad

I let out the breath I was holding and blink my eyes. I don't know why I'm so nervous. I'm about to see my father. He raised me, and he was the person I loved most in my life. However, the feeling that he might be angry to see me or sad that I didn't say goodbye to him is eating away at me. I knew I would see him eventually, and I wanted to, but it was scary.

I hear Ky's footsteps behind me, and I feel myself tense up again. "Some guy just tried to take my katana," Ky says in an irritated voice.

"Doesn't your katana have a name?" I turn, raising an eyebrow. "Or did you ruin that relationship too?"

Ky just returns my glare with a sad look on his face. Before he can say anything, I pound my fist on the door. It was harder than intended, and the house rattles as a result.

"I told you I don't have anything for you, Harry!" a voice screams. I hear my father's heavy footsteps race down the hall. I take a step back when the door flings open, accidentally bumping into Ky. Before I can back away, I see my father's face. He looks flabbergasted, blinking a few times to try to collect his thoughts.

"K-Kirbena," he stutters. "Ky."

I smile, stepping forward so I wasn't against Ky anymore. "Hi Daddy!" I exclaim, throwing my arms around him. He does the same instantly, squeezing the air out of me. "Who's Harry?"

"Oh. He's been trying to get me to donate to find a treatment for LCSD. I wish I could, but it's been hard for me lately."

"I'll donate!" I jump. I pull my key card out of my pocket. "This has to be worth something, right? They can just swipe it and take it from the military!"

"It doesn't work like that, Bena," Ky murmurs.

I face him again, giving him a hard look and fake smile. "Oh? Then how does it work, Ky?"

Ky looks behind me to our father, knowing exactly why I had plastered such a smile on my face. We had to put up an act for Dad to make him happy. He would be upset if he knew we were fighting.

"The card is to unlock doors in the base. It's also so they can identify you for medicine and food, or if you go missing. It's not meant to buy things outside."

"Right!" Dad interrupts suddenly. "How is it there? I never get to see you, and I didn't even know where you went for the first few days. I guess I know what it felt like for my parents when I went to college..."

"College?" I frown.

"It's basically-" Ky begins.

"It's great! I've gotten so strong, apparently," I cut him off. "Oh! This is Sutikka," I say, holding up my weapon. "It's kind of complicated, but he can talk. Only I can hear him, though."

"Actually, I can explain it-"

"Ky has a katana, but it doesn't like him much," I cut him off again. Ky frowns, and so does my father.

"Well, I hope they're treating you well."

"Oh, they are. My squad is the best. You remember Merida and Neveah, right?"

"I believe so..." my dad replies. "The red head and the jock?"

"Haha..." I trail off. "Yeah. They're in my squad."

"What's a squad?" Dad asks.

"They're the people that you train with."

"Ah. Kirbena?"

"Mhm?"

"Calm down."

I smile. "What do you mean? I'm calm."