The price of fruit

My name is Haru Tanaka, and I’m just a seventeen-year-old boy trying to pick the sweetest fruits from our small orchard before my father gets home. With the sun warming my back and the scent of ripe peaches in the air, it’s a rare moment of peace. But then, I spot him.

There’s my father, his face twisted with that familiar scowl, speaking to a man in royal clothes. The fabric glistens, rich and imposing, contrasting sharply with the dirt of our farm. My heart sinks. The man’s posture is proud, but something about the way he glances at my father sends a chill down my spine.

I crouch behind the peach trees, listening intently. My father’s voice, rough and threatening, cuts through the calm. “I’m telling you, he’s worth it. Once you see him, you won’t regret it.”

I can feel my stomach drop. I know what this means. The minute my father discovered I was an omega, my life shifted from mundane to terrifying. I remember my mother—sweet, gentle—who used to say I was like the fruits we picked, destined to blossom. She’s gone now, taken by my father’s rage, leaving me to fend for myself and my younger sister, Mei.

“Please, just consider it,” my father continues. “Once he’s gone, I’ll have enough to feed us for months. You’ll have the perfect servant, and I’ll finally be rid of this burden.”

The words hit me like a slap. I hold my breath, frozen in place, hoping they won’t see me. I know my father thinks I’m just a pretty face, but he has no idea how much I’ve endured. I’ve spent years dodging his fists and his vicious words, desperately trying to protect Mei from the worst of it.

The man in royal clothes raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “An omega? Are you sure he’s trained? They can be quite… temperamental.”

“Not mine,” my father laughs, a cruel sound. “I can break him easily enough. I’m sure he’ll be obedient.”

A laugh? How can he laugh about this? I feel anger rise within me, hot and wild. But there’s also fear—if I confront him, I could end up worse off than before. I can’t let him see me, can’t let him know I’m eavesdropping.

Suddenly, a branch snaps under my weight. The two men turn, and my heart races as I scramble to hide. I can hear my father’s voice, booming now, filled with rage. “Haru! Get over here!”

I stumble out from my hiding spot, forcing a shaky smile. “I was just—”

“Shut up! You’ll be quiet when I sell you off!” His hand raises, and I flinch, ready for the impact. But the royal man intervenes, his eyes narrowed.

“Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere,” he says smoothly, a smirk tugging at his lips as he sizes me up.

I’m paralyzed with fear, caught in a web of uncertainty and desperation. Selling me off like a piece of fruit? What choice do I have? As my father grabs my arm, dragging me towards the man in royal clothes, I can’t shake the feeling that this is just the beginning of something far darker than I ever imagined.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***