Chapter 2: The following day

Translator: Soafp

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As soon as I entered the room, I leaned against the door. I sat down as if I were collapsing.

　The space I had been occupying alone made me feel relaxed, and the tears that I had been holding back began to trickle down my cheeks.

I was so frustrated, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“…… What the heck. Thanks to this, …… family, friends, best friends, people I loved, everything!　There’s nothing left to BE DONE!!”

　Unable to express these feelings that had nowhere else to go, I could only cry and scream—-

　How much time has passed since then?

　My head throbbed and my throat was dry. My hair was getting messed up from all the scratching I’d done.

　In addition, my back and knees ache from being in the same position for so long.

　As I stand up, I can feel the tension in my muscles slightly relaxing and easing off. I approach my desk, pick up my digital watch, and check the time.

　It is evening. The sun was beginning to set, and I could see clouds outside the window.

　I leave my room and go down the stairs to wash my face. As I reached the last step, I heard my mother’s sad voice and stopped dead in my tracks.

“……Sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you…….! “

　The place was the living room.

　As if drawn in, my feet took their own steps, and I found myself standing at the entrance to the living room.

　I looked inside and found my mother in tears, covering her face with her hands. She had always been a fragile person, but this time she seemed to be particularly touched.

　My father was likewise standing with his elbows on the table, a look of anguish on his face.

After all, my mother had said to me, her own son, “I should never have given birth to you,” and had shunned him, saying, “You’re not my son.”

And now that I am innocent, it must be even more difficult for her emotionally.

Ever since the day I was falsely accused, I have hoped to be cleared of the accusation.

　However, I have never shed a tear of joy or even tears of happiness at being proven innocent.

　There were only distorted and complicated feelings.

　As I was feeling alone, my father noticed me and looked up.

“Ritsu ……?”

　My father’s eyes widened and he stared at me.

“I’m really, really sorry ……! “

　He looked at me with wide eyes and stared at me, his voice strained to express his apology, but he couldn’t make eye contact with me, perhaps out of guilt, and his eyes were dropping downwards.

　This time, Mom stood up from her chair with a clatter. She then approaches me with her arms outstretched to embrace me.

“……I’m sorry, Mom. “

　I backed up just in time and dodged her arm.

　If she cried now, I might be tempted to forgive her. I was unable to stand or stand still when I thought of that.

　Perhaps she took it as a rejection, she fell to her knees and sobbed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. ……! She kept mumbling.

　No matter how much she apologized, it would never reach my heart.

　I am still unable to remember those words, because they are burned into my mind and replay vividly every time I see my father and mother.

It is etched deep into my mind to the point of being traumatizing, and I will never be able to forgive my father and mother until this is taken care of.

　I hear footsteps behind me, and when I turn around, my eyes meet Akane-san’s.

　Perhaps she heard the commotion and came down from the second floor, but Akane-san’s hand was still held on the staircase railing.

“I’m sorry, if I had known you were falsely accused, I would have …… “

　The face of Akane, who is pressing her hand against her chest, is filled with guilt and remorse.

” ……If you knew?”

　Akane’s face contorted at my casual words, and her hands clenched tightly in pain as if they were being ripped open.

I know I said it myself, but I felt like I had done something mean.

　After a moment of silence

“I’m really sorry ……. “

Akane bit her lip tightly.

　Early morning of the next day.

Chiriririn, a sound rang out on my pillow, and I searched for my phone with my hands looking for it. Turning off the alarm, I sat up and straightened my back.

　I heard birds chirping outside and opened the curtains. I open the curtains to see a cloudless blue sky and the dazzling sunlight shining on my face.

　I feel good, as if I had a good night’s sleep last night.

　I wonder when I will wake up again.

　Thinking about this, I head for the bathroom and see Akane-san’s back.

“Good morning. “

“G-good morning. …… “

Akane turned around and greeted me for the first time in a while.

She seems to have changed her attitude now that the false accusation has been cleared.

　Also, her usual crisp eyes are somewhat vacant, and her indescribable expression is probably due to her concern about yesterday’s incident.

I turned on the faucet and cold water flowed, which I scooped with my hand to wash my face. Then I turned off the faucet and wiped off the drops of water with a towel.

　I enter the living room, greet my father and mother in the kitchen, and take a seat.

　The seating is fixed, with my father in front of me, my mother diagonally to my right, and Akane next to my right.

　Soon after, breakfast is ready, and we start to eat.

　Everyone seems to have a poor appetite, and their chopsticks seem to be moving slowly.

　Eventually, breakfast is ready, and with the word “Itadakimasu” as a signal, they begin to eat.

　The atmosphere was uncomfortable and awkward, and the rice did not taste very good.

　After finishing breakfast and getting ready, I open the front door with my student bag in hand.

　Akane looked like she wanted to say something the whole time, but in the end she never opened her mouth.

　When I stepped outside, a chilly breeze brushed my cheeks. It was winter. It snowed a little yesterday, so the houses around me were completely white.

On the crowded train, I was holding onto the sling and looking out the window at the view. The school is a little far from my house, so I commute by train.

　I did not change schools, and I continue to go to the same school as before. I could have been expelled from school, but I was only suspended for two months because of my excellent grades and high evaluation in club activities.

　The depressing time just kept on flowing. Every time I approached the school, my chest would ache from anxiety and nervousness, and I would feel restless.

　As I got off the train and walked out of the station, uniforms from the same school as mine became conspicuous.

　At the same time, I notice that there are a lot of eyes on me. I know that I have been exposed to stares for a long time because of the bad rumors, but today there are more than usual.

　It’s not a prickly, unpleasant feeling, but a different kind of curiosity.

“Did you hear?　You see, that guy, Ritsu, from the second class. I heard that was a false accusation……?”

　I could faintly hear the conversation of the girls walking nearby.

　It seems that the word has already spread that he was falsely accused.

　I was convinced that it was true.

　As I pass through the school gate and make my way to the entrance, I notice a girl who looks like she is waiting for someone.

　Her indigo hair was braided into a braid and she wore round glasses. Her neatly groomed appearance gives the impression that she is somewhat serious.

　She is my classmate and class president, Sumire Fujita.

Suddenly, I’m not very good with Fujita-san.

　Because of her position and her strong sense of justice, she has always had a hard time with me. If we met face to face, I was sure that things would end badly.

As I was wondering whether I should turn back, my gaze met with Fujita-san’s, who noticed me.

When Fujita-san approached me in this way, I was disheartened, although I didn’t show it on my face.