Chapter 17: Child
Translator: Soafp
TL: I’m going to take a “break” because of school. I will be back on June 1.
“Well, let’s go.”
Saturday afternoon, Sachi and I met up with Mom at the station.
I hadn’t seen her in a while, but she seemed to have lost some weight.
No, it was probably not my imagination. If anything, it might be more accurate to say that she had lost weight.
There was an awkward atmosphere, but Sachi’s presence in the middle of the meeting managed to keep things on an even keel.
We eventually arrived at a restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.
As we took our seats, menus and cold drinks were brought to us.
Finally, a place where we could talk calmly was set up.
“….Doesn’t this look good? Shuya, you used to like this kind of stuff, remember?”
Looking at the menu, Mom recommended a dish to me.
She was right, it was my favorite. I did as she recommended and ordered the dish.
After that, we remained silent for a while.
Even under such circumstances, Sachi seemed to be waiting for something without saying anything. It was as if time had stood still.
Well, I can almost imagine that.
”—-Shuya, I’m sorry.”
With one word from Mom, the time that had stopped began to move.
It was about the time when I had finished half of the food that had been brought to the table.
”About what?”
My mother flinched a little at my words.
My voice came out a little colder than I had imagined.
“I’ve been cold to Shuya for a long time. I’ve neglected you all this time. And many other things. And most of all, the things that I have not believed in you. I’m truly sorry.”
Mom then bowed her head.
Mom’s voice was even shakier than it had sounded over the phone. She was on the table, so I couldn’t see her expression, but the drops of water on the table told me how she was feeling.
”I…”
The question is, “What do I do?” I try to formulate words, but I don’t know what to say.
I must have wanted to. I’ve always wanted this to happen.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I must have longed for the day when my mother would believe in me.
I was on the verge of giving up, but I must have thought that such a day would come.
So when Sachi came to my house, or when my mother invited me today, there must have been a part of me that was happy somewhere in my heart.
After all this, why—-
“After all this time, why now….”
”….Eh?”
Mom looked up at my words and was trying to find the meaning of those words.
But she didn’t seem to get an answer, so she waited for me to continue.
”Ah! That’s not it Onii-chan! Wait!”
Sachi seemed to understand the true meaning of my words and tried to cut me off.
But I couldn’t stop any longer.
“Why, why now? In the end, there was no such thing, because it was a mistake!”
”!”
“I don’t know what you and Sachi talked about. But you’re only apologizing because you know I didn’t bully her! Otherwise, this day would never have come, am I wrong?!”
“Onii-chan! that’s not true!! That’s why….”
”Shut up! Sachi be silent!”
”Aah…..Onii-chan…”
With Sachi holding back her tears, I threw everything I had at my mother.
“Without a reason, Mom wouldn’t have done that! And yet, I can’t just accept it! You know what I’ve been through!? Don’t you!!”
Mom didn’t seem to be able to say anything in response to my words.
Was she on to something or was she missing the point? I don’t know.
But my self-control was already failing me.
“HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW I felt when I saw Sachi being praised, seeing Sachi being taken out to play!”
“Do you know how hard it was for me to see mom changing BEHAVIOUR just for me when YOU wEREN’T like that in the past! And now that you’re apologizing, I… what do you want me to do!!”
I never meant for it to happen this way.
I was going to forgive my mom. Sachi gave me this opportunity. I thought it was my chance to get back on track.
In front of her, the things that had been building up in me, the things that I had been holding back in my heart, overflowed.
It became tears and cries, and I threw all of them at the person in front of me.
Was it because I was still a child that I ended up like this?
Or was I in the wrong?
I thought I was being kept away from her, but wasn’t I the one who shunned her?
But I can’t take back the words that I have said.
I can’t pretend that my past didn’t happen to me more than anyone else.
People are forgiven creatures. But I cannot forgive myself.
No sin can be atoned for unless it is forgiven by others.
”—I’m sorry, I’m leaving.”
I left the restaurant without them.
I thought I had grown up. Leaving my mom, I thought I had become independent.
But it seems I was wrong.
—-Because I regret so much.
…..I should go home.
One person and alone.
Which is the one who push others away?
StonksCoffee
May 13, 2022 at 1:09 amKinda nice to see a betrayed MC actually vent his frustrations rather than apathetic or forgiving. It feels more realistic this way.
Simak
May 13, 2022 at 3:40 amWhew, that was intense. I thought that things were going to get watch for a m oment.
Thank you is for the chapter and good luck on your studies.
Siseronte
May 13, 2022 at 3:56 amThanks for the chapter
Essa
May 13, 2022 at 7:20 amdamn, strong emotions. thanks for the chapter!
Strawberry Milkshake
May 13, 2022 at 10:32 amThis chapter represent the readers’ frustation, and ofc he will gone explode after all of this time, he endured so much.
Full of emotion i love it.
Now what Sachi and her mom gonna do?
Also good luck with your school stuff
Carlos
May 13, 2022 at 5:59 pmGood for him for not keeping it bottled inside, he realized he should have forgiven her but he also should have given her the opportunity to talk imo, even if her behavior was not logical and hard to forgive, he should have given her the opportunity he didn´t have at that time giving him the moral highground in a way. Forgiving her is another matter and I guess even hearing her out is difficult in that emotional state but I hope MC gets his happy ending. Good Luck Soafp
Ken Vi Arcadia
May 14, 2022 at 6:17 pmGood luck with your school stuff
in the middle of the bleak winter
May 16, 2022 at 8:13 pmforgiving isn’t easy even if you want to and that’s what made this part so realistic and not out of this world as a protagonist where everyone around him was acting like a bunch of rubbish to him And in the end, he just acts or forgets something so terrible that they did to him without leaving any emotional or psychological mark on him.
Gerardo
May 23, 2022 at 9:57 amWow, I didn’t expect that. Normally these protagonists are usually idiots who forgive everything and forget what they suffered, when things are not like that, he is a mentally broken high school boy, betrayed by everyone, the frustration that was kept inside him had to come out like a torrent without any control, it is true that he regrets later, but damn, that gives him the realistic touch
Minos
October 27, 2022 at 12:01 amHoly sh*t this was an emotional chapter, loved that outburst, even if not on the moral high ground, it truly felt human to watch the MC finally explode like that
I’m also glad the mother wasn’t as easily forgiven as the sister, because even if it’s also understandable how she would subcounsciously blame him for her husband’s death, that doesn’t mean it’s an excuse to treat him like that, so she needs to atone a lot more than this.
Here’s hoping he’s not seen as the bad guy or something after this, because he’s in the right, after all.
Makoto Ren
November 16, 2022 at 4:14 amFirst time seeing a Broken MC actually full on vent
Luo (@luohuo123)
February 13, 2023 at 11:27 amfirst time seeing mc actually having some balls to actually speak in rage, i am happy he didnt do the forgive s**t, i absolutely detest those, but then again it will end up like that coz it always does…