Chapter 14: Forced
Translator: Soafp
[Mother PoV]
I stood in the kitchen, the rhythmic sound of the knife against the cutting board filling the silence of the room. It had been a few weeks since Ryota left the house, and in that time, the atmosphere at home had improved, albeit with one notable exception—Nao.
Despite my efforts to improve the bond between Ryota and Yuto, it seemed that their relationship was doomed from the start. And now, with Ryota gone, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief mingled with a tinge of sadness.
But my thoughts were soon interrupted by a surge of anger as I recalled the reason for Ryota’s departure. My husband’s decision to kick him out of the house had been met with mixed emotions, but what infuriated me the most was Ryota’s audacity to blame Yuto for his own crimes.
The nerve of him, I thought bitterly as I chopped the vegetables with more force than necessary. Blaming Yuto for his wrongdoing was a cowardly move, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of protectiveness towards my son.
But amidst the chaos, there was one undeniable truth that I couldn’t ignore—Ryota’s actions had consequences, and he needed to be held accountable for them.
As the anger simmered within me, I knew that I needed to find a way to move past this resentment and focus on rebuilding our family.
With a sigh, I set the knife down and took a moment to collect myself. There was still dinner to be made and a family to care for, and I couldn’t let my emotions get the best of me.
Taking a deep breath, I resumed chopping the vegetables, determined to push aside the anger and focus on the task at hand.
After a few minutes, I heard the door opening.
“I’m back.”
“Welcome back, Nao.”
Nao entered the kitchen.
“What are you making?”
She asked, peering at the ingredients on the counter.
“Karage, Yuto’s favorite dish.”
Nao’s mood seemed to darken at the mention of Yuto’s name. I couldn’t help but wonder if they had argued.
“By the way, do you know where Yuto is? It’s almost dinner time.”
“He said he wanted to talk with Kobayashi-san. I think he’ll be back soon.”
Kobayashi-san, the girl Ryota loves. Is Yuto maybe trying to comfort her because her boyfriend went to jail? I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride at the thought of my son’s compassion and empathy.
As I continued with my preparations, lost in my thoughts, time seemed to slip away unnoticed. Before I knew it, an hour had passed, and the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the kitchen.
With a sigh of relief, I surveyed the spread laid out before me—crispy karage, steaming rice, and a variety of side dishes.
“Weird, Yuto would usually be on time for dinner.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall.
Knock knock.
“I wonder who it could be.”
I mused, making my way to the door.
Opening it, I was greeted by the sight of two police officers standing before me.
“Good day, miss.”
“Good day, officers. Is there something you need this evening?”
I was trying to keep my voice steady despite the growing sense of dread in my stomach.
Their presence only intensified my anxiety, especially after Ryota’s recent run-in with the law.
“We’re here to inform you that Yuto has been arrested.”
One of the officers stated solemnly.
My heart plummeted at his words, a cold knot forming in the pit of my stomach.
“Arrested? For what?”
My voice barely above a whisper.
The officer sighed heavily before delivering the news that sent shockwaves through my already fragile state.
“Yuto has been arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, and getting involved in a fight.”
The words hung in the air, each one a heavy blow to my already overwhelmed mind.
Arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight, arrested for assault on a girl, framing, possessing a switchblade, getting involved in a fight.
All these questions swirled in my mind, each one more confounding than the last. The image of Yuto, my son, being involved in such serious offenses seemed unfathomable.
“Officer, this has to be some mistake. Yuto would never do this.”
I protested, desperation creeping into my voice.
The officer’s expression remained stoic, unmoved by my pleas.
“Miss, we have evidence to support all the charges. The assault occurred just recently.”
“Recently?
Yuto had told me he was out walking with Kobayashi-san, concerned for her well-being. If that wasn’t true, then….
“H-his involvement in the fight… It couldn’t be the altercation that happened a few weeks ago, right?”
The officers exchanged a glance, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.
“Miss, you may not want to believe it, but it’s the truth. All we know is that he framed your son, Ryota, by planting a switchblade in his pocket. We suspect it was to dispose of evidence from the fight and divert attention away from himself.”
Their words hit me like a sledgehammer, the implications sinking in with brutal clarity.
Yuto, my own son, had not only committed these crimes but had also orchestrated a scheme to frame Ryota, his own brother. The shock of it all threatened to overwhelm me, leaving me reeling with a whirlwind of emotions—disbelief, betrayal, and a profound sense of loss.
I collapsed to the ground, the weight of the revelation crushing me with its enormity. Not only had I lost one son, but I had lost both of them. Could this be my fault? Did my efforts to deepen their bond inadvertently sow the seeds of discord between them?
Think think think. The fight happened on a Friday, Ryota got arrested on Saterday, meaning Yuto had planted the switch blade on Saturday. How did Yuto know where Ryota went at that day? He was out for shopping.
[Ryota is going buy some new clothes this Saturday because he has a date the day after.]
[Mom, do you know where he is going to buy his clothes? I want to give him some advice on what clothes to buy as his older brother]
[He’s planning to visit the department store downtown. I’m sure he’d appreciate your advice, Yuto]
It was me. I was the one who unknowingly set this chain of events into motion. I was the one who inadvertently led to Ryota’s downfall.
If only I hadn’t tried to improve their bond, if only I had known the consequences of my actions… Perhaps then, none of this would have happened.
The burden of guilt weighed heavily upon me, threatening to crush me beneath its unforgiving weight. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, mingling with the bitter taste of regret and self-recrimination.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHH….UGGHH…AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! IT IS ALL MY FAULT!! I LOST BOTH OF MY SONS!!”
In that moment of despair, I knew that I would do anything to undo the damage I had caused, to bring back the sons I had lost.
“IF ONLY…IF ONLY I HADN’T….”
The cruel reality mocked my desperate cries, offering no solace or reprieve from the agony that consumed me.
As I lay there on the floor I realized the depth of my helplessness. No amount of tears or remorse could turn back the hands of time, could erase the mistakes that had torn my family apart.
The weight of my regret pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, leaving me gasping for air in its relentless grip.
The police officers looked at me helplessly. I know for a fact that this won’t the outcome.”
“Miss, can you come with us to the station? We need to ask some questions.”
The officers’ request pulled me from the depths of my despair, forcing me to confront the harsh reality of the situation.
Nodding silently, I pushed myself up from the floor, the weight of my regret still heavy upon my shoulders.
“Yes, I’ll come with you.”
With trembling steps, I followed the officers out of the house and into the waiting police car, the weight of the truth bearing down on me with each passing moment.
As we walked to the car I heard something.
“Finally…”
Was that Nao? I couldn’t hear it clearly since I was sobbing.
As we drove towards the station, a sense of dread settled over me like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over the uncertain path that lay ahead.
But amidst the turmoil of my emotions, one thing remained clear—I would face the consequences of my actions, no matter how painful they may be.
Witler
April 11, 2024 at 12:21 amI literally forgot about Yuto’s mother and this girl Nao, what did Nao even mean by ‘finally’ did she know Yuto was going set this up from the beginning? Or has there been something that happened in the past? Or maybe she’s a secret yandere for Ryota and this opens up a chance for her to “save” Ryota for herself.
Taraguy
April 11, 2024 at 12:47 amThe sister was at home when ryota came back from the convenient store, so she knew he was innocent.
From the title of this chapter and the reaction she had when her mom mention Yuto, I would guess she was threatened by yuto to not talk.
anon
April 11, 2024 at 3:00 pmThanks for the wonderful translation.
But I gotta say, I find this regret-kino arc so far to be not very kino.
Both Hana and Mother jumped through all the stages of grief to depression too quickly.
Also, maybe change “Miss” to “Mrs” or “Madam”?