Shinichi quietly watched as his parents fell into a loop of a never ending argument. Shinichi’s face was expressionless as he shook his head and observed them.
If one looked closer, one could see that Shinichi was currently keeping a small creature from jumping out and attacking them.
When Rinko saw Shinichi, the heat rushed to her head once more. But this time, the reason was different. She wanted to break down in tears right there and there, but when she thought about it, she decided not to. After all, it wouldn’t be right for her to be the first to cry.
“…I’m sure the both of you have your own opinions, but you’re in front of the children. Also, there are still some papers to be processed, so if you want, I can heart you out over there.
I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Kazama had also noticed Shinichi’s state, so he slyly led the divorced couple to a different room. Perhaps because he was an outsider, they meekly followed him, but their eyes were full of suspicion.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Four people and one animal were left.
“She” couldn’t even eek out a cry because of Shinichi’s orders, but no one else spoke either. Silence filled the room.
Shinichi’s siblings had already grown these past 8 years, but there were still some traces he knew left in their faces. Unfortunately, those siblings who walked unsteadily were nowhere to be found.
But what was most eye catching of all was the great anger on the girl’s (his younger sister) face.
“It’s your fault,” she said with a voice that seemed to crawl from the very depths of the earth.
“…” Shinichi was speechless and frozen.
Then in the next moment, all the emotions the girl had been bottling blew up.
“Why did you have to come back!? Why now!?
Mom was finally able to laugh again, and yet!
You just had to come back! Why!?”
“W-What are you saying!?” Rinko asked.
Those words were no longer mere thorns but a true naked blade. They didn’t just hurt; Shinichi felt like his chest was being gouged out, and he found himself unable to breathe. Unfortunately, try as Rinko might to stop her, Youko wasn’t planning on stopping.
“Do you want to make us suffer that much!?
It’s your fault! Our family falling apart! Mom suffering! Everything!
On top of that, you’re actually a D Rank!?
Not only are you ignorant of our suffering, you actually came back with such an embarrassing rank!!
Don’t you know any shame!?”
Shinichi received countless powerful killing intents throughout his life, but the words his younger sister told him shook his heart more than all of those.
But he did not let the pain show on his face. It was as if he was completely apathetic to her plight. But that was not something he did intentionally. He simply couldn’t help it. After all, if he were to let his equilibrium break, who knew what would happen to him?
Alas, the girl in front of him could not possibly understand that.
“…Say something! W-What’s with that look!?
Don’t screw with me!! Are you ignoring me!?
…
Someone like you… Someone like you… Would have been better off dead!!”
The words the girl spoke fell heavily upon her defenseless older brother, but still… not a hint of reaction could be seen on his face. Nay, he could not react.
But she did not know that, so she turned away and ran, a twinkle flashing at the corner of her eyes, though perhaps that last part was only someone’s imagination.
“Ah, wait! Nee-chan!”
The boy – the younger brother – was about to give chase instinctively, but he stopped by the entrance and turned to his expressionless older brother. He chose his words before speaking.
“…Br— Everyone… knows you’re not at fault, but… But you know… The day you vanished… Our family ended!”
They couldn’t help but blame that on someone. And when Shinichi’s ‘death’ was undone, something broke.
He left those words behind – almost as if he were talking to himself – before chasing after his sister.
“W-Wait!” Rinko cried out.
Tl Note: Next part should be the last.