Dark Nights

It was always asked, you see, kinda like an old, rusty, repetitive gramophone. It was as if their neighbors wouldn't know their family existed, if not for this devastating news. Suddenly, everyone knew the man who committed suicide, and the family he left.

"Erika-chan, what happened to your father?"

"Erika-chan, this is a really devastating news. I could not tell there is something bothering him. He always kept a smile on his face. Nobody would've known."

"If you want to live with us, just go with us Erika-chan. We'll take care of you."

"Erika-chan.... We're sorry for your loss."

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"Nobody would've known."

"Come to think of it, Hatsugawa-san, is your father around?". There were no ill-intentions or insensitivity in the tone of his voice when he asked that question, that's why she could not show anymore misery right now after him asking that question. He just, really did not know anything. Not now, Erika.

Silence surrounded the whole house, as if that topic was something that shouldn't not be brought back up. Sachiko glanced at Erika downheartedly because she knows she is the one who holds most of her husband's memories.

Erika was petrified, but she lifted her head up after a while and continued chewing on her rice ball.

"My father.... My father huh?" She smiled sadly, shaking her head to calm herself down, trying to form out phrases to answer that question. "My father.... died a year ago, you see."

After hearing what she said, Kairo lost grip on his rice ball, falling back to its plate. His face showed immediate regret upon asking that question. Now it seems like the mood got a 180-degree-turn because of what he said. "I'm---- I'm sorry, Hatsugawa-san."

"It's okay, it's not like you knew about that in the first place. And besides, I'm already over it." She said casually and took a bite of her food once again. However, nobody in the four corners of the room could ignore the sadness flowing within. She is not over it, even Akito is not buying her lies.

"He was a good man. Hardworking and intelligent." Sachiko whispered softly but sadly. "It's just.... sometimes life become too harsh on someone, making the world a place hard to live in and it causes one to actually give up. Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world."

Kairo couldn't bear keeping this conversation up any longer. He was worried about how Erika feels right now as bad memories are being pulled up from her oblivion. "Hatsugawa-san..."

"I could've stopped him, you know. I was so close." The shift on Erika's voice renders woe and self-hate, her body quivering in anger. Kairo could not reckon the impact of this memory on Erika that he started to panic; unsure of what to do to ease up the density. His hand found its way, reaching to Erika's shoulder but Erika quickly got off her seat and ran her way out of the room. Kairo wanted to stop her but it is not like he could ever do anything about it. Technically, it is not his business and he should not meddle with it.

However, he knew he would feel worse if he let things to go on like this. He caused this, the least he could do is put out the fire he started. He stood up and ran after Erika towards her room.

"Hatsugawa-san...", he said right after opening the door, and saw the damsel in distress crying her heart out on her pillow. It happened again, him trying to formulate the perfect comfort remark that would make her feel better, however, he knew his place. He knew that whatever he might say could make things right or worse.

"You probably lived up this long, hiding your sadness from Sachiko-san and Akito-kun, aren't you?" He need not to hear a response on what he said. The man quietly sat on the floor and fiddled with his fingers to distract himself a little bit.

"Also, you don't have to say anything. You don't have to talk to me either. But I hope that through my presence, you'll realize that this time, there is someone who is willing to share your agony." Kairo said mellowly. "I guess you could say yesterday is different from today, cause today is the day I'll share whatever burden you're carrying."

Erika was quiet. This contrasts her personality once she steps outside the house. It's like you are in a different body? No. It's like you are a different person. Humans have their own ways of coping up with problems. The desire to stand up, move on and forget sometimes result on ignoring a part of yourself to protect your heart from pain. It's always about the mask she chooses to wear every single day.

"Is that your best shot? Is that how you will comfort me right now?", she finally spoke up but with hoarseness in her voice due to the length of her weeping.

"Actually I have a plan B." Kairo said quite confidently.

"Plan B huh? What is your plan B then?" Erika then sat up straight, being the mess that she is right now. Puffy eyes, tangled hair and crumpled clothes. At this point, she is in no mood to be wary of her appearance, even in front of the newly adopted boy.

"Tada~" The large-ass burger of a plush toy was shown in front of her face ever so proudly. "Burger-san is here for you! Burger-san will absorb all your sadness, worry not." Kairo said enthusiastically with a grin.

"Burger-san?"

"Yep! Burger-san."

The girl gave him a few seconds to contemplate on what he just did, but when she couldn't take it in any longer, she quietly stood up, took the burger plushy and---

"OW! OW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"BURGER-SAN??!! YOU WANTED ME TO CRY ON THIS BURGER??!! IT REEKS OF DRIED SALIVA YOU MORON!!! HOW DARE YOU EVEN OFFER THIS TO ME WHEN SURELY YOU HAVE PLACED THIS PLUSHY ON THE MOST DISGUSTING PARTS OF YOUR BODY!!"

Kairo was mercilessly hit with a consecutive series of plushy smashes. He was panicking on what to do at the moment; protect himself from the violent attacks? Save his plushy from being ripped into pieces? Attack the girl who dared disrespect his favorite thing? Or all of the above. But for some reason, he stayed still, knowing that he was able to get her energy back through that. He felt like he did the right thing as he smiled from time to time even while being hit.

Erika, on the other hand, poured all her emotions on those attacks. It was as if she finally knew what she needed; to vent her frustrations out onto something. She feels sorry for Kairo being the receiver of her attacks though, but she wouldn't stop either because first of all, he chose to be involved in here, second, there is no way she could ruin her shrine out of selfish venting.

But there is no denying that this actually helped her get all the steam out of her body. She used to deal with this alone, he was right on this. Because she knows, her mother carries more than what she has when they heard about the incident. Akito was too devastated, he could not even shed a tear. But right now, it was as if everything will be alright.

Everything will finally be alright.

"HEY!! HEY ARE YOU OKAY??!!", said Erika as she aggressively shakes Kairo's soul-less body.

"W---What do y---you thi---nk?" These were probably his last words.