The Boy With The Blank Stare: The Promise

Chapter Thirty Seven: Intentions

Saihara's POV:

Ouma didn't talk much or even respond much on the way back, he had red puffy eyes and seemed exhausted, to the point even my usually cold father left him alone.

But Ouma instead just rested his head against my shoulder as I held his hand, I didn't even care as much about how this appeared to my father.

Father...I glanced back up at the front seat, I had never made plans to come out to him before...I didn't even know how he viewed homosexuality. I didn't even know for sure what I was yet.

Bisexual? It was the most I could figure out so far.

Eventually, the car stopped at Ouma's house as my father got out of the car to unfold Ouma's wheelchair.

Ouma with some minor shaking legs though managed to get into the chair easily, I had never really seen him walking much since apparently, his Aunt got him into physical therapy to help him walk again, but it was still surprising to me...

"Father" I spoke up, he turned to me, "I'm going to spend some time with Ouma, I'll walk home myself," I told him.

He paused before sighing, "son" he started and I felt myself getting nervous before he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Son, I know alright?" He told me. I paused glancing down at Ouma.

"Just make sure it doesn't affect your casework, I don't care who you love I care about the work quality alright?" He insisted. Hesitantly I nodded, "I won't let you down.." I promised.

He just nodded as he headed back in the car and Ouma glanced back up at me, 'where are we going now?' He asked.

"Park?" I guessed, Ouma smiled lightly, 'sounds nice, I hear they've gotten a new koi pond' he told me as we headed off together.

~-~-~

Ouma and I wandered through the park, the light of the trees cast down and even the cold winter hadn't completely struck all the leaves and other flora from the park. It seems that ever since I have moved here, despite more darkness of the world being revealed there was also a new light and beauty to be seen.

I glanced down at Ouma...I wish you could see this...I wish you could have seen me...I felt even more revulsion from the man that had made Ouma go through all of this. "It's quiet...huh?" I asked and Ouma nodded, 'I like it when the park is quiet, there's usually a bunch of screaming kids.' he commented.

Ouma seemed to be more at peace though, even in the cold and fading sunlight, as I saw my gaze up at the red tree in the distance, the leaves had yet to fall off the tree.  A wave of nostalgia fell over me, I used to read under trees like that when I was still alone.

It almost made me smile the memory, the solitary tree stood alone on the hill as I felt a gentle tugging on my sleeve, 'what are you thinking of?' Ouma asked, "am I that easy to read?" I asked, Ouma nodded, 'whenever you're thinking you get quiet, or you hum something' he told me. 

"Huh" I pondered, 'so what were you thinking of?' Ouma asked, "just something from my childhood, there's a nice tree on the hill over there it reminded me of...well doesn't really matter," I told him.

Ouma paused, 'on a hill?' he asked, "yeah, why?" I asked and Ouma nodded to himself, 'one day I'm going to walk up there with you' he told me and I paused surprised, "could you?" I asked, he nodded in slight confidence 'if I tried to right now I would probably fall fifty times and not be able to make it, but one day I'm going to go up there with you ok? It's not going to be like the beach, I'm going to walk there with my own two feet' he vowed a sense of determination in his voice. 

I couldn't help but admire that about him, "Alright, I'll wait for that then, what else do you want to do when you can walk again?" I asked trying to keep the topic lighthearted.

Ouma paused thinking, 'don't have any ideas honestly' he admitted, "you could visit Momota? Imagine how excited he would be seeing you up and walking" I told him and Ouma nodded.

"Uhh...swimming?" I added Ouma seemed to get excited 'I haven't been swimming since I was a little kid' he told me.

I nodded, "See that would be fun-"

'My Mom told me I nearly drowned cause I kept sneaking off to the deep end' Ouma told me.

..."maybe not swimming" I told him as Ouma bust out laughing, 'how do you always make me happy after bad days?' He asked.

"Could ask you the same" I teased, 'are you trying to make me embarrassed?' Ouma asked a light blush on his face.

"No but I'm not disappointed" I told him honestly, 'you're lucky I'm not my younger self or I wouldn't hesitate to get my revenge on you in twenty seven different ways' Ouma said.

"Have mercy" I begged, 'never, this is almost as embarassing as the time I did the chicken dance' he told me and I snorted.

"The what?" I asked, and Ouma seemed excited to tell this story, 'when I was still in elementary Chiasa and I were alone in a school dance, and as a joke we rigged the DJ system to only play that song for over ten minutes, Momota and the rest found out though and as punishment he made us do the dance, Chiasa wasn't ashamed but I didn't want to show my face in school for a week' Ouma admitted.

"Well adding that to the list of things I need to see someday" I told him, 'don't you dare' he threatened laughing.

"Sorry you dug your own grave there" I apologized, 'you're lucky we're dating' he told me.

"I am huh?"