𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗? - 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐. » 𝚜. 𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚘 | slow updates

» chapter 12

"Are you really sure this is a good idea?"

"Suna-kun, this is the eighth time you've asked me this during this train ride. I mean, it's just tutoring. Loosen up, would ya?" The [ hair color ]-haired girl said with a scoff as she gathered her bag and cardigan, signalling that the next stop is the last.

Exiting the train, Suna rubbed his eye, tired. He took a look around, this part of the city was unfamiliar to him. Despite that, he followed after his classmate who was just sending her mother a text, informing her that they are having a guest. He remained quiet the entire time, much to the confusion of the other.

At last, they reached the [ Last name ] household, [ Name ] opened the door, announcing their presence and taking off her shoes. Rintarou copied the action. The aura in the house already made him stiff. It was... Different. So much different than the one back at his.

"Come, let's go up to my room, yea?" And he responded with a nod.

The walk to her room was quiet. Awkward. Suna just put his hands in his pockets as they walked, looking around at the various decorations. The interior was mostly done with saturated though still warm enough shades of beige and cream. There were many plants, he noted. All of them seemed well-taken care of. The house was exceptionally tidy, it looked more like the house of a well-respected CEO than a normal family.

"You can take a seat. I'm gonna get some snacks. You're not allergic to anything, are you?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Good." With that, she left, he could hear her feet softly pad across the stairs.

He decided he would examine her room in the meantime.

The walls were a bit lighter than the rest of the house - well, the parts of the house he's seen - which went well with her artistic nature, which was also shown on one wall which had a few details done in white and black, seemingly using acryllic paint. His gaze stayed on those details for a while. She was quite talented. More evidence of that statement was in the rest of the room, with much more complex artworks, most being framed on the walls.

Rintarou sighed as he looked at the rest of the room. There were white, furry pillows nested on the bed over a darker brown blanket. She seemed to love keeping her place tidy, not to mention it smelled quite nice. One smell which he recognized as the lavender which sat in the sunlight at the window, and the aroma of her expensive-smelling perfume, one which gave her away from miles and miles away.

There was also a smaller coffee table in the corner of the room, where flowers sat in a nicely decorated vase. It seemed that's where she mostly painted, considering the fact that all her materials were neatly laid out.

It sort of amazed him.

She was both athletic and artsy.

He remembered the one time he was at the Miya's and they randomly decided to host an art competition. Surprisingly enough, Atsumu was in first place with his... exceptionally colorful stickman.

Rintarou remembered he'd come in last, with a blank paper.

It's not that he didn't know what to draw. He had a rough idea of the topic. But he didn't know where to start. What to do. Art was simply never his thing.

If Rintarou could choose, all his artworks would be just plain gray. Just gray. Gray, everywhere. Not even a stickman. Not even a simple flower. Just... Gray. A gray void. A gray void in which one would dive and never be seen again.

But that was just Rintarou's preference. Afterall, he was just a volleyball player. He had no right speaking about such a noble hobby.

Not a nobody like him.

But the nobody then broke out of his trail of thoughts, hearing a conversation from downstairs. One voice which he recognized as [ Name ]'s, the other being, he assumed, her mother's.

"... those from those so-called panic attacks of yours? Seriously, [ Name ], grow up and realize not everything is about you. You are just seeking attention. There are starving children out there who don't even have a roof over their heads, yet here you are, having everything you could wish for and still making up such things. Had I known you'd turn out this way, I wouldn't have even given birth to you, you..."

"... 've started visiting the school psychologist, anxiety isn't rare, i just need help with the treatment, the medication just isn'..."

"... listen to me, young lady. That "anxiety" thing or whatever, is not real. It's all in your head. Back in my days, it didn't exist. You're just seeking attention. I refuse to pay for those medicines of yours, your father works so hard to support your education, and this is how you repay him?By coming up with something just as an excuse to waste more money? We've given you everything you need and more, yet you ask for more from us. Seriously, kids these days..."

"Mom, I am not making it up, I..."

"Of course you're making it up. Instead of going out like all the other kids and having fun, you're here dwelling over something that doesn't even exist. This is the same story as that so-called "depression". It isn't real. Do you even know what a mess your room was, just because you're so lazy? And do you know how your father felt when he found out that you've been moved to a lower class? The better one is to you, you just become worse, now go to your room and get out of my sight. I am expecting to see you back to class A in a week."

"... Yes mother..."

Rintarou paused. What was this? So [ Name ] struggled with her parents too? And with mental health. How didn't he realize it yet?

Rintarou sighed at this. Perhaps he was right. The world is a cruel and unfair place. The words he'd just heard from [ Name ]'s mother, it all just sounded so, so familiar. It was as if she and Rintarou's father were the same person. Now he was curious.

Did this revolve only around such neglect and emotional abuse?

Or did it include physical assault as well?

Guess [ Name ] held secrets, too.

guess who finally updated! i was in a good mood so i decided to try writing again. please tell me your thoughts<3