The Story Of Us (Todobaku)

Regret

The video montage of Touya's life finished by the time Shouto returned to the banquet hall. After crying it out with Katsuki, he was feeling better. Still, back in the banquet hall, he chose to sit with his mom and brother instead of his friends. Katsuki, wonderful as always, had no issue with it. They both agreed that Shouto should probably check on his family.

None of the Todorokis knew that Enji would be at Touya's memorial, nor did they anticipate him playing old home videos for everyone to see. Prior to today, Shouto hadn't seen any of that footage. If he had, it probably wouldn't have affected him as much. He assumed Rei and Natsuo were similarly torn up about the whole thing.

Shouto pulled up a chair next to Rei as Touya's old baseball coach approached the podium to give a speech of his own. When Shouto rested his head on her shoulder, Rei wrapped an arm behind her son's chair and the two cuddled. While today was therapeutic, it also took a lot out of them.

"I love you," Rei whispered into his hair.

"Love you too, Mom."

After the last of the speeches, there was nothing left on the memorial's agenda. People hung around to socialize for another hour or so, but then trickled out. Since the Todorokis were the hosts, they hung back until the banquet hall cleared out. As more guests left, Shouto felt queasy. Even though the memorial was technically over, he was just getting started.

He knew it in his heart. While the sentiment was impactful, there was no way Enji drove all the way out here, showing himself to his estranged family after years of no contact, just to play some old video footage of his deceased son.

No, Enji was here to talk to Shouto.

He probably wanted to speak with Rei and Fuyumi as well. Maybe Natsuo too, though there was no way Shouto's brother would give that man the time of day. But Shouto was a given.

Shouto's mouth ran dry. How would he react when Enji inevitably approached him? Would he stand his ground and tell Enji to take a hike like he desperately wanted to? Or would he submit to that little voice in his head that told him that one conversation wouldn't hurt?

This was the worst day to experience this much stress. As he did several times before, Shouto wished he still had some way to talk to Touya. Touya had a solution for any problem, especially when it came to their family troubles. Even if it was as simple as Touya comforting Shouto with ice cream and a movie marathon, Shouto preferred that to this sinking sensation in his stomach.

Enji, sitting in the very back of the banquet hall, away from everyone else, finally rose to his feet and trudged across the hardwood floor, heading in Shouto's direction. Shouto bit the inside of his cheek, sinking his teeth in further when their eyes met. It'd been over two years since the two had been in the same room. Two years of moments and milestones in Shouto's life that Enji missed out on. Two years of Shouto wondering if he ever crossed Enji's mind.

Two very long years. And yet, the idea of their estrangement coming to a close was even more agonizing for Shouto.

Shouto shifted all his weight to his legs, cementing his feet to the floor as he sat in the wooden chair. He broke eye contact with Enji to survey his father's overall appearance. If looks indicated anything, Enji wasn't lying when he claimed he finally attended rehab. His beer gut was gone, he was freshly shaven, and his hair actually looked combed through. It was by far the best Enji ever looked for as long as Shouto had known him.

Probably the most surprising thing, however, was that Enji was actually utilizing the cane his doctor instructed him to use after his knee injury. It was a shock that Enji hadn't disposed of it already. That poor piece of wood collected dust in the Todoroki garage for twelve years.