To Dissapear, To Fade Away

I'm lost, right amidst this paranoia

Mrs. Tenma. 

Rui waved goodbye to Nene, as she shut the front door of her house. He retreated back to the street, now walking to his own house. 

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get what he had overheard earlier out of his mind. 

"Making sure your guests are happy always comes before your own well-being, you know this.

I expected better manners from you, love."

Yes, he had been eavesdropping, so what? He didn't want to interrupt the previous moment, but he had a question for Mrs. Tenma... So he waited behind the wall and listened in. 

But that doesn't matter now, what matters now is that Mrs. Tenma even let the words leave her mind!

What kind of mother says that to their son? Why would you want your kid to ever care for someone else more than themselves!?. 

And Tsukasa believed her! He called himself Selfish and a disgrace because he was catching up on some sleep!! She didn't even care that he called himself those things either! 

So to say Rui was angered was an understatement

What most confused him, however, is where that even came from?! Mrs. Tenma has always been amazing and such a supportive and caring mom every other time he'd met her! 

Mrs. Tenma and Tsukasa seem extremely close, and Tsukasa looks up to her greatly...and as far as he could tell, Tsukasa was used to it! 

They carried along normally and happily the whole breakfast time... Like nothing was ever said. 

As far as he knows, Mrs. Tenma could be at fault for how Tsukasa actually feels right now! 

Rui shut the door to his house, sliding off his shoes and leaning his head against the door. He let out a frustrated sigh as he thought. 

Could I just be the one exaggerating? He thought. Rui was on the luckier side with his parents, very carefree and chill. 

He knows many families have stricter parents, maybe that's just normal for many other families. He didn't even know anymore. 

"Uh-oh, was that an unhappy sigh I hear? " a voice called from the doorway of the living room. 

"Ma... " Rui said, turning around to face the voice, smiling. 

And there she was, leaning against the doorframe, with one hand on her hip. She had a pencil behind her ear, pushing her short messy hair out of her face. 

In one hand, she held a wrench, and her clothing was all messed up. She was way shorter than Rui, and there were heavy bags under her eyes, making it look like she hasn't slept in weeks. 

"So, what's wrong kid? Sad about leaving Tsukasa's? "

"... Something like that I guess. Have you slept? Or eaten anything? " Rui asked her, concerned. 

"Nevermind that for now, I have something amazing to show you! " She said, running over to Rui and grabbing his hand, before pulling him along to the room she emerged from originally. 

When they stopped, they were in her bedroom. It was much like Rui's, with different inventions all over the floor and a general mess from materials for creating them. 

She walked over to the table in the corner, picking up something excitedly. 

"My new invention! Automatic unfogging glasses! So glasses won't fog up anymore, y'know? "