How Could You? (Souyo)

Homesick

Yu's POV:

That's the cue.

"C'mon, Nanako," I say, grabbing her hand.

"Huh?" She splutters, dropping the remote on the ground as a result.

"It's alright," Yosuke smiles. "We can finish watching the movie in the bedroom."

"I don't understand," she murmurs. "Is Adachi-san coming home?"

Yosuke looks at me with a shrug.

"Yeah," I sigh. "He's gonna need space, so let's go, alright?"

Sure enough, there's another stumble of footsteps down the hallway.

"C'mon," Yosuke chuckles, grabbing her hand and leading her to the bedroom.

I follow them, but my eyes don't leave the front door.

"Here we go," Yosuke breathes, sitting down on the edge of the bed with Nanako.

The front door clicks open, and he turns up the volume. I'm grateful for it.

"Close the door," he hisses.

I pause, listening to the stumbles of Dojima in the living room. I just can't bring myself to shut it out.

I sigh, looking through the crack of the door.

"You probably shouldn't have drank so much," Adachi chuckles. "Not after last time."

"They said I was drugged," he grumbles, falling down on the couch.

"...Are you sure you didn't take anything yourself that day?"

"No," he snaps. "Goddammit, no!"

"Alright, I'm sorry." Adachi sighs, putting his hands on Dojima's shoulders as he sits down.

"I never wanted this," he sobs. "I never wanted to hurt him..."

I swallow hard. Is he talking about me?

"You didn't hurt him."

"I did," he yells.

"...Is that Dad?" Nanako asks slowly.

I hold my breath, turning my head. "It's..."

"Here," Yosuke smiles, handing her the bowl of popcorn. She takes it with a smile and he ruffles her hair before turning the volume up again.

He'd make a great dad...

I clear my throat, repositioning myself at the door.

"I just wanted to protect him," Dojima weeps. "I wanted to protect him, goddamit! The stupid bastard is putting himself in danger!"

"Hey," Adachi sighs, holding him up a glass of water. "He's tougher than he looks."

"I know," he breathes, gulping it down in one. "I have the scar to prove it."

"He's a good kid," he murmurs. "He's... a real good kid."

Dojima shakes his head slowly. "If he was a good kid, he'd have done as he was told."

...He does have a point.

Maybe if I never let my emotions get the best of me...

"I miss him," Dojima mutters. "You know, after he came in from school, he used to sit down with me in the kitchen. He'd tell me about his day, and I'd tell him about mine, and..." His breath hitches and he holds his head in his hands.

Adachi sighs, pulling him in for a hug. "It's alright."

"He hates me," he sobs.

"That's not true."