The Boy With The Blank Stare: Punishment Time

Chapter Twenty: Pain

My Uncle...wasn't who I thought he was. He was once known as a great detective and only my Father beat him out.

Our rivals being the Kirigiri family who mainly sanctioned the other side of the country. The company started when my Mother married my Father and the two met and started off the buisness.

It grew from the brilliant minds the two shared even though it was releatively new. My Father I rarely saw outside of his job and my Mother I could barely see because her illness consumed all her time.

Until there wasn't any left to take.

My Uncle became a second father with constant visits over time where he eventually divorced Aunt Jin.

I still saw my cousin Chiasa though because the two left on good terms and my Aunt still saw me as family.

My Mother and cousin died and my Father self destructed and was either neglecting me for work or being strict with me.

Then my Uncle and him eventually agreed to take me to live with him. So I could learn under him since my Father didn't have the time.

I didn't end up learning under my Uncle though. I learned from all the people around that mystery.

Their tears.
Their regrets.
Their tears.
Their pain.

How in order to cope with losing classmates who they spent their whole lives with shut them out. Shut reality out. They surpressed that pain and guilt.

And left Ouma to self destruct. Unintentinal. They left him. Maybe because he was subconsciously a reminder. The evidence of why they couldn't simply pretend it never happened.

Because Ouma was there to remind everyone in this town. So they left him alone, and told him to forget.

A unconscious desire that if he returned to normal maybe everything else would.

Maybe everything could finally have a happy ending. That if Ouma somehow returned to his apparent cheerful self everything would be fine.

He didn't. He couldn't. Even with Momota's help he couldn't be that person again.

I don't know what I did...somehow I found him. I found a kid who on the inside was grieving for the loss of his friends. His family.

One who was a piece of my own. I wish I could help him....I want to help him.

But I stuttered. Cause I guess just like my Uncle I'm scared. I'm scared of everything only getting worse and Ouma...he's growing so distant.

But in his eyes...I can see something building up...that broken person is morphing into something more....

And I don't think I want to see what becomes of it. Is it sad to say I still love him anyway? That I'll still stay by his side if he'll let me?

-/-/-

I sat on the stairs with my suitcases as I waited for my Father to pick me up. The rain was falling down hard as I just watched when I felt a small tap from behind.

I turned around to see my Aunt.

"Aunt Jin?" I asked confused, "hey Shu, mind going to pick up your classmate?" She asked.

I raised an eyebrow "what?" I asked, "Ouma's missing...an alert has been spread throughout town for him" she explained.

My eyes widened in fear, Themis....

My Aunt handed me a stack of cash, "go on" she prompted, "why are you doing this? Don't you hate him?" I asked.

"I used to hate that boy with every living fiber of my being when your cousin died. When my daughter died. Cause she was only ever really happy with him.

"I didn't understand. Why? She was a good student, then she threw all her good mannerisms away and became a prankster. I didn't understand and I tried to find out.

"Why? Why would she spend all her time doing something that won't ever amount to anything? Why did she quit all her other hobbies? I knew she didn't have friends but why them?

"I think only after finally going to her room after all these years did I understand.

"I saw on the walls pinned up pictures of her and her friends laughing and joking around. I saw her looking alive.

"So I thought what did they do that I didn't? They treated her like she truly was. Alive.

"Three miscarriages. Before she was ever born. When she finally was they said I wouldn't have any other children. And she was probably going to die by the next morning.

"But she didn't. She never died. She was so stubborn...she had so many estimations and predictions and so many times in infancy put on life support...she didn't die.

"At first I thought it was a miracle. I thought maybe because hah get this I helped a pregnant teen just a few months before by giving her a meal!

"But...the anticipation grew. I didn't see a child. I saw myself putting my child in the ground. I saw myself one day having to bury this child that I wanted with my own hands.

"I guess I detatched myself. Funny. I finally got my child but instead of loving her I hid myself from her because I didn't want to feel pain again.

"I should have known what the risks were. His family is sickly. My family was already gone. We both had the genes.

"And instead of dying ourselves we had to give them to her. She must of had the luck of God to live for as long as she did. And if she wasn't murdered...I wonder if I ever would have changed...heh

"Would I have finally given that child all of my love? ACCEPTED all the pain that could potentially come? Would I have finally been maybe a decent person?

"A-and even when I thought she commited suicide...even then I blamed that boy. My escape goat. But it wasn't him.

"I hated him because I wish I was grieving as hard as him. But I couldn't. Because nearly all my memories of her was of us yelling or her in a hospital bed.

"But he didn't have those memories...and I hated him for that. I hated myself for that...and in the end put him through all the hell I could think of.

"Now look at me, some teacher. I should have looked after my students. They all fell down into the rubble. I guess I did to.

"What do you do though? No saint. Cause I still can't even bring myself to tell that kid sorry. Don't know if I'm still bitter.

"I just know if I let him die...let him finally die...she would give me hell for it.

"Then where would I be? Oh right, a pathetic human being. Go on Shuichi. Fix him.

"Cause...you're he only one who's ever really known how. Because you have a heart that can tolerate and accept pain.

"So good luck. I'm wishing you well" she told me, "go get a hotel or find a friend to stay with, I'll tell that old crow you'll be fine. Tell him you got yourself a new case.

"Sure he'll be fine with that, leave this old hag to herself. I'll make you a cup of tea when all this is over...if you'll have it with me"