While Karamatsu remained in the waiting room, Ichimatsu followed the kind nurse as she led him to his mother's hospital room.

Within seconds of walking in, Ichimatsu found himself biting his cheeks and blinking his eyes furiously, attempting to hold back his tears. For there lay his mother, smiling softly at her son, though bandages were covering her body.

"My son," she spoke gently, weakly holding out her arms. Without a second thought, Ichimatsu ran towards her, throwing his arms around her. He began to sob, immediately feeling guilty for it.

"M-Mommy...." Ichimatsu whimpered weakly. "Are you going to be okay?"

Ichimatsu's mother smiled while nodding her head. "I'm going to be fine. The doctors said I will be able to be back home in a week."

"G-Good..." Ichimatsu replied as he let go of her, stumbling back into a foldout chair next to her bed. "I-I'm glad, then..."

"I'm so proud of you, Ichimatsu," his mother said, full of pride for her son. "and I'm so grateful that you weren't hurt. Have your bruises been healing up any...?"

Ichimatsu pulled up his hoodie sleeves, revealing dark purple spots all over his arms. Some were fading away, whereas others looked much worse than they originally had.

"Oh dear..." she sighed. "My boy, come here."

Ichimatsu pulled his chair closer to his mother's bedside. "What's the matter?"

"There's something I need to tell you, but I'm not sure how I can," Ichimatsu's mother smiled sadly, then burst into a series of coughs. "Sorry."

"Are you alright?!" Ichimatsu jerked up from his chair, hurriedly handing his mother a bottle of water, which was on a table next to her hospital bed.

"Th-Thank y-y-you," she coughed, quickly taking in deep gulps of the cool, refreshing liquid.

"You should rest, mother," Ichimatsu spoke softly. "You can tell me later, alright? Just rest for now...you've had a long day."

"Indeed, I have," she replied, wheezing a little. Ichimatsu's mother took another sip of her water. "You have, too."

"No, no it's fine," Ichimatsu sighed, sitting back down. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

To the boy's shock, his mother objected such a request. "No! You must return home with the priest. The doctor told me...Father Karamatsu brought you here. Just, please...I don't want you to remain here in this depressing place. Go back to the town and enjoy your new life there. I promise I'll return home in a week."

"W-What..." Ichimatsu's mouth hung open in despair. "B-But I can't leave you all alone here..."

"Ichimatsu, is that not what all families end up doing one day? Please, you must learn to be independent, too. Peace be with you," his mother replied softly as she closed her eyes. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

With one final goodbye and a gently planted kiss to his mother's forehead, Ichimatsu exited the hospital room. He returned broken-heartedly to the waiting room, comforted to find that the priest remained.

"Ah, my child," the priest spoke gently. "She wishes for you to return with me, am I correct?"

Ichimatsu nodded his head, keeping his eyes focused on the floor. "I must be a burden to her..."

"No, you're not," Karamatsu chuckled a little as he stood up, approaching the boy. Gently, he took Ichimatsu's hand in his, beginning to walk him out to his car. "She just doesn't want you to worry so much."