Saihara's POV:

When I stormed out of the house, I didn't have any direction. If I went home empty-handed what would Father say? Would I be a useless detective in his eyes if I failed him? If I admit I let my temper get the better of me?

You always were a failure, the second you left town you became one. Look at all that's happened since you left, things have only gotten worse for everyone since you came here in the first place. It's your fault-

I felt my legs collapsing under me, exhaustion creeping into my bones as I gasped with the wheezy breath, wiping the sweat off from my forehead as I began getting up, looking around to where I had absent-mindedly run towards. In front of me was a faded white building, age had presented cracks into some of the building's foundation, as I stared at the dirty windows, the afternoon left the building mostly empty though I could catch glimpses of people from within the building. The high school.

The autumn leaves brushed past me, the rustling breaking the silence of the evening as I took a deep breath, my heart began racing faster as I paused staring at the building a sense of unease filled me as a hand was placed on my shoulder. I flinched as I turned to see my aunt, her eyes had the same tired expression as she was wearing clothes worn half hazard thrown together. Her hair was even messy as she let go once she saw she had gotten my attention, before I could say anything she turned around and signaled me to follow her walking forward without hesitation. 

"Let's go, this place is depressing" she advised and I hesitantly followed her.

~-~-~

We ended up in a park, my aunt carrying a gas station bag. The trees overhead providing soothing shade as we sat on a park bench, the bench had aged wood and was slightly damp from rain as my aunt stared ahead of her, she was slumped over as she fiddled with her lighter as began smoking passing me over the bag. Inside was a small collection of snacks and canned coffee supposedly for the road home, I nervously opened a can of coffee.

"Your Uncle always had a way of fucking things over" she lamented, I flinched at the use of language but didn't argue and just sighed. I could only imagine how loud the two of us had been arguing, as I held the can tighter, it was making my hands cold."Did I go too far?" I asked honestly, she shook her head as she puffed out some smoke, "you went easy on that old bastard...and me" she admitted.

"Fuck...fuck...Shuichi, you were really handed a bad deck wasn't you?" She asked, "Ouma was...shit" she cursed as she fumbled her cigarette, some of it breaking off as she sighed. She glanced ahead of her again, as I turned to face her direction. In front of us was a playground, there weren't many children there but my Aunt seemed to stare after the site with a sense of longing in her eyes.

"We don't need to talk-" I quickly tried to interrupt but she just sighed, "grief is a funny thing. The more I think about it. Twists things. Twisted the way I saw anything and everything, that guilt that made me want to die myself...waking up every day asking God what I did so horribly wrong to my daughter?

"When? When was it that I failed her? When did my child feel like she couldn't even trust her own mother? That she didn't think I would have cared if she died anymore? But instead of handling it like an adult, I took all those frustrations out on him instead of coping.

"A kid, he was just a kid...and I wished more than anything in the world it had been Chiasa that lived...not him...I made his life hell. I was supposed to be his teacher, a person he could turn to in case he needed help.

"Never did that. Never helped him. Instead, I think I broke the kid, adults are funny like that Shuichi. We think we know everything, that we know how to solve everything...but in reality, we can be as naive as a child...

"We just don't have the excuse of being young anymore.

"Your Uncle...Jesus...I can't tell you what he knows, I don't know what happened but...you're in the right ok?" She told me. "You're in the right, for this at least, don't get a big head like me just...

"Know that I support you ok?" She offered. I paused and nodded nervously. She paused as she stared at her lighter, instead of lighting it this time she seemed to inspect the item with an annoyed glare "used to hate this shit...used to smoke before I knew I was pregnant...wonder if that's what destroyed her health...

"Yet here I am...still into the same shit..." she laughed as she faced me, a teary glance in her eyes. "Go find your answers okay?" She said calmly, "know you can do it, and...I'm sorry, I'm sorry you're the one shackled with this burden...I really am" she apologized.

"You're too young for this, that's the only thing I can agree on with your Uncle. As to whether Ouma is safe being sent away from here, and him insisting on hiding information from you...well, I don't agree with that. But if you ever do need me, not just for whatever casework I bet you have going on, but someone to talk to...I'll be here alright? 

"I'll also try and get that old bastard to come clean about what he knows to you, probably won't work, if you can believe it he has the potential to be as stubborn as I am...but I'll do my best. But I'm proud of you kid, I really am. You've grown up a lot since that shy kid that arrived on our doorstep, and I can't wait to see who you become as an adult" she told me, with genuine pride in her eyes. It made me feel warm inside, like a comforting hug.

"I wouldn't want it any other way, it isn't a burden in this case. I want to do this, I want to set things right" I responded, "let's see if you say that when this is all over" she warned, her eyes showing some concern.

I didn't argue.