"Oh, and before I forgot, how are all your wounds, Shinae-chan?", Reiko turned back as she lingered on the door. "I hope they're better."

"Yes, I do feel better.", Shinae smiled and looked down at the bandages on her hand, "Thank you again for helping me, Reiko-san..."

"No problem dear."

Reiko-san smiled and gazed at the girl before her. Her lilac eyes deepened with thoughts.

A few moments of silence passed by.

"Shinae-chan. You know you can stay with us as long as you want, right?". Reiko-san said quietly.

"Oh, no- its okay, Reiko-san. That-", Her tiny bandage-covered face flustered, "That would be too problematic for you-"

"Of course it's not, Shinae-chan.", She continued, "In fact, I would want you to stay here with us for good."

She stopped for a bit and hesitated. Could talking about this matter hurt this poor child even more?

"Um, I can't, Reiko-san. I would be such a burden to everyone-"

"You'd be such a great help. You have helped me a lot with the housework, haven't you? And I'm not always around this house, you know? I live with my husband in another apartment. Those boys insisted on moving out although they couldn't even do all the work, dear."

Went Reiko-san on and on.

"You could stay and handle them for me, Shinae-chan. Both of them seems to enjoy your company~"

Could making up another excuse for her stay persuade her?

"No, it's fine Reiko-san... I have some matters to settle at home, too.", said Shinae quietly, hanging her head down low. 

Haitani-san's hand held her purse slightly tighter, her lilac eyes overflowed with sympathy.

"Okay. But if there's anything wrong happening to you, you know that I'll always be by your side right?..."

You won't, Reiko-san, you can't be. I will have to get my hands bloody and sinful. And I don't want you to be involved in it.

"... And I'll always be ready to listen to all your worries, Shinae-chan. You can always talk to me, when you're ready."

I couldn't talk over a matter like this to someone like Reiko-san. She's... too precious for such bloody gore.

The guilt in Shinae burst more than ever, drowning her in regrets of her sins and the desire for redemption. It finally dawned on her why.

If- If Reiko-san knew about all my darkest intentions and desire of murdering and torturing my own brother, would she be disgusted and terrified of me? ...Of course. Everyone would be... We just met this morning, but all of this sympathy, this- this caring have gotten me yearning for more. I could not have her horrified of me, disgusted of me, regretting ever talking or caring for me. NO, I CAN'T TAKE IT! I-

Shinae felt her breath shattering into a thousand pieces of short gasps.

A selfish little b_tch as always, aren't you, Shinae.

Her string of thoughts clicked off like a switch. She felt hollow and empty again.

"... And I'll turn back after work to check up on you and those brats, okay? You should rest at our house until your wounds becomes better, Shinae."

Shinae lifted her head up a bit, trying to avoid the gentle lilac eyes.

"Thank you, Reiko-san."

Reiko-san was waving her goodbye as she open the door behind her. Shinae painstakingly heaved her heavy arm up and muttered a tiny "Goodbye, Reiko-san."

The door closed between them and Shinae could feel the gaze on her was unbroken until the lock clicked.

"Mom cares a good deal about you, huh.", a voice behind her spoke.

Shinae turned back and put on a little smile.

"Yep, Rindou-kun. She is amazing. Such a kindhearted character."

"Yea, sure. She only shows up once a week to at our house, just to see how we're going, but she stayed for a whole day when you're here."

"...Make sure you appreciate her as much as possible, okay?"

"Uh huh. Anyways, that's what you think, you know. She's usually strict with us when she's around. She doesn't even like those from Tenjiku when we bought them home to hang out. You seems to be different to her."

"How?"

"Idk? Less problematic, I guess."

Rindou said as he left into his room.

.

I'll have to go and finish Akuito now. There's no use delaying anyways. 

Shinae could feel dread crawling up her throat, but she swallowed it down. 

I have to end it today,  Aniki.

The urge to break into tears overflowed and burned her nostrils again.

Fvck this shit... I didn't even get to say goodbye to Reiko-san properly. I hope she wouldn't be- too sad over me...

"Oh, Shin-chan?", Ran called from behind her, "What are you doing?"

Oh yea, this dumbass, too... I'll deal with him for ruining my impeccable plan...

Shinae stiffened as she turned back. Ran was leaning on the door to his room, his hand holding a can of coke.

"Oh, my mom just left for work, huh? I guess she would come back after work to check up on you, Shinae-chan. She seems very fond of you, doesn't she?"

The anger in her leaked away completely, and she felt that same dreadful feeling of emptiness, the feeling when she didn't know how to feel.

Shit... I've completely forgot... He's Reiko-san's son. 

.

.

Reiko-san might be strict and always complain about them, but I know she loves them dearly... She'd be heartbroken if-- if I did anything to him... She'd be sure to hate me then... I couldn't believe I almost did something that would hurt Reiko-san...

I can't break another person's heart over this, especially someone like Reiko-san. No. My suffering alone is enough.

Shinae's eyes soften as she looked up at Ran. 

Well, there's no use holding a grudge against someone like him. He might have ruined my plan, but he seems to have done it for my good.

Ran gazed back into those eyes, and the discomfort he felt since breakfast  melted away.

Whatever she held against me, and for whatever the reason, has gone. Undoubtedly so.

"She is lovely, indeed. Be thankful for having such a kind-hearted mother, Ran-kun."

She patted him lightly on the shoulder as she walks pass. The long haired boy's flustered gaze followed her back as her shadow finally disappeared in the living room corner.

Well, let's just go and do away with what I've left behind last time, now, Shinae!

P/s: Help guys my writing is all over the place now Imma die-- I'm so sorry if this chapter has so many random shit details and the events don't even match up. Omg let me just kms 😫😫

P/s 2: Lmfao and I'm back with traditional art 😅😅 I'm so sorry but I'm practically blind when it comes to any technology more complicated than 3 buttons so it takes too much time to make digital art to keep up with my writing 😭🤚 So here you go with this traditional art