Chapter 104 After 9 The End

After 9 The End

(Mom…!)

I have a lot to say.

I have a lot to apologize for.

I also want to express my gratitude.

Finally, I can say it all.

So…I slowly approached my mother.

“…?”

She can already see me.

After saying goodbye to Ichika and the others, Mom, who was about to turn around and go back into the house…noticed my approach and tilted her head.

The expression on her face is a little blank.

Maybe she hasn’t noticed me yet?

Could it be that she doesn’t recognize me at all?

That’s not surprising.

Because it’s been almost 20 years…since we last saw each other.

The person I was then and the person I am now are very different in appearance.

So I thought I’d better tell her.

(It’s me, Takeshi!)

When I opened my mouth to say that.

When I took a breath and tried to speak.

It was at that moment.

“——Takeshi?”

Mom remembered me.

She hadn’t forgotten me.

She noticed the piece of this trash.

That was the moment.

(…Ah, NO.)

My mouth closed.

I unconsciously suppressed the voice that wanted to come out.

I shouldn’t have called out to her.

I…didn’t want to hurt her anymore.

(Even though I did such a terrible thing…she was still——my mother.)

I’m sure if I talk to her, she’ll smile at me.

She would forgive me.

That’s the kind of person she is.

No matter how much I’ve hurt her, no matter how terrible I’ve done to her, I’m sure she’ll forgive me if I apologize…she’s such a kind and wonderful person.

I don’t want to hurt such a person again.

If I talk to her now…I will act spoiled to her again. And I will make her suffer again.

No. No. No.

I’m not like her, I’m the complete opposite.

I’m a sc🬀🬀🬀ag who can’t be kind to people.

The best thing I can do for my mother is not to…talk to her right now.

Be quiet and go away; disappear forever.

This is the best “atonement” I can do.

“…”

I said this to myself and stepped away from my mother.

“…I wonder if it was my imagination.”

I think it was because I was unresponsive.

She kept her eyes on my back for a while, but when I turned away and looked back…she was gone. She must’ve gone inside.

Yokatta…

She seemed to think it was just her imagination.

Yokatta…

I didn’t act spoiled to her.

Yokatta…

At least for the last time, I was able to think of her and not myself.

Yokatta, Yokatta, Yokatta…

“——”

Finally, my vision became distorted.

Tears kept flowing and I couldn’t see what was going on…so I just stood still frozen.

“SORRY!”

I mumbled the words I couldn’t say.

“I’M SORRY FOR HURTING YOU.”

I want you to forgive me.

But even to be forgiven is too much.

I have done so much to you.

“THANK YOU FOR RAISING ME.”

I will bear it.

I will live with this wound, suffering from guilt.

This is the only “atonement” I can make.

I may never be happy again.

But that’s okay.

There is no reason for me to be happy if it makes you unhappy.

It is the least I can do.

“THANK YOU FOR BEING MY MOTHER…MOM. I LOVED YOU.”

I wish I could have told her this when I was a child.

If I had, it might’ve been me, not Takumi…standing next to her right now——

The End.

tl: Thank you so much for reading until the end! Apologies for any mistakes in the translation.