MIYOKO TENKAWA'S EMOTIONS: 09/15/2030, 08:51 ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ The professor briskly walked towards them as Natsuhiko silently cursed this unexpected turn of events.  I got a call from the security department last night. They say you injured a security guard at the PRC? Oh, I see how it is... So you came back just for that? Of course I did! Never in my dreams did I expect my own son would do something like that! Yui, you were with him. What were you thinking!? ...I-I'm sorry. You too, Mashiro! They said you were with them too!? I-I'm sorry, but...Natsuhiko glared back at the professor as she scolded them. Hold on a second, Mom. They have nothing to do with this, do they!? No, in fact YOU don't have anything to do with this, Mom. This is our probl-- I don't have anything to do with this!? Of course I do! I had to be dragged out of my busy work schedule...The professor sighed deeply. ...Please, just don't add to my problems needlessly. I'm busier than I've ever been with my current work. ...!Something snapped inside Natsuhiko. The professor's son and his friends were being pursued on the pretext of a false charge and yet she wouldn't listen to any of it. And to top it all off, she was still trying to focus on work. ...Okay, Mom. Sorry for being a pest. Just go back to LABO and work already. How can you expect me to just do that? How? It's easy. You keep talking about work this and work that. If work's so important to you, then just go already.He felt something murmuring in his heart as he spoke. He knew he sounded like a spoiled child, but he couldn't stop the words from leaving his lips. They're pursuing us based on a false charge. We were partly at fault, but that security guard lied in his report. Huh? And we're not even doing anything wrong. We're just searching for the terrorists in town. Terrorists...? What are you talking about!? There's a very likely possibility they're here. So we're doing what we can to stop them-- You kids? Stop terrorists!? Don't be foolish!The professor raised her voice sharply. Listen to me! Stop spouting nonsense and just stay inside like I'm telling you to! No, this is my own decision! I can't just back down and listen to you! Is there something I'm not giving you enough of!? I've provided you with a carefree life, haven't I!? Well yeah, you have been providing for us financially, but that doesn't give you the right to criticize every action I take! How do you expect me to listen to everything you say when you're never around to say it!? !The professor's face froze over at those words. N-Natsuhiko, stop it! You've said too much...Mashiro and Salyu frantically cut in. But that was something Natsuhiko had always wanted to tell his mother. He couldn't stop the words he had been holding back all this time. You took custody of Yuuri after her parents died, right? I thought that was very noble of you. But can you look me in the eye and say you've become a new mother for her? ...! I know it's too late for me to say this now, but you've always been too preoccupied with work to even care about what happened at home, haven't you? That's... Do you realize how lonely Yuuri and I were, growing up in a house without parents to welcome home at night? Do you know what it felt like, watching over Yuuri as she struggled with her emotional trauma!? ... Of course, Yuuri's completely innocent here. I'm grateful for how you managed to support the family as a single mother. I truly am. That's why I never said anything. But this. This is the last-- !?It was the frail slap of his mother's palm against his cheek. ...You hit me. That's a first. Guess you had to start acting like a parent somewhere... huh!?Natsuhiko made it that far before gasping.  ...It was all for you... I'm trying my hardest just for you...! Huh...!? Natsuhiko, you made the professor cry. How cruel. Ah, you should apologize...Bitter regret filled his heart as the girls admonished him. But what felt stronger than his regret was his confusion. (It was all for ME!? I never asked for this! So why... Why are you crying!? What's with that timing!?)He couldn't understand his mother's feelings. Dr. Tenkawa continued in a low voice. Natsuhiko, I'm begging you, please listen to me for now... I need to go back to LABO right away... but we can talk as much as we want afterwards. For now...? What do you mean, Mom? Is there something you want to tell me!? ...No. Does it have anything to do with what's going on now!? Not at all. Though I do think one day the time will come when we can talk about it...The professor spoke insinuative words. Natsuhiko wanted to know what was on her mind. He wanted to know from the bottom of his heart, for the very first time. (Mom... what are you trying to say!?)As that thought crossed his mind--   ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ His vision blurred. His hearing diminished. ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ And instead-- Voices echoed in Natsuhiko's ''brain''.  {But until all the work is complete, it'd be best if I avoided him...} !!Natsuhiko was shocked. The sensation was quite similar to receiving telepathy. But not entirely. He heard a voice directly echoing in his head, but-- Natsuhiko had heard Dr. Tenkawa's mental voice! (This is empathy!?) --Natsuhiko!He snapped back when he heard Mashiro's voice up against his ear. !!? Wh-what happened!? Someone's coming this way! !♪ BGM: Looming Crisis ♫ He turned around in shock to see two men running their direction from the other side of the street. They were the security department members who were standing in front of Mashiro's house yesterday. (Dammit, did they see us already!?)He was concerned about the meaning of his mother's tears and if he had just used empathy. But-- --Let's get out of here!--Natsuhiko quickly shouted that command. And with just a moment of hesitation, Mashiro and Salyu nodded. I'm sorry, Professor! We have to go now! Professor, I'll protect Natsuhiko! No need for concern!And with that, the three of them ran away. Leaving behind Dr. Tenkawa, hanging her head in shame...
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| ← # ? Feb 8, 2017 19:30 |
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