Volume 25 Chapter 5 Part3 (1/2)
Leaving her parents' bedroom, she found her father there
”Papa … ”
”I'm sorry”
He was leaning against the wall next to the bedroo at her It looked like he'd been there for quite a while Heafter Touko entered their bedroom
”It's nothing”
Touko shook her head, and put her hand on her pajama collar
It was cold in the hall, after all She'd co when she heard her mother's screa else on The air chilled her neck
”I'm sorry”
Her dad repeated As though apologizing that he hadn't been there for his wife's mishap
”I went to the toilet, then thought I'd stop in at the kitchen for a nightcap”
Touko's dad took off his dressing gown and draped it over her shoulders His familiar smell covered her body It arm
”You couldn't sleep?”
” - No”
He shook his head slightly, but Touko wasn't sure whether he was telling the truth or not Her dad wasn't much of a drinker He would drink at work functions, but at hohtcap? It was hard to believe
”Is it because of me … ?”
She said, sohtheartedly, and was met with a serious expression
”Not at all”
But her htmares for the past h December last year, so there was no way the tere completely unrelated
Because of hersoundly either In that case, it could be said that her dad's insomnia was Touko's fault after all
”Like that”
Her dadat Touko
”You're always forcing yourself to fit in We were so stupid, we never suspected that when you were behaving like a spoiled child, or being willful, that it was you acting the part of an innocent daughter”
He looked forlorn
”You too, papa You read too s”
It was hard on Touko, knowing that she was the one who caused him to have such an expression, when usually he covered her in a warm smile
”I've never for amyself I'm sure that was all me My personality took that shape because that's the sort of person I wanted to be”
That was all she could say at this point
She had been the one to destroy the balance within their family She didn't want to tell a lie that would only patch things over on the surface
Even if it were to be mended, it could never return to the way it was before She didn't want things fixed if that just meant that the destruction had been in vain
”Back then, that argument seemed to come as quite a shock to mama”
Her dad said, looking towards the bedroom
”On the other hand, I thought it was a good thing Because if you hadn't hit us with your feelings, wein your heart”
Touko's hands naturally uided by the phrase, ”the screa in your heart”
Thinking back, it had always kind of felt like her suppressed e, ”Let me out of here”
I'm here