Chapter Text
Hideko saw it. Everything. How her own son pushed his father without batting a lash. How her husband's body descended with his wheelchair hauntingly on the stairs. How Tetta's remorseless facade quickly changed into that of a pitiful and innocent child.
Her hand loosened its grip from the purse she was holding. She could only tremble.
How should she act in this situation?
It was her fault, she knew that. It was a mistake to let Tetta walk his father around, knowing their relationship wasn't anything near good.
Hideko just wanted to escape from the house. That's why she organized an unnecessary meeting with her colleagues and pushed Tetta to do a task she was supposed to do.
Her tears fell as she rushed to her husband's body. She didn't even think about her actions; it was a given that she'll act like a normal wife who lost her husband. It was the only right thing to do. Tetta's broken scream made her body shiver. She cried for help along with him.
The woman knew. Her tears did not fall for her husband's death. She cried because of how disgusted she was with herself, how much she wanted the event to happen, and how much she wanted her husband dead. She hated herself or she was thankful of her son doing the deed.
How cruel of Hideko.
She liked her husband dead.
How cruel of Hideko.
She tolerates her son murdering his father.
How cruel of Hideko.
She felt liberation instead of grief.
It was disgusting.
Looking around the group of staff who gathered to get help for his husband, she saw a horrified nurse staring at her son with terror on her eyes. Hideko's eyes darkened. That urse knew, didn't she?
Hideko had her hands on the throat of the nurse she suspected. "You saw it, didn't you?"
"W-What? I-I did not see anything!"
"You did."
"I-I-I—"
"I'll give you a billion yen to keep our little secret, young lady. Start a new life far away from here. Or do you want more?" the elder spoke firmly to hide her trembling hands.
The nurse looked at her fiercely in the eyes with disgust. Hideko's insides churned. "And what if I refuse? You're son is a murderer. Accept it. Mr. Kisaki deserves—"
She slapped her. What does this bitch know about her family? "Did I give you the right to refuse?"
Before the young lady even spoke, she cut through her. "Is Mr. Kaito Watanabe and Mrs. Aika Watanabe doing alright?"
The poor girl trembled when Hideko mentioned her parents' name. When fear filled her eyes, the elder knew—the nurse wouldn't be able to play by justice anymore.
"You understood now, right?" Hideko asked her. "You cannot refuse."
The nurse bowed her head in shame and fear.
Three days later, Hideko's anxiety of her and her son being found out worsened. Her heart would beat fast whenever her name and her son's would be linked in a sentence along with her late husband. It's what keeps her awake at night.
If Tetta gets caught, he'll suffer. And so was she. With guilt.
It'd be the downfall of them.
She can't let that happen. Why should they suffer for the death of a terrible human?
They did nothing wrong.
And so, she made a call with her late husband's connection to the underground.
A call that would soon end the dreams, aspirations, and future of a young nurse.
"How much?"
"Ten bil."
"Got it. I put my trust in you as my husband did before."
"We wouldn't fail you, Mrs. Kisaki."
Hideko can't look into her son's eyes nor can she speak to him. Whenever she saw those gray eyes of him that were similar to hers, she sees how horrible of a person she was.
A monster.
On the days of the wake, Tetta kept the beguiling weep of a pure child. She can see through him. She was scared that he'll soon see through her.
He shouldn't see her irredeemable sins.
And so, she drowned herself into working for money she did not care for anymore. She worked in a job she hated endlessly. It was her only way to escape from herself.
It was better than looking at a reminder of the weight of your sins. It was better than seeing Tetta.