Chapter 22: Weeping in Silence

The sun's gentle hue bathed the city as it set. Coloring the streets in a calm orange light. Heading towards the batting center, we walked alongside it. Accompanying it with the melody of our senseless chatter.

"So you want to challenge me to a home run contest?" Her voice restraining a prideful laugh in disbelief. Which only made Jishi insist further.

"What are you, scared?" Jishi's voice drenched in a provoking tone. His lips twisted into a gleeful smile. While his eyes sparkled with joy. He's enjoying himself again.

"Oh, not at all." Ray's voice rotted with irritation. A smile twitched its way over her lips. Her eyes burning at Jishi. At least, she seems in high spirits.

"You should stop teasing her." My hands addressing Jishi halfheartedly. In part because he was bothering Ray. That said, it was an amusing scene. A part of me didn't want it to stop.

Sparks flew between Ray and Jishi as we finally made it to the batting center. At the reception desk, the usual attendant greeted us with a smile. A gentle smile unbefitting his rough exterior. As he stood up, I could hear his bones softly cracking as they shifted into movement.

"Same as usual right?" His sore, yet eager voice brought a smile to Ray's face. Sadly, I couldn't say the same. From his messy beard to his indoor shades. Something about his rough, scabrous skin scared me. Despite that, I forced a smile while pleading my legs not to run away. I don't think I want to anger this guy.

"So here is where you run off before coming home, I should've known," Behind us a cold, monotonous voice caressed our ears. I turned to meet its owner, but my eyes met a woman's back. Regardless, I recognized this unfeeling voice.

"*sigh* Hi mom" Ray's tired sigh confirmed it.

Ray's mother turned her gaze toward us. Her velvet business suit complemented her firm porcelain skin. Accompanied by her long brown hair. Beautiful, one might say, but her eyes. Her lifeless hazel eyes, which stared down at us. They painted a different picture.

A shiver ran down my spine, my heart beating as if begging me to run. But I couldn't do that. If worse comes to worse, I need to be here for Ray. So taking a deep breath, I steeled myself. Turning to see Ray, she did not look scared. In fact, her eyes burned as she faced her mother.

"Mom, I want to talk to you," Ray's firm voice ringed across the room. The air suddenly felt heavy. I could feel rivers of cold sweat streaming down my neck. In the corner of my eye, I caught Jishi. His skin turned pale as he fell silent. Finally, I nervously glanced over at Ray's mother. She stood unperplexed, letting out a silent sigh. My fists tightened as she spoke.

"It's about baseball, isn't it? We've talked repeatedly about this, you know my answer will always be no. You are wasting your talents on a fruitless hobby." Her words struck coldly. Her voice in an unfeeling monotone. My body unconsciously stepped back. I was trembling, I couldn't even look at her anymore.

How can someone be so cold? She is no fiend, but a devil. My heart pounded at my chest, it wanted me to run. And I would run if not for her. Ray looked at her unfaced.

"Is that what you would have told dad?" Ray's voice was strangely serene. Like a gentle spring breeze blowing over a field of tulips. Her eyes glowed in a sad yet tranquil light. Despite that, this had to be the first time her mother's face broke. For a brief second, grief tainted her expression.

"You two are so alike" a faint whisper faded into the air. A cry so faint I couldn't hear its words. But it tore something in me.

"Enough embarrassing yourself, let's go," A faint hurried tone tainted the mother's voice as she approached. Her eye's averted Ray's as she took her hand. That's when I realized.

"Y-you're h-hurt, right?" Silence followed the rough screech that is my voice. The mother stopped, tears formed below her eyes. Small, dried tears.

"You g-grief your h-husband's death a-and b-blame baseball, right?" My feet trembled, but I couldn't help it. She looked so pained.

"What would you know?" The mother's voice burned with a mix of grief and anger as it cracked. Her eyes holding tears as they glared at mine.

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?! You're still too young to even grasp what loss means. I'm doing this- for her own good. So she doesn't end up like me," She choked in her own cries, as tears streamed down her cheeks. Ray stared, bewildered. Her eyes admired the sight of her mother's walls breaking. Only for a few seconds before hugging her. Silence followed, drowning the room in the quiet weeping of another convict of silence.