Chapter 02: The Divorce

Chapter 02: The Divorce

"Alright, that's done," Kaito muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Let's go. Otherwise, it'll get pretty dark soon."

Aoi hesitated, her gaze lingering on the tiny plant they had just finished planting. A faint breeze rustled the leaves around them, carrying the earthy scent of soil and grass. She exhaled softly before nodding.

"Yeah... okay."

They walked side by side, their footsteps naturally falling into sync. The pathway leading to the school gate was lined with tall trees, their leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze, casting shifting shadows across the pavement.

Aoi kicked a small pebble, watching it bounce along the ground. Her fingers fidgeted slightly as she glanced at Kaito, who walked with his hands still stuffed into his pockets, staring ahead.

"Hey, Kaito?"

"Hm?" He didn't turn his head, his gaze fixed on the road.

"Do you really think it'll bloom?"

Kaito let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head slightly. "You always ask things like that."

"Well?"

He finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. "It's just a flower, Aoi."

She puffed her cheeks in frustration. "It's not just a flower! It's a symbol. If we take care of it, it'll grow, just like… just like everything else."

Kaito snorted, the corner of his mouth twitching. "You really believe in all that sentimental stuff, don't you?"

Aoi huffed but didn't reply. The silence stretched between them as they neared the school gate.

A cool gust of wind blew past, ruffling Aoi's hair. She brushed a stray strand behind her ear, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Kaito frowned slightly. What's with her? Who believes in those old legends anyway? It's just a superstition. What's the point?

Neither of them spoke much after that.

When they reached their usual parting point, Aoi lifted her hands in a small wave. "Okay, bye. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Yeah," Kaito mumbled, barely paying attention. His mind was already elsewhere.

As he turned towards his house, he glanced at the watch on his wrist. His eyes widened.

"What? 6:00 PM already? That girl wasted a whole hour of my time! I have to hurry or I'll miss my anime. No way I'm skipping today's episode. Next time, if I run into her..."

His thoughts trailed off as he quickened his pace.

His house wasn't far from Aoi's—just a few blocks away. It was a modest, modern structure with clean lines and a neatly kept front yard.

He pressed the doorbell.

"Coming, brother!"

A small, energetic voice rang out from inside. The next second, the door burst open, and a little girl launched herself at him.

Kaito barely managed to catch her.

"You're late!" Arina pouted, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "You said you'd play with me today! But you didn't come early! Liar! Liar!"

She clung to him like a koala, her long black hair tickling his chin.

Kaito let out a small sigh, ruffling her hair. "I'm sorry, Arina. I had… urgent things to take care of."

Arina narrowed her eyes, tilting her head. "Liar. You don't even have a girlfriend. What urgent things?"

Kaito winced. "Ouch. Don't be so harsh, dear sister." He smirked, leaning down slightly. "But don't worry. Your amazing brother will get a girlfriend soon."

Arina blinked before bursting into laughter. "Hahahaha!"

Before Kaito could react, she suddenly turned and shouted, "Mom! Listen! Brother said he's gonna get a girlfr—!"

Kaito clamped a hand over her mouth, panic flashing across his face.

A voice drifted from inside the house. "What did you say?"

Kaito tensed. "N-No! Nothing, Mom!"

Arina giggled against his hand, her eyes shining mischievously.

Kaito sighed, lowering his voice. "Oi, if you tell Mom stuff like that, she'll kill me. You know she doesn't like that kind of talk, right?"

Arina grinned. "I know. But you didn't play with me today, so I had to do something. Buuut… if you play with me tomorrow, I won't tell her that you were on a date with Aoi-sister."

"I was not on a date!" Kaito groaned, exasperated. "We're just friends! Why don't you get that?"

Arina let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. "You have a long way to go, brother. You're still a kid."

Kaito pinched her cheeks. "What did you say?"

"Oww! Oww! N-Nothing, brother! Let go!"

Finally, they stepped inside. The scent of warm food filled the air.

In the kitchen, their mother stood by the stove, stirring something in a pot. Without turning around, she spoke.

"You're late, Kaito."

Kaito sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I know, Mom."

Arina giggled beside him, and Kaito sent her a warning glance.

She only grinned wider.

----

Kaito stepped out of the bathroom, fresh from a shower, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. He ran a towel through his messy locks before slipping into a blue T-shirt and black trousers. The cool fabric did little to settle the unease in his chest—a vague discomfort he couldn't quite place.

As he made his way to the dining table, the scent of freshly cooked food greeted him, momentarily easing his nerves. His mother had already set everything up, the warm light in the room casting soft shadows across her tired face.

He sat down and picked up his chopsticks, taking a bite of the food she had prepared. The familiar taste filled his mouth, comforting in a way that made him forget, just for a second, the creeping sense of unease he had felt earlier.

"Tasty as always, Mom," he said, forcing a small smile.

His mother looked up from her plate, her expression distant, but she returned his smile. "Yes. Of course."

A silence followed. The only sound was the clinking of utensils against plates.

Then, she spoke. "Is Arina asleep?"

Kaito nodded. "Yeah… she was excited to play with me, but she ended up falling asleep."

His mother hummed in acknowledgment, poking at her food absentmindedly. Another silence stretched between them. It felt different this time—thicker, heavier, as if something unspoken lingered in the air, waiting to break free.

Then she sighed, placing her chopsticks down with deliberate slowness.

"Kaito… there's something I need to talk to you about."

Her voice carried a weight Kaito had never heard before. His hands, which had been reaching for another bite, froze midair.

"…Yeah?" He set his chopsticks down. "What is it?"

His mother's eyes darkened, and for the first time, he noticed the exhaustion in them—not just physical, but something deeper, something that had been building for a long time.

"You see… your father and I talked last night." She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the hem of her sleeves. "We've decided… we're going to divorce."

Kaito's mind went blank.

For a moment, it felt like the world had stopped moving, like time itself had frozen in place. The words didn't register. His brain refused to process them. Divorce? His parents? No—this had to be some kind of joke.

"What…?" His voice came out barely above a whisper. He stared at her, his throat dry. "What are you saying, Mom?"

His mother exhaled, closing her eyes briefly as if bracing herself. "We decided this a few days ago. I wanted to tell you first… because I can't tell Arina. She's too young."

"But why?" Kaito's voice cracked, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "Why now? What happened? You and Dad were fine—weren't you?"

His mother looked away. "Many things happened, Kaito. Things that made me realize… our relationship isn't working anymore. It hasn't been for a long time."

"That's not—" Kaito stopped himself, his breath shaky. "That's not true, right? It was a love marriage! You guys loved each other!"

A small, bitter smile formed on his mother's lips. "Love isn't always enough."

Kaito felt his chest tighten. His fingers curled into fists on his lap, nails digging into his skin.

"I am leaving tomorrow," his mother continued, her tone eerily calm. "It's better if you don't tell Arina. Just say I went abroad for a while. Your father will take care of the expenses. But if you ever need anything—"

"Leave?" Kaito's voice rose, his chair scraping against the floor as he stood up abruptly. "You're leaving? Just like that?"

"I'm sorry, Kaito. But I can't continue this marriage. I… I'm tired."

"Tired?" Kaito laughed, but it was empty, hollow. His heart pounded in his chest, the reality of the situation crashing down on him like a tidal wave. "You're just going to walk away? What about me? What about Arina? Have you even thought about what this will do to her?"

His mother lowered her head. "I have."

"No, you haven't!" His voice cracked, anger, sadness, and confusion swirling together in a mess of emotions he couldn't control. "She's only ten! She still needs you! I still—"

The words caught in his throat. His breathing was ragged, his vision blurred.

His mother stood up, pushing her chair back gently. "I'm sorry, Kaito. But my decision is final."

She turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving him standing there, his whole body trembling.

He couldn't believe it.

They were a family. A loving family. So why? Why now? Why was this happening?

He felt his chest tighten even more, his throat constricting. His mother's words echoed in his head—Your father will pay for your expenses.

Was that all they were worth? Money?

Was that supposed to replace a mother?

A lump formed in his throat. His mother, the one who had always told him everything would be okay, had just shattered their family like it was nothing. And she was expecting him to keep it from Arina? To lie to his little sister, to act like everything was fine?

He couldn't do that.

Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the dim light of the room. Before he could stop himself, they spilled over, sliding down his cheeks.

He didn't even realize he had moved until he found himself in his room, shutting the door behind him. His legs gave out, and he slid to the floor, burying his face in his hands.

"This… this isn't real." His voice shook. "Mom wouldn't do this. She wouldn't just leave."

But she was.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

His mind swirled with a thousand thoughts. Who's going to take care of Arina when I'm at school? How am I supposed to cook? How am I supposed to keep this house together? Does Dad even care?

His father was never home. Always working, always somewhere else. He barely even saw him. And now, his mother was leaving too.

Did they ever care?

His breath hitched, his body shaking as the weight of it all came crashing down on him.

"…How are we supposed to live now?"

He didn't have an answer.

Eventually, exhaustion overtook him. His body, drained from the overwhelming flood of emotions, gave in, and his eyes slipped shut.

Even in sleep, his chest ached with a pain he had never felt before.

And the worst part was… tomorrow, when Arina woke up, he would have to pretend none of this had ever happened.

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~~~~~~~~~Chapter Ended)~~~~~~~~~~