Hope Will Find Its Way to You

Chapter 11: Confessions of the Heart

I love you not only for who you are but for who I am when I am with you. I love you for the part of me that you bring out.

Confessions of the Heart

Komaeda stood there, the words of Hinata's mother leaving him in a state of utter shock and confusion.

"... What?"

"I said stay away from my son!" She said with anger seething in her voice. "You're ruining his life!"

Komaeda's eyes stretched in horror as he swallowed. He felt his throat thicken. He opened his mouth but couldn't formulate the words to speak. He could barely comprehend the situation he found himself in.

How was he ruining Hinata's life?

Stunned by the accusation, Komaeda could barely whisper the words, "... I'm not-"

"I don't know what you're trying to drag him into." She exclaimed nervously, cutting him off and spewing the words angrily at him. "...Secluding him from the others, getting him into trouble doing heavens knows what!" Recalling what the crewmen said about the two upperclassmen who were found in a compromising situation, and the possibility—the mere thought—that her son might have been one of them was unfathomable. "If the other elites notice this... this thing between you, if word were to get out, it will destroy him!"

His lips pressed together in slight grimace. "Please forgive me. I'm afraid I don't know what you're alluding to. I happen to care deeply about him." He honestly felt confused and she couldn't outright say it. Her voice wavered, scared to confirm the doubts she felt, wishing she was reading the signs all wrong.

"I noticed the lingering touches, the glances. It's not a normal relationship between two grown men."

Komaeda looked troubled to see the state the mother was in, struggling with her words as he watched tears prickle in her eyes. She lowered her voice as her lips trembled, "Please, tell me that you two haven't been doing anything atrocious—unholy, things that are only supposed to be shared between a married man a-and... a woman."

Did she mean sex? But wasn't what she was alluding to was a deeper bond, something lovers share? Was that what he and Hinata have been doing?

... Were he and Hinata lovers?

Getting caught up with feelings, he felt his stomach churn with discomfort before shaking the feelings away. No! He didn't deserve that kind of happiness.

"If by what you mean is sex, then yes we-"

Komaeda didn't get to finish. His eyes widened in the direction in which she had slapped him viciously across the face.

"You're lying!" She screamed in horror, her words faded into a mortified gasp as reality started to sink in. Everything she and her husband have strived for, to secure and build a name for their son, to protect him, was falling apart right before her eyes—and worse. She covered her mouth and shook her head, unable to bear the thoughts, the horrible things people might do to him if they knew. He'll lose everything, her very own child.

Komaeda hesitantly turned his head when he heard soft muffled cries and slowly gazed up at her. His mouth hung open as he watched tears flowing down her cheeks. Seeing the genuine fear, the utter mortification reflected in her eyes, he clenched his jaw as feelings of guilt surfaced. His eyes darted left and right at the imminent realization that he might have been doing something so horribly wrong, something so abominable that would frighten a mother over the well-being of her child, even if he couldn't quite comprehend the weight of it.