𝕽𝖊𝖒𝖓𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕳𝖔𝖕𝖊

04

compassion
episode: 04

toji, who never left hid amongst the people. waiting for what y/n might do when he's not around, his patience running thin when finally, the front door clicked open.

his disguise was nothing but a mask and had his hair tied up, wearing a different attire than what he would usually prefer. to his surprise, she bought megumi with her.

'was she planning to take megumi with him?'

following them from a distance as immediately, insults started flying in her direction.

she's shameless! after pulling a stunt like that?!'

'how pitiful, look at that child! he looks like he's been starved! probably because of her cooking'

'she should be thankful that her husband bears her childish attitude!'

I look at her, her hand tightening around megumi's as new insults seem to be thrashed at her in any direction of the neighborhood.

'I heard she got scolded by her husband'

because of their gaping distance, she was likely unable to hear them because. megumi whoever walked mindlessly while being led by her, who looked like she trembled under the eyes of the people. guilt rose inside the pit of the abdomen, he remained oblivious of the neighbor's mockery towards his wife until now, all while keeping all of this a secret from him he thought.

they finally enter the store disappearing from their sights yet their insults kept on coming, toji supposed he could wait for them from outside. the people that were constantly generous to him were babbling about his wife behind his back.

soon later, they depart from the store as another range of insults were directed at her, following them from behind as y/n picked up her pace, making megumi follow her speed. having a tight grip on the groceries, she let megumi run first before her, hiding him from other people's view.
he halted his steps and decided to let them go first, finally entering the house.

waiting for a couple of minutes to come by as toji began walking again but stopped when he reached the front door. mentally scolding himself for hesitating, after observing how people berate his wife, he was too much of a coward to confront her knowing he didn't offer her any help to appease her misery.

twisting the knob and opening it slowly, he was met with a crying figure sitting at the entrance while the bags of groceries were on the floor while megumi only sat beside her, not saying anything.

she looked up and looked at him, recognizing well it was no one but her husband, she quickly wiped her tears away, picking up the bags from the ground, and started walking up to the kitchen. closing the door as toji gawked in her direction, megumi who hugged his leg and tugged his pants, requesting his father to lift him as toji
obeyed, all whilst watching y/n, who did nothing but mindlessly tidied up the groceries.

megumi pulls down toji's mask, making his gaze shift towards the boy. grinning at megumi, who had a frown plastered on his face.

"people were bullying y/n" he announces, making y/n stop at her tracks.

"h..he doesn't mean that he must've heard wrong" she quickly explained to toji.

"they said y/n doesn't have a child" megumi calmly explained, toji instantly discerned what that meant.

"that's enough megumi," toji asserted, now it was his turn to speak.

toji's gaze swivels to y/n, who stood silent, fidgeting with her fingers as her lips quiver. megumi wrapped his arms around toji's neck, silently grumbling by himself at his father's outburst.

toji rubbed megumi's back, whispering to him about how insensitive it was to bring that topic out. the silence drove y/n to insanity, she looked around to feel a sense of comfort but it was useless. everywhere she glimpsed, she wasn't welcomed here, this continuous routine was slowly driving her insane.

tears slowly flow down her face as she fell to the ground, covering her face as she finally let out a hoarse sob. squeezing her face as tears continuously slide down her face; when was the last time she cried?

heavy footsteps rushed to her as she only closed her eyes, not wanting to face that twisted man who caused her to be like this. his calloused hands grabbed her elbows, tearing her hands away from her face, her sore eyes looking at toji. her gaze held despair, toji looked at her pitiful state, guilt washing him up as y/n continued to sob, pushing him away only to be pulled back by his arms. pushing her face on his chest, wrapping his arms around her small figure, stifling her sobs as he whispered reconciling words.

he had never done this before, throughout their marriage he has never held her like this.

It was a new experience for both of them.

"I...I just w...wa..wanted a...f...family" she shrieked, hitting toji in the chest a few times as he couldn't do anything but let her vent her kept anger and frustrations.

megumi, who stared in horror backed away from them. the defeating bawls from his mother startled him, covering his ears as he hid behind the couch.

her throat started to dry up, making it as sore as ever as her nose was plugged, her eyes grew red and sensitive as her sobs quickly turned into small whimpers.

"d..do I r..really deserve t...this?" she weakly stuttered as she was met up with silence. toji who was unable to respond only looked away, not wanting to bear with remorse.