hanker sore ► nishimura riki

21 | gone

[🪦]

october 25th 2022
8:40 am

riki was finally sleeping after the long wait for updates of his father's state.
he was lying on a chair in the waiting area with the sleeping girl huddled in his arms.

she was the second person the boy had called after getting help for his father.
the girl had arrived within minutes to comfort the boy as he was in a state of fear and shock.

a nurse came out of the room as she went to shake the sleeping boy gently to wake him up.
the boy fluttered his eyes open before looking at the nurse with hopeful eyes.

"he wants to talk to you"

riki turned to look at the girl beside her as she had already woken up and was eyeing the boy with encouragement.
"you should go"

riki stood up at the girl's encouraging words before entering the room.

as the boy was slowly walking towards the bed he felt nervous.
he wasn't afraid anymore.

riki took a seat on the chair beside the bed as he stared at the man who was busy looking out of the window.
something about him felt off.
he felt calm.

"you know, son..
i think your friend was right"
the man suddenly spoke as he turned to look at the boy beside him.

riki was confused at the man's words as his expression signalled the man to keep talking.

"the girl told me how she wished i would one day think about the things i have caused and regret the decisions i've made"
the man chuckled as he was remembering the moment with the young girl who had defended riki bravely.

riki could only think of one person as he listened to the man's story.
it had always been miki.
defending him and supporting him even when he wasn't there to witness it.

"she's someone you should definitely keep in your life,
never let her go"

riki smiled as he thought about the girl.
at the same time he was smiling at the current situation.
he was having a fatherly talk with the man he had grown to fear his whole life.

"i'll get straight to the point.
i'm afraid my time in this world is up, son"

riki lifted his head at the man's words as he could feel his blood running cold.

"w-what do you mean?"
riki managed to mutter out as he was too shocked to form a proper sentence.

"you don't have to worry, there's nothing to be done.
i've left you some money, to make up for all the pain i have caused you"

riki's tears began to fall as he stared at the man who was smiling at him for the first time in his life.

"i'm sorry for everything.
i hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me"
riki's father said as he began ripping off the tubes that were attached to his body to keep him alive.

"dad, what are you doing?
stop! dad!"
riki yelled as he was panicking from the man's sudden action.

the man's eyes were getting heavier as he stared into the boy's eyes.
he used the last bits of strength he had left to caress the boy's cheek.

"i love you, my brave son"

with that the man closed his eyes before his hand fell off the boy's cheek.
a few seconds later the monitor showed a straight line as the loud beeping noise caused a pounding pain in the boy's head.
his vision was being blurred by his tears as he was desperately trying to shake his father's body awake.
it was no use, he was gone.

suddenly the door flew open with nurses swarming in to save the man who was lying lifeless on the bed.
behind the nurses came the girl who's eyes landed on the boy who was crying painfully while
being pushed away by the nurses.

miki ran towards the boy to catch him as his feet couldn't hold him up anymore.
the girl held the boy in her arms as he was crying loudly while watching the nurses trying to bring his father back to life.

"time of death, 9:02"

miki's eyes filled with tears as she was holding the boy while he was screaming from the pain of losing his father.
riki buried his face into the girl's shirt as he didn't want to believe what had happened.

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i'd be lying if i said i wasn't tearing up while writing this :'(

we're also nearing the end of this book :(
but i do have some announcements for a new book that's coming soon!

hope you enjoyed this chapter ♡

-mira