Your Lie In April: Across The Multiverse

YLIA x Multiverse Episode 9: Wounds Of A Father

Episode 9: Wounds Of A Father

Strange Supreme stepped through the portal and back into the "Overlook Dimension" of The Watcher, delivering his report.

"I've just informed Omni Man that him and the other Guardians may be called upon soon," Strange Supreme informed the Watcher. "He was second to last on my list. I'll notify Arima right away."

The Watcher glumly shook his head, and Strange was confused.

"Look," the Watcher said simply, pointing at the window into Kousei's new universe.

...................................

"Son?" Takahiko Arima said, holding out his arms for a hug. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

Kousei just breathed in and out as slowly as he could, resisting the urge to storm out of the house and slam the door in his father's face. Every instinct screamed at Kousei to do as such. But instead, the pianist just stood in the living room, back rigid and hands shaking angrily.

Happy? That was quite a far cry from the word Kousei would use to describe the emotions he felt when looking upon the man who had sacrificed time with his terminally ill wife and abused son on the altar of corporate success. Kousei recalled his father had only briefly been in town when his mother passed away in his old universe, but that was it.

Then it struck him.

"Did you even go to my funeral, dad?"

Takahiko stopped in his tracks.

"Son...?"

"The funeral. Of my other self in this universe who died," Kousei reiterated. "Were you even there? At all?"

Takahiko was caught off guard; his first time seeing his son—well, his son's alternate that is—three months after the other Kousei's passing, and this was the first question on his son's mind?

"Why—yes, my son!" Takahiko stammered. "I was so devastated to be there! Losing your mother, and then you...I felt I had nothing more to do except work! When Hiroko called me and told me of how you'd come into this world, I was speechless! I had to come see you myself!"

"You realize I've been here for a month already, right dad?"

Takahiko stopped short, searching for the right words. The reply the absent father uttered in his defense, however, was less than ideal.

"Well, yes son, but I had a business summit in the United States! You know how those are, how long they go! I—!"

"DON'T!" Kousei suddenly shouted, his patience having run out. Takahiko took a step back.

"Just don't!" Kousei yelled. "After all the times you weren't there for mom while she withered away in that cruel hospital bed, you're crazy if you think I'll accept your feeble excuses for a second!"

Takahiko's mouth was agape with surprise, anger, and regret. His son had never talked to him like this before!

Then Arima's father realized...if Kousei had wanted to say these things to him, he'd never been around to hear it.

"Where were you, when mom lay dying in that hospital, hooked up to all those machines?!" Kousei snarled.

Takahiko was silent.

"Where were you, when the girl I loved was taken from me by an incurable condition that turned her into a walking pile of fragile, degenerated muscles?!"