*:･ﾟYou Bet I Stare ･ﾟ:*

CHAPTER 20 - speed racer

DC !!

SOUSUKE
—❁—

Once I finish putting a quick topcoat on my nails, I go back into the living room and see Kou silently sitting on the couch, and he was looking at the wall of random things my mom had hung up. "What are you looking at?" Kou looks at me as I sit down, a small smile appearing on his face as I grab his hand. I then check both his nails and open the bottle of clear polish, taking the brush out so I can put it on his ring fingers. "Oh—I was just looking at those pictures over there on the wall. You never told me your dad was really into photography like you are." I smile as I put the topcoat on his first nail, "Yeah.. I actually got into it because of him." I feel Kou look at me as I keep painting the top coat on his nails. "Does.. um—" He clears his throat as I softly blow on his nails. "Does he still.. like—live here with you and your mom or.." I stop blowing on his nail and I look up at him. No one has ever really asked me about my dad before, and I wasn't really sure how to react. I look down at his nail, blinking as I feel my heart sink a tad bit—but I take a deep breath in and breathe it out before I start waving my hand over Kous nail again. I just respond to his question with a shrug, not using my words or anything. Kou watches my hand as I use it to dry his nail, "Did he like.. move away or something?" I go silent as I feel Kou look at me again, and I could feel his sympathy for me start building up.

"Did your parents separate?"

He blinks as I look up at him, my eyes starting to get the feeling your eyes get before you start sobbing your head off.

I then sigh and look down at his nails as I close the clear polish up. "No.. they never would've separated." I swallow the massive lump in my throat before speaking again, "Remember when you told me that stuff about your mom.. up on the roof at school?" Kou nods as I look up at him, "Well.." My eyes divert themselves away from Kous hands, "My dad.. he also died, but I was too little to remember what or how it happened.." My shoulders shrug upwards. "I don't even remember what his voice sounds like, or what his face looks like outside of the picture over there on the wall." Kou frowns, "Crap.. that really sucks, Sousuke." I smile a bit as I look at him. "But it's okay.. I'm sometimes thankful that I was too little to really remember what had happened to him, because I feel like if I did I would just feel way worse about it." My small little smile turns into a frown. "I mean, I do feel bad about the part where I don't really have any memories with him that stick out to me.. or that I can vividly remember enough to talk about." I feel Kou scoot a bit closer to me as he listens to me speak, "I've tried asking my mom about what she remembers from my dad, but it's a really sensitive topic for her.. so I never really bother." Kou's hand comes up and touches my shoulder and he frowns a bit. "It's okay.. you don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't feel like it." I look up at him, and I softly smile. "Talking about my mom is hard for me too.. but it's something that kind of reminds you that you're still a human being and that coping and all that fun stuff is what makes you a stronger person." My head nods and I hug him tightly, my arms wrapping around the backside of his neck like always. "You know.. if you ever did become a therapist, it's safe to say that you wouldn't get fired on your very first day." I feel his arms wrap softly around my lower back. "Yeah right, knowing you you'd get fired before your first day even started." I smile and look up at Kou. "Whatever, speak for yourself!" I put a hand on Kous face, pushing it away softly. "You'd just bully people out of their money!" I gasp as I look at Kou, "I would not! At least.." My eyes squint. "Well.." Kou then shoves me down on the couch, playfully holding me down by my shoulders. "So you would bully people out of their money!" I smile, putting my feet on his stomach as he gets on top of me. "So what! I'd be richer than you and you'd end up begging me for money!" I look up at Kou as he grins, "Says who?" I smile widely as I keep looking up at Kou, "Says me, obviously—"