"W-what should I do?!" Jokichi's thoughts raced as he paced around Ayano's room, his footsteps echoed in his daughter's eerily silent room.
The sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls, joining the haunting stillness that enveloped his daughter's room. While Ayano lay motionless on her bed, her lifeless gaze fixed on her white-painted ceiling.
Jokichi's frantic pacing cast sharp, jagged shadows against the wall, each frantic step showing a glimpse of his inner turmoil. Sunlight streamed through the window, painting the room in a warm, almost mocking glow.
As Jokichi paused to catch his breath, his eyes fell on Ayano, who met his gaze with empty eyes that mirrored his own despair. "Shit!" he muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling to the surface as he ran a hand through his dishevelled hair.
Approaching his daughter, he sank onto the edge of her bed, his heart heavy with guilt and regret. Gently, he reached out and patted her head, but she remained unresponsive, lost in her own silent world.
"I-I'm sorry, Yan-chan," Jokichi whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "It's all my fault. I should never have trusted her."
His daughter continued to stare blankly at him, her lack of reaction adding to his anguish.
"P-please, if there's a God, don't let her become like Ryoba," Jokichi cried out in pain and frustration. He tightly hugged his daughter, seeking solace in her presence.
"No! This isn't the time for crying!" he thought, pulling away from Ayano. "I need to take her to the hospital," he whispered, uncertainty clouding his voice. "But how do I explain this without risking Ayano being taken away?"
"I know that Ryoba would act strange if child protective services are called" he whispered in certainty. He remembered Ryoba's potential manipulation and the risk it posed in separating him from Ayano.
"Takamura-san!" he exclaimed in realisation. "I bet he knows someone who can help!" he said excitedly as he gently carried his daughter down the stairs and towards his parked car.
But before he could leave the house, he was stopped by Ryoba who waited for him near the genkan.
"Se-senpai, I-I didn't mean to break my promise," she cried as she approached, attempting to hug Jokichi.
"ENOUGH!" Jokichi shouted in anger, rushing past her. "I trusted you to keep your word, Ryoba," he said, holding back his temper, afraid that Ryoba might lash out and harm him and Ayano. "How can I trust your promises if you break them the next day?"
Ryoba pleaded desperately, but Jokichi shook his head in resignation. "I guess I shouldn't have expected more from someone like you."
With that, Jokichi left, shutting the door behind him, leaving Ryoba stunned in the dark and silent house.
In a rush Jokichi approached his car with Ayano in his arms, his heart pounding in his chest. In his panic and urgency to get her away from Ryoba, he hurriedly placed her in the front passenger seat, fumbling with the seatbelt to secure her.
He darted around to the driver's side, yanked the door open, and slid in, his hands trembling as he turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, and with a quick glance to ensure Ayano was safe, he sped off, the tires screeching against the pavement.
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Jokichi drove off, his mind consumed by worry and uncertainty. He parked near a local convenience store, stealing glances at Ayano, who remained listless and unresponsive in the passenger seat. Sighing heavily, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and dialled Takamura-san's number.
'Ring, ring,' the phone rang a few times before Takamura-san answered the call.
"Hello, Yudasei-san. Is there any problem with the schedule we set?" Takamura asked, his voice calm and composed.
"No, Takamura-san. It's just..." Jokichi hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "I was wondering if you knew a children's doctor who can be trusted to keep secrets," he finally admitted, his voice laden with concern.
"Did something happen?" Takamura-san inquired, his tone serious and attentive.
"Yeah, my daughter—she... I don't know what's wrong!" Jokichi's frustration and fatigue were palpable in his voice, the events with Ryoba weighing heavily on his mind.
"Calm down, Yudasei-san. Let's discuss what transpired in detail on Sunday," Takamura-san replied soothingly. "As for a doctor, Saitozaki-san's mother may be able to help."
"Saitozaki?" Jokichi's tone betrayed a hint of recognition
"Yes, Saitozaki Sumire, one of Aishi's victims," Takamura-san confirmed, bitterness seeping into his voice.
"Ah, Sumire-chan," Jokichi breathed, the memories flooding back. "Her mother is a doctor?"
"Yes, and she's trustworthy," Takamura-san assured him. "She knows the pain of losing a child and is dedicated to helping others."
An awkward silence permeated the car, as the weight of their conversation settling heavily among them
"Thank you, Takamura-san," he finally said, his voice filled with gratitude.
"No problem, Yudasei-san. I'll send you the address of her clinic after we hang up," Takamura-san replied before ending the call.
'Beep,' the phone emitted a soft sound as the call ended, leaving Jokichi to contemplate their conversation. He glanced at the pinned location on his phone, Saitozaki Children's Clinic, his heart filled with hope in the uncertainty that clouds his mind.
Turning the ignition key, Jokichi set the car in motion, the engine's gentle hum breaking the silence that had settled around him. As he drove towards the clinic, each passing mile seemed to bring him closer to the glimmer of hope that his daughter wouldn't become a copy of Ryoba.
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Note:
Genkan - traditional Japanese entryway in a house or apartment where shoes are removed before entering the main living area.
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A Father's Sacrifice
FanfictionJokichi Aishi, a broken man, who had led a miserable life, due to an obsessive adoration by a Yandere named Ryoba Aishi, who kidnapped and forced him into becoming her husband. A man who would do everything, even sacrifice his morality, just to ensu...
