Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 27• Mandatory Misery

Monoma groaned audibly as he trudged sluggishly up the stone path leading to his father's sprawling estate. The towering gates loomed ahead, a vicious reminder of the world he had tried so hard to leave behind.

This was his mandatory meeting. The once-a-month session where he was forced to sit down with his father, Yagi Toshinori, and their therapist to "work through their issues."

Monoma scoffed at the thought. Issues. That word didn't even begin to cover it.

He hated these sessions. Hated the way the therapist would nod and smile like she understood anything, hated the way his father would try to act like he cared, hated the whole charade.

"Just talk it out," they'd say. "You'll feel better."

Monoma didn't feel better. He felt angry. Angry at his father, angry at the world, angry at the fact that no matter how far he tried to run, this part of his life kept dragging him back.

The butler greeted him at the door, his expression as neutral as ever. "Master Neito, your father is expecting you in the drawing room."

"Of course, he is," Monoma muttered, stepping inside. The polished floors and pristine decor only fueled his irritation. Why does everything here feel like a museum? Cold, lifeless, and fake.

The drawing room was just as he remembered: plush leather chairs, a grand fireplace, and a massive window overlooking the perfectly manicured garden. His father sat in one of the chairs, his lanky frame somehow making the luxurious furniture look small.

"Neito," Yagi said, his voice even and calm as he stood to greet him.

Monoma ignored the extended hand, brushing past him to take the seat furthest from the door. "Let's just get this over with."

The therapist arrived shortly after, a middle-aged woman with a kind face and a clipboard that Monoma was sure had more doodles than notes on it.

"Good morning, Neito. Toshinori," she said warmly as she took a seat. "It's good to see you both again."

Monoma crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the window. Good to see you? Sure. It's the highlight of your month's paycheck after all.

The session began as it always did, with the therapist gently trying to coax them into sharing their feelings. Yagi, ever the optimist, leaned into the process, speaking about his regrets, his hopes, and his desire to mend their relationship.

Monoma, on the other hand, said as little as possible, his responses clipped and guarded.

"How does that make you feel, Neito?" the therapist asked at one point, her pen poised over the clipboard.

Monoma snorted. "How do you think it makes me feel? I'm dragged here every month to talk to someone I don't even want to see. It's a waste of time."

Yagi flinched slightly at the words but maintained his calm demeanor. "Neito, I know these sessions are difficult, but I believe they're important. I want us to move forward."

"Forward to what?" Monoma snapped, his tone sharp. "You think we can just magically fix everything because we sit here and talk about it? Newsflash, Dad: I don't want to fix this. I'm only here because I have to be."

The room fell silent, the tension thick in the air.

The therapist cleared her throat gently. "Neito, it's okay to feel angry. But maybe you could share why you're feeling this way today."

Monoma leaned back in his chair, his arms still crossed. "I feel this way every day," he muttered. "Nothing about today is special."

The session dragged on, filled with the same circular conversations that had come to define these meetings. By the time it ended, Monoma felt even more drained than when he had arrived.