Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 29• Yagi's Frustration

Yagi Toshinori sat in the quiet of the now-empty drawing room, his large frame hunched over as he rubbed his temples. The monthly therapy session had ended, and once again, it felt like they had gotten nowhere. His son had left in a flurry of unresolved anger, leaving Yagi alone with the therapist.

Dr. Chiharu Hayashi, a patient and composed woman with sharp, intelligent eyes, studied Yagi with a sympathetic expression. She let out a slow breath, her clipboard resting in her lap as she began to speak.

“Mr. Toshinori,” she said gently, “I know this isn’t easy for you. But these things take time. Neito is working through a lot—more than he’s willing to share right now.”

Yagi’s hand clenched into a fist against the table, his frustration bubbling over. “How much more time, Dr. Hayashi? How much more space?” His voice was strained, tinged with bitterness. “My son doesn’t even live with me anymore. He barely speaks to me. What else am I supposed to do?”

Dr. Hayashi’s expression remained calm, though there was a flicker of understanding in her eyes. “You’ve done what you can for now. You’ve shown up for these sessions, reached out to him, and made it clear that you care. That consistency is important, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s making a difference right now.”

Yagi let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. “It doesn’t feel like anything is making a difference. Every time we sit down, it’s like I’m talking to a wall. He won’t open up. He won’t tell me what he’s feeling. He just… shuts me out.”

Dr. Hayashi set her clipboard aside, leaning forward slightly. “Neito’s anger isn’t about this moment, Mr. Toshinori. It’s about years of resentment. He feels abandoned, betrayed even, and those feelings don’t just go away because we tell him they’re unwarranted.”

“I didn’t abandon him,” Yagi said, his voice rising slightly. “I did everything I could to provide for him, to keep him safe. I worked day and night to protect this world for him—for everyone. And yet, he—”

He stopped himself, his frustration giving way to a deep, aching sadness. “He hates me for it. No matter what I say, no matter what I do, he hates me.”

Dr. Hayashi allowed a moment of silence to pass before speaking again. “He doesn’t hate you, Mr. Toshinori. He’s hurt, and that hurt manifests as anger. But anger isn’t the opposite of love. Indifference is. The fact that he still shows up, even reluctantly, means there’s a part of him that still cares.”

Yagi sighed heavily, his hands covering his face. “It doesn’t feel that way.”

“I know,” Dr. Hayashi said softly. “But you need to be patient. Forcing a connection will only push him further away. He needs to come to terms with his feelings on his own, in his own time.”

“How long is that supposed to take?” Yagi asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “What if he never comes around? What if I’ve lost him for good?”

Dr. Hayashi placed a comforting hand on his arm. “It’s not about waiting for him to come around, Mr. Toshinori. It’s about showing him that, no matter how much time passes, you’re still here. That you’re not giving up on him.”

Yagi closed his eyes, the weight of her words settling heavily on his shoulders. He wanted to believe her, to hold onto the hope that one day his son would see how much he cared. But right now, it felt like an impossible dream.

“I’ll keep trying,” he said finally, his voice tired but resolute. “For as long as it takes, I’ll keep trying.”

Dr. Hayashi gave him a small, encouraging smile. “That’s all you can do. And for what it’s worth, I think Neito knows that, even if he doesn’t show it.”