True Happiness (rewrite version)

The pain of grief 「6」

AN: Skipping ahead again. Touma woke up. Hikawa is dead. This is after those two days. Hope you enjoy it! 

To remind you:

"Hi!"= Talking in English

"Hi!"= Talking in Japanese

"Hi!"= Words on signs in English

"Hi!"= Words on signs in Japanese

Hi! = Narrator

Hi! = Flashback

'Hi!' = Thoughts

"Hi!" = Talking in flashback

"Hi!" = Talking on the phone

Hi! = Words on paper (unless it's at the beginning or end of the chapter,/It had POV written beside it)

(Hi!) = Author-chan talking

Disclaimer: DCMK isn't mine; it belongs to the great Aoyama Gosho. I only own the story and the OC~

Narrator pov. In the early morning, going to watch the sunrise~

Irene had her thickest jacket on as she walked alongside everyone else, except Kogoro, who was still sleeping in the lodge, in the early morning cold, which Suzuki complained about. Mouri just told her to bear with it as they continued walking. 

Irene was walking with Ai and Edogawa as the two mentioned started talking about the murder case. When Edogawa's Kudo Phone started vibrating in his pocket, Irene glanced over as he took it out, only to see him look at the screen in deadpan and mumble, "Not again..."

The caller was Mouri in the front who just got the answering machine message, and she turned it off as she told Suzuki she wanted to talk to him about the murder, even if he wasn't here.

After a few more steps, Mitsuhiko noticed Touma ahead, crouching near a tree silently, so they all approached him.

Once they were all close enough, they saw that he was in front of a tree log planted in the ground, carved with "Kuro's Grave",

Irene closed her eyes in respect as Touma started crying, "Why.... Is Kuro really dead?" but that was when his mother arrived, calling out, "Touma! What are you doing out here?!" She ran over, sounding angry and worried.

Touma said, "Okaasan..." but then he was grabbed by the shoulder by her as she shouted, "Why did you come out without telling me?!"

Agasa went to calm her down, gently pulling her away, when Touma exploded, sobbing out, "Why?! Why did I become like this?! I don't get it... All my friends became strangers... And Kuro is dead... I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" he started shaking, "I don't get it!"

Irene looked away as Touma sobbed out Kuro's name and hugged the grave, his mother now going to comfort him instead of scolding. Edogawa placed a hand on her shoulder, which she didn't push off.

As Agasa explained that it couldn't be helped, as Touma was still 7 at heart while looking 15, Irene mumbled softly, "And grief at knowing someone close to you dead when you wake up makes it worse." Her voice was as emotionless as usual.

Ai then said, "That's just the opposite of us, isn't it?" 

As Fuyumi now held Touma to comfort him as he cried, Irene gently pulled Edogawa's hand off after a squeeze, just as the diamond dust phenomenon started happening.

Irene watched it, then watched the real kids urging Touma to also look, but then stepped back while looking behind them just as Touma collapsed and clutched his head, noticing someone watching them but not saying anything as everyone else focused on the boy.

They helped Fuyumi calm Touma down and take him home before they also went back to the lodge.

Irene thought about what Ai said, "That's just the opposite of us, isn't it?"

She couldn't help but disagree on one thing, even as her thoughts stayed monotone, 'It doesn't matter the mental age... The pain of grief can make anyone lose grasp of reality. It's not a matter of maturity... It never is.'

She kept it to herself as they all arrived back at the lodge and went to get ready to eat.

AN: Done! Hope you guys liked it!

Yep, another slight ship moment. :3

And yeah, we see how Irene understands grief as pain that can make anyone lose touch with reality, because, even while colorless, she still remembers the feeling.

Maybe it isn't much, but it's just another reminder that Irene's current mindset is because of her grief. So I thought it was worth writing about.

But hey, this is the day when the action happens. So the next chapter will have more, don't worry.

So what did you guys think? Did you like it? Which part was your favorite? Hope to see your feedback soon!

That's all. See you next chapter!

Stay sweet, my fellow anime lovers!~

Dcfan2034~