I Thought Strawberry Smells Sweet, So Why Does This One Smells Like Blood?

Chapter 14: The Meeting Of The Devil And Angel

🎓Third Person🔪

"Mom, Dad is...?"

Hiromi looked down on her son who wore a confused expression. Seeing him like this, knowing nothing, made her feel grateful and hurt at the same time.

He's just a small kid, he still doesn't know anything bad about this world.

But reality is cruel.

"Nagisa..." The tall blue haired woman squatted in front of the little boy to match his eye level while trying not to show her loneliness.

"Dad...is not here anymore." The longer she tried not to cry, the heavier she felt deep inside. The boy tilted his head to the side and looked at the direction of his dad.

"But why? Does Dad feel comfortable sleeping in that closed bed? Can't he stay with Nagisa anymore?" Nagisa asked with a frown, feeling wronged and sad. Hiromi's emotions started to explode. Not being able to bear it, she hugged the 4 years old child of her to hide her weeping face on his small shoulder.

"I'm sorry...Nagisa..." She cried and cried, the first time the others saw her like a weak woman was the time of her husband's funeral. No one can blame her. After knowing what happened, even the people around can't give consoling words to the pair of abandoned mother and son.

"Mom? Why are you crying? Dad is going to be sad..." Even though he can't understand anything, Nagisa can still feel the heavy burden on his mother. He didn't want it, but he can't help it.

Thinking about his father leaving also made him feel at lost.

"I-I don't want Dad to go...I..." Muffled sobs echoed from the the two blue haired pair. Those who attended the funeral can't look at them and averted their gazes to stop and hide their own tears. It was too painful even for them to watch the heart breaking scene.

Soon, even the sky felt bad, darkening and crying at the land below. Big drops of rain fell down and drenched everyone down, hiding their tears with the cold, stinging water.

"I'm sorry Nagisa..." Hiromi can't say anything, not even able to tell what really happened. All she could do was apologize, for not being able to stop his husband. For not being able to be strong in front of him.

And for deciding to hide the truth for the rest of her life.

"I'm so sorry..."

🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪

A year had past and Nagisa almost forgot about what happened. Being a small one back then, his memories got hazy until it was left at the deepest part of his mind.

With the help of Hiromi not reminding him.

Even though he still look for him.

"Mom, where's Dad?"

Without telling a direct lie, she evades the question everytime the child ask her.

"Oh, he's far away, dear. But don't worry, he's still protecting us." And then she smiles.

Nagisa thought nothing of it, that maybe he was working for them, or something like that. But there was a slight stinging on his chest every time he saw his mother like that. It was as if she was pained, as if she was suffering.

As if she was hiding away.

Still, Nagisa didn't pry any longer. He didn't understand why her mother would be like that, but he decided not to ask. He's afraid something might break and not be able to fix it back again.