Growing Together

Chapter 7

Pete had gotten on his knees in front of Kao's mother. He felt all his guilt rushing through him at once. How was he even going to tell her that Kao had stopped going to school because of him?

"Pete, what's the matter?" Mrs. Karn—Kao's mother—asked worriedly as she moved closer to him to try to wipe away the sweat that started forming on his brow from worry.

"Mom, I'm sorry..." Pete had said desperately trying to apologize for what he had done to Kao. For running away back then at the café when he had told him about their baby.

"What are you sorry about? Hm?" She asked in that sweet meek voice of hers that made Pete only feel worse. She tugged at his arm gently, trying to get him off the floor and help him back up onto his feet. But Pete had not budged, and her smile had faltered a little as she started to feel a little bit of concern."Pete..?"

"I-...I messed up mom... I messed up with Kao," Pete had let out quietly at first, but the silence that had followed his whispered confession followed it, he had only grown all the more panicked as he lowered his head. His hands had fisted at his knees, too afraid to even look up at Mrs. Karn. There was so much choking up in his chest that he wanted to say but he couldn't find his voice to say them. All he could do was break down there at her feet, hoping that she would not hate him too much.

He knew that he didn't deserve to ask to be forgiven, but he really wants to get that chance to have Kao by his side once again with her blessing. He desperately wanted to make things right with Kao.

"..."

The sudden gentle touch to his head had Pete looking up, unsure he had heard correctly "M-Mom...?"

"I know, Pete..." Kao's mom said giving him that same warm smile she had always given him, "I know about the baby."

"D-Did Kao...?"

"No," She said patting his hands, "No, Kao didn't say anything. He must not be ready to tell me just yet," She said finally being able to get Pete to stand back up from the floor.

"Then how did you find out?" Pete said starting to calm down. He felt this sense of relief washing over him because she didn't seem to be mad, just hurt that Kao had not told her.

"Kao left the letter on the desk. When I went to gather his clothes to do the laundry I saw it." She had not seen it because she was snooping, it had just happened when she had gone to grab the jacket hanging from the back of the chair at Kao's desk. She had been shocked at first to see it half sticking out of his notebook. At first, the thought of her possibly misreading it had crossed her mind, but when she had pulled it out from the notebook it was undeniable on just what it was. "Kao didn't tell you right away, hm?"

"He was scared to," Pete had said with a frown. Kao had every right to be, just look at how he had reacted when he had been told. He could feel the guilt eating away at him the more he remembered. "He had every right to be," it pained him to say and even more so to see Mrs. Karn looking at him with questioning eyes. He couldn't pretend he hadn't mistreated Kao, because he had. He just wanted...no he needed to make things right.

"I misunderstood the situation with Sun, again..." He said starting to tell her in the most unbiased way he could.

****

"Mom! Are you home?!" came Rain's voice as he strolled in after kicking his shoes off. "The door was open so I let myself in...oh..." Rain's voice had fallen into silence as his steps did too. The moment he had stepped into the living room he had found Pete sitting beside Kao's mother. She was gently petting his head, and for some reason it made Rain feel uneasy.

He had every right to be feeling that way because one way or another he ended up seated in the passenger's seat of Pete's car. He couldn't have exactly argued with him when Kao's mom had walked them out of the house and bid them goodbye. He didn't want to cause a scene in front of her, so now he was in such an uncomfortable disposition.

"Alright, just leave me in the next block. I can find my own way home!" Rain had nearly yelled as he turned to Pete.

"Not until you tell me where Kao is," Pete said turning his head to glance at him.

"There is no way I'm doing that, so hurry up and stop the car!" Rain had shrieked.

"I need to talk to Kao," Pete said ignoring his command to let him out. He and Rain had no real sort of affiliation. He had always just been Kao's friend and junior, one whom Pete had no real desire to get buddy-buddy with considering their history, but right now Pete needed something from Rain. "Please, Rain just tell me where is he." He said shamelessly begging.

"Tsk..." Rain had enough and reached over to unlock his own door. He had pulled the lock up and was unbuckling himself. Why should he have to tell Peteanyways? Just because he was asking him nicely now? Pete had only hurt and tormented Kao since they were dragged into the same circle. And to Rain, Pete wasn't someone trustworthy, nor did he like him in the least. So there was no way he was just going to tell Pete where Kao was. Besides Kao didn't want to see Pete anyhow.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Pete had let out angrily as he grabbed onto Rain's arm to stop him. He was sent into a panic thinking that the younger would actually just jump out of his car and had only ended up pulling over in mid-frenzy.

"I'm getting off!" Rain had grumbled as he pulled his hand away from Pete. There was no way in hell he was going to betray Kao and take Pete to see him. Besides, it was Mork's place and the man had not wanted anyone to bother Kaosince the doctor had asked them to keep him stress-free.

"Are you insane?! Are you just going to jump out of a moving car?!" Pete had ended up nearly yelling in a scolding manner as he turned towards him.

"Er! So insane!" Rain said hurriedly stepping out of the car, and even dared to steal the pudding container—that had been seated between them—as he rushed faraway from Pete before he could be stopped.

"Wait, Rain! Dammit, that brat!" Pete had let out frustrated as he was left hitting the steering wheel in front of him.