Coming Back [Kuroko no Basket]

I Had To Leave

Note: Bold will mean the person is speaking in Chinese

Everyone gathered around the table, still tense from what they had just watched. Meanwhile Nakamura had just come back with her mother with glasses of water for everyone. Sensing the tense air, Xiuying put down the glasses on the table and asked her daughter if everything was okay.

"They know about what happened in middle school."

Realization crossed the mother's face, then it changed to sorrow.

"Are you going to tell them everything?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Giving her daughter a pat on her shoulder, Xiuying quietly took her leave from the room.

Taking a seat at the table, the Seirin members held their breath, not sure what to say to the girl.

"It's true. From the video. My dad was abusing me during middle school. That's why my parents divorced."

Riko felt her heart clench as her father's concern from a month ago turned out to be true.

"My dad was stand-offish person, not really involved with me much, but was still somewhat a caring person. But he was suddenly promoted at his job, and the power and authority started to go to his head. He started being controlling and was drinking more. Soon, he was just always drunk. He and my mom started to fight everyday because of that. 

When he was drunk, he started abusing me verbally, like telling me everything was my fault, criticizing my appearance whenever he wanted, saying I'm too sensitive about everything, or telling me that I was crying over nothing. I became a manager at Teiko because Tetsuya was part of the team, but also so I could stay out of the house. 

But then my dad got mad at me for not being at home, so he started to physically abuse me. He tried to get me to quit as manager, but I ignored him, and the abuse got worst. I eventually started to skip school and my manager duties because I had to hide the injuries."

Clenching the glass of water in her hand, Nakamura took a deep breath before continuing. 

"My mom didn't know about the abuse because I didn't say anything. But she found out one day when she found me bleeding on the floor in my room. My dad had broken a beer bottle and used a piece of glass to cut me. It wasn't the first time he had done that, but it was the first time the cut was that deep. 

I passed out from the blood loss and my mom brought me to the hospital. She discovered the multiple bruises and cuts I was hiding and confronted my dad later at home. Apparently it was their last fight because when I woke up in the hospital, my mom had told me that they were getting a divorce, and apologized for leaving me home alone with him all this time. I think she still regrets it to this day."

"... Then the reason for moving to Kyoto..."

"Everyone would have found out eventually. You guys saw the video. Seeing how Ryo- Kise-kun had found out, it wouldn't be long before the other members would have too. My mom also found out that someone was bothering me at Teiko, so she thought it would be better if we left town and moved somewhere else to have a fresh start. 

My aunt happened to be relocated to Kyoto for work, so we moved in at her place. But my mom didn't want to wait to move until school was over, so I had to leave Teiko in the middle of the school year. Regarding being homeschooled, my mom had discussed it with my aunt, and they both thought my mental health should come first before school."

"Who was bothering you at Teiko?"

"He was a former team member. I probably won't see him again though since he quit basketball."