ホタルは精霊のようなものですよね？

4.お父さん?

"i think.."
"yes toru?"
"i want to tell you about my father"

. . .

"one more push and you'll be done!"
"i can't..."
"ma'am you're going to have to push to get the rest of the baby out!"
toru was born and it was a few hours after his birth
"how is my wife doing?"
"not good, she's bleeding heavily"
"what do you mean? what's going on?"
"there were complications during the delivery, she's bleeding severely"
torus father later found out his wife passed away, due to childbirth complications, his world completely destroyed he took this out on toru, and blamed him for his wife's death.
"you piece of shit!! get out"
"okay.."
life had always been a living hell for toru, he was constantly shouted at, threatened, and beaten, however he never cried. he knew if he cried, it would only get worse, he was treated like a slave in his own home, by his own father. who, after the death of his wife, became an aggressive alcoholic.
toru let out a little gasp as the glass slipped out of his hand and smashed.
"i'm sorry-"
he wasn't even able to finish his sentence. his father was already prepared to beat him.
it had always been like this and toru never knew why his father hated him so much, but he always felt like he had done something wrong even though it was untrue.
"father..?"
silence
"what was mother like?"
his father did not speak, he raised himself from the chair, grabbing toru by his hair.
"father what are you doing-"
"shut up, SHUT UP!!"
his father dragged toru to the kitchen throwing him towards the back door
"i've had enough, i don't want to listen to you anymore"
his father spat as he grabbed a metal bar
"father-"
"SHUT UP!!"
toru was rushed to hospital that day, and nearly died.
nothing could compare to that day, no amount of beatings or threats would ever come close to how scared, toru was that day, ever.
"it's always been that way for me, so i hardly take notice of him now"
"..toru"
toru stopped talking, shocked to see akeno crying
"why"
"hmm?" she said wiping her tears
"why are you crying"
"because it makes me sad to know you had to go through that toru!
he stayed silent for a while gripping his cup a little tighter
"i'm sorry"
akeno shook her head "don't be, i'm thankful that you even told me"
he nodded his head staring into his empty cup
it was already starting to get dark outside as water drops fell to the ground
"it's raining now.. the news was right"
toru nodded looking out at the cloudy sky
"toru?"
he hummed "yes"
"let's go home"
"okay" he replied, grabbing his coat and umbrella as they both left the cafe.
the walked silently in the rain for a little while..
"toru?"
"yes"
"i like you"
silence
"as my friend silly!!"
he looked at akeno, tilting his head a little, in a questioning manner
"i like you too"
she smiled and nodded both of them facing forward
"good! say toru?"
he nodded as a response
"how about..."
she laughs while grabbing the umbrella closing it.
"we run home in the rain!!"
she giggles as she runs off toru chasing behind her
"we made it!~"
"some..how"
"i'll go get you a towel to dry off, you put on the bath for yourself so you don't catch a cold"
"mmh, okay"

. . .

"here's your towel"
"thank you"
"i...think i'm going to go lay down"
"mmh, okay"
"goodnight toru"
"goodnight"
akeno walked into her bedroom sitting herself down on her bed clenching her chest tightly.
she felt as if the room was spinning, not being able to hold herself up any longer, she fell back onto the bed as she began to pant heavily
she shouldn't have ran.
she laid there, restless waiting for her heart to calm down, before her eyes began to feel heavy.

. . .

she heard what sounded like banging at first which then turned into a light knock
"..akeno? are you still sleeping?"
"no, come in"
"okay"
the door opened revealing toru holding a tray with a bowl
"i made you rice soup"
she sat up as toru placed the try on the table by her bed
"are you feeling okay, you don't usually go to bed this early"
she nodded slowly sitting herself on the floor
"i was just a little tired that's all"
"oh, okay."
he said staring at the bowl
"thank you for the food"
he nodded as she clapped her hands together and began to eat
toru stood up walking towards the door
"if you need anything just tell me"
as he was about the leave the door akeno got up and grabbed his hand
"stay for a little..please"
it went silent for a while but he nodded humming an "okay"
he sat down on her bed as she ate quietly
"this is really good, thank you"
he hummed looking around her room curious
"You can look around if you'd like"
he nodded getting up walking towards a bookcase in the corner of her room
"you like books"
"yeah i read in my free time"
he stood there looking at the different kinds of books she had, however, noticed a box on top of the bookcase he grabbed it showing it to akeno, tilting his head questioning what it was with his eyes, he noticed akeno get nervous.
"what's in here"
"it's nothing important really"
"oh, okay" he said placing it back
"..toru"
"yes"
"pass me the box"
he grabbed it back from the bookcase handing it to her
"if i show you what's inside here you have to promise me two things"
"okay"
"one, you won't get mad and two you won't change how you act with me, please toru i'm begging you"
"i promise"
"okay.."
"what's in the box"
she didn't respond, instead just slowly opened the box, and pushed it towards toru
what he saw made his heart drop to the pit of his stomach
"what is this.."