Try Your Hardest | Ushijima Wakatoshi

Year 3: Part 2

Warning: abuse, domestic violence.

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"I won't let him hurt us anymore."

She always said that. Every time. After cleaning the wounds, icing the bruises, wiping the tears. She said it every time.

"Uta."

"He won't be laying a finger on you as long as I'm here."

She would bring Uta's little head to her chest and hug her tightly, smothering her with love.

"Uta."

But it was never real.

"Uta?"

Iriye never thought she would have to worry about investing her entire being into a relationship that was completely one sided again. But all her relationships started to feel this way, even with those who gave her every reason to believe she was really loved.

"I'm leaving," Ushijima stood up from the dining table, not having touched the cold soba noodles they had made. He was clearly upset, from what she could tell.

Eyebrows lowered, lips pouting to the side, his nostrils flare up just a little.

"Ah, umm, I'm sorry."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in frustration.

"What did I do?" Uta questioned.

"You've barely spoken a word this whole time. I'm practically not here."

Summer break rolled in once again. It hadn't been over a month yet since Tamako passed away, but ever since Uta's mother had resurfaced into her life, she was not the same.

"Well excuse me, it's not like you often have much to say and I don't ever have a problem with it!" Uta leaned forward with her palms against the table.

"I-I know. It's not like I want to be like this."

She hurt him, she could tell when he shifted his gaze away from her and furrowed his eyebrows.

It was unfair of her to accuse him of something he couldn't help. Ushijima was always this way, it's who he is and who he will always be.

Uta recalls once he told her 'sometimes I wish I had half the words to say as you do.' And it was then she realized he was insecure about his social ineptness.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't have said that to you," Uta stared sadly at the noodles.

Ushijima sighed and took his seat again, "I am sorry if I don't speak as much-"

"Don't apologize for that! I'm the one who's in the wrong here!"

"...okay."

Uta smiled, going back to her usual cheery self, but Ushijima knew there was still something bothering her.

"Let's talk then!" she dipped the noodles in a sauce and stuffed them into her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing is wrong!"

Ushijima threw her a piercing look of judgment, holding noodles right below his mouth.