ごめん

two.

The group arrives back at the base.

Ichigo looks around in amazement.

"Woah- This place is huge!"

"Mm. Very large."

"That's what I just said-"

"No, you said huge."

"Same thing!"

"N-"

The Boss growls at them both.

"Shut up."

Ichijiku and Ichigo both fall silent.

". . . I'm gonna call you. . ."

Shō points at Ichigo.

"I'm gonna call you Strawberry!"

"Well. . . That's kinda already my name but okay-"

"Mm. My name means fig."

"Figgy!"

Shō giggles.

"Mhm."

The Boss stands in the middle of the entrance hall.

"Make yourselves at home."

"This place is like a castle or something. . ."

"That's because it is!"

"Wha-"

"C'mon, let's explore."

"I- uh- okay-"

Figgy drags Strawberry up the stairs.

". . . How are you feeling, Boss?"

"I'm fine."

"I should replace your banda-"

"I'm fine."

The Boss turns and starts walking away.

"B-Boss, please-"

"I'm FINE."

Shō reaches their hand out, but the Boss is long gone.

". . . I'm. . . Sorry. . ."

". . . It's okay. . . You haven't done anything wrong, kid. . ."

Dusty pats Shō on the head gently.

". . . He. . . Hates me. . . Doesn't he. . ."

"No no no- he's just- not good at showing affection is all. He's a lot nicer to you than the rest of us. . . If anything, he likes you the most."

". . . You don't have to lie. . . It's okay. . ."

"Wha- kid, I'm not lyin-"

"I'm sorry. . . I'm going to take a bath. . ."

"But you just took one a few hours ago-"

Shō walks away, up to their room. They gather up some clothes and a towel, then walk into the bathroom and shut the door gently. They can still hear Dusty talking with Stabby outside. They both sound very upset.

An hour passes.

Then two hours.

Then three.

Dusty knocks on the bathroom door. There's no reply.

". . . Are you okay, kid?"

No response.

". . . Are you there. . .?"

He grabs the doorknob. It's unlocked. He slowly opens the door to find Shō passed out on the floor in a puddle of blood.

"Jesus christ-"

He picks them up and sets them on a towel, then picks up the towel and carries them out of the room and knocks on the Boss' bedroom door.

"What is it."

"It's the kid, they-"

The Boss immediately slams open the door.

"What the hell did you do to them?!"

"N-nothing, they went up to take a bath and they were in there for hours and I got worried and- and- I found them on the floor-"

"Give them here. Now."

Dusty nods and quickly hands Shō over to the Boss.

". . . Their legs. There are cuts all over their legs."

"Where did they come from?"

". . . The cuts are far too clean and precise to be an accident."

"Does that mean someone-"

"They did this to themself."

They both fall silent. The Boss carries Shō to their bedroom and sets them down on the bed. He grabs some bandages from a drawer and wraps their legs.

An hour passes and Shō awakens.

"Mm. . ."

They rub their eyes. The Boss is sitting on the floor next to the bed.

". . . Boss. . .?"

"You're awake- I- Um- You shouldn't have done that."

"S-sorry Boss. . . done what. . .?"

". . ."

The Boss points to Shō's bandaged legs.

"Ah- I- I didn't- I-"

"Don't. We all know what happened. We just want to know why."

"I-"

"Boss, I think we should-"

"Shut up."

"But they-"

"Either SHUT THE HELL UP or LEAVE."

". . . okay. . ."

Dusty falls silent.

". . . I. . . I thought. . . It would make you happy. . ."

"WHY THE HELL WOuLD THIS MAKE ME HAPPY?!"

"B-because I thought- if I got hurt then- you would be happy because I'm a horrible person and I'm annoying and stupid and you hate me!"

The room is silent for a moment.

". . . I don't. . ."

"H-huh-?"

"I don't hate you."

Shō looks at the ground.

"You don't have to l-"

"I'm not lying!"

". . . Really, it's-"

"STOP! STOP IT! YOU'RE AN AMAZING PERSON!"

". . . I'm sorry but. . . I'm afraid that's not true."

"IT IS TRUE! I'LL PROVE IT TO YOU! NO MATTER WHAT!"

"Boss, calm d-"

"SHUT UP!"

The room falls silent again.

After a while, Shō finally breaks the silence.

". . . I'm sorry. . ."

They get up off of the bed and walk out of the room.

"Shō-!"

The Boss runs after them, but they're nowhere to be found.