Just Look into It

57. Gut Reaction

Luckily, they had a weekend before going back to school. 

Ryo and Yuu followed their normal routine, waking up and getting to work on any homework or projects that needed to be completed, though a bit later in the morning than normal. She sipped at her coffee while watching over her system, glancing over to see Yuu drawing away. It was good to see that he didn't seem to be too bothered by the events of yesterday. 

She bit the inside of her cheek. Stay focused, she reminded herself. 

After finishing her drink, she pulled out some physical paperwork that needed to be done and got started, turning the volume on her laptop up slightly so she would be able to better hear any alerts that might occur. A short groan reached her ears as he father made his way out and into the kitchen. 

"Uh, your portion of breakfast should still be out if you want it," she called out, turning her eyes back to her work. 

"Thank you, Ryouka."

She winced slightly at her name. The sound dug at her and she couldn't shake it. She went to say something, but was cut off as her phone went off. Instantly, she picked up. 

"Hisakawa speaking."

"I apologize for the sudden call, but is everything alright?" Kyouya mused. "I didn't receive a time from last night."

Ryo winced. "Right, sorry. I remember seeing that it was around 5:26 at one point and I went to bed shortly after-"

"You were up until 5am?" her father suddenly asked. 

She glanced over, "Uh, yes."

"What could you be doing so late at night?"

"Working," she answered, turning back to her call. "I did turn off my alarms, so I got up later than normal."

Kyouya took a moment to reply. "Alright, sorry again for the call. I'll leave you all alone for the weekend, but feel free to reach out at any moment."

"Will do, Kyouya. Thank you."  

Ryo ended the call and grabbed her pen again, turning her focus back to her work. She watched Yuu glance at their father who sat on the opposite end of the table to eat. The young boy clearly wanted to ask questions, but was holding back. Instead, he turned to her. 

"Ryo, can we watch a movie today?" he chirped. 

She nodded. "Your work is done?"

"Yep."

Their father glanced up. "Leave Ryouka alone, she clearly has a lot of work to do today."

Ryo barely stopped herself from glaring at her father. "Not really. Most of this is prep work to get ahead or optional. You can pick the movie today, Yuu."

Whatever rose-tinted glass that had managed to last since she had first leaned about her father's release had just shattered. Piece by piece it had broken away and now she sighed, a bit disappointed. Ryo didn't care how he treated her or her work, but she refused to let him act like a parent when he hadn't earned it. She was still willing to give things a shot, but something about the way his eyes were always wandering around the house was putting her on edge. She just couldn't find it in her to trust him. 

While Yuu was focused on the movie, she pulled her computer into her lap and started digging. It felt wrong, to be searching into anything of note regarding her father and how he acted during his time in prison. It felt wrong to doubt her father, but at the same time, she didn't care too much if it would make things easier on Yuu. 

Was it wrong to sneak around and keep an extra close eye on him when she knew full well that he had been innocent? Why did she feel so on edge when he would ask questions about the work she did? She easily noticed how much time he spent just sitting at the table, writing every once in a while in a journal of his. Her morality disappeared as she found herself asking what the journal was for, wondering what kinds of things she could discover about him if she looked through it. She knew that it would take time for a comfortable routine to develop in their lives. It would take time for her to feel comfortable with him stepping in to raise Yuu. There was no way that he would open up right away. 

Ryo just had a sinking feeling that no matter how long she waited, those times would never come. As she read reports and anything else she could dig up, she felt more and more certain. 

"I'm going out on a walk, I'll pick up some groceries while I'm out," he said, already pulling his shoes on at the door. 

The brunette nodded, standing from the couch to stretch. "Just knock and I'll let you back in since you don't have a key yet."

"Why don't you just get back the one that Ootori kid has?" he asked. 

"He doesn't have a key. Yuu just knows him well enough to let him under certain conditions," she replied. He muttered something under his breath and left. She instantly darted over to the door and watched him start down the sidewalk before locking the door and turning to her brother. He was watching her with careful eyes, recalling the talk they had before their father arrived. 

She cracked her neck and sighed. "You doing okay?"

He nodded and sniffed. "I wanted to show him my drawings but he didn't ask. You told him, right?"

She gave him a small smile and moved to ruffle his hair. "I did. We're not giving up yet, but I'm gonna ask you to head to sleep early tonight, alright?"

He nodded and started his movie again. 

Ryo made her way straight over to his journal and flipped it open, the camera on her phone already open. Her eyes scanned the pages with increasing guilt and frustration, snapping a quick photo of anything she decided could be useful. 

There was still time. She didn't want to make a decision based on a gut reaction. Nothing was set in stone yet. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, reminding herself why it was so important that she keep her thoughts straight.