Satoru

I sat there in silence for a few minutes. The tactile clicking of his keyboard was the only sound filling the room.

Should I raise my voice? Yell at him? For what though? What’s the point? He’s taking a bit too long, for my taste. Maybe I should rasp a bit to gain his attention? No, that didn’t work on him ever before whenever there was something I needed from him.

He wouldn’t even sign permission slips when he was in busy mode when we actually lived together. Such a drag. Does he want to build up suspense? There’s been enough of that for me today. Pleeeeeease get to the point.

Finally, after diligently staring at his monitor for what felt like two hours, he raised his head again.

“Now, I assume you have questions? Go ahead, I’ll go through them one by one.”

“Why are you here? What exactly is your job here? Since when have you even been working here?”

“Calm down, Laura. Everything will be fine. I was approached to take over leading this branch office of the department shortly after your parents’ accident. I needed the money to provide for you and Kaori after taking you in, so I took it. Don’t you remember when we first moved to Tokyo?”

“Alright, fine. So, you knew about all of this? Why didn’t you tell me before that I had this curse within me?” I slightly raised my voice by intuition.

“Yes, I knew. But I promised to protect you to your parents ever since we first met. What should I have done? Do you know what they do with Traumata users here? The only way I could ever protect you was by keeping this job. Don’t you understand?”

“No, I understand. So, it was all because of my parents?” I let out a yell.

My vision slowly began blurring again.

Could it be? Was he responsible for their deaths? He voluntarily took this position after all. If he’d stoop so low as to work for people like this, who are willing to ruthlessly murder me, who knows? He could just be lying in my face right now, how would I know? He’s probably smirking behind his calm facade right now.

“Laura? Please calm down. I know it’s a sensitive topic for you, but there’s really no need for all of this.”

He stood up from his chair and approached me. A shallow embrace followed shortly after.

“I really am sorry. It shouldn’t have been like this. That’s why I wanted you to stay away from her. That woman smelled like trouble. It’s mostly her fault, really. Creating that illusion of safety while being fully aware of her condition, only to rip it all away from under you. I’ll be here for you, at least.”

How does he know any of this? Was he in contact with the hospital? We didn’t have any CT devices at home, last I checked.

“How do you know any of this, Satoru? I doubt she told you in your one-on-one talk two years ago, or did she? It sure didn’t sound like it from the side room. You were just arguing the entire time. I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions, as a working adult, you know? That’s the exact reason we haven’t talked since then.”

“I won’t go into that. And that’s actually more than enough questions, don’t you think? And funny you mention your own agency, because that is exactly what you lack now that she’s dead. You’re technically not even human anymore, so be grateful for once in your life.”

It seemed like he snapped after prying more than basic surface level into what he was saying. He wound up his right arm to slap me, before recollecting himself.

“I’m sorry. I think of you like my own daughter. I shouldn’t have even thought of that. Kaori always was better at dealing with you. Ever since she passed, I’ve had almost no time to spend with you, and I’m sorry for all that neglect. There are limits to my patience, though. You should leave.”

I left, defeated. I couldn’t even muster the courage to kill him for all the lies he probably told me just now. His embrace actually calmed me down, oddly enough.

He didn’t actually answer any of my questions at all. He just skirted around them until his temper broke. He is right about the neglect though. I could have used his help in high school.

The countless lab coats stared at me while I walked toward the elevator. They began infuriating me a bit, after not getting anything I wanted.

“I’m not some zoo animal, alright? Stop staring already!” I wailed at them, a few gentle tears slowly forming in my eyes.

Why did he say that about Yuri? I should have killed him. Maybe I will, actually.

My right foot was already in the process of turning around when the elevator doors opened.

“Where are you going? I think we both know it’s not back there again. Come on, get in. I won’t say it a second time.”

I froze in place.

What is this feeling? Why do I feel so… so inferior? What exactly is that woman? Not wearing shoes in the elevator. I bet I could take… no, no I couldn’t. I better do what she says. She feels a bit familiar to Yuri, in some way. She certainly wouldn’t let me go back. I doubt that this monster is joking around. My skin is tingling, and there’s the slightest vibration below my feet. How?

After that experience, I immediately entered the elevator.

Shortly after the doors had closed, she pushed me against the wall.

“We will have combat training, is that understood? And don’t ever even think about defying me again. Your father just sent me a message, leaving you at my full discretion. I could kill you right here, if I wanted to.”

Her right hand clasped down on my neck, fully restraining my breath.

“If you understand, then nod.”

Her hand felt hard as a rock. It felt as if she was trying to crush my airway entirely. I quickly nodded.

“Good. Now, Miss Wada, we’ll have some basic combat training, so you learn how to actually control the Traumata within you, without losing control every time.”

Her mood shifted toward an almost collegial attitude immediately. She was definitely a monster, alright.