Nao didn't dare to move. He cried and cried, hoping that his mother would at some point feel pity on him and let him be. Let them be.
But she wasn't having any of that. She grabbed him by the hand and ignoring his protests, pinched the kid's ear. As her sharp nails dug into his flesh, Nao burst into a fresh bout of tears.
"Tell her what she did, Nao!!"
Nao struggled to loosen his mother's grip on him, his tiny hands clawing at the merciless ones that were hurting his ear.
Ayumi had started crying again. At this point, all she wanted was for all of it to stop and more importantly, for Saeki-chan's mother to stop punishing him.
Will it stop if I say I did it?
She was snapped to attention when she heard a crack for the third time that day. Nao was lying on the ground. His cheeks were red. He was slapped again.
Ayumi gasped.
Didn't Ayumi chan tell me once that her parents are nice? She said that they were nice people and that I don't need to be afraid of them, unlike my own parents ...
Ayumi chan, if I betray you, will you be all right?
"Can't you hear me, you stupid kid? Say something!! Wasn't she the one who pushed the kid and ran away?"
Before Nao could think of replying, another slap landed on his face. He was tired .. he felt as if he would die from pain.
Suddenly, he was afraid. He was afraid that his mother wouldn't stop beating him and that she wouldn't feed him tonight and tomorrow. He was afraid that she would lock him inside his room, like she did the other day. And he wanted to run. To escape. It was so easy. If only he didn't have to drag his best friend into this ...
His mom grabbed him by his ear and forced him to stand up.
That was it.
Ayumi chan, can you do take the blame for me this time? I promise I'll make it upto you. I'm sorry for dragging you into this whole mess. I promise. I'll make it upto you.
I'm scared, Ayumi chan. I'm afraid mommy would kill me. At least your parents won't do that to you, right Ayumi chan?
"Hmmm.."
"Louder!!" It was Ayumi's mom who shouted this time.
"Ayumi did it .. She pushed Kisa to the ground." Hands trembling, Nao spoke softly. He could feel Ayumi's eyes on him and when he looked at her to apologize, for a moment he was confused.
He had expected her to look shocked or even angry, but here she was, tears streaming down her face, but smiling all the same.
You've done enough, Saeki chan. It must've been very hard for you, isn't it?
Inspite of everything that was happening around them, Nao felt relieved at that moment.
Does this mean it's over? Can we go home, momma?
"What's going on here?"
Ayumi's father's sound resonated loud, in the room.
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