The Grave Visit II

While Haruto and Chihiro were over in Akihabara, Itsuki was visiting the grave of Nodoka Hashima, his biological mother. He had been in Taiwan during Obon, the holiday in August when Japanese families traditionally pay their respects to the dead, so his visit came later than usual this year.

Clasping his hands together in front of the grave, he mentally gave his mother a report on the past year’s events. This year was just as eventful as the last, but the biggest news was finding out Chihiro’s true gender. It was hardly the only big event—there was gaining his first lover and the anime coming out—but it dominated over all the others.

It was a shock to think his father would actually go along with such a ridiculous idea in the first place. In Itsuki’s mind, Keisuke Hashima was gruff, stubborn, and so cold that he didn’t shed a tear after his wife died. But on the other hand, he also said out of nowhere that he was remarrying and then brought an ex-hostess into his house, so maybe he had his erratic, impulsive side as well.

Maybe it was time to face up to his father already.

Ever since Chihiro had revealed herself as his little sister, Itsuki had constantly thought about having a direct talk with his father. But despite that, he still hadn’t gone back to his house once. He wanted to get himself together, to be a decent man and human being—truly, genuinely—but he still wasn’t maturing at all. He felt pathetic.

Right now, though…there was another problem he had to do something about. Something even bigger than his father.

“…There’s just no controlling it.”

He whispered the same thing he said last year as he departed. And he prayed that next year, for sure, he’d come back a better man…