Shiro eventually sat down beside Kaoruoko, who was still crying while holding her husband’s hand.
Hanoka sat beside Akira, quietly trying to comfort him.
In the middle of the kotatsu lay a photograph of Nitagawa standing beside his parents.
The house fell silent.
For a while, nobody spoke.
There was nothing that could be said.
After some time, Akira slowly stood up and bowed politely.
Akira (upset): “Sir…
I’m sorry for bringing all this terrible news to you.”
Shiro looked at him.
Shiro (upset): “No.
Don’t blame yourself.
You have this young lady beside you to support you.”
Hanoka looked slightly nervous.
Hanoka: “Y-Yes, sir.
I-I’ll try my best.”
Akira lowered his head.
His mind was still drifting back to Nitagawa.
The memories.
The conversations.
The moments they had shared.
His friend.
His coworker.
His brother.
Hanoka’s hands were shaking slightly as she stood.
Hanoka (upset): “S-Sir…
we should probably take our leave.”
She turned toward the door.
But Akira didn’t move.
“Wait.”
Hanoka stopped and turned around. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Akira slowly lifted his head.
Tears were still visible in his eyes.
He looked directly at Shiro.
Akira (trembling): “S-Sir…
Nitagawa and I go way back.”
His voice shook.
“I know I might not be as good as him…”
He paused.
“But even if Nitagawa is gone…
please don’t think that you’re alone.”
Akira wiped the tears from his face.
“Think of me as his brother.”
Shiro didn’t answer.
He simply sat there.
His eyes moved from Akira…
to the photograph of his son.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
Shiro: “You really were close to him, weren’t you?”
Akira nodded.
Shiro: “You and my boy really got along well.”
Akira’s voice trembled.
Akira: “Yes, sir.”
He took a shaky breath.
“And S-Sir…
I will never forget Nitagawa.
Ever.”
Shiro looked away from the photograph and back at Akira.
Shiro: “Don’t worry, Akira.”
He gave him a faint smile. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“I will never think of myself as alone.”
Akira nodded.
Akira: “Please call whenever you need help.
I’ll come running.”
Shiro chuckled softly through his tears.
Shiro: “Alright.”
Akira gave him a small smile.
Hanoka and Akira finally walked toward the entrance.
The taxi they had called had arrived outside.
Hanoka stepped into the taxi.
Akira was about to follow her when he stopped.
He turned around.
For one final moment, he looked at the Nitagawa household.
The house where his friend had grown up.
The house where his parents had waited for him.
The house where they now had to learn to live without him.
Akira quietly whispered:
Akira: “Nitagawa…
goodbye.”
He lowered his head.
Then he stepped into the taxi.
The door closed.
The taxi slowly drove away.
Akira looked through the window as the Nitagawa household disappeared into the distance.
Inside the house, Shiro sat beside Kaoruoko.
Neither of them spoke.
They simply looked at the photograph lying on the kotatsu.
A photograph of the son they had loved so deeply.
Their son was gone.
But the memories he had left behind would remain with them forever.