Jyunishi Comedy #126

I want to protect...

Banner: Upon graduation from high school, the cat is to be locked away for life deep in the Sohma household... Kyo, facing that fate pays a visit to...!?

Remembering Hana-chan's words asking him if there weren't something else he should be taking care of first, Kyo realises that the answer to that question, and how to go about doing it was very simple; that he had to face what he'd been running away from for so long. And yet, for him, it was a very hard thing to do.

Standing in front of his father's home, Kyo stares at the closed doors and starts feeling a bit sick.

If just standing in front of the house makes me feel this way...

But Kyo had decided that he would say what he'd come to say that day. Remembering Tohru telling him that it would be all right, Kyo reaches for the door.

Inside, the maid interrupts Kyo's father, and when he gets up and turns around, he finds Kyo standing in the doorway. Angry, Kyo's father turns on the maid demanding who gave permission for Kyo to enter before turning his attention to Kyo.

Father: What did you come here for!?

What do you want. You have some nerve
Crossing the threshold of this house

Kyo however, can only observe that his father was being irresponsible as always, being at home at that hour rather than at work. His father denies Kyo's insinuations, claiming that he had been working like he should be but, because he'd not been feeling well a lot lately, that he'd taken a leave.

Father: Just whose fault do you think it is...

Kyo: ...You mean it's my fault, don't you?

Father: Yeah, that's right!
Why don't you accept it already. That you...

Killed your mother!

Kyo: .........

Father: Don't think that it'll be forgiven
Because you didn't do it by your own hands.

You're...

[Creepy

Detestable, horrifying
Pathetic

It's like having a variety of emotions thrown into a single pot

And brought to a roiling boil.

Pull yourself together]

Kyo slowly admits, that he was at fault. Surprised, his father starts to laugh in glee that Kyo had finally conceded that he was to blame. He quickly turns to the maid (who was still in the room) confirming that she too had heard Kyo's words admitting guilt. He then orders the maid to contact the main house to have someone come immediately to take Kyo away and that, to take responsibility for having killed someone, that Kyo should never come out again.

Kyo however, refuses to allow that saying that he would not go to that place (the cat's room). Instead, he tells his father that he was definitely going to live "outside" and that he'd come to tell his father that.

[I'm

Shaking]

[It's ridiculous isn't it. This sort of obvious thing.
Normally, you wouldn't have to make a point of stating it.

It should be allowed

Without being daunted]

But,

To me who was simply unable to do that,

Without making a fool of me,

And without becoming annoyed, giving it your all

Supporting, thinking

Continuing to extend your hand

Because you're truly

So very important (to me).

Kyo tells his father that there was someone he wants to be with from here on, ...always. His father however, tells him that he (Kyo) can't, that such was absolutely not permissible for him. That it was not acceptable for Kyo to live "normally".

Father: I won't allow it...

You...

Can't. You have to make amends for your crimes.
To me.

You must makes amends to me!!

How much shame I've had to bear because of you!
How you've ruined my life!!

Father: Just because you were born...

Because you'd
Been given birth!!

Fragments of a memory comes back to Kyo of words "Giv- -ing birth to a child like this." Kyo's father continues to rant of how he absolutely would not allow Kyo to do so (live normally outside), while Kyo remembers his mother and someone telling someone else to disappear. And as Kyo's father demands to know if they enjoyed embarrassing him so much, Kyo remembers when he was a small boy with his mother, and his father telling the two of them to disapp...

Shocked, Kyo can only ask his father if he'd said such things to his mother. Angered, his father grabs Kyo by the collar:

Father: Are you trying to lay the blame on me...!?

It's not my fault. You drove her.

It's your fault that she died. It's...

It's not my fault!!

Kyo remembers how he'd yelled those exact words when he was a child. It's not my fault!!

Father: It's not my fault. This sort of monster...
Being born isn't my fault. I'm not at fault!!

It's all your fault!!

Kyo wonders if his mother had been lonely having taken on such difficulties and whether she'd suffered from it. For him at that time, he'd been too young and things had been too difficult for him to understand and, while he wouldn't say anything so pretty or naive as to say that he'd have definitely understood once he'd grown up, it was too late to try or change things once the person was dead.

I wanted you to live.

Now, finally thinking that,

But it's too late.

I wanted you not to die

I wanted you not to abandon (give up on) me

While you were alive.

Mom

Kyo pushes his father away, and tells him that he would no longer give up and that he would try; while he was alive, he would try to live.

Shocked, his father reaches out to grab Kyo, but Kyo grabs his father's arm instead. Terrified, his father yells for help and yelling that Kyo would kill him.

Back at the main house, the old maid asks Akito if she should have someone sent as Kyo's father wished, but Akito tells her no and that she would go. Akito then goes on to say that she needs to tell Kyo's father something as well.

Akito: Kyo's free.

That far building too

Will be torn down.

Maid: You're serious...?

Akito: Yeah.

Maid: Do you think the father will accept that?

Akito: ...Regardless.
I've decided.

Maid: At this point?

...You've changed haven't you,
Akito-san.*

*in an unfortunate sense

Maid: I liked
the way you were before more.

Akito: ...

Then...

You should stay "there".

As long as you like.

...I'll

Akito: Be going.

[A simple thing.

The answer and the way
Are so simple

Yet so very

Difficult.

Finally having gaining something]

"And for that very reason

You feel it's so very important".

Kyo quietly tells his father that he'll come again and leaves. His father, in turn yells after him that he absolutely will not forgive him / allow him what he's decided. As he leaves, Kyo can only think of how his decision regarding his father was almost frighteningly simple and yet would undoubtedly require an extremely long time.

Kyo: There's nothing else to do...
But try

Hiro and Kisa walk down the street on their way home from school. Kisa reassures Hiro that everyone won't hate him now that he's been released from the curse and tells him that she's really happy he'd told her first. Flushed, Hiro asks Kisa if she doesn't like that he's no longer one of the 12shi. Surprised, Kisa hesitates before asking him if he doesn't like having one of the cursed with him. However, before Hiro can reassure Kisa, the two are interrupted by the sound of Kyo throwing up nearby.

Redfaced, Hiro asks Kyo what he was doing throwing up there (on the street) and Kyo mutters that the stress had gone.

Hiro: You're not making sense... Or rather, what a mess!!

Kyo: I feel a bit better......

Hiro: No doubt after throwing up that much.

Kisa pulls out her handkerchief and hesitatingly offers it to Kyo. When Kyo turns towards Kisa, he briefly sees an image of Tohru. Kyo takes the handkerchief from Kisa and thanks her and she smiles.

Hiro: Hey...

Gratitude aside, do clean that up.
I'll help.

Kyo: Huh? I can take care of it myself.

Hiro: It bothers me

Kyo: ......

[If I'm seeing hallucinations

It's really serious, isn't it...

I want to see you

I want to see you]

Banner: Because, the next time I see you, I want to be even a little different from how I was yesterday... To that end, one step at a time...

To be continued in Issue 12, May 20th release.