The Promise
(Sakura's Pov—Kurone's mother—starting from that afternoon)
—
I couldn't speak at all during that family reunion. Not at all.
Kairi had told me not to interfere. She wanted to say a proper goodbye to her daughter again, and begged me to grant that wish.
She hoped, prayed, and even cried in front of me, just for a chance to see her daughter with her own eyes.
"Kairi..." I said, walking close to her.
She didn't reply at all. She just kept sobbing and crying on the floor for a few more minutes after Akane left, hugging herself with her own hands.
"Akane... my precious baby..." She sobbed again before turning her gaze to me. "Thank you, Sakura. For giving me this chance..."
Without another word, I gently helped her stand, and she struggled to maintain her balance. I then helped her to sit on the couch, and she even tripped a few times.
"She has changed so much... I barely recognized her..." She wiped her tears away. "But her hate for me never did. I can't blame her. I was a horrible mother."
"If you were truly horrible, you wouldn't have secretly helped her through all these years, Kairi," I said, sitting next to her and gently patting her back. "Also, she said that she won't make you die. Doesn't that mean that she'll help you?"
Kairi took a deep breath and then started to speak. "I don't know, she has always been a stubborn kid..." She smiled bitterly. "But... Even if this was the last time we've seen each other, I'm still grateful that she managed to stand on her feet. I never stopped loving her."
"Kairi..." I said. "You did your best."
Then, she took another deep breath.
"The only way to protect Akane was to accept that bastard son and send her away from home as soon as possible. Shinjiro wanted to get rid of her because she was better than Kenji in every aspect. From sports to grades. All of our family friends and corporate allies saw the potential in my daughter, and they wanted her to succeed in our businesses. Shinjiro couldn't accept that..." Kairi's voice became colder, and her tears stopped.
"Go on, Kairi. Speak. I'll listen to you." I said. I needed to know every single detail.
"Shinjiro was obsessed. He said that he wanted a male heir at all costs. Why? Because he was obsessed. Every one of his friends had a male heir, and his parents always wanted one, calling me a total failure when Akane was born because I couldn't bear another pregnancy. He said that he wouldn't accept a female to guide his company one day..." She sniffled. "And that day, when everything started to fall apart, he started to cheat on me with multiple women, until he discovered that one of them was carrying Kenji."
I kept soothing her back. Kairi had to speak.
"I hated that with all my heart. And from the first moment he brought him into our house, the one we built together, I barely interacted with him until I was literally forced to do so. He threatened me multiple times. Threatened to hurt my Akane... I could only accept in silence." She said. "That man... I fell in love with him in high school, when he was kind. I helped him build everything he had, and yet he became a monster. And now I have the chance of giving him what he deserves." Kairi added.
"I know how hard it has been for you, Kairi. I know how much you've been suffering in silence until now, but don't worry. The Tsugikawa family will keep you safe. Nothing will happen to you or your daughter. That's the only promise I can make." I said, my voice softening.
"Thank you, Sakura. It means a lot to me, really." She said. "I just hope that my daughter is safe right now..."
"She's in perfect hands, don't worry about it," I said, smiling.
"What do you mean, Sakura?" Kairi asked, blinking her eyes in confusion.
"Akane has a boyfriend now, you know?" I said.
Kairi's eyes immediately snapped open.
"What? And who is this guy? I just hope he's not—"
"No. He's a good guy. His name is Shin Ishikawa."
"Ishi...kawa? You mean that old famous family of artisans?" Kairi asked. "Is he treating my daughter well? Are you sure he's a good guy?" She then grabbed my hands, probably hoping that I was telling the truth.
I nodded. "Yeah. You can count on that. He suffered a lot, too. His parents left him alone and went to work overseas in Italy, and he's been the one who protected my daughter for her entire childhood. The same Kurone that started dating your husband's son."
"...So... Akane wasn't alone..." She then left my hands and fully leaned her back on the couch. "I'm so glad..."
"Shin Ishikawa is a very reliable guy, and Akane is happy. Kurone told me that she has seen her smiling for the first time." I said.
Kairi's eyes widened, and another silent tear fell from her right eye.
"I'm glad... thank goodness..." She said.
And after that, she stared talking Kenji’s plan.
She told me every detail of the secret plan he had prepared, and after that, she told me some little stories about Akane and her.
Then I asked my butlers to prepare something for Kairi and told my personal driver to take her home. She was in a fragile state, and the encounter with her daughter broke her even more.
When she was gone, I went upstairs to check on Kurone.
*knock knock* "Kurone, can I come in?" I asked, my hand trembling a little.
"Y-Yeah...! Come in, mother. *cough*," She said.
I didn't waste an instant and stepped inside.
Kurone was still in bed under the duvet, but her face had gotten slightly better.
"My baby..." I said, my voice softening as I sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "How are you feeling?" I asked, slowly caressing her hair.
"*cough* A little better, I guess... Akane has helped me a lot," She said, looking away from me.
"She's always been like this, hasn't she?" I said, my hand still moving through her hair. "She always helped you despite everything..."
"Y-Yeah..." She then closed her eyes and moved her head to the side. "Akane is special... she will surely make Shin happy."
"You still love him, don't you?" I asked.
I heard her gasping, and she immediately put her head under the blanket. "... I do... So much."
I couldn't help but smile at her childish, adorable reaction.
"I know you do, Kurone," My hand searching hers.
"Mother... I've also been thinking about something..." She said, withdrawing her hand.
"What is it?"
"If Shin's parents are gonna really come here again... What am I gonna say to them? I don't know... They probably expected us to—"
"You don't have to say anything, Kurone," I said. "They're adults; they know that things can change, especially during high school, so don't worry about that."
She remained silent for a few long instants.
"Mother... I...*cough*" Her voice was shaky, and she was still hiding under the duvet.
"I'll take care of everything, Kurone. Don't worry." I said, leaning close to kiss her forehead, even though my lips only touched the duvet. "Just rest for now, okay? I'll call your school."
"...Okay." She muttered.
And then, without thinking twice, I stood up and walked out, or I tried, at least.
My gaze fell on something I'd never expected that was standing in the corner of the room.
A pregnancy test.
'This is the age... I should've expected...'
I stared at the pregnancy test for a long moment.
My hand hovered over it, then stopped.
I didn't pick it up. I didn't need to. It was there, in the corner of her room, and that was enough.
I closed my eyes for an instant, took a breath, and I left it where it was.
She will tell me when she’s ready... or she won’t. Either way, it is her choice.
I walked to the door, then paused with my hand on the handle.
"Kurone."
"Yes, Mother?" Her voice was small, tired, barely above a whisper.
"I love you." I didn't turn around, because if I did, I felt that something would break. "No matter what happens. I want you to know that."
A long silence. Then, barely a whisper: "...I know, Mother."
I then closed the door behind me and stood in the hallway for a long time, staring at the dark wood, thinking about all the things I hadn't said, all the things I couldn't say.
The pregnancy test sat in the corner of her room. And I had chosen to let it stay there.
'Seems like there are little things I should also take care of...' I thought, while walking away.
Downstairs, the house was quiet.
The staff had retired, the night had fallen, and somewhere in this city, Kairi was going home to a house she hated, and Kenji was planning to destroy his father, and Akane was in the arms of the boy who loved her.
And I was here. In the hallway. With a daughter who was broken and a test I had chosen not to mention.
I didn't know if I was doing the right thing, but I was doing something. And that was more than enough.
I walked down the stairs, into the night of the quiet house.
As I stood alone in the living room, my phone suddenly buzzed with an unexpected call.
I took the phone out and looked at who was calling.
Haruto Ishikawa.
I stared at the screen for a long moment before I answered
"Sakura-san." His voice was warm but carrying a hint of nervousness. "I hope I'm not calling too late. My wife and I have been talking, and we've decided."
I felt something in my chest tighten. "Decided what, Haruto-san?"
"We're coming back, Sakura-san." A pause. "It's time. We've been away for too long, and our son—" His voice cracked. "Our son deserves to have us there. If he'll accept us."
I closed my eyes. "He will, Haruto-san. He will."