“We need to talk, Kai.”
“Ah? About what?”
“About this store-bought bullshit you’ve been pulling on me.”
“Ooooh, that bullshit, alright.”
“Why do you keep getting that half-assed, prepackaged crap for lunch when everybody knows you actually have some talent for cooking?”
“Because I already make breakfast and dinner myself, it’s only fair.”
“Come on, man, you know how much I’d like a homemade lunch to show off at work!”
“But would it really count if it’s not from your wife?”
“Eeehhh, it still would be worth showing off…”
“Aw, Kaneda…”
“Don’t give me that look though.”
Kei smiled in amusement, as she kept listening to Kai and Kaneda’s banter from the other side of the counter.
They had just finished having lunch, and now Kai was washing the dishes.
The television was still off.
Makiko was sitting at the table, resuming the drawing she had started earlier.
Kei seemed to ponder, upon turning to look at her, and then began to approach.
The atmosphere was overall tranquil. Maybe now would be a good time.
The sooner the better…
“Hey…”
Makiko blinked, and raised her head to face her. Kei was smiling, as amiably as possible.
“What are you drawing? Can I see?”
“……”
But it didn’t seem to be enough, because Makiko shrank in response, and subtly covered the drawing by resting an arm on it.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to show me.” continued Kei, proceeding to sit next to her “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met properly. You’re Makiko, right?”
Makiko nodded.
“I’m Kei. We’re friends with Kaneda.”
Then she tilted her head.
“Is that so?” she inquired, as quietly as usual.
Which was really relieving, because an one-sided conversation probably wouldn’t have gotten them very far.
“Mmhm… He’s your friend too, isn’t he?”
Makiko looked away for a second, as if asking herself, and then back at Kei.
“I think so…” she muttered “I-I mean… I’d like to be his friend, but I don’t know if he… um… I never asked…”
“Well, it’s never too late.” replied Kei “He cares about you a lot, so I’m sure he’d like to be your friend.”
And that rather seemed to let her progress even more, because it actually made Makiko smile faintly.
“And so would I…” she added, which in turn made the child switch to a more intrigued expression “Listen, Makiko, I know how you must be feeling. Kaneda has told me some things, he’s worried… and I’m worried too, so I want to help you…”
Then Makiko shrank again.
“What do you mean? What did Mister Kaneda say…?”
And Kei acknowledged just how difficult this would soon become.
“He said…”
She was still treading as lightly as she could, but already sensing that something, perhaps everything would go wrong, regardless of her efforts.
“…that you blame yourself for some things.”
Crack.
“I… What…?”
“He told me that some bad things happened, and that you think it’s your fault, because you got mad… Is it true?”
Makiko looked down, and put her arms around herself just like before, as if shielding herself.
“It’s okay, Makiko.” continued Kei, promptly softening her tone “You’re not in trouble, trust me.”
“I didn’t want to…” muttered Makiko, making her want to get closer, reach out for her.
And she tried, but the child recoiled away, so abruptly that she stood up.
Crack.
“I know you didn’t…” replied Kei, standing up herself “Sometimes we just… get so mad we lose control, and do bad things… but that doesn’t mean we’re bad. That doesn’t mean you’re bad, okay? It was still an accident…”
Then Makiko frowned. Seemingly getting on the defensive, seemingly guessing where the conversation was going.
“I-I don’t like this…”
“You just wanted her to leave you alone, didn’t you? You just wanted her to…”
Crack.
“I don’t like this! Get away!”
“…get away, yes…”
Crack.
“Stop…”
“And I understand, Makiko. I really understand…”
Crack. Crack. Crack.
“I said stop!”
And she was already tearing up, shaking helplessly…
“What the hell’s going on here!?”
And catching Kaneda’s attention.
“Mister Kaneda!”
Kei turned, as Makiko dashed to his side and clung to him.
“Kei, what the fuck are you doing?” he continued, reaching down to place a reassuring hand on the child’s head.
“Yeah, what’s going on here?” repeated Kai, approaching from behind “Why is Makiko crying?”
Kei maintained her composure, and went straight to the point.
“She’s scared. Scared of what she did.”
“NO!” snapped Makiko “I DIDN’T DO IT!”
It was the first time she was raising her voice, and in the most startling manner.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
Kaneda was certainly bewildered, and so was Kai.
“What? What didn’t you do?” he inquired, and it was then that both of them noticed.
It was then that they noticed the cracks.
And Kaneda suddenly realized.
“…The building wreckage!?”
Then the window shattered in its entirety.
Right when Makiko broke down into disconsolate wailing.
