288 I am his widow

Meanwhile, Kinoshita Iori is at Tezuka Kohei's house.

"I didn't think that you would come," Her mother, who is sitting beside her on the couch, whispers to her, "This is very thoughtful of you."

"I was the one who saw him alive last time, Mother," Iori murmurs in a grieving voice. "How could I not come?"

Her mother squints her eyes on Iori, still suspicious of her objectives. 

"You are here." Leaning on a servant for support, Tezuka Kohei's mother walks toward them. She looks haggard, a shadow of her former graceful self. Her eyes are sunken, and her hair is a mess. 

Iori's mother gasps when she sees her childhood friend like that. Before she could hug her friend, Iori stands up and wraps her arms around the woman's shoulders, and sobs, "Mother, I am so sorry. I should have been with him at that time."

Even Tezuka Kohei's mother is caught off guard. After a moment, she pats the girl's back. "It's a pity. Kohei really loved you."