A Father’s Final Stand

The atmosphere in the room grew tense, my stepfather's gaze sharpening as he looked at me. But the darkness that clouded his eyes faded quickly, masked by a false smile.

"We can start over, you know. Try to rebuild what we lost," he said, his voice softened. "Isn't that what you want too, Makoto?"

I returned his gaze steadily. "I didn't come here to fix anything, Dad. I came to say goodbye."

"Makoto…" He let out a shaky sigh, his shoulders sagging as he dropped heavily into his chair, covering his face with his hands.

"You've changed since going to that school," he muttered, almost to himself.

"Maybe so," I replied.

"Is it… fun? School, I mean?"

I paused, pressing a hand to my mouth as I realized I was smiling. I never thought of myself as someone who particularly enjoyed school, yet I couldn't deny that I cared about this new place. It had changed my life in ways that felt like a true shift.