Her Secret

It wasn't long until both me and Tochaki-san became tired with all the making out and teasing. Me and Tochaki-san went downstairs and got a bottle of cold water from the fridge. However, something was off with one of the kitchen cabinets. This kitchen cabinet was just as tall as me and there was something glowing in it. I pointed it out to Tochaki-san and she seemed to be weirded out by it as well.

"Do you want to check it out?"

"It looks freaking creepy! Are you sure?"

"Tochaki-san, it's your house. Shouldn't you know what's inside?"

"Well, there was something that I kept from you…"

"Kept from me?"

I was confused since it just came out of the blue all of a sudden. Tochaki-san is usually pretty obvious with her facial expressions and voice when she keeps stuff from me but I've never noticed that there is something else she is hiding from me.

"I'm actually… adopted…"

"??!!"

My eyes opened up widely and my jaw dropped. Her relationship with her father has always been good so I never even suspected that she was adopted.

"It's a boring story… but do you want to hear it?"

"If you are comfortable with sharing it, of course. If this secret you've been hiding has made your heart uncomfortable, I want you to say it. I'll share whatever that hurts you."

"... thank you dear…"

She leaned on me for support. It seems I ruined the mood by bringing the weird kitchen cabinet.

"My mom died right after she gave birth to me. My biological father was an alcoholic. I lived with him for the first three years of my life and according to dad (Tokita), I was abused every day I lived there."

"I'm so sorry Tochaki-san…"

"Dear, it's not your fault, but I should show you this while I am at it."

I got confused but then got flustered after Tochaki-san lifted her night wear, which was just a white nightgown.

"Tochaki-san? I don't think–"

"Dear… look."

She turned her back and I took a step back from shock. There was a huge scar on her back that goes across from top left all the way down to her waist. Some can even argue that it was the same length as her long black hair. I couldn't stop myself but felt the need to touch it.

"EEP!"

"I'm sorry!"

I took a step back again and realized what I have done.

"It's alright dear. I just didn't think you would touch it…"

"Does it hurt?"

"It still burns a bit when water touches it. But it doesn't hurt as much as before."

What has she been through since her childhood? I'm surprised she didn't get PTSD from this. I couldn't stop myself but cried. It wasn't even me who felt this physical pain, but the emotional pain to see someone I love from harm burns my heart.

"Dear?!"

It seems she heard a drop of tear on the floor and turned around to see a stream of tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Dear?! Are you alright?!"

I dashed towards her and hugged her with all my strength. She seemed surprised but I didn't know what I could have done but try to comfort her.

"Dear?..."

My heart seems to get slashed everytime I imagine how painful it must have been for a small girl to endure the abuse of her supposedly "father".

She must have noticed how worried I was for her and she hugged me back.

"It's fine dear… it's all in the past now. I'm living just fine aren't I?"

"It's not about the fact that you're still living, it's about the fact that you endure something like this as a child…"

"Dear…"

She can do nothing but smile while hugging me. 

I calmed down before me and Tochaki-san opened up the cabinet to find something surprising. It was a black metal door that seemed to not be locked. I opened up the door and there was a single light bulb in an all metal room lighting up. There was a table in the middle of the room and a board on the wall full of papers.

"Let me go get a flashlight."

Tochaki-san ran to the storage room before coming back with two flashlights. The lightbulb was barely lighting up the room so the flashlight helped. Me and Tochaki-san went and every sight that was burned in my eyes, it reminded me of my past… It reminded me of something that used to haunt me for years…

"Let me see mama! Let me see papa!"

The voices that I yelled in the hospital…

"I'm sorry child…"

Don't apologize… I don't want to hear that…

"Let me see them!!"

They are the only ones that I have… Let me see them…

"I'm just so sorry… but they are gone…"

Gone? Gone where? Of course they are gone! Because you won't let me see them! OF COURSE THEY ARE GONE. RIGHT? ISN'T IT JUST GREAT? THE TWO PEOPLE THAT I HAVE. THE TWO PEOPLE THAT I CAN RELY ON! Is gone…