Vol. 1 Chapter 11 – The Talented Child

My heart was still pounding a little even after I’d parted ways with Nagisa and sunk deep into the living room sofa.

“Welcome home, Yuuto. You’re late, aren’t you?” (Mother)

“…I’m home.” (Yuuto)

Mom, who had evidently just gotten out of the bath, had apparently only come out to show me her face; her hair was still wet.

Once she confirmed I was home, she immediately headed back to the washroom.

I’d already sent a message via the app when I knew I’d be having a study session with Souma, letting her know I might be late, so I followed the instructions in her reply and heated up the food left on the desk.

Just as I finished heating the meal and put my hands together at the table, Mom came out of the washroom and sat down on the living room sofa.

My hands, busy eating, slowed as I decided to ask her a question.

“Mom, does Dad know I got into Ichiyou?” (Yuuto)

“Of course he knows. We talk about you, Yuuto.” (Mother)

That was news to me. I’d just assumed he wouldn’t bother contacting an ordinary person like my mom.

But thinking about it, Dad was supporting us financially, so of course he’d be concerned, and Mom would naturally tell him what was going on.

The father I saw through the camera on variety shows and documentaries always seemed so kind.

I even remembered him saying on some show once that he liked kids.

All sorts of thoughts bubbled up in my head, a jumbled mess. If my guess was right, then when Hokujou Yuuya told Minase Nagisa about a talented kid their age… could that be…

“What’s with you all of a sudden? Oh, and it’s not like I’m the one proactively telling him things, okay? It’s just that your father gets so curious, so I tell him, that’s all.” (Mother)

Misunderstanding my concern, perhaps thinking I was worried about our blood relationship being exposed to the world—something I usually fretted about—Mom offered an explanation, just in case.

“I don’t really mind… I mean, he’s supporting us financially, so it’s natural for him to be interested, right?” (Yuuto)

“Well, that’s a relief… Oh, but he was sad recently because I haven’t sent him any pictures of you lately…” (Mother)

“You’ve been sending him those?!” (Yuuto)

“He just kept saying he really wanted them, you know… I guess his only son is just adorable to him, don’t you think? He loves kids, that man. So, with that said…” (Mother)

As she spoke, Mom aimed her smartphone camera at me. I generally disliked having my picture taken, and normally I would have resisted, but with all this new information rushing into my head, my thoughts had ground to a halt, and my body wouldn’t move properly.

Until now, I wouldn’t say I found my father bothersome, but I’d believed the only thing he felt for Mom and me was a sense of responsibility. That’s why I’d been careful not to bring him up around Mom and absolutely never pried into the subject. I thought my family was just Mom and me. But apparently, I was wrong. From what Mom was saying now, it seemed Dad did have some affection for us.

And then, not even a few seconds after my picture was presumably sent, Mom’s phone vibrated with a notification.

“…Dad?” (Yuuto)

“Yep, yep. He always replies super fast when it’s about you, Yuuto.” (Mother)

This phenomenon, seemingly confirming that my father did indeed harbor affection for me, swirled around in my brain, pushing me towards a single conclusion.

There was a possibility that the talented kid Nagisa mentioned, the one her age, was me.

If that were the case, it was clearly Dad’s misunderstanding, and if so, what on earth was I supposed to tell Nagisa?

What if Dad knew I used to watch his acting intently when I was little? What if Dad was the type of parent who believed his son possessed all sorts of talents? …It wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.

“…Thanks for the meal.” (Yuuto)

I carried my dishes to the sink and took a deep breath. A little calm… no, my brain, having temporarily given up on thinking, felt a bit more spacious. Glancing at Mom, who was likely still exchanging messages with Dad on her phone, I headed for the bathroom.

Focusing solely on moving my body, I showered mindlessly and then soaked in the tub.

“Besides, it’s not like I have any way to confirm if I’m even that person.” (Yuuto)

I said it aloud to no one in particular, just to organize my thoughts. Even if I went out of my way to ask through Mom, I wouldn’t know if I should tell Nagisa anyway.

Therefore, there was nothing I could do. Having reached that conclusion, I shifted my awareness to the warmth of the bathwater enveloping me.

“Honestly, you’re taking way too long in the bath!” (Mother)

“I was just thinking about some things…” (Yuuto)

As expected, I hadn’t quite managed to switch off, and apparently, I’d been soaking for so long that I’d started to get lightheaded.

“Yuuto? Your father says he wants to see you soon.” (Mother)

“Huh? But that’s not a good idea, is it?” (Yuuto)

If I met him now, I’d have to find out the truth about this “talented child,” and more importantly, if I made a mistake like meeting him directly and our relationship got out, it would be bad for both Dad and Mom.

“Well, we’ll have to meet sometime, though…” (Yuuto)

Considering Dad’s recent actions, never meeting him at all would be rude, and somehow, it felt a bit sad. When would be safe, I wondered. Would it be better to meet Hokujou Yuuya as an adult rather than as a high school student?

“Well, both your father and I figured he probably wouldn’t meet you privately anyway.” (Mother)

“Then don’t ask me in the first place…” (Yuuto)

I let out an exasperated sigh at Mom, who knew full well that the thing I dreaded most was being exposed to the public. Just then, she said something I could hardly believe.

“So, about that! Your father’s coming to Ichiyou for work! Apparently, he’s going to be a judge for the Entertainment Course exams!” (Mother)

…For today, I should just go to sleep.

Having shut down my brain, I headed to the sink to brush my teeth…