His appearance was beyond recognition, Hotaru felt relief as if someone took off the chains that were weighing her down after killing her abusive father. Her mother on the other hand was watching, lying on the ground on her stomach, Her face was filled with unbelief as she witnessed her daughter kill someone, her daughter that was once sweet and full of joy and innocence, killed someone. What's even more horrifying for her was that she heard Shou telling her now late husband that they were a part of a yakuza.
"H-Hotaru, You're not actually part of the yakuza right? They're threatening you to do this right? Forcing you to be a part of them...Right?..." Said her mother with her voice trembling in disbelief.
Everyone went silent and their eyes showed pity and coldness as if they were looking at a child who won't accept that the family they once knew was gone. All of them know the harsh and painful feeling of a person who you once knew, changed very differently... For the better or for the worse.
Raiden lit up his cigarette as he wanted to tell her the cold truth about her daughter but he knows that he was not the one who was supposed to bring that news; "We'll be leaving you two alone for now."
"Thanks, captain but I don't mind if you guys stayed here."
Her mother's heart dropped, filled with despair when she heard her daughter call him captain.
"Y-you're kidding r-right??"
"Does my eyes look like I'm joking to you right now?"
"B-but why?"
"Because you made me do this, but at the same time I should probably be thankful because if you two weren't such assholes, I wouldn't have met them."
Her mother cried her heart out while saying sorry over and over again, bowing to her daughter for forgiveness but she knows that she would not be forgiven for the things she had done to her daughter in the past because that time could never be repaid, but despite that, she still kept apologizing over and over again to show her how deeply sorry she was. When she was supposed to be her daughter's light in her cold and abusive home, turns out she also started to become like her husband towards her daughter.
"See you and Godspeed."
By the time she looked up after hearing that, the last thing she saw on her daughter's face was not her smile or sympathy but a look of pity mixed with disgust as she left. Leaving by herself alone...Once more. Again she cried out with all her heart and the last thing Hotaru hears as she leaves her old home was her mother's cry of sorrow, guilt, and regret. All she could feel that day was freedom and pity but there was nothing else she could do but leave her mother again.
What would happen if I forgave her? Would things go back to the way it was or at least be better? These thoughts came through around Hotaru's head. Shou notices it and gives her some piece of advice.
He grabs her shoulder across; "What's wrong? Is something bothering you?"
"...I was wondering if I made the right choice."
"Hmm, I think you did the right choice, after all even if she did abuse you and overtime was sorry for it until now, It's not a valid excuse to do that in the first place, she would've said sorry early on and not now and if you feel bad on not forgiving her, don't, it's only natural not to forgive her because of what she did, this is only her retribution for all those years you have been abused."
Hotaru paused for a moment and then smiled at him for comforting her. "Heh, Thanks, You're a great help, Shou-Kun."
"Haha, Hey I thought I was your older brother?" Shou said jokingly.
"I can call you whatever I want."
"You two have been very close recently, Is there something else that's going on between the two of you?" Yuichi said curiously out of nowhere.
"What are you talking about, we're just close that's all," Hotaru replied.
"She's right." Shou agreed.
"Humu, We'll see about that," Yuichi responded with a smug on his face.
Everyone went back to their cottage to pick up their belongings and went to the airport to go back to Tokyo.
Meanwhile back in the Mishiki clan's main quarters.
"Ma'am, it seems that the sixth division is finished with their paid leave, do you want me to send our escorts to pick them up? Toda asked.
"Hmm, Sure but I'll be coming with them too."
"But ma'am...What if there's someone who recognizes you and tries to attack you?"
"Don't worry, I just want to go for a little walk, and besides they're all no match for me. I'm not going to be defeated that easily."
"...Yes ma'am, I'll have the escort vehicles ready by tonight."
"Thank you."
"If you will excuse me, ma'am." Toda bowed deeply before leaving and closing the door.
"Someone trying to attack me huh?..." Yumiko wondered while staring at a picture frame of her with a group of people at her desk. "It's been a while... Since that time."
Back in Yumiko's younger days...Her ancestors were formerly part of a yakuza as the head but now her father is a CEO of a large and popular company, and her mother was also an employee of that same company, but she rarely gets to spend time with them, so in school, her classmates always try to manipulate her onto getting her to give them money but Yumiko was aware of that fact and would try to fight back. Her parents enlisted her in martial arts training in whatever type of school she wants and she could change it, anytime she wanted to. Since she wanted to get her parent's attention and approval, she picked up every type of martial art style, and slowly one by one she mastered them all. But her parents weren't proud of her...No, they were only proud of the achievements she brings home in every competition she participates in, especially the number one spot.