I was standing in front of Shu's apartment building, thanks to Luna, who helped me gather information as per our plan. I would try to negotiate with her parents while Luna continued her investigation. Zen and Aris would stay with Shu at all times—leaving her alone might fill her with negative thoughts.
I took a deep breath, anxiety tightening my chest.
"So... it's time for me to face my past."
I entered the apartment. As I reached Room 502, I inhaled deeply again. Her mother opened the door. Upon seeing me, she frowned.
"You're that ill-mannered boy I met at the hospital, right?" she said, clearly frustrated. "If you're looking for Shu, she's not here—and I don't know where she is."
She began to close the door, but with my head lowered, I raised my voice.
"Nine years ago, you left a child in this city. Am I right?"
She froze, shocked—no one else knew that.
"W-Where did you hear that?" she asked, visibly scared.
"No one told me. Because the boy you left behind... was me."
"Don't lie. That child died when I left him. How could a small boy survive on his own?" she said, denying everything.
"Maybe I would've died if I'd stayed on the streets too long, but..." I remembered the warmth of the person who reached out to save me—Sis Elsa. I replied with a soft smile.
"Maybe you left me because I was just a burden to you. But someone still held me dear... even though she doesn't remember me at all."
"Stop babbling nonsense! You think I'll believe all this crap?" she shouted.
I interrupted her, lifting a photo.
"Your first love left you, didn't he?" I said, showing her the picture of the man she once loved—the man who was my real father, who left her and me before I was born, now living happily with a new family.
Her anger faded. Her voice turned cold, lifeless—like I was speaking to a ghost.
"You should come in," she said, emotionless. She knew the truth but hadn't accepted it.
As I entered, the furious tension dissolved into a sudden quiet. She told me to sit near the table and served me tea.
"So... are you here to blame me? Curse me? Tell me I was a bad mother? That I don't deserve to live?" she asked, her voice breaking but still steady.
She smiled—but it was a broken smile.
"You're free to say whatever you want."
I stood up, wanting to ask why she left me. Was I a burden? Was the love she showed me all a lie?
I wanted to blame her. To curse her for leaving me all alone.
"I... I..." I clenched my fists, head down.
"Thank you."
Her expression changed, surprised by the opposite of what she expected.
"Maybe you're right. You weren't a good mother. And from that day until now, I've wanted to blame you. But..."
I looked at her with a tearful smile.
"I can't. Because the face I remember—the one that loved me, cherished me, smiled at me—was far more beautiful than the one you're wearing now."
She was stunned. Then, in pain, she raised her voice.
"You don't know anything about me! I wasn't a good daughter—nothing for my parents to be proud of. Not a good partner. Not a good mother. The sins I committed in the past..." She stopped, then continued.
"I'm still repeating them with Shu—releasing my anger on her."
She collapsed into her chair.
"And as a result, I'm all alone. The person I loved first left me. My mother passed away, leaving me with a child. I abandoned you out of foolishness. Shu's father doesn't love me. Miku, my child, is slowly fading from my life, and I can't do anything. And Shu..." She laughed bitterly, pain etched into every word.
"Maybe everyone's right. A witch ruins everything she touches."
She began to cry, hands covering her face.
"I don't think a witch would visit the police station every day after abandoning a child—just to ask about him," I said firmly.
Luna had discovered that from the day she left me, she'd gone to the station daily, asking for updates about the child she abandoned.
I continued.
"And a witch wouldn't endure so much pain and suffering—still holding on, still hoping to do something for the child she never wanted to lose."
She looked up, tears streaming down her face.
"You say you're alone. But you're wrong. You're just looking at the ground, afraid to lift your eyes. If you'd just look up a little..."
She lifted her head, meeting my gaze—soft, gentle, yet determined.
"You'd see that there are people who want you in their lives. Who cherish you. Who hope you'll find your light again. Not just Miku. Not just Shu. But..."
I took a deep breath and smiled brightly.
"I'm hoping you'll come back to me... Mom."
Let me know if you'd like this version adapted for narration, screenplay format, or visual pacing for manga panels. We can also build transitions into the next chapter or deepen the emotional layering.