Tamiko's face turned a hot, bright red. She looked like she was melting. She tried to hide her head under her long hair, but Shido just laughed. He leaned his head against hers and gave her a wide, naughty grin.
"S-stop it!" she whispered, her hands shaking like a nervous bird. "Everyone is looking at us!"
"Let them look!" Shido declared, finally letting go of her with a wink.
Kento rolled his eyes. "Can we eat in peace now, or do I have to kick the 'hero' out of the kitchen?"
Hori reached over and delivered a sharp smack to the back of Shido's head. Her face was still a little pale from the scare.
"Don't do that, you donkey!" she shouted, waving her hand. "I was terrified that Kento or Kashima would actually have to give you CPR! I can't deal with watching three boys rolling around on the floor like that!"
Kento made a face like he had just swallowed a lemon. "If I had to touch his lips to save his life, I think I'd just let the bread win."
Kashima didn't even look up from his tea. He simply adjusted his hair with a cold, elegant finger. "I would have used a straw. I have standards, Kirishima."
"See?" Shido shouted, rubbing the back of his head. "Even in my final moments, my friends are debating my worth. Truly, I am a lone wolf in a world of sheep."
Shiyi let out a long, tired sigh. She leaned her chin on her hand as she watched the drama. 'He is such a headache,' she thought, but a small smile pulled at her lips. "Honestly, Shido. My six-year-old brother has better manners than you. You're like a hungry puppy who forgets he has a throat."
"He's a complete moron," Kashima added, cleaning a splash of water off the table with a napkin.
"Total idiot," Kento agreed. He finally let go of his spoon, which he had been gripping very tightly.
Mr. Kamitani sat back. A warm smile returned to his tired face. "Don't be so hard on him. He just likes the food too much. Though, Shido... try to stay alive until we finish the tea, okay?"
Shido flashed his usual grin at Tamiko, who was still blushing. "See? Dad understands. This might be the first time in sixteen years you've said something sensible, old man."
"Hey! Watch your mouth!" Shiyi scolded, pointing her chopsticks at him like a tiny sword. Everyone laughed, the sound echoing against the kitchen tiles.
Mr. Kamitani's smile turned a bit smaller. He looked at the empty seat next to him. He set his cup down with a soft clink.
"To answer your question, Shido..." his voice became low and heavy. "Your mother is still at the Amamiya house. She's staying there to help them. There are a lot of... difficult things to plan for Asuka's funeral."
The laughter died away. A heavy silence filled the kitchen. The steam from the soup rose in thin lines, but the room felt cold.
Shido's hand stayed on Tamiko's shoulder. He wasn't joking anymore. His face looked pale. 'A funeral? It feels too real now,' he thought. 'Usually, the morning news is just stories, but this is happening to people we know.'
Kento gripped his spoon so hard his knuckles turned white. He stared at the table, but he wasn't seeing the food. 'Asuka...' Mr. Kamitani stood up. He didn't look like a tough lawyer; he looked like a father who had seen something terrible. He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth slowly. Then, he let out a long, tired sigh.
"Where are you going, Dad?" Kento asked. His voice was low and shaky.
"Do you have to go to work?" Shido added. His voice lost its funny spark.
Mr. Kamitani walked toward the fridge. His footsteps were slow. "No. I am not going to the office today," he said softly.
Shiyi stoohd up quickly. "What do you need? I can get it for you," she said, her eyes full of worry for him.
Mr. Kamitani turned and gave her a small, warm smile. He reached out and patted her shoulder gently. "Stay seated, Shiyi. Don't trouble yourself. You've done enough already." He took a bottle of water from the fridge. The plastic made a loud crinkle in the quiet room. "I am going back to the Amamiya house."
Kento stood up so fast his chair almost fell. "Wait! Did the funeral not happen yet? Why is it taking so long?"
Hori and Tamiko looked at each other. They were confused. 'Asuka? Who is Asuka?' Hori thought. She saw how shocked Kento looked. 'He looks like he was hit in the stomach. This
person must have been very important to him.'
Tamiko noticed Shido was staring into space. With shaking hands, she poured some more soup into his bowl. "Here," she whispered.
"Thank you," Shido said. He didn't even look at the soup.
Mr. Kamitani stood with his back to them. He looked at the water bottle in his hand. Finally, he turned around. His eyes were soft but sad. "No, Kento. There is no funeral yet."
Shiyi leaned forward. "But it has been six hours since the accident. Why are they waiting?"
Mr. Kamitani sat back down for a moment and leaned toward them. His voice was gentle but serious. "It was a hit-and-run accident. Right now, the police do not know who to blame."
Shido's mouth fell open. "What? That makes no sense! Someone died! They have to find the car!"
"It makes sense," Kento said. His voice was cold. "This sort of situation happens when the driver is someone powerful. Someone with enough money to hide the truth."
"You are right, Kento," Mr. Kamitani said. He reached out and placed a hand on Kento's arm to calm him. "When people have too much power, they try to make the evidence disappear."
Under the table, Kashima was falling apart. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. His knees were shaking so hard they hit the table leg. He gripped his own legs until it hurt. 'They are going to find the car,' his mind screamed. 'They are going to find my father.'
Hori leaned over. "Is it just paperwork? Is that why the police are waiting?"
Mr. Kamitani shook his head slowly.
"Someone is buying time, Hori. They are delaying the reports. Until the doctor signs the paper, the body is evidence. They are keeping that poor girl in a cold room because they want the tracks to go cold."
Kashima looked up. His glasses were foggy from the heat of his skin. "Do you..." he started. His voice broke. He swallowed and tried again. "Will the police ever find the criminal? Are you sure?"
Mr. Kamitani looked at Kashima. He saw the boy shaking and thought he was just scared of the news. He gave him a warm, fatherly look. "They will, Kashima. Rich people think they can hide anything. But they always leave something behind. It takes a long time to dig for the truth because they fill the hole with money. But eventually, the money runs out."
Tamiko felt a sharp pain in her heart. She didn't know who Asuka was, but she thought of the mother waiting for her child. "It's not fair," she whispered.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Tamiko?" Shido called out her name. He saw tears running down her cheeks.
"It's not fair!" Tamiko cried softly. Her voice was trembling. "That mother... she just wants to say goodbye. She wants her daughter to be at peace. Why does she have to fight just to have a funeral?"
Mr. Kamitani sighed. He reached across the table and patted Tamiko's hand. "If we give up because it is hard, Tamiko, then there is no justice. We can't let the law disappear."
Kento stood up straight. His eyes were burning with fire. "Then you have to do it, Dad. You're a great lawyer. Don't let them win.
Catch the culprit. Make them pay for what they did."
Mr. Kamitani stood up and gave his son a firm, determined nod. He looked at all the children with a brave smile. "I will, Kento. I promise."
Mr. Kamitani finished his water. The plastic bottle made a loud crinkle as he set it down. He looked at Kento. His eyes were heavy and dark.
"Kento, get ready," Mr. Kamitani said. His voice was like a heavy stone falling into a quiet pond. "I want you to come with me."
Kento blinked. He looked at the steam rising from his half-empty bowl. "Go with you? Where?"
Mr. Kamitani let out a long, tired sigh. He leaned against the white counter. "It is obvious, isn't it? We are going to the Amamiya house. Your mother is waiting there. We must show our respect."
Kento did not move. He looked around the table at his friends. The room felt tight.
Kashima was staring at a blue flower on the tablecloth. His eyes were wide and frozen. He did not move a muscle. It was as if his soul had left his body. He did not seem to hear the voices around him.
Tamiko was holding her phone with both hands. Her thumb moved fast, scrolling through a list of dates and times. It was her work shift. She looked worried, her brow pinching together as she checked her schedule.
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