Page 337 of Faking the Goal

"What for?"

Her eyes glisten almost immediately.

"It's my fault Ken-chan was late meeting you that day." Her fingers tighten around mine. "Miho came home unexpectedly, and... we had something important we needed to sort out as a family." She shakes her head before forcing herself to smile, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "But you don't need to hear our family drama right now."

She dabs delicately at the corner of her eye with the handkerchief tucked inside her sleeve before looking back at me.

"I just keep thinking..." Her voice trembles. "If I hadn't asked him to come over... if I hadn't kept him there... he would've been with you."

The guilt in her voice squeezes painfully around my heart.

"No." I squeeze her hand firmly. "Please don't do that to yourself."

She opens her mouth to protest, but I gently shake my head.

"I told him the exact same thing last night." My voice softens. "The only person responsible for what happened to me is Charlie. Not you. Not Miho. And certainly not Kentaro."

Silence settles between us for a moment.

Harumi studies me quietly before a small, bittersweet smile touches her lips. She lifts one hand and gently pats mine.

"You're a very kind girl."

"I just don't want the people I care about carrying guilt that doesn't belong to them."

Wanting to steer the conversation away from something that clearly still weighs so heavily on her, I offer her a small smile.

"So..." I tilt my head slightly. "He finally told you."

Harumi's brows knit together.

"He told you?"

I return the nod.

"He did." A sad smile tugs at my lips. "He was really conflicted about it. I don't think he'd known what to do for a long time." I glance down at our joined hands. "I kept telling him he should talk to you because he shouldn't have been carrying something that heavy by himself..."

A knot forms in my throat.

"...but then everything happened." My voice grows quieter. "Instead of helping him, I just..." I shake my head. "I only added more to his shoulders."

Harumi's expression softens immediately.

"Oh, sweetheart, you didn't."

I look up at her.

She gives my hand another gentle squeeze before smiling sadly. "Kentaro has always been like that. Ever since he was little, if someone he loves is hurting, he carries that hurt right alongside them." She lets out a quiet sigh. "It doesn't matter whether it's something he can fix or not. He'll still convince himself it's somehow his responsibility."

Her eyes drift toward the door for a brief moment before returning to mine.

"When he called me from the hospital three days ago..." Her voice catches ever so slightly. "I've never heard my son sound so broken."

She swallows before continuing.

"So please don't think you've become another burden for him, because you haven't." A faint smile touches her lips. "If anything, you're one of the people he'd choose to carry every single time. That's just who my Ken-chan is."

Her smile grows warmer.