For what Joshua said, felt like a lifetime.
Aki had cherished Joshua as a trusted friend. The sudden confession shocked him to the core, hollowing out his chest with an agonizing clarity. It was as if something vital, something he hadn't known he relied on, was being violently wrenched from his body.
Joshua simply blinked. Aki's shattered mind was easy for him to read, 'I think you understood. I will be going now.'
'Alright,' Aki managed a forced nod.
Joshua's form shimmered, dissolving to be replaced by Reiji's mask before he finally departed, leaving behind a profound silence.
Aki slumped onto his chair. He buried his face in his arms on the desk, not caring if the rough surface left a mark.
'You are exhausted, father.' Levka's quiet voice cut through the silence.
'I am not,' Aki immediately shot back. 'I haven't even done any work today.'
