"What are you saying, Haruto? Of course not. Your mother and father loved each other very much."
Grandma said it firmly, but her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. The smile on her face was stiff, forced, and it did not reach her eyes.
Haruto noticed the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers dug into the fabric of her clothes. His grandpa remained silent, staring at the floor.
"I'm not a child anymore," Haruto said calmly.
"I have the right to know. I don't believe my father became a drunkard and a gambling addict because he loved my mom."
He turned his head slightly, jaw tight, as if holding back something bitter. It annoyed him to play this role, but he needed answers.
Still, his grandparents avoided his gaze, clinging to their denial. So Haruto used the last thing he had.
"Then consider this repayment," he said quietly.
