29. → "You shouldn't have said that."
The female stood in the doorway, staring at her husband, his back hunched over as he held his head in his hands. Regret ate at his soul as he tried to find meaning in anything that he had done. The night, the party, all had been ruined because he was so bitter.
"You couldn't have known he'd be there tonight, Kiku." Mei said, taking a step in as she tried to comfort her husband. Kiku merely ignored her words, finding no comfort in that fact. He couldn't have known, but that didn't prevent the fact that Yao had came, and they had began to fight.
Mei sighed as she approached Kiku. Gently her hand rested on his back. He still wore his suit, though they had left the party hours ago. She had changed into a nightgown and robe. Her hair was brushed and pristine. She was the embodiment of beauty and grace in Kiku's eyes, even in such a causal state. But he couldn't appreciate such features now, his mind racing with what he could have done to prevent all this.
The woman stayed silent with her husband, knowing he would appreciate it more than an attempt at comfort. He would beat himself, then be fine in the morning. It was how these things always work. But Mei couldn't stand this silence. They needed to talk about what had happened.
"Yao was trying to hurt you, you know that." She said with her delicate voice. Her words played in his ears, and for a moment, he felt like pulling her into him and just relishing in her relaxing warmth, but he felt like he deserved no comfort, and refused himself.
"The guests, they all must think we are heathens. There is no honor in what I've done. And now they know the truth." Kiku to the left, so that Mei could not see his dark eyes as his mind replayed the night's events like a movie.
"They know you are a good man, Kiku. You were young, and scared, they know Yao only says these things to hurt your honor, but it never works." She tried to assure, but this time, Kiku Honda didn't believe it.
"I'm not a good man, Mei!" Kiku bursted, making the woman step back in fright, not used to such harshness in his words. Kiku always spoke with a calm command. But this was bitter and angry and hurt, something she hardly had seen in him, despite years of being married.
"I killed him Mei, I killed him and he could have lived." Kiku felt a lump form in his throat. She hadn't known him then, but every chance that someone with a grudge against Kiku had, they reminded Kiku of what he had done, what he could have prevented, and sent him back into further guilt and despair.
Mei shook her head, and reapproached Kiku. She had nothing to fear in him. "You were a kid, Kiku. You couldn't have known better. It was an accident." She spoke softly, wanting him to calm down. Kiku had realized his outburst had frightened his wife, and he had regretted it. He took a deep breath, before turning around, and looking up at Mei. Her light brown eyes were full of worry, but love. She could never stop loving, even after learning what he had done.
"My father hates me, and my family can never truly forgive me. What do I have left?" He asked her. The woman's eyes softened, and she gently took her husband's face into her hands. She was soft and warm, a touch Kiku hadn't known before her. He relaxed in her hold, and felt worries melt away.
"You have a wife that loves you, a nephew that adores you, and hope. You have hope that one day, you can forgive yourself, the way I forgive you everyday for putting this burden on yourself." She said, before leaning forward. She gently kissed Kiku's forehead, and the man could feel tears burn in his eyes as she did so. At times, he couldn't view himself as a man, as he subcame to emotions like this, but it was enough that he was loved by her. It was enough that she forgave him, despite the inability to forgive himself.