p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Matsuda woke up from his nap and immediately reached for his phone. He turned it on, wincing slightly at the brightness and lowering it down before checking to see if there was anything from Sayu. Still nothing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He checked the time. It was pretty early, almost 6am, which meant he had slept for just under twelve hours. That was the longest sleep he had had in a very long time. Rather than feeling well rested though, he just felt dazed and could feel a headache coming on due to oversleeping. em'As if things could get any worse.'/em He thought to himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He sighed as he looked at the tv that he had left on while he slept, and noticed that the news was now being broadcast. He wasn't really paying attention to it, until suddenly he noticed the image on the screen. Each one of the crime syndicate members that had been involved in the drug heist that the task force and Near had intercepted earlier that week were finally being publicly announced as incarcerated, though no credit was given to the task force members for their arrest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Once the report was over there was some boring babble about the current state of the economics in Japan, so in order to save himself from the dull news, he got up to get himself some breakfast. Matsuda grabbed a bowl and some cereal from the cupboard and went over to get the milk from the fridge before sitting down at his kitchen table. He poured them into the bowl, still watching his phone, waiting for the text or phone call that he was hoping for but knew would never come. This was pure torture. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He gave up and opened his contact list, promising himself he would only allow himself to call her once, and after that, if she didn't answer him then he would leave her alone. No matter how hard it would be. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He brought up her number, and pressed the call button. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"With each ring he began to feel more and more nervous. What would he say if she did pick up? He waited, but after what felt like a life time of ringing, it went to voicemail. He sighed, and left her a message. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for everything and I know you're mad at me, and I know you probably never want to look at me again after yesterday. But I want you to know that I don't expect you to forgive me. I understand that this could take a lifetime to fix, and I can't blame you if you never do forgive me, hell I don't forgive myself for it. I'll be waiting here for you for as long as it takes, and I'll always be a phone call away if you need me. Goodbye Sayu." And with that he hung up. He was on the verge of tears, but he had done it, and now he had to wait it out, and let time decide what would become of him and Sayu./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As he put his phone down onto the table, he decided that it would be best for him to go get some fresh air and get out of the apartment for a little while. It would help him clear his mind, and he could also go get a coffee which he hoped would make him feel at least a little bit less lousy. He got up and grabbed some clean clothes from his draws, and began getting dressed. His plan was that if he kept himself active, he could possibly make himself feel better and help himself pass the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Meanwhile, Sayu was sat on the couch at home, wrapped up in blankets. She hadn't slept at all, and had instead just stayed up watching reruns of old drama series on tv, not really paying attention to it, but using it as a form of escape and a way to keep her mind off things. But it wasn't really working very well, and out of the corner of her eye she noticed her phone light up. em1 new voicemail/em the text on the screen read. She sighed, and turned her phone over, not wanting to check it. She knew it would be from Matsuda, and she couldn't do it right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She leaned back into the couch and wrapped the quilt around herself even more tightly, swaddling herself in it to provide herself with comfort and warmth. As she did so, she heard footsteps behind her, and she turned her head to see her mum coming down the stairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu...? What are you doing up so early?" Sachiko asked inquisitively./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu wasn't sure what to say, so she hid all of her emotions behind a fake smile. "I woke up and I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to come sit down here." She lied, but Sachiko knew her daughter better than that, and she took a seat in the space beside her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Did something happen? You know you can talk to me about anything." She offered, looking her daughter in the eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I know…" Sayu began. "It's nothing, really… It's just…" She began, and Sachiko gave her an encouraging smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It's just what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She sighed. "Matsuda told me something yesterday, something bad… He said that we weren't told the truth about the Kira investigation, and he told me about what really happened with to Dad and L-Light…" She stuttered. She didn't really want to tell her mum. She didn't want to see her upset too, but she needed to. It wouldn't be fair for her to know and not Sachiko. "Matsuda told me that Light was Kira…" She said, feeling horrible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sachiko took a second to respond, but when she did, she was calm and collected. She kept her voice low and soothing. "I see… That must have been very difficult for Matsuda to tell you…" She stated, and Sayu gave her a confused look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You're not angry at them for hiding it? You're not upset about it...?" Sayu asked, wondering how her mother could be so calm about it when Sayu was so emotional about it all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""No, I am upset about it. It breaks my heart to know that throughout everything your father did, and all that he sacrificed, that it was Light. Being completely honest, I find it impossible to believe it. Light is my son, and imagining that he could be capable of doing such a thing is horrible. But I know that for Matsuda to tell you the truth, he must have really cared for you. No matter how much it hurts us, it must be hurting Matsuda too. He must have known all this time, and he had to make a decision whether to keep lying to you or to tell you the truth. I can imagine it was eating him up inside, playing on his mind constantly." She paused before continuing. "Don't lose him over this Sayu… He loves you so much, otherwise he would have let you continue to believe in a lie. You don't have to go to him straight away. I understand you need time to yourself to sort out your feelings and come to terms with everything he said, but don't block him out of your life because of this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu nodded. "I know Mum, I know he's not in the wrong… It just, it hurts knowing that everything we were told about the Kira investigation was a lie."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""And it will do. The truth can hurt, I can't deny that. But he can be your support." She said, and leaned over, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "I'm going to go out for a little while, would you like to come with me?" She offered and Sayu smiled, nodding. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yeah… I'll go get dressed now. I'll be right down." Sayu said, getting up from the couch and grabbing her quilt and phone. Sachiko smiled at her, and she smiled back, going upstairs and into her room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As she went inside, she placed her quilt and phone on her bed, before going to her wardrobe and looking through it. She grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans, and began getting dressed, then combed her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. Just before she went to go back downstairs, she remembered the voicemail. Reaching for her phone, Sayu sat on the bed and began to dial the number needed to retrieve the message. She called the number and waited, until the automated voice announced the number and began to play the voicemail message. It was from Matsuda./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for everything…" The message began. The moment she heard his voice, she felt her chest ache and tears well up in her eyes. She missed him so much. She continued listening to every word, holding the phone close. At the end of the message, she felt tears run down her cheeks as Matsuda began to wrap up the message. "I'll be waiting here for you for as long as it takes." Those words meant so much to her; hearing them made her feel a lot better and as she thought about what her mother had told her, she noticed that she was no longer angry with him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She hugged the phone close to her chest, and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Her mother was right, and she knew that. Matsuda was just as hurt as she was and he was suffering from what had happened too. It was unfair for her to take it out on him. She contemplated calling him back as she brought up his number on her phone, but just at that moment Sachiko caught her off guard when she knocked on her bedroom door. "Are you ready yet Sayu?" She asked from the hallway. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu got up off her bed, putting the phone down beside the stuffed dog that Matsuda had given her, and she grabbed a jacket from the coat rack on the back of her door. "Yeah! I'm ready!" She called back, giving her eyes one final wipe and checking herself in the mirror before going outside to her mother. "Sorry to keep you waiting…" She apologised, and Sachiko smiled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's okay Sweetie, let's get going." She said, and the two made their way downstairs together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How are you feeling?" Sachiko asked as she reached for her own coat, putting it on. Sayu looked up at her and gave her a small smile. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I feel a lot better… Thanks Mum." Sayu said, as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tightly. She was feeling happier now and a lot less worried after their talk. She was grateful for her mother's calm way of handling things, and for the advice that Sachiko always gave her whenever she was in a situation that she felt overwhelmed by./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sachiko beamed, hugging her back. "Anytime Sweetie, that's what I'm here for. Now, how about we go get some milkshakes?" She asked and Sayu giggled, nodding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'd like that!" She replied, as they made their way to the café not far from their house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He checked the time. It was pretty early, almost 6am, which meant he had slept for just under twelve hours. That was the longest sleep he had had in a very long time. Rather than feeling well rested though, he just felt dazed and could feel a headache coming on due to oversleeping. em'As if things could get any worse.'/em He thought to himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He sighed as he looked at the tv that he had left on while he slept, and noticed that the news was now being broadcast. He wasn't really paying attention to it, until suddenly he noticed the image on the screen. Each one of the crime syndicate members that had been involved in the drug heist that the task force and Near had intercepted earlier that week were finally being publicly announced as incarcerated, though no credit was given to the task force members for their arrest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Once the report was over there was some boring babble about the current state of the economics in Japan, so in order to save himself from the dull news, he got up to get himself some breakfast. Matsuda grabbed a bowl and some cereal from the cupboard and went over to get the milk from the fridge before sitting down at his kitchen table. He poured them into the bowl, still watching his phone, waiting for the text or phone call that he was hoping for but knew would never come. This was pure torture. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He gave up and opened his contact list, promising himself he would only allow himself to call her once, and after that, if she didn't answer him then he would leave her alone. No matter how hard it would be. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He brought up her number, and pressed the call button. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"With each ring he began to feel more and more nervous. What would he say if she did pick up? He waited, but after what felt like a life time of ringing, it went to voicemail. He sighed, and left her a message. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for everything and I know you're mad at me, and I know you probably never want to look at me again after yesterday. But I want you to know that I don't expect you to forgive me. I understand that this could take a lifetime to fix, and I can't blame you if you never do forgive me, hell I don't forgive myself for it. I'll be waiting here for you for as long as it takes, and I'll always be a phone call away if you need me. Goodbye Sayu." And with that he hung up. He was on the verge of tears, but he had done it, and now he had to wait it out, and let time decide what would become of him and Sayu./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As he put his phone down onto the table, he decided that it would be best for him to go get some fresh air and get out of the apartment for a little while. It would help him clear his mind, and he could also go get a coffee which he hoped would make him feel at least a little bit less lousy. He got up and grabbed some clean clothes from his draws, and began getting dressed. His plan was that if he kept himself active, he could possibly make himself feel better and help himself pass the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Meanwhile, Sayu was sat on the couch at home, wrapped up in blankets. She hadn't slept at all, and had instead just stayed up watching reruns of old drama series on tv, not really paying attention to it, but using it as a form of escape and a way to keep her mind off things. But it wasn't really working very well, and out of the corner of her eye she noticed her phone light up. em1 new voicemail/em the text on the screen read. She sighed, and turned her phone over, not wanting to check it. She knew it would be from Matsuda, and she couldn't do it right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She leaned back into the couch and wrapped the quilt around herself even more tightly, swaddling herself in it to provide herself with comfort and warmth. As she did so, she heard footsteps behind her, and she turned her head to see her mum coming down the stairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu...? What are you doing up so early?" Sachiko asked inquisitively./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu wasn't sure what to say, so she hid all of her emotions behind a fake smile. "I woke up and I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to come sit down here." She lied, but Sachiko knew her daughter better than that, and she took a seat in the space beside her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Did something happen? You know you can talk to me about anything." She offered, looking her daughter in the eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I know…" Sayu began. "It's nothing, really… It's just…" She began, and Sachiko gave her an encouraging smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It's just what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She sighed. "Matsuda told me something yesterday, something bad… He said that we weren't told the truth about the Kira investigation, and he told me about what really happened with to Dad and L-Light…" She stuttered. She didn't really want to tell her mum. She didn't want to see her upset too, but she needed to. It wouldn't be fair for her to know and not Sachiko. "Matsuda told me that Light was Kira…" She said, feeling horrible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sachiko took a second to respond, but when she did, she was calm and collected. She kept her voice low and soothing. "I see… That must have been very difficult for Matsuda to tell you…" She stated, and Sayu gave her a confused look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You're not angry at them for hiding it? You're not upset about it...?" Sayu asked, wondering how her mother could be so calm about it when Sayu was so emotional about it all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""No, I am upset about it. It breaks my heart to know that throughout everything your father did, and all that he sacrificed, that it was Light. Being completely honest, I find it impossible to believe it. Light is my son, and imagining that he could be capable of doing such a thing is horrible. But I know that for Matsuda to tell you the truth, he must have really cared for you. No matter how much it hurts us, it must be hurting Matsuda too. He must have known all this time, and he had to make a decision whether to keep lying to you or to tell you the truth. I can imagine it was eating him up inside, playing on his mind constantly." She paused before continuing. "Don't lose him over this Sayu… He loves you so much, otherwise he would have let you continue to believe in a lie. You don't have to go to him straight away. I understand you need time to yourself to sort out your feelings and come to terms with everything he said, but don't block him out of your life because of this." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu nodded. "I know Mum, I know he's not in the wrong… It just, it hurts knowing that everything we were told about the Kira investigation was a lie."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""And it will do. The truth can hurt, I can't deny that. But he can be your support." She said, and leaned over, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "I'm going to go out for a little while, would you like to come with me?" She offered and Sayu smiled, nodding. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yeah… I'll go get dressed now. I'll be right down." Sayu said, getting up from the couch and grabbing her quilt and phone. Sachiko smiled at her, and she smiled back, going upstairs and into her room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As she went inside, she placed her quilt and phone on her bed, before going to her wardrobe and looking through it. She grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans, and began getting dressed, then combed her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. Just before she went to go back downstairs, she remembered the voicemail. Reaching for her phone, Sayu sat on the bed and began to dial the number needed to retrieve the message. She called the number and waited, until the automated voice announced the number and began to play the voicemail message. It was from Matsuda./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sayu, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for everything…" The message began. The moment she heard his voice, she felt her chest ache and tears well up in her eyes. She missed him so much. She continued listening to every word, holding the phone close. At the end of the message, she felt tears run down her cheeks as Matsuda began to wrap up the message. "I'll be waiting here for you for as long as it takes." Those words meant so much to her; hearing them made her feel a lot better and as she thought about what her mother had told her, she noticed that she was no longer angry with him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She hugged the phone close to her chest, and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Her mother was right, and she knew that. Matsuda was just as hurt as she was and he was suffering from what had happened too. It was unfair for her to take it out on him. She contemplated calling him back as she brought up his number on her phone, but just at that moment Sachiko caught her off guard when she knocked on her bedroom door. "Are you ready yet Sayu?" She asked from the hallway. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sayu got up off her bed, putting the phone down beside the stuffed dog that Matsuda had given her, and she grabbed a jacket from the coat rack on the back of her door. "Yeah! I'm ready!" She called back, giving her eyes one final wipe and checking herself in the mirror before going outside to her mother. "Sorry to keep you waiting…" She apologised, and Sachiko smiled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's okay Sweetie, let's get going." She said, and the two made their way downstairs together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How are you feeling?" Sachiko asked as she reached for her own coat, putting it on. Sayu looked up at her and gave her a small smile. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I feel a lot better… Thanks Mum." Sayu said, as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tightly. She was feeling happier now and a lot less worried after their talk. She was grateful for her mother's calm way of handling things, and for the advice that Sachiko always gave her whenever she was in a situation that she felt overwhelmed by./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Sachiko beamed, hugging her back. "Anytime Sweetie, that's what I'm here for. Now, how about we go get some milkshakes?" She asked and Sayu giggled, nodding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'd like that!" She replied, as they made their way to the café not far from their house./span/p