Blood on the School Tracks: My Overprotective Mom and Secret Boyfriend - The Erased Contact and the Promise That Never Arrived

By the time the dinner dishes were cleared away, Osabe Seiichi was sitting on the living room sofa beside Shizuko. The weather forecast murmured from the television. Shizuko turned toward him, beaming. "Seiichi, what are you doing this weekend? Why don't you come with Mama to that new bakery by the station?" Her voice was soft and gentle, the way it always was. Seiichi fidgeted with the cuff of his school uniform, right there on his knee. A habit of his whenever he was thinking something over. "Um, Mama…" His voice trembled, just slightly. "What is it?" Shizuko tilted her head. Her glossy black hair, falling to her shoulders, swayed softly. "I promised Mizuno I'd go see a movie with her on Saturday." He'd said it. He'd finally said it. His heart pounding, Seiichi looked at Shizuko's face. For just a moment, her hand stopped. No—she wasn't holding chopsticks anymore. Dinner was already over. Her hand went still, right there beside him. "…Oh, is that so." Her voice was as soft as before. But her smile faded, just a little. Seiichi noticed, and something tightened deep in his chest. "What movie are you going to see?" "Um, I'm not really sure, but Mizuno said there's one that looks good—" "Mizuno—that girl who comes to see you at lunch?" "Yeah." Shizuko smiled brightly. But her eyes weren't smiling. "I see. How fun." That was all she said before she stood and walked toward the kitchen. Seiichi stayed on the sofa, watching her back. (I did it.) (I actually told her.) He felt relieved. But that prickling feeling deep in his chest didn't go away. Shizuko came back from the kitchen. In her hand was Seiichi's smartphone. "Seiichi." Her voice was a little lower than before. "What?" He looked up. Shizuko stood in front of him, smiling brightly. "Why didn't you tell Mama?" Seiichi's body went rigid. "Huh…?" "The movie plans—why didn't you tell Mama first?" Her voice was quiet. She wasn't angry. But that quietness was somehow more frightening. "S-sorry. I was just about to tell you—" "Just about to isn't good enough." Shizuko sat down beside him. "You see, Mama thinks about you first and foremost. So if Mama doesn't know your schedule, she worries and worries and can't help it." Her hand stroked his head. "Sorry…" Seiichi hung his head. "It's all right. You don't need to apologize. Mama knows you're not the kind of boy who keeps secrets." She took the smartphone from his hand. "Mama?" "Just let Mama have a little look." Shizuko opened the screen. There was no lock. Her fingers moved nimbly across the display. "Mama, what are you doing?" His voice came out a little louder. "It's fine. Just for a moment." She had opened the contact list. "You know, Seiichi. Mama worries about you. The other day you were looking at your phone late into the night, weren't you? It's not good for you." "I wasn't." "You were. Mama knows." Shizuko looked at his face. Smiling brightly. But her eyes weren't smiling. "So Mama will manage it properly for you. So you won't have any trouble." Her finger scrolled through the contacts. "Mizuno, is it." She found Shiori's name. "Mama, stop." Seiichi tried to stop her hand. But his body wouldn't move. His voice was too small—it didn't reach her. Her finger selected Shiori's contact and pressed delete. "You're still too young for this." She looked straight into his eyes and said it. Her voice was so kind. But to Seiichi's ears, it sounded so cold. Her finger didn't stop. One after another, his friends' contacts vanished. The boys in his class. The senpai he'd gotten close to in club activities. Shiori's friends. All of them, all of them, disappearing. "Stop… Mama, stop it." His voice was shaking. He was about to cry. But Shizuko was smiling. "It's all right. Seiichi has Mama, doesn't he?" Her finger deleted the last one. The screen went blank. Every single one of Seiichi's friends—gone. "There. All done." Shizuko handed the phone back to him. Seiichi just stared at it. He couldn't say anything. He couldn't do anything. Shizuko stood and walked toward his room. "Go to bed now. You have school tomorrow." Seiichi stayed on the sofa, unable to move. The phone screen was still blank. No Shiori. No friends. Nothing. Slowly, he went back to his room. He collapsed onto the bed. Stared at the ceiling. (Why.) (Why did this happen.) His head was a mess. Shizuko's smile surfaced and faded, over and over. That gentle voice. Those cold eyes. "You're still too young for this." Her words echoed in his head. Seiichi closed his eyes. But he couldn't sleep. Saturday morning. Seiichi woke in his room. Morning light seeped through the gap in the curtains. (Today's the movie.) He sat up. But then he remembered. His phone still hadn't been returned. Shiori's contact was still gone. He started getting dressed. But his hands were shaking, and he couldn't get the buttons done right. "Seiichi, are you awake?" Shizuko's voice came from beyond the door. "Yeah." His reply was small. "We have chores to do today, remember? Mama has something she needs your help with." Her voice was bright. Seiichi opened the door. Shizuko stood there, smiling. "Good morning, Seiichi. Help me weed the garden today. And I'd like you to come shopping with me, too." He couldn't say anything. "What about the movie?" The words rose to his throat. But they wouldn't come out. "Come now, let's have breakfast." Shizuko took his hand and led him downstairs. Seiichi just walked behind her. After breakfast, he went out to the garden. He pulled on the work gloves Shizuko had set out and began pulling weeds. The smell of earth. The summer sun burned against his skin. He pulled the weeds without thinking. (Shiori's waiting.) The thought flickered at the edge of his mind. But his body wouldn't move. Every so often, Shizuko watched him from the window. Smiling brightly. He smiled back. But even he could tell how stiff that smile was. In the afternoon, he went shopping with Shizuko in Kiryu Ginza. The shopping street by the station was crowded on a Saturday. Families. Young couples. Happy laughter came from everywhere. Seiichi walked behind Shizuko, eyes down. They passed in front of Kiryugaoka Cinema. People were lined up outside the theater. (Maybe Shiori's in that line right now.) He couldn't lift his head. "Seiichi, what's wrong? Are you tired?" Shizuko turned and peered into his face. "No, I'm fine." He smiled. "Really? Then let's go to the bakery." She took his hand. He couldn't pull it away. Even after they got home, Seiichi kept helping her. Preparing dinner. Folding laundry. Shizuko stayed by his side the whole time. He looked out the window. The sky was dyed the color of sunset. (It's already evening.) (The movie must be over by now.) Seiichi bit his lip. I'm sorry, Shiori. Without speaking, he apologized over and over in his heart. At his own helplessness, he felt like crying. But he couldn't cry. Monday morning. Seiichi headed to school with heavy steps. When he entered the classroom, several classmates were already there. He sat at his desk. Pulled his textbook from his bag. But none of it sank in. "Osabe-kun." A voice. He looked up. Shiori stood in front of his desk. Her usual bright smile wasn't there. Her big brown eyes were fixed on him. "Why didn't you come on Saturday?" Her voice was small and shaking. "I waited the whole time." His chest tightened. "Sorry. Something came up." Still looking down, he lied. "I see…" Shiori paused a moment, then went on. "But I wish you'd at least contacted me." Her lonely voice reached his ears. "…Sorry." That was all he could say. Shiori stared at his face for a moment, then gave a small smile. But it wasn't her usual smile. "Well, see you." With that, she went back to her seat. Seiichi watched her go. (I want to tell her.) (The truth is, my phone was taken away.) (All my contacts were deleted.) (I wanted to go.) But the words wouldn't come. How could he say it? How could he talk about his mother? Seiichi clenched his fist on the desk. Guilt for lying and fear of his mother churned together in his chest. (At this rate, this is bad.) For the first time, he thought it. (At this rate, it's no good.) After school. Seiichi was getting ready to leave. As he tried to step out of the classroom, his feet stopped in the hallway. In front of the staff room. Shizuko was talking with his homeroom teacher, Mr. Nomura. "Seiichi has chores at home, so he can't participate in after-school activities." Her voice carried through the hallway. Smiling brightly. But her eyes weren't smiling. "So I won't be letting him join any clubs. Thank you for understanding." Mr. Nomura nodded with a gentle expression. "Osabe-kun's mother is truly devoted." Seiichi watched from the shadows of the hallway. His body wouldn't move. He wanted to call out. "Stop." He wanted to say it. But he couldn't. He just stood there. (I wanted to join a club, though.) He forced the words down deep into his throat. Shizuko came out of the staff room. She noticed him and smiled brightly. "Oh, Seiichi. Let's go home." He nodded. He walked behind her. Out the school gate. He didn't look back. He couldn't look back. The next day, lunch break. Seiichi was at his desk, opening his lunchbox. He had no appetite. But if he didn't eat, Shizuko would worry. "Osabe-kun." That voice again. He looked up. Shiori was standing there. Today her face was closer to its usual brightness than yesterday. "Is something wrong? You haven't been yourself lately." Her big eyes peered into his face. "I'm fine." He smiled. "Really? You're not forcing yourself?" She still looked worried. "Yeah, I'm fine." He said it again. Even he could tell how stiff his smile was. Shiori's brow furrowed slightly. But she didn't ask any more. "If you say so… But if anything happens, you can always talk to me, okay?" With that, she went back to her seat. Her kindness made him happy. But he couldn't answer it. There was no way he could. Seiichi closed his lunchbox. Something tightened deep in his chest. (Shiori is kind.) (She's so kind, and yet I…) (Can't do anything.) He looked out the window. The summer sky spread wide and blue. Clouds drifted slowly by. (At this rate, this is bad.) Yesterday, he'd thought it for the first time. But he didn't know what to do. Unconsciously, he was fidgeting with his uniform cuff again. The chime marking the end of lunch break rang through the classroom. Seiichi let out a small breath. (What am I supposed to do?) The answer still hadn't come.

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Episode 3

Name: Blood on the School Tracks: My Overprotective Mom and Secret Boyfriend
Author: Novelia

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