When the Sunlight Room melts away, Yujin realizes, with a dawning horror, that he knows exactly where he is. How could he not? He'd retreated to the safety of these four walls over and over, for years, to confide in his old friend. And he had always trusted him readily. He wasn't Sholmes, of course, but after knowing the man for the better part of two decades-- after enduring all they'd endured together in London-- he thought him well worthy of it.
As he stares into Seishiro Jigoku's face again, a second realization strikes him at last.
"Nine months," he murmurs quietly to himself. Nine months since that final trial and Seishiro's arrest. Has he spared a thought for his former friend, in all that time? For how thoroughly he had betrayed him-- betrayed all of them? Yujin takes a step forward as Seishiro rises and Kazuma, glaring up at the judge with defiant eyes, holds his ground. And, glancing back at Kazuma, he sees-- as he so often does-- Genshin Asogi mirrored in his son, resolute and doggedly following his chosen path to the last.
"I know how badly you want to know what happened to your father, Kazuma-kun," says Seishiro. Yujin stops dead where he stands. He swallows hard. He feels his blood running cold, a shiver running down his spine.
"Kazuma-kun." Yujin wills himself to move: with feet like lead, he nevertheless draws nearer to his ward and the man he'd so unwisely trusted with him. "Can you hear me? You're dreaming."
"I accept," says Kazuma's mouth, and Yujin shakes his head. "No... I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for you to be hurt." His mouth feels parched dry as he speaks. "Kazuma-kun, you must wake up. I can't bear this anymore, I--"
Then, Seishiro touches Kazuma. Revulsion rises in him; fear, despite knowing how this will all end; hatred, twisting itself like a knife plunged deep into his broken heart. Everything-- many belated months of emotion-- rushes to meet him, all at once. Much as Yujin knows this isn't real, it all feels too raw in the moment. He clenches both of his fists hard enough that they shake, and, against all of his better sense, he turns away from Kazuma and stalks up to the desk.
"I trusted you, Seishiro!" Yujin barks; he brings his fist down hard on the desk, enough that his eyes begin to water-- or had they been that way before? "I trusted you with my children!"
But Seishiro Jigoku can't hear or see him. He can only smile after Kazuma as he moves towards the door. Yujin's fists unclench, and his hands splay over the top of the desk; his head bows and his shoulders sag, as if weighed down by his outburst.
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As he stares into Seishiro Jigoku's face again, a second realization strikes him at last.
"Nine months," he murmurs quietly to himself. Nine months since that final trial and Seishiro's arrest. Has he spared a thought for his former friend, in all that time? For how thoroughly he had betrayed him-- betrayed all of them? Yujin takes a step forward as Seishiro rises and Kazuma, glaring up at the judge with defiant eyes, holds his ground. And, glancing back at Kazuma, he sees-- as he so often does-- Genshin Asogi mirrored in his son, resolute and doggedly following his chosen path to the last.
"I know how badly you want to know what happened to your father, Kazuma-kun," says Seishiro. Yujin stops dead where he stands. He swallows hard. He feels his blood running cold, a shiver running down his spine.
"Kazuma-kun." Yujin wills himself to move: with feet like lead, he nevertheless draws nearer to his ward and the man he'd so unwisely trusted with him. "Can you hear me? You're dreaming."
"I accept," says Kazuma's mouth, and Yujin shakes his head. "No... I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for you to be hurt." His mouth feels parched dry as he speaks. "Kazuma-kun, you must wake up. I can't bear this anymore, I--"
Then, Seishiro touches Kazuma. Revulsion rises in him; fear, despite knowing how this will all end; hatred, twisting itself like a knife plunged deep into his broken heart. Everything-- many belated months of emotion-- rushes to meet him, all at once. Much as Yujin knows this isn't real, it all feels too raw in the moment. He clenches both of his fists hard enough that they shake, and, against all of his better sense, he turns away from Kazuma and stalks up to the desk.
"I trusted you, Seishiro!" Yujin barks; he brings his fist down hard on the desk, enough that his eyes begin to water-- or had they been that way before? "I trusted you with my children!"
But Seishiro Jigoku can't hear or see him. He can only smile after Kazuma as he moves towards the door. Yujin's fists unclench, and his hands splay over the top of the desk; his head bows and his shoulders sag, as if weighed down by his outburst.