Path of the Extra

[AN: This Chapter contains depictions and references to child abuse, emotional manipulation, and suicide. It also includes scenes of physical distress and discussions of trauma. These themes are handled as part of the characters’ psychological development and ongoing narrative, but they may be distressing to some readers. If you are sensitive to these topics or they resonate personally, consider taking breaks while reading. Your well-being comes first.]

*****

“Ghk—ahh—!”

…

“Ngh—kgh!”

…

“Huurgh—!”

…

“Haa… haa… haa…!”

It was hard for Leo to steady his breathing. He was struggling just to keep his stomach acid from crawling up his throat again—his throat already burned so badly it felt raw.

“U-uhk—!”

Bracing his hands against the rim of the toilet, he vomited again. The burning only intensified as the acid surged up his esophagus and out of his mouth.

At the very least, after a few more dry retches—his body still trying even when there was nothing left—he could tell that was the end of it.

Leo slumped back, dropping onto the floor, and leaned against the stall door. Only then did he finally get a chance to breathe properly.

’Ah… I feel so dizzy…’

His eyes drifted aimlessly across the narrow stall.

’Where’s my mask…?’

’I must’ve dropped it somewhere in the hallway. I should find it soon.’

He’d rented it, after all. Damaging it would be a problem.

Then again—when Leo looked down at his wrist, his already dull gaze dulled even further.

’I should get bandages from the infirmary. It wasn’t deep enough to need stitches…’

But his costume was stained. Torn. Marked with blood.

Leo let out a small sigh.

“I should find the mask first,” he said in a tiny, hoarse voice.

If the mask was undamaged, he might not have to pay too much. Apologizing would still suck, though.

“The mask is fine.”

A voice came from the other side of the stall door.

Leo’s eyes widened, just a little.

“Nathan…” he whispered, too drained to even raise his voice.

“How long have you been here?”

“Ten minutes. More or less.”

Another sigh scraped out of Leo’s throat, sour and burning.

“I see.”

“I wanted to have lunch with you,” Nathan said. “Then I ran into Lia in the hallway. She pointed out where you went with your mother, and then I…”

Nathan fell quiet.

Leo’s face darkened.

“You saw, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah,” Nathan replied, just as quietly.

He was probably leaning against the door the same way Leo was. They didn’t have to worry about anyone coming in—this bathroom was far from the classrooms and the festival events. Almost no one ever used it. That was probably why it was so clean.

Silence settled between them.

Neither knew what to say.

Nathan spoke first.

“How’s the wound?”

Leo glanced at his wrist again.

“The bleeding stopped…”

“You didn’t drip anything in the hallway,” Nathan said. “But there was some on the floor in here. I cleaned it up already, so don’t worry.”

“…Thanks,” Leo murmured, still breathless.

Then Nathan’s tone shifted—firmer, but controlled. What surprised Leo most was how calm he sounded.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but…” Nathan paused.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve dealt with something like this, is it?”

“…”

Leo’s silence was answer enough.

Nathan let out a low chuckle that didn’t sound amused at all.

“You always got sick easily when you were overwhelmed or felt lost,” he said. “Just like that time you accidentally broke your mom’s portrait when we were playing tag in the house…”

“…”

“I don’t want to sound stupid… but you do realize what she did is abuse, right?”

Leo opened his mouth immediately—then whatever he wanted to say died in his throat. He only pressed his lips together and looked down. Pulling his knees close, he rested his head against them.

“…She’s probably just stressed about something,” Leo said quietly. “She didn’t mean to…”

“She didn’t mean to?” Nathan repeated, shock cutting through his control.

“You… you’re joking, right?”

His voice trembled slightly. Leo caught it, but didn’t respond.

A long sigh came from the other side of the door, like Nathan was forcing himself to stay calm.

“Now that I think about it…” Nathan said slowly, “last year you got really sick during winter break. It wasn’t just you. Lia was sick too, right?”

Leo squeezed his eyes shut.

“I couldn’t see you because you had a high fever, but my mom went almost every day. She kept saying she was taking care of you—not Lia.”

Nathan’s voice lowered, thoughtful, bitter.

“Back then, it made sense. Your dad was away on a business trip, and it must’ve been overwhelming for your mom. So my mother helped out—taking care of you while your mom took care of Lia. But… she never stayed at your house. Even though our families were close enough for sleepovers. Even though we’ve gone on trips together.”

“…”

Leo stayed silent.

Nathan kept going.

“I remember how my mom looked so helpless for some reason when she came home. And every day, when I asked how you were doing, she looked worse. I didn’t think much of it at the time, because when you finally got better, you acted like nothing happened. Like you were perfectly fine again.”

His breath hitched. Leo could practically hear him grinding his teeth, trying to keep his voice steady.

“The truth is, Lia was the one who was actually sick. And that must’ve stressed your mother out so much… she used you as a way to cope, didn’t she?”

“…”

“Aren’t you going to deny such a crazy accusation?”

“…”

“Hey…” Nathan’s voice tightened. “Say something. Insult me, act arrogant—do something instead of sitting there like this. It’s pathetic.”

“…”

Leo felt Nathan pound lightly on the stall door in frustration. He hugged his knees tighter.

“Let’s go tell my mom.”

“No.”

Leo answered immediately—finally. Desperately.

“Don’t tell her about this… please.”

“…Why? She helped you last time. This ti—”

“No.”

“WHY?!”

“..!”

Leo flinched at Nathan’s sudden shout from the other side.

“…S-sorry,” Nathan said right after, the anger collapsing into something miserable. “It’s just… why won’t you ask for help? I don’t understand you. I don’t understand why my mom hasn’t done something—like go to the police, or…”

Leo felt sick all over again.

He didn’t want to tell Nathan why Sarah had never done anything, no matter how much she’d wanted to.

“…And why do you still want her love? I don’t get it. I didn’t know about all of this, but I could still see how she treated you compared to Lia. Even when we were younger, she wasn’t like this with you. Leo, even if she’s your moth—”

“She isn’t my mother.”

“…”

“…”

“…What?”

Nathan’s voice was utterly baffled.

“Hey, Leo—what the hell do you mean she isn’t your mother?”

A sigh slipped out of Leo. His throat was dry. The burning had eased, but he still wished he had water. When he spoke, his voice came out hoarse.

“Jeanne Karumi isn’t my biological mother.”

“Huh?”

This time Leo couldn’t stop the faint curve of his lips.

“H-how does that make sense?” Nathan stammered. “You mean you’re adopted? But… huh? You have her eyes, and—and you and Lia—”

“Because we’re still related by blood,” Leo said. “Even if she didn’t give birth to me.”

Nathan went quiet for a beat.

“You mean…”

Leo hummed.

“Her sister. Cassie Karumi is my biological mother.”

“No way…”

“Yeah,” Leo said. “She got pregnant with me in her last year of high school.”

“But… but didn’t she—”

“Kill herself?”

“…”

“She did,” Leo said flatly. “Around the time she was supposed to go to some great university to become a doctor. The man—my biological father—got into a car crash. He didn’t survive.”

Leo’s voice didn’t waver.

“And after that… I don’t know. Maybe she just stopped caring about everything. Maybe she didn’t even care about something like me. She hanged herself.”

“That…” Nathan started.

The worst part was, at least according to his “mother,” Jeanne Karumi, that his biological father had been out buying things for when Leo was going to be born, even though the due date was still far off. He was that excited and nervous.

“My father was probably the only good thing that ever happened to her,” Leo continued. “Losing him must’ve pushed her over the edge.”

His breath left him slow.

“I got lucky, I guess. They saved me with an emergency C-section.” He paused. “And then I was adopted by her sister. The woman you call my mother.”

Nathan was silent again, as if trying to find the right words and failing.

“I… I’m sure—” he began, then stopped.

Probably comfort. Probably something he realized he couldn’t say.

Then his voice hardened.

“…If she isn’t your real mother, doesn’t that make it even more reason to stop defending her?”

“She might not be my biological mother,” Leo said quietly, “but she’s still my mother.”

“A mother wouldn’t put her child through this,” Nathan replied—firmer and colder than Leo expected.

Leo shifted, staring at the stall door.

“Stop defending her,” Nathan said again.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because…”

Leo didn’t finish.

’Where else would someone like me go?’

He didn’t say it out loud, but Nathan seemed to understand anyway.

“You can stay with me,” Nathan said quickly. “I’m sure Mom and Dad would love to have—”

“You know that’s not possible.”

“Why?”

“Just let it go.”

“How can I?”

“Don’t tell anyone what I told you.”

“You know I would never.”

“…”

“I’m not giving up on this,” Nathan said.

“…”

“I’m going to save you.”

A small laugh slipped out of Leo.

“I’m not joking!”

“…Alright,” Leo replied quietly, though a smile still tugged at his lips.

“About the costume—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nathan cut in. “We’ll go apologize together tomorrow.”

“…Thanks.”

“Now let’s go to the infirmary and treat your wound,” Nathan said, voice leaving no room for argument. “And… let’s skip the sports festival and the rest of the day. We’ll grab something to eat.”

“Won’t you get in trouble with your class?”

“They’ll manage without me.”

“…Thanks,” Leo said again.

“Let’s go.”

Leo stood. After a brief hesitation, he opened the stall door.

Nathan was there, waiting—relief on his face. His gaze dropped immediately to Leo’s wrist, to the dried blood.

Leo saw Nathan’s jaw tighten before he forced himself to relax.

“The nurse probably won’t be there,” Nathan said, “but I know where she keeps the first aid kit.”

“You do?” Leo raised his eyebrows.

Nathan nodded smugly. In his hand, Leo saw the clown mask.

“You underestimate how many times I’ve fallen on my face or gotten smacked by a ball during practice.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“What—hey!” Nathan protested. “I only got a nosebleed twice last month. I’ve come a long way, you know?!”

“Sure,” Leo said, rolling his eyes.

They left the bathroom together.

When they reached the infirmary, Nathan was right—the nurse wasn’t there. Nathan insisted on treating the wound himself, and Leo reluctantly let him, even though he knew how to do it.

After that, they slipped out of the school without anyone noticing and went to grab something to eat.

…the two of them didn’t show their faces again until the last day of the school festival.