„Look, Saeko, isn't this the hospital you're working at? There's some influential lady admitted there," her father snapped her out of her thoughts, eyes glued to the screen.
"The highly respected CEO of Takara Corporation, beloved by thousands and known as 'the lady with a heart of gold,' who has generously donated to numerous children's homes, has been admitted to the hospital following a heart attack. Her condition is critical."
Saeko stood there, dumbfounded. The recognition hit her like a punch. She had only seen her once, but it was enough to recognize her.
It was Sota's mother.
The report then shifted to discussing the possible causes of the heart attack. Evidence suggested a family dispute might have been behind it. Allegedly, footage had been leaked.
"Our reporter has learned that the victim's adult son has been estranged from her for years. As a teenager, he went down the wrong path, avoiding his responsibilities and leaving behind a loving family that always waited with open arms, hoping he would turn his life around and return to her."
The footage began to play. Captured by the home security system, it clearly showed Sota entering the house, where tensions quickly escalated into a heated argument.
He wore the same clothes as that day. It must have been after he dropped me off at home...
"Our reporters managed to reach out to the son, who had this to say: 'I don't care what happens to my mother.' The internet has exploded, and the public is united in blaming the son for his unacceptable behaviour. They demand justice for the mother. She had been cruelly abandoned by her husband, left alone to raise her only son, giving him everything, only to receive the same betrayal from him."
"Have you heard what happened?" Saeko rushed into the studio, where the others were packing their stuffs together, as if they were moving out.
"How could we not? He's getting more attention than the band ever did," Kaito grumbled, as if jealous of all the hate comments he was getting.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Saeko asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"I'm afraid we're going to cancel the lease," Yasushi replied, his expression full of regret.
"But… don't you get it? Sota is going through something serious. He must have pushed you all away to protect you from all the hate he's receiving. And here you are, giving up on him and the band instead of fighting for him? Do you really call yourselves his friends?" Saeko's voice trembled with frustration, her face flushed with anger.
Yasushi and Tatsuya exchanged glances before looking back at her with warm smiles, as if they were proud parents hearing their child say something unexpectedly mature.
"Saeko, we know exactly why he's been acting like this. He can't just push us away that easily," Tatsuya replied calmly.
"If you know he's struggling, why not help him?" she shot back, frustrated.
"Because you can't help someone who doesn't want help," Yasushi said firmly. "All we can do is trust him that he would come back. We're not looking for a replacement. This band will either be the four of us, or it won't exist at all," Yasushi explained, his voice steady.
"Why didn't you tell me about this if you know what he's going through? What's the truth? Are these rumours true?" she trailed off, trying to make sense of it all.
"I'm sorry, Saeko, but it's not our place to discuss Sota's private life," Yasushi said, offering an empathetic smile.