Forgiveness

“What? What are you saying?” I couldn’t help but feel my face tense up.

“…The perpetrator’s name is Taira Otsuka. His motive was a grudge against me.”

“…What is this?”

“A-kun, the lead role you played in ‘Winter Mansion Night’… It’s the most acclaimed of all my works. I still watch it repeatedly; it’s my favorite. But there was someone who didn’t like it, and that was Taira Otsuka, another film director. He was incredibly hardworking but was a third-rate director at best. Honestly, he was never cut out to be a director.”

The juxtaposition of me being hailed as a master in the B-movie world and Otsuka continuously churning out unprofitable films.

Then one day, I said something to Otsuka.

◇11:30 PM At a Bar

“It was a great movie, ‘Winter Mansion Night’.”

“…Thanks. How’s your side?”

“…I might not be cut out to be a film director.”

“Did something happen?”

“No, nothing at all. Nothing is happening.”

“…I see. Well, I was just lucky with my cast. Especially the child actor, that kid’s going to go far.”

“…You’re always fortunate, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“…What’s that kid’s name again?”

“Huh? Aoi Yamaguchi.”

“Living in Tokyo?”

“Yeah. Why? Are you thinking of offering a role?”

“…No, that’s not it. Not at all,” he said, leaving the bar with a hollow look in his eyes.

I only understood the meaning of those words when I saw a certain news report.

“…Yamaguchi… Akiha?”

I rushed to the hospital, but it was already too late. The perpetrator had escaped, Aoi-kun was in critical condition, and his mother was in the intensive care unit.

The culprit immediately came to mind.

I tried contacting him urgently, but of course, he didn’t answer.

From then on, I wanted to support Aoi-kun as much as possible. However, as an outsider, I wasn’t allowed to be involved, and worse, I heard that an abnormal family was tormenting him, blaming the child for the mother’s death, and it broke my heart.

A little while later, by chance, I saw the name Taira Otsuka listed in the obituary section.

◇

“…Indirectly, it was my fault she was killed. I’m sorry for keeping this from you!” I said, getting off my chair and pressing my forehead to the ground in apology.

It wasn’t to seek forgiveness, nor to ease my conscience, nor to give Aoi-kun someone to blame. There was simply no other way but to apologize.

“…I see. Please, stop bowing like that. Don’t say it was indirectly your fault. You did nothing wrong.”

When I slowly raised my head, I saw him smiling like Virgin Mary.

“…I’m really sorry.”

“If my mother had lived, my life might have been different. Maybe I would have become a successful child actor… and perhaps that would have made me happy. But more than that imagined happiness, the time I spend with Marin-chan now… is much happier.”

“Aoi-kun…..” Tears began to flow as he spoke.

“It must have been so hard for you, Director. It’s okay now. It’s all okay,” he said, gently hugging me.

In that moment, he was just like the young Aoi Yamaguchi from his child actor days.

◇ (Aoi POV)

“…I showed you an embarrassing side of myself.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve always been cool, Director.”

“…That makes me happy… really… Oh, right. The other thing I wanted to tell you… is this,” he said, taking out a document from his bag.

It was a brochure for a vocational school.

“…An acting school?”

“Yes, I thought you might still be interested. It’s a school run by an acquaintance of mine, so I can vouch for the curriculum and the prospects. Even if you don’t want to be an actor, you can learn screenwriting or filmmaking and stay involved in movies. Of course, if you’ve already decided on a university, that’s fine too… Take your time to think about it.”

“…”

We chatted about old times, recent events, and behind-the-scenes stories of the play. Just as we were thoroughly enjoying ourselves, the director glanced at his watch.

“Oh… it’s already this late. Time sure flies.”

“Yes, it does.”

“I have work later, so I need to go. If you’re heading home now, I can give you a ride. What do you think?”

“We’ll head home as well.”

And with that, the director gave us a ride home.