Souvenir - Chapter 7.2
The bruises on her back spoke louder than words ever could.
She shrank into herself, trembling.
I reached out and gently stroked her head.
It was all I could do for now.
Had she told anyone else?
Did she have no one to protect her?
Perhaps Suu had told her that I was a lawyer, that I might be able to help—just as Suu herself had once believed.
That would explain why she had confided in me.
The next step was clear.
I needed to gather evidence.
If this was real, I would have to use that evidence as a weapon to take legal action against her family.
If her biological parents were still alive, I needed to contact them and determine the best course of action—whether to have them take her back or arrange for her to be placed with a responsible guardian.
I would need to consult Alex, who specialized in family law.
I hated that I couldn’t handle this myself.
Suu probably saw me as some kind of hero—someone who could fix anything.
Maybe she had told Lasha that, encouraging her to confide in me.
Part of me wanted to take this on myself.
But stepping outside my expertise usually led to complications.
And this was too important to risk getting wrong.
Before I realized it, Lasha had fallen asleep, exhausted from our conversation. She was slumped against the opposite armrest, her breathing steady.
I carefully lifted her and carried her to Suu’s room, tucking her in beside Suu.
Once that was done, I finished cleaning up and headed to my own bedroom.
Lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, illuminated only by the pale glow of the moon.
Lasha’s words echoed in my mind.
And so did the wounds she had shown me.
Suu had lived with a violent father, but her mother had risked everything to protect her.
I remembered noticing faint bruises on Suu’s thighs when she was younger.
But unlike Lasha, Suu’s body bore no lasting scars.
Her skin remained smooth, unblemished.
As I traced the memory of her perfect back, I couldn’t help but superimpose it over the image of Lasha’s scarred one.
And to my horror—
No, to my delight—
The thought filled me with something dangerously intoxicating.
Did I have that same violent impulse hidden somewhere inside me?
For now, I kept it buried under my rationality.
Like a mother dog playfully nipping at her pup, teaching discipline with gentle bites.
Just picturing Suu making a slight pained expression beneath me—
A slow, feverish heat coiled in my gut.
Tonight, I would indulge in solitude.
When we slept apart like this, I imagined her differently.
In my mind, I was free.
Free to roam without consequence.
Free to swim without restraint.
And so, I drifted into a sweet dream.
Just as I was sinking into that hazy euphoria, a soft knock came at the door.
“Tommy?”
A small voice called out.
I opened my eyes.
“Suu? What is it?”
“I woke up when I heard a noise earlier. Can I come in?”
The door creaked open, and she slipped inside.
Without hesitation, she climbed onto my bed and lay down beside me.
“Tommy, what were you doing with Lasha in the living room?”
“I was listening to her worries,” I replied, turning onto my side to face her.
“Hmm.”
“She’s finally sleeping soundly now, so let’s not disturb her. She’s been having trouble sleeping lately.”
“Yeah, I noticed. Lasha always looks so sleepy.”
I wondered if Suu knew about Lasha’s situation.
Then, suddenly—
“Well then, next time, you have to help me fall asleep!”
“You? What worries could you possibly have?”
I sat up, facing her at the edge of the bed.
“How rude! I have plenty of worries!”
She pouted dramatically before continuing.
“For example… earlier, Lasha said I smelled like my body cream after my bath.”
“Okay?”
“And Tommy, you smell like it too.”
She took my right hand and brought it to her nose, sniffing it like a little pup.
“That’s because I found the container lying open. I picked it up, and when Lasha saw it, she seemed like she wanted to use it, so I let her.”
Suu fell silent, her expression shifting.
Something troubled her.
And then, in a quiet, almost petulant voice—
“Why do you do those kinds of things for other people too?”
“…?”
Her words hung in the air between us.
“Hey, Tommy… would any girl like me do?”
Suu took my right hand and held it gently.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you… like Lasha?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
Her expression darkened, displeased with my reaction.
“Suu, you’re special. You’re the most important person to me.”
“Then why are you so kind to Lasha?”
Her voice wavered.
This wasn’t mere jealousy.
Her attachment to me… was something deeper. Something that might have already crossed the boundaries of a normal parent-child relationship.
I found myself at a loss for words, squeezing her hand gently in response.
“Would you love any girl my age? Do you love Lasha too?”
Her face was caught between anger and sadness, an expression of conflicted emotions.
“Why would you think that?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at how absurd this was.
What exactly did she think I had done with Lasha?
“Because… you treat her the same way you treat me.”
“That’s not true. You know I care about you more than anyone else.”
“I know that, but…”
“You’re aware of her situation, aren’t you? She has no one to care for her, no one to show her kindness. I simply wanted her to feel valued, even if just for a moment.”
“So those scars on her back… they weren’t just from falling or getting hurt by accident?”
Suu’s voice softened as the reality set in.
“No, they weren’t.”
“I thought so… That’s so awful.”
She clenched the sheets tightly.
“I just wanted her to sleep peacefully, surrounded by a comforting scent, if only for tonight.”
“You really are kind, Tommy.”
I supposed I was kinder to those who were weaker than me.
That was how I had always believed a person should be.
Even if, deep in my mind, I entertained the opposite fantasies.
But with Suu, I wanted to show an unparalleled kindness.
Now and forever.
“I want that kindness to be for me alone.”