Chapter 28: Reason 2
"It seems like the place" Amon muttered as he arrived at a small apartment. It looked like a place a bachelor would stay.
Before arriving at the place he asked the neighbours about what kind of person Aoki was to get some clues.
Everyone reported that she was a silent and lonely woman. She kept to herself and didn't interact much with others. Other than going to work, she never seemed to leave the house.
Amon concluded that this lady had some history even before she was cursed. From the clues, he concluded that she was a loner, who didn't talk about herself much.
Amon knocked on the door. He waited for some time but no one answered it. Just as he was about to break in, the door opened.
Amon was greeted by a weak-looking woman. She had curly black hair and eyes. Her forehead was a bit broad. She looked to be in her mid 30's.
"Who are you, young man?" the woman asked in a weak voice. Amon frowned a bit. From what he can see, the woman was clearly not cursed.
'Is the information wrong or is there something else' Amon thought.
"I am from a special organisation that wants to help you" Amon said as he faked a smile. He always hates this part in missions. Acting all nice with others.
"Oh, what organisation?" she asked.
"Why don't I come inside?" Amon said as he entered the house without Aoki's permission.
The house was a mess. It looked like it was not cleaned for several days. There were clothes everywhere.
"Oh forgive me, it is such a mess. Wait here, I will get you something to drink" Aoki said she went inside the kitchen. It was not clear if it is due to loneliness or some other reason, she didn't mind Amon intruding into her house.
Amon ignored Aoki and started looking around the house searching for any clues. He felt a bit unease about this mission. The lady was not cursed, yet they sent him here to exorcise. And Amon also felt an odd sense of familiarity with this woman and it made him a bit uncomfortable.
As he was looking around the house he noticed a drawer. Amon opened it. Inside were many things. Amon searched a bit until he found a knife laid on top of a photo.
Amon could feel the residual cursed energy inside the knife. He unsheathed from its cover and saw its appearance.
There were many markings and symbols on the surface of the knife. It was a cursed tool.
'What is a cursed tool doing here?' Amon thought as started to look again inside the drawer.
That was when he saw the photo. He froze in shock after seeing it. In the photo was a young woman in her early twenties.
She had black hair and black eyes. She was pretty but a bit weak in the picture. In her hand was a bundle of cloth. Inside it was a cute and chubby baby with curly black hair sleeping peacefully.
Amon had always trusted his intuition. But now he wondered if it was wrong because his intuition was telling him he was the baby in the picture.
As he was in a trance, Amon didn't notice that the woman had come back. In her hand was a cup.
"Oh, you saw that picture" she said in a weak voice. Amon immediately turned back as he unconsciously aimed the knife toward Aiko.
After seeing it was her, he calmed down and kept the knife back at the table. After the initial shock of seeing the photo, Amon gradually calmed down. He looked at Aiko, hoping to get some answers.
"That knife once belonged to a man who I thought loved me" she said with a deprecating laugh.
"Is that your son?" Amon asked as pointed at the baby in the photo. The lady went silent. Her expression gradually turned sad and painful as she seemed to go through some painful memories.
"Yes" she said in a weak and painful voice.
"Where is he now?" Amon asked. He already guessed the answer. But still wanted confirmation.
"Haha" Aiko started laughing a little maniacally as tears started falling from her eyes.
Amon could sense pain, guilt, sadness, and shame in that crazy laughter. He was in an awkward position as he didn't know what he was supposed to do.
After a while, Aiko calmed down. After composing herself for a bit she handed the coffee to Amon as she started talking again
"I abandoned him a few days after he was born. I placed him at the doorsteps of an orphanage as I walked away" she said. At this moment she appeared even more fragile than she was.
"Why did you do it?" Amon asked.
"Why did I do it? I ask myself this question every day. But I don't think I found the answer.
Maybe I was young and foolish, afraid and irresponsible, scared and alone" she said. She appeared strangely calm at this moment.
She glanced at Amon for a few seconds. Amon also started back. Both of them didn't say anything.
"I don't why I am saying these things to you. Maybe you remind me of my son. I think he would be around your age now and will also have similar looks like you" she said.
"Cough cough" suddenly she coughed blood. She coughed a mouthful of blood as she got a bit dizzy. She held a nearby chair of support.
"What happened?" Amon asked.
"Oh it's nothing, don't worry. I just don't have long to live Amon" she said as she looked at Amon with a smile.
"Can I call you Amon? It is the name of my son" she said.
"Yes" Amon said as looked at the weak and sick lady in front of him. He felt confused, conflicted and a bit angry. Complicated and unknown emotions that he never had come flooding in, trying to drown him.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone