The weather was terrible today, so Dad took me to and from school.
We made friendly conversation in the car, but it still felt as if I was talking to an adult I knew instead of my father; that is, until he said, "You know what's going on right now?"
I was silent.
"Do you... know?"
"I've known all along, Dad." I sighed, "And..." I spoke really quietly this time. "What if Kaito knows too? I mean, I'm old enough to understand, but Kaito... he's an enigma. He is really smart, but I just don't know what he's thinking..."
"Yeah... about... I'm sorry. It's my fault, I think. That's why I try to keep quiet. It's my fault. But..."
"It's hard, especially when you have depression. Especially when you're an adult. That's why I haven't been complaining about how poorly you keep the secret."
Dad laughed.
"It's hardly a secret, is it?"
All of a sudden, I smiled. This was the Dad I knew; cheerful, smiling, always trying to cover up his depression.
That was my Dad. And it was the first time I'd seen him like this in a long, long time.
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