Grey: Monsters

"Happy birthday, Seiko!"

Everyone in the living room cheered. They stood in a circle around a small girl with shoulder-length dark hair and big, hamster-like cheeks. Her wide brown eyes gleamed with curiosity as she sat on Furahashi's lap.

The girl, Seiko, was Furahashi's biological daughter, celebrating her eleventh birthday today.

"Thank you so much for coming," Seiko said, hopping off her father's lap and bowing her head. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"Aww, you don't have to be so formal, Seiko," Fumie remarked, smiling.

"Mmm-hmm, Auntie Fumie's right. Here are the gifts we brought for you," Kimiko added, pointing to a metal table in the middle of the room.

On the table sat a rusted action figure, a patched-up stuffed panda, and some wilted flowers. Despite the shabby appearance of the gifts, Seiko's eyes sparkled with excitement. Growing up in such conditions had reshaped her perspective, teaching her to appreciate even the smallest of things.

"All this for me?" Seiko asked, her fingers itching to touch the items, though she hesitated.

"Yes, Seiko, they're all yours."

"Thank you so much, Auntie Fumie, Auntie Kimiko, and Uncle Juro," she said, running over to hug them tightly.

Mayu approached Seiko and knelt down on one knee. In her hand, she held a necklace that looked surprisingly new. She gently clasped it around Seiko's neck.

"Happy birthday, Seiko," Mayu said softly, her voice warm.

"Thank you so much, Mama Mayu!" Seiko exclaimed, wrapping her tiny arms around Mayu's neck. Mayu, taken aback, hesitated for a moment before giving in and embracing her. Though she wasn't Seiko's biological mother, Mayu had cared for her as if she were her own ever since Seiko's mother died in the first attack. Seiko couldn't recall her real mother's face clearly anymore, so she'd come to see Mayu as her mom.

Furahashi then approached with a plastic bag full of candy. He handed it to Seiko and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you so much, Papa—" Seiko's words trailed off as she peered into the bag. Her brows furrowed, and she looked up at her father. Sensing something was wrong, the others in the room edged closer.

"Papa, where did you get this?"

"Where did I…? That's your birthday present."

"Papa, one of these candies is worth a day's meal. Don't tell me you stole this with your status?"

Furahashi froze, unable to find the words to respond. Mayu quickly stepped in.

"Seiko, Papa didn't steal anything—"

"Lies! Don't tell me you were in on this too, Mama Mayu?" Seiko snapped, her eyes narrowing. Mayu and Furahashi exchanged tense glances, and Mayu pulled back from the conversation.

"And here I thought Papa wasn't like the rest of those dirty captains," Seiko muttered, her voice laced with disappointment. She began handing out the candy to everyone in the room—except Furahashi. The omission was deliberate.

"Well then, everyone eat up," she said, her voice firm.

The celebration continued for about an hour before it wound down, with Seiko fast asleep. Fumie, Kimiko, and Juro tidied up the house.

"Goodnight, Captain," they all said, leaving one by one.

"Wait, Juro," Furahashi called, stopping him just as he reached the door. Furahashi walked over and discreetly handed him a small pill container.

"Captain, this is—"

"Three times a day. Don't let her miss a dose. Take good care of your mother," Furahashi said, patting Juro on the shoulder.

Tears welled up in Juro's eyes. He tried to speak but found himself choking on the words.

"Don't cry, will you? Now go, and make sure your mum takes that medicine."

"Thank you… Captain!" Juro managed to say before leaving.

Furahashi went to Seiko's room, gently pushing the door open. The room was small, with a single bed tucked into the corner. Seiko slept soundly, while Mayu sat beside her, watching over her. Furahashi met Mayu's eyes and gave her a small nod before quietly closing the door and heading to his office, which doubled as his bedroom.

He sat at his sturdy desk, his eyes drifting to the old, worn photographs scattered across it. One picture showed him standing beside Soyo and Leonard, all three dressed in standard Japanese military uniforms. Another photo, more weathered than the rest, showed him with his late wife and a baby Seiko. Furahashi stared at the picture for a long moment, then pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a long drag. As he blew out a puff of smoke, the door creaked open.

Instinctively, he tried to hide the cigarette but stopped when he saw it was Mayu.

"I thought you stopped smoking," Mayu said, making her way to the chair opposite him. She sat down and looked into his eyes. Furahashi averted his gaze and took another drag.

"It's the only thing that numbs the pain," he muttered, staring at the cigarette in his hand.

Mayu stood up, walked over to him, and snatched the cigarette away, extinguishing it. "You have Seiko… and you have me. Remember when you found me? You took care of me. You took my pain away." Her voice was full of passion as she sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. She whispered softly, "Now let me take care of you… let me take your pain away."

She pressed her lips against his, her lip gloss smearing onto his lips. Furahashi responded, his arms curling around her hips, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Her soft moans filled the room.

He stood up, lifting her with him, and carried her to the bed at the edge of the room. Laying her down gently, he climbed on top of her, tears streaming down his face as he whispered,

"Please… take my pain away."