the smile she sends Takemichi from the other side of the glass isn't as strained. Her blue eyes, which used to be so dull and lifeless, finally have some life to them and the very sight of that special sparkle brings tears to Takemichi's eyes.

    "Hey baby–ah, please don't cry–"

    Takemichi runs up to the glass and begins pounding on it with his fists, his tears running down his face in steady streams that drip off his chin.

    "MAMA I MISS YOU SO MUCHHHH!!!" Takemichi sobs, his forehead resting against the glass. Distantly, he can hear Wakasa telling him to stop hitting the barrier, but Takemichi ignores it. He keeps hitting the glass, hoping that–by doing so–the glass will shatter and he'll finally be able to wrap his arms around his mom. "YOU GOTTA GET OUTTA THERE PLEASE!!!"

    "I-I can't baby...Mommy did a really bad thing..." she explains sadly, her hand resting against the glass barrier as Takemichi keeps pounding.

    "No you didn't! You were protecting me!" Takemichi counters, his fists slowly starting to ache from hitting the barrier, but he keeps at it.

    "I was, yes, but I shouldn't have killed someone to protect you! I'm setting a bad example as–"

    "I don't care! I want you back, mama!" Takemichi cries, finally giving up on pounding on the glass and slumping his whole body against the clear glass. "I wanna eat dinner with you again and watch movies you don't like! I wanna play dress up and wear your heels while you take pictures! I wanna complete puzzles with you again...I want you back home!" he pleads with his eyes closed, imagining that–for just one second–that he isn't in prison with his mother on the other side of the glass. In his mind, he's back home–complaining as his mom takes a picture of his back to school outfit. She's shouting at him for getting all his clothes dirty and he's apologizing half heartedly.

    "Takemichi."

    And just like that, he's brought back to his sad reality.

    He's on the floor of some stupid blank room with Wakasa watching from afar, his mom on the other side of the glass because she committed murder.

    The small boy looks back up at his mom and takes in the tears that are trailing down her cheeks. Her blue eyes are completely filled with tears and her shoulders shake with each sob she makes. Her red bitten lips are trembling. She's shaking. She's crying.

    She crouches down and places her hand on top of Takemichi's from the other side of the glass.

    A smile makes its way across her face, but it's fake. It's so fake it hurts to look at. It makes Takemichi want to barf. He wants to scream at his mom for daring to look at him that way, but he can't.

   "Takemichi, listen to me," she pleads softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm gonna be here for a while, ok? Wakasa will be taking good care of you while I'm here, but don't you dare think for a single second that I don't want to leave. If it were up to me, I would've already escaped and scooped you up in my arms while sailing across the oceans to another country."

    Takemichi sniffles, his eyes boring into his mom's. "Why haven't you?"

    "Because you have a beautiful life here, Takemichi," She breathes out. "You have friends who are willing to fight for you, a bright future, a wonderful education, and you who know who you are, baby. I never had any of that when I was your age and I want you to live the life I was never able to have."

    Takemichi nearly stops breathing upon hearing his mom's words. His heart beat slows down. His hands tremble.

    And, just like that, he's back to sobbing like a baby.

    "I love you so much, mama!!!"

    His mom places her forehead against the glass with a smile, her blue eyes never leaving Takemichi.

    "I love you too baby...I love you more than there are stars in the night sky.'
   

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    Takemichi did end up leaving that room with Wakasa as a different person, but it was one full of confidence and love.

    "We're gonna visit her more, right?" Takemichi asks as they make their way out into the parking lot.

    Wakasa snorts into the sleeve of his arm, a smirk gracing his lips. "Duh. That was the plan all along, Takemichi."

    Takemichi hops onto the motorcycle with a smile, not caring about the terrible ride that was about to transpire, and thought back to his kind hearted mother who–despite being behind bars–loves him more than anything.
   

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