『i'm home.』

『welcome back.』

chihiro nodded silently, and her mother approached her from the kitchen.

『about the appointment i was telling you...』

『i don't need it.』

『i don't deserve it.』

chihiro shot down her mother's offer to bring her to a psychologist, though she acknowledged the concern.

『but chihiro--』

『i'm not crazy, mom. i can't be.』

she was looking down on her daughter now, too, with eyes that screamed pity, and perhaps a mix of disgust that everyone else had looked at her with.

chihiro knew she was being unreasonable.

but this was taking too much of her energy.

『i'm sorry. i'll get my life together soon.』

she said that.

she said that, and she wanted to, knew it would help her in the long run, but for what? maintaining a false sense of security?

for her future.

and yet,

what did the farther future

hold for someone

so

unworthy?