Chapter 272: The Day Heaven Stole Nao
Nana’s POV:
My na is Takahiro Nana. I was supposed to be the backbone of this family—the one who supported everyone else. But I failed.
Every ti I face a man who isn’t my younger brother, my body trembles uncontrollably. My chest tightens, breathing becos impossible, and madness claws at the edge of my mind.
This curse was born from my childhood. My father was a monster who used violence against and my mother. His fists, his voice, his shadow—they beca my nightmares. Even now, whenever panic seizes , I can see him again… towering over , raising his hand, ready to strike.
And as if that wasn’t enough, life gave another cruel scar. I thought I had found salvation in a man I t at work. He was gentle at first, kind even—always guiding through my mistakes, always smiling warmly. I began to believe he was different. I thought maybe, just maybe, he could heal the trauma carved into .
I was wrong.
He beca worse than my father. One night, when I let my guard down, he tried to force himself on . When I resisted, his kindness turned into rage. His fists replaced his words. The world blurred into agony, and when I finally opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. My mother, Naki, and Nao were there, their eyes swollen from crying.
That man… he was eventually beaten within an inch of his life by soone unknown and thrown into prison. I never saw him again. Perhaps fate delivered him the punishnt he deserved.
Good. Rot there, you bastard.
Part of wanted to thank the stranger who saved from him, but I couldn’t. I had no strength to search, no courage to reach out. All I could do was focus on piecing together my broken body and my even more shattered mind.
For a brief mont, I believed I could stand again. But I was wrong—so very wrong. Whenever a male doctor or nurse entered my room, terror consud . My body scread with mories I wanted to forget. I would thrash, collapse, faint… haunted not only by my father’s shadow but also by that man’s sneering face.
I couldn’t escape. I couldn’t endure. I was certain this weight would kill .
I’m sorry, Mother. I’m sorry, Naki. I’m sorry, Nao.
When despair nearly swallowed whole, I woke up in our ho. My mother was dozing beside , holding my hand as if afraid to let go. Naki and Nao had fallen asleep nearby too, keeping watch. They had brought back after the doctors cleared . They never left alone.
My chest ached as if needles were piercing it. How could I ever think of leaving them? How could I betray the love they gave by wishing for death?
Tears slid down my cheeks. I clutched my mother’s hand and whispered through sobs,”Mom… I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
She woke instantly and pulled into her arms.”It’s okay, Nana. I’m here. You don’t have to apologize. If anyone should, it’s . I failed to protect you from all this pain. Forgive , Nana…” Her tears soaked my shoulder.
Naki and Nao stirred awake. They rushed over, wrapping in their warmth, crying, apologizing, begging not to bla myself. In that mont, the four of us clung together, pouring every ounce of love into one another, as if to prove our bond couldn’t be broken.
After a while, Mother gently told what the doctor had said. Physically, I only had bruises—nothing fatal. But my mind… the doctor diagnosed with severe PTSD. It wouldn’t fade easily. It might haunt for years.
They also advised that I shouldn’t work for now, that I should avoid all triggers—especially n. Mother’s hands trembled as she repeated those words to , but she forced a smile anyway.”Nana, you don’t need to worry about money. I’ll start selling things again. I’ll provide for us.”
Her smile broke . She was already old, her body frail from sickness. She shouldn’t have to bear that burden. I opened my mouth to object, but before I could, Nao spoke firmly, his voice louder than I had ever heard it.
“Mom, I’ll help. After my college classes, I’ll work with you. I’ll even find a part-ti job. Please let .”
Both Mother and I froze in shock. Nao—our youngest, the one who used to depend on us the most—was standing tall, determination burning in his eyes. Mother tried to refuse at first, insisting that their burdens were hers to carry alone. But Nao didn’t back down. Eventually, she gave in, and he smiled with relief.
“Kaa-chan, Nana-nee, don’t worry about money anymore. I’ll work hard for our family.”
I had no words. My heart swelled with pride and sorrow at the sa ti.
Then Naki, usually shy and reclusive, muttered awkwardly,”I… I’ll find a way too. I can earn money online. I’ll make it work sohow.”
His round cheeks flushed red, but he lifted his chin bravely.”So Nana-nee… just focus on getting better, okay?”
My chest tightened again, but not from guilt—this ti from overwhelming love. My brothers, both of them, were trying so hard. They wanted to protect , to ease the crushing guilt that I had beco nothing but a burden.
I broke down completely, sobbing into their arms.
I had thought of myself as useless—a broken sister, incapable of working, incapable of protecting them. But my family never saw that way. To them, I was still precious. Still loved.
And for that… I was grateful beyond words.
Wiping my tears, I clenched my fists tightly and made a vow to myself.
I will heal. I will overco this trauma. For my family, for myself—I will rise again.
…..
But maybe my dream was too high…
It has been three long years, yet my trauma still clings to like chains that refuse to break. Every week, my mother takes to see a psychologist for therapy, but no matter how many sessions pass, the shadows of my past won’t let go.
The psychologists tried everything—different approaches, different thods—but in the end, they referred to a psychiatrist. My mother resisted at first. “My daughter is not insane,” she said firmly, her voice trembling. But in the end, she agreed to the treatnt and the prescriptions that ca with it.
For a while, I felt like giving up again. The weight was unbearable. But whenever I looked at my mother, at Nao, at Naki—none of them ever gave up on . Not once.
That was the only reason I could keep breathing in this world.If they were here, then I had a reason to endure.They were my lifeline.
Clinging to that, I forced myself to believe that soday… I would heal.
And slowly—miraculously—I began to improve.
The hallucinations of my father and that cruel ex faded, little by little. The nightmares that once suffocated every night beca less frequent. And now, I can even face other n for short monts without breaking down completely.
It was proof that all my years of patience and struggle weren’t in vain. I had climbed a little higher out of the pit. For the first ti in so long, I dared to believe: I’m ready to work again.
anwhile, Nao—my sweet, hardworking little brother—had carried the family on his shoulders in my place. After graduating from college, he imdiately found a full-ti job in a private company. But he didn’t stop there. He took a part-ti shift at a convenience store, and at night, he worked as a freelancer online.
Nao worked himself to the bone for us, never once complaining. Watching him made my chest ache with both pride and guilt.
But now… I wanted to ease his burden. I wanted to tell him, “You don’t have to work this hard anymore. Your sister is ready to stand again.”
One Sunday, I gathered the courage to tell Mother and Naki about my decision. Their faces tensed with worry, but I reassured them over and over. Finally, they relented, telling not to push myself too far.
That night, as I smiled faintly with hope, I asked them,”Where’s Nao? He should be ho by now, shouldn’t he? It’s already past seven.”
Mother and Naki exchanged uncertain looks. They didn’t know either. Nao hadn’t returned from his shift at the mini market. He never ca ho this late. Never.
A cold unease spread through . My heart thudded painfully in my chest.”What’s happening…? Why isn’t he answering?”
We tried calling his phone, but it was off.
And then—at that exact mont—the house phone rang. An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen.
When Mother picked it up, her face drained of all color. The voice on the other end told us… that Nao had been in an accident on his way ho. The location wasn’t far.
The words stabbed into like knives. I froze for a second, then we all rushed out—Mother, Naki, and I—our footsteps echoing with dread.
But by the ti we reached the site… it was already too late.
Nao—my little brother who had carried us all these years—was gone.
“Nao… why?” My voice broke into pieces.”Why did you leave us so soon?”
My knees gave way as grief crushed . My mother collapsed beside , fainting from the shock. Naki and I clung to each other, wailing like lost children.
I scread at the heavens until my throat bled,”God! What did Nao do to deserve this? What did we do? Why must you curse our family again and again with such misery?!”
The night swallowed our cries. That mont beca carved into my heart as the single worst day of my life.
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I’m back! But I think I cannot update regulary like before. I’m busy with my uni life, so maybe I just update two tis a week.
Please keep support !
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