A Light Drawn Closer

A few years earlier
Mafuyu's Room
1
Little Mafuyu
Eep...!
2
Little Mafuyu
(That thunder's getting louder...)
3
Little Mafuyu
...!
4
Little Mafuyu
*Whimper*
(I'm so scared...)
5
Little Mafuyu
Mommy...
6
Little Mafuyu
(I wanna be with her...)
7
Little Mafuyu
(But she said I'm a big girl now, so I'm supposed to sleep by myself...)
8
Little Mafuyu
(Still...)
9
Little Mafuyu
...!
*Sob*
10
Little Mafuyu
I'm really scared...
11
Little Mafuyu
Mommy...
12
Mafuyu's Father
Mafuyu?
13
Mafuyu's Father
Are you asleep...?
14
Little Mafuyu
Daddy...?
15
Mafuyu's Father
Huh...?
16
Mafuyu's Father
Mafuyu...!
You're awake?
17
Little Mafuyu
*Sob*
I-I'm sorry...
18
Little Mafuyu
...!
19
Little Mafuyu
*Cry*
20
Mafuyu's Father
Mafuyu...!
21
Mafuyu's Father
Are you having trouble falling asleep...?
22
Little Mafuyu
I-I'm sorry...
23
Little Mafuyu
But that thunder's so loud, and I'm really scared...
24
Mafuyu's Father
I had no idea...
I'm sorry for not noticing sooner.
25
Mafuyu's Father
It's okay, honey.
I'll stay right here until you fall asleep.
26
Little Mafuyu
Oh...
27
Little Mafuyu
B-But Mommy said I'm supposed to sleep by myself now...
28
Mafuyu's Father
Don't worry.
I'll tell her that you went to sleep all on your own.
29
Little Mafuyu
You will...?
30
Mafuyu's Father
Yes, so it's okay.
31
Mafuyu's Father
Here, I'll hold your hand like this.
See? That thunder isn't so scary, right?
32
Little Mafuyu
*Nod*
33
Little Mafuyu
Oh...
34
Little Mafuyu
(Daddy's hand is so warm...
I feel a lot better now.)
35
Little Mafuyu
(Because I know he's here with me...)
36
Mafuyu
To me, my dad...
37
Mafuyu
I don't remember very clearly...
38
Mafuyu
But I think I was able to fall asleep because he made me safe by holding my hand.
39
Rin
<Really...?>
40
Rin
<Then, I think it's okay for you to trust him...>
41
Mafuyu
What...?
42
Rin
<That story you just told me...>
43
Rin
<It proved that you have some good memories about your dad...>
44
Mafuyu
Oh...
45
Rin
<I can't guarantee anything just based on that...>
46
Rin
<But I get the feeling that your dad is still just as kind as he was back then.>
47
Rin
<Which is why I think it's okay for you to tell him the truth.>
48
Mafuyu
Like back then...
49
Mafuyu's Father's Message
<Are you okay? This thunderstorm's massive.>
50
Mafuyu
...
Next Chapter: Holding Close