In the following days, Tsubaki spent most of her time in the sanatorium to accompany her mother. She would go out of Spring Garden together with Ren who needed to go to work early in the morning. After dropping him off, Hibiki would send her to the sanatorium next.
Although Ren was distressed at the additional pressure his wife had to bear, physically and mentally, he didn't forbid her from going to the sanatorium daily. If he did, it would only put more stress on Tsubaki.
"I'll come as soon as I can. Call me if there's anything, en?"
Ren tenderly brushed her face, letting his thumb lingered longer on her jaw. He concealed the worry well from being shown in his eyes.
"Just focus on your work," Tsubaki lightly held his wrist of his hand that was caressing her face. She gave him a grateful smile.
Ren was reluctant but he only nodded in the end. After pressing a light kiss on her lips, he emerged out of the car. Tsubaki wounded down the window. She tilted up her chin to look at him.
"Be careful on the road, sweetheart," Ren playfully pinched her nose.
"Good luck, darling," Tsubaki smiled.
Today was the day of the meeting.
The two of them exchanged words before Ren knocked on the roof of the car, giving the signal for Hibiki to drive away. Slowly, the black car moved to enter the main road. Ren kept standing on the porch of the company building until he could no longer see the car. He didn't give any intention to the employees who gave him greetings.
Tap tap tap.
The sound of someone running stopped behind him. Ren didn't have to turn around to see that it was Matsuzaki.
"President, all members of the board have arrived," Matsuzaki reported.
Ren spun on his heels, "Let's go in."
After he kicked Mr. Sagara and his men out of the board, most of them were loyal to him and his grandparents. Even though Takuma only entered the management for less than a year, the old men would still give him face. Moreover, Takuma's name was well-known during his time working abroad.
Just a little bit more, then, he would be free.
While Ren was engaged in a debate to convince the shareholders of his decision to step down and make Takuma his successor, Tsubaki had already arrived at the sanatorium. Right now, she accompanied her mother and Granny Sumiko in the garden.
In the past few days, Masami often drifted in and out of consciousness as she developed a fever. She also couldn't eat solid food as she would throw it out as soon as she ate it. Her situation was worrisome but, yesterday, her condition turned better for a little.
Because of that, Masami wanted to bathe under the sunlight as she longed to breathe the fresh air. After the doctor gave his approval, the caretakers put the feeble-looking woman in the wheelchair. One of them helped to wheel her out of the building with Tsubaki and Granny Sumiko walked at the side.
"Mom, I want to show something to you," Tsubaki said while fiddling with something from the inside of her bag.
Tsubaki and Granny Sumiko sat on a bench under a tree with Masami on the right side of the bench.
Masami shifted her eyes from the flowerbed. She glanced at her daughter, "What do you want to show me?"
Nowadays, her voice sounded lower and weaker than before yet, Masami did her best to converse with her daughter.
Tsubaki hid the painful expression from her face.
Even though at first the doctor predicted her mother could live up until a year, it seemed like the prediction might turn wrong.
Tsubaki brought out a box from the bag and presented it to her mother.
"They are the necklaces you left for me and my sister," Tsubaki smiled faintly.
Masami was a bit surprised. She stretched out both of her hands to take the box from Tsubaki. Her limbs trembled slightly.
After taking out the lid, two necklaces were displayed in front of her. The two lockets were attached together, forming a heart.
Masami froze, then her pupils shook before a layer of mist quickly blurred her eyes. A silent stream of tears rolled down her sunken cheeks.
Seeing them surged up nostalgia from the depth of her heart.
She slowly picked up both of the necklaces. Her thumb gently traced the lockets as if she was holding precious treasures.
"They are beautiful," Granny Sumiko chimed softly.
"Yes," Masami smiled, "Until now, they are beautiful."
The memory of her dearest Takahisa happily gave her this pair of lockets was still clear in her mind even after all these years.
"Your father... chose them by himself before he was taken away," Without anyone asking, Masami opened up the story with a choked voice, "He often said... He wanted his children to have them each... As if he knew we would have twin daughters. Hehe, since he was a twin himself with his brother, he thought he would get twins too as children."
Takahisa came across them while they were having a secret date night. He bought it from a local jeweler using a portion of the money that he had saved.
His joyful eyes, his gentle smile, everything was still engraved deeply in her mind.
Tsubaki was both happy and sad to see her mother's smiling face. Because, behind the smile, she was reminiscing the love she had lost.
Throughout the time she spent with her mother, even though there were times when her mother would tell her about her deceased father, they didn't happen frequently.
Tsubaki had a hunch that her mother was reluctant to talk about him because she was still greatly saddened by his passing. Even so, Tsubaki still brought the necklaces to her mother today because in the letter her mother wrote to Hinata, she said these necklaces were important.
To her surprise, a pleasant one, her mother smoothly talked about the man she loved.
"Mom, I remember reading your letter for my sister," Tsubaki smiled, showing how relieved she was, "You said you named us from your favorite flowers."
Masami's laugh followed her words. Her reaction lightened Tsubaki and Granny Sumiko's heavy hearts.
"Yes, I named you Tsubaki because I love red camellias the most," Masami tilted her head, a soft smile gracing her pale face, "And, your father loved sunflowers so Hinata was named based on it."
During the helpless time that she was heavily pregnant with the twins, the ones that kept Masami going were her fond memories shared with Takahisa. She persevered because of him and because of the fruits of their love.
Even though she couldn't keep their daughters by her side, she was contented and happy to see them growing up from afar under other people's love and care.
That morning, Tsubaki only listened to her mother fondly talking about her father. As if she regained new energy, Masami talked nonstop about Takahisa.
Her mother's eyes would gleam softly as her lips curved into a smile. It was an appearance of someone who was well-loved by her beloved.
Despite her beloved had left for almost three decades, the memories were preserved well in her mother's mind.
It was not until the sun hung above their heads did Masami stop. She grew sleepy as time passed by. Tsubaki asked the caretaker to bring her mother to bed.
"Tsubaki, go back home..." Masami fought against her sleepiness as she weakly held her daughter's hand, "Rest at home... You can come here again tomorrow."
Ever since the day she got the seizure, Tsubaki would come here every morning and only left after dinner. This place was comfortable but Masami knew it had taken a toll on her daughter's body. She was afraid Tsubaki would collapse if this went on.
"I'll stay by your side," Tsubaki gently brushed her thumb over her mother's palm, "When you wake up, tell me more about Father. I'd like to hear about him."
Another soft smile curled up on the pale face.
"Your father... You'd be proud of him if he's still here."
Tsubaki shook her head. She smiled, "Even though I have never met him, I already proud of him."
How could she not when her father's love toward her mother was so pure? She could see it from how her mother's eyes twinkling at the mention of him.
Masami's eyelids were half-closed, "Hehe, he would be happy to hear that..."
Her grasp on Tsubaki's hand loosened as she fell asleep.
Tsubaki watched her mother closed her eyes after saying the last word.
Unknown to Masami, her daughter breathed in relief as Tsubaki watched the weak movement of her chest going up and down.
Mom is still here...
She's still here...
With me.
Tsubaki listlessly shook her head. She tried hard to control her emotions.
"Tsubaki, don't push yourself too hard," Granny Sumiko's voice came from behind before the old lady enveloped her in an embrace.
Tsubaki hugged her back. She really loved this grandmother figure of hers.
"I'm always afraid that... Whenever Mom is asleep, she won't open her eyes again next."
Every time Masami had to take a nap, Tsubaki would stay by her side, sitting on the chair placed beside the bed.
Although it was uncomfortable for her to continue sitting on the chair for a long time, Tsubaki persisted. She ignored her aching limbs as she waited for her mother to wake up.
"She would so, don't worry child," Granny Sumiko tenderly patted her back. She loosened her embrace and looked at Tsubaki's tired face, "Go and rest in my room. Think of your babies, en?"
Tsubaki wanted to refuse but today, her body felt more tired than usual. She didn't know if it's because she had been pushing herself hard these few days until now.
She cast a last look at her sleeping mother.
Mom, please, wake up, okay?