He was really curious about these things, truth to be told he had wanted to ask her many many things; if he was allowed to talk he felt like it will take days till he finished asking all the questions he had wanted to ask, but he will hold back...he can ask them tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, he would definitely come and ask her... They will become his excuse to meet her!!
The question he had asked now was because this will mark the first time he will go out and that the man he saw some time ago, had made an undeniable presence in his heart; he didn't know why but even if he felt a little scared of him, he couldn't deny that deep down, a sense of nostalgia had taken root and the most important reason was that, it was that man who told him his Onee-chan was his real Onee-chan!
Yuki heard his question, though she didn't like to talk too much and this topic was somewhat sensitive for a child, he will grow up one day to know it, she can at least give him some hints here and there so that by the time he knew of everything, he would not break or be sad....
What she didn't know was that because she was there for him and he had enjoyed her warmth, he won't feel sad, because she was there, he wouldn't hate those people because, in the end, it was because of them that he had her in his life...
"Aki, you see, a person went far away and would never come back.... So, we'll be going to give them a farewell, a final goodbye", she was sure of this, she just didn't know who, but considering the number of doctors who had come here, she pretty much had a guess in her heart but she won't voice it... She didn't know how this child will take it.
She continued, "That man was... ", she had a bad taste in her mouth, if possible she wouldn't like to say it, " He is our father"
Aki didn't know much about the person who was going away and if it's so just 'bye-bye', he can wish them that, he wouldn't like them to feel lonely while going away from their loved ones...
Aki was really a good boy.... Just when he was ready to bite on the strawberry, he heard say something that made him pause.
He knew what a father was, he may not remember much but some shows that he had seen on TV had left a great impact on him just like the fairy back then, he had seen a loving family in those shoes and even if didn't know how they were made, if he could choose, he would have liked the fairy to be his mother.... But it seems that was not possible.
He finally got himself his own Onee-chan and was told that he had a father too, he was a bit too shocked, he was too happy that he became a bit greedy... he softly asked, "if I have a father... does that mean, I have a mother too"
Sometimes it was hard when the child was too intelligent.
God was really not playing fair today!
Yuki took a deep breath in her head, now that it has come to this, she might as well come upfront, she put down the milk glass on the table and turned towards him, the eyes of the boy were roaming around, he was definitely nervous about it, but she could also see the expectations in his eyes, children were more intimate with their mother, only this thing she couldn't deny...
She brought the child closer and lightly hugged him, this was her way to make him feel safe before she spoke her answer.
Aki was started by her sudden embrace but gladly took it, he even tried to hug her as his face was over her chest, he could hear a rhythmic thumping sound, he felt very calm and at ease from that.. Just then he felt her chest vibrate as she spoke, "You see, Aki--", but just before she could say anything, the voice of the man cut her off, " It's time. Let's go. "
She hadn't felt his presence, it seems she was far too nervous than she thought...
She let Aki go, but Aki held her pinky... Yuki didn't push him and let it be.
Aki was actually still a bit scared, it was probably his strong presence or probably his instinct.
On the way to the burial ground no one spoke, the Duke didn't care, Yuki was not talkative and the pressure in the car was too much for the young child, if not for the warm hand he was holding, he would have fainted a long ago...
The process was kept simple and not many were called.
Aki was also asked to put a Chrysanthemum over a huge box-like thing, just like everyone was doing, he was definitely nervous. It was his first time and there were many people here, he felt many eyes on him and he was overwhelmed with a sense of fear, but just then he felt a hand on his head, he looked slightly up, "Onee-chan! "
She was not very tall, but just her standing there made him feel so safe, her small frame felt huge, as if, she could protect him from everything, he could only see her now and it made all those eyes vanish, the fear also went away...
"Let's go", she said.
Aki took small steps towards that box and when he was close to it, he finally saw the picture of a person, maybe he was nervous or the atmosphere to serene, he didn't raise his voice but still whispered, " It's fairy-san! What is her picture doing here? ", subconsciously he looked at his sister for an answer.
Yuki looked at him too, 'Fairy? '....
Though she could guess it if she tried, she had already guessed too much for the day. Just like she had guessed, it was their mother, after all.
As a normal human, she thought that she would at least feel sad after confirming the fact, that person was still their mother after all, but it seems she was too cold, she didn't feel anything, she may feel sorry for someone's loss, but that was strictly based on her feelings as a stranger and to be honest, as a daughter of this person, she didn't feel anything at all....