Nakagawa Madoka's Perspective.
"And that's how you solve this equation."
Even though I was sick, Hana-chan still relied on her older sister for things like this. I wasn't going to say no. Any time with Hana-chan is too little.
"Hm, Mom and Yuko-san have been out for a while."
Hana-chan said worriedly. I leaned back on my headboard.
"Yeah… I'm a little worried, to be honest."
I said, a hint of restlessness in my tone.
"Oh, why is that, Onee-chan?"
I pondered a bit, then came to the understanding that it was time Hana-chan knew.
"When your mom would visit me in the hospital, Yuko-chan would too, Hana-chan."
I closed my eyes, thinking about the story Yuko-chan told me.
"And one day… Yuko-chan brought in a bundle of flowers for me. They were carnations. But when she came back the next day…"
Hana-chan chimed in.
"Mom got rid of them?"
I nodded.
"How did you know, Hana-chan?"
She shrugged.
"Knowing what I know about Mom now, Onee-chan… I just assumed something like that happened. I can see Mom becoming jealous..."
It would seem Hana and Mari have been getting closer. I'm sure Mari had told Hana-chan a lot about her feelings since she and my mom officially broke up.
"Yeah, that's what Yuko-chan believed. Since then she didn't like Mari and stopped coming to see me. It's… ah, one of the reasons why she didn't… like you very much when you two first met, Hana-chan."
As if a light bulb turned on in Hana-chan's little head, her eyes perked up.
"Oh… Oh, I see. S-So… Oh… I never would have guessed that Yuko-san might… have been seeing my mom in me."
I nodded.
"It's a complicated situation that even I don't know all about. But that's never been resolved between them. My guess is Mari is finally able to express herself and wants to apologize."
Hana-chan rubbed her head.
"I guess you wouldn't have told me about this because it was around the time when you were still understanding your feelings about Mom?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry for keeping this from you, Hana-chan."
With a pout, she picked her head up.
"It's fine, you'll just have to give me a present to make up for it."
She teased as she petted my head, like a mother forgiving her child.
"Sure, I'll get you something… you spoiled brat."
I pulled her cheeks. She complained, but I won this battle, and that's all that mattered. As we chatted more, the door opened, and to my surprise, it was Mari.
"Mom, where did Yuko-san go?"
With one hand on her hip, dejected, Mari closed her eyes and shook her head with her hands on her hips.
"I'm sorry, guys. Our chat didn't go as well as I hoped, and… she ran off. I wasn't expecting her to run."
Hana-chan perked up.
"Oh, actually that's normal. She ran away from me before too, Mom."
"That's normal?"
Both the Kodas had experienced the same thing. She'd run from me too before, so I guess all of us technically had, but I kept my mouth shut for the time being, letting the mother-and-daughter duo share this moment.
"Mom, Madoka-chan told me about what happened between you two in the hospital."
Mari nodded.
"Y-Yeah, that was one of the things I had to chat with her about. I had to make sure she knew that I… did something terrible to her."
Mari leaned up against the wall, her bangs washed over her eyes.
"I wanted to be honest with her. I… wanted her to know that I was changing and hoped we could get to know each other better."
Softly, she looked at me.
"Because I know how wonderful of a person she is… from what you've told me about her, Madoka, Hana. But I reached too deep, too early… and messed up."
I rubbed the back of my head.
"Yeah, it takes a bit of 'touch and go' with Yuko-chan… but she is a wonderful person."
I explained, scratching my cheek as I did. Mari looked away, sighed then turned back to me.
"Madoka, there is something else I was hiding from you. Not out of my guilt or anything like that…"
To my surprise, Mari brought up more.
"It's something between you and Mihara-san. I would love to tell you all about it, but it was something we spoke about before your coma. And it wouldn't be right for me to gossip about it."
I stopped her.
"You want me and Yuko-chan to talk about it, Mari?"
"Yeah, that would be the most appropriate thing to do. Unless you want me to tell you, that is. But it would be right if you two talked it out instead."
Asking Mari to tell me would be… in a way… going behind Yuko-chan's back. It's clear whatever it is, it's personal to her and she's worried about it.
I figured there was more to Yuko-chan's stories about us. I didn't resent Mari or anything for hiding what she knew. No, it was simple why; it wasn't her place to tell me, and I agreed with that.
"No, I understand that. When I get better, I'll find out what she's hiding. I can give her a call later."
I sighed deeply.
"I would have thought that Yuko-chan of all people would realize that… I'm more open than whatever secret she thinks she can hide from me."
I assured her. Mari closed her eyes and shrugged.
"To be honest, I found the entire situation just… Well, I guess I'll just let you two talk it out."
She sighed with a slight smile on her face.
"I'm sure it will all work out between you two, Madoka. Kind of like how things worked out between us."
"Mari…"
Hana-chan giggled.
"When did you two stop using -San to each other? It's… refreshing."
"Huh?"
"Ah?"
We both opened our mouths. I doubt we even realized it until this flower sprouted up like a weed in a valley of lilies. The honorifics between Mari and me vanished suddenly, but it felt right.