The doorbell rings, ' ding dong, ding dong '.
" Yes! Wait for a second. I'm coming. ", a sweet pitched voice came from inside of the house. The door opens with a 'click' sound.
" Mom! ", I jump at my second mom, and hug her tightly. She also hugs me back, and gently puts her hand on my head, and strokes my hair.
" Ah! Yo chan. ", her voice is so sweet and warm. Even though I visit my dad, but I never had a chance to meet with her, after I start living with my mom. Both Aki and Akihiko live with her, and it become hard for me to meet with her, since, I'm on a journey to find Mimi chan's papa. So, I only meet with my father at hospital, not her. I raise my head, and look around the door.
" Mom, where are Aki and Akihiko? They don't come out to meet me. ", I asked her with a disappointed look.
" Ahh! Yesterday, they went on a beach trip with my father. But do you only miss your brothers? Don't you miss me? ", she asked me in a teasing tone.
After meeting her for such a long time, I can't contain my tears into my eyes. Words utter from my mouth, which is very hard for me to tell anyone.
" I miss mom also. Sorry, I can't meet with you earlier. " I said it with a hoarse voice.
She chuckles, and says, " Fufu.... It's doesn't matter how much time you take, but it only matters that you remember me, and come back to meet me. Okay, so stop crying now. Otherwise, I can't hold my tears back for long also. "
I loose my hands and look at her face, and give out a smile. We both smile at each other. Then, she looks at my mom, Daiki papa and half asleep Aki. She releases me from her hug.
" Ah! You guys have already arrived. ", my second mom gives out a bright smile, when she saw them. Her face is looking very eager.
" Yeah! It doesn't that much far from here. ", my mom also smiles back at her.
" Oh yes! Kasumi san here, this is for you. ", my mom hands her a box of sweets, which she made before coming here, and Daiki papa hands her some fruits also.
" Thank you for it! Megumi san and Daiki san.", she bows down a little, and receives it.
" Ahh! Kasumi san, you don't have to thank us for every little things. We're friends. " My mom and step mom both smiles at each other.
Akira who is tired from earlier, couldn't hold anymore the talk of two adults, and finally open her mouth to stop them, " Now please, go inside. Aki chan is very sleepy. Aah-haa~ ", she yawns and go back to sleep into her father's arms. Everyone chuckles at her behavior.
" Come, come inside. Aki chan is right. In happiness with meeting you guys, I forget to invite you inside. ", she dearly welcomed us, and we enter inside the house.
. . . . . . . . . .
I changed my travel clothes to a top with skirt. Right now, I'm at my previous room. It's walls are pastel green, but in one wall, there're pink flamingos painted on it. My window's curtains are light pink with small watermelon slices printed on them. My bedsheet is of sky blue color with the same color pillows. There're still my bookshelves full of my study books, and also my study table lying untouched there. On the table, there's my small cactus plant friend, Mimi chan, sitting on it. I've nine more plants besides her. My room is literally simple with only books and plants.
"[ After coming to my room back, I'm feeling more in ease. It's feels warm and familiar than my current room. I'm extremely happy here. I want to come back here as soon as it's possible. Argh! ]", I jump on my fluffy bed, and lying on it on my chest. My face gulps in by the fluffy mattress of my bed, and I close my eyes for a moment.
' Knock, knock ', someone knocks on the door. I open my eyes but still feeling laziness to get up from my bed.
" Yo chan! Do you fall asleep? ", my second mom opens my room's door silently to not wake me up if I fell asleep.
" No, mom! I'm still awake." I get up from my bed.
She smiles and says, " Then, excuse me. ", She walks towards me, and sits on my bed. She holds my both hands gently.
" Tell me, Yo chan! Are doing well there in school? Do you talk to your classmates in your school? ", she asked me curiously, and I shyly nod my head.
" My goodness! It's a very great news. Phew.. You know, I'm really worried that you might be really uncomfortable in your new school. "
" It's not that I feel uncomfortable around people. It's just I can't fit with them. ", I said it with a pout.
" Ahaha... You're still uncomfortable around people. Since you're a child, you're scared to talk with people. You're very bad at talking with people. You're scared to take initiative, because you don't want them to find disappointment in you. " These words with absolute truth from my mom's mouth about me, are attacking me like arrows.
"[ She knows me well more than myself. ]", I sigh in defeat.
" But Yo chan, I'm really really happy that now, you're changing the method of your life. It's not good to walk on a comfortable path which don't have any difficulties and hurdles. Rather than these things will help you to grow at your fullest potential. Changes are good which help you to grow, like a caterpillar changes itself into a butterfly to grow those beautiful wings which helps it to fly in the sky of infinite freedom. "
I pause for a sec to think something, then ask her about it, " But what will happen if some bird catch it? Those wings can't help it. "
" Hmm.... You're right and gloomy also. "
" Just tell me the answer mom, and also I'm not gloomy. I'm just thinking about it more logically. ", a vein of annoyance is popping on my forehead by hearing her reply.
" Yo chan, you know. "
" Hmmm? "
" Life is not only about how long we live. It's also not about what kind of life we've lived, but it's about what kind of life we want to live . That butterfly will die one day, but it'll be happy because it's the way of life it wants to live without any boundaries of fear, and bravely flies into that sky of freedom. She lived the way how she wants, but are you living the way you want? "
" That...that....", I bite my lips.
" Fufu.... I know, you're a very talk active girl. In your previous school also, you want to make friends and want to talk with them about your likings, and listening to their likings. But you gave a lame excuse to me, when I asked you, and you told me that you're not getting fit in their environment but in reality, you never tried to take initiative. "
By listening those facts, I jump out of my skin and exclaimed, " But they could also talk to me first. Why me? "
" Who's living your life, they or you? "
" Me. "
" So, who'll gonna try? "
" Me. "
" Yes, Yo chan. It's your problem and you've to grow out from those problems to live the way you want. Alright. So, don't be afraid. I'm always here for you. ", she pats my head, and I nod my head gently. We, daughter and mother, continue to talk for a long time until I fell asleep on her lap.
. . . . . . . . . . .
I were sleeping very deeply on my second mom's lap, but a familiar voice breaks my sleep. It's my mom's voice. She is sitting on my study chair beside my bed. She and my second mom are chatting with each other without knowing, that I'm already awake. My mom asks to my second mom.
" Tell me Kasumi san, does Masuyo chan like me? ", My ears get perk up when I heard questions about me.
" Of course! She likes you. " My second mom confidently told her.
" Really! ", for a moment her voice lights up but after another second, it become sad.
" But why she still stutters when I talk to her. She doesn't stutter while talking to you. I envy of you for this. Is she still feeling uncomfortable near me? "
" No, it's wrong. It's just that she feels more comfortable around me, as I've took care of her since, she was a little kid. You're just living with her one year. Give her more time. I'm sure, she'll feel comfortable around you also, not so soon but one day will. Then, there'll be no barrier between you guys."
" But when that day will come? I'm afraid I'll become old until that day. "
" Really, you both are so helpless and gloomy. "
" Just tell me the answer, and also I'm not gloomy. I'm just thinking about it more logically. ", she said in an annoying voice.
" Ahaha..... Really you both are so alike. "
" Really!! Do you think so that I and Masuyo look similar? "
" I don't know about looks, but surely you both are pretty similar from inside. Huh? Why're you start crying now? "
My mom tell my second mom while sobbing, " It's the first time someone has told me that she's similar to me. Otherwise everybody said that she's similar to Daijiro. "
My second mom gives out a nervous smile, and says, " Well...!! They're not entirely wrong. She indeed looks like Daijiro san, but have your qualities. "
" Even though, thank you! I'll try my best to be a good mom, and gives her lots of love which I couldn't gave her in the past. ", she said it while wiping her tears.
" My oh my! It's okay, now. We all are trying our hard. Don't be hard on yourself. ", She pats her back. I am also shedding tears quietly while lying on her lap. I feel some kind of guiltiness within my heart. My mom loves me so dearly but I cannot talk to her normally. It's a habit of mine to stutter, when I talk with a new person, due to my anxiety. So, she feels distant from me.
"[ I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry. I'll try to not feel you like, I'm distant from you. ]", then my mom's hand pats my head so gently that I feel sorry for her, even more .
"[ Why am I like this? ]", While I was blaming myself, I suddenly remember Minamoto kun's words.
"{ Let it be for now. Take your time. Everything gonna fine because your parents know that you're trying your hard. So, don't be hard on yourself. }"
These words are start echoing in my mind. It gives me strength and hope to slowly change into that butterfly who wants to live the life the way it wants. Flying into the sky of infinite freedom.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
The next day, we meet with my papa at the hospital. He's looking much more in good health in those two months. The doctor said, If everything will be fine, we can take him in our home soon. My mom was crying tears of happiness, and so she brings an extra large basket of fruits for him to celebrate the good news. It's very hard to stop her cry, but we eventually make her to stop. Daiki papa doesn't say anything to him. He's just looking at him with a very gentle expression, and also smiles lightly. I have never seen that kind of expression of him. My papa knows that he's happy to see him, so, he also smiles back at him. I see them in astonishment because they could understand each other without speaking any words.
At the evening, we leave Osaka for Kyoto because tomorrow will be my school.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The other day, I arrived at my school as usual. At this moment, I'm sitting on my seat in my class. Today, the cold breeze of monsoon are flowing in the classroom, and with it, there's a rumor flying all over my class also. A bunch of girls who're sitting behind me, are talking about it in a circle.
" Did you guys hear the rumors about why did Minamoto kun transfer to our class? "
" Yes, I heard it about but can't say it's reliable. "
" Eh!!!!, I don't heard it. "
Then one girl among them confidently and excitedly tell them, " Yes! Yes! I also heard about that yesterday from my boyfriend who's also in his class. "
" Really! Really! Then tell us also. We just heard it from surface. Tell us more about it. ", they all curiously asked her in unison.
"[ Huh! These girls are so immature. They are ear-dropping into other people lives. They're talking about it like their life is depend on it. ]", just like ' the pot calling the kettle black '. Right now, I'm also ear-dropping into their conversation by perking my ears as much as I could do.
" Listen here! My boyfriend told me that Minamoto kun got transferred here because of ...", as she's telling this, mine and other girls heartbeat are beating more fast, ' thump, thump, thump '.
" .... because of his fight with Komatsu kun. "
" Really!!!! "
" No, it can't be possible. "
" Yes, because they're best friends since childhood. " They all exclaimed in shock.
"[ Minamoto kun fight with Komatsu kun? It's unbelievable. ]", I also have a shocking reaction about this.
But the other girl get angry, and says in anger, " Hey! Are you saying that my boyfriend is lying? The moon could rise in day but he can't never lied to me. If you don't believe me than why're listening to me? Let me go! Nonetheless, I've to revise for test. "
"[ No, don't go please!!!! Tell me more. You can't hang me in half like this. Go girls behind her. ]", I internally screamed and begging her to continue her talk.
" Okay, okay, we're really sorry. Your boyfriend is saying truth. Now, please tell us more. ", they all make a puppy face to convince her.
By listening their apology, she convinced and said, " Okay! If you're saying so. "
"[ Good job girls. Keep it up until we find the whole truth. ]", I praised them from bottom of my heart.
" So, listen! ", we all are listening to her story without taking a breath. Our all focuses are at her.
" He told me that one day, he was with Komatsu kun and other boys from their class. They all decided to watch the movie at the theatre together but suddenly Komatsu kun was disappeared from there. They went to look out for him, and the next moment they found him, he's already fighting with Minamoto kun. Both parties were not ready to leave one another. They're fighting like a cobra and a mongoose. But at last, they succeed in untangled them. They all got stunned by their fight because both two are 'pea of the some pod'. And after one week of that incident, Minamoto kun got transferred here. "
" Heh really! I still can't believe that they got themselves into a fight. "
" Yeah. I also weren't believing into these rumors at first. But after listening you, I can't deny it anymore. "
" Yes! Literally, it's a shocking news. "
"[ That's why, there's a tensed air between them, when Minamoto kun met Komatsu kun at that grocery shop. But, what's the reason of their fighting? ]", I have a serious expression on my face.