Who knew I would have to deal with him again.
I left my hometown in Narai, Nagano because of one hot-headed, no good, son of a bisuketto, who happened to be a family friend.
Not mine though.
After all the rude, annoying comments he made about my family, along with me being a year younger. His blank sentences about my white hair, and being only half Japanese, and the worst of it was that I was blind? Like, how was I supposed to know what color my shoes were? I was only 8 years old. His tormenting side comments only got worse as I got older.
Oh I probably give you his name too.
Tenshi Riku.
My mother would say that he had the reddest hair. Not too bright but not brown. And was a great athlete.
Ok sure, he did have nice shoulders, and he was tall. I wouldn't know about the hair, besides it was soft.
My father said that he also is the sweetest kid, who is always respectful. He always helped him with his deliveries when he could, and carried boxes of wax for him.
Ya, when he was, like 7.
I remember him doing nice things, but only around adults. It was a different story when we went to school.
"Wearing that same outfit again." he said, "What? can't you tell when your clothes are dirty?" A snicker follows behind. While he is known for being rude, and heartless. Others had different opinions. My friends in middle school would grab me by the arms, and lock me in between their fan girl club.
"He's just shy, and wants to look cool."
"Come on, Yuko. it's really just an act."
"You have the hottest boy ever."
"I wish he would walk me around."
I was completely disgusted by their awe for him. I mean sure he was nice to help me at school. And to write notes, and lead me to each class. Can't forget the hug he gave me,
but still.
He was just a jerk. Stuck up in his own little world, and never caring about what I thought. And after a while I wasn't with him.
I moved away to Tokyo with my Oba, when I turned 15. My parents objected, because they thought I would have a hard time adjusting to a new environment. When I haven't lived there my whole life, that meant I would have to re-adjust to my surroundings. But it was a lot easier than I would have thought.
Aunt Kuri was really sweet and helped me adjust to Tokyo. And the highschool was also very kind, and had adaptations for blind people like me. Then after a few years, when I turned 18, my parents wanted a family reunion. Also they had invited our old family friends: The Tenshi's. Which happened to also include Riku.
🌸🌸🌸
A few weeks ago, my mother reached out, and asked for me to come home for the Shogatsu celebration at Narai. I was a bit reluctant; but I hadn't seen them for so long and I missed their voices everyday, being a bit homesick.
So I agreed, and my Aunt and I took a plane, then I took a train and bus all the way to Narai. Then the moment of truth hit me as I knocked on the door, as a local helped me find my way.
"Yuko, I missed you so much." Cries my mother, as I walk through the door. her arms wrap around me, and I hug her back. Her warmth seeps into my soul.
I had missed her so much. Her smell, her laugh, her gentle hands, everything.
"I missed you too, mom. I am so glad to be back again." my mouth forms a smile.
My mothers hands grab my face, her hands holding gently. "You have gotten so beautiful. I should have named you Yukino Akemi'' she rambles on, without taking a breath. "Your hair is so white! How do you not get a sunburn? And your skin is so smooth? How is that possible?" She pauses for a breath, in which I took full advantage of.
"Mom, easy, I don't burn. Also, I haven't been to the beach." I reply.
"Oh ya, we should go. I know you would love to hear the waves. It is really beautiful too, but the sound is way better." She talks so fast. I could feel her anxiety through her hands.
"Mom, I can always just play it on YouTube too."
"But it's not the best. You wouldn't be able to feel the water, or smell the salt. I'll take you after Shogatsu." As her hand leaves my face, I inhale. She grabs my hand, which are still shaking from her excitement. "Now, come to the living room, your father is waiting." pulling softly, she leads me to the living room as I recall the smell of my childhood. "Watch your step now. Careful."
I take my shoes off, and follow her lead. then after a small step down, I hold my breath as my mom raises her voice a notch.
"Yosuke, Yuko is home."
My father, Masayo Yosuke, is also blind. He did have his sight at birth, unlike me. But as he got older, the more it dwindled. He was a very skilled worker with making lanterns, and candles. Before his eyesight completely gave away, he would carve the most beautiful dragons, birds, and creatures, from what I am told. But as he lost his sight, the carving had stopped. He can still make candles though, and he has a few helpers who care for him, but they are not the same.
She lets me gently sit next to him, then I hear her soft steps move as my father and I met for the first time in a while.
"Oh Yuko, how much you have grown." His old, scared, hardened hands hold my face. He pulls me into a hug. I hear his heart beat and feel a drop of wetness fall onto my head. We stay like this for what seems like forever. Just getting used to each other again. "I wish I could see how beautiful my daughter has gotten."
"Same here, father." I reply. My father chuckles with a warm, and hardy laugh.
"Don't worry, Honey. We did a fine job on Yuko." My mother interjects.
"I would be very sad if she wasn't. We worked hard." they both laugh.
I push away from him, embarrassed. "Oh My. Father, that is a bit much." I can feel my cheeks heat up.
"Ha, Yuko," she says, " why are you turning so red? In a year or so, you will know what love might be like." pressure falls on my shoulder.
"Mom!" I exclaim. "I am nowhere near ready for that."
"What? Do you not have a prospect in mind?"
Out of all the things she could have brought up, it's this? I face-palm. I can believe my mother would bring this up. I started to get up, completely flabbergasted that they would talk about this.
But it's not the first time.
My mother was a hopeless romantic, and has no filter when it comes to family. Some of the things she just lets fall out of her mouth are insane. And it doesn't help that my father encourages it. When I was little, they made sure to let the whole world know how much they loved each other. I was torn between happy i was blind, and wishing I was deaf instead.
It was… A bit much, in my opinion.
Little did I know that they were doing to influence another child besides myself.
"OK. I'm going to get settled in my room." I push myself to a standing position, as my father continues to laugh. At least I hope, and do a 180 and find the wall. The little holes in the wall leave notes. These are still good as new. i trace my hands across the walls, to find the hallway that lead to my room.
"Here, let me go with you." My mother.
"No, I got it. I still remember where my room is."
"Did you know that tonight is the first night of the celebration,?"
"Um, no."
"Well, I have a nice kimono." she says.
Oh kimonos. I forgot about those.
"Oh, alright."
She answers me with a low happy humming tune. A little too happy. I enter my room and with my mothers guidance, I find my old bed. and laying on the bed is a silk kimono. It's cool to the touch, which tells me that this is an expensive brand. Then as my hands travel, small lines of string form shapes. Embroidery? I can't think of anything to say.
"Mother.."
"Come one, I'll help."
With her expert guidance, she tells me what my kimono looks like. It was white, with a cherry blossom pattern. After helping me with my kimono, she also put light traditional makeup on. She puts my hair up in a bun, with a flower head pin.
"Oh, You're so beautiful!" my mother wails, her emotions getting all over my shoulder. "You're going to be the talk of the town."
"Really? Mom, you're getting your tears on my kimono."
"Oh sorry, it's just. I haven't seen you in forever, and I feel like I missed your coming of age stage." she continues, as her tears stop falling. "I even missed your first Boyfriend?" She lightens up at this. Oh no, Oba told her?
"Mom, He is not my boyfriend. Just a kid who helped me out in High School. Nothing more." I say, turning to Hopefully, be facing her.
"That's not what my sister said. She said that he couldn't keep his eyes off of you, And you even went to his house. Now, not that I have any say, but usually you wait till you're at least engaged."
"Mom?! We did not do that. OK?! He was helping me with math." I exclaim, flabbergasted that she thought that.
"Mhm, I'm sure it was just math." notes of disbelief. "You don't have to tell me. but I'm also just saying that I understand. A man being kind. That's how I fell for your father."
"Mom." I say, exasperated, as I get up. I leave my mom in my room. I stop in the hallway, as I hear my fathers voice talking to someone.
"Yuko is also here as well. I bet she would be excited to know she is going with you guys."
"It would be an honor to bring her with us."
Mr. Tenshi?
"I have missed Yuko so much as well."
Yip, that's Mrs. Tenshi.
"Good, she actually should be about done with getting ready."
"She's right here!" My mother pushes me down the hallway.
I try to move my feet, my kimono stopped my usually long strides, to become baby steps. "Mom!" I trip over my own feet, and start free falling toward what I think is the ground. Then I feel hands catch me, and I fall into someone's chest. Hands hold my arms, and mine are against the front of a kimono. A male's Kimono.
"Are you alright, Yuko?"
My mind blanks as I remember whose voice that is.
It was Tenshi Riku.