Yoshio Tanaka—my father—was an honest man who would sacrifice anything for his family. He came from a poor background, but through hard work and determination, he built a company that gained worldwide recognition. Blessed with a loving family, he had two wives. Yes, two wives.
His first wife had two children, and so did his second wife. That made me the youngest of four siblings. You'd think that might create tension in a household, but it didn't. Despite the significant age differences between my mothers, they shared a bond that felt almost sisterly, creating an atmosphere of harmony in our home. As a result, our household was filled with love and laughter—a rare treasure in a world often marked by conflict. It felt like we had everything one could ask for: love, care, health, and unity.
But as people often say, life is like a road, full of ups and downs, turns, and slides. And just like that, we, too, slipped off the tracks when I was just six years old.
***
"You're not serious, are you, Masaru?"
"I'm dead serious!" His voice rang out, brimming with excitement. "Mom, I got selected!"
On what seemed like a normal day, following our usual routines, one thing set today apart from the rest: My older brother had been chosen to compete in the World Soccer Tournament, which was not a small achievement. A chance to represent the whole country is not something a wish can fulfill.
"I can't believe it... I actually got selected!" His eyes glistened with unshed tears, his voice breaking as he struggled to contain his emotions.
My big mom—our affectionate term for our father's first wife—placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled. "Don't doubt it, Masaru. You've earned this. Be proud of yourself. Let's tell your father when he gets home!"
Masaru-nii shook his head eagerly. "I want to tell Grandpa first!" he said, his excitement bubbling over.
Masaru Tanaka—my brother—was blessed with good physical talent, which made him top in almost every sport, but one thing was that he was so passionate when it comes to soccer that he would even practice day and night without even caring about his food. We couldn't blame him for his dedication, though—it was just who he was. He was also a kind and caring brother; he always tried to drag me into his training sessions, even though I always ran when he did.
Big mom clapped her hands together. "Then let's go to my father's house. It's better to tell him in person than over the phone."
"Yeah!" Nodding from ear to ear. "Grandpa gave me the courage to play. I'm going to win the cup for him!"
While they decide to go, the rest of us decide to prepare for the party. My mom, Yukki-nee, Riko-nee, buzzed around the kitchen, arguing over what to cook. I followed behind, trying to be helpful but mostly getting shoved away.
"Hey, don't eat that! It's for the cake!" Yukki-nee yelled, slapping my hand away.
"But it tastes good!" I said with a grin, making Riko-nee sigh.
That was the plan—a simple celebration. Nothing fancy, just us being together.
But it seems life has another plan.
***
"When will we reach? I'm eager to tell him!" Masaru-nii said, looking out the window with excitement on his face. The view was filled with greenery, with mountains all around and houses scattered throughout the landscape. They were traveling along a road that wound through the hills.
"Um, I think we have about 30 minutes left until we arrive," Big Mom replied as she checked her watch.
Masaru-nii sees his grandpa as his role model. I haven't met him many times, but whenever I do, I can tell he's a mysterious man. Even in his 80s, he's still full of energy. I once saw him lift a 50 kg bag, which would exhaust most people, but he made it look effortless. Which made him like a superhuman grandpa. I have heard that my big mom is not blood connected with his father, but there bond made it seem possible.
"Mom, why does Grandpa have to live up in the hills? He could live with us too. Doesn't he feel bored all alone?"
"I'm not sure why he prefers to stay there, but I think he has some connections he can't leave behind."
"But mom, do know what is it—"
*Crash!* *Rumble!*
As they were talking peacefully, suddenly, rocks that had been placed to maintain the river stream began to tumble down from above the hills, blocking the road ahead and behind. A large rock also struck the taxi, causing chaos for the passengers inside.
"Mom, we need to get out of here!" Masaru-nii panicked, hand trembling, his breath fastening as he saw the chaos around them. His face was sweating, even though it wasn't hot that day, but he tried to stay calm. The taxi driver had lost consciousness, having bumped his head against the steering wheel.
"Ye-yeah, we need to," she said, trying to get out of the car, her movements slow and deliberate. From the start, Big Mom had a weak body, which always worried us. Even though she was full of spirit, she struggled to move freely.
"Mom, are you fine? Don't push yourself too much," he urged, trying to help her out of the car carefully.
"Ye-yeah, I'm feeling a little dizzy but I ca—" *Puke* She suddenly coughed up blood; her condition became worsening under the stress. Her face was pale, but she still managed a smile, saying everything was okay.
"Mom! Ar-are you okay?" His eyes filled with tears, but he fought to keep them at bay, not wanting to show his weakness.
"Don't worry, it is nothing. Sorry for worrying you."
"Mom, don't say such things. I-I know we can be safe."
"Sorry, it's all my fault."
"Mom, it's not your fault; it's my—my selfishness that caused all of this. And something like this can't be predicted, so don't blame yourself." He helped Big Mom to the fence, where he thought she might be safe for a while. "I'll try to call for help—the hell!" As he pulled out his phone, he realized there was no signal.
It was the worst situation anyone could imagine—a true nightmare. A weak person on the brink of collapse, a kid in his early 20s who didn't know how to handle this crisis, a driver who had lost consciousness, and a road completely blocked. It was a nightmare.
I can imagine that he was lost in thought, full of darkness, knowing nothing about what to do. The only reason he was fine was that he was an athetic, which trains regularly, so even if he gets a little injury he can handle, but at that he was blaming himself for not knowing what to do.
"...Masaru, don't blame yourself." Big Mom said, snapping him back to reality. "I know... you are capable, so don't just stand there; run and call for help..." Her breathing was labored, and she struggled to speak.
"B-But, mom, I cannot leave—"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"But—"
"No buts... Do you want to stay here all day waiting for help? Do you want to kill me...?"
"No, don't say such things..."
"Then I'm telling you to go. I know you can do it, so go." She coughed again, blood staining her lips.
"Mo—" He tried to move closer to help, but Big Mom stopped him with a weak gesture.
"Go, I will be fine," she said with a smile, as if to reassure him that he could leave everything to her. "GO!"
Seeing her determination, he could no longer stand still. He decided to trust what his mom was saying, even though worry gnawed at him. His hands trembled with anxiety, but he forced himself to run, following her instructions despite the fear that something might happen.
***
But life is harsh; it doesn't always give you the outcome you desire.
When he finally brought help and returned to the scene, he was met with a reality he couldn't bear to believe. All hope seemed to drain from him.
"M-Mom!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the desolate area.
He found his mother unconscious, her body covered in blood. It seemed she had coughed up blood more than ten times. She had tried to shield him from this horrific sight, but she could no longer hold on; she wasn't breathing. Anyone witnessing the scene would say she had lost her life. But Masaru-nii was not ready to accept such a harsh reality.
After what felt like an eternity, an ambulance finally arrived, but it was too late—so late that he felt an urge to blame the paramedics for their delay. Yet deep down, he knew his mom would be saddened by such thoughts. All he could do was cry as time slipped away, feeling utterly helpless.
***
When we heard that news, it was already six p.m. Before that, we had been preparing for the party, waiting for their return.
"Mom! Mom! When are Big Mom and Onii-chan coming back?" I asked, watching Mom set the dishes on the table where we all eat.
"Ren, I think they'll be back soon. Why don't you go play for a little while?"
"But I'm bored! I wanna eat now!"
"Ren, you're a good kid, so just wait—"
Ding, Dong!
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Riko-nee ran to the door to see who had come.
"Oh my, dear, you're back? Did you finish your work early?"
My dad had come home earlier than usual, and he looked sweaty and a bit pale.
"We don't have time to talk; get ready to go." Dad said as he hurried to change his clothes in his room.
"What happened? You seem in a rush."
Mom asked. Dad quickly closed the door, making it clear he didn't want us to hear. After a moment, Mom came out looking pale as well, rushing to change her clothes.
The three of us were left staring blankly, not knowing what was going on. But Yukki-nee, being the oldest, figured out that something was wrong. She took us to a place where we wouldn't disturb them.
And after a while, "Come you three," mom said, after dressing. "Seat at your place, and Ren, don't do something funny for a while." When she said, I don't know what she meant by that, but I don't want them to yell at me, so I follow as they say.
And after a while, we reach a hospital, which was a little far away from home. I'm still confused, but it seems my older sisters know something that I don't know.
As we enter the hosiptal, my dad go to the counter asking something and as we got the infromation, we go the room where the attendant say.
*Rustle*
Dad opened the door as we all arrived, and I saw Masaru-nii sitting in a chair, his face pale. On the bed lay Big Mom, looking even paler, with no medical equipment around her. It was clear they hadn't been able to save her.
"Da-Dad..." Masaru stammered, turning to look at him as he entered. "I-I..."
"Don't say anything, Masaru. I know it's not your fault," Dad replied, his face somber but devoid of tears. I could see he wanted to cry, but society had taught him that men weren't allowed to show their emotions, even in their darkest times. So he had to accept the harsh reality without shedding a single tear.
On the other side, Mom, Yukki-nee, and Riko-nee had tears in their eyes, struggling to hold back sobs and sniffles.
As for me, I didn't understand anything at all. The sight before me was something I couldn't comprehend. I had the concept of death, but I had never witnessed it before. It felt like a scene from a TV drama, surreal and distant.
***
Day passed, when I come to a know a painfull reality that Big mom was not here, she had left us. The family that had once been filled with laughter and warmth was now cold and silent. The echoes of joy that had once filled our home were replaced by an oppressive stillness.
Masaru-nii threw himself into soccer practice, trying to turn his sadness into something positive. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the emptiness. His performance suffered; he missed easy passes, and his usual excitement turned into frustration. Each kick felt like an attempt to push away the pain, but it only grew heavier.
Dad also struggled. He had always been the strong one, but now he found it hard to focus on work. Meetings blurred together, and tasks that used to be easy felt impossible. He sat at his desk for hours, staring blankly at the screen, clearly affected by the weight of responsibility.
Then, just when we thought things couldn't get worse, another tragedy struck.
***