Side story 25: Misaki and birthday.

Let us talk about the girl named Misaki for a second.

She was born around six years ago, and she lived with her mother for the past five years.

And the next thing she knew was that her father is not there anymore, and the next thing she knew was that her mother no longer talks to her.

She might be a girl of few words, but at first she wasn’t like that.

Or rather, she was a really talkative girl.

She was a spoiled child, always sticking close to her mother saying “Mom look at this look at this.”

And it was on her third birthday that all of this changed.

As her birthday apporaches, her mother has become colder to her. Instead of spoiling Misaki like she always does, she is now looking at her with disgusted face instead.

Although Misaki was still very young, she could still senses that her mother seems to be busy.

Her mother was busy preparing things for Valentine day.

She is an easy woman. Because of that she easily falls in love, and once she’s in love she can’t see anything else.

She had no spare time to play with Misaki because she’s working hard to make chocolates.

Or rather, she’s annoyed by Misaki who was spoiled.

Misaki turned three years old.

She had to refrain herself from getting spoiled by her mother.

Because if she’s spoiled her mom’ll be mad.

If she’s spoiled she’ll be hated.

But still she couldn’t endure not being spoiled at all, so Misaki would get spoiled by her mother while paying extra attention on her facial expressions.

And then her next birthday approaches.

Around that time, her mother seems to be busy again.

Being spoiled right now is no good.

So Misaki endured.

That was both the correct choice, and the wrong choice.

At that time, Misaki was no longer in her mother’s eyes.

Her mother who has madly fallen in love with a new guy, had completely ignored any childcare.

She was lonely.

She was hungry.

Misaki who wanted to eat something unsteadily climbs up the chair and onto the desk before sitting on it.

There are edible stuff on the desk. So Misaki ate them.

And next she was thirsty.

Misaki had seen before that if you twisted the faucet water will come out.

However the sink with faucet was too tall of Misaki to reach it.

Misaki starts thinking.

Eventually she starts moving the heavy chair and climb on it, and finally she drank the water.

For Misaki, in order continue living it is necessary for her to think.

Conversations between parent and child are already long gone.

Ever since Misaki turns four, she has never speaks.

Which means her mother hasn’t spoken to her even once.

Misaki thought as she stares into empty space.

Perhaps something went wrong.

I wonder why my mother who was such a kind person, suddenly hated Misaki so much.

Surely it’s because I bothered her.

It is because I’m spoiled.

I see, so those things are wrong.

Then, if I get another chance, I’ll make sure to not make the same mistake again.

One day, Misaki heard a cheerful voice.

It was a child’s voice.

She trodded to the front door and opens it, and there she saw a boy and his mother holding hands.

She got attracted by the two, and so she followed behind them.

Eventually she arrives at the park.

The boy swings on the swings.

The mother praised the boy.

The boy slides on the slider.

The mother praised the boy.

The boy plays with the horizontal bar.

The mother praised the boy.

No matter what do boy does, his mother would always praise him.

Misaki looked at him enviously.

But eventually she couldn’t take it anymore and ran away.

After she returned home, Misaki thought. Maybe if she can do something just like how the boy did it, her mother might finally look at her again.

Misaki starts thinking.

The only thing Misaki could do right now was thinking.

Since that day, Misaki would always look at her mother who won’t look at her back.

I wonder what’ll make her happy, she stares at her as she observed her.

Her fifth birthday was approaching.

Misaki knew that when her birthday approaches, her mother would be busy.

She starts thinking as to why it is like that.

Thinking back, she recalled that her mother was busy making something.

Then, maybe if Misaki help her with that, maybe she’ll be praised too.

Misaki starts thinking with all she has. What did her mother make, and how to make that thing, and how could she help her.

And thus, Misaki has made a chocolate.

The completed chocolate was really delicious.

If she gives this to her, surely she’ll be happy.

And then on her fifth birthday―― Misaki met Ryuusei.

At first she was scared.

When she entered the room the smell was so strong that it almost made her collapse.

But still, Ryo-kun was very kind.

He worked hard for Misaki.

And thus Misaki liked him instantly. Although being separated from her mother is saddening, but the time she spends with Ryo-kun was so fun that it made her forgets all about it.

She wanted to be spoiled.

I wanted him to rubs my cheeks, I wanted him to pat me lots.

I wanted to hold hands with him whenever we walks together.

But, if she did that maybe she’ll be hated.

That’s why Misaki couldn’t let her self be spoiled.

It couldn’t be helped that she was scared of it.

And so her sixth birthday gets closer.

Ryo-kun isn’t by her side anymore.

Misaki hated birthdays.

On birthday, it always robs something important from Misaki.

Even though she never did anything wrong.

She knew the reason why she had to live in Yui-chan’s house.

She also knew that after half a year, she’ll be able to live with Ryo-kun once again.

However, Misaki didn’t believe that.

She thought that Ryo-kun has hated her.

Why?

Is it because Misaki couldn’t strikes up interesting conversations?

Is it because she’s always saved by Ryo-kun all the time?

Is it because I kept watching Ryo-kun’s sleeping face every morning because I’m worried that he might be gone?

I hated the thing called birthday.

I hated it a lot.

On the night of that day, together with Yui-chan and Yui-chan’s mama, we walked back to our home.

It was a routine that she’s already used to.

Today is Misaki’s birthday.

On this day, Misaki’ll turns six.

There was nothing special on this day.

We had our normal meals, then we bathed.

It’s just that today it’s only me and Yui-chan.

Usually Yui-chan’s mama would come in too, but today it was only us two.

Leave it to big sis!

As she said that, Yui-chan began taking care of Misaki.

Misaki liked Yui-chan.

However, she liked Ryo-kun more.

I want to meet Ryo-kun.

I want to meet him, I want to meet him, I want to meet him.

When she came out of the bath, she wondered why it is so dark around her.

Yui-chan walks into the darkness.

And while Misaki thought that it was weird, she followed behind Yui-chan.

And then――

Bang, a sound rang out.

“Misaki-chan! Happy birthday!”

And there was Yui-chan’s mama. She’s holding a small bag.

And there was Yui-chan. She had cream on her mouth.

And there was Mayumi-san. She’s holding a square bag.

And there was Ryo-kun. He’s holding a big bag.

Why?

Dream?

As Misaki blinks repeatedly, Ryo-kun gives her the large bag.

“Misaki, your birthday present.”

Inside the bag that’s larger than Misaki, it was the piano Misaki had always wanted―― An electric piano.

However she has no time to care about it.

She couldn’t care less about what’s inside the bag.

“…………”

Misaki tightly made a straight mouth.

I have to endure. Because I’ve already promised Ryo-kun on that day.

“……Misaki, what’s wrong?”

But, there’s no way she could endure after hearing Ryo-kun’s voice.

“Ahー! You made Misaki cryー!” (Yui)

“Wait, hey, it’s me!?”

“Good grief, so you’re as scummy as ever.” (Yui)

“Like I said-, eh-, it’s my fault!?”

Mayumi-san giggled, seeing Ryo-kun confused by the two Yui-s’ words.

It was like a dream.

Misaki thought that maybe she has fallen asleep in the bath, and is now dreaming.

“Hey Misaki, are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”

Ryo-kun’s looking at Misaki with troubled expression.

With all her might, Misaki plunged herself right into Ryo-kun’s chest.

There was a solid feel to it.

It told her that this is not a dream.

Misaki cried.

She cried a lot.

Ryo-kun keeps patting on her head while still being confused, but that made her cry even more.

She couldn’t stop crying even though she was very happy.

For the first time in forever, Misaki liked her birthday.

“Misaki, what’s wrong.”

“…………ke.”

“What, what did you say?”

“……Like.”

For the first time, she was able to be honest.

“Like! Love! Love you! Love you! Love you! Love you!”

While her tears and snots soaked Ryo-kun’s clothes, Misaki shouted the word love.

Ryo-kun hugged Misaki tightly.

“Silly, of course I love you more that you love me.”

And that, that was the word Misaki wanted to hear the most.

“You, not hate, Misaki?”

“Of course.”

And that, that was something she had always known.

“You, like, Misaki?”

“That’s what I said.”

And that. that was also something she had always known.

Ryo-kun kept hugging Misaki tightly, until Misaki eventually stops crying.

And after Misaki stopped crying, Misaki’s first ever joyful birthday party has begun.

Second Arc, Working and childcaring, End.

The following third arc has Misaki as its main character.