__
We finally arrived at the store.
It was a simple building.
Wooden walls. A corrugated tin roof.
Small toys hung out front—paper pinwheels and little bells.
I opened the door.
Click.
Inside, wooden shelves were lined up tight.
They held a little bit of everything.
Kitchen supplies. Soap. Batteries. Sandals. Stationery. Lightbulbs. Even charging cables.
They had it all. Even if the choices for each item were limited.
I walked up to the cashier’s counter.
A man and a woman were sitting there.
"Excuse ."
The man looked up.
"Oh... Itsuki." He gave a small smile. "When did you get back?"
"The day before yesterday."
"I see..." He stood up slowly. "What are you looking for?"
"I need to buy cigarettes. And..."
I turned my head.
Yuna was already standing in front of the ice cream freezer.
Her eyes were fixed intently on the contents inside.
"Yuna, if you want one, just grab it."
"Can I?"
"Yeah."
Yuna slid the freezer open.
Cold air imdiately spilled out along with a thin mist.
She took out two ice creams.
"Just one."
"But what about you, Papa?..."
"I don’t really like ice cream."
Yuna finally put one back.
Then she walked over to , holding the ice cream carefully.
"Your daughter?" the man at the register asked.
"Yeah."
"Oh..."
I pulled my phone from my pocket.
"Cigarettes, the ice cream, and..." I opened my photo gallery. "I’d like to print so pictures."
"Sure." The man pointed to a small printer in the corner. "Just send them over Bluetooth."
"Hm."
I quickly selected several photos.
Hit send.
A few seconds later, the printer whirred to life.
Whir. Clack.
"That’s quite a few..." The man glanced at the incoming data. "Is this all of them?"
"Yeah."
"Alright."
He started printing them one by one.
anwhile, Yuna was still struggling to open her ice cream.
Her hands twisted and turned the plastic wrapper.
But it wouldn’t open.
"Here."
She handed the ice cream to .
I tried pulling the edge of the wrapper.
It wouldn’t budge.
"You can’t do it either..." Yuna said softly.
"I can."
I bit the edge of the plastic.
Riiip.
It tore open.
"Here."
Yuna took it back.
She imdiately took a small bite.
Her eyes narrowed in delight.
"It’s good..."
"Do you want to try it, Papa?"
"No."
"Just a little bite..."
"Alright, alright..."
I took a small bite.
The cold instantly pierced my teeth.
"...Ouch."
Yuna just gave a little laugh.
"It’s good, right?"
"I prefer coffee."
The printer finally stopped.
The man ca over carrying a stack of photos.
Quite a few. Probably close to thirty prints.
"Take a look and make sure they’re alright."
I took them.
"Hm..."
They turned out pretty good.
"Papa, whose photos are those?"
"Yours."
"Huh?"
Yuna imdiately stepped closer.
"When did you take pictures of ? I don’t rember."
"Here, look for yourself."
I handed her the stack.
Yuna imdiately looked through them, one by one.
A look of wonder crossed her face.
There were photos of her sleeping on the train. Eating ran. Studying. Helping with the cooking. Staring at the rice fields while spinning around.
And many more.
"Woah..." she murmured softly.
I paid for everything.
Then we left the store.
All the way ho, Yuna kept looking at the photos.
"Papa..."
"Hm?"
"The pictures are really nice." She flipped to another one. "But why aren’t you
in any of them?..."
"I don’t really like taking pictures of myself."
"Hm..."
Yuna stared at one of the photos a little longer.
"I’m going to take pictures of you later, too."
"Suit yourself."
A gentle breeze blew past.
I took out my phone.
Opened my contacts.
Older Sister.
I typed a brief ssage.
"Sis, co ho for a bit."
Hit send.
Second Sibling.
"Oi, we’re doing sothing at ho. Co back."
Hit send.
Third Sibling.
I paused for a mont.
Then typed.
"." "Sumr break has started, co on ho."
Hit send.
I put my phone back into my pocket.
Beside , Yuna was still holding the photos tightly.
"Papa."
"Hm?"
"Could you take to the post office later?"
"Yeah."
We continued our walk ho beneath the warm morning sun.
__
Evening was drawing near.
The sky slowly changed color. Bright blue fading into a golden orange.
Thin clouds stretched across the western horizon. Catching the last rays of the sun.
House lights flickered on, one by one.
The crackle of frying oil echoed from the kitchen. And the rich aroma of dinner began to fill the house.
I sat on the porch. In the distance, flocks of birds flew by. Returning to their nests.
The air was growing chilly.
And the mosquitoes were starting to co out.
I picked up the coffee from the small table beside .
Sip.
Bitter. Just a little sweet.
Perfect.
Small footsteps approached from behind.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Soft against the wooden floor.
"Papa... the food is ready."
"Yeah."
Yuna stopped beside .
Her hair was slightly tousled by the evening breeze.
"What are you doing, Papa?"
"Nothing."
I looked back up at the sky.
Silence lingered for a mont.
Then—
The sound of a car engine echoed from the end of the village road, drawing closer.
Growing steadily louder.
Headlights swept across the front yard.
A taxi rolled to a stop right in front of the house.
I stood up slowly.
"They’re here."
"Who is it, Papa?..."
"Your uncles."
The taxi door opened.
A college student stepped out first. A backpack hung from his shoulder.
Behind him, two grown n also got out.
One of them carried a large paper bag. The other carried a cardboard box.
They paid the fare. Then made their way into the yard.
"Itsuki." One of them raised a hand. "We’re here."
"What’s this all about, anyway?" another asked while taking off his shoes.
"Just co inside first."
They stepped into the house.
Yuna stood slightly behind . Watching them one by one.
"Who’s the kid?" one of the n asked upon noticing Yuna.
"My daughter."
"Huh?!"
The three of them practically spoke at the sa ti.
The college student imdiately glanced at his two older brothers.
"Maybe Itsuki married a divorcee."
"Hahaha—"
"What are you laughing at?" I gave them a deadpan stare. "Is sothing funny?"
Their laughter died instantly.
"...Not really."
We walked into the living room.
The lighting felt warm and inviting. The TV was still humming softly in the corner.
"Mom... we’re ho."
Everyone’s head imdiately turned.
Mom was the most startled of all.
She froze in place for a few seconds.
"You guys..."
Her voice trailed off.
"You ca ho..."
Tears imdiately spilled from her eyes.
She hurriedly stood up, her steps quick as she rushed over to them.
"Mom..."
The eldest brother pulled her into a hug right away.
"I’m ho..."
" too."
"I know, I know..." Mom’s voice began to tremble. "Welco ho..."
She held them tightly.
"What brought this on..." She wiped her eyes. "Why did you all suddenly co ho at the sa ti?..."
"And you..." She looked at her eldest son. "Usually a phone call is enough..."
Then she turned to the next son.
"And weren’t you busy with work?..."
"How is your child doing?..."
"Mom..."
A few tears slipped from their eyes as well.
But no one broke down sobbing.
They hurriedly wiped their faces, letting out embarrassed little chuckles.
"Papa..." Yuna gave my shirt a little tug. "Are they your brothers too?"
"Yeah."
"Woah..."
Yuna started quietly counting on her fingers.
"One... two... three..."
She looked all around the room.
Four. Five. Six. Seven.
"There are seven..." she murmured softly to herself.
I walked inside. Then took a seat a short distance away from the low table.
Giving them space to gather around.
Mom finally pulled back from the embrace.
"Sit down, all of you..."
They took their seats around the table.
Then, every gaze shifted to Dad.
"Dad... we’re ho."
Dad was sitting in his usual chair.
A cup of black coffee still resting in his hand.
"Yeah," Dad replied calmly. "Welco ho."
He didn’t shed a tear.
But his eyes looked slightly misty.
Author’s Note:
- 1st child = Not biological, already married.
- 2nd child = Itsuki.
- 3rd child = Currently working.
- 4th child = A college student.
- 5th child = In middle school.
- 6th child = A girl, in 6th grade.
- 7th child = In 4th grade, sa as Yuna.
- Yuna = Itsuki’s adopted daughter (not biological).
__
The next day.
Sowhere else. Far from the old wooden house, the rice fields, and the chirping of night crickets.
In a quiet, luxurious apartnt on the outskirts of the city, a woman sat alone in the living room.
Kanzaki Sayaka.
Her black hair cascaded past her shoulders. Straight. Neat. Yet still slightly tousled from sleep.
She wore a soft-colored nightgown. Sheer. Elegant.
The morning was silent.
There was only the low hum of the air conditioner. And the occasional, faint sound of traffic from outside the window.
On the table lay an ivory-white envelope. Fairly thick.
Beside it sat a cup of hot tea on a small saucer. The steam was still rising slowly.
Sayaka poured a little tea into the saucer to cool. Her movents were graceful.
Accustod.
She blew on it gently.
Then took a small sip.
It was warm.
Her eyes fell back to the letter.
The sender’s na was written neatly.
Sender: Nishida Yuna
Her hand stopped moving.
"...From Yuna?"
She murmured softly.
Sothing in her eyes instantly shifted. A little surprised. A little nervous.
She quickly picked up the envelope. Opening it faster than she normally would.
The paper parted.
And several photographs imdiately slipped out.
Sayaka blinked slowly.
"Photos...?"
She gathered them up.
Five in total.
The first photo.
Yuna was in her school uniform, a small apron covering her front. She was standing on a little stool in the kitchen.
A frying pan in front of her.
Her face was bright. Her eyes focused intently on the eggs she was cooking.
A small smile graced her lips.
Sayaka stared at the photo for a long ti.
"Yuna..."
Her finger touched Yuna’s face on the glossy paper.
Gently.
The second photo.
Yuna was studying at a small table. Several books stacked beside her.
A mug of black coffee sitting near her left elbow.
Yuna was reading with a serious expression.
But her eyes were slightly droopy. As if she was fighting off sleep.
Sayaka smiled faintly.
"Drinking coffee now, are you..."
The third photo.
Yuna sitting in front of an old television.
Her legs tucked under a kotatsu.
Both hands holding a mug of hot chocolate. Thin steam wafting from it.
Her face was so full of life.
Her eyes sparkling as she watched the ani on the screen.
Happy. Pure.
Sayaka let out a soft laugh, wiping the corner of her eye.
"I didn’t know you liked ani..."
Her eyes began to well with tears.
"Forgive ..."
"I was too busy... so much that I never truly paid attention to you..."
The fourth photo.
Yuna at the park.
She was sitting on a swing alongside two other girls.
Her hair blowing in the wind.
She was laughing freely.
Truly laughing.
Not the polite, quiet little smile she used to wear.
The fifth photo.
Yuna standing in the middle of a road running through rice paddies.
The bright blue sky stretching endlessly above.
The expanse of green fields rippling like waves in the wind.
Yuna’s hair was swept up by the breeze.
She was twisting her body slightly.
Her face filled with absolute awe.
As if seeing a world that vast for the very first ti.
Sayaka gazed at that final photo for a long ti.
A very long ti.
Then, she slowly placed all the photos back onto the table.
Her hand reached for the main letter.
The paper was slightly crumpled from being opened too quickly.
She unfolded it gently.
The handwriting imdiately caught her eye.
It was small.
Neat.
To Mother. Happy Mother’s Day.
From Yuna.
Sayaka’s eyes instantly softened.
She began to read.
Mother...
How are you doing over there? I hope you are always healthy.
I am healthy here, and Papa is healthy too.
By "Papa," I an what I call Itsuki-san.
Sayaka’s breath hitched for a second.
Her eyes moved slowly to the next line.
I have two friends here. Their nas are Mika and Hana.
Mika has an older sister nad Misaki. She is really nice. Her cooking is delicious.
But I like Papa’s cooking more, even though it’s burnt sotis.
Sayaka chuckled softly, covering her mouth.
A few tears began to fall.
I can cook eggs and noodles now, and sotis I make coffee for Papa.
I played in the rain once on the way ho from school.
It was so much fun.
The rain was cold.
I got sick after that, but Papa took care of until I got better.
I don’t think Papa slept at all that ti.
Sayaka’s tears dropped onto the letter.
Leaving tiny, dark blemishes on the paper.
The bento boxes Papa makes look like bricks.
Dense. Hard. Packed tight.
But they taste good.
Sayaka laughed through her tears.
A small, broken sound.
I also went to karaoke.
After that, we went to a cat cafe.
But the cats kept running away from .
"Haha..."
She covered her eyes with her hand.
Papa said I have a good singing voice.
But I think Papa’s voice is better.
Even though he sings a little weird.
But I like it.
Sayaka’s tears fell harder.
She bowed her head.
Her petite shoulders trembled slightly.
"Yuna..."
"I never imagined... that you could be this happy..."
"Forgive ..."
"Forgive your father, too..."
"We were too busy..."
"So busy we didn’t realize... that we never truly looked at you..."
Sayaka took a deep breath.
Trying to calm herself.
But her voice continued to quiver.
"Being an idol was my dream..."
"And Seiji-san... he was bound by his work... his family... his
responsibilities..."
"He and I..."
"We just kept moving... kept chasing after things..."
"But we didn’t realize..."
"We were leaving you all alone."
She went back to reading.
Papa rarely works.
Papa is usually at ho with .
Even though sotis he doesn’t do anything at all.
Sayaka let out another small laugh.
But sotis when Papa works, he doesn’t co ho all day.
But he always cos ho the next day.
Her eyes moved further down the page.
The day before yesterday, Papa and I went to Grandpa’s house.
There are lots of rice fields there.
The air is cold.
The mangoes are super delicious.
It turns out Papa has a lot of siblings.
Grandma’s cooking is really good too.
Grandpa doesn’t talk much.
I like going on trips with Papa.
The final sentences were at the very bottom.
Written in slightly larger handwriting.
Thank you, Mother.
I love Papa.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Sayaka slowly folded the letter closed.
Her hands trembling faintly.
Then, she pressed the letter and the photos tightly against her chest.
She bowed her head.
The tears fell, entirely beyond her control now.
"Yuna..."
"I’m sorry... I’m so, so sorry..."
"Back then, I didn’t understand why you suddenly wanted to beco Itsuki-san’s
child..."
"It made no sense to ..."
"I knew I wasn’t a good mother..."
"But now..."
"I understand..."
"Itsuki-san gave you sothing I never could..."
Sayaka closed her eyes.
Clutching the letter even tighter.
"Yuna..."
"You really do love Itsuki-san..."
"Your Papa..."
~~~ • ~~~
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