Chapter 450: My Depressed Heart was Cleared Up (1/2)
My mother was a short woman…… and a very bad cook.
”G- Gununu…… The kitchen is too high and too difficult to use. Hah!? Maybe the reason why my cooking isn't turning well is that the kitchen doesn't match my height……”
”No, isn't it because…… Mother's cooking is really sloppy?”
”Dear?”
”W- Well~~ I'm looking forward to dinner…… Ahaha~~”
Moreover, it wasn't just her cooking. How should I say this…… Not only is she clumsy, she's also a klutz sometimes, so that's why I think she often made mistakes.
However, she always had a bright smile on her face and she really cared about me.
”Kaito! The athletic meet is coming soon, right? I'll cheer for you a lot, okay? Dear?”
”Yeah, leave the camera to me! I'll buy the latest model with my bonus!!!”
”……Y- You can just….. bring a normal camera, you know?”
I remembered how she and Dad used to match with each other in exaggerating things……
And about how you were more positive than anyone else…… More hopeful about the future than anyone else.
”……Mom. What's in that notebook?”
”Fufufu, this notebook, you see. This is where I wrote down the dreams that I wanted to fulfill.”
”Dreams you want to fulfill?”
”Unnn! You only live once, so I wanted my heart to be filled with dreams. Well, of course I couldn't make everything come true…… but there are some of them that were finally fulfilled.”
The notebook Mom used to carry around with her…… After Mom died, it was handed down to me, and that was the first time I saw its contents.
Written in that notebook were the numerous dreams that Mom had had since she was a child, and those that had come true were marked.
There were dreams that didn't come true, such as ”I want to be a stewardess”, and there were also dreams marked with a flower circled upon it, such as ”I want to have a wonderful love life”.
And the newest entry on the notebook…… It was something along the lines of ”I want my darling Kaito to become a fine adult that I can be proud of (This will definitely come true)”…… When I saw it, tears welled up in my eyes.
Mom was always there to support me. Truly, she has always, always been supporting me…… That's why I really love my Mom.
”……Mom, why are you that supportive of me?”
”Whoa there, I would obviously still scold Kaito when you're doing something wrong, you know? But if it isn't anything wrong, there's no reason not to support my cute son.”
”…………………”
”There's still a long way to go in Kaito's life, so remember this. I will always support you…… I will always be your greatest ally forever…… Understand?”
Mom always had my back. She would always, always be cheering for me……
Yes, even just before she passed away……
”Kai…… to…… Do your best…… Help will…… come soon…… So…… even if…… it's just…… you……”
That was…… the last time I heard Mom's voice in my fading consciousness.
[……to…… Kaito?]
[Eh? Ahh…… I- I'm sorry.]
[……Are you alright?]
[Y- Yes, I'm alright.]
[……But…… you haven't touched…… your ice cream…… since a while ago.]
Seeing Isis-san looking at my face with concern, I finally came back to my senses.
The shock of seeing a woman who looked exactly like Mom was just so great that I just haven't been able to keep my mind off it.
[……Did something…… happen?]
[……That is……]
[……I won't force you…… if you don't want to tell me…… but…… if Kaito's fine with it…… I'd like you to tell me.]
[……I don't know if I can explain it well but……]
Isis-san looked genuinely worried about me, but unsure if it was alright for her to step in. Looking at her expression, I felt a bit calmer.