My hands are stained with the blood of a loved one.
Where had all my morals gone then? It was washed away with the bottle.
How did it all go wrong? It was never my intention but there is no redemption - not for the one who stole the life of an innocent.
The stream of freezing water relentlessly pours into the cupped hand under the faucet, gradually amassing into a small pool. The young girl, that has long been identified from young by both her family and friends alike by her signature twintails, absentmindedly stands in front of the sink. The girl’s gaze falls onto nothing in particular; her attention drifting from one thing to the next in the kitchen but never once falling onto the water in her cupped hands.
For the succeeding moments, the adolescent girl stands unflinching in front of the kitchen sink, with clear cool water running down her hands. maybe it was due to her divided attention that she fails to notice the frigid water overflowing from her cupped hands, or maybe it could have been that the numbness in her hands made her forget that she was in contact with the frosty water. Eventually, the girl brings the cupped hand of water to her lips, but only dry air touches them. The tap water having mercilessly escaped through the gaps in between her tightly pressed fingers leaves the dejected girl’s throat parched.
No matter how firmly one strives to hold onto something, it will heartlessly slip away from your grasp. If the pain of losing something close to your heart cripples your entire being, then the obvious solution would be to shut off your heart and stop loving. A sick transgression; her one sinful act had killed her beloved, breeding anxiety and trepidation alongside regret throughout her being. Yet, the girl grimaces at the thought, realizing that she could never accept that despairing thought – the thought of abandoning love from her life.
Is it too much when all I ask for is a chance for forgiveness, to have the opportunity to move on and forget the pain? This life I live is barely living, a hollow man I have since lost all feeling.
The girl joins the palms of her chilly hands together, performing a gesture similar to those in earnest prayer that one would commonly witness at holy grounds. However, the girl knows that the location she is currently residing in is far from sacred and the person seemingly in prayer is beyond God’s saving grace. In her inebriated state, she had committed homicide - an unforgivable act no matter the circumstance. Nonetheless, the girl, broken and petrified, will drink her medicine tonight as well.
Bottoms up! Here is a toast to myself. Suffering in agony is just what I deserve because I am evil and despicable. This life of mine I just want it to be over.
Lifting her head, the girl locks her gaze onto the window in front of her. Expectations of an anguish stricken face reflected in that polished glass surface assails her with distress. In spite of that, that frightened little girl persists and braces herself mentally to greet the individual in the reflection. In the spacious kitchen area, with the only lighting being from the early morning sun light passing through the kitchen window, a sense of relief washes over the girl as she is unable to clearly make out the reflection in the mirror. There will come a time in the near future where the vulnerable maiden must confront her past so she can proudly view her own reflection in the mirror once again, but she is secretly pleased that today is not that day.
The girl seeks to leave to start preparations for school, but soon finds herself incapable of tearing her eyes off from the deformed figure in the glass that is staring curiously back at her. The deformed figure waits in anticipation of a response from the dumbfounded girl. Baffled, the girl cannot form a response and the figure, evidently becoming tired of waiting, begins to address the girl still in confusion.
“ I hope that you have not forgotten about me, Rei. ”
The young girl recognizes the familiar voice that is calling out to her. The lulling sound of the voice that calmed and cheered her up when she felt despondent now tormented her mind, driving her into madness.
“ Mirai, is that you? I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you, Mirai! Please forgive me! ”
The teenage girl’s desperate plea indisputably fails to make it past the glass to capture the attention of the figure on the other side, recoiling off the surface of the glass and cruelly striking back at her. Under the suffocating pressure of the atmosphere, the torturous experience that just occurred leaves the girl struggling to catch her breath. Consequently, with every deep breath the girl takes to steady her breathing, the exhalation of a lungful of air fogs up the mirror, distorting the figure until it is completely hidden behind a layer of warm and moist air.
Instinctively placing her hand on the window, the girl hesitantly wipes it clean, and her face, reflected in the glass, naturally returns a cold and spiteful glare this time. Upon sight of the repulsive appearance in the glass, the girl holds her breath yet again, preventing herself from throwing up. The action involuntarily made her choke on the words that were about to spill out from within.
All I can really say now is that I am sorry. It is excruciating to continue living with myself knowing what I have done. I cannot take the guilt, the pain, and the emptiness. It is just all too overwhelming.
Even if the words escaped past her lips, it would serve no other purpose than to comfort her, as the person it is meant for is not present - and never will be, ever again.
I cannot stand this life without you anymore.
Losing her precious half, Rei, now an incomplete puzzle set, aches for the day when she can become whole again. The missing piece that completes Rei - Mirai, her dearest companion, can no longer fix this defected product. To the average person, if a faulty product is discovered to be irreparable, then the logical solution would be to dispose of the merchandise and replace it with a brand new identical one. However, things are never that straightforward when it concerns a life, especially when a human’s life is involved.
Who am I, when considering my situation, to meditate on these thoughts when fresh red paint dyes my hands and the taste of iron still lingers in my mouth? If Mirai was to wish for it, I would readily surrender my life to atone for my crimes.
Surveying the kitchen, the spiritless girl drags her feet across the floor, stopping before a drawer located on the other side of the kitchen, but not far from the sink. Pulling the drawer reveals a collection of sharpened knives, arranged neatly according to length. The girl casually reaches for the longest blade on the furthest end of the drawer, seizing the handle of the longest blade in a tight grip with both hands before positioning the tip of the blade against her throat. The edge of the polished knife hovers erratically in the air some distance from her throat, a distance shy from determining between life and death.
“ Rei! What are you doing? Let go of that knife! ”
An older woman, who bears a striking resemblance to Rei, aside from her hairstyle, swiftly approaches the startled girl and wrestles the knife out of her grip, knocking the harmless object onto the floor. Visibly not registering the presence of the stranger nor her scream, the resultant echo of metal clattering against concrete is the only sound that enters the ears of the dazed teen whose body has sunken to the floor.
If only she had not intervened, I would have… No, who am I kidding? There is no way I would have actually gone through with it. I am a murderer who is too cowardly to actually take my own life.
In the claustrophobic spaciousness of the kitchen, the lonesome girl, submitting herself over to the woman’s oppressive hold, has never felt less lonely.
The playground in the neighbourhood is filled with the laughter of young children on a weekend morning. Every child is accompanied by either their parents or guardians, watching over their playtime to ensure their safety and to stop them from getting into trouble.
The children, consisting of both boys and girls, gather around one another to account for the total number of participants so that the game for the day can be decided. After distributing the players evenly into separate teams, the children begin their game of tag, enjoying their time as one team chases the other across the playground. One boy, while trying to avoid being captured by another runs past the swing set, bumping into a young girl that has split from the group. Presumably not registering the presence of the girl in his mind, the boy resumes escaping from his captor without so much as an apology.
Segregated from the rest of the group, a girl who had styled her into twintails, sits on the seat of a swing set at the far end of the playground in isolation, looking on in envy at the group of children and the adults encircling them.
“ Why are you here by yourself? ”
Alarmed at being called out to, the girl turns cautiously towards the person who posed that candid question. Plausibly, due to not having conversed with another girl of similar age, the startled girl opened up to the stranger with ease, revealing her inner thoughts to the young girl next to her.
“ They did not invite me to play with them. ”
“ What about your parents? Are they not with you? ”
“ They are too busy with their own work to spare time for me… But I am used to it. ”
The gloomy girl had repeatedly lied to herself to blind herself from the truth, nevertheless, verbalizing the truth that she had been trying to bury deep within her left her feeling despondent, leading the girl to question if staying oblivious would have been a kinder alternative. Likely noticing the glum expression on her face, the girl, with short brown hair, wore a mischievous grin on her face in response.
“ Want to see something wonderful? ”
“ Sure? ”
The pressuring gaze of her acquaintance forces her to answer immediately.
“ Then please close your eyes. ”
“ Do I really have to do this? ”
“ Yes, or else you would ruin the surprise! Make sure to keep your eyes closed and open them only when I tell you to. ”
The girl closes her eyes as she obediently sits on the seat of the swing set and heeds the strange instructions from the other girl, hoping that she is not planning to play a prank on her.
“ You can open them now. ”
In front of the girl, the recreational facilities, children and parents were gone, replaced by a large field of greenery. Above her, the stars in the sky leave the girl gazing in wonder. Finally, by her side, the mysterious girl stands proudly.
“ Are you a magician? How did you do this? ”
“ A magician never reveals her tricks. ”
“ Come on, please tell me. Pretty please? ”
“ No can do. ”
The girls exchange words lightheartedly while looking at the marvelous scenery about them. After spending a long time getting to know each other better, the girl with the twintails realize that she has to return home.
“ I have to be back home before evening or else my parents will get worried. ”
“ Is that so? Then you best be on your way. ”
The girl takes small steps away from her new friend but dashes back shortly after to clasp their hand together.
“ My name is Rei. What is your name? ”
“ My name is Mirai. ”
“ Mirai, will you be here again tomorrow? ”
“ I will be here whenever you are here. ”
“ Then I will definitely come to see you tomorrow! Bye. ”
“ Bye, I am looking forward to seeing you again Rei. ”
Bidding farewell to her new friend energetically, Rei dashes past the crowd with the setting sun behind her back. Turning back to catch a glimpse of her new friend, Rei only finds the swing set by itself, the girl having vanished as though she was never there to begin with. Presuming that the girl might have left by another route, Rei resumes on her cheerful track back to her home.
From that point onward, the swing set in the playground would become Rei’s and Mirai’s rendezvous of choice, resulting in an innumerable number of meetings between the pair. There was not the slightest reason behind their meetings but the couple loved every second of their insignificant conversations and interactions, forming an inseparable bond over the years.
Despite their bond, the girls never visited each other’s home. Most of their valuable time together all took place on that playground near the swing set, with the both of them going out shopping together in crowded shopping malls or streets occurring once in a blue moon. Gradually, as they both grew older and had more responsibilities, the time they spent at the playground grew shorter each passing year. Despite their limited time together, the girls found that simply being in the presence of the other and stargazing together in the evening was more than satisfactory.
The neck bracelet that Rei and Mirai wore were part of a matching set that Mirai had bought to celebrate their successful entry into middle school together. The design of the neck bracelet was rather plain, consisting of only a black metal band that was decorated with a coloured star at the front of the bracelet. The coloured star came in either blue or red and was the singular distinguishing feature between the matching pair.
“ Thank you for the gift, Mirai. Mind putting it on for me? ”
“ Sure, mind putting mine on for me as well? ”
Mirai kept one for herself, and gave the neck bracelet with the blue star as a present to Rei, stating that the colour of the star resembled the colour of her eyes, the accessory had become Rei’s favourite overnight and she never stopped wearing it since receiving it as a gift, though nobody ever paid any attention to it.
“ Mirai, promise me that we will always be together? ”
On her birthday in her last year of middle school, Rei recalls the memory and Mirai’s touch from the time she made that promise with her as they exchanged neck bracelets and helped the other to wear it. Rei lifts her hand, reaching for the neck bracelet but stops short, aware that her favourite bracelet is not there any longer. Still, she persists in her search for her shooting star, hoping to one day recover her lost treasure.
A distraught woman, noticeably lacking sleep, drags her feet up to the wooden door and proceeds to knock on it. When the muffled voice of an elderly man reaches her ears, the woman opens the door, hauling herself over to the chair at a corner of the small room. Just as the elderly man in a white coat is about to break the silence, the woman buries her face into her hands and speaks.
“ Doctor, her condition is deteriorating by the day. The medication you are prescribing is starting to lose its effect. Just the other day, if I had not been there, she might very well be dead now. Is there nothing more you can do for her? ”
“ Your daughter is already taking several types of medication right now. It may be possible to increase the dosage but any more and she is very likely to suffer permanent damage. ”
“ Anything is better than her losing her life. I cannot stand this way of living anymore. Even now, I only managed to leave the house because I mixed in sleeping pills into her meals. I fear that I may soon be the next to turn insane. ”
” I am doing the best I can, but without a direct consultation with the patient, there is little I can do but to prescribe medications I think are suitable. ”
The sound of pen on paper can be heard as the doctor begins to list down multiple types of medication for the diagnosis of his absent patient. Handing the completed piece of paper over to the woman, the elderly man then provides her with detailed instructions on how to administer the medication and handle her predicament. The bottles of medication on the table, containing a myriad of colourful pills inside are sickening to look at.
“ Doctor, do your patients ever get better? ”
“ Most of them recover but none of them are ever the same after. Just remember that she needs you just as much as you need her. ”
Under the intense light of the lamp that is attached to the ceiling in the tiny, white room, the woman discovers how much exposed she is.
What is the correct reaction one should have when the validity of their life is disputed logically? Are they ought to accept the truth without resistance, to essentially accede to cruel uncaring rationality that they were living in a lie? Or is ignorance bliss, and they ought to deny reason and persist with their delusions? No matter the answer, the victim of the ordeal will certainly never live out the rest of their life the same again.
“ Rei, I beg of you to listen, please. Can you not see that she is not real? We just want you to be normal! ”
“ So what if she is not real? I was much happier back when I was clueless! ”
Rei was subconsciously cognizant of her own lunacy but chose to wilfully ignore it because she was most assuredly contented with her life. Neither hurting nor troubling others, Rei deplored others for forcing the status quo upon her - of wanting her to be ‘ normal ’ like the rest of them. The worst part about learning of her own ailment came not from her own internal doubt regarding her life and identity, rather, the problem originated from those around her, who kicked her while she was down and only expected her to behave as though she suffered from no disorder.
Growing up, Rei had only developed a deep interest for topics she and Mirai had in common. Rei’s passion for stargazing was the result of her relationship with Mirai, who zealously incited Rei to look up at the starry sky when they were just children. After several episodes of stargazing with Mirai, Rei’s hobby slowly turned into a lifelong passion, spurring her on to purchase a telescope with funds she saved after months of thrifty spending of her allowance.
In a vacant classroom of a school building, Rei methodically sets up her approximately decade old telescope - a task that she has performed hundreds if not thousands of times. Carefully cleaning the lens with a cloth but ensuring to not scratch it, Rei positions the telescope near the window of the classroom and angles the telescope towards the sky in preparation for a night of stargazing.
Stargazing has never been a solitary activity for Rei. Even as she grew older, Rei would continue to stargaze with Mirai by her side, pointing out the star clusters and constellations in the sky aloud. Studying the celestial bodies through her telescope had comforted Rei in a turbulent period in her life. Even now, the act of stargazing makes Rei recall jovial memories, reminding her of Mirai’s presence.
The curtains, hanging by the open window, dances in concert as gusts of wind enter into the classroom. Due to the flurry, the neatly stacked pieces of blank paper that Rei had brought in with her to jot down observations and notes had been scattered about the classroom, attracting her attention. Rei, who notices that she has to deal with more unwarranted work, apparels herself in her favourite jacket in defence against the cold air ahead of picking up the papers.
Just when Rei grudgingly bends down to reach for the paper at her feet, her action is interrupted halfway when she feels the touch of a hand on her own. Cursorily craning her neck, her line of sight falls onto the cordial intruder in front of her. The outline of the foreign translucent figure that is standing motionlessly besides her, its hand on hers, is instantly recognizable to Rei.
On a moonless night, reminiscent of the night during the momentous occasion in her life, the second preliminary introduction between two tight-knit strangers took place in an empty classroom.
“ Happy birthday, Rei. ”
“ Happy birthday, Mirai. ”
Since learning that our birthday fell on the same day, Mirai and I would celebrate our birthday every year together on the 1st of October, this year was no exception. On account of having not met Mirai in the past few months, I decided that I would visit the past on our birthday, to the playground I spent most of my childhood in - the location of our initial inconsequential interaction, and the spot of this year’s unplanned meeting.
The playground was never a popular place, and as the venue experienced a severe decline in visitors, it was decided that the land would be reclaimed and the playground to be torn down, leaving behind only sand and a swing set, constructed out of simple pieces of wood and rope.
Making my round about the swing set, I trace my fingers along the scratches of the wooden seat, feeling the rough edges carved out with the assistance of a stone. The names Rei and Mirai can be found etched onto the respective seats of the swing set to which I plop myself down on my appointed seat. Under my feet, green grass had sprouted and the night sky above, displaying an array of stars was in perfect view.
“ How long has it been since we saw each other? ”
“ You know I never left. ”
Materializing from the darkness, Mirai joins me and takes her seat on the right side of the swing set, complying with an arrangement that we had decided on when we first played together on this very swing set as nothing more than acquaintances.
How things have changed since that day.
“ Have you taken today’s medication? ”
“ You know I am not planning on swallowing those drugs again. ”
Touching the bracelet that wraps around my neck, with only a blue star decorating the otherwise bare accessory, I remember the innumerable times it had strangled me as the drug forced its way down my throat.
“ Rei, You do understand that skipping out on your prescribed medication can have severe consequences on your health, right? Since when have you become so neglectful of your own well-being? ”
“ If the drugs are not working as intended, then clearly there is no longer any necessity for them. Besides, my illness does not bother me as long as I have you by my side. ”
“ I do not think my presence has any kind of healing effect, so I would rather you just take your medication to be safe. ”
“ I would prefer not to because I dislike the fuzzy feeling in my head after ingesting those disgusting drugs. But more importantly, it means I cannot see you… ”
The last part of the sentence ends in a whisper, dissolving into the surrounding chilly night air.
“ I can tell when you are lying Rei. What is really keeping you from taking your medication? ”
A part of me understands that my true intentions will never be hidden from Mirai. After all, we shared an intimate bond, one that words alone cannot do justice to. There is no reason to keep secrets from her - especially now.
“ I am afraid, afraid that taking the drugs is essentially admitting that you do not exist, that all the times we had spent together were fantasy, I do not want that! ”
Standing violently from my seat, I stand my ground and face Mirai to announce my overflowing emotions.
“ Rei, I am, and will always be a part of you. It does not matter whether I am real or fictitious, what matters is that I Existed, be that in body or in your memories. ”
“ Still, is there no other way? I Do not want you to go, please… I am nothing without you. ”
Mirai, with her signature brown coloured hair that was presently covering her eyes, compounded with the dim surroundings, leaves me incapable of gauging her reaction to my words. Straightening her body without warning, Mirai stretches her hands and rests them upon my shoulders, before jerking me towards her body in a fluid motion that ends with me in her affectionate embrace.
Even as my chin rests on her shoulder, and her face hidden from my sight, I can picture her face clearly in my mind. Right now, how her lips must definitely be trembling as the shaky words leaves her mouth; how her body must definitely be wavering at the thought of parting from me forever; how she must still be trying to hide her tears from me to act tough, these are all the actions of the Mirai I have come to befriend and love after so many years together.
“ Mirai, promise me that you will never forget me. ”
“ Likewise Rei, promise me that you will never forget me either. ”
Tears wetting my cheeks, I clench my eyelids closed to halt the flow of tears, but only to shortly after find myself chuckling at our senseless promise.
“ What is it? ”
“ Do you not find it comical that my own hallucination has to comfort me? ”
“ I do not see any fault in that, do you? ”
“ No, not at all. ”
I lose myself in Mirai’s embrace, focusing only on her warmth and touch, feeling the texture of her clothes that are the same as mine, and listening to the steady beating of her heart underneath it, until I can no longer perceive her sensation.
Opening my closed eyes, the greenery, sky and Mirai are no more, substituted only by the sand and buildings in their place. Reaching for the bracelet at my neck, where the texture of hard metal should be, only the texture of soft skin is felt at the tips of my fingers.
No more regrets, Mirai.
“ Happy birthday… to us. ”
“ Remember to check and make sure you have everything you need before we leave. ”
“ I told you already, I have every- Wait, I forgot my jacket! ”
Rushing to the end of the hallway where my bedroom is located, the now barren room, containing little after all my personal belongings were removed, except for some furniture, I quickly retrieved the jacket that I had left by the closet on a hanger before returning back to join my family, that was seated in the car, at the front door.
“ Thank you for taking care of us all these years. ”
After stealing a final glance before leaving the through the front door, I muttered these words of honest appreciation.
Making sure to close the door behind me, for the last time, the toasty rays of the morning sun welcomed me as I took a step out. The keys to the house clinking in the pocket of my jacket as the distance between myself and the car shortened.
Following the doctor’s advice to aid with my rehabilitation back into society, my parents had finalised the last of the paperwork required before moving to another part of town. Adults - those who grew up after forfeiting their childishness, are saddled with the weight of their careers, family, relationships, finance and their own lives. Being a grown-up, ipso facto, means wising up, realizing that you can never have it all.
In this scenario, my parents had chosen me, and readily abandoned their previous lifestyle - the city, stable incomes from jobs, loving relatives and friends, to move elsewhere with me. Prioritising their daughter’s welfare before their own was a sacrifice my parents had made after many sleepless nights of consideration. Leaving the city would mark the new beginning for our family - the chance to leave behind the bitterness memories in search of a sweeter future.
Insignificant chatter about popular and trending topics began right after I joined my family at the backseat of my father’s car. Thereafter, the conversations in the car - regardless of whether it was a pointless discussion about the latest fashion or the more important exchanges about their new life, was all spoken about in an excited manner.
Observing the road past the car’s window, the scenery deforms into a mess of colours and shapes as the car accelerates forward piecemeal. There is a clear destination ahead of us, but the journey from this point on will be uncertain, regardless, I am confident that with my parents as guides, leading me every step of the way by the hand, surely, I will not be as lost as before.
“ Thank you. ”
I, who had abruptly interrupted my parents in the middle of their frenzied argument about the rising food prices, spun their heads around simultaneously to face their daughter, but not offering any kind of reaction. In the subsequent discomfiting duration where my parents kept completely mum, it was my mother who broke the unsettling silence.
“ Keep your eyes on the road before you get us into an accident. ”
“ We will be fine, who do you think is behind the wheel? ”
“ That is exactly why I am worried. ”
“ That really hurts my feelings. Do not just sit there, tell your mother off for me. ”
“ And why do you think she will help you? ”
My father, who appeared as though he could not come up with a clever comeback against his wife’s words reluctantly returned his gaze back onto the road in front of him, while his wife, who was seated next to him, reproached him about his lack of awareness of his surroundings and safety while on the road. A doleful expression must have seized my face after believing that my parents had turned to trivial chatter to avoid replying to my heartfelt remark.
“ Your father is too embarrassed to admit it himself so I will say it for the both of us. We will never truly comprehend your feelings or thoughts, but remember that you are our dearest daughter, there is nothing that we would not do for your happiness. ”
The car, overcome with a brief comfortable stillness due to the unforeseen declaration of love from my mother is soon replaced again by inane small talk between my parents - this time with regard to traffic conditions during peak hours and talking over whether it would be possible to reach the next town before evening.
Oftentimes in life, a simple word or phrase, filled with genuine emotions is more than sufficient to express one’s true thoughts. As such, I, grinning from ear to ear, choose to remain silent, not wishing to ruin an amiable atmosphere.
Spotting the setting of the sun, the denizens begin preparations for the closure of another normal day, with the destination at the end of the day being their own respective homes. Far from the city, a lone girl, tying her hair into her characteristic twintails, stands on the deserted beach. Away from the loud noises and the bright neon lights, the stars, dotting the night sky, lights the world above with their natural lustre.
“ This is still as beautiful as the first time I saw it… ”
Removing my favourite jacket, I soak my tired feet in the gently flowing waves. Back when I had joined the town, the locals had warned me to stay away from the sea during the day; when the sea was at high tide and encouraged me to visit at night instead. Taking in the night sky that was spread out before my eyes, I instantly understood the meaning behind the locals’ words. During low tide, the wave that crept onto the beach tenderly massaged my feet, before escaping afterwards, bringing along with it my exhaustion after spending another day exploring the town. A small town, with its many centuries of history, can contain many more secrets than you might expect for its size.
Drained after a long day’s work, I stretch my back and inhale the salty air carried by the ocean breeze. It has been almost a year since I left my hometown and the year is slowly coming to a close, Ordinarily, during this time of year, the temperature starts to drop and it becomes more challenging to leave the house without an additional layer of clothing. Yet, the ocean breeze was unexpectedly lukewarm, a leftover from the season that just passed. On this moonless night, as if to compensate for the light deficiency, the stars set the sky ablaze with their luminosity.
Today, on the 1st of October, I find myself staring at the starlit sky again. The reality that this gorgeous vista of the night sky can be admired from the beach tomorrow as well has not entirely sunk in for me. Nonetheless, the day is nearing midnight, urging me to turn my back on the landscape. Thereupon, the track of footprints in the sand, leading back in the direction of my home, grows longer.
Howbeit, a tap on the shoulder stops me dead in my tracks, demanding me to brave the perpetrator behind my back. However, there was not a soul around, only the sky and ocean, in a similar state as before, but now marginally brighter, and the cause - numerous shooting stars sailing across the pitch-black background.
The timing was too perfect, as though this celestial event had been planned specifically for me. But whether this happened due to chance or not is irrelevant to the feelings of gratification welling inside of me right now. I smile sheepishly, realizing that I must be reading too much into natural events.
“ Mirai, there you are, you do not know how worried your father and I have been. ”
“ Sorry for making you worry. ”
“ Shall we head back home then? After all, there is still a celebration waiting for when we return. ”
“ Sure. ”
The stars that hang overhead are out of reach, even so, I still extend my right hand towards them, shortening the distance between me and them, hoping that one may land into the palm of hands.
“ I look forward to my, no… our future ( Mirai ). ”
I shut the palm of my hand into a tight fist, proclaiming determinedly to the world that now seemed so infinitely vast to us.
