Fated At Twilight

The Plan

The next day, my mother began the morning by prepping tea and pie together. My father has already left for work at the courthouse. She asked me to help her by rinsing the cherries. This is the first time I'm helping her make a pie. She'd always refused my help previously.

"Nami, you mustn't tell anyone how to make a pie, okay? This is my secret recipe." said my mother.

I nod in agreement even though I was confused. I wasn't sure why I couldn't, but I listened to her anyway.

"We're going to make separate pies for each of your friends so make sure you rinse all the cherries."

After rinsing the cherries, I set them in a separate clean bowl and take it to her.

"Where are we going first, mother?" I ask.

"We're going to Mika's place first."

"Do you think their parents let them all stay at home?"

My mother nods, "Of course. I said so."

After baking all the pies and making tea, we organize them in baskets and head over to Mika's place.

I knock on the door. Mika answers the door with sadness written all over her face.

"They're waiting inside," Mika mumbles as she peeks behind the door.

She opens the door for us to let us in.

Both my mother and I walk in and take our shoes off. Mika leads us the way to the kitchen to where her mother and father were waiting for us. My mother nods to them and takes out the pie and tea. She cuts the pie into equal pieces and sets them onto plates.

"Mika, have a slice," I tell her. She steadily takes the plate from me and walks to the living room.

"Nami, I'm going to ask you to stay with Mika. I'm going to talk to Akihiko-san and Risa-san privately."

I nod, take a plate, and leave. I head for the living room where Mika is. She is dressed nicer than usual.

"Mika, I'm going to the Garden Of Spirits today," I say as I take a seat next to her. She only nods as she takes small and slow bites off her fork.

"Do you know what your parents are going to do?" I ask.

She nods her head no.

"Well, my mother is the head librarian. She might convince them to bring you to the garden too."

Mika coughs on a piece of the pie. I quickly pat her back gently. She flinches. I barely touched her yet she flinched?

Mika sets her plate down on her lap and says, "Why are you acting like everything is normal?"

I was confused by her response. "I know everything isn't. I just have to stay calm."

"How can you stay calm?"

"Mika, I-"

In a coarse and harsh whisper, "What if they take away our manna...!?"

"That's just rumored, Mika... Of course, it's not true."

"Then explain the story of Daichi!"

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✧ "Daichi" is a story shared between students. Only a few students know of this tale. At the time, it was only known as a rumor. But the tale told is more than truth. It's a story of the harsh consequences you face when you violate the Board Of Laws principles. And crossing the border is one of them.