𝐄𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐘 『 senku 』

ii. her first fall

did you remember your first fall?

AKARI WAS VERY EXCITED. After months of waiting and anticipating for it, her father is finally buying her a limited edition biography of Thomas Edison, one of the most well known scientists in the world. Unlike normal biography books Akari had read, this limited edition release would include personal notes and thoughts from the man himself that had yet to be revealed to the public.

Akari first asked her father on her fourth birthday for the book but when the published date arrived, her father was too slow to purchase the book online since only five books were being sold at a high price.

The little girl was sad but she never shed a tear. She simply nodded in acceptance and moved on from the incident causing Chiaki Ren to feel guilty. However, after a few months and many phone calls, her father had announced to her that he had somewhat got a hold of the book!

Excited, Chiaki Akari ran in the dull hallways of NASA's laboratories. Her little feet carrying her small body as she raced through employees to get to her father. Since Akari was not an employee of the company, she was always asked to play or read in the guest lounge which was held at the other side of her father's workplace.

It was now the end of work hours and Akari believed she had been patient since the announcement in the morning when her father dropped her off. Her small body was carrying a bunny plushie in one hand and a thick book on Chemistry in the other. She panted while running, hoping that she wouldn't faint on the way to her dad before seeing the book she's always wanted.

"Oh, Akari! What are you doing here?" A voice spoke out, causing the girl to stop in her tracks. She turned around to see a lady with a tight bun and glasses on her face. Her hands in her lab coat as she gave out a curious glance.

"Hello. I was going to see Daddy," Akari replied slowly. She really wasn't good at physical activities but if it meant getting that limited edition book faster, she wouldn't mind burning a few calories.

"Ah, okay! I saw your dad packing things up in the lab. Make sure you stay outside okay? If not, the department head is gonna kill your dad," she spoke easily, giggling at her own joke.

Akari's eyes widened at the words. She was only four years old so she took the words seriously when her father was going to be killed. The lab lady realised what had happened when she saw Akari's reaction before trying to redeem herself.

"That's not true! Nope, I was joking...so sorry Akari..why don't you run along yeah?" She smiled nervously before pushing Akari to the direction of her destination. Akari clutched her bunny in fear before quickly walking away.

It took her a few minutes to reach the entrance of the lab and to see her father waving at her enthusiastically. Excited, she increased her speed without realising the thick book she was holding began falling in her arms. Just as she touched her father's legs, the thick book in her arms fell to the floor and she tripped over it, causing her face to be smacked into the ground.

"Akari!" Her father shouted before helping her get up. He could hear sniffles and rushed to grab a napkin before Akari's voice popped up.

"Where is the book, daddy?" She asked. Ren looked at his daughter before he bursted out laughing. In Ren's view, Akari had a bloody nose and a very red face because of the impact. But also, he saw her determined eyes and furrowed eyebrows which shows that she was more interested in the book than her own well being.

"I'll give it to you soon, baby. You have a bleeding nose right now and I don't want anything on it so let daddy take care of you okay?"

"But...I want to see the book,"

"You will, Akari. Do you trust daddy?" He asked, tilting his head while holding on to Akari's tiny hands.

"...yes," she replied.

"Then let's get you treated. Does it hurt?" Ren questioned and carried his daughter before taking the book and plushie that flopped to the ground.

"Not really..." she spoke back. Her hands fiddled with her father's shirt as she looked down in shame. Chiaki Ren could only smile at his daughter's antics. It was the first time he had seen her run and also fall.

Actually, he believed it was her first fall and injury throughout her whole life - at four years old. Since Akari was a soft and meticulous person, she would always be careful on everything and take her time with things. She never ran much or did any physical activities. At most, she would walk back and forth to take books out of shelves.

The father treated to her injuries as the girl swung her legs in boredom. Chiaki Ren was also entertained by the thought that his daughter never cried before. Besides her first appearance into this world, Akari never cried for anything. Whenever she wanted something from Ren, she would simply ask and wait patiently.

Chiaki Akari never threw a tantrum or whine or cry about anything. Instead, she would just sit, stare and wait for what she's wanted. Ren wonders what would be the cause of her first tears and how he would react to see his little daughter cry.

He would probably annihilate the whole world if he finds out what or who made her cry...

"Well, that's done but my baby didn't cry at all," he complimented before placing all the medical equipments back into the first aid box.

Akari touched the her nose before sighing in disappointment.

"Now now, don't look so down. This is what you've been looking forward to, right?!" Her father exclaimed before placing a decently sized book right in-front of Akari's face.

Her eyes lit up at the appearance of the book. Her hands quickly snatched it away from her father as she stared in admiration of the title cover. Thomas Edison's limited edition biography with personal notes and thoughts from the very man himself.

Ren chuckled before rubbing his child's shoulder in comfort. He had gone through a lot to get one book but if it meant seeing the light in Akari's eyes shine brighter, he wouldn't mind going against the whole world to see it again.

"Akari...you're a strong girl. You didn't cry when you fall even when you're a child. You don't even need daddy to wipe your tears. I hope you can still do it yourself when you're older," Ren spoke, patting his daughter's head.

Akari tilted her head in confusion. She's young and can read many books, but words with hidden intentions was not her fortè for all the words she read has always been empty and factual.

"Hahah! It's nothing. Just know that daddy loves you...very much...and daddy will always be with you.."