A Complicated Future

Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Reunion

Thin spots of icy snow littered the brick paths of the shopping outlet.  Henry took extra care not to step on any of these areas as he walked around the mall.  It was a cold winter evening, and he had decided to spend the day looking for suitable Christmas gifts for his friends.  Yuki and Kyle had invited him to their upcoming Christmas party that was also celebrating their engagement, so there was some pressure on him to find something nice for them.

A large clock in the center of a circular flower bed displayed that it was a quarter to six.  It was then that Henry noticed a little boy sitting alone on the concrete edge of the flower bed, rubbing his eyes as if he was wiping away tears.  None of the other passersby appeared interested in the youngster, minding their own business and walking past him without sparing a glance.  His heart hurt at the sight, wondering what might be making a child so upset during the festive winter season.  He knelt in front of him, prompting the boy to stop rubbing his face and meet his gaze.

"Hey there.  What's the matter?" Henry asked, offering a kind smile.

"I...  I'm lost..." the boy sniveled between words.  "I got mad at my mommy...  and I ran away.  Now I can't find her anywhere..."

"I can help you look for her if you'd like."

"Really?  You'll help me?" he asked and stood up as if he was in disbelief, "Fank you, mister!"

"Sure.  I'd want anyone to do the same for my own child if they were lost.  What does your mother look like?"

"She has long and dark hair...  and she wears glasses!  Uhm... today she is wearing a long jacket, like dat kind dere."  He pointed to a store display with a mannequin that had a tan trench coat on.  "But my mommy told me dat if I ever get lost, that I hafta stay in one spot.  And dat I gotta be next to a 'lammark', so dat's why I'm here next to da clock."

"Alright.  Let's see if we can find her." He looked around, turning his head left or right occasionally, but many women in the vicinity seemed to match the boy's vague description.  "Hmm.  Maybe if you tell me a little more details, then it will make it easier to spot her.  For example, is she tall, or short?"

"Well of course she's taller than me!  But she's a lot shorter than you are," the boy replied a bit sharply.  Henry scratched the back of his neck; he had figured as such since he was rather tall, so that answer wasn't much help either.

"Does she look like you?" he asked, "Some kids can look just like their parents."

"Not really.  Everyone says I look like my daddy," the boy said as he shrugged his shoulders. He suddenly frowned.  "But dat's why I walked away from her... cause she said dat Daddy would come home for Christmas time.  And he isn't back yet..."  Henry couldn't help but be somewhat curious about what the kid meant when he heard faint yelling from nearby.

"Rintarou!  Where did you go?" a young woman shouted.  She was carrying several shopping bags and looked like she was searching frantically for something, or rather, someone.  Upon hearing his mother's voice, the boy's eyes lit up, and he tugged on the end of Henry's jacket.

"I hear her!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, then that must be her over there," Henry said, pointing at her.

"Mommy! I'm over here!" he yelled and waved to her, catching her attention, and she ran to them as soon as she saw her darling son.  As the lady approached them, Henry felt something overwhelming rush over him, and he was paralyzed in place.

"Oh, my little taro root, I was so worried!"  The woman put her bags down and hugged the child.  "Please don't scare me like that..."

"I'm sowwy, Mommy.  I won't run away ever again, I pwomise!"  Rintarou embraced his mother in return. "Dis nice man said he would help me fine you, and we did!"