The Yakuza's flower

A simple truce

Grandma Sato's POV

I woke up early today, my chest aching slightly. I took my medicine as usual before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

As I passed the front door, I noticed it was unlocked.

Ume must have forgotten to lock it when she got home last night.

Sighing, I locked the door and decided to check on her.

My room is downstairs now—I don't have the energy to climb the stairs as easily as I used to. Moving carefully, I made my way up and knocked on her bedroom door.

"Ume."

"Yes?" came her muffled reply.

"Can I come in?"

To my surprise, she opened the door herself. "Good morning, Grandma."

I peeked inside and noticed her covers on the floor. Strange.

"Good morning, Ume. I wanted to tell you I found the front door unlocked this morning. Did you forget to lock it?" My gaze shifted back to her bedroom.

"And... why are your covers on the floor?"

Her eyes widened slightly before she let out a small, nervous laugh. "Oh! Right. I must've forgotten to lock the door—sorry about that, Grandma. It was late, and I was exhausted." She hesitated.

"As for the covers... I just felt like sleeping on the floor last night."

I eyed her for a moment but decided not to pry.

"Just be more careful. We don't want some stranger walking in on us while we sleep," I warned before turning toward the stairs. "I'm making breakfast. Is there anything special you'd like?"

From the top of the staircase, she called out, "Can you make those soft pancakes you used to make when I was little?"

I smiled. I had learned to make those just for her when she was younger, back when my daughter would bring her to visit.
"Of course I can."

————-

By the time I finished cooking, Ume had come downstairs, ready for the day.

"Mmm, smells amazing, Grandma," she said, inhaling the sweet aroma filling the kitchen.

I placed our plates on the table, settling down next to her. It had been a while since we'd sat together like this. I'd been giving her space, trying to come to terms with the changes she was making in her life. But today, I wanted her to know I was putting the past behind us.

For a while, we ate in silence. Then, I spoke.
"I'm not opening the café today—I need a break."
She looked up, alarmed. "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong," I assured her. "I've just been thinking about visiting my sister in the countryside for a while."

Ume's face relaxed into a smile. "That sounds nice, Grandma. You deserve a break."

"If I go, would you like to come with me?" I asked, glancing down at my plate.

She hesitated. "I'd love to, but I'm still getting used to my hospital shifts."

I nodded, masking my disappointment. "That makes sense."

Curious, I asked, "How's the hospital work going?"
"Good. The doctors are nice, and the patients are friendly." She paused.

"Oh! I'm also volunteering at that daycare—the one that helped me when I got lost running errands for you when I first got here. Remember that, Grandma?"

I chuckled. "I do. You had me worried sick. The owner told me your Japanese wasn't very good yet."
We exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.