TONARI

1. The restaurant next door

NOT proofread

10 years ago

''Ugh! We are out of milk! Why does that have to happen now..." My mom sighed and smacked the fridge close. She noticed 7 year old me standing in the door frame. She put a fake smile on her face and grabbed her purse. She took some money out of the purse and gave me it"

"Sweetie will you go now to the convenience store and buy 2 milks?" I nodded and took of my slippers. I put on my shoes and left my home.

"Wait! Don't forget your jacket!" My mom yelled. She was a bit too late. I had already left my apartment and gotten down the stairs. After i opened the exit of the apartment complex i was met with a cold breeze. A pretty cold breeze. I started to head to the store. I didn't get far though.

I quickly stopped Infront of a new restaurant. As a matter of fact it was the building next to my apartment complex. From the outside you could smell the amazing smell of food. I stood and looked into the window. The restaurant looked cozy. Suddenly an old woman opened the restaurant's door.

"Why are you standing out here in the cold without a jacket? Come inside" The old lady said. I followed her inside the restaurant. She showed me a table i could sit at. business was slow that day . I didn't really notice that as a 7 year old. The old lady sat across of me.

" Are you hungry?" She asked. I gave her a nod. As a child i never said much. I was a quiet kid. My brother on the other hand would never shut up. He was very talkative. He still is. After a bit the old lady came with a bowl of ramen. I grabbed the money from my pant's pocket. I gave her the money. She quickly gave it back.

"You don't need to pay. It's on the house. Eat up" The old lady gave me a smile and left. After i finished the bowl i approached the old lady and gave her the bowl. Just as i gave her the bowl someone grabbed me by my shoulder. I turned around and saw my mother.

"Where the hell have you been!!??" She kneeled down and hugged me. My mom looked up at the old woman and saw the bowl.

"did you eat that?" I nodded " Where is the money i gave you" I gave my mother the money back. My mother grabbed it and gave it to the old lady.

"No it's okay. It was on the house"

"No let us pay" They kept going back and forth. My mom ended up not paying.

"Did you recently move here?" My mother asked the old lady.

"Yes i did. I used to live in Hokkaido. My children all lived in the other end of the country so i moved a bit closer. My son lives here in Okayama. Hopefully i can get to see them more. I have 3 grandchildren around her age." My mother and the old woman had a long conversation

Ever since then our family and the old woman ( we called her grandma ) had spend time together. Just as the old woman had hopped, she got closer with her son, daughter in law and grandchildren. Her grandchildren came and visited her often.

Present

Me, my brother and her grandchildren got pretty close. one day when I was 13 we started to not see them as much. We never saw a grandson again. Her other grandchildren came by less and less.

I felt a bit sorry for her. I guess they grew to old to want to be with their grandma... Maybe. Well they were missing out. She was still as fun as she was 6 years ago. She would often take my brother and I to karaoke. My brother and I really liked singing and dancing. A year ago my brother moved to Korea to become a kpop idol. He debuted about a month ago. His group was doing pretty good. They were known as monster rookies.