The Third Miya: Isuma

LXVI

The Miyas' mother's name is Sakura. I mistakenly named Tamiko's daughter Sakura without realizing it. These two characters will never meet, so please bear with me. It should be fairly obvious which Sakura is in the scene. If it isn't, please let me know and I'll make any edits I can to clarify. 

WINTER 2021

HYOGO PREFECTURE

Wow. 

It had been a really, really long time.

Isuma had left Hyogo the week after she graduated from high school. After that, she avoided the entire area like the plague. The few times she'd returned were to visit Osamu- which she rarely did, as he was usually the one to visit Tokyo. 

The last time she'd visited was to visit her mother, whom she hadn't been able to speak to. Isuma had expected to make another trip to Hyogo, based on certain phrases Osamu dropped now and then.

Their mother was dying. 

It wasn't sudden. Isuma had known how ill their mother was for years, yet it still came as a slight shock. Osamu had carefully asked Isuma to come by before it was too late, and she agreed. Atsumu, who had been in South Korea for several months, returned to  join them. 

Osamu lived thirty minutes away from Miya Sakura, who lived with a nurse from her hospital. Isuma and Atsumu arrived late on a Sunday evening. They had originally planned to come later in the week, but Osamu warned them that she was getting weaker and could be gone at any hour now. So they switched up their plans and taken a train to Hyogo as soon as possible. 

Isuma's first and last visit to her mother had been over a year ago- possibly almost two years ago. Her home had not changed in the slightest since her previous visit. Atsumu, who tried to come by every few months, walked through without an issue to their mother's room. 

Yuri, the same nurse from two years ago, was still in charge of Sakura. She was much friendlier this time and welcomed her and Atsumu in warmly. "She's been expecting you. Your other brother is here too."

"We know." Isuma nodded. Yuri continued, "Miya-san has been wanting to meet you for ages. She knows she doesn't have much time left."

"How much time, exactly?" Atsumu asked. Yuri's face fell. "It's hard to tell. It could be tomorrow, or a year from now."

She opened the bedroom's door and left to give them some privacy. Isuma waited until Yuri had shut the door to turn around and look at Sakura and Osamu.

Their mother was sitting in bed, a book laying on her lap. Her hair was streaked with white and gray and she looked slightly defiant as her other two children approached. Multiple IVs and wires ran from her to various machines in the room. She looked frailer and weaker, as if she'd aged twenty years in the past two. Sakura said, "So you finally came, Isuma."

"Yes, Okaa-sama." Isuma sat down besides Osamu, who gave her a small smile before standing. "'Tsumu, let's wait outside."

"Yeah. For sure." Atsumu turned around immediately, leaving Sakura and Isuma alone. Sakura didn't even notice her sons leave; her eyes were glued to her daughter. "I read your letter. I doubt you remember it. It's been quite some time since then."

"No, I remember." Isuma said immediately, recalling the envelope she'd asked Osamu to give to Sakura last time. Sakura let out her breath, shaking her head. "So you do."

Neither of them spoke. Isuma wasn't quite sure what to say- or what to feel. She hadn't come here with the intention of belittling her mother- just to see her one last time. She clasped her hands and stared at her rings, shifting in her seat.