Future. | Satoru Gojo

return to sender

"C'mon, Kai! I'm about to leave without you!" I yell from the front door.

We are heading to check the mail, our daily routine. It's been almost two months since I have received a letter from Megumi and Tsumiki. Two months too long. I chalked it up to them being busy with school, but now summer has arrived and I have yet to hear even a peep.

"I'm coming!" He yells, and then bolts out of his room with his shoes untied. "Forgetting something?" I ask the little boy, while rolling my eyes. After bending down to tie them for him, we begin on the journey down the block. "Did you order me any toys?" Kai asks from beside me. "Maybe." I smirk, annoyed that I have become a victim of online delivery.

We arrive at the wooden mailboxes, and I help Kai open the small compartment. Immediately, he reaches for the box that is hiding in the back. "Don't open that until we get home." I tell him, as I pull out the rest of the envelopes.

Phone bill

Electricity bill

Credit card note

Still nothing. I continue flipping through the envelopes, all of them being junk mail and bills to pay, that is until the last envelope.

Return To Sender

It's the second letter I sent, to check up on them in their absence. Why would they send it back to me? Unopened at that. "Let's go, Kai." I say, and grab his empty hand. We walk back silently, and Kai takes notice of my concerned look. When we arrive back at the house, Kai runs to the kitchen table and throws the package on it.

"Let's open it, Mama." He says, excitedly.

"One second." I say, still at the front door trying to piece together why they returned the letter.

"Mama!" He yells, eager to open the box.

"I said wait!" I yell, and walk over to the kitchen.

Kai is looking at me with a guilty face, it's very rare that I ever raise my voice with him. With anybody. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell, I was just thinking about your siblings." I say, and join him at the table. "Oh..." He says, looking down. "Let's get this thing open!" I say, trying to lighten the mood. He looks up with wide eyes, his attention span was never the longest.

I rip open the tape, and slide the box back for him to open. He digs in, and pulls out a new toy car set. "You really got it for me!" He shouts, excitedly. I nod my head and smile. "Thank you, Mama!" He says, practically knocking his chair over to hug me. "Anything for you." I say, and then kiss the crown of his head.

As much as I want to sulk about Satoru and the kids, I can't ruin anything for Kai. Satoru is a good dad, and I'm sure they're doing fine. Just teenagers now. Kai though, he's still a kid, and he needs his mom. I can't let the past stand in the way of his future.