We Don't Need (Things Like) Memories - KITA SHINSUKE

CHAPTER 11: CROSSED PATHS

I almost laughed at the absurdity of my mom's statement. "Mom, it's not like that at all! Kita and I are just classmates—friends at most."

“Who knows, maybe Kita-kun will be my son-in-law in the future,” she teased, her grin widening as she watched me.

I nearly chocked and gave her an incredulous look. “Mom! Don’t say things like that!”

She just laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself. “Oh, come on, sweetie! He’s responsible, polite, and clearly cares about you. That’s a good combination if you ask me.”

I felt my face heat up, shaking my head at her. “We’re just classmates,” I protested, but the way my mom smiled told me she wasn’t buying it.

“Uh-huh, sure,” she said with a knowing glint in her eyes. “But let me tell you, if Kita-kun keeps this up, he’s going to be hard to beat. You know, not every guy would be as thoughtful as walking you home and giving you gift on the first day.”

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Mom, please! It's just a welcome gift for us...”

She finally relented, her laughter softening. “Alright, alright, I’m done. But I have to admit, Kita-kun seems like a good one. You’re lucky to have such a friend.”

I lowered my hands, feeling a bit flustered but also touched by her words. “Thanks, Mom,” I said softly, knowing that beneath her teasing, she really did mean it.

My mom just chuckled and patted my arm, her teasing smile still in place. "But your dad? He’d make a whole story out of it if he had seen Kita-kun patting his lovely daughter's head earlier. So for now, I think, let's keep it simple to your dad."

I shook my head, still a bit in disbelief, but a smile tugged at my lips. "You're impossible, Mom."

She winked before giving me a gentle nudge toward the stairs. "Go on, get some rest. Tomorrow’s another day."

With that, I headed upstairs, feeling a mix of exhaustion and amusement at my mother’s playful warning. Will Dad really be like what mom said? I thought, shaking my head as I made my way to my room, already looking forward to a good night's sleep.

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The next morning came too quickly, and I found myself reluctantly pulling the covers off. My mind wandered back to my conversation with Mom the night before, the teasing words lingering as I went through my morning routine. Shaking my head, I brushed it off. There was no time to dwell on such thoughts, especially with a whole day ahead of me.

When I reached the kitchen to drink a glass of water from the fridge, something caught my eye on the dining table—a paper bag with a note beside it. Confused, I walked over and picked up the note, recognizing my mom's handwriting. I read it silently in my mind:

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry I forgot to pack you a bento yesterday. Have you eaten properly at school, sweetie? :( Last night, before your father and I went to bed, he suddenly gasped dramatically and turned to me saying, 'Elly, I forgot to tell you that Japanese high schools usually don’t provide lunch for students!' I was so shocked when I heard that, you know. How can he missed something important like that hmph! But it was part of my fault also to not pay full attention on japanese school culture T.T. I need to do more research about it💪 So, this is a little bento for you. I didn’t have much time to prepare it since I was in a rush, but I hope you still like it!"

As I read the note again, I glanced into the paper bag. "A little, huh?" I muttered to myself, noticing that the bento was actually quite big—definitely more than her so-called "little" lunch.