BAREFACED

Chapter 87

"... my father?" You question quietly. Your grandmother slowly lifts up her head and softly sighs. She sniffles and sits back. 

"When you were very little your mother and father lived together in the mountains... After your mother broke up with him, she took you with her and left... coming here to the city to live with us."

"..." You space out a bit after hearing that. Your grandmother rubs her eyes and adjusts herself a bit.

"I remember getting mad at your mother about it... I thought it was selfish for her to take you away from him... but your mother was so young- I wasn't helpful either... If I was a better mother I would have been able to protect her..."

"Don't blame yourself..."

"That's all I can do... If I was better... your mother would still be alive right now." She looks up, staring out the window. "Your grandpa loved the mountains... the only reason why we are here is because I convinced him that he would find more kids to teach marital arts in Tokyo..."

 "... why did you want to leave the mountains?" You softly ask.

"Since I was a little girl... I always dreamed of owning my own bakery in the city... After me and your grandfather stopped having kids, I thought it would be nice to open a bakery... Hikari was just a little girl... and everyone was older... living their own life. I thought this was the right time before we got too old... I regret it."

"... you do?"

"I left all my children... and I brought nothing for Hikari and your grandfather... He didn't get students... but he stayed because I was happy. I feel so selfish." She softly sighs. You look away and frown a bit.

"Did grandpa like living in the mountains?"

"Yeah... of course... it's where we grew up." She slowly looks at you with dull eyes. "Do you think it's too late... to go back?" She asks with a sad look on her face. You slowly shake your head. She slowly nods and sighs again. "I'm so tired... Yuki." You frown and look down at your hands.

"I'm tired too..." You slowly say.

"Do you want to go home after we see your grandpa... we can make dinner and maybe watch a movie..."

"Yeah... that sounds nice." You softly say

You can't remember much of what happened that day. It felt slow but you were also so out of it at the same time. Now that you think about it... everything felt so slow. Are you that depressed? Or are you genuinely tired? When was the last time you slept... what were you even doing from the beginning. 

You lay on the mat, staring towards the door of the room. Your grandmother lying beside you. She was having a hard time... same as you. You felt so tired it was hard to think. You move the pillow from under your head and hug it tightly.

The next few weeks go by slowly. Every day that you visit your grandpa you notice that he's slowly improving. Your grandmother meant what she said... about the mountains... that now she is speaking about moving back. The thought of leaving everything behind sounds scary but the idea doesn't seem too bad... to leave all the craziness behind... 

It sounds nice.

Right?

Blossom season was definitely coming... the trees begin to grow the small blossom buds... you can see the white and pink showing in many trees...

"That means... the semester is ending soon." You softly say.

"Huh?" Hikari turns her head to look at you. You look back at her.