The Disconsolate Maiden

Chapter Sixteen

"Welcome home, Homura," Mrs. Kanojo called out, waving weakly from the sofa in the living room. "I'm glad you're here a bit earlier today. I thought, if you weren't here any sooner, I'd have to make the green tea all by myself. It's such a blessing for you to be here today, my girl. I'm so glad that you're alive. You mean the world to me."

Homura slipped off her shoes in the doorway, threw her schoolbag onto the floor, then ran towards her mother.

She bowed politely, attempting to act as normally as she could. Yet, her mother, like most mothers, could tell that something was off. Very off.

"What's wrong, Homura?" her mother asked calmly, gently patting a cushion on the sofa beside her. "Sit right here. Let's talk about it."

"N-No, M-Mother," Homura stammered, turning away after she has bowed. "I'm fine, really."

Homura forced a smile on her face as she began to fix her mother's tea. Just like always, she felt a special sense of calm whenever she was at home with just her mother. There was nothing to worry about, despite Mrs. Kanojo being very ill.

"How was school today?" her mother asked, reaching for the remote control for the tv, turning the news off.

"It was great," Homura said, forcing out a slight laugh. "One of my teachers announced the upcoming prom...and I also, I..I think I made several new friends today!"

"Oh? Who were they?" Mrs. Kanojo asked, glad to find that her daughter was finally (supposedly) fitting in.

"The Matsuno boys," Homura said, pouring the hot, green tea into a teacup for her mother. "They're very kind, even though they do cause quite a bit of trouble outside of the cafeteria."

"You had lunch with them?" her mother asked, showing slight disapproval. "Your father would slit his wrists if he knew you were spending time with those delinquents."

"They're very kind boys though! One even made the effort to actually speak to me today!" Homura exclaimed, her heart feeling calm the very instant she pictured Jyushimatsu in her mind. "I just...I hope nothing bad ever happens to him..."

"You care about one of them more than the others, don't you?" Homura's mother asked as her daughter handed her the cup of tea and its saucer.

Homura turned her back on her mother, hoping she wouldn't notice her pink tinted cheeks.

"Delinquents won't get you anywhere in life, Homura," Mrs. Kanojo said, taking a tiny sip of her tea before setting it down on the coffee table in front of her. "Even so, idols aren't allowed to date, so I don't think I'll have to worry too much about you. Keep following your dreams, Homura."

"Idols can't date..." Homura thought, the idea suddenly bothering her, even though she already knew this fact. Most idol agencies were very strict when it came to love in Japan. "But I'm not an idol...yet, right...? Dreams never come true...right...?"