Project: Karma

60 | Momma's Stories

<Nakaru>
Today I'm spending the morning with Haruki and Daichi again. Their little sister Nozomi is sleeping with her dad in the living room, as the three of us and Zuzu are outside on the porch.

Momma is at work again and will be coming home in the afternoon this time. I can't wait because Momma said that we were going to go grocery shopping. Momma said that I can chose what we'll eat for dinner!

"Naki, you lose!" Daichi jumped up into the air and started running around the backyard.

"Daichi, you cheated!" Haruki stood up and slammed his cards onto the table.

"Boys, settle down." Zuzu poured lemonade into our cups.

"Come on Naki, let's get him." Haruki looked at me with a serious intent. "I'll hold him down and you tickle the living daylights out of him."

"Got it!" I agreed.

"Boys, don't hurt each other!" Zuzu called out.

Even though Haruki is older than me by two years, and taller than me in size, I feel like I'm just the same. At least I had Daichi who was the same age as me, but even him too, I'm always looking up at the both them.

"I got him!" Haruki pounded onto Daichi and he collapsed on the ground. Haruki pinned his arms down and I came sliding.

"Naki, now!"

I took both my hands and stared to tickle Daichi. He began laughing hysterically and that made the two of us giggle as well.

"S-top....hahaha....guys!"

"Only if you play fair!" Haruki shouted.

"Yeah!" I added.

"F-fine...hahaha! I won't-I won't c-cheat...Hahahaha." Daichi looked like he was getting exhausted from all the laughter.

Both Haruki and I stared at each other and at the same time nodded our head. We both released Daichi and he stayed laying on the ground. He was tired and then punched Haruki in the leg.

"That's what you get." Daichi stuck out his tongue.

"Boys, I made sandwiches. Come grab some." Zuzu informed us. "I hope you're not getting your clothes dirty again."

Both Daichi and Haruki blankly stared at each other, and then at me. Which I had a green grass skid mark on my white shorts.

"N-no, mom." Daichi whistled away.

"Hey mom, I think Naki needs to wash up later." Haruki inspected my pants.

"My word, I'm gone for a second and this happens." Zuzu sighed. "Alright, hurry up."

The three of us stormed into the house and cleaned up. By the time we were finished we began eating the sandwiches Zuzu made for us. There was lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, and cheese. Daiki ended up taking out the tomatoes and slipping it onto Haruki's plate.

As we were sitting and relaxing, Zuzu gleamed at me. Watching me comfortably and seemed like she was enjoying it.

"I-is something wrong?" I asked her.

"Nope, I'm just admiring how much you look like your father." Zuzu leaned back and sipped her lemonade, "I wonder how your mom is reacting to this." She giggled to herself.

Every time I'm with any of momma'a friends, they always bring up papa, I don't get it. And then everyone gets sad. I don't like it. When momma talks about papa, she has the same expression as Zuzu.

I don't like it when we talk about him.

"Zuzu...?" I kept my eyes on my knees.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay Naki?" Haruki questioned.

"It's probably mom's sandwiches." Daiki joked.

"Daichi, watch your manners." Zuzu sternly spoke and then came close to me. She knelt known and I made eye contact with her.

"What's wrong Naki?"

I gripped my the ends of my shorts. Momma always talks about Papa but I think momma doesn't like talking about him. She won't even tell me where he is.

"Where's my papa?"

When I said that, Zuzu eyes widen and her hand dropped on my head and she patted it.

"Naki, I don't know what to tell you."

"Why is Papa gone? Why did Papa leave Momma? Momma gets lonely when I'm not there." I bit my lower lip.

"Hey, Naki. Look at me." Zuzu held my hands. "You're Papa was a great man. He loves you and Momma so much that he can't be here anymore. Naki, momma and I get sad not because papa did something bad. We just miss him." Zuzu explained.

It always crossed my mind but, I didn't know whether to assume anything. I could never ask Momma about it either. I know that if I did, it would make Momma cry.

"Is Papa dead?"
•••••
<Nagisa>
After I picked up Nakaru, we headed straight to the grocery store to pick up some food. Beforehand, Shi had told me that Naki was asking about Karma again. The conversation drowning very deep in. She told me that Naki asked about that question for the first time.

"Momma, can we have handburger for dinner?" Nakaru placed his hand on the arm of the wheelchair.

"It's pronounced hamburger." I poked his nose, "and of course, I did say I'll cook anything you want for dinner." I reminded him.

As Nakaru walked along side me, I accidentally bumped into a shelf. I knocked over something and when I backed up to pick it up. I ended up bumping into someone else too.

"Ah sorry sir-"

"Ugh, watch where you're going lady." Before I could even apologize, the man had already reprimanded me. I saw the carton of cracked eggs on the floor beside him and on his polished black shoes.

"I'm not paying for those." He glared at me and then caught the attention of one of the employees. "This woman knocked the eggs out of my hand, don't expect me to pay for that."

"I'm terribly sorry about your shoes." I panicked, "and the eggs, I'll pay for the damage." I insisted.

"Of course you will!" The man barked.

"S-stop!"

I turned around and saw Nakaru with an angered expression on his face. I could see the nervousness in his eyes and the fear of confrontation.

"L-leave momma alone! She said sorry already!" He exclaimed, "momma c-can't help it! You are a big fat meanie!" He continued.

Nakaru walked in front of me and stood up against the rude man. It was like I was seeing the parallel between him and Karma.

"I think you should apologize as well. You're disrespecting both of them, sir." A young lady with long pink hair, tied in a pony tail convened into the matter. "As you can see, this child as acting more of an adult than you are." She spoke without inflection.

"Tsk, so be it." The man stomped off.

The young lady walked up to Nakaru and bent down to pat his back with a peaceful smile. Then I realized that it was Ritsu, Naoko's younger sister.

"It's good to see you again Nagisa, how are you?" Ritsu stood back up and shook my hand.
There's no doubt that I could still see suffering in her eyes.

"I-I'm doing fine, thank you." I nodded my head, "really...I'm doing fine."

I have no right to complain about my legs. I wasn't the one who died. I should be grateful that I didn't die.