Kabedon: Part 2 of A Tanabata Story

Chapter 14

Miyamoto Yui returned home from a society meeting and dropped on the couch with a sigh. She would have only a few brief moments of quiet before every one came home. Her husband, Kouta, had called to say he was on the way and the cook had informed her that dinner was nearly ready. She picked up a magazine and slouched into the cushions. Only moments later, the front door opened.

Miko? Her son Hibiki was already in his room studying for his high school entrance exams, but she hadn't heard from her daughter and Miko should have been home more than an hour ago.

"Miko? Is that you?"

Two shoes clattered to the floor of the genkan. Yui sat upright. Something was wrong.

Miko shuffled into the room with tears flowing down her face.

Not since she was a child in her very first year in school, when a new friend had joined in with those bullying her, had Yui seen Miko in such a state. Miko could never fit in with her classmates. She was too beautiful, too smart, too talented and came from a too wealthy family. Instead of being reserved and shy, her peers saw her as being aloof and arrogant. She eventually earned their respect and even admiration, but that only widened the distance between Miko and her peers. Yui had hoped that a tip tier school like Atarachi would be different.

Yui jumped to her feet. "Miko, what happened?"

Miko's voice quavered. "Mom?"

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Miko, why are you crying?

Miko took in a great shuddering breath. She raised a hand to her mouth, covering it as it twisted into a sob.

 "I have a boyfriend!" she wailed.

"A... what?" She must have misheard. Miko wasn't the type to be distracted by boys. When could she even have been around one long enough to grow close? "You have a what?"

"I have a boyfriend!"

"A boyfriend?" That word still didn't make any sense. Did she misunderstand what the word meant? "Did he hurt you?"

"No. He told me he loved me and he k-kissed me."

"Did he force himself on you?"

Miko rubbed at her eyes with the back of one hand. "Noooo."

"Then why are you crying."

"I l-love him. I love him so much!" Miko broke out in fresh sobbing.

"Miko, I don't understand. Why are you crying?"

Miko clutched at her chest. "It hurts."

Yui stared at the stranger with red swollen eyes and a face wrenched by an unfamiliar pain. Somehow, this was still her daughter. What is really going on here? "Miko, you're being hysterical. You need to calm yourself."

Miko wiped at her face but it remained awash in tears. "I've never felt this way before. I didn't know anyone could feel this way."

There could be no reasoning with her in this state. Miko of all people! "Miko, go to your room and calm yourself. Your father will be home soon and he won't want to see you like this."

Miko ran to her room wailing with joyful anguish.

Yui sighed. Miko's life was set on a very high trajectory. This was the last thing they could have expected. Yui was still struggling with it all when she welcomed Kouta at the door.