The Life of Hikari Miyazaki a Suna Shinobi (Childhood years)

Chapter 14 A Birthday Surprise

Hikari POV

I switch off my alarm before getting out of bed and setting out for school. Once at school I take up my normal spot at l and just sit there ignoring everything else around me.

The day passes quickly as I focus on my work to distract myself from my upsetting thoughts. Luckily for everyone else I wasn’t in the mood for listening to gossip as I know that it would most likely set me off. Even though I feel so delicate that the slightest tap would break me I didn’t show this as it would be seen as a weakness.

Once the bell goes signalling the end of the day I head towards the graveyard with some sakura flowers to place on Mum’s gravestone. The carving reads “Here lies Sayuri Miyazaki a shinobi of the sand who will be dearly missed by both her village and her loving daughter.” I kneel down placing the sakura down and closing my eyes. Tears begin to flow down my face as I remember all that has happened.

“Why did you have to leave me here all alone?” I ask in a quiet and weak voice knowing an answer wasn’t coming. After a few minutes I wipe away the tears and make my way back home. I open the door and walk in as I normally would “I’m home mu…that’s right I don’t need to say that anymore do I?” I say with a voice filled grief.

I walk into the living room and take a seat in the couch feeling empty and sad. I sit there for a while not doing a thing as to try and stop my thoughts from wandering to Mum.

All of a sudden I hear a knock on the floor that both disturbs me from my thoughts and surprises me as this is the last thing that I would have expect to happen. I get up and make my way to the door and opening it revealing a sand shinobi. This catches me off guard and makes me nervous because of what happened last time there were shinobi in my house.

“The Kazekage has summoned you.” He announces and I nod before he flickers away. I put on my shoes and head over there wandering what he could possibly want from me. Once there I knock on the door and get told to enter. The Kazekage makes a gesture telling me to take a seat.

“As you know your mother Sayuri passed away. However she did leave something behind for you on your birthday.” He says which surprising me as I forgot all about it in light of recent events. “We found a card and a present at your previous house after the incident. Also having your records we worked out that they were for you.” He opens a draw taking out a wrapped present and card in an envelope which he places on the table in front of me. I sit there surprised yet again as I never thought that he would give me something like this since it isn’t important considering everything else he does.

“Thank you” I say before picking them up off the table.

“That is all. You may leave.” He orders pointing towards the door. I make way back to home thinking about why the Kazekage would go the trouble of getting this to me when it is something so unimportant to him.

When I arrive I head to my room with the present and card and place them on my bed. I first open the envelope on the card instantly knowing that this must be from mum because of the design. It was water lilies on a purple background just like the kimono I wore to the festival. Also she is the only person who knows that water lilies are my favourite flower. The writing on it is in an elegant script reading “Happy Birthday Daughter”. I open the card to read the message inside. “To Hikari, I hope you have a lovely day and enjoy the present I got you. Love from mum.”

Reading this fills me with joy as I remember better times, however  

 It is short lived as I soon realise that she can’t be here with me. I pull myself together determined not to cry until I open the present.

The wrapping is the green colour that she always uses and I can tell by looking at that she used pink florist ribbon to make it personal as she was a florist.

I untie the ribbon and carefully unwrap the present as I always do so that I won’t rip the paper. I move the paper to reveal the present. I couldn’t believe my eyes she had gotten me a Shogi board with pieces inside. Even though I act hyper some of the time I enjoy things that require concentration too such as reading. Most people wouldn’t guess this proves that this was from mum too as only she knows me this well. I had seen people around town playing this and was intrigued by it.

I look inside finding the pieces and an instruction manual due to the complex nature of the game. I pick it up and read it for a while taking in all of the rules and moves that can be played. I then set up the board and begin to learn the nature of the game. I spend the next few hours focusing on how each of the pieces can move, what the rankings are and about the special moves Two hours later I feel like I am beginning to understand it when I realise that I still need to make dinner. I head the kitchen and get out the ingredients so that I can make Senzai since it is my eighth birthday.

Once it is prepared I eat and wash the dishes. I then head to my room and read for a bit before going to relax in bed.