A Flower Named You (My Forged Wedding Fanfic)

3 - Home

Seeing him cry made me want to cry too. Especially now, when he mistook me for my sister.

A minute passes, all I did was stand there in shock. I blink, unable to grasp my surroundings. Harue's cries felt distant and they echoed in a bottomless void that my mind sunk me into.

When I came too I felt warm tears trickle down my cheeks.

I kneel down and hug the little boy. "I'm sorry."

He puts his arms around my neck and cried on my shoulder.

I'm sorry for not being your mother. I'm sorry for not being my sister like you thought.

These thoughts made me sob a little harder. In between my broken breaths and blurry vision, I push strain out a response to his confusion. "I'm n-not your mother," My voice trembled. "Mom won't be back anytime soon. She's...too busy looking after you from up there."

Forever, I thought to myself.

His cries intensify for a moment but then start quieting down.

On the other hand my sister's image flashes in my mind.

"Let's go home, ok?" I clear my tears and pull us apart. I take a look at his face, he really did look like her, almost her spitting image. I put on a smile and wipe his eyes with my handkerchief. "Auntie is going to take care of you, and I'll do everything I can to never make you feel like you're lonely."

He nods, covering his face with his left arm still shaking a bit.

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The lady took us inside and had me sign a release form. The whole time I carried Harue in my arms, he clung onto my dress with his small hand. His weight instead of feeling like a burden, felt strangely comforting, and I found myself feeling the need to protect him.

After signing the papers, picking up his things and thanking the staff that took care of Harue, we took off.

He had fallen asleep in my arms and he looked peaceful.

After a while my arms started getting a little sore. I carried his luggage in one hand and carried him with the other arm. Yet, waking him up or stopping to rest didn't cross my mind. I was so determined to get home with Harue. It was an unexplainable feeling.

Once I arrived at my home, wait no, our home, I put his stuff down in the living room and carry him over to my room. I lay him gently on my bed, place the covers on him, and began unpacking his stuff.

His little blue suitcase contained about 5 changes of clothes, a stuffed toy and some underwear and stuff. I would have to go shopping for some jackets, and maybe more clothes. Since it was autumn and soon to be winter.

"Hm?" I look under his clothes and at the bottom of the case there's a book with something sticking out of it. I open it up the book titled: Delicate Simplicity, Ikebana by Haruka Utsunomiya. I flipped through it. It contained beautiful flower arrangements each one having a message that they conveyed through their colors and forms. One caught my eye, it was called "Springtime Bay". The picture that poked out before was on that page.

My eyes widen when I lay my eyes on the picture. It was my sister, her husband and Harue smiling happily.

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While Harue slept I did the laundry and other chores around the house. I stepped outside to run the garbage over to the dump I run into Mr. Kougami leaving his apartment in casual clothes.

"Hi again." I wave a little in his direction. "Going out?"

"Yeah." He answers curtly. "Super market."

"Ah." I tilt my head. "Do you mind telling me where the nearest one is? I need to stock up today..." Up until now I had been living off of convenience store food because my shit wasn't sorted out in my kitchen but now, I was ready to cook stuff on my own for Harue.

"It's just before the station." He points. "You can join me if you'd like. It'll be easier to learn the way."

His offer was nice and all but... I had Harue, I wasn't sure if he was still sleeping. I really didn't want to wake him up.

Ugh, I'm really bad at finding my way around though, even with a map...I'm so bad that even though It's painful to admit, I accept my weakness.

"One sec....Can you wait here? I'll be back." I turn around and run up to my apartment.

I burst the door open to find Harue standing outside of my room, rubbing his eye.

He was so freakin' cute holy shit.

I walk up to him, kneel down, stare at him for a bit, and then hug him. I stand up with him in my arms and smile.

"God you're so adorable! I love you!"

He stays still for a moment then hugs me back while looking a little bit shy.

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"Harue, we're going to the store with a person I work with." I tell him while strapping his shoes on. I only grabbed my cardigan and slipped a sweater on Harue. "Be nice okay?"

He nods and grabs a hold of my hand.

We take the elevator. On our way down I decide to properly introduce myself to Harue.

"Harue. I'm your auntie, your mommy's sister and my name is Haruna." I gently squeeze his hand which held onto my fingers.

He nods and looks away. "O... a"

"Eh?"

Harue then turns his head towards me. "Oba..." His big eyes and slightly pink cheeks were an overload of cuteness.

Yamato stood outside waiting like I had asked him to.

A look of surprise took over him when he saw me walk out hand in hand with Harue. "Your son?

I laugh at his assumption. "My nephew."