Her Prologue Part 2

“The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.”– Henry Ford

The first term is finally over! Kibo was looking forward to her summer vacation! She dropped out of the English, music, and art clubs to devote more time to study for the exams.

She has good grades, and everyone advises her to seek a business career. This will need a significant amount of effort, but it will secure her future success.

Kibo aspired to be a psychotherapist and a writer in her spare time. She wants to help others, but most of all, she wants to make her mother proud.

If she becomes a successful businesswoman, she will be able to provide for the women who raised her. Also, she would be able to repay everything she received from her.

Her phone starts ringing.

Mom is calling.

“Hello, mom! What’s up?”

“I dialed the -hiccup- wrong number! I wanted -hiccup- to call Kira!”

“Are you drunk? I will take you home!”

She was a little concerned. Her mother is the type of person who would enjoy herself, but she would never get drunk. Her image as a 5-star hotel owner matters.

-hiccup- "I don’t need you to-“

“I wasn’t asking for permission to come and pick you up, mom! Give me your address and I will be on my way!’

The woman let out a deep sigh.

“I’m at –hiccup- the bar that’s in front of our hotel, on the second floor.”

“You mean the one with the galaxy theme? What was its name again? SpaceUP?”

“Yes, that’s the one!”

“Ok! I got ‘ya! I’m on my way! Don’t go anywhere!”

Beep.

The woman hangs up.

“You’re welcome!” She rolls her eyes.

She calls for a cab and, while waiting for it, an intriguing advertisement catches her eyes.

“We can find the one your heart has been searching for across 5 oceans, 7 continents, and this entire space and time. We provide you with the opportunity to meet your soulmate and make him or her fall in love with you! House of Cupid is at your disposal! You may locate us on ******* street in Yokohama Chinatown, or phone us at the number shown below: 8145-***-****. What are you waiting for? Meet your soulmate!”

She heard a lot about House of Cupid. These days, they gained a lot of popularity. Everyone who attended was happy with the outcome. It's pretty amazing how far technology has progressed! It seems too wonderful to be true, but she must concentrate on her studies!

“Miss! Are you the girl named Kibo Maboroshi?”

“Ah, yes! Good evening!” She bows with respect before entering the car.

“Hello, dear! Where to?”

“To SpaceUp, please! I have to pick someone up and I must apologize in advance because you will have to wait for a little when we arrive! I’m sorry about that!”

The man smiles in a friendly way.

“I don’t mind, it’s my job after all! Let’s go!”

She spent the entire ride looking out the window. She prefers to see the city at night, but it seems very different during the day. The view looks strange, especially when the lights are off and the shadows are sleeping.

“We got to the location!” The driver interrupts her thoughts after some time.

“I see! I will return as fast as I can!”

“No worries!”

She enters the bar and a strong smell of cigarettes cuts her breath for some seconds.

“It’s been a while since I last smoked! I'm not used to it anymore!”

This place hasn’t changed at all. Her brother used to come here pretty often for a good drink and for Yume, a female bartender. He was 24 years old when he first met her. They didn’t get the chance to be in a relationship, but they were close. They would have made a great couple!

“Well hello there, little star! It’s been a while!” A familiar voice greets the girl.

“Wish you a good day, Miss Yume!” Kibo says full of respect.

It turned out to be the girl she was thinking about.

“Why are you always so polite? We are friends, please address me as Yume!” She looked a little bit tired.

“Did you have the night shift?”

“Yes… There were a lot of customers and I couldn’t even close my eyes for a second!” She complained in a playful voice.

“That must have been awful! I apologize if I’m asking too much, but have you seen my mother recently?”

“Stop calling me like that!” She says in a disappointed voice. ”There might be a chance that I met with her but if you want me to remember where, you should try calling me Yume!”

“I’ll find her myself then! Thank you for your help!”

“Are you ironic?”

“As always! I never change my old habits.”

Yume points at a door with the number 43 on it.

“I won’t leave this world until you will call me only by my name!”

"Then I am more than happy to announce to you that you've become immortal! Have a wonderful day!” Kibo bows and goes after her mom.

Yume whispers for herself: “She even looks like you, Ichiro! Both of you have such a bright aura, but lifeless eyes. May you look well after your poor little sister!”

*knock*

*knock*

*knock*

“Come in!”

She enters the room and finds her mother lying on a chair. She was holding her head in her palms. She had a horrible headache for sure.

“Mom, let me help you stand up!”

“Don’t call me like that! It makes me feel old!”

The daughter smiles in a sweet way.

“You look even younger than me! Don’t worry!”

The woman looks at her girl with tears in her eyes.

“Stop lying! I know the age got to me!” She says while trying to walk straight.

Her wrinkles and scars were visible to all, but no one could see her past. The last five and a half years left their mark on both her and Kibo. Neither of them appeared to be their actual age. Even though she looked much older, Kibo considered her lovely and admired her.

“Let’s go! The driver is waiting for us outside!”

She helped her mother make it to the car and brought her home without any problems.

The female seemed upset by something, but she didn't seem ready to talk about it. She receives a pill for the headache and a glass of water.

“I never said that my head hurts!” The woman looks surprised and confused at the same time.

“In the past, I used to drink until I passed out, so I know the symptoms! Also, your forehead looks tensed so I’m pretty sure I’m right.” The girl shows a sincere smile.

She used to drink until she passed out? What kind of parent would let his daughter do that? Not a mother that cared enough about his child, that's for sure. The woman starts sobbing.

“I will let you rest!”

As the girl wants to leave the bedroom, the mother’s words stop her.

“I don’t deserve you…*sob* You always look after me! *sob* Sometimes I wonder who the real parent is between us...” Her voice starts to crack.

“You’re drunk…Please stop talking nonsense! Rest a little, ok?” She tried her best to hold her tears.

“I reported your father for what he has done to our family!” She screamed from the bottom of her lungs with a cracked voice.

“That’s enough, mom… Please go to sleep!” She was shaking, but she kept her voice calm.

The woman took her daughter's hand in hers.

“They wanted to release him after some time because someone offered to pay a lot of money... it was one of his good friends! I made sure he will never know how freedom feels like ever again in this lifetime! We are not in danger anymore!”

She loved her husband dearly. She loved him even when he abused her. She would overlook his flaws every time. After they lost their son, she knew that the man was destroyed. That’s why he started taking drugs, and because of that, she believed that he had a good reason for all.

It took her several restless nights before she decided to go to the police station. When the monster strangled Kibo, she was afraid. What if, in the end, she would have found herself alone in this desolate world?

“I pray that the day you will consider to forgive me will come before I’ll be resting in a coffin!” She whispered loud enough for the daughter to hear.

Without any hesitation, Kibo goes for a big hug.

“I forgave both of us since the first day of hell! You saved me that day… if it weren’t for you, the neighbors wouldn’t have made it in time!” This time she tried to be strong. She didn’t let her tears flow so that she could become a better comfort for her mother.

This felt nice. The woman caressed Kibo’s blue hair.

“That day wasn’t supposed to happen! We shouldn’t have to become like this from the start! I’ve let you down so many times… I’m very sorry! But I see that God protected took good care of you!”

“Mom, I know no God in this world! I don’t believe in religion, but I trust the universe and myself! Everyone has a fate and a purpose in life!”

“I’m sorry! I will never mention something about religion again!” She tried to close the subject.

The girl sighed.

“Mom even if you won’t remember this conversation when you sober up, I want you to know that I never blamed you or father! I only blamed myself! But I stopped a long time ago from feeling guilty!” She pulled back from the hug to make eye contact with her mother.

“I will do my best to remember everything, my dear!”

“You should rest now! Please take care of your health!”

“Yes, I will!”

Before the girl closed the door behind her she adds a few more words.

“Mom!”

“Yes?”

She couldn’t look at her dull eyes.

“I know I usually don’t tell you this, but I love you!”