Chapter 10 [One More Chance]

With Lina in my arm, I descend the stair to the living room. The living room looks pretty much like my living room except for the different type of sofa and table, also the huge amount of glass figurines in the cabinet that Lina mom has collected over the year by attending the flee market.

There are also a lot of pictures of Lina family hanging around, well what do I expect it is their home, of course, they hang the family picture, it would weird if they hang some unknown family picture.

As we passed the living room and enter the kitchen, the smell of delicious food being cook lingers in the air. 

"Pfffttt I see my daughter found a ride" Lina mom jest while hiding a chuckle, I smile in response.

"Mom!!" Lina flustered and she begins to wiggle her body wanting to get out, I slowly bring her down to her feet so she can stand on her own.

"The food smells delicious, Aunt Mary," I said while sniffing the smell that lingers in the air.

"It just porridge, I wanted to cook something solid but I'm afraid you will have a hard time digesting it," Aunty Mary said, while she places the bowl down on the table.

Aunt Mary continues to serve the food on the table, I went to one of the chair and Lina went to her chair. Lina mom serves me a large serving of porridge after I sit then she serve another for Lina. After that Lina mom takes her own seat, Lina and her mom begins to stare at me as I grab a spoon on the table.

"What wrong?" I ask.

"We just wondering if the food tastes good for you?" Aunt Mary says and Lina nod, There a smile accompanied with that stare, a smile of worried.

I take a spoon and scoop the porridge then bring it forward into my mouth, as I chewing the food I was surprised. There was no taste, something is wrong, I take another spoonful of porridge and begins chewing it. I know it is porridge, it basically waters with rice but there should be something to taste.

"Can I have something to drink?" I asked, Lina mom then pours an orange juice from the jug into the glasses and place in front of me. I grab the glass of orange juice and begins drinking it slowly, as I was expected, I can't taste anything.

Lina and her mom both look at me with worry in their eyes and a smile on their face to comfort me, "It tastes great. Can I have some more?" I Lied.

I can see the worries in their eyes begins to disappear. it just a taste sense, there nothing worried about. I don't want to worry them any more than I already have.

After they heard my answer both of Lina and her mom's face relax. They both continue to eat their porridge, Lina moans in pleasure as she bites in her spoonful of porridge, "your the best mom, I don't know how you did it" Lina said after swallowing her food.

"You maybe have a superpower but I have Mom power" Aunt Mary say while slightly flex her arm.

"Haru has I told you a story how I met Lina father," Aunt Mary said, I lifted my head up.

"you have!! Like a thousand time, Mom!!" Lina grunt.

"well, i"m still gonna tell," Aunt Mary said.

"It was the middle of my second semester at the university I used to go. I and my friend were going out that night to get celebrate one of my girls birthdays." Aunt Mary said.

"I party so hard that night, long story short I was drunk when I parted way with my other friend. I was alone walking down a dark alley" Aunt mary continue.

"When a group of three men surrounds me, they wanted to do bad things to me but I was saved by a man in tight suit costume. let me remind you that I was drunk at that time, so I kind of panic and punch the superhero in his face" Aunt Mary said, there a wistful smile on her face.

"Afterward, I fainted and the next morning I wake up in my bedroom with the Superhero seating next to me, I was flustered and trying to get up but I kind of slip and accidentally grab the superhero mask off. That how I know the superhero secret identity," Aunt Mary said.

"I was shocked to learn that the superhero identity was one of my classmate from biology class. I quickly apologize for revealing his identity and treat him to a coffee. Afterward, it was easy, I fell in love with the superhero and we ended marry and I give birth to this rascal beside you" Aunt Mary said.

I look at Lina a smile plastered on her face. After what had happened, somehow I felt like I was home again, uncle is it alright for me to be this happy after what had happened to you?

As I was thinking, at the corner of my eyes, I see him again at one of the glass reflection. His pure hatred smile and anger staring back at me watching me, I shake my thought and look again, I found nothing.

After we finish our food, Lina mom brought me into a closet and ask me to help grab a box off the top shelves. I bring the box down, Aunt Mary opens it and reveals its content; I look at the box full of cloth.

"This is Lina father cloth you can have it," Aunt Mary said, she smiling but there a few drops of a tear in her eyes. It must be painful opening old memories.

"Are you sure, Aunt Mary?" I ask.

"I don't want it to go to waste beside if he was here he would give this cloth to you himself," Aunt Mary said, "excuse me, I need a moment alone," Aunt Mary said and leave me with the box.

I look at Aunt Mary leaving the room after she leaves I look back at the box. I take out a few clothing that caught my eyes, and I ended up with a green bomber jacket, a black shirt, black jeans and pair of canvas shoes.

I grab the cloth, heading to the bathroom, entering it and locking the door behind me. I take off the bandage; begins to clean the dirt and ash off my body using the shower. The wall I put up to hide my sadness and anger crumble as the water mixing with my tears flow down my body.

How could I not cry, I just lost everything today but I felt guilty because I gain something else, love and happiness. I shouldn't be feeling all that but I felt it tonight.

Please just a few moments longer.

I don't know how long I was in there but it was long enough to change my skin into a prune.  Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I can see a scar shaped like a circle in my neck where the bullet went through then I see scar on my shoulder, I turn my body trying to see my back in the mirror, I see it now the burn mark covering my entire back, I should have die. Am I being punished or there something else? I sigh then looking at the stack the cloth I take earlier.

I grab Lina late father cloth that aunt Mary gave and wear them, it a little big but it good enough until I buy new cloth.

I exited the bathroom and Lina was leaning on the side waiting for me. She looked clean, she must have used another bathroom in the house.

"Are you okay? Haru, you been in there for a quite while." Lina said, worry in her eyes.

"I'm okay," I said, but Lina's face begin to become worried but she just accepts my answer.

"Hey, let play a video game just like we used too" Lina grab my arm and drag me to her room.

Inside her room,

She let go of my arm and went to an old tv she has in her room she begins plugging it then begins to plug in the old console on top of the tv, she then power on both of the machine and the logo of the console appear on the screen accompanied by its signature sound.

Lina then begins to search through her old video game CD. As she was searching I look around her room, no matter how many time have I seen it, there always new stuff here.

I walk to the table facing the window, I can where was used to be my home. I take breathe calming me down and I notice a pamphlet on the floor beside it.

The pamphlet was about art course in university, I look at the price, it is very expensive to get in. I place down the pamphlet and notice her drawing book.

Grabbing the notebook and look at the new drawing of me, me taking shelter with her from the rain, this was earlier today.

Then I heard a loud menu music playing, I look back and smile as I saw Lina smirking face. It fighter fighting champion the game, we used to play and the game I always win.

"Care for a fight?" She said, holding the controller toward me with a grin on her face.

"Ohh you dare me?", I said, walking near the controller and grabbing it, I take a seat next to Lina on the floor and we both lean on the side of the bed.

I pick my character the shinobi girl with fast lighting attack but low damage meanwhile Lina pick the cute brute with strong damage attack but slow attack.

"Ready, Fight" 

I quickly barrage Lina character with an attack, Lina quickly holds the block button as I was doing my combo.

"I saw the pamphlet on the table, so when you gonna tell me that you are planning to attend art course at university," I ask, Lina counter my attack as cause huge damage on my character, I slowly chip away Lina character health.

"I didn't tell you because I'm not going," Lina said, as Lina charging her power meter, I take that chance to do a combo which wins me the first round. Lina grunt as her character loses the first round.

"Ready, fight"

Lina quickly does a power move which immobilizes my character, then she takes the chance to keep hitting me dealing massive damage.

"Why not?" I ask I dint have a chance to counter her attack, so she pummels my character to death, I lose the second round.

"Well mainly, mom doesn't have enough money to sent me and she already working hard as she can to pay the bill," Lina said her mouth pouting.

"Ready, fight"

"That's a bummer," I said, I quickly use a cheat move set that impossible to block, I keep barraging the same move until I win the third round.

"Hey!! Stop cheating" Lina said, and gently jab my shoulder.

"Ok ok ok," I said, with a grin on my face.

"Ready, fight"

Lina also copies my move by smashing the same attack causing my character to lose, I raise my left eyebrow as I look at Lina.

"What, now it fair," Lina said looking at me smirking.

"Ok, no more cheat move, we fight fair this round," I said.

"Ready, fight"

As the round begins I begin my assault but Lina quickly block it, it went for a few minutes of blocking and attacking as time went by, our character down to the last percentage of health.

I look at Lina frustrated and happy face, I felt like there was no problem in the world as I spend time with Lina, now I realize Lina was the one holding me here, I felt serene when I with Lina.

But I'm scared that when she found out what inside of me, will she get scared, will she leave me. No, I will make it work I can control it for her because...

"I love you," I said aloud.

"Round end, Lina wins!!!" 

"W..hat..what.," Lina says flustered, her cheeks turn into bright red. I smile as I look at her then I lean on her shoulder.

"I love you too" Lina whispered, I smile as I heard it.