Hiroka Miyamoto—Haru's mother

Part 1

On-the-way cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. The spring breeze was soothing and relaxing. This was indeed perfect weather for dates and trips. But Haru could care less as long as it wasn't bothersome.

He had to cross a bridge to get to the main road. Then he would wait for the light and cross at the crosswalk.

A further ten-minute stroll took him to his destination: his home.

Click.

“I’m home.”

“Haru-chan!”

A woman emerging from the hallway wrapped her arms around Haru’s neck tightly—as if it was the most natural thing to do.

“Oaa…”

“What took you so long?! I’m starving!” There was an impish flair to her voice. But she seriously must have not eaten anything since morning as she really looked like she was starving. Because Haru had woken up late, he told her to buy some prepared grocery food. But this lady was beyond hopeless…

“Hey! Didn’t I tell you not to hug me like this?! I’m not a kid anymore! Also, don’t call me Haru-chan!”

The woman had a pretty average build. Nothing particular was worth mentioning about her except her balloon-like breasts stuck out—which were now pressing hard against Haru's back. Also, her face was childishly cute. Like she was a middle schooler.

“But Haru-chan, children are always kids to their mama no matter how old they become.”

“That makes…no sense.”

With some struggle, he wriggled free from her grip.

“Tsk. You’re no fun,” she said in a playful tone of voice.

“I’m not a toy.”

As unbelievable as it may be, this cute, clingy, and sexy woman was Haru’s mother. It would be believable if he said she was her older sister.

He went to his room to change his uniform. When he was done, he put on a white apron, heading to the kitchen.

Since his mother didn’t know how to cook, he had to take care of it. Actually, she knew how to cook. But a wise man would rather not risk tasting her cooking. Not unless he had a death wish or something.

Equipping a knife in his hand, Haru cut vegetables and meat at a rapid speed. As if letting out some sort of frustration.

A moment later, the room was filled with a pleasant aroma of curry and fluffy rice.

“Sniff, sniff. I never get bored of this old smell of curry.”

Haru Miyamoto served the food on the kotatsu table in the living room.

“Thanks for the food! You’re not eating, Haru-chan?”

“I’m not hungry yet.”

“Munch, munch.”

As she chewed her rice, Hiroka Miyamoto read the “disturbed” look on her son’s face like a book.

“Haru-chan, what’s the matter? You look worried today.”

“…”

“Come on, I’m talking to you!”

“Don’t talk with food in your mouth!”

Gulping the rice in her mouth, she continued.

“So?”

“It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

“But something is troubling you, mama can tell.”

Haru stared at the floor, hand on his chin, clearly letting her know he didn't want to tell her anything.

“Tell mama who hurt you.”

“Nobody did. I’m not a kid in preschool.”

His mother, however, didn’t seem to take his evasiveness seriously as she casually walked over to him and hugged him.

“?!!”

Haru was getting a little flustered now. When she was like that, he could not win against her. So he gave up, sighing heavily.

“Okay, I'll tell you but let me go.”

She released him, and Haru narrated to her what had happened today in school…

“Hmm, that certainly sounds like trouble. So try to talk with her tomorrow, okay?” Miyamoto-san advised.

“Yeah, I will.”

“By the way, weren’t you asked out by another girl at the graduation ceremony?”

“…How did you know?!”

“I heard she’s very pretty and has a model-like face.”

“Yeah, but I turned her down.”

“Ehh? Again?!”

“…”

“Slurp. So what was wrong this time?”

“She lacked intelligence.”

"Explain."

After a short silence, Haru spoke:

“She said she liked everything about me. Doesn’t that sound like an overused lie? When someone says that, it means either they know nothing about you, or they’re not looking at your bad sides. In other words, they are not accepting them.”

Every person has some good and bad things about them. Accepting them as an individual means liking what's good about them and disliking what's bad about them. And loving them means not getting bothered by those flaws and shortcomings.

Hearing that, Miyamoto-san was in deep thought. She looked wise all of a sudden. Flashbacks from her youth ran through her mind. In this regard, she was very much like Haru.

When Haru’s father had told her that he loved her, she also asked him the same question: What is it that you like about me?

And her response would’ve depended on his answer.

Just how much did one need to be mature to be able to ask such a question…? To be able to think with such logic and rationality.

Part 2

He focused his concentration outside the window. Raindrops dripped noisily. For a flicker of a moment, a sparrow sat on the window sill, then fluttered away. A few people with umbrellas passed by the school gate.

When Haru turned to look around the classroom, the girls averted their gazes right away. It was pretty obvious they had been staring at him.

He wished he could just become a normal boy, and he wouldn’t be a constant target of girls’ stares. It must have been his hair’s fault!

Haru returned his gaze to the outside scenery, holding his chin with his hand.

“Haru-kun.”

A girl’s voice called him, but he didn't deem it necessary to either respond to or look at her.

“Can you see me after school?”

Haru thought it’d be another confession. He now blew his fuse.

“I don’t want to talk to you!”

He began the sentence while looking outside and finished it after turning his face to see the speaker.

“Uh…”

His anger completely disappeared, and his expression became like that of a "trying hard to be a good big brother" siscon who unintentionally hurt his little sister.

The one who had stricken a conversation with Haru was a short girl, whose yellow-brownish hair was tied in twintails. Her name was Yuki Yukimura. She was Haru’s second friend. (He had just two friends: Hiroshi and Yuki.)

Yuki was surprised at his unusually angry tone of voice. It wasn’t often that Haru got pissed off.

Before a correction or apology could emerge from his mouth, he heard a shout.

“Hey, bastard!”

Tomiko Yoshida, the famous ex-delinquent, who was sitting on a desk cross-legged, got up and went near Yuki.

“How could you say that to her, hah?! You got a death wish or something, hah?!”

If Yoshida had a cigarette in her mouth, along with her long blonde hair, fierce look, and calm expression, she would perfectly fit the picture of some yakuza member.

But Haru had no time for even paying any attention to her.

“Yuki-chan, I didn’t mean to say it to you!” He apologized worriedly.

“I thought it was just another annoying girl.”

“It’s okay, Haru-kun,” Yuki said with her usual nonchalant face. It didn’t seem she was offended by Haru’s action.

“There was something I wanted to give you, but if you don't want to wait for me after school, that's fine.”

Yuki was getting fierce glares from her female classmates for some reason.

But Haru failed to notice them. Right now, he was dealing with the guilt of rudely speaking to his only female friend, Yuki.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you after school.”

He smiled at her.

For some reason again, the glares of the girls became stronger.

This time Yuki felt a chill—like some scary dark forces had her name on their to-kill lists.

Sakura Minami was absent that day. Haru noticed various strange feelings had permanently settled in his heart.

After school ended, Haru changed his shoes and headed for the cherry blossom tree in the schoolyard. That tree probably held bittersweet memories of all the people who had graduated from this academy.

The rain had long stopped, and the ground had already started drying.

Haru then saw a running Yuki coming toward him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Haru-kun.”

She was out of breath.

"So, what did you want to give me?"

Anyone looking at the two from a distance would think it was going to be a confession. Or at the very least, an indirect one.

Haru had known Yuki since middle school. It would be super awkward (for both him and Hiroshi) if she suddenly decided to declare her crush on Haru.

But since her face was normal (she wasn’t blushing or anything), he believed, or rather hoped, it wouldn’t be anything of that sort. But again, knowing Yuki, there was nothing to worry about to begin with.

“Here.”

She handed him a paper bag—the kind you get after buying clothes from a mall.

“What's this?”

“Cookies. It’s thanks for that day.”

“That day? Oh, you mean when I covered your shift.”

“You really saved me there.” The short girl gave him a cute eye smile.

“You could've given this to me at work today."

Although there was absolutely no need for her to give him this in the first place. Haru didn’t do anything special to deserve this reward.

But he couldn’t say it to her.

"Actually, I wanted to give it to you in the classroom, but I was scared."

"Scared?"

"You know, how the girls glare at you. I felt like if I handed this to you in front of them, I was gonna become their enemy. Something like that."

"Ah, I understand what you mean." Haru gave her a sympathetic smile.

He had heard about this from Hiroshi once…

There was a club in the school called “Haru’s Fan Club,” and almost all the girls were members. When he had asked Hiroshi what the girls did in that club, Hiroshi creepily replied they worshiped Haru there and performed strange rituals with his pictures.

Just trying to imagine that made him freaked out.

Switching to his normal expression, Haru went on. "Yuki-chan, I'm really sorry about what I told you ear—"

“Don’t sweat it. I know you’re not the type to say things like that.”

Yuki had already noticed the troubled look about him today.

“If something is bothering you, you can always talk to me."

“Yeah, I will.”

Without anybody’s concern or worry, the rain started again—too suddenly and too heavily.

It sure was raining a lot today. Had the weather forecast mentioned something the previous night? Though that certainly did not matter as the forecasts were almost never accurate.

But a bigger concern right now was Haru had forgotten to bring his umbrella. He certainly did not expect it’d rain so heavily when the morning sky was as clear as a road at 5 a.m.

The cherry blossom tree mostly protected shade-seekers from the rain. He could wait until it stopped. Or he always had the option to run soaked.

Yuk took out a magenta umbrella from her bag.

“Haru-kun, do you have an umbrella with you?”

“No, I didn’t bring mine.”

“You can have mine then. I’ll share with Hiro-kun.”

“Eh? You sure about it?”

“One umbrella is enough for two people.”

That was a good point.

“Thank you, then.”

Hiroshi walked over to them, holding his blue umbrella on top of his head.

“See you tomorrow then, Haru-kun.”

“See you, Haru.”

“Yeah, see you guys tomorrow…”

Hiroshi and Yuki went off ahead.

From the surface, the two looked like a perfect couple. Like sharing one umbrella was very comfortable for them. The next weather forecast would probably be more believable than “the two were just friends.”

Then again, everyone had their own circumstances.

Part 3

As the rain persisted, umbrella-less students and part-time employees were forced to take shelter in front of shops and residential buildings. It sure was raining cats and dogs.

When Haru left the main road behind, without any warning, the rain slowed down tremendously.

He stopped at a convenience store and purchased two packs of instant ramen.

And by the time he came to the entrance of his house, there wasn’t a single drop of water pouring from the sky.

How strange.

Haru clicked open the door and entered.

“Welcome back, Haru-chan!”

“Hm.” There was a great deal of nonchalance in his voice.

Miyamoto-san was about to tell him he should say “I’m home” when he comes home, but she let it slide this time after seeing him worried. On top of that, Haru brought instant ramen, which meant he wouldn’t cook today. Something must have happened at school.

“Haru-chan, what’s wrong? You look bothered.”

“Rain. It’s the eighth biggest wonder of the world. It suddenly starts, then it suddenly stops. It follows no law or pattern. Such an unmathematical thing is always a bother.”

A few question marks popped up over Miyamoto-san's head. She had no idea what Haru was talking about.

Haru put Yuki’s magenta umbrella on the umbrella stand near the door, threw the cups of ramen onto the kotatsu in the living room, went upstairs to his room, changed his uniform, and lay on the ground, supporting his head with his palms.

Haru’s room was spacious. But it wasn’t because he didn’t have much furniture. He had all the necessary household items—a table, a chair, a bookshelf, a wardrobe, an only-used-in-summer air conditioner, and a bed.

It was still spacious. Like he could invite fifteen friends for a party and they could all comfortably fit in. Though unfortunately—or perhahs, fortunately for him—he didn’t have that many friends, despite being one of the most popular students in his school.

“Haru-chan, I’m coming in.”

The door clicked open.

“Why are you sulking like that? Weren’t you able to talk to her?”

Haru rose up to sit cross-legged on the floor. “She didn’t come to school today.”

"Oh…”

“She must hate me, right?”

“Why would she hate you? You did nothing wrong, did you?”

“Nowadays, you don’t need to do something objectively wrong to be hated. People hate you if it suits their tastes.”

“Haru-chan, you’re unusually interested in her, aren’t you? I mean, this is a first.

“Do you like her?”

“Wha—”

He turned slightly red.

“You can be honest with mama, right? But before that, you need to be honest with yourself.”

“Even if you say that… I… I don’t know about it myself.”

“I see. That’s a fair response. Then you just need to find it out.”

“Eh? Why bother? I’m not an irrational person, so there’s no way I’d feel such nonsensical emotions.”

“Haru-chan, do you think love is irrational and nonsensical?”

He turned red again.

Of course, he didn’t think that. He knew how much love was important, and people without it can’t emotionally survive.

His mother really knew how to get on his nerves or make him flustered like that.

“Aww you’re blushing, so cute!”

“Sh-shut up!”

“By the way, what’s her name?” She sounded oddly curious.

“Who’s name?”

“Your crush’s.”

“Who are you calling my crush?” Haru shot his mom a death glare.

“But you like her, no?” teased Miyamoto-san.

“Uh, it’s just that I think of her as a human being.”

“…You make it sound like you never thought of girls as human beings before.”

“Yeah, I didn’t”

“…”

After chatting for a couple of minutes, Haru told her the name of the classmate who he was interested in.

“You mean the Minami that recently moved to our block?”

“You know her?” Haru’s face beamed with enthusiasm.

“Mmm.” She placed her index finger on her cheek, as if trying to remember something. “If I remember correctly, her daughter goes to your school, so yeah.”

“Uh, so… you’re acquainted with Minami-san’s mother?”

She nodded like a cute middle school girl.

“The other day we became friends after exchanging our favorite candies!”

“…”

Were they moms or… some preschool kids?

Miyamoto-san brought her palms together.

“That’s right! Why don’t we visit their house?”

"Huh? Now?”

She nodded.

Although Haru was little interested in Sakura’s private life, this could be an opportunity to talk to her. But was it all right to visit someone’s house unannounced? Especially, a girl’s? He wouldn’t really know that. The only people’s houses he had ever visited were Haru’s and Yuki’s. And both of them were… weirdos.

But since his mom was strongly confident, he didn’t give it a second thought.

“Why did you buy instant ramen though? You know I don’t like them.”

“Do you like anything other than curry?”

“I love rice balls too.”

“Just make some then. I already taught you how to do it.”

“But the triangular shape just doesn’t come when I do it. What magic do you use, Haru-chan?”

“I can’t believe you can’t do such a simple task as making rice balls.”