Inertia.

Ayane felt her body's inertia take action as Kanako pressed hard on the breaks. She quickly created distance among themselves as she saw a lady, who was on her mid forties, standing by with an open umbrella. She had a few wrinkles under her eyes, and sleek hair that matched Kanako's. She was waiting impatiently, looking both sides of the road.

"Is she Kanako's mother?", her heart raced at the thought. Her first impressions on her must be good. She was panicking, though she didn't know if she could hide it or not. She looked down, trying to avoid eye contact with her. She might be uncomfortable seeing her son with a girl who is sitting this close.

Ayane noticed her panicking calmed down, she probably have seen them coming to the house. But she went through what could be said a few stages of emotions— worry, relief, confusion, anxiety... and acceptance? Her emotions were hard to read. She looked like she gave up on reason, a reason for a opposite gender sitting on the back of his bicycle, who was coming to their house.

She sighed and placed her hands on her waist. Ayane looked at Kanako, trying to read his expression. He was smiling nervously. Her mother had a passive aggressive look on her face, that didn't quite seem that they were going to have a positive interaction.

Kanako rang the bell at last before pressing on the breaks. His mother rushed him and Ayane, placing the umbrella on top of both of them. She was panicking at the new face.

"Hurry up! Get inside!", she said with care, but her attention was only to Ayane for some reason. "And Kanako, park your cycle in the garage.", her voice was mature, womanly and affectionate. Both of them were soaking wet. Not a single fabric of their clothes were dry.

She rushed inside with Ayane and quickly placed the warm towel on her wet, golden hair, rubbing her hair with care. "This wouldn't do! Ayane-chan, go to the washroom and take a shower or you will catch a cold. The hot water is prepared!", she said anxiously. But Ayane was more concerned about the other thing.

"Umm...", Ayane was confused. She didn't know what to call Kanako's mom.

"Just call me mother if you like.", she smiled, and her voice was calm.

"Okay... mother, how did you know my name?", she asked. She was embarrassed calling someone else 'mother'.

She laughed. "I guessed right then! You were the child actor, right? So you were also the girl my son took care of.", she smiled, her positive energy was no less than Kanako. "Now now, I will say the details of the story later, not get inside the bath! I will prepare some clothes for you.", she leaded her and pushed her inside the bathroom.

"O-okay...", she looked at his mother, as she waved and closed the bathroom door shut. She was now alone inside, in a new place.