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Mom... Dad....

( Akashi wakes up from the same dream again. It was 6 o'clock in the morning.)

Again... huh?

When will I stop getting that same dream?

( When his mother was still alive Akashi never had to wake up from this painful dreams. After losing his mother, even though he acts tough, he was still a twelve year old kid.)

After getting up from bed...

The house where I currently live near the shonen station, Saitama, is bigger for a twelve year old kid like me. It has a hall, a kitchen, a bedroom and a floor with a single room where I used to sleep. It is much costlier and its owners live in Tokyo. It is also faraway from the school I am going to attend.

After washing up, I have to go to Nakamura-san's house. His house is opposite mine. He has a five year old daughter called Mayoi. I usually play with her when I visit their home.The restaurant he has is also named after her - M.N (Mayoi Nakamura).

The M.N Restaurant is located in between my school and the Omiya station . The house which Nakamura-san described is nearby to my school and has low rent. So, it will get easier for me if I live their.

He said that after work he would take me to his friend to show the house.

( After 3 p.m, Along with Joichiro, Akashi went to see the house in a cab.)

Even though that annoying girl ( Saki-san) didn't show up, today was really tiring. I think she has University classes in the morning. She may probably come to work in the evening.

But for the next month, I have to work here overtime to save up as much as I could. It will be really tiresome.

( The cab stopped near a house. It was a very big house. It was the house of Joichiro's friend Yuusuke Uchiyama.)

'Well, he is rich. Right? Kazami-kun.'

'Yeah'

It was really big. There were many houses in that colony. I think most of them belonged to Uchiyama-san.

We went near the gate of that big house and rang the bell. As soon as the bell rung, the gate of that house opened. A tall man in suits same as the age of Nakamura-san showed up. He welcomed us inside.

'Oh! Joichiro, I was waiting for you. I thought you would show up early. Aren't you pretty late? '

'Sorry, I was a little busy at the restaurant. Well, it's not like you will run away somewhere right? ha..ha..ha.'

'Yeah, you're right. hee-hee.'

Even though he was frigging rich, Uchiyama-san didn't show a single shred of pride. He was very humble, but looked strict.

'Bro, this is that child that I told you about. He wants the house you mentioned.'

Uchiyama-san looked my way. I greeted him. 'Good evening, Sir. My name is Akashi Kazami.'

It looked like he knew about my situation. Since it was a matter of renting house, I think Nakamura-san must have explained him.

'Good evening son. So, you are Kazami-kun. It's nice to meet you. Joichiro used to mention and praise about you whenever he met me. Come lets go to see the house.'

He showed the house down the street. It was a small one-storey house. It seemed that the ground floor was occupied. He showed the first foor.

Uchiyama-san said 'Sorry, Kazami-kun. I wanted to give you the ground floor. But yesterday, when I was away for a Business trip, a friend of my wife asked her a small house for rent for her daughter. Since, I didn't mention about you to my wife, she gave the ground floor house away to them. If you would like I can give you this one, in the top. I will decrease the rate as compensation.'

'But, Yuusuke.. ' Nakamura-san looked a bit angry as he was saying.

'It's okay, uncle. I will take the one on first floor.' I interrupted, since that house looked clean and also it became cheaper.

'If you are okay with it then you can move here tomorrow. I will ask someone to clean it up today.'

'Okay, uncle.'

( After seeing the house Akashi returned home by train, as Joichiro still had work to do at his restaurant. Whwn he reached home, he observed that the door of the house wasn't locked. As soon as he opened the door he saw Ayami sitting on a chair waiting for him. Shinozaki's had a spare key of Akashi's house.)

( Akashi didn't say anything to Ayami or her mother about his job and moving to new house. Because he knew that, if he were to say anything to them, they won't allow him to go.)

'Hi, Ayami. Sorry for yesterday, I left suddenly from the party.'

'Akki, Where were you today?' Ayami asked angrily.

Ah! It seems that she heard something about my job.

'Akki, answer me. I heard something about you doing a job and moving out from here.' she insisted.

'Where did you here that from?' I asked.

'This morning I came to your house. But you were not home. I thought you went to the library. But in the afternoon Mayoi-chan came to play at our home with her mother. While playing, mother asked me whether you have returned or not. But then Mayoi-chan suddenly mentioned that you and her father went out together. As soon as mother heard her, she asked Nakamura-san ( Wife of Joichro ) about it. At first, she didn't want to say anything. Then she gave in and said that, five days ago, you came to their home and asked Uncle for a job. And today you were going to find a place near the school. Akki, Is that really true?'

'Yes. its true. I am going to move out from here tomorrow morning. I wanted to say that to you and Misa-san last night, but I didn't get the chance.'

'So, you are really moving? You know how I will feel, If I heard you moving out, right? Just like how Dad ignores me, you too ignored me,huh?'

'Hey, I know I was wrong, but..'

I know that what I did was wrong. For the last four years, they took good care of me. But I didn't inform them anything. I felt guilty. But if I had informed them then, they would have prevented me.

'You are just like my dad. Dad, didn't even know that yesterday was my birthday. How can he be so cruel to me? Why does he ignore me?Waa....waaah!'

sob.. sob...

'Ah! Ayami don't cry. did you get the teddy bear last night?'

Sob... sob...

'What are talking about?' sob..sob..

'The one your father gave you.'

'I didn't receive anything from him. But mother gave me a teddy bear this morning. She said she brought it for me. What will my father give me when he doesn't even remember my birthday?'

sob..sob..

'Ayami don't cry. It was originally bought by your father. I think he asked Misa-san to give you rather than he himself giving.'

( she slowly stops crying.. )

'What? Is it true? Are you saying that Dad remembered my birthday?'

'Yes, you're right!' I replied her.

I think Ayami didn't know why her father changed.

Four years ago when we came to this house, the Shinozaki's were our new neighbors. Both Misa-san and Hatori Shinozaki-san helped us a lot, since they knew that my father died. Hatori-san was a kind man. He was a wonderful doctor. He worked in a very famous hospital.

But three years ago. He suddenly changed. He became a cruel, drunkard. I thought he was showing his true colors. But one night, I heard mom and Misa-san talking. It seemed that a very important patient died while doing operation. Hatori-san was one of the doctors who was involved in that operation. It was due to an accident as the materials used were expired. But the head surgeon and the hospital placed the blame on Hatori-san. Due to which he lost the job. He went to search for employment but it ended up in waste. His medical license was revoked. He couldn't bear the injustice they did to him. He wanted to escape reality by drinking.

He scolded his wife ( Misa-san) for every single mistake because he didn't want her to suffer the same fate. He ignored Ayami because he couldn't bear to scold her. He was being overprotective towards them. That's why he doesn't allow me to come to his house.

Well for present, they are not in a bad position, because Misa-san is a teacher at nearby nursery school. But still I don't want to burden her.

After a while, as I was comforting Ayami, Misa-san came to my home. She was very angry at me. She scolded me not to work. She asked me to live in her house. But as I insisted her to allow me to work and move to other house, She gave in. She hugged me and said

'Akashi-kun I know that I can't take your mom's place. But as I see you determined to leave and lead your life independently, I fear of losing you. Your mother gave me support, while I was down. I also wanted to give you the same. But it also makes me happy as I imagine, how your mother would be happy, if she saw her son becoming independent.'

As She was saying, tears rolled down her eyes.

Next day....

at 9 o'clock

'Akki, this is it?'

'Yes, I have only this much. I gave the remaining to Misa-san, since I don't need so many things.'

Ayami indicated to the small luggage that I packed. I left most of the things that were not useful to me in their house. Nakamura-San called a small truck. After loading my things, we were going to my new house.

At the new house...

10 o'clock

After unloading the things, Misa-san and Ayami who came with me helped me in arranging the household appliances.

Misa-san asked 'Akashi, I am going pay the rent of the old house to your owner?'

'No need Misa-san. I remember Mom giving them money in advance. You just have to say to them that I have shifted.'

'Okay. What about this one?'

'I have paid them.'

( Misa was amazed at how orderly, Akashi became...)

At 3 o'clock

After finishing the arrangements and cooking a meal for me, Misa-san said that she would talk to Uchiyama-san first and then head home. After a while, I headed downstairs with Ayami to send Misa-san and Ayami to Omiya station. As we two were descending, a girl with similar appearance was standing at the gate.

She saw me and shouted 'Hey, Kid, What are you doing here?'

The girl was Ayano Saki-san.

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