Chapter 7

It was 18th of July, mid-summer, and today was the day Hana and her mom visited her Grandmother’s grave every three years. Hana put on her white dress with a brown summer straw hat. “Hana, darling it’s time to go”, her mom called out

“Coming, mom”

When she went down her mother looked at her and smiled, “You look beautiful dear”, she gave a disappointed look, “Though your Dad won’t be accompanying us”

“Mom, we don’t need that guy”

“Hon, never call him that guy he is the one who gave you your life”

“Then why is he trying to ruin it?”

Hana’s mom said nothing

“Let’s go mom”, Hana pulled her hand trying to cheer her up, “Mom, you look beautiful in that blue dress”

The grave was an hour drive from Hana’s place. She paid her condolences to her grandmother and prayed to her. After the ceremony, her mom went down to the temple to donate while Hana strolled around the cemetery. She liked to think that the people out there had found peace. At the far end of the cemetery, she found Ken and Kai in front of a grave praying. She quickly hid herself and looked at them. She was absent-mindedly thinking whose grave were they visiting when she felt a light tap on her shoulder

“So, Miss Sobs-a-lot, who’s the lucky guy?”, Kai had come up to her and she hadn’t even noticed

“Huh, ah Mizuki Kun, hello”

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

“What?”

“Who are you looking at, me or Ken? or were you stalking us?” Kai said fearfully

“It’s nothing like that. I’ve come to visit my Grandmother’s grave”

“Oh, I see”

“Uh, whose grave are you visiting?”

“Mr Fudo Takanori’s”

“By that do you mean...”

“Yeah, Ken’s father, today’s Mr Takanori’s 4th death anniversary”

“Oh...”, she had no words

“Ken and his dad were very close, they were literally like best friends. So, he comes here every year on this day to visit him. I was close to his Dad and so I tag along”

“...”

“Right now, he is telling his Dad everything that has happened this past year, he needs privacy and so I let him be on his own”

“How did he...”

“Fate is a funny thing, four years ago a healthy and fit Mr Takanori went to bed one night only to never wake up again”, Kai’s mouth was almost full, “Doctors called it an ill-timed heart attack but people said that he was in peace”

“Must have been hard for him”

“Maybe, maybe not. He didn’t shed a single tear, heck not even during the cremation ceremony. I guess his mother cried his part too. When people showed him there concern telling him it was fine to cry that he didn’t need to bottle up his feelings, he politely said,”

‘My Dad left me with nothing but good memories. So, what do I have to regret that I’ve to cry? And I’m pretty sure right now he is proud of me for staying strong in this difficult time’.

“Only I knew how hurt he was”

Hana said nothing she was speechless.

“I’ve to go now, he’s almost done”

Saying that Kai left her behind. Once again, she was left alone with her thoughts. She kept thinking how much sadness Ken must have swallowed to show the world that even though his Dad’s time on this earth was a short one but it was a fulfilling one. She imagined him crying alone in a room assuring himself everything will be all right. Suddenly she realized that she had been taking her mother for granted. She told her mom, “Mom, I love you. I’ll always be there for you”, Once they reached home. She embraced her mother warmly, her mother too was taken by surprise.

Ken had unknowingly given her an important lesson and she thanked him in her heart.