WHAT A NICE HOME

I can't believe Hiroki had a brother, I always thought he was a loner, at least an only child, but I never thought he had any relatives close to him (and less with his rude attitude).

From his appearance he doesn't give me the impression that he's a prince and he looks younger, I guess he's Hiroki's younger brother, however, they don't look much alike, Hiroki has abundant and long reddish hair, almost the same color of fire or a sunset, deep black eyes and a defined face, but his "brother" has brown hair, greenish eyes and his face is younger. Instead, his appearance is somewhat attractive and cute, he looks more friendly than Hiroki really, since Hiroki just gets a bad face all the time and is always curt.

- I can't believe you're back... - he throws himself on Hiroki with a nostalgic hug that looks like it's been a long time since he had contact with him. I am speechless, I am surprised and perplexed without knowing what is happening, I open my eyes like a ball without saying anything at all.

- I told you I would come back," he smiles gently. In all the trip I've been with him, he has never smiled like that, his face changed completely to one of old memories.

- Aunt will be surprised to see you," he smiles to corroborate that he was not the only relative they had.

We followed the road to a very small village, where we crossed the river of clear water where the sun's rays reflected, the wild grass wrapped in the field, where the place looked quiet. The adults work without any rest and the children run through these fields, the truth I have never seen such a quiet village where it does not seem that they suffered from robberies or something like that, to see that this village exists makes me think that Momoyama must have been a very prosperous city, but.... Why no one remembers this place anymore, what happened in the war? I really don't understand much, my father never taught me that this town existed or exists.

Hiroki's brother comes to my side walking together, he looks at me very flirtatious.

- I see you brought a pretty girl," comments the brother with a playful wink referring to me as the "girl".

- I don't know what you see as pretty, you're blind," insults Hiroki, very abusive, "she's just annoying and spoiled," he continued with his rude and cold comments.

-... But how rude... - I mutter angrily. Hiroki's brother gives a little laugh - What's your name? - I ask him curious.

- My name is Akiyama Kimura, but you can call me Kim pretty girl - he says jokingly, Hiroki turns and glares at him strangely, a little jealous because as such we are still engaged, but not really in love.

We arrive at a very big house on the outside, it looks spacious and comfortable, a mansion apparently. At the entrance was a lady with a rather small-town look, she looks friendly, on the porch she sits quietly feeding the birds, Kimura calls her and extends his arm. The expression on her face is one of surprise, in her eyes... seeing Hiroki shone her gaze. She gets up from the porch slowly without stopping to look at him perplexed, comes closer to us, and then runs out to him. She hugs him as if it's been a long time since they visited each other in so many years, she sobs a little not knowing how to react.

- ... You came back...- she said with her voice between cut and some small comforting tears of happiness, Hiroki shows a smile and accepts her hug with such a warm affection that even I can feel those same feelings. Just by looking at them, I am reminded of my parents, so much so that I have been nostalgic to feel my mother with warm embrace when I was a child... with feeling her love so sincere and motherly, my mother who liked to play with me and not to be alone. But... everything changed when after playing she went to her boudoir, she told me she promised to come back as soon as she finished her make-up; then I heard only screams coming out of her room, a maid comes to me and lifts me up and leaves me far from the room, I was so worried that day, they locked me in my room and warned me not to open the door to anyone....

That promise my mother gave me I am still waiting for it... it just seems so atrocious what that person did, my father was so sad those days, and as I grew up he told me that I am so much like her.... I wish it were true, I wish I had my mom's character, but instead I am very scary.

That lady let us into her house, it is huge, it has many rooms where we could rest. She offered us food, water, which we received with much pleasure, we were thirsty, hungry and very tired, my feet hurt too much from so much walking that it only causes me to sore and sleep all day, actually no one has slept well.

- I hope the trip has not been so tiring for you, Hiroki can be a bit annoying. - smiles with laughter, while Hiroki makes a pouty face. - Hiroki! what's it like there, is it nice like you promised? - she asks enthusiastically.

- It's boring, there are always rules, it's annoying - she describes curtly without adding anything else.

- And is your mother well? How is she? - Hiroki remains silent for a few seconds with a lost look to the emptiness, he seems to be remembering.

-She passed away... - he says without stopping frowning, but with a very sad voice for her loss. The lady remains mute to his answer, I remain still when I see the tension - she passed away.... A year ago. - Hearing this so sad, the memory of my mother's death disturbs me, that was 8 years ago, I am stunned not knowing what to tell her or what to answer about it, the woman stares at the floor very surprised, she starts sobbing a little... It breaks my heart to see her like this, I can only empathize with him now.

-Why... nobody warned us? Your brother... Doesn't he know anything? - Hiroki shakes his head from side to side. This leaves me with a huge emptiness in my stomach... it's not fair that Hiroki's brother doesn't know about something in such a way, not being able to be present at his funeral, at his farewell.

- y... Why are they here? - he points with his eyes to Naoki and me.

- things didn't work out and we had to escape - he said looking annoyed and tense not to continue talking, he leaves the room very rude leaving half a plate of food.

- excuse him, he is like this because he feels lonely.... He and his brother are orphans - he said that word so suddenly that I felt a pit in my stomach, the desire to eat was gone. It reminded me that I also went through and am going through the same thing, it's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. I don't even know what to think about Hiroki, you can explain a little bit why Hiroki usually changes his attitude all the time, maybe... he feels guilt for not telling his brother and aunt, and he is usually tender with me so he doesn't break his promise, and when he is rude and cold he just doesn't want to look vulnerable like I am now.

Hiroki is now becoming a very important person in my life who I would also like to protect because I am so grateful to him, and thinking this way makes me feel my heart turn over in such a strange way that I can't explain.

When I finish eating, Aunt Akiyama takes me by the arm and leads me to a room. She takes out a dark blue Kimono from her closet, with a golden colored floral decoration. It is so beautiful, it has a scent of being long kept and unused, but there is not a trace of dust on it.

- Are you sure I can wear this? - I ask her with a lot of embarrassment, as I am embarrassed to wear someone else's clothes.

- Of course you can!...this dress was Kaori's..... My sister, Hiroki's mother.... -It's so beautiful that I'm ashamed not to accept it, I take off my dirty and worn pink Kimono, the sleeves torn, full of dust and blood. The aunt helps me to put on the beautiful blue Kimono -You look beautiful- said smiling the aunt, I accept her gift very grateful for being so nice to me.

I leave the mansion together with the lady, she asked me to help her to pick up food for dinner later, I accepted it with pleasure for being a very generous person. I see that Hiroki inherited that part of the Akiyama family. Sharing a little with her I can notice... she is a very outgoing and talkative person, she tells me about many things like the life of the village and the truth, I want some distraction to not be thinking about Satoshi... and... his lies.

I also help the lady in making the food... something I had never done before, since they always prepared it for me, but it's clear that I can't let everyone do everything for me, since I have nothing in life and I just have to move on.

Hiroki enters the kitchen with some ingredients to make soup, when he sees me he raises an eyebrow not so pleasantly.

-Why are you wearing that? - he asks me very indiscreetly referring to the kimono I'm wearing.

-Mrs. Akiyama... she told me that I could

-I let her wear it, please Hiroki! She was so disheveled and those clothes she had on were torn and dirty doesn't she look beautiful? - I'm hugged sweetly by the aunt showing the Kimono, but not that Hiroki thought it was a good idea, as I'm wearing something from his deceased mother and it might be a bit uncomfortable, he keeps quiet and just walks away in a cold way. He's mad at me.

- Don't listen to him! You look beautiful - says the aunt peeling the potatoes again - and don't call me madam... call me aunt Akiyama - she shows such a gentle smile that moves me, I nod to her very happy and grateful.