If She Did, Wasn't It Mean She Was Wronging Herself?

Soon, Saturday came.

As promised, Kazuya would come to pick Himari up for grocery shopping after he fetched Izumi once his basketball training ended. The little dumpling Chiharu would follow as well.

Since the appointed time was at two o'clock in the afternoon, Himari spent her time cleaning her house and doing the laundry first.

"Meow! Meow~"

"Chobi! Don't go around and chase the dust!" Himari nagged from the balcony.

Her orange fat cat was busy jumping up and down, trying to catch only he knew what. Himari was airing her blanket on the small private balcony of her apartment unit. The sun shone brightly even in the early morning.

Chobi ignored his Mama's words. He jumped on the couch next then he landed on the coffee table. Once he was bored, he ran around the house.

Himari rolled her eyes. She didn't know why did Chobi look so energetic today. Usually, he would just lie lazily next to the windowsill, basking under the sun.

"Chobi, you didn't go out today?" Himari kept talking even though the orange bundle of fur couldn't possibly answer her, "I think I saw you being chummy with Aunt Mio's cat. Did she found another reliable cat instead of you so that's why you won't go out today? Are you having a heartbreak?"

The other day, Himari couldn't believe it when she saw her little orange son was snuggling with her neighbor's fluffy white cat. The two felines looked like they were so much in love. She shuddered in goosebumps because Chobi had never looked so affectionate with her before.

Aye, would she get a daughter-in-law first before even she herself marrying someone?

"Hah! Finish!"

Himari was satisfied once she was done with her cleaning duty. There was not much to be cleaned since she always kept her living space neat and tidy. The things she had to pay attention to were on the cat fur that Chobi left in every corner of the apartment, his litter box as well as his kibble dispenser.

Huh, her son should be satisfied by having such an attentive mother!

"Chobi, come and eat your snacks," Himari lightly shook the bowl, making the kibbles produced a scattering sound, "I don't mind if you want to be on diet."

Chobi quickly leaped from the shoe cabinet near the door. He meowed then began eating the kibbles.

Himari let him be. She pulled the light blue scrunchie that held her loose bun in place, letting her long hair cascaded behind her. After she was done, Himari sat on her favorite strawberry couch. She was grinning when she dialed someone's number on her phone for a video call.

Ring... Ring...

"Mom~" Himari laughed happily once the video call was connected, "What are you doing? Have you had breakfast?"

Even though they didn't talk every day, Himari would often message her mother, especially in the morning before she went to work. It was a habit that she formed ever since she came to the city for the boarding school.

"It's already eleven, how could your Mom hasn't eaten?" Akemi was smiling on the screen. The background was the living room of their home, "Where's my grandson? Is he there?"

"Mom, we only talked for a few seconds yet you're already looking for Chobi?" Himari pouted in dissatisfaction. She waved her phone to Chobi, "Chobi, Grandma's here. Say hello."

As if he understood, Chobi turned his focus from the kibbles to his Mama's phone.

Ah! It's his grandmother!

"Meow! Meow, meow~"

Chobi ran toward Himari, jumped on her lap and tapped one of his paws on the screen. It was his favorite thing to do every time the mother and daughter did a video call.

"Meow~"

"Aiya, you look skinnier, my good grandson," Akemi did the same as she tapped a finger on the screen as if she was tapping it on Chobi's paw, "Haven't you eaten properly? Did your Mama mistreat you? Aye, if you stayed with me, Grandma would give you lots of delicious food!"

"Meow, meow~ Meow..."

Himari, who was ignored by both her mother and cat, could only accept defeat.

This wasn't like the first time it happened anyway.

Ergh...

"Bye-bye, Chobi~ Go and eat. Don't be on a diet."

After what seemed like a long time, Akemi and Chobi finally stopped talking. Himari wanted to cry because her thighs had been numbed by the fat cat's heavy weight.

"En, I have to prepare your Granny Saichi's lunch soon," Akemi finally looked at her daughter, "Do you have something else to say to me?"

Himari was exasperated.

"Mom! You spent so much time talking to Chobi but you couldn't even spare a minute with me?" Himari complained aggrievedly.

"Hahaha," Akemi laughed despite her daughter's sad expression, "You stinky brat! Just say that you want to cling to your Mom. Don't be jealous of Chobi. He doesn't understand anything."

Himari restrained the urge to roll her eyes.

"Mom," Himari called out softly, "Don't go yet. I have something to tell you."

Akemi paused from teasing her daughter. She frowned slightly when she saw how troubled her daughter appeared. It was different from how Himari usually carried herself.

It seemed like there was something weighing in her little girl's heart.

"What's wrong? Is someone making trouble for my daughter? Do you want Mom to settle them for you?" Akemi lightened her tone despite she herself was feeling uneasy.

It was rare for Himari to show herself like this. It made her worried.

Right now, Himari was resting one side of her head on her knees. With one hand was holding the phone to allow Akemi to look at her, her other hand was scratching her neck. Her eyes didn't appear as bright and happy as usual.

"Mom, do you know? Nanako said, he would be back soon," In a breath, Himari let the words flowed out of her mouth.

"He? Who do you mean?... It is Jun?" Akemi's eyes slowly widened at the assumption.

Himari nodded her head listlessly, confirming her mother's guess. She began to recount what Nanako had told her.

Even though she appeared fine after Nanako conveying the news to her, Himari was nervous inside. Especially when her friend said the date was finalized already. The reunion would be held on the night of the 28th of April, a day before Golden Week started. The appointed place was in Crowne Hotel.

The exact same hotel where she broke up with Jun.

"Are you sure you could go?" Akemi asked after Himari finished.

"How could I reject just because I don't want to see my ex-boyfriend?" Himari laughed feebly, "Moreover, Teacher Takaki was so good to me during my school days. And, I don't think I'd be the only one to meet my ex after graduation in a class reunion."

It was not unprecedented for high school sweethearts to break up after leaving school. She and Jun's separation was not a special case.

"Even so... Haish," Akemi let out a sigh. She worriedly looked at her daughter, "Then, what about you? Do you feel as sad as before? Could you bear to see him again? Or, have you thought of getting back with him?"

Himari blinked. She took time to register her mother's words.

"I don't feel as sad as three years ago," She answered weakly, "But, I'm nervous. Nanako has even said that Jun asked about my attendance so, he might want to see me, right? It's just... I don't know how should I react."

Himari left her mother's last question without an answer.

Her mind rejected the possibility of returning to Jun, but, Himari couldn't say the same for her heart.

All this time, she was fine.

But.

Now, he would really return.

Himari was afraid her heart wouldn't follow what her mind had decided.

Even so...

"Mom, it's impossible between us," Himari said in a firm tone, "I still couldn't forget how his mother humiliated me and you, especially with the slap she gave me. It'd be audacious if I chose to be with him again."

Three years had passed but Himari still remembered the insults that were thrown at her and her mother.

She wasn't a saint who could forgive and treat as if the episodes had never happened. If she did, wasn't it mean she was wronging herself?

"Himari, you're my darling child," Akemi opened her mouth after Himari ended her sentence, "No matter what is your decision, Mom would always be by your side. But, Mom really wants you to be happy with someone who could accept you for who you are, including your background."

Himari showed her mother a bright smile. A shallow dimple appeared on her right cheek, "Mom, you're the best. Thanks."

"Hehe~ Of course, your Mom is the greatest mother!" Akemi wasn't shy to praise herself.

Himari's mood turned brighter after talking to her mother. She really could confide anything to her.

Without her mother, Himari would only keep everything inside. Even to Nanako, she could only share a part of her dilemma.

She understood the meaning behind her mother's advice.

In the five years that she was together with Jun, he had never slighted her for her background.

The only problem was his family's acceptance.

Even if there was little possibility of Jun wanted to get back with her, Himari thought his family would oppose them again.

Himari didn't want to wrong herself once more.