Smiling Lady

Finding the chance Miyuki got up as she was told and she ran as fast as she could using the darkness of the night. As she ran further and further, a thought came to her mind, "Will he be okay?"

After running for a long time, Miyuki finally stopped to catch her breath. She was far away from the park. Even if the punks tried to chase after her, it would take at least ten to fifteen minutes to catch her. But one thing fell in the wrong direction. The Police Station was now in the absolute opposite direction from her location. She looked ahead and saw two options. One road went straight to her school and another to the cemetery. 

She was afraid, what if the hooligans search for her in the school? There was only one school in this simple town. And so after giving it a thought, she chose to hide inside the cemetery. She knows that place all too well. She's a regular visitor and so even in the middle of the night, her soul didn't even flinch at the thought of spending the night in a cemetery.

Miyuki started her way to the cemetery.

The cemetery, as expected, was dark and spooky at night.

"It feels so different to come here at night."

Miyuki had finally reached the cemetery. The gatekeeper was absent, so it became easier for her to slip in quietly. The graves were all neatly lined and properly taken care of. The keeper was a very nice man. After all his family passed away before him, he takes care of them by staying in the cemetery. While taking care of his family members, he sometimes also repairs other people's graves. According to him, they also have become his family by the ages. 

The air was full of fragrance from the fresh night flowers. As Miyuki walked silently on the aisle, only the crackling of dried leaves and the howling of night owls were heard. After walking for a while, she came to stop in front of a well-maintained grave. It had a small picture of an old lady smiling on it with the name "Misaki Nakamura". 

Miyuki sat in front of the grave, holding her knees tightly. She kept looking at the picture of her grandmother. But, in the end, she couldn't hold back anymore and broke into tears. One after another, clear teardrops came out gushing from her eyes.

"Why did you all have to leave me?"

Still crying.

"Didn't you know that I will become all alone if you all keep leaving me one by one?"

Crying.

"I'm so alone, Grandmother. Please come back to me."

Crying.

"I want to go back to our home. You know, once again, no one came to my Parents-Teacher meeting. I want to have a family member, too. Then again, I had to starve myself to save the last few cents I have so that I can buy books. I don't know what to do. I don't have a home. Not even someone by my side. Grandmother, Father, Mother, I beg you. Please come back. Please. I'll do anything. Just, come back already."

Her tears kept falling.

But then she felt a soft touch on her head. She first thought, maybe it was the Keeper who came to talk for a walk and saw her crying. To her surprise, it was a young lady. The lady had a sophisticated aura around her. She had a simple white dress with some small pink cherry flowers printed on them. She was beautiful and had a warm smile.

"Don't cry, dear. Everything will be alright. Have faith in the Creator and try to hold yourself together." She said with a warm smile.

Miyuki's crying slowed down but she was still upset and in a daze. She nodded as a response but didn't say anything. Seeing her sit motionlessly before the grave, the lady crouched down and asked, "If you don't mind, can I ask why aren't you going home? It's almost dawn."

Miyuki replied in a small voice, "I have no home."

The lady paused for a few seconds then sat beside her properly. She started saying, "So, you need a place to live, I guess?"

Again Miyuki only replied with a nod.

"Well, I do have a solution, if you're interested in hearing."

Miyuki looked at her, ".....You're beautiful."

She looked surprised and then smiled brightly, "Haha, that came out of nowhere, but thanks! So, are you interested in hearing me?"

"Sure"

"My house is on the outskirts of the town. But I don't live there anymore. You can stay there for the moment if you don't mind."

Miyuki was surprised to hear such an offer from a stranger, she had her doubts but she didn't have other options either. She asked, "What about rent? You won't take any rent from me?"

The lady replied, "I don't need money at the moment, while I'm away, you're in charge of the house and you will need to take care of the things there because it's been locked for ages."

It was easy for Miyuki, she's used to all types of chores, but she asked, "Is it okay for you to let me stay there so easily?"

The lady looked up at the sky, "Yes, since no one uses it anyways, we didn't want to sell it either, so why not help the person who needs it."

Miyuki was overwhelmed by the kindness, "That's generous of you, sister!"

"You can call me Sara." Sara introduced herself and so Miyuki also told Sara her name. Sara gave her the address and showed her the way to Miyuki's new house. The sun was starting to rise from the horizon and birds chirped to welcome a new morning. Miyuki and Sara walked together to the gate of the cemetery.

But Miyuki stopped to ask when she noticed Sara didn't come outside with her, "Aren't you going back, Sara?

Sara replied with her soft smile, "I'll wait here for a while for someone. Miyuki, you must remember, don't feel lonely. The creator is watching over us. So, don't fall weak. You are not alone."

Miyuki's eyes were teary as she thought, 'Is this what it feels like to have an older sister? Wish I had one like her.'

"Thank you so much, Sara. I'll forever remember your gratitude."

Miyuki turned around and came down the stairs of the cemetery but as she took a step to enter the lane before her, she suddenly remembered, "Ah! I forgot to ask for her contacts!"

She ran up the stairs hurriedly but Sara was already gone.

Miyuki thought, "Maybe we will meet again, Sara. Thank you for helping me."

After Miyuki left the cemetery, Sara turned around and went inside.

"Did you finally find the person you've been waiting for all this time?" An elderly person asked Sara.

"Uncle Nobu, Miyuki is an adorable girl, don't you think so?"

"Indeed, she is. She's been unlucky for all these years since her parents' death. If I had had the ability, I wouldn't have thought twice before adopting her. But alas!..."

"I hope they get along well," Sara replied.

"Yeah, me too."