Chapter 11

Hanako woke up the next day feeling oddly refreshed. She looked at her phone next to her on the pillow, remembering how she couldn't sleep and called her mother late at night. She picked it up and saw that the battery's dead. So she got up and charge it for the time being as she was doing her morning routine.

She went back to check her phone after she finished and saw that it already have a few bars in, so she opened it and the first thing she checked was her call logs. The call lasted for 5 hours, meaning her mom didn't hang up the phone on her and she immediately felt her mother's warmth enveloping her even though they were apart. She finally heard her sing her lullaby again, a song she used to hear back when she was younger. She always finds it hard to sleep back then because of insomnia and her mother put all efforts into helping her, reading her stories, giving her milk and then singing her a lullaby. And one particular song worked so well that it became a staple on both their lives. She learnt on the later years that it's a lullaby that her mother changed the lyrics on so it's their own lullaby.

"Thanks, mom..." She muttered sitting on the edge of her bed. She flopped herself on the bed with both her feet on the floor. Staring at the ceiling she recalls the event that lead her to seek for her mother's care.

+++

"Weren't you adopted?"

Hanako's ears rang so loud it's as if she's gone deaf the moment Jun asked his question. But after a few seconds Hanako looked at him with a serious look.

"Is that why you asked that question earlier at the book signing?" Hanako took a sip on her wine then leaned back on her seat and gave Jun a look that's really scrutinizing.

Jun feeling as if he offended Hanako accidentally was flustered and defended himself. "Look, that's..." He tried to find the right words, "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just really curious." He the looked down feeling ashamed of realizing how insensitive he had been.

Hanako sighed, "You still believe that bullshit? All those claims that I'm adopted weren't true. Mom already proved it back then, so just drop this matter Jun. You know these things were a big deal to my mom."

"But Hanako, aren't you curious? My grandma personally knows your mother. They're both from Zao, you know that right?" Hanako didn't answer and just stared at him with a straight face.

"She even helped your mom and her husband packed their things before they left Zao for the big city y'know? She said that the time and your age didn't match up so it could only mean you're not really Iris-san's daughter." Jun swirls his wine on the glass as he seriously contemplates about that memory.

"Your Grandma's old, Jun. She's seventy when she claims that. She's even showing signs of dementia by that time so she's probably just remembering it wrongly." Hanako composed herself and picked he chopsticks but she really didn't have any appetite now.

"Well, I guess you're right." Jun sighed. "I'm sorry if my questions offended you. I swear I didn't mean to." He sheepishly scratch the back of his head as he awkwardly smiled at Hanako.

"No, it's fine. It's not really something offending." She took another sip on her wine. "By the way, what's news to you? We're on the same batch and I have applied for my top university and was currently preparing for the upcoming entrance exam, so what about you?" She said changing the topic.

"Oh, right! I already did too. Which university is it? I applied for Tokyo University as an architectural student. We might end up in the same school." He excitedly said as he's secretly glad that the awkward atmosphere was now starting to diminish.

"You also applied at Tokyo University?" Hanako asked with furrowed brows. 'I thought Tokyo was a big city, turns out it's so small that I ended up going to the same university as my past one sided crush.' she thought.

"Also? So that means you applied there too? What a coincidence!" He mused.

"What a coincidence indeed." She muttered. 'Maybe it's destiny?' was what she was thinking and then she heard it.

"Maybe it's fate?" Jun said with a wide smile.

Hanako's heart raced as she thought that she accidentally voiced out her thoughts but when she realizes it's Jun she heaved a sigh of relief. But as soon as his words sinks in, she blushed so she picked up her phone and pretends as if she's checking something just to hide her face from him.

The rest of their dinner went harmonious if Hanako says so herself, but she realized one thing, she still has a thing for Jun. They finished their meals though she didn't really eat because of her lost appetite and Jun insisted on paying so she just lets him.

Outside of the restaurant, as she was waiting for a taxi Jun was standing next to her. "You should go, I'll be fine here." She said because it looked like he was waiting for her to get a ride first before he leaves.

"No, just let me see you off first." Hanako wanted to protest but he beat her to it. "Don't refuse. I won't be able to rest if I don't make sure you got your ride home." He said dismissively.

Hanako quietly waits for her cab after that and Jun knows how she really is a quiet person, he also stayed silent as they both wait for the taxi. Looks like the taxi was taking it's sweet time and she felt like years have passed because of the big elephant between her and Jun even though it's only been a few minutes, so she kept on looking at her watch and checking her phone too. Jun also felt awkward as he silently stood beside her as he occasionally sways his body and stands on his toes with his hands on his pocket.

After ten years— I mean minutes, they saw the taxi at a distance. "I guess that's my ride," Hanako said patting her skirt as if removing the invisible dirt on her clothes. And then the car stopped in front of her so she opened it.

"Ah, wait, Hanako!" Jun grabbed her hand stopping her from getting in. "Um, please keep in touch," he said and Hanako had to blink twice because she taught she saw some drooping puppy ears on his head.

"O-okay..." She couldn't help but stutter at that expression.

"Great!" He release her happily and Hanako once again saw it, a cute giddy puppy. She's probably drank for drinking too much wine. She got into the taxi and looked back at Jun's slowly fading figure.

She got home, took a bath and now she's sprawled on her bed for half an hour now and yet sleep wasn't getting into her. Dinner with Jun ended on a good note, and she even redeveloped her feelings for her but his inquiries about her book still gnawed at the back of her mind no matter how hard she puts it aside. She suddenly misses her mom, and her lovely lullaby.

After a few minutes of contemplating she picked up her phone.

"Hello?" She heard from the other line.

"Mom," she called...