e770_150

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]What a coincidence, seeing you today.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]It must be another of God's tricks...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]......[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Today is my son's... Akinari's[n]birthday.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]He'd be 20 if he was still alive.[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]Only 19 years...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]...It wasn't long enough.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]He was almost an adult, but he never[n]made it...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]He had a genetic disease. Me, I'm[n]healthy as a horse, but him...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]......[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]The doctors detected it at birth...[n]They knew he wouldn't live to see[n]adulthood.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Every day, I wondered if he'd wake[n]up the next morning... I blamed[n]myself for what he inherited...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]But...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]He said something to me near the end.[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]But... my son brought me a lot of[n]joy, too.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Holding his warm body in my arms[n]just after he was born... Those tiny[n]hands... That first smile...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Hearing him breathe easily at night...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Every day, I gave thanks for him being[n]alive... Every day, I found new joy[n]in him.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]And now... I'm so lonely, and there's[n]nothing I can do...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]But my boy gave me so much...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]That I have to keep on going,[n]looking straight ahead... That's[n]how I feel.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]......[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I'll eat the finest foods, visit the[n]most exotic places...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Everything my boy could never do...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I'll have so many stories to tell[n]him about the things I've done.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]On that day... when we meet again,[n]on the other side.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]If I didn't have that to look forward[n]to... I don't know how I could go on.[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]That reminds me... when my son's[n]condition worsened, he started[n]writing a fable.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]But when I was cleaning out his[n]room, I never found the notebook...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]He said he was going to show it to[n]you first, when he was done.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I asked why not me, and he laughed[n]and said, "You'll be the second one[n]to see it, Mom."[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I suppose... he wasn't able to finish[n]the story...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]"He did finish it."[e] [f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]"I have the notebook."[e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]What...? So, was he able to give[n]you the notebook?[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]......! My son...[n]He was able to give it to you?[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]> You explained how you received the[n]notebook from Akinari, and that you[n]heard the entire story from him...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]I... I see...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I'm so glad... That was my only[n]regret...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]It was awful to think that he wasn't[n]able to finish his project...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I see...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 9 54 14 10 13 10]...You should hold onto the notebook.[n]I'm sure that's what my boy would've[n]wanted.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]I'll wait for him to tell it to me[n]himself, when I see him again...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Heh... Now I have something else to[n]look forward to...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]I'm glad you and I could finally meet.[n]Thank you.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]...There is one piece of advice[n]I'd like to give you, as an old[n]lady to a young man...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 9 54 3 10 0 10]Take good care of the ones dearest[n]to you.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]If you wait until their time has[n]come, and you're clinging to their[n]cold bodies... then it's too late.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]...Everyone who's born will die[n]someday.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Not just Akinari, or me, or you.[n]It happens to everyone...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]So before that happens...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]It doesn't take a grand gesture.[n]You don't have to make a big[n]production of it, but...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 9 54 3 10 0 10]If you love someone, let them know it.[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]We all go through life with the same[n]struggles, the same heartbreak...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]We should be able to prop each other[n]up with the same love and kindness[n]as well...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 9 54 3 10 0 10]I'm sure you have something precious[n]you can share with people...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]Always remember that...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]> Mrs. Kamiki left without looking[n]back...[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 42 162 0 0]"I'm sorry to have brought so much[n]pain into your life, Mother."[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]"I'm glad to have been given life."[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]"I'm glad to have been your son."[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]"Thank you so much for the life you[n]have given me..."[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1][f 4 6 64 161 0 2]That's what he said...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]He was the one who suffered so much,[n]and yet he said that to me...[n][f 1 1][e][f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]......[n][f 1 1][e]

[f 0 5 65278][f 2 1]> Mrs. Kamiki stood up quietly...[n][f 1 1][e]