“Mm?”
But his cheeks were wet.
He found her asleep in a plastic chair outside the ICU, her hand still clutching a crumpled handkerchief. Her coat was thin. Her lips were pale. okaasan no koto nanka zenzen suki janain dakara ne
“Hey, Mom.”
“Okaasan no koto nanka zenzen suki janain dakara ne” — “It’s not like I like you or anything, Mom.” Every morning, thirteen-year-old Haruki muttered this under his breath before slamming the front door. His mother, Yuki, would just smile from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “Have a good day, Haru!” Mom.” Every morning