A Sorta Fairytale
Unhappily Ever After
"…and they lived happily ever after."
The night is tranquil. Serene as the stars that scatter astutely upon the black painted sky. As silent as the moon as it once again outshone the glorious ray of the sun. Unruffled as the two loving hearts that sat beside each other, though unlike the cool breeze that lingers the air, warm is the atmosphere surrounding the loving family.
"Okaa-chan, I don't think any of those fairytales you read to me every night is real. It's quite impossible for a woman to grow such long hair or sleep a hundred years without aging at all." Said a five year old brunette to her smiling mother Yuka.
"Mikan-chan dear. Of course none of it is true. Fairytales are human composed stories that give out moral and important lessons to people especially to children like you. The authors just created such outlook of the story not only to make children interested, but also for them to understand what the authors are trying to imply." the mother patiently explained to her puzzled daughter.
"Oh... Well that's just sad." Sighed the thwarted young girl.
"Hmm? Why sweetheart?" asked her mother as she started stroking the young brunette's tresses.
"Because if fairytales are unreal then there are no handsome princes either. Then there also won't be any pumpkin carriages to take me to the ball or dwarfs that'll befriend me or even talking mice that'll sew my gown." Insisted the child, a cute pout forming her lips.
Her mom just smiled at her cute pouting look. Still, she was baffled to hear her daughter's remark. She never thought fairytales interest her this much. Which is good for her daughter's progress of acuity. (ok, honestly I don't really know what reading fairytales does for the young reader's mind so I just invented something up. ;p)
"Those my dear, are mere symbolisms purposely used by the authors for their young readers to understand certain viewpoints." Clarified her mom, not really sure if her daughter understands her explication which made her continue.
"The evil witch for example. She symbolizes the trials and challenges faced by the protagonists. And the prince will be the imagery of the heroine's hope." She patiently explained.
"And you know what Mikan-chan? You're life is a fairytale"
"Huh?! Really?! That's great!" Mikan bounced in joy as images of birds fluttering all over her floods her naive mind . But utter realization hit her, remembering some statements her mom stated awhile ago.
"But, how? I thought you said it wasn't real." She asked for the ease of her feral confusion.
"You see, Kami-sama wrote each and everyone of us our own colorful life stories which is our very own fairytales. Along with our birth is the bookbinding of our fairytale. Remember when I said fairytales are also composed of moral lessons?"
The girl nodded in reply.
"Well each and everyone of us has their unique personalities and perceptions in life that others may learn or gain from." She said with a smile on her face. She never really mind explaining a great deal as long as it's for her daughter's benefit.
"So all in all, this story book in my hands and as well as the other fairytales I've read, are mere representations of people's life story."
"Hmm.." Mikan thought hard pointing one index finger to her chin then notioned,
"So you mean you also have your own fairytale too? And that oto-chan's your prince charming?" She gleefully asked and her mom chuckled at her daughter's point of view.
"Yes my dear daughter. And you, my darling, are our princess." With that, they embraced amiably enjoying a mother and daughter bonding moment. Mikan's mother pulled away and kissed her daughter's forehead.
"One day, you'll meet you're very own prince charming and live in your beautiful castle, and then you'll have handsome princes and beautiful princesses as your children."
"Really? Wow." Mikan sighed dreamily.
"But first you have to go to sleep before that happens. You have to have your beauty rest if you want to be as beautiful as a princess is." Her mother said pointedly, her smile never leaving her visage.
"Ok! I love you mom."
"I love you too Mikan."
Satisfied with their heart's content. One thought she had gain what she had to ascertain for a fiber of knowledge in her understanding. While the other, presumed she had given adequate amount of actuality for the young one. But for the latter's consternation, she hasn't. Because of this small undelivered fact, the little one will comprehend it the harsh way. She overlooked to clarify the familiar line in every fairytale's curtain call…
1 Year Later
"I'm getting sick of this!! Our company is at jeopardy and instead of using our extra savings for avoiding bankruptcy, you buy tons of alcohol and spend time with sluts!!"
"You think that's enough huh?! This darn savings of ours isn't enough to rebuild the company! Why don't you sell your fancy shits! They're enough to feed a whole third world country anyway! Instead of always depending on my arse!!"
Mikan could hear loud smashing of ornaments. It stings her ears. But what hurts more is the yelling of her parents, bad-mouthing each other. She tried to shut her eyes and cover her ears for comfort, but she could still hear them. She began to tremble in fear as she hears violent slapping downstairs. So she crutched down in the corner of her room trying in desperate to find sanctuary.
"Mikan! Come here my granddaughter." She opened her eyes and found her jii-chan entered her room with arms waiting for her to come to. Without hesitations, she ran to her granddad and hold on to him tight. Her little hands clawing the back of his kimono. Then, she started crying. Crying as a little child would in these frantic momentum of their life.
"Jii-chan! Sniff..Okaa-chan and otoo-san they're..sniff..they're…"
"Sshh..there there Mikan. Everything will be alright now. Your mommy and daddy are just having some misunderstandings they will make up in no time."
"sniff..Are you sure jii-chan?" Jii-chan nodded in reply. Though inside his head is telling the exact opposite. 'This might be the last straw.' He thought desolately.
The next day Mikan found no sign of his daddy's possessions in their house. He may be at work most of the day every single day of her waking life, but he still lives at their house so it's just natural for his stuffs to be here. But mysteriously, when she woke up early today, there's hardly any proof of her otoo-san's residing there.
"Mikan dear. I know you're still young and I know it's hard for you to handle what I'm about to say. But I want you to know as soon as possible because I know you're a smart girl and you'll understand me perfectly." Her mother's serious face made Mikan gulp unconsciously but still nodded in reply.
"Mikan, you're father and I had a rocky marriage life." Her hand gesturing as she said the word "rocky." "So for your sake, and ours too. We decided to separate. From now on, you are going to live with just me and your jii-chan." She claimed. Her voice still calm and soft while her two hands clamped onto Mikan's shoulder.
Mikan just stared at her mother's russet eyes in disbelief. They had a happy life, at least that's what she thought. Are they been hiding their ruckus to her?
Finding the right words to speak, she asked her mom "Where did otoo-chan go?"
"I don't know honey, neither does your jii-chan." Tears threatened to fall from Yuka's auburn orbs as she sees her daughter in a state she even ought not to be in.
"I'm sorry Mikan." Was all she can say to her meager daughter. Those were the only words she could come up with after seeing her daughter's teary façade. As she said those words, she hugged Mikan tightly and wept on the little girl's shoulder.
'Mikan should be the one crying now not me. She doesn't deserve this not one bit.' Yuka thought as she embraced her daughter. Mikan hugged her mother back but held a deadpan face.
Her mother never knew what her daughter thought at that time. She never knew her mistake as to forget to say something so crucial it could amend her daughter's blank façade into an emotional one..
…not all fairytales ends with a 'happily ever after'.