As I have watched through the window when my daughter has dated countless boys, each time this male only coming to say goodnight once or twice, before there would be a new one. This saddened me, for Mystia was always never too broken up about it. She would come home and get on her cell phone with one of her friends.
But then came the green-haired one with the antennae. Why would a bird date her own food? It seemed unlikely. He's tall and thin, like the others. But he seems more sweet than protective. Like he and Mystia are on equal terms.
She comes home late because of him, and their kisses last longer than the other boy's did. She just brushes it off as an accident, but I'm her mother, I see through those things. She's head over heels for him, and I hope he doesn't break her heart.
She breaks my train of thought, however, when she knocks on my door. "Mom? Dad said you were up here." She's in university now, and still with that boy, I presume. She says they share an apartment. I smile at her and stand up.
"Hi." I say.
"I wanted to visit." She says, hugging me tightly.
The visit goes by quickly. The next time she comes, she has someone with her. With the windows in my room open, my ears can hear what she says.
"But... are you sure you want to tell them?" A voice asks. And I realize, it's the green-haired boy from before. His voice is sweet and high for a male's but still low for a female's.
"Yeah." Mystia says.
"Well... I'm fine with whatever you want to do." The boy says, putting his hand on Mystia's shoulder. They kiss for a second, and it warms my heart.
I step down stairs, for I think she wants to tell us something. Her father answers the door before I could get to it, and there stand the two people. The boy has very beautiful eyes, emerald green. He smiles at me and nods, waiting outside with his hands in his pockets.
When Mystia looks up from the ground in the doorway, she takes a deep breath. "Mom, Dad, don't be upset. Wriggle's a girl." She says. "In case you didn't know, we just wanted to tell you."
A lot just happened. For all these years, I thought Wriggle was a guy, how silly. Now I knew why she had refused to join us so many times for dinner. She was afraid, Mystia later explained. But it doesn't anger or disgust me. I just smile warmly at them, their hands held together, in such a loving way.
"I may look like a guy, but I'm not one." Wriggle says, her voice still sweet. She smiles, chuckling a little.
"I'm sorry for lying all those times." Mystia bows, smiling weakly.
"I am so happy for you. You have found someone, and it doesn't matter what gender they are." I say, and I mean it. "I'm just glad for you two." I smile.
"Really?!" Mystia cries, unconsciously pulling Wriggle's shoulder into her own.
We invited them in, because they came all this way, of course. The main city of Gensokyo is far from where my husband and I live. He and I have gone into the kitchen, to cook something special. Octavian really loves cooking, and he's had a talent for it.
I come back out and I see my daughter, with her girlfriend's head on her lap, leaning down and kissing her. They don't notice me, because they're caught in the kiss.
This night has stayed in my heart for a very long time.