Prologue

The smell of incense is strong today. I can see the tears of friends and family visiting their loved

ones. It's been 10 years since my mother's accident. Ever since that accident I would always

come here to visit my mother.

"The dead are never really gone".

That's what my grandmother told me. In my childhood years, I would speak to my mother's grave. Every time I visited I would hope that my mother would respond. Every visit I would be disappointed. Even though she never responds, I speak to her. My neighbors think it's weird. I don't mind their stares or their muttered remarks meant to suppress whatever insults they would whisper my way.

"It's going to be my first year in high school, mom."

No response.

"I'll visit you when class is over."

I put my bag over my shoulders and hurried to school. The sun rises over the clouds again. Sleepy and tired people my age step out of their homes and walk in pairs of twos, threes, or fours. I try my best to avoid eye-contact. It's been difficult making friends. It's not worth the trouble.

I won't bore you with the details. It's like any other school. Same groups. Same teachers. Same assignments. Luckily, I'm not a terrible student. I am good at studying.

"You must get it from your mom's side".

That's what my grandmother would always say. She's not wrong; My mother was a very busy woman. She worked long hours and came back tired. She would often get drunk, but she never hurt me like the stereotypical drunkard people see on TV.

I walked back to my mother's grave. I fixed my project today. I opened my backpack and reached inside. It is a drone with a camera attached. I managed to program the drone to follow me. It was a very longer and painful process.

I found my mother's grave. She sat there like before. However, I saw a stranger standing in front of her. She is no neighbor of mine. It's a blonde woman in a blue jacket.

"Are you a friend?" I asked.

She stared at me. Her eyes carried an immense hatred directed at me as if I hurt her.

She turned her head away and apologized.

"Yes...We were very close."

She opens her umbrella and left me behind.

Plop…Plop…Plop….

I noticed that it was about to rain and I forgot my umbrella.

My feet carried me all the way home as fast as my body could run.

Today is the second day of high school. I walked to school like always when I notice a commotion going on at the front gates. Bystanders watched nervously. Three boys were picking on a girl. She struggled to get her books back.

"What are you doing here, freak?!"

"Yeah," another boy chimed in, "We told you to get out. We don't want you here."

She holds back her tears. I could see she had horns on head. Some sort of odd cosplay thing.

It's strange for someone her age to be cosplaying, but it didn't give them the right to bully her.

I clenched my fist and swung at the bullies. The fight went by quickly. When it was over, I was on the floor with a bloody nose.

"You didn't have to do that," she held out her hand and helped me up.

"I had to do something. No one else was willing to help you."

"Thanks…," she plays with her fingers, "By the way…my name is Kotori."

"My name is Shiro."

"Thank you…Shiro."

The teachers arrived. They found the boys, Kotori and me. They lectured us in the office and sent us home early. My heart sank. This was going to be very difficult to explain to my grandma.

Two hours later I was in my room and grandma was talking to me.

"Now, Shiro. You shouldn't get into fights. You should rely on your teachers. It would make your mother sad if you became a delinquent".

I nodded and gave her the sincerest apology I could.

The next morning, I went to see my mother. The strange woman is standing in front of her grave again. I sat on the floor next to my mother. She took a glance at me and my mother's grave.

"You're here again. Why?"

"I visit my mother every day."

"…I see", she let out a sigh. "I should go, then."

"Wait," I stood up.

There was a silence between us.

"Could you…tell me how you know my mother?"

"…Mr. Kobayashi. It's complicated. If you really want to know...we're family."

"Does that mean you're my aunt? I never met you though…"

"It was when you were a baby. I'm sorry. I should go."

"Wait-"

Before I could say anything she was gone and I was alone again.