Dammit, that Kami-jiji...
Where am I? It's dark, and I'm...submerged in warm water? wait, is this the inside of a womb? Wooow... what a rare experience...
I didn't expect the sudden pain. It hurt!? Wait, it's getting painful! Is this the exact moment that my second life starts!? Hold on, I'm not ready yet...
Oh my, I hear my own cries, the high-pitched screaming of a baby's first breath. While I'm thinking clearly in my mind, I couldn't stop the loud noise from escaping my mouth.
It's actually kind of painful. My throat is vibrating, and my chest hurts. You can't just not cry while experiencing this.
I felt myself being washed with lukewarm water. Huh, so this is what it's like. Ahh, it feels good...my cries are starting to die down too. I have a question though. The eyes of a newborn are closed, aren't they? Why can I look around...? I'm going to stop thinking too deeply about this issue.
Once I was wrapped up in a white cloth (baby cloth?), I was placed into the arms of a women with a kind smile. I think...no, she is definitely my mother in this life.
"... Hello, you"
She sounded so tired. I guess it's to be expected. She just gave birth after all. She really wasn't looking good though... she was too pale.
Mom was still young. Maybe about 20 ish? She had a childish face, with long black hair and vibrant green eyes. Though she was still way too pale... she looked so happy. I understood the love that she felt towards me, her newborn son. I was immensely revealed to know that I was born wanted...it would have hurt a lot if that was not the case.
"You look just like him"
She chuckled, stroking my chubby cheek.
Him? ….. Who's 'him'? First of all, newborns are all scrunched up like monkeys. How would she distinguish who I look like? …Maybe mothers just know.
Without warning, Mom's eyes darkened.
"...I'm so sorry" She squeezed out a thin cry. "Sorry...I am so, very, sorry..."
I couldn't understand why she was apologizing. As an infant, I could do nothing but worry, and stare up at my Mom as she cried.
Detraction came in the form of loud footsteps from outside.
(What's that noise?)
I only had a moment to wonder. The door was opened with a force that threatened to send the hinges flying.
"Was it born!?"
It was a man's voice, and I thought...Is it my Dad? But probably not. This guy looks like an old man. Closer to a Jiji than an Ossan. I mean, it could happen, but I don't think that's the case. Come to think of it, this Jii-san... I feel like I've seen him before...
"Who the hell let you barge in here!?"
While I was trying to figure out why he was so familiar, Mom threw her pillow. I watched in shock as it hit the guy's face.
...Mom? What happened to that fragile mood, and the kind, angel-like smile? Actually, how did you even throw that pillow while holding me in your arms? The sound effect was off too. Why did it make such a loud noise? aren't pillows made out of cotton and cloth!? Did she just use Busoshoku no Haki? Wait, just who is my Mom? The Jii-san is just standing there laughing too. What are these two?
"Why can't a dad enter his daughter's room?"
"You're annoying!"
Mom is very blunt. The Jii-san looks very shocked, with a gloomy air about him. If this guy is Mom's Dad, is he my Jii-chan?
Although sustaining a wound to the heart, Jii-chan peered into my face... and his eyebrows drooped all of the sudden. Why is he smiling like that?
"Hey hey, how are you~? I'm your Jii-chan~"
He moved to pick me up as he spoke, but was prevented by Mom.
"Don't touch my son, you shitty father!"
She moved me away as far as possible from the old man, and hugged me as if to shield me. Uhh...Mom? Mom, is that your real personality? Got it, I understand.
"Lumina! I thought you understood what I as a parent feel, now that you became one yourself! What do you mean 'shitty father'!?"
Jii-chan had a sound argument. Also, a new fact. Mom's name was Lumina. Mom's frown deepened more.
"That's precisely the reason! Nothing good comes out of your involvement with kids, Dad! Are you trying to kill him!?"
Eh? What kind of disturbing line is that? Wait, is Mom actually trying to protect me? For real? Jii-chan looks like a normal doting grandpa, but... is there something I'm missing? Come to think of it, his expression tightened briefly when he first was me...I thought it was just my eyes playing a trick on me, since his expression immediately melted in that smile.
...Mom's face is pale again... her breathing is also uneven...
"Lumina! You have to rest! The doctors said the bleeding is not stopping!" Jii-chan reached out to his daughter.
What!? Is that why she was so pale?
Mom glared at Jii-chan though.
"And who's fault is that!? You're riling me up! If I die, I'll haunt you for the rest of my life!"
...But Mom, if you die, that's where your life ends. How will you haunt someone for the rest of it? To be fair Jii-chan, with your shocked, gloomy expression, Mom was calmer when you weren't here. Why are these two so unfriendly?
But it was true that Mom's health was declining fast. Her complexion was getting worse, and her breathing more ragged.
People started coming in...most likely doctors and nurses, judging by their cloths. One of them took me from Mom's arms.
...I'm going to pretend I never saw Mom denying Jii-chan when he reached out to take me. I will also forget that Jii-chan looked like the world ended when I reached out, due to suspicion, for the nurse instead of him. I was carried to another room by the nurse. I never learned what happened afterwards in that room.
I should have known.
While I knew Mom's bleeding was not stopping, she was still warm and energetic. She was just having an exciting conversation. So I had assumed... I never imagined that she would die a few hours later in that very room.
I regret not paying more attention to her face, not listening to her voice closer... But by then, everything was too late.