Hey guys... long time no see. Very long time, in fact... It's been more than a month since I last updated this story, I reckon.

I'm really sorry, guys. This year and tomorrow year... are my last years at school, so in other words, I have to prepare myself for my last exam next year. Speaking of exams, starting the day after tomorrow I also have a year-end exam, for two weeks. And fortunately, after the exam was over I could enjoy my year-end holidays. I can't guarantee having free time, though. I hope you can wait for the continuation patiently. Plus, in December I intend to continue the story of Planet-X. If you haven't read it, feel free to read.

And speaking of read... happy reading now.

Thirteen years ago... in another spring...

Sunny afternoons, under the wind which were flew small petals that leaving their homes to spread their fragrance to other living beings above this frozen land. Some of them filled the streets, others covered the surface of Moosehead Lake with their colors that the lake's surface could not reflect the dazzling orange light coming from the sun that was about to sink at the sparkling west end of the lake.

And that was... the scenery that I saw with my mother in the late afternoon without the blinding light that pierced our lens, for our house stood firmly on the very edge of a beautiful lake in its every season.

We sat together under a long wooden bench painted white, under a shady tree which didn't want to stop flying its petals... even for a second.

Under this orange sky, I saw my mother writing while listening to a piece of music that came from a music player I didn't know about. Even so, my ears were very familiar with this music... the sound of scraping violin strings together with the clink of a piano that my mother always listens to when she's writing.

Liebesleid...

That's what is written in the list of music that appears on the screen of my mother's music player that we are listening to right now...

Liebesleid... which means... Love's Sorrow. It's a set of three short pieces for violin and piano, written by Fritz Kreisler.

"Mom..." I looked up, and my mother turned for a while from her book, looking at me.

"Yes?" she answered with a soft voice that blended between the chants of the violin and the piano.

"Why do you always listen to this music?" I innocently asked trivial things.

My sense of curiosity is still very high at that time...

"...?" my mother tilted her head slightly when looking at me, still not understanding the question I meant.

Looking at the screen of my mother's music player, I repeated my question, "Why do you like listening to Love's Sorrow, though there is Love's Joy?" Love's Joy that I mentioned here is Liebesfreud.

My mother chuckled for a moment after understanding what I meant by my question, then she answered with a smile while touching the tip of my nose with her finger tip, "That is so we can get used to sadness."

The answer turned out to be very simple, without any sentence of explanations... but with just one sentence, it made me understand, and laughed happily after I heard my mother's short answer.

Then...

"Mimi, are you going to hide behind that tree forever?"

Suddenly my mother raised her voice in a teasing tone, talking to someone whose figure I couldn't see yet. I only saw my mother say that, until a few moments later the figure emerged from behind a large tree trunk that was across the street from our house... right on the edge of the lake.

The figure had the same feather color as ours, except that her body was shorter than my mother's and she also looked a little fat, so she needed a tree trunk large enough to hide her pear-shaped body. Even so, the figure was familiar to me... well, she's Mimi, my mother's classmate while in college, moreover she is also a writer.

"Hehe... I got caught, huh?" smiling innocently, she stepped out from behind the tree and walked towards us across the lonely road, "As usual, your eyes are very observant, Helen." she commented on what happened a few seconds ago... or in other words... chit-chat.

But my mother ignored the talk, instead giving a detective-like gaze, that was interrogating the perpetrator, with a little grin as if she had known her real purpose of coming to our house.

Mimi then bowed her head as if asking for a favor from my mother, "Please... for tonight, let me stay at your house again..."

"Well, you are warmly welcome here..." my mother smiled, then got up from her seat, "Okay then, I have to make another portion of dinner." then stepped towards the house, leaving me with her friend, Mimi.

"Thank you very much, Helen!" shouted her from behind my mother's back who walked away.

A few moments after my mother entered the house...

"Oh... my stupid husband..."

Mimi took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it. It's like a poem I think... a poem that sounds rather cruel. I think this poetry-like letter was intended to be shown to her husband because for tonight she wouldn't go home. Mimi, with her husband, is a newly married couple who have never had a day without conflict, or debate... like a young couple, I say. What more is that the 'incident' like this, is common to happen.

"Try to be a little more sophisticated, or I want to break up."

In a rather annoyed tone, Mimi wrote down her horrible poem...

"There are millions of men in charge in this world, are you one of them? My stupid husband, if you can't appreciate my presence, feel my absence now."

But I, who was three years old, was still full of curiosity. I don't understand the relationship between husband and wife, marriage, or domestic relations.

"Mimi, are you writing a letter for your husband again?" I asked, peering at what she was writing on that piece of paper

"This is no a letter..." she replied with an annoyed tone, grinning while looking at me, "This is a cursed rune that I will send to him."

"Oh I see..."

I was curious, and I wanted to try what Mimi did. Incidentally, my mother left her book and her pencil on this bench. I easily grabbed them, and wrote my first words, which is the beginning of everything... my red thread of fate has begun to appear... and my time began to flow.

"Oh... my stupid husband. You should know what you are, and once you know what you are, mental hospital is not so far. If you are the rain that makes all flowers beautiful, then... I was wrong, cause you are nothing but an acid rain that wilts a lot of flowers."

I think the sentence I wrote sounds simple. Only a few words, sentences and phrases that everyone can make. But... for a three-year-old child, that is something rare, even for a world-class writer like Mimi who was very surprised to see me write poem-like letter.

"Glu? You can write?!" with a half-surprised face and amazed, she asked me about it.

"Huh?" I, who was still a child, still didn't understand what she meant by asking something like that,"Then why if I can write?"

Mimi's expression grew happier. After hearing my innocent answer that still didn't understand anything, she ran towards my house with a big smile on her face.

The orange light reflection coming from the lake slowly illuminated my yard at the same time when Mimi shouted trying to call my mother inside the house,"Helen! Helen! Glu... Glu is... Glu is a prodigy...!"

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Present time...

3rd person POV

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"Looks like you're in trouble, aren't you, Glu?"

A moment of silence under the sun in late spring. After Blu's group was shocked by the appearance of a figure who was very familiar in Blu's memory... he finally met his other past. The shocking figure stood behind Blu's back, smiling at him. An adult bird with the same feather color as theirs, slim and tall with a kid hiding behind her back.

"Mimi...!?" Blu's face never stopped showing surprise, because the bird who had linked his red thread stood right before his eyes after all these years, moreover she looked totally different from the figure Blu known about... especially her body, "Mimi, what are you..." Blu didn't have time to finish his words filled with great curiosity, because surprisingly and suddenly the bird, who is called Mimi by him, pinched his cheeks in annoyance.

"I told you to call me Sis Mi..." Mimi said, pinching Blu's cheeks in annoyance.

"Okay, Okay..." Blu replied, "I'm sorry Sis..." once again, Blu hasn't finished saying his words. Mimi, unknown by Blu, immediately hugged him very tightly, "Mi..."

"I'm so glad you're back, Glu... it's been three years, eh?" Mimi whispered as she hugged Blu, holding back tears of happiness flowing through her cheeks, "You've grown up..."

'You're the only one who grew up here... ' Blu whispered to himself in her warm embrace... trying to hold back the emotion of this reunion.

Meanwhile...

"Who is that beautiful woman?! Why did she suddenly come and hug Blu?!" Roberto said in suspicious and also rather jealous,"How dare he keep this from me! I thought he was a good friend!"

"I think I've seen her before." Gracie responded.

The three of them looked at Blu who was still hugged by an adult female bird who was still unfamiliar to them, but moments later Jewel realized something, "She is Mimi, a great American novelist. I heard, she was a classmate of Anicius G, when she was in college."

"Blu's mother?" Gracie's old memory finally returned as well, "Oh right... she used to be with her often."

Then...

"Just until here the reunion is." Mimi then let go of her arms, and turned her gaze to Blu's friends who watched them both from a distance, "Your friends glared at us from earlier."

"Oh no... we got caught...!" those who glared at the two of them, jerked together.

They, then, walked closer to the two of them when suddenly Mimi whispered something in Blu's ear, "So, which girl do you like, huh? A girl who has silky, and shiny feathers, or a girl with those unique beautiful eyes?"

"None of them..." Blu replied briefly, a little disturbed by the question from Mimi who repeatedly nudged his shoulder.

"Just give it up. I can't be fooled. Because your book has explained everything." Mimi grinned.

"What book?" Blu realized something, he then looked at his waist bag, and realized that his script was not inside. He then sighed, "Ahh... Mirai..." and saw Mimi's daughter who was hiding behind her mother's back. Her mother, Mimi, was reading sheets of paper.

"Give them to me!" Blu immediately took his script from Mimi's grip very quickly.

"See... books never lie. Just one paragraph, they can explain what their writers feel. Whether it's a hidden feeling or a feeling you don't know, a book will express the feelings of its author." Mimi continued, smiling,"Your book clearly implies the phrase 'I love you.'"

'No... this is not an expression of my love. This is just a thank you to her because she is the one who dragged me back here...' Blu whispered to himself, staring at Jewel, who was standing beside Roberto, from a distance,'After all, she is a girl who likes my best friend, and I'm just a substitute character in this story.'

"It's an honor to meet you, Mimi the novelist. If you wish, let me introduce myself... my name is Jewel." Jewel then introduced herself, very politely and formally.

"Oh, please... don't be too formal with me, young girl." Mimi chuckled at how Jewel introduced herself in such a formal style.

"I'm Roberto..."

"My name is Gracie... we're good friends of Blu."

Roberto and Gracie then introduced themselves, but were less formal than Jewel.

"Yeah... I can see that. Anyway, she..." Mimi looked around for a moment, and then staring at her daughter who was still clutching her talon,"She is my daughter, Mirai..."

"Hey, cute little one..." Gracie tried to greet her, but she was increasingly hiding behind her mother's back.

"I'm sorry, she's a little shy with strangers." Mimi explained her daughter's situation.

"It's okay... she's still a kid, though."

'Well, she is indeed a very shy child...' when Blu was about to say something to himself, unknown to him, Mirai suddenly rammed herself to his back, "..." Blu groaned in pain, then immediately turned around and saw Mirai hugging him from behind with her tiny wings.

"Glu Thunderson... I'm sorry, I just want to read your book again." Mirai apologized for taking Blu's script without his knowledge,"Can I read your book again?"

Blu smiled seeing her say that earnestly, "You can't... this book hasn't been published yet. This is still a private secret."

"So, It's true, eh?" Mimi suddenly joined in their conversation, "You're planning to take part in an exhibition this year, but your book... your script doesn't meet the requirements, does it?"

"Yes, that is what Mr. Vetery said."

Mimi sighed,"Haaah... that old man really sucks. He's getting older yet getting annoying. He made too many troublesome-complicated requirements."

"Well it's fine... requirements are requirements." Blu smiled, as if he had given up on this year's exhibition.

Mimi replied to his smile, "Take it easy, Glu... just leave it to me."

A few hours later...

Blu's POV

'I never expected that she turned out to be the committee chairman at this year's exhibition.' I said to myself, walking alone under the dark starry sky, on a quiet sidewalk leading to my house. She what I mean is Mimi. Well, thanks to her my book which is still in the form of a script was allowed to take part in this year's art exhibition, even though I'm not so sure whether it will be on display or not.

'Huh?' confused feeling approached me, when I stamped my talons on the grassy ground in my yard, for I saw a black Volvo car parked right above it,'Don't tell me if she's inside my house.'

There is only one way to find out...

I immediately ran towards the house, and opened the unlocked door,'I knew it... she still has a duplicate key to this house.'

This is not a taboo to me, because Mimi used to be very close to my mother. They are both writers. Especially when I was a kid, she almost always came to my house, even at night like this... whether it was to ask for my mother's help, made a script together late at night, or just visit. Mimi has been considered to be a sister by my mother... therefore, I don't wonder if she's now in this house, even though this is the first time she's visited my house after my mother's death.

"I'm home..." I opened the door wide, which would I regret because as usual... Mirai welcomed me with her 'ramshackle'. This time, she got my stomach,"Ugh..."

"Welcome home, Glu..."

"Yes... thank you..." I returned her greeting while holding back the pain.

"You're late, Glu." I heard a voice from the stairs, I looked up and saw Mimi standing on the steps, smiling at me.

"Well, it can't be helped... I had to walk five kilometers because there were no night buses going to Moose Lake. What's more, I can't win against someone who drives a Volvo S60 Cross Country in the same direction just on foot." I replied, with a little sarcasm because she never told me if she turned out to be carrying a car with him. Therefore, I have to walk five kilometers to reach this house.

However, Mimi instead responded with only one word, "Sorry..." interspersed by a small laugh.

A few moments later...

"Your coffee, Sis Mi."

"Thank you."

After Mimi received a glass of coffee that I had made, I sat on the couch facing my bed, where Mimi was sitting while stroking the head of her daughter who had fallen asleep on it.

"Is it okay?" I said, "Tonight you and Mirai stayed at my house. How about your husband? He must be worried about you."

Mimi sips her hot coffee, before answering my question, "It's okay. After all, he can't go home tonight."

"I see... It must be rather difficult to take care of your daughter while your husband rarely goes home." I gave my comment about the state of her family.

Mimi nodded with a smile, "But he did all this for Mirai. Therefore, I can forgive him."

"Oh... that means you don't need to send your curse again, right?" I grinned, a little teasing her.

"Yes..." answered Mimi, smiling,"Then what about David? Will he return from Antarctica?"

"I don't know..." I shook my head, "His research there isn't finished yet, so he can't confirm when he can go home."

"Oh..."

"But, he sometimes contacts me."

There was a moment of silence, Mimi didn't respond at all after I said that. My normally deserted house has now become somewhat alive with the arrival of Mimi to this house. The lights of my room were still brightly lit, so that I could clearly see a wall clock that showed twelve o'clock... midnight time.

Moments after silence, "To be honest, I never thought you would come back to writing." Mimi began to say again.

I smiled, "Me too..."

"What makes you want to write again?"

I paused for a moment, thinking of a way to string words in my brain and heart into one complete answer... because these feelings are very difficult to describe in words...

"One day in March..." I began to answer,"I met a strange writer. She is very selfish, rude, and likes to impose her will. But, her smile when looking at the person she likes... her smile is really like an angel. She also showed me smiles of readers who were satisfied with her book. I finally returned to my page after being kicked, beaten and dragged by her, only to see once again... smiles of people when they were satisfied with my book. I want to see it one more time with my own eyes. And then, I think... I want to be a strange writer too."

Mimi was silent, not saying anything for a moment, "I see..." she smiled, "Then, I'm going to take care of you from now."

"Huh?"

"What's with your expression?" Mimi responded when she saw my surprised expression. Well, how come I wasn't surprised because suddenly she said something like that.

"I'm sorry..."

Our eyes met each other, I then gave her my serious look... after making up my mind, I begged for something from her...

Chapter 21 : Red Thread

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"Please, teach me literature..."

And done...

And as you can see, Mimi in this story is closer to Blu rather than Jewel... well, I hope you don't mind, do you?