Note: I am using the anime date for the memorial anniversary. That seemed to be in November.
Chapter 58: Mother Dearest
Ranma squirmed a little as she sat through the memorial service. She could handle holding a seiza pose for hours on end. She'd learned that as a bratty young boy getting in trouble at the temples her father liked to drag them to. No, it was the fact that she was, well, a she right now that made her squirm. It seemed strange to wear this form (and a dress) for the anniversary memorial to Hibari's mother. Her girl-side still felt less appropriate for something somber like this.
At least the ceremony wasn't too long, and her self consciousness was washed away as the Oozora family and assorted henchmen let out groans of pain as they stretched their legs out again at the end. Everyone filtered out of the room soon after, apart for Ibari who hovered by the picture of his deceased wife. Ranma vaguely heard him apologising, though she was out of earshot before she heard what, precisely, he was apologising for.
She, instead, followed Hibari and the other older Oozora sisters off to the side out the outer koi pond. Suzume had wandered off on her own, likely to go watch some anime. She had no memories of her mother, so it was no surprise she didn't want to go reminisce with her sisters. Ranma had never met the woman herself, but figured she should stay with Hibari.
"Sometimes I can barely remember her," Hibari said sitting on the curved bridge over the pond. "It's been so long."
"I wish we'd gotten to say goodbye properly," Tsubame muttered, digging into the grass a little with heel.
Tsugumi gave her younger sisters a gentle smile. "I'm sure she'd be proud of both of you... I just hope she wouldn't be too upset at all the pots and utensils I destroyed while learning how to cook without her."
The three girls went quiet again for a bit, Ranma not sure what to do while she waited. She wished she had pockets to slide her hands in and keep them warm. Then she felt insensitive for thinking about something so trivial.
"What was your mother like, Ranma?" Tsugumi asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh? Was... uh..." Ranma mumbled, realising she was drawing a blank. "I... I don't remember? I... I can only remember travellin' with pops."
"Really?" Tsubame asked.
"I think we know what to do now. Let's go interrogate that panda!" Hibari said, hopping to her feet.
"That definitely sounds better than sitting around bemoaning 'could have beens'," Tsubame replied with a nod.
At that, Ranma practically found herself swept up as the Oozora girls hurried off to track down her panda father. It didn't prove hard. Suzume had apparently intimidated him into serving as a couch and was sitting on the panda's fluffy back as she watched her cartoons.
"Ah, I'm glad we found you quickly, uncle Genma," Tsugumi said as she sat down beside him.
"Mhm, you old panda," Hibari said, sitting down herself. "Time to spill the beans. What was Ranma's mother like?"
#Mother? What mother?# came a sign in response.
"He obviously had a mother," Tsubame said, taking a seat as well.
"What was she like, pops?" Ranma asked, crouching down.
#I don't know what you're talking about.#
"It takes two people to make a baby. Even I know that," Suzume said, getting distracted from the tv.
#I wished for a son at a shrine, and was gifted Ranma. It's the truth!#
Ranma let out a tired sigh.
She hadn't ever given the matter much thought, but now Ranma found questions about her mother sneaking into her mind constantly. Had she known her? Was it a case of a death in childbirth? Or some other thing too painful for her father to think about?
Or had he stolen her?
Ranma didn't like that option, but she couldn't deny it seemed fairly plausible, as she wandered about, getting some fresh air in the hopes of clearing her head.
"It's very impressive that you can balance up there, young lady, but it might not be the best idea in a skirt."
Ranma blinked, looking down to realise she'd subconsciously ended up doing balance practice along a fence. And that she was indeed in a skirt, even if it was a long one.
Blushing, she hopped down and nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "Thanks for catchin' that, ma'am."
"I'm glad to help, but a young lady should be more aware of what she's doing," the soft faced woman said.
Ranma blinked, briefly distracted by how comforting the woman's presence was. "Well, uh... I'm still gettin' used to livin' ladylike. Glad to know there's folks like you lookin' out for me, though."
"Getting used to... quite the tomboy, are we? I wish you the best of luck," the woman replied. "I have somewhere to be, though, so I must get going. Perhaps we will meet again."
Ranma nodded, watching the woman head off.
Why did she feel so sad about seeing her leave?
She couldn't help but hope that maybe her own mother had been as kind of a woman.
She also figured that was enough wandering about and turned back towards the Oozora home. It was only a few blocks, so it didn't take long for her to get back.
"Hey, I'm ho—woah!" she yelped as her father scooped her off her feet.
"C'mon, boy. We've got to get going. Let's go do some cold weather training in the mountains!" Genma announced, as Ranma tried to squirm out of his grip.
"Get back here right now, Saotome!" Ibari shouted, several Oozora gang thugs chasing out behind him.
"I'll be back in a week or so, don't worry, Oozora," Genma replied, waving a hand dismissively. "The boy just needs some fresh air."
"A week? I'm probably going to have my period before then, pops!" Ranma protested.
Ranma found herself dropped instantly as Genma stepped back, terror in his eyes. "Oh gods. Oh gods. Oh gods... we're really dead if... she'll kill me slowly, I bet."
Genma began to sway, slowly going cross eyed. Then he passed out, falling over into the dirt. Ibari shook his head and ordered some thugs to take Genma back inside. Ranma followed along, eventually finding out the source of the panic was a letter. Some woman named Nodoka was coming, having apparently managed to track Genma down.
"He probably owes her money," Hibari said.
"He definitely owes her money," Ibari added.
"I wonder if I'm engaged to her daughter or somethin'," Ranma muttered, staring at the highly polished hand writing. It wasn't masterful calligraphy, but it was giving Ranma the vibes of a woman with her life together.
Genma squirmed as he regained consciousness, muttering as if he were having a nightmare. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I tried my best. Put the katana away... I'm sorry, dear!"
The last portion was shouted as Genma bolted upright and grabbed on to Sabu.
"Dear?" the Oozoras and Ranma asked in rough unison.
Genma let go of Sabu and blinked a few times. "Dear? Uh... no. I said 'fear'. I fear this woman. Yeah!"
The assembled crowd in the room replied with a blank stare. Even Seiji was visibly unimpressed by that attempt at an explanation.
"Is she... is she my mum?" Ranma asked, feeling her heart skip a few beats.
Was her mother alive? Was she going to get to meet her? Was her handwriting really a sign of a well composed woman like Ranma had thought?
And, if her mother was well composed, why on earth would she have married Genma?
"Why are you so—" Ibari began, when a thug knocked at the door to the room. "Yes?"
"There's a woman at the front door, boss. She says she's lookin' for the Saotomes," the man replied.
Ranma was out of the room and charging towards the front door before anyone else had reacted. She came to a stumbling halt at the genkan, having run too fast for her own good. She had to do a double take as she realised the woman standing there was the same woman from earlier.
"Oh, it's you. The tomboyish girl," the woman said.
"Y-yeah," Ranma replied, her heart racing. Was this woman really... she was so elegant looking, with a gentle beauty. Could she really be Ranma's mother? "Are you... are you Nodoka?"
Nodoka nodded. "Yes. I'm Saotome Nodoka. I heard my husband and son are staying here. Would you happen to know—"
Ranma didn't hear the last part of Nodoka's reply due to being tackled by a panda. She and her father went rolling down the corridor, and tumbled out onto the grass of the external lawn.
Nodoka stared down the hall at the odd sparring partners before the Oozoras arrived.
"She really is quite the tomboy," Nodoka muttered. "Fighting a bear... really."
"Are you really Ranma's mum?" Suzume asked, having run ahead of the rest of her family.
"I am, yes. He is staying here, yes?" Nodoka replied. "I can't wait to meet him after all these years."
"Erm, well, it might take a little while. He's not available at this exact moment," Ibari said, glancing over to the redhead and panda battling away in his yard. "If you'd like to come to the tea room I'm sure we could all get introduced a little, though?"
"That sounds lovely. I was quite nervous, coming to a yakuza home, but it really seems quite charming," Nodoka replied, all smiles.
It was a short walk over to the room, where Nodoka and the Oozoras sat down. Sabu hovered at the door, not trusting the large covered object the woman was holding. It seemed distinctly katana shaped, despite her best efforts to disguise it.
"I must thank you, Oozora-san, for letting my son and husband stay with you," Nodoka said with a bow.
"Ah, think nothing of it. Saotome has been helping out around the house, and Ranma is meant to marry one of my girls," Ibari replied.
"Oh, that's right! I was so excited to see Ranma again I forgot all about that... I'm certainly glad you allowed my husband an alternative repayment effort," Nodoka said, bowing again. "He's such a proud man... ah, but, I should focus on happier things. How soon do you think Ranma might be back? I can't wait to see how manly he's grown up to be."
Ibari and his two eldest daughters found themselves unable to make eye contact with Nodoka at that point.
"Well, uh..." Ibari muttered, eyes drifting out to the hallway.
The short redhead in question was headed their way, no panda in sight. It would be awkward to explain, but... glancing back at Nodoka, Ibari had to admit the family resemblance was exceptional. Surely it wouldn't be hard to convince her that the short girl was indeed her child, afflicted with a curse?
"He is manly, yes? I would hate to have to enforce the contract he and Genma signed," Nodoka said, unfurling the wrapping around what was indeed a katana.
"Contract?" Ibari asked.
"What contract?" Tsubame added.
"Well, I... I didn't think Genma needed to take Ranma away to train for so many years, so I tried to stop him from leaving. But he insisted, and, after a bit of debate," Nodoka explained, memories of chasing her husband around with furniture feeling best not to be discussed, "he presented me with this contract, swearing that he would turn Ranma into a true man among men, on penalty of seppuku. Ranma signed it too, with exceptional enthusiasm. I was quite shocked, but realised there was no arguing. As a martial artist's wife I will ensure the family's honour is maintained. That was a vow I made when I married Genma."
To emphasize the point, Nodoka drew the katana from its sheath. Only to have the blade slip out of her hand and land between a rather frightened Ranma and Sabu.
"Lady, that is not how you draw a katana!" Sabut protested.
"Ah, I'm so sorry!" Nodoka said, hurrying over and struggling to pull the blade from the floorboards.
"For everyone's safety, I'm going to hold on to that while you're here. The house can be pretty crowded," Sabu said.
"That... that's fair. I'd only need it if Ranma somehow failed to live up to his promise, and I'm sure he'd never do that," Nodoka replied, handing the blade and sheath over. "Oh, and I'm sorry to you as well... I don't think I caught your name?"
Ranma's eyes drifted to the katana. And then to her mother. And then back to the katana.
"Uh... my-my-my... my name. It's, uh... it's..." Ranma muttered.
"Oh, that's Ran—" Tsubame started, before finding her mouth covered by all three of her sisters.
"Yep, that's Ran," Hibari said. "A friend of the family."
"She's staying with us for a little while," Tsugumi added.
"Mhm, Akio Ran!" Suzume said.
Tsugumi and Hibari both exchanged nervous looks. True, neither of them had come up with a good family name for Ranma, but...
"Akio? Isn't that usually a given name?" Nodoka asked.
"Heh, I get that all the time," Ranma replied, scratching the back of her neck nervously, before glancing at Suzume.
The small girl whispered a silent 'oops'.
Nodoka, however, seemed to accept the strange surname she was given (and was ignoring the way that Tsubame had been silenced). She returned to the table, and gave a smile. "So, which of your daughters is Ranma set to marry?"
"Uh... H-Hibari?" Ibari replied, sweating a little as he pointed to the other redhead in the room.
He might not approve of Ranma and Hibari's gender exploration, but he didn't want to lose the repayment plan for the loan he'd given Genma. There were too many things floating in the air right now. Why hadn't Saotome explained any of this?
"Ah, he's very lucky to have such a lovely fiancee," Nodoka said, smiling away.
"I'm lucky to have him for one too," Hibari replied.
Ranma, for her part, had sat down next to her mother, so very glad that Sabu had managed to take Nodoka's sword away.
"I'm sure you have so many things you could tell me about him," Nodoka said, eyes sparkling away. "Is he manly?"
Hibari's eyes glanced to Ranma for a moment, before returning to Nodoka. "He's quite often the pinnacle of what I could ever hope for in a husband."
"Is he handsome?" Nodoka asked.
"Oh, he's gorgeous," Hibari replied happily. "His face is that perfect mix of rugged and bishonen. A girl couldn't ask for more. Yet he's also also in amazing shape. And, well, let's just say he's earned having the kanji for 'horse' in his name."
Ibari found himself choking on air, while Tsugumi and Nodoka both turned a vivid shade of crimson.
"You little perv—you can't say that to someone's mom!" Tsubame shouted, glaring daggers at her sister.
Ranma and Suzume, for their part, were utterly confused. Ranma supposed that she was healthy, and that was the only relevant horse related saying she could think of, but why would it give such a strong response.
Nodoka, cheeks still red, gave a nod. "I... I suppose that helps confirm his manliness. Um... so, beyond martial arts, does he have any other hobbies?"
"I've been getting him into music more," Hibari offered.
"And he's certainly been getting into women's clothing," Tsubame muttered, gaining a death glare from all her sisters and Ranma.
"P-pardon?" Nodoka asked.
"J-just from the standpoint of liking to see Hibari's fancy new clothes and stuff," Ranma offered. "And learning enough about it to be able to buy her nice clothes as a present."
"Yeah! I really appreciate that. Most guys are too fragile about their masculinity to go near it, but not Ranma," Hibari replied, elbowing Tsubame in the side.
"Ow!" the brunette protested. "You know what I meant!"
Nodoka gave a confused head tilt. Hibari punched Tsubame in the shoulder, before turning to the woman with a grimace.
"I think she meant the one school play we had. The boys dressed as girls and the girls dressed as boys, just to be silly. And, well, Ranma's face is the sort of handsome that looks good either way, so all the girls were swooning."
Nodoka gave a slow nod. "I... I'm not sure that's the most manly option..."
"Isn't courage and confidence manly?" Suzume asked.
"Mhm! He was so much braver than the other boys, who all wanted to hide and were worried they'd get made fun of," Hibari added, before standing up and pulling Tsubame up with her. "You'll have to excuse us, though. We have some homework to work on."
"Me too," Ranma said, hopping to her feet.
Before Nodoka could reply, the pair of redheads dragged Tsubame out of the room, the brunette protesting as they went. It was a short march upstairs, Tsubame giving up her struggle against the pair about halfway. They led her off to Hibari's room and plopped her at the desk chair.
"The heck, Tsubame! Are you trying to get me killed?" Ranma hissed, once Hibari had closed the door.
"Not if you grow a spine and man up," Tsubame countered.
"Grow a—she'll kill me," Ranma said, waving her hands about for effect.
"Only if she finds out. You two seem to be quite good at lying. Why not just change your lie and let her see her son?"
"If you'll remember, Ranma currently has waterproof soap on due to the bet we've got," Hibari replied.
"Are you really going to put a dumb bet over letting your mother know it's you?" Tsubame asked, turning to Ranma.
"She's waited twelve years. She can wait another two weeks," Ranma countered. "I don't get why you're so on my case about this."
"She's your mom!" Tsubame shouted, before her eyes started to tear up. "I—we... if mom were somehow to be alive, I wouldn't let anything get in the way of being with her again. But you're just sitting there, pretending to not be her child, leaving her in the lurch as she hopes to see you again... it's cruel."
"If mom came back, and was only back alive for a week, but would drag me off to Yomi with her if she saw I wasn't enough of a man, I'd grab the next flight to Hawaii so she didn't see me at all," Hibari muttered, sitting down on her bed. "A real mother doesn't threaten to murder you for being who you are."
Tsubame's eye twitched. "You're both trying to be what you aren't! I... I can't believe you're both so heartless!"
"You're the one trying to get my mother to kill me!" Ranma hissed. "Do you think she'd like that!?"
"I..." Tsubame began, before forcibly closing her mouth and being forced to seeth. "...Fine. I'll stay quiet. But promise me you'll see her as yourself at some point?"
Ranma nodded. "As soon as the bet is over, I'll go guy mode and put on waterproof soap. She'll never have to know Ranma and 'Ran' are the same person."
Tsubame looked rather annoyed with the outcome, but gave a nod. "Alright. Truce."
That issue dealt with, Ranma and Hibari went down to the kitchen. Nodoka was insisting she help Tsugumi out with dinner, if she was going to stay for the meal. She did manage to ask Hibari for stories about Ranma as she cooked, and Hibari was glad to offer up stories. Ranma found herself blushing at how much Hibari was praising her.
At dinner, Ranma was left explaining the panda present, insisting he was a pet she'd picked up in China. This ended up spinning into an entire tail about her being an orphan, who Ranma and Genma had picked up and brought back to Japan, Ibari generously allowing her to stay with the Oozoras. Martial arts training had been used as the explanation of why she'd also been in China, when Nodoka had asked.
Of course, the bulk of Nodoka's interests focused on Ranma, and Hibari had stories to tell. Ranma was amazed by just how much she had to say. Ranma had only been there for, what, seven months, now? Yet Hibari seemed to have an entire novel's worth of adventures to tell. A long novel.
When Hibari had finally seemed to run out of things to talk about (at least for now), it was quite dark out.
"Oh my... it's really getting rather late to get back home," Nodoka said, as she glanced up at the clock in the kitchen.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I guess I just got excited about gushing over Ranma," Hibari replied.
"Where do you live?" Tsugumi asked. "Maybe Seiji could drive you home?"
"Ah, well, I'm down in Musashino," Nodoka replied.
"Oh... yes. It's much too late at night for an Oozora family car to drive out that way," Tsugumi said, shaking her head. "We have a few enemies out that way."
Nodoka swallowed. "Oh. Yes. Yakuza and all that. Right..."
"I'm sure we've got a spare bed around?" Hibari said.
"Oh, I couldn't," Nodoka replied. "I don't want to impose."
"As a guest, I'm happy to share my room, Nodoka-san," Ranma said, trying her best to keep up feminine behaviour.
"Why your room?" Hibari whispered sharply. "There's a spare room?"
"Ranma and 'Ran' have to have separate rooms, right?" Ranma whispered back just as sharply. "So there shouldn't be a spare."
"True," Hibari replied.
"So, what do you think, Nodoka-san?" Ranma asked.
"Ah, if you don't mind, I can then," Nodoka said. "Assuming there's a spare futon?"
"Oh, definitely. Just give me a little bit to dig it out," Tsugumi replied.
Offering to share a room with her mother had been one thing. Actually doing it was something else. How was she supposed to sleep with her mother in her room? A woman she'd somehow forgotten about. A woman who was sworn to enforce a suicide pack on her. And yet, somehow a woman who radiate such a feeling of comfort to her.
"Ranma..." Nodoka whispered.
Ranma scrambled down to the foot of her bed, peering down at the futon where her mother slept.
"Oh, Ranma... it's so good to see you again" her mother muttered, tossing a little in her sleep.
Ranma felt her heart quicken at the longing in her mother's voice.
"I thought that was just for a play. Why are you dressed like that now?" Nodoka asked, rolling about in her sleep more. Her face scrunched up with worry. "No, no. Don't... You promised. I don't want to, but you promised..."
Ranma paled, scurrying back a little, hiding under her blankets, but still peeking at her mother just a little.
"Where's the sword? Oh. where's the sword... I can't believe I have to..." Nodoka said, tossing and turning some more, until she shot upright, eyes opened and filled with terror.
Ranma watched from under the blankets, as Nodoka pulled up her knees and hugged them It was dark, but she was sure from the way her mother was shaking that she was crying.
Eventually, the silence became too much to bear. "Is—is everything okay, m-auntie?"
Nodoka jumped a little at her voice, before turning with a soft smile. "Oh, Ran-chan... I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry."
"I was... I was just worried about you," Ranma said, ignoring how much she was worried about herself.
Nodoka stood up with a smile, walking over to Ranma's bed. "My poor dear. A young girl like yourself should have to worry about an adult like me. I... may I?"
She'd gestured to the bed beside where Ranma was sitting. Feeling a little nervous, Ranma gave a small nod. Nodoka sat beside her and pulled her into a hug, causing Ranma's heart to race.
"I'm so sorry to have worried you," Nodoka said.
"You, uh, you've got a lot to worry about," Ranma replied, trying not to melt into her mother's hug too much. And also trying not to run away. How did those two instincts exist with regards to the same woman? "But, um... would you really do it? If... if Ranma's not the perfect man you dreamt of?"
"I don't think we should think about it, now should we?" Nodoka replied. "Hibari-chan says he's a true model gentleman. Why should I bother being worried about something that isn't true?"
"Heh, r-right," Ranma mumbled.
Ranma had ended up giving in to tiredness and the desire to melt into Nodoka's hug, finding herself drifting to sleep. Waterproof soap would make everything work out in the end.
Though a slight issue with that confidence was the way she mumbled 'g'nigh' mum' as she drifted to sleep. Nodoka had found herself staring at the small redhead in confusion. Sure, the obvious answer was the orphaned girl was clinging to Nodoka as any sort of maternal presence, but... but... why was it that, instead of feeling a little joy and a cute misunderstand, she felt her heart being pulled with all the force of her longing for to see Ranma again.
The young teens had had school the next morning, and Nodoka had decided to leave with them. Though she'd only made it a few blocks before she realised she'd left the Saotome family katana behind and had been forced to double back. She'd then had to deal with a reluctant Sabu, who insisted she take some lessons on properly handling a sword, but she eventually had the blade in her possession again.
She was most of the way to the local train and bus station hub of Oizumi-Gakuen Station, when she found herself feeling the need to sit down. A local cafe drew her eye and she drifted in, glad to find it quiet at the current hour after any breakfast rush.
The woman behind the counter was smartly dressed, a well fitting kimono and her dark hair up in a very neat bun. She served Nodoka with a kind smile. Nodoka sat down in one of the empty booths and generally stared into space as she tried to process the confusing thoughts in her head.
She had a son. She knew that's what she'd given birth to. She knew that's the child she'd raised for four years. The Oozoras had agreed, with all sorts of tales of Ranma's manliness. And yet... and yet... every atom of her body kept telling her that that Ran girl was her child.
"I hope I'm not intruding, but I couldn't help noticing how your tea has gone cold," the owner of the cafe said, walking over to Nodoka's booth and making her jump a little.
"Oh, oh yes. I'm sorry. I have quite a lot on my mind. I'm not overstaying my welcome, am I?" Nodoka asked.
The other woman looked around, Nodoka following her eyes and seeing just two other patrons present. A pair of housewives sharing cookies and gossiping away.
"I think I can afford to let you stay a little longer," the owner said with a smile.
Nodoka smiled back. "Thank you."
"I would be happy to lend an ear to your troubles, if you'd like?"
"Oh, I... I couldn't... and... I'll probably sound mad all," Nodoka said.
The owner sat down. "Trust me, Nerima is an interesting ward. I've probably heard at least as strange."
"I... well, this is quite bizarre. You see... my son and I have been separated since he was little," Nodoka said, deciding she would try to keep things vague. "I recently heard where he and his father were staying, and came to see them again. We, well, we didn't exactly separate. His father just travels a lot for... work. And wanted to take our son with him. So I thought I could see them again, now that I've heard they've settled down. When I arrived they were apparently away. Only... only there was a girl. She's the age my son would be. And... and she looks like me? And my heart is telling me she's somehow mine? And... and I don't know what it could mean? I only had one child. Boys... boys don't just grow up into young women? But those eyes, when they looked at me where so familiar, and, and when she sleepily called me 'mom'. It just... And... it sounds crazy, doesn't it?"
The soft smile on the other woman's face left Nodoka convinced she must have seemed utterly mad. She shouldn't have said anything. The woman had just seemed so comfortable to be around, and now she'd revealed something completely batty to her. Nodoka would have to make sure to never come back to this cafe again... were those tears in the other woman's eyes? Nodoka hadn't though she'd gone that into the deep end.
"My cafe used to be down in Shinjuku. Near Ni-chome. I... I think I know some folks down there you could talk to," the other woman said.
"Ni-chome... in Shinjuku? That's... wait, that's..." Nodoka said, feeling her cheeks grow hot. She didn't know much about the area, but she knew it was home to folks from... alternative lifestyles.
"Trust me, they're not nearly as scary as people make out, once you get to know them," the owner replied. "Telling them Fumiko sent you will get most of them to open up. They're wary of outsiders, because most people come in with assumptions, but... if you go in with an open mind I'm sure you'll find most are women like any others. Just... just with certain things being harder."
Nodoka had to blink.
"Women like... I'm quite confused. Aren't the ones in dresses down there the men?" she whispered. "They just... you know... like men?"
Fumiko gave another smile. "There's some of those, too. But the addresses I can give you will mostly be a bit different from that."
"I..." Nodoka started, before realising she didn't know what to say.
What about the contract?
She hated the stupid thing, but she'd sworn she'd enforce it. But... but... there was wiggle room, wasn't there? Maybe this could let her find a way out?
Not sure if that was true, she decided she wanted to cling on to the hope. Even if it was a fool's hope.
"Thank you," Nodoka said, giving the best bow she could while seated in the booth.
"Don't worry about it," Fumiko replied. "I could see in your eyes you want to be a better mother than what most of those girls get. You deserve a little help to get there."