His mother's hug was soft, and weak... Looking at her, her hair looked more
pale, and gray. He sighed, realizing that it would be harder for him to
cope with her sickness... But he loves her so much, he'd do anything, and
so would his sister. So why is he hearing about... a replacement for
Sayoko? Slowly, she let go, and smiled at him. He was finally taller than
him, he could remember how she used to tower over him, now he was just
about level. She looked so happy...
"Aren't they pretty?" she said, keeping her hand on his arm.
"...What?" again, he was lost in his train of thought.
"The paintings, you were just asking me about the paintings." she looked over at the wall, with all the beautiful watercolors hanging above the long table of bonsais.
"Hai... They're very, very pretty." he sighed. "But, who is Hiryuu? Why do you think Sayoko won't help you anymore? You don't need to hire anyone!" sighing, he watched her lower her gaze to the floor, the smile, still on her face.
"Shin... I knew it would be hard for you to understand... You're such a good boy. No, you're not a boy anymore; you're a young man... And you have a very bright future before you. And so does your sister. She's going to have a baby soon!" he blushes again, smiling nervously. "And sooner or later, she's going to have to leave here too, like you, and start her own family. She can't take care of me all the time.. So, I hired Hiryuu. She's young, and she wanted a job to help her with the career she wanted. She's also bringing in more profit with her paintings. And she lives close, so she's only a call away. You understand now, right?" he slowly nodded, and smiled weakly.
"But, how can you trust her?" she gave him a look.
"Now you know better than that..." she laughed. "If you're so protective of me, go see for yourself. She let go of his arm, and softly kissed his cheek. "Now, I got to get back to work. Go say hello to her, and be polite. I know you'll mind your manners." they both smiled, and agreed. "When you're done with that, you can go to the green room and trim the water plants on the left shelf, and pot the flowers on the right shelf." she walked back over to the register, and opened up her phone book. "I have some orders to make." he simply stood, there, and watched her, unsure on what to do... "Go!" she laughed softly. "She's in the back."
His eyes looked around the shop again, and he sighed. He looked towards the door, leading to the room that held reserved plants and such, and the door was open. Slowly, and walked carefully over to the door, and peered in. It was very dark; there were no windows, so there were solar lamps on the small table to the right. But there was nothing in there, except for a few lit candles on the floor, many paints, and a young woman kneeling on the floor. He studied her. She was wearing a very pale colored lavender kimono, not to fancy, but nice enough... With very short, gold hair. The candlelight made her hair look as if it was glowing. He back was towards him, she didn't notice him standing behind her, staring at her with very wide eyes. He gulped. The shy side of him was taking over him again. That was the cause of his woman troubles. Slowly, she lifted her head, and looked over her shoulder, and jumped, gasping loudly, turning as pale as a sheet. He gasped as well, and his back slammed against the wall. He thought she would be some weird looking freeloader. Oh god... was he had never been more wrong in his life.
"Aren't they pretty?" she said, keeping her hand on his arm.
"...What?" again, he was lost in his train of thought.
"The paintings, you were just asking me about the paintings." she looked over at the wall, with all the beautiful watercolors hanging above the long table of bonsais.
"Hai... They're very, very pretty." he sighed. "But, who is Hiryuu? Why do you think Sayoko won't help you anymore? You don't need to hire anyone!" sighing, he watched her lower her gaze to the floor, the smile, still on her face.
"Shin... I knew it would be hard for you to understand... You're such a good boy. No, you're not a boy anymore; you're a young man... And you have a very bright future before you. And so does your sister. She's going to have a baby soon!" he blushes again, smiling nervously. "And sooner or later, she's going to have to leave here too, like you, and start her own family. She can't take care of me all the time.. So, I hired Hiryuu. She's young, and she wanted a job to help her with the career she wanted. She's also bringing in more profit with her paintings. And she lives close, so she's only a call away. You understand now, right?" he slowly nodded, and smiled weakly.
"But, how can you trust her?" she gave him a look.
"Now you know better than that..." she laughed. "If you're so protective of me, go see for yourself. She let go of his arm, and softly kissed his cheek. "Now, I got to get back to work. Go say hello to her, and be polite. I know you'll mind your manners." they both smiled, and agreed. "When you're done with that, you can go to the green room and trim the water plants on the left shelf, and pot the flowers on the right shelf." she walked back over to the register, and opened up her phone book. "I have some orders to make." he simply stood, there, and watched her, unsure on what to do... "Go!" she laughed softly. "She's in the back."
His eyes looked around the shop again, and he sighed. He looked towards the door, leading to the room that held reserved plants and such, and the door was open. Slowly, and walked carefully over to the door, and peered in. It was very dark; there were no windows, so there were solar lamps on the small table to the right. But there was nothing in there, except for a few lit candles on the floor, many paints, and a young woman kneeling on the floor. He studied her. She was wearing a very pale colored lavender kimono, not to fancy, but nice enough... With very short, gold hair. The candlelight made her hair look as if it was glowing. He back was towards him, she didn't notice him standing behind her, staring at her with very wide eyes. He gulped. The shy side of him was taking over him again. That was the cause of his woman troubles. Slowly, she lifted her head, and looked over her shoulder, and jumped, gasping loudly, turning as pale as a sheet. He gasped as well, and his back slammed against the wall. He thought she would be some weird looking freeloader. Oh god... was he had never been more wrong in his life.