Shoko Komi's Ultimate Challenge

by Ulquiorra9000

Communication 23: mother

Late one evening, after she finally finished all her homework and practiced a bit of guitar with Shosuke, Shoko Komi went downstairs to chill out. She stretched herself comfortably across the couch to watch TV while her mother finished washing the dishes over in the kitchen, and Shoko had fun watching a documentary about beekeeping for a few minutes. She finally got up during a commercial break and wandered into the kitchen to find herself a snack, where her mom was busy sweeping the floor.

Shoko almost tripped on the broom and squeaked with alarm, stumbling forward a few steps, arms held out wide until she regained her balance.

"Oh. Are you all right, Shoko?" Shuko asked wearily. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes.

Shoko nodded. Now she felt a little guilty, getting in the way of her hardworking mom like that. Are you all right? Shoko's expression asked.

Now Shuko yawned. "I... I'm all right, dear," she said. But she didn't seem all right. "Though I still need to fold some laundry and check some e-mails before going to bed."

Shoko paused and glanced up in thought. Her mom worked so hard, and what did Shoko ever do at home? Goof off and laze around! And Shosuke wasn't much better, playing computer games in his room all evening and brushing off his parent's compliments. Were they being bad children? Maybe they were!

Shoko instantly turned her guilt into something more constructive: a challenge! Let's do it!

"I..." Shoko took a deep breath. "I'll help you with the laundry, mom. And I'll make sure your bed is ready, too."

"You... you will?" Shuko asked incredulously.

Shoko nodded. "I want to make you happy, mom. I'll be a good daughter for you."

"Sh... Shoko...!" Shuko dropped the broom and wrapped Shoko in a tight hug, sobbing the whole time. "What a good girl!"

Shoko patted her mom's back and wondered if being a helpful daughter should just be the norm, and not a unique challenge. Well, how about she go the extra mile for the challenge, then be moderately helpful after that?

She started by folding her parents' laundry in their bedroom, and a grateful Shuko took that chance to remove her makeup in the bathroom. Then Masayoshi entered the bedroom and watched his daughter at work.

What a fine job you're doing, he thought, giving a thumbs-up.

Shoko finished folding one of her father's polo shirts (they were so big) and made a happy "hmph!" She was just getting started!

*o*o*o*o*

It was barely the crack of dawn, but so what? Shoko had a mission! She summoned all her willpower and crawled out of bed when the alarm went off at 5:00 AM, and she quietly got dressed before going downstairs and turning on the kitchen lights, the stove, and more. She hurried all over the kitchen before her parents came downstairs, and sure enough...

"Oh! Dear, do you smell that? Is someone cooking?" came Shuko's voice just seconds before the Komi parents entered the kitchen. They both stared in awe at the busy Shoko.

Good morning, Shoko's face clearly said before she hurried to get the miso soup and fish ready as part of a traditional breakfast. It's almost ready.

"Shoko, did you get up early to make us breakfast?" Shuko asked with delight. "Squeeeeee! What a good daughter! See, dear? I told you she was suddenly acting super nice last night!"

I didn't doubt you, dear, Masayoshi's expression clearly said, but he was clearly pleased all the same. We raised ourselves a proper child.

Shoko was only too happy to serve a full breakfast at the table, and a few minutes into the meal, Shosuke came slouching downstairs, hands in his pockets. He took a seat, picked up his chopsticks and mumbled, "Thanks for breakfast, mom."

"Actually, your sister made breakfast this morning," Shuko said brightly.

Shosuke blinked and gave Shoko a surprised look. How come? his expression asked.

It was a tad embarrassing to say the real reason, so Shoko merely said "I was in the mood" and resumed eating. She liked traditional Japanese breakfasts best, and wow, eating her own cooking was wonderful! It really felt like she earned this breakfast somehow, and most importantly, she gave her tired mother a much-needed break. And this was just the start!

*o*o*o*o*

Right after school that day, Shoko politely declined Najimi's offer to go throw bread chunks at the ducks at the local park and hurried straight home. Sure enough, her mother was busy vacuuming downstairs, and once again, she looked tired. How had Shoko never noticed that before?

Shoko put away her school things and motioned until Shuko shut off the vacuum.

"Welcome home, Shoko. Did you have a good day at school?" Shuko asked cheerily.

Instead of answering, Shoko eagerly pointed at the vacuum until Shuko got the message. Shoko's amused mother stepped back and let her daughter finish the vacuuming, and not a single crumb or loose hair was missed. And once Shoko finished vacuuming and put the vacuum cleaner away, she motioned again, this time toward the couch.

"Oh, my. What's this all about, Shoko?" Shuko asked, and she gasped with delight when Shoko knelt by her and began a shoulder rub. Shoko turned on the TV to her mom's favorite variety talk show and kept massaging those shoulders, and she actually felt the tension being relieved in Shuko's muscles. So people did carry mental burdens in their shoulders... incredible!

"Aaaaaahhhhh, Shoko dear..." Shuko groaned with pleasure, her whole body relaxing. "Such a good girl... what did I do to deserve this? It's not even my birthday."

"I just want to support you, mom," Shoko said quietly, this time massaging Shuko's neck and middle back. "My challenge is to pamper you and make you happy."

"Well, I am very happy. Thank you, Shoko!"

"I'm just getting started."

"Ooooooh..."

Shoko finished the massage, then asked if there was anything else she could do to help out or make her happy. And Shuko had plenty of ideas!

"I believe this is the first time you've brushed my hair, Shoko," Shuko commented warmly when mother and daughter knelt on the bed in the master bedroom, with a nervous Shoko running a brush through her mother's hair. "It's such a bonding experience! I mean, I've brushed your hair plenty of times, but... well, mine is a bit short, and you're so modest... heh heh..."

Shoko could hardly believe it either, now that her mom brought it up. She really had never brushed her mom's hair before, though in all fairness, it makes more sense for a mom to brush her young daughter's hair and show her how it's done. It's such a simple and ordinary act, but it can also mean a lot. Ah, such warm and cozy feelings! And Shoko learned just how silky, soft, and sweetly scented her mother's hair was! It felt funny but also nice to run her hands through Shuko's dark hair.

"It's like I'm at a sleepover," Shuko added with another laugh. "Shoko, you oughta bring your friends over for another sleepover! So I can join in!"

Shoko jumped and nearly dropped the brush. "Th... that was one time only!" she yelped. She resumed brushing. "But I did have fun."

"I'm happy to hear that, Shoko dear."

When Shoko was finished brushing her mom's hair, she accepted her mom's challenge to make tonight's dinner all by herself: curry with salads on the side. Shoko rolled up her sleeves and got to work, and her mom didn't come back downstairs until dinner was ready and the four Komis gathered to eat.

"Thanks for dinner, mom," Shosuke mumbled as he picked up his chopsticks. Masayoshi nodded in agreement.

"Actually..." Shuko beamed and clapped her hands together. "Shoko made dinner today! Be sure to thank her!"

"Oh. Uh, thanks, big sis," Shosuke said before he stuffed his face with curry.

Thank you for this fine dinner. You must have worked hard, Masayoshi thought as he started eating.

Shoko nodded shyly and ate. Ah, so nice to eat her own cooking!

*o*o*o*o*

The next day after school, Shoko took the time to sit down with her mother to look over some family albums together on the couch, and Shoko admitted she didn't even know half the people in these photos. Shuko didn't mind, though.

"Look, these are your father's great-grandparents. This was taken back in 1911! Wow!" Shuko pointed at a photo of a well-dressed man and woman seated in a photography studio. "And this is my great-uncle. He used to work on fishing boats until he retired in the 1980s. Oh, how I miss him and his funny stories..."

Shoko made a happy "hmph!" and realized just how big the Komi and Niimi families were. So many people she had never met!

Shuko closed the album and opened another. "I'm so happy you're showing an interest in the family's history, Shoko. It's nice to share this with you."

"I'm happy, too," Shoko said quietly, and she settled in for more intriguing family photos.

And that wasn't all. Early that evening, Shoko asked to go shopping with Shuko for dinner's ingredients, and of course, Shoko helped her actually cook dinner, too. They even ran into two of Shuko's friends at the market, and Shoko trembled as her mother cheerily introduced her to Ayami and Hiroko. Shoko managed to squeak out "nice to meet you!" before she went totally silent. And later that evening, after dinner...

"I'd like to take the bath first tonight, dear," Shuko said, kissing her husband's cheek. "I'll make it quick."

Another opportunity! Shoko swallowed and said, "Mom, why don't we go to the bathhouse down the street?"

Shuko gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. "Sh-Shoko! It's been years since we bathed together! I thought you had lost interest!"

Shoko felt too old to bathe with her mom nowadays, but today was special. "I'm... in the mood."

"Well, I'll be! Let's get our stuff and go!" Shuko squealed with joy and clapped her hands together.

Masayoshi, meanwhile, got inspired and met Shosuke's eyes. Hey son, why don't we take a quick bath together while they're away?

Shosuke made a sour face as he headed upstairs. Not on your life, dad.

Masayoshi hung his head. So much for that!

Anyway, Shoko got all her bath stuff and walked down the evening sidewalk with her mother and stepped inside the lovely bathhouse, where they got a warm welcome from the elderly receptionist.

"Ah, welcome back, Shuko," she said kindly. "It's been some time! And this must be your daughter?"

"Oh, yes! Shoko invited me to bathe with her this evening. She's so thoughtful!" Shuko chuckled while a nervous Shoko bowed in greetings. Let's just get in the bath...

But first:

"Don't be shy, Shoko," Shuko said, clearly trying not to laugh as mother and daughter got undressed in the women's side of the bathhouse. Shuko unbuttoned her shirt and stuffed it into the basket. "It's all right to get undressed in front of your mother!"

True enough, but even so...! Shoko didn't mind getting changed in the locker room at school for PE or swim classes, but this felt a little different. She was much closer to her mother than to her friends like Nene or Kaede, and this special challenge made everything feel more intense.

Oh, just get on with it.

"Oh my, you're getting so mature, Shoko," Shuko said with a naughty expression as Shoko finished getting changed. "So womanly!"

Shoko squeaked with alarm and hurried to wrap herself in a towel. She motioned to the doorway leading to the bath, trying not to blush. She vaguely wondered if Shuko also commented on how grown-up Shosuke was, too. Who knows?

"Aaaaahhhhh, that's nice," Shuko groaned with pleasure once she and Shoko sank shoulder-deep into the public bath after washing up. "Nothing like a good soak, right, Shoko?"

Shoko nodded, getting comfortable in the bath, willing herself to relax. Paradoxically, going into public bathhouses made her anxious with all the nude strangers around, but it also relaxed her with the warm water and the classy ambiance. And it was extra nice to share this with her mother.

"We don't get many chances to spend some alone time together, do we?" Shuko commented a minute later. "I'm so busy at home, and you've got school and your wonderful new friends... I hope we can do this again sometime, Shoko. Thank you so much for being so considerate." She beamed.

Shoko opened her mouth, but words failed her. She simply beamed right back and sank an inch deeper into the water, not caring how many strangers could see her (and there were at least ten other women of all ages in here). Shuko was right; they really didn't spend much quality time together anymore. This was overdue. And on a related note...

"Do... um... do dad and Shosuke ever do anything like this?" Shoko whispered into her mother's ear.

Shuko chuckled. "Your brother won't admit it, but he and your father did come here last year, and Masayoshi told me all about it. They didn't even say anything; they just nodded and grunted at each other, and afterward, they had a much deeper understanding of each other!" Shuko made a happy sigh, looking up at the ceiling. "Masayoshi said he saw Shosuke in a whole new light. And all without a word! Can you believe it? Men are so strange sometimes. But I can't help but love your father anyway for it."

Shoko nodded and tried to picture her father and brother exchanging nods and grunts, all with happy sparkles around them. That sure sounded like something they would do!

Mother and daughter spent about another 20 minutes soaking in the bath until they called it a night and returned home in high spirits.

*o*o*o*o*

Over the next two days, Shoko kept supporting her mom with doing extra chores and even giving another shoulder massage (plus a foot massage), and she found the perfect way to conclude this challenge. After school on Friday, Shoko made a slightly pricy but 100% worth it purchase, then returned home and found her mother in the living room, watching an infomercial.

"Sh-Shoko...!" Shuko gasped and slowly got to her feet, amazed by what she saw.

Shoko handed over the bouquet. "These are for you, mom, to show my appreciation for you. Thanks for always being there for me."

"I... I..." Shuko was already in happy tears (that was a good sign) as she accepted the flowers with trembling hands. "I have the best daughter in the whole wide world!" Then she fully burst into tears, holding the bouquet like a bridesmaid, the infomercial forgotten. "I've got to tell all my friends about this! Best day ever!"

Shoko wasn't sure what else to say. Honestly, she said all she needed to, and the challenge was complete, anyway. So, she made a polite bow and hurried upstairs before she started crying, too. Whew, that was a heck of a challenge! She felt much closer to her mom now, and hey, perhaps she could do something like this for her father sometime, too. Shosuke wasn't the type to try something like that, so it fell to Shoko Komi to let her parents know how much she loved them. Maybe for Masayoshi's birthday?

And a few hours later...

"Thanks for dinner, big sis," Shosuke muttered as he dug into his dinner that evening.

Shuko chuckled. "Actually, I cooked tonight, Shosuke. Your sister is taking a break from cooking for now. I can handle it from here."

"Oh. Sure. Thanks, mom." Shosuke resumed eating, and didn't speak up again. He probably had his mind on that new computer game that just came out.

Meanwhile, Masayoshi glanced at his wife. Dear, were you crying earlier? Your eyes and nose are red.

Shuko shared a look with Shoko before she smiled. "I... watched a really touching made-for-TV romance movie earlier this afternoon. You wouldn't believe how sweet the main character's daughter is!"

Mmmmm. Yes. I see. Masayoshi resumed eating, none the wiser.

Shoko, meanwhile, ate in a hurry and retreated upstairs to catch up on studying. She was thrilled to bond with her mom, but the whole thing left her emotionally drained. Time to recharge for the next challenge!