The magic and innocence of childhood, the earth shattering realization as reality sets in.
Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own.
Growing Up
Chapter 1: Moving is scary!
Something really strange is happening to me, at first, it was scary and I wasn't so sure it was a good thing like momma said it was.
Yuugi, at the tender young age of five, was hunched over the kitchen table with all his crayons scattered everywhere. He was currently scribbling a bright green all over the lower half of his blank sheet of paper so he could draw his mom a field of beautiful flowers.
Though he didn't really understand, he noticed that his mother seemed really upset, and she was always so tired that she never played with him anymore.
Yuugi was hoping that this picture would be good enough to cheer her up, even if it was only a little bit.
After a few good minutes, he finally deemed his picture worthy of showing his mother, and hopped off his chair and hurried over to the room they shared knowing that she'd be there.
Mitsuki, Yuugi's mother, was sitting on their bed; her hands were pulling at her hair as she sighed. She was frustrated at the ocean of bills and final notices that she was currently drowning in.
"Momma?" Yuugi's small, hopeful voice rang out, freeing her from her chains of self pity.
She looked at her son; a small smile graced her beautiful face.
"Yes, Yuugi," she pushed the bills into a messy little pile and patted bed on her side, inviting him to sit with her.
He climbed onto the bed, careful not wrinkle or ruin his picture in anyway. He showed her the picture, "This is for you momma," his big amethyst eyes looking up to her tired grey eyes.
"Oh, Yuugi, it's beautiful! Thank you," she kissed top of his forehead and pulled him into her lap. " Yuugi?" She asked, to see if he was listening.
"Yes, momma," he cuddled into her warmth, both looking at the picture he for her drew.
"Do you miss Jii-san; do you want to see him again sometime soon?"
"Yeah! Jii-chan's super cool, and he gots all these games!" Yuugi smiled, getting excited.
"Really, that's good to hear," she smiled back, but Yuugi knew it was the bad kind of smile, the one grownups used when they were actually really sad on the inside.
His big smile slowly disappeared and he asked, "Why?"
"Because Jii-san has invited us to stay with him for a while, but I wasn't so sure to take up his offer."
"Oh, 'cause of all those scary papers?" He asked curiously, "the one's that make you so sad," to his mother's surprise.
She gave a small chuckle, "yeah, those scary papers are part of it." She said, holding him a little tighter. "But they aren't so bad."
Momma says not to worry, that I'll have fun and make lots and lots of friends at my new school.
But what if no one likes me? None of the kids at my old schools liked me much, what if it's the same?
Mitsuki walked down the hall to her son's kindergarten class, finally reaching a blue door covered in several handprints of various colors belonging to the five-year-olds on the other side.
She hesitated, knowing the reception she might receive, but built up the courage to twist the knob.
It was in the middle of the day, but still early; all the kids were playing games and chasing each other. Mitsuki gave a sad, knowing look to Yuugi, who just sat at a round table and watched the other children play.
"Oh, you must be Mutou-san!" a kindly feminine voice called out, causing Mitsuki to flinch.
That one hurt.
"Uh, yes, I'm here to pick up Yuugi early." She said awkwardly, playing with the wedding band on her finger.
"Of course, he's been expecting you." She offered her hand and a gentle smile, "Satou Fuuko, nice to officially meet you, even though the occasion could be better."
Mitsuki took her hand, "agreed, but not all meetings can be the best, I suppose."
"I understand," she said the turned her attention over to where the children were. "Yuugi, your mother's here! Time to go." She called out, gaining most of the attention.
Yuugi turned, to face the teacher and saw his mom. He shot out of the small chair he was sitting in and ran over to her squeezing her legs as hard as he could, "momma!"
Whispers ran rampant through the classroom, whispers like 'that's Yuugi's mom?' 'He looks nothing like her. '
"Hi, Yuugi, are you ready to go?" She asked, kneeling down to his level.
"Uh-huh, just let me go get my bag!" He said excitedly, taking a step back so his mother would have more room.
"Okay, but be quick," she smiled, tapping his nose with her index finger, making him giggle.
"'Kay!" he rushed away to get his things, then she stood up again.
"You know-" Fuuko tried to grab Mitsuki's attention before Yuugi came back, but it was barely ten seconds before he came rushing back over, accidently interrupting his teacher.
"I'm ready momma," he said jumping to grab her hand as he ran up to her, almost dragging her down with him.
"Yuugi!" Mitsuki gasped, surprised, almost shocked at what he did.
He just looked to her with his large, soulful eyes, "what'd I do," and she melted.
"You, uh, interrupted your teacher!" She wagged her finger, pretending to scold him. He blinked a few times, registering what she had just told him and then looked up to his teacher.
"I'm sorry Satou-sensei, I didn't mean to." He said whole heartedly.
"That's… alright," she gave him a small half-hearted smile and patted his head softly. "Have lots of fun at your new school."
"Okay," he nodded in agreement.
"It's time to go, Yuugi," Mitsuki told her son, and nudged him towards the door.
"Okay, momma," and he started on his merry-little-way.
Just when she turned to follow him out the door, Fuuko placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Mutou-san, I really do understand what you're going through. My father went through almost the exact same thing, but my mother chose to leave us." She said ever so softly, to Mitsuki's surprise.
She placed her hand on Fuuko's, "Thank you for your kind words," she smiled, "it really means a lot."
And that's not the only thing that's scary, 'cause we're moving momma says we're 'packing', and that means a fairy comes into our house to put our things in these big boxes. Almost all my things are gone and packed away, but at least I still have my teddy bear, or I'd be lonely.
There is on good thing so far, momma says starting tomorrow I'll be staying at Jii-chan's.
It was late; the moon was high already high in the sky.
Yuugi was asleep in the passenger seat hold onto his bear.
Mitsuki had just parked behind the Kame Game shop; she knew Sugoroku would be expecting them so she could assume the back door would be unlocked for them.
She carefully unbuckled Yuugi and than herself, after letting herself out- quietly, she let Yuugi out with the utter most caution. After making sure he was safe and secure in her arms, she quietly shut the car door then made her way to the back door.
The back door was the laundry room that led into the kitchen portion of the house that shared the same building as the game shop. She set Yuugi down on the couch in the living room down the hall, making sure not to wake him, and proceeded back to the car to grab a few things she didn't pack, knowing Yuugi would want them at some point in the day, only to run into Sugoroku who was walking down the stairs.
"Ah, good evening, Tsuki-chan," he greeted cheerfully, only to cause her to blush furiously at the silly childhood nickname.
"Konban wa, Sugoroku-san," she bowed in respect.
"Now, now, no need to be like that, you can just call me Oto-san or even Jii-chan, like Yuugi!" He smiled.
"I don't feel comfortable calling you Oto-san anymore, I feel like I lost that right." She said looking down, her eyes burning with tears she refused to shed, staring sadly at her wedding ring. She knew she'd never be able to take it off, even though all it was now was a painful memory.
"Don't be like that, Mitsuki, you'll always be my daughter," he placed his time-worn hands over hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Now, I know it's a bit late, but where is Yuugi?" He asked
She couldn't help but give a small laugh as she wiped her eyes, "He's on the couch, but I'll be right back with a few of his things."
"Okay, when will you be back?"
"Late this afternoon," she said, but it sounded more like a question. "I have to pack a few more things, and get them all on a van. But I'm leaving you his crayons, some clothes, and his favorite game. He can't wait for you to play with him"
