It was a beautiful day in Kuki, Saitama, Japan. The sun was shining much brighter than usual; the people were waking up and going to work all over the city, and the birds were singing a beautiful melody.

In a room in a big house next to a shrine and a ramen store slept a young girl tucked away under lots of blankets and stuffed animals. As she awoke, her eyes began to hurt. She blinked in order to stop the pain, but it just kept getting worse. She began to cry into the pillow she had been cuddling on all night until her eyes began to hurt more. "I hate my life" she said wearily while she bawled into the pillow.

This girl's name was Tsukasa. She was 18 years old and she had depression. She had been diagnosed with it in 9th grade when she was underperforming at school and withdrawing from home life. Her school was trying to make her feel more comfortable, but it really wasn't working. She felt worthless all the time.

Tsukasa changed into her beige and green school uniform and made her way downstairs. Her eyes were still red from all the crying and her mother Miki noticed this. "Oh sweetie, are you OK?" Tsukasa didn't respond, so Miki cuddled her daughter, "remember, if you feel like you need to come home, just call me and I'll be there as soon as I can ok?" Miki wanted to help her daughter with her depression by always being there for her and giving her lots of love and warmth.

"Mom! Where are my ribbons?!" A loud voice boomed from the kitchen "Kagami, I put them in your room" Miki said, having to break the cuddle with her youngest to reply "What are you even doing with Tsukasa anyway? She's just a big baby! A big dumb baby who cries all the time!" Kagami said. This caused Miki to get angry "Kagami Hiiragi! Don't you dare talk about your sister like that, she does not need your criticisms right now!" She yelled. "Whatever" Kagami said as she slyly stormed off to school. She and Tsukasa went to different schools, so she wore a different uniform. Her's was white and red.

Tsukasa began to cry again. Miki went to tend to her youngest "Shh, it's ok baby, Mommy's here, just call me if you want to come home OK?" "OK Mommy" her offspring said as she started to walk to her school, still crying. "Poor girl," Miki said as she went back to do some housework "I wish I knew how to make you happy".

School was hard for Tsukasa. She couldn't understand a single lesson or really any word that anyone was saying. She had no friends and often sat alone. Many times she would hide underneath the tables or just get up from her desk and go to the girls bathrooms to cry. The teachers would get really angry at her until the principal reminded them, as he often did, about her condition. He would then often send someone, always a female teacher, to talk to her calmly and convince her out of the bathrooms. She would then often go to the principal's office when she would call her mom and she would come to take her home. Miki was never angry at her when this happened. It was pretty common.

Today was no exception. At lunchtime, Tsukasa had had enough. Today felt extra hard, and Kagami's words only deepened the cut, like it was adding salt to the wound. She ran into the bathroom and began to cry hysterically. She reached for her phone and called her mom.

When Miki saw her phone ringing, she knew instantly what was happening. She answered "Tsukasa?" But was surprised to hear only crying "hold on sweetheart, I'm coming don't worry". She hung up and immediately went to her car.

Miki arrived at the school quickly and went to the reception desk "Hello, I'm Miss Hiiragi, I'm here to pick up my daughter" she said. "one moment" said the receptionist "I'm sorry but your daughter isn't with the principal right now" "What?!" Miki exclaimed. The receptionist hastily replied "I'll go get someone right away!"

A staff member was walking down the corridor where the girls' bathrooms were located when she heard crying. Knowing from past experience, she called out, "Hiiragi, is that you?" She got no response but was convinced it was her "Hiiragi, please come out, I'm getting worried about you" Tsukasa stood up weakly and went to the door "Come on, let's get you to the principal's office" the staff member said, handing her a tissue.

When she saw Miki at the reception, Tsukasa ran up to her and started crying loudly again. "Shhh baby I'm here, Mommy's here" Miki said in a comforting tone, "let's go home now OK?" She cuddled her daughter and hushed her softly and quietly. "Thank you again" she said to the staff and left with her daughter in her hands.

Soon they arrived home "OK baby, Mommy's going to run you a nice warm bath, then she's going to give you milky and then she will put you to sleep" Miki said. She had prepared for this. "Yes Mommy" Tsukasa said weakly. Miki then guided her to the sofa to rest.

Later, Miki came back to take her daughter to her bath. She carefully undressed her weary body and helped her into the bath, after which she left to get her daughter's bottle ready. While enveloped by the warmth of the blanket of water that surrounded her body, Tsukasa began to think about how her mother had been calling her baby all day. The girl couldn't help but feel needed whenever her mom used that word around her... wanted even. Tsukasa had always liked that feeling and found herself thinking, feeling even, that if there was anything Tsukasa wanted to do in this world, it was to give that feeling back to someone. Make them feel needed. Make them feel as wanted as she had always felt she was... like her own child...

Later, Tsukasa got out of the bath and went back to her room. Miki was waiting for her with some comfortable clothes and a fresh bottle of milk. "Hey sweetie, let Mommy help you put these on and then you can have your milky". The clothes were pretty much oversized baby clothes, but Tsukasa loved them and Miki thought they were very cute, and after a bit of effort the clothes were on. They were nice and snuggly. Miki picked up the bottle of milk and Tsukasa laid down on her lap. She opened her mouth as her Mommy put the soft top into her mouth and Tsukasa began to drink.

The milk flowed down Tsukasa's throat as it warmly filled her up, causing her to blush. Miki giggled quietly at this site and gently stroked her daughter's hair. "I'm sorry I can't feed you the way I used to," she whispered to her baby, rocking her slowly into comfort "I promise one day when we leave this hell of a house I will do it, I will breastfeed you again" she said, holding on to her last slither of hope. Miki had started taking pills and had been breastfeeding Tsukasa for a while until she just didn't feel safe doing it in their house and moved on to using a bottle.

Soon Tsukasa began to feel sleepy, so Miki gently carried her over to her futon and covered her in her blanket, giving her a kiss on the forehead and stroking her hair. "I love you my baby" she said with all her heart. "Night night Mommy" Tsukasa said tenderly, before falling asleep and drifting away into a land of dreams. Miki kept stroking her hair to help ease her body into a nice dream. After she felt her daughter was safe, she left the room, saying one last "I love you" in the doorway before quietly closing the door.

Tsukasa woke up in a bright, warm meadow and sat up. She gazed at the blissful flowers and felt their soft felt like petals. She then turned to the river running between both the hills. It had a gleam similar to that of the ocean. She then stood up and looked at the ocean. She saw a small white dot floating in front of her, then it turned into two white dots. She was fascinated by them. Then the dots moved towards her tummy and landed on it. Her tummy then began to grow rapidly until it was big and round. She placed her hands on her belly. It felt warm and full, like she had been completed. It felt like she had been given a purpose. She smiled a tiny smile and began to gently dance on the hill while cradling her tummy, feeling its warmth under her small hands.

This was what she wanted, to be happy. If all it would take was to grow her tummy somehow, then it would be worth it. But it would be much less straightforward than eating more. If only she knew what was waiting around the corner.