Hey guys! Good news! The hiatus is over! And now, it's time for new stories! And here we have another cute story featuring Mi-Na!
Without further to-do, let's get it! Note: Mi-Na is about 6 years old here.
The Picture Book
It was a dreary, rainy Saturday. And that meant that the Hamada family-Hiro, his wife Go Go, and their daughter Mi-Na-were stuck inside. After looking over the options on TV, Mi-Na said, "Mommy, there's nothing on!"
Hiro then said, "And the rain means you can't go outside and play, either."
Go Go said, "How about a story?"
Mi-Na said, "Yeah! Tell me a story!"
Hiro said, "And…we'll use the photo book!"
The family sat in the living room-Hiro and Go Go sat in their couch, and Mi-Na sat between them. Hiro said, "Oh, here's a photo of your mom when she was 6 months pregnant with you!"
Go Go said, "Yeah…the doctors said I couldn't ride motorcycles at that point…they didn't say anything about sitting on them, though…"
Mi-Na pointed, and said, "Nana Cass! Nana Cass!"
Hiro said, "Yeah, Mi. That's Nana…Aunt Cass." The photo was of Cass doing something she rarely did-take time off. Cass had taken a week off and went sightseeing in Oregon and Washington. One of the pictures was of her on a trail hike.
They continued looking through the book, recounting each photo with a story about the photo. There was a photo of Go Go and her parents taken during the wedding-and Hiro told about how he and Go Go's father nearly came to blows when they first met. There was a picture of Hiro taken at his graduation from SFIT.
They were laughing and enjoying the memories...until Hiro turned a page. The picture was of Hiro and his older brother, Tadashi-taken a week before the SFIT Expo…and the fire which took Tadashi's life. Mi-Na saw Hiro and the other guy in the photo, and said, "Daddy-who's that?"
Hiro said, "That's…that's my brother…Tadashi…"
Go Go had noticed Hiro's mood had changed. Mi-Na said, "Dashi?"
Hiro said, "Yeah, Dashi. He was my greatest inspiration. He even introduced your mom and me."
Mi-Na, in her innocence, said, "Wanna meet Dashi…"
Hiro gulped-and only noticed he was gripping the picture book hard. Go Go said, "Mi-Na…Dashi is…I mean…you can't meet Dashi…"
Mi-Na said, "Why not?"
Hiro then choked out, "Dashi's gone…"
And it was like he was 14 again…explaining to Baymax that Tadashi was 'gone'-a victim of a senseless act of violence. Go Go and Mi-Na saw Hiro was crying-or doing his best not to cry. Mi-Na said, "Daddy! I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you sad."
Hiro wiped his eyes, and replied, "It's OK, Mi-MI. Tadashi…tried to save someone…ran into a building…there was an explosion…and then…he was gone…"
Mi-Na, being a child, didn't understand the concept of death as 'gone'. But she knew something was hurting her daddy. And she did the only thing she knew to make him feel better…
…she stood on the couch, and hugged him. Hiro was shocked, but accepted the hug. He chuckled, and said, "Mi-Na…when I was feeling this way about Dashi…your mom did the same thing for me. It's kinda the thing that helped us get together."
Mi-Na said, "Yeah?"
Go Go then said, "Yeah…if not for Tadashi, then Hiro and I might not have met…and you might not have been born."
Hiro said, "Well, I don't know about that…Mi-Na, look! The rain stopped!"
Mi-Na and Go Go looked and saw that the storm had stopped, and the sun had came out. Go Go said, "You wanna go out and play?"
Mi-Na said, "More stories! More stories!"
Hiro said, "Alright, then. Let's look in this picture book…and tomorrow, Mi-Na…"
Mi-Na said, "Yes, Daddy?"
Hiro said, "I'll take you to meet Dashi."
Mi-Na said, "OK, Daddy." She sat on the couch, and the Hamada family continued to look in the book-re-experiencing the many memories within…
The next day, true to his word, Hiro, Go Go and Mi-Na went to see 'Dashi'. They ended up at the Lucky Cat Café. Cass was thrilled to see her little family. And she took them to the small shrine she had made for Tadashi.
Mi-Na saw the shrine, and said, "Dashi is here?"
Hiro said, "Mi-Na…" He bent down, and touched her chest. He touched his own in the same spot-right over the heart. He then said, "Dashi is here…as long as we remember him…Dashi may be gone…but he is always with us."
Hiro and Go Go both put their hands together, and Hiro said a silent prayer. Go Go looked down, and saw that Mi-Na-as kids often do-was following her parents and had put her hands together in prayer as well.
As they were leaving, Mi-Na turned to the shrine, and softly said, "Bye, Dashi…"
As they left, Hiro said, "So…later, I'll tell you another story about me and Dashi…and the trouble he got me into."
Go Go said, "Hey! As I remember, it was you that got him in trouble!"
Hiro said, "Go! Let's not make her think I was that bad!" The parents chuckled, walking down the street with their daughter, looking forward to sharing the life of the greatest influence of Hiro's life…Tadashi…
And so ends that story! Special thanks to Cam the History Man24 for this suggestion!
What will be the next story? Only I know!
So until next time, comment, fave, follow!
AN: For the time being, the suggestion box is 'Closed'. I have more suggestions than I have time to write!
