Iris and buttercup
Blue iris in Japanese culture:- hope and faith
Buttercups in Japan's flower language:- good luck and happiness. Very much a flower associated with children.
Nanako remembers her Mom in the little things. She remembers how she taught her to fold clothes and match socks, in the morning light. The seasons of vegetables , and when they taste best. The feeling of being pushed behind a shopping cart down the shelves of the grocery stores. Junes is all kinds of stores combined, and has a catchy theme song, and Nanako is sure mother would have loved it.
Mom used to thank her when she helped out. When she washed the dishes, or put the socks away, or held the dust pan, there was a thank you after it. And a kiss to her head. Now she holds the dust pan herself as she sweeps, and has to get stool to put the taller dishes away, and makes bentos, and Dad thanks her, but it's not quite the same. He pats her head, and helps where he can, and she can almost hear mom thanking her still.
Nanako once asked mom for a brother or a sister, when they were picking flowers on the floodplains. Always buttercups, never Iris's, never eat them. Flowers can poison, Nanako.
When Mom explained that the sibling would have to be younger, Nanako lost interest. She wants a big brother or sister, to take care of her.
Mom said to be kind, and that she would make a very caring sibling. Nanako likes to think Mom still wants her to be kind, even when it hurts without her there, so she tries. She tries her best, and maybe it even works.
When Mom died, Nanako went to the floodplains and almost picked Iris. She stuck to buttercups for Mom, and asks her to send a big brother or sister. Dad loves her, but he's never here, and it's hard.
When Dad says her cousin is coming to visit, she claims up, and finds it hard to say anything. What if her wish came true?
(What if it didn't)
But Mom says she would make a very caring sibling, so Nanako tries to do that too. It gets easier to be kind when others are kind to you. So she talks to him, and he listens, and it feels like hope, yellow like buttercups.