Chapter 47: Love your life

Michael: "Here this is for you." He hands Natsuki a Christmas gift wrapped with a reindeer pattern and a pink bow on the corner of the box.

Natsuki: "What is this?"

Michael: "It's a gift."

Natsuki: "A gift for me?"

Michael: "It's a bit early, but Merry Christmas." He smiles nervously.

Natsuki: "You, you didn't have to get me anything."

Michael: "True, but it's nice to give a present to someone I'm close to." She stood there in silence staring at the box. "Everyone pitched in for this, so make sure to say thanks to them when you get the chance."

Natsuki: "They pitched in?" She says silently to herself.

Michael: "Well I better get home now. I'll see you next time."

Natsuki: "Wait! What's in it?"

Michael: "Open it and find out." He smiles to her before heading home.

Natsuki: "That idiot. What was he thinking? Giving me something like this? All of them are dumb." *Sigh* "I don't know what's going through their heads? Might as well just open it?" She unwraps the gift wrap, revealing a white box. When she disposed the wrapping paper in a nearby trash can. She then opened the box revealing something she did not expect to get. "What?" Her eyes widen at what she was looking at. "How did he get this? When did he get this? Where did he find this?"

Back to today as she now faces her dad.

Natsuki's Dad: "What, ask her what she thinks?"

Natsuki: "Yeah, let's ask mom what she really wants."

Natsuki's Dad: "What are you insane? Did you make dealings with the supernatural or something?"

Natsuki: "No I didn't. After all I'm terrified of horror, so there was no way in hell I was going to call some ghosts. Even if it is mom."

Natsuki's Dad: "Then what do you mean by asking her?"

Natsuki: "This of course." She shows off a Manga volume.

Natsuki's Dad: "Where did you find that?" He says looking nervous.

Natsuki: "In the attic, where mom kept her most valuable belongings in a chest. Stuff even you refused to throw out."

Natsuki's Dad: "But then?"

Natsuki: "How did I know about the chest? Mom told me when she was hospitalized."

*Flash Black*

Laying on her bed coughing.

Natsuki's Mom: "Natsuki, there's something I want you to know about."

Natsuki: "What is it?"

Natsuki's Mom: "In the attic of our house. There's a chest full of my most valuable items. When I leave, it's all yours."

Natsuki: "What? No, you aren't going anywhere. You promised to read my Manga. I still have lots to learn, but it's coming soon."

Natsuki's Mom: "Natsuki …"

Natsuki: "I don't want to hear it! You're not dying!"

Natsuki's Mom: "Listen to me now child!" Her daughter jumps in fear as this is the first time her mother raised her voice. "Somethings can't go your way, but even after there is always room to improve, to take a different path or perhaps continue that very same path. Even when I'm gone …" *Cough* *Wheeze* "I, I want you to continue on with your goals. I want you to remember me and to never forget the good times we shared. That's why I want you to have my belongings in that chest."

Natsuki: "Mommy" Tears start to form in her eyes.

Natsuki's Mom: "Your dad will face depression as well. Which is why I want you to show him what I have in that chest."

Natsuki: "Dad doesn't know what you have in there?"

Natsuki's Mom: "No, he is aware of it, but knows nothing of what's in it, but soon you and him will." She places her hand on her daughter's head. "Stay strong you and your father. Walk that thorny path with enthusiasm. That is my wish for you and him."

*Flash Back Ends*

Natsuki's Dad: "Walk through that thorny path with enthusiasm?" (I remember her saying that when we first started dating. I was weak, no confidence in myself, always bullied, always harassed for my hobbies. That is until I met her and I started having confidence in myself, but now that confidence is all gone.)

Natsuki looks at the front cover of the Manga she pulled out from the chest. The cover contains five girls dressed in different color outfits posing as a team. By looking at it, it seemed very similar to Parfait Girls. She looks at the title of the Manga, Super Macarons Team Force.

Natsuki: (Mom)

Natsuki's Dad: "What does that have to do with anything with your mother?"

Natsuki: "Everything. Her soul is still a part of this and it contained this." She opens the Manga and pulls out an envelope addressed 'To Natsuki and Aster'.

Natsuki's Dad: "An envelope?"

Natsuki: "Something mom left for us. You and I both never knew she left this for us because we spent all of our time grieving over her until now." She takes out the letter from the envelope. "Let's see what mom wanted to tell us." She began reading the letter left to her and her dad.

Dear Aster and Natsuki,

I hope you two are getting along after I'm gone. Listen you two, no matter how long I'm gone, no matter how far I'm away, I will always be there in your hearts. Even when my time came too soon, I gladly accept my fate. I'm not scared of death and I have no regrets of my life choosing's. Everything I did with my life I enjoyed it to the fullest. Even when others say that I'm wasting it away. Aster I'm glad we met in high school. I'm glad we shared our interest when others looked down on it. I'm proud of who I am and I'm proud of you. My life spent with you were the greatest. I was made happier when I was pregnant with our baby. Carrying your child is what gave me true happiness. Natsuki, you are proof of that. Always remember that no matter what others say. Always enjoy your life the way you find it. Just like mommy and daddy. No matter how old you are, never forget what makes you special. This is goodbye, physically, but I will always be with the both of you forever.

Love Summer/Mom.

Natsuki's Dad: "Summer" He whispers as tears begin to fall. "I love you too Summer." He falls to his knees.

*Flash Back*

?: "Man this is an awesome chapter." He says reading his Manga.

? 2: "Hey whatcha reading?" Popping out of nowhere.

?: "Oh shit!" He drops his Manga.

? 2: "Well what do we have here?" She picks it up off the floor. "Inyuasha?"

?: (Oh shit why did my crush have to see this? Now she's going to think I'm a kid. There goes my chance to impress her.)

? 2 "You got some good taste."

?: "Huh?"

? 2: "I hope they make an anime of this soon."

?: "What?"

? 2: "Oh sorry this is embarrassing, but I enjoy reading Manga too. I know weird right? A girl like me, interested in stuff like this? Guess I'm still a kid inside?" She smiles sweetly.

?: "N-no, I don't think that way at all."

? 2: "Eh?"

?: "I-I-I mean." He clears his throat. "I don't think there's nothing wrong about enjoying the things we like, right? Even if it seems childish." He nervously pushes up his glasses.

? 2: "Yeah I agree. I never asked your name. I know we introduce ourselves in class before, but we never actually talked. My name is Summer."

Aster: "M-my name is Aster." He says nervously as his face turns red.

Summer: "What else do you like to read?"

Aster: "Oh uh, I don't know where to start?" He scratches his head thinking what he could say while avoiding her light blue eyes. "This is a bit embarrassing."

Summer: "Don't worry about it. I have a lot to say as well." She smiles to him. "We have lots to talk about."

Aster: "Y-yeah we do." He smiles a bit as well.

*Flash Back Ends*

Natsuki: "Dad?" He doesn't respond.

"Aster"

He slowly looks up after hearing his name. When he looks up he saw not just his daughter, but the spitting image of his wife.

Natsuki/Summer: "Dad/Aster?" Natsuki with a worried look, but a smiling face of Summer.

Natsuki: "Are you doing ok?" Her dad stands up.

Natsuki's Dad: "Yeah" *Sniff* "I think I'll be fine." He wipes away his tears with a smile on his face. "I'll be fine." He stands tall. "I'll be fine indeed."

Later that same day.

Michael: "I see so everything's gone smoothly with your dad now?" He says through the phone.

Natsuki: "Yeah, he even told me how him and my mom met. Turns out he's a huge geek as well and so was my mom." She responds while laying on her bed.

Michael: "That's cool to know."

Natsuki: "It is huh?" She clears her throat. "Hey um th- thanks for your help."

Michael: "You don't have to thank me. I didn't do much."

Natsuki: "No you did a lot for me. If it wasn't for you, then me and my dad would have never been a family again. To think all this time, it could've ended if we just talked. If I just used the key my mom left for me sooner."

Michael: "Maybe it was a test?"

Natsuki: "Huh?"

Michael: "Maybe this was a test to see if you and your dad can make up even at the most difficult of times? Your mom probably knew that no matter how hard life throws at you, you can always make up?"

Natsuki: "Maybe?"

[Best Is Yet To Come by Red]

Michael: "How's your dad doing?"

Natsuki: "He's doing fine. He's just rereading my mom's letter again."

Michael: "I see."

Natsuki's Dad: (I promise I will make things right. For you.) He smiles. "I will walk through those thorny paths."

Natsuki: "… Listen there's something else I want to tell you."

Michael: "Alright then."

Natsuki: "I-I want … I just wanted to say … thank you for the gift."

Michael: "You like it?"

Natsuki: "I do."

Michael: "Good, it was hard finding it, but I manage to get a good deal for it."

Natsuki: "That's cool."

Michael: "So what are you planning on doing now?"

Natsuki: "I don't know. Other than spending time with my dad and staying home. I don't know what to do. Hell, I don't know what to do after break is over since I'm still suspended."

Michael: "Oh crap I can't believe I forgot to mention this sooner?"

Natsuki: "What?"

Michael: "You know how all the students aren't in class right now?"

Natsuki; "Yeah?"

Michael: "Well even though the students are off the teachers aren't."

Natsuki: "Where are you getting at?"

Michael: "According to Monika, Sebastian turned himself in."

Natsuki: "What!?"

Michael: "My thoughts exactly."

Natsuki: "But why?"

Michael: "Apparently he couldn't handle the guilt of you getting punished for something him and his friends did to you anymore and turned himself in at the cost of being kicked out of the swimming team."

Natsuki: "R-really?"

Michael: "Yeah, but that's not all, he also took all of the blame, so it's just him in trouble and not his friends."

Natsuki: "Why would he do that? It was his friends that caused all this, not him."

Michael: "Who knows, but I know what you mean." He starts thinking back to when he met Sebastian. The way he acted, the story he heard from Natsuki. (Perhaps he wasn't a bad guy after all. Guess I'm more of hypocrite than I thought?)

Natsuki: "Is everything ok?"

Michael: "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot to take in since we struggled so much to get him to confess and yet here he is doing it out of his own free will."

Natsuki: "I can understand that. Thanks."

Michael: "Hm?"

Natsuki: "Michael … there's something else I want to tell you." Her face turns red despite no one around and Michael on the others side of town.

Michael: "Sure go on ahead." She takes deep breaths as her face starts flaming.

Natsuki: "Michael, I just want to tell you that I, I …" She stops mid-sentence taking one last deep breath to calm her down.

Michael: "Natsuki?"

Natsuki: "Sorry, I just want to say that I'm glad to have met you. You're a cool dude and Sayori was right about you. It's been a lot of fun hanging with you and getting to know you."

Michael: "Same here. I had lots of fun talking about Anime and Manga with you."

Natsuki: "… I better get going. I need to help my dad get some food for today and tomorrow before there all gone."

Michael: "Yeah sure thing. Talk to you later."

Natsuki: "Late" Both hang up.

"Guess old habits can't die out that quickly. I couldn't confess my feeling for him, but I already know he doesn't feel the same about me. Oh well that's fine after all I got my family back." She smiles to herself. (Mom, I wish you were here right now, so you could meet these awesome friends of mine.) She looks at an old photo of herself and her parents right next to her new copy of Parfait Girls volume one.

[Song Ends]

The holiday season finally came as everyone celebrates it with their families. Sayori and Yuri spent their Christmas with their respective families. Natsuki and her dad had a feast at home. Talking, laughing, and watching Anime. However not everyone celebrated with their families. Left alone at home, Michael celebrated the holidays while his mom was force to work.

It didn't really bother him much since he's used to it, but it did feel lonely since no one is around to celebrate Christmas with him. While he eats leftovers he gets a text from his mom. He put down his fork and looked at the message sent to him.

"Sorry for not being there. I wish I didn't have to leave you alone at home again, but there are bills to pay and all. Anyways I left you a gift a couple of days ago. Sayori should've told you about it? Since it's Christmas I thought I should tell you that you can open it if you like. I hope you like it. Love you son."

Michael: "Wonder what she got me?" He walks towards the table where his mom left the gift for him and begins to open it. When he saw the front, he was surprised to see what his mom got him. "Holy crap! Where did she get this?" He looks at the huge box containing a brand-new Duel Disk in it. It was a new and improved version of the original him and Sayori bought together when they were kids. "How much did this cost? It must've been expensive as hell to get this?" He smiles to himself. "Thanks mom. I like it."

As he begins observing his new gift, Monika is seen in her room watching TV. She was left alone at home as her parents went off to work.

Monika: "I need water." She gets off her bed and heads downstairs. Left alone in her big house, no one around to talk to, no one to see. Then again this would still be the same even with her parents around. As she drinks her water and looks around her house. It became clear to her.

"Will I always be alone?"

End of Chapter 47