Continuing the story at a bus stop, Akira felt confused by a girl calling him 'Brother'
Akira: "I am not your brother, maybe you have the wrong person."
Girl: "There's no way I'm wrong. I remember your name is Akira, Brother."
Akira was shocked to hear that she knew his name.
Girl: "Am I right?"
Akira: "Yes, that's right."
The girl started to cry and hugged Akira. Akira returned the hug and stroked her head.
The girl stopped crying and released Akira from the hug.
Girl: "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, Brother. I know you've forgotten, my name is Yui."
Akira: "Who are you living with now, Yui?"
Yui: "I live with Dad, but Dad told me to wait here from morning until now."
Akira recalled his childhood memories, showing his family's destruction. Akira and Hana were also once abandoned.
Akira (talking to himself): "How much I hate having parents like this."
Akira suppressed the anger he had harbored. After a while, Akira managed to control his anger.
Akira: "Yui, how about you come with me, Brother?"
Yui: "That would be fine, but what about Dad?"
Akira tried to lie to Yui.
Akira: "Dad will surely be safe, but you are more important right now, Yui. It's getting colder here, and I'm afraid you'll get sick."
Yui: "Okay, Brother."
Akira took off his jacket and put it on Yui. After that, Akira carried Yui, holding his shopping bags, and walked toward his house.
Time passed. Akira and Yui entered the house. Akira was completely soaked, and Yui was also wet, though not as bad as Akira.
Akira: "I'm home, Hana."
Hana returned Akira's greeting and walked up to him.
Hana: "Welcome home, Brother."
Hana suddenly fell silent when she saw Akira carrying Yui.
Hana: "Did you kidnap a child, Brother?"
Akira: "I would never do something like that. She is our family, and her name is Yui."
Akira put Yui down from his embrace. Yui immediately introduced herself to Hana shyly.
Yui: "My name is Yui. I hope you can accept me, Sister."
Akira (talking to himself): "Why didn't Yui call out Hana's name? Did Yui forget Hana?"
Hana returned Yui's greeting.
Hana: "Nice to meet you, Yui. My name is Hana. I hope you'll feel at home here."
Akira: "Yui, go take a bath. Hana, I'm going to borrow your clothes for Yui."
Hana: "Yes, Brother."
Time passed. Yui was inside the bathroom, and Akira was outside the bathroom door. Yui looked at the bathtub and was amazed because there was warm water in front of her. Yui put her index finger into the warm water in the tub.
Yui: "Am I seriously allowed to bathe in hot water? Woww..."
Yui was in awe of the experience of bathing in warm water.
Akira: "Yui, I've put the clothes on top of the washing machine."
There was no response from Yui. Akira called out to Yui while knocking on the door.
Akira: "Yui."
Yui was startled by Akira's knock.
Yui: "Yes, what is it, Brother Akira?"
Akira: "I just wanted to let you know that the change of clothes is on top of the washing machine."
Yui: "Thank you, Brother."
Akira left the changing area in the bathroom. Yui finally got into the tub, and her body immediately felt relaxed.
Yui: "This is so comfortable."
Finally, Yui finished bathing and changed. It was Akira's turn to bathe. When everything was done, Akira had prepared food on the dining table. Yui stood still, staring at the food. Akira, seeing this, felt confused about Yui.
Akira: "What's wrong, Yui? Is something missing?"
Yui: "No, I'm just confused, Brother. Is this my food?"
Akira: "Yes, that's your food, Yui."
Yui picked up the spoon and ate Akira's cooking. Tears welled up in Yui's eyes as she ate. Akira and Hana, seeing this, panicked. Akira tried to comfort the crying Yui.
Akira: "What's wrong, Yui? Doesn't it taste good?"
Hana: "Brother, stop teasing Yui."
Akira: "I'm not teasing anything."
Yui: "That's not the problem... this food is just delicious."
Akira continued to try and calm Yui.
Eventually, Yui was calm, and they returned to being a harmonious family.
Akira: "By the way, Yui, where do you go to school?"
Yui: "I don't go to school."
Akira and Hana spoke simultaneously.
Akira & Hana: "Huh?!"
Yui felt confused by Akira and Hana's expressions.
Yui: "Is something wrong?"
Akira: "No problem. If that's the case, I just want to ask if you would like to go to school?"
Yui showed a joyful expression, her eyes full of stars.
Yui: "Yes, I do!"
Akira: "I will try my best to get Yui into the same school as Hana."
Yui became even happier after realizing she could go to school with Hana.
Yui: "Yay! I get to go to school with Sister Hana!"
Time passed. Tomorrow was Sunday. In the morning, Akira completed Yui's school registration. Akira looked at his watch to check the time.
Akira: "There's still time before lunch. I'll make a stop first."
Scene change: At the cemetery
Akira was praying in front of a grave. From the cemetery gate, Mei, in the distance, saw Akira praying. Curious, Mei approached Akira.
Akira finally finished praying and stood up.
Shortly after, Mei covered both of Akira's eyes with her hands from behind.
Mei: "Guess who I am."
Akira's face flushed upon hearing the female voice.
Akira: "Wait a moment, I can't guess."
Mei stopped covering Akira's eyes with her hands and immediately hugged Akira from behind, resting her head on Akira's shoulder.
Mei: "Fuh, I'm disappointed, even though we've known each other for so long."
Akira flushed even more because Mei was clinging so close.
Akira: "I'm sorry, Mei."
Mei: "Who are you praying for? I'm curious."
Akira: "I'm praying for the couple who raised me. They were like my father and mother. Even though we are not related by blood, I really wish I had parents like them."
Suddenly, Akira felt a wetness on his shoulder. When he looked, it turned out that Mei was crying, making the shoulder area of his shirt wet.
Akira: "Why are you crying, Mei?"
Mei: "I'm not crying. Don't look at me like this; it's impolite."
Mei spoke haltingly as she cried. Mei finally stopped crying.
Akira: "What brings you here, Mei?"
Mei: "I also wanted to pray for my family who passed away."
Akira: "I hope your prayers bring happiness, Mei. Well then, goodbye, Mei."
As Akira tried to leave, Mei pulled his hand.
Mei: "What do you mean, 'goodbye'?"
Akira: "I've finished my business here, and I'm going home."
Mei: "Are you trying to leave a girl alone here? What if a ghost bothers me? Don't you pity me, Akira?"
Akira: "Alright, I understand. I will accompany you, Mei."
Mei: "Yay! Thank you, Akira. You are indeed thoughtful toward women."
Akira accompanied Mei to her family's grave. It didn't take long for her to finish. Mei linked her arm with Akira's.
Mei: "Um, Akira, you said you wanted parents who love you. How about you think of me as your mother?"
Akira was startled by Mei's words.
Akira: "Huh?!"
Mei: "No need to be shy. Try calling me Mother."
Akira shook his head, trying to refuse, but Mei insisted, nodding her head.
Akira: "Alright, M-Mother."
Mei's heart was touched upon being called 'Mother' by Akira.
Mei: "What is it, my darling?"
Akira also felt embarrassed, his face turning very red.
Mei: "Now, help Mother go shopping at the mall. No words of refusal are allowed, or you'll be disobedient."
Mei quickly pulled Akira's hand and got into the car. Mei started driving fast because she was too happy, while Akira panicked because Mei was driving too quickly.
Finally, they arrived at the mall, at the electronics store.
Mei: "Please, Akira, what do you want? I will buy your favorite thing, but you must obey all my requests."
Akira: "There's no need, Mei. I don't need things like this."
Mei: "Ahem."
Akira: "Yes, sorry, Mother."
Mei was happy again to be called 'Mother.' Mei picked up a VGA card from the shelf and immediately hugged Akira from behind while showing him the expensive VGA card.
Mei: "Are you serious that you don't want this?"
Akira was shy, even though this was what he wanted.
Akira (talking to himself): "How did Mei know this is what I want? I want it, but my pride..."
Finally, Akira was tempted, and Mei bought him the VGA card.
Mei: "I win now. Prepare yourself, Akira, because you must obey and cannot refuse."
Akira: "Yes."
Mei: "Don't forget to call me Mother."
Akira: "Yes, Mother."
Mei took Akira to a clothing store. Once there, Mei went into the dressing room while Akira waited outside. Finally, Mei came out of the dressing room, showing Akira a white summer dress.
Mei: "What do you think? Do you like it?"
Akira was mesmerized by Mei's beauty, his face turning red.
Akira: "It's beautiful."
Mei: "Really?"
Akira: "Yes, Mother."
Mei was happy to receive praise from Akira.
Mei: "Now, next, to the swimwear."
Akira: "If that's the case, I'll wait outside."
Mei: "Who told you to go out? Stay here."
Akira: "But..."
Mei: "Did you forget our promise?"
Akira could only surrender and keep his promise. Mei continued to model the clothes she tried on for Akira.
Time passed. The shopping was done. She bought many clothes, from hats and shirts to shoes. At Mei's house, Akira put all of Mei's shopping bags on the floor and lay down on the sofa.
Akira: "Finally, it's done."
Akira was exhausted from carrying Mei's many shopping bags. Mei sat down very close beside Akira.
Mei: "Thank you for accompanying me shopping. It was very fun."
Mei held Akira's head and placed it on her lap.
Akira: "What are you doing, Mei?"
Mei: "No need to be embarrassed. This is my way of saying thank you. I'm going to clean your ears like a real mother."
As Mei was about to clean Akira's ear, the view of Akira's head was covered by her own chest.
Mei: "It seems I can't do it. Well then, clean my ears, Akira."
Akira was the one who had his head on Mei's lap before, but now Mei put her head on Akira's lap.
Akira began cleaning Mei's ear with an instrument. Mei felt comfortable and fell asleep peacefully on Akira's lap.
Akira: "Now, how do I get back home without waking Mei?"
The house door was heard opening and closing. Emi greeted as she entered the house.
Emi: "I'm home, Mother."
Emi went to the living room and saw Akira and Mei.
Akira: "Welcome home, Emi."
Emi immediately sat down next to Akira, also resting her head on Akira's lap, just like Mei.
Emi: "I want some too, Brother Akira."
Akira also cleaned Emi's ear. Emi also felt comfortable and fell asleep on Akira's lap.
To be continued.