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Mother Fumie and Madeleine Snack
“Mom, I’m hooome.”
Shimada Chika returned from school as her mother, Fumie, was burying letters in the garden, again.
To that spectacle, the young girl—
“Any snacks? There was a P.E. class earlier, so I’m hungry.”
She asked that, calmly, in her usual voice.
She was fed up, but this was already the second time she witnessed this. She no longer panicked. Neither did she change her expression.
“My my, I see. There’s some Madeleine left over from yesterday, plus I’ll brew some black tea. Or would you prefer I bake some fresh cookies?”
“I’ll take the Madeleine. I just wanna eat quick.”
At least the taste of the sweets her mom baked didn’t change compared to back then. Snack time was the only time where the young girl could relax herself.
Due to her late brother, Takashi, who disliked Fumie’s handmade sweets (rather, he hated Fumie herself), there was almost no point in time where he ate sweets together with her. Which meant the taste of her mother’s Madeleine and cookies were Chika’s memories alone.
“I’ll prepare it, so please wait a bit, Chika. Ah, before that, there’s something I’d like your help with.”
“What?”
“Well, actually…”
Fumie finished burying her letters using her shovel, and then said with a smile.
“It’s about Takashi, so there’s something I’d like to try. Do you know ‘Thermal Expansion’? It was written in the summary he left behind. Please go buy a steel pipe, heat it-“
As her mother continued her speech with a wide smile, Chika became gradually displeased.
“Is that really something I’m supposed to do before snacks? Something I should do right after coming home?”
“Eh…? But, Chika, it’s fine if it’s just that much, isn’t it…?”
Was this mother of hers even aware of why she was so displeased?
‘I’m starving, so I wanna eat some snacks,’ was there anything in there that could be misunderstood?
As she was flooded with the feeling of irritation, the object within her skirt pocket…
—Bzzzzt-bzzzt-bzzzt-bzzzt
Her mobile phone vibrated.
Chika had just received an email. She opened her phone and read it.
“I wonder who… Hmm…? Ugh…”
Having read the email, “Ugh,” she scowled.
“Oh my? Chika, who is it from?”
“…Nothing, nobody important.”
Even though she said that, Chika continued.
“I’m going out to play! I’m not gonna need the snacks after all!”
Left her bag and rushed out just like that.
Without informing her mother, she went somewhere.
“Jeez, that girl…”
Left alone, her mother pouted in displeasure.
***
Chika received her cellphone a bit over half a year ago.
In this age, an elementary-schooler owning a cellphone was quite rare; despite that, her father bought that cellphone for her on some random day from out of the blue, it wasn’t even her birthday then. With the current situation in mind, that act of her father may be him trying to cheer her up, because of the divorce he had in mind.
Her mother, Fumie, didn’t take it too kindly, saying things such as “A cellphone is too early for a child in elementary,” but her father replied to that, “(like her brother) in case an accident happens,” and she couldn’t raise any rebuttals in response. In the first place, the Fumie at that time was still in an even bigger shock about her son’s—Takashi’s—death, and did not have any strength to argue persistently.
There were already about five or six children in Chika’s class that owned cellphones, each of them either ‘children that were spoiled by their rich parents,’ or ‘children that were spoiled by their parents, even though they were in poverty,’ which caused her to feel awkward about owning one—To her, cellphones were the symbol of ‘children with troubled parents.’
In any case, Chika mounted her bicycle, and hurried to the location signified by the email she had received.
Ten minutes later, in a certain family restaurant’s non-smoking area.
“Hey, Katayama-san. Can you like, not call me out so casually like that.”
“I know, sorry… But, there’s something I’d like to talk about with you, Chika-chan.”
By some chance, they sat on the same seats as before. Chika glared to Katayama-san seating across her.
Last time they had met, she told him her mail address.
However, that was in the sense of ‘When coming to our (Shimada’s) place, make sure to tell me in advance. Don’t come without notice,’ not for friendship.
“I didn’t say that it’s fine to message me when you feel all friendly and stuff, did I? You hear? You’re an adult, so you may not understand, but ‘going to a family restaurant together’ equals ‘date,’ you get that? Or what, did you actually want to invite me to a date?”
“That’s not it… Sorry, you’ve invited me to a restaurant before, so…”
“Don’t put the blame on me! You’re trying to put the blame on a girl, an elementary-schooler! That day I was just in the mood! I just felt like throwing my complaints at you while drinking something from the drink bar!”
She was being considerably unreasonable. Chika herself was aware of that.
Currently, she was venting.
She was at her wits’ end due to her mom, so it should be fine for her to take it out on someone else. Even better if it was the person responsible for all of it—with that thought of hers, she spat out venomous words.
It could be said to be a coping mechanism of the sort.
“Sorry, Chika-chan… Well, forget it then. Sorry for calling you out so suddenly.”
“Huuh? Why’re you trying to go home? Don’t go apologizing like that. When and who said that ‘I’m not in the mood to get a drink from the drink bar for free while listening to someone else complain’?! It’s fine already, just say what you wanna say. I’ll listen to you in advance. In exchange, make sure to listen to what I have to say too, alright?”
“Yeah…”
Pure irony. For Chika, who had a problem she could never talk with someone about, the one she should be holding a grudge against for murdering her brother, Katayama, was instead ‘someone she could reveal her secrets to.’
Of course, this relationship of hers was another secret. She certainly couldn’t say it to her mother, Fumie.
Though this may be digressing, Katayama explained that he was here while on an errand from his workplace. “It’s fine for you to take a thirty-minute break while on the errand,” his superior told him, he said.
“The destination for my job is coincidentally close by, after all.”
“Hmm. Even adults go on errands, huh. Just like a kindergartener.”
Chika adequately listened to Katayama’s story as she was drinking her melon soda from a straw.
“So… about the novel from a bit ago, Chika-chan, didn’t you forget it in here? Sorry, but I showed it to a coworker.”
To the eventful remark, Pffft, she spat out the green liquid.
“Cough! Cough, cough cough, cough!”
“Chika-chan, are you okay?”
“No way I am! HAAAAAAH?! Wait, you… what’s wrong with you, showing it to others all willy-nilly like that?! It’s my family’s disgrace! “Sorry,” you say, but that’s way too horrible, isn’t it?! It’s damn heinous! Why’d you show it when you yourself felt like it was a bad idea?!”
“Er, but… that person, they’re someone well-versed in novels, a professional, you know?”
“So what?! So what if they’re a pro?!”
“Uh… Right, now that you say it… Sorry, what in the world is wrong with me! I, what have I…!”
“Geez.”
The young man put both of his hands along with his head on the table in an apologetic bow.
Chika was wiping off the droplets of soda that she spurted out using a paper napkin as she directed a glare at him.
This guy, he’s trying to mourn just like my mom…!!
The tall stature bowing down was overly pitiful, which made it hard for her to stay mad at him.
“Katayama-san, raise your head.”
“Huh…? You’ll forgive me?”
“No way! I’m just telling you to throw your head somewhere else ‘cause I can’t wipe the table! Or what, are you just pretending to apologize while you’re licking the soda that an elementary-schooler spat out?!”
“E-Er… Sorry, Chika-chan…”
“Yeah whatever! Don’t be all scared like a Chihuahua! You’re an adult, aren’t you?! …So, what did he say?”
“Huh? Who do you mean?”
“What did the pro say?! You showed it to him, so he should at least have some thoughts about it, right?”
“Right, yeah. About that…”
Katayama candidly told Chika about his entire conversation with Isoi.
“Disgusting,” “everything’s too convenient,” “shit among shit,” et cetera.
How he completely denied everything, the setting, the story, and the characters.
About how the story was, in fact, “a very ancient and outdated story.”
—Of course, he tried his best sugar-coating it. But, due to his clumsiness and sincerity (in a bad way) most of Isoi’s remarks were given to her as-is.
“Chika-chan, this may irritate you, but a professional said it, so…”
It surely hurt her. She might even be mad. Actually, she might even cry.
With those expectations, Katayama steeled himself.
“Aiight! Hell yeah! Good work, Katayama!”
Chika was practically jumping on her chair with joy, unexpectedly.
“…? Chika-chan, did you really hear what I’ve just said? He said it was uninteresting, you know?”
“That’s why I’m happy! I knew I was right. I also thought that crap was boring as hell. I gotta tell mom about this. I’m gonna tell her, ‘even a pro called your novel a pile of crap.’”
“No, please stop… Also, this. See here… That same pro compiled this during break time at work. ‘The novel’s bad points, and how to fix them.’”
Katayama presented a bundle of A4 paper to Chika.
Numerically, it totaled 12 sheets. It oddly enough numbered more pages than Fumie’s novel.
“At first, I thought he was somewhat of a scary person, but actually, he was surprisingly nice. He was really kind even though we never spoke much before.”
“I’m kinda worried about that openness of yours, considering you showed ‘somebody you never spoke much with’ the novel outlined by a family member you killed. That pro guy might’ve just written this many just because he wanted to show off. Like, maybe he just wants to be recognized?”
“I don’t think that’s the case…”
“Hmm?”
Actually, that was one of the reasons why.
Chika’s intuition was sharper than Katayama’s. Just by listening to his story, she could mostly grasp the mentality of the pro (Isoi) even though she had never met him before.
“Well, whatever. Those’re ‘the novel’s bad points, and how to fix them,’ right? I’ll be taking only ‘the novel’s bad points.’”
“Why? Just bring all of it with you.”
“’Cause there’s no reason to fix anything! I just want my mom to stop writing that disgusting novel! I’m not trying to make her write it well! Even if it were a masterpiece anyway, I just want her to stop typing away in the middle of the night!”
Which was why the “how to fix them” part was unnecessary. Chika firmly rejected.
But to her words, Katayama…
“…Chika-chan, listen to me.”
“W-What…?”
With a docile countenance, he told her.
“You see, I think your mother’s novel is really interesting, Chika-chan.”
He had also said that the last time they came here.
In this same restaurant and on the same seat. Did this towering young man forget that the last time he said that, he was told off? Chika replied with a question of her own, huffily.
“Huh? You, what are you even saying? Even the pro said that this work is a disgusting pile of shit, didn’t he? But then why do you think this crap is interesting? In the first place, aren’t you literally the last person who should find that crap interesting?! What the hell?!”
A sound argument.
“Er, that’s… Surely, you have a point, Chika-chan. But still, listen to me! On paper, it may be just as the pro said! But, if it’s not on paper… an internet novel or cellphone novel, then it might be different!”
“Cellphone novel? I hate those. They aren’t interesting at all. I heard there’re some kids in my school who read them though.”
“Yeah. Everything popular there is ‘disgusting,’ ‘rubbish,’ and ‘plot-convenient.’ But you said ‘there are some kids who read them.’ It’s likely that its selling points differ compared to a paperback book! If that is the case, then your mother’s novel would also…!”
“Look here… Are you seriously saying that?”
“I am. So…”
He gazed at Chika in a serious manner… and spoke.
“Chika-chan… why don’t you try publishing your mother’s novel on the internet?”
Katayama’s gaze was clear; there was no hint of hesitation. Full of good will and zeal, his eyes were the embodiment of authenticity. But Chika responded.
“Iiidioooooooot!”
She kicked his feet under the table many times over. As for why: she felt some sort of irritation against his clear gaze.
“I’m going home! You’re paying. Also, don’t message me ever again!”
“Oh, okay… Sorry.”
***
Stupid! What the heck is that guy even thinking about?!
Overflowing with irritation, Chika headed home with loud steps as if she was kicking the ground.
She walked with big strides, uncharacteristic of a young girl; regardless, her boiling anger wouldn’t cool off just by kicking on the ground on the way home. And waiting for her at her house was, of course, the source of her irritation (Fumie).
Now that I think of it, that guy works at a computer company or something? Guess that’s why he thought of the internet, then.
Telling her to upload the disgraceful novel, normally that idea wouldn’t ever come to his head.
Moreover, it would’ve been fine if it were his own mom, but he’s suggesting that to the victim’s mother of an accident he caused himself… That guy’s definitely nuts!”
However, she understood that he said that out of good will.
It was in the first half of 2006, it was an age where it wouldn’t be weird of him even if he planned to publicly embarrass the old woman who kept taking his money. However, there was no possibility of that being the case for him.
Even to Chika, who, very much so, hated him, the fact that he was truly an honest-to-goodness person was undeniable. That young man truly believed, from the bottom of his heart, that it ‘should be uploaded to the internet.’
Even if that’s true, it’s that crappy novel of my mom….
Truly, at least spare her that. It was far too embarrassing.
Although she was still full of irritation, Chika arrived at her house.
Come to think of it, she still hadn’t eaten snacks. She had ordered chocolate sundae back at the restaurant, but she left before even receiving the item she ordered. She should have eaten the sundae after she kicked Katayama’s leg back then. She was hungry due to the Physical Education class she had that afternoon.
Well, whatever… There’s still the Madeleine from yesterday anyway.
Amidst that thought of hers, Chika opened the entrance door to her house.
“I’m home. Mom, I’ll take the Madeleine after all.”
As she was taking off her sneakers, she took notice of an unfamiliar shoe. It seemed to be an adult’s… They were overtly red Enamel high-heels.
She had a bad hunch about this, and immediately rushed to the living room.
“—Shimada-san, I’ve been worried, you know? Since you skipped last week’s parent-teacher assembly.”
“—My, thank you for worrying over me. More importantly, there’s something I’d like you to see. You’ve gone through the trouble to come over, so can you tell me your impression about this, Fujioka-san? To tell you the truth, I wrote this myself…”
…I made it in time!
By a hair’s breadth. Her bad inkling was spot-on.
Sitting on the sofa was “Auntie Fujioka.”
The mother of her classmate, Fujioka Kyouya—the helpful, but loose-tongued woman. She came despite Chika’s attempts of telling her “do not come” via her son.
But that wasn’t what her bad inkling entailed. It was the one sitting across of her, her own mother.
That mother of hers was attempting to show the guest that stack of A4 paper held together by a paperclip!
The same as the bundle of paper from some time ago, the ten-odd-page novel that was “shit among shit”!
Her mother, Fumie, was attempting to give Fujioka the bundle of paper. But right before that…
“AAAH! NO YOU DON’T!”
Chika leapt toward her mother with vigor and snatched the bundle of paper from her hands.
Thank god…!! That was super close!
That same moment, she fell face-first onto the carpet, and knocked over the black tea on the table, but those sacrifices were not in vain.
If she were even a moment too late, she would have taken considerable damage. It was a comparatively cheap price to pay.
“Chika! What are you doing right in front of our guest?!”
“That’s my line! Mom, what’re you doing?! …Umm, hello, Fujioka-kun’s mom. I’m sorry, but can you please go home for today?”
Afterward, Mrs. Fujioka went home using the aforementioned red high heels.
Good god. Seriously, I’m so glad that her son didn’t come along.
The moment she fell, her skirt had been rolled up due to the fall, which caused her panties to be in full view; but thankfully, her classmate wasn’t here to see her embarrass herself. A small blessing amidst misfortune.
***
After Chika changed out of her clothes that was wet with black tea, she started scolding her mother.
“Mom, do you know why I’m mad?”
“That’s… because I let Fujioka-kun’s mom have the Madeleine?”
“NO!”
It was because she attempted to show someone her novel. Even worse, it was that talkative woman of all people.
“If everyone found out about that novel you’re writing, I won’t be able to continue living in this town anymore, you know?! I’ll even have to change schools!”
“That’s not… Chika, aren’t you overexaggerating?”
What had she possibly meant by that?
Chika had wanted to say “I won’t be able to continue living,” but that expression was certainly too much to say in front of Fumie, who became like this due to her brother’s death.
First of all, it’s Auntie Fujioka’s fault. She visited us even though I told her not to. Actually, the biggest offender here is Fujioka Kyouya! Even though I already told him so clearly! Can’t that idiot at least handle his own mom?!
Turning a blind eye to the fact that she herself couldn’t manage her own mom, Chika boiled in anger.
“In the first place, Mom. Why’re you planning show someone else your novel all of a sudden? Did you suddenly realize that you’re an attention-seeker or something?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Then what?”
“Because… Chika, recently you wouldn’t even read the work that I’ve written…”
“I guess that’s true… But so what? You wrote it yourself, so just read it on your own. You’re not even an actual novelist.”
“Yes, I am aware. But… wanting your work to be read is the norm for this kind of work.”
Just as expected, she was likely hungry for attention or craving for recognition.
What a troublesome adult, Chika thought in tedium… but apparently, her state of mind wasn’t something so easily understood. Fumie continued her words.
“I can’t explain this clearly, how do I say this… I feel that if I let other people read it, it would form another world, and I would be able to truly feel that Takashi is living in another world… I want other people, not just me, realize that that world exists… that’s why I feel compelled to do this…”
Before she knew it, her mother had begun crying again.
She was just like a child, as large drops of tears fell from her eyes.
“I’m sorry… Chika, I’m so sorry… To be honest, I actually do understand that this is unseemly… I’m even troubling both you and Fujioka-san… I do understand all that in my mind, but…”
“Mom…”
The carpet that just had the black tea dried off it became drenched yet again, by her tears.
Gazing at her mother’s crying face, Chika…
…This person is a much more troublesome adult than I’ve ever thought, huh?
She thought so, and gradually fell into deeper tedium.
To her, her mother’s feelings was something she understood yet didn’t at the same time; it was that intricate.
No, if I had to say, it’s not like I don’t understand her.
At any event, according to her mother’s words, the same event would happen again in the future. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to truly feel that Takashi was alive in another world.
…At this moment, the young girl decided.
Although in truth, she didn’t want to do this.
That night, Chika sent an email using her phone.
To prevent the slightest chance of her mother finding out, she was covering herself with a blanket in her room.
From: Shimada Chika
Subject:
Text: I’ll upload the old hag’s garbage novel to the internet
The recipient was Katayama Yoshitaka.
***
Novel series “My Son, Even Now, is Living in Another World in Good Health.”
Hero Takashi, in order to defeat the subordinates of the demon lord who was tormenting the townspeople, headed to the forest along with his allies.
“I shall go for a stroll.”
One of his allies, an elf and a great wizard, Princess Lancelot, headed somewhere with full nonchalance. Regardless of it being a crucial time.
Afterward, a different knight, a friend of Sharna approached Takashi and Sharna in aid. However, Princess Lancelot then returned.
“Eat this! You twit! Go back to whence you came!”
She was of small stature but rowdy in nature, Princess Lancelot drove away Knight Sharna’s friend. Takashi’s group got into a pinch, all thanks to Princess Lancelot.
Later, Princess Lancelot threw remarks of utter self-importance toward Takashi and Sharna, and then shut herself in her own room.
Hero Takashi and Knight Sharna’s journey will continue. In order to defeat the Evil God Emperor.
To be continued.
CClaw Translations 