Remember The Past
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The next day, I went to the library. It was a nice place with lots of books and magazines on display in front of me as soon as I walked inside. There were also many people sitting at tables reading or studying. A few students looked up from their work when they saw me enter but quickly returned to what they had been doing before I came along.
I found an empty table near the back corner where there weren’t any other patrons around for quite some distance. After looking over all the titles that caught my eye, I finally settled on one called “What Really Happened: The Truth Behind History’s Greatest Mysteries.”
As I flipped through it, though, I couldn’t help thinking about how much time we’ve spent learning things like this. Why do you think so many people are interested in history? Is it because they want to learn more about themselves and others? Or is it just something else entirely?
As I pondered these questions, I suddenly heard someone call out my name. When I turned around, I saw a girl who seemed familiar standing nearby. She must have come into the library after me because she wasn’t wearing her school uniform yet. Her hair was tied back in two ponytails, and she wore a white dress shirt tucked into blue jeans. She had large glasses perched atop her head too.
“Oh! You’re here!” she said excitedly.
She sat down across from me without waiting for permission first. She then proceeded to gush about how happy she was to see me again. Apparently, our parents knew each other since childhood. They even lived right next door to one another until recently.
“You look really good,” I told her honestly.
Her face lit up as she thanked me. Then she asked if I wanted to go get lunch together sometime. But I declined politely by saying that I didn’t eat meat very often anymore. Her expression fell slightly upon hearing that news.
We talked for a while longer before parting ways. Once outside the building, I took a moment to catch my breath. Then I started walking home.
It felt weird being alone after having such a long conversation with someone new. I guess I’m not used to it anymore. Maybe I should try going out more sometimes.
When I got close enough, I could hear voices coming from the direction of my house. My mother was talking loudly, probably trying to convince my father that he needed to stop working so hard. He would always tell her off whenever she tried to talk him into taking a break, but today, his voice sounded different.
I decided to walk past them instead of stopping. If I did, maybe I’d be forced to listen to their argument. I don’t know why, but I never enjoyed listening to those kinds of things. And besides, I still had plenty of homework left to finish.
After making sure no one was watching me, I slipped behind a tree and peeked around its trunk. What I saw surprised me.
My dad had stopped working completely and was now lying flat on the ground. His hands were folded under his cheek while he stared straight ahead with a blank stare. My mom stood above him, shaking her head sadly.
“He’ll never change…” she muttered quietly.
Then she slowly knelt beside him and placed both of her hands on his shoulders.
“Dad…?”
His eyes snapped open immediately.
“…Kazuki…”
For a second, neither of us spoke. We simply gazed at one another in silence. Finally, I broke the spell by speaking first.
“Mommy, what happened?”
Her expression softened as she smiled gently. “Nothing bad has happened, Kazu-kun.”
That made me feel a little better. So everything was okay.
“Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat,” she offered.
But I shook my head. Instead, I asked her if she was all right.
“Yes. Everything will be fine,” she assured me.
I nodded and let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry for worrying you, Kazu-chan,” she apologized.
There was nothing she could have done anyway. I understood that. Still, I was glad she cared enough to worry about me.
“Don’t apologize, Mom. That’s silly. You shouldn’t ever say things like that.”
She smiled softly as she hugged me tightly.
“Okay. Let’s go inside then. I need to fix dinner,” she announced.
And so, we headed back to our home together.
***
A few days later, I was heading back to the library after finishing my homework. I had spent most of the afternoon researching information about the Great War, which ended almost 100 years ago. It seems they fought over some kind of magical artifact or something. Anyway, I found a lot of interesting stuff online.
The only problem is that none of it makes any sense to me. Who cares if there are monsters running rampant through the streets?! The world isn’t ending anytime soon, so I think I’ll just ignore this whole thing.
Anyway, I reached the entrance to the library when I noticed someone sitting on the bench near the front desk. This person was an older woman who looked to be in her fifties. She wore a black suit jacket over a light green blouse. Her silver hair was pulled neatly into a bun, and she had dark brown eyes.
Since she was reading a book, I assumed she worked here. Not that it mattered much. I’ve seen people wear pretty strange outfits to work every once in a while.
“Good evening, Ms. Yamada,” I greeted her respectfully.
She gave me a warm smile in return. “Hello, Kazuki. How are you doing today?”
“Pretty well, thank you. Have you been enjoying your shift?”
“Yes, very much so. Thank you for asking.”
“No problem. Well, see you tomorrow!” I said cheerfully before leaving.
As I walked away, I wondered how she knew my name. I mean, I hadn’t introduced myself yet. Or perhaps she already knew who I am because of my last name. After all, I do live next door to the library.
Regardless, I couldn’t help but wonder why she was waiting for me. Was she hoping I’d come back again? Did she want to ask me something?
Either way, I didn’t really care. I was too busy thinking about other things. Like how I wanted to find a job.
I had finally finished my homework, so I figured I might as well start looking for a part-time gig. It wasn’t like I had anything else planned. Besides, I thought it would be nice to earn some extra money.
I came up with a list of places I could apply at the local supermarket, the convenience store down the street, the video game shop, and even the bookstore. Even though I love books, I wouldn’t mind working somewhere where I could play games more often.
However, I knew I needed to choose carefully. There weren’t many jobs available around here. Plus, I doubted anyone would hire me without experience. I guess I’ll have to wait until I graduate from high school.
In the meantime, I decided to take a look at the newspaper. Maybe I’d get lucky and find something good.
As I flipped through the pages, my eyes landed on an article about a new restaurant opening nearby. Apparently, it was a fancy place called Chabashira Park. They were hiring servers, bussers, hostesses, and bartenders.
Oh! This sounds perfect. I can totally handle serving drinks and food. And I bet I’ll learn a ton about cooking, too.
It sounded like a great opportunity. I quickly jotted down their address and phone number. Then I went straight home to call them.
When I got off the phone, I felt a rush of excitement course through my body. I had never imagined finding a job so easily. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t give up.
“Mom, I’m going to apply for a part-time position at a restaurant. Would you like to join me?” I asked.
My mother smiled brightly. “Of course. What kind of restaurant is it?”
“Chabashira Park. It’s a fancy Japanese fusion place.”
“Sounds wonderful. I hope you get the job,” she replied happily.
We walked together toward the bus stop. When we arrived, I took out my notebook and wrote down the directions to the restaurant. My mom watched me curiously.
“Are you writing down the location because you’re planning to visit the park?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. I heard they have a beautiful garden, so I’d like to check it out sometime.”
My mother smiled at me lovingly. “That sounds lovely. If you decide to go, please let me know ahead of time. I’d love to tag along with you.”
“Thanks, Mom. You always make everything sound so fun.”
After that, we headed to the train station. We caught the express line to Shinjuku Station. Once we arrived, my mother showed me the way to the restaurant.
“This is it. Let’s head inside,” she suggested.
Once we stepped foot into the building, we found ourselves standing in a large room filled with tables and chairs. A young man wearing a white shirt and black pants approached us immediately. He looked familiar somehow…
“Welcome to Chabashira Park. Are you here to apply for a job?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Actually, no. I just came to take a look around.”
The boy smiled politely. “If you need any assistance, feel free to ask one of our staff members.”
He turned his attention to my mother. “And you must be Mrs. Hirata. Please follow me.”
His voice made me think of someone else. But I couldn’t quite put my finger on who it reminded me of.
My mother followed him obediently. As soon as he left, I glanced around the room. I noticed several people sitting at different tables. Most of them seemed to be eating or talking quietly. One table, in particular, stood out. The two men seated there stared intensely at each other. Their faces were serious, and they kept glancing over at the entrance every few seconds.
Suddenly, I remembered seeing this same group of guys earlier today. They were walking down the street right before the police officer stopped me.
Could it be…? No, that can’t be.
But then why did those boys remind me of these guys?
They all wore the exact same clothes. In fact, I could’ve sworn I saw the same shoes on both groups of men.
Maybe I should try asking them if they’re related. That would probably clear things up.
Before I could do anything, however, another guy entered the room and greeted everyone cheerfully. His name was Mr. Kishimoto, and he was the manager of the restaurant.
“Hello, everyone!” he said. “Thank you for coming to work with us today. Today is your first day. So please relax and enjoy yourself while you’re here.”
Mr. Kishimoto waved his hand to signal that we should sit wherever we liked. Since we were early, most of the tables remained empty. However, some customers trickled in throughout the afternoon. By the end of the shift, we had served over 100 guests.
By the time I finished my last set of dishes, it was already 5:00 p.m. I thanked Mr. Kishimoto and told my mother goodbye. She promised to come back later to pick me up.
I returned to the kitchen and began washing the dishes. Afterward, I helped clean the rest of the restaurant. Finally, I sat down at the counter and waited for my mother to arrive.
At 6:30 p.m., she finally appeared from outside. I ran over to her and gave her a big hug.
“Wow! I didn’t expect you to show up so late. How did it go?” I asked.
She laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t worried at all. Don’t forget, I used to work here myself.”
“Oh yeah…”
My mother worked at Chabashira Park for many years until she retired. Nowadays, she comes by occasionally to help out whenever they need extra hands.
As we walked home together, I asked my mom what happened during her interview.
“It went well, actually. They offered me a part-time position,” she explained. “Starting tomorrow morning, I’ll be working here three days a week. And since I’m still recovering from my surgery, I won’t be able to lift very much weight yet. So I’ll only be doing prep work—cleaning, cooking, and serving food.”
“That’s great news!” I exclaimed. “You’re going to have lots of fun again.”
We reached our apartment shortly after that. My mother took off her apron and got ready for bed. I changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth. Then, I climbed onto the futon next to my mother.
“Mom, are you sure you don’t want to sleep in your own bedroom tonight? It might be easier for you to get some rest.”
“No thanks. I’m fine where I am,” she replied.
After a short pause, I continued, “Are you sure you’re okay with sleeping alone?”
“Of course I am. You know how I love being surrounded by books. There’s nothing better than curling up under the covers with a good book and a cup of tea.”
I nodded.
“Plus, I like having you nearby when I fall asleep. I always feel safer that way.”
Her words warmed my heart. I knew exactly what she meant. Whenever I slept in the same room as Mom, I felt safer too.
“Okay, let’s turn the lights out and say good night. Goodnight, Mommy.”
I pulled the blanket over us and closed my eyes.
The End