A few days later, in the evening, Shin-chan pushed open the door as usual and called out:
"I'm home!"
The living room went quiet for a second, then a weak, lifeless voice drifted back.
"Okay... you're home..."
Shin-chan froze. He quickly kicked off his shoes and peeked into the living room.
Misae was sitting at the dining table with her chin propped on both hands, her eyes dull and unfocused, giving off a strong I don't want to move kind of aura.
Shin-chan walked over.
"Mom."
"Mmm..."
"You're acting weird today."
Misae didn't answer.
Shin-chan stared at her for two seconds. "Mom, aren't you supposed to say, 'It's "I'm back,"'?"
Misae nodded. "Since you know that, say it properly from now on."
Shin-chan: "..."
That wasn't right.
That was completely wrong.
Usually if he said something like that, Mom would jump up and yell at him, saying something like, "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
Shin-chan leaned in closer and studied her face.
Misae started feeling a little creeped out from being stared at.
"What?"
"Mom, are you sick?"
Misae froze for a moment, then shook her head.
"No, I'm just a little tired. There's pudding in the fridge. Get it yourself."
Shin-chan's eyes lit up instantly, and all his earlier doubts were immediately thrown aside. He dashed over and opened the fridge.
Strawberry pudding!
But after a few bites, he couldn't help glancing back again.
Misae was still in the same position, staring out the window without moving.
Shin-chan scratched his head and went back to eating his snack.
Whatever. Grown-up stuff was impossible to understand.
After finishing the pudding, he tossed the empty container into the trash and ran back over to Misae.
This time she had gotten up, her back facing him, holding a cup and drinking something.
Shin-chan walked over.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Misae jumped so hard she choked. The cup in her hand shook, and red liquid splashed out, spattering across her clothes.
Shin-chan froze, his eyes locking onto her shirt.
There was red liquid on it.
His pupils suddenly shrank.
"M-Mom..."
Misae finished coughing and turned to look at him, her face full of exasperation.
"You little brat, how do you walk around without making any noise?"
She glanced down at her stained clothes and sighed.
"Seriously, I just changed into this."
Shin-chan didn't move.
He stood there staring at the red on her clothes, and little by little, his face turned pale.
Blood.
Mom was bleeding.
A lot of blood.
His mind buzzed.
Misae noticed how bad his face looked and paused.
"Shin-chan? What's wrong?"
Shin-chan looked up at her, his voice trembling slightly. "Mom... are you okay?"
Misae looked down at her clothes and thought he'd just been startled by how badly she'd coughed.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just choked a little." She waved a hand. "I'm going to change."
She walked out of the kitchen, leaving Shin-chan standing there alone.
He watched her disappear down the hall, then looked down at the few red drops on the floor. His little hands slowly clenched into fists.
A while later, Misae came back out in a different outfit and saw Shin-chan standing by the hallway entrance, staring at her.
"Shin-chan, what are you doing standing there?"
He walked over and looked up at her.
"Mom."
"Yeah?"
"Is there anything you want to do?"
"What?" Misae froze.
"I mean..." Shin-chan thought about it. "Is there anything you want to eat? Anywhere you want to go? Anything you want me to do?"
Misae reached out and touched his forehead.
"You don't have a fever..."
Shin-chan took her hand down and held it in his tiny hands.
"Mom, just tell me. I'll do anything."
Misae looked at his serious little face and, for a moment, didn't know what to say.
This kid... had he taken the wrong medicine today?
Then she remembered that she really had been feeling off today—dizzy, tired, low on energy.
Was she actually sick?
Was she hallucinating?
"Um..." Misae gently pulled her hand back. "I'm going to lie down for a bit. I'll make dinner later."
Then she turned and headed for the bedroom, leaving Shin-chan standing there alone.
He watched her back, and his eyes slowly reddened.
He remembered all the stories he'd heard before.
When someone got hurt, and bled, and then...
No.
He couldn't think about that.
Shin-chan sniffed hard and ran off to find Shiro.
In the backyard, Shiro had been dozing on the ground. When he heard footsteps, his tail started to wag—then he froze.
Shin-chan crouched down in front of him with a very serious expression.
"Shiro, I need to tell you something."
"Woof?" Shiro tilted his head.
"I think Mom..." Shin-chan lowered his voice. "...might not make it."
Shiro's ears shot up. "Woof woof?"
"I just saw it. There was blood on her." Shin-chan's voice turned muffled. "A lot of blood."
"Woof woof woof?"
"And then she said she was going to lie down, and that dinner would be late." Shin-chan continued. "She's never done that before."
Shiro looked at him and slowly scooted closer.
Shin-chan reached out and hugged him tightly. "Shiro, what am I supposed to do?"
Shiro was being squeezed so hard he couldn't move, and all he could do was let out a small whine.
Shin-chan buried his face in Shiro's fur.
"I have to be a good kid." His voice was muffled. "In the last time Mom has left, I have to be a really good kid."
Shiro rubbed his face against Shin-chan's cheek.
After a long while, Shin-chan finally stood up and dusted the dirt off his shorts.
"I'm going back inside. Be good."
Then he turned and headed back into the house, his little red back looking strangely tragic.
Shiro watched him go, tilting his head.
The sky gradually darkened.
Shin-chan sat in the living room without moving.
Normally by this time, the kitchen would already be full of sizzling sounds and the smell of cooking food would be drifting through the house.
But today, the kitchen was silent.
The heaviness in Shin-chan's chest kept growing.
He looked toward the end of the hallway, where the bedroom door remained closed.
Mom was still lying down.
He stood up, wanting to knock, but didn't dare.
What if she was resting?
What if he disturbed her?
He slowly sat back down again.
After a while, the bedroom door opened.
Misae walked out. Her complexion looked a little better than it had that afternoon, but she still didn't seem very energetic.
She glanced at Shin-chan and paused.
This brat... why was he being so quiet?
At this hour, wasn't he usually complaining that he was starving?
"Shin-chan, are you hungry?" Misae asked. "I'll go make dinner."
Shin-chan shook his head.
"I'm not hungry."
Misae blinked.
Not hungry?
This brat had actually said he wasn't hungry?
For a moment, she wondered whether she was hearing things.
"You... really aren't hungry?"
"Yeah." Shin-chan nodded. "Mom, go rest. I'm not hungry."
Misae stared at him for three full seconds.
Then she touched her own forehead.
Yeah, she really was sick, wasn't she?
She had to be hallucinating.
"Um..." she turned toward the kitchen. "I'm still going to make dinner."
Shin-chan watched her back and felt a little miserable inside.
Mom was already like this, and she still had to cook.
~~~
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