For a long moment, the only sounds were the rain and the ragged breaths of a mother’s grief. Then, Natsuko spoke, her voice raw. “He loved negi in his soup. Cut very thin. Ren never remembers. He was only five when Akio died. But I… I see him every time I chop a vegetable. Every single time.”
“You cut the negi too thick again,” Natsuko said, not as an accusation, but as a statement of fact. “Your husband, Ren, prefers them thinner.” Haruka Koide Natsuko Kayama Daughter In Law And Mother
Natsuko flinched and tried to turn away, but Haruka stepped inside and sat down beside her. She didn’t speak. She just placed a hand on Natsuko’s trembling shoulder. For a long moment, the only sounds were
Haruka held her breath. Natsuko Kayama, the fortress, was crying. Cut very thin
Haruka’s hands paused. She wanted to say that Ren had actually complimented her miso soup last week. She wanted to say that she had a degree in literature and that the geometry of a green onion should not define her worth. Instead, she bowed her head slightly. “I’m sorry, Okaa-san. I will remember next time.”
“He works too hard because you do not inspire him to come home,” Natsuko said quietly.