Having Had My Bride Stolen, I Just Want to Live Peacefully - Chapter 29

“Mom, I was able to come early this year.”

I speak to the tombstone as I clean the area around the tomb.

Today is the anniversary of my mother’s death.

Three years have passed since my mother died.

I have never been absent from work just because it was the anniversary of her death.

But I had made it a rule to join hands in the course of the day, and it was always night before I came.

That’s why I was able to visit graves during the day for the first time.

And there was one thing that bothered me.

Even though I was the only family member of my mother’s family, flowers were attached to her when I came to visit her grave.

It is presumed that it was served on the same day because it was fresh.

It has been going on for the past two years.

“I guess I was earlier today. But who is it?”

My mother probably has close friends, but I didn’t know about her friendship.

And a certain flower had not yet been offered when I came.

After cleaning the tombstone, incense sticks are given and offerings are offered.

“Look, it’s your favorite Tamagoyaki Mom. I was able to bring it this year.”

The offering is an egg roll that I made this morning.

I put it in a tupper and brought it.

Tamagoyaki is my specialty and my mother taught me this dish before I was born.

When I was little, I made memories of my mother who always came home late.

At first, I couldn’t cook it well, and it became like a scrambled egg.

At last, it took some shape, and now that I think about it, the grill was so strong that it was burnt, but my mother complimented me.

I was so happy to be praised that the next day, I made only a few egg rolls, and the table was covered with egg rolls.

Without scolding me, my mother said, “It’s an egg-grilled party,” and laughed merrily.

It was the first time for Nene-chan, but it meant the first time I had served anything other than my relatives.

I was happy that Nene-chan said the food my mother taught me was delicious.

“I have learned to make not only tamagoyaki but also meat and potatoes and pork Kakuni. I wanted Mom to eat it, too.”

I wonder if my mother would compliment me if I ate it.

And I remember cooking together with Nene-chan.

There was a light wooden clatter behind me.

It didn’t take long to realize it was someone’s footsteps.

“Arata-san.”

I turned around in case I didn’t expect it.

“You’re here, aren’t you?”

There, Fujisaki Tomoko-san, Nene-chan’s mother, stood with flowers in her kimono.

“Mother, it’s been a long time.”

I bow, even though I was a little depressed about something different from what I had imagined.

“Well, you’re still calling me mother.”

“I’m sorry. It’s not mother, it’s Tomoko-san, isn’t it?

“No, I’m glad Arata-san calls me mother. But now it’s different.”

I couldn’t answer anything, and Tomoko-san and I had distant eyes.

“Arata-san, I apologize once again. We, the Fujisaki family, are very sorry for the inconvenience.”

Tomoko-san bowed deeply.

“Tomoko-san, raise your head. I already received an apology that day. Also, I have already done the rest of the work through Seiji, so I won’t apologize anymore.”

“But I’m really sorry.”

Tomoko-san didn’t look up for a while when I told her I was all alright.

I couldn’t see her, so I called out to change the air.

“Did Tomoko-san come to visit my mother’s grave by any chance?”

“Yes.”

Tomoko-san finally looked up and answered my question.

“Thank you very much. But if you leave it as it is, the flowers will wither, so could you offer them to me?”

“…That’s true, too.”

Tomoko-san moved to the front of the tombstone and offered flowers to my mother.

Then raised the incense stick and put her hands together.

I thought her behavior was very beautiful.

“Thank you very much. I think my mother is also happy. But I didn’t know that Tomoko-san came to visit the grave. Tomoko-san, by any chance?”

I checked again.

“Yes, I have been here every year since I heard about your mother from Arata-san.”

“I see. You should have told me.”

“No, I don’t have to go out of my way to say it. And I’m not here to thank Arata-san, for I’m here to come.”

I thought I could have thanked her if she had told me, but Tomoko-san and I were somewhat convinced of what she said.

I talked about the situation in their family before I got engaged to Himeno-san and her parents Tomoko-san and Seiji-san.

That I was the only child, and that my mother had died.

Tomoko-san once asked me about the location of my mother’s grave, but I never thought she would come.

“I would be glad if you could say so. But why are you visiting my mother’s grave? You don’t know her, do you?”

Yes, that’s where I was concerned.

“I don’t know her, but since she’s the mother of Arata-san, it’s only natural that I come to greet her, isn’t it?”

Tomoko-san says so naturally as if it were a matter of course.

“Is that so…”

“Yes. And I always came here to thank you for bringing up Arata-san like this.”

Tomoko-san continues while looking at the tombstone.

“But today I came to apologize to your mother. I’m sorry that my daughter hurt her precious son…”

“It’s all right. My mother wouldn’t get angry about that. Rather, I think I’ll be in trouble if you apologize.”

“I see… The kindness of Arata-san came from her mother, didn’t she?”

Tomoko-san was wiping the water drops on the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief.

I looked at the tombstone, wondering if I looked like my mother.

“I’ve been wondering, was this tamagoyaki made by Arata-san?”

“Yes. Would you like to have it?”

It’s better to have someone eat it because I can’t leave the offerings as they are.

“Aah, is that all right?”

Tomoko-san becomes cheerful as the tense atmosphere up until a while ago relaxes.

She was originally a kind woman like a sunset, and she must have been in awe.

I prepared disposable chopsticks to eat myself, so I gave them to Tomoko-san.

Then Tomoko-san carried the tamagoyaki to her mouth.

“This tamagoyaki is delicious.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

As soon as she took a bite, a compliment came out.

I couldn’t help but smile at her, thinking that she looked exactly like her.

“I may eat them all.”

“Really? Thank you.”

Tomoko-san then eats Tamagoyaki.

I thought that this kind of place was also a parent and a child.

Even so, she looks about my age when she looks at it like this.

I got the impression that she was so young and lovely that I couldn’t believe she was the mother of two daughters.

“Thank you. Thank you for the meal.”

“No, thank you.”

Tomoko-san looked satisfied when she had finished eating. It’s nice to see her eat what I make deliciously.

“You are good at cooking, Arata-san, and the taste of the soup stock was elegant and delicious even though it was cold.”

“No, I still have a long way to go compared to Tomoko-san.”

Tomoko-san is hardened by my casual reply.

“What does that mean…?”

“L-let’s see. Tomoko-san made an egg roll with green onions in the bento, didn’t she? It was delicious, so I had to work harder myself.”

I added that the story had not been conveyed by leaps and bounds, but Tomoko-san’s face was getting more and more confused as she listened.

“Bento? I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”　

Tomoko-san continues to tilt her head.

“I can’t cook in the first place, can I?”