CHAPTER XV
Shiraishi Mai still could not believe what’s happening. However, she quickly snapped out her confusion as she took a step back from the woman that was hugging her. Unconsciously, her hand reached up to where her artificial heart is beating, as if to make sure that she actually still not able to feel anything.
Good thing that the woman let her go and took a step back herself, taking a seat as she waited for her to calm down.
“Nakamoto-san, isn’t it? Can you please give us some privacy,” Wakatsuki said to the waitress as the latter nodded and took a few step back. Once she is gone Wakatsuki exhales and sit down, leaving Shiraishi to be the only one standing up, “you should take a seat too, Shiraishi-san.”
Shiraishi nodded, taking a seat as she looks at the girl sharply, forming the words in her head carefully before finally asked, “I would like to know, Wakatsuki-san, how long have you known about this?”
“Long enough,” the one being questioned replied without even looking at her.
“You are either too good or stupid. I really hope that you’re not both,” she said bitterly.
Wakatsuki didn’t reply, seemingly more interested on the table in front of her than anything else. Shiraishi averted her gaze back to the older woman, who seems to be observing her thoroughly, her expression as unreadable as always.
“Mother, don’t you think this is too late to start playing family?” she asked, holding back her next sentence for a moment because she had accidentally bit her lower lips. Ignoring the iron taste in her mouth she continued, “ It took me a while to realize this, but I already have people that I consider my family, I don’t need you to barge in and ruin it."
"Mai, please, just listen," she said calmly, hoping that her daughter will be more at ease by her soft tones.
However it didn't work, instead, her sentence had somehow prompted Shiraishi to say every single thing that came to her mind, "no, you're the one who needs to listen. I’m pretty much okay with leaving everything behind. After all, Yumi-chan here will always be your true child just as much as I am just someone who should have never been born. I - don't - need - you.”
“Mai, it’s not like that,” for the first time she looks terrified upon her daughter's words.
“Not like what? Not like you just watched from a few meters away as I struggled and slowly bleed myself to death? I might have a problem with my emotion but I pretty much okay with my memories.”
The older woman lost her words for several seconds, totally taken aback with her sharp and accusing sentence before quickly regained herself, “that’s not like what you think. Leave that aside, for now, I need to tell you several things about the next trial because we don’t have much time.”
Shiraishi averted her gaze to the clock on the wall, “time is ticking. Better make it quick since I would prefer not to spend so much time with you.”
“On the next trial, I would be working with the government. I would use my right as your birthmother,” she said calmly.
“What a surprise,” Shiraishi said flatly.
Ignoring her rude remarks the older woman continued, “look, I know that you don’t want them to get ahold of you, so I’m going to help you from the other side. What you need to do is to counter them with the fact that you are an adult capable of making decisions by yourself. That’s the point that I think you need to work on, how to convince the jury that you are making the decision by yourself without having the company to cloud your judgment.”
“And why I should trust that you wouldn’t be pulling anything else behind?”
“Because I am still your mother. I want you to be safe and I know being with government is not the answer to that,” she said softly, her tone expresses her concern perfectly.
“Your motherly side is so astounding,” she remarked, not even trying to put some emotion in her words, “you know, you could have chosen to be on our side instead of the opposite.”
“And would you actually accept me? We all know that you wouldn’t. If not this way you would never let me help you. That’s why I chose to do it from the opposing side.”
“You’re right I wouldn’t have accepted your help. Maybe I never will. But at least I would probably hate you less.”
Shiraishi wonders how easy it is for her to hate the woman now despite how much she adores her back before the accident happened. To think about it, it was all her own fault. Shiraishi Mai shouldn’t have tried to find her mother from the first place. If she had never tried to look for her none of this would have happened.
When she was young she always regards her mother highly, even though she basically knows nothing about her. She had always given the biggest smile whenever someone would remark their striking resemblance, had always tried to pry as many information as she can whenever she’s meeting someone who declares they know the woman.
She grew up with the idea that her mother was an amazing human being that along the way fallen out of love from her father which makes her left the house. She secretly tried to look for the woman. However, her search was for naught, she couldn’t get a single info about where she- Gondawara Kirei went after leaving her father, not even able to get a single info about where she was before meeting her father.
It’s as if she has never existed.
Not until she was in senior high school that she finally braced herself to speak to her father, asking about her mother whereabouts as there is nothing that she wants more than to see the woman that given birth to her.
She remembered how her father stiffens upon hearing the request coming from her mouth. To her surprise, the man nodded.
“I will try to look for her whereabouts, but I warn you that there is a possibility that this would be really far from what you have imagined.”
She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to make sense of the man last words. She really wanted to ask more, but from the man expression, she knows that she will not get more out of it.
A few months later her father who was on a business trip outside of the country sent her a text which is basically nothing but an address and another sentence to have her chauffeur to drive her to the place instead of going alone and without needing a further explanation, young Shiraishi Mai knows what it will lead her to.
After several weeks of contemplation and some urging from Nishino, she finally decided to meet the woman. The woman’s place is actually only a block away from where Nishino lives so it wasn’t pretty hard even for her to find it without any help from the chauffeur, however just per her father request Shiraishi instructed her chauffeur to drive her to the place.
When she finally reached the address she stared at the family name written on the house’s plate for several minutes, starting to doubt the reliability of the information since the name written on it is ‘Wakatsuki’, she shook off all the weird thoughts that have started to bug her mind and knock on the door.
She did it again.
And again.
And again.
And again, yet no answer came. In disappointment, she dragged her feet back to where her car is. However, before she could reach her car an old man who lives in the area happened to pass by and told her that the woman just went out to the park close by. After thanking the man, she instructed her chauffeur to go to the place.
The woman has left her house before she could even walk, so Shiraishi has no recollection of her features except those that she could remember from the woman's amazingly very few pictures. However, when she stepped out from the car and started walk closer to the woman that was sitting on a picnic mat, even from far she could somehow tell that she is the person that she is looking for.
Albeit shorter, her hair sparks the same colors as her, as does as her porcelain white skin. The woman was too immersed in a novel that she was reading to notice her. Even with her head down Shiraishi Mai understands why people always note their resemblance.
“Is there anything I could help you with?” The woman suddenly looked up as their eyes met.
She didn’t even realize that she had somehow approached her and now standing next to her in a meter away distance. Back then she was troubled, she was always too focused on deciding whether to meet her or not that she has never thought about what she wants to say the woman.
Does she need to bluntly say that she’s her child? If she does, how? Shiraishi Mai realizes that it is pretty absurd to suddenly announce you’re a girl that she has left before you can even stand up properly.
What if she never wanted to see her from the first place? Maybe that’s the reason why it’s hard to find the woman.
But before she could finally say anything, a loud crying disrupts their moment, followed by the woman sudden movement to stand up and go to where the sound came.
The sound came from a little girl, she was probably around 5 years old, and from her words between her sobs, it sounds like she was playing hide and seek with the other kids around but they somehow run back home when she was the one that supposed to be the seeker.
The woman softly pats her back, kneeling a little so she is even lower than the little girl's eye level, making it easier for her to see the young girl’s face, she wiped the tears from the little girl cheek as she started to talk softly to her. The loud sounds of the girl bawling cover the sounds that came from the woman’s mouth, making it impossible for Shiraishi to grasp their conversation.
When the young girl finally nodded and calmed down a little she took a peek to where Shiraishi is standing and that’s when she could see her features clearly.
Just like how she is a striking resemblance to her mother, the young girl is also the same. Even though she’s still so young that her face still a bit bubbly, she could still see it. The same mesmerizing white skin, the same light-colored hair, same almond-shaped eyes with the deep brown orbs.
“Ah, I see,” Shiraishi accidentally said it out loud instead of keeping it for her own thought, her lips formed a bitter smile as her heart feels like it’s being tugged.
“Mom, who is that?” the girl asked, raising her eyebrows as she pointed at Shiraishi.
“N- nobody,” Shiraishi answered before the woman could say anything or even worse ask her the same question, “I thought you were someone I know but turns out I was wrong.”
The little girl frowned as she looks back and forth between the woman and Shiraishi, probably realizing their resemblance.
Shiraishi remembers what her father had said, how it could be different than what she imagined and her brain match the current situation for its answer. She couldn’t blame her, 17 years is not a short time. It’s not that surprising during that time, the woman has found someone else to build a family with.
“I’m sorry for bothering you,” she said reluctantly, not knowing what to do next before finally decide to take a step closer to the little girl, “can I ask your name?”
“Hina. Wakatsuki Hina,” the girl answered.
“Hina-chan, then. Well, you see, that kind of friend they are no good. If I were you I would ditch them and try to make friends with someone else.”
She looks at the girl longer than she should. A thinge of envy sparks in her heart, knowing that the girl has one thing that she wants the most. The girl looks confused for the sudden advice then nodded.
“I’m taking my leave then. Again, I’m sorry for bothering you,” she said, this time directing her words straight to the woman as she smiled a little, “I.. um… Your daughter, she’s lucky to have you. She loves you very much.”
She didn’t wait for the woman to answer, she quickly turned her back on her before she could even finish her own sentence, walking as fast as possible, trying not to drop her tears right there and then.
However, when she reached the stairs that will lead her to the parking lot of the park, she met her.
Shiraishi's interaction with the person ever since the time where she punched her out of nowhere was almost nonexistent, the girl pretty much giving her a grim look whenever they passed each other in the school, but today when she still hadn’t realized that Shiraishi is there she looks different.
Instead of the prominent scowl that she had thought to be her main feature, the girl is smiling cheerfully, carrying plastic bags on both of her hands as she talks with the man beside her that is most likely her father.
She halted her movement when she spotted her looking, then decided to gave Shiraishi a brief nod before continuing to walk straight ahead. Thinking that it is purely coincidental. Shiraishi could also feel the girl’s father looking at her way too long than a simply a passerby looking at someone.
Shiraishi drops her gaze to the pathway, trying not to ignore their looks as her eyes searching for her chauffeur and once she found him she silently follows him back to her car.
From her window she could see them, the woman that is her birth mother starting to pull out several paper plates from the picnic basket on the mat, the young girl that was just crying a few minutes ago is now cheerfully throwing herself into the man’s arm, the latter pick her up and let her ride his shoulders. Among them, the girl that is also her underclassman is smiling brightly.
“Ojou-san, shall we go straight back home or do you have any other plans in mind?” her chauffeur snapped her out of her deep observation.
Shiraishi looks to where her mother is, then took her phone from her pocket, pressing one of the speed dial keys that connects her to the only person outside her main family that knows her situation.
The person picked up her call after it rings for several seconds.
“N-Nanase-chan. Are you free right now?” she asked as soon as the person picked up the call.
‘Not really, I am currently at Reika cha- Sakurai Reika chan’s place. We are baking a cake as tomorrow is Yumi-chan birthday. But I’m going to be free somewhere later in the evening.’
Shiraishi looks to the park again, spotting the girl mentioned currently trying to hide her embarrassment as her little sister put a pink party hat on her head, “Wakatsuki-san, huh.”
‘What’s wrong, senpai?’ the girl asked seemingly realized her odd antics.
“Nothing. Enjoy your weekend.” She didn’t say any parting words or even wait for the other girl to reply before flipping her phone shut. She looks in the rearview mirror of the car, catching the gaze of her chauffeur who is currently looking at her in concern, “to the batting practice ground.”
“Ojou-san, I am sure that we can go straight back ho-”
“-just take me to the batting ground. Please,” she cut his suggestion off, trying to keep herself away from crying, “right now, I don’t want to see anyone that I know.”
As the car slowly started to move, she took a last look at the family in the park. Telling herself that at least her mother get to be in a loving family and she seems truly happy with them. That should be enough for her, right? It’s not like Shiraishi Mai couldn’t live without her as that’s how it always been ever since she could barely even walk.
Even until this day, she realized that if her emotion is kicking in she would feel nothing but regret. Regretting her decision to come to the park that day, to approach that woman, to let herself be seen by the rest of Wakatsuki's family. But another part of her would feel like she’s winning because even though she didn’t actually get everything that she wants, at least, she managed to snatch it away from the younger girl that’s sitting beside her right now.
Just like her mother she truly is a horrible person.
“Mai, um.. here,” her mother suddenly decided to break the tension in the air, her hands moved and pulled out an envelope from her designer handbag, “there are some other things that I would like you to know. But I think it’s better if it’s not said out loud, so here.”
Shiraishi just looks at the envelope on the woman hands stiffly, not even trying to make any move to accept it. The woman smiled bitterly before putting it in front of her daughter, then she averted her gaze to her other daughter who has been nothing but silent the whole time, “have you thought any plan to counter the government?”
“Of course, we have, but I’m sorry, I’m not going to say it,” Wakatsuki answered apologetically.
Then suddenly the logic in Shiraishi’s head kick in, even without mentioning it, it’s really obvious what they’re going to do. Somehow she had started to speak to confirm her suspicion, “wait isn’t it obvious? I mean from the first place they don’t really have a chance of winning me over. You haven’t been there from the beginning, you left me with my father, not even making any attempt to look out for me like until the last 24 hours before the accident, well we could say 2 months before the accident but watching my performance without even notifying me wouldn’t count much. From the first place, you have no rights on me. My father is the one who has. He is my official guardian.”
“People can’t be an official guardian from the grave, Mai. Technically, as your birth mother, I am now your official guardian.”
Shiraishi was taken aback with her first statement, her brain spaced out for a moment, leaving a nagging headache once she was finally able to process the words. She clenched her hand, trying to push away the headache in vain, “of course, right. Well, we just have to make do with your initial suggestion then, convince them that I am an adult who needs no guardian.”
She glanced at the envelope who lays just an inch away from her fingers and took it before standing up, the two other women around her look at her in a questioning manner. “I need to go to the restroom.”
She didn’t even wait for their reaction before sliding the door opened and went straight to follow the restroom sign, could only hope that they would be kind enough to let her have her moment by herself. She spins the sink’s faucet, letting the cold water run across her hands, gathering some amount of it before splashing it onto her face, hoping it would help to calm herself a little.
She was shaking and her eyes starting to turn red even without any trace of tears. She closed her eyes for several minutes, hoping that would help her situation. Then she stared at her reflection in the mirror, telling herself that it is okay, that she needs to keep herself calm, at least, until she got back into Nogizaka building and speak about the matter personally with her sister.
Afraid that she was taking too long she walked back to where her mother and Wakatsuki are, but before she could even enter the booth she accidentally overheard their conversation as the door is apparently still not closed.
She halted, waiting to eavesdrop the conversation instead entering the room.
“I need to check on her, make sure that she is okay,” came Wakatsuki voice.
“Wait! Before you go, there is something that I want to give you.” Shiraishi could hear the soft sounds of a zipper before her mother voice came again, “your father mentioned that you are thinking of taking the next step with your girlfriend. Here-”
For a moment there was silence, Shiraishi is trying her best to keep herself from taking a peek to see what’s happening, thankfully before her patience runs out the younger woman said, “I don’t need it. I don’t want my relationship with Reika has anything to do with the family. Just like I don’t want to have anything to do with it too.”
“You know it’s not that simple, your family has enemies. It’ll be dangerous for her,” they went silent for a few seconds before her mother said again, “at least with this, she is officially in the family too, that way she would have the full protection and wouldn’t be a weak link that people could take an advantage of.”
Both went silence for a while again, she could imagine Wakatsuki having face full objection to whatever it is that the woman is trying to give her.
“I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to her much, but from what I have heard she sounds like a great person. This is for her best too. Please do think about it.”
“Fine then. And yes, she is amazing.”
“You are also an amazing person too, I am glad that the two of you found each other. I am really proud of you, Yumi.”
And upon that sentence, Shiraishi felt suffocated and bitter. Who was she kidding with?
From the beginning, she’s competing in a battle that she could never win, her pathetic accidental attempt to ruin the other girl family didn’t erase the fact that her mother raised Wakatsuki Yumi and her sister, not her.
From the beginning, she had been tossed away as all she is nothing but a miserable reminder of the woman’s mistake.
She took a step back, accidentally bumped into the waitress that was serving them before in progress. The girl looked at her in confusion, “Shiraishi-san? Do you need any help in anything?”
“I-” she could hear her own voice breaking as her vision got a bit blurry because of her eyes had somehow started to water, “I need to go.”
And she ran.
She ran faster than she usually did when they checked her physique. Dashing out of the café within a matter of seconds, taking a random turn without even caring of where her foot is leading her too, not even caring about how her lungs are screaming from rigorous activity, and her brain feels like it’s being ripped apart.
She finally stopped when she realized that her phone has been ringing. Probably they had realized that she had run from the café, however, instead of picking it up she turns off the phone, making it impossible for them to reach her.
Shiraishi wondered if she was feeling like this back then, back when she had finally seen her mother in the park. She can’t remember if it was this painful or not, however, she could remember wanting to go away from everyone.
Just like what she wants to do right now.
~To Be Continued~
A/N:Hiiii! So this chapter is continuing from where we left off when Maiyan meets her mother. Here we know more about them and a plot twist that is Wakatsuki Yumi, tbh at first I wanted to have Miona instead of Hinachima for Waka's sister, then I realize that if I put Chima it would make more sense as Chima sort of looks like Shiraishi more than Miona, so then we can assume that just like Shiraishi Chima took after her mother while Waka is taking after her father.

And ooh can you see that I'm hinting something about Waka's relationship?

I really hope this is not too complicated because somehow it will become messier as the story goes.

but if you feel like there's something that you still don't understand and please do ask me via replies or personal message or whatever way you can use to do so, I'd be happy to clarify, in fact, it would probably point out which point that I still need to work on more.
We will see another flashback of Maiyan story about a two or three chapter after this and after that, it's pretty much going to be Nanase's arc. FINALLY! lol trust me I also long for us to get to that arc soon
So again thanks a lot for reading, I am always happy whenever I see a reply. Even if it is just a simple "Thanks for your work". So please do leave a reply if you feel like doing so

Just as usual, sorry for the mistakes
Replies:@Janix123Maiyan being so nice giving the coat and the scarf....wahhhh Naachan being mesmerized by her...I also love it when Maiyan gets mesmerized by Naachan....like SERIOUSLY...my imagination gets wild.
Maiyan is actually a nice person, just as much as Nanase is, she just has a completely different circumstances that makes her a jerk back then. I'm glad that I was able to take you to your wildest imagination then

I hope you're also reading this chapter and liking it, well it's more sad than fluffy but still-
@clin-nolanThe way they met was cute ... it would be great if we could read more moments of them

I hope to read more of WakaRei and that you can update soon
More moments of them will come a bit later, as now we are focusing more on maiyan's family situation. But I assure you there are some in the plot

It's not exactly WakaRei moment but in this chapter I'm hinting that they're totally going to take the next step

Thanks for the comment! Sorry if my updates aren't soon enough
@wakatenis there anything happen between waka and nanase? what waka means with 'three of us'
this story getting more interesting as it grew.. btw, when will you update sayo imi? i think i missed nanamin badly right now... seriously
Yes, something happened between waka and nanase, that's also one of the reasons why Maiyan was able to get closer to nanase, we will know more about this on Nanase's arc. And about the 'three of us' if you notice it, the friendship isn't just about waka and nanase, there's someone else in their best friend circle

I updated SayoImi a few days ago, sorry it took so long, but there wasn't much of Nanamin as it is justifying Asuka's reason for that camera snatching moment. The next chap definitely will have more Nanamin

It's okay I also miss nanamin a lot

That aside, I hope you will like this chapter as well, your replies always made my day
