“Teach…” I couldn’t finish my sentence.0

My heart was pounding. In a split second, numerous emotions mixed together, turning my heart into a rag. If I squeezed it hard enough, all of my dark emotions would come out. 0

Teacher. I was fortunate to meet my peony who had become my teacher.0

“Mother.”0

Teacher looked at me. Her always serene eyes were trembling. It was the first time I called her Mother, and her first time being called that, too.0

Teacher put down her stubby pencil. “...This is odd.” 0

It seemed that she was in the middle of her writing. Manuscripts with Teacher’s handwriting were scattered on the living room table. 0

“I don’t know how long it’s been since you called me that.”0

She would never get to finish her story now. Some words simply couldn’t become sentences. Red manuscript papers filled with discarded paragraphs were lying on the table. 0

“It’s been ages since I heard you call me Mother. No, ages isn’t the right word. It’s as if…”0

“I love you, Mother.”0

Teacher stopped moving her fingertips. 0

“I wanted to see you again,” I said. “You see, I found someone to love for the rest of my life. Turns out that it’s possible to truly love someone and be loved in return. I… wanted to hold Raviel’s hand and introduce her to you before anyone else, Mother.”1

“…”0

“You and Raviel would have gotten along well. I’m sure of it. I’m… I’m alive and well. I am living well. I’m trying to live well. There are many days when I think about what you told me, Mother.”3

Teacher.0

“I wanted to see you again.”0

Teacher slowly stood up and came to me. Her thin, long fingers wiped the corners of my eyes. “Did you have a nightmare?”0

“I’m having a nightmare right no...0