Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Custody ❯ Heidi ( Chapter 22 )

Momiji walked alone through the crowded streets of the strange, frozen city. Momo and Grandma were at their relatives' at that moment. A change of plans, moving the annual gathering to an uncle's, they said. As much as both of them tried to persuade him to go with them, Momiji didn't feel like meeting more strangers. He needed some time alone.

 

He was falling apart, and he couldn't allow himself that. He had to be strong.

 

So, he left the house shortly after Momo and Grandma and started walking without a destination in mind. He observed the people he passed by, the streets, the decorations on the windows, the snow on the rooftops and trees. Of all of those, only the snow brought back a feeling of familiarity. He wondered how the streets at his city looked at that time. As much as he liked Germany, he missed his home country. He was glad that he was going back soon.

 

And then, out of the blue and as some sort of miracle, a Japanese restaurant appeared before his eyes. He couldn't believe it! He was so happy that he wasted no time and went inside, eager to eat something he knew and liked after so many days. He was still having trouble getting used to German food, so the very thought of onigri was almost too good to be true. The place was empty, except for Momiji and the owners. As soon as he met them he was in a good mood. They were Japanese too, and they liked him instantly, so they decided to join their new young friend at the table. The couple must have been in their mid fifties, if Momiji guessed correctly. Their kind faces and polite conversation made Momiji think that that was the way Hatori and Mayu would look some day. He wondered how the twins were doing. He was growing homesick by the second.

 

-“So, what brings you here, so far away from home?” -asked the old woman.

 

-“I don't know anymore, obaa-san. When I got here, I thought that I had everything figured out, but everything I had planned went wrong.” -he explained sadly in between bites.

 

-“What happened?” -the old man asked.

 

-“My parents died two weeks ago. They had been living here for six years. When I heard the news, my first thought was to come and take my little sister back home with me. Now I know that I can't do that. She likes living here. Her friends and family are here. This is her home.” -Momiji explained everything calmly, holding his chopsticks between his fingers the whole time, ready to take another bite.

 

-“You are her brother. Her home is by your side, no matter in what country that may be.” -the old man said.

 

“Are you going to leave her behind?” -asked the woman at the same time.

 

-“She has decided to stay. There's nothing I can do.” -he explained, resigned.

 

-“And how do you feel about it? What do you want?”

 

Momiji thought about it for a moment. `How do I feel about it? I don't know for sure… I've been feeling many different things lately. As for what I want…'

 

-“I just want her to be happy, even if we're not together.” -Momiji answered quietly and went back to his food, ending the topic with a smile.

 

He went back to the house after lunch. There was no point in wandering the streets, and besides, he felt better now. The conversation with the old couple made him remember everything that he had in Japan and where his home was. However, the words of the old man kept replaying themselves in his mind: `Her home is by your side.'

 

`Does it work the other way around too? How can my home be with someone who doesn't want to be with me?'

 

Someone knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. He doubted for a moment if he should see who it was, but decided to open anyway. A blonde girl of about Momo's age stood there, clad in a thick, heavy wool coat, along with a scarf. Because of said scarf, her pale blue eyes, which were the only features he could see clearly, were the first things he noticed. She was carrying a violin case in the gloved hand that was not in her pocket. A car, with who he guessed to be her parents inside, waited behind her. He smiled.

 

Heidi was shocked. She didn't recognize this boy in front of her, but she was sure that he had to be related to Momo. He looked too much like the late Mrs. Souma to be otherwise... Was he visiting? Apparently he was as curious about her as she was about him by the way he looked at her, then behind her at the car, and then back at her. He smiled.

 

Whatever wariness she might have felt just melted away with the warmth of that smile. She smiled back behind the scarf, but Momiji noticed it by the way her eyes shone. He said something that she didn't understand, but then he stopped and laughed.

 

-“I'm sorry about that. Can I help you?” -Heidi was still mesmerized by his smile. His eyes were kind, and yet sad. She kept on noticing similarities between Momo and the boy each second.

 

-“Hi! I'm Momo's friend, Heidi. Is she home?” -she asked casually. Inside, she really wanted to ask his name and if he had a girlfriend.

 

-“No, she isn't. Momo and Grandma are visiting an uncle today. Is there anything that I can do for you?” -he asked. Heidi noticed the foreign accent. Though faint, she remembered that Mr. Souma had it too. Her curiosity got the better of her. She had to know.

 

-“I didn't know that Momo had a brother still in Japan. When did you get here? Did you make it in time for the funeral?” -she asked. The boy tensed immediately in front of her eyes, and his smile faltered for a second. It seemed to her like he made a quick decision right then, by the way his face changed from one moment to the next. He smiled again.

 

Momiji was amazed at how clever this girl was. She had already noticed what Momo had not, and he had barely said two or three phrases to her! He knew that she couldn't be fooled, so he decided to tell her the truth. Maybe Momo told her about him before… Even if she talked with Momo about it later, he knew that his sister wouldn't give it a second thought, since she already considered him her brother.

 

-“I got here the day of the funeral, though I don't remember you being there. Then again, I may have missed you. I arrived at the very end. I was late. You know, the long trip all the way from Japan.” -he kept on smiling, but the happiness was pasted on his face like a mask. Heidi kept waiting for the moment when it would make it to his eyes.

 

-“It's good to know that Momo has a brother. Are you staying here for good? She needs you more than ever, and I bet that you need her too.” -Heidi kept talking, ignoring the snow that started to fall again. Momiji noticed when she started to shiver.

 

-“Would you like to come in? I don't know at what time they'll be back, but I can call them to find out if you want.” -he looked back behind her to the car.

 

-“Okay!” -she turned around and signaled for her parents to wait for her for a moment. They nodded.

 

Momiji found the note where they wrote the phone number before they left, and dialed it while the girl stood by his side in the living room. She refused to sit down, saying that the coat was wet now from all the snow. He waited for a while for someone to answer, but no one did, even after he called again.

 

-“No answer?” -Heidi asked amused at the sight of the boy sighing loudly as he hung up the second time. “Don't worry. Just tell your sister that I came by to see her and to return this, please.” -she showed him the violin case. She noticed the way his eyes went eagerly to it.

 

-“You play the violin too?” -Heidi was shocked now. The similarities between the siblings were just too many.

 

-“I used to. I quit when I entered college, though. I didn't have the time to practice anymore.” -he explained. “Momo told me that she still plays the violin. Is she good?” -the boy asked, unconsciously fishing for a compliment for his sister. Heidi smiled. All big brothers were the same.

 

-“She's almost as good as me.” -she laughed. Then she realized what he just said. “Wait, did you say college? Just how old are you?”

 

-“I could make you guess, but I know that I don't look my age. I'm actually twenty-two. I graduated from college two weeks ago.” -Momiji was really having fun now. The expression on her face was priceless.

 

-“What? For a moment there, I thought that you were her twin! You don't look much older than her. So what, did you become her guardian now that your parents are gone?”

 

Momiji was shocked speechless for a moment. She really was a clever girl.

 

-“No. If I became her guardian I'd have to take her back to Japan with me. She doesn't want to do that. Everything and everyone she loves are here. This is her home now.” -he said with a hint of sadness that Heidi quickly noticed.

 

-“Do you miss her when you're in Japan?” -she asked quietly.

 

Momiji sighed loudly and nodded. He kept on smiling that wistful, sad smile of his.

 

-“How did you know…? -Heidi noticed that the boy had trouble formulating his question. She knew what he wanted to ask, though.

 

-“How did I know what? That you're her brother? I have eyes, you know.” -she laughed. Momiji smiled again, this time a mischievous spark crossed his eyes for a moment.

 

-“Is it that obvious?” -he asked.

 

-“You have no idea. You look more like your mother than Momo! And you have your father's eyes. I don't mean the color; it's more like you two share the same sadness. It's sadness so great that it spills from your eyes.” -she explained, looking straight at his face the whole time.

 

-“My father was sad?” -Momiji felt a pang of regret at the mental image of his father. He always believed that he had forgotten about him completely and moved on happily with his life.

 

-“Momo didn't notice, but I knew. She's pretty oblivious to this kind of thing, as I'm sure you already know, but I saw the sadness. I'm telling you: you and your father have the same eyes. Maybe he missed you.” -she said seriously.

 

Momiji didn't say a word. He just stood there and lowered his head, pondering the things she said. Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

 

-“It's such a pity that your eyes can't smile as happily as your mouth. You have to learn how to make them smile too if you want to make people believe that you're happy.” -her voice was barely above a whisper now.

 

Momiji still didn't say a word. He breathed deeply once, twice, before he looked back at her. He looked calm now. He nodded again.

 

-“I really have to go now. Will I see you later?” -her voice was back to its enthusiastic tone.

 

-“I don't think so. I'm leaving in four days.” -he explained.

 

-“Oh! I'll try to come back to say goodbye to you, but just in case…”

 

Momiji didn't see it coming. Heidi hugged him quickly and kissed his cheek with a shy smile on her face. Still in shock, he looked at her as she turned around and went to the door. She stopped with her hand on the knob, ready to leave.

 

-“You never told me your name…” -she asked after she laughed again.

 

-“Momiji.” -he said it slowly, knowing that the foreign name would be hard for her to learn.

 

-“Momiji.” -she repeated. “Okay, see you later, Momiji!” -she turned around with a grin on her face and waved to him before stepping out of the house and into the falling snow.