Viridity

4

Second year of middle school was when your mother began to get sick.

At first, she just couldn't eat properly. Everytime she ate something, she'd feel a burning sensation and the pain would make her stop. But despite taking her to the doctor, they said that she probably just had some indigestion and should take some simple medicine to ease up the pain.

No one in your family worried much, in the beginning.

Your mother wasn't that worried either. She would still nag at you like she always did and scold you to study. She never even looked like she was sick. Even then, she used to take care of the housework and her job.

But a few months later, she still couldn't eat properly. You guys tried everything, from making her favorite food to trying all sorts of stomach medications. None of them helped. Everytime you guys gave her some medicine, you all kept trying to convince yourselves that she was okay, that she was getting better. Everytime she ate more than usual, you'd be happy and say she was going to get well soon.

Around the mid-terms of your second year, your mother had gotten so weak that she looked like a pile of bones. But she was still standing strong. Perhaps it was a front she put up to hide her pain, but in your eyes, she was always standing tall and relentless.

You told your friends about it, and they would also share some food tips to help your mother. Shiho even told you that she might be cursed and proceeded to bless your mother. But she never got well.

You wonder why you never took it seriously at how weak your mother had become.

Only a month later, your mother collapsed all of a sudden.

When she was rushed to the hospital, it was then that the news broke.

She was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. The worst part was that you guys couldn't even start the treatment since her body was too weak, it wouldn't have been able to withstand the powerful medication and radiations.

That time was most probably, the darkest of your life.

You remember going to school, but your head was still stuck back at the hospital. Your father had to quit his job so he could stay with your mother and your brother and sister were practically sleep deprived as they tried to help take care of your mother.

You remember the first day when your mother was admitted to the hospital. You and your sister just sat there in the lobby, holding each other's hand and leaning against each other, "It's alright... We have to be prepared, [Name]..." Your sister didn't want to lie to you that everything would be fine, especially with the condition your mother was in.

"I'll take care of you, don't worry..." She kept whispering sweet nothings to you, trying to hold back her tears just so she wouldn't break down in front of you; her little sister who needed her support.

For once, you were happy to not have your mother's quirk. Because you weren't sure you wanted to know what your sister was thinking. You didn't want to know the truth about how much time your mother had left.

School was like a fever dream.

You would sit with your three friends, you would joke with your classmates and study like nothing was wrong. But you know Shiho and Fumiko noticed it, if no one else did. They were the perceptive ones of your group.

"I'm fine, really!" You tried to reassure them, but they didn't listen, "Clearly, you're not. So you either get some rest right now or tell the teacher you can't take your test today since you're clearly in no condition to be giving it." When they said those words, you swore you saw a tuft of red and white turn in your direction.

But you played it off as your tired brain conjuring things up.

"Guys, I'm fine..." You sounded like you were trying to convince yourself more than them.

Your visits to the hospital began to turn even more painful. Once, you tried talking to your catatonic mother, "Mom, how are you today? You know, I got the highest grade in my English exam this time! It's the highest among all second years!"

Yet, you were met with confusion swirling in her [Eye Color] eyes, "W-Who... are y-you?" You know you should have been stronger at that moment. The nurse had already told you that since her liver wasn't working properly, calcium ions were beginning to accumulate in her body, hence explaining her delirious state.

But you just couldn't bear the thought of not being recognised by your mother. You, who was her beloved youngest daughter. You, who was her little angel that she coddled, even after you grew up. You, who she never ate without because she was always worried if you were eating properly.

She could not recognise you, anymore.

Under all this pressure, it seems like you really did end up falling sick.

Your friends spammed your phone with worried messages, but you managed to calm them down by telling them that you were just sick. It was only fair that they were worried. You were almost never absent.

Thankfully, your older sister managed to nurse you back to health. When you returned to school, Shiho and Fumiko pulled you to the place behind the school, "Alright, what is going on?! You look like death, you're constantly tired, your grades are falling and now you even fell sick! [Name], I may have only known you for a year and a half, but you have never fallen sick in that entire time!" Shiho spoke up, her eyes swirling with worry.

Fumiko stood beside her. Although she was quiet, you could tell that she agreed with every word she said, "[Name]-" This time, Fumiko started, yet you cut her off.

"Mom's condition is really bad..." For some reason, you felt like you were being watched, but you didn't care. All that mattered was to get everything off your chest.

"Shiho, Fumiko... Mom's so weak right now! She looks miserable and she doesn't even recognise me!" Tears were beginning to pool in your eyes and the two girls in front of you looked at you in horror.

"She-She... I don't think she's gonna make it..."

That was the last straw.

You burst out in tears, sobs escaping your lips but you didn't want your friends to look at you. You always knew that your mother wouldn't make it through... But admitting it out loud was a lot more painful than you could have ever imagined.

"[Name]... I-I... I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what you're going through... But she'll get better! I'm sure of it!" Shiho was trying her hardest to comfort you, but neither her nor Fumiko were that good at comforting people. They simply held you tightly, hugging you as you cried your eyes out until you managed to tire yourself.

And how ironic of a timing was it to tell them all of this...

Because your mother ended up dying the very next day.