By the time Mocha-san arrived home.
"I'm home"
She said, announcing her safe arrival as she puts away her shoes.
When she reached the living room, her family greeted her.
"Mocha, welcome back... Did you have fun at school today?"
Mocha-san's mother greeted her warmly, with a slight pause between her sentence.
"Ah-. Y, Yeah..."
Mocha-san responded, slightly looking away.
She continued walking on her way to her room. But before she does, her mother remind her of diner.
"Dinner's ready. Come down after you get changed."
"O, okay."
She continued walking to her room to get change as promised.
After Mocha-san finished changing into her normal clothes, she laid on the bed for a moment, face down and seemingly tired as she burry her face on the pillows.
'So much happened today...'
She looked back, recalling everything that happened today.
'I did so many things I could only hoped to before...'
'I made friends, I did my best to respond when someone spoke to me, got invited to play volleyball, and...'
As she recalled things that happened today, an image of a certain person suddenly popped up in her mind.
'I met someone who's really cool, as if meeting him was straight out of a shojo manga...'
She buried her face deeper into the pillows, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Her eyes became heavier and heavier, thinking,
'If this was a dream, I don't want to wake up...'
And so, Mocha-san slowly drifted into sleep, while unconsciously having this somewhat satisfied expression on her face.
A lot of things happened today after all. Mocha-san, as she wasn't really used to being this much socially active, it left her fatigued and couldn't help but drift into sleep from tiredness.
The door to her room opened, and the one who opened it was Mocha-san's mother, coming up to check on her as she hasn't come down for dinner yet.
"Mocha, let's eat- ?"
When Mocha's mother opened the door, she saw Mocha-san sleeping soundly as she clung to her pillow between the both of her arms and legs.
"Sigh, I guess I'll just put it in the fridge in case she gets hungry later."
Mocha-san's mother backed out of the room and quietly closed the door.
"Where's Mocha?" inquired Papa-Tsukiyo.
"She's already fast asleep." which Mama-Tsukiyo replied
"I see. She must be tired after returning from school."
"That's probably it. She did look like she did lots in school today. Fu fu fu"
"So you also felt it's like that. Huh..."
"Of course. I'm the mother of that child, after all. You also noticed, didn't you? Our daughter was smiling after she returned from school which was pretty rare. It was obvious to see she enjoyed herself today from the face she was making earlier.”
The face Mocha-san was making when she got home was a smiling one. That's the reason why Mama-Tsukiyo had a slight pause for a second, intrigued to see Mocha-san forcefully trying to hide her smile, yet couldn't.
"Hm, good for her." Papa-Tsukiyo grinned slightly as he sip on his coffee.
"It was a good choice to relocate after all, right Papa? Hmm?"
"It seems so."
As a parent, Mocha-san's mother and father were relieved at how Mocha-san seemed to be doing just fine on adjusting to her new school.
Actually, before the school year started, Mama and Papa Tsukiyo had already sensed Mocha-san’s intention to change, by the time when she was about to start high school.
They even sometimes randomly stumbled from time to time reference books and magazines of what’s new and trendy amongst her peers.
They even caught her reading fashion magazines a few times that she never took interest in before. They had sense Mocha-san’s longing to change and desire to get along with other people her age.
Actually, moving houses was not that much of a coincidence. Rather, in truth, it was all intentional.
They wanted to offer Mocha-san another chance, giving her the privilege of starting a new in a new environment where no body knows her.
They wanted to give her the courage that she was missing, and give her a small push so that she'll be able to work towards a fulfilling school life unlike she was doing previously.
...
When Mocha-san woke up, she immediately looked for her flip phone, checking the date and time as if trying to confirm something. She then rushed downstairs.
"Mom, Dad! Do you know what date it is?"
She asked as if trying to confirm her suspision.
"It's the 6th of September, and today is Tuesday." Mama-Tsukiyo replied with a warm smile.
'So it wasn't a dream...? I really did go to school!'
She recalled everything, suddenly remember our fateful encountered again.
Her face immediately turned red from the recollection, that MamaTsukiyo took notice.
"Why is your face turning red? Did you finally get a boyfriend or something?" Mama-Tsukiyo teasingly said to Mocha-san, thinking how adorable her daughter looked just now.
"N-No! O-Of course not!" She flusteredly replied.
Mocha-san heavily tried to deny Mama-Tsukyo's accusations with her face still beat red.
"Cough* Cough* Cough*"
Papa-Tsukiyo in the corner, who's been sipping on his coffee since earlier almost choked from surprise seeing his daughter's flustered face.
"Papa. Are you alright?!" inquired Mama-Tsukiyo to her husband.
"Y, yeah. I'm fine. Cough, cough... Sigh, they sure grow so fast ha. Cough, cough."
"I know how you feel."
'Why are they talking as if I'm already leaving the house. And stop acting like old couples nearing their end. You guys are only in your late thirties.' commented Mocha-san on her mind, thinking how cringe her parents are acting in front of her.
Mama and Papa Tsukiyo were proud and glad, at the same time a little saddened, seeing their youngest grow so much in such a short period of time.