Although it took a while, [Name] eventually stopped crying as he now sat on their living room couch all bundled up inside a warm blanket. His mom was currently in the kitchen as she made them both a warm cup of chocolate milk.
It didn't take long before Fumiko came back as she set down a cup in front of [Name] before sitting next to him.
He grabbed the cup off the table gently and brought it up to his mouth, giving it gentle blows to get rid of some heat.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Fumiko asked with a patient smile as she held her own cup of warm milk, enjoying the warmth it was giving to her hands.
[Name] chewed on his lips as an apprehensive look appeared on his face. Fumiko simply smiled as she looked away, letting the topic drop. If [Name] wasn't ready to talk about it, then that's okay with her. She can wait until he's ready.
"So what made you decide to come here so late in the night?" Fumiko changed the topic easily as she squinted at a nearby calendar. "Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"We do," [Name] mumbled as he winced after taking a sip of the drink, causing his tongue to get burnt up slightly. "But I missed you."
Fumiko couldn't snort as she lifted a hand to her cheek, enjoying the adorable behavior her son had. No matter how much he's aged, he'll always be her cute little boy.
"That's no excuse to skip school!" Fumiko huffed sternly as she looked away. Her facade didn't last long as she began to chuckle. "Just kidding~ You can visit me anytime you want, I'll always be here to accept you."
[Name] couldn't help but smile warmly at the thought of always being accepted back home before remembering something. Instantly, an anxious look appeared back on his face as he fidgeted.
"Ma, do you remember how you always told me stories every night when I was a child?" He brought up suddenly as he took a deep breath, trying to calm down his erratic heart.
"Oh, of course I do! How could I ever forget?" Fumiko beamed at the warm memories that flooded her, the nostalgia hitting her motherly heart quite strong. "You always did love listening to them."
"Yeah, I did." He nodded with a smile, feeling just as nostalgic as she did right. "Your favorite story was always about the red string of fate."
Fumiko's eyes softened as she nodded wistfully. "Yeah, it was." She spoke in a tender tone, her cup sitting steadily on her lap as she fidgeted with its handle.
"Can I tell you a story about it?" He breathed out, starting to feel anxious again.
"I'm all ears," Fumiko nodded as she let her eyes close, wanting to fully immerse in whatever story he wanted to tell her.
"Let's say there's this boy that can see the string of fate that connects people to each other. He's seen them go far and wide or even completely miss each other despite being so close." He began his tale, his own hands fidgeting with the now colder cup in his hands. "For the price of being given such an ability, it seems like fate had decided to not give him a string, leaving him all alone without a fated."
"Oh, that's quite sad..." Fumiko muttered as she stared at the ceiling, her full attention still on [Name]. "The poor kid never wanted the ability why does he have to pay the price just for having it?"
'He wonders that too.' He thinks bitterly.
"Who knows?" He shrugs. "Anyways, as he grew up, he never told the story of being able to see such a thing. He's also come to learn what the strings meant, although it saddened him quite a bit to realize he didn't have a soulmate. Nevertheless, he continued on normally." He took a deep breath. "Until one day, he met someone."
Fumiko seemed to perk up in interest as she turned her head to look at him. "He met a friend in this new school he transferred to and the thing is, this friend didn't have a string either!" [Name] laughed fondly. "He couldn't believe the fact that there was someone like him without a fated. It made him somewhat relieved, so to speak."
"I guess I would be too if I were the kid," Fumiko added her input softly. "Even if the whole world is against you, it's still nice to have even just one person with you."
[Name] nodded mutely before continuing. "Days turned into weeks as they got closer until one day, during a very special event for the kid, he noticed something. Amidst the event, he watched as a string magically began to form around the friend's hand."
"Oh," Fumiko's eyes widened at the turn of events.
"The kid couldn't help but feel nervous and even a bit hopeful as he watched it form. As the string kept growing, strangely, it kept approaching him and he couldn't help but think about it connecting to him."
"But did it?" Fumiko asked with a knowing smile.
"No, it didn't." [Name] swallowed as he vaguely remembered the feelings he had felt during that day. "It was a bit heartbreaking for the boy but what could he do? Fate has its own plans."
"As they grew even older, the kid couldn't help but wish that his friend's soulmate would never appear. He knows it's a selfish thought but he held out hope anyways." Fumiko took a drink of her now lukewarm drink. "After all, after being burdened with such an ability, fate owed him at least this much, right?"
"Fate doesn't work like that, unfortunately."
"Yeah, the kid learned that the hard way." [Name] looked down to his lap, trying to act composed. "The inevitable day came. The soulmate has appeared."
"Oh, dear..."
A lot more happened but [Name] knew it'd take too much explaining to say all the events that led up to the main part he wanted to say, which is why he fast-forwarded his story. "In some sort of way, the kid snapped. Temptation and selfishness clouded his thoughts as he grabbed the scissors and approached the string connecting his friend and his soulmate together."
"And what happens next?" Fumiko leaned forward, wanting to know what would happen next.
"What do you think happens next?" He gave his mom a small smile, wanting to know her thoughts.
"With how you told the story, one would assume the kid went ahead and cut the string of fate." His mom shrugged unsurely.
"Do you think it'd be better if that had happened?"
"Not necessarily so, but it's not like he did anything bad." Fumiko grinned causing [Name]'s eyes to widen. "It was an ability he never asked for, anyways. Besides, I don't think he truly did it out of ill intent."
"...How so?"
"That kid in the story... he's in love with his friend, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he is." [Name] spoke with a shaky breath as he looked away. "But still, don't you think what he thought of was wrong? If he cuts the string just to keep his friend, what about the soulmate?"
"Well..." Fumiko hummed as she lifted a finger. "That's because, the boy didn't actually cut the string, did he?" The way she stared at him made [Name] feel so seen, as though she knew everything.
"But what if he did?"
"But he didn't, so I say he isn't bad. It's normal to get clouded by dark thoughts and it's only bad if you act upon it." His mom then pressed her finger onto his chest, right where his heart was. "Right, kid?"
[Name]'s eyes couldn't help but widen as he looked at his mom. Does she know? How long has she known-
"I think I get it now," She sighed as she slumped back onto her spot on the couch. "So you like someone but this someone likes someone else, right? You should've just said so from the start! Although that soulmate story was very creative."
[Name] couldn't help but sigh in relief as he also slumped against the back of the couch. So she still doesn't know about his abilities...
"Guilty," [Name] mumbled as he sighed.
Fumiko's eyes couldn't help but soften as she stood up and patted him on the head. "Love is a complicated thing. I can't tell you that you'll be liked back but I can at least say that you will find something for you. Love doesn't have to be something romantic, it could be found anywhere." She spoke before pressing a chaste kiss on his forehead. "If you can't find love in a person, you'll still be able to experience it in the places you visit, the animals you adore, the clothes you wear, the songs you sing, and more. Just know you'll never live a life without love."
"But what if I do?" [Name] couldn't help but ask quietly, his inner fears of being all alone and never finding love slowly clawing at him.
"Well," Fumiko booked [Name]'s nose as she grabbed his empty cup. "You'll always have me, won't you?" She winks with a smile before walking to the kitchen. "Now head to bed! It's late and you need proper sleep."
[Name] watched in awe as she disappeared into the kitchen. He raised his hand to touch his hair before standing up with the blanket still around his shoulders.
Somehow, as he walked to his room, he felt lighter than he ever had in years.
Coming back here was a good idea.