The group took the subway and went to Shinjuku, specifically the Shin-Ookubo hood, mostly known as the k-pop dedicated street. The young girls didn’t understand why they went there as none of them liked that kind of music. After strolling through some smaller streets, they arrived to a Korean BBQ restaurant. It was a bit hidden from plain sight, but it was crowded. Luckily, Shimoto already booked a table for four and they sat all together. When they had their drinks, Kaori stood up.

-All right. As your mother, because I consider myself the mother of you two at this point- said Kaori gigglind, which made the two teens laugh-, I congratulate you for getting into college. You worked so hard to achieve it, and chances are there will be more challenges up ahead, but I’m sure you can overcome everything, especially if you keep as close as you’ve been this far. Cheers!

-Thanks, mom- answered Natsume.

-Yeah, thanks, Kaori- answered Sacchan. -And thank you too, miss Ameyama, for letting me staying at your flat tonight.

-No need to thank me- exclaimed Shimoto. -These two have told me lots of things about you, it’s like I know you for a long time. And you can call me Shimoto, got it?

Sacchan blushed and nodded. Then, they began eating and talking about their next plans.

-So, you still have one month before college. Any special plan?- asked Kaori.

-The third-years from the club talked about a trip to relax- answered Sacchan. -We are still doubting between Hokkaido and Nara.

-But the north is so cold!- exclaimed Natsume. -But you are right, Hokkaido has more places to visit. I’ll take a lot of warm clothing.

-Don’t worry, you can use that big and fluffy coat I have- added Sacchan. -I’m more tolerant to cold.

Both girls laughed as Kaori looked at them with affection.

-It’s amazing how time flies- said Kaori. -My little girl has turned into a woman and has someone special by her side.

The girls blushed by hearing those words. Then, Natsume’s face turned a bit serious and looked at Sacchan, who encouraged her to speak as she took her girlfriend’s hand.

-Hey, mom, I want to say...- began saying Natsume. -I’m so looking forward to come here and live so many new things but… I’m worried about leaving you alone with dad.

-Oh, sweetheart, you don’t need to worry about that- answered Kaori.

-Actually, Sacchan and I have been talking and...- Natsume stopped for a second, looked at her girlfriend who nodded happily. -We want to ask you… to come living with both of us.

Nobody at the table said anything. Both women looked at the girls with shocked eyes.

-What? Don’t be silly you two!- exclaimed Kaori smiling. -You’ll be living together for the first time. I would just be a nuisance.

-Not at all, I promise!- exclaimed Sacchan. -Nacchan told me all the situation for quite a while. We would feel bad if you had a bad time staying at home with…

-OK, stop- interrupted Kaori while smiling. -Really, you don’t need to worry about anything at all, understood?

Even so, Natsume and Sacchan looked at the mother with worried looks. However, the two women looked at each other smiling.

-Truth is, I wanted to wait until all these hectic period was over to share some news- explained Kaori. -I understand this will be so sudden but… when you two come here to Tokyo… I’m coming too to live on my own.

Both girls couldn’t believe what they heard. Slowly, their expressions changed to show happiness.

-Are you serious?- asked Natsume. -Why didn’t you tell me anything?

-I didn’t want to worry you- answered Kaori. -This is the kind of situations that may affect your children. I was scared that you felt bad and ruined your possibilities. I wanted you to focus on your future.

Sacchan smiled and shook her girlfriend’s arm, while Natsume laid back on her seat and sighed relieved.

-Thank goodness!- commented Natsume. -I was scared of you staying there and feeling worse by living with dad. I saw how much you worked for a while to do what you really wanted and I see you are way happier than before. I didn’t want you to lose all that.

-Oh, thank you so much, my dear- answered Kaori. -I understand you feel sad for your father, but I have to do this.

-I get it, and no, I don’t feel bad for him- answered Natsume. -When I was a kid, he barely payed me any attention, nor when I had problems with making friends neither when I got over all that. But at highschool, something changed, he was always judging me with his eyes. And suddenly, he wanted to control my life. If that’s how our relationship went, I can’t imagine how things went for you.

-I simply repressed a lot and adapted to whatever he wanted. I didn’t question what I wanted in my life, but I know now: I have never been happy by his side and I don’t want to continue like that. It’s my turn now to control my life- explained Kaori smiling, which made her daughter smile as well.

-Say, do you have any plans, Kaori?- asked Sacchan curiously. -We really wouldn’t mind that you stayed with us for a while.

-You’re so kind, but there’s no need to- explained Kaori. -Truth is, I’m living with Shimoto and already did some interviews for part-time jobs that would allow me to stay here.

-That’s great!- exclaimed Natsume. -I’m so glad that you can live with your friend.

-Regarding that… there’s something else I want to say but… honestly, I’m nervous- murmured Kaori.

-Are you sure? It’s OK if you are not ready yet- whispered Shimoto to Kaori.

-No, I want to do it… I just have no idea what to say- said Kaori giggling. -Any idea?

-Not really! I didn’t think of anything since it’s your daughter we are talking about...- exclaimed Shimoto while the two teens looked at them confused. -Oh, I know!

Then, Shimoto whispered something into Kaori’s ear. The woman’s eyes sparkled and murmured “Yeah, they may understand it that way”. Afterwards, the two women closed their and made a sign with their hands, looking like a half-heart shape and they seemed to fit in the distance.

-That’s… the sign I taught you, mom, but why...- murmured Natsume.

Some silent seconds went by until…

-Aaaaaaaaah!

Sacchan screamed wide-eyed and, putting her hands on Natsume’s head, she turned her face to make Natsume look at her. She screamed again while shaking her girlfriend’s head as if trying to send her a message. And it worked, because some seconds later, Natsume’s eyes opened widely.

-Aaaaaaaaah!- screamed Natsume that time. -No way! You two… are…?

-Yeah, sweetie- answered Kaori with a sweet smile. -Shimocchi and I are… together.

Natsume and Sacchan felt an overwhelming happiness through their bodies. The two women saw how their faces shone like never before. Instantly, both girls jumped from their seats and run over Kaori to hug her.

-Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you, mom! You can’t imagine how much!- shouted Natsume.

-Congratulations, Kaori, it’s fantastic!- exclaimed Sacchan. -You’ll be so happy together, I’m sure of that!

This time, it was Kaori who felt a great happiness. Although she believed everything would end up fine, something in her head feared that her daughter wouldn’t approve her new relationship. But at that moment, those two girls she loved so much were hugging her and accepted her for who she was. Did they feel the same when they came out as well? As tears flowed from her eyes, the mother hug them both softly and said:

-Thank you so much. I love you two.

Shimoto saw from afar that little group hugging until…

-What are you doing over there, Shimoto?- asked Natsume. -Come on, you are part of this too!

Shimoto’s eyes shone without her realizing. Slowly, the woman approached them and Natsume pulled her arm to make her join the group hug. At that moment, nothing else mattered, not even that half of the crowd from the restaurant looked at them without knowing what was happening. All of them felt happy and united.

After lunch, all of them went out for some sightseeing. After some visits, Kaori already knew some places and made suggestions for the girls about popular places for young people or some relaxed areas where they could look for an apartment. Their day was full of happiness and fun. When it turned darker, they went back to Shimoto’s flat, as they would need to wake up soon for leaving the next day. Shimoto already bought Sacchan’s train ticket online, so they only needed to relax. Kaori sat down on the couch and Shimoto left to the supermarket for buying dinner. The woman felt so light, as if she threw away a big burden. She could finally show her true self to her daughter and that made her feel better.

Then, Natsume came out from the guest room wearing her pajama and stared at her mother in silence.

-Hi, sweetie- said Kaori. -Where’s Sacchan?

-Taking a bath. I already finished- answered Natsume.

The teen kept looking at her mother while smiling.

-What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?- asked Kaori confused.

-No, nothing, it’s just… I don’t know, you look… different. Like suddenly... your face lighted up- answered Natsume. -Like there’s this aura that makes you shine… I don’t know, it’s just something silly…

But Kaori didn’t think it was silly as she remembered when her daughter told her about her relationship with Sacchan. She remembered that feeling as well: seeing peace and calm envolving her daughter as her eyes shone because she could then show her love openly. Kaori tapped lightly on the space by her side on the couch and her daughter sat down, laying a bit on her mother’s shoulder.

-Thank you, my dear- said Kaori.

-Can I ask… how did you know?- asked Natsume. -Was it when you met her after so long?

Kaori thought the answer for a while and then explained:

-Actually, I went through the same path as you. I explored my past and realized a lot of things I repressed for years. I understood I left my emotions aside and I was not happy that way. When I remembered her, I felt something… special, but I couldn’t believe it was love at first. I never imagined I could actually feel that. But when I decided to look for her and met her… I knew. I knew the very moment I saw her.

Seeing how happy her mother was, Natsume hugged her.

-I’m so glad you found some special- murmured Natsume. -What are you going to do with… dad?

-I have to talk to him- answered Kaori. -It’s time to put everything on the table, make it formal and follow our own paths. I don’t believe he will do something really nasty, but he may try to be an obstacle, but I don’t care. My only wish is that all of us can be here together.

A while later, the whole group sat down on the table to have dinner. They enjoyed their meal with no problems. It was sleeping time after that and each couple went to their own room. In their room, Natsume and Sacchan cuddled on their bed.

-Wow, what a crazy day- murmured Sacchan.

-I know, right?- answered Natsume. -I’ve never seen my mom so happy. Hey, thanks for letting my mom live with us if she needed.

-Don’t be silly- commented Sacchan. -She’s been so kind and sweet to me and I want to help her, just like you.

-I don’t think I did anything special- murmured Natsume giggling. -She did everything by herself.

-I’m not so sure about that- murmured Sacchan smiling -You being by her side gave her the strength to look for her own path. It’s the same as in Gat-Erol: your power consisted on powering up others and I’m sure you always had that ability in this world. You’ve always been that kind of girl.

Natsume got closer to Sacchan, hugged her and kissed her on the forehead.

-I love you, Sacchan- said Natsume.

-And I love you too. Nacchan- answered Sacchan.

In the other room, Kaori and Shimoto cuddled as well, but Shimoto kept looking at the ceiling with a smile.

-What’s wrong, sweetie?- asked Kaori. -Can’t you sleep?

-No, not that, just… I can’t stop thinking about what happened on the restaurant- explained Shimoto.

Kaori looked at her partner confused, as if trying to worm an answer.

-When I saw you hugging, I could see the bond you all share- explained Shimoto. -You’ve been a great mother for them and they love you. In some way, I’m a stranger and I thought I had to earn their trust and maybe one day, we could have that bond as well. But when they both looked at me and told me I was part of that too… I was speechless.

-They know you are a great person and instantly saw how happy we are together- answered Kaori. You told me that, when you got here, you met new people and formed your “chosen family”. I think it’s the same for them: they want you to be part of their family and their lifes.

Shimoto turned around to see Kaori with sparkling eyes.

-I love you, Kaochan- said Shimoto. -And I love them as well. I promise I will be there for all of you.

After hearing those words, Kaori got closer and kissed her girlfriend on her lips.

-I love you too, Shimocchi. I love you with my whole heart- said Kaori.