Our Voice's

57. My Wife's Death

...Chapters 57...

...—My Wife's death—...

...(.( Fujima Aoba )...

...———...

"Aoba, come here for a second." That soothing voice never made me refuse to follow her.

"What's up, Mirai? You're so excited."

"Look at me, how I look in your eyes this time."

"God ...." The admiration for the beauty of my wife made me flutter.

Mirai wore a blue knot bando, with the very charming makeup also makes her face look brighter. In addition, this time my wife wore a heart-patterned sweater, followed by her three-quarters skirt that matched the top.

"You're so pretty, Mirai."

"Ah, I'm getting happier," she said, hugging me.

My wife is very happy to be praised. However, he only wanted the compliment to come from me or his parents alone. Not any more.

"Hey, after you get home from work, let's take a walk!" door's carefree.

"But, yeah ...." I looked at my wife once more. "... You seem to be very ready, Mirai."

"I just want to know what you think, okay, right?"

I smiled, then pulled the wooden doorknob of the simple house to go to work.

"Later on, yes," I said, letting go of his arms with one hand.

"May it work!" sahut with an encouraging expression like the days he used to show.

⠀

⠀

"Aoba, you ...." Hikaru who was cooking next to me had started his conversation. We were in the kitchen of a restaurant filled with turbulent sweat.

"Yes?"

"Daritadi, you ...."

"Why?"

"Why do smiles continue to be?" tanyanya while putting on a look of astonishment.

After he said it, I realized that I was always smiling.

"Anu, can't you?" I asked back while sauteing the chickpeas with a spatula.

"It's not unusual." Hikaru returned to his tramp, then put pepper while tasting the food he was cooking using his little spoon. "It's good if you're always like that. You're definitely gonna be a good restaurant boss."

⠀

⠀

"Aoba, I go home first, yeah. It's late afternoon." Hikaru waved his hand at me, then hurriedly closed the door of the restaurant office.

Not long after, I realized that the condition of the restaurant had returned to quiet after the hustle and bustle that had occurred all day.

"Huft, finally free too ...." I slumped on a black office chair with a high backrest. "Oh, yes."

Suddenly Mirai's invitation this morning again buzzed in my ear.

Then this is what I'm going to do next.

"Hello?"

"Aoba, is that you? That's you!" This voice is clearly from Nagase Fujima—Ibuku himself.

"Ah, Mommy ...." I was surprised, or a little confused. Since when did he go to our house? There was no further notice of it before, and this call came from Mirai's phone. "... What are you doing there?"

"Hurry home, right now!" Mother's voice was hoarse and seemed to hold the cry then made it difficult to think clearly.

"Ba– alright, I'm coming soon," I said as I closed the call.

Whatisthis? Why am I not feeling well?

⠀

⠀

Before the night completely descended the clear sky, I dashed towards my house, running.

Traffic jams arise everywhere, the rumbling wind that I heard on the phone earlier turned out to now spread everywhere— made a row as loud as the contents of Satsumi City. It is not uncommon to hear the voices of people who are frightened because of this typhoon.

"Why this?"

"Windstorm, we have to go home soon."

"Ware, nih, can hurt us if outside continues."

The panic was increasingly not conducive, the people around me were running around irregularly, even cars and motorcycles had collided with each other, making the situation of this city more chaotic over time.

Now I got to my doorstep, and broke into it without hesitation. I only think about him and all about him because of the situation that is happening right now.

"Mirai!" I cried with a jumping heart.

Suddenly Mother's voice echoed from our bedroom.

"Hurry over here" he said, with a voice that almost disappeared from being overwritten by the roar of the wind.

"What's wrong? What's—" I was wide open, my sentence was interrupted even though I was eager to express all my worries since running from the previous restaurant.

Mother only fell silent lamenting Mirai who looked faint, while grasping her hand that was wearing a gold bracelet engraved with the heart.

Before long, the wind wave got bigger, ravaging all the parts around the side of our house without exception.

"Mother, where are Arumi and Arata?" much worry.

"Mom's moved them to the basement, take it easy, they're fine with your wife's students."

I am grateful and half of my heart is now relieved. However, some of it is now increasingly cause for concern that comes in many years, especially after seeing the condition of Mirai.

Not long after, he opened his eyes again.

"Darling, are you home?" ask her in the quietest voice I've ever heard.

No matter what she said, I held her hand.

"Mirai, what happened to you?" I stretched that grip to let go of longing after a long day at work.

"Hey, who told you to cry, Aoba? Don't show that look in front of me, will you?"

Even though it is like that Mirai can still smile. Besides, I seemed to feel regretful after seeing that the clothes my wife was wearing were still the same as the suit she showed me this morning.

I should have ignored this work and walked along with it, but ....

"Hey, honey ...," he said, taking off my hand, and he placed his palm on one of my cheeks.

Really, his body temperature is very cold, as cold as the ice that freezes on the continent of Antarctica. Mirai's strong-witted attention like this is what makes me suffer even more, even though she knows what will happen next.

"Please hold on Mirai." I put my palm over her hand that was caressing my cheek, very smooth and full of feelings like she usually does.

"Yes, I'm sorry, Aoba. We're off, go, take a walk. I had prepared the best suit for us to leave" he said, pointing to something behind a closet next to us. "I've prepared for you too, you know, by the way."

I held my sobs that could hardly be contained, then hugged her.

"Hold on for a little longer, Mirai." Again, I said it.

However, she responded to me with something else that even my mind completely unthinkable.

"Take care of our two children, yes, and tell them that their mother will love them forever."

Those are the words that are implied in my mind and I will never forget.

Those words also that still kept me alive until these three long years had passed.

I still think of Arumi and Arata—both my children, because Mirai has entrusted their future to me.

The only option for me is not to disappoint him.

...———...

...Seriate...