22.

Upon opening her eyes she was greeted with an unfamiliar room, where am I?

She looked around the vast bedroom, her blue orbs widening as she recalled the events that had taken place last night. Instinctively she brought a hand to her lips, feeling a blush creeping on her cheeks at the thought of the kiss they had shared. It wasn’t like any of the kisses she had experienced in the past.

It wasn’t rough,

It wasn’t needy.

It was soft,

Sweet,

Simply beautiful.

She still couldn’t believe that the guy actually reciprocated her feelings. Was she dreaming? Maybe she was. If that were the case, she’d never want to wake up. (Ever.)

“You’re up.”

A husky voice made her snap out of her thoughts.

A soft smile was present on the man’s face as he approached her.

Emma nodded her head, her eyes refusing to make contact with his dark ones.

Kai found her shyness rather cute, “I made breakfast.”

The young girl widened her eyes at the prospect of him cooking, “You cook?”

A chuckle escaped his lips at her skeptical expression, “I do, rather well if I might say so myself.”

Emma shook her head in amusement at his confidence.

“Come on, we don’t want the food to get cold now do we?”

The girl smiled and took his outstretched hand. Her small one fitted perfectly in his. He wanted to hold it forever. For the first time in a long time he actually felt content. But would this feeling last? He hoped it would.

“She wants to see you.”

The brunette widened her eyes, a warm feeling engulfed her being.

“She does?”

The woman nodded her head with a smile, “She’s been asking for you.”

She has?

Rei couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mother wanted to see her. She wanted to see her. She had been asking about her. About her. She was finally going to see her mother. Finally, after all this time.

“This way.”

The woman led her to her mother’s room.

The brunette lingered by the doorway a sudden fear overcame her. What if her mother asked her how she was able to keep herself afloat throughout the years? What if she asked her about the nature of her job (her old job)? What would she say then? Should she tell her the truth and risk disappointing her? Should she? But that was the past her. She was no longer like that. She was no longer that person. But would her mother understand? Would she? Does she even forgive her for what she has done, for putting her in this place, for leaving her alone? But her mother wanted to see her that means a part of her has already forgiven her, right?

The woman saw the turmoil that was going on in the brunette’s eyes. She gently patted the latter’s back and urged her to go inside, mouthing an “everything will be alright”.

Rei went inside with a heavy heart, to be greeted with a familiar pair of hazel orbs, a pair she had missed dearly.

The lady’s gaze blurred. There stood in front of her, her daughter. Her Rei.

She stood up from the bed and took slow steps towards the said girl.

A tear fell down the brunette’s cheek, “Mom.”

That simple word made the woman’s heart burst with an immense amount of happiness. She cupped her daughter’s face and wiped away her tears with her thumbs, my baby, I don’t deserve your tears.

She pulled the girl into a much needed embrace. One that made her feel safe and secure. (It was a mother’s embrace after all, the most magical of all.)

Rei clutched onto her mother, wanting to hold on for dear life.

“I’m sorry baby.”

Her mother whispered caressing her brown locks, “Mom’s sorry for leaving you all alone.”

Rei shook her head and sniffled, still buried in h