“Here!” I gave Ushio water. I saw how nervous he was since in any minute he will be called for the contest.

“Relax Ushio, you can make it!” I said giving him courage. All these days Ushio focused in his study. This was actually the first time he his hobby.

“Contestant, come in!” the staff called them.

“It’s about to begin” I said.

“Yeah” said Ushio nervously.

I smiled and then pushed his back. ‘Go for it, Ushio!”

I knew, once Ushio stepped on the stage his dream would come true. I believed him, since he was my brother, my only family.

*

A girl who I think one of the contestants dropped her tag number.

“Wait!” I called him, picking the number, but she was gone. ‘Where is she going, the contest starts already” I said wondering about the girl.

“Miss number 49, come here, your next!” called the staff.

“Ah, no, this is-“

“Please, we’re live, I don’t want to have any conflict here” the staff said grabbing my hand.

“No, I mean…” Even how much I wanted to explain, the staff didn’t listen. I was forced to join the contest.

“Nee-chan?” Ushio saw me going to the stage. He then remembered the girl a while ago who quitted the contest before it started. “No! nee-chan!” Ushio was worried. He wondered if I knew how to sing.

“Next contestant, come here!” said the male host looking to me. “Wow, pretty!” she commented.

I gave a shy smile. This was a misunderstanding, but I guessed I didn’t have any chance to say the truth.

“What’s your name?” one of the jurors asked.

“Ah., I’m Mi-“ I supposed to say my real name, but I noticed Kouji’s mom in the VIP seat. “I’m Ushio Omori”

Noise came from the crowd.

 The name Ushio Omori wasn’t popular yet, but there were some (those who really love manga) who knew it.

“Who’s your favorite singer?” another juror asked.

“Singer?” The only people I admired were Chisa Ishida and Ohno-sensei so I didn’t know what to answer. But they were waiting so I spoke up. “S.T.ar of course!”

“Look!” exclaimed Kouji as he saw me in TV. He and the rest of S.Tar (including their mangaer) were in the dressing room.

“Did she really know how to sing?” asked Sho, bothered.

Jun was speechless. He also wondered.

*

“What are you going to sing?” the third and last juror asked.

“Song?” I really didn’t know what to say or how to speak, but knowing that Kouji’s mother was watching made me feel excited.

 No!

She was not just Kouji’s mother, she’s also my mother.

“I will sing Hana” I answered.

Hana by Satoko Ishimine

Mother moved. Maybe she remembered the song.

As I began singing, the memories of my childhood flashed back.

“Miho, stop that!” said mom commanding me to refrain from drawing. “Instead of doing that, you should practice singing.”She said taking away my sketch pad and coloring materials.

Mother was a good singer; she was the one who taught me the song “Hana” Since I became six years old, she decided my schedule. After schooling I did voice lesson.

One morning, during our singing practice, I remained quiet.

“What’s wrong with you?” Mother scolded me. I was tired singing, actually I hated doing it. I began to cry when mother hit me.

“Mama, stop!” My young brother showed up. If he didn’t interfered Mother won’t stop.

That night, father learning what happened talked to me. He explained why mother acted that way, because mother’s dream was to be a singer.

I learned that she was in the beginning of her singing career when she got pregnant-by my father who already married. Father decided to divorce his wife but she disagreed telling that she was also pregnant.

Because of that, my mother became a mistress and gave up her dream.

When I learned those things, I blamed myself. If it wasn’t for me, mother could make her dream.

 Believing that it was my fault, I decided to pursue singing.

I wasn’t happy at all, but as long as I made mother smile, I was contented.

“Omedetou!” my young brother Kazu-chan greeted. I made it to win the first place in a singing contest. Mother was very proud of me so she bought me cake.

I was really happy that time.

At the cake house, mother saw her old friend from media industry. She noticed me and my brother. “You have cute children; try to apply them in our talent agency”

Mother smiled “I already did that”

I became informed that Mom would audition me in a talent agency. I was a little nervous, but to please my mother, I should do my best.

We were on our way to the audition, when I saw a cat. It was pretty, so I ran to picked it; I didn’t noticed the coming car.

“Miho!!!” mother called, but it was too late. I was hit by the car.

I brought to the hospital and was confined.

“Mama, let’s go, I need to attend the audition” I said not seeing the bandage on my face.

Mother didn’t respond.

Father held my hands.

Kazu-chan who was also there patted my head. “Nee-chan, you’re a mummy!”

*

(Back to reality)

The audience started to cheer, as well as the host and jurors, they all like my voice.

“Sugoi!” Kouji bit out as they watched me singing.

Even Mama who was with Miss Eun Hye, Shinji and Min ho saw me in TV.

“Miho can sing?” Min ho wondered.

*

When the bandage removed, my mom got shocked. “What happened to her face, what happened to her face?” she cried.

I also cried when I saw how ruined my face was, but what made me more broken was the sudden lost of my mother. She left with Kazu-chan.

*

Until now, I couldn’t understand why mother left me. I had many speculations, but I didn’t have strength to face it.

When I finished my song, loud cheers and applause followed. I wasn’t aware that I can still sing.

As the jurors gave their positive comments, Mother stood up and went away. She headed inside the comfort room, and cried.

*

(At the back stage)

 Ushio hugged me. “Nee-chan, I didn’t know you have that talent, you’re voice is so angelic.”

I smiled. “That was the only song I know, but…” I looked at him. “Ushio, I don’t have interest in joining this contest, it was actually a misunderstanding.”

“I know, but you did great! Now it’s my turn, I’ll do my best like you!” he said.

*

As Ushio stepped on the stage, I felt how confident he was. When he started singing, another memory came back.

When mother and Kazu-chan left, father was there.

When father died, grandpa and Ushio stayed with me.

 When grandpa passed away, Ushio hugged me, because of him, I never alone.

*

“I want to greet her!” cried Kouji wanting to get outside the dressing room, but their manager disagreed

“It will be an issue if someone saw you there” said the manager.

Kouji frowned.

Suddenly, Jun stood up and went outside.

“Hey Jun, where are you going?” called the manager, but he didn’t listen.

Kouji grinned, running outside.

“Kouji!” she called again, but the two was gone. “What are you smiling for” She turned to Sho “Followed them!”

*

I was on my way looking for Jun (he sent me a message telling where he was). On my way, I saw Ms Okui.

We both stopped and looked at each other.

“Good day!” I said bowing my head.

When I won the singing contest last time, mother greeted me; maybe she would do the same- since I won the first round of Haru Haru singing contest.

“Ms. Omori?” she called.

“Nani?” I asked.

“Do you really think you’re a good singer?” she started “Don’t be so confident, you’re still an amateur!”