To Parents

"Wah drive faster!"

"I'm trying honey. Look we are here. Go get the cake and I will wait for you here."

"Okay" she said as she got out of the car. Then she bolted across the street to the pastry shop.

There was a long line so she looked around for an empty chair to sit in and saw an empty chair in the corner where a good looking kid was sitting there gazing out the large glass window.

"Excuse me, may I sit here."

He starred at her and rolled his eyes then without permission, she sat down. He made a loud click of the tongue. {Geez...can't she see that I don't want to be bothered.} The mother decided to not be bother by it. She knew he was in a bad mood but it was the only available seat. She felt bad for sitting and decided to at least engage in conversation with him. {Maybe that would make him more comfortable, let alone give me something to do.}

"How old are you?" She asked.

He didn't respond and the atmosphere became awkward.

"Ah...I see your in a bad mood. I just wanted to know...since you look like my son's age. Today is his graduation by the way. So I'm waiting for the line to die down to get his cheesecake.” She said while waiting for a reaction but there wasn’t one.

So she sighed and continued, “He's such a good, honest, gentle boy but he also have his moody side like you are in right now,” she said while looking out the window and back at the kid.

He looked at her and sighed.

"I know I know...another stupid proud parent. I get that a lot but I'm really proud of him. By the way, this conversation will go by faster if you respond once in a while..." She chuckled.

"Fine...I'm Sato Takeru. I will be attending GAYA academy. No I don't know your son and right now I'm not in the mood to be bothered."

"Ah...Takeru...that's a cute name. Can I call you take chan? Wow...attending GAYA...that’s quite an achievement. You must be good at modelling since you’re such a handsome guy. Since my son was little, he wanted to be an actor. I hope he can accomplish his dreams someday."

Takeru sighed again and mumbled, "I wish my mom accepted me like that..."

"Ah so that is the reason..."

"The line died down and your son is graduating right?" He said trying to rush her out the store and get her off his case.

"Oh right!" She said as she went to the line to pick up her order.

Before she left, she told the manager of the store to give Takeru any cake he wanted and she will pay for it later. Takeru looked at her. (I was a complete douche...yet she...) she smiled, waved and left.

"Wait!" Yelled Takeru chasing after her.

"Ah! Is there something wrong? Let me guess..you prefer cheesecake?" She said when she was about to enter the car.

"No...Well I do actually....but I wanted to say...Thank you...I owe you one Mrs?"

"Ah! I'm Miura Hinata. And this is my husband Kazuya Miura."

"Ah...I see. You have a very nice wife, sir. Tell your son good luck and I look forward to meeting him if he goes to GAYA." Takeru said and ran back inside. The rain started to rain heavier. The parents drive off.

(Ring ring...you got a message...)

"Is it from Haruma" asked the father

"Yeah he said dont be late and it starts at nine," she said while she put the cake in the back seat.

"Okay we are almost there!"

"Rush it!" She said playfully.

They entered the highway.

"See honey...no one is on the highway...we will make it in time."

"Honey! Watch out!" Screamed the mom.

The father looked up and saw a huge truck going the wrong way. The father swerve to try to avoid the accident but it was futile. The truck had stopped but they ended up hydro plating into the front of the truck. All went silent. No screams or anything. Just dead silence.

After the graduation ceremony

It was still raining hard outside when people were exiting the building.

 "Haruma, you should come with us. I don't know why your parents wouldn't show up. It's so weird...No matter how hard working you are...your kid should come first" blabbered Harumi parents.

A police car suddenly entered the parking lot area. Everyone was staring at the man in his uniform as he got out of the car. He faced everyone in the rain and asked, "is there a person name Miura Haruma?"

Haruma was shocked and confused. "Ore...wa.."

"Please come with me immediately."

Haruma looked at Harumi and her parents. Harumi looked worried but Harumi's parents had a smudged look on their faces. {I knew he was a bad child. His parents has always put on this show like he's the best kid on earth...psh I knew it was a hoax}Feeling slightly embarrassed, he ran to the cop car. The police signaled him to get in and so he did. (What's going on? Everyone was thinking)

"Harumi...you need to stop hanging around that boy...I thought he was decent...but look at him getting into the cop car.."

"But mom!"

"Don't but me! You need to have a clean reputation and not hang around delinquents..."

Harumi's mom said while storming off with her. Harumi couldn't say another word. If you could label her parents then they would be considered as monster parents aka the overbearing parent that everyone hates. Harumi knew it would be useless to talk to them, so she just silently agreed.

To Haruma

"What's today? There are so many people around." The cop said trying to ease the tension that was accumulating in the car as he continued to drive.

"Uhh...graduation...it was my graduation...Uh..May I ask..." Haruma stuttered

"I'm sorry to say this son... but there's been an accident.."

"What!? My parents!!! Are they okay?"

The officer didn't respond. Haruma noticed that his face was grim.

{Oh no...not my parents...}

He took Haruma to the hospital. Haruma jumped out of the car. His heartbeat was going crazy fast. (Please not my parents) His adrenaline was pumping and he ran straight to the reception area.

"How may I help you?"

"My parents....please!!!" He yelled trying not to hyperventilate.

"Calm down and tell me their names?"

Haruma voice disappeared, no matter how hard he tried to speak only tears would painfully fall from his eyes.

"He's the son of the couple that was brought in a few moments ago..." Interrupted the police.

"Ah...I see...they are still in operation room. Please wait in the lounge. Oh and here," said the nurse while offering a big blue box.

The officer took the cake and guided Haruma to a seat. He took a seat and continued crying. The officer gave Haruma the blue box and said,

"It seems...there was a drunk trucker going the wrong way on the highway...It appeared that he stopped the truck but your parents ended up hydro-plating into the front of the truck. When the trucker gain conscious...he called the ambulance. Your parents were wounded badly...so they were rushed here. I don't know exactly when the crash happened...but...the only thing that was safe...was this box...I'm sorry."

Haruma gave no response. All he could do was to cry. (It can't be true...this is a nightmare right?)

 The cop left Haruma alone.

{My parents...why...why my parents and not me...?} He opened the big blue box and just weept. In the box was Haruma's favorite cheesecake and it was decorated with edible gold flakes and words saying 'Congratulations! Our precious baby boy, Haruma'. During those times, his parents didn't have a lot of money because his dad was fired recently, due to recession and his mom only worked at a daycare center. Haruma's parents loved him so much that despite their lack of money, they were willing to spend a lot of money for him. The operation is finally over and the doctor goes to the reception area asking if someone from the family has arrived. Before Haruma have arrived, the nurses tried their best to contact other family members. The family members either hanged up or didn't answer. Anyway, they pointed towards Haruma direction and he stood straight up. The doctor talked to him.

"The operation was successful."

Haruma was relieved.

"However...your parents are in a coma."

"A what?"

"Coma is short for a comatose state...uh..when your in a deep sleep...and you can't wake up from it..."

(No...no...tell me these words are a lie)

"They're ...dead?"

"Not...exactly...they are sleeping...but their brain isn't telling them to wake up..."

"Then doctor...force them to wake up!"

"I can't...there's nothing more that I could do...it's up to their inner strength to determine if they will wake up or not..."

"If they don't wake up...that means...they are dead..." Haruma was in complete shock.

"Follow me." The doctor said while walking away. Haruma followed him to the room. Haruma sees his parents just lying there helplessly and he ran towards them.

"Right now...they are on life support. It will keep them alive for the time being. They have life insurance so it will cover for the time being."

Haruma couldn't handle the fact that his parents are like this....he can't handle the fact that he will never be able to tease his parents or argue with them. Nor eat his mother's delicious food. How long will this last? Will they ever wake up? His heart was ripping, his eyes bawling, his brain in shock, fear and anger made his entire body trembled. The doctor left Haruma alone. When the door closed, his knees collapsed and he began weeping harder for hours. {Why my parents?}

(Hours later)

The time has come when visiting hours are over, so a nurse went to all the rooms and told patients' vistors to leave. Haruma stood at his parents bedside. He wanted to say  goodbye but he couldn't.

(What happened if I say goodbye...will they ever wake up? Will they think that I abandoned them?....)

Haruma sighed and left to go home. He slowly walked while his head was facing down. He was completely hysterical. He continued his slow pace even when crossing the street. He was almost hit several times but he didn't care.

He was thinking, "maybe if they actually hit me...maybe...just maybe...I can be with my parents"

As soon as he got home, he opened the door and sat in the living room. You would expect the room to be filled with ringing from the telephone going ham because everyone is concerned about you and your parents...but there was nothing...only silence. He the tv and he watched the news. They were going over the recent news and Haruma's parents accident. Haruma turned off the tv and walked to the kitchen. He noticed the oven was still on.

"Mom, you did it again!" He yelled expecting his mom to run out of the room to say, "Oh my...I did it again..." and turn off the oven but nothing moved.

"Ah, that's right...she can't hear me now...nor see me...nor..." He said while bursting into tears.

He turned off the oven and looked inside of it. The breakfast that his mom had made was inside of the oven. It was still nice and warm. He takes out the food and sets the table for himself.

"Mama...wanted to eat together...but because I decided that rehersal was more important than enjoying family time and eating together...." He said bitterly and began crying.

"I'm such an idiot...I could have afforded to be late...now..I'm alone...in a home that's no longer warm...no more laughing...no more ...anything..."

Without a family, man, alone in the world, trembles with the cold. ~Andre Maurois