Things I’ve learned about my family since Sekoto;
Natsuo insisted on keeping my room the same as it was when I left
Fuyumi learned to bake and she would make batches of my favorite cupcakes every year on my birthday, even after it was assumed I was never coming back
Sometimes Natsuo would show Shoto the stuff in my room (like my pictures and stuff from school) and he would explain why I had it
There was a box left in my room, in front of the memorial altar, where my siblings left letters for me. I never read them, but I hope one day I’ll get the chance to
Natsuo and Fuyumi made sure I wasn’t forgotten. Our father was too eager to pretend I never happened, so they talked about me a lot
One day, Shoto asked where I was and if I was coming back. Turns out he did remember me, even if only a little bit
Natsuo would drink my favorite tea at least once a week, even though he hated it
Fuyumi carried a picture of us two as kids in her purse every day to work and she would tell her students about me sometimes
Our father didn’t want Shoto to learn the kanji for my name. So Fuyumi taught him, and he started leaving his own letters in the box for me
Natsuo would sometimes insist on leaving a plate of food for me at the table in case I came back in the middle of the night
He also always left a light on in his room and his window unlocked, because I knew exactly where his room was from the outside of the house
Natsuo left a futon set up in the corner of his room for me with an extra set of pajamas that he changed every week
Fuyumi stopped eating seafood because she knew I hated it
Sometimes, when they missed me a lot, my siblings would sneak into my room and sleep there for the night
