Let Grandpa Accompany You
The first story from "The Second Mirror"
[o]........................................................................................................................[o]
Hello, Big Brothers and Big Sisters!
I want to tell you about a strange experience I had, but before that, let's get to know each other, okay?
My name is Tyo. I'm six years old. I don't know what jodiak is, but my older sister says I'm a Kaper Rikon? (I have no idea what that means!). My favorite colors are red and blue. My hobby is playing pretend cooking, and I'm really good at making mud cakes! I usually decorate them with geranium and hibiscus flowers!
Besides that, I also love climbing trees! My favorite is the wild guava tree. Every afternoon, my two best friends, Rando and Dimas, and I would bring plastic bags to look for ripe fruit. We'd also wrap the unripe ones so the bats wouldn't eat them.
Climbing trees is our daily afternoon routine. I really enjoy watching the sunset from up high. Besides, the wind feels so cool when we're in the trees. My best record is climbing a 30-meter tall tamarind tree. We even secretly built a treehouse as our hangout spot! (Well, not a real treehouse, just a seating platform we made from some wooden planks we nailed together in a sturdy spot. It was one of our basecamps for playing).
Unfortunately, our basecamp only lasted for five months because of Mr. Rudi. He's Dimas's scary and fierce neighbor. He saw us playing there after he came back from herding his sheep and reported us to our parents. Our basecamp was dismantled, and the tamarind tree was cut down.
They say climbing tall trees is very dangerous. Plus, the landowner plans to build a house where the tree was.
I was so angry and sulked for two days. It was so frustrating because the adults were being selfish. We put so much effort into building that basecamp, and they just tore it down. They could have at least given us something in return! Mr. Rudi even took the wooden boards we painstakingly got from the abandoned factory. It just isn't fair!
I still regret it, but there's nothing we can do...
So that's a little about me. Now, what about you? Can you tell me about yourself?
What's your favorite color?
What's your favorite food?
Who is your best friend(s)?
Well... thank you, and nice to meet you!
[o]…………………...................................................................................................[o]
Thursday, September, around 12 PM, 2005
Location: Water Lily 1 Public Elementary School
The school bell echoed, met with joyous cheers from the students. The teachers had no choice but to tell everyone to pack up. Some reminded their students to do their homework, while others advised them not to talk to strangers and to go straight home before playing.
The closing prayer resonated through the yellow, daffodil-colored building with its white fences, the sun already directly overhead.
Classroom doors flew open, and children in red and white uniforms scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind. The breeze gently tousled their shiny black hair, catching the sunlight, while the girls' white headscarves and ponytails swayed softly.
The chubby boy, Rando, and his tall friend, Dimas, were calling out to their shorter friend, who was walking ahead without stopping, seemingly ignoring them.
"GOTCHA!!" Dimas shouted triumphantly as he managed to grab Tyo from behind in a hug, followed by a high-pitched scream of surprise from the smaller boy.
"Oh my god, Dimas! You scared me!"
"It's your own fault. Why didn't you look back?"
"We've been calling you this whole time!"
Tyo glanced back for a moment. "Oh... sorry, I was so thirsty I was just spacing out."
Dimas looked at him, unimpressed. "Typical."
"GUYS, WAIT!" Rando shouted, panting as he jogged to catch up. They both stopped when he finally reached them. The stocky boy bent over, resting his hands on his knees. Once his breathing steadied, he frowned at them.
"Huff... huff... Why are you guys walking so fast? I'm so annoyed I had to run in the middle of the day. I'm so thirsty!"
"Who told you to be fat?" Dimas sneered.
A look of annoyance flashed across Rando's face as he turned to the taller boy. "If you say that again, I'll smack you down until you're a pancake!"
The trio laughed heartily.
They walked along the path with the Kali Malang River on their left, dividing the northern and southern parts of Water Lily Village. Their school was in the north. On their right stretched a neat row of houses, each with its own unique style, decoration, and paint color.
"Huff... huff... I'm so thirsty, I need a drink!" A few beads of sweat trickled down Rando's forehead, and his back was already soaked, making him whine repeatedly.
Tyo turned around. "Do you want to buy some coconut water from Mrs. Maya's?"
"YES!!" Dimas and Rando shouted in unison.
Five minutes later, they stopped at a light green house adorned with a water apple tree and a bamboo gazebo. A small shop was set up in front, selling various packaged snacks, fried foods, frozen ready-to-fry items, and a variety of brewed drinks and fresh coconut water.
Under the bamboo gazebo, a stout man with a thick mustache was smoking while busily tending to his parakeets. It was Mr. Herman, Mrs. Maya's husband.
"Good afternoon, sir," the trio greeted in unison.
"Afternoon, kids! Dear, you have customers!"
"Yes, just a moment!" a voice called from inside the house.
A moment later, a woman in her 30s, wearing a floral orange dress and a neck-length bob cut, came out to greet them. "Hello! What would you like to buy?"
Rando pointed to a table with a pile of young coconuts beside it. "Coconut water with ice, three please!"
The woman nodded and began deftly peeling the coconuts.
While waiting, the trio browsed Mrs. Maya's merchandise. The colorful array of shapes and pictures on the snack packages captivated them, until suddenly—
"No way! Guys, look!" Rando grabbed his friends' arms and pointed to a string of green snack packages featuring a picture of cassava chips. The Blue Penguin mascot was holding a green chili in its left hand, with the words "Chuba–Chuba" displayed on its forehead.
"Chuba snacks have a new flavor?!" Dimas said excitedly.
"Yes! Green chili flavor! Do you guys want to try it?" Rando asked.
Tyo and Dimas nodded simultaneously.
Tyo approached Mrs. Maya, who was still busy peeling. "Excuse me, ma'am, we'd like to buy some snacks. Do you have scissors?"
"They're near the candy jar on the left, second shelf. Just take them, dear."
Dimas retrieved the scissors, cut three packages from the string, and shared them with Tyo and Rando.
Finally, the coconuts were peeled and opened. Mrs. Maya took three clear plastic bags, poured the fresh coconut water into them, and asked, "Do you want the coconut meat inside?"
"Is that extra, ma'am?" Rando asked.
The trio exchanged glances, then Tyo shook his head. "No, thank you, ma'am."
She nodded, added ice cubes and plastic straws to each bag, and handed them the refreshing drinks. "That's 12 cents in total."
Rando reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out two coins. "I only have two cents, guys..." He looked at his friends anxiously.
"It's okay," Dimas reassured him. Tyo gave a thumbs-up.
They each took out five cents. Dimas collected the money and handed it to Mrs. Maya.
A unified sigh of relief escaped their lips as the cool coconut water soothed their parched throats.
"You guys are the best," Rando said between bites of his snack.
"Be careful not to choke. Finish your snack first," Tyo replied.
"No wa—COUGH!! COUGH! COUGH!" Rando's eyes widened and watered as the chip went down the wrong pipe. He patted his chest frantically, the snack in his hand crumpling as he did so.
"Dumbass," Dimas rolled his eyes but then helped by patting Rando's back. Tyo, watching the scene, just pressed his lips together thinly.
After a few minutes, the coughing subsided. Rando took a sip of his coconut water and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Better..." He turned to his friends. "By the way, are you free this afternoon?"
"GREAT!! The jackfruit tree at my house is ready to be harvested. Come over! We'll have a jackfruit feast. Besides that, I've asked my dad to make me a *panggal!! You can ask him to make one for you too if you come."
Wide smiles instantly spread across his friends' faces. They were thrilled at the prospect of getting their own spinning tops, a popular game among the village children. Now they could join the others, showing off their skills and the beauty of their very own tops.
The rest of the walk home was filled with lively chatter, buzzing with excitement about their new toys and the games to come.
*Panggal: A traditional spinning top game from the Sundanese and Betawi tribes of Indonesia. The tops are usually made from hard-wearing wood like mahogany or jackfruit. The game involves wrapping the top with a hemp rope until half of it is covered, then throwing it with a specific technique so it detaches from the rope and spins, ready to battle an opponent.
Thursday, September, around 2 PM, 2005
"TYO!! OVER HERE!!" Rando shouted. He was now wearing a white tank top, orange shorts, and blue sandals. "Dad!! Dad!! Tyo's here! Can we go play with the toy cars?"
The father he called out to was Mr. Agus, dressed in a white t-shirt bearing a pesticide logo, a purple sarong with blue checkered patterns, and a black songkok. He was busy cutting a large piece of jackfruit wood into sections, most likely to make the spinning tops his son had asked for.
Mr. Agus paused his work and turned to the shy boy in a yellow Crayon Shin-chan t-shirt, dark blue knee-length pants, and red sandals. The boy looked down timidly. Mr. Agus walked over and patted his head. "Go on, play with Rando. And no fighting, okay?"
Tyo nodded in understanding, and Rando immediately grabbed his hand, pulling him hurriedly toward his room.
Just as they reached the entrance, a new arrival announced himself.
"HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON!! RANDO!! TYO!!"
It was Dimas, seen from a distance in his Captain Tsubasa t-shirt, blue pants, and blue sandals. He approached Mr. Agus, performed the respectful hand-kissing tradition*, and asked for permission to join his two friends.
Once permission was granted, he ran over to them. "Hey! Were you guys going to start without waiting for me? How mean!" he pouted.
"We haven't started yet! We were just about to go in. Come on, let's go to my room!!"
They walked into a room painted light blue. An Ultraman-themed bed with matching sheets and pillows welcomed them. To the right of the bed stood a wooden nightstand beside a camphor wood wardrobe. At the far end of the room sat a large box filled with toys, dominated by an assortment of toy cars.
They spent the next few hours immersed in their play.
The tradition of kissing an elder's hand (salim*) is common in Indonesia; it is a gesture of greeting and deep respect from the younger to the older generation.
At Rando's suggestion, they decided to play "Toll Road." Dimas took on the role of the highway owner and toll gate keeper. He built a makeshift toll gate from two pillows, stood with his arms crossed authoritatively, and directed the cars to move forward one by one. Meanwhile, Tyo and Rando created a massive traffic jam, lining up countless toy cars that stretched all the way to the kitchen—a sight that made Mrs. Yanti, Rando's mother, simply shake her head in amused resignation.
"STOP!! Your car cannot enter!"
Dimas raised his hand, barring one of the vehicles from proceeding.
"Why can't I go in, sir? I'm in a hurry," pleaded Rando, who was playing the part of a truck driver.
"I'm sorry, sir, but your vehicle is too large and will not fit through the gate," Dimas stated firmly, pointing at a plastic toy truck that was easily ten times wider than the pillow gate.
"But I'm in a hurry, Mr. Dimas! My truck is carrying live chickens. If I'm stuck here, they'll all die!"
"I feel for you, Mr. Driver, but your truck is simply too big! The gate can't accommodate you, so I'll have to ask you to turn around."
"Ummm... Mr. Dimas," Tyo chimed in from a few cars back in the line, "the highway is too congested. The cars can't turn around."
The toll gate owner and the truck driver were stumped.
"Oh! What if I lift the truck so it can pass over the highway from above, sir?"
"Are you crazy? This truck is far too heavy! How could you possibly lift it?"
"Oh yeah..." Rando turned, seeking help. "Tyo!! Do you know how to solve this problem?"
"...What if we rebuild the toll gate?" Tyo suggested.
"Great idea!!" shouted Dimas. "Alright, Mr. Driver, for your truck to pass, we need to widen this toll gate. Therefore, we are temporarily closing for construction."
“How long will it take?” asked Rando.
Dimas counted on his fingers, making a wild guess. "Three years, sir. Please be patient!"
"Oh no, I can't, sir! The chickens in my truck will have turned into carcasses by then! I'll lose all my money!"
"You want to pass through, right? Well, the toll gate has to be rebuilt first. Then you can pass."
“But I can't wait that loooong!” Rando wailed, putting on a dramatically pitiful face.
"Yeah... there's no other choice," Dimas said, feigning helplessness.
"Oh no... what should we do..." Rando turned around again, "Tyo, we're in trouble! What do we do?"
The little boy thought for a moment, then replied, "How about we help pay for the construction costs to speed it up?"
"Genius! You're really smart!" Rando exclaimed, then turned back to Dimas. "We will help with the cost... the cost..." He turned back again, "What's the cost called, Tyo?"
"Yes, that's it! We will help with the construction costs so the toll gate can be finished quickly and my chickens don't die!"
Dimas, the toll road owner, negotiated with Rando (who was assisted by Tyo). An agreement was reached, and Rando and Tyo paid the building costs to Dimas using dry leaves from outside the house as currency.
The traffic jam flowed smoothly once again after the new, wider toll gates were completed.
Thursday, September, around 4 PM, 2005
Mr. Agus called out to the trio, announcing that their panggal were finished. The three children rushed out of the house and ran toward him.
Their eyes shone like sparkling brown topaz, faces etched with pure admiration as Mr. Agus presented each of them with a handcrafted spinning top.
"SO COOL!! YOU'RE THE BEST DAD EVER!!" Rando exclaimed, rushing forward to hug his father.
Mr. Agus smiled gently and stroked his chubby son's back.
Just then, Mrs. Maya called from inside, asking her husband to help buy some spices and ingredients for dinner. He excused himself from the children, promising to return soon.
"So... have you thought about what you're going to name your panggal?" Rando asked. Dimas was still utterly captivated by his top, while Tyo was silently staring at the jackfruit tree.
"Hm?" the two mumbled, turning to Rando in unison.
"Could you repeat that?" Dimas asked.
"Tsk... See? That's why you should listen when people are talking," Rando said, crossing his arms. "I asked if you're going to name your tops."
"Is that necessary?" Tyo asked.
"OF COURSE IT IS!! It makes it cooler! So we can shout its name when we launch it! Like... like in the anime Bakugan!"
Dimas's eyes lit up with the idea, but Tyo's brow furrowed in slight skepticism. The little boy seemed hesitant but chose to remain silent, simply observing his friends' growing enthusiasm.
As they were deep in thought, Mrs. Maya arrived carrying a tray with a plate of fresh jackfruit, a jug of water, and three glasses. "Children, here's a snack for you. Finish it all!"
The trio hurried over, thanked her, and eagerly devoured the sweet, yellow fruit.
Even mid-snack, Rando was persistent about the names. "I've got it! I'm naming mine 'Garuda'! You know, like the mythical bird! My panggal will be majestic and deadly when it attacks its opponents! Have you guys decided on names yet?"
Dimas enthusiastically raised his hand. "I'm naming mine 'Thunder'! Like in Power Rangers Dino Thunder! My panggal will be fast and dangerous, striking my opponents with the power of lightning!"
"Brilliant! How about you, Tyo?" Rando asked.
Tyo, who had been chewing a piece of jackfruit, held up a finger. After swallowing, he replied simply, "Golem."
"Like the white-haired woman's Golem in Bakugan?"
He nodded. "Strong. Tough. Indestructible."
"COOL!!" his two friends shouted in unison.
The three of them chatted excitedly about their panggal—or, more accurately, Dimas and Rando did most of the talking while Tyo listened quietly, having prioritized the mission of finishing the last four jackfruit pieces while his friends were distracted.
"Hey, kids!! Are you done eating?" Mr. Agus called as he returned.
The trio nodded, their faces brimming with unrestrained excitement and anticipation.
"Come on, then... I'm going to teach you how to play panggal."
They nodded again, watching with rapt attention as Panggal 101 commenced.
Thursday, September, around 6 PM, 2005
The air grew cold, and the sunset, which should have been painted in purple hues, was swallowed by oppressive dark clouds. Dimas and Tyo exchanged a worried glance—their fear had been realized. The rain was now a relentless, heavy downpour.
Their parents had given them one strict rule: be home before sunset. But the storm left them stranded, seeking shelter at Rando's house. While they could have braved the weather, Bu Maya firmly forbade it for several reasons.
First, the paths had turned to treacherous, slippery mud, and the deep roadside ditch now churned like a flash flood, posing a real danger.
Second, the heavy rain was accompanied by lightning, thunder, and fierce winds. Combined with the village's poor lighting and the dense canopy of tall, thick trees, the journey home was far too risky.
Finally, local superstitions held strong in Water Lily Village; it was said that children out too late without their parents were vulnerable to being led astray by unseen things.
"Children," asked Mrs. Maya, her expression masking a hint of concern, "did you tell your parents you were coming to Rando's house after school?"
Secretly, Mrs. Maya breathed a sigh of relief. She knew the storm would have disrupted the phone lines. At least their parents would know where to find them.
"Rain like this can last for hours. Why don't you all take a bath first? I'll start preparing dinner."
"Can we shower together?" Rando asked.
"Alright, but don't waste water, and no playing in the bathroom—you could slip," Bu Maya warned, wagging her index finger.
Rando grinned happily and hugged his two friends. "YAY!! Let's go!"
After being given towels, the trio hurried to the bathroom. They followed instructions and bathed relatively orderly, their shower filled with random chatter and laughter as they competed to create the weirdest hairstyles with their shampoo.
Freshly cleaned, they were called to the dining room. Mrs. Maya had prepared a simple dinner of rice with side dishes: tempe orek*, capcay vegetables*, and prawn crackers. Exhausted from a full day of play, the three boys focused intently on their food, only looking up occasionally to answer Rando's parents' questions about school.
Clean, full, and drowsy, they retreated to Rando's room after the meal. Rando was now in a blue Ultraman t-shirt and matching pajama pants. Since their own clothes were dirty from the afternoon's adventures, Mrs. Maya had lent them some of Rando's spare clothes. Dimas wore a yellow Power Rangers Dino Thunder t-shirt with brown shorts, while Tyo was swimming in a black t-shirt featuring a teddy bear head and the words "good boy" in yellow, paired with cream-colored knee-length pants. His small frame was nearly lost in the oversized outfit.
So, what does a trio of boys do while trapped indoors by a torrential rain?
They moved from thumb wrestling game to running an imaginary train—with Tyo as the engineer—back to playing with Rando's toy cars, and then to role-playing as farmers, with Rando as the ox pulling the plow, Dimas as the farmer guiding it, and Tyo planting the imaginary rice seedlings.
Time slipped away unnoticed as they became completely engrossed in their own little world.
*Tempe Orek = A typical Indonesian dish made from tempeh that is cut into small pieces, then fried and stir-fried with spices such as shallots, garlic, chili peppers, and sweet soy sauce.
* Sayur Capcay = Indonesian-Chinese specialty dish consisting of various vegetables stir-fried or boiled with seasonings such as garlic, onion, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and pepper.
Capcay means “ten vegetables,” but this dish does not always have to include ten types of vegetables.
(Rando’s Mama cooks a stir-fried version of capcay with carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and meatballs).
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Thursday, September, around 8 PM, 2005
"Oh, thank you so much, *Ceu. I'm sorry my child caused you so much trouble," said Dimas's mother, Mrs. Kokom, bowing gratefully as she shook Mrs. Maya's hand.
"It's no trouble at all. We're happy Rando's friends could visit. Please be careful on your way, the roads are very muddy."
As Dimas walked outside, his mother noticed Tyo lingering. "Tyo, hasn't anyone come to pick you up?"
The boy simply shook his head. "Come on, you can walk with us. Isn't your house on the way to ours?" Tyo nodded, and Bu Kokom gently guided him out to where Dimas was waiting.
"Ceu, thank you again for everything—for the clothes and the food. We will return Rando's clothes after they are washed. You must visit us sometime!"
"Of course, Ceu, you're always welcome. Take care now!"
The beam from Mrs. Kokom's flashlight cut through the pitch-black path. The two exhausted boys walked on autopilot, their journey accompanied only by the chorus of nocturnal insects.
*ceu = an informal term of endearment between mothers, usually used between neighbors.
A gentle tap on his shoulder roused Tyo from his half-asleep state.
"Sweetie, we're almost there." Blinking, Tyo realized they had reached the intersection where their paths diverged. Dimas's house was to the right, while Tyo's home lay to the left. "Do you want me to walk you to your door?" asked Mrs. Kokom.
Seeing Dimas, who was practically sleepwalking, Tyo felt it would be an imposition.
He shook his head. "No, Auntie. Tyo's house is close. Tyo can walk by himself."
"Are you sure you're brave enough to walk alone?"
"Yes, Auntie. It's only a three-minute walk."
"Alright then. Be careful. Good night, Tyo."
With only the faint light of the stars and a half-moon to guide him, Tyo began to trace the familiar path home.
The first few minutes passed normally, the night's beauty serenaded by an orchestra of frogs and crickets. But as Tyo re-entered the dense, tree-lined part of the path, a strange feeling began to creep over him.
Here, not a single nocturnal creature made a sound. The night breeze that had been his companion stilled and vanished. For no reason he could name, a deep and unexplainable unease settled in Tyo's heart.
The jackfruit and soursop trees lining the route now felt like predators poised to strike. The streetlights, spaced every hundred meters, offered no comfort. Tyo felt, instinctively, that the malevolent darkness of the night was utterly unmoved by their feeble glow.
And then, he found the source of his dread.
Exactly ten meters ahead, something materialized that left him utterly bewildered.
It looked like a transparent red dress, appearing out of thin air. The fabric grew steadily more opaque, followed by the manifestation of other body parts—dirty, pale, brownish hands and feet, and long, straight black hair that reached its waist.
The figure turned towards Tyo. Its eyes were like moonstones, shining with no irises.
Confronted with something beyond reason, Tyo's mind scrambled to make sense of it. His eyes squinted as he tried to process the creature before him.
Hmm... but its head is moving. It's looking at me, so it's not.
Is it an adult? Like Mom?
As if in response, the figure rotated its head a full 360 degrees. As it locked its gaze back on Tyo, a thick, dark liquid oozed down, saturating its face.
It doesn't seem like it. So what is in front of me?
Tyo's hair stood on end. The entity looked utterly alien to his eyes. That figure looks dangerous. I shouldn't go forward... but if I turn and run, it might chase me. What if I get hurt?
Paralyzed by confusion and fear, he could only stand and stare. Tyo's worried face was met by the terrifying visage that continuously dripped black liquid onto the ground. Then, the sudden stench of rotting carrion filled his nostrils, making him gag.
The foul odor slowly choked him, feeding his agitation and terror.
"WHAT SHOULD I DO?!!!" he screamed inside his heart.
As if his terror wasn't enough, a feminine laugh escaped the figure in the red dress. Her shoulders shook with glee at the sight of the boy fighting desperately not to cry.
Driven by desperation, Tyo squeezed his eyes shut, praying that when he opened them, the apparition would be gone.
The mocking laughter echoed again.
Time stretched on, slow and torturous.
The universe, taking pity, finally intervened.
A powerful gust of wind came from nowhere, its force nearly throwing little Tyo off his feet. The shock made his eyes fly open. He saw the terrifying figure wearing an expression of pure annoyance. At the same moment, a hand grasped the back of his collar, steadying him and preventing a fall.
As soon as he found his balance, the same hand held his head, preventing him from turning around.
"Don't look back!" a voice commanded. Tyo thought it sounded like his grandfather's—a voice made hoarse and deep by years of smoking.
Yet, he was certain the person behind him was not his grandfather.
As the mysterious old man held his shoulder, Tyo, though utterly bewildered, managed a peek downward. The hand gripping him was terribly thin, with skin the color of dark gray ash.
The hand then pushed him forward, not with force, but with a firmness that brooked no argument. "Don't be afraid. Grandpa is here. Keep walking, and look down."
Tyo's obedient nature took over. He did as he was told. The woman in the red dress slowly rotated, tracking his movement. Even with his head down, Tyo realized with a fresh jolt of fear that the woman had no legs at all—she had been floating the entire time.
Slowly, the distance between them grew. From behind, he heard a deep, guttural growl, thick with annoyance.
"Don't respond. We'll be home soon."
They continued in silence along the wet path. The warm glow of a lantern bulb in the distance signaled that home was near.
The wind had died again, and the nocturnal animals remained silent, mere spectators to Tyo's ordeal. But he could at last breathe a little easier, spared from the terrifying and confusing presence he had just faced.
He could only hope would make it home safely.
.....................................
"We're here," the grandpa said, patting Tyo's shoulder and pointing towards a dark blue house with a white-tiled porch. It was adorned with two wooden chairs and a simple table holding a plastic flower vase.
"Grandpa can only take you this far. Be careful... the road is slippery."
The little boy nodded his thanks and walked cautiously towards his home.
At that very moment, the door opened. A woman with curly black hair, wearing a red daisy-patterned dress and holding a large orange umbrella, stepped out. Her eyes widened when she saw her son standing there.
"Oh, darling! Did you come home alone?! Why didn't you just wait at Rando's? It's dangerous to walk alone at night!" she scolded.
Her son shook his head. "I was dropped off. I wasn't alone."
His mother tilted her head, curious. "By whom?"
"I was brought by..." As Tyo turned to point, he found only emptiness waiting in the embrace of the night. The grandfather who had guided him was gone.
"Tyo was brought home by a grandpa just now."
His mother pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm... I wonder who that was? Never mind, let's get inside. I'll ask you about it later." Tyo ran to his mother's side.
"Tyo... why does your right shoulder smell like jasmine flowers?" his mother asked.
The child simply shrugged. Then, the door closed.
The scent of jasmine lingered for two full days.
