Obsidian

Chapter IV: Obsidian

Being home again felt peculiar for some reason, having been accustomed to Japan’s weather during their stay, the chill of Canada somehow felt a little different. 

Ren has to do something later after what Mizuki told him earlier before she left. 

“There’s an open space minutes from our place. Large spaces of trees were cut down, no one used them.” 

That was a hint. Ren could tell, there’s a mischievous glint in her eyes earlier. 

Well, not that he was against it, it may not show but Ren was rather thankful for that small information. 

The rain continued for a few days and the soil would be too soft and muddy, reasons why he couldn’t venture out and do what he’s been thinking of. It was only a few days later that the weather finally settled, the clouds gave way to the beaming sunlight and blessed the land with a clear blue sky. It is sunny but not too hot, just warm enough. 

“You’re going out?” Mizuki asks him after breakfast. He nodded. “Finally taking up the courage? Want some help?”

Ren shook his head. “I’m just going to look,” he said almost quietly.

Mizuki let out a fond laugh. “Okay then, watch your step.”

“Hm,” he said, then paused. “You’ll be home today?” 

Rarely Mizuki was home, she was either at the airport lining up for her flight or driving somewhere to attend a meeting. Her presence was not constant at home, not that Ren mind and it is not like he doesn’t miss her when she’s not at home, he just can’t explain it. 

“Probably. But maybe I would be in the study, we just settle for a virtual meeting, kind of convenient considering the distance, but if you’re working old grumpy man, ugh…” she groaned. 

“I.. I’ll try not to be out late.” 

“It’s fine. I would be cooking for.. wait, think you can drop by for lunch?” 

“Mn,”

“Okay, then I’ll be in charge of lunch and dinner. You go off and do your stuff.” she shoo him away after. 

Mizuki still has her stern and kind of bubbly personality? Considering her age, and not that she’s old, just reaching her forties in a couple of years. Despite all the stress about her work, Mizuki still looked the same as she was several years from Ren’s childhood memory. The long silken black hair, a fair skin, deep brown eyes and an aura of an educated woman. Mizuki could pass as an immortal, maybe she was and he doesn’t know. 

The trip to the open space took a couple of minutes before he stumbled upon a fallen branch of trees and was finally welcomed by the open field before him. It is spacious as she said. He could fit a mini soccer field for a child but that’s not what he’s aiming for. 

You can probably call their house in a secluded area, deep in the forest, but it would only take minutes by car and an hour if walking. Mizuki likes to live in a quiet place where she can concentrate fully without the hustle bustle of the city to distract her, hence why their house was mostly surrounded by trees, it’s up on a small hill. Time passes and Ren gets accustomed to it, liking the tranquility and peace.

Ren picks up a broken stick and uses it to push a few trash that got in. 

‘I need cleaning materials next time,’ he noted mentally. 

He continued prodding and poking here and there, the soil was a bit dump but enough to step on. His back was sore when he deemed it enough for now, a good start if he really wanted a small space for practice. 

The sun was directly above him when he began his trip back to their house.

The smell of lunch wafts around the spacious living room when he enters. Mizuki was setting the table, casting him a glance. 

“Hm, those feet better not touch the carpet Ren. Take a quick shower, I’m still simmering the stew for a while.” she instructed.

“Okay,” 

He dashed to his bedroom, discarding the dirtied pants and shirt and socks, he groaned at that. Noting that it’s better to go in flip flops than wasting another pair of socks. He hopped on for a quick shower, washing the mud and the smell of sun clinging to his skin. He noticed a few scratches on arms, too small to be noticed but he did anyway. 

Ren re-emerged, steaming and flushed. He can hear the faint sound of cutlery being set outside.

“Ren, hurry down!” 

Throwing in a faded shirt and some pants, he joined Mizuki at the table. 

“Noah seems to be calling you,” she started. 

“Oh,” he forgot his phone at home. “Hm, later.” 

“So, how is it?” 

“It needs cleaning,” he replied. “But the space is enough.” 

“Want to call a cleaner to help?”

Ren contemplated, torn between wanting to do it himself or accept Mizuki’s offer to speed up and so he could start using it. 

“Mn, but I’ll help too.” 

“All right,”

….

Mizuki watches her son, it is good that Ren is starting to pick up his old hobby since he was small. 

She pondered at the window, watching him go. 

Ever since adopting Ren, things began to change drastically. But considering it was a large move, she isn’t a bit surprised. Thinking back now, she kind of forgot what pushes her to take a child under her wing and raise him by herself. Mizuki knew it would be hard and she isn’t the most competent person except for her job, she’s always good at her job. 

Maybe it was the sense of loneliness or the repeated routine that makes her too, but she never thinks of Ren as something— as someone just that. 

Ren is a timid child when she met him first, Mizuki remembers looking at those pair of obsidian orbs, void of anything like a soul grieving. She had met Ren’s old babysitter, Irene was her name, she told her everything that was now the opposite of the child she witnessed. According to her, Ren is a mischievous child, although his parents were always away, he still finds ways to cause trouble, not in a bad way mostly. He’s a trickster, a cheeky child. It was all she remembered. 

When she formally adopted him, things were awkward and silent between them despite the orphanage giving them at least weeks to bond with each other. Mizuki didn’t waver nor falter, if anything she is determined. 

The first years are the hardest, she decided that settling in a different country would be good for Ren, a change in environment after the trauma. And she was convinced it’ll make things easier to start while he’s young, get used to new things and new settings. 

She thought it would be too sensitive to bring out the topic of going back to Japan as it may trigger some unpleasant memories, but it also slipped in her mind that it wasn’t the only thing that Ren has in that place. 

She heard the footsteps before her son appeared, dirty and smelling like the sun outside. There were unknown stains on his cheeks and shirt. “Hm, those feet better not touch the carpet Ren. Take a quick shower, I’m still simmering the stew for a while.” 

She’s letting the stew simmer and setting the plate when the sound of notification has her ears perked up. She hurries to her laptop and sees a new email at the bottom right. She read the short notice. 

‘I should be a traveler at this point and not some professor and writer.’ she lamented, envisioning a flight before she went back to the dining. Ren re-emerge from the shower, his youth now visible although the baby cheeks are still lingering. ‘Did I ever bring Ren to Boston once? I don’t remember.’

“I’ll call someone tomorrow then.”