Keda was going about his daily business straightening things up at home when he heard a knock on his door, stopping what he was doing and going to answer it. He saw a postman walking away and was about to call out to him when his gaze glanced down and he saw a box on the doorstep. He picked up the box and took it inside, seeing it was shipped from Takeshi Hoshimaru from Sendai, Japan, his hometown.

Upon seeing the name, his breath halted, hands trembling a bit. "Why...?" he muttered to himself. "After all these years, two decades, he now decides to reach out to me." With a huff, he sat the box down on the counter and carefully opened the small thin box with a knife. He opened the flaps and saw a folded piece of paper sitting on top of something bundled up loosely in bubble wrap. He unfolded the paper and read what it said: "My son," he snorted a bit. "I'm sure you must be confused about getting something from me after so long, but there was a promise that I made to someone I loved so very dearly that was long overdue. This is for you, she wanted you to have this." His brow furrowed as he read that last part, glancing to the bubble wrapped gift, setting the letter down beside the box before pulling whatever it was out. He unwrapped what turned out to be a framed picture, eyes widening upon seeing who it was, a face he hadn't seen in twenty years.

His hands trembled once again, but he said nothing, forcing a lump down his throat. He took a couple of deep breaths through his nose while he went to sit down in a chair, looking intently at the photograph of his mother smiling her warm smile. He closed his eyes, unable to hold back tears as a few muffled sobs escaped him, regaining his composure a few minutes later and wiping his eyes. With his ears still down, he looked down at the photograph in his hand, a faint smile coming to his otherwise sad visage.

"You always wanted me to be happy..." he said, finding it hard to speak past the lump in his throat. "And the best way for me to be happy, is to make those I loved happy. You were always the happiest when Renji and I were happy, at least that's what you'd tell me." He kept smiling that bittersweet smile, a tear rolling down his cheek. "And you were right, mom...I've been happiest when my loved ones were happy, how I wish you could meet them." He closed his eyes again for a few moments, settling back more into the chair, his smile growing a bit. "Would you be proud of me, if you met all the friends that I've made smile? I'm certain you would."

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Art ©  Ziggie13
Keda, Midori, story © Me