I was working at the café as usual. Since the café was unusually crowded that day, Inochi and her father, Haruki, had come to help. While washing the dishes, I noticed Haruki standing beside me. He looked thoughtful, as if something was on his mind.

"Shinya, can you tell me what your mother likes?" he asked, his voice gentle and filled with curiosity. He was thinking about getting her a gift for her birthday.

My mother loved roses. I remembered once she had watched a documentary about them. It showed a rare black rose that grew in a specific region of Turkey. It wasn’t truly black, but a very deep red that appeared black in the right light. My mother had been fascinated by it and had always dreamed of owning one.

“She loves roses. Especially the black ones.”

“Black?” he asked, his voice full of surprise.

I then told him about the documentary. After doing a little research, he was amazed to discover that black roses were real. He said he would find a way to get one for my mother.

That night, my mother, Inochi, and I were having dinner together. Inochi was staying over at our house because her father was away. The table was filled with delicious food. While Inochi made shiozake, my mother prepared miso soup and onigiri.

“Would you like some more?” my mother asked, her voice soft and inviting. The food was so delicious that I was tempted to have another plate.

“Yes, please,” I said eagerly.

“Did you like my shiozake, Shinya-kun?” Inochi asked with a confident smile. She had been learning how to cook from my mother, and her skills had quickly reached an impressive level. Her dishes were just as delicious as my mother’s.

“Hm, it’s okay,” I said with a mocking tone, teasing her. I enjoyed getting her worked up; it was one of our little games.

“I didn’t cook it for you anyway,” she retorted, crossing her arms with a serious expression. “Megumi-sama wanted it. I only made it because she asked.” She didn’t know that shiozake was one of my favorite dishes.

“Shinya, Inochi worked hard to make this dish. You should thank her,” my mother added, giving me a playful smile.

“I know, I know,” I sighed. “I was just teasing you, Inochi. Your shiozake is really delicious.”

“Good. Here’s another plate for you,” she said, handing me a full plate. “You’d better finish it all, or I’ll stuff the leftovers down your throat,” she added with a teasing smirk, pointing her finger at me like a stern teacher.

“Mom, I’ve been wondering about something,” I said. My mother looked at me, “Yes, dear? What are you wondering about?”

“I know you love roses, but why do you like black roses more than the others?” I asked curiously. Especially since Inochi’s father was thinking of getting her one. I also remembered that her favorite color was black. Maybe that was why she liked black roses so much?

“Generally, the color black symbolizes sorrow, grief, death, or feelings of vengeance,” my mother said. “But for me, the black rose represents how love can endure even in the darkest of circumstances. After all, a rose symbolizes love.”

“Oh! So, can both good and bad coexist?” Inochi asked.

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“Something like that,” my mother answered gently. She spoke like a philosophy teacher explaining a complex idea. “No matter how good a person may seem, there can always be something dark inside them. And even in the worst of people, there can be a glimmer of light.”

“I don’t get it,” Inochi said, yawning. She was probably tired after cooking.

“Shinya, why don’t you take Inochi to bed?” my mother suggested.

“Alright, Mom. Let’s get you to bed, Inochi,” I said. I gently placed her arm around my shoulder and led her to my room. She lay down on the bed. I couldn’t help but notice how peaceful she looked. She was sleeping so innocently, her lips moving ever so slightly as if she were dreaming.

As I watched her, my heart began to race for reasons I couldn’t explain. Our faces were so close that there was barely any space between us. I stayed like that for a while, until her eyes slowly began to open.

“Shinya,” she murmured in a sleepy voice. I quickly stepped back, embarrassed. “Uh, I was just about to go to the living room to sleep on the couch. Good night,” I said. Just as I was about to leave, Inochi grabbed my arm.

“Please sleep beside me,” she said gently. Her voice was innocent. I hesitated for a moment, but I couldn’t leave her like that.

“Alright, Inochi. I’ll sleep beside you,” I replied. I lay down next to her, turning my back to her so there would be no misunderstandings.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, she suddenly wrapped her arms around me. Her embrace pulled me closer. My heart raced in my chest. The warmth of her hug took my breath away. I needed to calm down. I began to take deep breaths. Finally, I drifted off to sleep.

And that night, I had a strange dream.

I found myself in a dimly lit room. The walls were covered with shadows that seemed to have a life of their own. It was as though every corner held a hidden story. In the center of the room, I was sitting across from a cloaked man. His robe was as dark as the night. His face was hidden, but the only thing visible were his eyes, faintly glowing in the dark like a deep pool of secrets.

He turned to me, and his voice, soft but resonating in the silence, spoke. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shinya.”

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?" I asked. My voice trembled with a mixture of curiosity and fear, like a leaf lost in the darkness of the room.

"Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is your story," he replied mysteriously. He extended his hand toward me. There was a card underneath his palm. Slowly, he offered the card to me.

When I turned the card over, I realized it was a tarot card. I was familiar with tarot cards. I knew the meaning of each one. The card he had given me was The Hanged Man, reversed. It generally symbolized wrong decisions, inner conflict, or sacrifice. But what could it mean for me? The confusion in my mind grew, and the shadow of my fears deepened.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I asked, genuinely curious, though a faint tremble started to take over me. It didn’t feel like something as simple as handing me candy. It felt like a call that reached the deepest parts of my soul.

"Understanding what this means is up to you, Shinya. I am only here to deliver a message," he said, his voice spreading into the depths of the room. Suddenly, the shadows around me became more distinct, as if every word I heard echoed in the darkness.

At that moment, I felt I wasn’t alone in that dim room; the darkness seemed to be filled with the presence of other beings watching me. I sensed that something inside me had changed, and the uncertainty about my future deepened. The dream I was having felt like a harbinger of the dark reality I would soon encounter in my life.

As I was lost in these unsettling thoughts, the mysterious man suddenly disappeared. Just before I woke up, I heard him mumbling something, but I had no idea what it meant. Then, a blinding light flashed and woke me up. I was drenched in sweat and struggling to breathe.

"Shinya, are you okay?" Inochi's sleepy voice cut through the darkness as she came closer to check on me. There was worry in her tone.

"I had a nightmare," I confessed, my voice trembling, still haunted by the fear of the dream. Without a word, Inochi gently pulled my head onto her lap and began to stroke my hair. "It’s okay," she whispered. Her voice was soothing, much like my mother's. My mother would do the same whenever I was upset or scared. At that moment, I felt the comfort of my mother’s warm embrace once again.

The tension slowly melted away from my body, and I felt myself drifting back into sleep. The dream still lingered in my mind, refusing to fade completely. But for now, I decided to push it aside. As I fell asleep again, I hoped for sweeter dreams this time.

to be continued...