Stand by me

(13)

Yuxiang Nakajima has often had nightmares recently.Before seeing Ryosuke Yamada's mother with his own eyes, he unconsciously pictured her in his mind as a gloomy and evil woman like Snow White's stepmother. In his dream, her face looked like a witch in an African tribe. A feeling: slowly transforming other people's insecurities into fear, and taking everything else away.Occasionally, Yuxiang would also dream of Ryosuke. He was always climbing a huge snow mountain, and the part above the snow line towered into the sky. Looking at Yuxiang, he said coldly, "I don't need you for self-reliance, I don't need you."

Approaching the third year of senior high school, the homework is getting more and more intense, but the relationship between classmates is getting closer. Everyone is trying to make themselves and others happy.Five minutes before class, the pair of live treasures Zhu Xing and Aihara ran to the podium to perform a manga.Everyone was laughing to and fro, Yamada Ryosuke covered his stomach and leaned on Yuxiang and laughed, suddenly remembering that the relationship between the two is bad now, so he quickly sat up straight and peeked at him from the corner of his eyes.Nakajima Yuxiang pretended to be indifferent, and the joke suddenly became less funny.

Except for the study time, Nakajima Yuxiang stayed in the narrow darkroom converted from a closet. He wanted to develop all the films his mother had taken during his lifetime, and keep the good times and her little love.One evening, my father walked in quietly, expressing that he wanted to have a good communication with him.

"Yuxiang, before you become an adult, you need a mother. We also lived a life of only two people, what happened? We are all devastated, you are not happy, and I can't take care of you well, that is not life. "

"I've been trying to find a way, but you didn't work hard enough." Yuxiang Nakajima said without raising his head.

"You can't always be addicted to the past, you have to face the future." Dad grabbed the stack of washed film, like holding a ball of tangled wool, and like a noose that is difficult to break free.

"Even if I forget everyone and the world, I will never forget my mother!" Yuxiang Nakajima shouted, "That woman is a fake, I don't even know who she is!"

He asks dad out.The two broke up unhappy.

On the morning of the weekend, the dew wet the stone path in the courtyard, Yuxiang Nakajima stood behind his father, and he saw Aki Yamada for the first time.

Her skin is very fair, and her figure is slender. Because of her perennial illness, she hides many desolate expressions, her temperament is indifferent, and she does not have the same happy atmosphere as her mother that can make flowers bloom in the air, but her eyes are as beautiful as antelopes. The gentle black eyes exude vitality that cannot be ignored.Ryosuke Yamada followed her with a schoolbag and a suitcase. His eyes were exactly the same as hers.

"Hello, Yuxiang-kun, please teach me more in the future." Standing on a step lower than him, she held out her hand to him.Yuxiang Nakajima's heart was beating very fast, he shook it back and called her name: "... Aunt Aki."

After entering the door, Yamada's mother asked where the kitchen was, and insisted on cooking for them herself.Dad let Ryosuke sit on the sofa next to him, greeted him with care, pinched his face, and praised him for being cute.Nakajima Yuxiang leaned on the door, staring at this strange scene, "I have become a stranger in my own family." He thought, his heart couldn't help feeling sad, and he couldn't help laughing.Ryosuke Yamada looked at him immediately.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

"It's nothing, I just thought that our whole family looked at the photos together before, and you still disliked Yamada's long hair covering his eyes." Yuxiang Nakajima said deliberately.

Yamada Ryosuke lowered his head in embarrassment, blushing.

Dad put his arms around his shoulders, expressed his apologies, and at the same time said angrily to Yuxiang: "Your Excellency, your politeness in speaking now is comparable to killing people with an axe."

Yamada's mother made fried croquettes and miso soup. Yuto Nakajima had no appetite and didn't want to move his chopsticks at first, but he noticed that they were all watching his face, not wanting to look rude and naive like a barbarian. What's more, the dishes made by Mama Yamada are very delicious.

Nakajima Yuxiang saw the football placed in the entrance, and remembered that Ryosuke Yamada had been doing training at school recently, so he put his croquettes on his plate and said, "You have been training very hard recently, eat more .”

Ryosuke Yamada said blankly, "Oh, thank you."

"You are all children, and you are at the same table, so you don't have to let them go." Yamada's mother smiled, and gave Yuxiang her croquette, and Yuxiang froze immediately.

Seeing this, Dad also gave her his own, and said softly: "Yaji, you cook for us, there is no reason for your own share, let's make more next time." He said to Yuxiang again , "Aunt Yaji made it for you specially, eat it quickly."

Yuxiang Nakajima was very depressed. After eating in two or three bites, he went upstairs to his room and locked the door.

After the meal, Yamada's mother, who was cleaning the tableware, suddenly passed out. Only then did Nakajima Yuxiang know that she had a disease called "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome", which would cause her to fall asleep suddenly and unconsciously regardless of time and place.When she woke up, all three were around her bed.

"How long have I slept?"

"Two and a half days." Ryosuke Yamada skillfully massaged her temples.

For the first time, Nakajima Yuxiang asked her in a soliciting and caring tone: "Auntie, why are you falling asleep?... Do you know?"

Yamada's mother shook her head, smiled, and showed a beautiful dimple on her face: "Maybe it's because of too much pressure..."

Yuxiang Nakajima believes this is the truth. In her sleep, she does not look like a vicious stepmother, but like Snow White. Her father holds her hand, and she sleeps peacefully like a child, like his spoiled and independent daughter. Unrelenting old age.Seeing Yuxiang Nakajima, he became dazed. This is her way of escaping from the cruel life, and the infinitely extending night is her salvation after hopelessness.