Grandma

Wednesday Morning

Fumio has a break today. How to spend that time off? Sui-Topii gasped at the scenery rushing by.

“Wow!” she cheered.

“Oh, that’s right,” her brother said. “This is the second time you’ve been on a train.”

“Uh-huh!” the little girl cheered.

“She’s so cute!” Fergi said.

“Thanks for coming out to see grandma with us,” Sui-Topii said.

“You’re welcome!” the older girl said. Fumio still didn’t get why she wanted Fergi to come with them.

“Please?” the little girl asked on the way home yesterday. Fumio gave her an odd look.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes!” she cheered. Her brother tried to figure out what to do without causing hurt feelings.

“You’ll have to ask Fergi,” he said. The little girl turned her attention. Fergi perked up with a smile.

“I would love to,” she said.

“Yay!” Sui-Topii cheered, hugging her waist.

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Fumio glanced over at his crush sitting not to him. I’m right next to her. He gulped as he tried to think of something to say.

“Uh…” he spoke up. Fergi turned her head. Fumio drew his mouth closed. I don’t want to sound stupid, he thought.

“Lovely day, isn’t it?” the freshman asked.

“Yeah,” Fergi said. Fumio closed her mouth. I don’t have anything to say, he thought. Awkward… Sui-Topii munched on some snacks. She hummed a little song while tapping her feet together.

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The sun rays made the grandmother’s neighborhood feel like a scene from a Ghibli movie. Sui-Topii ran around like an airplane with her arms out.

“Nice place here,” Fergi said.

“Yeah,” Fumio said. “My dad grew up country.”

“I always wanted to live out in the country,” she said. Fumio looked surprised.

“You do?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. Fumio nodded interest. He looked to see his sister disappearing from view.

“Sui-Topii-chan!” Fumio shouted. “Please slow down!” He raced after her to keep up. Fergi giggled, following behind.

They caught up to the little at a Japanese-style house at the end of the neighborhood. Fergi’s jaw dropped.

“She lives here?” she asked. Fumio was thrown off by the excited tone in her voice.

“Uh… yeah,” he said. “It’s just a typical Japanese house.”

“This is bigger than my dorm!”

“It’s bigger than my dorm too.”

Sui-Topii raced up to the front door and rang the doorbell. She bounced around, grinning. The older pair walked up to the door.

“Grandma!” the little girl shouted.  “Grandma! Grandma!” Fumio patted her on the head.

“Calm down,” he said. The door slid open. All three looked up to see an old lady peeking out. Sui-Topii broke out into a huge grin.

“Grandma!” she cheered. The old lady came out with a surprised expression.

“Sui-chan! Fum-kun!” she exclaimed. “You should’ve called.” Fumio rubbed the back of his head, chuckling.

“I tried to,” he said. ‘My phone doesn’t have good reception.”

“I see,” the old lady said. Her eyes shifted over to Fergi. The blonde-haired girl waved at her.

“Hi,” she said. The old lady raised an eyebrow at her.

“And who is this young girl?” she asked.

“Oh,” Fumio said. “This is Fergi.”

“Ah, is she your girlfriend?”

Her grandson blushed. “What?! No! No! It’s not like that!” Fergi giggled at his red face.

“Grandma, what’s a ‘girlfriend?’” Sui-Topii asked. Her brother froze, sweating buckets. The old lady patted her on the head.

“I’ll tell you when we get inside,” she said.

“Do you have dangoes?” Sui-Topii asked.

“Yes, I do,” the grandmother said.

“Yay!” the little girl cheered. Fergi and Fumio followed them inside.

“She seems nice,” Fergi whispered. Fumio nodded with his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah,” he said. He began remembering summers with his grandmother.