With tears in her eyes, Emiko asks, "Where is my dad? Where is my mom?"
Her aunt/mother, visibly nervous and with a trembling voice, replies, "What are you talking about, sweetie? I am your mother," as she walks closer and places her hand on Emiko's shoulder.
Emiko pulls away from her aunt/mother, looking at her with suspicion.
"You can't keep lying to me," she says, her voice filled with pain.
"I've seen the videos—I know you're not my mother. Where is my real mom? And my dad?"
Her aunt/mother tries to hug Emiko, but she steps back, and everything around her begins to darken. She starts to feel dizzy and begins bleeding from her nose as her aunt/mother rushes to help her. Emiko collapses to the floor.
Her aunt/mother holds Emiko tightly while urgently calling an ambulance, overwhelmed with worry.
Emiko is rushed to the hospital, where doctors work tirelessly to stabilize her. Meanwhile, her aunt/mother waits anxiously in the emergency room, consumed by guilt and anxiety.
Suddenly, she sees a doctor approaching and carefully says,
"Excuse me, I'm the mother of the young girl, Yoshida Emiko. How is my daughter? What happened to her? Please, tell me what's going on."
The doctor asks if Emiko has ever suffered a major head injury in the past.
Worried, the aunt/mother answers, "Yes, doctor. My daughter had a serious head injury when she was little, which required surgery. Thankfully, she recovered over time."
The doctor reveals that Emiko has a cerebral aneurysm and that the stress and emotional tension might have triggered her sudden collapse. He explains that an aneurysm is an abnormal dilation in a brain artery that can lead to bleeding and brain damage if left untreated.
Her aunt/mother feels overwhelmed by the news, blaming herself for not protecting Emiko properly and for hiding the truth about her family. She promises to do everything in her power to help Emiko recover and to face the consequences of her actions together.
Emiko undergoes surgery to treat the aneurysm, while her aunt/mother waits anxiously in the waiting room, full of regret. For hours, her mind is filled with questions and memories from the past. She wonders how things came to this and how she managed to hide the truth from Emiko for so long. She feels deep remorse for not being completely honest and for denying her the chance to know her real family.
Emiko's aunt, Misaki, was lost in thought, remembering those days in her youth as a 22-year-old university student.
Despite being immersed in her academic life, Misaki constantly struggled with financial issues, which forced her to work as a waitress in a restaurant after classes to pay for her studies. Even with the long work hours, her salary wasn't enough to cover all her expenses.
Determined to be independent and unwilling to ask her parents for help due to a tumultuous relationship, Misaki saw herself as a solitary observer while others around her made friends easily, laughing and having fun.
At night, she would sit on the rooftop of her apartment, smoking a cigarette and wondering what it would be like to have friends and enjoy life.
She imagined herself singing at karaoke, laughing over a few beers, though she knew her music taste probably wasn't popular.
One exhausting night, Misaki came home completely drained after a long shift. All she wanted was to crash on the couch and rest, but her plan was interrupted by the persistent ringing of the phone.
With a sigh, she dragged herself over and was surprised to hear the voice of her older brother, with whom she'd always had a great relationship.
"Hey, little sis. How have you been lately? Are you okay? And how are Mom and Dad?" her brother asked.
"I'm fine, just a bit exhausted after work. Mom and Dad are fine, just busy with their own stuff," Misaki replied, her voice tired.
"I see. So, how's university going?" he asked enthusiastically.
Misaki sighed. "It's going okay, but it's hard keeping up with assignments while working to pay for everything. Sometimes it feels like too much."
Concerned, her brother asked if she needed financial help, but Misaki refused. She'd always been independent and didn't want to be a burden.
"How much are you making at that job?" he asked.
Misaki hesitated before answering, knowing her salary wasn't enough. Finally, she admitted, "Not much. Only about $0.66 a day. It's barely enough to cover the basics. Sometimes I worry I won't be able to afford what I need."
"That's way too little! Why are you still working there?" her brother exclaimed.
The question made Misaki uncomfortable. She admitted she hadn't had any luck finding a better-paying job.
"Hey, would you be interested in taking care of Emiko?" he suddenly asked.
The offer surprised Misaki. "Take care of your daughter? Are you sure? I don't know if I'd be the best choice. I don't have much experience with kids."
Her brother reassured her that he believed in her and that he'd pay more than she currently earned. Due to a schedule change at work, he now had to work nights and couldn't find anyone else he trusted.
He explained that they wouldn't see each other much since she'd be staying over while he was at work. She could sleep at the house and help herself to the food in the fridge.
Although she remembered that her niece Emiko could be mischievous and hard to manage, Misaki accepted the offer. At least this way she'd have a more stable source of income and could save money.
The next day, after a tiring day at university, Misaki nervously made her way to her brother's house. As she approached the door, her stomach twisted in knots—she wasn't sure how to handle the responsibility of caring for a young child. But she was determined to try her best.
When she opened the door, her jaw dropped at the chaos inside. Toys were scattered everywhere, crayons on the floor, drawings on the walls. The TV was on. A quick glance revealed her niece, Emiko, scribbling on the wall with a red crayon.
Emiko saw Misaki, dropped the crayon, and ran toward her with a big smile.
Misaki watched her approach, closed the door behind her, and dropped to her knees.
"I'm starting to regret agreeing to take care of Emiko," Misaki muttered, overwhelmed by the mess and her niece's wild behavior. Though she had been determined to do her best, now she doubted her ability.
Taking a deep breath, Misaki remembered her brother's words—he trusted her. She got up from the floor with determination and decided to face the challenge.
She opened the door again and found Emiko standing there with a big grin. "Hi, Aunt Misaki," she said.
Misaki smiled back. "Hi, Emiko. Looks like you've had a lot of fun here. What do you say we clean up together?"
"I don't wanna clean, I wanna keep playing," Emiko replied.
"I get it," Misaki said, "but it's important to keep the house tidy."
Emiko kept refusing, and Misaki realized she needed a new strategy.
She pulled out a big chocolate bar from her bag. Emiko's eyes lit up. "Can I have some chocolate?" she asked excitedly.
Misaki seized the opportunity: "If you clean the whole house, I'll give you the entire chocolate bar."
Emiko's eyes sparkled. "Really? The whole chocolate just for me if I clean everything?"
Misaki nodded and explained what needed to be done—put away all the toys, pick up the crayons, clean the walls, and organize everything.
Before she could finish listing the tasks, Emiko interrupted: "Aunt Misaki, I'm done already!"
In disbelief, Misaki looked around. Everything was spotless and in order. She was amazed by her niece's speed and efficiency.
"Can I have the chocolate now, Auntie?" Emiko asked eagerly.
Still stunned, Misaki said, "Ah, yes, here you go."
Emiko took the chocolate and ran to the couch, grabbed a glass of milk, and sat down to enjoy her well-earned reward.
Misaki watched her with a smile and a touch of mischief in her eyes.
"Perfect. I've found her weakness. If I bring her sweets every day, I can get her to clean without any resistance."
She started laughing to herself like a villain.
Emiko, mouth full of chocolate, gave her a confused look. "Did she go crazy?"
Misaki laughed. "Don't worry, it's nothing—I just remembered a funny joke."
Emiko smiled in relief and continued enjoying her chocolate as Misaki joined her on the couch to rest. She watched Emiko savor the treat and carefully reached out to sneak a piece.
Emiko spotted her aunt's hand approaching and quickly tried to bite it, but Misaki skillfully dodged her.