Days come and go. And like always, Sunday morning comes.
Mama is in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, her sleeves rolled up, humming as she moves. The smell of warm rice and eggs fills the air. She tidies up a little between stirring pots — the way she always does when the sun is still soft.
Papa is at the piano.
He plays slow, gentle notes — his fingers dancing across the keys like they're saying good morning. I know that sound. That's his happy sound. The one he plays when he's relaxing after a long week at work.
Sometimes, when Mama isn't too busy, she sings with him.
And today, like always, they sing together. Quiet, warm, like a hug between music and morning light.
I watch them. My chest feels warm.
Then I walk over, holding my plushie.
"Papa... Mama..." I say, looking up. "I sing too."
They both look at me — surprised, smiling, soft as always.
Papa crouches a little. "What do you want to sing, buddy?"
I hold my plushie tighter and think hard. Then I grin.
"Hmmmm... neko. Tama-chan."
Mama giggles and claps her hands gently. "Tama-chan? Your song?"
I nod proudly. "Tama-chan daisuki. Hideki sing for her."
Mama claps her hands in a steady rhythm — clap, clap, clap — like raindrops on the window.
Papa's fingers find the keys again, this time with a light, playful sound. Just for me.
I take a breath. And then I sing:
"Neko... neko... Tama-chan...
Come to me...
Hideki happy...
Feeding her, she purr purr...
Petting her, she purr purr...
Yui... Yui... come and see...
How I feeding Tama-chan..."
Mama sings with me, her voice soft like her smile.
Papa hums along, his piano filling the room with something warm and sparkly.
And in that moment, as I sing and they sing with me... something inside me glows.
I feel it deep, like a string pulled gently in my chest.
My song made Mama and Papa happy.
Me. Hideki.
Then I reach my hands up to Papa.
"Up?" I ask. "Piano... Hideki sing again."
He laughs and lifts me onto his lap.
I sit there, little hands resting on the edge of the piano, feeling the keys move under Papa's fingers.
I sing again, this time louder. Braver.
And Papa plays just for me.
And Mama claps just for me.
And all of us — together — make music that fills the morning with love.
After our song, I sat still for a little while on Papa's lap, my arms wrapped around my Shiba Inu plushie.
Then a big idea popped into my head.
I looked up at Mama with wide, excited eyes.
"Mama! Mama..." I said, tugging her sleeve. "Can Yui... come to house?"
She turned to me, surprised. "You want Yui to come visit?"
I nodded fast, my voice tumbling over itself like a waterfall.
"Hideki want sing to Yui! Show Tama-chan too!"
Mama's smile turned so soft... like an angel, glowing like morning light.
"Of course," she said gently. "I'll ask Yui's mama if she can come."
"Yaaaaaaay!!" I squealed, bouncing in place.
Mama walked to the table and picked up her phone. She pressed a few buttons and lifted it to her ear. I stood still, hugging my Shiba Inu close, holding my breath like it would help the answer come faster.
I watched her talk. I couldn't hear all the words, but her voice was kind and happy.
Then she put the phone down and turned to me, eyes shining.
"Yui will come to our house, Hideki."
Everything inside me exploded like fireworks.
"Yui come!!" I yelled. "Yui come to Hideki house!!"
I started jumping in circles, my arms flying wide like wings. I danced across the floor, feet light, giggling so hard I couldn't stop.
Then I grabbed my Shiba Inu and spun around with him in the air.
"Shiba! Shiba! Yui will play with us!" I laughed. "We show her Tama-chan!"
I hugged my plushie tight and fell onto the floor with a thump, still laughing.
Mama and Papa stood in the doorway, smiling big, like they were catching the joy spilling out of me.
This was the best day.
And it hadn't even really started yet.
After I finished spinning around with Shiba, Mama knelt beside me and brushed my hair back.
"Hideki," she said softly, "we should start getting ready. Yui's mama said they'll come after lunch."
I gasped a little, like the joy inside me was too big to hold.
"Then... then let's eat cupcake when Yui come!" I said, bouncing on my toes. "Cupcake for Yui!"
Mama laughed and nodded. "Okay. We'll make sure to have some ready."
Then I turned to Papa, clutching my Shiba plushie.
"Papa... garden... Tama-chan... Yui come," I said, tugging his hand.
Papa smiled and bent down.
"Let's go find her, buddy."
He lifted me into his arms, and we walked outside together.
The garden felt quiet and warm. The stones were still a little hot from the sun, and the breeze made the leaves whisper softly.
I looked toward Tama-chan's favorite spot — the flat stone near the fence, where the sun always touched.
And there she was.
"Tama-chaaaannn!" I called, my voice bright and high.
She lifted her head slowly, blinking with her sleepy eyes. Then she stretched one paw out, yawned, and stood up.
She walked toward me like she always did — lazy but gentle.
I crouched down and held out my hand.
She came close, rubbing her head against my fingers.
I pet her softly, feeling her fur warm under my hand.
"Tama-chan," I whispered, "Hideki's friend come."
She blinked at me.
"Yui come to see Hideki," I said again, smiling. "And Tama-chan too..."
Then I wrapped my arms around her, small and gentle.
She didn't move — just stayed there, her tail flicking slowly, her body soft and calm.
"Tama-chan is good girl..." I whispered, hugging her.
She let me hold her, like always.
Like she understood.
Mama came home from the bakery, the paper bag in her hands smelling sweet like magic.
"Hideki," she called, smiling as she set the bag on the table, "look what Mama got."
I ran over, my Shiba plushie bouncing in my arms. When she opened the bag, my eyes lit up.
Cupcakes!
There were two kinds — chocolate with shiny sprinkles, and strawberry with a pink swirl on top.
I pointed right away. "Mama... for Yui," I said, tapping the strawberry one carefully.
Mama looked at me, her eyes soft like a hug. "You want to give the strawberry one to Yui?"
I nodded. "Yui like pink," I said quietly.
She understood. Mama always understands.
Then I ran to my room, my heart full like a balloon.
I searched my little shelf and pulled out the picture I drew the other day — the one with me feeding Tama-chan. I looked at it carefully. There was a spot next to me. I made it blank on purpose.
"That for Yui," I whispered.
I sat on the floor and placed Shiba next to me like always.
"Shiba... Hideki give Yui..." I held the picture up to him, my fingers gentle on the edges. "And Hideki sing for her."
Shiba just watched me with his soft little smile.
Then—
Ding dong...
The sound of the doorbell made me jump a little. My eyes got wide.
I looked at Shiba, holding him tight.
"She's here..." I whispered.
I stood up quickly, clutching my picture, my heart thumping like the drums Papa sometimes taps on the table.
Yui was here.
And I was ready.