While we were still drawing together in my room — crayons scattered, Shiba Inu plush watching quietly from the corner like a good friend — Mama appeared at the door.
She held a small tray with two cupcakes on top — one pink with a big strawberry swirl, and the other chocolate with shiny sprinkles.
"Mama!" I jumped to my feet, eyes wide. I ran to her and reached up. "Hideki... Hideki give it!"
Mama chuckled and crouched to my level. "Okay, sweetheart. You give it."
I took the tray carefully with both hands, my heart fluttering. I turned to Yui and held the pink one out proudly.
"Yuiii... strawberry," I said, beaming. "Yui like pink!"
Yui's eyes sparkled like stars. "CUPCAKESSS!" she squealed, clapping her hands. Then she took the cupcake gently, holding it like it was treasure.
"Strawberry so biiiiig," she gasped, turning it left and right. "Yui loooove strawberry!"
I smiled so wide, my cheeks hurt. I sat down beside her and grabbed my own chocolate cupcake. We both sat cross-legged on the floor, giggling, crayon dust still on our fingers.
I took one big bite — chomp!
Chocolate frosting went all over my mouth, some on my nose, and even on my cheek.
Yui looked at me — and then burst out laughing.
"Hideki silly!" she giggled, pointing at my face. "So messy!"
I blinked, then touched my cheek — sticky!
My face turned red, hotter than before. I looked down shyly and wiped it with my sleeve, a little embarrassed.
But Yui kept laughing softly, and somehow, I didn't feel bad.
Just... happy.
Together, we ate our cupcakes — sweet, messy, perfect.
And Shiba watched us from the corner like always — quiet, smiling, never saying a word...
But I knew he saw it all.
After finishing my cupcake, I turned to Yui with frosting still on my lips.
"Yuiii... Yuiii..." I said, my voice bouncing with excitement. "Let's go see Papa!"
Yui, licking the last bit of strawberry cream from her fingers, nodded quickly. "Mmm!"
She stood up and followed me.
I ran through the hallway, past Mama and Shiba plush, straight to the living room where Papa sat, looking at his phone.
"Papa!" I called, pointing straight to the piano.
He looked up and smiled, already knowing.
"Oohh, okay buddy," he said with a chuckle, standing and moving to the piano bench.
Behind us, Mama and Yui's mama peeked in, smiles on their faces. Mama had her phone out, already recording. She knew what was coming.
I stood tall beside Papa, proud like a star about to shine.
Papa looked up at me. "Ready, little buddy?"
I nodded, my eyes burning bright.
Papa's fingers danced across the keys — soft, playful notes filling the room like bubbles in the air. Joyful and light, just like a sunny day in the garden.
I looked to Yui.
She looked back at me, her eyes wide, her hands folded in her lap.
And then I began to sing.
My voice came out clear, sweet, full of feeling:
"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..."
Papa kept playing, the music wrapping around my voice like a hug.
Then I closed my eyes for a second — and something new came to me. A new feeling, a new memory, soft and glowing in my chest.
So I sang it.
"Yui come to Hideki...
She make friend with Tama-chan...
Calling her... feeding her...
Three of us lay down together...
Happy, happy... we happy...
Yui... Hideki... Tama-chan... happy..."
My words floated in the air, one by one, like petals falling from a tree.
Yui smiled so wide.
Mama had her hand over her heart.
Papa's fingers never stopped playing, but his eyes were shining too.
It was our moment.
A little living memory.
Born from cupcakes, drawings, and soft purrs.
And a song that only Hideki could sing.
Mama, who had been recording everything on her phone, now had teary eyes. She couldn't stop wiping her cheeks, her hands fluttering like they didn't know where to go.
Mama Yui clapped her hands with joy.
"Sugoiii... Hideki-kun, sugoii!" she said, her voice full of wonder.
Papa, still sitting at the piano, gave me a big thumbs-up.
"Good job, little buddy," he said. "You're my superstar."
I looked around at them all, my chest warm and glowing.
But then—my eyes stopped.
They stopped at Yui.
She was looking at me with the biggest smile she could make, so big her cheeks puffed like balloons about to pop.
Then she ran to me, fast like the wind, and grabbed both of my hands.
She held them tight.
And then she started jumping.
Jumping and laughing and holding my hands.
"Hideki!" she said, her voice bouncing like her feet. "Yui sooo happy!"
I turned my face quickly to the side, cheeks hot and red like cherries. I couldn't look at her bright eyes — they shone like the sunrise on a quiet beach.
"Really...?" I asked, shyly.
Yui nodded fast.
"Mmm!" she said, still smiling, still holding on.
Yui's words still danced in the air — "Yui sooo happy!"
I looked at her, and something brave bloomed in my chest.
Then I said, proudly and softly:
"Then... I will sing for Yui forever."
Yui's fingers were still wrapped around mine. Her eyes blinked slowly, her smile never leaving.
"I like that," she said, tilting her head to the side.
Then, she let go of my hand — just for a second — and lifted her smallest finger.
She held it out between us, pinky high.
"Promise?" she whispered.
I looked at her little pinky.
Then slowly, gently, I raised mine to meet hers.
Our pinkies touched.
"I promise," I said.