"Mom, dad, I'm sorry,"

Slowly, she opened the door and made her first step outside towards the cold and breezy night. The street was completely deserted, considering how much snow was falling since the last 3 days. She stepped on the piled up snows and quietly walked away, leaving the mansion that used to be the home that always welcomed her into the snug and warmth that every child in this world crave for. Without looking back, she forced her legs to move faster in the freezing heaps of snows, making her more powerless to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Mommy, mommy! Is it true that mommy and papa will l- leave Aya first?" said the 7-years-old weeping Ayano while running to her mother's hug.

Putting the kitchen tools on the table, Sumire opened her arms and hugged her small child who just got back from school, which was just a few meters away from home, "Welcome home, Aya-chan. What's wrong? Did something happened at school?" 

"M- Mommy.. and Papa.. w- won't leave Aya.. right?" continued Ayano while crying louder than before after feeling the coziness of her mother's hug.

"Shh, shh. Mommy and Papa won't leave you. Mommy and Papa won't leave you, okay?"

"...Promise?"

Sumire smiled and said, "We promise,"

"Would Aya-chan tell Mommy what happened at school today. Why is Aya-chan crying?" said Sumire worriedly while gently patting Ayano on the head who was still crying, but steadily stopping when her mother looked at her straight in the eyes. 

"Yuuki-chan told Aya that Mommy and Papa will die before me.. just like how Yuuki-chan's Mommy and Papa did," 

Sumire was surprised to hear that the boy who lived near their house and used to be so quiet and kind, would say that to Ayano. Asano Yuuki lost his parents in a traffic accident 2 years ago but he didn't seem to change much after that. His sister who was working as a doctor stayed with him and his 15-years-old brother, Kazuki, after that.

--- "So, it turns out like this. I wonder what happened to that child. Did he just emotionally changed? Well, he's still a small child, "--- thought Sumire.

"Aya-chan, you see. Our life is for God to decide. God is kind and He knows what's best for us. So, even if Mommy or Papa, or Aya-chan die first, we'll all be sent to Heaven. Mommy, Papa, Aya-chan, we will all meet there. And we will live there happily ever after. Just like in the story that Mommy read for you last night. Remember?" 

Ayano wiped away her tears, "We will live there.. forever?" "... Really?" "Happily?"

"Forever. Happily." Sumire smiled and hugged her daughter tighter.

"So, Aya-chan need to make a promise with Mommy. Aya-chan won't be sad if Mommy and Papa leave first. Because we can meet and live in a more better place up there,"

"But.. But, Aya don't like it if Mommy and Papa is not at home. Aya can't taste Mommy's food and I can't play with Papa again. Aya want Mommy to tell Aya bedtime stories before Aya go to sleep. I want Papa to send Aya to school. And.. and.. Aya want Mommy.. Mommy to.." Ayano started to tear up again.

--- "I think I said too much. She can't understand it yet," ---

"Aya-chan, don't cry. Okay, then. See here, Aya-chan. Look at Mommy's eyes,"

Ayano's sobbing slowly stopped again as she looked at her mother who was holding her hands while looking at her, smiled.

"If Aya-chan says so, let's make a lot of good memories that Mommy, Papa, and Aya-chan won't be able to forget. That will make Mommy, Papa, and Aya-chan happy even if sad things happen. How about it?"

"... Really?" "Mommy, Papa, Aya-chan.. will be happy?"

"Really,"

".. loves.. Aya loves.. Aya loves Mommy..!" Slowly, Ayano teared up again. 

"Ahaha, geez, Aya-chan. Mommy told you not to cry. Mommy loves you more, Aya-chan. Mommy and Papa love Aya-chan so much,"

*trips* *sloshh*

Accidentally hitting a rock, Ayano tripped down, sliding into the heaping snow on the sidewalk.

"... Mommy.. Mommy promised me.. But, why.. Why.."

The warmth of the tears that have been rolling down her cheeks since 20 minutes ago can still be felt really clearly during the chilly night. The temperature dropped to -10 degree celcius that night but it didn't bother Ayano to make her decision to run away from home-- Though, it wasn't a home anymore.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry,"

Slowly, she opened the door and made her first step outside towards the cold and breezy night. The street was completely deserted, considering how much snow was falling since the last 3 days. She stepped on the piled up snows and quietly walked away, leaving the mansion that used to be the home that always welcomed her into the snug and warmth that every child in this world crave for. Without looking back, she forced her legs to move faster in the freezing heaps of snows, making her more powerless to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Mommy, mommy! Is it true that mommy and papa will l- leave Aya first?" said the 7-years-old weeping Ayano while running to her mother's hug.

Putting the kitchen tools on the table, Sumire opened her arms and hugged her small child who just got back from school, which was just a few meters away from home, "Welcome home, Aya-chan. What's wrong? Did something happened at school?" 

"M- Mommy.. and Papa.. w- won't leave Aya.. right?" continued Ayano while crying louder than before after feeling the coziness of her mother's hug.

"Shh, shh. Mommy and Papa won't leave you. Mommy and Papa won't leave you, okay?"

"...Promise?"

Sumire smiled and said, "We promise,"

"Would Aya-chan tell Mommy what happened at school today. Why is Aya-chan crying?" said Sumire worriedly while gently patting Ayano on the head who was still crying, but steadily stopping when her mother looked at her straight in the eyes. 

"Yuuki-chan told Aya that Mommy and Papa will die before me.. just like how Yuuki-chan's Mommy and Papa did," 

Sumire was surprised to hear that the boy who lived near their house and used to be so quiet and kind, would say that to Ayano. Asano Yuuki lost his parents in a traffic accident 2 years ago but he didn't seem to change much after that. His sister who was working as a doctor stayed with him and his 15-years-old brother, Kazuki, after that.

--- "So, it turns out like this. I wonder what happened to that child. Did he just emotionally changed? Well, he's still a small child, "--- thought Sumire.

"Aya-chan, you see. Our life is for God to decide. God is kind and He knows what's best for us. So, even if Mommy or Papa, or Aya-chan die first, we'll all be sent to Heaven. Mommy, Papa, Aya-chan, we will all meet there. And we will live there happily ever after. Just like in the story that Mommy read for you last night. Remember?" 

Ayano wiped away her tears, "We will live there.. forever?" "... Really?" "Happily?"

"Forever. Happily." Sumire smiled and hugged her daughter tighter.

"So, Aya-chan need to make a promise with Mommy. Aya-chan won't be sad if Mommy and Papa leave first. Because we can meet and live in a more better place up there,"

"But.. But, Aya don't like it if Mommy and Papa is not at home. Aya can't taste Mommy's food and I can't play with Papa again. Aya want Mommy to tell Aya bedtime stories before Aya go to sleep. I want Papa to send Aya to school. And.. and.. Aya want Mommy.. Mommy to.." Ayano started to tear up again.

--- "I think I said too much. She can't understand it yet," ---

"Aya-chan, don't cry. Okay, then. See here, Aya-chan. Look at Mommy's eyes,"

Ayano's sobbing slowly stopped again as she looked at her mother who was holding her hands while looking at her, smiled.

"If Aya-chan says so, let's make a lot of good memories that Mommy, Papa, and Aya-chan won't be able to forget. That will make Mommy, Papa, and Aya-chan happy even if sad things happen. How about it?"

"... Really?" "Mommy, Papa, Aya-chan.. will be happy?"

"Really,"

".. loves.. Aya loves.. Aya loves Mommy..!" Slowly, Ayano teared up again. 

"Ahaha, geez, Aya-chan. Mommy told you not to cry. Mommy loves you more, Aya-chan. Mommy and Papa love Aya-chan so much,"

*trips* *sloshh*

Accidentally hitting a rock, Ayano tripped down, sliding into the heaping snow on the sidewalk.

"... Mommy.. Mommy promised me.. But, why.. Why.."

The warmth of the tears that have been rolling down her cheeks since 20 minutes ago can still be felt really clearly during the chilly night. The temperature dropped to -10 degree celcius that night but it didn't bother Ayano to make her decision to run away from home-- Though, it wasn't a home anymore.