The story begins on August 14, 2003, when Hiroshi and Emi were united in marriage. Their lives were filled with joy, and a year later, they received the wonderful news that Emi was pregnant. Throughout the pregnancy, Hiroshi took the utmost care of her. On December 18, 2005, through a normal delivery, they welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Hana. Their small family was filled with laughter and happiness as they watched Hana grow.
By January 2011, Hana had started the second grade. Around this time, the family received another piece of good news—Emi was pregnant for the second time. Hiroshi and little Hana both looked after Emi with great love. On January 16, 2011, while Emi was feeding Hana, she suddenly went into labor. Hiroshi rushed them all to the hospital. Soon, the doctor handed a newborn baby boy to Hiroshi, saying, "Congratulations, you have a son!" They named him Ren.
As the years passed, we move to the year 2025. Hana was now a college student, and Ren was in the 9th grade. However, a major problem arose regarding Ren. Despite being a teenager, he remained as dependent as a toddler. He wouldn't eat unless his mother fed him, wouldn't bathe unless she helped, and refused to step out of the house without her. He had no social life or friends; for Ren, his mother was his entire world. He felt that without her, he simply could not survive.
One afternoon, Ren was being stubborn about his food, demanding chicken curry and sushi. Frustrated, Emi jokingly threatened, "If you don't eat this rice, I'll send you away on the midnight ghost bus!" Coincidentally, a rickety old bus appeared at the door with a skeleton conductor asking for food. Terrified, Ren gave all his food away. This moment was so hilarious that Hana fell to the floor laughing, eventually spending an hour in the bathroom because she laughed so hard.
Seeing this, Emi realized she had to take a drastic step to make Ren independent. She, Hiroshi, and Hana hatched a secret plan. The next morning, when Ren tried to wake his mother, she remained motionless. Hana and Hiroshi put on a brilliant performance, crying and telling Ren that their mother had passed away. Heartbroken and forced into reality, Ren performed the final rites for his mother, believing she was truly gone.
After the "death" of his mother, Ren became very silent. He started doing his own chores. When Hana served him the same food he once rejected, he ate it all silently with tears in his eyes. Unknown to Ren, Emi had moved to a relative's house for three months to let him grow. Within two months, the change was incredible. Ren was no longer the boy clinging to his mother's saree; he started a music band with his classmates and began posting videos on social media.
Hana, moved by his progress, called Emi and begged her to come home. However, Emi stayed firm on her three-month plan, wanting to ensure her son was truly ready for life. When the three months were finally up, Emi returned and rang the doorbell. Ren opened the door and stood frozen, seeing his "late" mother standing before him.
Emi pulled him into a warm embrace and revealed the truth. Ren fell at her feet, crying, "It was all my fault, Mother. I was too dependent. Please forgive me." Emi hugged him tightly and said, "A mother can do anything to ensure her child's well-being." Watching this emotional reunion, Hana and Hiroshi couldn't hold back their tears.
Suddenly, Hiroshi appeared with a camera. "We need a photo for this happy family, don't we?" he joked. Everyone laughed, and a beautiful family portrait captured the moment, ending the story on a note of love and strength.
This story teaches us that true love isn't just about taking care of someone; it's about making them strong enough to stand on their own. Ren's journey shows that being over-dependent on others stops us from growing. Sometimes, the people who love us most have to be "tough" or stay away just to help us find our own strength. We learn that we often don't realize our own potential until we face challenges alone. Ultimately, a mother's greatest gift to her child is not just her presence, but the ability to survive and succeed even in her absence.
The End
Akifa,
The Author.