I walked over to Tama-chan and gently petted her soft fur.
"Tama-chaan… you're going to be a mama now, right? Just like Mama."
She meowed back at me — soft, like she understood.
Then Papa knelt beside me.
"Hideki," he said, his voice calm but serious, "listen, buddy."
I looked up at him and met his eyes. He wasn't smiling like before. This felt important.
"If Tama-chan has babies," he asked slowly, "do you think you can help raise them? Take care of them with us?"
My eyes widened.
Something inside my chest lit up.
Papa… was letting me take care of Tama-chan's babies?
I nodded — not too fast, but strong enough to show I meant it.
I was happy.
Really happy.
Mama looked at Papa too, and they gave each other a small nod.
Like they had already talked about this… and decided it together.
Maybe they saw something in me — something that changed.
Maybe they knew I was starting to move forward… little by little.
Not forgetting Yui. Never that.
But slowly, carefully, learning to live with the missing piece.
And now… maybe Tama-chan's babies could help fill some of the space Yui left behind.
A new beginning.
A small one.
But mine.
And I didn't know it at the time…
…but maybe Mama and Papa had been planning this for a while.
First school. Then Shin.
Now Tama-chan's babies.
Not to erase Yui.
But to help my heart grow again.
In its own way.
At its own pace.
With love.
I kept petting Tama-chan again and again.
She didn't move.
Just stayed curled up, her eyes half-closed, letting me run my hand through her soft fur.
"Tama-chan," I whispered, "I'll take care of your babies. I'll love them… just like I love you."
Then I raised both hands and waved them in a circle, like making a big bubble around us.
"Our family is going to be bigger now."
Tama-chan meowed softly, like she understood me again.
So I asked her gently, "Tama-chaaaan… let's go to my room and tell Shiba-inu, okay? Tell him you're going to be a mama."
I stood up and began walking slowly — carefully.
Matching her heavy steps, one by one.
When we reached my room, Shiba-inu was still sitting on my desk, waiting like always.
His button eyes stared at the doorway.
I think he was curious too.
I stepped inside, turned to Tama-chan, then looked at Shiba.
"Shibaaa… Shiba! Tama-chan is going to be a mamaaa!"
He didn't say anything, of course.
But I imagined him listening carefully — just like he always does.
I sat down on the floor and looked around.
Everything felt warm.
Soft.
Whole.
And then my eyes found the shelf.
The one where Yui's memory box still sat.
I stood up and walked toward it.
My hand reached out — slow and gentle — and touched the lid.
"Yui…" I whispered, "Tama-chan's pregnant. She's going to have babies soon."
I closed my eyes for a second.
"I hope you can be here with me. When she gives birth. We can name the kittens together, okay?"
I opened my eyes, and a small ache bloomed in my chest.
A missing.
A wish.
But then…
I grabbed my crayons.
Pulled out a sheet of paper.
And started to draw.
Me.
Mama.
Papa.
Shiba-inu.
Tama-chan — big and round — and tiny little kittens beside her.
I sang while I drew.
Not "Twinkle Twinkle" this time.
Just something my heart made up.
Neko… neko… Tama-chan…
She will be a neko mom~
After I go school today…
And i meet my new friend Shin…
Yui… Yui… where are you…
Let me draw this all for you…
I kept singing, even if the words didn't rhyme.
They didn't have to.
They were mine.
And when I finished the drawing, I looked at it and gasped a little.
"Woooow…" I whispered. "It looks so good!"
It really did.
Better than when I was four.
I held the paper high and ran to Tama-chan.
"Tama-chaaaan! Look! Look at Hideki's drawing!"
I pointed at each one.
"That's me… that's Mama… that's Papa… that's Shiba-inu… and that's you! And your babies!"
She blinked slowly, her tail flicking once like she liked it.
Then I ran to Shiba-inu.
"Shibaaa, look! It's better than before, right?"
I moved his head with my hand — just a little — so it nodded.
Then I smiled.
Big and proud.
I walked back to the shelf and showed the drawing to Yui's box.
"Yuiii… Hideki made this for you."
I pressed the drawing against the box like she could see it through the wood.
"I hope someday you'll see this for real. And we'll play again like before."
Then I giggled.
"Buuuut… now we'll play with Tama-chan's babies too!"
I ran to the living room where Mama and Papa were sitting.
"LOOK!" I shouted, holding my drawing high in the air.
Mama gasped. "Waaaah! Hideki! That's amazing!"
She gave me two big thumbs up.
Papa leaned forward on the couch and nodded with a grin.
"Look at that. Your drawings really are better now, buddy."
I puffed out my chest and pointed my thumb at it proudly.
"Yeeaah! Hideki's big now! Better than before!"
Mama walked over and gave me a huge hug — warm and tight.
Then Papa opened his arms from where he sat and called out, "Come here, buddy. Papa wants a hug too."
I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him.
He held me close, and everything melted — like chocolate in warm milk.
The kind of hug that makes your heart feel full.
Like everything — just everything — was okay.