my father remarried. my new mother, eriko, was a person who suited a gentle voice and a smile. as for me, i didn't know how to interact with her yet, so i could only return a stiff smile. one day, eriko gently comforted me, who was stuck in my studies, and taught me in a way that was easy to understand, as if by magic. she took care of me and even cleaned my ears gently while cradling me on her lap. enveloped in a soft fragrance and warmth, my heart fluttered. i know it's wrong. but at that moment, i was looking at eriko not as a 'mother', but as a woman…
