As he climbed the stairs leading to the house, Arthur saw his uncle talking to a woman with eyes red from crying.
"Well, Arthur, this is your mom."
Arthur approached cautiously and simply said, "Hello, Mom."
The woman drew her son close and hugged him tightly, letting out a few sobs. Arthur didn't know what to feel, but suddenly tears came to his eyes as his mother embraced him, and he felt that warmth and security only a mother can give.
After the hug, she spoke in Japanese to his brother, then looked at Arthur.
"I am your mother, Arthur, and first of all, I want to know what your father told you about me."
Arthur only said that she was a very kind woman and that he should feel the love only a mother can give.
With a smile, the woman shouted something in Japanese to his brother, and he shouted back something else in Japanese. This left Arthur confused, forcing him to learn Japanese quickly.
"Well, my son, the truth is your father is a fool. He was always a cold man because he never got to know his own mother. I can imagine he doesn't want you to become like him, and that's why he let you come to Japan."
Arthur just laughed because his father had nothing of being a cold man, always smiling and joking in the best way.
Although perhaps he was confusing the memories of his previous life, since he barely remembered the life of young Arthur.
"Yes, I suppose. Well, where will I sleep?"
"Follow your uncle; he will guide you to your room."
Following his uncle, he was told that he was lucky it was Friday and that they would use the weekend to get familiar with the place and get to know his new school. This made Arthur thoughtful, as he remembered that Japan in these years would have an economic boom, but that later everything would go downhill. He just needed to know how to get started.
As he said goodbye to his uncle, he looked at his small room and lay down on the bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a notebook sticking out of a drawer. As he approached, it was a photo album—pictures of his mother as a child and in adulthood. He saw a photo of his mother with a man with a serious face looking at the camera, and his mother smiling warmly at him.
While looking at the photo album, someone knocked on the door.
"Can I come in?" it was his mom's voice. She opened the door, carrying a tray of food.
"I know it can be very difficult to adapt to everything. When I first arrived in the United States, I couldn't get used to the food either, so I made you some miso soup and a bit of fried fish."
Arthur took the tray of food and could only thank his mom, carrying it to his desk.
His mother simply told him to eat and try to sleep early.
Arthur watched as she left the room and closed the door. He looked at the food, and his stomach growled. "Well, better eat a little and then think of a plan."