112 Isn'st She Your Aunt?

Though with a heavy heart, the foreign group left City T after two more days.

Well, for one, Vanessa cannot stay too long because she still needs to get back to her son.

Madeline shopped like crazy, putting the tab on Dan's card as per agreement.

Dan held his wife every minute possible. He was like a spoiled brat who asked his mother to leave work to be with him.

Aoi Xiu was fine with having Vanessa over, talking about baby stuff and motherhood, sometimes scaring the sh** out of her daughter.

It was another day, but Midori insisted on sending Manta to school. It might be her hormones or she just missed the little guy, but she somehow wanted to be near him all of a sudden.

Mantarou Xiu had successfully transferred back to his school in City T. He was also enrolled back on his violin lessons on weekends.

Since he knew most of his classmates, he did not need to find new friends. However, the problem lied on these so-called friends.

"See you later, Mommy!" He waved excitedly towards Midori.

She had a bright smile on her face. She looked intently on the changes in him. He looked less chubby, but in fact, he had just became taller.

"I'll pick you up later, okay,"

"Hmnn." The little boy nodded, then turned around to hop towards his classroom.

Kids who were being brought up spoiled laughed.

"He could even get his own mother wrong!"

Manta's hazel eyes had a glint in them, but he did not bother to retort. He nonchalantly walked away and towards his classroom.

When he arrived, he saw the familiar fair face of a friend.

She smiled at him, her eyes turning into slits, her bilateral dimples were deep.

"Ohayoo~ Manta-kun!" Her teeth were white but there were obvious missing ones. They were starting to fall off.

"Ohayoo, Ayako-chan!" He had a warm smile.

"Manta-kun, don't mind them. I will always believe that you're the smartest boy I know!" She was enthusiastic enough to wave her arms.

"Ayako-chan, can I tell you a secret?"

"Hmmn?" Her eyes transformed into larger round ones with dark pupils.

"Actually, my 'Mommy'..."

"Isn't she your aunt?" The girl was tactful.

Manta smiled. "I know."

"If you knew, then I believe that you have a reason for calling her 'Mommy'." She flashed a bright smile despite the missing teeth.

To her surprise, he suddenly gave her a bearhug.

While burying his head on her small shoulder, he whispered, "Thank you...Ayako-chan."

It did not long for her shock to turn into a warm feeling. Masking it with a bright smile and a tilt of her head, wobbling her pigtails, she gently pushed him away.

"So, why do you still do it?" She flashed her smile to hide her reaction.

"I made a pact with my uncle." He started recalling that day as he told her the story.

Actually, after they got back to City T, Manta had started calling Midori 'Aunty' again. However, to his confusion, during the latest visit of his uncle, he was told not to do it.

When Dan heard Manta call his wife "Aunty Midori" he called the little boy and talked to him in private.

"Since when did you start calling your aunt like that?" he asked with a look of concern.

Manta was confused. Was it a bad thing? But his father specifically told him to lose his habit so as not to confuse people. That was why it reverted back to how he called his aunt when his mother was still alive.

Dan sighed, not getting an explanation. "Anyway, I need you to do me a favor."

The last promise that his Uncle Dan made with him was almost into completion. That is why, he could easily trust him and be at his command.

"Hmmm?" His eyebrows raised and his dimple showed on his subtle smile.

"I need you to protect your aunt."

"I will, Uncle!" He declared almost immediately.

"You can...by calling her 'Mommy' again." Dan smiled.

"Why?"

"That way, you can keep bad people from getting close to her." Dan was grinning.

Manta looked at him skeptically then nodded. "Okay."

"That's my boy!" He patted the little boy's head, gently messing his hair.

.

Midori was initially glad that Manta improved the way he addressed her. However, he suddenly went back to calling her 'Mommy' much to her surprise. However, thinking that he still needed it as a part of his coping mechanism for his mother's loss, she let it be. She thought that coming back to City T brought him memories with his mother.

She would never imagine that it was the idea of her husband who had secured himself from punishment miles away.