3 The Rael Family

"It's a flower field located in Japan. I featured it in one of my articles back in the day." Said Lyrica's father. "The park is popular for its baby blue-eyes, but what your mother and I like the most is the flower field's variety of tulips."

"Tulips?"

Lyrica's father swiped through his phone, where the array of tulips is now on display. Lyrica's eyes sparkled wide once again.

"These are the tulips?! So beautiful!"

"Lyrica, did you know that giving tulips to someone means that you love them deeply?"

"Giving someone a tulip means you love them deeply?"

Her father nodded, following her question.

Lyrica pondered for a moment.

"Father, did you give Mother a tulip before?"

"He did." Lyrica's mother answered. "I can still vividly remember the day when he gave me a red tulip. He looked so embarrassed and awkward that I almost couldn't contain my laughter."

"Hey, you..."

"But that didn't stop him from approaching me, which I find cool and brave." Lyrica's mother added, following with a sweet smile towards her husband which made his face flush red.

"W-Why'd you have to bring it up...?"

"What's wrong? You're the one who brought things up first."

"Tulips..."

While her parents are teasing each other in the back, Lyrica is fixated with the tulips. And after some thought, Lyrica told her parents:

"I want to go to the flower field!"

"Huh?"

Her parents stared at her, bewildered.

"I want to go to the flower field so that I can get all the tulips and give them all to Father and Mother!"

The two look at each other in brief silence. Such innocent and childish desire made her parents laugh heartily afterward. The two went and warmly cuddled their daughter.

"All right, we'll go to the flower field." Said Lyrica's father.

"Really?!" Lyrica's eyes widened.

Her mother then followed suit, saying:

"Yeah! Once everything is settled, we'll visit a beautiful flower field!"

"Yaay!! I love you, Father, Mother!"

"We love you too, Lyrica."

And then, they spend the entire night talking about flowers until Lyrica eventually fell asleep. But unbeknownst to young Lyrica, that night would be the last time she'll ever spend time together with her parents like a normal happy family.

The next day, Lyrica's parents started acting cautiously, especially whenever Lyrica is around. They would avoid talking in a way where Lyrica would notice them. If they need to, they would hide in their room just so that Lyrica doesn't have to hear and feel burdened by their problems.

They both tried to keep it all to themselves whilst Lyrica's mind is completely occupied with tulips and visiting the flower field that she stopped playing the online game she's playing along with her friend, Erika. Until one day, all the burden they accumulated to themselves grew too much to bear.

"Tulips!"

One day, as Lyrica's class ended and is on her way home with Erika, her friend, a small flower stand caught Lyrica's attention.

"Tulips?" Erika pointed her finger towards the bouquet of red tulips. "Is that the one you're talking about?"

"Yeah. It's the one Father gave Mother to show how he loves her deeply."

"Nice..." Said Erika in amazement.

The flower stand owner saw the enthusiastic Lyrica and Erika staring into the red tulips with great interest.

"What is it? Do you like the red tulips?" The flower stand owner asked.

"I... I-I want to give my parents a red tulip." Lyrica bashfully replied before hiding behind Erika's back.

"Sorry, Lyrica is a little shy with other people." Erika let out an awkward laugh.

The flower stand owner looked at Lyrica with kind eyes. "You want to show your parents that you love them, huh? What a good kid you are."

Lyrica nodded sheepishly.

After that, the flower owner went and plucked one of the red tulips and tried to give it to Lyrica.

Lyrica shook her head as she frantically waved her hands in refusal. "S-Sorry! I'm not planning on buying. I don't have any money."

"It's alright." Said the flower owner kindly. "Here, give it to your parents, I'm sure they'll be so delighted."

"Lyrica, take it," Erika interjected, encouraging Lyrica to come out of hiding.

Slowly but surely, Lyrica gathered the courage and came out of hiding from Erika's back, taking the red tulip from the owner's hand.

"Thank you!" Lyrica gave the flower stand owner a bright, grateful smile.

"Would you like one, too?" The owner asked Erika, standing on the sideline.

"No, I'm good." Erika politely thanked the owner for the offer.

After that, Lyrica and Erika went back on track before eventually parting ways with each other. Erika's home is at the orphanage which is located in a different direction than Lyrica's house.

"You better be online in the game tomorrow morning, Lyrica!" Erika shouted at Lyrica from the distance. "We have to beat the final xenia continent dungeon to go to the next continent!"

"Yeah, I know. Bye-bye!"

As the two go on their separate ways, Lyrica followed the sidewalk towards her home with anticipation. She thought for sure they'll like it and give her a warm and tight embrace. She pictured the scenario in her head over and over whilst flowers appeared all around her.

Lyrica shook her head, returning to her senses. "That's right, I have to keep the tulip from Mother until Father comes home."

However, what awaited Lyrica at home is way too far from what she had in mind.

"There's no other way, I guess I have to run straight to... Huh?"

As the young girl carefully approached the door, it became apparent that the door is not closed.

"It's open... How convenient." Lyrica's face transformed to that of a mischievous-looking cat.

Lyrica knew that her mother wouldn't leave the door open. But she didn't pay it any mind. She even found it convenient that she doesn't have to knock for someone to open the door for her, allowing her to sneak in without getting caught.

"Don't get caught, don't get caught... Hm?"

But as the door creaked open, a pair of Lyrica's father's shoes he uses whenever he's leaving the house for work immediately caught her attention.

"Father?"

Low muffle! Low muffle!

"Huh?"

The muffled voices of her parents rang through her ears, seemingly talking with each other further inside the dining room.

Lyrica's face lit up. "This is it!"

The young Lyrica thought it was the perfect opportunity to give her parents the red tulip. However, as she went further inside and her parents' voices became clearer, she realized that they weren't having any normal conversation.

"How long... How long are you going to make me wait?!"

"Eek!" Lyrica flinched in surprise, following what her mother uttered in a loud and angry tone.

"Didn't I tell you to just wait a little longer?! I'm trying my hardest to find a job, you know!"

The tone of Lyrica's father's response terrified the young girl.

"Father..."

This is the very first time that Lyrica witnessed her parents arguing with each other.

She watched the two in total silence as they blurt out everything without even realizing that their daughter is standing on the side of the dining room, holding the red tulip she's supposed to give them as a present.

"Father... Mother..."

"L-Lyrica?!"

"Lyrica!"

Lyrica heard everything. From her mother's salary being cut, her father losing his job, and is struggling to find one, to how their debt from the money-lending bank blew up tremendously because they couldn't pay the full amount in time.

Moments later, they all sat down in front of the dinner table, a down expression formed on their faces.

"I'm sorry, Lyrica."

"Father..."

Lyrica was devastated by the revelation. All this time, she was clueless about what was happening. If only she knew everything from the beginning, she would have done something to ease their burden even if just a bit. However...

"We didn't want you to feel burdened by our troubles."

"Mother..."

That is what her parents are trying to avoid from happening, they don't want Lyrica's childhood to be taken away because of their troubles.

"I... I'm sorry if I am being incompetent. I'm sorry if I couldn't be of help to the two of you, Father, Mother."

"Don't blame yourself, Lyrica."

"It's our own incompetence that led us to this situation."

The two went and embraced the crying Lyrica to comfort her. And then, Lyrica's father told her daughter:

"Remember, Lyrica. No matter how many hardships the world throws at us, as long as we are together as a family, we can overcome anything."

While trying to wipe the tears off of Lyrica's face with her bare hands, Lyrica's mother added: "That's right. So don't cry anymore, Lyrica."

Lyrica felt a sense of guilt and regret not being able to help her parents with the trouble they're facing. But at the same time, she understood and accepted their decision.

But now that she's aware of the truth, Lyrica felt responsible, she thought she had to do something as part of the family.