Lesson Learned

It wasn't a surprise

Mitsuko looked outside the café window as it rained, a few people without umbrellas were holding newspapers or jackets over their head as they ran to shelter from the pour.

"Good thing I remembered an umbrella," mom said, smiling faintly as she drank her tea.

Mitsuko glanced at her. "Oh, yeah, good thing." She picked up her latte and drank as they lapsed into another silence.

"...So is Karma coming around on Friday?" Mom asked.

"Uh, huh." She nodded, warming her hands around the mug. "We're walking home after school together with Gakushuu."

Mom smiled slightly. "That'll be nice." She hummed. "I'll make sure the spare room is ready for him." Her smile grew. "He's such a funny young man! And it's nice seeing Gakushuu relax more with his friends."

Mitsuko nearly choked. "Uh, I wouldn't call them friends, mom..."

"Don't be silly." Mom rolled her eyes. "Of course they're friends." She shook her head in amusement. "Boys just like to play rough sometimes. It's play-fighting."

Mitsuko wasn't sure if she should laugh or not. "Uh, right...sure." She drank her drink and shrugged. "If you say so."

Mom nodded, eyeing her from behind the tea mug as another silence settled for a while.

"...So, have things been patched up with you and Rio?" Mom asked lightly.

"Yes," Mitsuko replied, watching her mom warily. "Things are okay now."

"Good..." Mom tapped her fingers against the mug, looking down. "I want you two to be happy." She cleared her throat. "...And um..."

"Yes?" Mitsuko arched  an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Her mom blushed, avoiding her gaze. "Look, I don't—I'm not really homophobic!"

Oh, great...

Mitsuko slumped in her chair and groaned. "Mom..."

"It's true! I'm completely fine with you and Rio dating," Mom said quickly while Mitsuko just sighed again. "It's just hard for me to process still..."

Mitsuko wanted to bury her face in her palm. "Wow...I'm so sorry, it's so hard for you." Her hand slid down her face slowly as she raised an eyebrow. "I couldn't even imagine how hard it is having to process all of that..."

Mom looked more embarrassed. "I'm to saying it isn't hard for you—but it's just..." Her voice lowered. "You're my daughter, and how you are is different from how I thought well...you know what a lesbian—I mean Bisexual person would be."

"Yeah, because I'm the first and only non-straight person you've probably talked to, mom," Mitsuko replied dryly. "Look, I'm sorry I upset you by calling you homophobic, I know you're trying your best to understand..."

"I am!" Mom nodded, frowning. "I've searched the internets and...um..." She quickly reached into her bag. "I tried to find books on it—but most of it looked inappropriate and a little too sexual."

Mitsuko buried her face in her palm and sighed.

"But I found this sweet little novel that was nice!" Mom took out a book which was written in English. "There aren't any Japanese translations, but I can understand enough." She flipped through the pages. "It's about this American boy who lives in a small town who has a crush on someone...there isn't much physical affection but he ends up kissing one boy and they even hold hands."

"...Oh, wow..." Mitsuko wasn't sure how to react. "That's...nice..."

Mom nodded and looked through the pages. "Not much has happened in terms of conflict, but it was a nice read."