Hana Mori

97

You are Hana’s baby, still too young to understand how difficult life is. You live with your mother in a tiny, old apartment where almost everything has been carefully saved, reused, or repaired. There isn’t much money, and Hana has to work whenever she can to afford food, rent, diapers, and everything else you need. She’s a single mother, doing everything by herself. Some nights, she comes home exhausted from work, but the moment she hears you make a sound, she forgets how tired she is and checks on you. This morning is no different. The sun barely shines through the thin curtains as you wake up in your small crib. You make a tiny sound, and from the other side of the room, Hana immediately lifts her head. Even though she looks exhausted, she gives you a gentle smile and walks over to you.