Chapter 86 Visiting Mom

Lee Seng slowly strolled through the graveyard, following the cement path for a while until he reached a small building and turned left. He walked off the path until he came to a huge tree and started to search for his Mom's grave.

'How long has it been since I've been here?' Lee Seng wondered. 'Two, three years? I haven't really come to visit, huh?' His eyes looked around for a while and found a specific headstone that stuck out in the distance. He wandered over and found his Mom's headstone two plots before the headstone that caught his eye.

Lee Seng's tail lowered. He felt the rush of water filling him. His grip tightened on the flowers and he quickly shook his head before coming to the side of the headstone and sitting down.

"H-hey Mom," Lee Seng said quietly. He moved the flowers to sit on the grass and staring at his Mom's engraved picture on the headstone. "I know it's been a long time since I've come to see you. I, uh..." Lee Seng's head began to wander and split.

'Where should I begin?' He wondered. He cleared his throat and kept his eyes on his Mom's picture. She was genuinely smiling and Lee Seng felt comfort in the picture. He raised his hand to touch the headstone picture and let out another sigh.

"I don't know where to start, honestly. I ran away, you know that. I came back one more time before that summer ended and I haven't really visited since. The Crea-- Dad, he, uh..." Lee Seng trailed off. He shook his head and sighed, again. "I haven't been the same ever since you passed. I think Dad is the same. You were the one thing that held us together and now that you're gone... He doesn't hold the promise you made with him. He wanted to immediately keep me within the walls of the lab, but I fought hard to not be stuck there.

"I got a really nice apartment and Dad, initially, didn't want to help pay for it. Akio and Akali decided to leave me a monthly allowance on top of paying for everything in that apartment. When I was working age, I found out that the landlord was the owner of a boba shop, too. Her name's Alice and she's helped me through a lot. She acts like an older sister to me, too. Always nagging me like you did and making sure I eat, sleep and work hard at my studies and job.

"I met a nice older lady who lives across from me, too. She likes to feed me, a lot since her children and grandchildren can't come to visit her often. I said goodbye to her and her daughter today, too. Oh, I guess I should explain why I said goodbye." Lee Seng moved himself to sit right beside the tombstone. He looked up at the blue skies filled with specks of clouds and smiled.

"I got into the Academy in the heart of Capitol City," Lee Seng smiled. "I got accepted my third year into high school." He glanced at the grass and shook his head. He didn't like how the words came out. The truth was the truth yet it hurt to say it.

"I didn't have any powers from the Biohuman serum when I got it the same summer you passed away. I should be as honest with you since you're probably watching me from heaven," Lee Seng's smile died and he shamefully kept his eyes on the ground. He slowly lifted them to look at his Mom's picture. "I didn't have powers for three years. I was an outcast.

"My friends I made in middle school left me. Sara and Manny left me for the Academy. Everyone left me behind." Lee Seng's voice quivered. His eyes filled with tears and he held them. He didn't want to blink and feel his own tears. "I'm branded a failure because I didn't produce any powers. 'The Creator's son should have powers. He should represent his Father's ambitions and dreams turned reality. He couldn't even do that.'

"They cursed me more than they cursed Dad. That's why I insisted on moving close to the school. I reminded Dad I was a failure. That reminded me I was one every single day."

Tears streamed down Lee Seng's face and he sobbed. He wiped his tears and shook his head.

"Why do I have to go through this, Mom?" Lee Seng asked between sobs. "Did I wrong someone? Did I wrong God? Why me?" Lee Seng slammed his fist into his chest. "Why?!?"

Lee Seng wiped the tears and snot away, sniffing the snot back up. His tail wrapped around him as tight as it could while he continued to pound his chest in frustration.

"I-I... I didn't want you to see me like this. I didn't want to... I can hardly breathe. I can hardly sleep. I can hardly keep it together. When can I rest? Where can I dump all of these feelings and move on?" Lee Seng cried loudly.

Lee Seng cried for minutes, trying to calm the storm within him. He wiped at his face and took in shaky breaths as he sat next to his Mom's tombstone. He brushed his hands through the grass as he looked at the sky with his puffy eyes. His phone buzzed and he wiped the remaining snot and tears away, fishing for his phone.

A text message was sent from Akio. Lee Seng sighed and noticed he had spent quite some time with his Mom, already.

Akio: Hey, I finished my work in the city, so I just decided to go to your apartment. Take your time with your mom. I'll make something for lunch in a bit. Gonna go grocery shopping since you don't have much.

Lee Seng sighed in relief. It was just his brother. He sent an okay emoji and put the phone back into his pocket and took another deep breath. He turned to face his Mom, again.

"There are people who still take good care of me. I'm sure you know that." Lee Seng quietly said. "I guess you pretty much are caught up with everything that happened in the last three years. I got into the Academy, so I might not be able to visit you for a while, again. I should have really visited you sooner and more frequently and I'll try to visit you as much as I can.

"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention the physical changes." Lee Seng chuckled. His tail swayed side to side and he wiggled his fox ears. "I look more like a fox now. My human ears moved to the top of my head like a fox. I grew a white tail that's made of white matter. This is my new look. Honestly, I'm still not used to all the stares, but I guess it's better than everyone ignoring me."

Lee Seng lifted his watch and noticed it was 11:35 am. He sighed and stood up. He brushed the grass off of his orange shorts and squatted down and touched his Mom's tombstone.

"I should get going. Akio came over to my house. He's gonna help me pack tomorrow." Lee Seng smiled. "I'll get going now, Mom. Continue to watch over me. Visit me in my dreams, more often. I miss you. Bye, Mom." Lee Seng waved as he stood up and started to walk back to his car.

Lee Seng followed the main path back, waiting to make more distance before he pulled his phone out, again. When he saw his car in sight, he pulled his phone out and called Akio. The phone dialed for a while before he heard the familiar click.

"Hey, kid. You done talking to your Ma?" Akio asked.

"Yeah, I finished up with her." Lee Seng answered. Lee Seng listened to Akio clear his throat. He could hear Akio grabbing something. "Are you shopping?"

"Yeah, I'm at the grocery store around the corner by your house. You want something in particular?"

"I want some fried dumplings."

"You always want fried dumplings." Akio sighed. "Don't worry, I'll make your favorites today."

"Really?" Lee Seng smiled. He rounded the car and put his hand on the handle and listened to the car beep as he pulled the door open. He sat in the driver's seat and closed the door. "Thanks, bro. I'm heading home now."

"Alright, I'll see you at your apartment, then. Drive safe, Seng."

"Mmm, bye."

"Bye."

Lee Seng hung the phone up and put his phone into the cup holders. He started the car and listened to the engine roar back to life. He felt the cool AC kiss his warm skin. He sighed in relief and nodded.

'I feel better now that I visited Mom. I'll have to visit more often.' Lee Seng smiled. His music kicked on and he signaled out of the parking spot.