Lullabies of the 2020s Summer

...Wednesday 16 September 2020...

...-TSUKITO'S POV-...

...Covid-19 had spread across my abode and other places. The schools were closed and online classes were taken. Grace and I had separated for that time, since, there was a curfew and both of our parents did not allow us to go out any longer, neither to play outside nor to meet each other....

“I am so bored... I wish I had my own mobile phone.” I mumbled under my breath, wishing for my own mobile phone, so that I could talk to my Grace, every night, in my room, at least.

“Grace is very lucky... She has her own phone! I wish I had mine too. We could text each other, so much!” I jotted down my thoughts into my diary, since, I had nobody to talk to. And, my Asian parents were CERTAINLY not the right people to talk to, about my girlfriend.

I rolled up my shirt sleeves and tied my slightly grown black hair into a short man bun. I hadn't cut my hair ever since the pandemic began... My gaze caught the sight of my mom, making me flinch a little as I saw my mother come to my room and hid my diary's pages immediately.

“What are you doing?” She questioned, casually, while picking up the dirty clothes from my basket that needed to be washed. “Nothing... Just studying math.” I answered, after clearing my throat a little and trying to act nonchalant whilst looking down at the math textbook.

My mom walked towards my table where I was sitting and looked at my textbook and made a sarcastic comment, “I guess you've learnt a very new skill to read words upside down, haven't you?” She then fixed the book's position and then left the room after saying, “Study now.” She closed the door as she said that and went to do laundry.

“Tch...” I tugged on to my hair slightly and his my face before sighing at my ignorance. Leaning backwards, i took my diary back out of my bag and thought to myself silently, “I must throw these pages away later. I'm not sure what my parents would think if they read it.” I groaned.

“I've become such a hot headed person in this pandemic... Hm... Missing Grace's presence has surely affected me a lot...” I sighed, while clicking my pen's lid with my finger; my head pressed down to the table surface.

“Grace would be disappointed seeing me become such an irritable person. Tch...” I thought to myself, before fixing my posture and closing my math textbook. “Where should I hide it...?” I muttered to myself, I tore up the pages before asking myself.

“Oh, I guess I've a hiding spot!” I grinned.

...-GRACE'S POV-...

I was sat on my study table, in my room, doing the remaining assignments that I had failed to finish since a week after the deadline has finished.

Tsukito was my direct opposite in academic stuff. Straight A's. Assignment, homework, project, everything done... Good grades in class tests, even! Unlike me, lazy and a master in procrastination.

“Ugh, why aren't these assignments not finishing up... I've been doing them since last night!” I whined while doing the math assignment, which was apparently Tsukito's favorite.

“How does this Tsukito even manage to keep everything complete in math? It's so difficult. I cannot.” I thought to myself silently before dropping my pen to the table and getting to the bed, curling up on the bed. “I haven't talked to Tsukito for like two days. I wish he had his own phone... Communication could be so much easier in this pandemic!” I complained to myself, in my mind. I hated this no contact thing. Online classes on Zoom was the only place, where I and Tsukito could at least see each other's faces.

But, I wanted so much more!...

“Oh and wait... Tomorrow is Tsukito's birthday! I need to wish him, anyhow. I also have a letter for him... But, how do I give it to him without letting his parents know?”

I thought and thought, before, a clever idea clashed my thoughts!...

......NEXT DAY......

...Thursday 17 September 2020...

...-TSUKITO'S POV-...

I awoke and rubbed my eyes, to the annoying sound of the alarm waking me up at 6:30 AM. To my surprise, there was a newly purchased phone, sat on my study table. “Huh...?” I trudged towards my study table, picking up the phone in my hands, observing it. It wasn't my mother's. Neither my father's. And, of course, nor mine, too.

“Ma?” I called for my mom, as I walked outside my room to the living room where my both parents were watching the morning news, obviously about the latest news about corona virus. “Whose phone is this, ma?” Mom's attention set upon me as I questioned her and she and dad, both, wished me happy birthday along together.

“It's yours. Keep it. It's your new phone! Happy 14th birthday... Always keep your focus on studies.” Mom said, smiling at me with her utterly adorable motherly smile.

I thanked my mother and then my father additionally added, “Yes... And, grow up nicely and healthily.” My father patted my head in an affectionate manner as he said that.

I grinned at the both of them, “Wow... Ma, dad... Thank you so very much!” I hugged my dad and then my mom, after thanking them.

...7:15 AM...

I happily hopped on to my study table's chair and sat in front of the laptop, turning it on, to attend my daily online class. I had put slightly more efforts to my appearance, today; A yellow shirt with loose fit pants and a mullet hairstyle.

I attended the lecture and quickly started to save all the important contact numbers that I needed in my new and first mobile phone.

“Grace, Wataru... Mom, Dad, Grandma... And, the teacher's numbers. Aaaaand, done!”

I saved the contacts of all the important people in my life.

As I finished Saving all the contacts, I heard my room's door knob click open... It was mom. She called me with my nickname as usual, “Tsuki, your friend wataru has called.”

I nodded before taking her phone from her hand, “Oh, okay, thanks ma...” Whilst thanking her. “Hello, Tsukito! Wish you a many happy returns of the day, bro! Ain't you gonna do something special today?” Wataru asked, with his usual friendly voice. “Thank you so much, Wataru, actually... ma and dad gifted me a new and my first phone! You know, it's fantastic!”

“Wow... Really? You're so lucky, bro! I still use my mom's phone. My parents say they'll get me a phone when I turn sixteen! There's a lot of time remaining, ugh!” Wataru complained to me, while also congratulating me for my new and first ever phone.

I laughed and talked to him a little, before hanging up the call. “I must call Grace! She doesn't know I've got my new phone yet!” I thought to myself and used my new phone to call Grace…. Grace took a while to pick up, almost... like ten seconds.

“Hello? Who's this?” Grace asked, in quite a formal tone. Her formality amused me and I just laughed a bit before uttering, “Quit this formality, Grace, it's me! Tsukito!” I could sense her astonishment with the loud silence in the call for like three seconds. “TSUKI- TSUKITO?! TSUKITO, HELLO?” I almost flinched slightly as she literally shouted into the phone. “Yes, hello, grace! It's me, Tsukito!” I chuckled softly while saying so. “WoW, WOW- WOW! TSUKITO?! It's really you!” I giggled at the sound of her excitement and enthusiasm regarding my call.

Grace's excitement and enthusiasm always managed to warm up my heart, She continued further with her adorable questions radiating curiousity... “How did you call me? Whose number is it? How are you?” I laughed gently and then I answered all her questions, one by one, “This is my number. My new phone... My parents gifted it to me, today! You should save it. And, yes, I'm amazing after listening to your voice, Grace...” I could hear an innocent and sweet giggle escape her lips as she, once again, cheerfully replied, “Sure sure sure! I definitely must save it. Oh, I'm SO SO SO glad, your parents gifted you a phone! Now we can talk to each other and even text each other!”

I smiled at her voice radiating such warmth and enthusiasm, and before I could even speak something. Her sweet sugar-like voice, wished me, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Tsukito! I am so happy that you turned fourteen, today!” I smiled at her sweetness and again, before I could thank her, she lowered her voice to a whisper and then spoke, “You know, I have written a virtual letter for you in a pdf format! I'll send you on WhatsApp, right now!” Then... she immediately hung up; extremely eager to show me the letter. It made me feel really flattered that she took her dear time to write paragraphs about me, just for me...

...22:30 P**M**...

After making sure that my parents were fast asleep, I locked my room's door quietly and covered myself with a blanket perfectly, before beginning to text Grace...

^^^“Yes... Now we can call!” ^^^

^^^I texted her, waiting for her call in anticipation and excitement, that we're really about to call and listen to each other's voices at night!...^^^

“Yay! Sure~”

She responded, before voice-calling me.

For like two hours, we secretly talked with each other in whispery voices and she sung me a lovely lullaby with her sugar-like sweet enchanting voice, to help me sleep better...

“You are my sunshine... My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray... You never know, dear... How much I love you~ Please, don't take my sunshine... Away... Hm hm hm hm~”

I slept so well that night, I couldn't help but feel extremely fresh and happy, the next morning.

Thanks to you, my precious Grace.

You're my everything.

Without you, I might have nothing.

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