Once again, spoilers lurk beyond this point, especially in the story-specific sections. You've been warned.
On 'Somewhere, I Sleep Alone'
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okaasan: 'mother'
- otousan: 'father'
- imouto-chan: 'dear little sister'
- oneechan: 'big sister'
- tatami: woven mats used as floor coverings in Japanese homes
- futon: bed
I'm not done with Rika yet. She's just made what I'd be inclined to call 'the mother of all bad decisions', if I didn't feel that the joke was a bit inappropriate at the present juncture.
This is where we start seeing the flaws in the way Kana and Taka raised their children. No matter how good their intentions were, there will be negative sides to any personality.
Rika's self-reliance and independence, when taken too far, lead to her tendency to take the world on her shoulders and believe she can fix things for everyone, while not thinking twice about her own needs. Her inability to do anything for her okaasan has made her desperate. She won't allow herself to let her otousan or Sara-chan down.
But she's never had this much pressure on her before. She's not done making questionable decisions. Rika is, after all, just a child. I just hope she comes to realise that fact, before it's too late for her to enjoy it anymore.
And as for Sara-chan, it's true that Kana and Taka did everything they could to make their daughter intelligent and aware. The flipside of that is that Sara sees too clearly. She's not as naive as most children. And that can lead to despair.
Without their okaasan to guide them, what will Rika and Sara do?
I aim to provide answers in the final two chapters. Or, at the very least, some hope.