Note: This chapter is set some time after Takiko was kidnapped in Stars of Hope and Destiny. Hope that clears up everything.
A faint beating of lub dup sounded hollowly in my heart as I glanced over at the snoring figure of Tomite, fast asleep in the next bed. I was glad that he had finally managed to catch some eye-rest; he had been worrying over Takiko-san the entire evening. Not that that was a bad thing, of course.
Something in me scorned his obvious childishness, his naiveté, but another part of me was green with envy, jealous of his persistent optimistic outlook in life. That was definitely one thing I definitely could beat him in. I had been like that many years ago, young and reckless. So reckless that I trusted everyone around me.
Resting my head on the headboard, I gazed up at the ceiling, noting with some abandon the many cracks on the yellow boards. A soft breeze blew from the open window, ruffling my hair, and I caught a few strands of it as they grazed my nose. Running them between my fingers, I studied the pale silver hue that it was. Ironically, it made me resemble someone fifty years older than me, unlike the twenty-one years that I was.
"Emtato, bakayaro…"
The beginnings of a song, long forgotten and buried in the depths of my mind resurfaced, and I caught at the snatches of it. It glided freely in my mind, and I closed my eyes, letting the words of the song wash over me like a lullaby. The melody was nostalgic, lilting and I inhaled sharply.
A wave of pain washed over me, but it wasn't as agonizing as how it was three years ago. It was stale, lost in time, and somehow, I was glad for it. It was a memory that I never wanted to recall…forever.