The Right Universe
Fire….dark orange flames consuming the room making it unbearable to just watch. That's all that Tomoya could see in that moment. With wide open eyes he scanned the room for any possible escapes, trying his best to understand the evolving situation. He didn't remember why did he come to this place or just why he was standing in a doorway of a room that looked like a library or study and which was now partially consumed in flames. His mind was trying to process the fact that wherever he was, he needed to get out of there. The only thing that was stopping him was the sound of a girl's cry. Loud, ears attacking and heart breaking cries of a young girl. Tomoya quickly realized that she must be in that room her escape route blocked by the flames. Not knowing how to react, the combination of fear and panic overcoming his mind, Tomoya quickly started looking around the room for something to put out the fire with. "Anyone…please…something…." He prayed quietly to himself while frantically scanning the room, while still listening to the young girl's cries. That's when he noticed that he knew the place, this room. He knew that house. It was a house that he knew particularly well. Even better than his own at some points in his life. He spent countless hours and days there, he almost grew up here. And although he didn't visit this library that often, he knew who it belonged to. This whole house. This place that he always felt at home for years which held so many wonderful memories for him. "Otou – san…." Whispering the cold harsh fact about who this room belonged to Tomoya realized the other truth. Sweat was dripping from his forehead while the flames grew wider and more dangerous, the girl's desperate cries not leaving his ears. "Kotomi…." He gasped audibly, heartbeat accelerating massively. The library itself was slowly falling apart while the object of Tomoya's thoughts was probably hiding in the corner, trying impossibly to avoid the flames. "Kotomi!" Tomoya cried on top of his lungs, but no answer came. Just the continuous cries and pleas from her throat. "Kotomi!" Again, nothing. He felt useless. He is not even able to save his…. "Oh god…." Tears started to form in his eyes when he tried to fight off the acrid smoke and the thought of the inevitable. "Kotomi…" He whispered.
Tomoya opened his eyes, to find himself staring into almost pitch black darkness his brain still not completely realizing that he was just dreaming. A nightmare, and a real bad one…maybe the worst he had in years, but it seemed so real. It couldn't have happened for real. It felt like the dream itself played its own story in a different timeline. As he hyperventilated and whipped off the sweat from his forehead he slowly sat up on his bed and realized that none of that dream was true. It was all some kind of a sick joke, a cruel tragedy that his brain produced while he slept. He was home. Under the sheets in his comfortable bed with the object of his worries, with the person that he was trying to save in his dream sleeping soundly beside him. Tomoya let a small smile crawl onto his face at the sight of his wife and the bit messy way in which her bluish – purple hair now cascaded on her pillow and framed her still a bit childish, but from Tomoya's point of view, extremely cute face. To Tomoya it was a sight for angels….pure delicacy that he adored to death on his wife. He felt the need to lightly caress the creamy skin on her cheek with his right thumb, but resisted the feeling, letting his wife sleep peacefully. 'How did that dream happen…and why…?' He wondered while looking at the source of his stability, security and happiness...amongst other things. Well only one half of the whole. While Tomoya did want to rest a few more hours with the current time being slight past 2 o'clock in the morning, he rose from his warm bed and left the sheets opened and headed for the bathroom. He tiptoed his way in and slowly closed the door behind himself. The bathroom looked just as dark, if not even darker than the rest of his house. After he switched on the light, he quickly refreshed himself from all the sweat and stress that were caused by the highly unpleasant dream with a few splashes of water to his face. The towels were changed a few hours earlier thanks to his wife. Even small things like these did remind him how much he appreciates her role in his life and how he didn't know what he would be able to do without her. If he would have any motivation, energy and happiness in his life like when he was in his teenage years and she unconsciously gave him all that he needed to get himself together and to make something valuable out of his life.
The cold, fresh water did have the right effect on his face and mind as he was now clearly able to think rationally again. Before he turned on his heel to exit the bathroom he noticed his face in the mirror. It had gained unfortunately a few wrinkles, but he still managed to keep his handsome delinquent look. "Great…and I'm only 33…" He grumbled quietly while he examined his face.
Deciding to freshen his throat as well, he exited the bathroom and slowly made his way downstairs to the kitchen to fetch himself a glass of water. While he drank the cold liquid, he thought about that terrible nightmare. He just couldn't shake off the feeling how real it was…how real it felt…it felt like it really happened…somehow. Like his mind projected him an alternate timeline…of his life, of his childhood. And it didn't made him happy at all, he still felt a bit scared despite the fact that he knew that this was all but a dream. Nothing more. But it still made him think about, cherish, love and protect his family more. Just as he was deep in thought he felt a hand on his shoulder and a calm soothing voice behind him.
"Tomoya…darling, what happened? I heard you get up and it felt like you were somehow distressed…." His wife asked him quietly, trying not to wake up the third occupant of their house.
"Hey" He turned to face her, to find her purple orbs eying him lovingly with a bit of sleepy look to them. "I didn't notice you…I didn't even hear you descend the stairs…you didn't need to come out of the bed. Not that I do not appreciate your presence in any time of the day, but I would return in a few minutes." Smiling at her he knew he had to forget about that dream…which felt like some different reality.
The light of the street lamp was casting a small stream light on their kitchen, so that Tomoya could see his wife well enough to see the gentle smile that spread on her lips.
"I know, but I woke up as well and wanted to know what happened…you are usually a heavy sleeper and not many things can make you wake up. I remember that from our school times clearly." She giggled at her own small joke, reminding Tomoya of how different she was now compared to the times when they first met at the age of 8 in terms of making small jokes. Although never hiding away her obvious natural high level of shyness and politeness, she managed to overcome her fears with him by her side.
He laughed a bit as well at her and caressed her cheek just as he wanted back in the bedroom when he woke up. "Kotomi, you know how much I love to hear your jokes?" He couldn't hold his laughter again and so did she.
"Yes, I know. Remember that I know you and understand you better that anyone else." She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly on his moistened lips. "Now tell me what happened. From the look on your face it must be something that distraught you." She caressed his left shoulder supportively this time waiting for him to start.
"Well I know it sounds kind of ridiculous…but I had a nightmare. And one that seemed very real, like….like it was replayed in my mind like a movie or a visualization of a different timeline…or a different world…" He finished biting his bottom lip, facing his wife and waiting for her answer. "You know what I mean…And I know it sounds crazy…" He added the last part.
Kotomi listened to him carefully, her scientist brain going at a speed that it was able to at this hour also with the other half being always and completely in love with her now husband trying to show him as much support as she could. She knew what he was hinting at. "What happened in that dream? Tell me…" She was slightly afraid of what might have happened in that realistic projection that Tomoya had as a dream just a couple of minutes earlier.
"It was horrible…" Tomoya sighed preparing to remember some of the worst and most realistic projections he ever had. "I was at your parents' house…I think it was around the time when we met…when we were 8 years old. And you…you were…" Tomoya found himself lost for words when he remember the vivid screams and cries of an 8 year old Kotomi behind the flames. He looked at Kotomi to see her staring at him with a concerned look. "You were in otou – san's library…and the library was in flames….you were behind them, and I couldn't get to you…" Kotomi opened her mouth realizing the effect of such real visualization of her own possible cruel fate. She sneaked her arms around her husband and held him tightly. He accepted her embrace willingly and immediately held her to his chest. "I felt so hopeless and powerless…you were screaming and crying behind those flames, I couldn't get to you…I felt horrible…I don't even want to know what happened later in that dream or alternate timeline or reality or what it was…" He finished almost breathless and caressed her silky hair that reached just under her shoulder blades. "You know what this means…okaa – san's and otou – san's work…your parents' lifetime project and research which you often assist them on might be confirming itself now…."
Kotomi nodded and broke the hug, already missing his body warmth. "I know exactly what do you mean Tomoya – kun…" She fixed her purple orbs on his blue ones again and caressed his cheeks with both of her hands. "And I know that you want to talk about it, but I say we go to bed to get some more sleep and we can discuss this tomorrow…evening? What do you say? I know it bothers you, but you need to forget about the level of how real it felt or how exactly it happened…it didn't happen with us, and never will, never forget it okay? I'm always here with you, and I'll always will be. Let's go back to bed, we have a joyful and thrilling, but also a bit exhausting day ahead of us, so let us be prepared with enough sleep." She kissed him lightly again when he nodded. "Don't worry about it darling, it was only a dream or a projection that played in your mind…it never happened with us and that's the most important thing. Come on." She took hold of his hand and motioned for him to follow.
Tomoya smiled at how calm his amazing wife was. How could she always make him feel comfortable and at home when he was around her. She truly have always understood him the most. His closest and dearest person. How glad he always felt when he thought about how he accidentally wandered into her parent's garden so many years ago. Just as he followed her into their bedroom he could see her wife's loose shirt and her comfortable shorts that hugged her long legs thanks to the light of the street lamp. He felt a new wave of blood rush to his face and other part(s) of his body as he hungrily glided his eyes over her amazing and yet delicate curves. But on the other hand he knew that although they have always enjoyed their "times" immensely, they needed to get some sleep for tomorrow. His eyes rested on the slightly visible bump forming on her belly, making him love Kotomi even more and more every day.
It was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon the next day when Tomoya unlocked the door to his house in a quieter, more outskirt style district of Tokyo after parking his car in the garage. They agreed with Kotomi to take the afternoon off, since it was Friday and a big day for of the three members of their household, but their demanding jobs required them to at least spend the morning and lunch there. Tomoya had his own engineering company which he build with help from Kotomi's father and which was doing pretty well on today's standards and made them more than enough to cover his half of their budget. Kotomi on the other hand accepted the position at a Tokyo university which offered her a pleasant combination of her research work (projects) and also educating students and future scientists. Especially her physicist position granted them some high value shares on her projects which have always been interesting in eyes of potential investors all over the country, even from USA or Europe. Wealthy investors wanted to invest in researching new projects and scientific start – ups that Kotomi participated on and Tomoya couldn't feel prouder of his own wife. And to add to her schedule she even kept her hobby of playing the violin from her teenage days and now gave a few lessons to some younger in their house privately from time to time.
Tomoya dropped his bag as he took off his shoes and closed the door behind him. He smelled something sweet and delicious. Some freshly baked, enthralling and mesmerizing aroma filled the air. Following his nose, his feet moved his body to the kitchen where he found his wife putting cream frosting on top of a freshly baked chocolate cake. He smiled widely as he knew exactly what would be happening today and how much he looked forward to it. He cleared his throat loudly to get the attention of his wife who seemed to be in her own world, slightly humming to herself. She turned around to face him abruptly and put on her enchanting smile which he fell for years ago.
"Tomoya…you're home." He returned her smile with one of his own and put a warm kiss to her hair and then to her cheek. Kotomi pouted in a childish way at him and he laughed openly, because he knew she meant it only as another one of their internal jokes wanting another kiss, this time on her lips.
"Great to see you" He fulfilled her wish. "It smells amazing. Do we have everything for today?" He wanted to get a taste of her frosting cream but she swatted away his hand.
"Thank you. Yes I believe we have everything. I have already prepared some snacks." Tomoya paled in that moment, remembering Kotomi's usual know – how of preparing food for special occasions in general. Although her cooking have always been the most delicious thing he has ever tasted, she somehow almost always managed to make too much on occasions like these.
He ran to the fridge and opened it seeing it moderately full with snacks prepared by Kotomi. Thankfully she has learned over the years to not make as much as she used to, but it still bugged him at times like these to make she didn't overdo it again.
"What, were you concerned that I had made too much?" Her voice ranged behind him snapping him out of his thoughts making him feel almost guilty.
"Well….let's say, I'm always being curious if you didn't forget." He replied trying to sound like she would understand that he trusts her and is not angry with her. He just needs to calm his intrigued nerves when it comes to preparing food for special occasions.
Kotomi's reply was a wonderful smile after which she returned to decorating the cake. "How was your day? Anything special?" She asked him while doing her perfectionist decorating job.
Tomoya poured himself a cup of orange juice from the fridge and gulped the liquid down his throat remembering the one topic which they didn't close last night. "Nothing special. I gave some instructions and other than that not too much. But what has been on my mind somehow…" He approached her slowly.
"I'm listening darling…" Kotomi replied still focused on finishing her decorating job.
"The topic that we discussed last night….you know…when I woke up…" Tomoya started unsure if his wife didn't forget about it. To his assurance she finished her decorating and washed her hands, then faced him with her big purple orbs. "Darling, you don't need to worry about it, it was just a dream or a projection as you yourself said, it didn't happen in our timeline." She tried to reassure him, but this time, maybe a bit strangely, Tomoya was the curious one.
"I know, I understand that completely sweetheart…I just cannot shake the feeling that there is maybe a parallel universe, universes where our lives are different. In the end it's your parents and partly your own theory of multi string universes or how do you always call it" Kotomi opened her mouth slightly to retort and possibly gave her own scientific explanation, but Tomoya quickly stopped her with putting his finger to her lips than fixing it with a quick peck. She pouted again, but he laughed at her showing her that he knew exactly that she only played her part this time, trying to look offended. "And I know that you would like to express you own highly scientific opinion on it wholly and you know I love how intelligent and smart you have always been, but now it's not the time." The pout disappeared from her face and it was exchanged to a light smile characteristic to Kotomi.
"Like I told you when I find you down her at night…don't worry about it. It might be true and daddy's and mommy's theory is coming is true…that we can experience sometimes, somehow some flashbacks or showings of our own lives in parallel universes…and just as you described it, it doesn't need to be always very pleasant…especially if the parallel universe timeline is not too similar to the one you live in…" She tried to explain it in a human speech to Tomoya who listened to her.
"I know exactly what do you mean, I just cannot imagine the "other Tomoya"…or "Tomoyas" and "other Kotomis" not going out and then living together and being married. It's hard for me to imagine that. And in that dream or visualization of some alternate world…it seemed clearly like you were in danger, you could die and my "other self" was not able to do anything there. What if you died there… or what if we got separated somehow after that and then didn't get together, or if we never even met…" Tomoya expressed himself and his concerns while forgetting his wife who was looking at him intently and smiling. "What?" He asked her, when he noticed the look she gave him.
"Tomoya – kun…I don't care about "other Tomoyas"…although the theory and the empirical data we have, with your experience included now, do fascinate me, I'm only concerned and thinking about you. I only care about you and not about the other parallel universe "Tomoyas"s. I've always only loved you and cannot imagine myself ever meeting someone other than you. Don't ever think if those "other Tomoyas and Kotomis" met in the garden or somewhere / sometime else in their reality. What is important is that we met in my garden when we were 8 years old. And then we stayed together as friends for years, although we were slowly harbouring our feelings for each other." Tomoya hugged her in a similar way to their night encounter and nodded to her answer.
"Yes, you are right. My dear sweet Kotomi. What would I have done without you during high school, hmm? And I was so stupid that I didn't realize anything until you were gone to your studies in United States. Without you I wouldn't have been able to achieve anything in my life. Not even the reconciliation with my father years later." Kotomi slightly slapped him.
"Don't say that. You were always talented and capable Tomoya. I owe many things to you, too. With you I was able to make some friends and cherish my time with them. With you I gained my confidence and social skills. And I got motivated to work harder with you. You changed me and influenced me in many ways." She replied to him, making him almost teary eyed.
Tomoya knew he had to continue, otherwise he would not be able to hold himself. "You have always been so wonderful and gorgeous in every possible way, it just took me so long to realize that. Thank god your parents met with me and told me how much you loved me and must miss me and that they can see I feel the same way. And that I should not be stopped by anything, even the great distance between ourselves back in those days. It was one of the happiest moments of my life when came to United States, found a job and an evening school that suited me and then came to see you, full of confidence that I can win you over. But I didn't need to…" He winked at her, while she blushed remembering how she threw herself at him when she spotted him in her school campus and how they spent the evening that day and the following days together.
"It was amazing…" Kotomi mumbled her response still blushing when remembering some particular parts of those days and nights. "That's why darling, you don't need to worry about parallel universe "Tomoyas" or anything like that. Or if they are with parallel universe versions of "myself". I'm sure some of them are, some maybe not. But I do not care, I'm only curious in a scientific way about it. In terms of life, family and everything that goes with it, I'm only interested and ever will be about our lives, our space, our timeline and our reality. And this Kotomi in this timeline and universe is the happiest woman of them all." She gave him another small peck on his lips and picked up the cake to put it inside the fridge to cool off.
Tomoya could only smile and thank his life and this universe and timeline for giving him such wonderful and joyful life. "Same goes for Tomoya in this universe and timeline." He chuckled at his own slightly scientific excurse into the topic. "Anyway, by any chance do you have any idea when is our daughter supposed to come home?" Tomoya licked the spatula from the last bits of frosting, loving the taste and secretly envying his daughter for receiving such a delicious treat.
"She should be home around..." Kotomi didn't get to finish her statement as they heard the front door unlock shortly followed with the sound of it closing.
"Okaa – san, Otou – san, I'm home!" Exclaimed a young high pitched that belonged to a girl who just appeared in her school uniform in the kitchen.
"Misaki, welcome home sweetie. How was your day at school? Are you ready for your birthday party?" Kotomi kneeled down to her level and gave her a warm embrace and shot her questions at the still small child. Tomoya only chuckled at how his daughter reminded him of her mother. She was almost identical in many ways to her mother when he met her. Same gentle almost angelic face, same hair colour and similar styling with only her big ocean blue eyes after her father making her at least a bit different from her mother. Tomoya feared in a good way that in a few years he's going to have to deal with two geniuses, if things were ought to go this way.
"School was wonderful as always mommy." 'Yep, next genius in the house' thought Tomoya as he heard Misaki's reply. "But I am so excited about my birthday. I'm finally 7!" She giggled loudly and jumped up and down in excitement.
Tomoya cleared his throat to get her attention just like he did with Kotomi earlier. "And what about me, you are not going to greet your old and tired father Misaki?" She laughed openly at his greeting and threw herself at his opened arms while mumbling how happy she is that today is her birthday. "I know sweetie, I know. Today is your birthday and both me and mommy wanted to surprise you…so go to your room to get changed quickly to be ready for your present!" He poked her nose and she wordlessly sprinted off to head upstairs, but stopped halfway there. "Mommy? Can I wear that white dress with you know what?" She yelled her question at Kotomi who stood up and replied "Of course, I'll help you style everything in order". Misaki sprinted again upstairs to her room. Kotomi only looked at Tomoya knowingly from the stairs "You know what she means…" "Of course I do. Go help her, you are better in that department." He winked at her and Kotomi rushed after her daughter.
Later when Misaki's friends arrived, they all sang happy birthday as Misaki blew out the candles on her cake. Tomoya noticed that Misaki now looked just like her mother in her white dress and with her hair decoration that her mother gave her. It were the exacts decorations she had on as a child and Misaki wanted to immediately have them styled in a same way when she saw a photo of a 10 year old Kotomi.
Misaki then went to open her main present from her parents, long and pretty big covered completely in a colourful wrapping paper. As she tore down the paper, Tomoya could only stand next to Kotomi and await Misaki's thrilled reaction.
"A violin?!" Her eyes shined with excitement as she opened the black leather case and carefully examined the instrument while the other kids didn't try to hide their curiosity. She put it back in the case and turned her excited happy face to her parents rushing to both of them, squeezing them in her embrace. "Do you like your present Misaki?" Asked Tomoya almost breathless. Misaki didn't seem like it, but she had quiet the power.
"Of course! It's amazing daddy, mommy! I secretly wanted a violin and then learn to play it just like Mommy does!" She yelled with joy overflowing all of her features that reminded Tomoya so much of Kotomi.
"We knew with daddy that you want to play it someday. We had that suspicion when we always saw you looking at me and listening to me when I played it. You clearly were loving it, so why not try to learn to play it on your own… of course with lessons from some teacher and me." Kotomi explained to her, enjoying the continuous display of exciment showed by her daughter. "We both hope you like it Misaki and that you're gonna play it one day just as wonderfully as Mommy does" Tomoya added.
"Thank you so much!" Misaki hugged both of them again and let out a few tears of joy roll down her face.
As Tomoya watched his daughter happily play with her friends in their garden he noticed Kotomi sipping her afternoon coffee, smiling, looking happy as ever. He knew that no matter how many universes may exist he chose the best one.
He approached his wife and sat down next to her and put his right hand on her left one. He intertwined their fingers and gave her a quick kiss on her left cheek. "Kotomi…" He started slowly. She didn't reply, only returned his "kiss" gesture and waited for him to continue on.
"I don't care how many universes there might be…there might be dozens of them, hell maybe an infinite number and I'm sure each one of them has their own Tomoya and Kotomi. But what I'm always 100% sure of, is that I chose the best one that there is available. I chose the only one which could ever be for me. And I'm glad I live in this universe and in this timeline. Because no matter what happens I know that I can rely on you and find you standing by my side, holding my hand, supporting me in whatever life throws at us. Without you, I wouldn't be able to be happy. As long as I'm with you – my soulmate, my closest and dearest person who I met by destiny, I'm sure that I'll never be lost and always be as happy as I can be."
He finished his mall speech / confession and found Kotomi with teary eyes, speechless and not being able to reply. Instead she reached for him, put her hand behind his head and pulled him to her, crashing her lips on his, kissing him deeply. "I wouldn't have said it better." She finally replied and kissed him again in a same passionate fashion.
"Mom! Dad!" They could hear Misaki's voice, obviously feeling embarrassed, to which they stopped and laughed wholeheartedly and then stood up to enjoy the day with their daughter and her friends.