Disclaimed.
Tenshi
-.-
When I was young, mom always told me to be good so that I'll have a lot of friends. Back then, I was the cool kid. I never really liked being bullied or not being the center of attention. It was just how I was able to express myself- being above everyone else. Mom got called often because of my misbehaviors and I remember grinning at her cheekily from ear to ear, hoping not to hear her bombard of lectures about being nicer to my classmates. She should know by then that Misaki and nice never clicked.
Well, not until I was 6 and wondered why Mom's tummy got bigger.
I remembered asking her that and she just told me that I'm having a baby sister.
"Why is she in your tummy?"
"Because…" Mom paused for a while, looking intently at Dad who just chuckled and resumed reading the newspaper. Mom looked at me again and cupped my face with her hands. "Sweety, you'll soon find out at the right time. You're too young to know how you were born."
I tilted my head and smiled, raising a fist in the air. "Haaaaaaai! I'll be the best sister she'll ever have. I promise!"
"Yes, you will. Now go and sleep already or do you want to me to read you a bedtime story?"
On impulse, I turned my head sideways. "Reading bedtime stories are for little kids. I'm a big girl now because I'll soon have a little sister! Maybe when she's born I can read her Sleeping Beauty's story. Right, Mom?"
Mom poked my nose and hugged me before I dashed up the stairs but when I was halfway, I turned to look at them again.
"Something wrong?" Dad asked, lowering the newspaper. Mom walked to where Dad was seated and put her hands on either side of his shoulders.
"What is it, Sweetie?"
I bit my lip, my dainty hands gripping the handle of the stairs tighter. "You didn't eat my little sister, right, Mommy?"
She laughed at my expense, so as dad. "Why would you say that?" She asked in between chuckles.
I shrugged.
"Don't worry. Your little sister will live here for a while. She's safe, honey. Trust me."
I visibly brightened and waved my hand at them. I ran again to my room and stood by the window. Looking up at the sky, I prayed to God, thanking him for giving me and my family an angel. When I was in bed, I thought to myself, were Mom and Dad this happy when they knew I was in Mom's tummy? Another thing, why would they say I was "too young" to know about how babies were born? Is it that complicated? When school comes, that's going to be the first thing I'll ask Narumi-sensei. Definitely.
-.-
A few months came and I heard Dad say Mom was in labor. I didn't know what it meant but I think it involves Mom breathing much faster than usual. I can see that she was in pain so I hurried to her side and wiped the sweat from her face. Dad was frantically searching for the car keys while Mom was seated on the couch.
"It's going to be okay, Mom."
"Pray that your sister will be safe."
I did and a few more minutes passed, Dad sped up his pace and assisted Mom in the front seat. We were at the hospital in no time.
When we got there, there were different people who helped Mom walk. Some of them ran to get the wheelchair and after a while, we weren't allowed to see Mom anymore. Then I realized what was happening. I was going to see my sister soon.
-.-
After a lot of minutes passed by when my sister was born, a lady in a white dress and white cap took us to some room where all the babies were found. Dad lifted me up in his arms as I leaned on the window outside the room. The lady said to wait here and she'll get my baby sister in a while. They were very small, the babies. Was I small like that when I was born, too?
"I'm going to call her Tenshi, Dad!" I declared with a toothy grin. Dad just smiled at me and hugged me tighter. You know that feeling when you're scared then someone hugs you and you feel like nobody's going to hurt you anymore? Dad's hugs are always like that.
"Tenshi, it is," he said in a low voice. "She's going to love her name."
I beamed at him. Later on, the lady, which I learned was a nurse (Dad told me), came out from some door carrying in her arms a little thing wrapped up in a pink layette. She inched closer until we were able to see. It was little Tenshi. Her eyes were closed and the tip of her tongue was out. She's going to be like me when she grows up! She's going to learn so much from me.
From that day on, I knew Kami had given me my best friend.
-.-
"TEEENSHIIIII!"
My voice reverberated inside the house and I was already tapping my foot on the floor. What's taking Tenshi so long anyway? Mom gave me a peck on the cheek before she left the house to do some grocery shopping and Dad was waiting in the car outside. He was going to take us to school.
Just as I was about to turn around and get my lunch in the kitchen, I hear a loud thump upstairs. I snickered. That's going to bruise, I bet. She's really clumsy sometimes.
When I got out of the kitchen, Tenshi was leaning by the door, huffing. When she saw me, she smiled and straightened up and greeted me a good morning.
"What took you so long?" I asked.
"Sorry, Misaki-nee. I stayed up late and woke up late," she said.
I raised a brow. "Stayed up late for what or should I say who? That puny boyfriend of yours?"
She flushed red and I wasn't too pleased with that. Truth be told, I didn't want Tenshi to have a boyfriend. She's 13 for Kami's sake! She's too young for this. I know I sound more like Mom and Dad and I can't even believe they let her have a relationship. I remember I was 17 when I had my first boyfriend and it wasn't all butterflies and rainbows. Believe me, it was something worth burying in my unconscious mind.
Tenshi pouted. "You always call him puny! He's not puny at all! He's 5'7 tall and is in 8th grade!"
"Tell me that again and again and maybe I'll believe you."
She stuck her tongue out playfully and took her bag that lay lifeless on the floor. "Just because Tsubasa-nii is taller and older doesn't mean Akutarou's puny."
I smiled at the thought. "Mmm-hmmm. Whatever."
I put my arm around her shoulders and she held on to my hand. Sometimes, I wonder why I couldn't let myself get mad at her. For some reason, my head always cools off before I explode when it comes to her.
When we were inside the car, she decided to sit at the front seat. She turned her head around and mouthed "I love you".
My smile widened. Maybe that's the reason why.
-.-
Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night has always been Misaki and Tenshi night. I don't know when it started to become Tenshi and Akutarou night. I wasn't too pleased about this. I called Tsubasa and told him to come over. Luckily enough, I was happy that he's my boyfriend. He understands me and tries his hardest to put up with my attitude. I told him there were much nicer girls but told me there's none like me. So he'll stick by my side until I'll be the one getting rid of him. Like that'll happen.
He arrived a few minutes after. He sat down beside me on the couch where I lay languidly, pressing the remote for a good T.V. show. He sighed and pinched my cheeks.
"What's wrong this time?" he asked
Without looking at him, I answered, "Tenshi went out on a date."
My tone was very melancholic. He chuckled. I sat up and dropped the remote on my side. "What's so funny?" I crossed my hands against my chest.
"What's wrong with little Tenshi going on a date?"
"You said it yourself. She's little. Something might happen to her!"
He placed his hands around me and immediately, I felt secured. Just like how Dad's hugs felt.
"She's going to be fine, Misaki. You just don't trust her," he said reassuringly.
He didn't let go. "I do trust her. It's that puny boy I don't trust."
He cupped my face and stared at me right in the eye. It's times like these when I can see Tsubasa's serious side. I don't know why but he can really see right through me.
"Misaki, you know what's wrong with you? You're not accepting the fact that Tenshi is growing up. She has her private life already. Your Mom and Dad didn't have any problems with her dating. She never had anything against about you dating me. So why should you?"
I hate it when Tsubasa gives me his "words of wisdom". It always whacks me on the right spot. Then again, I couldn't even argue because he'd always say the things I could never say.
I never realized it, but I cried. Tsubasa is right, hands down. Maybe, maybe I was just scared that she'll grow apart from me that somehow, our closeness will fade away just because she has some other guy she's starting to pay attention more.
All those years I've treated Tenshi like a little girl. I was so protective of her that I didn't even notice I was already choking her with the invisible leash I have on her. Yet, with all the things I did, I never heard her whine or saw her get angry. I never heard her talk back that I was being a push-over. Never did she complain to Mom and Dad how I'm more irrational towards her because she understands me and I never gave her my trust.
We stayed silent for the rest of the night. He never said anything more and neither did I. He knows how much I appreciated silence at times. I just sat there, my head leaning on his shoulders while he placed an arm around mine.
Tsubasa kissed my forehead and said he'll be leaving in a while. "As much as I want to comfort you, I have to go. Mom's expecting me to be home by 9."
I nodded and hugged him one last time for the night. "Thanks for knocking some sense out of me."
"Anytime." Then he was out the door.
-.-
About half past nine, I heard muffled footsteps from outside my room. I got up from bed and went to Tenshi's room to check if she had arrived already. When I opened her door, she was sprawled on her bed, plastering a big smile on her face. I leaned on the doorframe and crossed my arms against my chest.
"How did the date go?"
She sat up and her smile was still there. "Nee-chan! It was wonderful!"
"I'm glad you had fun, pipsqueak. Get some sleep or you'll be sorry you missed breakfast. I'm cooking tomorrow."
I turned around when suddenly she hugged me from behind. My lips curved heavenwards and I held her hands.
"I'm sorry I missed today. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow."
My hold on her tightened and I've decided that starting this moment, I'm going to slowly let go of the little girl in her.
"Tell you what, you invite him over tomorrow night and we'll all watch the movie together."
She broke free from the embrace and I swear it was one of the moments in her life that she was very happy. "Really?"
I nodded. "Really."
"You won't call him puny tomorrow, right?"
I snorted. "Ha. We'll see about that. Sleep, now."
She puffed her cheeks but eventually she smiled, just like an angel's.
"Thank you, Nee-chan. I love you."
God knows how much I love you, too.
It's been a long time. Inspired because of my little sister who's not so little anymore. Anyway, review? :)
Oh and in case you didn't know, Tenshi means Angel in Japanese. Just to clear things.
-Mishie Eru 10-13-2011 6:08pm