Traditions
Disclaimer: All Gatchaman and Gatchaman-related characters are property of Tatsunoko Productions. All movie references, poetry, and additional characters were created by the author; any resemblance to real people or works is unintentional and purely coincidental. No profit is being made from this story
Ken rolled over and looked at his clock. 8am - too early to get up, too late to go back to sleep. Rolling on his side to the other side of the bed, Ken's eye fell upon the calendar pinned to his wall. It was an illustrated Flying Aces calendar, depicting World War II fighter pilots engaged in one-on-one combat. He loved waking up to the colorful dramatic illustration each month's showcase offered. This month's featured aircraft was the P-51 Mustang, considered to be one of the greatest single seat fighters of WWII. It was also well-known for its ability to fly great distances. The nature of the Mustang reminded Ken of the G1's abilities, which was probably why February's picture was his favorite of the entire calendar.
Ken looked down to the gridded numbered boxes of the calendar. Miraculously, he had actually marked off most of the days of the month so far, though he had missed the last two. Ken blinked when he looked at the date three boxes over from his last X. February 14 - Valentine's Day.
Ken groaned and pulled his pillow over his head as this realization came to him. It wasn't the actual date that bothered him as much as the holiday. And although he knew that Valentine's Day was near, as his last mail drop was filled with letters and cards for the holiday, he hadn't realized that that day was today. Ken reflected on Valentine's Day for a moment - an entire day focused on nothing but love and romance. Why does there even need to be a holiday for someone to show their affection for their beloved? Isn't this something that should be done everyday? Not having love or romance in his life, Ken just didn't have much use for the holiday or for the knowledge that its focus was couples and love.
Pulling his head out from under the pillow, the thought of the rest of the team came into Ken's mind. He moaned in exasperation as he thought about the fact that every Valentine's Day the team met up for breakfast at the Snak J. He didn't remember when this tradition began, but he knew that Joe, Jinpei, Ryu, and especially Jun enjoyed the little get-together more than he did. He also knew Jun would give all of them some sort of gift, as in the country of Ameris it was customary for women to give a small token of their love to the men, and although it had come to be expected, it was optional for the men to give something in return to the women.
Coming to terms with the fact that there was no avoiding it, Ken rolled back over to the other side of the bed and kicked off the covers. He mused for a moment about how Jun would react when he requested that his breakfast be added to his monumental tab. Then, resigning himself to having to live through yet another Valentine's Day, he grabbed his towel and headed to the shower, preparing to start what he knew would be a long day.
An hour later, Ken walked into the Snak J. It had been decorated to reflect the romantic overtones of the holiday. Red and pink paper hearts hung from the ceiling; red and white napkins with heart motifs were put out on the tables next to red dishes, which sat on top of white lace doily placemats. There was a small frosted vase on each table which contained one red and one pink carnation. Ken tried as hard as he could not to roll his eyes at the sight.
Scanning the J, Ken noticed that Ryu and Joe were already there, digging into the plates of eggs, toast, and bacon that were set in front of them.
"'Morning, Aniki." Jinpei cheerfully greeted him.
"Hi, Jinpei." Ken greeted him back, a lack of enthusiasm in his voice. He paused for a second, then opened his mouth to ask Jinpei his usual question.
Jinpei held up his hand to Ken in a stop fashion, then announced authoritatively, "Aniki, in the spirit of the holiday, I'm just going to give you a plate of food - on me."
"Really?" Ken asked surprised and slightly brightened at the boy's generosity.
"Yeah... 'Cuz Jinpei loves you so much, he wants to give you one day of dignity." Joe sarcastically remarked as Jinpei went into the kitchen to get Ken some breakfast.
"Or maybe it's a little Valentine's gift from Jun to you." Ryu wisecracked.
"Ha, ha. You two are so funny..." Ken replied as he sat down at the bar next to Joe.
"Oh, come on. You're not doing the whole "Valentine's Day is the worst holiday of the year" bit again, are you?" Joe asked accusingly.
"And what's so great about it?" Ken questioned back. "It doesn't look like you have any grand plans for today."
"Au contraire! I have myself a hot date with an even hotter blonde at 7 o'clock tonight." Joe informed him haughtily.
"And which Galactor agent will this be?" Ken acidly responded.
Joe immediately stood up and balled up his hands into fists.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Just because you're Gatchaman, leader of the Kagaku Ninjatai, does not mean you have to harden off your heart and not fall in love! Nor does it mean that I can't fall in love! Damn it, Ken, all these years and you're still carrying that stupid "dedicated to my professional duty" torch! I think it's time I knocked some sense into you!"
Ken's eyes narrowed as he leapt off his stool. When Joe took a step towards him, Ken prepared to counterstrike.
"Hey! Knock it off you two!" Ryu ordered as he jumped between the two ninjas.
Joe and Ken glared at each other. Ken's eyes narrowed even further and Joe could see him going into Commander mode. Looking from Ken to Ryu, and realizing he was outnumbered, Joe reluctantly backed off and took his seat.
Just then, Jinpei re-entered the cafe from the kitchen.
"Here ya go, Aniki! Right off the griddle!" he happily remarked as he placed the plate in front of Ken. Then he looked up and saw the cross expressions on everyone's faces. Jinpei's light-hearted demeanor faded as he asked, "What'd I miss?"
"Nothing." Ken mumbled grumpily as Joe cut in.
"Mr. Anti-Romance here was just expressing his distaste for the Valentine's Day holiday - again." he explained to Jinpei with disdain.
"Again, Aniki? Why do you dislike Valentine's Day so much?"
"Forget it," Ken succinctly replied. "Can we please talk about something else?"
"Sure!" Ryu cut in. "Jinpei, do you have any plans for today?"
"Yeah, come on, Kid. Any romantic escapades for the young Swallow?" Joe smirked.
Jinpei immediately blushed.
"Who is she?" Ryu asked pointedly.
Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Joe added, "Yeah, spill it."
Jinpei stammered as he put a hand on the back of his head.
"Well, uh… she's just a girl that I met….at the uh, amusement park…and,….well….uh… Hey, look, Onechan's here!" Jinpei announced as Jun walked through the door, grateful for the distraction.
"'Morning, Onechan! Happy Valentine's Day!" the boy greeted her enthusiastically.
"Here, take a seat! I have your special Valentine's Day breakfast all ready for you!" he continued excitedly.
Jun smiled warmly at Jinpei. A few years ago, Jinpei had snuck downstairs to the kitchen early on Valentine's Day morning and made her breakfast. That meal had consisted of eggs, toast, heart-shaped pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream on top, and two small heart-shaped blueberry muffins. When Jun woke up to the wonderful smells that had wafted through her bedroom, she went downstairs to see what Jinpei was doing. He had just finished laying out the spread on the café's counter when she entered the room. "Happy Valentine's Day, Onechan!" Jinpei had exclaimed as he ran to Jun, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tightly. Then he whispered a heart-felt "I love you" to her. Tears had sprung to Jun's eyes at the incredible amount of love Jinpei felt for her and that she felt for her little brother. Now Jinpei's "special breakfast" had become their own holiday tradition.
Jinpei set the plate in front of Jun as she sat down.
"Jinpei, this looks wonderful! Thank you so much!" she enthused appreciatively as she looked at the heart-shaped pancakes, eggs, and toast. Jun then reached into her pocket and gave a small wrapped box to Jinpei. He opened it up and his eyes went wide with delight as he picked up the treasure inside.
"Chocolate bolos! Oh, Onechan, this is great!" he exclaimed.
"Look inside the box…" she gently instructed.
Jinpei looked inside the box and quickly grabbed the two small papers inside it.
"Two tickets to 'Fight Master III – Return to the Bloodshed'!! Oh, Onechan! Thank you! But I thought you said I wasn't allowed to see that movie?"
"Well, I said I didn't want you going alone to see it. But I know how much you want to, so that other ticket is for Ryu. I'm ok with you going as long as he's with you. I hope you both enjoy the movie."
"Thanks Onechan!" Jinpei repeated as he gave Jun a quick hug. "C'mon Ryu, let's go! I bet there's a showing this morning!"
"What about your date with the girl from the amusement park?" Joe called to the Swallow.
"Oh, that's not until later. I can see the movie, then meet up with her afterwards." Jinpei quickly explained.
"Sure, kid..." Joe responded as Jinpei called "Let's go, Ryu!" to the Owl.
"OK, Jinpei…" Ryu responded, then turned to Jun and added, "Thanks for the ticket Jun. And Happy Valentine's Day!"
As he got up from his stool, Ryu suddenly remembered the bag he had brought in and had put on the floor next to him.
"Oh, Jun, this is for you…" he said as he handed the bag to her.
"What's this?" she asked as she peeked into the bag. Another smile crossed Jun's face as she pulled out the stuffed animal inside.
"A swan!" she gushed as she looked at the small white plush bird with black accents and soft pink highlights on its wings. There was a little heart-shaped package of chocolates nestled under one of its wings.
"Oh, Ryu, this is so cute! Thank you so much!" she said as she got up and gave the Owl a hug
Jun then moved behind the bar, picked up another small box, and gave it to Ryu.
"Here's a little something extra for you too." she smiled as she handed the red box to him. Ryu opened it and a wider smile crept across his face.
"A chocolate flying warship! Jun, this is great! Thanks so much!"
"It was the closest I could find to the GodPhoenix…" she started to explain, but Jinpei impatiently broke in.
"Ryu, let's go!" Jinpei he implored, pulling the Owl by the arm.
"Ok, ok! Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!" Ryu called as Jinpei pulled him out the door.
The whirlwind of activity gone, Jun pulled out two more boxes from behind the bar.
"Well, I think you two can probably guess what are in these boxes…" she half-smiled as she looked from Ken to Joe.
Ken didn't say anything, but a small smile crept across Joe's face as Jun offered him his box.
"That's fine, Jun. A gift from you is like a gift from the heavens." Joe told her as he gently took the package from her hands.
Ken visibly rolled his eyes and silently gagged as Jun giggled.
"Oh, Joe. Is that another line from your little book of pick-up lines?"
Joe smirked.
"Yeah. Do you like that one?"
It was true. Joe really did have a little book that he wrote all his best pick-up lines in. He would usually keep it on him too, because, according to Joe, "you never know when you're going to need it." Every so often, Joe would use one of the pick-up lines on Jun, either to make her smile or just to prove to her that they really worked
"I think I like the one that goes, 'Can I see the tag on the back of your shirt? I just wanted to see if it said 'Made in Heaven' better." Jun responded as Joe started to carefully remove the white ribbon from the red wrapping paper, then just as carefully unwrapped the gift. Inside the box was a chocolate feather.
"I couldn't find a racecar..." Jun apologetically explained.
Joe grinned.
"This is great, Jun. Thank you. And here's a little something for you." Joe bent down and picked up the gift bag that was on the floor by his feet.
Jun took the heart-and-arrow illustrated bag from the Condor, carefully removed the white tissue paper, and looked inside. A broad smile spread across her face.
"Oh, Joe! It's adorable!" she exclaimed as she took out the fuzzy light brown teddy bear with dark brown eyes that was hidden inside. It wasn't until she had it almost entirely out of the bag that she saw the bear holding a plush heart in its paws proclaiming "For My Valentine".
Slightly embarrassed, Joe tried to play it down. "Well, don't put too much into the saying…. I just thought you would like the bear."
Jun looked at him, a twinkle in her emerald eyes.
"Oh… Yeah, I understand. The bear is very cute. Thanks, Joe!"
She gave the Condor a quick hug, and as she released him from her grip, Joe glanced over to Ken, who seemed to be completely engrossed in the last few crumbs of his breakfast.
"Typical…." Joe thought to himself as Jun moved to get the last box on the counter.
"Ken…" she gently called and Ken looked in her direction. "This one's for you."
"Oh. Thanks, Jun. I, uh, don't seem to, uh, have…." he faltered.
Joe shook his head in disbelief. Every year it was the same thing. Every Valentine's Day, Jun gave all four of them a little token of her love and appreciation for each of them, and every year, Joe, Ryu, and Jinpei were the only ones who reciprocated. If he followed his typical MO, Ken would soon head out of the Snak J and no one would see him for the rest of the day.
"It's ok, Ken. You don't have to get me anything." Jun responded gently. Joe could tell she was trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. He knew that every year Jun hoped that it would be "the year" Ken would give her some token of his love for her, even if it was just brotherly love. So far, that hadn't happened.
Ken quietly unwrapped and opened the box. Inside was a perfect chocolate replica of his Cessna.
Ken looked at it for just a second before he put the cover back on the box and put it back in the bag.
"That's great, Jun. Thanks." he said flatly.
Joe watched as Jun's expression visibly changed. She was crestfallen. Joe didn't know it, but Jun had had the Cessna specially made for Ken.
"You're welcome, Ken." she responded without emotion.
Joe was angered by Ken's action, or rather, his lack of action. He wanted to pound Ken's face in for being so arrogant, but then Joe realized that there was no point. Ken would never show Jun his true feelings, and Joe was seriously beginning to wonder if Ken would ever show any girl any kind of affection whatsoever.
He also realized that if he did pound Ken's face in, all it would get him was a 2-hour lecture from Nambu about how Ken was his superior and was to be treated with the respect his rank deserved. And the last thing the Condor wanted was yet another lecture.
Catching a glimpse of the time from the clock on the wall, Joe started to get up.
"Sorry, Jun, but I need to get going. I want to give the G2 an oil change and cleaning before my date tonight."
"That's ok, Joe." Jun forgave him. "I hope you have fun tonight!"
"I'm sure I will." the Condor smirked as he picked up his box of chocolate feather shuriken from the bar. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jun."
"Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Joe!"
As he passed Ken while walking to the door, Joe gave the Eagle a light smack on the back of his head.
Ken turned and glared at the Condor as Joe sarcastically said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Romeo. I'll be sure to tell Cupid not to waste his time on you."
Ken was about to retort, but the Condor quickly made his exit before the Eagle had the chance.
Ken slid his now empty plate to the side and picked up the box that contained the chocolate Cessna.
"I need to go too." he announced to Jun. Seeing her eye the empty plate, he added, "Jinpei said my breakfast would be on him this morning."
Picking up a rag to clean the bar, Jun flatly responded, "Ok. Happy Valentine's Day."
"Yeah, same to you." Ken responded as he stoically walked out the door.
As soon as Ken was out the door and had taken a few steps down the street, Jun quickly closed and locked up the Snak J.
"This is it, Washio." she thought to herself. "This is the year I'm going to find out exactly what you do and why you dislike Valentine's Day so much."
Jun quickly ran to the garage and jumped on her motorcycle. She knew Ken wouldn't have gotten far on his motorbike and she would be able to quickly catch up to him and covertly follow him.
Jun followed Ken at a distance out of the city and onto a suburban road. As the stores gave way to residential neighborhoods, Jun tried to figure out where it was that Ken was going.
After a time, Ken finally turned off the road and entered the open wrought-iron gates of a cemetery. He rode on the path for a few hundred feet, then got off his bike and walked through a grove of trees in the distance. Jun quietly parked her motorcycle behind some bushes and silently followed Ken.
The cemetery wasn't very large, but had an air of expanse to it, and it seemed to be well taken care of, especially considering it was the middle of February. The grass was cut short and had browned in spots due to the cold winter temperatures. The trees were mostly bare, except some had one or two of its leaves still clinging with their last bit of effort to its branches. Fallen dried out leaves were strewn across the lawn, obviously blown there by the storms that had come through. The cemetery was eerily quiet, except for the slight breeze that rustled through the bare branches and swirled the leaves that were on the ground.
Jun followed Ken through the grove. It wasn't until she was under the bare branches that she realized that they were cherry trees. Jun immediately thought of the trees' rebirth and the beautiful flowers and lovely delicate scent they would be giving off in just a few months time.
Jun stopped and hid herself among the trees, for just ahead she could see that Ken had stopped in front of a grave, his head bowed. She could see his mouth moving slightly, and a second later, he was hunched down on one knee, placing a single red rose on the ground in front of the grave marker.
It took Jun a moment to realize where they were. She knew that Ken's father had been buried on a hillside overlooking the ocean, so she knew this wasn't Red Impulse's final resting place. This had to be someone else's. Tears stung at Jun's eyes as she realized what she was looking at. It was the gravesite of Ken's mother, Sayuri.
Jun silently moved a little closer, still protected by the trees. Ken was still hunched over on his knee, arm resting across his other leg, head still bowed. Then she saw Ken reach into his pocket and pull out a red piece of paper. He carefully placed it under the rose.
Jun waited a few more minutes, until she saw Ken had stopped speaking to his mother's spirit. When she saw him shift his body weight to get up, she quietly walked out from behind her hiding spot.
As Jun came closer to the gravesite, she stopped. Ken was now standing, though still looking at his mother's final resting place.
"Ken?" Jun quietly called. Ken quickly turned around, obviously startled by her presence.
"Jun?" he blinked, "What are you doing here?"
"I, uh…" Jun stammered. Her original intention was to find out why Ken disliked Valentine's Day so much and what exactly he did this day. But now she felt like she was trespassing on some sacred moment between mother and son.
Jun saw Ken's eyes flash disfavor as he realized she followed him there.
"I'm sorry, Ken. I'm just going to leave." she blurted out apologetically and turned to walk back to her bike.
"No, wait. Please stay." he asked of her, his annoyance immediately dissipating. "I…I want you to stay."
Jun's eyes shone. "Ok, if you want me to."
"Yes, I want you to." Ken reassured her. "I want you to meet someone." he added as he gently took Jun's hand and led her over to the gravesite.
When they reached the headstone, Ken quietly spoke to it.
"Mother, I'd like you meet a good friend of mine. This is Jun, the girl I've told you about. Jun, this is my mother, Sayuri."
"Hi, Mrs. Washio." Jun uneasily replied. Jun was touched that Ken wanted to introduce her to his mother's spirit, but was still uncomfortable with the fact that she had intruded on his visit.
"I suppose you're wondering why I came here…" Ken began, still looking at the headstone.
Ken then turned to Jun and she looked into his sky-blue eyes, not knowing how to respond.
"It's ok." Ken half smiled. "I know all of you wonder where I go every Valentine's Day." he continued.
Ken bent down and carefully picked up the rose and paper from the ground. Holding the rose in one hand and the paper in the other, he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Valentine's Day was always a special day for my mother and I." he began. "After my father…left, it was the day that we remembered our love for him and his love for us. I always felt that it meant more to my mother than to me, since I don't have many memories of my dad from when I was young. But as I grew older, the holiday became more of a reminder to me of how much my father's love meant to my mother, how much mother's love meant to me, and how much my love meant to my mother.
"After my father was gone, we didn't have much money, so we weren't able to show our love through material things. So my mom and I showed our love for each other on that day in other ways. Every year, my mom and I would spend the entire day together, and at the end of the day we would go to my favorite candy store and she would buy me a piece of my favorite chocolate. Meanwhile, every year I made her a Valentine's Day card, which I would always give to her after we left the candy shop. She would always say that the card was the best Valentine's Day gift anyone could ever give her because it came from my heart."
Ken paused for a second. Jun's eyes followed his as he looked down to the red paper in his hand.
"That's the card you made for your mother for today, isn't it?" Jun gently asked.
"Yes." Ken barely whispered. "I still make and give her a card every year."
Jun saw a tear form in the corner of Ken's eye.
Holding back her own tears, Jun quietly asked, "And the rose?"
"The rose is from my father. When my mom would tell me about their romance, she said that he would give her a single red rose at the start of each of their dates. Every year he would give her a red rose on the anniversary of their first date."
Over her building emotion, Jun asked the question she already knew the answer to.
"When was their first date, Ken?"
Ken stared at the rose in his other hand.
"Valentine's Day." he replied, still looking the rose. Then Ken bent down and carefully placed the rose and the card back on the ground. As he did, tears escaped from Jun's eyes. She quickly wiped them away.
Rising back to his feet, Ken turned to Jun.
"Come with me." he said. "There's something else I want to show you. But it's not here. We need to go somewhere else."
"Ok." Jun responded and moved back from the gravesite.
Ken lagged behind for a second.
"Go ahead." Ken told her, "I'll be right there."
Jun walked off into the line of trees, but turned around once she was in them. She barely caught Ken kissing the first two fingers of his hand and then placing them on his mother's gravestone.
Jun followed Ken on her motorcycle back towards the city. Just as they were at the outskirts, Ken made a left and went down another road. They rode another half mile before Ken made a right turn onto a dirt road. As they cleared a line of trees, Jun could see they were at a small airfield.
Ken pulled up to one of the hangars and turned off his bike, Jun doing the same.
""Where are we?" she asked, realizing the answer was obvious. Luckily, Ken seemed to understand what she really meant.
"I think you mean, 'what are we doing here?'" he teased. "Come with me. You'll see."
Jun followed Ken as he walked over to the open double doors of the hangar. Sitting inside was a 1979 Cessna 152, a 2-seat personal aircraft, with white wings, tail, and underside; two-tone blue stripes covered the remainder of the fuselage, nose, and spinner. As they walked inside the open doors, a tall, middle-aged, dark-haired man wearing a baseball cap came out from behind the plane.
"Ken! Good to see you!" the man heartedly greeted him. "How are you doing?"
"Hi, Tobikuma. Fine, thank you. How are you?"
"Couldn't be better. The airfield did well last year, which means I get to stay here for another year. "
"That's great! I wish I could be as confident about my strip."
"Awww, your dad left you a good piece of land there. You should consider giving lessons. You'd make good money since you own your plane and the land."
"Yeah, maybe someday..." Ken replied, then looking at the plane, added, "Is she ready?"
"Absolutely!" Tobikuma answered confidently as he patted the nose of the plane Ken and Jun were now standing next to. "Who's your friend?" he asked as he looked at Jun.
"Oh, Tobikuma, this is Jun. Jun, this is Tobikuma. He owns this airfield and was a friend of my father's."
"Kentaro was a good man, Ken. I still miss him all these years later." Tobikuma relayed fondly, then added a bit more brightly, "I'm glad to see you have company for your excursion this year."
"Yeah…" was Ken's only response.
Getting the hint, Tobikuma continued. "I've already done a pre-flight check, but I know you like to do your own. Keys are in the cockpit. Have a safe trip and I'll see you when you get back. "
Tobikuma tipped his hat as he passed Jun. "Nice to meet you, Jun."
"Nice to meet you, too." she called as the man walked out of the hangar.
Jun was confused as she watched Tobikuma walk across the taxiway. Turning back to Ken, she saw that he had already started his exterior pre-flight check.
"Ken, who was that and what are we doing here? Why are you borrowing this plane?" she asked.
Coming around the side of the Cessna, Ken replied to her last question first. "Because my Cessna's a single-seater and I need a 2-seater."
For a second Jun thought he meant because she was with him, but then she realized that he planned this trip before he had asked her to come.
Without pausing, Ken continued, "Tobikuma and my dad took flying lessons together and had been friends until he died."
Ken stopped what he was doing for a second, then added thoughtfully, "Well, at least when we thought he died... "
Resuming his check, Ken continued, "After flight school, my dad ended up going one direction and Tobikuma another. Tobikuma bought this land and created this airfield. He's been here ever since. I don't need to tell you what direction my dad went in or what happened to him…"
Jun visibly shuddered when Ken said this and could hear herself shouting "Ken, he's your father!" on that fateful day when Red Impulse once again sacrificed his life for humanity. Except on that day, Red Impulse's sacrifice was final.
Running his hand carefully over the propeller, Ken announced, "Ok, we're good here. Why don't you get in?", which shook Jun out of her introspect.
Ken taxied the Cessna out to the runway and halted the plane. While completing his final checks, Jun finally asked where they were going.
Writing down the take-off time in his logbook, Ken succinctly responded, "Aikou Island."
Aikou Island was a tropical island in the Carris Sea known for its laid-back atmosphere and light trade wind breezes. It was a popular destination for lovers and young couples, which is how it got its name. Jun couldn't understand why Ken would want to go there, and why on all days, on Valentine's Day.
When they landed on Aikou Island, Jun was taken in by the warm breeze and smell of the salty sea air. When Ken finished securing the Cessna, they walked over to a motorbike rental shop and rented one for the day.
Jun took in the view as they rode up the Aikou coast. Instead of taking the main road, Ken had opted to ride up the island's coastal highway. Warm winds whipped at Jun's hair, as the ocean breakers continued their endless rolls onto the white sand beach. Her arms wrapped tightly around Ken, she could understand why so many people liked to come here with their beloved. The sights were breathtaking, as was the feeling of Ken's muscled chest underneath her arms.
Fifteen minutes later, Ken turned off the coastal highway and made his way into a small coastal town. The town itself was old and run-down; buildings were boarded up, trash was strewn in the street, the exteriors of the buildings had become worn from the years of the constant ocean winds and neglect. It was obvious that the town was "the place" to be back in its heyday, but now the coastal community just looked old and tired. It was not the tropical paradise that the island's name or reputation conveyed.
Ken pulled the motorbike off the rode and parked it in an alley. Without saying a word, he walked to the sidewalk, turned right, and walked a short distance down the street. Jun silently followed him.
Ken stopped in front of an old boarded up building that looked as if it was about to fall in on itself. It took Jun a minute to figure out what this building was, but as she took in the sight, she realized that it had once been a magnificent theater. The gold-plated front doors were now dull and scratched from the blasts of sand from the beach; the glass poster board holders lining the exterior walls had all been cracked and broken; the recessed lighting built into the underside of the marquee didn't have a single bulb left intact. Looking up, Jun saw that the dilapidated marquee still had a few remaining letters left on it from the last movie shown in the theater, but like the theater itself, the name of the picture was almost impossible to discern.
Ken walked over to the recessed entrance and stood with his back to the wall. Jun joined him.
"Ken?" she cautiously asked.
"Back in the day, this town was the epicenter of this island." he explained. "It was the place to be. It was lively and fun, and a place that everyone came to with their love. During the day, the beach was covered with young couples frolicking in the sand or just laying on the beach enjoying the sun and each other's company. At night, the town would light up and everyone would enjoy dinner and then come to this theater to take in the latest movie. Afterwards, they would go to the bars down the street, or go back to the beach for a midnight stroll.
"My father brought my mother here a year after they started going out. They were one of the young couples who frolicked in the sand and enjoyed the nightlife this community offered. They came to this theater and watched the latest picture show, Sakura…"
Jun's eyes flashed at the mention of the film. Sakura, or Cherry Blossom, was one of the top romantic films ever made. A classic by today's standards. It was about an Air Division military man who fell in love with a sheltered country girl who lived near the base he was stationed at. They had met one night at on off-base soiree - she was the pretty shy girl standing in the corner; he was the war vet who was captivated by her stunning good looks. They met, fell in love, and were married. Years later, he was called back to active duty and sent off to fight in another war. He never returned, leaving his wife broken and in despair. It wasn't until years later, after she had died, that it was revealed that he never died, but just left her behind to spare her of the personal traumas he had endured during the war and had brought back home with him. It was a tear-jerker by any standard.
As Jun thought about the movie's plot, she wondered if Kentaro and Sayuri had any idea of its parallel to what would happen in their lives.
Ken's voice permeated Jun's thoughts and she quickly came back to listen to Ken's recollection.
"After the show, my father brought my mother to this very spot. He stood here, just as I am now, and gave her this small box." Ken pulled a small navy blue hinged jewel box from his pocket and opened it. He stared at it for a moment, then turned the box around to show Jun. In it, sitting on a white velvet holder, was a gold necklace with a key and a heart charm on it. In the middle of the heart was a very small diamond, symbolizing a lock. Jun gasped as she looked at it.
"Oh, Ken, it's beautiful!" Jun gushed, mesmerized by the piece.
Ken turned the box towards him again and gazed at it longingly.
"Yeah, it is" he said in a far-away voice. Then he carefully removed something from the top inside cover of the box. It was a small folded up piece of paper. Ken gingerly opened it and gave it to Jun, who read it silently.
"Flowers pink in the spring
Brings new life to the sakura tree
As you did for me."
"It's a haiku." he explained. "My dad wrote it for my mom. Before he gave her this necklace, he read her this poem. Then he said 'I know I'm not much of a poet, but you are the key that has opened my heart, Sayuri.' As she opened the box, he said 'I love you'. This is the spot where he told her he loved her for the very first time."
Ken paused as Jun wiped a tear from her eye.
"After that day, his nickname for her was Sakura."
Sakura… The cherry trees in the cemetery… Sayuri's final resting place being in the middle of the grove… It all made sense to Jun now. When Kentaro left, he had made sure that Sayuri would always be surrounded by his love. Red Impulse didn't abandon his family and forget about them; he tried to take care of them as best he could, even in eternity. And somehow, even if he wasn't willing to admit it, Jun knew that, deep down, Ken realized that too.
"Exactly one year later, they returned to Aikou Island, to this theater." Ken continued. "My father stood in this same spot and he asked my mother to marry him."
Jun looked into Ken's eyes. He could see the question she had in her own.
"Yes, both times it was Valentine's Day." he answered.
Traveling down the coast back to the airfield, Jun took in the sights one more time, though this time they had much more significance to her. She realized that Ken hadn't decided to take the coastal highway because he thought it was a more scenic trip, but rather because he was retracing the route his parents had taken all those years ago. As she looked out to the ocean's waves, Jun thought about a young Sayuri watching the same waves as she clung to a young Kentaro.
At the airfield, Ken and Jun returned the motorbike they had rented, then grabbed a quick bite to eat at the small on-site restaurant. They both ate in silence, as both were lost in their own thoughts.
Back on the airstrip, Ken started his preflight check routine. Jun watched silently from the side, reflecting on all that she had discovered that day.
She had learned that there was great love between Kentaro and Sayuri, and that Ken had had that great love instilled in him. She learned that Sayuri and Ken had a special bond that would never be broken - and that his care for his father ran deeper than Ken would probably ever be willing to admit. Jun had also discovered that Ken didn't dislike Valentine's Day, as everyone believed he did, but rather his projected disdain was Ken's way of protecting his true feelings for the holiday, which included his own traditions that he wanted to uphold – for him and his family. To Ken, Valentine's Day meant honoring his parents and the last connection he had to them and their marriage. Finally, Jun had learned that Ken had a great capacity for love and to love. He just didn't know how to show it yet, something Jun hoped would change someday soon.
"You ready?" Ken called, standing with a tire chock in his hand.
Coming back to attention, Jun started to walk over to the plane.
Once they were settled in, but before Ken started the engine, Jun turned to him.
"Ken…"
Ken turned to her, his blue eyes looking once again into her emerald ones.
"Ken, there's still one thing I don't understand…." she started, then a little unsure of herself continued, "This plane... It's a 2-seater… You didn't know I would be coming with you today… Why did you borrow this plane instead of taking your Cessna?"
Ken's eyes reflected the emotions of the day.
"This plane was my father's." he answered, the emotional strain of the day now becoming evident in his voice. "He bought it just after he met my mother so that she could fly with him."
Ken paused for a moment.
"My parents returned to this island every year on Valentine's Day to celebrate their love for each other. When my father left, my mother gave this plane to his old flying friend, Tobikuma, who's kept it and maintained it all these years."
Ken took another pause. Jun could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
"My mother would tell me the story of her and my father's romance every Valentine's Day as we walked to the candy store. When I was 9, I promised her that as soon as I had my pilot's license, I would take her back to Aikou Island every year so she could keep their tradition."
Ken stared out the cockpit window, his voice dropped as a tear slid from his eye.
"She died before I had the chance."
"Oh, Ken. I'm so sorry." Jun tried to console him.
"Now every Valentine's Day I borrow this plane from Tobikuma and take the flight that I promised my mother. Even though both my parents are gone, I make sure their tradition lives on."
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Ken turned the key and started the engine of his father's Cessna.
It was well after-dark when Ken and Jun landed at Tobikuma's airfield. Ken taxied the plane to as close to the hangar as he could get it before he turned off the engine.
"I just need to push the plane into the hangar and secure it. Tobikuma will do the rest tomorrow." Ken informed Jun.
Jun got out of the plane and started walking towards her motorcycle.
Ken saw her walking off out of the corner of his eye.
"Jun, wait!" he called after her. "Please don't leave yet."
Jun stopped and waited for him. After he closed and locked the hangar doors, Ken met up with her by the bikes.
"Thank you for coming today, Jun." he started. "It was really nice to share my family's tradition with someone."
Ken paused for a second then sheepishly added, "Especially you."
Jun felt her cheeks go pink and was glad that the dim light emanating from over the hangar's doors forced a shadow to be cast where she was standing.
"Thank you for letting me share it with you, Ken." she shyly replied. "It means a lot to me that you trust me enough to let me be part of it."
The two teenagers stood there for a moment, both not knowing what to do next.
"Jun, I'm sorry for my reaction to your gift earlier today." Ken finally blurted out. "The chocolate Cessna was a wonderful gift."
Jun was mortified. The chocolate Cessna! Now that Jun knew the whole story, she realized the symbolism that her gift held for Ken.
"Oh, Ken, I'm so sorry." she desperately apologized. "I had no idea about the chocolates you would get from your mother or that your father's plane was a Cessna too. If I would have known, I never would have gotten that for you!"
"No, Jun, it was wonderful." he reassured her. "That Cessna brings everything together for me. It reminds me of the love and caring my parents had for each other and for me. And how I can love someone too."
Jun looked up at Ken, tears springing into her eyes. She didn't know what to say.
"Jun, I do have something for you…. Something very special." Ken continued as he put his hand in his pocket. When he took it out, the navy blue jewel box was in it.
Ken looked at the box for a moment, then opened it. Slowly he picked up the necklace that was kept inside.
"Jun," he said, as the necklace dangled from his fingers. "I want you to have this."
As Ken held up the necklace by its clasps for Jun to receive it, he said, "I know I'm not much of a romantic, but you are the key that has opened my heart."
Jun wept as Ken clasped the necklace around her neck. Then he took her and held her in his arms as they both realized that a new tradition had just begun.