"Hisao…we've…we've been married for some time…and…I love you so much…." Hanako began with more than a little hesitance, a faint blush appearing on her pale cheeks. She pulled away and rolled over from the spooning position they had been in to look into his eyes. "I…I need…to…to show you…something…"
"You don't have to if you don't want to, Hana," he hastened to reassure her, wondering what she was talking about. He had already seen her scars and proved he loved all of her in high school. So what was this terrible thing she felt she could only share after marrying him?
With a deep inhalation to steady herself, Hanako hauled herself out of bed. She immediately made a beeline for the closet, reaching up to grab a small notebook hidden under a stack of sweaters. She held it out to him, her small hands trembling from the anxiety. "Th-This…I…I need…to share it…with you…It's…It's a diary…the doctors...told me…t-to…to keep…after…you know…"
He caught on at once. She was talking about the house fire she had been in as a child. He nodded gravely as he took the faded and battered book from her. "And you're sure…you want me to read this?" He looked at her, gauging her reaction. To his surprise, she nodded determinedly. He knew it was futile to argue with her. "Very well. I'll take a look at it, Hana."
As he flipped the journal open, a musty version of Hanako's scent mixed with Play-Dough hit him. He took a moment to adjust to the large, childish handwriting. "August 10th," he began to read the first entry. "Today is one month after the fire. Dr. Tsukino told me I should write in this journal if I'm not going to talk to him. He's not mad at me for not talking, but I still feel bad. I think I'm letting him down by not talking. It's not that I don't want to. I can't. I'm tired of this hospital. I want to go home to Mommy and Daddy, but the doctors told me that's impossible. I hope they're not as badly burned as me."
Hisao glanced up from the small journal to gauge Hanako's reaction. He almost felt as though he was intruding by reading this diary. Yet she motioned for him to keep reading once his eyes met hers. She really was going to go through with this. Knowing how stubborn Hanako could be, he continued to read. "August 13th. Today I asked where Mommy and Daddy were. Dr. Tsukino was glad I talked, but seemed sad when he realized what I was asking. I don't understand. They must be really badly burned if the doctor won't tell me where they are. I hope they're okay."
A lump caught in Hisao's throat as he read, not wanting to continue, but unable to stop reading the childish script. "August 14th. Mommy and Daddy didn't make it. Dr. Tsukino told me I'm to go to an orphanage once I'm all better. I have no relations to take me in. I'm supposed to be all better in another two or three weeks. The scars on the right side of my body won't ever fade. I feel ugly."
A soft, strangled sound pulled Hisao from the journal and he looked up to find Hanako with tears in her eyes. He tossed the journal aside to pull her into a tight hug, his hands moving to stroke her hair in an attempt to comfort her. She buried her face in his neck, still weeping quietly as he pet her. "It's going to be alright, Hana," Hisao cooed in her ear. "I'm here for you. And I'm never leaving you."
Hanako sniffled and pulled away from his neck, offering him a weak, watery smile. "I l-love you, Hisao…"