Sato walked slowly to her desk. She looked at the calendar, then crossed out the date with a pink marker. October 31st. That means, today was exactly one year since her beloved boyfriend Wataru Takagi fall into a coma. She smiled sadly, then suddenly her eyes felt hot. She hurriedly wiped her eyes before her coworkers saw her cry. She sat down, and started reading the pile of files on her desk.
"Hey see, Sato is crying," whispered Inspector Shiratori who had watched her to Yumi and Chiba.
"How could she didn't cry, Shiratori? Today is October 31st." said Yumi.
"Why, Yumi?" asked Chiba and Shiratori simultaneously.
Yumi sighed impatiently. "Ouch, you guys! You guys don't remember at all? Today is exactly 1 year Takagi in a coma!"
Inspector Shiratori gasped. "Oh yes, you're right... It feels like yesterday... That terrible day..." He folded his arms and shivered. He always shuddered when recalling the incident one year ago, considering Sato and Takagi could have been killed in the incident.
"What should we do? Should we cheer her up?" Chiba asked. Yumi nodded her head.
"Yeah, it isn't good if she constantly dissolve in grief like that. Is with crying like that will make Takagi wake up? Let's take her to the cafeteria." The three polices got up from their desk.
"Hello, Sato. Do you want to join us lunch in the cafeteria?" asked Inspector Shiratori.
Sato hastily raised her head from the book she was reading. "No, you go ahead. I'm not hungry."
"Are you all right, Sato? Your face is very pale." whispered Yumi. Sato forced herself to smile. She struggled to make she didn't seen like after crying. Then she said,
"Yeah, I'm fine, Yumi. Don't worry. Thank you for your attention."
Sato doesn't seem want to talk to and Yumi can see that Sato wants to be alone. She gestured to Chiba and Inspector Shiratori to leave Sato. After her co-workers gone, Sato looked back at the book in front of her.
The book turned out to be a mini album she shared with Takagi. Sato turn pages after pages, there are a lot of embarrassing and ridiculous poses of her and Takagi in these photos. There were photos of them eating ice cream together, playing bikes, she was pinched Takagi's cheeks, she was playing Play Station with Takagi, and more. In all the photos, Takagi's face always looked embarrassed and he did not want to smile. Sato laughed sadly and slowly, drop by drop tears falling from her eyes to the top of the photo album.
If only she could turn back the time… If only she could prevented over all had happened….. Who knows whether Takagi will open his eyes again or not?
"T-takagi... I really miss you... Did you realize how much you mean to me ... How much I love you…."
All of this was because of the incident that almost took her life one year ago.
XXX
Sato and Takagi went shopping to a mall that is located near the police department office after they handled a quite complicated and laborious murder case. The case that they handle this time really leaving stress, so they decided to released their stress with going out and waste of their salaries a bit.
"A lipstick again?! God, Sato-san, do you realize you've bought fifteen lipsticks today?" Takagi asked in amazement when Sato took the lipstick for the umpteenth time to her shopping bag. Sato looked fiercely at Takagi.
"Of course I buy a lipstick, I'm a woman! What do you think I'll buy, then? Rubber duck toy?"
Ugh. Again, I said wrong words.
Takagi waved his hand timidly. "It's not what I mean, Sato-san, I just wonder why you bought so much lipstick... Not the other," He said nervously. Sato brought her face closer to Takagi's face. Furiously, she pinched Takagi's cheek.
"It's for I don't need to bother go back and forth just to buy lipstick, Takagi -kun."
"Okay, okay, I understand, all right, all right!" Takagi stroked his painful cheek. Woman.
"Have you finished your shopping, Sato? I'm going downstairs. If you're done, you can accompany me."
Sato rolled her eyes up. "You definitely want to buy lego or action figure and such, right? I wait for you here, Takagi. I still want to pick another lipstick again."
Takagi was astonished. Seriously! After 15 lipsticks, she still wants to buy more? And she is my girlfriend…. But he did not comment anything because he won't to get an extra pinch on the cheek again. He stepped down, and in an instant forgot about his age when he saw the various legos stacks and action figures on display at the store shelves.
When he was busy picking, suddenly the floor shook violently. He fell with prone position to the floor. The store shelves falls, all displayed toys were scattered into the floor, and people were screaming.
"EARTHQUAKE! EARTHQUAKEEE! QUICKLY RUN! SAVE YOURSELF!"
Earthquake?! But Sato is still on the top floor! I have to save her right away!
Painstakingly, Takago stood up. It's very hard to walk, moreover run between great vibe, the people who ran to and fro in a panic, and falling objects. He slipped one of the scattered toys, then fell once again. Grimaced for a moment, ignoring the pain in his legs, Takagi got up and ran as fast as he could to the top floor. He doesn't care about anything else, he doesn't care that the tremors become more intense, and it would be very dangerous if he went to the top floor... All he thinks is he has to save his lover.
Sato-san! Hang on, I'll be there soon!
Just as Takagi reach the upper floor, the place where the makeup and lipstick were sold, he saw a huge pole swayed so violently, ready to fall and hit Sato anytime...
"SATO-SAN! WATCH OUTTTT!" Without another thought, Takagi ran toward Sato, pushing Sato aside quickly. It worked. Sato was not hit by the pole. However, on the contrary, the pole hit Takagi, leaving Sato screaming and crying hysterically, trying to raise the pole with scrambling.
"Takagi-kun! Takagi-KUN !" When Sato had got rid of the pole, Sato could have sworn she was looking at Takagi's corpse in front of her. His eyes were closed, his face was pale, his handsome face full of bruises and blood here and there. No, no, Takagi didn't die. Takagi will be fine! In desperation, Sato shook Takagi's body, trying to give artificial respiration. No, I've lost a father and Matsuda-kun, I'm not going to lose you either, Takagi-kun...!
Fortunately, there were no aftershocks and the earthquake subside shortly afterwards. Sato and Takagi successfully evacuated by the rescue team. At the hospital, the doctors treat Sato's wounds, while Takagi was rushed to the ICU. Sato waits in the waiting room, unrelentingly praying. Shortly after, an elderly doctor approached her and explained Takagi's condition.
"Your lover suffered a severe injury in his head and back, Miss Miwako. And he falls into a coma. We can't promise anything, we don't know when he will wake up. If he wakes up, he may have severe paralysis or brain damage."
Sato just silent when hear the doctor's explanation. She didn't know what to say. Why, something bad always happened to the people that she loved? First, her father, then Detective Matsuda.. And now Takagi-kun…
"Do you want to see your lover, Miss Miwako?" asked the doctor. Sato nodded softly. The doctor then led Sato to the ICU room. See her beloved lover fitted with various life support make Sato's heart broke. She came closer to the bed, grabbed Takagi's hand, then whispered,
"Takagi-kun ... because of me, you're laying here ... I'm sorry, Takagi-kun ... But, if you can hear me now, you know, I'll always wait until you wake up."
XXX
Since the unfortunate incident, Sato turned into a very different person. She became very moody, never smiled again, and always crying. All the policemen in the Police Department was trying to win her heart, but no one succeed. Because only Wataru Takagi the man that she loves. Every day, she always visited Takagi in the hospital just to whisper something in his ear, holding his hand or kiss his hair and forehead gently, hoping that all that she did will make Takagi wake. Although all her effort was useless, because Takagi still closed his eyes, didn't move at all, like a living corpse.
Though many people say that she shouldn't have high expectations, she just wasting time to come every day to the hospital and should be ready with all the worst possibility, but Sato didn't care. Even if she had to wait up to 50 year... She will continue to faithfully wait Takagi to open his eyes again.
Days turns to weeks. Weeks turns to months. And months turned into a year. It has been one year Sato waiting for her lover to open his eyes. Although her waiting never seemed to end, but she remained patient.
Today, as usual, Sato visits Takagi in the hospital. Still no any difference from him although one year had passed.
"Takagi-kun, it's me again, sleepy head. Time passed so fast, isn't it? I can't believe you've been asleep for a year here. You really feel at home here, huh?" Sato laughed grimly. She then took a book from her bag. She opened the book.
"Hey, Takagi, this is your favorite book! The Da Vinci Code... I'll read it to you ... You listen carefully, okay?" Sato read the The Da Vinci Code book for nearly 4 hours. When the nurse told her visiting hours were over, Sato closed and put the book back into her bag, then holding Takagi's hands.
"The story is great, right, Takagi-kun? Did you like and enjoy the story? You're still sleeping when tomorrow is my birthday, you know! What kind of boyfriend are you?" Sato's lips trembled and her tears fell into Takagi's hands. When she was about to let go of her hand, she could have sworn Takagi's fingers trembled weakly in her grip. However, when she tried to make Takagi responded again, Takagi back unmoving again like before.
With a sluggish move, Sato out of the ICU room.
"Tomorrow I'll come back and read more books for you, Takagi-kun."
XXX
The next day, all colleagues and Inspector Megure say happy birthday to Sato. Even Detective Boys also say happy birthday over the phone. Sato couldn't say anything but thank you, and also felt touched when receive the gift from all of them. When she was opening the birthday gifts from her co-workers and Inspector Megure, Mouri Kogoro suddenly ran with panting.
"Sato," said Kogoro. "You have to go to the hospital now."
"What is wrong? Is Takagi..." Sato is incapable of continuing her words.
"The doctors' team wants to unplugged Takagi's entire life support. I heard them when take Conan to control with Dr. Araide."
"But they can't do that! Takagi will wake up!" Sato exclaimed.
"Let's go to the hospital now, Sato," Kogoro pulled Sato's arm by force and dragged her out.
Arriving at the hospital, it was right, when Kogoro and Sato ran into the ICU room, the doctors were standing around Takagi's bed.
"It has been a year Detective Takagi fall into a coma. Looks like he will never wake up again. It's time to unplug all of his life support." said one of the doctors, accompanied by murmurs of agreement from another doctor.
"DON'T! PLEASE DON'T DO THAT!" Sato shouted as she burst into the ICU. "What kind of doctor are you? Takagi will wake up!"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Miwako, but it's very rare a person who in a coma for a year will wake up again... We just don't want to give false hope to you, Miss Miwako."
"And today is my birthday!" Sato shouted as she stomping her feet to the floor. Tears stream down her cheeks now. "How could you do this? I will not let you take off Takagi's life support until he wakes up!"
The doctors fell silent, exchanged glances, sighed, then exited from the ICU. Right after the doctors comes out, Conan went inside.
"Sato-keiji?"
"Yes, Conan?"
"Actually, Takagi-Keiji entrusted this gift to me. He told me to give it to you on your birthday." Conan handed her a blood-red gift box. "Here, Sato-keiji. Hope you like it... But this is from Takagi-keiji, you definitely will like it."
"Thank you, Conan."
Sato opened the gift and when she looked at the contents, she lost of words. It was her replica doll, wearing the exact same clothes that she wore every day, and in the doll's hands, a ring hanged. When she was about to take the ring, Sato gasped because the doll was making a sound, which was none other than Takagi's voice.
"My dear Sato-san, will you marry me?"
With her lips trembling, Sato put the ring on her finger.
"Of course... of course, I want to marry you... Oh, Takagi!" Sobbing loudly, Sato then kissed Takagi lips gently. After kissing Takagi's lips, Sato turned away, hugging her replica doll to her chest, then buried her face in the doll. Kogoro and Conan then stroked Sato's back, trying to comfort and soothe her.
"Don't cry, Sato-keiji, surely Takagi-keiji will wake up," Conan said.
"S-sato san...? Why are you crying?" A deep raspy voice made the three of them jump. Sato turned around, and almost could not believe her eyes when she saw Takagi sitting on the bed, his eyes open, and he look tired.
"Takagi-kun! Oh, finally, finally you wake up too!" Sato exclaimed as she attacked Takagi with hugs and kisses repeatedly. Takagi groaned softly because of Sato's too tight embrace. His eyes glanced at the doll Sato was held.
"Oh... you have received the gift I sent to Conan...?"
Sato nodded.
"Then... what's your answer?"
"Of course YES, YES, YES and THOUSAND YES, Takagi!" Sato exclaimed again. She tilted Takagi's head, then kissed Takagi's lips with ferocity. Takagi kisses Sato back, both of them really didn't realize that Conan and Kogoro were there and were watching.
"Let's leave them, Conan," said Kogoro. Conan nodded, then he and Kogoro stepped out of the ICU, shut the ICU door quietly, leaving Takagi and Sato still engrossed kissing.
Finally, Takagi's long wait to propose Sato, and Sato's long wait to wait for Takagi wakes up ended. The police couple can't wait to start a new life with their future children.
End