It was already two in the morning when Maki made her exit from the cottage. The faint sound of waves washing on the shore entered her ears like a smooth melody. The cool air greeted her warm body. It was a good choice that she wore her jacket before going out. A light, salty scent tickled her nose as she walks closer to the beach. The sand that touched her toes felt very relaxing. She stopped to admire the vast, dark ocean in front of her. Looking at the ocean is like looking into space―you just can't see past it. For someone such as Maki, who likes stargazing so much, looking at a night sea was a very pleasant feeling. Once she lifted her head up, she could see another endless darkness painted with small, shining dots every here and there. Some of them shone brighter than the rest. The view in front and above her was what she would rarely call beautiful. Maybe those stars she's looking right now are probably dead million years ago. Who knows, it always amazed her how's the universe works.
Yesterday, she and all her colleagues went to the beach, to celebrate her welcomiong party. After undergoing her study to become a doctor, finally she had become a full-fledged doctor in her twenty-three. Since she was the daughter of the owner of Nishikino General Hospital, she was the one who covered for the trip expenses. Therefore, to reduce it as best as she could, she decided she would just take her colleagues to one of their family's cottage. Remembering how all her colleagues went crazy and drunk back there in the cottage, she just let out a sigh. She knew that they were happy for her, but she just couldn't get why they always celebrate an occasion like this with a drink. She prefers looking at the sea and the sky like this. For some reason, the sea and the night sky always manage to calm her nerves. It's like there's a good bond between her and nature. She was always coming here to relieve her stress from collage stuff. Nature was always being her good friend.
The one that awoke Maki from her reverie was a bright dot that looks like it was moving. She furrowed her brows to get a better look at it. The dot was, indeed, moving. It was getting bigger and bigger. Maki rubbed her eyes to ensure herself that she wasn't drunk. However, the dot that no longer looks like a dot keep moving toward her direction, until she could get a clearer image of what that dot was exactly. That thing that she originally mistook as a shooting star turns out to be something she never saw before. The shape was too small to be neither a rocket nor a plane, but it sure was big enough to carry at least three people on it.
As that thing moved closer to her direction at a ridiculous speed, Maki immediately ran away as far as she could, afraid that the thing would crash into the water and make a huge wave as its impact. And her decision was right. The strange ship crashed into the dark, cold, water. Destroying the beautiful moonlight reflection on the water surface. Thankfully, the strange ship crashed not too close to the shore. It crashed deep enough into the water because it only manages to make a not too loud "bam" and a not too big wave, but shallow enough for Maki to actually swim and looked at it if she wants.
After the strange ship landed in front of her, she finally could figure the shape of the ship. The ship that now looks more like a rocket was a white and long metal tube. On the side of it, there's some switch and something that looks like a door. Of course, Maki knew how a rocket shape and this one was definitely not like the one she had seen on television. She kept herself hidden behind a coconut tree to observe the situation further, before she made a decision whether to call her friends and ask for help, or just ignorantly leaving.
After she waited long enough for the water to finally calm down, suddenly she saw a movement from the thing that looked like a door. It was slowly opened, revealing something or rather someone inside. That someone was now kneeling, right in front of the opened door, trying to open the helmet attached to their head with all of their might. Maki wanted to help, but she was scared of what could happen to her if she goes there without knowing what she faces. After struggling with it, that someone finally managed to open their helmet and the first thing that Maki could notices was a messy, long navy blue hair falling down to the water. Now, after she sure that what she saw is a human being, she decided to move closer to help the blue-haired stranger got down from the ship.
Maki looked around to find something that she could use to get to where the ship position is. Luckily, she spotted a boat near the bright. Although she had to row the boat, it's still better than nothing. She immediately ran toward the boat and after she got into it, she starts rowing it closer to the ship. On her way, Maki could hear the blue-haired stranger threw up several times so she fastens her rowing, ignoring her hands that starting to get sore.
When she arrived at the scene, the blue-haired stranger already passed out. She tried her best to take her into her arms and moved her into the boat. When she finally managed to save her, she rowed her boat back to the shore. In front of her now, the blue-haired stranger lying down passed out. When she looked at her closely, she just looked like a normal person. Her white skin, shining brightly under the dim moonlight. With all of her might, Maki carried the blue-haired stranger to a room in a different cottage. Thankfully, because of her family's wealth, they own a five cottage near this beach and her colleagues only used three of it.
After they managed to arrive at the redhead's cottage somehow, Maki laid the blue-haired stranger in the bed. First, Maki looked for something to drink because carrying someone for almost ten minutes wasn't an easy task. After her thirsty throat satisfied, she put the bottle of water aside on a desk. She moved a chair to the side of the bed and sat on it. Maki observed the living being lying in front of her. Years of training in the medical field, she sure what she saw was a human being. When she realized that the other party didn't move even an inch, she started to get worried. Maki puts her index finger under the bluenette's nose to make sure that she was still alive. She let out a relief sigh, knowing that the other woman still breathing.
Convinced that the bluenette wouldn't come into anytime soon, Maki decided to rest her body in the next room. Tonight's event almost drained all her energy. Not to mention she still has a lot of unanswered questions in her head. She sighed again. After she got up from her seat, she looked back once again to the women that now lying silently in the bed. She turned off the light and closed the door slowly, hoping that she would find the answer to all her questions tomorrow.
The bluenette woke up later in the morning, when the sunlight already made its way inside the room. She felt a sharp pain invading her head followed by the urged to throw up, but she managed to suppress it. After she calmed down and felt better, she tried to get up from the bed. However, just as she thought she wasn't up to that task yet. Therefore, instead of getting up from the bed, she decided to just sit on it. Her throat felt sore, she coughs. A small creak could be heard as someone opened the door. A red-haired woman entered the room slowly, walking through her direction while holding a bottle of water and a glass full of it. Finding the bluenette-coughing non-stop, Maki was glad that she brought water with her. Maki walked closer to the bluenette and immediately hand her the glass of water.
"Here, drink it."
With effort, the bluenette took it and drank it slowly. After she calmed down, she handed back the glass and muttered a small 'thank you'. Maki looked at the blue-haired stranger in front of her. The bluenette's face looked troubled. She moved her head to left and right slowly, to observe her surroundings once again. When her brown orbs met with Maki's amethyst, finally she opened her mouth.
"Excuse me, but... where am I?" She asked with a hoarse voice. It looks like a glass of water wasn't enough so Maki decided to give her the second, which the latter gladly accept it.
"Ah, I'm sorry I brought you here without asking. This is my cottage." Looked troubled herself, Maki tried to explain without making the bluenette feels uncomfortable.
"I see..." the bluenette looked down to her hands that were holding the now empty glass and muttered to herself. After a while, she lifted her head back and looked at Maki. "Sorry if this sounds rude, but, who might you be?"
Before answering, Maki hesitated for a second. Maki shrugged the back of her head and let out a sigh. Revealing her name to a stranger wasn't something that she likes to do, but seeing how the situation's now, she afraid she couldn't avoid it.
"I'm Nishikino Maki. And you are?" Maki answered while immediately asked her the next question that popped into her mind. "What are you doing out there, riding that ridiculous ship? Are you an astronaut? Where are you come from?" Once a question escaped Maki's mouth, she knew she couldn't stop herself from asking more.
"I'm..." The bluenette looked back down at her hands. She gripped the glass tighter, making her already pale palm grow whiter.
Minutes of waiting for an answer, Maki still couldn't hear the tiniest voice escape from the bluenette's lips. Her pink, soft looking lip was just keeping a straight line.
"My name is..." the bluenette finally opened her mouth. " My name is..." as she repeated the same sentence, Maki realized that something was wrong and she was right. The bluenette suddenly dropped the empty glass in her hand and clutched her hair tightly, almost looking like she wanted to tear them all.
"It's okay...! You don't need to force yourself, it's okay..." Maki immediately moved her hand to reach for the other the other girl's hand. She held them tightly, hoping that she would stop doing something that only hurt herself.
From the look of it, Maki knew that the bluenette couldn't remember almost anything. It's only natural. Crashing from the sky like that, even though she wore protection helmet, that doesn't mean that she herself didn't collide with anything in the ship. She noted to herself that the bluenette needs a throughout checkup later.
"Since it'll be hard for me to call you without a name, why don't I just call you Umi? Then after you remember your name, you can tell me." still holding the bluenette's hand in her own, Maki looked at her, smiling.
"... Umi?" the bluenette's facial expression changed from tormented into confusion.
"Yes. Since you fell to the sea, I guess that name fits you. And also you have a beautiful blue hair." Realized what she was saying, Maki's suddenly felt an uncontrollable heat rise up to her cheeks. She pulled her hands from the bluenette's and turned her face aside. "You can forget the last part. Please."
Looking at awkward Maki, the bluenette couldn't hold a smile escaped from her lips, which only making the matter worse for Maki since now, her cheeks even more flushed.
"Umi..." letting the name sink in her head, she repeated it again.
Maki stole a glance to the bluenette who is now smiling. She seems to have taken a liking to that name which makes Maki smiling herself.
"Now then, could you get up? I have prepared breakfast for us." Maki got up from her seat and took the empty glass on top of the girl's blanket. She put it on the bedside table.
Without saying a reply, the girl now called Umi tried to get up from the bed. Eventually, she managed to stand even though she's still wobbling every now and then. They were eating their breakfast in silence. Maki didn't know what she should say when she's almost prohibited to ask the other girl a question. And talking about herself wasn't something she would recommend. Too busy with her own thought, she didn't realize that the girl across from her had a little problem.
What Maki had cooked for them wasn't something extravagant. She just made them a rolled egg, grilled fish, and a miso soup. However, having her memory lost, Umi realized that eating was harder than she thought. Umi was struggling on how to use the chopstick in the right way. As hard as she tried to remember, she has never seen those eating utensil before. She didn't even know why they need two of those long sticks. She took one of the stick and gripped it in her palm. She stabbed the fluffy rolled egg and put it inside her mouth. After she swallowed the rolled egg, the next problem hit her. How could she eat the rice with a mere stick? She tried the same way she did with the rolled egg, but of course, that's not going to work.
Maki, who now realized about Umi's problem, could only stare at the bluenette in amusement.
"Should I get you a spoon instead?" Maki said while trying her hard to suppress her laughter.
"Spoon...?" Umi tilted her head to the side.
Maki nodded. She walked to the cabinet to get a spoon for the bluenette. After finding what she needs, Maki handed it to Umi. She sat back on her chair, holding a spoon herself.
"Here, use it like this."
The redhead showed Umi how to use the spoon to scoop the rice. The other party made an o-shaped mouth, indicating that she finally understands the purpose of the eating utensil she held. They were able to finish the breakfast at least.
"Um... Maki isn't it? Thank you for saving me last night." Umi was fidgeting in her chair.
"N-no problem." Being called by her first name, Maki nodded awkwardly.
"You said that I came with a ship. May I take a look at it?" Umi tilted her head to the side, afraid if she's asking for too much.
"I can take you there alright, but how about you? Can you walk?" seeing how it took her all to get up from the bed, taking her outside seems to be an unwise decision.
"I'm fine." Umi insisted.
"If that's what you want then."
After washing all the dishes, Maki walked closer to where Umi was and offered her hand to her.
"In case you collapse on the way, its better if you hold on to me." while saying that, she couldn't help but blushed a little.
Aware of her own condition, Umi gladly accepted Maki's offer. She took Maki's slightly bigger hand and hold on to it tightly. When they walked outside the cottage, Maki was sure that Umi's fallen ship would make a lot of commotion. However, nothing that she pictured in her head actually happened. The beach was calm like usual. Even if there were some people, they look just like a normal tourist. When they arrived at the ship location, they didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Not even a slightest evidence of the last night event could be found.
"Should we try asking people?"
Umi shook her head. "I don't want to attract attention."
"You're right. Maybe the ship is swept away by the wave, but considers how big it is, I'm sure it wasn't too far from here." Maki put her hand on her chin. She already told her colleagues to go back without her. Therefore, she should have some more time to accompany the bluenette.
After almost an hour of walking, they still find no sign of the ship. Not after Maki spotted a floating helmet, she recognizes. As she thought, the ship was swept away by the wave to a more deserted area of the beach. No one even come there except the two of them. Umi sat down on a rock since all that walking already had a toll on her. Maki on the other hand, walked closer to the ship that now rested on the sand, while its lower part still under the water. Maki traced the ship's surface slowly, until she found some kind of mark written near the entrance of the ship.
"So...noda?" Maki tilted her head, trying to read whatever is written.
"Sonoda..." It looks like that name ring something inside Umi's head. "This is... my father's...!" Umi's eyes widened in realization.
Maki who has been paying attention to the ship non-stop finally turned her head when she heard the bluenette speaking.
"Your father? You remembered? Did he buy it? Wow... your family must be very loaded." Maki whistle. Her eyebrows rose.
"I remembered that when I was still young, I often sneak into his workshop and observed his work."
"He made this himself?!" Maki's voice raised in disbelief.
Umi just nodded as the answer. She wasn't sure herself. Nevertheless, the memory that popped in her mind told her that he did make that ship by himself.
"So what should we do now?" Maki walked closer to where Umi was. The sun was already above their head, and Maki's time to go home almost come.
"I think I'm able to repair this ship. I often saw my father work on it, so I at least understand how the machine works. Will you help me?" Umi looked at Maki. If Maki could define how Umi's face looked like now, she would compare it with a lost puppy begging for a food. Or maybe something even cuter.
Maki sighed in defeat. "We've come this far. There's no way I would abandon you in the middle of this. However, I have to go back to work and I only have one day off in a week. Two days if I could pull it out somehow. I won't be able to stay with you, are you okay by yourself here?"
Maki could see anxiety grow on Umi's face. She knew she shouldn't let someone who just lost her memory living by herself, but she couldn't just throw her job like that. She walked closer to Umi and put her hands on Umi's shoulder.
"Hey, look at me. It's gonna be okay. I will come here again next week." Maki stretched out her hand and pointed her pinkie. "I promise."
Umi, who didn't understand the meaning of Maki's movement, tilted her head to the side.
"It's a symbol of a promise. Here, you entwine your own pinkie with mine." Maki grabbed Umi's finger with her other hand and intertwined their pinkies. "I promise I'll be back next week. So, wait for me, okay?" Maki smiled tenderly much to her own surprise. She never thought she could make that kind of expression.
Looking at Maki, Umi was finally smiling. She nodded slowly.
"I will wait for you."
A week consists of seven days. A day consists of twenty-four hours. In her life, never once Maki considered a week to be a long period of time. However, this time it was different. Leaving Umi behind and come back to the city alone, has somehow made her restless. Thankfully, the hospital wasn't at its busiest time. Although she already taught Umi the basic about living on her own, she still feel anxious. She really wanted to come there and checked Umi's condition. Even if it's already the sixth week and they always communicating by phone, and every time they talked Umi would tell her that she's fine, it's still not enough to convince the red head. She felt like she left a ten years old girl living on her own. Although in reality, Umi wasn't that hopeless.
When another week already passed, she immediately packed her things and went to visit Umi. It took four hours from her place to arrive to the beach. Since it wasn't holiday season, the beach is calm which Maki more preferred it to be that way. She parked her car behind the cottage Umi used. Because the nearest supermarket is one hour by walks, Maki had brought many things for Umi's need for the next week. As well as other things, Umi asked Maki to bring. Umi, who heard the sound of Maki's car, opened the back door.
"Why did you bring so many things?"
Umi's calm, deep voice entered Maki's ears. Her hand was full of plastic bags. So full that the only thing Umi could recognize from her was her red hair. Umi couldn't help but giggling.
"Excuse me, who's the one that asked me to bring so much stuff in the first place? And I need a little help over here, please." Maki grumbled. Her voice muffled because of the plastic bag covered her face.
Umi walked closer to Maki and shared some of the plastic bags. When she finally able to see Maki's face properly, she made a warm smile to the red head.
"It's really nice to see you again, Maki."
Hearing that somehow embarrassing words escaped from Umi's mouth, Maki stumbled. Fortunately, she didn't fall. She cleared her throat and trying to hide her own embarrassment.
"It's nice to see you too, I guess..."
Umi had seen Maki getting embarrassed many times before. However seeing it all over again sent her a pleasant feeling. She laughs wholeheartedly, making the red tint on Maki's cheeks grown several shades darker.
After putting the groceries in place, Maki rest herself on the sofa in the front porch that overlooking the sea. Umi was inside, making lunch for the two of them. She insisted that she wants to be the one who make it. She wanted to show her how good she's at cooking now. Maki in the other hand still felt a little skeptical. She herself needs two years to be able to cook a meal for herself. Not that she mind it. She was actually happy that Umi was able to live normally despite her memory lost. The breeze feels so good on her face. The sound of the distant wave and the sound of someone cooking inside please her ears. She felt like she was... home. Maki felt her eyelids becoming heavier. She closed her eyes and immersed herself in the pleasant sensation.
After about thirty minutes, Maki woke up to find Umi was staring at her face, smiling. Feeling embarrassed, Maki cover her face with the back of her palm.
"H-how long have you been here?" Maki averted her gaze from Umi.
"I just got here five minutes ago. I have done cooking and wanted to call you for lunch, but you were falling asleep." Umi explained a smile still decorated her face.
"You should've waked me up, you know." Maki got up from the sofa and stretched her hands.
"You looked like you really tired. I decided I would just wait for you to wake up yourself. Besides, you are cute when you asleep." Umi's smile turned into a soft giggle.
"Wh-whaa...!" Unable to let out any word from her mouth, Maki just settle for a reddened face instead. She shrugged the back of her head. "Let's just go inside and eat. You said you're confident in your cooking skill, right? Let me decide whether it's true or not."
Umi cooked them a curry rice and a salad for the side dish. Maki had to admit, Umi's cooking was really good. At least it was better than hers. She wondered how Umi could be so good at cooking with only six weeks. They ate their food while chattering about their everyday life, sharing about every notable thing that happened to them.
"Speaking of which, did you buy the component I asked you before?" After finished washing the dishes Umi took a seat beside Maki who was sitting comfortably on the sofa.
"You ask for something hard to find." Maki sighed. "I did. It's in the car." Maki motioned her head to the direction of where her car was.
"Thank you, Maki." The edge of Umi's lips upraised.
"The ship has been moved, isn't it?" Maki turned her face to look at the bluenette.
"Yes. Thank you for the reinforcement you send the other week. Maki, I just realized that you came from a wealthy family..." Umi looked at her in awe.
"Not as loaded as you though. My family didn't own a space ship." Maki snorted with a laughter. "Should we start working on your ship?"
Umi's ship was now rested on a hill near Maki's family's cottage. They have made sure that no one knows about that place. When Umi opened the door to her new workshop, Maki finally could see the ship's shape clearly. Now that she looked at it from this close, she was certain that the ship was a space ship.
"Umi, I bet that you're really an astronaut." Maki murmured to herself, but Umi managed to hear it.
"I suppose I am..." Umi replied slowly, forcing herself to smile.
"Do you find any identification card or anything that makes you remember something?" Maki walked closer to the ship, admiring how complex it was.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't find anything." Umi shook her head. "I'm really sorry, for causing you so many troubles." Umi looked down to her feet.
Realized that Umi's voice has changed into a gloomy one, Maki turned and put her hands on Umi's shoulders.
"Hey, it's okay. You can just pay me back when we've found your family, okay?" Maki smiled, trying to make Umi's mood better. And it worked. The bluenette returned her smile. "I've asked my henchman to search for anything related to 'Sonoda' but there was no result at all." Maki turned back and continued to look at the ship. "Should we try asking other people to help?" Maki turned her head, asking for Umi's approval.
As her reply, Umi shook her head. "If possible, I just want you to be the only one who knows about me."
"Al-alright then." Maki turned her head back. She didn't know why, but Umi's statement just now made her happy. She smiled to herself.
The next few hours, they spend it with Umi's fixing some part of the ship while Maki looks at her and sometimes would help her if she could. She didn't understand mechanics after all. She herself curios, how did Umi manage to repair this ship despite her memory being lost. Maybe her memory was gradually coming back to her. If that was really the case, she was happy for the bluenette. When the sun already set, it's time for them to come back to the cottage. Umi still insisted that she would be the one who made the dinner. The sound of Umi cooking in the kitchen was a soothing melody to her ears. Moreover, it has secretly become her favorite song. Getting attached to a stranger she just met six weeks ago was something that Maki never thought of. However, she couldn't help it. She was just comfortable opening up to Umi.
After they finished the dinner, they take turns in the shower. When she's done, Maki made a coffee and being a good doctor likes she should be, reading her medical journal on the front porch. Umi was beside her, accompanying Maki while reading a book about astronomy.
"You know, I used to like astronomy a lot. If not still." Maki started a conversation, although her gaze still fixated on her journal.
Umi didn't reply. She just averted her attention to Maki, giving her a signal to continue.
"I used to go stargazing with my parents when I was still a kid. We usually come here in the winter." Maki finally closed her journal, fully immersed in their conversation. "You know, when you see the stars, you are looking into the past. Because light takes time to travel and stars are many light years away from us, you could be seeing a star that doesn't even exist anymore." Maki's amethyst eyes were sparkling as she talks. "Not to mention that there's endless possibilities in space. We still don't know if there are other creatures that live out there. Isn't that just... amazing?"
Umi looked at the red head, smiling. She has never seen Maki this enthusiast about anything before. Discovering another side of Maki has made her happy.
"If I'm not mistaken, there's an open star cluster that could be seen by the naked eye." Maki scratched her cheek with her finger. "Um... since the weather is nice tonight, wa-want to try to look at it?" Although she tried to sound as normal as she could, her hoarse voice betrayed her.
Looking at the slightly embarrassed Maki, as always, bring the bluenette joy. Umi would never get tired seeing this expression of Maki's. In fact, she really loved it.
Accompanied by a soft giggled, Umi made her answer.
"If it's with Maki, of course I would love to."
They walked closer to the shore to get a better night sky view. The cool and smooth sand felt really good on their bare feet. After Maki found the spot that seems right, she stopped walking. She looked at the night sky and squinted her eyes. She scanned the sky above her, trying to find the familiar view she used to see. When she managed to spot it, her lips formed a smile. She turned to look at Umi's direction and motion her to move and stand in front of her. The bluenette followed Maki's instruction.
"Move your eyes to that direction." Maki took Umi's right hand and pointed it at one point. Maki was so absorbed in her own little world. She didn't realize at all that Umi was now blushing like crazy.
"Can you see that star over there?" Maki adjusted Umi's finger a little bit. Umi nodded slowly. "It's called Alcyone. It's in the Pleiades open cluster located in the constellation of Taurus. It's the brightest star in the Pleiades open cluster. Bright enough for you to see it with naked eye. Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is..." Umi muttered, getting amazed herself.
Maki's sweet scent tickled her nose. Being together with the only person you knew while looking to the beautiful night sky. This moment was blissful for Umi.
"If we use a telescope, we can see Alcyone's blue light. It's so beautiful. Just like you are." Didn't realize what she was saying, Maki let out a chuckle.
Umi sure her face was redder than Maki's hair right now. She thanked the night silently because Maki couldn't see her flushed face in the dark. Not to mention their position makes it harder for Maki to realize her blushing face. Maybe, she finally got her share for laughing at Maki's embarrassed face so much.
"Now, should we go back? I need to drive tomorrow, since I only got a one day off." Maki let go of Umi's hand and stretched her own.
Umi turned around and looked at Maki.
"Do you really need to go?" A hint of sadness could be heard. Being greedy wasn't one of her traits, but when it comes to Maki, it was different.
"I'm sorry. I promise I'll be back again as soon as I can."
Silence fell between them. Umi didn't respond to Maki's word. She just kept looking down. Usually, Maki would offer her pinkie to promise the bluenette, but something was different today. Maki walked closer to the bluenette and held her in her arms. She rested her chin on Umi's shoulder.
"Umi, I promise I'll come back. Wait for me, okay?"
Feeling Maki's warmth, Umi smiled. She moved her arms and slowly wrapped them around Maki's body. And just as Maki did, she leaned her head on Maki's shoulder.
"Of course. I will wait for you, always."
For some time now, Umi actually has keeping a secret from Maki. It's not about her memory, but about her condition. Three months after the accident, Umi felt something was wrong with her body. It all started with simple symptoms. Like weakness or numbness in fingers and toes, or sometimes loss of coordination. However, the symptoms have gotten out of hand lately. She would suffer from persistent headache at least once a day and sometimes she would repeat vomiting or nausea. She should have told Maki about it. Maki is a doctor; of course, she would definitely check her condition and treat her. Still, Umi didn't want to trouble Maki any more than she already did. She realized that she was a burden for Maki. Thankfully, the red head was really kind to take her in and gave her anything she needs. Umi could never express how grateful she was to Maki with mere words. Thus, she decided she would keep quiet about this.
Today, however, was one of those days she couldn't take. The headache was too strong for her to even get up from the bed. She decided that she would just lie in bed for the rest of the day. Nevertheless, her plan failed. A wave of nausea attacked her stomach, forced her to get up, and went to the bathroom. Will all the strength she had, she walked as fast as she could to the bathroom and vomited. She panted heavily, hands on the closet, supporting her body. She waited for the second wave to come. After several waved had passed, she finally got out of the bathroom, searching for water. She walked slowly, trying to suppress her worsened headache. But her headache won over her will. She couldn't take it any longer. She felt her consciousness drifted away from her. Until finally, all she could see was black.
"Umi, come on, you have to go now!"
"B-but mother, what about you and father?" Umi's voice was shaking.
A loud 'bam' could be heard from the other side of the door. Umi knew that there was someone who knocked them with so much force. Almost intended to tear it apart.
"Open this door right now, Sonoda! I know you're in there!" A man shouted.
Her mother held Umi's shoulder tightly. Umi grimaced because of the pain it made. "Umi, we are going to be fine." She smiled. Although Umi could see a hidden tears in her eyes.
"Go, Umi! You know where my workshop is, right? Although it's still a prototype, I'm sure it's safe enough to use." Umi's father was standing in front of the door, trying to hold the intruder coming inside.
"But father, I can't! I don't know how to fly it!" Umi said, almost crying.
"Of course you know! You are my child!" Her father yelled.
"Sonoda! Open this or I'll start shooting!" The man outside screamed louder.
"Now, go, Umi!" Her mother hugged her for the last time and shoved her. She urged her to run using the hidden back door.
"But I...!"
Before she managed to finish what she wanted to say, the shots were already fired
Some bullet passed the door and hit her father. She could see that his stomach starting to bleed.
"Go!" Both her mother and father screamed, making the bluenette didn't have any other option.
She followed their instructions and run as fast as she could. Her vision was blurred because of the tears in her eyes. She could hear that someone was chasing after her. Fortunately, she was so familiar with the road. She ran passed a little forest, and continued to a hill. She looked back and find out that her pursuer already lagging far behind. She started to run out of breath, but she didn't want to stop. The cold air made her breath turned white. The smell of the dry leaves entered her nose. The only noise she could hear was the sound of her feet stepped on the dying leaves on the ground. Her mind was a mess. She didn't know what she should do. One side of her wanted to run back to where her parents are, but the other part told her to keep running.
Busy with her internal conflict, she didn't realize that she already arrived at the front gate of her father's workshop. She moved closer to the lock on the side of the gate. She input the familiar password easily and the gate started to open slowly. She ran to the space ship that her father built, get inside it and finished some procedure that she has seen her father doing before. Soon, the ship started its engine and the top of the workshop started to open. Umi, already wore all necessary suit, sat down alone in the control room. Her tears still lingered and when it's time for the ship to take off, she muttered a slow 'goodbye' and 'sorry'.
The sound of her phone ringing had woken Umi up. She blinked slowly. She still lies down on the floor. Her head hurts. She rubbed her temple trying to ease the pain. She tried to process what happened to her. If she wasn't mistaken, she was on her way back from the bathroom and was going to search for water. That's all she could remember. Looking by the situation now, she assumed that she was passed out in the middle of it.
What was the thing I saw? Could it be...?
Umi forced herself to get up and sat down. The realization struck her. It was her memory. Her parents were already dead. She closed her mouth with her hand and started crying. That's when her phone started to ring again. She forced herself to get up and picked her phone in the bedroom. She looked at the screen. It was Maki. Before she could answer her phone, the ringing stopped. Its ten PM right now and there's twenty-four missed calls from Maki. Calming herself down, Umi called Maki's number, which the latter immediately answered.
"Umi! Where have you been?!" Maki's shrill voice greeted Umi's ears.
"I-I'm sorry Maki. I'm too occupied in the workshop, and I forgot to bring my phone." Umi came up with an excuse quickly. She could hear Maki sighed as the reply.
"Are you alright? You didn't forget to eat, right?" Maki's usual voice came back to her.
Somehow, hearing Maki's voice has made all her effort to pretend that 'everything is okay' gone. The second she heard Maki's voice, she started to break out. She cried and cried, ignoring Maki's countless 'what happened?' questions. Several minutes had passed until Umi finally regain back her composure. Slowly, she started telling Maki about everything, about the truth, about her memory.
Umi told her that she actually wasn't coming from the earth, nor did she was an astronaut. She tried to explain to Maki that she came from another planet in another galaxy. She was sure it sounds really ridiculous, but she was telling the truth. Her planet was dying. Umi's father knew about it and he secretly made a spaceship that could travel at the speed of light. Of course, that sounds crazy even for the people in her planet. But, Umi's father didn't give up. He searched for a way to save his family. Eventually, he managed to find some material for the ship that could prevent human from dying when they travel at the speed of light. Unfortunately, there was an aristocratic who realized about Umi's father doing. He had sent his men several times to Sonoda's house and told Umi's father about his intention to buy Umi's father's ship. Of course, he refuse that, no matter how much money that aristocratic offered to him. And that result Sonoda's family receiving some threats and discrimination from other villagers, because that aristocratic was the landlord in their dwellings.
When the biggest volcano on the planet erupted, chaos started. Followed by the big waves that came which occurred because of the tectonic plates shifted. There was killing everywhere. People tried their best to find a way to get out of the planet. Of course, Umi's family was one of the targets for the tantrum. Eventually, the aristocratic came to her house. She told Maki about everything that happened in her house, including the fact that her father was shot. After that, Umi told Maki that she flew away by herself and somehow arrived on earth. And that's when she met Maki.
"Umi..."
Maki was lost for words. So did Umi.
"Umi, I'll come right away. Wait for me!"
"Ma-Maki...?" Without anymore word, Maki closed the phone.
Maki must be joking. It's already ten PM. Even if the road was empty and she drove faster than usual, it still at least took her two hours and a half to get to where Umi was. Not to mention the chance that she would harm herself. Umi tried to call Maki but what she got was answering machine speaking to her. She didn't know what to do. Even though she wanted to do something, her body said the other. The headache came back to her. And it was much stronger than the last time. It felt so hurt that she wanted to bump her head to the wall to reduce the pain. But, it was no use. Her body won't move. It's as if she was paralyzed. Then, another wave from the pit of her stomach came. She wanted to go to the bathroom to throw up. Nevertheless, she couldn't even move her hands. The liquids finally escaped her mouth. This time it was red. Umi understood what it means. This probably the result of her head bumped with something when she first landed. In the end, she closed her eyes, hoping the tortured would end the next time she open it.
Maki drove as fast as she could, ignoring her body that screamed for rest. It was a busy night in the hospital, yet she begged for her leave and surprisingly, was relieved by her superiors. All she could think on the way was Umi. She was worried that Umi might do something stupid in her distraught situation. Although Maki knew that Umi wasn't someone like that. Still, she wanted to see the bluenette so bad. She wanted to be there beside her, hug her and comfort her. She wanted to see her smile, hear her voice and touch her skin. She thanked God because the road was empty. Once in a while she would glance at her watch, monitoring the time. It was already past midnight. Even though she said to Umi to wait for her, she felt a little guilty to keep the bluenette waiting. It's not like she did that on purpose. The trip to where her cottage was just too far.
"Umi..." Along the way she kept muttering the bluenette's name.
When she passed the familiar street sign indicating that she was already close, she let out a sigh. When she arrived at the cottage, she parked her car at the usual spot and started running inside. Maki realized that something was off. There was no sign of life at all. Maybe it was because Umi has already fallen asleep and turned off all the lamps. But still, she asked for Umi to wait for her.
"Umi, Umi! Where are you? Umi!" Maki paced her step, exploring all rooms in the cottage while turning the light on.
The last room she hasn't checked was the bedroom. She immediately went there. When the dim light from the living room illuminated the dark room in front of her, Maki spotted the bluenette was lying on the floor. Maki turned on the light and found out that there was blood, spattered from Umi's mouth.
"Oh my God, Umi!" Maki ran to where Umi was and held the bluenette's head in her arms.
"Umi! Hey Umi, can you hear me?"
She placed her ears to Umi's chest. She couldn't hear Umi's heartbeat at all. Maki didn't know what to do. She didn't bring her stuffs with her. Besides, she remembered how Umi didn't want to make contact with others. Calling for an ambulance now was the wisest choice, but she didn't know why she was hesitating. All she could do was give the bluenette the first aid. She did everything, including CPR, hoping that the bluenette would awake already.
"Come on Umi, open your eyes..." Maki's voice wavered.
She has done everything that she could, but the bluenette eyes still closed. She placed Umi's head on her lap. Maki's hope was already lost when she felt a movement coming from Umi's body.
"Umi!" Maki took Umi's hand and brought it to her own. "Umi, do you recognize who I am?"
"Ma...ki?" Umi's eyes opened slowly.
"Yes, it's me, Maki. I'm here Umi, I'm sorry it took me so long to come here." Maki held Umi's hand and placed it on her cheek. "Umi, we have to get you examined. Let's go."
She could feel Umi shook her head slowly.
"No... It's okay... I'm fine, really." Umi tried her best to smile. "I'm sorry, Maki... I keep a secret from you..."
"Since when this happened to you? You should've told me you know." Now it was Maki's turn to shake her head. "No, it was all my fault. I should've remembered to check you back then. Yet, I forgot and just got excited by your presence beside me. I'm sorry, Umi..."
Maki knew what caused Umi like this. It was probably a traumatic brain injury. She knew that Umi's head was colliding with something. She even noted to herself that she should take a look at Umi. But, being together with the bluenette has made her forget about that. In this state, she realized that Umi's life was in danger. Maki couldn't contain her emotion, any longer. She let her tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry..." Maki apologized once more.
With great effort, Umi moved her hand and wiped away the tears on Maki's cheeks.
"You don't need to apologize... you have done so many things for me... thank you, Maki." Umi smiled. This time it's not forced. "Since I couldn't move my body... may I burden you another request?"
Maki nodded in silence.
"I want to see the sea..."
It was already two in the morning when Maki made her exit from the cottage. Umi was carried on her back, resting her head on Maki's shoulder. The faint sound of waves washing on the shore entered their ears like a smooth melody. The cool air greeted their warm body. It was a good choice that she put a thicker jacket for Umi.
"The night we met, was similar like this one."
Maki let her mind travel back to the first time they met. She continued to walk into the bridge where the boat Maki used to rescue Umi that time rested.
"At first, I was torn between wanting to help you or ran away. I really thought that you weren't human, since I've never seen anything like your ship before."
There was no reply from her back. Nevertheless, she keeps talking.
"When I realized about it, it was your blue hair that got me enchanted. The moment I saw the moonlight shone down at it, I knew that I would come to you eventually."
When they arrived at the bridge, Maki puts Umi down and got to the boat herself. Not like the first time when she met Umi, this time, Maki rowed it slowly.
"It was the right decision to help you that time. Because of that I get to know more about you, and without myself realizing, fall in love with you." Maki keeps talking, accompanied by the sound of water being rowed.
"I really like it when you smile. Your smile was so beautiful that sometimes it's hurts to look at. And your voice. It's so calming. There's that one time you sang me a lullaby, remember? Actually, that time I was pretending to sleep and not actually sleeping. It was just my trick to hear your voice." Maki let out a dry laugh.
"Having you in my life was a blessing. I never thought that meeting with the right person would change your life so much." When they were far enough from the shore, Maki stopped rowing.
She looked to the lying Umi in front of her. She looked so lifeless. Her white skin was pale under the moonlight. Maki bent down and kissed Umi's forehead.
"I love you, Umi."
Trying her best to hold her tears, Maki gazed at the bluenette. She slowly opened her eyes.
"You know Maki... my real name, is actually Umi..." Umi gave her a smile. "There's another secret I've kept from you..." with all her remaining strength, Umi gestured Maki to move her ear closer to her mouth.
I have loved you long before you realized you feeling
And that was the last thing that escaped from Umi's mouth. She closed her eyes and fall into an eternal slumber.
"Stupid..." Between the tears she shed, Maki smiled. She remembered about Umi's last word in the cottage. She wanted Maki to be the only one who know and remember about her. So, Maki lifted Umi's body with her hand and slowly drowned it in the water. Her tears still falling down like a waterfall. She slowly let go of her hand, making Umi's body fall deep into the black sea. As Umi's body become blurred and smaller, Maki opened her mouth.
Farewell, my first love.