Precious Time

Summary: Set several years from the present. What does the future hold for each of the couples?

Chapter One – Reason, Season, Lifetime

No one knows who said it, but there's a saying that goes like this: "People come for a reason, a season, or a lifetime." The saying goes on to explain itself, but I have my own interpretation.

Those people who come for a reason only stay for as long as you need them and they leave as soon as they fulfill their purpose. Those who come for a season stay for a longer time, which, during that time, seems to be able to last forever.

And yet, at the end, that time still seems so very very short because sooner or later, you're going to be left behind.

I don't know if it is fate that makes people come and go. It could be, if I were to believe in it like he did. But I believe that it is time that pulls our strings. Time gives and takes. We are all prisoners of time. Time, and with it, growth and change.

I think he came for a reason. He came into my life like a kidnapper, a hoodlum or a hijacker-- (barely legal, if you know what I mean), unbidden and definitely unwanted. Or so I thought, anyway.

Like the terrorist he was, he held me, my life and my heart for ransom-- a weird and slightly cheesy metaphor but that was how it was. And the only way to pay the ransom was to return his love.

And so, what choice did I have? I dove right in, never expecting for a moment just how profoundly he would affect me, how profoundly he would change me.

He reminded me of many things that I had forgotten. All along, I thought I had buried my heart along with Sensei in her grave by the sea. Well, I guess I was wrong.

He reminded me that my heart was still very much alive. He reminded me how it was to breathe again. And I loved him for that.

Somehow, even from the very start, I knew our time together wouldn't last forever. After all, he was so much younger than I was, and he had his whole life ahead of him.

He would still meet many new people and experience many new things. I told myself that once I saw that there was no place for me in his future, then I would step aside willingly.

And so, just as suddenly as he had arrived in my life, he also made his exit. It was not that he hated me or I hated him. It was simply his time to go.

I can't say I didn't love him then, in fact, I suppose he stopped loving me before I stopped loving him. He simply grew up and grew away from me, I guess. And I didn't plan on restricting him.

He went overseas after university and went on to study law at some posh school in who knows where. He decided he wasn't going to take literature after all. That cheeky little brat.

We weren't able to keep in touch. We were both very busy with our own lives. At least, I was trying to be very busy on my part.

You'd think that was the end of it. But five years after he disappeared, he reappeared again one night without warning outside my apartment door. I was stunned. All I could say was--

"You look OLD!"

He snorted in a way that I only knew too well.

"I look older, not old," he said in a voice deeper than I remembered it to be, "And look who's talking, you old geezer!"

I laughed in spite of myself. He was taller now, and less lanky. Practically every part of him was screaming 'I am not a kid anymore!'. If he looked that mature to me, I wonder how I looked to him?

"I suppose I have no choice but to let you in," I said, grinning.

I opened the door for him and led him into the living room. He looked around with curiosity, obviously comparing the room's present state from its past.

"It's not much changed, is it?" he asked, seating himself comfortably on the sofa.

"Well, what did you expect?"

"I expected you to be married again, actually," he said without hesitation.

I massaged my temples with my fingers, "Still answering rhetorical questions, are we?"

"Still up to our usual imbecilic antics, are we?" he countered without missing a beat.

We both glared at each other for a split second. Then we burst into laughter. At least that part of himhadn't changed.

"How have you been, Shinobu?" I asked.

"You left out the '-chin' part," he pointed out.

"But it would be weird to call someone like you a pet name like Shinobu-chin. You're too old for that now. You should be called maybe Uncle Shinobu--"

"Just call me Shinobu, thanks," he interrupted, "I've been well, actually. I'm now working at a very prestigious law firm."

"With a big fat salary, most probably," I said, grinning.

"And you, how have you been?" he asked, fixing his piercing gaze on me.

"What? Okay, I guess. I'm still teaching, of course," I scratched my head, feeling a little awkward, "But hey, you can't stay long. I have a prior engagement."

"A woman, is it?" he said, and inexplicably, he seemed to perk up at this.

"As a matter of fact, it is a woman. But there's nothing between us. We're just good friends."

"Riiiight.."

"Don't start with me. I've been getting that kind of comments from everyone. It's really troublesome. She's a good person and she doesn't deserve to become fodder for the rumor mill."

He looked at me long and hard. He seemed to be looking for something. I was a little taken aback, actually.

"I know one way to stop everyone from talking behind your backs," he said, finally.

"Oh? How?" I asked, curious.

"Marry her. That way, people won't talk about you two anymore."

"Obviously, that's not the point!" I exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Think about it," he replied, totally unfazed, "After all, you seem to care about her a lot."

I looked at him for a long moment.

"Alright..." I said finally, running a hand through my hair, "But isn't it weird for you to tell your ex-lover to get married to another, and a woman at that?"

"Not really. That's what I came back for, anyway."

"What did you come back for?"

"I came back to make sure you were doing okay. I was worried you'd still be all hung up over me."

"Still as arrogant as ever, huh?" I snorted.

"But really," and his face softened as he said this, "I'm glad you're doing fine."

"And you what about your love life?" I asked with a grin.

"Oh, don't you worry about that!" he said, matching my grin, "I've found someone much better than you."

"Much better than me, huh?" I repeated, a little wistfully.

We sat there, staring at each other for several minutes, neither one of us saying a word. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I was almost sure that he was also remembering the time when we were together. Looking back, despite all the misunderstandings and fights, I guess we were really happy.

And then, someone knocked on the door. Quickly, he stood up from the sofa.

"That's probably her, right?" he said, "I better get going then."

"Yeah, I guess so. Hey Shinobu--"

"What?"

"Thank you. For everything."

He looked at me and nodded, "You're very welcome. Just remember not to waste my efforts."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You should know," he replied cockily as I followed him to the door.

"Well... goodbye then," I said.

"Goodbye and good luck," he added, winking, "Oh, and remember when you said to me years ago that I was a terrorist and that I had taken your heart for ransom?"

"Er yes?" I answered, embarrassed, "But that was a joke, you know?"

"Well, now I give you back your heart. You've ransomed it back. Now go and give it to someone else."

I shook my head and said, "You always were the hopeless romantic."

"Of course," he replied, smiling that arrogant smile before stepping outside the door.

And there he went again, appearing then disappearing. I did remarry eventually, and became the insanely happy husband to my wonderful wife and soon-to-be father.

He had been right to advise me what he advised, and once again brought an unexpected measure of happiness to my life. Who knew terrorists could bring about feelings other than terror?

Now, I'm not so sure if people come only for either a reason, a season or a lifetime.

After all, he came for a reason, stayed for a season and changed a lifetime.