Wake up call I will never stop loving you. Or Nobu.
Hey Nana,
But you especially have taken my heart away.
Hachiko looked at her matching wedding ring like her best friend Nanas. The only reason she kept it was because it was matching Nanas. Everything else was beginning to seem meaningless to her. Her oh so "beloved" husband Takumi. The womanizer who was most likely already having an affair, committing adultery.
He was emotionally abusive, everything she did would some how backtrack to him. Then becoming angry then sleeping with him. She was never satisfied with him. Yes, Hachiko loved Takumi but not as much as she loved Nobuo. Her heart ached for him. For those lanky arms and loving touch. That's all what Hachi wanted her entire life. She wanted to love and be loved in return. She envied couples down the street, wishing she had someone like that. Wishing she could happy with someone like that.
She even envied the elderly couples. Growing old together, she thought, that wouldn't be so bad. Infact,it was cute! Picturing the elderly couple,she pictured herself and Nobu. Not her and Takumi.
"I have to break it off," she said aloud, "officially."
Hachiko took a notepad, she quickly went through her contact list writing down the numbers and emails for the most important people.
Number one of course was Nana.
Second was Nobu, then Yasu, then Shin. They were her second family. Hachi already knew her real family's numbers by heart so she didn't need to worry about that. She was leaving her beloved cell phone behind, no one to track her and especially Takumi not able to contact her especially.
Folding that piece of paper she wrote on the next page of she was leaving Takumi and she would be sure she would never to see him again and the baby definitely wouldn't see him either.
"Okay," she sighed out, placing a hand on her stomach, "ready Satsuki?" She smiled at the name.
Hachiko quickly grabbed a suitcase and packed all the necessary items and clothes she would need. She was running away. Forever! Forget this dumb apartment, forget these dumb luxuries. Forget Takumi! She wanted to start over, especially for this child she's having, she wasn't going to have a father who was a womanizer.
She remembered thinking how she could never resist Takumi, oh contrarie past Nana. He was the most ugliest thing she had ever seen. And Nobu, oh the sweet Nobu, he was so beautiful. What had she been thinking? Just because Takumi was wealthy and famous? She wasn't sure what she was doing anymore. She could already feel herself becoming a totally different person, someone more serious. Oh. how she wished she could have been with Nobuo longer, how she could easily Takumi now.
Hachi grabbed her coat, her hat,boots and lastly her purse. Then she was off.
First stop was Junkos, her high school friend. How she appreciated her so much. To put up with her childish behavior. And how careless and naive she has been and probably continue to be too anyway. Junko, she helped her be with Shoji, and how careless she was. Junko had given her so many warnings and advice yet she still didn't listen.
Hachis footsteps clicked with each step she made and knocked on the door. Junko opened it half asleep.
"Nana..? It's the middle of the-"
"Night," Hachiko finished for her, "I know I'm sorry. And that's what I'm here for, to apologize. I'm sorry I've been so selfish and self centered. And that I've been so childish, so I left Takumi."
"WHAT?" Jun nearly screamed.
"I'm not done," she hushed her, "I'm leaving for awhile. I left my cellphone on purpose. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I'll send you letters okay? I'm sorry," she hugged her friend Jun.
For some reason, hearing Nanas words and feeling her arms around Jun, Jun knew it was best for Nana. To leave and start anew. Jun immediately hugged her friend back, tears beginning to stream down. She had never cried in front of Nana before. She hasn't cried in, what? Years?
Normally this kind of thing she would start yelling and lecturing Nana, but in this case. She saw the determination in her eyes, she saw a new person breaking out of her shell. No, this had always been Nana, she was just finally able to find that courage.
"Be safe, okay Nana? I'll be waiting for your first letter."
"Of course I will, Jun. Thank you so much, for everything." Hachiko then kissed Juns cheek as a goodbye and hurried off.
Next stop, to Nana. She quickly went to a payphone nearby on the street looking at her paper and dialing Nanas cellphone. Come on.. she thought, pick up..
"Hello?"
"Nana!" Hachi exclaimed, "it's Nana,"
"Hachi!? Where you've been, i haven't talked to you in ages. Where are you?"
"No time," said Hachi, "can you tell me where you're at? I'll explain when I get there,I promise just tell me and I'll be on my way." The punk girl concerned over the phone she gladly gave the address to her best friend,said her goodbyes and hung up with the phone.
No use going to sleep, thought the punk. Osaki let one of her Seven Star cigarettes, inhaling then slowly exhaling the smoke.
Nana was anxious, especially about her best friend. Something must of happened.
Her now husband Ren snuggled close to her for warmth and she gladly rested her arms on him, waiting for her loyal dog to arrive.
Urrgh, Nana groaned, she was an impatient one. What could have happend?! She definitely knew it was Takumi related and felt like she was finally gonna do some ass kicking. She was already cracking her knuckles in advance.
Nana Osaki never felt this way about a girl before, she loved Hachi especially. Platonic love, she never had that or even knew that existed. She loved every minuet of it. In school she had no one until Nobu saved her. Soon then she had Yasu and Ren. Then came her fans then more. She loved each minute of it.
The knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and immediately perked up. She tore away from Rens arms and opened the door to be in Hachis.
Hachiko held onto the punk tightly as she did the same. Tears spilled over on each other.
Osakis slender fingers ran through Hachis hair, cradling her as if she were own. She even thought, maybe raising a child with Ren wouldn't be so bad, even raising a child with Hachi.
Ren sat up looking at the scene, watching the two best friends hold each other. He knew shit was gonna hit the fan with Takumi. Even though,he was douche anyway, he doesn't blame Hachi one bit.
Knowing Takumi, of all the women he's slept with. Ren wouldn't doubt that Takumi already slept with 3 different women in the past month. He seriously had issues, he was disgusted just thinking about it. He lit a Seven Star cigarette and inhaled the tobacco.
Hachiko pulled away and looked over at Ren then back at Nana,
"I'm sorry, Nana!" She sniffled.
"No don't worry about it," she waved it off, "you are far more important. We haven't heard or seen you in months, Ren was actually missing you too?"
Hachiko perked up a bit, "Really!?" Stars in her eyes and Ren laughed at her reaction. She was pretty lively,which was odd.
Both of the punks knew that she was filled the relief. That she was on a mission.
"I came to apologize," Hachiko turned to Nana and bowed to her, "I'm leaving Takumi, but I'm going to be gone for awhile. To raise Satsuki!"
"You already decided a name?" Nana questioned trying to take everything in.
"I'm not sure where I'm going but I don't want Takumi to find me and," she gasped, "I need to find Nobu! Where can I find him?" She slightly demanded.
Nana looked at her best friend, she was running away from Takumi.
Takumi would do anything to find her, so she had to go somewhere he least expected. But why did she need to find Nobuo?
Nana told her where to find him. Hachi thanked her friend, staying a bit longer to be with her and talked to her. Soon hurried off before Takumi would call and find out for himself.
Soon Hachiko left, Rens cell phone rang.
"Nana just left me!" Takumi shouted into the speaker, "I have no contact with her, she left her cellphone and left a note how she's leaving me. Did that punk of a woman of yours have something to do with this?!"
Nana, the cat eyed queen took Rens cell phone, politely telling him - lying - that she had no part of it, Hachiko was simply missing and never saw her. Hanging up on the womanizer, the punk rock couple high five each other and shared a kiss. Anything for a woman who was suffering and escaping her freedom.
"I never want to do anything like that to you, Nana," Ren whispered lovingly to his wife. Nana couldn't help but smile and they held each other close.
Hachiko was racing down the stairs though to be careful with her baby of 5 months. While carrying her luggage, she got in a taxi. She paid him extra to speed and got to the sketchy hotel that they were currently living at. She hasn't even seen Nobuo in months like Nana, but longer. Not after what happened between them. Unfinished business, but this she was definitely going to finish it off.
Hachiko barged in on the rest of the band who were playing mahjong.
Shin was the happiest, he exclaimed, "Mama!"
"Hi, sweetie," she smiled at him, but made her way to Nobu. She took his hand, tearing him away from the girl that was clinging onto him. Using her other hand, she took Shin with her too. Nobu began to speak once they were outside the hall but interrupted quickly.
"Hachiko what's going on-"
"I love you, Nobu!" Hachiko immediately cut to the chase, "I love you so much, I thought being with Takumi would be good for the baby but he's no good. No good at all. I want you to run away with me,"
"What!?" Nobu can't believe the words she was saying.
"I want you to run away with me." She repeated, " I know you guys are just having your big debut but I have to leave. I left Takumi. I want you to be with me to raise Satsuki," she held on her stomach as her voice cracked, "I know I've been selfish and childish and a lot more. I've hurt you and led you on and you didn't deserve any of that. If you run away with me, I'll cherish you properly. If not I'll wait for you till the end of time. You're all I've ever wanted," Hachiko cried out to him.
"And Shin," she already wiped her eyes, "I already treat you like as if you're my son, I want to come with me too. I know this is a big decision with careers. If you guys don't, it's okay, I'll wait for you. I wrote all your numbers down, " she took the folded piece of paper out with the important people that she needed to contact in case.
"I have no where else to go. I don't want Takumi to find me."
Nobuo couldn't believe the words she was saying, it's all he'd been wanting to hear. Especially from her. But he loved his guitar and music. He couldn't choose her and the band. Instead, he kissed her. Returning his love to her, that he could never stop loving her. Even when he was Yuri, Hachiko was all he could think about. He knew that this girl, this woman, he would never stop loving her unconditionally. He definitely knew they were fated, true love. Not only was music was his dream, but secretly he wished for a happily ever after too.
His phone began to ring as he picked it up.
"Nobuo, is Hachiko with you?"
"Yeah," he said into the phone, as Nana demanding to speak to her best friend. Nobu handed the phone to Hachiko and greeted into the phone with question.
"Hello?" Hachi said timidly.
"Hachiko," Nana exhaled out cigarette smoke as she spoke, " Ren and I have been talking," after that Yasu stepped out into the hall handing Hachiko a key.
"Takumi won't find you there, it's where Ren and I used to live in. The place is still ours and you can hide there and raise Satsuki," Nana paused and sighed, Hachi could picture her searching for words in her head, "it's not the best place, but it's safe I can promise you that. If you have any questions just call me okay?"
Hachiko began to shed tears once again,
"Thank you, Nana. I love you all so much."
"Of course, stay there as long as you like. We'll be sure to visit." She then hung up and Hachiko clenched onto the key of Nanas home into her palm. Once Hachi said her goodbyes to Nana silence were between the band members and the now future single mother. She wrote down the address on her folded paper and circled around it, placing it back in her jaket pocket.
Hachiko can fill feel her heart burst with love. Her love for her second family, she naturally loved her first but this one. This particular family, she loved them so much more. She could rely on them for anything and they would help her.
Nobu was the first to hold Hachi, then both Yasu and Shin joined the hug. She felt all their love, and their protection to get out an unhealthy and emotionally unstable relationship.
Hachi thanked her family over and over.
Nobu and Shin couldn't possibly give up their dreams to play, and Hachiko completely understood. Everyone promised to check on her once they had the time, to send hand-written letters, and she would even call them by pay phone if she ever needed anything. She was escorted by the three of her boys, including her son. She said her goodbyes and rose the last train that was out. It was way up north, she was warned by Nana that it was going to cold so she took out another sweater from her luggage just in case then placed it above her.
Hachiko waved to her son, her lover, and her friend from the window and then she looked up at the stars when she couldn't see them any more. She began to panic to look at her phone but remembered she left it on purposefully, she was free. She didn't have to worry about Takumi becoming overly jealous and angry. She felt so free, no anxiety, no worrying, just for her baby.
Hachi made note to herself that she would have to find a new doctor in this new town. She was excited, she would get to see where Nana, Ren, Nobu, and Yasu grew up in. And the place where Nana moved in with Ren. God, she was thankful. She thanked to every God and to anyone help her overcome her fears, who gave her the courage to not be afraid of who she was and what she had to do. She made one more silent grateful prayer to whoever helped her and waited patiently on the train while rubbing her stomach. She began to hum her favorite song that Nobu wrote, and for some reason, Hachi knew. She knew that Takumi wasn't the father, it was Nobuo's child. Once she confirmed that she felt a strong kick in her belly.
Hachiko's eyes widened with surprised, they had never kicked before. Not even with Takumi, her baby was pretty calm. Once she thought that Nobuo was the father - another kick. He is!
"Okay, Satsuki," she said, "or, I don't know yet for a boys name!" she whined a bit, and put a hand on her stomach, exhaling a breath.
"If Takumi is your father, kick." She waited, but nothing came, "if Nobu is your-" she had an extreme kick in her belly and she groaned.
"Okay," she whined, "Nobu's your father, geez. What I get for getting pregnant by a punk," She sighed but Hachiko couldn't help but smile so widely. She was grinning from ear-to-ear. Nobu was the father! She definitely knew it was.
Hachiko much preferred that it was Nobu's than Takumi's. She squealed to herself picturing her and Nobu's future love child. She hugged her stomach with care slightly rubbing her hands on her sides.
"Whoever you are," she whispered to her baby, "I love you."