They had to do it or else all will be lost in the Book of the Four Gods. Their sense of responsibility as a maiden and a senshi clashed with their love for each other. Is it really necessary to sacrifice in order to save this world? And as Miaka and Tamahome stared at each other, they silently knew that it was. Sacrificing meant never seeing each other again. . .forever. Their eyes locked and the rebellion against this unfair situation rising within but held firmly by their deeper desire for the betterment of the world they knew and loved. It all seemed like a dream, drifting in and out of their consciousness, so unreal yet very true.
Yui was aware of Miaka's trembling clutch on her arm and she tried her best to soothe her. She opened her mouth in silent resignation. She did not want to hurt Miaka but it was all out of their power and the powers of the Four Gods. In a voice loud enough to drown the sobs escaping from Miaka, she uttered the final words to seal their fate and return them to their world.
But for Tamahome, it's not that easy to forget a love as great as his and Miaka's. In that alternate universe, he sought a way to be with her once more and found it, at a price. It was a process wherein he had to be stripped of his memories to be reincarnated in Miaka's world as a human being. The moment came. He will have to decide. All the Suzaku seishis stared warily at Tamahome. It meant forgetting everything even Miaka. Tamahome bowed his head and without a moment wasted, readily agreed. The air suddenly rang with protests but Tamahome silenced them.
There was nothing for him in his original world anyway. His family was murdered and gone. More than that, he loves Miaka. Didn't he swear to protect her? How can he protect her if they are apart? Everyone warned him that there was a slim chance of finding Miaka without his memories. Tamahome only shook his head. He trusted his love for Miaka too much. They will find each other. Somehow . . .
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"Let's eat out!" Yui said, dragging Miaka with her by the arm. Miaka's shoes scraped the pavement, allowing her friend to let her look as though she had no strength to walk without a guide. It was a fine school day but together they went off to skip class to enjoy themselves. Although Miaka kept on saying she's fine, Yui knew better. She knew her friend needs more time to recover from the shock of losing Tamahome. Right now, she will do anything for her even skip class.
"Alright!" Miaka replied deeply grateful for her best friend. She peered at Yui's vibrant face and wished she felt as alive as her. To do that she must face the truth that Tamahome is gone. It has been a month of feeling sorry for the love that had once seemed eternal but now lost and gone. The pain was so great and the memories achingly terrible to remember. She didn't bother to shield her emotions and for days, she cried. But now, she held back the tears just for the moment. She owed Yui even a portion of a happy day. She'd been so faithful to her. "Oh there! It's a new cafe. Let's try it out"
"Fine." They entered the cafe.Yui noticed that Miaka seemed unusually cheerful and then broke into a grin. "Now, don't order the whole menu. I don't have enough money to pay for all of that!"
"I won't! But can you reconsider? I'm really hungry . . ." Stars danced in her eyes as she gaped at the delicacies plastered on the posters. Yui playfully clobbered Miaka on the head. "That won't work on me, Miaka!" she laughed.
They seated themselves around a table near the counter. It pleased Yui to see Miaka returning back to her old self. Food almost always the best remedy to lure her gluttony best friend out of her shell. But at the same time, she found the change unnerving. Her friend had this sense of loyalty and Yui did not want Miaka to act happy just because of her. But then again, maybe this is the start. She just hoped that Miaka is healing not forming a mask to hide her feelings.
"What will your order be miss?" the waiter asked from behind them. Their chatter died down. Miaka froze. The shadow of the person fell upon her and she could see it outlined against the linoleum floor. "That voice . . . It's so familiar . . . it's . . ." Her heart thudded so fast and she couldn't seem to breathe. Could it be? She sat rigidly, beads of sweat appearing on her brow, and waited until the waiter came into view. Miaka couldn't speak. She couldn't even blink. Time seemed to stop into a standstill. She felt petrified and energized all at once. The gates of tears opened again and she stood there silently crying as she stared at the face of the man she loved so much. "Tamahome. . ."
Yui sat as shocked as Miaka. "Tamahome!"
The sight of Miaka crying her heart out while staring at him made the waiter felt unease creeping over him. He looked down to his clothes, wondering if her had done something wrong. "Um. .I hoped I didn't step on your shoes. . " He slowly said. His words sent puzzlement headlong toward the girls. He looked and sounded like Tamahome but he was talking as though he did not know them! He reached out his hand to pat Miaka's arm. "Don't cry, will you? What's wrong?" Miaka was unaware of his palm on her. She was just looking wide-eyed at him and then slowly, she raised her arm to flick the waiter's arm away.
His words snapped Miaka's self control. "I can't believe this!" Miaka shouted. She felt as though her heart was wrenched out from her chest. "Tamahome! You're Tamahome! What are you saying? Don't you know that this is really hard for me? Don't you know it's terrible to get separated from you?"
Yui tried to calm Miaka down. It took only a moment to register in Yui's mind what the waiter's words meant. "Miaka, stop! Please, this isn't really necessary." She tried to restrain her friend but her words fell on deaf ears. Her friend grabbed the waiter's shirt and clutched it until it was on the verge of tearing. "Stop pretending! Don't be such an idiot! Tamahome! Just tell me you are Tamahome!" She yelled until she couldn't anymore. Sobs replaced her desperate words. Miaka bowed her head as she stood against the waiter's chest.
The waiter rubbed his head, an apologetic expression on his face. "I'm sorry. I really am. But I am not Tamahome. I'm Taka Sukunami. See?" He showed the two girls his nametag and carefully pried Miaka's hands away from him. Miaka lay limp and sapped out of her strength. Yui took her into her arms. So much for recovering. "I must have really looked a great deal like him for you to shout out like that. But I'm not who you think I am. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do for you. . "
"No, it's all right. We're fine. We're just going to go. All Miaka needs is time alone." Yui said, taking control of the situation. If this person is not who they think he is then at least they can get out of this fix gracefully. "She's going through a rough time, you see." She bid Taka goodbye and took the sobbing Miaka out of the cafe.
Yui led her friend to a park near the cafe. They sat on a swing silently for a long time until Yui suddenly spoke up. "Maybe he isn't Tamahome, Miaka. Maybe he's right. He just looks like Tamahome"
"No!" Miaka shook her head and at the sound of Yui protesting shouted, "No!" again and stood up to stare at her best friend. "I don't believe that! It's weird. It's nonsense but somehow, inside, I can feel it. I believe he is Tamahome. He must have forgotten about everything when he came here. Maybe. ." She was shouting once more. Yui stood up also. Her friend was already bordering hysterical and she knew the emotional burden was too much for now. She did not need to add more to it.
"That's impossible, Miaka." Yui replied softly, thinking up some sense. "But let's just go home for now. Let's just forget we saw him."
"I have to go and see him again, Yui. I have to show him." Miaka started to run back toward the cafe. But Yui spread out her arms and stopped her. She will have to persuade her here that this wasn't making any sense at all.
"Miaka, stop! You're being idealistic. Think about it. How come he fits so much in our world? Shouldn't he be like a lost kid clueless of what is around him? Plus, he has a name, Taka, and he's got a job." Yui hated to put Miaka in the wrong but there was just no way that Tamahome can ever come back to their world with the connection between the two worlds gone. It would take a miracle. But then again, love often makes miracles between these two.
"I don't know about that." Grim determination tightened Miaka's grip on Yui's arm. "But my gut tells me he's Tamahome. I'll find out what the truth is. I've got to see him. Let me go, Yui. Please. . ." The tears had already ceased flowing and there was only pleading left in those hazel eyes. Yui sighed and loosened her hold on her captive. "Don't make a fool of yourself, Miaka. Think that he might not be Tamahome." Miaka silently nodded and ran off once more toward the cafe.
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"What are we doing now?" Yui whispered. "Why are we hiding?"
"SH!" The two of them stood behind the wall with only their heads sticking out as they watched the same waiter walk ahead of them. "He might hear you."
"Wait a second. You tell me what's going on or I'll shout your head off"
"Alright already!" Miaka said a tempo too loud. Her voice echoed through the empty sidewalk. Quickly, Yui pulled her back behind the wall. Taka stopped and glanced around him. He was so sure he heard a voice. But wherever he looked, no one was in sight. He suddenly remembered the red-haired girl who appeared to him earlier. She couldn't be following me, he thought with a sigh. He turned to start walking again.
"I appeared to Tamahome earlier but he ran away. I figured he might not want to face me yet. So I decided to sneak around him." Miaka explained as they lay huddled behind the wall.
"You pretty much scared him, Miaka" Yui said wryly. "Tell me, what is this sudden change of tactic of yours about? You didn't make a fool out of yourself, did you?"
Miaka blushed red and Yui suspected that she really did made a fool out of herself. I shouldn't have left her but I'd be ruining the moment if I was there. "I just want to find out Yui. I really do. But I can't tell him that we're in love before because he might not be the one. " The tears filled her eyes once again and if Yui did not reply in return, she could have continued on crying then and there.
"So you resorted to playing the detective to find out what you want." Yui said. "After all, there are many ways to know the answer, right?"
Yui was looking at Miaka with a smile and Miaka brightened at once. "Oh Yui!" Miaka hugged her best friend tight, glad for the comfort she gave. In whatever situation, she knew she can depend on her best friend. They peeped around the wall to see where Taka had gone. He was still walking straight along the street.
The two girls followed him until he stopped in front of a gate. They hid behind a post and watched as he opened the gate with a key. They only came out when Taka closed the gate after him.
"At least he lives not far from me . . ." Yui said, cocking her head toward the small alley that led to her house. They stood in front of the gate, staring at the house Taka disappeared to." Only a few blocks more and there I'll be"
"I don't understand, Yui."
"We'll find out for sure." Yui thought for a moment. "Oh, I know! Let's just go to that cafe everyday. We'll apologize to him and make friends. Then we'll siphon information from him and find out for sure if he is Tamahome or not"
"You're so full of ideas Yui"
Yui shrugged. "Ideas wouldn't matter if it won't help."
"If he doesn't want to be friends . . ."
"Then we'll do it your way, we'll stalk him and do what it takes to make him notice us"
"That's my Yui!" Miaka laughed. "Let's do it tomorrow."