For my dear readers who so faithfully awaited chapter after chapter of The Pain About Knowing the Truth I sincerely apologize. After letting so much pass I found it cruel to continue a story I had lost all attachment to. However, I believe that a fresh start to a happy ending is something everyone dreams of. So without further ado. A New twist on a Beloved Tale, may I present to you Chapter one of
The Pain About Falling in Love.
The clock clicked inevitably annunciating each passing second. Hatori's head lay firmly against his work desk scattered with papers of patients and other methods of study. His breathing swayed in and out of relaxation as his sleep dwindled. He was dreaming again. His dreams were always pained. It was as if his happiness was uncertain. Especially when it came to her.
"Come on Hatori." Tohru laughed waving for him to join her. She stood on the porch of the beach house in a flowing white gown. "I don't want to be late." She said pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Just give me a moment." He said chuckling to himself as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black dress slacks. He could feel the warmth of the sand between his toes as he walked hastily towards her.
"Come on slowpoke." She said walking towards him. When they reached one another their lips touched and she melted into his kiss. However, as if no time had passed her body went rigid and her eyes turned to stone.
"Tohru?" Hatori said opening his eyes to look at her. The scenery had changed and they were in the same alley they ended up every night. Tohru lay broken and bleeding on the floor. "TOHRU!"
Hatori awoke with a jolt to the sound of his alarm. He groaned sitting up feeling each muscle complain from his choice of sleeping position. He stretched pulling his arms up over his head.
"Uncle Tori okay?" he heard a little voice squeak from the door. He turned meeting the luxurious brown eyes of a beautiful three year old girl. Even if a monster had helped create the beautiful toddler before him, he could still see only the beauty of her mother.
"Good morning baby girl." He said giving her permission to come into his study. Yumi's feet scuffled along the floor. She crawled up into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He sighed thinking of the nightmare he had just witnessed. If only things could have been different. "How about we get you something to eat?" He said standing up cradling her in his arms.
"Uncle Tori, stop carrying me like a baby." She said squirming about.
Hatori sat her on her feet and she ran down the wooden hall flooding the quiet house with giggles. "Sometimes I must admit, it is too early for so much energy."
OOOooo0oooOOO
"The court has agreed to grant the request of divorce. Mrs. Tohru Caldwell, will receive half of all current finances in agreement that Mr. Stephen Caldwell receives property. Court is adjourned." The judge said letting the mallet release a hollow echo throughout the courthouse.
Tohru stood up and walked over to Stephen. "Thank you." She said wrapping her arms around him.
In a few hours she'd be boarding a plane back home. While her marriage to Stephen had been wonderful while it lasted, she felt as if she had truly left something behind. Though she could not remember much about her past, there had to be something there that would bring her back. If not at least she could live happily in a familiar area. Somewhere she could truly call home.
OOOooo0oooOOO
Yumi sat at the table playing with her cereal as Hatori's head was buried in a newspaper. It seems like everything in Korea has settled down once more. He thought to himself relieved that there would be no possibility that Tohru would be in the line of danger once more. He yawned changing to a new page as the house phone rang.
"I got it." Yumi said sliding off her chair and running down the hall. Hatori leaned back in his chair to watch her answer the phone. "Tori's house, Yumi talking." She said in a sweet voice. She made a funny face and looked at Hatori. "A rude man is on the phone." She said handing it to him.
"This is Hatori."
"Does someone want to tell me why the hell every gate is locked? And since when did they change the locks?!" A voice spat.
"Kyo?" Hatori asked slightly bewildered.
"Honestly as much as I love talking on the phone, if someone would let me in I would prefer not freezing my ass off in this rain!"
"Calm down. It's electronic now. Just flip open the hatch on your right and punch in the word 'Zodiac.' It'll let you in no problem."
Hatori listened for the click as Kyo snapped his phone shut and listened as the gates slid open. It was only a few moments when a sharp wrap fell upon the front door. Hatori walked slowly opening it to a man with glorious reddish orange hair spilling out from under a drenched hoodie. "Do you mind if we come in?" Kyo asked shivering as the wind whipped about them.
"We?" Hatori asked in confusion.
Kyo stepped aside to reveal a young boy tightly wrapped in a yellow rain coat and boots. Hatori stepped aside granting them permission to enter the house hold. Kyo looked down at the young boy and smiled giving him a little nudge. "It's okay." The little boy nodded and scuttled into the room quickly followed by Kyo.
Kyo stripped out of his jacket and hung it on the coat rack before whipping around and tightly embracing Hatori. "It's been a long time." He said in a comforting tone. Hatori's rigid form relaxed and he returned the hug. "That it has."
Kyo felt the tug of a small hand on his pants and he released Hatori sinking down onto one knee. The Strawberry Blonde tapped on his jacket and then poked Kyo's chest. "Why didn't you just ask?" Kyo laughed slightly bemused. He helped the little boy out of his rain coat and hung it up.
Hatori stared at Kyo then down at the little boy. "Is he—"
"I found him sitting outside a rundown restaurant in Sakata. Apparently his mom told him that she was going find them a place to stay for the night...but she never came back." Kyo said assuming that he better put an end to Hatori's speculations. Of course Kyo had dated countless women, and searched for the right one but he fell short in finding a woman he could truly spend his life with.
"Uncle Tori?" Yumi huffed standing in the kitchen. Both men looked over to see her look even more like her mother as she tried to put on an angry face that still melted that heart of anyone who looked upon her.
"So the rumor turned out to be true." Kyo whispered bearly audible for Hatori to hear.
"Yumi, I would you to meet Kyo." Hatori said motioning for her to join him. Yumi treaded lightly unsure of whether she was willing to actually meet the tall man who stood smiling down upon her. However, she was curious in the boy who clung so tightly to his leg.
"Hello." She said staring at the boy. She was bold in her motives and made sure the little boy knew it was he she was talking to. "What is your name?"
"R-r-r-Roka." The boy stammered holding onto Kyo's leg. Kyo looked down in bewilderment. "W-what's yours?"
"I'm Yumi." She said swaying from side to side. "Do you want to be my friend?" She said holding her hand out.
The little boy looked up at Kyo unsure of what to answer. "Go on." Kyo said reassuring him. Roka released his leg and took hold of Yumi's hand letting her lead him down the hall to her bedroom.
"They seem to get along quite well." Hatori said making note of the situation.
"It's been so long since he's actually talked in front of anyone but me. Even then he doesn't say much." Kyo said following Hatori into the kitchen.
"Coffee?"
"No, thanks." Kyo said taking a seat at the table. Hatori joined him moments later with a full cup in his hands. "So, have you heard anything?"
"Not really. Last I heard she was living in Nebraska with her husband. Then again she might have still been on active duty in Korea." Hatori said staring into his own reflection through the darkness of his drink. "You're the first person I've really heard from as of late."
"I see." Kyo said looking past the blank expression in Hatori's eyes. "It was wrong of us to all leave you behind. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Hatori said shrugging it off. "Honestly if I wanted to I could have left too. But it wouldn't change the fact that I still miss seeing her around. I miss seeing everyone come in and out of the area. It's like the world froze over here and while time progresses outside the walls, everything on the inside is dead."
"It shouldn't be that way for long." Kyo said trying to brighten the mood. "From what I heard the Sohma house should soon be full of life both old and new."
Hatori looked at him confused.
"We all decided that it was time we came home for a holiday." Kyo said beaming. Hatsuharu should be arriving at the airport around noon and Momiji is already in town visiting his dad at the office. I even ran into Kagura and her boyfriend on the way over here."
"Wow." Hatori said thinking everything went by. "What about Ayame and Shigure?"
Kyo let his gaze drop to the table. "No one's been able to get ahold of Ayame for the past few years. We called Shigure, but he didn't pick up. I'm sure he'll get our messages though."
Hatori's spirits sunk once more. He should have known that Ayame was still not willing to come back. After losing Yuki, Ayame gave up on the idea of staying in one place for too long. "I guess it makes sense. Both of them seem to be really busy nowadays."
"I guess you could say that." Kyo said trying to think of something to break the awkward tension in the room. "I'm sure they haven't forgotten you. They must be overwhelmed with work and what not so don't fret too much about it."
Hatori remained silent and sipped his coffee. Or they completely abandoned me because they can' forgive me for tearing this family apart.
OOOooo0oooOOO
Tohru stood amongst a throng of people all waiting to retrieve their luggage from the rotating conveyer belt. It had been a long time since she had been in this airport and she thought about how much she missed the beautiful decorations that were placed up right around Christmas.
A man stared at Tohru and then back down to his sketch pad letting the pen whisk in each minute detail of her. His black and white hair fell across his face as he looked fervently at Tohru from across the room. "It couldn't be." He thought looking at the picture and then back up to her.
Tohru grabbed her bag and walked out towards the exit. He stood up and followed her watching as she hailed a cab and disappeared from view. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number before placing it to his ear.
"Hello Kyo…I found her..."
TBC.
Im looking forward to actually tell the story how it should have gone the first time around.
Give me your input and let me know what you think. I truly appreciate all of you for taking the time to read this.
Until Next time, Take Care!