Ok. I was planning to finish my series of one-shots, but this new story… well, it wouldn't go away! And yes, this story is taken after all the one shots in A Love Story to a Mole. Enjoy!
1. Her Arrival
"Flight 106 from Switzerland to Tokyo Airport has arrived."
A petite and lithe woman of age 24 walked through the sliding doors. She had a peculiar appearance in the Japanese's point of view. Her complexion was so pale, which was strange because this fall was one of the sunniest of all autumn seasons in Japan.
She certainly attracted attention with her white, orange, and yellow dress. It was simple that went down to her ankles with laces on the long sleeved cuffs, and orange flowers were embroidered on yellow criss-crosses on the upper part of the dress. The outfit even had a matching headband.
Her delicate shoulders covered by a light green shawl, she headed towards the luggage carousel. Weirdly enough, the lady was already carrying a large red faded duffel bag that appeared to have gone through a lot. There were patches of Sanrio characters, smiley faces, a Red Cross, buttons of anime characters and celebrities, and a strange cartoon called Teen Titans. The green one was amusingly queer. It was packed, and yet she carried it with ease, almost as if she was used to it.
She grabbed a blue suitcase, and then began searching through the crowds, unaware of the curious stares.
"AYA HONEY!"
The woman, who's blue tresses cascaded to her waist, swiveled around, and her vibrant brown eyes pooled with tears as she saw her beloved mother and father behind the fence.
"Mom! Dad!"
She rushed towards them with a big smile.
Aya Hoshino was back.
"Oh, Mom, you overworked yourself again!" Aya groaned with a blooming smile that had not vanished ever since their earlier reunion.
"Nonsense sweetie. A grown woman like you deserves her own home! I find it perfect!" her mother chirped as she fluffed out Aya's new set of pillows.
And it was.
Aya's new apartment was small and cozy, just the way she liked it. It had two rooms, one that was her own bedroom, and the other where her precious books, letters, stuffed animals, and other treasures were. The latter also had a patio where Aya could do her laundry while looking out at the bustling city of Shibuya below.
Her living room was incredibly small, fitting her AC, big plasma screen TV and a huge chair like cushion, a gift from Grandma Ruka. It was so soft and had kitty patterns all over. Aya's kitchen was designed just like the one at her parent's house: checkered clothes, jars, cute teapots, a girl's dream home.
Aya adored the fact that her father picked out a place where it was near an enormous bookstore and the Shibuya Hospital. She being a trauma psychologist, who used to work with disasters for the Red Cross in America, was thrilled at the fact that she could be able to help the children who resided at the hospital. After all, kids were her specialty.
As she slid the patio door for fresh air, her red and perfectly squared cell phone rang "AITSU" as its ringtone. She flipped open the phone with a soft smile, recognizing the caller, and as her Pucca accessory dangled, she said in fluent Swedish, "Hello there Hanni."
"How was the trip Aya?" asked the shy voice of Hanni Gostelli, 16 year old in Switzerland.
"I befriended an old couple. They were such darlings Hanni, you would've loved them," Aya said as she sat down on a patio chair, breathing in the cool air. She had met Hanni 7 years ago when she moved to Switzerland. Aya was in bed all week, and young Hanni had always visited Aya's relatives, where Aya was currently living at the time, delivering fresh fruits and vegetables.
The two girls became great friends; Hanni looked after Aya, giving her warm blankets and telling her news about the town, and Aya saved Hanni from her turtle shell. Because of this, Aya grew to become inspiring girl, loving everyone with all her heart, especially the children in the church, experiencing something she never had before. It was there she decided to want to live a life where she can help people.
Hanni and the kids were her very first 'children' in her career as a trauma psychologist, together facing the death of a beloved priest. Aya was the one who kept them strong and smiling, and in the end, they all were there to support her dream to go to America. She was able to return last year to Switzerland, and Aya and Hanni had many girl-nights over at the teenager's attic.
"Did you get my package?" Hanni wondered. Aya giggled.
"You bet I did. Thank you so much sweetie. I love it." As Aya was ready to leave the airport to Japan, all the children gathered around with hugs and tears, and Hanni silently sneaked a brown package wrapped in yarn.
"Open it in the plane," she whispered and gave Aya a kiss on the cheek. Inside, there were collection of mini dolls sewn by Hanni. They were all well-crafted, and Aya knew that she was gifted with wonderful hands. She also made her a bracelet. It had pebbles of different colors and size that were smoothly polished looking like glass, and in the center was a shiny brass heart. They were all strung together by a wire.
Aya never took it off since.
"Uh oh, Mama is calling me for dinner. Call me later ok?" Hanni asked.
"Of course. Tell your mom I said hi." Aya could also smell her mom's famous sesame chicken and butter pound cake. Her stomach growled.
She snapped her phone closed, and went back inside the apartment. She smiled at the picture of her and Hanni that hung next to her bookshelf. It was taken when she and Hanni were ready to ski down the mountain.
Aya took full advantage of the space she had, cramming it with photos from relatives in Switzerland, her 'kids' in America whom she had become great friends with, her own family, and of course, her best friends, Ran Kotobuki and Miyu Yamazaki.
I wonder how they're doing, Aya thought sadly as she flopped on her large cushion. After eating a homemade and satisfying lunch, her parents left, and she wished them a safe return. It was quiet, but Aya wasn't lonely. She sighed, and warily turned on the TV, not really watching it at all.
It's been 7 years since I've last talked to them.
She shut her eyes and leaned back, remembering how she had left without a word. Ran must be furious with me. Maybe even Miyu. And Rei…
Aya opened her eyes slowly. Rei. His gray blue eyes that were solitary, but its depth extremely kind and gentle, his chocolate brown hair that swept over those eyes, and his warmth that he only gave to the people he cared… Aya missed them all. She missed him.
…while Rei hated her with a great passion.
Aya clenched her fist. Oh great, now my heart is going all crazy on me. She abruptly stood up and stretched. "IT'S SHOPPING TIME!" she cheered.
She raced into her room, grabbed a cherry red Mickey Mouse t-shirt and navy blue sweat pants that scrunched up slightly below her knees. She tugged on her grey cotton sweater that reached to her knees; it was a gift from a relative in Switzerland to keep her warm. Aya grabbed her messenger back that had an abundant amount of animal buttons (mostly bears), slipped on some flip flops, and stepped out the door, securing the lock.
She left her TV on as the news flashed headlines: A Mysterious Fire lit in Shibuya stirs many questions and breaks many hearts.
"Hey, Captain, you might want to see this," said Rei Otohata, age 25, as he walked through the ashy remains of the burnt down mansion.
"What's up Bear?" Haru Kuroboshi, Captain of Company 92 waltzed in, leaping over obstacles. He was 6'1, built, and his large shadow blocked out the sun in Rei's eyes.
Rei pointed towards the space heater. "The fire had started here, and with the patio door open, it must have probably caught the blankets on fire." The scorched walls of the eight year old boy's room were pitch black, the paint on the walls bubbled because of the intense heat. Rei winced inwardly at the burnt remains of a stuffed penguin.
Haru nodded. "With this big gust of wind, it sure would. So it's not an arson?"
"Yes," Rei said relieved. He despised arsonists. Fire were supposed to be accidents, not weapons. Being burned alive was like facing the depths of hell. No one deserved such a fate. It had caused injuries from his fellow friends, firefighters who jumped in without a second thought, a hero.
The captain reassuringly placed his calloused hand on Rei's shoulder. "You did good out there Bear." Rei blinked. He was the firefighter who had gotten the young boy out, taking the blow of a collasping brick, grazing the side of his face. It was the hopeful and terrified look of the boy who was clinging to him for dear life that made him go on.
However, if it wasn't for Haru, Rei would have nearly fainted, surrendering himself in the flames from the blurriness. His captain was a man whom Rei trusted with his life, and he was a legend. Haru Kuroboshi watched out for his team, and made sure all his firefighters were out. To receive such a praise was an honor.
Rei rolled his stiff shoulders as he trudged out of the burnt property, carrying his ax in his hand. As he reached the fire truck, he shrugged off his heavy coat, and watched the fire scene in a new angle.
There were still black smoke lingering into the sky above. What a disaster, but at least it was under God's will, and that allowed Rei's anger and frustration subside. His partner, Chion Otomiya sighed as he sat on the edge of the truck.
Rei made a slight smile as the team's Dalmatian, Hippo, leaped his front paws onto Chion's lap, receiving a wary pat. "I'm too old for this," joked Chion.
Rei rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure it was the six burgers you ate last night Chion."
He grinned, but it slowly faded. "Man, I can handle fires, but the victims…" His eyes strayed to the crowd on his right, and Rei followed his gaze.
The South Tower of the mansion was isolated from the rest of the mansion, thus not spreading the fire any further. Company 92 were able to rescue Tachibana Kamiya, the 8 year old heir of the Kamiya family, and the butlers and maids.
However, that didn't stop the boy from crying over the loss of his bedroom and his playroom. His parents held each other close, covered in ashes and dust, coughing from all the smoke they had inhaled.
In times like this, Rei wished there were a healer in their team. We're only rescuers. That's not enough.
"Oi, REI-PYON!"
Instantly, Rei growled as Chion grinned, trying but failing to keep a straight face.
Ran Kotobuki, age 24, strode over to the 2 firemen. She was wearing her police uniform, with a few modifications of high red heels, accessories, her red coat, and naturally, her red streak. She's known as the "Super Police Gal of Shibuya." Her father was just joyful she kept the family tradition.
Following her was Miyu Kotobuki, 24, married to Ran's brother Yamato. She still had the gorgeous pink highlights with the sunny blond hair, and she was now a national bestseller of children's book. Rei couldn't wait to see the day those two had kids. They would make great parents.
"What are you doing here Kotobuki?" he asked tiredly. Ran instantly grabbed him in a headlock. "That's the Great Ran Kotobuki to you, you grizzly!"
Rei sighed and Chion and Miyu laughed. "What's shaking Ran?" Chion said as he high-fived Miyu.
She beamed at him. "I heard about the fire. They've already got the reconstruction prepared."
"I'm sure the boy will want his bed back soon," Rei said as he untangled himself from Ran's grip. "You got this area secured?"
Ran gave him a thumb's up. "Yup! No citizen is entering this area-"
"You sure? Because Miyu sees a girl running past the yellow tapes right now," Miyu hesitantly said, pointing.
Ran whirled around, and then her eyes narrowed into cop mode, and a vein popped as the girl leaped over the tape with one jump. "HEY! CAN'T YOU READ? Argh, you better have a passport!"
"Ah! RAN WAIT! You cannot, Miyu repeats, CANNOT send that girl out of the country!"
Rei once again sighed and followed the two women as Ran high tailed the poor woman. Things might get out of control when Ran was like that. She tends to scare people.
As they got closer, Miyu gasped and Ran froze, resulting Rei to bump into her behind. Being a full 3 inches taller, his chin got bruised at the sudden stillness.
"What's wrong?"
Ran's mouth was gaped wide open in shock, and Rei puzzlingly looked towards the same direction.
His heart stopped.
Well well well. I'm soooo tempted to write chapter 2. But... I have to finish the homework I've been procrastinating. Don't worry! Winter break is really soon and I'll guarantee I'll write a lot! YOU BET!
Review or else! I'll send Ran to para para in your nightmares!