"Goodnight, Kimiko. Sleep well."
"Goodnight Papa." The door clicked shut, leaving me with the darkness of the room and my thoughts.
Back in Tokyo, getting to see my Papa after what seemed like years, I even got to hang out with my best friend, Keiko. I was supposed to be happy, right? I'm here, the city I have been longing for, the hustle and bustle of the busy streets and flashing neon lights, everything I thought I loved. But here I am, miserable.
Master Fung had given me permission to visit my home for a week, in memorial of my late mother. Today was the day she passed away, nine years ago. I was so young, I barely remember what she looked like, as terrible as that sounds. I have pictures of her, I keep them in my cubical back at the temple. There was even one on side table in my old room, which I was staying in for the week. But sometimes, photographs bring back the pain that I felt the day I found out she had passed away.
My phone vibrated, once, twice, three times before I picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Kimiko? Hey," It was my best friend, no, not Keiko, Raimundo. "How are you doing?"
I broke down over the phone, not even saying a word, it was just uncontrollable sobs.
谷中墓地
Yanaka Cemetery
After walking for hours in the pouring rain, I was where I needed to be right now. My feet were throbbing and sore, but I didn't care right now. I walked through the stone slabs and tombstones, searching.
Tohomiko
1977-2003
As my eyes scanned the words, I dropped to my knees, and I couldn't hold it in any longer.
I cried over her tombstone, tears dripped onto the cold stone. I didn't care if anyone else was here to see me, I just needed to let out all of this sadness and depression that I've been holding in for years after her death. I've tried to be strong for myself, and my father, but even the strong needed to be weak every once in a while.
There was a tearing sound that tore through the drilling rain. I looked up just in time to see the swirling vortex closing. My eyes were blurred with tears and I could barely make out the tall boy standing in front of where the portal had closed.
Raimundo
Words weren't necessary as I collapsed into his arms. He pulled us down, kneeling on the wet soil. He pulled me in close, holding my head to his shoulder as I continued to cry. His gentle voice calmly comforting me and his hands soothingly rubbed my back and stroked my hair.
We sat there until dawn, until I finally fell limply into his lap, exhausted and fatigued. He pulled me up into his arms, and before I could even thank him, I fell into a much needed sleep.
It was finally Sunday. My bags were bouncing around in the back of the taxi's trunk. I looked out the window at the tranquil fields of Hong Kong, I was going home.
The taxi halted to a stop. I payed the driver and retrieved my bags as I walked up the pathway of the temple.
Dressed in his robes, he stood at the gates, waiting. The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile.
I dropped my travel bags and nearly ran into his strong arms, clutching him into an embrace. He returned the hug, and neither of us dared to let go, he knew I needed this.
"Thank you," I whispered close to his ear. "Thank you Rai."
He pulled away, not letting go, just enough to look me in the eyes. "Hey, we all need a friend to catch our tears sometimes Kim."
And he was right, we all needed a friend to be with us at our weakest points, and I just happened to have that best friend who would catch me as I fell even, if I was miles away.
Let's be honest, this fic is a mess. I just had a burst of ideas, but they didn't seem right on their own, so I combined them, and this is the outcome. Well, I hope you guys like it, let me know if you do, I'd love to read your review.
xxKimberly