Friday, November 26, 2010 – The Okazaki House in Hokkaido
Naoyuki knew that he looked like an old man. Surely, the days of his youth were long gone and the road from those days to now had been filled with far too much pain and bitterness. Much of that was his own fault, and he accepted it. Still, he had a hard time recognizing the man in the mirror, When did I get so old?
In truth, he looked older than he was. Most people were embarrassingly surprised when they discovered that he was only in his early forties and not ten to twenty years older, as they had assumed. He knew this too, but he believed that was the result of the hard life he had put himself through. At least he hoped that was the case. His own mother had aged well and he hoped only the best for his son… and his grandchildren.
My son… Naoyuki's thoughts had gone out to Tomoya even more than ever, as he struggled through his own therapy and recovery. The therapy had gone well, and had been relatively quick. The pains that had wracked his body day and night were down to the occasional spasm. He had learned techniques to deal with that pain, but he did rely on a prescription medication for when the pain was unbearable and nothing else worked.
There had been a concern by his mother and by his doctors that his addictive nature would kick in and he would become dependent on the pain killers like he had been on alcohol and narcotics. But Naoyuki hadn't entirely given up on life. There was still something he wanted to live for. His mother had figured it out and she had deployed a special assistance and reminder for whenever he felt weak to the calling of his old vices.
Pictures of his grandchildren adorned the walls of his room. More than that, there were pictures of Shuichi, Shuji, and Michiko on every wall of the house and small portraits in his wallet. Over the years, the pictures were updated with newer photos as the children grew. Naoyuki noticed immediately when a new photograph went up and would sometimes stare at the new picture until his mother came along to startle him out of his reverie.
"I may not have been a good father, but by the gods, I am going to be a good grandfather!" he would mutter when his mother found him like that.
"You made some mistakes, but you weren't a terrible father." Shino told her son. But she knew he would never accept that. "In any event, Tomoya has forgiven you."
"Yes. He is a remarkable young man." Naoyuki truly admired his son and hoped him only the best in life.
"And he never would have been so remarkable if his father had been a complete failure." Shino tried to prop up her son's decimated ego.
"Well… maybe not a complete failure then." Naoyuki would say this to appease his mother, but deep inside, he believed that any of Tomoya's positive traits must have come from his mother. Or, those wonderful girls that were always with him. Kotomi-chan and Kyou had turned Tomoya around from a school delinquent into a respectable man of the community. Having completed high school, college, and law school, he had already accomplished more than Naoyuki had in his long life. And it was all due to those two amazing young women. Yes, all of his good traits are from the mother he never knew and those two wonderful girls.
Indeed, the therapy had progressed much more quickly than the recovery. He had done well with the initial stages of his convalescence. There had actually never been a denial stage to overcome. He had known he was in a downward spiral back when his life was going out of control, and he had always accepted the responsibility for the pain he had caused his son. Along with that acceptance came a significant amount of guilt though. Even now, years later and after Tomoya had given him his forgiveness, Naoyuki could not relieve himself of the guilt… or the grief. To forgive himself was an impossible feat.
Yes, it's best that I leave Tomoya and those beautiful children in the hands of those amazing girls. If I were there, I would only be trouble to… Tomoya-kun. This was the mantra he would say to himself whenever he started to think about visiting them. Then… he would go back to staring at the latest pictures.
.
But all of that changed with the letter he received from Kotomi-chan in the morning mail. He was smiling when he saw the envelope. The sight of it almost made him chuckle. In a day and age when so many young people sent texts and knew nothing of writing letters, Kotomi-chan was a wonder. This wasn't the first letter he had got from her either. They were not always warm, but they were always filled with facts about the family. He could tell from her letters that she had as hard a time expressing her emotions in her writing as she did verbally. But that was just part of her personality… like guilt was part of his own. So, he would read the fact filled letters and interpret the warmth.
Each of the children had grown this many centimeters and put on that many kilograms since the last letter. Speech and linguistics in both English and Japanese were progressing as such. Tomoya-kun has recently been showing interest in this and that, and Kyou-chan has been excited about such things as… The first few years of letters, from back when they were all in America, had been so sterile of emotion that he wondered if she was only doing this as some kind of duty. But her own development with her social skills showed in the letters that would follow over the years.
Today's letter however, seemed to have reverted to an earlier time when she was still struggling to bare her feelings in her writing. But it hadn't taken a lot of reading to realize that something was wrong. Kotomi had made that clear, right from the start.
Okazaki Naoyuki,
You are receiving this letter because something has happened to me. By the time you read this, there will already have been a meeting between the executor of my will, and the adult members of my family. Given the instructions I have laid out, I will already have been declared dead, or the declaration will be made withing thirty days because I have gone missing with little or no chance of recovery.
If my wishes are carried out by all parties as I have instructed, Tomoya-kun will be taking Kyou-chan as his new bride and the official mother of my children. In accordance with my wishes, this is to occur within a week of the issuance of my death certificate.
It is my hope that you will be at the wedding and help Tomoya-kun in any way that you can. It is also my hope that you will care for Kyou-chan's children as you have cared for my own, and that you will continue to play an important role in the futures of all of Tomoya-kun's children.
It has been my pleasure to have been your daughter-in-law.
Sayonara,
Ichinose – Okazaki, Kotomi
Naoyuki read the letter a second time… and then a third. The words were in the right order and made sense, but what they said was simply unbelievable. He was about to read it a fourth time when his mother stumbled into the room with a similar piece of paper clutched in her hand.
"Nao!" she cried out in sadness and shock.
"I got one too." Naoyuki held up the letter as he rose to assist his mother to the table.
"How? How can this be?" Shino's eyes teared with the pain of having lost such a wonderful person at such a young age. And… the tragic memory of her son having lost his wife came flooding back as well.
"I'll call Yuki and see what she knows of this." Naoyuki said as he pulled out his phone.
"I… I shall arrange transportation for us immediately." Shino left to make her calls in another room.
.
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 – Hikarizaka Police Office
It was fourteen days since Kotomi disappeared, and it was also the end of the month. It had only been two weeks since she had walked out of everyone's lives, but it felt like it had been much, much longer. Since Sunohara was the senior police officer on site, the investigation and the reports had become his responsibility.
He hoped this would go down in law enforcement journals as the strangest investigation on record. Youhei had a lot of technical data from the researchers for his report. Unfortunately, it would take one of those researchers to be able to understand what had happened. The worst part of the whole thing had been the section reserved for the investigator's summary and recommendation. It certainly wasn't the conclusion he wanted to come to. But this wasn't something that allowed a lot of flexibility… especially when it affected children.
Given the technical details related to the case (included as an attachment to this report), this investigator must conclude that there is no reasonable suspicion of foul play, and the incident itself should be considered an accident. As a result of this accident, the person known as Ichinose-Okazaki Kotomi, is missing – with no realistic possibility of returning. Scientific advancements may change that outlook some day, but this investigator must consider the welfare of the children now, as well as their futures. It is therefore this investigator's opinion that the person known as Ichinose-Okazaki Kotomi, should be listed as 'presumed deceased' as soon as the mandatory waiting period is over.
With those words inscribed for the record, Youhei closed out the official inquiry into what had happened at the park that night. From the perspective of the police investigation, the matter was now closed, but there were a lot of people in the community that wanted more answers than 'it was an accident.' Youhei had been upset with them at first, but he understood their ire after he thought about it for a while.
The town had been slowly dying for a long time. Just like it was everywhere else in Japan, the birth rate was low and there wasn't a lot of work for the young people graduating High School or College. More often than not, the town's youth went off to the cities for college or work, and never came back. Even many of the adults in the town had been commuting to Tokyo or other cities for many years now. Parents, like the Fujibayashi's were rarely at home once their children were out of middle school. Some would begin the commuting life as soon as their child was out of grade school. Other families simply packed up and moved closer to their jobs. Until recently, there were almost as many shops and houses that were abandoned or empty, as there were open businesses and occupied homes. There were still a lot of people that liked their community and didn't want to see it waste away like so many other villages and towns across the country.
To all those people in the town, Kotomi's project had been a ray of hope. Her strange experiments brought renewed involvement in the little town of Hikarizaka. Government, industry, and education had all taken a keen interest in what was going on in this busy valley. The central government had a new office building under construction, just to handle the additional work that they could see developing over the next several years. Industry was acutely interested in the technological developments that the supporting research teams were coming up with. And finally, several colleges were joining together to create a joint campus for education and research. Not just the heavy technical colleges in Tsukuba, Osaka, and Tokyo either – their had been interest from foreign universities from as far away as Europe, America, and Australia.
But now, with Kotomi's disappearance, everything was suddenly in doubt. Plans were put on hold and the flame from the candle of hope that so many had put their faith in, fluttered in the cold wind of changing fortune.
.
Sunday, December 12, 2010 – Ichinose Residence
Tomoya's cousin from Hokkaido, Yuki had her twenty-third birthday. In an effort to try to raise everyone's spirits, a birthday party was held for her. Out of respect, a chair and a place for Kotomi was made at the table. Though it was a birthday for an adult, all of the children had been invited as well. After all, some of the people who needed their spirits raised the most, were Kotomi's three children.
Unfortunately, their commendable efforts had the opposite effect from what was desired. The empty place at the table gave the otherwise happy event a sorrowful atmosphere.
The party disintegrated into adults holding crying children… and crying with them.
Tomoya couldn't handle the atmosphere and quietly left the house to go for a walk in the crisp autumn air. Unfortunately, he didn't get more than a few meters past the gate to his house when he ran into two people he really didn't want to see at a time like this.
"Okazaki-san! Always a pleasure to see you, even if there is still a certain sadness in the air." the Secretary of the New Komeito Party called out. His friend, but political rival, the Minister was with him. As always, the gaunt minister wore a doleful scowl and said very little.
"Secretary, Minister." Tomoya made a polite bow and wanted to turn around and just walk away… but he knew this wasn't a chance meeting and he would have to endure the two of them for a while. "What can I do for you?"
"Well… I'm really here to see what I can do for you." the Secretary said with a half smile.
"Oh?" Tomoya knew he was only an amateur when it came to political maneuvering, so he decided not to try to spar with these two veterans on a battlefield where they were clearly more experienced. He left the question open-ended so they could quickly get around to telling him whatever it was they came here for.
"It all comes down to your determination and wishes to find your wife. You haven't given up on that already, have you?" the Secretary asked.
"No! I will never give up. As long as there's a chance..." Tomoya said in a defensive reaction. He realized that he had responded with more anger than he had meant to convey… and stopped in mid-sentence. He looked to the side and his fist balled up with his internal rage at having let the Secretary play his emotions so easily.
"Excellent! I knew you were a man with an abundance of passion." the Secretary smiled broadly now as he sprung his trap, "I'm going to leave this with you for now. But you should fill it out and send it back to me as soon as possible."
"Eh? What is this?" Tomoya asked as he took the string bound envelope from the man. It was heavy and there were official seals on it.
"That envelope contains the documents that you will need to complete… in order to bring you into the New Komeito Party and get you registered for the next election." the Secretary beamed.
"What… why?" Tomoya sputtered. Why would I want to get involved in politics, at a time like this?
"Okazaki-san, I have no doubts that you are someone who can make things happen. However, you are not a scientist, are you?" the Secretary asked rhetorically.
"Um… well, no." Tomoya admitted.
"Then, how precisely do you plan to help in the efforts to find your wife?" the Secretary prodded.
"I don't know, but I don't think that running off to play politician is going to help." Tomoya chided.
"Oh no?" the Secretary explained as if instructing a child, "A lot of ambitions were riding on the research that was supporting Kotomi-chan's experiments. Now that she is gone, there is an atmosphere of doubt. You have felt it already, haven't you?"
"Yes." Tomoya admitted but was suspicious of where the Secretary was trying to lead him.
"If industry, government, and education back out of this little town, the funding and all the experienced researchers will leave. And, if that happens, who then will be looking for your wife?" the Secretary actually said the thing that had been giving Tomoya nightmares.
Tomoya wanted to scream at the injustice at all of this. And, he wanted to lash out at the feeling of being completely powerless. Instead, he bowed his head so the two men couldn't see the desperation in his eyes. The research groups were still focused and working to find the world that Kotomi had run off to… but for how long would they keep up that search? Tomoya had already been worried that the agreements that Kobayashi-hakase had been able to make, would turn out to be too fragile to survive one or two setbacks. He knew that it was just a matter of time before the funding was pulled and… the rescue efforts would come to an end.
"But, you can do something about it… if you want to." the Secretary waited until Tomoya raised his head again before he continued, "Join the New Komeito Party and I will help you fight for your town… and the other things that are important to you. We will do all we can to encourage business and education – so that they stay interested in this place, and the great beginnings that Kotomi-chan set in motion."
Tomoya looked down at the package in his hands again and saw it with a different light. It was certainly true that he was no scientist. This… this is something I can do. But… should I? Is this the best thing I can be doing to help? Looking back up at the two men, he asked, "So… this is all about saving the town?"
"We are politicians, boy." the taciturn Minister grumbled. "We can save people in general, and whole towns. If you want to save a specific individual, you're better off with a fireman."
"But if saving the town means insuring that the research goes on – and the continued research means finding your wife… well, that would work for you too. Wouldn't it?" the Secretary said in a sweeter voice than his more bitter companion.
"Yes… I suppose it would." Tomoya considered his lack of other realistic options and knew that he would probably accept their offer. But this wasn't the time for rash decisions. It also wasn't the time to make an important decision like this on his own. Looking down at the package in his hands, he knew that he would at least need to confer with… Kyou. Glancing back up at the two politicians, he asked, "Can I have some time to think about it?"
"Tomorrow morning…" the Minister blurted out – but stopped when the Secretary waved him off.
"I can give you ten days, but I need to have your answer by the twenty-third. Will that be enough time?" the Secretary asked politely, but there was a firmness to his answer that meant that there would be no extension.
"Yes… and… thank you very much, for your consideration." Tomoya bowed low to show his respect to the elder man. Even if he wasn't completely enamored with the idea of getting into politics, it was a tremendous gesture that the Secretary was offering to him.
.
Thursday morning, December 16, 2010 – City Hall
The package from the Secretary of the New Komeito Party, remained unopened on Tomoya's desk as the day that Tomoya dreaded, came to pass. Yuri and one of the first of the new trainee teachers were handling the class so that Kyou could be with Tomoya at the old City Hall building, for this important but… unpleasant visit.
Dressed as if for a funeral, they stood together in a lobby and waited. Kyou could say nothing. Her own emotions were a chaos inside her heart and she wondered why she was here to support Tomoya, if she was such a wreck herself. In one hand, she held a folded handkerchief that she used to dab the occasional tear. The other hand fluttered in tempo with her inner turmoil.
Tomoya felt Kyou's fingers brush against his hand and he grasped it reflexively. He couldn't look at her, but he was glad for the affection at a time like this. He felt like he was crumbling inside and wanted nothing more than to get out of these mournful clothes and run screaming at the uncaring world. But Kyou's hand was warm and soft and gentle. The same hand that could throw a dictionary hard enough to shatter concrete, was giving him comfort with it's kindness.
"Thank you, Kyou-chan" Tomoya whispered. The strong, lavender haired girl was proof to him that the world wasn't so uncaring after all. Perhaps there is hope for Kotomi. And for me. Thank you Kyou. You helped me realize that there is hope for all of us. His thoughts had become more peaceful as he marveled at how Kyou could be so calm and kind in a situation like this.
He's holding my hand! He's Holding My Hand! HE'S HOLDING MY HAND! What do I do? Kyou's eyes were open wide and she could feel her head about to explode like a runaway steam engine. Tomoya had held her hand before, but it had usually been in private or while also holding Kotomi's hand. This possibility had not been on the list of things she had prepared herself for today. What should I do? Should I yank my hand back? Should I hit him for being too affectionate in such a public place? Should I… just… let him hold my hand? Oh no… what if I start sweating?
Both of their musings were interrupted when the door to the offices on the other side of the lobby finally opened.
Sakagami Tomoyo and the Mayor entered the lobby and came over to the waiting couple. Tomoyo immediately noticed them holding hands and assumed that Tomoya was trying to comfort Kyou since she looked like she was about to self destruct. Without a word, the platinum blond formally handed Tomoya an official envelope. Tomoyo was acting very formal and obviously trying to rein in her own emotions. The mayor himself wasn't doing as good a job and was having to dab at tears.
"Okazaki Tomoya, please accept this document for your personal records." Tomoyo said as she handed him the carefully prepared documents. Then her professional veneer cracked a little and she added, "And… please accept my most heartfelt condolences."
"Please accept my condolences as well." the Mayor blurted out.
"I understand. Thank you, Sakagami-san. Thank you Mr. Mayor." Tomoya knew that with the receipt of this envelope, it was official that the government of Japan had declared his wife to be legally… dead. And with that declaration, his marriage to Ichinose Kotomi was officially terminated. Tomoya knew that she wasn't really dead, but there were laws and rules about missing persons that must be upheld. He also knew that his feelings must be playing out on his face to the degree that even the mayor must be worried about his emotional state. To make sure that Tomoyo and the mayor knew that he didn't hold them responsible for the sadness of this day, he told them both, "Thank you… both of you, for your hard work."
"I would be honored to attend any remembrance ceremony." the mayor said.
"There will be no ceremony." Tomoya said tersely. He knew it was expected, but he couldn't bring himself to hold such an event when he knew that she was still alive… somewhere.
"Okazaki!" Tomoyo stepped up very close to her former boyfriend and quietly told him, "You should reconsider that decision. It would be cruel to Kyou to have the memory of her wedding always confused with her best friend's funeral."
"Wedding?" the Mayor asked as if he had just heard something that didn't make any sense at all.
"I… you're right, of course." Tomoya reconsidered. Tomoyo's words had made him acknowledge his own selfishness. There were many others to think of now. Family and friends were hurting too, and he needed to do his best for all of them.
"Long ago, Kotomi extracted a promise from Kyou that she would marry Tomoya if anything ever happened to her. It was no grudging promise either. I have never seen Kotomi as happy as she was when she recounted Kyou's promise to me." Tomoyo explained to the Mayor, but also told the tale of that conversation as a reminder to the two grieving friends now standing in front of her, "Kotomi told me that there were two very important reasons for this pact. Having grown up after losing both of her parents, Kotomi wanted to make sure that a similar fate would never befall her own children."
Tomoya and Kyou blushed at having Kotomi's strange request announced to another person. But the Mayor seemed confused about something.
"Two… you said there were two reasons?" the Mayor prompted.
Kyou looked at the platinum blond in anticipation. She had not heard of this conversation before and wondered what Kotomi's other reason was as well.
"Kyou is in love with him." Tomoyo said simply.
"Eep!" Kyou squeaked. She should have realized that something like this would happen. Kotomi, being the kind of person that she was, would have told this to Tomoyo without even blushing. She would have been perfectly thrilled that another woman was so deeply in love with her husband. And Tomoyo was the kind of person that would repeat that confidence without even considering the impropriety.
The Mayor looked confused for a moment, but his political reflexes were sharp. So, even if he didn't fully understand the situation, he knew how to respond to the announcement of a wedding, "I would be honored to attend the wedding ceremony as well."
"As would I." Tomoyo added.
.
Friday morning, December 17, 2010 – Aoki Grade School
Kyou looked at the schedule on her phone while she carried several textbooks through the hallway of normal classrooms. The book repository was inconveniently located down this corridor so she had to walk the length of the school whenever she needed new books. It was the first time in a long while that she had made the trip herself. For the last few months, Yuki always volunteered to take care of returning books or picking up new ones for the class. But Yuki was busy today, so Kyou was walking the unfamiliar hallway when a snide voice called out.
"So, the precious sensei has finally come out of her room to run her own errands. What happened? Are you not as special as you used to be?" the overweight teacher sneered. It was no secret that many of the normal teachers thought of Kyou's program as a waste of time in the beginning. Now that her program was showing impressive results, those teachers had become somewhat bitter and had even cast aspersions that Kyou and Yuki were somehow cheating the system.
"If you have something to say – say it." Kyou said in a bored tone without breaking her stride.
"I know where you were yesterday." the teacher taunted.
"Oh?" Kyou stopped and turned to face the woman that sounded like she thought she had some juicy gossip, "I didn't make it a secret that I was going to City Hall. Are you suggesting that there is something wrong with going to a government office?"
"Hah, don't try and sound so innocent. Everyone knows why you were there. You wanted that Ichinose woman's death certificate in your hot little hands so you could take her man. But it doesn't work that way. All you'll ever be to him is a plaything… a mistress… a tramp." the teacher said with contempt. But her attitude started changing to fear as the lavender haired and purple eyed woman started to… change. She watched as Kyou's face… and even the air around her head seemed to be going dark. And her eyes seemed to glow an angry red from the depths of that surrounding darkness.
Kyou had one of the textbooks in her hand and was about to let loose with a throw that would turn the wall behind that snide teacher into dust and rubble. She wanted to knock those words back into the vile mouth from whence they came. More importantly, she wanted to erase that pathetic excuse for a teacher from all existence. Her vision narrowed to the useless idiot now stricken with fear and standing in the cross-hairs of Kyou's fury and vengeance.
But, a sudden warmth stayed her hand. There was no-one there, but she had the same feeling as she did when Tomoya-kun and Kotomi-chan both hugged her. It had been a while since she had felt that warmth… that love. They would hold her like that when she was at her worst. When anger, or despair, or fear overwhelmed her… the two of them would wrap her up in their love and hold onto her until the world was bearable again. She had thought that she would never have that feeling again… but now… she felt like she could almost hear Kotomi telling her that everything would be okay. Putting the book back in the stack she was carrying, she took a few deep breaths. Then, a though occurred to her that made her smile inside.
"I will have a proper response for you on Monday. Be ready for it." Kyou said with a smirk.
.
Friday afternoon, December 17, 2010 – Sunohara House
Tomoya's new resolve to do better by his friends started the very next day. He and Kyou brought all of the kids over to the house he grew up in – the place where his long time friends Youhei and Yukine lived with their son, Yoichi. It was the little boy's fifth birthday and it marked the age when he would start his schooling the following April as a kindergartner.
Tomoya's own daughter Michiko, was very fond of the Sunohara boy and had spent a lot of time with him since the disappearance of her mother. Even now, she was lying on a mat and had her head in the birthday boy's lap. Yoichi didn't mind and was smiling as he gently patted her head.
"You and Kyou are dressed up pretty nice for a kid's birthday party." Youhei pointed out.
"Yeah… after this, we are going over to the Fujibayashi home to tell her parents about the wedding." Tomoya told his friend.
"Eh? WHAT?" Youhei almost choked on his soda, "You're marrying Kyou in two days and you haven't even told her parents yet?"
"We were hoping that…" Tomoya started to explain, but Youhei actually seemed angry with him.
"You love Michiko and you want to raise your daughter to be a good, dependable, and smart girl, right?" Youhei wagged a finger at his taller friend, "How would you feel if she were in her twenties and showed up out of the blue with some guy. And then she tells you that the two of them will be getting married in two days?"
"If the guy was Yoichi, I would be okay with it." Tomoya answered calmly.
"Huh? What? Really?" Youhei was stunned at the unexpected answer.
"But, I get your point." Tomoya smiled at his friend's confusion, "Honestly, I would rather put this off for a few months, but there are certain… legal requirements."
"Legal requirements?" Youhei said aghast. Then he planted his hands on their backs and started pushing them toward the door, "All right, you two should leave the kids here and just go now."
"Huh?" Kyou was finally pulled out of her silence when Youhei started pushing both of them toward the door and Yukine was already waiting for them with their jackets.
"Take as much time as you need. The kids will be fine here with us." Youhei assured them.
"But…" Tomoya hadn't planned on leaving the kids here and wanted to tell Youhei that his concern was appreciated but probably unnecessary.
"You are about to go do battle with the man that is responsible for making Kyou the person that she is. Don't think too lightly of this!" Youhei warned Tomoya.
"HEY! What is that supposed to mean?" Kyou shouted at Youhei, but continued to put on her outdoor shoes.
"You can be described as aggressive, willful, and formidable…" Yukine mentioned some of Kyou's traits that, while not very ladylike, were not necessarily negative things either. But Youhei added to his wife's carefully chosen list with something unnecessary.
"...and loud." Youhei finished his wife's sentence.
"I AM NOT…" Kyou caught herself before she finished the sentence while shouting. In a quieter voice, and through a lip jutting pout, she said the final word, "… loud."
"I think we have all heard the stories of the many… differences of opinion… that you had with your father." Yukine said gently, "A strong will is not a bad thing. It gives one resolution when the world turns chaotic. But, what I think my dear husband – and your good friend, is trying to say is, both of you may have to deal with that strong will now. So, you should take all the time you need and do your best to keep emotions from boiling over too much."
Kyou blushed because she knew that everything Yukine had just said was as correct about her father… as it was for her. She gave a quick glance at Tomoya to see if he was laughing at her, but he seemed to be concentrating on fastening his jacket at the moment.
"Thank you Youhei, Yukine. Kyou and I will both strive to do our best." Tomoya said as he reached for the door.
.
Tomoya parked the big family car on the street in front of the old Fujibayashi home. Without the kids and Yuki in the car with them, the big vehicle seemed cavernous and empty. The short drive over had been silent and it was still quiet as they looked out the side windows at the house. Although it was a familiar place to Kyou, Tomoya hadn't been there many times and felt an uneasiness about seeing Kyou's father on his own turf. After getting out of the car, he offered his arm to the woman who would soon be his legal wife. But even Kyou seemed to be nervous about this trip to see her father. They hadn't always seen eye to eye and she looked like she was expecting this to become yet another battleground.
But this time, it will be a battle I know that I can win. They want me to get married and that's what I am doing. I'm old enough to decide for myself who I am going to marry and no-one can tell me otherwise. This time I am going to win. This time I am going to win!
Tomoya wondered if Kyou would just open the door and announce herself – since this was her childhood home. But they were there as a couple and certain protocols should be observed. Both of them waited amidst nervous tension after Tomoya rang the doorbell. He noticed that Kyou had her eyes closed tight and seemed to be psyching herself up for an anticipated fight.
"You're… sure they're going to be home?" Tomoya asked.
"Yeah. Both of them said they would be here." Kyou answered just as they heard the doorknob being turned.
Unexpectedly, Ryou opened the door and blinked at them in confusion.
"Ryou? Why are you here?" Tomoya asked.
"Rude! I might ask you the same thing." Ryou replied. Years of college and medical school seemed to have given the more timid twin a bit of spunk in her personality. Or, perhaps she had always had the ability to be spunky, but living with someone like Kyou had… Tomoya's self preservation instincts kicked in at that moment, and he decided to stop going down that path.
"We're here to tell… Otousan and Okāsan, that we are getting married." Kyou told her twin sister.
"I'm pretty sure they already know." Ryou replied to her onee-chan.
"What?" Kyou sounded startled.
"Oh, uh… nothing. They're in the living room now." Ryou said as Kyou and Tomoya entered. Then she ran off toward the kitchen and called back, "I'll see you in a bit. I have to check on something now."
"Something is off here." Kyou sounded worried.
"No kidding. Ryou is checking on something in the kitchen? That can't be good." Tomoya said quietly. Then he flinched when Kyou punched him in the arm.
"Not that!" Kyou grumped, "I mean… Why is she here and what did she mean about my parents already knowing about us getting married?"
There was no reply to her question, but the answer was apparent when they got to the entrance to the living room. Inside, Otousan was was sitting in a comfortable chair with little Ushio sitting in his lap. She was wearing a kimono, but not the highly decorated and colorful Furisode that young girls would wear for Girls Day, or to a tea ceremony. It was a lovely dark pink with patterns running up only to the waist. Nagisa too was wearing a similarly patterned kimono but in a deep matte gold. The lesson that Kotomi had given Tomoya long ago came to mind when he saw Kyou's mother.
"That is a Kurotomesode." Tomoya said quietly as he looked at the black kimono with the pattern also only going to the waist. Then he looked again at Nagisa and Ushio and said, "And those are Irotomesodes."
"What does that mean?" Kyou asked. She had never had the long lecture on Kimonos from Kotomi, the way that Tomoya had.
"The mothers of the bride and groom wear the Kurotomesode. All other female relatives wear the Irotomesode." Tomoya explained.
"But… that would mean…" Kyou knew that it was still not legal for two women to marry in Japan, so the only other reason her mother would be trying on a Kurotomesode would be for Kyou's marriage to Tomoya. For a moment, she thought about yelling at her sister for telling their parents something that should have been her own responsibility. But, jumping to conclusions was a reaction that she was still trying to resist. Losing her quiet voice, she turned to her mother and asked, "Okāsan, how did you know?"
"Kotomi told us of the arrangement you had with her some time ago. You told me the rest just the other day." her mother replied.
"Eh?" Kyou didn't remember doing anything of the sort.
"Kotomi told you of the arrangement that Kyou would marry me if anything ever happened to her?" Tomoya asked.
"Yes. We were both in a bit of shock, but she seemed so happy about it. We just didn't have the heart to tell her that the whole thing was a bit… unconventional." the Fujibayashi mother replied.
"Papa!" Ushio's voice pealed out across the room after noticing the new arrivals. She looked thrilled to see Tomoya as always, but she made no move to climb down from Grandpa Fujibayashi's bouncing knee.
"Hello Okazaki-san. Hello Kyou-chan." Nagisa greeted them.
"Hello Furukawa-san. Hello Ushio." Tomoya replied to the former schoolmate and her adopted daughter. He felt the familiar shiver go down his spine that happened every time he greeted the little girl that was the offspring of a Tomoya and a Nagisa from another universe.
"Kotomi-chan looked like someone who had just won the lottery. I didn't know what to make of it." Kyou's father added without pausing Ushio's pony ride.
"What's a lottery?" Ushio asked. Then she listened as her adoptive grandfather whispered the answer into her ear while the rest kept talking.
"Then, last week you told me that the government would be…" Kyou's mother glanced at little Ushio and decided to use a little more sensitivity when choosing her words, "… issuing that document on Thursday."
"Excellent deductive thinking." Tomoya smiled and gave Kyou's hand a firm squeeze to let her know that he wasn't upset about this… and she shouldn't be either. "I suppose that is to be expected of the parents of two girls who were class leaders, and have now become responsible members of the community."
"You're no slouch either, Okazaki-san." Kyou's mother stepped toward her soon-to-be son-in-law. "At least, not any more. I thought Otousan was going to pull his remaining hair out when he discovered that his precious daughter was going to a foreign country with the school's delinquent."
"Okazaki wasn't really a delinquent!" Nagisa insisted.
"What's a dull-ink-went?" Ushio asked. Once again, she listened as her adoptive grandfather whispered the answer into her ear.
"So, you are okay with me marrying your daughter now?" Tomoya asked. Given that the person he was asking was already trying on a Kurotomesode, he was pretty sure he already knew the answer. But he wanted the Fujibayashi parents to say it, for Kyou's sake.
"I am… even if I am also saddened for the reasons behind it. I know how much you both loved Kotomi-chan. And, I am a bit worried that it might end up as a loveless marriage since you are being forced into it for the sake of the kids. But, I really do hope it will work out. Tomoya-kun, I… we will both be proud to have you as a son-in-law." Kyou's mother said.
"Th… thank you, Okāsan." Kyou's eyes were opened wide at what her mother had said and she was having a hard time holding back the tears.
"I thank you too, but…" Tomoya wanted to clear something up, "There is something I need to tell you. Since Kotomi has apparently told you many things already, you may have heard this before. Nevertheless, you need to hear it from me. Only the timing of this marriage is forced. As far as this being a loveless marriage, that will be impossible. I have loved Kyou since our high school days."
"Ah!" Kyou gasped. She always had a hard time coming to grips with how she felt about Tomoya all these years. After the other day, when Tomoyo had exposed her feelings in front of the Mayor and Tomoya, neither of them had talked about her feelings at all. Kyou had thought that he must be fighting the same internal struggle that she was. So, to hear him announce this so easily, and in front of her parents, was shocking to her.
Both of her parents, as well as Nagisa and Ushio, were listening to what he had to say with interest. He was glad to see that there was no revulsion, disappointment, or anger in their expressions.
"I was already in love with Kotomi and I didn't know how to deal with it at first. I thought it would be a problem for everyone. I had supposed that Kotomi would feel betrayed and Kyou would be furious that I would be that kind of person. I was going to try and put some distance between us, to solve the problem. But Kotomi wouldn't allow that."
"Kotomi wouldn't allow it?" Kyou's stunned mother repeated the words to make sure she heard them right.
Tomoya could see that his explanation so far had just confused everyone more. So, he had to reach back further to help them all understand, "You see… I didn't have much experience with matters of the heart, and I didn't have the emotional tools to deal with my feelings. Kotomi, on the other hand, may have had a hard time understanding other peoples feelings, but she was adept at puzzling out her own. And, she was able to see personal relationships in an innocent way that defied and ignored common customs and societal norms. She didn't see my love for Kyou as an insult to her. In fact, she encouraged it and even nurtured it. So, please do not worry about this becoming a loveless marriage. As far as I am concerned, I am already in love with Kyou… I have been for a very long time, and for all intents and purposes… she is already my wife."
"Tomoya!" Kyou blushed and hid her face in his shoulder.
"Then… do you not intend to have the wedding?" Kyou's father asked with raised eyebrow.
"The wedding is a formality, but it is an important one." Tomoya would not have said this a few days ago. If it had been up to him, he would have forgone the wedding and just filed the paperwork at City Hall. But Tomoyo's comments from the other day had hit home and there were other people to think of. This was not something he could be selfish about.
.
Tomoya had given the right answer. Aside from making the Fujibayashi parents happy, it also seemed to do a lot for Kyou's state of mind too. She hadn't completely rid herself of the feelings of guilt, but she was doing a lot better. And, in the days that followed, she was confident that she would be able to jump right into being the wife and… the mother. Of course, it would help a lot that all of the children in the family already saw her as their mother.
.
Sunday afternoon, December 19, 2010 – Hikarizaka Private High School Auditorium
The wedding itself had been a lovely affair with mixed elements of old and new. It was performed in the traditional Japanese style with kimonos and sake, but with a more western layout. Youhei stood by Tomoya as his best man, and Tomoya's cousin Yuki was chosen to be Kyou's bridesmaid.
This time, Tomoya's father and grandmother were there to watch him exchange vows and rings with the other woman that the young Okazaki man had long loved. But they certainly weren't the only ones in attendance. Tomoyo sat with Isamu and the other members of the Survey Team known affectionately as her boys. The Secretary, Minister, and Mayor were there as well, and seemed determined to have a long conversation with Kobayashi-hakase and Melissa. The Furukawa's, Fujibayashi's, Sunohara's, and Yoshino's were there with their complete families. Koumura and Sugisaka were there to help watch over the children. The rest of the audience included teachers and staff from the school where Kyou and Yuki taught, researchers that were now working for Kobayashi-hakase on the rescue effort, and old classmates.
The number of people responding to the invitations had surprised everyone. Knowing that the wedding would be on very short notice, Koumura had gone with Tomoya to request one of the classrooms at their old high school, for the wedding. They had hoped to use the room that had once belonged to the Drama Club. But those plans had quickly changed with the unexpectedly high turnout.
As happy as everyone was for the marriage, it seemed that there were many that had come for other reasons. No-one had anything nefarious planned for the new couple, but there were several other agenda's at play nonetheless. It was during the reception when those topics came up.
Yukine, Tomoyo, and her boys cornered Kobayashi-hakase, Melissa, and several of the researchers. Kobayashi was fairly certain that they hadn't come for a fight, but they did seem more than a little upset about something. At least the boys did.
"Hey Puffessuh. Long time no see." Iwao gave Kobayashi a stony stare while greeting the academic.
"It… hasn't been that long." Kobayashi Jun replied worriedly. He could hear his own concern in his voice and wondered if he had inadvertently done something to offend these toughs.
"We kinda noticed that the day for our first search came and went… and we didn't go anywhere." Ryota's jaw was set as he told them, "I know you don't see us as equals, but even we are smart enough to use a calendar."
"That's what you're upset about?" Melissa was a bit surprised but was able to explain, "We're still crunching numbers. To be honest, we aren't a lot closer to figuring out where Kotomi went than we were when it happened. But you have to believe that we're doing our best."
"Yeah well… it's just that Kotomi-chan was pretty special to us. She believed in us… she gave us a chance when everyone else had written us off." Takeshi grumbled.
"She was special… to you?" Melissa's face became furious, "You don't think she was special to us? She was my kohai and my sensei, she was the closest friend I ever had! We went to school together. We went shopping together. We took bath's together!"
"Melissa-chan… I'm sorry." Takeo reached out to Melissa but didn't step any closer to her. He was worried that he and his friends had gone too far.
"I understand your feelings." Kobayashi Jun told both Melissa and the boys. "I have been her guardian since she was a little girl. This isn't easy for me either. But… there is something I want you… all of you to know as a certainty. Just because you see Tomoya-kun marrying someone else now, it does not mean that Kotomi-chan has been forsaken. In fact… the only reason they rushed into this wedding so quickly was because of Kotomi-chan's wishes."
"No way." Takeshi couldn't believe any woman would really want her husband to run off and marry someone else as soon as she was out of the picture.
"It's true." Tomoyo surprised the boys by corroborating Kobayashi Jun's story, "She told me a long time ago that she wanted Kyou to marry Tomoya and become the mother to her children… if anything ever happened to her."
"So… you guys really are still trying to find where Kotomi-chan went, right? You just… don't have anywhere for us to go yet. Is that it?" Isamu asked.
"Well… that's not entirely true." Kobayashi sighed as if he had been putting off this announcement. But this was as good a time to tell them as any. "It is true that we don't have a destination to search for Kotomi-chan as yet. But, we still need to prove that we can actually go back to the same place a second time. So, we do have somewhere for you to go."
"That sounds like good news. But you and Melissa-chan don't act like it's good news. What gives?" Kenta asked suspiciously.
"We just lost Kotomi-chan. We didn't think that you would want to lose someone else so soon after that." Kobayashi said.
"Look Puffessuh, we knows da risks. Ya don hafta worry bout that no more." Iwao said.
"It's not that." Melissa looked over at the scary, gorilla faced Hiroki and sadly told them, "We think we can get you back to Tomoyo-1."
"Tomoyo-1… what's that?" Tomoyo asked. She was understandably curious why one of the destinations was named after her.
"It was a destination where, in that universe, Tomoya-kun ended up with Sakagami Tomoyo. That universe did not include an Ushio, but it did have a Nagisa." Kobayashi told them.
"A very special Nagisa-chan. At least… she is special to Hiroki." Melissa reluctantly revealed to them what they had been able to achieve in the last few weeks. It wasn't a step toward finding Kotomi, but it was a step toward being able to retrieve her once they found out where she went.
Hiroki never talked much and never showed much emotion either. Even now, he was silent and his face was stony. But his eyes were more than damp. Big tears ran down the stony cheeks as he understood what this meant for him.
"I suggest you boys spend as much time with Hiroki as you can." Kobayashi decided not to postpone the inevitable any further and announced, "In a little over three weeks, we will be testing this hypothesis. And, if it's true… if it works out… "
"We may never see him again." Tomoyo felt a stab of guilt at the loss this group of friends would soon be suffering.
"If it's true, Hiroki will finally be able to be with the only woman he ever loved." Kenta said defiantly. All eyes turned to him in surprise. Since he was normally the trickster of the group, such a serious thing was unexpected of him. He looked back at the stunned expressions and pouted, "What!"
"Thank you, hakase." Isamu said to Kobayashi, then bowed to the group of academics. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. As always, we are in your care. But please… don't be too careful. Remember that we want to do our part too."
As Kobayashi and Melissa watched the others walk away. Some of his friends were patting Hiroki on the back as if he had just won a very special prize. Others, like Tomoyo, seemed heavily burdened. Melissa was envious when she saw the tall platinum blond leaning on Isamu for comfort. Melissa's eyes moved to the man she had been spending a lot of time with. She wondered if Takeo would turn and look at her… if he felt the same way that she did. She thought of turning away, but something inside - told her to remain watchful until he was out of sight.
Takeo turned to have a last look at Melissa before leaving the reception with his friends. She was looking at him and their eyes met. But her eyes seemed sad and she seemed to be telling him something across the distance of the noisy room.
Gomen'nasai. Melissa mouthed the word to her lover and blinked back the tears of regret.
"He may not be lost after all." Kobayashi's words should have sounded hopeful, but the tone was quite the opposite.
"What do you mean?" Melissa asked him.
"I don't know how much longer our backers will support us. With all the equipment and the manpower, this project has never been cheap. And now, with all the indecision…" Kobayashi admitted his fears to this small group. But this time, it would be Melissa that would come to his rescue.
"I don't think the indecision will be a problem for much longer." Melissa said with a knowing smile. When she saw Kobayashi's confusion, she nodded in the direction of the smiling married couple.
Kobayashi was about to ask how the marriage could make a difference in the matter that they had been discussing. Then he noticed who Tomoya and Kyou were talking to at the moment. The Mayor was over there… as well as the MEXT and the Secretary of the New Komeito Party.
"Do you really think he'll do it?" Kobayashi asked.
"Hah! He hasn't realized it yet, but he's already made the decision." Melissa laughed. But her humor faded quickly when she thought of what was sure to be in store for him after coming to such a conclusion. Although his adult life hadn't exactly been carefree, what little freedom he had would come to an end soon. He would know this, but he was the kind of person that would make the choice anyway. Melissa had heard stories about Tomoya's youth and had a hard time believing it was the same person. The Tomoya she knew wouldn't hesitate if there was a chance to recover his wife. Of course, his motives weren't completely altruistic. He was doing this for himself as much as he was doing it for Kotomi. But he was also doing it for his kids… and even for Kyou.
It was Tomoya's conviction towards his friends that had helped her come to her own conclusion. As much as she regretted it, she knew it would be necessary for her to show as much commitment as Tomoya. Even if it hurt… even if it meant having to say goodbye to some truly good friends… and to the man she was falling in love with. That was the level of commitment Tomoya inspired in her.
"Yeah, he'll do it." Melissa said sorrowfully.
.
An odd result of the marriage to Kyou was what it did to Ushio's status. Although she had been legally adopted by Nagisa and Ryou, Tomoya was acknowledged as her father. But, since she was legally Ryou's daughter, and Ryou was Kyou's sister, that made her also Tomoya's niece. It wasn't anything that any of them really worried about though. The whole discussion was more like an interesting conversation piece than anything else. In everyone's view, little Ushio was still Tomoya's daughter. And so, when Kyou and Tomoya were married, Ushio was given a special place to sit with Shuichi, Shuji, and Michiko.
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Monday morning, December 20, 2010 – Aoki Grade School
I will have a proper response for you on Monday. Be ready for it.
For two days, the snide teacher that had confronted Kyou had been scared. It was Monday now and her fear was giving her the shakes.
Be ready for it.
What had she meant by that? Stupid uppity bitch! Is she going to call me out behind the gymnasium or in the teacher's parking lot? Does she plan to beat me up, or did she file a complaint with that worthless Principal? The thoughts borne of the fear from seeing Kyou in her dark aura persona had stayed with her. Thinking that all the other teachers were on her side, she had been shocked to discover that most of them were appalled that she had said something so crass to someone who had just lost a friend… even if they also thought Kyou's idea's were strange and that she might be a bit smug.
The panicking teacher was in the midst of her fearful anticipation when she realized that Kyou was standing in the middle of the hallway and just watching as the last of the children streamed into their classrooms. The bell rang, but her fear had her unable to move from the spot where she was standing.
Oh no! Is this what it's like for a prey animal to look into the eyes of a predator? The teacher trembled.
But there was no dark aura around Kyou this morning. In fact, she seemed happy as she took the few steps necassary to close the distance to the rotund teacher still standing in front of her classroom. Kyou was still smiling when she suddenly raised her hand towards the teacher's face.
"Eep!" the previously smug teacher closed her eyes and turned away in anticipation of the blow to her face. She had been expecting a hit or a slap from the lavender haired lunatic. When it didn't come, she slowly opened her eyes and turned back to see Kyou still smiling and holding the backside of her hand up for her to see. Confusion set in. There's nothing in her hand. It's open and… quite ordinary. True, she has long delicate looking fingers, but other than the wedding ring…
WEDDING RING!?
Kyou saw the fear in the face of the portly teacher, turn into comprehension, and then shock as she figured out what she was looking at. There were lots of things that Kyou could say at a moment like this. Rumors said that the woman had once been desperate to get married, but had never been in a serious relationship. But Kyou elected not to play the rumor game and decided on a much simpler tactic. With the hand that was already raised, she waved.
"Bye bye." Kyou smiled as she turned and walked down the corridors of the old grade school to the wing that was now all hers. Today would be an important day. Today, she would be interviewing many teachers to fill the classrooms in that wing. It was important to start the day off in a positive way.
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Monday noon, December 20, 2010 – Family Restaurant near the train station
Tomoya had met with these two political principals at this place before. Like the last time, he was filled with trepidation at what he was about to do. Unlike the last time, he was alone. But the mood was different this time too. Tomoya looked like he had given up – as if he had accepted a terrible fate because there were no other options. Being honest with himself, he did feel like there were no other options… that had acceptable outcomes.
He could write letters and plead his case… and hope for the best. But he knew that there really wasn't much hope in that course of action. Then there was always the option to just give up… on Kotomi. But that was something he just could not do. So, it would have to be… this.
Tomoya pushed the envelope across the table to the two dignitaries. The Secretary didn't reach for it until Tomoya took his hand away. Tomoya's hand went back into his lap and he looked down as he sighed.
"Please, Okazaki-san… you don't have to look so defeated." the Secretary said as he pulled the packet across the table and slid it into his satchel without opening it to verify anything.
"If joining the New Komeito Party depresses you that much, you shouldn't have done it." the Minister harrumphed.
"It's not that. I mean… I don't dislike the Party or anything. It's just that… I feel like I should be involved more with…" Tomoya's voice trailed off. He had already been down that avenue of thought and knew that there were no good answers.
"We can only do what we can do." the Secretary said sympathetically.
"Personally, I feel sorry for your wife." the Minister said derisively.
"Hey, I want to get her back as much as anybody!" Tomoya growled defensively.
"I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about the girl you married yesterday. Or have you already forgotten that she is the one that is your wife now?" the Minister spat back.
"You're going too far." the Secretary admonished his friend.
"No I'm not! I was quite impressed with the young lady and I have to say, she deserves better than you. She is your wife now. Don't try to tell me that she only married you because she felt some duty to her friend, or for the good of the children. I'm not buying it." the Minister hissed.
"What are you saying?" the Secretary asked while Tomoya fumed at the old man's accusatory tone.
"She loves you. Even a cynical old bastard like me can see it. If you can't see it, you're blind, stupid, or both!" the Minister challenged.
"I know she love me. I love Kyou-chan too. What's your problem with that?" Tomoya demanded with a glare.
"You don't act like you love her. As soon as you're married, you rush off to work on rescuing your last wife. You're so single-mindedly focused on bringing her back that you haven't thought about what that will mean, have you?" the Minister returned Tomoya's glare with his own demand for an answer.
"What… what do you mean?" Tomoya didn't follow the Minister's question. Baka, I know what it would mean… it would mean Kotomi is back with us where she belongs!
"If you get Kotomi-chan back…" the Minister started.
"When we get her back!" Tomoya challenged.
"Whatever! What then? She's been declared dead, but that can be rectified. What can't be easily fixed is that she will no longer be married to you. What is your plan then, huh? Will you cast the Fujibayashi girl aside and remarry your precious Kotomi? Will Kotomi have to accept that she is no longer your wife? What is your plan, Okazaki-san?" the Minister seemed positively livid.
Many of the guests in the restaurant wondered if they should leave and worried that the two men at the table might break out into a fistfight at any moment. But that point in time passed as the younger man at the table seemed to crumple back into his seat.
What will I do? It suddenly hit Tomoya that he had not thought that far ahead after all. His focus had entirely been to get Kotomi back. He had not considered what would happen after that. And, now that the minister had pointed it out, he realized that there was no outcome that would be fair to Kyou. Unintentionally speaking aloud, he softly said, "This is completely unfair to Kyou. What… what should I do?"
"The fact that you realize it, gives me hope for you." the Minister conceded.
"Okazaki-san… do not be too concerned about it now. You have plenty of time to think of these things. And, fortunately for you, the New Komeito Party is full of priests and clergy. If it is ethical guidance you seek, I can promise you a limitless supply of counselors." the Secretary said sympathetically.
.
Wednesday night, December 22, 2010 – Ichinose House
Kyou wanted to relax in the big bath. The day was finally over, and with it – the end of the semester and the beginning of the winter break. She wanted to relax. She needed to relax. But, try as she might, she could not get over the loneliness and feeling of guilt that had been growing since her wedding day.
She still couldn't forgive herself for jumping at the opportunity to marry Tomoya before the ink was dry on Kotomi's death certificate. Figuratively, of course. But still, even it had been Kotomi's wishes… it didn't feel right to her. And… she worried that it didn't feel right to others either. From other teachers and from some of the parents at the school, she had heard that some people were even wondering if there had really been an accident at all and that the quick marriage had been a little too quick.
Kyou didn't let any of that kind of talk bother her… much. But she did worry how it might hurt the children. Here, at home where it was safe, she knew they wouldn't hear such vile rumors. But on the school-grounds, and in town…
"KYAAAAAA!" Kyou shrieked when she felt a hand suddenly touch her bare shoulder. Her reactions kicked in and she leaped into the air and spun around to see what or who had surprised her. She briefly caught a glimpse of a startled Tomoya just as she lost her footing in the huge bath and fell into the pool of hot water.
Tomoya had called her name several times and worried that she had fallen asleep in the bath. Her spastic reaction had indeed startled him, but her ungraceful fall into the water followed by her looking like a startled wet cat while spluttering and gasping as she emerged from the bath… was too much.
Kyou wiped the water from her eyes and saw Tomoya bent over with laughter. His hands were on his knees and he was laughing so hard his back was shaking. At first, she was furious that he was laughing at her, but there was something else that gave her pause.
He was laughing.
Kyou realized that she hadn't heard him laugh for a long time, and it was a good sound. One that she realized that she really liked to hear, and had been sorely missing. Still humiliated that she was the reason for his merriment, she looked away… and right into a mirror. Dammit… I really do look like a half drowned cat. She started to fix her hair in annoyance, but even that didn't last. Tomoya's laughter wasn't insulting, and it was infectious. She soon found herself laughing along with him.
"You… you looked like a wet cat!" Tomoya gasped toward the end of his long fit of laughter. He had entered the big bath and was close to Kyou again now.
"I know. But you didn't have to laugh at me, you big dummy! It wasn't funny." Kyou retorted while trying to suppress her own giggles.
"Then why are you laughing?" Tomoya asked as he put his hands on Kyou to help steady her.
"I… I don't know. I just…" Kyou stopped when she felt his lips on her own. For the briefest moment, she thought about drawing back… but she needed this. She needed to feel the passion she had not felt since Kotomi's disappearance. She needed to be scalded by his arms that wrapped around her back, burned by the lips that kissed her face, and set ablaze by his body as the two of them came together.
I'm sorry Kotomi, but I need this! Both of them thought as they gave themselves over to the sensuous pleasure of each other's touch.
But, they would later realize that if Kotomi had been there – or known about their evening of passion, there would have been no need for any apology. In fact, an apology would only have confused her. To Kotomi, the concept of love was not so difficult a thing as understanding people and their sometimes incomprehensible reactions to such a simple emotion.
.
.
Glossary
.
Gomen'nasai: Japanese for "I'm sorry."
Kyou-sensei: Kyou the teacher. Yuki calls her this all day at the school where they work since she is the principal teacher in the program.
New Komeito Party: A political party in Japan
Onii-san: Big brother. Yuki occasionally calls Tomoya her big brother in a reflection of her wish that she had known her cousin since childhood. Having lived under the same roof with him since their return from America, she is finally feeling that closeness she had yearned for.