Ch 2
Where have all the good men gone
and where are all the gods?
Where's my streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss
and I turn
and I dream of what I need!
I need a hero.
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong
and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure
and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life!
larger than life.
-Bonnie Tyler-
Kouta ran back home. On the kitchen table, he found his father's note, he had taken Kanae to go see Aunt Takami and visit a museum.
"Dog food, dog food," Kouta chanted softly. They had no dog food. He tried to figure out what a puppy ate. Kaede had brought some sandwich bread. OK, but he thought dogs ate meat. Yes, Meat! He opened the refrigerator. Seeing some sandwich meat in a plastic bag, He grabbed it and left.
Running back up the hill, Kouta neared the top and heard Kaede cry out, "No! Don't hurt him!" He pushed hard to get to her. When he topped the hill, a bad sight greeted him. A boy had Kaede with her arms locked behind her. A short ways away, another boy held her puppy up, the third boy stood ready to kick. In a flash, he knew what was about to happen.
"Don't!" Kouta a cried and ran at them. As he ran to stop them, the one boy dropped the puppy, the other boy kicked him hard. With a yelp of pain, the puppy flew though the air. Kouta wasn't violent. Upon seeing what just happened, something in him snapped, His face screwed up in rage, his fists tightened. He charged the boys with an angry yell. They looked up as Kouta's fist crashed into Tomo's face.
Stunned, Tomo fell to the ground. Wanting to punish the other boy who'd held the dog and now was gaping at Kouta, Kouta kicked him hard in the groin. The boy screamed and folded.
"You'll pay for that!" Tomo yelled and shot to his feet.
Tomo was angry he'd been hit, Kouta was enraged and fighting for Kaede's survival. If he failed, she would die in a hail of bullets again. The boys fought, Kouta had the edge of being desperate to win. Tomo threw punches Kouta didn't even feel. Kouta punched, kicked, elbowed and bit like a wild animal. He knocked Tomo down again. Tomo got up and stumbled away, casting a frightened glance at Kouta.
Kouta turned to glare at the boy holding Kaede.
"I'll hurt her!" the boy warned.
Bleeding from his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth, Kouta stalked toward the boy with murder in his eyes. He growled, "I'm going to kill you."
The boy thought about his chances. Tomo was gone and his other friend was doubled on the ground in pain, crying. The boy coming towards him fought like a crazed beast. He let Kaede go and fled after Tomo.
The instant Kaede was free, she ran to where her puppy had landed.
Kouta, sore and breathing hard from his running and fighting, staggered over to pick up his music box.
"No!" Kaede wailed out, which got his attention. He ran over to her to see her puppy lying on the ground, twitching. Blood came from the puppy's mouth and nose.
"We have to get him to a hospital, quick!" Kouta said. Carefully he scooped the puppy up into his arms, "Follow me," he said, and ran off.
Kaede followed. Even after his fight, Kouta ran fast enough that Kaede had to push hard to keep up with him.
Kouta had seen the vet's office, he knew where it was. Running straight there, he went inside, yelling for help. A nurse came out. Kouta explained quickly what happened, she got a vet and they took the puppy inside and told Kouta to wait.
Kouta plopped down in a chair, exhausted. He set the music box beside him. It was then he noticed the case was broken. Had he or someone stepped on it? Kaede sat down across from him, looking lost. He wanted to tell her everything would be all right. Pushed past him physical limit, he passed out.
.
Kouta awoke to see Kaede still sitting across from him. Her head was down, her hands were clenched in a white-knuckled grip. She was shaking slightly. "Kaede?" he asked.
He got up and walked over to kneel in front of Kaede. She stared at him with liquid eyes, like a dam ready to burst. He didn't have to be told why she was upset. The puppy died. He did the only thing he knew how to comfort her, and pulled her tight to him in a hug. As their bodies made contact, Kaede threw her arms around him and wailing out all her pent up feelings. Kouta petted her hair as she cried on his shoulder.
Kaede had never had this happen before. No one had ever hugged her. Pouring out her raw emotion, she cried for her dead puppy. She also cried in joy at the simple, caring act of Kouta's hug. She wanted to thank him, but all that came out were more tears. He was holding her, petting her hair, comforting her.
This boy that had barged into her life had arrived, in her mind, like one of those action heros on TV. He fought for her, he was comforting her. Kouta had come out of nowhere to cast a shining light into her dim world. He was someone who really cared for her. She held him tight as she cried, and she never wanted to let go.
Kouta held Kaede while she cried. Slowly, Kaede's tears subsided. She kept her arms around him, so Kouta kept holding her. "I'm so sorry," he said.
Kaede stayed nuzzled into his shoulder. "Why?" she asked quietly.
"Why what?" he asked.
"Why did you fight those boys and try to save my puppy?" Kaede asked and sniffled. "I don't know you. Why get hurt for me?"
Kouta gently petted her back as he thought. There was no way Kaede would believe they had died holding each other. That they had already been very close in another life, and he could not let the terrible things that had happened to her, happen again. He finally said, "Kaede ... I don't expect you to believe me, but I do know you. I have for a long time. I can't explain it now. Maybe some day. What I can tell you is that you don't deserve to live a horrible life and I will do everything I can to make things better for you."
"Thank you," she said quietly and gave him a gentle squeeze.
Kouta pulled back to see she was gazing at him. "I have to call my dad," he said.
Touching a split on the edge of his eyebrow that now was scabbed over, a wound he got from defending her, Kaede said, "You are a good friend, Kouta."
Upon coming to pick them up, Kouta's fathers' first words were, "Kouta? What happened to you?" Junso was confused. His son was injured and in a veterinary hospital. "Why didn't you go to a normal hospital?"
Kouta stood up and clasped Kaede's hand. Firmly he said, "Kaede needs a place to live. The orphanage she's in treats her terribly. Please, we can't let her stay there."
Jumso let out a sigh and said. "Kouta, start from the beginning. Tell me how you got hurt and why are you in a vet's office and not the hospital."
Kouta told his father everything that happened. Junso listen, arms folded over his chest, taking glances at Kaede as Kouta talked. After Kouta explained everything, Junso nodded and said, "Very commendable, son. I am not happy you were fighting, but in this case, it was the right thing to do." He then said, "Kaede, tell me where this orphanage is."
Kouta picked up his ruined music box and with Kaede bedside him, followed him out to the car where Kanae sat waiting. Upon seeing Kouta she got out and yelled, "Big brother, what happened to you?"
"I'm fine, Kanae," Kouta told her. "This is my friend, Kaede. Kaede, my sister Kanae."
Kanae blinked and said, "Wow, I never saw anyone with horns before."
Hearing Kaede grumble, Kouta quickly said, "Kaede, I've got a hat you can wear so they don't show." he then said to Kanae, "Kanae, that was rude! Apologize!"
Kanae frowned at her brother briefly then let out a huff and said, "I'm sorry, Kaede. I just never seen anyone like you before."
"Everyone in the car," Junso ordered.
Junso took them to a health clinic and had Kouta checked over. He had bruises and some cuts, but it was nothing serious. While Kouta was in being seen, Kaede held the remains of his music box for him while she waited in the car. Although Kouta didn't even seem to notice her horns, she knew others did. Looking at the broken box, she saw the lid was hanging by a hinge, and the wood was cracked. Carefully she opened it up. The inside had a split, but the red cloth inside looked OK. She turned the key. It wound up and played.
She breathed a sigh of relief, it had survived. The plucked tiny tunes coming out sounded a bit sad, but pretty and just as they should. On the cracked lid, she saw the word Lilium. That had to be the name of this song. She started humming along with the music. This tune, Lilium, was hers and Kouta's song, she decided. Becoming engrossed with the tune, she was surprised when the car door opened. Kouta got in the back with her, now sporting a bandage on his arm and one banding his forehead.
"It still plays?" he asked excitedly.
Kaede nodded. Seeing how happy he was that it still worked, she decided there was something she could do for him. "I'm going to fix it for you, Kouta," Kaede told him. "You helped me, so I'm going to help you."
"Thank you!" Kouta said happily. He then asked, "Ahh, Kaede, do you know how?"
"We'll stop by the store and get some glue," Junso said as he shut his door.
Riding along, Kaede and Kouta listened to the haunting melody of the music box. They stopped at a store. Kouta went in with his father and found glue. He also found a wool hat for Kaede. Junso then took them back to the rental house. By now, it was getting later in the day. Junso called the orphanage to let them know where Kaede was.
Kouta took Kaede up to his room to show her other drawings he did when he went up into the mountains. Kanae went with them, she liked to look at Kouta's drawings too. He heard his father below on the telephone, he sounded upset. Not long after his father got off the phone, Junso came up to his room.
"Kouta draws well," Junso said proudly as he looked down on the three sitting on the floor. His face then dimmed. "I just talked to the orphanage, Kaede. They don't mind you staying the night, but tomorrow I have to take you back. I'm a single parent, and they do not allow single parent adoptions."
Kaede hung her head. "Thank you for trying," she said meekly.
"Why?" Kouta asked. "It's not like Kaede will be alone."
Junso shrugged. "It's their rules, Kouta. There's nothing I can do about that," he said. He could see Kaede wasn't happy and neither was Kouta.
Kouta got angry. "So Kaede has to go back someplace where she's picked on and bullied?" he asked harshly.
"Kouta, we do what we can."
"Then get married!" Kanae said. "Aunt Takami doesn't have a husband."
Junso cast her a confused look. "Kanae, Aunt Takami is my sister, I can't marry her."
"But, if you get a wife, then we can adopt Kaede, right Dad?" Kouta asked hopefully.
Junso was about to say he wasn't going to get married just so he could adopt a child. Looking at his son's face, he said, "That is true. Kouta, I just can't marry anyone. It has to be the right woman."
"Then I'll help you look." Kouta said.
"I'll help too!" Kanae announced.
"Sensei Imoto at the orphanage isn't married," Kaede offered.
"That's great, Dad!" Kanae chimed. "You can get a wife AND adopt Kaede from the same place!"
Junso face palmed.
.
Despite the bad news, Kaede still had a fun time with Kouta. They had a nice dinner that Kouta and Kaede helped his father make, then sat down to watch some TV before bed. Kanae and Kaede took a turn in the bath, then Kouta took his turn. Kouta bade everyone good night and went to his room.
Kouta lay thinking about the day. He'd gotten Kaede's confidence, but she's lost her puppy. He had been hoping to save the little dog. Still, compared to the first time he lived, it had come out much better, So far. He knew if Kaede stayed in that orphanage, something terrible was going to happen to her. He desperately didn't want that. Drifting off to sleep, he dreamed of holding Kaede's hand as they ran away into the mountains to escape everyone. He then dreamed a scene of them sitting out the rain in that little cave as the music box played.
"Kouta, you have known me for a long time?" Kaede asked from beside him.
In his dream, she had switched from his left side to his right. He looked at her watching him. "Yeah. It's hard to believe I'm back here again. At least I can make things better this time. I really like you, Kaede."
"What do you mean, the last time?" she asked.
"The last time we lived. I am real sorry that ended so badly. I wanted to save you, for you to know that you can be loved, that you can be part of a family."
"What happened to us?" Kaede asked.
Kouta frowned. "The army was coming after you again. I tried, Kaede, but we both got shot. We died holding each other. I didn't want you to die."
"We DIED?" Kaede asked in a squeak.
The question was sharp. Kouta was awakened from the voice. He found he was lying in bed. Kaede kneeling by his head, her eyes wide. She was wearing one of Kanae's nightgowns.
"Ghaa!" Kouta yelped and sat up. "Kaede, what are you doing?"
"I was talking to you," Kaede said, sounding irritated. "What were you doing?"
"I thought I was having a dream ... was I talking?" he asked.
"I thought you were talking to me," Kaede told him. Since he was sitting up, she got up on the bed and sat beside him.
"I ... I was dreaming about you," he admitted.
Kaede studied him for a moment, then asked, "Kouta, when you said we lived before, do you mean like, we live another life? Is that where you know me from?"
Kouta licked his lips nervously. He hadn't meant to tell her any of that. Still, from what he remembered of dreaming, he already had. "Yes. We lived this life once before. The first time, I was foolish and it caused alot of trouble. I lost my memory for a long time. We didn't see each other for years and we each had a horrible life. Only near the very end did we see each other again," he admitted.
"And then soldiers shot us," Kaede stated.
"Yeah, they did. I know I died, but somehow, for some reason, I was brought back here to when I'm young, just before we met for the first time. Whatever deity brought me back, I think this time, I have to get it right," he admitted.
Kaede bit her lip and asked, "Did you love me?"
"I do love you, Kaede. That will never change," Kouta said gently.
"So you know what is going to happen?" she prodded.
"No, not completely," He said as he thought. He then remembered the festival. Yes, that and the train were the critical places that he needed to change. There was also another fun time he had loved. "Kaede, tomorrow, before Dad has to take you back, let's go to the zoo. You'll love it, I promise."
Seeing Kouta smile brought a smile to Kaede's face. "I'll go with you, wherever you want to go." Wanting to spend every last minute with Kouta, Kaede laid down and said, "We should get some sleep."
"But... but ...this is my bed," Kouta said.
Kaede turned to look at him and explained, "Yes. And if we both sleep here, we can be together just a little bit longer, so lie down."
Scrubbing the back of his head, Kouta asked, "Is this really OK?"
"Why not? Come on, lie down so we can cover up," Kaede prodded.
Kouta did, sliding back in bed, then covered them up. "Good night, Kaede."
"Good night, Kouta."
Kouta found it hard to get back to sleep with a girl right there in his bed. The more he thought about Kaede with him and safe, the more he became at ease. He reached out and clasped Kaede's hand. She moved her fingers to intertwining his. Kouta fell asleep, feeling at peace.
.
"Kouta.! ... Kouta, you... you can't do that!"
Kouta snapped awake to see Kanae gaping at him. He could only see part of her, for pink hair and a horn obscured his vision. His arm was wrapped tight around Kaede, her arm over his, pressing it tight to her as if she was afraid he might get away. They were spooned up together. That was why he felt so warm and comfortable.
"Huh?" Kouta asked as he quickly sat up. In a panic at getting caught, he said, "Kanae, we just ... it just ... we didn't do anything, please don't tell Dad!"
Kaede groaned and stretched. Opened her eyes, she said, "Morning, Kouta."
"Ahh, morning, Kaede."
"Kaede, you were suppose to sleep in my room," Kanae complained.
Kouta heard his father coming up the steps. "We better get up fast. Dad's coming."
They got up, and with an off the top of his head explanation, Kouta told his father that Kaede wanted to wake him up with Kanae. Thankfully, he believed it.
.
At breakfast, Kouta asked if he could take Kaede to the zoo before they took her back to the orphanage. Since he was taking Kanae shopping with Takami and Yuka, Junso agreed, and gave Kouta some spending money for them.
This time around, Kaede didn't have any negative thoughts as they went around to see the amazing animals, then took a break to eat snow cones. After walking all day hand in hand, Kouta took them down to the stream to cool their feet. Here, he had a little fun.
Looking at Kaede's face intently, he said, "Kaede, you got something on your cheek."
Kaede wiped her cheeks with her hands. "I did I get it?" she asked.
"No, let me," he said then bent down grabbed a couple handfuls of water, and splashed her face. The shocked look she bore made him laugh. "I got it!" he announced, laughing.
"He. He. He." Kaede said as she bore a false grin. "You need a bath." she said push him down. Kouta looked up at her in shock. "Now you're all clean!" she announced and laughed heartily.
"Oh yeah?" Kouta asked, and splashed her again.
Splashing and dodging, they had a water fight. Kaede tripped on a rock as she moved to avoid a handful of water from Kouta. She went down with a yelp. At first Kouta laughed. Seeing her face wince in pain, he went over and asked, "Kaede, are you OK?"
Kaede's face turned into a grin. "I am now," she said, then grabbed his arm and pulled him in.
Once they were tired from their water fight, Kouta realized they had the same trouble as before. "Kaede, we can't get on the bus in wet clothes. We'll have to take them off so they can dry out."
Kouta got on one side of a big rock and took his clothes off and laid them out to dry. Kaede did the same on the other side. Sitting down with his back to her, Kouta felt Kaede's back against his.
Kouta began humming Lilium as they waited. Shortly, Kaede joined him. They hummed for a while, then Kaede stopped.
"Kouta, today is the most fun I've ever had," she said.
"Me too," he agreed. He had a great time spending the day with Kaede.
He then saw her scooch her way, backing up to his side so she could face him and look at him. Of course she was naked. Kouta quickly diverted his gaze. "Ahh, Kaede, we don't have any clothes on," he said nervously.
"I don't care about that," Kaede said. She put a hand on his cheek and turned his head to face her. "Kouta, you have given me more than I could ever hope for," she said sincerely, then hugged him. "Thank you for being my friend."
Kouta had automatically hugged her back. It dawned on him he was naked, and hugging a naked girl. He blushed deeply. "We... we're naked," he stuttered out.
Kaede chuckled. "That happens when you take your clothes off." Pulling back to gaze softly at him, she said, "I know I have to go back, but, will you come see me?"
Kouta nodded. "When I can, I'll be happy to. The thing is, we live way north. After the festival in a couple days, we have to go home," he said sadly.
"I'm not happy about it either," Kaede told him. "I don't want to go back, and I don't want you to leave me. Let's spend all the time together that we can."
"Yes, lets," Kouta agreed.
Kaede settled back down with her head on his shoulder. He petted her hair and they hummed Lilium together.
It was a perfect day.
"Brother! Where are you!" Kanae called out. She appeared from some bushes and stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes went wide and she clapped both hands over her mouth.
Well, almost perfect.
.
Somehow, by pleading on his knees, explaining, and pleading again, Kouta got Kanae to keep quiet about finding him and Kaede off by themselves, naked and hugging.
Now dry, and flushing a bit from being caught again by his little sister, Kouta rode the bus back with Kaede and his father and Kanae. Siting across the isle from his son, Junso said "Kouta, I went to the Orphanage to tell them you were takng Kaede to the zoo. We got to talking, and I found out that while I can't formally adopt Kaede, I can do what's called a guardianship."
"What's that?" Kouta asked as Kaede intently listened.
"A guardianship means that the Orphanage still retains legal custody of Kaede, BUT," he said holding a finger up, "They can assign someone to be her guardian. All paperwork, such as school grades, doctor visits and money for her care has to go through them. It also means that she can live with us. Kaede, we'll go tomorrow to pick up your things."
Kaede jumped over Kouta and across the isle to hug Junso tight. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she cried in his ear with joy. Junso winced from the abuse. Pulling her off, he frowned and said, "I think I'm deaf in that ear now."
Bouncing in joy, Kaede, said, "Sorry ... but, Thank you!"
"Yes, thank you, Dad!" Kouta said happily.
Junso grinned as he wiggled a finger in his abused ear. "Kouta, you'll be responsible for showing Kaede her cleaning chores. And she is NOT to be made to do all of yours."
"Sure Dad, in fact, we'll clean together," Kouta beamed.
"Not like in the stream, I hope," Kanae grumbled.
"Stream?" Junso asked.
So Kanae wouldn't rat him out, Kouta said, "We were playing in the stream and had to dry off before we were able to get on the bus." He really hoped his father wouldn't pry deeper into that subject.
Kanae stuck her tongue out at him.
Seeing Kaede still standing up and beaming him a smile, Junso said, "Kaede, you need to sit down. It's not safe to stand up while the bus is moving."
Kaede did sit, right on Kouta's lap. "So I don't have to go back to the orphanage?" she asked.
"Only to get your things, and we're all going to get them. You won't be there by yourself," Junso told her.
.
Kaede didn't have much. Junso bought a suitcase and they went up to the orphanage. Junso told Kouta to go help Kaede with her things while he signed the paperwork. Walking down the hallway to her room, Kouta noted the other girl watching them from a doorway.
"Too bad about your puppy," the girl said in a snydley, musical tone.
Kaede glared at her. Seeing this, Kouta took Kaede by her hand. "Forget her," he said. "She's so mean, no one will ever want her."
Kaede went with Kouta into her room. Besides the words of, devil child, freak, and demon girl carved into her drawers, her drawers were partway open. Her clothes were everywhere.
"What?" Kouta asked as he eyed the room. He picked up a blouse that was torn in half. "This is... horrible!" he said.
"This is what I usually put up with," Kaede told him. "Help me sort out what's not ruined?"
Kouta did. Each piece of good clothing, they put in the suitcase. The torn stuff, Kaede left on the floor. Picking up a pair of panties, Kouta blushed and threw them in the suitcase. Seeing Kaede's long face, he offered, "At least you will not ever have to put up with something like this again."
Kaede cast him a smile. 'All because of my hero' she thought. She found a good skirt and put it in the suitcase.
By the time they were done, less than half the clothes she had were wearable. Seeing this, Kouta offered, "Don't worry, Dad will buy you new stuff. If he won't, I'll use my spending money to get you things."
Hand in hand, they left Kaede's room in the orphanage for the last time.