Author's Note:
As promised, a rewrite of the story with the same title. I hope that it seems much more mature and more reflective and relevant than the previous version. I have decided to keep the prologue, but change the entire body. Currently up to chapter 2 and hoping to be able to write something decent.
I am also beginning to realise how rusty I am beginning to get. It takes me so long to write a chapter and how much effort it goes into producing something worth it. I truly hope that it is something that is great and worth reading!
Please note that as it is fiction, please do not complain of the obvious that it is impossible for Mina or Usagi to be Mamoru's sister due to the different hair colour. Again, this is a fiction and I am merely using the characters for this story line that I have in my mind. Happy to receive comments on my writing style and other things that I can improve on though.
Enough said, on with the story!
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Chapter 1
Mamoru's P.O.V
I will always remember that autumn ten years back. 1999. I was only a young boy of thirteen then. Well, not exactly that young since I was considered a teenager already, as compared to my baby sister who was only eight years old. I said something so terrible and mean to her. And then the accident happened. It felt as if my words rang true, that I brought this upon myself, my family. Her.
The words… My words, cut through her heart, as sharp as a knife. I could still hear it ringing so clearly in my head, those words of mine- 'I wished you weren't my sister!' I still cannot believe that those cruel words had slip through my tongue so easily. Next thing I remembered, she grabbed her friend by the hand and bolted out, running towards the street and the next thing I heard, a scream- a loud horn - a screech. That haunting scream. And then, as people gathered, I slowly walked out of the door, heart in my stomach. As I tried to imagine what could have possibly happened, my legs stopped moving. I refused to imagine that something had happened to my baby sister. Yet, from where I stood, the veranda of our Victorian-liked house, my eyes caught the reflection of the golden corn hair before the crowd gathered.
I did not know how long I stood there, eyes facing the direction of the accident, but at the same time, not looking at the accident in particular. Everything that happened after that was a blur. All I remembered was that my parents whisked me to the hospital and mum, dad and I were waiting outside the emergency ward, together with Tsukino's parents.
I was feeling an array of emotions- fear, guilt and anxiety, what if those were the last words that I said to her? No, that wouldn't be right. I stared right at the emergency light, waiting for it to go off and praying so hard that she would be alright. She had to be.
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'Hello? Earth to Mamoru!'
My vision adjusted to focus at the hand waving right in front of me. It was Andrew, my best friend since we were younger. I am so glad to be able to maintain such a close brotherly relationship with him even though I had been out of the country for ten years. Andrew and I were classmates since elementary school, but how we met before we became classmates was when the soccer ball I kicked during gym class landed on the back of his head. I could remember his expression so clearly when he was looking around aimlessly, like Chicken Little, wondering what fell from the sky. Naturally, I was found out, but not only did he not take offense, strange enough, he extended his hand out and that was how our beautiful friendship began.
I was ecstatic when we were put in the same class in the following year and we spent our days like brothers- hanging out at each other's places and pulling pranks on others. We were infamously dubbed as Batman and Robin, which we still have arguments on who is the hero and who is the sidekick. I was the young boy full of charisma and had a solution for every situation. I was calmed and always had a comforting word in any situation. That was my gift- compassion and sensibility. And I knew and he knew that I was the hero.
'From a blank expression to a smirk, good to know that the old buddy of mine has never changed' observed Andrew as he slide into the seat opposite me. 'Dude, I know what you are thinking and for the record, that question was answered a long time ago, and I did prove myself a hero with what I did back then. I know it's a long time ago, but honestly, what happened? '
The mentioning of that incident, no matter how subtle, made me sombre all of a sudden. Indeed, Andrew was the hero on that day of the accident. He came right after the incident happened, so he did not know what transpired between Usagi and I that led to that accident. While I sat at the stairs of the veranda shocked and paralysed, he was the one who contacted my parents and was with me all the way. That gift of mine never rose to the occasion at that very point when I needed it, and it hence changed my life forever.
'Yeah, you did. I can't thank you enough man. Nothing happened, I guess that Usagi and Mina was just too excited to go somewhere. They left in such a hurry, I had no idea. I guess that we'll never know the truth, aye?' I lied smoothly.
I was the great Mamoru that everyone respected. If they had known the truth, if they had known the cruel words I had said to her, they will not be looking at me the same way anymore. Although I was thirteen then, I displayed maturity beyond my age, until that day. It was over a trivial matter, really, of which I cannot remember the details. Only from the moment the words left my tongue that led to a life-changing incident of epic proportions.
'I guess we'll never know. How's Mina doing now? And your family? Why are you back? I thought your family left for good…'
'Andrew, my dad died in an accident three months ago.' I said quietly.
'Oh no, I'm so sorry. Gosh, he was such a great dad! How is your family coping with it now?'
'Yeah, he was, to the both of us. We're coping as well as we should. That's why we're back here, in Tokyo. My mum and I agreed that we should return to the place where we began, some sense of familiarity would definitely be of great comfort at this point in time… no matter how painful it was,' I explained.
'Well, I'm certainly glad to have you back. You have no idea how much this place has changed! And you know that I'll be there whenever you need me, right? We're still Batman and Robin, you know,' Andrew said.
Gosh, what would I do without a friend such as him? That afternoon, we filled in each other with the details of the past ten years of our lives and I was happy to hear that he is currently dating an archaeologist student whom he met whilst studying in university. He is currently the owner of the arcade at the intersection nearest to university, running the family business which he had inherited. I, on the other hand, will be beginning my internship at Tokyo Hospital, while undertaking some part-time research work at Tokyo University. It was going to be a new start, not only in this place, but as an adult.
Before we left, I had to relief myself with the burning question that I had wanted to ask at the start of our meeting- 'Andrew, do you know where Usagi is?'
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