Forget-Me-Not
By: AtomicKokoro
Storyline
A question is brought up around the table at the Russian Sushi restaurant. Mikado and Masaomi gladly answer Anri and Saki's question, only to trail deep down into Memory Lane.
…
Before You Read
Ah, another day, another dollar.
I wish. I'd be rich by now.
On with the story.
…
Chapter 4
Calla Lily – Beauty
Do you remember that beautiful place you showed me, Masaomi?
Sometimes, I miss that sort of beauty here in Ikebukuro. I miss the flowers and the grass. I miss the barn and the smell of hay. I miss the beauty Saitama had to offer.
But if we travel around the world, Masaomi, we can see beautiful places just like it.
…
"That's so cute!" Saki cooed. She chewed on some garlic before tilting her head to one side. "Gee, Masaomi. You're so protective."
Masaomi scoffed and bit a small piece of his sushi off, trying to avoid a huge burn in his mouth. "I am not. I just didn't want anyone hurting Mikado."
"I think it's sweet," Anri said in her gentle voice. "You guys have been together for a long time, then. You guys really are close friends."
Mikado nodded. "Yup!" he chirped, swallowing some of his own sushi. "He even showed me his favorite place to be."
"You're favorite place?" Saki repeated, glancing at Masaomi. Masaomi nodded. "What was it like?"
"Well," Mikado began, even though Saki wanted an answer from Masaomi. "It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been..."
…
Two huge, golden eyes were the first thing Mikado saw when he opened the door. "Hey, Mikado!" Mikado yelped and fell backwards onto his butt. The door swung wide open and Masaomi leaned in. "Hey, nice house."
"Thank you," Mikado mumbled as he brought himself to his feet and dusted off his jeans. One would think Mikado would be used to turning around or opening a door to see two bright eyes far into his personal space, but he was too shy and timid to not be scared.
Masaomi grabbed Mikado's wrist and pulled him out the door. "C'mon! There's some place I want to show you!"
"W-wait!" Mikado whined as he was dragged from his home. "I-I have to tell my Mom first!"
…
Mikado thought they had been walking forever, although they had only been traveling for ten minutes. Mikado had no idea where they were, but Masaomi seemed to know. He just kept on leading on, marching as though he were in a band. Mikado shyly trailed behind, his head slightly bowed. He no longer payed attention to where they were going.
The next time he looked up, he realized they were in a forest. Mikado blinked and glanced around. It was sort of dark, sunlight pouring in from the gaps between leaves. His foot caught in a root and he stumbled, dropping his gaze to watch his step. Masaomi held his head high, whether he was aware of the roots or not was beyond Mikado, and kept on marching as though he did this everyday.
Mikado began to wonder if he did.
"Here we are!" Mikado looked up and his jaw dropped. Flowers. So many beautiful flowers, for miles below the cliff. Red, white, blue, purple, pink. All the flowers Mikado could name and more. Grass sprouted between every stem. Mikado was simply astonished. "I come here when I feel lonely," Masaomi explained, bending down and sniffing a calla lily. "The flowers keep me company."
Masaomi glanced up at Mikado and smiled. "But I'm not lonely anymore. I have you!"
Mikado was speechless for a long time. The beauty of the field Masaomi showed him was almost incomprehensible. "H...how did you find this place?"
There was a shrug and an unsure hum before Masaomi answered, "I was running blindly when I came across here."
"Oh," was all Mikado could say. He, too, bent down and sniffed a calla lily. "Pretty."
"Isn't it?" The two sat at the edge of the cliff and watched the scenery, talking about things they wouldn't remember later on. All Mikado would remember was his legs dangling over the edge, the warm summer breeze, the calla lily by his hand, and Masaomi's unusually calm voice.
One of Mikado's favorite memories.
…
The next day, Masaomi and Mikado played together in Masaomi's father's barn. Masaomi suggested they this time be explorers in a new world, like the American video game character Lara Croft. They jumped from the door frame in, pretending they were jumping from a high rock and landing like super spies in the new, unexplored area.
"A good first impression," Masaomi explained when Mikado suggested they simply walk in. "is always a great way to jump into a new adventure. C'mon, Emperor!" They jumped from haystack to haystack, pretending to be leaping large gaps between edges. Mikado stumbled once but Masaomi caught him. "No man left behind!"
Mikado smiled, and the continued to play.
…
"Mikado!" Masaomi yelled from the second floor of the barn when he and Mikado were jumping from the deck to a thick, large pile of hay Masaomi set up for himself. Mikado nearly slipped off into the hay, but he caught his balance and faced Masaomi. "Look! Bird eggs!"
Mikado glanced at where Masaomi was pointing. Just outside the high window, on the ledge, was a nest. Both boys peered over the edge into it to see the eggs. "Robin's eggs!" Mikado gasped, beaming. "Wow, they are so pretty!" Masaomi beamed, awed. They watched for a moment before Mikado blinked. "I wonder where the Mama is..."
The two boys hung around the barn for a while, waiting for the Mom to get back. It began to get cold and dark. "Masaomi, the bird eggs aren't going to survive the night without the Mama to keep them warm." Masaomi and Mikado exchanged a few glances and waited for a couple more moment. "...Masaomi?"
The brunette got to his feet and sighed. "Let's bring the birds inside and we'll keep them warm in there, okay?" Mikado beamed and nodded.
…
"It says here that we should bring them to a wildlife shelter as soon as possible," Masaomi said, scrolling down the page. He frowned. "No place is open at this time." He turned and looked at Mikado, who was beginning to look worried.
"They are still alive, Masaomi! We have to do something."
Masaomi bit his lip. He turned and clicked a few more links before beaming. "Ah! I found it! You don't happen to have an in...incu...bra...t...or...?"
"Incubator?" Mikado suggested.
Suddenly, Masaomi beamed. "Wait, my Dad might have one! I think..." He jumped up from his seat and disappeared downstairs. Mikado bounced from foot to foot and looked around, nervous. It had been the first time he had ever been inside Masaomi's house. It was nothing fancy, other than a typical barn house. Cozy. Homey. But the parents were nowhere to be found. Mikado frowned. At that moment, Masaomi bounded up the stairs. "I found it!"
Mikado beamed and rushed to his friend. "So...how does it work?"
Both boys stood dumbfounded for a moment before Masaomi jumped on the computer and typed away furiously. "I got it!" he yelled. He turned back and quickly set up the incubator. It began to warm up and the eggs were then safe. Mikado and Masaomi exchanged excited smiles.
…
Many days passed without much news. The eggs were kept at Masaomi's house since he knew his parents wouldn't mind. Mikado asked everyday how they were. Masaomi would reply they were still eggs. Slowly, they began to fear they were dead.
Until one day.
It had been about a week since the boys found the eggs. Masaomi had come home one day. He opened the door and walked in, dropping his backpack by the door. He wondered over to the eggs and rested his chin on the table where they were, watching them closely. Bored. Nothing. Bored. Nothing. Waiting. Nothing. Bored still. Nothing.
Then...
One of them wiggled. Masaomi's eyes widened. At that moment, he spun around and dialed the phone quickly. He held the phone up and waited...waited. "Hello?"
"Mikado! Get over here! Quick!"
…
Both boys watched the eggs quietly. A jar of bugs laid to one side, the boys leaning close. Waiting. Nothing. Bored. Nothing. Waiting. Nothing. Bored still. Nothing. And then the same one moved. "Look!" Masaomi cried, beaming. "I told you so!"
Mikado watched as it wiggled some more. A bit more. Then a second one. Both boys watched, awestruck, watching as the eggs hatched right before their eyes. Chirping filled the room and their ears. The baby birds were colorful with cheerful chirping. Masaomi and Mikaod jumped up and danced in circles. Then, Mikado yelled, "Wait! We have to feed them!"
They fed the baby birds worms they found in the soil in the farm fields. The birds ate hungrily. They fed them twice, once after school and once before bed. That was Masaomi's job. Mikado's job was to gather the worms on his way to Masaomi's house.
This went one for about two weeks.
Masaomi walked out of his room and, with what little reflexes a grade two could have, ducked to nearly avoid a beck to the head. Masaomi jumped up when there was a thud and squawking. He turned to where the blur went to see one of the birds (he named this one Tori) flapping it's wings and trying to get itself upright again.
With a gasp, he reached down and picked up the bird. He placed it back in the nest and ran to the phone. He explained the situation to Mikado and waited for his best friend to come. He bit his knuckle until there was a knock at the door. He ran to the door and whipped it open. "What do we do?"
Mikado hurried in and ran to the birds. "Well, within the first thirteen days," Mikado explained. "they start jumping out of the nest. Then, after another ten days, they'll be able to fly on their own."
Masaomi stood there for a moment, confused. He bit his lip then nodded. "Okay, we'll have to keep an extra close eye on them."
Mikado nodded.
…
For the following week and a half, Masaomi had desperately tried to keep a close eye on the birds as they each jumped out and tried to fly. Before he knew it. The birds were flying all through the house. He needed Mikado help to catch them and put them in a bird cage. "I don't know what to do, Mikado," he sighed. "I can't keep them in here anymore. They are breaking everything."
Mikado and Masaomi were silent for a moment. Masaomi droned on about how much trouble he was going to be in when his father got home as Mikado stared out the window, at the blue sky, trying to think of a solution. "We can't keep them in the cage," he said. Masaomi stopped talking and turned to him. "They are wild birds, Masaomi. Now that they can fly, they will be able to live on their own."
Masaomi looked distraught. He knew where this was going. Both boys paused. They didn't want to admit it but they both knew it. Each glanced down at their shoes. In all honesty, they had gotten close to the birds. Masaomi especially liked Tori, but he wasn't sure which one was Tori anymore. "I think I know some place," he said. Mikado nodded, thinking the exact same thing.
…
The sun was setting.
The birds chirped and squawked as Masaomi tried his best to hold the cage with both his hands and still trudge through the forest without falling. Mikado followed up behind him in case he fell backward, even though he knew he could do nothing to prevent Masaomi from falling since he had been weak, but he wasn't about to let Masaomi know that.
Finally, they reached the top. Mikado and Masaomi were out of breath. The birds stopped squawking when Masaomi let the cage down. They quieted to a chirp. Both boys waited to catch their breath. Masaomi was the first to breath normally and straighten himself to look over the beautiful field. He frowned.
"Masaomi."
The brunette turned and smiled. "Well? Would you like to do the honors?" Mikado smiled. Masaomi picked up the bird cage and held it with one hand underneath and one hand holding the top. "On the count of three, okay?" Mikado nodded and grabbed hold of the door to the bird cage. "One...two..."
There was a pause. They looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. Together, they said in unison, "Three!" Mikado swung open the door. Wings were flapped wildly, birds calls were screeched, feathers were lost in a gentle breeze. Both Mikado and Masaomi flinched and yelled. Masaomi dropped the cage and both boys fell to a kneel.
Then, they glanced up.
Three robins chirped and flew in towards the sunset. Masaomi leaped to his feet and waved wildly with both his arms. "Goodbye!" he yelled. Mikado kneeled for a moment. Then, he stood and joined Masaomi, waving one hand and yelling out after the birds.
Both boys were there until it was dark, and then they went home.