Disclaimer: I do not own City Hunter or its characters; neither do I own any of the songs I mention here. Also, the 'joke' about being Japanese in this chapter was found by me on a popular answering social site. I don't own it either. :D
A/N: Yosh! :3
This is the last chapter of the first part of this story. The first part is about the current timeline of my fanfiction series about City Hunter (five years into Ryo and Kaori's partnership). The second part is about Saki's past and her story about Hideyuki. The third part is about Ryo and Kaori's investigation of the case. The second part will begin from the next chapter. Foreword, it will not have much focus on Ryo and Kaori. I have said before that this is an OC-centric story. They will be mentioned from time to time again though. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Just so anyone doesn't get confused, this is not the last chapter of this story.
And I have decided to choose different honorifics. From now on, Saki will be referring to her grandma and grandpa as Sobo and Sofu respectively. :)
Glossary: i) Oneechan – Japanese for 'elder sister'
ii) Oniisan – Japanese for 'elder brother'
iii) Itadakimasu – a Japanese etiquette: people say 'itadakimasu' before a meal, which means 'I humbly receive'
iv) Neesan – Japanese for 'sister'
v) Tsuma – Japanese term equivalent to 'dear wifey' in English :3
Theme: 'Sweet Dreams' by Air Supply. The theme of this chapter is somewhat dark as it is related to crimes and tragedies. But, even though this song is not tragic, it goes well with the tone of this chapter and Saki's temperament.
Ryo: We Are Here To Listen
"There's your kiss. Now, go to the table and behave. We have guests over, see? Go, go, go", Miss Saki says to the kid. He giggles and sprints towards the table and sits next to the other kids. Kaori stutters,
"Is-is that your s-son?"
Miss Saki explains,
"No. His name is Makoto. We took him in and he has been with us since a year. He likes to call me 'mother'. That's all"
So, he is not Makimura's son. Man, that was scary! Kaori and I sigh together in relief. Miss Saki gives us an odd glance. I try to smile,
"Uh, that's uh... How old is Makoto?"
"Three or four years old. He doesn't know exactly", Miss Saki says while walking to the table. Her voice is very impassive for a woman who takes in orphans and takes care of them for free. It seems like a dead sigh. She is weird. I frown and she signals to the table,
"Mr. Gonzalez, Mrs. Gonzalez, please"
We walk to the table and take our seats on the mat. It's been days since I have dined while sitting like this. Kaori's eyes dart around the room. Miss Saki goes inside the kitchen.
Kaori is sitting to my left and Nogawa-san is sitting at the head of the table to my right. There are too many kids here. I count them mentally,
'1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9'
Two twin boys are setting bowls, chopsticks and dishes in front of everyone on the table. The other kids start making noise all of a sudden as they bicker over something. One of those guys scolds them,
"Hey, quiet down. Oneechan will be here any minute"
The kids sincerely adopt decent stances and stop talking. That's impressive. This actually does not seem like an orphanage. It seems like a house full of laughter and joy – something every child desires. Miss Saki soon walks in with a big pot in her hands.
"Let me help", the twins say in unison and help Miss Saki to serve the food. Once they are done, the three sit down for lunch. Miss Saki sits next to her grandmother, in front of Kaori. She clears her throat,
"Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez, we are honored to have you with us for lunch. Allow me to do the introductions"
She starts from the little girl sitting next to her,
"This is Hime, Nadoko, Kota, Arata, Hikari, Akira, Makoto and the twins – Tabu and Toro. Children, these are Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez"
The kids bow their heads and smile at us. Nogawa-san smiles,
"Children, do you know, Gonzalez-san is Spanish?"
Excited whispers pass around the table. It's a good thing that I can speak Spanish, or else I would have come off as a fool if they asked me to say a few Spanish words. Kota says to me,
"Oniisan, if you are Spanish, how can you speak Japanese?"
I decide to lighten the mood,
"Because I am Japanese"
"Really?", he seems confused. I say,
"Ashi wa nanbon desu ka?" (How many legs do I have?)
"Nihon" (It means 'two legs' and also means 'Japan')
"Sou deshou, watashi wa nihonjin desu yo!" (See? I am Japanese!)
The kids laugh heartily. Mr. and Mrs. Nogawa grin too. This joke always gets everyone. We all look at Miss Saki in anticipation who seems lost in thought. She realizes that we are hoping for a reaction from her. She looks at us and gives a slight smile. It cannot be called a smile though. It is more like her lips twitched out of desperation. I wonder what her problem is. She never smiles, never speaks at a higher volume, she is always working and wearing white. White socks, white shoes, white dress and… maybe, white underwear. I might have to check that out later. I maintain a straight face and try not to giggle at the prospect of peeping at her. But, a lecherous grin appears on my face. It disappears soon enough when my partner points a mini hammer towards my crotch under the table. She narrows her eyes at me. I can read the Morse code, "Don't even think about it, Ryo"
It has been five years since Kaori became my partner. It is no wonder for me that she can read my mind in the most surprising situations. We are both looking at each other when I hear Miss Saki saying,
"Shall we? Itadakimasu"
"Itadakimasu!", everyone says and digs into their plates. I put a morsel into my mouth. It's delicious. The rice, the fish and the stock – it's splendid. Almost out of instinct, I start eating like a pig. Kaori scolds me through gritted teeth,
"Behave. We are not at home, okay?"
Mr. and Mrs. Nogawa smile at us. Mrs. Nogawa says,
"Aw. You both look beautiful together. Do you have any kids?"
Kaori chokes abruptly and her chopsticks fall on the table. Arata passes her a glass of water,
"Are you alright, Neesan?"
"Yes, thank you", she coughs. I answer Mrs. Nogawa's question,
"We don't have any kids. But, we will soon"
"Are you going to buy a baby?", Hime asks excitedly. Miss Saki corrects her,
"Hime-chan, babies cannot be bought. They are sent to us by the gods"
Hime asks, "You mean, like they show in cartoons? With a crane birdie?"
"Yes", Miss Saki responds. I say,
"We are not expecting or going to 'buy a baby'. What I meant was, we are trying"
"You are praying for a baby?", Hime asks.
Miss Saki says,
"Hime-chan, it is rude to ask so many questions to our guests. Please eat your food"
I smile and whisper loudly to Hime,
"It's okay, Hime-chan. And yes, we are praying for a baby! A cute one like you"
She grins pleasantly at me and Kaori. Mr. Nogawa asks,
"How come you married a Japanese girl, Gonzalez-san?"
Everyone looks at me and Kaori. It's true that I don't look Japanese, but what story should I make up now? Damn you, Reika. I look at Kaori for help. She just blushes and looks away. I take a deep breath and begin,
"I was here on business. I met my dear Kylie while working on an assignment"
"And it was love at first sight?", Hikari asks. I glance at Kaori and try to smile at Hikari,
"Well, for me, it was"
"What about you, Neesan?", Nadoko asks Kaori. She looks up and I can see that she is blushing hard. She hesitates a minute before saying,
"I worked with him. It took me some time to get used to his… his business ethics. At first, I didn't like him at all though"
Here we go. I chew on a mouthful of rice. Kaori continues,
"Soon, I realized that he is not what he looks like. Underneath the goofy exterior, there is a man who will lay down his life for the ones he loves. And, long story short – I… I fell in love with him before I could stop myself"
"Aww!", female cooing is heard across the table. I just stare at Kaori. She doesn't make eye contact for obvious reasons. I place my hand on hers under the table. She looks up at me. I whisper,
"Nice story, tsuma"
She turns beet red and tries to pull her hand away. I don't let go of it though. She looks at me in surprise, her blush becoming deeper and richer. I reluctantly let go of her hand and continue eating.
The scene at this table is really heartwarming. Kids who can't keep quiet and giggle every now and then, a motherly figure who keeps telling them to behave, an elderly couple which spoon feeds the youngest child (Makoto), and two guests who have rarely felt like they are part of a family – it feels great, almost blessed. I ask the kids,
"So, where do you all go to school?"
Kota says,
"Byounkai Elementary School!"
Arata – "Byounkai Elementary School"
Hime – "Byounkai Elementary School!"
Akira – "Byounkai Middle School"
Hikari – "Byounkai High School"
Makoto – "Byounkai Kindergarten!"
Tabu – "Byounkai High School"
Toro – "Byounkai High School"
Nadoko – "Byounkai School for Gifted Young Adults"
"Byounkai, is it? And what school does your Oneechan go to?", I say, referring to Miss Saki.
Akira laughs a little too loudly than the others. He says,
"Oneechan doesn't go to school! She teaches at Hikari-neesan's High School"
Nogawa-san says,
"Saki has been teaching at that school since years. I used to be a principal at the school. I retired when Saki was only five, the year my son and daughter-in-law passed away"
"Would you like some salad, Sofu?", Miss Saki says and serves her grandpa some salad. His plate was already full. He takes the clue and keeps quiet. We hear the doorbell ring.
"I will get it", Tabu tries to get up. Miss Saki stops him,
"Don't. You have your lunch, I will get it"
She walks out of the room to the main door. I can faintly hear bits of conversation. It is a man's voice, not really a young man; he could be in his late twenties or even in his early forties. They are speaking in English. Miss Saki is saying,
"I am sorry. I have work to do"
"But, Miss Saki…"
"Would you like to join us for lunch?"
"No. No, thanks. I think, I should go"
"Suit yourself"
"Miss Saki…", and she closes the door. I hear the sound of a car driving away when Miss Saki enters the room; Italian engine. Nogawa-san asks,
"Who was it?"
She takes her seat,
"Onoda-san"
Mrs. Nogawa smiles,
"Well, what did he…"
Miss Saki looks at her grandmother and shakes her head lightly. The old lady goes silent again and continues eating.
After lunch, I am sitting in the Nogawas' backyard. It gives a beautiful beach view. I relax against a wooden pillar while Kaori tilts her head a little and crosses her legs,
"Lunch was nice"
"Yes, it was", I agree. Kaori says,
"I never even heard about this place or these people from him. How…"
"Kaori…"
"How could he not tell me something so important?"
"I am telling you again – we cannot trust someone with our eyes closed"
"So, you still think Miss Saki is lying?"
"She is hiding something. That's for sure"
"You are just being paranoid"
"I am being cautious"
I hear light footsteps. Miss Saki walks in and sits next to Kaori. I smile sincerely,
"Thank you for the meal. It was great"
"It is our earnest pleasure, Mr. Gonzalez. We don't have many guests here often", she says.
Kaori tells her,
"Your kids are very lovely. And so well mannered"
"Oh. Thank you. They behave properly only in the presence of others. Even, my grandparents. I hope, both of them didn't bother you or anything. They start complaining about the pettiest things to even complete strangers"
"No. They are both very kind and hostile", I comment. Miss Saki's long black locks flow across her face as a wind blows in. She puts a strand behind her ear with her fingers. She says,
"So… you said yesterday that you wanted some more information"
I say casually,
"Yes. But, don't mind me, I am really curious. You said that this is not really an orphanage. What is it then?"
Miss Saki narrates,
"It just happened. When I was in middle school, my grandfather brought in a young boy. He told me and my grandmother that the boy was being forced to serve as a drug mule near the place my grandfather was working at. He began living with us. Soon, my grandfather brought in other children, caught in the clutches of crime. We provided them with shelter and a home. The police took away those who could be rehabilitated. Others stayed with us. People, who knew that we took care of underprivileged children, brought in some of them. Once, someone even left a baby at our doorstep. We took care of him for some days till he was sent to a government orphanage"
"I see", I ask, "And, what do you teach at school?"
"English and Mathematics. I teach other subjects too sometimes, but never Japanese", she says. Kaori asks,
"Why not Japanese?"
"I am not very good at teaching Japanese kanji", she answers. Makoto comes in running and flings his arms around Miss Saki's shoulders,
"Mama! Nap time?"
She says,
"I am sorry, Makoto. But, I am busy at the moment. Why don't you ask your Hikari-neesan?"
"Okay!", Makoto gives her a thumbs up. He says to me and Kaori, "See you later, Oniisan, Neesan!"
I smile,
"He is very close to you"
"All of them are. They are adorable", Kaori adds. Miss Saki says,
"Well, me, Sofu, Sobo and the other kids are the only family they have"
"You are doing a very noble thing, Miss Saki", Kaori says. I see her smile for the first time today. Miss Saki nods humbly,
"It is nothing much. We all have our own ways of caring for those who are not as privileged as us. But, these children are all we have now. They have seen so many bad things in their lives at such an early age that the very thought of sending them back into that cruel world gives me shivers"
Kaori seems curious,
"All of them?"
Miss Saki nods and looks at the sea waves in the distance,
"You might have noticed that Nadoko is visually impaired. She was not always blind. Her eyesight decreased day by day due to an accident. She suffered stab wounds in both her eyes when her uncle and aunt were trying to sell her to a pimp for child prostitution"
"That is horrible!", Kaori exclaims. Miss Saki continues,
"Toro and Tabu used to be shoplifters. They joined Byounkai High as part of their correctional program and I took over the responsibility of raising them"
"Hikari was a run-away from home. The boy she eloped with tried to force himself on her. She escaped, but her parents didn't take her back in. I was her teacher at Byounkai when she was in class 9. She came to me after her parents refused to even see her face"
"Akira was part of a travelling circus. He had been sold to them by his brother at the age of 4. The owner accused him of stealing money and he was sent into a correctional facility. I am his guardian"
"Kota's father was a gardener at Byounkai. For the murder of a co-worker, he has been sentenced to lifetime in prison. He doesn't have a family. So, Kota stays with us"
"Arata used to live with his uncle. He left the boy alone at home one night and the house 'caught fire, or was set on fire. Some brave fire fighters saved him though. His uncle is still missing. We don't have any legal authority over him, but he stays with us"
"Hime was about to fall prey to a pedophile. She was rescued in time. Her parents meet her once in a year. They work with a Yakuza boss. They think she will be better off here"
"Makoto was the victim of a child trafficking racket. But, he doesn't remember the name of his parents. And no one came looking for him either"
I know that the world we live in is not full of rainbows and sunshine. Crime never rests, nor does evil and monstrosity. I hear about things like these every now and then. But, it manages to piss me off every single time. At least, these kids are fortunate enough to have Miss Saki and her grandparents. Whereas, I… there's no use to dwelling in the past. What matters is that I made it so far. I made friends – Makimura, Robert, Kenny and the giant octopus. Maybe if all that had never happened to me, I wouldn't have met Kaori. Honestly, I would go through it all again if that's what it took to be with her. I glance at her sideways. She is gloomy and disturbed again. She looks a bit disgusted too. She says,
"How can someone be so cruel towards children? It is beyond my understanding"
Miss Saki stares at Kaori in surprise. Kaori tries to speak,
"Um…"
Miss Saki looks away,
"I am sorry, Kylie-san. I didn't mean to stare. It is just that Hideyuki says the same thing. I mean, Makimura-san says the same thing"
Kaori murmurs, evidently sad,
"You mean, he 'used to' say the same thing?"
"I am sure he will repeat it, someday when I meet him again", Miss Saki says.
Again, what's with the ever hopeful attitude? Is it really so hard to consider the possibility of someone's death? Miss Saki is a grown up, mature woman who has waited five years for a man who didn't leave a trace behind. I don't understand why she never thought that he could be dead. You have enchanted this girl with some spell, Makimura. That is if she is telling the truth. If she is using my best friend's name for her selfish purposes, she will be sorry.
"Did Makimura-san really visit you all regularly?", I ask.
"Please, don't do that", Miss Saki says.
"Do what?"
"Refer to him in past tense", she stares at the ground. I try to play close to the bone,
"But, you might have considered the possibility, right? The possibility of him being dead?"
Miss Saki says defiantly,
"He is not dead. I promised him that I would find him. If you think you cannot help me with that, I would be very grateful if you told me so already"
Kaori says,
"Miss Saki, please. Richard didn't mean to hurt your feelings"
"You don't have to apologize. I understand", she says timidly. Kaori looks at me in apprehension. This is going to be interesting. I finally say,
"Why don't you tell us your story, Miss Saki? We are here to listen"