Hope you guys like it...
Do tell me how you like this chapter...review please...
+-+-+Afternoon, 10th April, 2010+-+-+
***Room 302, Tatsumi Memorial Hospital***
"Let's go home…Minako-chan…" Junpei grabbed Minako's bag, walking towards the door.
"I believe a celebration is in order." Aigis gave Minako a smile.
"So, um...Mitsuru-senpai…You're gonna throw Minako-chan a party, right?" Junpei smirked.
"…*sigh*…You don't waste any chance, do you? Well…it's already been arranged…" Mitsuru crossed her arms.
"Ooh! Really…? U-um…I wouldn't mind some SUSHI…" Junpei's eyes widen.
"Yes…I already have the best delivered to the dorm…" Mitsuru shook her head slightly.
"Fatty Tuna…?" Yukari asked in a whispering tone.
"Please save me some Salmon Roe." Fuuka said shyly.
"I reserve the Shrimp, Squid, Scallops, and sea eel…" Aigis began counting with her fingers.
"H-Hey! You don't even eat! How would you reserve all the goodies…?" Junpei pouted.
"It's for Minako-chan…of course…she's my priority always…I cannot allow anyone fighting over her foods…" Aigis smiled.
*bark* *bark* *bark*
"See…even Koromaru is ashamed of you all…fighting over Sushi…" Ken petted Koromaru.
"Senpai…I'd like some Tamago then…" Ken then added.
"Rest assured…the feast awaits you…you can have as much as you want… " Mitsuru couldn't help but sighed at their childish behaviour.
"It's great to be alive…" Junpei burst into giggle.
"Don't get too excited, Junpei. You're getting the leftovers…" Yukari placed a hand on Junpei's shoulder.
"W-What…not again…?" Junpei turned to look at Yukari.
"Well…let's go then…Shinjiro is already preparing at the dorm…we should hurry back…" Mitsuru
…
The group left the hospital, and walked back to the dorm. It was a joyful moment for the group, chuckling over a lot of things, studies, families and the past…most importantly, the return of Minako. Minako liked the atmosphere…she could feel their kindness, friendliness and geniality…yet there was a distant feeling.
Minako paused, when the group passed by a building on Shirakawa Boulevard (Iwatodai). The sign of "Hotel Champs de Fleurs" caught her attention.
"What is it…Minako…? Something wrong…? Or…you remember something…?" Mitsuru noticed a microexpression on Minako's face, her face turned slightly red.
"U-Uh…n-not really…it's just that…" Minako responded to her Senpai still looking at the building unconsciously. She had a weird feeling about this place.
"This place…is a lover hotel…We came here once…I-I mean…fighting the shadows here…" Fuuka's lips trembled.
"That was surely some experience…huh?" Junpei drew a deep breath.
"Shut up…how dare you mention it again…?" Yukari frowned.
"What is it…? What are you guys talking about…?" Ken burned with curiosity over the topic.
"I believe we deserve to know…" Aigis noticed the abnormal and somewhat strange expression on some of the faces.
"I-It was nothing…I-It was fine…" Mitsuru was leering sickeningly at the entrance of the hotel.
"I-IT'S NOTHING…" Yukari was so annoyed that she began shouting without realizing it.
Ken and Aigis went on bugging on the other members for disclosure until they reached the dorm…
+-+-+Evening+-+-+
*** Iwatodai Dorm***
"Welcome home…Minako…this is our home…" Fuuka said to Minako as they entered the dorm.
"Are you guys helping or not…?" Shinjiro shouted from the kitchen.
Everyone was giddy with excitement…the dining table was nicely arranged and piled up with all kinds of dishes…full of varieties…
The celebration party went off without a hitch…
Everyone was so stuffed…couldn't even eat another bite…
…
…
When the party was over, Minako was forced to take her rest…being dragged to her room…
She sat on her bed glancing around her room…
"I'm home…"
She nestled comfortably on her bed…went into a fast asleep…
It's been a while…she sensed the long-lost peacefulness…
…
That night…She had a dream…
She dreamed that she was in a hotel room…
A room that was embellished with fancy decoration...
She heard the shower running in the bathroom…
There was a voice from her head…
"Embrace your desire…"
"Enjoy the moment…"
"Let your desire free you from your shackles…"
"Pleasure is what you truly want…"
+-+-+4am, 11th April, 2010+-+-+
She suddenly awoke from her sleep…
"W-What was that…?" She was puffing.
"W-Was it just a nightmare…? B-But…it's so real…" She could feel her cheeks were heating up.
She grabbed her cardigan, opened and closed the door quietly, made her way to the kitchen without waking up the others.
She opened the fridge, trying to get something to cool herself down.
She turned around, as she heard someone coming down from the staircase.
"U-Uh…Sen…p…?" She gaped at the presence of her silver-haired Senpai, not knowing what and how to address him properly.
"W-What...W-Why are you up so early…?" Akihiko was surprised to see anyone, at this particular time, especially her.
"I-I'm just looking for a drink…" Minako responded looking downwards.
"You should get a hot drink…not a cold one…" Akihiko turned on the kitchen light.
"How about a hot Cocoa…?" Akihiko started spooning Cocoa powder in a mug, without waiting for her answer.
"You still like it with a scoop of ice-cream…?" Akihiko paused before the fridge.
"Y-Yes…always…" Minako gave him a board smile.
"C-Come on…it's warmer in the lounge…" Akihiko walked ahead.
"I-I need to go for my training now…I'll see you later…" Akihiko placed the mug on the coffee table.
"C-Can you stay…? I-I want to talk…to you…please..." Minako looked straight into his eyes.
"…" Akihiko gave no answer, but took a seat next to her.
"I-I'm sorry…I don't remember anything…" Minako began to apologize.
"It's not your fault…we don't blame you…" Akihiko leaned against the couch, looking at the ceiling.
"We, once, forgot about you…leaving you all alone by yourself. It's really ironic...but we could finally tell how you felt…" Akihiko continued.
"B-But…Everyone is so nice to me…I-I…" A sob welled up in her throat.
"It's getting cold…" Akihiko reached his hand out for the mug, and passed to her.
"Y-You'd be preparing breakfast everyday when I returned from my morning training. You'd force me to take a shower straight away…" Akihiko closed his eyes cherishing the memories.
"W-What did I usually cook for breakfast…?" Minako asked.
"You'd always ask me the night before…and I'd always tell you 'Pancakes' until you gave up asking…" Akihiko turned to give her a smile.
"W-What about dinner…?" Minako turned to meet his gaze.
"Usually…we're tied with the club activities. But…you usually cook during Mondays, Fridays and weekends. Well…I didn't have trainings during those days, I guess you're just trying to spend more time with me. You'd ask me to do some grocery shopping with you after school, and came back to the dorm together." Akihiko continued.
"You'd usually make some soup, a meat dish, and a vegetable dish. You must have reckoned that I like soup with my meal, even though I never told you."
"You'd kick me out of the kitchen, and washed the dishes yourself."
"The rest of the days, I'd bring you to Hagakure Ramen or Beef Bowl Shop at Iwatodai Strip Mall. I never asked what you liked…or…where you wanted to go. I took everything for granted…" Akihiko covered his eyes with his arm.
"…S-She's happy as long as she's with you…or I-I was…" Minako mumbled shyly.
"Can you wait…just a while…please." Minako stood up and rushed into the kitchen.
…
…
Akihiko could hear the cupboard doors opening and closing frequently, she seemed to be searching for something. He offered to help, but she insisted that she would work her ways out, pushed him out of the kitchen.
"Chow Time…" Minako placed two plates on the coffee table, before ran back into the kitchen to grab some ice-cream, honey, butter, jam and everything she could find in the kitchen to match with the Pancakes.
"I'd prefer to eat here…if you don't mind…" Minako sat down on the floor, stretched her legs under the coffee table.
"Y-You…T-That's what she'd normally say…" Akihiko slid down the couch.
"T-Thanks…I missed it…the taste of her…" Akihiko started digging into the Pancakes.
...
He couldn't stop thinking…thinking of her…
The Minako in front of her would do the same things as his girlfriend…
Their habits were no difference…or she didn't change a bit…
The Pancakes tasted exact like hers…
She's her after all…
...
"What exactly happened in Hotel Champs de Fleurs on Shirakawa Boulevard…?" Minako suddenly raised a question, pouting.
"Yukari, Junpei, Fuuka and even Mitsuru-senpai wouldn't tell me anything…they said it's an operation, and I was with you…"
"I had a weird dream just now…" Minako continued to tell him what she saw in the dream.
"I-It's not a dream…umm…It's…just an operation…" Akihiko babbled a few words, before looking away. It was shameful and embarrassing, he couldn't bring himself to explain to her, not now.
Akihiko couldn't be any happier, he chuckled at the thought of the gradual recovery of her memories, or their memories.
"W-Well…thanks for the food…let me help with the dishes…" Akihiko collected the plates, and stood up.
"It's ok…I'll do it…" Minako chased him from behind.
"Didn't I just say…? I'll learn to cherish her…and hopefully she can find even more about me to love…" Akihiko looked at Minako with strength and determination in his eyes. His mentioning of 'her' was actually referring to the girl in front of him, they both are Minako regardless.
"B-But…I-I…" Minako could sense his resolve, but she was guilty of her memory loss.
"You used to call me 'Aki'…I'd still love you to call me 'Aki' now…" Akihiko was all smiles.
…
…
It's almost sunrise…
The couple fell asleep in the lounge…
Akihiko reclined against the couch sitting on the floor, while Minako lay asleep in the couch resting her head on his shoulder…
It was one of their best sleeps this while…
...
They both had a dream…same dream…
They dreamed that they were in a room…Akihiko's room…
"If you're ever going through hard times, I'll be there for you too…"
"From now on, we have each other…"
"Minako…you mean a lot to me…"
"I love you…"
"Aki…"
To be continued...