When they arrived at the restaurant Heiji and Kazuha released each other's hands for fear of ridicule from their parents. Once inside, they soon spotted the Hattori parents and made their way over to them. Once seated, they shared a momentary silence until Heizo chose to break it
"Toyama, what's this about?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't play dumb, you asked us to a very nice restaurant to disclose some important news to us now let's have it" he open one of his eyes fully which was his usually indicator that he was serious
"Jeez Heizo you're always so impatient. Okay, the reason I asked all of you to come to dinner tonight was so I could tell you that we're moving to the U.S!" he exclaimed his news joyously much to the bewilderment and confusion of his guests.
"When did you decide this?" Shizuka asked with a degree of concern
"A few days ago. I have a friend who works with the F.B.I there and he wants me to come run an interference operation. He said my skills would be crucial in this task and he requested me personally." Heizo did not share in his friend's enthrallment and frankly, neither did anyone else.
"Have you thoroughly considered the ramifications of a decision like this? Your daughter only has another for four months of high school, are you sure its wise to uproot her now?"
"It'll be great!" he turned energetically to his daughter "you'll make new friends, see new places and there are a lot of great universities in the United States especially in New York where we'll be living" While her father smiled at her with genuine enthusiasm, anyone else at the table could clearly see she was about to cry. She clenched her eyes shut, trying not to make a spectacle of herself publicly, when from under the table she felt that familiar warmth on her hand. Although he was sitting across from her, he had still managed to find her hand and take hold of it. He stared intently at her, waiting for her to look up at him. When she did, the tears she held back came flowing out with explosive force. She bellowed out sorrowfully and sprinted away toward the bathroom.
Mr. Toyama sat completely shocked by his daughter's reaction. He followed her with his eyes until she was completely out of sight. He looked down at the table shamefully
"Is this….that upsetting to her?"
"Of course it is!" Heiji screamed passionately, rising from his seat "You're taking her away from everyone that she cares about! She doesn't belong in New York she belongs here!" with me he thought to himself.
"Heiji!" His father said firmly "you will show Mr. Toyama the correct amount of respect" he glared down at his son forcefully until Heiji silently complied and sat back down. Heizo then turned his attention back to Mr. Toyama
"However, he does have a point. While the opportunity may be promising for you, you must consider the well-being and happiness of your daughter."
"I have. And we are going to America. We leave Monday at 4 a.m." with that, he rose to his feet, now glaring directly at Heizo, who had ceased looking at him. He walked briskly over toward the bathrooms. When he returned he had Kazuha by the arm. She cried and screamed as he pulled her away. She looked at Heiji as she left and they shared a moment of mutual agony before she was out the door.
As they drove home, Shizuka and Heizo shared their sentiments with one another involving Mr. Toyama's decision. Heiji heard little of this, however, because his mind was elsewhere. He sat staring out his window with an outstretched left hand resting on the seat next to him. It was lonely now, sitting by himself. He couldn't help but think of how Kazuha was handling this news. More importantly, he couldn't help but think of what he was going to say to her. He only had two days before they were going to leave. "How do I possibly condense what would have months or years or even a lifetime of happy memories into a weekend?" As he meditated on this conundrum, in a car not far away from there's a young teenage girl laid passed out in the back seat. There was evidence of a profuse amount of crying. Her eyes were still watery from residual tears left over from her crying spell. Her cheeks were flushed and her body lay curled up, evident of exhaustion. Kazuha had cried herself to sleep, which for the moment may have been the best thing for her. As she slept, her now frustrated and irresolute father considered the events that had just taken place. Then, he had what some might call an epiphany. "Of course, its so obvious now." He smirked as he once again looked back at his daughter. "Something happened between Heiji and Kazuha. It's the only explanation. They must have finally expanded their relationship into something beyond friendship." He smiled at the thought, picturing how happy she must have been. He, along the Hattoris, had been aware for some time of their apparent feelings for one another. "I'm sorry, Kazuha" he whispered gently toward the road in front of him, "but your timing couldn't have been any worse. This is what's best for you, even if it hurts you now." His voice was wary at this point, almost hesitant. When they arrived home, he picked her up, carried her to her bed and covered her in her blankets. He left her in her dress, seeing no reason to take it off. She did look beautiful in it, just as he knew she would. As he exited her room and flicked off her light switch, he looked back at her. She seemed more peaceful in her unconsciousness now than she had in the car. He smiled soberly as he shut the door
"I'm so sorry, Kazuha" and with that he shut the door and went to bed himself.
Heiji, now at home in his room, did not share in the peaceful rest his girlfriend was experiencing. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He found himself pacing incessantly around his room. His thoughts were expectantly dominated by her well-being. He imagined her crying into her pillow and it made him fume with rage. He knew he had to do something. He stopped pacing and looked mischievously at his window. A wide grin painted itself all over his face.
"Heizo?" He turned to his wife. They had both been laying awake in bed since they'd gotten home "I'm worried about Heiji"
"I am as well. The way he acted at the restaurant, that was different than his usual hot-headed attitude. He was more than upset, he was enraged"
"I agree. Do you think something happened between him and Kazuha?"
"I don't know. I think we should talk to him though. He needs to understand that this isn't something that can be fought. It's not his place to object to Toyama's decision." With that, he rose from the bed and approached Heiji's bedroom. When he opened the door he frowned in disappointment at the sight of his absence and an open window. As he shook his head in disapproval, Shizuka leaned against his shoulder
"Come now, Heizo you can't be too surprised by this? He is your son after all" Heizo acknowledged his wife as she smiled up at him. He placed a hand on her head and they walked back toward their bedroom.
"He'll be punished thoroughly when he gets home" Heizo said, with little sincerity
"How about no breakfast? That should prove punishment enough for him" Heizo grinned as they laid back down in bed. After a moment of silence they laughed heartily about the comment then turned out the light and went to sleep.
Back at the Toyama house, a breathless Heiji stood outside the house, staring at Kazuha's window. He had just run the expanse between their homes faster than he ever had before. Now he examined the tree that rested in front of her room. He felt around the trunk until he found a small indent. This was the indent he had always used to climb the tree and see her. Many a time he had visited her while she grounded(usually by some fault of his) or when she was too mad at him to let him in through the door. He leaned against the window, standing on a sturdy branch with one hand on the window for balance. When he peered in the window he saw no movement. The room was dark, until the moon appeared from behind the clouds. It was almost full, making it bright enough to illuminate her room to the point where he could see her sleeping figure in detail. He scanned her body, noticing she was still wearing the dress. The covers on her were scattered about, which made it seem as though she had been asleep for some time. He looked at her closed eyes which had quite evidently been filled with tears not too long ago. It saddened him for a moment, imaging her crying, but he brushed the thought off as he went on admiring her sleeping form. He remembered how great the dress had looked when he first saw it, and it still did. He smiled and wished her a good night's sleep as he descended from the tree. He took one last look at her room and made his way back home.
~The Next Morning~
"What the hell do you mean 'no breakfast'? You can't just starve me! This is ridiculous! I can't believe this is happening"
"Told you" Shizuka said smugly as they watched Heiji stomp angrily up to his room
"No wonder he's so foolish, he thinks with his stomache."
"He's a growing boy, what do you expect?" Heizo accepted her point as he stood meditatively staring at the stairs that led to Heiji's room. "Heizo?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you sure this is the best idea?" He kept his eyes facing forward, nodding subtly to his wife. With that he walked forward and ascended the stairs. He opened the door to his son's room
"Heiji, get dressed we're leaving."
"W-What are you talking about? Where are we going?"
"There's a case I'm needed at, and you're coming with me. It's in Tokyo so we need to get going as soon as possible." His son analyzed his expression momentarily before nodding in response and shuffling around his room for clothes. As he walked down the stairs, he was almost happy for the opportunity to not be there, to not be…near her. It was hard enough to think about her leaving. The pain would have been immeasurably greater if he had to see her. He couldn't handle it, at least not yet. He followed his father into the car, and they drove away speedily.
Meanwhile, a drowsy Kazuha dragged herself into the bathroom. She got undressed and flopped half-consciously into the shower. As the water slowly brought her to full awareness, she began to consider all the events of the previous day. How the best day had been completely ruined by her stupid father. It was at that thought that all the emotion came flooding back into her. The water continued to fall on her body and run down into the drain, as did her tears. But she composed herself, trying to focus on better things. She knew if she wanted to get through the day, she would have to be with Heiji. She smiled as she looked down at her right hand, closing it into a fist of determination. She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. After a few moments of drying, she wrapped herself in a towel and locked eyes with her reflection in the bathroom mirror and smirked confidently
"Nothing's gonna ruin this weekend. Nothing"
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