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NEVER HAD A DREAM COME TRUE
CHAPTER EIGHT
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As Kisuke was about swing himself back into his hiding place, a bullet came his way and he only had enough time to duck then rolled down onto his stomach.
"God damn it!"
He swore to himself for the bullet missed his skull approximately less than half an inch. How did they find out where he was that quickly? He hadn't been back in this forsaken town for long for any hit man to have a go at him. It wasn't the first time his safe house being ransacked either. His safest safe house and now his hiding place, which he moved and set up a few other places as decoy.
So how could they find out the very spot he'd set up just yesterday and not his decoy?
He'd heard news from his contact that other agents on this operation were also targeted. Since he and his team successfully broke one of the most sophisticated drug ring a month ago, the drug lords were on edge and began to retaliate. They were all out for whoever broke or was attempting to break any more of their rings. He hoped the ring he was after this time wouldn't take another ten years or require him to play a scholar with glasses. Inspire of that, he wouldn't mind the disguise if his discomfort put another drug lord out of business. The drug lords somehow had a way to bounce back on their feet and cause more havoc after a fall. They became even more ruthless as well as bold and came head to head with law enforcement from both countries. The strangest thing was how well they aim at their targets, as if they knew where and when to expect them.
Is there a mole in the mist?
He thought he was over thinking and scaring himself brainless. He couldn't afford to be jumpy otherwise not only him wouldn't come out of here alive but also his friends and colleagues. Worse of all, he needed to get back to Hannah and her. He'd stopped to call his best friend by her name for saying her name, even only in his head, left him exposed and raw. She now was something off limit and out of reach like the stars in the sky. The sky. Something in the sky caught his attention and as he looked more closely, he saw the signal flare going up in the west horizon. That flare gave him pause since that direction was where their appointed meeting place on this side of the border and it was supposed to extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint its location without inside knowledge.
What is going on here?
It couldn't be another coincidence. Too many coincidence in one night. And where in the hell did Kyoraku go? Not at another tavern drinking and flirting with anything in a skirt I hope, he tried to calm himself. He wasn't someone who lived on hope or became worried easily. He had years of training and living in this region for this long had hardened him for him to worry groundlessly. Kyoraku would better be here or he himself would skin him alive, there was no need for the lady doctor to do the honor.
Just as he crawled to the clearing outside of the woods getting ready to run toward the direction of their headquarters, he saw a man wearing a wide brimmed hat strolling toward him from the opposite direction. Speaking of the devil! Kisuke was glad to see a familiar face who wasn't pointing a gun at him. And the devil, what was he thinking? Were they on vacation in Cancun? Not only the devil Kyoraku had his silly hat on, he even wore a colorful short-sleeved shirt for this mission. Did that damned devil have a death wish? Maybe he did. The lady doctor gave him the cold shoulder when he went home last. The poor devil, he had to make do with flirting when his wife gave him that special medicine of hers.
And yet the devil was luckier than he, he had a wife and a daughter to go back to. He himself had neither. No, he had a daughter now. It'd be much better if he had a wife waiting for him back home as well.
"Yo, Kisuke!"
"Shut it. Do you want your lady wife to dig bullets from your thick skull? I got ambushed just now." He warned Kyoraku and the man's reaction didn't look too good.
"I'd hoped you didn't. Damn it! What the hell is going on? Kenpachi then you."
"He got ambushed too?"
His friend and partner nodded. "Bullets showered at him like rain. He was lucky to come out of there alive. It'd be sad if he died. He's pulling out when this operation ends to go back home and care for his young son."
They were running hard for their headquarters as Kyoraku told him about their friend, also an agent on the mission. Why did Ken want to leave the service when the thrills and actions of missions like this were his favor?
Curious, he turned to Kyoraku, "But doesn't he like missions like this one?"
On the same speed, his friend met his gaze with an explanation. "His wife left and didn't take their boy with her. She's filing for a divorce as we speak."
"That bi-" He stopped himself just in time. "That heartless woman. Doesn't she know he has a job to do? And a mother is supposed to be loving and caring and doesn't just drop her young son like a sack of potato?"
"Don't blame her. Our boy Ken can be rough and doesn't understand a woman's heart. I doubt he even remembers to call her on their wedding anniversary. A man shouldn't leave the woman he loves for too long for people change with time."
His friend said pointedly and he wondered what he meant by that. And yes, he agreed with him about leaving the girl for too long. Nonetheless, it was unfair to Ken. That woman knew what she was getting into when she accepted Ken's marriage proposal. Ken looked happy when he told him and their friends about his impending marriage and showed off his son when the baby came. Couldn't the wives be more understanding of their husbands, especially those who put their lives on the line to protect?
"So how are you and Retsu, Raku? Trouble in paradise lately?"
His words denied but his eyes couldn't. "No, no trouble at all. I'm a happy married man."
"If you say so." He smiled his usual smile, the one that she said was creepy.
"Suke?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut the hell up. I know you and your little girl friend have been always been happy together. So take pity on us mortal men and keep your trap shut."
"That was harsh. Are you sure you didn't sneak any sake and have been drinking while on duty?"
"Not even a single drop. The doctor's order."
Kyoraku laughed and he knew who the doctor was. The doctor was no other than the lady doctor, Kyoraku's long time girl friend and wife. Yes, the two danced around each other long enough, since college days. Kisuke thought they'd never come clean about their feelings and be like her and himself. Thinking and yet not thinking of her, how was he think of her when he couldn't bring himself to say her name while doing so? His heart thumped then twisted, knowing there was no chance for them. He let himself dance far too long and now she belonged to another man. Yeah, dig yourself a hole and die down there, Kisuke. You'd have told her how you felt when you still had the chance. Now Yoruichi would never become Yoruichi Urahara and your wife. He actually hit his forehead with the heel of his palm when the inner chastised him.
"Yoruichi isn't married, you know."
His friend broke the silence, bringing him back to reality where they were running. "Sorry. I didn't hear what you just said."
"I said your little Yoruichi isn't married and still waiting for you. With your daughter."
"How do you know? I saw her wedding ring."
"You're old beyond your years. When does a ring define a person's marital status? I don't dare to imagine of what you think seeing young people today wear their rings. They wear it any where and every where they feel like to."
"It was on her left hand and ring finger." He pointed at his running partner's hand, "Doesn't that ring mean the same?"
His friend raised his hand and confided, grinning like a boy. "I need this on me to keep the ladies away. And of course, I need her to wear one too, just to amuse me and keep her male patients from ogling what isn't theirs."
Possessive. He felt the same seeing how other men look at Yoruichi when they were in college. Even back in high school. He was two years older than she and so graduated before she did. He'd been jealous of the boys who seemed to hang on to her every words and her flirty comments for those idiots made it worse. Yet he hadn't told her of his feelings or even showed his jealously. He kept his feelings well hidden, maybe not so well since all his friends seemed to notice his true feelings. He was glad his friends knew for he didn't have to pretend he wasn't jealous when one of them intentionally flirted with her to rattle him.
"Did Retsu tell you about Yoruichi and Hannah?"
"Yes, but she didn't mean to. It kind of slipped off when she was busy with something."
Something. The man made it light but Kisuke knew that tone of voice and that something meant something not so innocent as he put it. It seemed every single one of his guy friends were married and had kids, even that crazy Isshin had found his love and somehow convince her to marry him. Isshin and his wife even had a boy. How did their boy look like? And why was he thinking about his friends and their wives while on the run? Nevertheless he couldn't get the still single Yoruichi out of his mind, he asked his friend again.
"How did Retsu know about Yoruichi not being married?"
"You forgot those two are friends too? And your girl took your daughter to my wife for a checkup when the child had problem breathing during a cold. Didn't your girl tell you?"
"She has no way of contacting me. I don't want to take any chances with them. I was deep in their territory and lair, they'd go after my family if they made the connection."
"Why did you tell Hannah is your daughter and not the truth?"
"I…" He wasn't sure why he'd done that. "I don't know. I just thought it was a good idea."
"She really cares for that child. I think her believing Hannah is your daughter is one of the reasons. She stayed with that child the entire time she was in the hospital. Even the nurses admired her meticulous care of the child. Loves the daughter as she loves the father."
"She doesn't love me, Kyoraku. You've been our friends for years so you should know she doesn't love."
"Yes, we've been friends for years and that's why I'm you telling, Kisuke, that girl loves you. You just need to man up and talk to her heart to heart. Before it's too late. I heard the uncle is looking for a suitable husband for his only niece."
His pace slowed down then he came to a complete halt, hearing the news. Looking for a husband for her. That meant she wasn't married and still available. He still had a chance to win her if her uncle didn't make good of his threat as the older man warned him off his niece years before.
"Hey, Raku, do you think I can borrow your phone and call her later?"
"Of course, anything for you and the girl you love. You two help us get back together. We owe you that much."
"Thanks, man." Then he remembered he hadn't asked after Hannah's health. "Did Retsu also tell you what went wrong with Hannah? Why she needed to stay in the hospital?"
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Pulling Kisuke up to his speed, he related, "My wife said something about pneumonia. The child was lucky to be with Yoruichi. If she were still around here, I don't think she'd get help fast or good enough to be alive. Do you still intend to look for her family?"
His friend told him about Hannah's circumstance and he thought the man made a sound judgment to bring that poor child home to Yoruichi. The two of them needed something to make them spend more time together and hopefully his idiotic friend Kisuke would come to his senses. Girls couldn't wait forever and especially girls like Yoruichi, beautiful and rich, whose uncle had political connection and definitely wanted his niece to marry well and soon.
"Whatever you do, Kisuke, just make sure you talk to Yoruichi and let your feelings show. If not, I'm afraid you won't get another chance with her. Her uncle's patience has run out and she isn't too young to wait for you any longer."
He wished them all the best, they deserved some happiness after all these lonely years. Kisuke looked lonely then and he wondered how the man could ever play the carefree character, always teasing and laughing when Yoruichi was around. He found it strange that Yoruichi didn't see through Kisuke's charade since they had been friends since she was only out of her diapers. Being that close and for that long, it was just impossible not to know. Maybe she did for she hadn't married and been waiting for Kisuke to make the move. Even so, why the wait when they were so comfortable being together? Shouldn't she take the lead? It wasn't like they were living in the nineteenth century and girls were expected to be docile and submissive, letting the men do the asking. Girls even proposed to the man they loved if that man was taking his sweet time to pop the question. Those two were even worse than his wife and himself.
Swoosh.
The sound of bullets passing their heads and were barely off target. He forcefully pushed Kisuke out of the way as he himself got hit in the chest then lost his balance. He almost landed on his face when Kisuke realized what happened and came to haul him up. They resumed their running as Kisuke put one arm around him and the other holding his arm over his own shoulders, supporting him as they ran faster.
"Suke?"
"Yeah?"
"Promise me you'll call Yoruichi and tell her how you feel, OK?"
"Shouldn't you be thinking about your own girl instead of mine?"
"Mine, eh? So you do have fantasies about Yoruichi. The guys and I thought you were either gay or impotent."
Kisuke patted him hard on the back. "Wait until you see Yoruichi pregnant with my kids and you guys can think whatever you want. Hell, where did you guys get such bizarre ideas? Impotence isn't the reason why I stay away from the ladies. And I'm like you. Unless you're not straight yourself."
"I know." He laughed then coughed as the wound in his chest started to set in. Kisuke eyed him worriedly so he lied. "Don't worry. I coughed because of your declaration of impregnating Yoruichi. My man, you're old. Sure you still have the strength to aim?"
"Damn you, Kyoraku. I'd punch you until your wife can't recognize if you weren't wounded."
"Touché! I'm being a good friend and concerned for you. We guys lose touch if we don't practice. And I doubt you've had any at all for the matter." He coughed again then this time he knew he was losing it, but letting his friend know that wouldn't help their current situation. Again he made up another lie, patting Kisuke's chest with his free arm. "Don't you worry, my boy, I have stash of porno for you to get your training started."
"Will you just shut up and save your strength? I know what I'm doing. That kind of thing doesn't need practice or training, it comes naturally when the situation calls for. Also, the guys I used to work during the previous operationfilled my ears with what to and what not to when one takes the lady to bed."
"I'm relieved. You're not as clueless as we feared."
His friend faltered a bit but picked their pace right up. "You mean you guys talk about my love life behind my back?"
"No, we just discuss your love life when you're with us but out of earshot."
"Isn't it just the same?"
"No, behind and in front are different. Just like when you make love, the positions yield different effects and pleasure the lady differently."
"OK, I get it. Stop right there. I heard enough about positions from the other guys. You don't have to elaborate."
"Good. That's good then."
He heard his own voice fade then the last thing he remembered was someone running toward their direction with a stretcher. He let his eyes and mind shut down since he knew Kisuke and himself were safe. But before he let darkness take over him, he reminded his friend. "Kisuke, my phone is in the locker. Call Yoruichi."
Then he fell into oblivion of darkness.
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posted 27 November 2013
