Chapter 10

Look to the Stars

After getting dropped off at the car rental shop, Naomi decided to go for a drive around the city. She went back to her apartment to change her clothes before ultimately deciding to go get a train ticket to head back to Kyoto to her old apartment to get the rest of her things. As she sat on the train she stared out the window. She hadn't thought she would ever be going back but since she knew Eito was gone she knew she would be safe. The trip was only a few hours long. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and thought about calling Hatori but she remembered it was a weekday and he would probably be busy at his practice. She grabbed a book from her bag and decided to read to pass the time. It wasn't anything special but it was a romance novel by an American author that had be translated into Japanese. Even as she read her book her mind kept going back to him. How he had been so understanding and caring about the whole situation and how sweet he was. How he had almost kissed her. She found herself blushing at the thought of him. Her blush had only deepened when she had remembered her steamy dream. She breathed in to calm herself and closed her book. She put it in her bag and leaned against the window and dozed off. Although she didn't know that when she would allow herself to succumb to slumber she would be greeted with another dream. She opened her eyes and looked around and blushed as she saw she was naked and in bed with a very naked Hatori who was still sleeping softly. She smiled and gently brushed his hair with her fingers. It wasn't much longer before he opened his eyes and pulled her closer. He kissed her lips softly as his arm wrapped around her lower back. The very prominent morning wood poking her inner thigh.

"Good morning…" He whispered huskily against her lips.

"Morning…" she blushed and kissed him back and blushed further at feeling his hardened member against her leg. Hatori then moved as he hovered over and was kissing down her body. First her lips then her cheek down to her neck and collarbone. His warm kisses slowly inched down further going between her breasts to tease before kissing down her abdomen to her awaiting heat.

Suddenly she felt a light tapping on her shoulder and it awoken her from her dream.

"Madam we have arrived." The ticket vendor told her with a soft smile and she nodded as she gathered her bag and nodded her thanks before exiting the train. She took a cab back to her old place. While in the cab she thought about her dream with Hatori. She couldn't help but wonder why she was dreaming about him. Maybe it was his charm maybe it was his looks. Or maybe it was because she actually felt an attraction for a good man. She still felt afraid for the fear of falling for him. She stared out the window of the cab and relaxed. Moments later she arrived at her old apartment, the landlord let her in having recognized her. She walked around the old place and the memories came rushing in and she felt a tightness in her chest. She took a deep breath and sat on the couch. She started to regret being there alone. Her phone started to ring.

It was Hatori who was calling her. "Hello Naomi, I was wondering if you were free to meet me for lunch today."

"Oh Hey Hari, I can't... I am back in Kyoto right now."

"Oh I didn't know you were going to go." Hatori hummed.

"Yeah neither did I, it was just a spur of the moment... I figured I would come back and grab my things since Eito isn't around." She said and sighed

He nodded. "I see well...please stay safe Naomi."

"I will... How's work going?" She said trying to keep the conversation going.

"It's been well I suppose...until Shigure showed up crying like a four year old for pain in his foot and it was a splinter." He sighed and Naomi could practically envision him shaking his head.

"Sorry..." She laughed.

"It is alright I suppose." Hatori sighed.

"Hmmm... I uhmm...never mind. I hope I am not keeping you from doing anything" she said

"No not at all...I will just be heading to lunch alone...when you are back however I hope we will be able to have lunch."

"Yeah, I should be back in the next few days... It's a late lunch don't you think?" She laughed. She didn't want to hang up.

"Yes well it's still too early for dinner." He chuckled. She laid on the couch and smiled while holding the phone to her ear.

"Where are you gonna go for lunch?" She smiled softly to herself as she stared up at the ceiling.

"There's a bistro nearby I was going to try out so I had made reservations there."

"That sounds nice. I am probably just gonna order some take out.

He nodded. "Well be safe Naomi...I will just be at home I suppose then."

"Okay, you too be safe." She said softly.

"Well I hope to see you soon. Goodbye Naomi." Hatori said softly before hanging up. She laid there on the couch for a while, she could feel the loneliness creeping in slowly. She hated that feeling. There was a tightness in her chest. She felt a tear run down her cheek.

'I can't stay here...' She thought to herself. She quickly got up grabbed the key and walked out of the apartment. She made her way to a little market street near a restaurant she liked to go went in and grabbed something to eat. She wanted to continue on exploring, but the loneliness feeling was still with her no matter what she did. She returned to her apartment and put some music on and ate. She watched as the sun went down through her window. She wondered what Hatori was doing but she didn't want to call him and possibly bother him. But she knew she wanted to talk to him or at least see him. She just wanted someone to talk to, someone to help scare away lonesome she had. She looked around her apartment, no matter where she looked she could see the ghost of her past. She began to cry. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out whatever drinks she could find. She wasn't much of a drinker, but right now she didn't want to feel anything. But every time she looked at a liquor bottle it would just bring back more terrible memories. As those memories came rushing in through her mind, she pushed them away causing them to fall and break. She cried harder. The sound of the glass breaking pleased her ears. She heard a sound coming from the front door and quickly turned around. As she turns around she scraped her arm on a piece on glass.

"Fuuck" she yelled as the burning sensation and the warm blood flowing brought her back to her senses. She ran to the bathroom and quickly wrapped it up. She stared at her face in the mirror. She barely recognized herself. Puffy red eyes, lip was still hurt from a few days ago. She took in a deep breath and wiped the tears from her safe. She walked back out of the bathroom. She walked around the apartment grabbing whatever she still wanted and placed inside a suitcase.

Hours had passed by she didn't even realize how late it has gotten. She grabs a notebook and Pens and writes a note for the landlord to sell everything, along with the note she leaves a large amount of cash to cover up any expenses.

She knew the landlord would accept her offer. She checked her phone and it was already past eleven, there was a missed call from Hatori and a text from him saying he was home and going to bed.

She missed him, more than she had realized.

She grabbed her stuff and made her way to the train station. She got on the last train back to Tokyo. It would take a few hours but she had plans for when she returned. While on the train she researched for a place her father used to take her too when she was little in Tokyo to observe the stars. Luckily she found it. She smiled in victory as she found what she was searching for. She looked at the time and it was about 3 am when the train reached its destination. She picked up her car where she had left. She drove straight to Hatori's house. She called his phone but he didn't pick up.

She called him again and he answered.

"Hello Naomi is everything alright?" He answered quickly. It was evident he had been asleep by how tired he sounded but he still answered feeling immediately worried for Naomi's safety.

"I am fine, come outside I wanna show you something." She said and honked. He breathed in and sighed and threw on a robe with some shoes and he walked outside.

"Naomi...do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Get in." She smiled. " I know it's late but I wanna show you something." He nodded and walked over to the other side of the car groggily and got in and rubbed his eyes. She drove off into the night with a happy and excited expression.

"You can sleep if you'd like, I will wake you up when we get there." She said softly.

"You shouldn't be driving Naomi...you look exhausted." He said as he yawned.

"I am fine." she smiled and yawned.

"I just yawned because you did it." She laughed.

He nodded and was looking out the window.

Moments later they arrived at a field. She parked her car on the side by a tree.

"Alright we are here." She said and pulled out a blanket from the back seat.

He slowly got out of the car and was still yawning. "Naomi where are we?"

"Just a few miles away from the city. My dad used to bring me here when I was little. Its a perfect spot for stargazing." She said and made her way through the tall grass.

He nodded and started to follow her. "I see..." he yawned still very much tired but he was more alert now. They arrived to a spot where the grass wasn't very high. She stretched out the blanket and laid on it.

"You can sit down and lay down. Laying down gives you the best view though." She said. He nodded and laid back on the grass with her.

"I remember when we first met, you said you never had the chance to see a meteor shower, because you didn't have time for it. I did some research and there should a few tonight." She said and pointed up towards the sky.

He nodded as he relaxed. "I see.."

"I like to go out at night like this, when something has been bothering me, or when I want to relax..." She inhaled deeply "... Ever since I was little I always enjoyed watching the stars twinkle. It always reminded of how small I really am and that my issues aren't even that big you know... But then... Some things happen and you look up at the stars and wonder why me?" She said and began to sniffle.

He looked to her. "Naomi...problems aren't always are as bad as they appear...when you're at your lowest point..there's nowhere to go but up...where I'm sure a beautiful woman like yourself would shine amongst those stars."

"I wish I could tell that to my younger self. After my father passed away... I was devastated... I didn't get along with my mother. She never wanted to work a single day in her life. They weren't separated but they should've been. But father was always so gentle and carrying. He would never let anyone hurt me... Mother in the other hand would drag me around as if I was a burden to her." She said and felt the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Sorry I am talking too much..." She said trying to hide the knot on her throat.

He looked to her and he sat up and wiped the tear from her cheek. "Naomi...you're okay. Don't apologize for letting out your emotions." He said softly as he looked to her. He felt the wind blow past him and he took off his robe and put it on her shoulders to keep her warm. She sat up and threw her arms around him and began to cry harder.

"I wish I could forget that day, but it haunts me. I can still feel..." She sobbed. "... His weight pinning me down... He had giving me something I could move or scream... I just laid there..." Her cry almost turned into screams.

"I want to forget it all... I can't even do that... I tried but I am still here..." She buried herself into his chest and cried.

He wrapped his arms around her picking her up and sat her on his lap slowly and rubbed her back gently. "Naomi...I know how memories can hurt...but that is in the past. The past should be left in the past...and you can only look toward the brightness that the future holds..." he pointed to the sky. "The bright stars...look at them and remember the good in your past...and how they can look to your further."

"That's easy for you to say, but it kept happening and my mother wouldn't do anything. She didn't care if her new husband did anything to me as long as she gets money to buy shoes and clothes...Then I met someone who helped me alleviate the pain from the past only cause me so much more pain..."she whimpered softly.

"I never want to go back to Kyoto alone..." She said and began to inhale and exhaled deeply.

He nodded slowly. "You don't have too Naomi. No one can ever make you go back again if you don't want too." She looked up at his face and gave him a soft smile. Then her eyes quickly gazes over towards the sky.

"There look" she pointed out a shooting star.

He looked up with her with a smile of his own. "Make a wish Naomi."

She giggled as those words sounded familiar to her. She made a wish then rested her head on his chest, whimpering ever so slightly as the tears continued to stream down her cheek. She could hear his heart beating. His warmth was very soothing.

"Well Naomi what did you wish for?" He looked at her softly.

"You know, if you tell your wish, it won't come true." She said softly with a smile and a blush as she thought of her wish.

"That is true I suppose." He hummed softly and looked at her fondly. She looked up again.

"Look it has started. It's a just a small one tonight. . It should only last a few minutes." She said and smiled. She brought her hand up and wiped the tears from her cheeks, she felt a warmth cover her hand as Hatori place his hand on hers and reached with his thumb to wipe away a stray tear flowing from her eyes. He gave her a comforting smile at her then looked up.

He nodded. "Miss Naomi...I wanted to ask you something." He looked up at the sky.

"Hmm..." She mumbled and her breathing got more steady. Hatori looked to her and noticed she had fallen asleep. He lightly shook her but her head just fell to his shoulder and he chuckled. He carefully stood up and picked her up in his arms and was carrying her back to his car.

"Hari... Can I stay with you. I didn't have time to find a place..." She mumbled half asleep.

He chuckled. "Yes Naomi...rest now.." he carefully put her in the car and smiled as she dozed off. He leaned forward and lightly kissed her forehead. "Rest easy Naomi."

She smiled as she felt his lips on her forehead. They made their way back to Hatori's house. He helped her out of the car and he reached for her arm she winced in pain. He inspected it and found a bloody cloth wrapped around her forearm. He rose a brow wondering what happened and he carefully picked her up and took her to his room and laid her down on her bed. He carefully took her shirt off and was cleaning her arm and wrapping it in a bandage and carefully putting her shirt back on her. He had a soft touch of pink on his cheeks from seeing her almost fully naked torso but he was a doctor and was professional. He couldn't deny he had an attraction to her.

"Hari..." She mumbled and turned to the side. "... Don't leave me..." She inhaled deeply.

He smiled softly at her and moved her hair behind her ear. "I'm not going anywhere Naomi.." he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.