I'll Be Waiting
Chapter 20
An arm stopped Shiva from walking next to Kina. Her flaming eyes looked up at the perpetrator angrily.
"Let them be alone for a bit." Nuriko whispered as they stopped, letting the couple walk a few feet ahead of them all. Hotohori quickly took a hold of Nuriko's hand and smiled.
"Oh brother." Shiva rolled her eyes at the two, smiling at Arashi happily.
"That was interesting." Kina looked down at her hands as the group of friends walked towards the apartment buildings. They had a long hike to trudge. A few remaining flames burned out into glowing embers as the wind blew gently, rustling the leaves. "I guess Mina was all the dark feelings I had been keeping inside of myself."
"How can you talk so casually about it?" Yue walked around her to face her, although she continued to avoid eye contact. "Everyone was worried about you. When I thought you were gone, I--Kina, did it ever occur to you that someone might care about you?"
"Do you have any clue what I've been through?" Kina snapped at him. She still didn't have her memory back, another problem that was hanging in the back of everyone's minds.
"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me? What happened between you and Mina inside that burning house?" Yue turned to Kina.
"Do you really care that much?"
"Didn't you say you'd tell me everything?"
Kina and Yue were face to face, trying to stare each other down. Kina breathed in deeply and admitted her defeat. "I owe you my life, now," she said, "Wait a moment," Kina covered a cough. Yue realized she was breathing heavily, just from their walk down the hill. She shivered in each gust of wind.
"You still haven't recovered from the fire and smoke," Yue said. Kina shook her head.
"I'm fine," she said. "I just need a little rest, that's all."
Yue put his hands on her shoulders. "You're shivering," he noted.
"I'm fine," Kina insisted, trying to shake him away. "Don't worry about me."
"What's wrong? I just...care about you."
Kina looked aside. "Why?" she asked.
"I just do." Yue leaned down to gently kiss her forehead "I'm not going...." Yue replied. "...I'm not going to leave you alone."
Kina blinked up at him, her breath shaky from crying. "I...I wish..." The words came out sounding thin and choked, as if she were struggling just to speak. She let herself fall against him again, and the end of her sentence came out as barely even a whisper. "...I could stay...with you..."
"You can..." Yue whispered.
"But what about my memories? And Michael? What happened to him?" She looked up at the stars blanketing the sky. But at that moment a fluttering white sheet of paper flew down towards Yue, landing directly in his hands. On the cover his name was printed out clearly.
"What's that?" Kina poked at the letter curiously.
"I'm not sure. Why don't you go sit down and rest for a bit while I see what this is." Yue motioned towards the rocks around them that seemed as if they had been made for sitting on.
"Ok." Kina smiled as she gathered the others for a break.
Yue carefully unfolded the note and began to read the words written upon the white paper.
"Dear Yue,
I feel I owe you all an apology, I'm afraid I haven't been very honest with you. I am sorry. I believe I need to rectify this situation, no matter how much it hurts you or me. Here was a person who took a stubborn man and showed him what real friendship, what love, what life was and I repaid her with deceit. How could I do that to someone who cared so much about me? I believe that's why I was so cruel to you, Yue. I guess in some strange way I was jealous that you gave Kina something that I couldn't. Kina is a good person, she'll be sad when she finds out the truth. So do me a favor, will you Yue? Be there for her, be gentle to her, and comfort her because she'll need you. For all her pretense, she's really very soft inside. Fragile. It seems like everything in her life sets her up for disappointment, and I'm afraid I'll just add to that same list. But listen to me, don't feel bad for me and don't you dare feel sorry me. I'm doing something of my own wishes. I know Kina's going to ask where I am and you're going to be forced to lie to her one last time for me. I thought about telling her, but can you imagine how much she will hate me. It's better this way. Always remember this saying I once heard, "It is easy to judge a life if you don't have to live it." It amazes me how much the human heart can handle. Such a delicate thing, and strong but breakable. I hope to see you all in the future and then perhaps we can all be friends again, without lies, or secrets or masks. There are so many things I would still like to say but I have much to do. So I'll just say good-bye, I wish you all the best of luck, my friends. Please tell Kina thanks for being such a great companion to me and I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise.
You're friend,
Michael
PS- Tell Kina her memory should be returning within a few days. I didn't have the guts to erase her memory completely. I couldn't do that to someone I cared for so much. If the medicine I gave her was taken for two months, it would have erased it forever but she only received a one month dose."
--
Yue gently folded up the paper, sniffing up the tears that where brimmed along his eyes, teetering on the edge as they threatened to tumble out. He shoved the sheet into his pocket; he would show Kina and the others it when they got home. A flash of blue light filled the sky then faded away as quick as it came, leaving behind a tiny glimmer of shimmering blue.
"Good-bye Michael. And thank you..." Yue whispered under his breath as he walked back to his friends.
~*~
The group neared home as they stepped onto the cement street. Shiva, Arashi, Nuriko and Hotohori walked briskly ahead of them; happy the whole nightmare was over.
"Yue....I-I...love you..." She looked up at the white haired bishonen as the words tumbled out of her mouth. They left the two both in shock; she couldn't believe what she had just said. But it was true, wasn't it? He had been there for her when her world was crashing down.
Yue raised his eyes to the sky to prevent his tears from spilling out. To his horror, they started to surface after Kina had told him that she loved him. He concentrated on the sky and the bright shining light of the stars as the silvery moonlight shone down upon them.
"Don't be afraid to cry around me. I suppose before I lost my memory, I was afraid to tell you about the negative part of me. If you don't tell me about your negative side, what will end up happening to you?"
"You're right, we both need to be more honest with each other."
"Then can I ask you a question? Is it strange that we're together? I mean, since you are a bishonen?" She asked him.
"No. No, it's not. Even if the whole world says it's strange, it's not." He brushed back a stray hair and tucked it safely behind her ear. "I love you, Kina." He whispered the words to her tenderly as if they would break if he spoke them too loud. Yue can't stop weeping because he loves her more perfectly than he has ever loved anybody before. He would exchange his life for hers, take his beating heart from his chest to save her, if she needed to be saved. There is the road and the grass and the sky and the sun that has risen and that day that has been made just for them. He holds her now and he loves her now and forever.
~*~
What is faith?
A young girl accepts the dark part of herself into herself and asks that they be healed and that they will be whole again. A man stays by his wife, even though she has forgotten every memory she has of him, he still stays with her, waiting for that day when she may remember and see a glimpse of their past together.
What is mercy?
A girl survives long enough to know her mistakes and mourn for them. Through her grief, a child without faith shall become a woman who believes in everything around her. A man decides to save the woman he loves and give her up for her happiness.
How will we find redemption?
By seeking those we fear inside us.
We live in a world where everything is possible.
What is grace?
A married couple and their two friends live together in a house near a lake far away where it snows in the winter. Love here is a stone where waves are breaking. Love this strong is not transgression. They learn to forgive themselves and each other for their mistakes.
What is hope?
Once upon a time there was a man who was the husband of a woman that lost her memories. He walked through the forest, searching for his missing love. And though he knew she might not want to return to him, though he knew it could be impossible for them to be together again, he looked for her and tried to bring her back. He kept his faith for all time and for all time he tried. And she came back to him.
Chapter 20
An arm stopped Shiva from walking next to Kina. Her flaming eyes looked up at the perpetrator angrily.
"Let them be alone for a bit." Nuriko whispered as they stopped, letting the couple walk a few feet ahead of them all. Hotohori quickly took a hold of Nuriko's hand and smiled.
"Oh brother." Shiva rolled her eyes at the two, smiling at Arashi happily.
"That was interesting." Kina looked down at her hands as the group of friends walked towards the apartment buildings. They had a long hike to trudge. A few remaining flames burned out into glowing embers as the wind blew gently, rustling the leaves. "I guess Mina was all the dark feelings I had been keeping inside of myself."
"How can you talk so casually about it?" Yue walked around her to face her, although she continued to avoid eye contact. "Everyone was worried about you. When I thought you were gone, I--Kina, did it ever occur to you that someone might care about you?"
"Do you have any clue what I've been through?" Kina snapped at him. She still didn't have her memory back, another problem that was hanging in the back of everyone's minds.
"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me? What happened between you and Mina inside that burning house?" Yue turned to Kina.
"Do you really care that much?"
"Didn't you say you'd tell me everything?"
Kina and Yue were face to face, trying to stare each other down. Kina breathed in deeply and admitted her defeat. "I owe you my life, now," she said, "Wait a moment," Kina covered a cough. Yue realized she was breathing heavily, just from their walk down the hill. She shivered in each gust of wind.
"You still haven't recovered from the fire and smoke," Yue said. Kina shook her head.
"I'm fine," she said. "I just need a little rest, that's all."
Yue put his hands on her shoulders. "You're shivering," he noted.
"I'm fine," Kina insisted, trying to shake him away. "Don't worry about me."
"What's wrong? I just...care about you."
Kina looked aside. "Why?" she asked.
"I just do." Yue leaned down to gently kiss her forehead "I'm not going...." Yue replied. "...I'm not going to leave you alone."
Kina blinked up at him, her breath shaky from crying. "I...I wish..." The words came out sounding thin and choked, as if she were struggling just to speak. She let herself fall against him again, and the end of her sentence came out as barely even a whisper. "...I could stay...with you..."
"You can..." Yue whispered.
"But what about my memories? And Michael? What happened to him?" She looked up at the stars blanketing the sky. But at that moment a fluttering white sheet of paper flew down towards Yue, landing directly in his hands. On the cover his name was printed out clearly.
"What's that?" Kina poked at the letter curiously.
"I'm not sure. Why don't you go sit down and rest for a bit while I see what this is." Yue motioned towards the rocks around them that seemed as if they had been made for sitting on.
"Ok." Kina smiled as she gathered the others for a break.
Yue carefully unfolded the note and began to read the words written upon the white paper.
"Dear Yue,
I feel I owe you all an apology, I'm afraid I haven't been very honest with you. I am sorry. I believe I need to rectify this situation, no matter how much it hurts you or me. Here was a person who took a stubborn man and showed him what real friendship, what love, what life was and I repaid her with deceit. How could I do that to someone who cared so much about me? I believe that's why I was so cruel to you, Yue. I guess in some strange way I was jealous that you gave Kina something that I couldn't. Kina is a good person, she'll be sad when she finds out the truth. So do me a favor, will you Yue? Be there for her, be gentle to her, and comfort her because she'll need you. For all her pretense, she's really very soft inside. Fragile. It seems like everything in her life sets her up for disappointment, and I'm afraid I'll just add to that same list. But listen to me, don't feel bad for me and don't you dare feel sorry me. I'm doing something of my own wishes. I know Kina's going to ask where I am and you're going to be forced to lie to her one last time for me. I thought about telling her, but can you imagine how much she will hate me. It's better this way. Always remember this saying I once heard, "It is easy to judge a life if you don't have to live it." It amazes me how much the human heart can handle. Such a delicate thing, and strong but breakable. I hope to see you all in the future and then perhaps we can all be friends again, without lies, or secrets or masks. There are so many things I would still like to say but I have much to do. So I'll just say good-bye, I wish you all the best of luck, my friends. Please tell Kina thanks for being such a great companion to me and I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise.
You're friend,
Michael
PS- Tell Kina her memory should be returning within a few days. I didn't have the guts to erase her memory completely. I couldn't do that to someone I cared for so much. If the medicine I gave her was taken for two months, it would have erased it forever but she only received a one month dose."
--
Yue gently folded up the paper, sniffing up the tears that where brimmed along his eyes, teetering on the edge as they threatened to tumble out. He shoved the sheet into his pocket; he would show Kina and the others it when they got home. A flash of blue light filled the sky then faded away as quick as it came, leaving behind a tiny glimmer of shimmering blue.
"Good-bye Michael. And thank you..." Yue whispered under his breath as he walked back to his friends.
~*~
The group neared home as they stepped onto the cement street. Shiva, Arashi, Nuriko and Hotohori walked briskly ahead of them; happy the whole nightmare was over.
"Yue....I-I...love you..." She looked up at the white haired bishonen as the words tumbled out of her mouth. They left the two both in shock; she couldn't believe what she had just said. But it was true, wasn't it? He had been there for her when her world was crashing down.
Yue raised his eyes to the sky to prevent his tears from spilling out. To his horror, they started to surface after Kina had told him that she loved him. He concentrated on the sky and the bright shining light of the stars as the silvery moonlight shone down upon them.
"Don't be afraid to cry around me. I suppose before I lost my memory, I was afraid to tell you about the negative part of me. If you don't tell me about your negative side, what will end up happening to you?"
"You're right, we both need to be more honest with each other."
"Then can I ask you a question? Is it strange that we're together? I mean, since you are a bishonen?" She asked him.
"No. No, it's not. Even if the whole world says it's strange, it's not." He brushed back a stray hair and tucked it safely behind her ear. "I love you, Kina." He whispered the words to her tenderly as if they would break if he spoke them too loud. Yue can't stop weeping because he loves her more perfectly than he has ever loved anybody before. He would exchange his life for hers, take his beating heart from his chest to save her, if she needed to be saved. There is the road and the grass and the sky and the sun that has risen and that day that has been made just for them. He holds her now and he loves her now and forever.
~*~
What is faith?
A young girl accepts the dark part of herself into herself and asks that they be healed and that they will be whole again. A man stays by his wife, even though she has forgotten every memory she has of him, he still stays with her, waiting for that day when she may remember and see a glimpse of their past together.
What is mercy?
A girl survives long enough to know her mistakes and mourn for them. Through her grief, a child without faith shall become a woman who believes in everything around her. A man decides to save the woman he loves and give her up for her happiness.
How will we find redemption?
By seeking those we fear inside us.
We live in a world where everything is possible.
What is grace?
A married couple and their two friends live together in a house near a lake far away where it snows in the winter. Love here is a stone where waves are breaking. Love this strong is not transgression. They learn to forgive themselves and each other for their mistakes.
What is hope?
Once upon a time there was a man who was the husband of a woman that lost her memories. He walked through the forest, searching for his missing love. And though he knew she might not want to return to him, though he knew it could be impossible for them to be together again, he looked for her and tried to bring her back. He kept his faith for all time and for all time he tried. And she came back to him.