Chapter 24: Awakening of Tomorrow
The sun beats down on me, eyes begging me to close the curtains and go back to sleep. My body also telling me the same thing. Pain shot through me when I move just a bit. My mind still foggy to what happen last night, but it was slowly coming back to me. And my face is now on fire. We did it. We . . . –Hiro and I– . . . Did . . . –That my brother will kill him if he ever finds out– . . . It!
Carefully turning to face the other side of the bed, to see Hiro still asleep facing me and holding me close, but gave me enough room to move to face him with my whole body. Taking every inch of him, cuts and all. What he did, was for to keep him safe and same for me. To hell to what other will say when they see us. Cuts and bruises. I could care less.
Ignoring the best I can, to lean in and kiss him. Forehead, eye lids, nose, cheeks, and then finally lips. That really woke him up and he gave it right back. Pulling me close and soon I was rolled to be on top of him. I groan in pain from our hot night, and he's careful for it not to happen again. Reaching over to the table next to the bed, handing me some painkillers and a glass of water, that he left for when ever I woke up and needed a bathroom break. I take it, and finish them fast to kiss him once more.
"Are you trying to tell me? You're ready for another round?" His voice goes in and out on our lip-locking.
"Not now . . . But I am loving to hear it, if there is going to be a next time."
His hands give my butt a small squeeze and slap, that was a yes. I gave a weak hit to his uninjured shoulder. Our lips meant once more. His hand wondering over my lower back. Tracing what was there. Adjusting to a new part of me that I did for him.
Yuya Bay, when I left, I got a tattoo of Hiro's band symbol of the dragon and the letters, 'R' and 'D' running along sides it. And only where he would see it. Telling me that the black and red look very good on me.
"Out of anything, seeing you with that tattoo and calling out for me, was the best show ever." Giving me a cocky smile and I couldn't help but hit him again and kiss him all at the same time.
"Well, the holding and gentleness of your hands and lips were my favorite." I can't help but sound like a girl now.
"Noted." But there was a small sign of saddness in his eyes.
"No, don't think about last night. I wanted and so did you."
"Sure it wasn't rushing it? You know I could have waited."
"I know, I know. And I wouldn't have it any other way." I say to him, when I knew, what he was saying. "But we both know, I hate waiting for things that can be easily taken away."
"The host girls? Really..."
"Well, yes them, but also..." It's to early for this.
There was soon a knock at the door. My body froze. Hiro shouted to whoever it was. It was a butler. Breakfast was made. Not daring to open the door. As if knowing what was on the other side of the door already. I'm scared to know if that's true.
"I told the maids and butlers not to come in, last night, that I wanted to make sure that I alone was here to see you, after what happen."
I gave out a deep breath from that, and happy to know he was going to drop it. And slowly got out of bed to get dress, but I was pulled back in.
"Hiro . . . "
"Few more minutes, please . . . "
I didn't say anything but only hold him back. Fifteen minutes later, we're dress and heading down for breakfast. Taking it slow, seeing that I was walking with a limp. I hope for it to go away before I got home. I'm more worry about that, then the outcome I had from that fight. I pick a shirt with a collar to hide the very, very large hickeys on my neck.
When we enter the diningroom, Hiro's elder was already there, eating. Not noticing that we were there, yet. Taking a seat near him, copying what Hiro was doing. Cooks came in, setting plates of food in front of us.
Pancakes and Jasmine tea.
"Very noisy, Takahiro . . . "
My face is on fire, but I keep eating, acting the best way I can, not to notice them talking.
"Forgive me, grandfather . . . "
"Don't bother saying sorry, I'm just happy that you didn't let that thing bother you both."
He's okay with this. I am jumping on the inside.
"Kaoru . . . "
"Yes, sir . . . "
"I know that last night was uncalled for, but thank you for staying." He started out with, taking a moment to drink some coffee. "For staying with my grandson in his time of need."
I nodded for him to go on.
"I have already inform your parents, until you're better, that you'd stay here or go stay with Takahiro. But they want both of you, to go back to school, the moment you're better."
"I will, thank you, for everything. Even for expecting us as . . . "
"If you think I was going to yell or something because of what my grandson is, then you know little of me. Unlike others, I don't judge, he's my blood no other way. And now you're my grandson-in-law . . . "
My face is a volcano.
"Grandfather!" And Hiro was also sharing this, good, I'm not alone.
He just smiles. "Yes, yes, testing the waters. I might be old, but I know the drill." Then he looks over to Hiro. "I'll be out, you're the man of the house, until I get back. Be good."
"Yeah, yeah . . . " stuffing some eggs in his mouth, before doing something stupid.
"Sir, the car is here." His driver called out, the moment he was closer to us. And they both left, leaving us at the table.
"What a li..." Hiro said something to quiet to hear.
"You say something?"
"Just thinking out loud. No worries."
"Okay." I'll let it slide for now.
"What do you want to do?" Hiro asked, seeing that we didn't have to go to school for a while.
"I have a few ideas."
Anyway . . . after our last round was done. He had work to do. Wanting not to be sidetrack, let me do what I wanted around the place. And sadly the library was off-limits with a certain someone is working in there. So the garden was the next choice.
Wondering through the paths. Taking in every flower there was. Minding the vines that found their way onto the paths. Seeing that bench was nowhere in sight. I must have taken a wrong turn. But I soon come up to see a shed. I had to see what was inside.
Good thing the door wasn't lock.
An art shred. All kinds of art were in here. From paints to photos to clay art. Looking at the work, there was a theme to them. I just couldn't figure what they were. So lost in the work, I almost trip on a box. Knocking it over, tapes felled out.
"Crap!" And started to clean it. The tapes' titles sound like life films. Of . . . Youko Fujimoto . . . only daughter of Kenchiro Fujimoto . . . and mother to her only child, Takahiro Fujimoto.
"Kaoru!"
Placing the tapes back in the box and setting back to, where it was before. Hiro was soon at the doorway, as his shadow cast over my kneeling body. Leaning over to the side, watching me. I look right back at him, giving a small smile.
"This was . . . "
"Yes."
Again looking around it, despite her not being here, it was well-taken care of.
"Even after she died, I looked after this place for her. For grandfathers' sake." Walking over to, where I was, reaching for the box that was near me. "My only way of seeing them. You can look at them, if you want. I won't get mad, just tell me is all."
Reaching out for the box, but my arms find their way around his neck. Our lips met for a moment then broke. "Its your past, as much as theirs. Are you done with work?"
"Yeah, just finish."
"Mind if we have a movie marathon?" Gesturing to the box.
"Only if you want too?"
I nodded, and watch him pick it up. Following behind. Looking around the place once more. Seeing all this art, wonderful, thoughtful works resting deep inside of a garden's maze. The world needs to see this. But . . .
"Kaoru, you coming?"
"Yeah, hold on." Closing the door and rushing to Hiro before he kept on walking.
Around later that night, thirteen tapes later, I was seeing Youko Fujimoto for the first time. Hiro really was a lot like her. I was understanding him and his parents from her side in the videos of what she was up too. To the end.
"Your mother was really good." Telling Hiro as he took the tape out of the videocassette recorder, while I was looking for another one.
"Thank you, I'm sure if she was here, she would have love to hear it."
Finding one that had a very interesting title. "And I thought, that you acted like your dad, but I guess I was wrong." And hand it to him. "However, I have no problem with it."
"Just surprise, that she wasn't the Summer Princess." And got the tape ready.
"Yes! My point, right on the nose!"
Grabbing the bowl and leaving for the kitchen. "Making more popcorn, want anything else?"
"Another soda." And watch the tape play.
This one was different then all the rest. The background was off, not in Japan. Before I could go find Hiro and ask about this one, she spoke.
"There comes a time, when you question everything."
She started out with, taking a deep breath.
"One that seems to be on the top right now, would be, "What is love?", what a question, huh?"
Giving a weak smile.
"I never knew what love really was or how it came to be."
Looking where the window must have been.
"I only knew of the love that was known and ready to play out. But this one, is new, that it brings fear down my spine. Some people say that love is blind and it just happens."
Using books all about all kinds of love and dropping them to the floor.
"Others say that love is nothing but a soft tone to the word lust."
Holding a picture of Tamaki's dad, of when he was young.
"And very few can just never find love if it bitten them in the face."
Her mother's photo came and went.
"What do the ones say to those who had love but never knew it was really called that, covered up with a kinder word as friendship? What is that love called?"
Holding a photo of Hiro's father, looks about a year younger than the one at Haruhi's house.
Grabbing the camera, facing to the window of the city, she was at. New York by the looks of it. Filming people walking by on the sidewalks, cabs, trucks, cars zooming down the roads. A faint outline of herself was seen in the glass, smiling. Even more when the camera landed on a music shop, a block down from her place.
"But I think I'm getting little ahead of myself, and I believe everyone wants to know what I'm talking about."
Turning the camera back to her, smiling like a child at the theme park, holding a sugar stick of fun.
"So let's go back when this "love" came to be."
Grabbing her stuff and about to head out the door, with the camera still running in her hand. Then facing her.
"All love stories have a tale to tell. So here's is my story."
And out the door she went, running down the hallways.
"What I miss?" Hiro asked, almost breaking my thought line, handing me a cold soda.
"Not much, but your mom, really knows how to get people to watch her work." Opening my soda and took a fast sip. "Look, it's your dad."
Hiro did what I said, he had a small smile. The very same one that man had when Youko enters the shop and greets him, calling his name, Carter. The phase name Hiro uses when on stage. When he spoke in English, I had no idea what he was saying.
"Youko, you're early . . . " I hear Hiro say next to me, I side a glance with a smile, glad he was helping.
"How many languages do you know?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Well, when your leaving with family for business trips, you pick up something now and then. I would say about twenty-four, but I can only say three without much trouble."
"Teach me sometime?"
"I would love to." If I didn't catch it in time, I would almost miss that he and his father said it at the same time. But his father's said it for Youko learn some guitar lessons.
"You are his sweet-talking son."
"Runs deep in the blood." And then the phone ranged, then stop, a maid or a butler must have answered it.
"Master Takahiro, it's for you . . . " A maid soon called out.
"Okay." Then to me. "Finish this for me, be back in a moment."
"Kay . . . " And glued my eyes back to the tv.