Chapter 21

For his remaining time in America Mamoru found himself swamped at his internship, trying to get as much experience as he could before leaving. He put in a lot of extra shifts, and stayed late as well. He had also been avoiding Mr. Smith, and Mr. Bradcliff's continued attempts to reach him. He dodged phone calls, emails, and visits. He knew what they wanted to discuss, but he was not interested. He was ready to go home.

His last week he had all of his belongings packed, having already shipped most home. He kept enough to last for just that week. He was pretty much living out of his suitcase, with minimal excess objects. The only photo he did not ship, and was still proudly displayed was the one of him and Usagi for her dance. He was staring at it when there was a knock at his door. He hadn't been expecting anyone as Matt and Nate were visiting their families. When he opened his door, there stood Mr. Smith, and Mr. Bradcliff. He groaned quietly, and let them in.

"Good evening gentlemen. What can I do for you?" He asked, noticing that they stepped into his home without removing their shoes. This reminded him of just how rude they were. In Japan, shoes were removed as a sign of respect.

"It's seems you have been avoiding us Mr. Chiba, and we would dearly like to speak to you." Mr. Smith stated.

"I understand that, but there isn't much to say, other than thank you for the opportunity you provided me for the last year." Mamoru responded.

"We want to extend that opportunity. I am not clear on why you are refusing." Mr. Bradcliff stated as he picked up the picture of Mamoru and Usagi, glanced at it, then dropped it on the table as though it was nothing.

"I'm sure Mr. Smith explained to my reasons as I was quite clear with him." Mamoru responded as he righted the picture, making sure the glass wasn't broken.

"This is a an opportunity that you won't find any where else. The financial benefits of becoming a personal physician to the richest men in the country, doesn't get better than that." Mr. Bradcliff said happily.

"If I had the desire to be a personal physician, I may agree with you, but that is not what I wish to be." Mamoru responded sternly. "Neurology is my field of choice. I will receive better training in the field at home, in Tokyo."

"Neurology will not earn you the money, possessions, or even the travel accompanied with being a personal physician." Mr. Smith stated.

"If you are talking money, you forget neurology is a very profitable field, but it is not the money that holds interest to me." Mamoru ground out.

"Please. Money is everything. We are offering this to you on a silver platter. I'll even add my daughter into the offer, to sweeten the deal." Mr. Bradcliff said slyly.

"You mean the girl who harassed me for months? The one I had to ask you to deal with before I took legal action against her?" Mamoru said angrily.

"Well she has a sizeable inheritance."

"NO. Absolutely not!" Mamoru snapped.

"What can we do to make you reconsider, Mr. Chiba?" Mr. Smith asked.

"Nothing. I have no interest in anything you have to offer. My education, the education I want, in the field I want, is far more advanced in Tokyo then here. The life I want is in Tokyo, not here."

"You're not suited for neurology, young man. Neurology won't do for you what we can. Think of the money, and what you can do with it." Mr. Smith chided.

"It. Is. Not. About. The. Money." Mamoru growled.

"Is you going back about that girl? We can find you a new one. A better one. You'd be surprised what money can buy you. You'll forget about her in no time." Mr. Bradcliff smirked.

"THAT IS MY FUTURE WIFE YOU ARE SPEAKING OF! You two are unbelievable. Mr. Bradcliff, I told you about Usagi months ago, when I went to ask for your help getting your daughter to back off. Mr. Smith, I explained to you why I was leaving. It seems I have to explain to both of you why neurology has been, and always will be my field of choice. It's not about the money. It never was. I have more than enough on my own. I choose neurology so I can help those who have suffered from brain injury, trauma, and memory loss. I want to find ways to regain what they lost. I want them to never look back and wonder what they are missing, to move forward in their lives, feeling whole. I can't do that as a personal physician, and a refuse to give that up for an offer of money, possession, and girls who aren't worth half of what my Usako is." Mamoru stated firmly.

"Those people are beyond help. Why waste your time on people like that?" Mr. Smith sneared.

"I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, YOU FOOLS!" Mamoru exploded. "When I was six years old, my parents, and I were in a bad car accident. I lost both of my parents in that accident. I also received serious head trauma, which caused me to lose all of my memories. To this day I have no memories of my parents or the life we had before they passed away. You have no idea what that is like. To know you had a life, people who loved you, but not being able to remember any of it or them. You have no idea what it is like to not even know who you were for the first six years of your life. You do not know, nor will you ever. If I can save one person from having to experience that kind of loss, because believe me gentlemen, it is a loss, then I am going to work hard to do it.

"You talk of money and possessions as if they are some how more important than any thing. Well believe me they're not. Not even close. Life, love, people, the memories created with those things are what are important. Without those things we are nothing. Without those things we a blobs of useless beings. Money doesn't make the world go round, the people do. The people we share our lives with. The people we create memories with. The people who love us, and whom we love. Those people are the ones I want to help remember, hold onto, and recover for. Those people are my inspiration, and motivation to become a neurologist. They are the ones I have dreamed about helping since the day I woke up in a hospital, at six years old, not knowing who I was, how I got there, and where I came from. Now, gentlemen, take your offer, your money, your selfish, spoiled attitudes, and leave." Mamoru stomped to his door, and flung it open.

He saw Mr. Bradcliff knock over his picture before stomping out. Mr. Smith behind him. Mr. Smith stopped, looked at him, shook his head, and said, "You don't know what you're giving up."

"No, but I know what I am accepting, and that is more important." With that Mamoru slammed to door, and flopped onto his couch. Just one more week, and he would be home. This was one thing he would never do again. Despite all he had learned here, in this moment he really wished he had never come. Moments later there was another knock at his door. Flinging it open, he saw Jane standing there.

"OH Mamo! When are we getting married? Daddy said he was coming here to settle everything. I'm so excited!" Jane squealed, and tried to launch herself at him, but was stopped by his out stretched arm.

"We're not. I am going home to Tokyo, without you. I am going where I belong, to do what I meant to do, and be with the woman I love. You are not part of any of that. You are just a spoiled, selfish girl, who means nothing to me. Now. Leave!" for the second time in so many minutes Mamoru slammed the door.

Jane knocked hard on his door, jiggling the knob, screaming and crying thru it, trying to convince Mamoru that he was wrong. That he wanted her, and a life with her, not some whore a country away. Mamoru sighed, and walked back over to his couch. He picked up his picture of Usagi, and sat on his couch. Ten minutes later Jane was still making a scene at his door.

"I need to get out of here. I can't stay in this place any more. They won't leave me alone if I do. I leave in a week. I am just going to go stay in a hotel. I'll make sure security at the clinic knows to not let any of them back to see or speak to me. I can do this for one more week." Mamoru thought to himself.

With that thought in mind, he called building security to remove Jane, packed all of his remaining belongings, called a cab, and moved out of the apartment. By the time he got to his hotel room, he was again, regretting ever coming. There had been too much drama for him, and left him with a bad taste in his mouth of America and Americans. He couldn't wait to go home.