THE ACCIDENT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
(Sawamura's P.O.V)
My name is Eijun Sawamura and I am twenty-three years old now.
My friends said, I used to play baseball when I was young. They said baseball is my life, that I've enjoyed every minute of playing this kind of sports. They also said my high school baseball club reached Koshien three times and become a two-time champion during my second year and third year. Wakana showed me some old pictures of mine during my high school. Wearing jersey number 20, 18 and the most amazing and powerful jersey number 1, the ace number. She said I am the best pitcher during my time and every one called me 'The King of Ace'.
They even said I had potential to become a professional baseball player in Japan and should also play major league baseball someday. I suppose that's a good feeling, to know I can do something better than others can. But, unfortunately, I don't remember anything about it now. I don't remember doing those things, like I am a southpaw pitcher and ace, even though they've got these witnesses and people who said I did it, I don't know what to think because in my mind I know I didn't do a thing like that. The Nagano boy who loves to play baseball with passion is already gone a long time ago.
According to Wakana, I was just getting ready for college when I lost my memory. I don't remember much at all what happened after the tragic accident. It was very dark as I recall, and cloudy too. It looked like rain, but I don't remember it raining so I can't really say exactly if it rained or not. I find myself standing on my head, everything is upside down. I looked out of the window car and there were a lot of people out there, screaming.
I remember wondering where everyone else was looking. There's a smell of petrol so I paused for a few moments and I could see there were three people inside the car with me, hanging upside down in their seat belts. I was in the back seat with my mom while my dad and my grandpa in the front seat, their faces were wet with blood. I shook my head and felt the pain so I reach up and touched something wet and took my hand away to see blood covering my fingers. I was bleeding, too.
I tried to call their name, but no response came. I turned to see my mom and called her but she didn't move, still no response and my stomach dropped. I reached over to touch her, knowing before I did it what I would find. I saw her eyes, open and vacant. No life there.
"Okaasan...?"
Then, I saw lights were flashing through my window and there was smoke and flames now and it was smelling very bad. My lips tremble violently, and my whole body was stiff, numb with cold and I think I passed out. Wakana was supposed to have been in the car, too, but she's taking care of her sick mother and ended up not going with us. I'm glad.
After that I knew nothing clearly until I found myself in the hospital ward. I was comatose for two months and I was hurt badly. The accident also left a permanent scar on my forehead. Well, The scar isn't a problem, I can hide it with my bangs. The doctor advised that I will never be able to do my normal life like playing baseball. Yes, you're right, I can't play baseball anymore but I don't care.
My whole family died in a car crash caused by a drunk driver but I'm the only one that survived. I survived, but my family didn't. I had just only a slight memory of my family in the car crash. It just seemed that in the car crash, they're all screaming. That's just about the last thing I remember.
The accident left me without parents. Alone, in an old house filled with happy memories, I think. I was then a poor orphan, I wished to be dead too, though I lose all memories of my past about my family and my friends. I would have memories of my ordeal.
Grandpa's farmland was a trouble to me since I was young to take care of every thing even myself. I delayed going to college because I didn't have the money and because I didn't have enough time to study. Old folks said I could sell the farm but I think I shouldn't. Grandpa's land should be saved for future generations when there may be a real need for more farm land so I choose to become farmer.
"Don't you get lonely out there in your house, Ei-chan? Especially your nearest neighbors are so far away?" Nobu once asked.
Yeah, sometimes I get a little lonely but I have to be strong. What I've been through as an important growth period in my life. It was something I needed, something I had to go through. It's been an education for me. One that's been a little painful, but one that's taught me a lot. Now I feel I'm ready to face and deal with whatever comes my way. If I've learned anything at all, it's that whatever happens to me in life, I have to just pick myself up, dust myself off and keep on stepping.
Then, one day afternoon, I feel so drained and all I want to do when I get home from work is sleep. It's also quite annoying, as my stomach start growling for food, but I ignore it anyway. I was on my way back home when I see a woman standing outside our house. I walk closer to examine her but she suddenly turned around and notice me. I stopped a moment, and looked at her, frowning.
It wasn't until she said my surname,"Sawamura-kun!" and I felt the wind through my hair.
"We're looking for you." She said, as she smiled and patted my shoulder, "Wait! You're so skinny what happened?"
Trying to find words to begin, I looked directly at her and said, "I'm so sorry miss, but who are you?"
The woman was startled when she heard me then laughed, "Sawamura-kun! Are you making fun of me?"
I took a deep breath and said, "Miss, I'm really sorry, but I don't remember you. I had lost my memory in an accident."
The woman cried softly, "Oh, Sawamura-kun, what happened!" she said, her hand over her mouth in shock and her eyes wide, sounding like she was about to cry.
"My parents and my grandpa all died in a car accident and I'm the only one who survived." I said in deep sad tones.
My mind was racing, like I shouldn't have said that but I'm just telling the truth. Now tears formed in her eyes, but as the few minutes passed, she calmed down some.
"I'm really sorry, Sawamura-kun." she said as she pulled me into her arms to hug me and I was surprised. Although I have no full memories about my mom when I was a kid, but this lady's hug making me feel like a little boy again, safe and comfortable in mother's arms, rather than a grown man.
"Sorry if I don't really remember you." I said apologetically and she pulled back after a moment and patted my chest.
"That's okay. I was really shocked." Her hands shaking though she tries to hide it. She bites her lip but eventually squares her shoulders, "Rei Takashima is my name when we first met, but they called me Mrs. Kataoka now and I'm the one who scouted you for Seidou before. Do you remember the baseball club?"
I paused, thinking, trying to remember my past, but strangely, I couldn't remember anything. I couldn't remember the schools I had attended or anyone I might have made friends with in the past, except my friends here in Nagano. The only thing I remembered was my family and the accident. It seemed like someone erased my memory intentionally.
"I don't really remember anything. I'm sorry." I said and put my head down.
"That's okay. That's really okay and I understand." She smiled, "Who are you living with? Are you living in your house by yourself?" she asked again.
"Yes, and I work on my grandpa's farm." I answered.
"Sawamura-kun..." she said as her hot hand rubbing against my back.
She felt really sorry for me. I could see it in her, I had thought her eyes to be blank and expressionless after hearing them but the emotion was still there. A slight touch of pity and the lightest hint of affection.
"Uhm, Rei-san," I said hesitantly, I don't know what should I call her.
She smiled at me and said, "You used to call me that, Sawamura-kun."
I smiled back and felt relief, "Really? Come on, let's go inside, have a nice cup of tea."
She nods and glances at our house, then to me and I inhale a deep, nervous breath. This woman is a stranger. I don't trust strangers easily but the best way to build trust is to trust others, right?
NOTE: Hola, I made a new fanfic. The Disappearance of Sawamura is currently on hiatus, and I'm really sorry for that. What do you think about this? It's kinda boring to me, I'm sorry. (=_=)