Yes, the second last chapter to my epic. Now we learned that Takeru is leaving to America because of her mom, Hikari is very sad about this and Ken and Miyako had a little cranky argument at Miyako's place. Here it is...don't forget to r&r!
~Sayonara to Life~
*A Glimpse of What Would Be*
The following week was one Hikari would never forget.
Takeru took her to all the most fanciest and the most expensive restaurants in Tokyo. Hikari could never imagine how he was able to pay for all of them. He'd appear at her door before a date with a bouquet of fresh white lilies and sometimes with a little treat or so. They'd go out for long walks on the shorelines or the park and talk for what seemed to be an eternity.
Hikari couldn't ask for anything more perfect.
On the day before Takeru was ready to leave for America, they were sitting in the park, watching the birds in the sky and the happy children pass by.
Hikari's head was resting on Takeru's shoulder, watching them.
"I would like kids one day," she mused dreamily, watching the kids.
"C'mon, you wanna be a teacher," he teased, grinning. "No biggie."
She smiled as well. "Yeah, well, I like kids."
"And you know what? You're perfect for the job," he told her, squinting his eyes against the bright rays of the noon day sun. "You have the patience ans you're so gentle with them..." He trailed off, watching the kids play in the spacey park.
He turned to face her, making Hikari sit up straight and brush her hair back. She looked up to him to see her intense eyes glower down on hers, and for a moment, she was unaware of time or what was going on around her. It was her and him and that fuzzy feeling they both had inside. "I have something to give you," he whispered lowly, digging into his pants pocket.
She wasn't even paying attention until he showed her a small pink velvet box. She carefully took it from his outstetched hand and opened it slowly. She gasped when she saw what was inside; it was a silver necklace with a pendant which was remarkably similar to her former crest of light, with a pink stone in the middle.
"Takeru, I---"
He smiled ruefully. "Don't say it."
"How did you get this?"
He brushed his sandy hair back. "Had to pull a few strings, but I was able to get a hold of someone to make that," he admitted. He then gave her a surprised look, almost of hurt. "Why? You don't like it?"
"No! No! I love it!"
"Oh," he sighed, giving her a playful grin. "Just making sure."
Silence.
"I wanna ask one more thing from you," he said seriously.
"Anything, Takeru-kun."
He turned to face her again, his eyes deep and serious as he took her fraile hands and held them in his. Hikari could see that he was having problems trying to tell her what he needed to say. "Tomorrow," he said thickly, "I don't want any tears. No wishy-washy, tear-jerking scenes, okay? There will be no talk about never seeing each other again, etcetera, etcetera, okay? I want tomorrow to be happy."
It was going to be hard, though, and they both knew it.
She nodded stiffly. "Hai, Takeru."
He smiled sadly. "Arigatou." He then lifted his head and kissed her again, each one closer to their last.
"I can't believe he's going," Miyako thumped, hitting her hand on the table.
She was in Jou's place, with Jou, Koushirou, Iori and Taichi. Yamato and Sora was helping Yamato and Takeru's mother pack, Takeru and Hikari were out on their date, Daisuke was nowhere in sight and Ken...well, Ken supposedly said he was busy.
"I know," Iori replied, munching on some chips. "It'll be different."
"Too different," Jou added with a shudder as he wiped his glasses with the tail of his shirt. "He's a good kid. Right when things are actually back to normal---" He casted a wary glance at Taichi "---that's when this happens. I can't imagine how Hikari's feeling right now.
"Hikari's been looking horrible at home," Taichi replied, giving Jou a glare. "She rarely smiles at home, always stays locked up in her bedroom. It's like a cloud's over her head. It's unbelievable that Takeru would leave at such a crutial time."
"Mind you, it's not his fault," Koushirou pointed out mildly, slurping on a cold drink. He scratched his head and gave them a weary glance. "Ken told me that he tried convincing his mom to let him stay in Japan, but it appears Ms. Takaishi's a little more...touchy about the issue."
"Go figure," Taichi grumbled bitterly.
Miyako squeezed in, glaring down at Koushirou. "Ken told you, huh?"
Koushirou melted. "Uh---yeah?"
Jou waved his hand for peace. "The point is, Takeru's leaving," he said seriously, "as much as we don't want him to. As much as Hikari doesn't want him to. But it's a fact and we're going to have to...well, deal with it." He shrugged. "To whatever extent we can."
Koushirou sighed. "This reminds me when Mimi left to New York."
"Brings back memories," Taichi agreed.
Iori and Miyako exchanged bewildered glances as the three boys looked up wearily down memory lane. Miyako scowled and then shouted, "Helllloooooo! We have a crisis to deal with here!"
Jou winced.
Taichi blinked.
Koushirou plopped over.
"Ack, you guys are worse then Ken!" she gritted.
Takeru's mom had gone to get the papers finalized at the airport on the gray Saturday. Takeru sat on the chair, Hikari's head on his shoulder once again. Miyako was sitting beside Hikari whereas Ken was sitting by Takeru. Yamato and Sora were sitting across them, as was Taichi. Iori and Koushirou went to grab some grub while Jou was busy with Daisuke taking in the luggage.
"---so like, yeah, Daisuke comes up and starts acting like an idiot, as usual," Miyako said, trying to commence some chat amoung them. "Of course, then Ms. Kayuga comes and gives him a double detention!"
"Hey, not my fault," Daisuke huffed defensively.
"Typical Daisuke," Jou grunted as he lugged the last bag over. He wiped his hands together. "This is the last of the stuff from the compartment." He plopped down beside Taichi.
"Arigatou, Jou," Takeru replied with a nod.
He's so brave, Hikari thought with a sigh.
"Say, Takeru," Sora said after some deep talk with Yamato and Taichi, "don't forget to send us a postcard every now and then from America, okay? I always wanted to visit there and maybe through postcards, you can bring it closer to home..."
"Yeah, and call us too," Yamato chimed.
"I won't forget," Takeru promised, squeezing Hikari's hand.
Ms. Takaishi appeared again and took a glance at the gang, a twinge of some form of emotion crossing her face briefly before she cleared her voice and said, "Takeru, our plane's already opened up. I got the papers ready. We have to go."
"Yes, Mom."
Yamato stood up and embraced his mother. "Dad---"
"Yeah, he has work, I know hon," she told him, looking at her eldest son.
"You take care, okay? Take care of your stubborn father too...he's gonna need some care from time to time. It's also okay to call me from time to time you know..."
Yamato blushed ten shades down. "Yes, Mom."
As Ms. Takaishi disappeared, Takeru finally got up and at the same time Koushirou and Iori had returned. The others also stood up. "I---I guess this is it," he told them. "My flight out of here. I---I just wanted to know that I'm going to miss you guys."
"Things won't be the same without you, Takeru," Sora said with a wobbly smile on her face as she clutched onto Yamato's arm.
"Yeah, you take care out there," Iori added, shaking Takeru's hand.
Jou smiled at Takeru and slapped a manly clasp on him. "You be careful out there," he told him. "And please, try to stay away from the ocean." He gave him a playful grin.
Takeru managed a grin. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
"Take care, Takeru," Ken told him.
"Yeah, don't forget us," Miyako said with a grin as she stayed close with Ken. Takeru supposed that they had forgave each other and got back together again.
"Thanks," Takeru replied. "Good luck to both of you guys."
Taichi smiled and Takeru and gave him an embrace. "I want to say thanks for everything, Takeru," he told him. "Even though you're gonna be out of the country now, you know, whenever you're around, you're always welcomed at our place. You'll always be considered as a brother to me...whether in law or not." He smiled.
"Thanks, Taichi," he replied. "I appriciate that."
"No problem."
Yamato approached his brother and gave him a sibling embrace. "You take care of yourself out there, alright?" he told him. He sounded as though he was fighting some emotion but he was there. "You take care of Mom too...write to us, okay?"
"Yes, Brother," Takeru replied.
As Yamato walked to the others, Hikari walked up to Takeru. "Can I---??"
"Sure," he replied.
They walked for a while towards the counter that had the corridor to the plane. It was a far walk of nerving tension. Hikari said nothing, fumbling with her fingers as she followed Takeru. Finally, Takeru turned towards her, a good bit away from the final counter. "This is where you have to stop," he said.
"Why?" she asked.
"I want you to remember me like this," he told her, taking her hand and kissing it. He smiled at her. "Have I told you today that I love you?" he asked her.
Hikari blinked tears away. "No...I don't think so."
They drew together on their final, long kiss. Finally, Takeru broke the kiss, looked at her one more time before walking away, his fingers slowly slipping away from hers. He then turned away and walked to the counter, where his mother was waiting.
Hikari was now crying. "Aishiteru, Takeru, Aishiteru!!!"
~End of Chapter~
~Sayonara to Life~
*A Glimpse of What Would Be*
The following week was one Hikari would never forget.
Takeru took her to all the most fanciest and the most expensive restaurants in Tokyo. Hikari could never imagine how he was able to pay for all of them. He'd appear at her door before a date with a bouquet of fresh white lilies and sometimes with a little treat or so. They'd go out for long walks on the shorelines or the park and talk for what seemed to be an eternity.
Hikari couldn't ask for anything more perfect.
On the day before Takeru was ready to leave for America, they were sitting in the park, watching the birds in the sky and the happy children pass by.
Hikari's head was resting on Takeru's shoulder, watching them.
"I would like kids one day," she mused dreamily, watching the kids.
"C'mon, you wanna be a teacher," he teased, grinning. "No biggie."
She smiled as well. "Yeah, well, I like kids."
"And you know what? You're perfect for the job," he told her, squinting his eyes against the bright rays of the noon day sun. "You have the patience ans you're so gentle with them..." He trailed off, watching the kids play in the spacey park.
He turned to face her, making Hikari sit up straight and brush her hair back. She looked up to him to see her intense eyes glower down on hers, and for a moment, she was unaware of time or what was going on around her. It was her and him and that fuzzy feeling they both had inside. "I have something to give you," he whispered lowly, digging into his pants pocket.
She wasn't even paying attention until he showed her a small pink velvet box. She carefully took it from his outstetched hand and opened it slowly. She gasped when she saw what was inside; it was a silver necklace with a pendant which was remarkably similar to her former crest of light, with a pink stone in the middle.
"Takeru, I---"
He smiled ruefully. "Don't say it."
"How did you get this?"
He brushed his sandy hair back. "Had to pull a few strings, but I was able to get a hold of someone to make that," he admitted. He then gave her a surprised look, almost of hurt. "Why? You don't like it?"
"No! No! I love it!"
"Oh," he sighed, giving her a playful grin. "Just making sure."
Silence.
"I wanna ask one more thing from you," he said seriously.
"Anything, Takeru-kun."
He turned to face her again, his eyes deep and serious as he took her fraile hands and held them in his. Hikari could see that he was having problems trying to tell her what he needed to say. "Tomorrow," he said thickly, "I don't want any tears. No wishy-washy, tear-jerking scenes, okay? There will be no talk about never seeing each other again, etcetera, etcetera, okay? I want tomorrow to be happy."
It was going to be hard, though, and they both knew it.
She nodded stiffly. "Hai, Takeru."
He smiled sadly. "Arigatou." He then lifted his head and kissed her again, each one closer to their last.
"I can't believe he's going," Miyako thumped, hitting her hand on the table.
She was in Jou's place, with Jou, Koushirou, Iori and Taichi. Yamato and Sora was helping Yamato and Takeru's mother pack, Takeru and Hikari were out on their date, Daisuke was nowhere in sight and Ken...well, Ken supposedly said he was busy.
"I know," Iori replied, munching on some chips. "It'll be different."
"Too different," Jou added with a shudder as he wiped his glasses with the tail of his shirt. "He's a good kid. Right when things are actually back to normal---" He casted a wary glance at Taichi "---that's when this happens. I can't imagine how Hikari's feeling right now.
"Hikari's been looking horrible at home," Taichi replied, giving Jou a glare. "She rarely smiles at home, always stays locked up in her bedroom. It's like a cloud's over her head. It's unbelievable that Takeru would leave at such a crutial time."
"Mind you, it's not his fault," Koushirou pointed out mildly, slurping on a cold drink. He scratched his head and gave them a weary glance. "Ken told me that he tried convincing his mom to let him stay in Japan, but it appears Ms. Takaishi's a little more...touchy about the issue."
"Go figure," Taichi grumbled bitterly.
Miyako squeezed in, glaring down at Koushirou. "Ken told you, huh?"
Koushirou melted. "Uh---yeah?"
Jou waved his hand for peace. "The point is, Takeru's leaving," he said seriously, "as much as we don't want him to. As much as Hikari doesn't want him to. But it's a fact and we're going to have to...well, deal with it." He shrugged. "To whatever extent we can."
Koushirou sighed. "This reminds me when Mimi left to New York."
"Brings back memories," Taichi agreed.
Iori and Miyako exchanged bewildered glances as the three boys looked up wearily down memory lane. Miyako scowled and then shouted, "Helllloooooo! We have a crisis to deal with here!"
Jou winced.
Taichi blinked.
Koushirou plopped over.
"Ack, you guys are worse then Ken!" she gritted.
Takeru's mom had gone to get the papers finalized at the airport on the gray Saturday. Takeru sat on the chair, Hikari's head on his shoulder once again. Miyako was sitting beside Hikari whereas Ken was sitting by Takeru. Yamato and Sora were sitting across them, as was Taichi. Iori and Koushirou went to grab some grub while Jou was busy with Daisuke taking in the luggage.
"---so like, yeah, Daisuke comes up and starts acting like an idiot, as usual," Miyako said, trying to commence some chat amoung them. "Of course, then Ms. Kayuga comes and gives him a double detention!"
"Hey, not my fault," Daisuke huffed defensively.
"Typical Daisuke," Jou grunted as he lugged the last bag over. He wiped his hands together. "This is the last of the stuff from the compartment." He plopped down beside Taichi.
"Arigatou, Jou," Takeru replied with a nod.
He's so brave, Hikari thought with a sigh.
"Say, Takeru," Sora said after some deep talk with Yamato and Taichi, "don't forget to send us a postcard every now and then from America, okay? I always wanted to visit there and maybe through postcards, you can bring it closer to home..."
"Yeah, and call us too," Yamato chimed.
"I won't forget," Takeru promised, squeezing Hikari's hand.
Ms. Takaishi appeared again and took a glance at the gang, a twinge of some form of emotion crossing her face briefly before she cleared her voice and said, "Takeru, our plane's already opened up. I got the papers ready. We have to go."
"Yes, Mom."
Yamato stood up and embraced his mother. "Dad---"
"Yeah, he has work, I know hon," she told him, looking at her eldest son.
"You take care, okay? Take care of your stubborn father too...he's gonna need some care from time to time. It's also okay to call me from time to time you know..."
Yamato blushed ten shades down. "Yes, Mom."
As Ms. Takaishi disappeared, Takeru finally got up and at the same time Koushirou and Iori had returned. The others also stood up. "I---I guess this is it," he told them. "My flight out of here. I---I just wanted to know that I'm going to miss you guys."
"Things won't be the same without you, Takeru," Sora said with a wobbly smile on her face as she clutched onto Yamato's arm.
"Yeah, you take care out there," Iori added, shaking Takeru's hand.
Jou smiled at Takeru and slapped a manly clasp on him. "You be careful out there," he told him. "And please, try to stay away from the ocean." He gave him a playful grin.
Takeru managed a grin. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
"Take care, Takeru," Ken told him.
"Yeah, don't forget us," Miyako said with a grin as she stayed close with Ken. Takeru supposed that they had forgave each other and got back together again.
"Thanks," Takeru replied. "Good luck to both of you guys."
Taichi smiled and Takeru and gave him an embrace. "I want to say thanks for everything, Takeru," he told him. "Even though you're gonna be out of the country now, you know, whenever you're around, you're always welcomed at our place. You'll always be considered as a brother to me...whether in law or not." He smiled.
"Thanks, Taichi," he replied. "I appriciate that."
"No problem."
Yamato approached his brother and gave him a sibling embrace. "You take care of yourself out there, alright?" he told him. He sounded as though he was fighting some emotion but he was there. "You take care of Mom too...write to us, okay?"
"Yes, Brother," Takeru replied.
As Yamato walked to the others, Hikari walked up to Takeru. "Can I---??"
"Sure," he replied.
They walked for a while towards the counter that had the corridor to the plane. It was a far walk of nerving tension. Hikari said nothing, fumbling with her fingers as she followed Takeru. Finally, Takeru turned towards her, a good bit away from the final counter. "This is where you have to stop," he said.
"Why?" she asked.
"I want you to remember me like this," he told her, taking her hand and kissing it. He smiled at her. "Have I told you today that I love you?" he asked her.
Hikari blinked tears away. "No...I don't think so."
They drew together on their final, long kiss. Finally, Takeru broke the kiss, looked at her one more time before walking away, his fingers slowly slipping away from hers. He then turned away and walked to the counter, where his mother was waiting.
Hikari was now crying. "Aishiteru, Takeru, Aishiteru!!!"
~End of Chapter~
