DISCLAIMER: I do not own MKR or any of its characters. CLAMP does. This plot is a product of my imagination. Any similarities to other fan fictions are unintentional.
HIKARU'S STORY
By bishounen lovah
Chapter 4
"Minna-san."
Sure he was expecting his family to arrive but he did not think that they'd come this soon. And he did not expect his brother-in-law to be here too. He thought he was still in Spain and won't be coming to Japan until next month.
"Tooya-kun."
His sister-in-law moved to greet him. It was then that he realized Hikaru had stopped wheeling him inside. He looked sideways, trying to see what made her stop but couldn't get to turn his head far enough without experiencing a stab of pain in his head and shoulder. But even though he couldn't see her face, he could feel the shock and uneasiness emanating from her body.
Perhaps she's just being shy, he thought although his instincts told him that it wasn't the case.
"Esmeralda." He nodded his greeting to his brother's wife, all the while noticing how much Hikaru's hand shook on the wheelchair. Just as he was about to ask her if anything was wrong, she started pushing him in and closer to the others. Esmeralda all but jumped on him, fussing over his injuries and scolding about not being very careful.
Her brother, Ferio, stepped forward to clasp his hand in a handshake. The green haired man joked, like he usually did, at how much the color and style of the hospital pajamas suited him better than his usual dreary black attire. But it was his brother, Saito, who caught his attention. The older Mikagami was still standing by the window, frowning at something over Tooya's shoulder.
Or someone. As soon as the thought formed, he shoved it as plain ridiculous. Saito might just be wondering who Hikaru and Mira were. Speaking of whom, where is that child?
He found her hiding behind Hikaru's skirt who was also backing away from the group. What was wrong with those two? They spent most of this afternoon bothering him with their mindless chatter but now they had gone oddly quiet.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friends, Tooya?" It was more of a teasing demand rather than a question. He never had trouble with Ferio before but somehow he resented that flirtatious smile that hovered his mouth right now.
Before he could say anything, Hikaru snapped out of her trance and took a step forward and bowed politely albeit stiffly. "My name is Shidou Hikaru and this is Mira-chan."
The girl moved to imitate Hikaru's action then quickly scrambled back behind the skirt. Tooya was finding it hard to understand the weird behavior of all of his companions. Hikaru and Mira were unusually quiet. Esmeralda had just noticed the two girls, gasped at something then was shooting her husband a worried look. Saito still had that frown on his face and had yet to say a word. Ferio was the only one acting normal although he still disliked his easy manner towards Hikaru.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hikaru-san. I can call you Hikaru, can't I?" Esmeralda smiled an exceedingly bright smile at the other woman. "You too, Mira-chan. I'm glad to see that Tooya-kun has not been keeping to himself like he always did back in Spain."
"Maa, Oneechan. You make it sound like he's some kind of recluse. But I do find it quite surprising that Tooya could corner someone as pretty as Hikaru-san," Ferio said as he approached the redhead to shake her hand. He did not release hers and shot a goading smile at the now scowling Tooya. "By the way, I'm Ferio and that's my sister Esmeralda. She's married to Saito over there who happens to be our patient's older brother. Tsk, tsk. Tooya must have hit his head very hard and forgot basic etiquette in proper introduction."
"Ferio," came the irritated warning from Tooya. He hid his glare although it was still visible in his eyes especially when his line of vision landed on Ferio's light grip on Hikaru's hand then back to the man's laughing eyes. And then he noticed Hikaru sway a bit.
"Are you alright, Hikaru-san?" Esmeralda immediately went to her side and gently prodded her brother to move away. "You seem quite pale."
"I'm fine. I guess I just had a bit too much sun."
Of course Tooya recognized it as the lie that it was. After all, he just used that excuse not more than twenty minutes ago when he had an inexplicable vision about those flowers. But she does look ill, he frowned at the thought. He was about to comment on it but Saito had finally chosen that time to speak up.
"Hn. You look like you've seen a ghost. Or should I say ghosts," he said with sarcasm dripping all over it.
"Yare yare, Saito-niichan. You do know how to make an odd first impression. Ne, Oneechan, I told you that you married into a weird family."
"Hush, Ferio. And that wasn't nice, Saito." Before she could demand him to apologize, he had already turned away. But not without giving Hikaru one last accusing stare, causing her to pale anew.
"I-I guess I'd better get going. Tooya-san won't need us now that you're here. Come on, Mira-chan, I'll take you home." Hikaru stuttered as she bowed again.
"So soon? Don't mind my husband. It must be the jet lag."
"No, really, it's okay. Uh, sayonara minna-san." And with that they were out of the door.
Tooya mused over this. Why was she in such a hurry? Something is bothering her but what? Speaking of which, what's up with Oniichan? He had never been this rude before. Impassive, yes, but never rude.
Moving his gaze from the door to the window, he watched with a confused frown at the newly weds who seemed to be having their first marital squabble. He tried to read their lips since they were arguing in hushed tones but he only caught bits and pieces.
...Shouldn't have taken it out on her...
...She deserved it...
...It's all in the past...not their fault...
"You like her don't you?" Ferio jolted him out of his sort-of eavesdropping.
"Nani?"
"That girl, Hikaru. You like her. And don't you deny it. I saw the way you were looking at her. And I definitely saw you scowl at me. Felt it too. You looked like you wanted to beat me to a bloody pulp."
Did he? He had to admit that the thought crossed his mind but it was only because Hikaru was too nice of a girl to be played at. Yes, Ferio was a nice bloke but he could be a player sometimes. Sometimes? All the time! He had never had a serious relationship with the opposite sex except with his mother and sister. Tooya knew that he had left a lot of broken hearts when he left Spain.
"Tooya-kun." This time it was Esmeralda who interrupted his musings. "Is it okay if Ferio and I left for a while? There's something that I have to do. Saito volunteered to stay behind."
"It's not as if I need a babysitter."
"Of course not, dear, but it would do you good to have someone to talk to. In fact, you two have got a lot to talk about."
"Like what? You guys had only been gone for two weeks. And I doubt if Tooya would want to hear a blow by blow account of your honeymoon."
"Baka!" She gave Ferio a hard whack on the head before pulling him to the door with a pincer grip on his ear. "Oh and Saito-koi...be nice. Don't say anything that might upset me, okay?"
As soon as the door closed the second time, the two brothers stared at each other as though for the first time. Tooya was still confused at his behavior earlier. He, of course, deemed himself as the one who knew Saito best but his brother had changed ever since he met Esmeralda.
He contemplated the changes as he stood from the wheelchair and joined his brother by the window. Saito had always been the rebel between them despite his being older. He had difficulty adjusting to all of the changes in their lives and since Tooya was younger he was more malleable thus less rebellious. But still their adoptive parents loved them unconditionally and equally.
Saito was never disrespectful to them but proved to be the cause of a major headache time and time again. He was always off to somewhere, not content with himself and his life, searching for something only he knew what. Or maybe who. And he had this odd obsession with blond girls. Always checking them out but never really dating them. Come to think of it, all of the women he dated bore a certain resemblance to Esmeralda. But after a night out, sometimes two, he would leave the woman in the lurch and spend the rest of the week sulking before scouting out possibilities again.
If Tooya didn't know better, he would say that Saito was unconsciously searching for Esmeralda. And when he found her, he was suddenly overcome by peace...no longer disturbed...no longer incomplete. He calmed down considerably after that. Took on some responsibilities, even cut off his impossibly long hair much to their parents' relief. He joined the army and found that giving orders was something he was good at. He took to it like a duckling to water.
Tooya couldn't help but feel envious of him and what he had become...a happy and content man. A man hopelessly in love with his wife—the woman he had searched for all of his life. Tooya was able to bury the envy but for some reason he couldn't quell the emotion and confusion now. It came back in full force when he saw him and Esmeralda together just now. Even when arguing they still couldn't hide the love they feel for each other in their eyes.
I want that. I want to feel love. I want to feel happiness. I want to be complete.
Instantly the woman in his dreams appeared in his mind.
Hikaru. Yes, he now knew to a certainty that the woman he had dreamt about was the red haired Hikaru...had dreamt about her many times over since the first one. The question 'who' no longer existed but was replaced by insistent 'whys'.
Why Hikaru? Why her?
Why do I dream of her?
Why is she so sad?
Why did she leave me?
Why can't I reach her?
Why does she call me Lantis?
And then another question pops in...
Who am I?
And another...
What do these dreams mean?
And another...
Am I falling in love with her?
"Damn dreams," Tooya cursed, unaware that he said it in an audible whisper.
"What dreams?"
He looked in surprise at his brother before assuming an all too familiar blank face. "Nothing," he shrugged, vaguely aware that the other man did not believe it even for a bit.
There was a long silence, both of them busy organizing their thoughts, delving on memories and thinking if they should be voiced out. It was Saito who decided first.
"Hime was very worried about you all the way here. She even called in Ferio to fly in from Madrid just in case we were delayed. She felt extremely guilty that you're all alone here."
'Hime' had been Saito's nickname for his wife. It was not the usual 'love', 'darling' or 'honey'. Not even 'koishii'. But somehow it always sounded right. Esmeralda did resemble a princess in all aspects and not just because of her beauty.
"I was worried too but not that much. I knew you would turn out well…just like before."
"Before?"
Saito went to sit on one of the chairs across the room and motioned for Tooya to take the opposite one. When seated comfortably, Tooya waited for his brother to continue, having his curiosity piqued.
"Shortly after we left the orphanage you had an accident similar to this case. You were in a coma for a few days then you pulled through. You were very young then, barely seven. It's no wonder you don't remember and it never was a discussion that 'kaasan and 'tousan thought necessary to tell you. I decided that it was the best solution although I said to myself that I wouldn't talk about the past unless the time is right. Guess what? That time has come."
Tooya was beginning to get confused at Saito's cryptic remarks. He frowned at the way he emphasized the word 'past'...did not like the way he said it. But he remained passive, accepting each word as though one of them might give him the answers that he needed.
"What are you talking about, 'niichan? What are you driving at?"
"Patience, Tooya. You'll know soon enough," Saito replied before looking back out the window. "Do you remember when you asked why I was what I was before I met hime? I couldn't tell you the real reasons because I knew you wouldn't understand...couldn't remember."
"Couldn't remember what?"
"The dreams. Even as a child I'd been having dreams about this woman with a golden hair curling to the ground and a childlike beauty that could always take my breath away."
"Esmeralda."
"Yes but I didn't know it was her back then. She kept on haunting my dreams, beckoning me to find her. And I fell in love with her...literally with the woman of my dreams. So I searched high and low for her, knowing that I wouldn't be happy with anyone else but her.
You couldn't imagine the joy that I felt when I found her but the dreams didn't stop there. I had more but different from the earlier ones. They were like flashbacks and then one day I woke up and understood that they were my memories."
"Memories?" By this time Tooya was on the edge between disbelief and fascination. Saito never was one to tell tall tales.
"Long forgotten memories. Memories of the past. Memories of my previous self."
Tooya was slowly teetering to disbelief.
"I know it's hard to believe but it's true. I remember the princess whom I fell in love with. I tried to cut the chains that bound her to her duties and loneliness. I remember people—men, women and a child who served my purpose and me. I remember the three young girls trying to save the princess from my clutches not knowing that we both wanted to protect her."
Suddenly there was an image that flashed through Tooya's mind, momentarily blinding him from reality. He saw Hikaru holding a sword, fighting against monsters then calling out a huge robot-like monster herself.
"You're beginning to remember, Lantis."
At that he was jolted from his vision.
What did he call me? How did Saito know about that name?
"I can't tell you anymore, itouto. You must try to remember on your own. We used to talk about it when we were little...about the women in our dreams. My blond and your redhead. But after that accident you couldn't remember anymore. And perhaps this new accident is unleashing your past memory."
Everything was proving to be too much for Tooya. The story...the disbelief...the dreams...the memories. His head was beginning to pound so he stumbled to his bed and threw himself on it even as slumber was beginning to take his consciousness.
TBC...
BISHLOV'S CHEAT NOTES:
Hikaru, Fuu, Umi – all 19 years old, in college and living together
Lantis – reincarnate name is Tooya, 26 years old (I always loved the idea of him being older than Hikaru), probably graduating from Law School
Zagato – reincarnate name is Saito, 30 years old, a high-ranking officer of the Japanese army and is still the brother of Lantis/Tooya
Emeraude – reincarnate name is Esmeralda (Spanish for Emerald), 24 years old, wife of Zagato/Saito and is still the sister of Ferio
Ferio – still called Ferio (it sounds Spanish enough, among other reasons), just turned 20 years old and had just transferred to Tokyo University (but you don't need to wonder about that yet). Oh and him and Emeraude/Esmeralda are children of the ambassador of Japan to Spain (in case you're wondering why they ended up in that country and have Spanish names but could still speak Japanese).