Chapter 5
Unexpected Tides
~Nami-kun,
The hot springs are always the best during the winter and this time was no different. I was glad to get a chance to spend time with Tohru.. away from the baka neko. I've been meaning to talk to her, but I stop myself every time. I always have that nagging voice telling me how impossible it really is to get past all the obstacles; the curse, Kyou, Akito, and so forth. I did have a nice time, after all. I am sorry, though that I missed your visit. I know how rare those are. Nami-kun, you can be honest in these letters. I never show them to anyone else... what did you really think of the baka neko? On another note, you wrote me that you're having trouble with Akito. You know that if it gets to be too much just say the word and I'll come get you. You don't have to stay there. You worry me sometimes. Write back quickly and tell me how you are.
~Yuki
I was a good day; crisp and sunny. Although the traditional cold of the winter season nipped Nami's cheeks, she felt somewhat content. Maybe it was the letter from Yuki that brought her spirits up. She made her way across the Sohma compound earlier than usual, hoping to get her lessons over with and have the rest of the day free. Walking around to the entrance of Hatori's home, she saw a woman who seemed to be looking for something.
"Excuse me?" Nami called to her. "Do you need some help?" The woman turned around and smiled sweetly at her. She held a large bag in her hand and kept her other palm on her stomach. Nami walked up closer to her and had the haunting impression that they've met before.
"That would be wonderful!" The woman exclaimed, seemingly surprised by Nami's presence. "You know, for a moment I thought that no one lived here at all." She smiled the most friendly smile.
Nami couldn't help but feel more cheerful just seeing her happy expression. "I get that feeling all the time and I live here," she joked and the woman laughed a bit.
"I've never met you before. Did you marry into this family?"
"Iie.. I.." Nami stopped herself, realizing that she has to be careful with her choice of words. She didn't even know who this woman was, after all. "My name is Nami." She decided to leave out her last name, considering that everyone who lived on the estate was part of the family. This might be a bit suspicious.
"Nami-san, the strangest thing just happened to me. I was looking around, and I got the distinct impression that I was being watched. Then, out of nowhere this bag appeared behind me." She held up the bag for her to see. "Someone must've lost it."
"I suppose so," Nami said, examining the bag with her eyes. "What is it that you're looking for? Maybe I can help."
"Hai, I was looking for Sohma Hatori. It's been so long since I was last here I'm having some trouble remembering which house the doctor lives in." She smiled compassionately and added, "My name is Sohma Kana. I hope it's alright that I didn't make an appointment first since..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Nami's shocked expression.
Nami thought she was hyperventilating. This was definitely unexpected, and to make things worse Hatori didn't even know she was coming. What to do, oh what to do? Kana gently touched her shoulder when she saw the panicky look in her eyes. "Are you alright?"
Nami swallowed hard and just went with the first thing that came to her mind. "I'm fine, arigato. It's actually rather a coincidence that you caught me right now. I work as an assistant to Sohma-san. You know, filing papers, filling out forms and making appointments and such." Nami thought she had never heard her voice quiver so much. "I'll tell him you're here, just a moment please."
"Sure, that'll be great." Kana smiled gently and Nami casually made her way towards Hatori's home. Without bothering to knock, she walked in and leaned against the door.
Hatori stepped into the room and saw her in her rather distraught state. "Nami, what happened?"
"I-I really don't have the faintest idea of how to say this to you but.." She stopped herself, buying some more time to find the right words. She walked over to him and saw his confused expression.
"Nami, onegai. Just say it. It's alright. Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Searching for the right words was hideously hard right then, especially since Nami could think of one word and one word only. "Kana," she said, her voice almost inaudible. Hatori looked at her, his expression barely faltering. "Sohma Kana is waiting outside for you," she finished.
"Why?" He was barely able to muster this as he tried to remember to breathe.
"She said that she's here to 'see the doctor'. Should I bring her in?"
Hatori looked down on the ground and sighed. This was obviously a difficult decision for him. Nami was more calm now, almost as if she was aware that her job was done. She gave Hatori the message and now all she had to do was what he told her. She didn't have the burden on her shoulders anymore. It was all up to Hatori now.
"Hatori-kun, tell me what you want to happen. If you don't want to see her, it's alright. I'll go out there and talk to her. I'll make up an excuse. If you do want to see her, she's right outside this door. It's a big choice and I'm sorry you have so little time to make it." She tried to be as comforting as possible, and she took his hands as a symbol of support. She watched his face as he fought with himself over what to do.
"Nami, what if Akito saw her? What if he's watching and he knows.." Nami thought that if she had ever seen Hatori loose his composure, this was definitely the time.
"Don't worry about Akito-san. I'll take care of him, I promise. Just focus, do you want to see her or are you not ready? It's simple." Nami tried to calm him so that he'll think straight.
Hatori held his breath and nodded slightly.
"Hai?"
"Hai," he said almost inaudibly and nodded again.
"Alright, I'll go get her. We can talk when she leaves, or I'll leave you alone if you want." Nami told him and headed for the door. She turned back around for a last sign of change but Hatori seemed steady in his decision. She smiled at him and went outside.
"Nami-san!" Kana called her over to where she was standing. Nami noticed that the bag was down on the ground, but she was bent over looking at something in the grass.
"Kana-san, what is it? Did you find something?" Nami walked over to her and looked at the ground, where Kana had her attention seriously fixed.
"Isn't it the strangest looking snake you've ever seen?" She asked, pointing to a snake sprawled on the ground. Nami could barely hold in a giggle.
"Hai, it does look very, very strange," she said, smiling pleasantly. "I'd hate to sound cliche, but the doctor will see you now."
"Great! Arigato, Nami-san!" Kana beamed.
"You're welcome... Kana-san? Are you sick?" Nami looked up at her as she began walking away.
"Actually, I think I may be pregnant." Kana turned around and smiled.
"Congratulations," Nami said flatly.
"Don't congratulate me just yet! I'm here to find out for sure," Kana replied and added, "I'm glad we've met, Nami-san."
"I'm glad, too." Nami smiled her best and added, "You seem very nice."
"Maybe we can go somewhere together. Maybe shopping.. It's no fun being stuck here all the time."
"You have no idea," Nami whispered under her breath but nodded at Kana. Despite the fact that it would be impossible, Nami liked the idea that she offered. Kana waved to her and walked through Hatori's door.
"Nami-kun, you have a serious load of explaining to do," the snake said with a bitter look on his face.
Nami sighed, "Where did you leave your clothes?"
"Grab that bag on the ground, would you?" Ayame slithered onto her shoulders.
"It's yours?" She asked as she made her way towards it.
"Iie, it's yours." The snake grinned. Nami smiled at him, and together they went in search of his clothes. Nami explained the situation along the way.
"Oh, what a soap opera our humble little family has turned into!" Ayame exclaimed upon hearing the story.
"Don't be so melodramatic. Look, are those your clothes over there?" She pointed to the ground a couple of feet away. Ayame nodded. "Let me ask you something, how did you transform this time? It's not that cold."
A drop of sweat appeared on the snake's forehead. "It's a funny story, really.." he laughed nervously. Nami picked up his clothes and waited for an answer. "I saw Kana from behind and I thought she was you. Had she not been wearing a hat then there would have been no room at all for confusion, seeing as your hair is so much different and.."
"Ayame-san, please tell me that she didn't see you transform."
"Let me finish, let me finish. So, I got all excited thinking it's you and I ran into her from behind. Before she could turn around I had transformed. Luckily, you showed up just then to divert any attention from me." Ayame grinned.
Nami let out a breath of nervous tension. "That was too close. Can you imagine what it would be like for Hatori-san if he had to erase her memory again."
"Oh, tragic. Just simply tragic. I really wish he wouldn't suffer anymore. The entire experience was just awful for him. I honestly don't know why he'd want to see her again."
"Maybe he wants to face his past."
"Maybe. You know you still owe me a date."
"Gomen."
"Ah, Nami-kun, you really do know how to break a heart."
"You're too dramatic. Entirely too dramatic."
Unexpected Tides
~Nami-kun,
The hot springs are always the best during the winter and this time was no different. I was glad to get a chance to spend time with Tohru.. away from the baka neko. I've been meaning to talk to her, but I stop myself every time. I always have that nagging voice telling me how impossible it really is to get past all the obstacles; the curse, Kyou, Akito, and so forth. I did have a nice time, after all. I am sorry, though that I missed your visit. I know how rare those are. Nami-kun, you can be honest in these letters. I never show them to anyone else... what did you really think of the baka neko? On another note, you wrote me that you're having trouble with Akito. You know that if it gets to be too much just say the word and I'll come get you. You don't have to stay there. You worry me sometimes. Write back quickly and tell me how you are.
~Yuki
I was a good day; crisp and sunny. Although the traditional cold of the winter season nipped Nami's cheeks, she felt somewhat content. Maybe it was the letter from Yuki that brought her spirits up. She made her way across the Sohma compound earlier than usual, hoping to get her lessons over with and have the rest of the day free. Walking around to the entrance of Hatori's home, she saw a woman who seemed to be looking for something.
"Excuse me?" Nami called to her. "Do you need some help?" The woman turned around and smiled sweetly at her. She held a large bag in her hand and kept her other palm on her stomach. Nami walked up closer to her and had the haunting impression that they've met before.
"That would be wonderful!" The woman exclaimed, seemingly surprised by Nami's presence. "You know, for a moment I thought that no one lived here at all." She smiled the most friendly smile.
Nami couldn't help but feel more cheerful just seeing her happy expression. "I get that feeling all the time and I live here," she joked and the woman laughed a bit.
"I've never met you before. Did you marry into this family?"
"Iie.. I.." Nami stopped herself, realizing that she has to be careful with her choice of words. She didn't even know who this woman was, after all. "My name is Nami." She decided to leave out her last name, considering that everyone who lived on the estate was part of the family. This might be a bit suspicious.
"Nami-san, the strangest thing just happened to me. I was looking around, and I got the distinct impression that I was being watched. Then, out of nowhere this bag appeared behind me." She held up the bag for her to see. "Someone must've lost it."
"I suppose so," Nami said, examining the bag with her eyes. "What is it that you're looking for? Maybe I can help."
"Hai, I was looking for Sohma Hatori. It's been so long since I was last here I'm having some trouble remembering which house the doctor lives in." She smiled compassionately and added, "My name is Sohma Kana. I hope it's alright that I didn't make an appointment first since..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Nami's shocked expression.
Nami thought she was hyperventilating. This was definitely unexpected, and to make things worse Hatori didn't even know she was coming. What to do, oh what to do? Kana gently touched her shoulder when she saw the panicky look in her eyes. "Are you alright?"
Nami swallowed hard and just went with the first thing that came to her mind. "I'm fine, arigato. It's actually rather a coincidence that you caught me right now. I work as an assistant to Sohma-san. You know, filing papers, filling out forms and making appointments and such." Nami thought she had never heard her voice quiver so much. "I'll tell him you're here, just a moment please."
"Sure, that'll be great." Kana smiled gently and Nami casually made her way towards Hatori's home. Without bothering to knock, she walked in and leaned against the door.
Hatori stepped into the room and saw her in her rather distraught state. "Nami, what happened?"
"I-I really don't have the faintest idea of how to say this to you but.." She stopped herself, buying some more time to find the right words. She walked over to him and saw his confused expression.
"Nami, onegai. Just say it. It's alright. Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Searching for the right words was hideously hard right then, especially since Nami could think of one word and one word only. "Kana," she said, her voice almost inaudible. Hatori looked at her, his expression barely faltering. "Sohma Kana is waiting outside for you," she finished.
"Why?" He was barely able to muster this as he tried to remember to breathe.
"She said that she's here to 'see the doctor'. Should I bring her in?"
Hatori looked down on the ground and sighed. This was obviously a difficult decision for him. Nami was more calm now, almost as if she was aware that her job was done. She gave Hatori the message and now all she had to do was what he told her. She didn't have the burden on her shoulders anymore. It was all up to Hatori now.
"Hatori-kun, tell me what you want to happen. If you don't want to see her, it's alright. I'll go out there and talk to her. I'll make up an excuse. If you do want to see her, she's right outside this door. It's a big choice and I'm sorry you have so little time to make it." She tried to be as comforting as possible, and she took his hands as a symbol of support. She watched his face as he fought with himself over what to do.
"Nami, what if Akito saw her? What if he's watching and he knows.." Nami thought that if she had ever seen Hatori loose his composure, this was definitely the time.
"Don't worry about Akito-san. I'll take care of him, I promise. Just focus, do you want to see her or are you not ready? It's simple." Nami tried to calm him so that he'll think straight.
Hatori held his breath and nodded slightly.
"Hai?"
"Hai," he said almost inaudibly and nodded again.
"Alright, I'll go get her. We can talk when she leaves, or I'll leave you alone if you want." Nami told him and headed for the door. She turned back around for a last sign of change but Hatori seemed steady in his decision. She smiled at him and went outside.
"Nami-san!" Kana called her over to where she was standing. Nami noticed that the bag was down on the ground, but she was bent over looking at something in the grass.
"Kana-san, what is it? Did you find something?" Nami walked over to her and looked at the ground, where Kana had her attention seriously fixed.
"Isn't it the strangest looking snake you've ever seen?" She asked, pointing to a snake sprawled on the ground. Nami could barely hold in a giggle.
"Hai, it does look very, very strange," she said, smiling pleasantly. "I'd hate to sound cliche, but the doctor will see you now."
"Great! Arigato, Nami-san!" Kana beamed.
"You're welcome... Kana-san? Are you sick?" Nami looked up at her as she began walking away.
"Actually, I think I may be pregnant." Kana turned around and smiled.
"Congratulations," Nami said flatly.
"Don't congratulate me just yet! I'm here to find out for sure," Kana replied and added, "I'm glad we've met, Nami-san."
"I'm glad, too." Nami smiled her best and added, "You seem very nice."
"Maybe we can go somewhere together. Maybe shopping.. It's no fun being stuck here all the time."
"You have no idea," Nami whispered under her breath but nodded at Kana. Despite the fact that it would be impossible, Nami liked the idea that she offered. Kana waved to her and walked through Hatori's door.
"Nami-kun, you have a serious load of explaining to do," the snake said with a bitter look on his face.
Nami sighed, "Where did you leave your clothes?"
"Grab that bag on the ground, would you?" Ayame slithered onto her shoulders.
"It's yours?" She asked as she made her way towards it.
"Iie, it's yours." The snake grinned. Nami smiled at him, and together they went in search of his clothes. Nami explained the situation along the way.
"Oh, what a soap opera our humble little family has turned into!" Ayame exclaimed upon hearing the story.
"Don't be so melodramatic. Look, are those your clothes over there?" She pointed to the ground a couple of feet away. Ayame nodded. "Let me ask you something, how did you transform this time? It's not that cold."
A drop of sweat appeared on the snake's forehead. "It's a funny story, really.." he laughed nervously. Nami picked up his clothes and waited for an answer. "I saw Kana from behind and I thought she was you. Had she not been wearing a hat then there would have been no room at all for confusion, seeing as your hair is so much different and.."
"Ayame-san, please tell me that she didn't see you transform."
"Let me finish, let me finish. So, I got all excited thinking it's you and I ran into her from behind. Before she could turn around I had transformed. Luckily, you showed up just then to divert any attention from me." Ayame grinned.
Nami let out a breath of nervous tension. "That was too close. Can you imagine what it would be like for Hatori-san if he had to erase her memory again."
"Oh, tragic. Just simply tragic. I really wish he wouldn't suffer anymore. The entire experience was just awful for him. I honestly don't know why he'd want to see her again."
"Maybe he wants to face his past."
"Maybe. You know you still owe me a date."
"Gomen."
"Ah, Nami-kun, you really do know how to break a heart."
"You're too dramatic. Entirely too dramatic."