"Tori-sensei…"
That voice… it's very familiar…"TORI-SENSEI!" he felt arms wrapping him tightly. "It is you!"
He opened his eyes and saw Kana in front of him. She was smiling happily, just like the old times. He smiled at her but…
"Where am I?" He looked around and he found himself in his office.
"I found you… but that doesn't matter now." She replied. "I'm so happy to see you! It's been a long time!"
"Yes, it really has been a long time." He whispered. He remembered then exactly what happened.
"Celeste, I want you to grant me a wish."
"What is it?"
"I want you to bring her back to life."
"But…" she looked at him worriedly. "Akito will kill her again."
"He won't because I'll be there for her. We'll run away, away from this place and not even Akito can stop us. Please Celeste, I want to be with her, to love her."
"Why?" she hugged him again. "Why do have to wish something like that?!"
"Kana…"
"You don't know… how it feels like.. to be empty… and to lost something you deeply love." She whispered. "I hope you won't do it again…"
"Kana… I won't leave you now…" he hugged her tightly. "Not ever…"
He opened his eyes once more and saw himself in a different place… and at a different time.
"Sir?" he turned around and saw Kana looking at him. A different Kana.
"Kana…"
"Er… yes, that's my name. How did you know?" she adjusted her glasses and stared at him. "Do I know you?"
"Ah… maybe." He held out his hand and smiled. "Sohma Hatori."
"Sohma…" she shook his hand carefully. "I heard that before…oh yes, you were the one who tried to cure my amnesia. Of course, that is, if you remember who I am, because you had a lot of patients to look after, am I right?"
"Amnesia?" Then he suddenly remembered the instance at that time.
"Amnesia?" Kana looked up at him.
"Yes, you had amnesia and you were rushed here. I'm the nearest doctor, you see." He tucked her under the covers. "Your parents will arrive soon. Just stay still and you'll be alright."
"Hai." She shyly whispered. He smiled at her one last time and left the room.
He definitely wanted to leave the room. The urges were too hard for him.
He wanted to kiss her, hold her close to him and whisper words that he longed to tell.
But he had to hold everything back.
"She forgot everything about me.,, and this is the consequence that I should bear." He sighed loudly. "Kami-sama, how I wish none of this had happened."
"Are you okay, sir?" She stared at him. "Trying to recall, perhaps?"
"Huh?" He realized that he thought for so long. "Oh yes, I remember who you are."
"I see. What seems to be the problem?"
"Problem?" he asked again and he was pretty confused.
She chuckled heartily. "Sir, you've been sitting there for almost an hour now and you don't know what are your problems. Why, forgetting problems is quite a problem itself!"
He looked around for a while. "Where am I?"
"In my office…" she smiled. "I'm a doctor, a psychologist to be exact."
"Psychologist?" he thought. She had gotten so far. I'm impressed. He grinned at his thought.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked sternly. "What seems to be the problem then?"
"No it's just that…" he chuckled softly. "You were a lot different than before."
"I see… but that's not my problem and neither yours." She glared. "Now, if you please excuse me, I have a lot of other patients to look after. If you don't have a problem then you may leave my office as soon as possible."
Celeste, Please stop playing on me. I want to see Kana, the one that I love a long time ago! I want to see her!
"Hello?" He blinked and saw himself staring at Kana (or maybe it isn't her) on the doorway. She opened the door fully to look at him. "Can I help you?"
"Kana…" he whispered.
"Oh, you're looking for my mother." The girl called out. "Mom, someone's here to see you!!!"
This time, another woman came. She was a bit old, about 40 or so, and she warmly smiled at him.
"Hi…" she whispered in her hoarse voice. "Can I help you?"
"Are you Kana?" he asked.
"Yes, I am…" she chuckled. "Or maybe there's some other Kana in the neighborhood. What can I do for you, young man?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure… as long it isn't survey." She replied.
"Do you… happen to know a doctor named Sohma Hatori." Hatori asked innocently. "I'm a bit lost. Can you tell me where he is?"
Her face suddenly saddened. "Hatori…" she whispered. "Do you happen to know him?"
"…uh, yes. I had to meet him today but…he didn't mentioned where he lived."
"Are you sure?" she asked. "You're looking for the doctor named Sohma Hatori?"
"Yes…" he replied unsurely.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, young man. But whatever it is that you tried to joke at," she cried out. "my husband died years ago!"
"Husband?" Hatori was surprised to hear that. They got married?!
"Yes, but if you're planning to tell me the truth, then I should suggest that---"
"Did he… left anything… with you?" he asked gently.
"Yes, he did. You saw my daughter, right?" she asked. "That's the only remembrance of him. Then one night, he decided that he wasn't enough for me, that he wasn't the one who can cheer me up, despite that I understand his hardships and I loved him! But he ignored me and tried to erase my memories but it ended up erasing his own memories. He was so confused that he killed himself."
He sighed sadly. "Do…you still love him?"
"Yes I do. Even if he was made that way, I loved no matter what." She replied. "He's the one who just can't let go of his own feelings."
"I see…"
"Please…just leave me alone…Right now, I'm trying to survive this life. He should be here with me right now… but I guess we can't turn back time, can we?" she closed the door in front of him.
What's happening???
"You'll understand…"
Tohru! What is this?
"We always have to make a choice. A simple yes or no can lead two different paths. As of now, you are the one who tried to choose Kana-san's path, Tori-san…"
What are you talking about?
"You again!" Kana barked at him. He was staring at her but suddenly, she had the guts to yell at him like that.
"Who are you to misjudge me?" a voice was heard behind him. He turned around and saw another guy glaring at her angrily. He was the one whom she's yelling at.
"Misjudge you?! Look at it this way!" she yelled at him. "I raised a family of 5 in a city filled with people with many problems in their lives. Now, I'm sitting duck here while you're trying to flirt to a different woman!"
"Kana, I'm your husband and you have to follow everything that I want you to do!" This guy looked at Hatori. "And who is he? Another patient?"
"Yes, another patient." She replied before Hatori could say anything. "Now get out of here before you could even ruin my career!"
The guy eventually left and Kana let out a heavy sigh. "Sorry about that. I guess I have a problem myself."
"Kana…" Hatori whispered.
"I can see that you're here again. What brings you?" she asked gently. "Don't worry, I don't have any other schedules so take your time thinking about what your problem is."
"I…" he started but suddenly, he was warped to another dimension: a blank one and Tohru's voice was heard again.
"Are you alright, Tori-san? I hope I didn't confuse you."
You did. What is this all about?
"These are the two paths that Kana will take because of your decision. The first one is reality, the Kana who forgot everything about you. After a few years, she will obtain a very successful career in life and… she won't really have a good relationship."
I hate that guy.
"I know." He heard her giggle. "But that's what she's going to get, a good career but a poor family relationship. That is in reality."
I don't like that.
"I know, that's why there's a second one. You met this old lady, right?"
I can't believe that's Kana.
"That's Kana in another road, a road where you chose to go with her, to live a life peacefully and happily. But after a few years, and when she's pregnant for your first child, you got sick and eventually passed away. Kana was the only one who raised this girl, your only daughter, alone and without anybody's support. Since that happens, she lost her career and she's too busy to find another job or even raise a business."
Tohru… what are you trying to tell me? That I can't love her?
"That's not it, Hatori-san…" he heard a whisper.
Then what is it? What are you trying to tell me???
"She was happy…"
She was…
"She was happy that she met you. You gave her enough strength to hold on. Now, it's time to set her free, Hatori-san…"
I'm not trying to keep her to myself! I'm just…
"She knows… that you love her so much that you want the best for her. Now, I'm showing you what will happen next. These are real… so please believe me…"
Why are you doing this?
"Because I care for Kana, Tori-san. But her path is intertwined with yours and not mine. So, her future lies on your decision. It's either you keep her with you or set her free."
"Tori-sensei?" he heard a whisper again. Kana…
"Please… I'm not dreaming…" he remained his eyes closed. I don't want to go through those scenes again.
"Silly! How would you know that you're dreaming when you won't see it for yourself?" she asked.
He again opened his eyes and saw Kana in front of him. He quickly reached out and hugged her. "Kana!"
It's up to you then… He heard a voice on the back of his head. Suddenly, his mind came to focus and he looked at her seriously.
"Kana… I…" he began. "I don't want you to suffer anymore…"
"Eh? What do you mean?" she asked.
"Kana, I love you. You know I do but… this time, there are a lot of men out there who could love you more than I do."
"No, we're here and…" she cried. "We can't start a life again. Please, let's go on!"
"I can't leave my cousins… nor my duty." He cupped her face. "Kana-san, you deserve a person much better than me and… I think my curse could affect your life."
"But…"
"I will love you forever." He hugged her tightly. "If this is a dream, I would cherish it once I wake up. I'll be here to witness you grow, Kana. But I can't love you."
"Tori-san…" he heard her crying and sobbing. "I… love you…"
"Kana…" he looked down on her. "Promise me that you'll never look back…"
"I don't know…"
"It's easier this way." He bent down and kissed her passionately.
Tohru, if you're trying to test me, then stop it. Take me back to the real world.
"Have you already decided?"
Yes… I… will go for her career.
"Ok…just relax. I will warp you back."
"Oe, Hatori! Wake up!" he heard a voice. Possibly, it wasn't Kana's. He opened his eyes and all of the Sohmas were staring at him. "Finally you woke up!"
"We were all worried. Tohru kept on telling us that you'll be alright but…" Shigure grinned. "You never sleep during daytime, Tori-san."
Hatori looked at Tohru, who smiled at him calmly beside him. "What just happened?"
"First of all, what you saw was reality, something that will really happen." She explained. "I just showed it to you. Oh yes, I didn't grant your wish yet."
"Why?"
"Because I know you'll have second thoughts."
"I see…" he grinned.
Yuki stared at them. "I don't know what this is about. But I think you weren't dreaming, Tori-san."
"I know." Hatori replied. "Tohru, where is Kana right now?"
"Probably at the airport."
"Airport?" He felt a twitch at the back of his head. "Why?"
"Because her career is in US." She smiled. "Not here in Japan."
"I see…then can you grant me a wish?"
"Sure." She said.
"I wish that she'll find the right man for her to be with… and not the man that I saw on that dream." He mumbled the last few words.
Tohru laughed at his wish. "Alright! It's done!"
"Thank you, Tohru. But still… I'm doubting that those things you showed me will happen."
"It will, Tori-san… It will…"
"Kisa…" Hiro whispered. He was sitting at bench alone on a park. He clenched his fists as he tried to remember Hatori and Kisa together. "Why are you so close to him?!" he yelled.
"My… do you need help, boy?" he heard a voice behind. He looked around but there was no one.
"Who are you?!"
"I'm the voice on the back of your head…" it came again.
"What do you want?"
"Personally, I think that the doctor too needs some punishment, don't you think?" This somewhat interest Hiro. He grinned once he heard that.
"May I know who you are?"
"So that means we'll join forces then?" The voice asked.
Hiro closed his eyes and thought for a while. "For the sake of Kisa, I will."
"Excellent…" After that reply, an evil laugh was heard throughout the horizon.