Author's Notes: Yay! I'm on my third chapter already! *sob* Thank you so much =^_^= for the review!!! Thank you, thank you!!!!! *hugs* Hallelujah!!! Well, Happy Valentine's Day to everybody (even though it's a little late) and especially to those of you (like me) who stayed home boyfriend-less. Our love lives will get better ^_^ Partial inspiration for the little "incident" at the end of this chapter and continuing into the next goes to a story called "Bittersweet Symphony" by Mako-chan on the new Fictionpress.com site (the website turned out great Fanfiction.net people! Good work!! ^_^) Well anyway, it doesn't have many reviews, but it definitely deserves some more!! So go check it out for me, okay? But as for this story, standard disclaimers apply and reviews are more helpful than you can imagine!! Thanks!! ^__^
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"Motoko, you look really flustered... it was an accident. Yamato isn't like that at all. He's not a pervert" Sora attempted to explain as the two walked home from school.
"But, Sora... if my parents knew how I felt then... It would completely dishonor them! I can't have such thoughts-"
"W-Wait... what thoughts are those?" Sora asked her raising an eyebrow.
"A-Anyone who was in that situation would have felt a bit..."
"A bit what?" The brilliant orange sun reflected in Motoko's worried brown eyes seemed like the burning feelings she was trying to suppress in her heart.
"I-It's nothing! Not important at all!" Motoko exclaimed. "I felt nothing!"
"Motoko, teenage girls have to act like teenage girls. There's plenty of time for being a serious kendo student. Loosen up a bit, alright?" Sora suggested.
"It's so easy for you, though, Sora..." Motoko insisted.
"Dating Taichi is easy?" Sora wondered, raising an eyebrow. For the first time in a long time, Motoko began to chuckle.
"Hai, I suppose I should rephrase that" Motoko insisted.
"And smiling isn't so hard either, is it?" Sora asked her. "You always go around school like those serious swordsman in the manga. Be yourself Motoko. When you're at school and around us, you can be whomever you want. You can be Kendo Motoko, or High School Girl Motoko. Either way, we'll still stick with you, okay?" Motoko's face relaxed into a relieved smile, and she felt more comfort than she had the first time she realized that she had no feelings for Keitaro.
"Sora... Where were you when I was back at Hinata? I wish I had become friends with you earlier. Then maybe I wouldn't be as stiff as I am now..." Sora smiled kindly and an idea immediately struck her.
"Hey, you want to come over for dinner at my house? My mom would love to meet you. She was worried about me always hanging out with underclassmen like Miyako and Hikari... since they are only freshmen after all."
"You mean, you've never really had any friends your age either?"
"Well, Taichi, Yamato, and Koushiro are my friends... but since Mimi moved to New York, I haven't really had many girls my age that I could relate to. Most of the girls in my class have this thing for either Yamato or Ken, so it's hard to be friends with them when they keep insisting on me fixing them up with both of them."
"Well... if you don't mind-"
"Oh this is exciting! My mom is such a great cook! And it's nice to realize that I have a best friend who is my age and doesn't rant on and on about soccer, music or computers! Come on!" Sora grabbed Motoko's sleeve and they rushed down the streets of Odaiba, running towards the now crimson setting sun.
'It's been a long time since I've felt such a good friendship. It's nice having friends... especially a friend that doesn't overly admire me, beat her boyfriend senseless, drink, cry upon any mean comment said, or is just plain weird... Sora is really cool.' Sora let go of Motoko's sleeve and grinned happily.
"I'll bet you anything I can beat you there" Sora told her.
"No way! I'm a lot faster than you!" Motoko exclaimed.
"Prove it! I'm a star tennis player and a good soccer player as well! See if you can beat me!"
"Hey! I don't even know the way!" Motoko protested.
"Then I guess you'll just have to lag behind" Sora chuckled. Sora began a flat out sprint, which Motoko was easily able to keep up with. However, she did have the disadvantage of not knowing where the heck she was going. The two continued to race, Motoko following Sora until she spotted a green floral shop named 'Takenouchi Flowers and Gifts'.
"Now's my chance!" Motoko exclaimed as she propelled herself ahead.
"Oh no you don't!" Sora insisted, her competitiveness rising. At that precise moment, Mrs. Takenouchi just put the finishing touches on her newest rose bouquet for a customer's upcoming birthday. Just as she was about to pick up the arrangement, the door burst wide open, the chimes on the door even flew off and landed on the ground.
"Made it!"
"I won!" Two girls in the door had their hands resting on their knees and were huffing and puffing.
"I've never had a race like that before! You're faster than you look, Sora!" Motoko chuckled.
"Yeah, for a kendo student you're pretty quick yourself" Sora agreed.
"Sora, you nearly scared me half to death! You just burst in here so suddenly!" Her mother exclaimed, completely exasperated.
"Sorry, Mom! We were just having a friendly race!" Sora explained with a chuckle.
"Who's your new friend, Sora?" her mother inquired as she set the bouquet back down and approached her daughter.
"My name is Aoyama Motoko. I just moved here from the Hinata Hot Springs area. It's very nice to meet you, Takenouchi-san" Motoko told her with a bow.
"What a polite friend you've made, Sora! I'm glad to see Sora is bringing home a friend that's a girl... I've been afraid that she would turn back into such a tomboy with all of the young men she associates with."
"Okaa-san!"
"Heaven forbid, Taichi lose interest in Sora!"
"OKAA-SAN!" Sora blushed.
"Taichi is such a handsome young boy with such a kind family... I'll make a lovely arrangement for your wedding, Sora."
".... Y-You're hopeless..." Sora sighed. Motoko chuckled and soon found herself wondering about her own mother. Planning a wedding is something that she and her mother would never get to do together. They could never talk about boys... or Motoko could never bring one home...
'I'm not supposed to miss those things, right? ... R-Right?'
"Let's see now... Motoko..." Mrs. Takenouchi studied Motoko carefully and stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Iori is a little too short... Ken is technically taken by Miyako... Takeru and Daisuke are too busy feuding over Hikari.... Jyou is head over heals for Mimi... Koushiro is a bit too short for you as well... but... AH! He's perfect! Yamato is absolutely perfect for you, Motoko!"
"I-Ishida-san?" Motoko wondered aloud, her face flushing slightly.
"Your black hair and brownish-green eyes would compliment his blonde hair and blue eyes nicely, your height is about the same, you're very traditional while he's very modern, both of you seem very mature and even a bit aloof... and I'm sure you're both very popular with members of the opposite sex! It's perfect! A match made in heaven!"
"O-Okaa-san! Motoko isn't allowed to date!" Sora blurted out.
"H-Hontou? You're not allowed at all?" Mrs. Takenouchi demanded.
"It's a long story... You see, it started when I was very young with my sister and I...."
Mrs. Takenouchi continued to look into her coffee mug as she processed everything Motoko had told her. "So all this time you've been so sure that all you wanted to do is continue your family's name... but since you've met Yamato you haven't been so sure-"
"Y-Yamato has nothing to do with this!!" Motoko exclaimed, signs of embarrassment found in her voice.
"Okay, okay... but now you're still not sure about falling in love right?"
"Well... I suppose... I just want to know if it's something that wonderful..."
"Mmm, falling in love is something important alright" Mrs. Takenouchi sighed dreamily.
"I agree...." Sora sighed, mimicking her mother's dazed expression.
"But don't people become weak because of love?"
"Iie! People in fact become stronger! Don't you think that the desire and the urge to protect someone in fact increases their strength?"
"I-I never thought of it that way..." Motoko admitted out loud.
"Motoko, it sounds to me like all of these reasons not to fall in love you've only been told, but you've never actually questioned before. Am I correct?"
"... Well, yes..."
"If you're supposed to be the one in charge of your family, then make the rules yourself!! Try love for yourself. Go ahead and find a special young man, *cough*Yamato*cough*"
"Okaa-san!!"
"Alright, alright... but when you find him, take love to the full extent... keeping God's laws mind you! Don't do it too early!!!"
"OKAA-SAN!!!"
"Okay, okay... you need to listen to your own heart, Motoko. Listen to what it tells you and follow your feelings. It may sound corny, but there is a lot of truth within that, understand?"
"I... I think so, Mrs. Takenouchi..." Mrs. Takenouchi nodded with encouragement and looked up at the clock.
"Wow, we've been talking for awhile haven't we?" Motoko followed her glance up towards the clock and gasped.
"7:40?! My parents are going to be so angry I stayed out this late! I have to get going now! I'll see you tomorrow at school, Sora! Mrs. Takenouchi, thank you for the talk! Kobanwa!" Motoko grabbed her things and raced out the door quickly.
"She's really cool, Sora. She'll be perfect for-"
"If you say it one more time, Okaa-san, I swear..."
"I'm home!!" Motoko called out, setting her stuff down by the door and slipped her shoes off as well.
"Motoko!!" her mother exclaimed as she rushed into the main hallway. "I'm so relieved! I thought something had happened to you!"
"Iie, I was at a friend's house" she explained with a smile. Mrs. Aoyama was caught off guard by Motoko's genuinely happy smile as she walked towards the kitchen. Her father was immediately in the doorway, looking rather worried himself.
"Motoko, are you alright?"
"Of course, Otou-san. I had a good day today" Motoko told him with a grin.
Motoko grabbed an apple off of the kitchen counter and walked down the hallway towards her room. "I'll be in my room studying!" Motoko closed the door behind her and her parents exchanged glances.
"I wonder why she's so excited?"
"I've never seen her like this before... Maybe we should've left her in Hinata."
"D-Darling!!" Meanwhile, back in Motoko's room, she slid against her door down to the floor where she hugged her knees and continued to contemplate.
"Follow your heart. Listen to what it tells you..."
"You should be more trusting, Motoko! People can surprise you!"
'My heart... my trust... Can I really just give it away so easily? Will people accept me? ... Could a man accept me?' A gentle knock came on Motoko's door and she stood up, backing away from where she formerly sat. "H-Hai?" The opened and Mrs. Aoyama came inside, closing the door behind her.
"Motoko, is there something you'd like to talk with me about?" Mrs. Aoyama glanced down at her daughter who had a healthy blush on her face.
"Iie... why would you think that?" Motoko asked her, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"For one thing, your face! You look like me when I met your father..." Mrs. Aoyama chuckled. "You told me in one of your letters that you were worried about love. Motoko... you know well what the laws state-"
"It's not even an issue! I know what my duty is Okaa-san, and I'll let nothing get in the way of that! Nothing!!" Motoko blurted out suddenly, standing up to her full height. Mrs. Aoyama sighed heavily and plopped down on Motoko's bed.
"Just like your father... you've spent too much time around him, dear..."
"It's true that I wrestled with this for a long time, but I won't leave the sword behind... not like Tsuruko did. You don't have to worry about me, Okaa-san-"
"But that's the precise reason I'm worried about you! Motoko... I was the one that convinced Tsuruko to get married. I was the one who fixed her up... and I was the one who pressured her." Motoko felt her heart stop suddenly. Her lips quivered in surprise and her eyes widened considerably. "It was me all along..."
'It was my own mother who drove Tsuruko away? She was the one who caused Tsuruko to forget the sword?!'
"W-Why?! Why did you do it?!" Motoko exclaimed. She grabbed her mother's shoulders and with bitter tears in her eyes, clutched her kimono angrily. "Answer ME, DAMMIT!!!" *SLAP!* Motoko stumbled backward and placed a hand on her sore cheek.
"Motoko Aoyama!!! You have more self-restraint than that, young lady! You think I would deny you girls the joy of falling in love and being dedicated to someone?! How could I submit to such a request? To permit you to feel only duty, honor and selfish pride?"
"It is a pride and a joy that I am the Shinmei heir! Nothing could be better than that!" Mrs. Aoyama's words ran dry in her mouth and she looked so disappointedly at Motoko.
"... You truthfully believe that? Motoko, is that what your heart tells you?" Motoko's anger began to settle, and she cast her eyes down to the floor.
"... Okaa-san... I'm ashamed to tell you this... but I think it's time to be truthful to you. I've been questioning the laws of the Shinmei School recently. I've been... I've been a dishonorable daughter to you... and to our ancestors. I'm afraid that I'm going to follow the path of Tsuruko... I don't want to dishonor you... I don't want to forget my sword! But... but at the same time... I just want to know what it feels like..."
"... What what feels like?" Motoko placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes.
"I want to know what it feels like to let these feelings surface. I'm so confused, Okaa-san... I've been going back and forth on this for so long... I'm so sick of fighting off and suppressing this..." Mrs. Aoyama leaned forward and gently pulled her youngest daughter into a loose embrace. She gently stroked her hair and sighed with relief.
"I've been waiting for the day you'd come to me about this, Motoko. Your stay at Hinata really did change you. I'm so relieved..."
"But, Okaa-san... I have to choose don't I?"
"Huh?"
"... I don't think I'm worthy to be the Shinmei heir. If I continue to have these thoughts... I won't be worthy of the Aoyama name."
"Motoko..."
"I refuse to disappoint you, Otou-san, or my ancestors... Please understand, that no matter what I decide now... someday I'll have to give up these feelings. Someday... I'll have to be alone again."
The next morning, as she walked towards school, Motoko held in her hands two letters that had come for her in the mail. One letter was scrawled in nearly unreadable handwriting, obviously from Keitaro and the others at the Hinata Inn... and the one behind it in the neat kanji letters could only be from her sister, Tsuruko. Deciding to enjoy a good laugh, Motoko slung her kendo sword over her shoulder and began to rip open the letter from Keitaro. She pulled out the messy papers and found a picture inside. Picking it up, she saw that it was a group picture of everyone, smiling happily.
Motoko-chan
It seems like it's been longer since you've left, hasn't it? Things around the inn aren't the same without you around. Tama is rather droopy these days, I know you never liked her, but I think she really misses you. Naru and I are slowly getting used to married life, it's so strange really, I had always dreamed of this moment ever since I had met her, but I still find it hard to believe that we're really married. Shinobu and Su are studying hard for their high school entrance exams, and they're hoping for the opportunity to apply to Odaiba, so they can be close to you. They really do miss you, Motoko. Kitsune has been toying with the idea of moving out too. It seems that she's decided that she wants to go back to school and try her luck at a career. We hope you can come down to Hinata sometime to wish her well. Aunt... err, Miss Haruka is still herself as usual. She's having a time keeping Kentaro away from the women and working him hard at the tea house. Motoko, we hope that you'll write us back, or even that you'll come down for a visit. Please inform us of any new friends that you may met or... don't hurt me if I say this... any boyfriends that you may find as well. Feel free to bring them down with you when you come to visit us. Best of luck with school and your training.
Keitaro
Motoko couldn't help but smile throughout the entire letter as she read through Keitaro's nearly illegible handwriting.
"He and Naru-sempai will be very happy" Motoko sighed with a smile.
"Motoko-sempai!!" a voice exclaimed from across the street. Motoko stuffed Keitaro's letter into her book bag and saw young Iori across the street, waving cheerfully.
"Ohayo, Iori-kun!"
"Motoko-sempai, would you like to walk to school with me?" he asked her, his voice filled with much anticipation.
"Hai, it would be nice to be accompanied, Iori-kun" she told him with a smile. Motoko looked both ways and then crossed the street towards Iori, not noticing the letter from her sister she had dropped behind her. As it by fate, the wind slowly picked up, and it miraculously carried the heavy letter with it's unseen fingers, drifting it through the legs of passing people and it sprung up into the wind, back several blocks, carried gracefully through the gentle breeze like a small bird... until it smacked into someone's face.
"Ah! What the heck was that?!" the young man exclaimed, his face considerably red where the letter had hit him.
"Whoa, hold still, I got it!" the young boy beside him exclaimed. TK Takaishi grabbed the letter out of the air, just as the wind began to die down and Yamato Ishida held his face gingerly.
"That had better not leave a mark... whose is it anyway?"
"Hmm... the handwriting is really neat! Look at this... hey! It's to Aoyama Motoko!" Immediately Yamato grabbed the letter from TK's hands and he dug into the letter, tearing through the envelope relentlessly. "Y-Yamato! Don't do that, it's not yours!"
"After the way she embarrassed me yesterday, she can consider this payback!" Yamato told his as he pulled the letter out.
"I-I don't want any part of this! You can be the one she beats up!" TK exclaimed as he rushed off towards school, involved in the letter, Yamato sat down on a conveniently nearby bench and became transfixed by what he read.
"Where is it?! I know I must have put it somewhere!" Motoko sighed, looking through her bag, pulling out everything within it.
"Motoko, what are you looking for?" Sora asked her, leaning against her desk before class began.
"The letter my sister wrote to me! I've got to find it!" Motoko insisted as she pulled out the last piece of paper in her bag. "If anyone finds that letter... there could be something embarrassing in there! My sister is relentless when it comes to torturing me! She always knows just how to get under my skin!"
"She sounds like a dangerous woman... just my type..."
"Taichi!!!"
"I was justing kidding! S-Sora… but that glass beaker down…. S-Sora?!" The bell suddenly rang and people began to pile into the classroom.
"Alright everyone! Please open your books to page 76, and today we'll be talking about Darwin's theory of evolution. Now, the theory was first introduced after his visit to a series of islands-" The classroom door slid open, and Yamato raced inside, out of breath and his face looking very flushed. "Are you alright, Ishida-san?"
"Hai, sempai. I was running late this morning, I apologize."
"That's alright. It's not often your late, so please take your seat." Yamato followed her instructions, and on his way stuffed the letter further into his bag.
'This is something that she should read... it's not fair for me to keep it from her... but... I shouldn't just give it to her already opened... that could mean certain death for me... literally. Wait... the address is on the envelope right? While she's at Kendo practice, I'll leave school and just leave it on her doorstep! She'll never know, right? What could possibly go wrong?'