This chapter is dedicated to cookies, my dearest "imouto" on her birthday. Happy belated birthday!

Rakka eda ni kaerazu
~ Fallen blossoms do not return to branches ~
-- a Japanese proverb
Chapter Twenty-two: Life is Beautiful
Summer, Present
Kanagawa, Japan
At a stadium
The pandemonium was over. And Shohoku had won. By the slimmest of margins, but they had won.
Fujima Kenji smiled as he rose from the stands, together with the crowd.
It had been a great game.
Any greater and he would have to be playing in it himself.
He continued smiling even as he strode out.
Summer, Present
Kanagawa, Japan
At a café
Kogure and Michiko had headed for a nearby café after their tumultuous visit to Anzai-sensei in the hospital for a time of peace and quiet, and refreshing drinks.
Kogure smiled at Michiko, seated on the opposite end of the table, and said, "Thanks. For everything. For cheering us, cheering me, on. For making us believe in ourselves. For helping us find the courage in us."
Michiko blushed. "It was nothing. You just needed a little help, and I had to give it, especially after what you have done for me."
As the pair sipped their drinks in silence, watchful eyes from the opposite end of the street were trained on them, and the Shohoku team, too, was smiling.
Summer, Present
Kanagawa, Japan
Park near Kogure residence
"I guess we have to thank Fujima for cheering for us from the stands. Much as he hated losing the game with Shohoku," Michiko laughed as she and Kogure strolled home amidst the beauty of the summer flowers.
Kogure reached for her hand. "I have him to thank too, for impressing on you the notion that we were to end up together."
Michiko smiled. Then leant her head on Kogure's shoulder.
They were together.
Summer, Present
Philadelphia, USA
Kawasaki residence
Megumi replaced the handset, and smiled. Her daughter was doing fine. She was glad that Michiko had settled in so well with Japan, and, from what she had gathered from their conversations, made some friends, and one very special one too.
She thought back to the time when she had had Michiko.
It had been both a joyous and bitter occasion.
Autumn, Eighteen years ago
Kanagawa, Japan
A hospital
"Where's your husband, ma'am? Doesn't he want to be here? Should I give him a call?" the kindly nurse asked Kawasaki Megumi as she lay on the bed, her face contorting in the agony that was only the beginning.
"No. He's away on business." The last word was almost spat out. The nurse put it down to pain. Megumi knew better.
Business. He would be gone for another month or so.
The other woman had a child too.
What kind of man had she married?
Summer, Eighteen years ago
Kanagawa, Japan
Kawasaki residence
"You never loved me." Her statement was put across calmly, despite the tears swimming in her eyes.
His gruff voice returned, "You're right. For once. Now, leave me alone."
The man left the house, muttering, carrying an overnight bag.
The woman sank to her knees, devastated. Her man had just walked out on her.
Autumn, Eighteen years ago
Kanagawa, Japan
A hospital
The woman's piercing scream echoed within the walls of the small room.
It was scream of agony, of pain.
A baby had been born.
Kawasaki Megumi screamed her heart out. Her womb was shot with a jolt of pain, and was her heart. It felt like two forces were tearing her apart.
Then the tears came.
Crying. In joy. For the birth.
Crying. In bitterness. For the family that was never to be.
She cradled the tiny baby in her arms. The little girl's pink skin, and her tightly-shut eyes made Megumi smile. A mother's smile.
This baby was her hope. Hope to last throughout the years of her marriage with an indifferent husband. Her way out. Her alternate route to happiness.
Hence, she was called Michiko. Child of beauty; the righteous way.

Author's Notes:
This is it...this is the end of my story... It was a rather abrupt decision, and I took a while making it, hence the length of time spanning the previous update and this one. The primary reason is that the writing of the other chapters did not satisfy me one bit, and I felt it would be painful for this to go on; it would be dragging for its lack of quality and plot. With this chapter, I hope to have rounded up Michiko's story, coming full circle with the recount of her birth and what she meant to her mother then, and now...and what she has come to mean to other people who love her equally...

Replies:

The Northern Star: Michiko means "child of beauty; the righteous way", and the kanji would be "dao4" as in 'road' or 'way', and "zi3", the customary "suffix", so to speak, for a girl's name, like Haruko, Ayako. Hope that has helped. I like choosing names to fit the characters, as you can see...

That's it for now.... I thank you for your patience and kindly attention to my humble writing. Rest assured I'll be back (most likely with a shot at writing with a different style - longer sentences and chunkier, narrative paragraphs...we'll see how that works out, ne?)

Till then, ciao! Do leave comments so that I can improve my writing!

Arigato gozaimasu!

~rurouni
25 October 2003