I stared at the shell of what used to be a lively young man in front of me. I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn't be Horo Horo…this couldn't be my best friend. My eyes ran on his pale, thin cheeks. Everything in him looked unreal.

"Tamao' nee-san?" whispered Pirika, looking at me through her swollen eyes. Ren had fetched her earlier and brought her here to live in the mansion temporarily.

I walked slowly towards Horo's comatose body and reached for his hand. It was cold, just like the rest of him.

And for the first time since Jun broke the news to me, it occurred to me.

What would happen if Horo Horo wouldn't wake up anymore?

My heart twisted painfully. My grip on his hand tightened, and I leaned down towards his ear. I whispered, "I will never ever give you up for anything in the world, not without a fight. I love you, Horo Horo-kun."

When I looked at his face that didn't even react, I wondered how long could I maintain my resolve. Whenever I look at his seemingly dead appearance, my vow crumbles little by little.

But I love Horo Horo. And that alone would fuel my desire to help him fight to live.

"Tamao?"

I snapped from my trance and saw Yoh smiling at me, but his eyes were clearly worried.

"M-Master Yoh, d-do you need anything?" I asked, and realized that I had stared off to space while I was sewing Horo Horo's jacket.

"Maybe you should stay in China so you will be able to watch over Horo Horo without getting so tired from the continuous chartering," he suggested.

I had to admit that I wanted to do that, but something was holding me back, for some reason. "The house needs me," I said instead. I knew that with all the excitement in the coming marriage of Master Yoh and Anna-okami, the chores like cooking dinner might be forgotten. I placed the jacket aside and turned to him. "Can I do anything for you, Master?"

"Well…actually…" He sat down in front of me, legs crossed. His eyes were gravely serious. "I need you to do some readings for me."

"What book, Master Yoh?"

He blinked, then laughed. "No, I mean, predict my fate."

"Ah." I stood up to gather my tools for prediction.

Yoh, meanwhile, stared at the sewing work on the floor. "Horo's jacket?"

I smiled. "Hai. I want it to be ready to wear once he wakes up."

Once he wakes up. I sounded so confident about it that even Master Yoh had to smile.  I guess my fighting spirit was stronger than a mimosa after all.

It had been almost three months since the accident, and he still had shown no signs of progress, yet I refused to lose heart. Even if Dr. Faust said that the shortest time of waiting period for Horo-kun to wake up is forever.

What is forever anyway, compared to the magnanimity of Horo-kun, when he listened to a mimosa's cries for attention and protection that were too soft to hear for ordinary folks?  

Every other day, I go to China courtesy of the Tao's private jet just to check on him. I would spend the night gazing at him, remembering the times when he wasn't in this bed. When he was in Izumo, full of life, bursting with so much energy…

I would try to talk him too- Dr. Faust said that it would be good for a comatose victim to be visited often and to be talked to.

"Tamao?" called Yoh, peering at me concernedly.

 I blinked, then sighed. I was drifting off to my thoughts again. I set down the board and the coin and began my predictions.

It was near midnight when I arrived in the Tao mansion again. My heart was heavy after what I predicted to Master Yoh. I didn't mean to be so honest, but I too was shocked by what the board said. That Master Yoh was going to leave for somewhere he could never return. What was astounding was that Master didn't even looked shocked or depressed, as if he was expecting it. When I asked him why, he simply said that he feels "someone calling his soul back home". That he was more worried about Anna. He then got up and said he was going to see someone in the forest.

I went straight to Horo Horo's room. As usual, he was lying on his bed, unmoving from the last time I checked on him.

"Good evening, Horo Horo," I said, forcing a smile on my face. "You're looking much better than yesterday. Ne, but you're always handsome, right?" I ran my hand on his face, smiling tearfully. "I wish you would wake up already. You're the only one I know that can give me the best words to cheer myself up. You always find the nicest things about a problem."

"You see, I predicted something horrible…and I'm so scared because I feel that it is going to come true." I felt my voice waver, and I knew I was going to start crying again.

Just then, Pirika arrived in the room, rubbing her eyes. I wiped my tears away quickly. "P-Pirika?"

"Tamao' nee-san?" She sat down beside me, gazing at me curiously.

"W-What are you doing, still up at this time?" I asked, pretending to be casual.

"My onii-chan woke me up," she explained, looking at the sleeping Horo Horo. "He told me to come here because the mimosa plant needs to be protected." She smiled. "He sounded so alive in my dream. He was so worried about the mimosa…so…"

"Horo Horo…" I gazed at him through my blurred vision. I knew it. In my heart, I knew Horo Horo was alive. He just needed a little more time, that's all.

"A-Are you crying, Tamao' nee-san?" asked Pirika suddenly.

I bit my lip, then in broken speech, told her about my predictions regarding Asakura Yoh.

In the end, she rushed towards me and hugged me comfortingly.

"I'm glad Onii-chan woke me up. He must have sensed how sad you felt, so he used me to cheer you up," she said. "Please don't worry, Tamao' nee-san. Whatever happens, there is a reason behind it. A-And you do not create fate, you tell it as you foresee it. None of the events is your fault."

"T-Thank you, Pirika," I said softly. I smiled at the sleeping Ainu. I know that in due time, he would wake up. I know it; my heart says so.

I won't lose hope. I won't give up my best friend for anything in the world, never ever, not without a fight.

But the inevitable happened. One afternoon, Master Yoh and Anna-okami left to have a private time for themselves, but it ended up with a grave accident that cost the shaman his life.

The days that followed were like a slow motion of mourning. Ms. Anna refused to leave the confines of her bedroom, and the entire Asakura family was helpless as they watched her strength dwindle little by little each day.

I could only cry in pain too; had I gave the family sufficient warnings about what I predicted to Master Yoh, they could have prepared for it. Or Master Yoh was still alive today.

But I cried in silence; I understood that they do not need another burden in the family, so I forced myself to run the household as if nothing significant happened, and that my duties were just increased a little, when I serve the funeral guests some drinks, for instance.

I finished sealing the letter Master Mikihisa wrote. He wanted it to be sent to Ren Tao immediately.

I was just about to go to the telegram office when someone stopped me. My heart jumped. It was Asakura Hao, Master Yoh's brother.

Horo Horo told me about the evilness of this person, so I couldn't help but feel frightened. I clutched the letter to my chest.

But Hao neither approached me nor lifted a finger on me. He just stood there, smiling reassuringly.

"Forever is only a moment to patient hearts. Just wait patiently, the Ainu is coming home," he said before walking away.

I was puzzled. What made him say that? And how did he know about Horo Horo's condition?

But I kept in mind what he said. What is forever? It was only a measuring unit of time, one undefined, but measurable still. And it was enough to give me hope.

Horo Horo will come home soon, he promised.

tsuzuku