Cars are such dangerous things. Yesterday, we almost got into a car accident. I don't know what happened, the car engine might of locked itself or something, then all the power turned off the car, the steering wheels were stuck and the brakes would not work. It was so freaky, luckily my dad was driving, if it was me, I would not be strong enough to force the steering wheel to turn. Well, then we turned into a neighborhood and stopped there. Ugh, technology.
********
Four years later..
"I missed Odaiba so much." Sora breathed in the fresh, crisp air with a satisfied smile. After the accident, they had moved to Yokohama and left Tokyo. Since then, Sora had been receiving more attention from her parents, as they finally realized just how fragile someone can be. It was her wish to revisit Odaiba; four years is a decade in change's time.
"Just be careful honey!" Mrs. Takenouchi worried.
Sora sighed exhasperated. "I'll be fine, Mom. I'm 25, I think I can take care of myself. Even in the condition that I am in. I'll see you later, bye!" Sora said excitedly, her knuckles quickly pushing the edges of the rubber tires, moving herself past beautiful, elegant scenaries. After they moved, she always felt homesick for Odaiba. Now that she was finalyl back, even though transitory, her heart was at peace. She hoped to see familiar faces, and familiar places and buildings, for she did not know what was coming up and what reactions would be of friends and people that would recognize her old bright face in this new, disfigured one. Sora longed to go back in time where she would have given Yamato a chance to hear him out and avoided the car collision totally. But, you can't linger on the past, and it could have been worse. She could have been dead, or totally paralyzed, she thought, trying to look on the bright side. But some people would rather to be dead, than to live like the way Sora was living now. Sora sighed, wondering what her life would be like now if she had avoided the accident. Would she be married? Would she have kids? And what of Yamato?
Sora stopped in front of a familiar bakery, her knuckles, now basically worn down to the bones from the constant friction between the wheels, skidded painfully the tires of the chair to a hault. "Frank Ma's bakery.." She whispered, recalling old memories. Feeling hungry and curious, she carefully entered into the shop. Having a little trouble with the door, a polite stranger helped her in and she thanked her graciously.
INside, the scent of freshly baked patries and goods filled the little shop. Sora grabbed a pineapple bun off the shelf, the knuckles of both hands pressing the bun on both sides to keep it held up and she placed it on the counter. The shop was practically empty; Poor Mr. Ma and how he always struggled to keep up with competition. At one table, in the corner of the shop, sat a rowdy group. Three young men, each accompanied by the most gorgeous women Sora had even seen, conversed and laughed, having a good time. One of the young men caught her eye. He ran his hair through his soft blond hair occassionally, his cerulean eyes lit up as he laughed, his pearly white teeth showed under his bright pink lips when he smiled, and his slender but right muscular arm was around one of the gorgeous young women, that giggled and played with her long, flowing pink locks.
The store clerk interuppted Sora and she quickly snapped her head back. "Oh, sorry, I was of in my own world." She laughed and apologized politely.
"Oh, it's alright; yes, they are distracting but customers are customers. It's getting so hard to make a living nowadays.." The old man sighed. "I'm Mr. Ma. I'm so glad at least one of you youngsters have respect for their elders.."
"Mr. Ma!" Sora exclaimed. "It's so nice to see you again! Don't you remember me?" Sora questioned eagerly. "It's me .. Sora. We moved four years ago after my.. accident.."
"Sora!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, delighted. "I missed you so." He stepped from behind the counter and headed towards Sora, arms wide open.
***********
"Check out that old man, he's finally found someone that's perfect for him, that old geezer." One of the male friend's laughed, and the two others joined in with him, followed by the ditzy giggling of the girls.
"If I was that girl, I'd kill myself. Look at her face. It's hideous! I would never venture to public like -that.- That's one of the many things I'm thankful for." One of the young women sighed relieved.
**********
"The pineapple bun is on the house." Mr. Ma said.
"But, Mr. Ma..." Sora begin, eagerly fishing out a dollar bill. Mr. Ma refused once again, and Sora sighed. "Thank you.." She said uneasily. "It was nice seeing you again!" She smiled and rotated the direction of her wheelchair, her eyes aiming once again at the table. The blond-haired young man kept on catching her eye and bothering her. Mustering all her courage, she moved towards the table.
*********
"Um.. excuse me.." She asked timidly, her face turned towards the side, feeling so intimidated by their beauty. The conversation did not stop. She narrowed her eyes angrily, and looked the blond-haired young man straight in the face and repeated, "Excuse me." A little more forceful, articulate, and bold. The conversation stopped suddenly, all eyes on her.
"Um.." She began, feeling a weird tug at her stomach. "Would you happen to be.. Yamato.. Ishida..? The table roared up in laughter, and Sora felt stupid.
"Duh, where have -you- been?" One of the girls retorted.
"Under a rock, obviously, hiding her face." The other girl answered, and they both giggled to themselves.
"Hey!" Yamato interrupted. "Leave her alone." He said casually and easily, and his friends obeyed like dogs. "What is it, babe?" He answered Sora, his words burning far worse than napalm when he said 'babe,' whether sarcasm or of habit calling every girl that. "Wait, don't tell me." Yamato continued. "An autograph.. ." And his gorgeous eyes glanced over to the napkin container, and he gracefully pulled one out, grabbed a pen and fancilly scribbled his name.
"And, who am I making this out to?" He asked.
"..Sora.." Sora hesitated, her heart broken that he does not even see a familiar face. "Yamato... don't.. don't you remember me?"
He made a weird face at her last comment, ignored it, and continued. "Sora huh? Okay.. There." He handed it to her, forcing Sora to show her gnarled, hands, and she saw some of the young womens' faces lit up in disgust when she did, feeling even worse about herself. She could not ask him if he remembered her, she just couldn't. After she took it obediately, and wheeled herself towards the door. One of Yamato's friends got up, grabbed the two handles of Sora's wheelchair, and pushed her, releashing his grip, but Sora was still moving in the direction of the push. Her head collided with the glass surface of the entrance/exit door, as the two back wheels of the chair popped up when she did, making her drop her pineapple bun and a something else... Sora looked back only to see them laughing, even Yamato, and Sora burst into tears. Mr. Ma caught sight of this, helped Sora out the door and forced and threantend them to leave. "I can't believe you would treat a sweet girl like that!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, enraged. "Get out before I call the police. OUT! Won't you even have a little sympathy? She was in a car accident that messed up her life four years ago, and you treat her like a sideshow freak! OUT!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, quickly heading towards the phone, the tip of his shoe shoveling that object that Sora dropped towards Yamato and he bent to pick it up.
"Whatcha got there, Yamato?" One of the young women smiled, eyeing the ring, hoping he would give it to her. Yamato examined the ring, sensing some familiarity from the inanimate object. His eyes lit up in shock, as he jostled people as he made his way out of his seat, his friends shouting angrily as he shoved them aside, and he quickly ran out the door, searching for that girl in the wheelchair, but she was gone. Yamato took out another ring, hidden and treasured secretly, out of his pocket that had the name "Sora Takenouchi" enscribed under the band. "I remember.." He clutched the two rings, happily reunited, in his hands tightly. "Sora...."
********
Four years later..
"I missed Odaiba so much." Sora breathed in the fresh, crisp air with a satisfied smile. After the accident, they had moved to Yokohama and left Tokyo. Since then, Sora had been receiving more attention from her parents, as they finally realized just how fragile someone can be. It was her wish to revisit Odaiba; four years is a decade in change's time.
"Just be careful honey!" Mrs. Takenouchi worried.
Sora sighed exhasperated. "I'll be fine, Mom. I'm 25, I think I can take care of myself. Even in the condition that I am in. I'll see you later, bye!" Sora said excitedly, her knuckles quickly pushing the edges of the rubber tires, moving herself past beautiful, elegant scenaries. After they moved, she always felt homesick for Odaiba. Now that she was finalyl back, even though transitory, her heart was at peace. She hoped to see familiar faces, and familiar places and buildings, for she did not know what was coming up and what reactions would be of friends and people that would recognize her old bright face in this new, disfigured one. Sora longed to go back in time where she would have given Yamato a chance to hear him out and avoided the car collision totally. But, you can't linger on the past, and it could have been worse. She could have been dead, or totally paralyzed, she thought, trying to look on the bright side. But some people would rather to be dead, than to live like the way Sora was living now. Sora sighed, wondering what her life would be like now if she had avoided the accident. Would she be married? Would she have kids? And what of Yamato?
Sora stopped in front of a familiar bakery, her knuckles, now basically worn down to the bones from the constant friction between the wheels, skidded painfully the tires of the chair to a hault. "Frank Ma's bakery.." She whispered, recalling old memories. Feeling hungry and curious, she carefully entered into the shop. Having a little trouble with the door, a polite stranger helped her in and she thanked her graciously.
INside, the scent of freshly baked patries and goods filled the little shop. Sora grabbed a pineapple bun off the shelf, the knuckles of both hands pressing the bun on both sides to keep it held up and she placed it on the counter. The shop was practically empty; Poor Mr. Ma and how he always struggled to keep up with competition. At one table, in the corner of the shop, sat a rowdy group. Three young men, each accompanied by the most gorgeous women Sora had even seen, conversed and laughed, having a good time. One of the young men caught her eye. He ran his hair through his soft blond hair occassionally, his cerulean eyes lit up as he laughed, his pearly white teeth showed under his bright pink lips when he smiled, and his slender but right muscular arm was around one of the gorgeous young women, that giggled and played with her long, flowing pink locks.
The store clerk interuppted Sora and she quickly snapped her head back. "Oh, sorry, I was of in my own world." She laughed and apologized politely.
"Oh, it's alright; yes, they are distracting but customers are customers. It's getting so hard to make a living nowadays.." The old man sighed. "I'm Mr. Ma. I'm so glad at least one of you youngsters have respect for their elders.."
"Mr. Ma!" Sora exclaimed. "It's so nice to see you again! Don't you remember me?" Sora questioned eagerly. "It's me .. Sora. We moved four years ago after my.. accident.."
"Sora!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, delighted. "I missed you so." He stepped from behind the counter and headed towards Sora, arms wide open.
***********
"Check out that old man, he's finally found someone that's perfect for him, that old geezer." One of the male friend's laughed, and the two others joined in with him, followed by the ditzy giggling of the girls.
"If I was that girl, I'd kill myself. Look at her face. It's hideous! I would never venture to public like -that.- That's one of the many things I'm thankful for." One of the young women sighed relieved.
**********
"The pineapple bun is on the house." Mr. Ma said.
"But, Mr. Ma..." Sora begin, eagerly fishing out a dollar bill. Mr. Ma refused once again, and Sora sighed. "Thank you.." She said uneasily. "It was nice seeing you again!" She smiled and rotated the direction of her wheelchair, her eyes aiming once again at the table. The blond-haired young man kept on catching her eye and bothering her. Mustering all her courage, she moved towards the table.
*********
"Um.. excuse me.." She asked timidly, her face turned towards the side, feeling so intimidated by their beauty. The conversation did not stop. She narrowed her eyes angrily, and looked the blond-haired young man straight in the face and repeated, "Excuse me." A little more forceful, articulate, and bold. The conversation stopped suddenly, all eyes on her.
"Um.." She began, feeling a weird tug at her stomach. "Would you happen to be.. Yamato.. Ishida..? The table roared up in laughter, and Sora felt stupid.
"Duh, where have -you- been?" One of the girls retorted.
"Under a rock, obviously, hiding her face." The other girl answered, and they both giggled to themselves.
"Hey!" Yamato interrupted. "Leave her alone." He said casually and easily, and his friends obeyed like dogs. "What is it, babe?" He answered Sora, his words burning far worse than napalm when he said 'babe,' whether sarcasm or of habit calling every girl that. "Wait, don't tell me." Yamato continued. "An autograph.. ." And his gorgeous eyes glanced over to the napkin container, and he gracefully pulled one out, grabbed a pen and fancilly scribbled his name.
"And, who am I making this out to?" He asked.
"..Sora.." Sora hesitated, her heart broken that he does not even see a familiar face. "Yamato... don't.. don't you remember me?"
He made a weird face at her last comment, ignored it, and continued. "Sora huh? Okay.. There." He handed it to her, forcing Sora to show her gnarled, hands, and she saw some of the young womens' faces lit up in disgust when she did, feeling even worse about herself. She could not ask him if he remembered her, she just couldn't. After she took it obediately, and wheeled herself towards the door. One of Yamato's friends got up, grabbed the two handles of Sora's wheelchair, and pushed her, releashing his grip, but Sora was still moving in the direction of the push. Her head collided with the glass surface of the entrance/exit door, as the two back wheels of the chair popped up when she did, making her drop her pineapple bun and a something else... Sora looked back only to see them laughing, even Yamato, and Sora burst into tears. Mr. Ma caught sight of this, helped Sora out the door and forced and threantend them to leave. "I can't believe you would treat a sweet girl like that!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, enraged. "Get out before I call the police. OUT! Won't you even have a little sympathy? She was in a car accident that messed up her life four years ago, and you treat her like a sideshow freak! OUT!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, quickly heading towards the phone, the tip of his shoe shoveling that object that Sora dropped towards Yamato and he bent to pick it up.
"Whatcha got there, Yamato?" One of the young women smiled, eyeing the ring, hoping he would give it to her. Yamato examined the ring, sensing some familiarity from the inanimate object. His eyes lit up in shock, as he jostled people as he made his way out of his seat, his friends shouting angrily as he shoved them aside, and he quickly ran out the door, searching for that girl in the wheelchair, but she was gone. Yamato took out another ring, hidden and treasured secretly, out of his pocket that had the name "Sora Takenouchi" enscribed under the band. "I remember.." He clutched the two rings, happily reunited, in his hands tightly. "Sora...."