Yayoi walked all over the town searching for answers that the harsh
city lights were unable to provide. Everywhere she turned, she saw
happy couples strolling merrily along their paths without a trouble in
the world.
How could their lives be so simple? So cut and dry?
Walking onward, she passed a bridal shop and paused, staring longingly into the window. As Yayoi eyed the display dress, she wondered if she'd ever have the chance to wear one of her own or if she'd be doomed to a life of being a bride's maid for all eternity.
Even more depressed than before, she pushed on into the twilight.
Why was she starting to have these feelings for this man? At now of all times, no less! She was scheduled to leave this planet in less than a week and she suddenly finds a man who she was becoming attracted to only to have to leave him, probably for good. The loss of such a person was almost as great as when she lost the ability to pilot a core robot.
Life could be so cruel.
Maybe there was a way he could come with her?
No. He had too many ties to Earth. He couldn't just sever them all and fly off into the galaxy at the drop of a hat.
Maybe she could stay with him?
No. Kazuki needed her, even if she was beginning to wonder if she really needed him. No, Yayoi would have to go to space because of her obligations, which left only one option: Loneliness.
The word struck Yayoi's heart like a bitter poison. Choking back tears, she began heading towards her home. As she walked, Yayoi tried to come up with a way to let Hiro down easy. Unable to come up with anything of value, she decided to simply avoid him for the remainder of her stay on Earth. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done.
For Kazuki.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The days between her fateful decision and the launch of the starship were surprisingly short. Once the final exams were completed, Yayoi spent most of her time keeping busy with preparing meals for her grandmother and herself as well as the Sanada household. Once this chore was completed, she had to return home and pack her things.
Hiro had fallen silent. She had not heard from him since the incident in her classroom. Yayoi preferred it this way, of course. It was always easier to write a good-bye letter than to deliver a good-bye speech in person.
Before she even realized it, her home was emptied of all her possessions and she was standing before the massive vessel, her long hair being blown backwards by the cool early-winter breeze. Gazing upward along with the rest of the crowd that had assembled to witness this historic event, Yayoi imagined that Dr. Rara and Dr. Sanada, unperturbed by the moment, were already in a heated debate over who would get to perform the countdown to liftoff.
Chuckling softly, she hardly noticed the tap on her left shoulder. Turning her head, she barely recognized her Grandmother Reika because of a large sun-hat she was wearing.
Curious as to why such an article of clothing would be required for space travel, Yayoi inquired, "Grandmother, will you really need such a thing where we're going?"
Reika bowed her head, trying to mask her emotions from her still young granddaughter. "Where you are going, no. Where I am staying, yes."
The words hit Yayoi like a cement truck. All of the anger she harbored towards the elderly woman evaporated instantly. She hadn't imagined taking this trip without Grandma Reika by her side. Who was she going to ask for advice? Who was going to be there to just simply talk?
"I know what you're thinking, dear, but this is... A trip for the young. I am much too old to be hoping around the stars, Yayoi. At best, I may live another ten years, but this will only be due to a less-stressful life that I would not live if I went with you. I'm sorry for placing this burden on you, but it is for the best. Do you understand, my child," Reika looked up at her grandchild, her tears welling up behind her ancient eyes.
Yayoi's tears, which had already begun to trickle, started to pour down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her beloved relative, wishing Reika could come with her, but realizing she spoke the truth. To be honest, Yayoi had sensed that this moment was likely to occur, but she had been deluding herself into believing that it might not happen.
"Yes, grandmother. I understand, but I don't want..."
"I know, dear. However, this is a fact of life. You must be strong, child."
Yayoi nodded, wiping away the tears from her face. "Yes, grandmother."
Reika smiled approvingly. "Good. Now, I believe you have one more visitor before you depart," Reika trailed off as she turned and hobbled away, but not out of earshot.
Yayoi slowly turned her body; afraid of what she knew was standing behind her.
Hiro, dressed in one of his finest suits, stood before her. It was the first time she could remember seeing him without a smile on his face. His hand held a small wrapped object that clearly stated "Yayoi" in neat manuscript.
"Were you going to leave without saying good-bye," Hiro looked at the woman who was obviously distraught. He wished there was something he could say or do to make her stay, but he also realized that it was a decision she would have to make on her own or not at all.
Yayoi shook her head; presenting the note she had written for him the night before. She had considered hand-delivering it to his hotel, but could not bear the thought of seeing him again.
"No. I wrote this," Yayoi handed Hiro the letter and attempted to leave.
Hiro lightly grabbed her arm. "No, wait! I have something for you as well! It took some doing, but I was finally able to attain it last night," Hiro handed her the package he had been carrying, adding, "Don't open it until you get onboard. I'm going to miss you, Yayoi, and I shall be waiting for the day you return home." Hiro smiled the warmest smile he could muster under such a dire situation.
Yayoi, unable to control her tears any longer, pulled away from Hiro and ran towards the access elevator, sobbing heavily. As she entered her access code, she tried to calm herself down and dry away the tears.
How dare he show up like this? Then he brings a gift and smiles and says he'll wait for her? The nerve! Yayoi was prepared to turn around and give him a piece of her mind, but the elevator reached her level and the sobbing would not have allowed her to convey the proper terminology at any rate.
Quickly entering the lift, she began riding it to the access hatch with her eyes closed. With each passing foot, she was one step closer to leaving this world behind. Why then was she having such doubt? She just needed to keep reminding herself:
She was doing the right thing.
She was doing it for Kazuki.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"It's MY design, therefore I should countdown to takeoff!"
"Your design? If I remember correctly, you stole the idea from one of my drawings and just added your name! Of course, it's so hard to list all the things you've stolen from me that I could be mistaken..."
"Are you calling me a thief," Dr. Rara got up in Dr. Sanada's face, his expression one of pure anger.
"Calling? No. Simply stating fact."
"Why I ought to..."
"ENOUGH!" Akane's voice settled the argument immediately. She pointed to one of the chairs next to Yayoi's empty seat and coolly stated, "Dr. Sanada, you sit there. Dr. Rara, you sit there." She pointed to another seat on the opposite side of the bridge. "Dee, you will be counting down to takeoff, understood?"
The two Doctors collectively replied, "What? Dee? Why her?"
"Because if not, I will personally see to it that you are shot out the first airlock as soon as we leave Earth orbit," Akane's glare informed the doctors that they had best do as they were told. Relenting, they sat in their assigned seats as Yayoi entered the room.
Calmly taking her seat, Yayoi attempted to hide the conflicting emotions boiling beneath her surface. Looking at the package Hiro had given her, Yayoi's curiosity got the better of her and she tore the wrapping off.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Before her was an original, first-printing copy of the book Hiro had destroyed a mere week ago. Beyond this, it was kept in pristine condition and would appear brand new to anyone who was not aware of the finer hints of aging on its leather-bound exterior.
Opening the cover to confirm her suspicions, some unusual writing caught her eye. It appeared to be a brief note from...
"The author himself signed this?" Yayoi couldn't believe it even though it sat before her. Once the initial public distaste for his work had reached a head, the author had disappeared and had not been heard of since. To find an original of his book was one thing, but to then find the author himself to personally sign it for her was a whole other game.
Choking back a sob, Yayoi did not even hear Dee mention the time left before liftoff. Kazuki and Mitsuki, having just passed their finals, were below decks keeping an eye on the core robots during liftoff with some of the researchers. Mitsuki Rara was onboard, but was nowhere to be found. The crew assumed she'd surface as soon as her cooking services were required since she was listed as the ship's cook. Everyone, except for Reika, seemed present and accounted for.
Glancing over at the teary-eyed Yayoi, Dr. Sanada frowned. "Is everything alright, Yayoi?"
"Yes. Everything is fine. I regret that I must inform you that my grandmother will not be joining us."
Dr. Sanada nodded. "I suspected as much. I'm sorry. It must be terribly hard for you to be leaving her behind."
"It's not just," Yayoi trailed off, not wanting to mention Hiro for fear she would begin crying again. "It's nothing."
"So, what did Ms. Nanjyoin give you?" Dr. Sanada's inquisitive nature had taken hold, his curiosity as a scientist overriding his better judgment to leave well enough alone.
"She did not give me this. Hir-- Mr. Kamikochi did," Yayoi's face darkened and she bowed her head to try and hide her watering eyes.
"I see," Dr. Sanada took a thoughtful pose and then smiled as a devious little thought drifted into his head. He reached around Yayoi's shoulder, tapping her gently. As she turned the other way, he snatched the book from her lap and began reading the inside cover, using his free hand to hold Yayoi's flailing arms at bay.
After realizing the significance of the gift, Dr. Sanada handed it back gently to Yayoi, who snatched it from his hand and held it close to her chest. She wrapped her arms around it to protect it from further interested parties and scowled at the doctor.
"Sorry! Chalk it up to scientific curiosity!" Dr. Sanada smiled innocently; trying to soften the hard stare he was receiving from Yayoi.
"That's no excuse for reading a personal note!"
He nodded slightly, "You are correct. I apologize. It won't happen again."
The two sat in silence, listening to the assorted computer beeps and technicians reporting various systems' statuses. Dee's voice would occasionally interrupt the background noise to report the time until liftoff.
"T Minus twelve minutes and counting."
Dr. Sanada began chuckling.
Yayoi's eyebrow raised as she cautiously asked, "What? What is it?"
Smiling, Dr. Sanada turned to face her. "Remember that time that your grandmother arranged that marriage interview and that idiot Rara declared a battlefield right next to the meeting place?"
Every word Dr. Sanada spoke felt like someone was using a dull spoon to dig out her heart. She slowly nodded and replied, holding back a sob, "Yes, I remember." As she did so, she wondered how things might have been different if she hadn't convinced Kazuki to go beyond the line that caused the meeting to be cancelled. She might have ended up marrying Hiro and this whole problem would have been adverted.
Dr. Sanada, watching Yayoi's physical reaction to his statements, continued, "That was funny as hell when Mitsuki ended up crossing the line, wasn't it?" It had actually been the big joke on base for that entire week. Replays of the battle had been spread throughout the base that showed Mitsuki's facial reaction at the exact moment she realized she'd crossed the line, which was and always would be a priceless moment.
As she remembered the silly face, Yayoi smirked. The smirk slowly turned into a soft laugh. "Mitsuki was so disappointed!" Her laugh grew in intensity, causing some of the crew to look in their direction, including a slightly jealous Akane.
Dr. Sanada, who had joined in the laughter, nodded. "Yes, it was hilarious." He smiled as he looked at Yayoi, adding, "You needed that."
Her laugh subsiding slowly, she smiled and wiped her soaked eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Sanada."
He bowed his head and sat back in his seat, staring at the beautiful ocean view on the main screen. The two continued to watch the waves crash against the shore and the birds swoop towards the ocean looking for prey. The sun shined down on the water like a light through blue crystal, creating a gorgeous scene.
Dr. Sanada again interrupted the silence. "It's funny, isn't it?"
"What is, sir?"
He turned his head towards Yayoi and looked her straight in the eyes. "How love strikes us when we least suspect it."
As she looked into Dr. Sanada's eyes, the revelation hit her like the waves that were pounding against the shore. Nodding at his words, their meaning began sinking deeper and deeper into her subconscious until she finally spoke.
"Tell him I'm sorry."
"Will do."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The engines finally roared to life, easily drowning out the cheers from the crowd that had moved a safe distance from the vessel. With less than a minute left before launch, Hiro and Reika stared in awe at the massive hull that was only a few hundred yards away from them. It was amazing how well the engines that Doctors Sanada and Rara worked and how little thrust was required to propel the ship into orbit. The crowd could gather this close today whereas a mere four years ago, they would have had to stand much further away in order to watch the launch safely.
Dee's voiced echoed over the speakers that had been hastily thrown up around the launch site, "T Minus thirty seconds and counting."
Hiro looked towards the bridge of the vessel, wondering how Yayoi was holding up. He was so entranced that he did not notice Reika eyeing him over and wondering the same.
The ship began shaking ever so slightly and the engines glowed blue with a greater intensity. The roars from the crowd hushed as they all watched the vessel enter its final countdown.
"T Minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Liftoff!"
The ship remained still.
Dr. Sanada's voice could be heard in the background over the speakers, "Oh! Not that button. That one over there engages the engines. That one just starts them up."
The crowd fell sighed collectively and Reika suppressed her laughter. There were some things that would never change. Assorted shouts and loud noises could be heard over the intercom, most of them proclaiming Dr. Sanada's idiocy. Finally, Akane's voice overrode the others and she told Dee to restart the countdown from ten.
"Ok, mom. T Minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Liftoff!"
This time, the engines roared even louder and the ship slowly left the pad for the great unknown. Dee's happy voice could be heard over the intercom cheering and shouting good-bye to everyone remaining on the mother planet.
The crowd watched the ship descend over the horizon and continued listening to the radio communiqués until it fell silent. The event over, they began returning to their everyday lives. Mothers picked up their young children, smiling and bouncing them as they returned to their homes. The older children gathered into groups, some pretending to be core robot pilots and others dreaming of their own space adventures. The fathers watched all of this with amusement and eventually rounded up their young and left the sunny beachside launch site.
Rising from his seat, Hiro offered his hand to Reika, who graciously accepted it and braced against him as she got up. Linking her arm in his, he began escorting her to the parking lot.
"Do you require a ride home, Mrs. Nanjyoin?"
Reika shook her head, "No. I have a driver waiting for me, but thank you for the polite offer."
Hiro bowed his head, trying to come up with another topic to discuss other than her granddaughter leaving their life forever. The well of ideas all dried up, he asked, "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I will continue counseling at the Academy for as long as they will have me. I imagine I will need to find a new place to live. There's no need for me to take up such a large home all for myself."
Hiro nodded in agreement, "This is true. Let me know if I can help you in any way."
Reika smiled and removed her arm from Hiro's. The young man, confused by her actions, turned to face her.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Kamikochi, I forgot something."
"Oh! I can get it for you, if you'd like," Hiro started to move towards the bleachers, but Reika stepped into his path.
"No, dear. I can get it myself," she smiled broadly and began walking towards the parking lot where her car was waiting.
Entirely confused, Hiro called, "Mrs. Nanjyoin! The bleachers are the other way!"
Reika turned, looked at the bleachers, and looked back at Hiro. Her smile becoming even broader, she simply stated, "So they are," and began heading towards her vehicle.
Hiro stared at the strange old woman as she hobbled off. What was going through her head? Maybe she thought she had dropped whatever it was along the way?
Turning around, Hiro began searching the ground for the unknown object. He kicked at the loose dirt and grass, not really caring about the pair of shoes he wore. Finally reaching the shadow that the bleachers cast, he continued to kick at the ground until a pair of legs in high heels stepped into his path.
Without looking up, Hiro asked, "Ma'am, you haven't seen a... Well, I don't know what it is. I guess I should ask if you've seen anything of value lying around this area."
The owner of the legs replied in a very familiar voice, "Yes I have."
Looking up slowly, Hiro's eyes widened in disbelief.
Continuing to smile, Reika placed her binoculars back into the little compartment under the driver's seat. She tapped on the window separating the two and told the driver to take her home.
Reika slumped back into her seat, the content smile continuing to invade her lips. There had been questions within the last few years as to whether or not her reputation was nothing more than a rumor, but she hoped that this situation would lay those claims to rest. After all, all anyone had to do was look at those two and know:
Every one of the couples she introduced got married.
How could their lives be so simple? So cut and dry?
Walking onward, she passed a bridal shop and paused, staring longingly into the window. As Yayoi eyed the display dress, she wondered if she'd ever have the chance to wear one of her own or if she'd be doomed to a life of being a bride's maid for all eternity.
Even more depressed than before, she pushed on into the twilight.
Why was she starting to have these feelings for this man? At now of all times, no less! She was scheduled to leave this planet in less than a week and she suddenly finds a man who she was becoming attracted to only to have to leave him, probably for good. The loss of such a person was almost as great as when she lost the ability to pilot a core robot.
Life could be so cruel.
Maybe there was a way he could come with her?
No. He had too many ties to Earth. He couldn't just sever them all and fly off into the galaxy at the drop of a hat.
Maybe she could stay with him?
No. Kazuki needed her, even if she was beginning to wonder if she really needed him. No, Yayoi would have to go to space because of her obligations, which left only one option: Loneliness.
The word struck Yayoi's heart like a bitter poison. Choking back tears, she began heading towards her home. As she walked, Yayoi tried to come up with a way to let Hiro down easy. Unable to come up with anything of value, she decided to simply avoid him for the remainder of her stay on Earth. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done.
For Kazuki.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The days between her fateful decision and the launch of the starship were surprisingly short. Once the final exams were completed, Yayoi spent most of her time keeping busy with preparing meals for her grandmother and herself as well as the Sanada household. Once this chore was completed, she had to return home and pack her things.
Hiro had fallen silent. She had not heard from him since the incident in her classroom. Yayoi preferred it this way, of course. It was always easier to write a good-bye letter than to deliver a good-bye speech in person.
Before she even realized it, her home was emptied of all her possessions and she was standing before the massive vessel, her long hair being blown backwards by the cool early-winter breeze. Gazing upward along with the rest of the crowd that had assembled to witness this historic event, Yayoi imagined that Dr. Rara and Dr. Sanada, unperturbed by the moment, were already in a heated debate over who would get to perform the countdown to liftoff.
Chuckling softly, she hardly noticed the tap on her left shoulder. Turning her head, she barely recognized her Grandmother Reika because of a large sun-hat she was wearing.
Curious as to why such an article of clothing would be required for space travel, Yayoi inquired, "Grandmother, will you really need such a thing where we're going?"
Reika bowed her head, trying to mask her emotions from her still young granddaughter. "Where you are going, no. Where I am staying, yes."
The words hit Yayoi like a cement truck. All of the anger she harbored towards the elderly woman evaporated instantly. She hadn't imagined taking this trip without Grandma Reika by her side. Who was she going to ask for advice? Who was going to be there to just simply talk?
"I know what you're thinking, dear, but this is... A trip for the young. I am much too old to be hoping around the stars, Yayoi. At best, I may live another ten years, but this will only be due to a less-stressful life that I would not live if I went with you. I'm sorry for placing this burden on you, but it is for the best. Do you understand, my child," Reika looked up at her grandchild, her tears welling up behind her ancient eyes.
Yayoi's tears, which had already begun to trickle, started to pour down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her beloved relative, wishing Reika could come with her, but realizing she spoke the truth. To be honest, Yayoi had sensed that this moment was likely to occur, but she had been deluding herself into believing that it might not happen.
"Yes, grandmother. I understand, but I don't want..."
"I know, dear. However, this is a fact of life. You must be strong, child."
Yayoi nodded, wiping away the tears from her face. "Yes, grandmother."
Reika smiled approvingly. "Good. Now, I believe you have one more visitor before you depart," Reika trailed off as she turned and hobbled away, but not out of earshot.
Yayoi slowly turned her body; afraid of what she knew was standing behind her.
Hiro, dressed in one of his finest suits, stood before her. It was the first time she could remember seeing him without a smile on his face. His hand held a small wrapped object that clearly stated "Yayoi" in neat manuscript.
"Were you going to leave without saying good-bye," Hiro looked at the woman who was obviously distraught. He wished there was something he could say or do to make her stay, but he also realized that it was a decision she would have to make on her own or not at all.
Yayoi shook her head; presenting the note she had written for him the night before. She had considered hand-delivering it to his hotel, but could not bear the thought of seeing him again.
"No. I wrote this," Yayoi handed Hiro the letter and attempted to leave.
Hiro lightly grabbed her arm. "No, wait! I have something for you as well! It took some doing, but I was finally able to attain it last night," Hiro handed her the package he had been carrying, adding, "Don't open it until you get onboard. I'm going to miss you, Yayoi, and I shall be waiting for the day you return home." Hiro smiled the warmest smile he could muster under such a dire situation.
Yayoi, unable to control her tears any longer, pulled away from Hiro and ran towards the access elevator, sobbing heavily. As she entered her access code, she tried to calm herself down and dry away the tears.
How dare he show up like this? Then he brings a gift and smiles and says he'll wait for her? The nerve! Yayoi was prepared to turn around and give him a piece of her mind, but the elevator reached her level and the sobbing would not have allowed her to convey the proper terminology at any rate.
Quickly entering the lift, she began riding it to the access hatch with her eyes closed. With each passing foot, she was one step closer to leaving this world behind. Why then was she having such doubt? She just needed to keep reminding herself:
She was doing the right thing.
She was doing it for Kazuki.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"It's MY design, therefore I should countdown to takeoff!"
"Your design? If I remember correctly, you stole the idea from one of my drawings and just added your name! Of course, it's so hard to list all the things you've stolen from me that I could be mistaken..."
"Are you calling me a thief," Dr. Rara got up in Dr. Sanada's face, his expression one of pure anger.
"Calling? No. Simply stating fact."
"Why I ought to..."
"ENOUGH!" Akane's voice settled the argument immediately. She pointed to one of the chairs next to Yayoi's empty seat and coolly stated, "Dr. Sanada, you sit there. Dr. Rara, you sit there." She pointed to another seat on the opposite side of the bridge. "Dee, you will be counting down to takeoff, understood?"
The two Doctors collectively replied, "What? Dee? Why her?"
"Because if not, I will personally see to it that you are shot out the first airlock as soon as we leave Earth orbit," Akane's glare informed the doctors that they had best do as they were told. Relenting, they sat in their assigned seats as Yayoi entered the room.
Calmly taking her seat, Yayoi attempted to hide the conflicting emotions boiling beneath her surface. Looking at the package Hiro had given her, Yayoi's curiosity got the better of her and she tore the wrapping off.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Before her was an original, first-printing copy of the book Hiro had destroyed a mere week ago. Beyond this, it was kept in pristine condition and would appear brand new to anyone who was not aware of the finer hints of aging on its leather-bound exterior.
Opening the cover to confirm her suspicions, some unusual writing caught her eye. It appeared to be a brief note from...
"The author himself signed this?" Yayoi couldn't believe it even though it sat before her. Once the initial public distaste for his work had reached a head, the author had disappeared and had not been heard of since. To find an original of his book was one thing, but to then find the author himself to personally sign it for her was a whole other game.
Choking back a sob, Yayoi did not even hear Dee mention the time left before liftoff. Kazuki and Mitsuki, having just passed their finals, were below decks keeping an eye on the core robots during liftoff with some of the researchers. Mitsuki Rara was onboard, but was nowhere to be found. The crew assumed she'd surface as soon as her cooking services were required since she was listed as the ship's cook. Everyone, except for Reika, seemed present and accounted for.
Glancing over at the teary-eyed Yayoi, Dr. Sanada frowned. "Is everything alright, Yayoi?"
"Yes. Everything is fine. I regret that I must inform you that my grandmother will not be joining us."
Dr. Sanada nodded. "I suspected as much. I'm sorry. It must be terribly hard for you to be leaving her behind."
"It's not just," Yayoi trailed off, not wanting to mention Hiro for fear she would begin crying again. "It's nothing."
"So, what did Ms. Nanjyoin give you?" Dr. Sanada's inquisitive nature had taken hold, his curiosity as a scientist overriding his better judgment to leave well enough alone.
"She did not give me this. Hir-- Mr. Kamikochi did," Yayoi's face darkened and she bowed her head to try and hide her watering eyes.
"I see," Dr. Sanada took a thoughtful pose and then smiled as a devious little thought drifted into his head. He reached around Yayoi's shoulder, tapping her gently. As she turned the other way, he snatched the book from her lap and began reading the inside cover, using his free hand to hold Yayoi's flailing arms at bay.
After realizing the significance of the gift, Dr. Sanada handed it back gently to Yayoi, who snatched it from his hand and held it close to her chest. She wrapped her arms around it to protect it from further interested parties and scowled at the doctor.
"Sorry! Chalk it up to scientific curiosity!" Dr. Sanada smiled innocently; trying to soften the hard stare he was receiving from Yayoi.
"That's no excuse for reading a personal note!"
He nodded slightly, "You are correct. I apologize. It won't happen again."
The two sat in silence, listening to the assorted computer beeps and technicians reporting various systems' statuses. Dee's voice would occasionally interrupt the background noise to report the time until liftoff.
"T Minus twelve minutes and counting."
Dr. Sanada began chuckling.
Yayoi's eyebrow raised as she cautiously asked, "What? What is it?"
Smiling, Dr. Sanada turned to face her. "Remember that time that your grandmother arranged that marriage interview and that idiot Rara declared a battlefield right next to the meeting place?"
Every word Dr. Sanada spoke felt like someone was using a dull spoon to dig out her heart. She slowly nodded and replied, holding back a sob, "Yes, I remember." As she did so, she wondered how things might have been different if she hadn't convinced Kazuki to go beyond the line that caused the meeting to be cancelled. She might have ended up marrying Hiro and this whole problem would have been adverted.
Dr. Sanada, watching Yayoi's physical reaction to his statements, continued, "That was funny as hell when Mitsuki ended up crossing the line, wasn't it?" It had actually been the big joke on base for that entire week. Replays of the battle had been spread throughout the base that showed Mitsuki's facial reaction at the exact moment she realized she'd crossed the line, which was and always would be a priceless moment.
As she remembered the silly face, Yayoi smirked. The smirk slowly turned into a soft laugh. "Mitsuki was so disappointed!" Her laugh grew in intensity, causing some of the crew to look in their direction, including a slightly jealous Akane.
Dr. Sanada, who had joined in the laughter, nodded. "Yes, it was hilarious." He smiled as he looked at Yayoi, adding, "You needed that."
Her laugh subsiding slowly, she smiled and wiped her soaked eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Sanada."
He bowed his head and sat back in his seat, staring at the beautiful ocean view on the main screen. The two continued to watch the waves crash against the shore and the birds swoop towards the ocean looking for prey. The sun shined down on the water like a light through blue crystal, creating a gorgeous scene.
Dr. Sanada again interrupted the silence. "It's funny, isn't it?"
"What is, sir?"
He turned his head towards Yayoi and looked her straight in the eyes. "How love strikes us when we least suspect it."
As she looked into Dr. Sanada's eyes, the revelation hit her like the waves that were pounding against the shore. Nodding at his words, their meaning began sinking deeper and deeper into her subconscious until she finally spoke.
"Tell him I'm sorry."
"Will do."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The engines finally roared to life, easily drowning out the cheers from the crowd that had moved a safe distance from the vessel. With less than a minute left before launch, Hiro and Reika stared in awe at the massive hull that was only a few hundred yards away from them. It was amazing how well the engines that Doctors Sanada and Rara worked and how little thrust was required to propel the ship into orbit. The crowd could gather this close today whereas a mere four years ago, they would have had to stand much further away in order to watch the launch safely.
Dee's voiced echoed over the speakers that had been hastily thrown up around the launch site, "T Minus thirty seconds and counting."
Hiro looked towards the bridge of the vessel, wondering how Yayoi was holding up. He was so entranced that he did not notice Reika eyeing him over and wondering the same.
The ship began shaking ever so slightly and the engines glowed blue with a greater intensity. The roars from the crowd hushed as they all watched the vessel enter its final countdown.
"T Minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Liftoff!"
The ship remained still.
Dr. Sanada's voice could be heard in the background over the speakers, "Oh! Not that button. That one over there engages the engines. That one just starts them up."
The crowd fell sighed collectively and Reika suppressed her laughter. There were some things that would never change. Assorted shouts and loud noises could be heard over the intercom, most of them proclaiming Dr. Sanada's idiocy. Finally, Akane's voice overrode the others and she told Dee to restart the countdown from ten.
"Ok, mom. T Minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Liftoff!"
This time, the engines roared even louder and the ship slowly left the pad for the great unknown. Dee's happy voice could be heard over the intercom cheering and shouting good-bye to everyone remaining on the mother planet.
The crowd watched the ship descend over the horizon and continued listening to the radio communiqués until it fell silent. The event over, they began returning to their everyday lives. Mothers picked up their young children, smiling and bouncing them as they returned to their homes. The older children gathered into groups, some pretending to be core robot pilots and others dreaming of their own space adventures. The fathers watched all of this with amusement and eventually rounded up their young and left the sunny beachside launch site.
Rising from his seat, Hiro offered his hand to Reika, who graciously accepted it and braced against him as she got up. Linking her arm in his, he began escorting her to the parking lot.
"Do you require a ride home, Mrs. Nanjyoin?"
Reika shook her head, "No. I have a driver waiting for me, but thank you for the polite offer."
Hiro bowed his head, trying to come up with another topic to discuss other than her granddaughter leaving their life forever. The well of ideas all dried up, he asked, "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I will continue counseling at the Academy for as long as they will have me. I imagine I will need to find a new place to live. There's no need for me to take up such a large home all for myself."
Hiro nodded in agreement, "This is true. Let me know if I can help you in any way."
Reika smiled and removed her arm from Hiro's. The young man, confused by her actions, turned to face her.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Kamikochi, I forgot something."
"Oh! I can get it for you, if you'd like," Hiro started to move towards the bleachers, but Reika stepped into his path.
"No, dear. I can get it myself," she smiled broadly and began walking towards the parking lot where her car was waiting.
Entirely confused, Hiro called, "Mrs. Nanjyoin! The bleachers are the other way!"
Reika turned, looked at the bleachers, and looked back at Hiro. Her smile becoming even broader, she simply stated, "So they are," and began heading towards her vehicle.
Hiro stared at the strange old woman as she hobbled off. What was going through her head? Maybe she thought she had dropped whatever it was along the way?
Turning around, Hiro began searching the ground for the unknown object. He kicked at the loose dirt and grass, not really caring about the pair of shoes he wore. Finally reaching the shadow that the bleachers cast, he continued to kick at the ground until a pair of legs in high heels stepped into his path.
Without looking up, Hiro asked, "Ma'am, you haven't seen a... Well, I don't know what it is. I guess I should ask if you've seen anything of value lying around this area."
The owner of the legs replied in a very familiar voice, "Yes I have."
Looking up slowly, Hiro's eyes widened in disbelief.
Continuing to smile, Reika placed her binoculars back into the little compartment under the driver's seat. She tapped on the window separating the two and told the driver to take her home.
Reika slumped back into her seat, the content smile continuing to invade her lips. There had been questions within the last few years as to whether or not her reputation was nothing more than a rumor, but she hoped that this situation would lay those claims to rest. After all, all anyone had to do was look at those two and know:
Every one of the couples she introduced got married.