Living In a Dream
Chapter 7
Author's jibberish: Hello again! Ergh, I know I'm taking forever to update…
"Heiko, what are you doing here?"
"I want to leave this place."
"Why?"
"Kidai, my father and Wasanata set a date for the wedding."
"I…I see."
"I can not take this anymore! Kidai, it is you that I love! I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Maybe I should tell my father to break the eng--."
"Will not your father be angry? Would he think of it as dishonor?"
"Love is more important to me than dishonor. You look worried; what is wrong?"
"Besides this…my father was sent to Edo Castle. There is a foreign ambassador entering our country."
"The outsiders really are coming…"
"Yes."
"Why does that trouble you?"
"Because…I do not know what they want…"
"Again, no Asuka," the teacher announced, closing her role book.
"There goes his perfect attendance award," Ryoko joked.
Meimi's eyes turned to Asuka's empty desk.
"Why wasn't he here at school, Seira?" Meimi asked. She pulled out Amelia's Dream from her pocket.
"I don't know; could he still be asleep?" Seira suggested.
"Oh, I hope not." As they were walking home, they saw a car zoom by them. In the driver's seat was Dectective Asuka. On the passenger's side was his son. The car stopped at the intersection and then made a left turn.
"Um…Seira…" Meimi muttered, recalling her glimpse of Asuka Jr. "I think he's still asleep."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! This is getting too weird!" Meimi exclaimed. "First, Asuka Jr. is losing sleep, he spaces out and now he won't wake up! I don't get it! Is this stupid cross causing all this trouble?"
"Perhaps," Seira nodded. "Maybe we should talk to Madam Saomi."
Meimi released a deep sigh. "You're right."
They arrived at the store and were greeted by a closed sign.
"Now what?" Meimi dropped the cross in her pocket. She flopped on a bench. "Wha-What if Asuka Jr. stays like that forever? I don't—I can't—I…" Meimi buried her face in her hands.
Seira put a sympathetic hand on Meimi's shoulder. "Meimi-chan, you said there was a legend behind the cross, right?"
Meimi nodded.
"Well, there must be some kind of real historical reference on it since all legends are based on a bit of reality."
"So what are you saying?"
"Maybe you can find something on it with a bit of research."
"I do not seem to recall this being in your room."
"The ambassador's daughter gave it to me. She is so nice, even if we only met a week ago."
"Hm…nice, huh?"
"What is it, Kidai?"
"Nothing, nothing. She looks at me with the oddest eyes sometimes."
"Are you sure?"
"Well…maybe I am just imagining things, Heiko."
They had spent a long hour inside the library.
"This is getting crazy! I can't find anything!" Meimi hissed. She was bombarded with a very unwelcome 'shush' by the librarian. Meimi bowed a silent apology and scrolled down the internet window. And here she thought the World Wide Web was informative. She had absolutely nothing on Amelia's Dream. She looked up "Amelia's Dream," "Sleep Charm," and even "Sleep walking." Nothing added up and she was so tired. "Maybe Seira's having more luck."
She got up and found Seira in front of another computer, looking at old newspapers. She was slowing scrolling down a periodical. "What are you up to Seira?"
"Well, Meimi-chan, you said it dated back around 1850's, right?"
"That's what Madam Saomi told me."
"I decided to look through the old newspapers that are on file here. It turns out the 1800's was around the time Japan opened its doors to foreigners," Seira explained. "So it's very likely a Christian missionary brought the cross here."
"I suppose."
They skimmed through the newspaper until Seira abruptly stopped. "Wow, Meimi-chan, look!" she pointed to a picture she stopped at. "This woman looks like you."
Meimi gasped. "Y-You're right." Their resemblance was uncanny. "Who was that?"
"Heiko Mianema," Seira read under the caption. Seira explained while she skimmed the articles. "She was a warlord's daughter in a province right outside of Edo. She died a mysterious death in her sleep. She was…15? Oh, so young…Hm…"
"Do you think she has any living relatives?" Meimi asked, leaning closer to the screen. Just then her eyes widened as she saw a cross strung on a chain, being clutched in her hand. "Seira! Do you see that?" she asked, pointing to the spot where the cross was clearly visible.
Seira nodded. "I know. It's so strange…Oh! Here! Her father, Rokenchi Mianema, her mother Mina and her uncle…" Seira trailed off after she gasped.
"Yeah? Who is it Seira?"
"Hijiro Saomi…" she muttered.
Meimi's eyes widened. It couldn't be! If it's true, so then... Meimi clutched Amelia's Dream in her fist. "Come on Seira, let's go. I have to get my answers before it's too late."
…to be continued -_-