Author's note: I don't own the rights to Escaflowne or I'd be rich! Lol. I did make silk kimonos not royalty. Shame on me but I'll get over it. But enjoy!
Hitomi couldn't think about anything while she was in Literature Class. All that was in her head was what Amano wanted to talk to her privately about. He and Yukari had been serious for two years now . Well in three days it would officially been two years for Amano and Yuraki . It'd also be about two years since she saw or heard from Van. Did he remember her? Did he find someone he loved better than her? Was something wrong? She couldn't help asking herself those questions everyday. Hitomi looked out the window into the sky. In less than a week she would be graduating high school. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life though. During summers she wishes she could visit Gaea, Van, and her friends.
"Hitomi?" Hitomi jumped as she looked at Amano. "Are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh yeah! I'm fine."
"Good. Can I walk you home?" Hitomi nodded yes and grabbed her stuff and walked with Amano. Amano seemed to want to talk but didn't say anything tell they were on the train.
"Hitomi, I'm going to ask Yuraki to marry me next week."
"That's great! But what do you need me for?"
"I need you to get something for me from her grandfather…" Hitomi thought for a moment. She had met Yukari's grandfather many of times. He was sweet and strong but what could Amano need from him?
"What would that be?" Amano seemed to hold back what he wanted from the grandfather.
"I want Yukari's grandmother's wedding ring that her grandfather gave her. She told me about it once. Then I decided that would be her wedding ring. Hitomi…will you get it for me? Surely you know which ring I'm talking about?"
Hitomi knew exactly which one he was talking about. She remembered Yukari showing her that ring. Hitomi remembered it clearly; it was two rings each with half a heart on it, around the diamond heart were ruby and sapphire flowers and emerald vines.
"I'll get it for you Amano. I'll go tomorrow since it's Saturday." Amano hugged Hitomi.
"Thank you Hitomi. Call me when you get it." with that Hitomi got off and started walking home. Was it fair that Hitomi had to watch her friend be engaged to the one she loved but Hitomi not? Hitomi looked out to the ocean and thought of Van. What happened to him?
She opened her bedroom door to see her room like before. She sat at her desk and pulled out some paper and a pen. When she was getting out the paper she saw her tarot cards laid far back into the drawer. She touched the top of the cards but then decided not to and shut the drawer.
"Van…"
"Ah! Hitomi how nice to see you?" greeted Yuraki's grandfather and offered Hitomi in. it'd been about a month since she visited Mr. Yakima. He was still in great shape and looking better than other old men.
Hitomi sat down on the red couch that was arranged in the room where it was the center of the room. Mr. Yakima poured tea and handed Hitomi the cup.
"What do I owe the pleasure to my dear?"
"Yukari's…Amano wants Yuraki's grandmother's wedding ring to ask Yukari's hand with." did that sound right? Mr. Yakima smiled and got up to grab a small black box.
"Amano is the best one for her isn't he? Well here's the ring." he opened the box to show a small diamond ring. Hitomi thought for a moment and smiled. He must be playing a joke.
"No Mr. Yakima, the other wedding ring." she looked up at him to see him sighing.
"Hitomi, I can't give that ring to Yukari." Hitomi lifted a brow in confusion.
"Isn't that…"
"Hitomi, I never told anyone this before, but that ring was my fiancé's before Yukari's grandmother." he laughed to himself, "I guess I should explain it to you." he opened another box showing the ring Yuraki wanted since she was little. He smiled and started talking. Hitomi couldn't hear what he was saying but it came to her like a vision.
A tall black hair woman sat looking out a window that viewed a mountain. She wore a silk kimono that had red flowers on a white background. She was playing the piano as she stared. The music was beautiful to Hitomi's ears.
"Kusari?" the lady turned around to a handsome guy which Hitomi recognized as Mr. Yakima. The lady had crystal hazel eyes and a small delicate smile.
"Yakima. Let's go for a drive?" she moved her bangs to the left of her delicate tan skin. Her voice was like a musical instrument. Yakima smiled and nodded.
Kusari looked out at the scenery. Her hair flew with the wind the car projected. Yakima watched her and the road while smiling. Hitomi then realized the ring on Kusari's hand.
She would look at the ring then at her fiancé. A sad presence seemed to take place then.
"I'm not the one for you Yakima." he laughed at that remark.
"Why is that my love?"
"I'm not the one who loves you like they should."
"Why is that my love?" his voice crept lower and lower.
"I know it in my heart. Yakima…look me in the eye and tell me with your heart I'm the one you want for the rest of your life." with that remark he stopped on the side of the road. Both got out and stood under the shade of a weeping willow next to a lake.
He pulled her in for a deep kiss but knew what she spoke was true. He looked in her eyes; those deep hazel eyes that held so much knowledge for one person.
"I love you Kusari." he kissed her again and put the other half of the ring on. Kusari had tears falling now. She looked at the ring and at him making her cry more. He smiled and stroked her face. "Goodbye my love." he started walking towards the car.
"YAKIMA!" he turned around to see her running towards him. She held her hand out to him. "Take this to remember me." he took the rings and watched her cry. He drove off with nothing else said.
Hitomi looked at Mr. Yakima. She now heard his voice and saw the old man.
"I couldn't keep her and make her sad." tears were in his eyes. "And I never saw her again either. I asked your grandmother Hitomi if she ever saw her either."
"My grandmother?"
"Yes. They hung out all the time. But she told me Kusari wasn't ever coming back to us. That day I vowed to give these rings to Kusari's children. That's why I can't give them to you Hitomi."
Hitomi sat there as Amano looked at the ring.
"Well it's better that she has her real grandmother's ring then someone else." he smiled and thanked Hitomi. She smiled back and then said she had to go do something. With that they said goodbye and good luck. Hitomi went home to an empty house and went straight to her mother's photo albums. She knew her grandmother would have a picture of Kusari. She flipped through the pages of the old book. Finally she stopped at one.
There Kusari and her grandmother sat smiling at Hitomi. Kusari was in the same kimono that she first saw her. Her grandmother in a different kimono. Each held a fan and a flower.
"That was your grandmother's favorite picture. She loved her best friend." Hitomi jumped as her mother smiled.
"What happened to her?"
"Your grandmother said she went where her heart told her. 'You will never find a person who knew what her hear wanted like Kusari..' so said your grandmother." her mother leaned in to whisper to Hitomi. "Your grandmother said she went with an angel." Hitomi looked at her mother who went to her room.
"Van…"