Chapter 4

At the end of the main street, Kokoro and Kaoru went separately on their ways, to each of their own home. Kokoro waved good-bye as the black Lexus fades away from her sight. She walked to the small alley, the shortest way to her house. She redundantly thought of what had happened earlier in her training. The though of telling her discrepancies in her specialty made her feel awful. For
the first time of her life in training, she was scolded by her sensei, telling it wasn't good enough for the upcoming tournament. She always wins and everybody in the campus knows that. Her records from the previous school tournaments and championship games are very remarkable. But to him, it seemed to be a child's play.

"Kuso!" Kokoro irritably stated.

She was nearing to their family's cybercafe, an adjoined place to their own house. Her sisters were having a discussion behind the pantry door about something – something about family matters. Kokoro didn't bothered at their conversation at first as she was about to go upstairs to change her clothes. She decided to greet her sisters and asked them about their day, upon nearing, she stopped and listened silently.

"Don't worry, Omasu. Nothing will happen," said Okon as she continued to brew the serving coffee.

"I don't know. You can't stop me from worrying." Omasu gripped the kitchen towel harshly with eyes unstable.

"Hush. This isn't the place for such nonsense, Omasu. Nothing will happen as far as we…." Okon had sensed Kokoro behind the door and ceased the talking. "Ohayo Kokoro-chan! What are you doing there, behind the door!"

Kokoro smiled and went out from her hidings.

"Gomen Nasai. So what's with Omasu-oneesan? Why is she worrying, worrying too much – for us and especially me? What is it?" She pleaded.

"It's nothing. She's just worrying about the expenses of the house and your schooling. That's why. But we managed to solve that." Okon calmly replied.

"Oh really…. I'm not convinced." She projected a doubting look, frowning.

Omasu went close to her younger sister and held her in her beautiful, caring arms. "We're fine. Don't worry. Everything is gonna be alright. I promise. sniffed"

"Okay." Deep inside, she's still not convinced. There is something wrong in the setting and she has to find it out. "What's for dinner?"

Omasu released her and went to the cooking area without looking Kokoro's eyes. Kokoro really assumed that there is something wrong with her sisters and they don't want her to know it. She doesn't know whether she will be happy or get mad on hiding something on her, having all those secrets. She decided to go with the flow first then do the rest. No secrets are kept forever.

"Wow!" Kokoro sniffed the welcoming aroma of beefstew. "Smells good! Really good! How I wish I could cook one of this."

"Well it's about time for you to learn Kokoro-chan. Every lady should know how to cook. It's for the good of their future family, to her husband and children." Okon stated as she finally arranged the coffee cups in a wooden tray.

Omasu agreed.

"Oh really….Is that so. Okay. One of these days I'll study cooking with Omasu if it is alright with her." She perceived directly to her elder sister, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine with me. Dinner's serve." Omasu smiled and a bit worried.

"Okay! I'm hungry!"

"Wash your hands first before eating, Kokoro-chan. I'll deliver this to the costumer outside before he gets the hell out of this place. I have overdone brewing the coffee because of the long talking. Wait for me pls." Okon brushes out the bead curtain, a service entrance to their cybercafe.

"Hai!" Kokoro nodded and went to the sink to wash her hands.

Omasu smiled and stared at her younger sister. She is still worrying and Kokoro noticed that. In her eyes, there is madness – madness from whatever keeping her mind unhinged. Kokoro stared at the continuous gashing flow of water to her mild hands.

"All of the day's work. Huew!" Kokoro deliberately fell on her soft fluffy bed after taking a bath. She stared blankly to the ceiling of her room, remembering her training with her sensei. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes then sighed. "Saturday. Tomorrow will be a bright day to all of us." She yawned.

She hugged her pillow and viewed the two beautiful roses from her lovely glass vase, wandering if she finally found the mysterious man from the alley she spied last night. The man in the alley and her sensei is, perhaps, the same person, in flesh and blood. They could be because of the similar scent of a particular woman's perfume. Heck! Kokoro chortled and stood up. She sat to her
chair from the desk and simply grabs the body of the vase. The moon shines beautifully tonight. What a wonderful sight. She felt as something had made her feel tranquil and comforted. She suspected the roses from her vase and the bright moon. The ill-tempered feeling about her training slowly fades away from her mind and promised to train herself more for her own good. She picked the red rose from the vase, nearing it to her sight. She scanned the rose.

"Red. It's too red. It's too red as a blood." Kokoro brushed her fingers to the moist petals then smelled. "The scent of a rose is something worth dying for….." A voice prompted from her mind abruptly. It isn't hers or any voice she remembers. Her eyes widened and she stood up, leaving her chair slammed on the floor. She was terrified on hearing such an unthinkable thought. She shivered and had reflexively held the rose tightly from its stem, its thorny stem. Her left hand was pierced by the rose's thorns. Strip of blood gashed out from her fist, still reacting numbly, wondering. Moments later, she felt the pain from her wounded hand. Unknowingly, she immediately threw the rose to the floor, aching from the one it produced.

"Ouch! What the heck!" She instantly searches for her first aid kit from her drawer. She took the cotton buds and the alcohol from the kit. She managed to tend herself in healing her wound without any help from her sisters.

After finishing tending her wounds on her left palm, she cleaned away the used buds and hid the first aid kit back to her drawers. Her hand is on bandage. The pain gradually ceases. She remembered the red rose, the one she threw to the floor. She reached and looked at it. Blood from her hands still leaves the marks to the thorns of the lovely flower. She quickly put it back to her vase,
cleaning it to the water that kept it alive. She picked her chair and put it upright; turn the lights-off, then went to her bed. She lay down and positioned for her to view the two roses from her vase from the desk. The blood mixes with the pure clean water – a view that she will never forget. What about the voice? The unknown voice prompter in her mind a while ago that caused her frightened then wounded. She gradually stopped from thinking anything more of the incident. It's getting late and she has to reserve more energy for tomorrow, to face new challenges and adventures. She, now, gently sleeps.

Kokoro's trusted alarm clock rang around 5 o' clock, waking her up for the new bright day to enjoy with. She stood drowsily, going to her closet. At the door of her closet, she intentionally bumps herself for her to be fully awake. And it did, as always. She yawned and opened it, choosing the best comfortable clothes she could wear for today. She located her white shirt and khaki Capri
pants along with her hanged t-shirts. She took them and placed it to her cluttered bed. Then, she quickly looked for her towel and went directly to the bathroom to take a nice clean bath. Moments later…..

"Ah!" She yawned again. ", it's a very bright morning.", then looked at her moist roses, receiving dew from last night's damp atmosphere.

After bathing, she wears her clothes placed from her bed then cleans the messed she had produced. Now, it's time for her to have a new adventure, she thought. She raced downstairs, leaving her hair loose. It swung beautifully upon her shoulders and back.

"Kokoro-chan! Is that you?" Okon shouted from the kitchen, preparing the menu for today while their other sister cleans the inner café area where computers mostly found.

"Hai! I'll be going to the park. I just need enough air and exercise to start with. I'll be back soon! Mata ne!" Kokoro grabs a piece of bread from their dining table and run off the house.

On the streets, people are starting to do their daily morning rituals. Some are opening up their stores and some are sweeping some excess dirt or trashes from their covered area. Each of their own flowers was showered with water so that they could also start with the new day. Some people also thought of having
themselves tour the surrounding early serene area, which will be good for their consumption of fresh air and view. Kokoro watched amazedly as they moved and do their things in life. The sun starts to touch each of the town folks' perspectives. A wonderful feeling to see all at good hands.

"Ahah!" Kokoro stretches her arms to the arm and yawns. "Ohayo minna!"

People from the surrounding neighborhood also greeted her a warm hello.

"Kokoro-chan! What made you woke up this early? It's very unusual for you to do such a thing. It isn't your school day." An old woman – family's friend, holding a 2 month-old baby into her arms, from the sidewalk asked.

Kokoro looked at the woman and went lose to her side. She smiled gladly and explained her side. As she continuously talks to her, she glanced at the little one, silently sleeps to her grandmother's protective arms safely.

"Kawaii." Kokoro said, wishing that she could have one – not within these days but in the near future with someone she loves. Then she blushed. The old woman was totally clueless to her act. Kokoro kissed the young one's petite forehead and waved goodbye. She, then, moves to her targeted goal – to the park.

She views the passing areas with sweet smile and galore. Now, she's nearing the park and could almost hear the sound of the chirping of doves and other species of birds homing in there. She ran to it and on her way she met a small group of people doing their exercise – Tai-chi. It is a form of exercise emphasizing the
benefits of chi to our body with the help of natural elements, doing slow tranquil movements. The view is very inviting yet she has to go to her SPECIAL SECRET PLACE she used to hide when she was a little girl whenever she was scolded by her elder sisters. It is a place where she contemplates whenever she had problems or troubles in life. But this time it's different.

"Finally." She thought while walking towards the big oak tree of the park. It was partly hidden from the public area so it makes it a good place for silent meditation and related.

"It's been a year ago since I went in this place. I wonder how tall it grew after I left it." She went close to its tree trunk, touching its memorable marks in its barks that she had created long before. She touched the area of the tree trunk where she used to punch because of her training of Kempo. She also stroked the X marks she did on throwing kunais, also a part of her training. And lastly, she went at the back of the tree, bent, and saw small partition of trunk capable of being a hiding place. She sighed.

"My childhood. My sweet childhood." She chuckled. "This is where I met Kaoru-chan.. She was very afraid, crying like a baby. She got lost in the park while trying to catch a butterfly. Ha!" Then sighed. "Still, I'm happy it happened."

She looked up to the tree and decided to climb up. She views wonderfully the beautiful places of her town up here – the mountains, the town, and the sea. All are majestic to her eyes and heart.

"Wow! It's still beautiful out here. I'm glad to be here once again to view everything such peaceful." She embraces the smooth flow of the wind as it passes to her body. She sat at the highest branch of the tree and waited the completion of the appearance of the sun to the city. She breathed the fresh air, soothing her lungs. She missed this kind of activity she used to do.
And she's very happy of doing to all over again.

While she was staring out to the magnificent skies of Edo, she suddenly heard cries from below. Cries of a child, like what she heard when Kaoru did when she got lost. She immediately scans the world below her place and saw two small kids, simply standing right at the front of the big oak tree. She climb down as fast as she could, balancing every steps she made – a sign of a good martial
artist. When she arrived, the two little girls were still crying….for what?

"Ohayo little ones! Why are you both crying?" She kneeled, leveling her face to theirs just to wipe her handkerchief to the girls' faces.

"We are lost. sniff-sniff We are suppose to be on our way to our play center when me and my little sister got lost on our traced tracks."

"You two are too young to travel alone in the city. Your mother and father would have been pretty awful worried of you two." Kokoro replied. "By the way, my name is Shiawase Kokoro. My friends usually call me Kokoro."

"My name is Ayame and this is my little sister, Suzume-chan. Nice to meet you. sniff-sniff" As Ayame tries to shake hands with Kokoro.

"Big brother told us not to talk to strangers!" Suzume slapped her older sister s hand away from Kokoro's.

Kokoro was shocked yet understood what the young lady meant. She stared Suzume and gently held her hand to her petite shoulders although the child reacted fearful.

"I'm not a stranger anymore because I already introduced myself a while ago to the both of you. Isn't?" Then she smiled, felt dumb to herself.

Suzume was a bit confused but somehow Kokoro is right.

"Don't worry. Just tell me where it is then I'll do the rest. Okay? I'm your friend already. I won't hurt you." Kokoro held her palm to the frightened child. Ayame waited for her young sister's reaction silently. Later, she finally accepted Kokoro's assistance, now also smiling and wiping her excess tears from her pretty face.

"Pls. do." Suzume holds the palm of Kokoro.

Kokoro carried Suzume while Ayame grasped at her right hand. Ayame told Kokoro everything she knows about the place – how it looks and paths she remembers. Then the three are happily touring the park, like sisters, and finally went to the targeted place.

"A playing area huh………" Kokoro mumbled as she probes the neighborhood area across the park.

"Hai! It has a garden full of Roses," Suzume stated.

"And we all are forbidden to touch them said by our teacher." Ayame explains

"Oh really? It should be because a rose has sharp thorns enveloping its stem. What made them think to plant something dangerous in a kid's area?" Kokoro wandered.

"I don't know."

"Me neither." Suzume replied. "Still, they are beautiful to view with – with our teacher." Then she giggled.

Kokoro got amazed to the shown emotion of the little girl she's carrying. She is small yet entertaining. She remembers herself when she was little, with her sisters playing mindlessly. Gone with the good old days.

"Should we call first your parents? They may be have very much worried because,"

"We don't have any parents. They died when Suzume-chan was a few months old. Big brother told us they died of a certain accident." Ayame sobbed.

Kokoro felt sorry for the two. She was also sorry for asking about it.

"There it is!" Suzume yelled out.

Kokoro perceived a small bungalow wooden house with much wide space for the playing area, of course, for the children. She saw no other children playing on it. It is simply like a closed area due to the weekends. She doubted the two but it seemed to be fit to their descriptions. Kokoro and the girls went close to the place. Kokoro held Suzume down to the ground, enabling her stand and move freely.

"Hooray! We are finally in here!" Both girls are very happy on finding the place, finally arrived to their targeted goal.

"Let's see if sensei is here, Suzume-chan." Ayame looked excitedly to her younger sister.

"Hai!" They instantly ran towards the vicinity of the play area, leaving Kokoro at the front gates.

The girls stopped and looked back to Kokoro.

"Why don't you come with us, oneesan?" The two little angels waited.

"I can't. I'm not allowed to enter without any permission of the owner. I might get sued trespassing." Kokoro said as she waved her hand to the air.

"Don't worry. The doctor will allow you to enter this place. Promise!" Suzume ran towards Kokoro and pushes her at the back just to get inside of the area.

"A doctor?"

"Yes. She owns this place. And she's our friend."

"Oh." She wondered.

The two girls grabbed each Kokoro's hands tightly, making their way in to the small house. Kokoro is anxious yet with these beautiful angels beside her, everything will be alright.

"Ohayo Doctor-sensei!" Both little girls yelled.

A womanly figured appeared from the shadows approaching to the foyer. She wears a long white robe used by doctors, a black blouse and brown mini-skirt – above knee level. She has long black shiny hair, loosely brushing to her gorgeous figure and back. As she walks towards them, she glanced smilingly to the little kids waiting for her.

"Ohayo my little angels. What made you come here? The daycare center is closed for today. Only my clinic openly operates." The lady doctor reaches for her sandals. "And who is this beautiful lady standing behind you girls?"

"Our friend Kokoro-dono. She helped us on searching this place. We got lost in the way." Ayame explained as she went close to Kokoro's side.

"Sou, sou!" Suzume replied.

"Oh I see." The lady went close to Kokoro and gave her hand to greet her. "My name is Takani Megumi. My family owns this place and I'm not yet a doctor. I'm a medical student unlike these kids say. My family runs this clinic for so many years and it's time for me to endow my duty. This is a clinic with a daycare center, of course, for little children. You are very much welcome in here. Visit us as you like."

"I love to." Kokoro scans the place. "Nice place!"

"Arigato." Megumi bowed down.

Kokoro perceived roses from certain colorful fences outside the house. She looked at it, making the others speculate. Red beautiful roses blossom beautifully at the yard of the place. So fascinating, so serene – so inviting….

"We used not to have roses in our yard because, obviously, for the safety precautions of the children but one of our staff planted them their. For some reasons, the children love it. And they very much enjoyed playing here without disturbing the flowers. To view them is enough." Megumi explained as she went closer to Kokoro.

"It's because you don't want us to touch it Doctor-sensei!" Suzume replied smilingly.

"They are beautiful. I love roses." Kokoro whispered.

"I do too, same with the one who planted them." Megumi mindlessly talked her feelings to Kokoro.

"Nani?"

"Oh nothing…." A customer arrived from the clinic to have her monthly check-up. "I have to go. My father's patient arrived. Feel free to enjoy the view and place, Kokoro-san." Megumi tapped her fingers to Kokoro's left shoulder blade. Kokoro nodded.

"Can we come! Can we come!" Ayame and Suzume pleaded, grabbing Megumi's doctor robe.

"Alright but behave yourselves. First, we have to call the folks at your house." Megumi looks at the patient. "This way, ma'am." The patient followed.

Kokoro was left alone in the foyer and decided to tour herself a little. She went outside of the bungalow, seeking her way to the garden. The wind blew gently on her hair, hovering it. Such a heartwarming moment for her. She walked towards the flock of roses. The wind also blew upon them, swaying beautifully with every sweet touches made from the breath of heavens. She bent down and smelled one of the luscious roses. So fragrant, like the one she has at her
room – at the vase. The person who planted these surely has a good heart. Nurturing such magnificent creatures would be likely be done by a person who has a deeper shared emotions. Deep inside, she's glad to be in this place.

While she probes to the red roses, she heard noises from the back of the bungalow – some kind of a noise from a water sprinkler. She stood up and went on investigating, as always. At the corner of the house, she gently pokes at the other side, looking if there is someone there. A man stood among the white roses, showering them with enough water. He stood there, facing back to Kokoro's vision. She viewed him more clearly and somehow, recognized him a bit. He's tall and slender. Much like her….her….her sensei!

"Who goes there?" The man stated as he continuous to shower water upon the white roses without looking whoever it is. "Shiawase-san."

"How come he knows that I'm here?" she thought. She went out from
hiding.

"What brings you here?" Aoshi asked, still not looking back to her.

"Ah – eh….erm…." She can't think of anything to reason with.

Suddenly, Ayame and Suzume ran towards them, happily seeing their teacher with Kokoro.

"Sensei! Sensei!" Suzume yelled.

Aoshi took Suzume and held her into his arms. Kokoro remembered the time she was held in his arms due to her dumbness and felt envied on the little girl's happy giggles, seeing her sensei again.

"Why are you here? It's Saturday and you two aren't supposed to be here." Aoshi views Suzume's then Ayame's faces.

"It's just that we missed the roses." Suzume explained blushingly.

"Usotsuki! We came here not only for the pretty roses….it's you, sensei…." Ayame also blushed, pertaining to be bolder than her little sister.

Aoshi didn't mind the puppy love the two little girls felt for him. He's just going with the flow and ensures it will all surpass in due time. Aoshi looked at Kokoro, having a smiling eyes – eyes that she newly been encountered since she met him. He got stunning blue eyes, looks of a gentle and tranquil person. Kokoro's heart pumped faster – again!

"I'm hungry." Suzume thumps her aching stomach.

"Oh gosh….me too." Ayame sat on one of the rocks close by.

"Ayame-chan," Aoshi called her and picked her up. "Let's have a breakfast."

The two girls were very happy and excited of it. Such noise was heard by Megumi inside the clinic.

What's with the commotion out here? Oh! Aoshi-san. You're here. I thought it was somebody else." She went closer to Aoshi, seeming forgetting that there is another grown individual among the crowd. They seemed to be like a family when they mixed together. Such an envy view and irritable to felt with. Why do she have to be jealous? In what grounds? Heck! Kokoro now wishes to leave the happy family alone. And besides, Megumi might be his girlfriend.

"Sensei! Meet Kokoro-oneesan. She helped us finding this place." Suzume pointed her out while Kokoro reacted surprisingly.

"Yeah Sensei! She did!" Ayame seconds the motion.

"Oh really…." Aoshi perceived Kokoro again. "We will have a breakfast. I insist you to come with us." Then projected a sweet glance at Kokoro. Her heart was slowly melting upon seeing such gorgeous view. Is this still her sensei?

"Ah – eh… I have other plans to do. Gomen." She shyly stated.

"Pls. come with us, Kokoro-san. It will be our start of a very good friendship." Megumi pleaded.

Kokoro thought deeply as she examines her situation – to them and herself. What now? What will she do? She felt outcast by them who seemingly projected a perfect family.

"I simply must say, you should go with us and that's an order." Aoshi smiled, reacting like his old self again.

"An order?" Suzume asked.

Aoshi didn't responded, just looking through the wandering eyes of Kokoro.

"Okay. I'll go." Kokoro sighed very deeply. She now faces a new dilemma for this very bright and exciting day. The little girls in the arms of Aoshi were very pleased. "Kuso! What will I do?" she thought to herself.