XX Picture Book XX
Raven: Alright, last chapter and the epilogue chapter. Like I said, no stupid critics, turns out, I got a STUPID critic! Anyways, as you all know, our two favorite couple got to know each other even more and that they found some things they had in common. I like to thank the reviewers (All but that critic guy I deleted and the one I can't delete) for reviewing this story! I was trying to make the story a lot more tragic, it was hard though since I'm not the emotional type. Alright, let's get through the crud!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
(ME)
Disclaimer: You know, you know. I don't own the two lovebirds.
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Ch: 3
Leaving Me Behind
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Another week has passed in the garden, flowers were starting to blossom and buds were starting to form, a sign that spring was arriving soon. Izumi was sitting under a colorless Cherry Blossom tree next to the mini stone bridge, the tree sat beside a still river that flowed under the stone bridge. Izumi was finishing one of her pages that were part of her book, she looked up at flowerless branches of the tree, and "I wish they could bloom right now, it would be so nice if they did."
"Yeah, it's too bad that you won't be able to stay with us longer." Izumi turned toward the bridge to see Kouji kneeling on the bridges railing with his arms crossed. "Hey, Kou-kou, nice to see that you're finally back from fixing my wheelchair back at the workshop. You could sit next to me if you want!" Izumi greeted, saying his nickname cutely. Kouji brought Izumi here so that she can have a quiet and relaxing area to paint; the deadline was 2 weeks away and Izumi only needs 2 more pages. Kouji walked off of the stone bridge and over to Izumi, and sat next to her. He looked at the picture she was painting; it was a picture of two people, a boy and a girl, standing under a cherry blossom tree. They were facing each other; the girl looked like she was crying.
"Let me guess, this is the part when the boy makes the promise to the girl?" He asked, Izumi nodded, "Yup, now all I need is two pages. One when the two make their final goodbyes, and the ending." They stood silent for a while, Kouji had a thought in his mind that he doesn't want answered. He said it anyways.
"So, I guess that means, you're goanna be leaving soon? Your wheelchair is almost fixed, all I need to do is see if the wheels would hold, so you don't have a reason to stay here now." Kouji said plainly, hiding away his feelings. Izumi looked at him; she then looked at the river and smiled a small smile. "I think I have a reason to stay longer…"
"What is it?"
"You……" Izumi said, looking at him with a bright smile on her face, Kouji started to blush a tomato color, did he really mean a lot to Izumi? Did she hold strong feelings for him also?
"You know, we should do make a promise to each other, like the two in my story." Izumi suggested, turnign her head back to the river.
"Like what exactly?"
"Um-like this one lets promise each other that we'll meet again when the cherry blossoms bloom!"
"That sounds good enough, I guess." They looked up into the trees, "It would be weeks thou, are you sure your mom will be fine having you come here?" Izumi nodded, "She's always sappy when it comes to me meeting with a boy, since it's the first time that I've made a friend, and well, since you're a boy I guess she wants me to start the marriage soon!" She happily laughed.
"Well then," Kouji placed his arms on the ground by her side and leaned over so both their noses were touching; Izumi blushed the darkest color of red, it was so dark it wasn't even funny!
"Maybe we can get engaged right now, if you want to." He whispered huskily, causing Izumi's face to go entirely red. Seeing this, Kouji smirked and leaned back to his old position. He started chuckling through his smirk. "What's so funny?" Izumi asked, still all red, as she gave a slight glare at him.
"It's pretty obvious why I'm chuckling," He gave her one of his rare smiles, "it's because you look very cute when you're all red, you should have seen your face!" Kouji blushed himself when he said that, but hey, he is alone with her, so why couldn't he act a little strange?
Izumi started blushing more before she stuck his tongue out at him, but this just caused him to chuckle some more. Kouji the noticed a little card on the grass and picked it up. On the card, it said "Organ Donators" written in bold print and on the card was an angel that had hearts with wings at each corner of the card.
"What's this?" Izumi looked at the card, "Oh, that's mine." She said, taking the card from his hand.
"You're an organ donator?" Kouji asked. Izumi nodded, "You know what they do, right? Anyone who gets a card like this and checks the yes box has agreed to donate their organs to someone who needs them after they died!" Izumi looked up to the sky, "My dad had a card like this, and after he died, his organs helped a lot of people, so I want to do the same!" she explained as she gave a smile.
Kouji looked at her and then faced his eyes into the same direction as hers, to the sky, "I can see were you got your kind spirit now, your father must be very proud of you!" Izumi blushed.
"Kou-kou cut it out!"
"Why, to embarrassed to let me say anything?"
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The scene changes to Izumi rehabbing again, but it wasn't really going well for her right now.
"Eeeeek!"
See what I mean?
Izumi was laying face first on the ground. She fell because her legs started to give away when she was close to the end. Kouji quickly ran up to her and helped her up, his arms supporting her paralyzed body. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just fell, it seems like my legs are starting to dislike me for trying to walk!" Izumi answered. Kouji smiled, "You think you can try walking without anything to support you?"
"Well, I think I can, for a short while. Let me take a shot." Kouji let go of her. She wobbled a little while standing, her legs not used to standing on its own. Izumi now started walking when she stood still, her steps were a little slow, but she was able to walk a little. Suddenly the pain in her legs came back, and Izumi nearly fell because of it. Good thing Kouji was there to catch her before she fell on the ground again. Her face and hands lay on his soft chest, with his arms around her slender body.
"Well, you're getting better; at least you can walk for a few seconds." Kouji muttered, blushing from the contact, along with Izumi. 'He feels so warm and soft..." Izumi thought, blushing even harder.
'Oh man, face, heating up again!' Kouji thought frantically.
"Ah, nice to see you two getting along so quiet nicely," Izumi lifted her head while Kouji turned his to the side. They spotted Hi-Ken-Mo right by the sliding door, his face plastered with a cheery grin.
"So Kouji, when do you want to get married, right now, or do you want to wait a couple of years?" The man continued.
"Who asked you, old man?" Kouji yelled at his grandfather.
"Now, now, Kouji, you're supposed to be nice to your elders. Has my son ever thought you manners?" His grandfather answered, waving a finger.
"Yeah Kouji, you have to be nice!" Izumi said playfully.
"Whose side are you on?" Kouji turned to face her.
"At least we know that your girlfriend is actually civilized!"
"Shut up and go away!" Kouji yelled at his grandpa, who immediately slid the door closed. Izumi playfully pouted, "You can be so mean, Kouji-Kun!"
"Whatever, it's how I get around in this house, anyways," Kouji stared to carry Izumi toward the wooden porch of his home, and sat her right there. "So, what do you do, yell at him or threaten to stab him with a knife one day?" Izumi joked.
"Yeah, very funny!" Kouji said sarcastically, rolling his eyes, as he sat down next to here. Silence engulfed the two, yet again, the only sound was the soft spring breeze that blew pass the house, picking up their strands of hair, making them dance on their face. The two just sat their, their heads facing the ground.
Izumi moved her eyes to take a glacne at Kouji who was just sitting, his gaze toward the ground. She just smiled at him, making a soft giggle. This caused Kouji too face her also, a confused look on his face; Izumi turned her head to face him, the smile still on her face. 'She really has a nice smiile.' Kouji thought. He really didn't understand why no one liked her the past years she's been living. She is nice, caring, independent, understanding, and even loving. Why doesn't anybody like her? He likes her, and hell, it would take the earths core, mars, and the sun combined to melt his heart; but she alone did it, just with her love and understanding of things.
Izumi slowly slid a little closer to him, her head facing away, hiding the blush. She moved her hand so that it would be resting on his that layed on the porch. Kouji just blushed and looked at their hands, he saw Izumis hand clasp his. Kouji just blushed some more and looked at her, her blushing face was now facing him, the smile still there. As if caught in a trance, Kouji just closed his eyes and leaned toward Izumi, while she did the same. Their lips nearly millimeters away, until-
"RIIIIIIIING!" Thats when they quickly seperated from eachother.
"God, that phone jsut had to ring!" Kouji cursed under his breath, blushing crimson red, Izumi just the same. She got out her cell phone which was in the pocket of the sport shorts she was wearing.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Yes, this is Izumi right?" It was Yuma, the editor's assitant."
"If its to check on the story, I only need one more page!"
"Really? That's perfect, you know why it is, because we had to change your due date for the book!"
"What, when?"
"I noticed that you and your mother are all the way in another place in Japan, so I suggest that you go back to Tokyo tomorrow, the due date is the day after tomorrow, and Im guessing were you are, it would take three days to get it all the way to Tokyo, I already told your mother."
"Wait, tomorrow, I have to go back to Tokyo tomorrow?" Kouji's eyes widened. 'She has to go back to Tokyo?'
"But...Oh.. I see...Okay...I understand...Sayonara, Yuma." Izumi said sadly, as she haung up the phone, she looked at Kouji.
"You have to go back, huh?" He asked depressingly. She nodded sadly, "Yeah, the contest had to be changed since the judge is going to another contest on the original day. So they changed it to next week, and In order to make the first copy, I have to get it in by tomorrow."
"So, I guess, that means, that this will be our last day together.."
"Yeah, my mom may be already done packing our stuff, because he called her before he called me, so I'm leaving tomorrow for sure." Izumi had her head down now, Kouji guessing that she was silently crying. Not wanting to see her sad, Kouji put his arms around her and layed his head against hers.
"We still have a promise, right? We still have it, you remember the promise from this morning, that we'll see eachother again some day, right?" He reminded her, stroking his hand through her soft hair, "Are you still planning to keep it, the cherry blossoms may bloom two weeks from now, right? Two weeks isn't that long."
"Yeah, I just wish I didn't have to leave so soon.." Izumi said sadly, then she hugged Kouji, burying her face into his warm chest. Kouji hugged her back, trying his best to comfort the girl, he then remembered something, "Hey, I know someplace were we can go, it's a 10 minute walk from here, and I'm sure this would be a good time to see if your wheel chair was working." Izumi just clutched his shirt.
"Okay, lets go..." She mumbled. Those two were anonymous to Hi-ken-mo, who just got off of the phone with Izumi's mom. She explained to him about the contest and how Izumi had to leave tomorrow. The old man sighed, "Don't worry Kouji, it's not like she's gone forever, you have one more day together, so just live with it."
Kouji and Izumi
The two were walking down a path that was surrounded by trees and flowers, just like any typical path in the garden, yet Izumi was clueless on the not-so-typical place the path lead too. She was sitting on her fixed wheel chair, it was as good as new, the brakes were even fixed. Kouji held onto the handles of the wheel chair as he pushed the wheel chair down the path. Dead silence stayed between the two, so much silence, that all you can hear was the sound of the rubber wheels rolling on the smooth ground. and Kouji's footsteps. Izumi really wanted to have a conversation, but she figured it would be a good time to talk once they get to were Kouji was bringing her.
They walked down the trail some more, both not wanting to say a word till they got to their destination. "Here we are." Izumi looked up and nearly gapped in awe of the sight infront of her. There, right infront of them, stood a giant cherry blossom tree, right in the middle of an area circled by the other trees. Of course, the cherry blossoms weren't in bloom, so the trees were bare. Nothing but brown hard bark standing there, it's amazing that somthing so beautiful can come out of something so plain. "Wow.." was all that Izumi could say, it was all she can say.
"It's the biggest cherry blossom tree in the garden, " Kouji said, moving the wheelchair toward the tree, "when I needed some time by myself, I always come here, most of the time it's when the cherry blossoms bloom. I always climbed the branches and just sit there, and go through my thoughts." Izumi looked at the giant tree, the bark was wider then the normal tree, and the branches wer bigger and more spread apart. She scanned the tree from top to bottom, until her eyes settled on a little carving. She tried to make out what the carving was, and it was revieled to be a little carved heart with "KM + TK". Izumi kind of got nervous, did "KM" stand for "Kouji Minamoto"?
"Um, Kou-kou," She asked, getting his attention with his nickname, she pointed to the carving, "what's that carving over there supposed to mean, you know, the heart one?" Kouji looked at were she was pointing.
"Oh, that? That's a carving my mom and dad did when they spent time with eachother. KM, stands for Kousei Minamoto, while TK stands for Tomoko Kimura. I think my dad also went to this place when he was a kid, then made this carving with my mom. I knew they were close, but this close?" Kouji explained. Izumi sighed in relief, and Kouji noticed.
"What, were you worried that KM stood for me or something?" He asked, raising a brow at her. She shot up and waved her hands in defense, "Of-of-of course not! It must be your imagination, after all, you spent six years without your parents, or your brother! That's way too long for any kid!"
"It's better then being secluded by others your whole life." Kouji mumbled, so that Izumi wouldn't hear. He then felt the chair shaking a bit, and looked down, he saw Izumi trying to get up from the chair, raising herself with the arm rests.
"Izumi, what are you doing?" He asked immeadietly. "I'm trying to get up, silly, no big deal!" Izumi said reasurringly. She tried ignoring the pain when she was trying to stand; getting paralyzed is easy;getting better is not. Now, she was standing, her legs wobbeling a little; not used to the position; but she was able to stand. She then tried walking, one step at a time.
"Okay, see, this isn't so bad," She said, ignoring the pain and concentrating on trying to walk toward the tree. Kouji just looked at her, a little grateful that she was able to walk a few steps. Izumi grew slightly tired because of all the pain, but was able to keep on going. She was closer to the tree's bark, but nearly fell on the next step; this time, instead of Kouji helping her, she put her hands on the tree to keep her from falling. "Phew.." She sighed, she turned her head to Kouji and smiled, "See, I'm fine, no worries!" Kouji just smirked, and walked beside her.
"My grandpa said, that this tree is nicknamed the Lover's Cherry Tree by the Minamotos, my great great great grandfather planted it her on the day he got married," Kouji explained, looking up at the branches, "My great great grandfather got married here, exactly when the cherry blossoms bloomed. Then, my great grandfather met my great grandmother here, exactly when the cherry blossoms bloomed. Then, my grandfather met my grandma, and got married here, when the cherry blossoms bloomed. Then, my father, gramps said he spent time with my mom here." Izumi looked up, amazed how this tree is like a love journal for his family.
"If you noticed, my ancestors met their lovers here and spent time with them, when the flowers were on the trees, right?" Izumi nodded, "Well, I hope that when you come back-" Kouji looked down, covering the blush on his face, "We can, meet eachother, and spend time with eachother- in this same, tree." He explained nervously. Izumi smiled at him, she slowly removed her hand from the tree, and held his hand. "If that's what you want, then I'll gladly meet you here!" Kouji looked at their entwined hands, and looked back at here; she gave him another sweet smile- and he smiled back.
"Then-it's a promise; a real promise."
Kouji walked down the hall, already ready for bed; he just wanted to say a last good night to Izumi. When he slowly opened the sliding door to her room, he spotted Izumi's head down on the desk, her arms encirceling her head, blond hair covering her face. The boy softly walked up to her, and noticed that she was asleep-by the way her body was slowly rising. Kouji looked at the desk, and carefully slipped a papar out of Izumi's arms. As he looked at it, he smiled.
She was finished with her book.
The picture had a cherry blossom tree at the very middle of the page. On the upper left hand corner, the boy was there, smiling. On the bottom right hand corner, the girl was there, smiling as well; but you can still see the tears in her soft eyes.
Kouji looked at the sleeping Izumi, "Congrats, Izumi-chan, you're done." He put the paper back onto the desk, and turned off the light. Then he slowly picked Izumi off of her tree, and carried her to the bed; bridal style. He placed her on the bed, and put the covers around her. He bent down and kissed her forehead goodnight, before leaving the room; but before sliding the door, he glanced at her, and smiled once again. Then he left, closing the door behind him.
Kouji and Hi-Ken-Mo, and Izumi and her mother, were infront of Okuyama's airport; saying their farewells. "Thank you so much for helping Izumi, how could I ever repay y ou?" Her mom said, cheerfully; Izumi was sitting on the wheelchair, carrying her pictures in a yellow envelope, as she smiled at the two.
"It was our pleasure, you could bring her back, we do need to plan on the two's marriage." Hi-Ken joked, but recieved a step on the toe from his grandson, who sneered at him. Izumi's mother giggled, "True," she looked at Kouji, "And thank you, Kouji, you're the first child Izumi has ever been friends with- Thank you- and don't worry, I'll be sure to bring her back, someday.". Kouji just nodded, "Your welcome." He then looked at Izumi, who looked back at him.
With all the courage he could muster, he walked up to her. "Izumi,"
"Yeah, Kouji?"
"I'm gonna miss you." She smiled at him.
"Yeah, I am too, but we promised we get to see eachother again."
"Yeah, true; and, when your book comes out in Okuyama, I'll be sure and be the first one to get it."
"Thanks, but I'm not sure if it will win!"
"It will, I'm sure of it."
"Thanks, Kouji." Kouji didn't nearly know why he did it, he just felt like he wanted to. He just put his arms around Izumi and hugged her. A warm hug, one with the feelings of love and sadness combined; that's what Izumi felt from it. Kouji expected to be teased by his grandfather, but he didn't even hear a chuckle. He just saw a smile on his face, and he knew a smile was on Ms. Orimoto as well.
"Now boarding, flight fourty-eigth to Tokyo." The speakers announced. Kouji immeadietly pulled back, no matter how much he didn't want to let go of her. "I guess it's time to go, dear." Izumi's mom put her hands on the handles, "Right," She looked at Kouji once more, "Goodbye, Kou-Kou.". How much Kouji hated those words, what was so good about saying bye to someone you care about?
"Bye, Zumi." Izumi's mom turned her wheel chair, and walked toward the boarding area. Kouji watched them leave; watch her leave. That's when Kouji felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to find his grandfather smiling at him. "Don't worry, you two will meet again, soon." Kouji smiled back, and looked back to were Izumi and her mom went. "Yeah, I will."
And they stayed there, till the plane took off and you can see it take flight into the skies.
Izumi and her mom were outside of Tokyo's airport, right infront of the busy streets; it was a long flight, and they were finally happy to get off that stuffy plane. Izumi's mom stretched, as she breathed in some air, "Ah, finally, back outside!" She sighed. Izumi looked at her yellow envelope, "Yeah, and soon, this story of mine will get published!" . "That reminds me, Izumi, I have to go call Yuma, and tell him we're here. He said he'll meet us back at our place, you want to come?" Izumi shook her head.
"Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine.". "Alright, if you're sure, I'll be gone for a few minutes, knowing how much he yaps and rants!", Izumi's mom left for the nearest telelphone. Izumi just sat there on her wheelchair, watching the people pass by. She looked at the envelope that contained her pictures, "I can't wait till this gets to the editor." She smiled.
"Oh, Kisuchi, come dear," Izumi looked up to see a women calling out to her little son infront of her. She then saw her son pass by, his mind focused on reading a picture he was carrying around. Izumi giggled, "Look at him, so absorbed into that book of his, and soon," She hugged the envelope, " people wll be reading mine." 'I'm gonna win the contset, for you Kouji.' She thought.
"KISUCHI!" Izumi immeadeitly looked up and saw the the boy had dawdled off again from his mother, and was to engulfed in the book to even notice he was in the middle of the streets. "No!" Izumi called out, the walking sign across the street was about to turn into a stop sign. She then tried to push herself off of the wheelchair, dropping the envelope and started walking- she was actually moving on her own to feet. All because she didn't want to see someone get hurt infornt of her.
The lights were green and and the walking sign was off. And there was a speeding car that went out of control heading for the child; the mom was to in shock to go and save him, not even the cry of her son was able for her to get over the sight. "KISUCHI!" the mom called out. Izumi was able to makl it in time, pushing the child out of the way, before he got hit-but...
She was able to walk; she wasn't parylyzed anymore- she was able to walk.
But, there was a cost for her achievment...
Her very own life.
A Week After the Incident
A tall man with slik black hair, in a reddish brown tusk, wearing sunglasses, was standing ontop of a stage. He was holding the mike, under a spotlight, a curtain behind him-making the audience anxious to find out who won.
"Tonight, is a very sad and remembering night. A night to remember a kind sweet girl named Izumi Orimoto." Another light flashed, to reveil Izumi's mom standing on stage as well. crying for the loss. She was holding a picture of Izumi, and it was one of the many things she had left to remember her by. "Last week, a child was nearly ran over by a drunk driver, but, this girl actually risked her life for this boy- and I should remind you the girl was parylyzed, sitting on a wheelchair- but with all her courage, she was able to stand up and walk again, to save that boys life."
Flash Back
Koura frantically sped throught he hospital, until he reached the right room. When he opened it, all he could find was Ms. Orimoto in tears, mourning over a body covered by a white sheet. Koura didn't wnat to believe it, but it was all infront of him.
"She's... Dead." Koura breathed out. Ms Orimoto didn't say anything, all she did was sob out more tears. The docters shook their heads in grief-it was to late for them to save her., The nurses tried to comfort the mother.
"Her organs may still be used," Ms. Orimoto lifted up the organ donators card, stained with blood-her very own daughters blood. "Do you want to do it?" The nurse asked. Ms. Orimoto nodded, "She wanted it," She said, " So let's honour her wishes."
End of Flashback
"It was blieved that, she died on arrival, not being able to say good bye to anyone. But please, she was a kind girl, and would have been a great friend too- yet no child accepted her because she seemed differant to the kids. So, we grant todays honourary Picture Book contest to, Izumi Orimoto- but don't think we picked it just because she died. Let's just say, let her work speak for herself." Koura stepped to the side, as the curtains opened, reveiling a giant poster with a cherry blossom tree on it, the titel:
" Promise Under the Cherry Blossoms- Written and Illustrated by Izumi Orimoto."
Izumi's mother smiled, and looked up at the sky, "Honey, you did it- you completed your dream." But, she knew something was wrong, that Izumi has forgotten to do something-
But what?
After Izumi was hit by the car, she just layed motionless on the ground. But she was deep in thought- she was gonna die- she knew it.
'Kouji... I promised him that I'll come back when the cherry blossoms bloomed.'
'I can't break the promise...'
'I just can't'
'Kouji..'
'No, I can't break the promise- I want to go and see Kouji, I want to fulfill that promise.'
'I want to fulfill that promise...'
'He was my first true friend, I can't let him down...'
She saw the same flashing ambulance lights she saw when she was 8, were the parylyzed thing started.
'I want to see him...'
'I want to tell him...'
She closed her eyes, to never open them again.
'I love him...'
Raven: So, how was it? Sorry if I said the epilogue was coming too, but I had a writers block on it. And people out there wanted me to update, so I did. I also wanted you guys to have a little thought on this story. What's gonna happen to Kouji and Izumi's promise?
The epilogue will just have to answer that.
R and R!
And sorry if the chapter was short, the epilogue might be heere in a few days, but time will tell!