Yearning for Sakaki
Part 4
After dinner, Tomo suggested that they built a campfire, and the other girls unanimously supported this.
"Then we'll have to find some firewood in the forest" Chiyo-chan said. "We have no firewood in the house."
"Yeah, let's find some big logs" Tomo excitedly said. "Then we'll split them with this!" she added, triumphantly presenting an axe she'd found in the broom closet.
"That thing should only be used by adults!" Yukari-sensei declared, tearing it from Tomo's hands with such force that she nearly hit Nyamo-sensei in the head.
"Only by responsible adults, you mean!" Nyamo shouted angrily, seizing the handle. Even then, Yukari wasn't inclined to let go, but as she was stronger, Nyamo soon secured the potentially deadly tool.
While Kagura and Osaka washed the dishes, the other girls went into the forest behind the house in search of firewood. Kaorin and Sakaki went together, and before long they were well away from the others.
Kaorin had anything but wood and campfires on her mind. For days she'd been nervous and tensed up, and as usual had lacked the courage to openly express her feelings to Sakaki-san. But the reassuring signs these last days, and the physical closeness there'd been between her and Sakaki, endowed her with an unprecedented decisiveness: "It's now or never!" she thought, and breathed in deeply.
"S-Sakaki-san?" she stammered.
"Mmm?" Sakaki turned and looked at Kaorin, who had stopped behind her.
"Umm… Sakaki-chan, I mean" Kaorin said, blushing lightly.
Sakaki blushed as well, and smiled at her. "Yes, what is it, Kaori-chan?"
Kaorin pressed her forefingers together, and stared at the ground. "Ummm…" she said with hesitation. "I-I have something I'd like to tell you…"
"Tell me?" Sakaki asked, and smiled hearteningly at her.
"F-for a long time I've wanted to t-tell you…" Kaorin hesitated and swallowed hard – then she looked directly into Sakaki's big, dark eyes: "… That I love you!"
Sakaki blushed, and gazed at her with wide-open eyes.
"I love you, Sakaki-chan!" Kaorin said, feeling the strangest blend of relief and fear roll through her: Finally she'd succeeded in expressing her love to Sakaki-chan – but how would Sakaki react?
For a long moment Kaorin was kept in suspense – then Sakaki embraced her. Kaorin's legs nearly gave way, but Sakaki's strong, loving grip held her steady.
"I love you too, Kaori-chan!" she whispered.
Kaorin felt tears of joy roll down her cheek – Sakaki loved her! Happily, she held Sakaki in her arms and enjoyed the feeling, but even more she enjoyed the love shared between them.
Without a word they both lifted their heads, and turned their faces to each other. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss that wasn't nearly enough, and right away they engaged in a much deeper kiss. They both blushed as they parted again, but still held each other in a loving embrace.
"I-I'm so happy!" Kaorin whispered, tears still in her eyes. "I was so scared that you might not love me…"
Sakaki smiled. "I've been fond of you for a long time, Kaori-chan… And now I realize that I really love you!"
"I've admired you from a distance" Kaorin said – "from the day we started at school together." She smiled. "Initially it was more of a crush – but I came to realize that I really love you… When you are cool, as well as when you are… gentle…"
Sakaki blushed, but smiled fondly at her. "Like this?" she asked, and kissed Kaorin.
Kaorin smiled lovingly. "Especially like this!" she said, and kissed back.
Kaorin felt indescribably relieved. How could she doubt? Sakaki loved her – and she loved to be loved! "Come, let's run back to the others and tell them!" she said, grabbing Sakaki's hand.
Sakaki seemed to hesitate. "Do you think we should keep it a secret?" Kaorin asked anxiously.
"No, it's okay" Sakaki replied, blushing slightly. She squeeze her hand, and hand in hand they ran back to the house.
"Ah, here comes Sakaki and Kaorin" Chiyo-chan shouted, as they came back to the house. "Surely we must have enough firewood, then!"
"How much wood did you find?" Kagura asked.
"Firewood! Oh…" Kaorin and Sakaki looked at each other, and laughed.
"What? You didn't bring any?" Yomi said with bewilderment.
Kaorin blushed. "Um… eh… we forgot…"
"Forgot? How could you forget it?" Yomi asked, even more bewildered.
"Kaori-chan and I…" Sakaki said, but then fell silent and stared blushingly at the ground.
"Kaori-chan?" Kagura said with amazement. "I've never heard you say that before…"
"I-I told Sakaki-chan…" Kaorin said and blushed – "that I love her!"
"What?" Tomo and Kagura gasped as one.
"Finally…" Osaka chuckled.
"And… and I love Kaori-chan" Sakaki said with blushing cheeks.
Yomi, Nyamo-sensei and Yukari-sensei looked with a bit of amazement at Sakaki, then at Kaorin, but smiled at them.
"Osaka, what did you mean by 'finally'?" Kagura asked.
"I meant…" Osaka giggled, "that Kaorin has been crushing on Sakaki for years…"
Kaorin blushed. "Yes, that's true…" she said and smiled.
"Wow, Osaka!" Tomo said, almost respectfully.
"I didn't see that one coming!" Kagura admitted.
"It's nice to see that you found each other!" Yomi fondly said.
Kaorin and Sakaki looked at each other, and then smiled at Yomi, both slightly shy.
Under the alleged supervision of Tomo, and real ditto of Nyamo-sensei, the girls prepared the campfire. Sakaki suggested to Kaorin that they should also contribute some firewood, and, holding hands, they went back into the forest. Fifteen minutes later they were back with a decent pile. Soon the campifre burned brightly, and they all sat around it.
"It's a shame that we can't do kakaoke out here" Osaka said. "I really feel like singing!"
"We can sing anyway, can't we" Chiyo-chan suggested.
"Only on the condition that Yomi doesn't sing!" Tomo said.
Yomi glowered at her.
"Now now" Nyamo-sensei said. "Everybody should be allowed to sing."
"Nyamo-sensei" Kagura said. "Have you ever heard Yomi sing?"
"Um… I don't think so… why?" the teacher and sweatdropped.
"Yomi-chan is good at many things" Osaka said and smiled friendly. "But singing isn't one of them…"
Yomi couldn't help looking a bit hurt, but nodded. "All right, guys, I'll keep my mouth shut – so go ahead!"
"Sorry, Yomi-chan" Osaka said and stood up. "I'd like to sing a song about friendship…"
Kaorin and Sakaki sat close together, embracing each other, and enjoyed the night, the campfire, the songs and each other. Kaorin never felt happier than this: Here she was, holding her beloved Sakaki-chan, among great friends, enjoying a wonderful summer night by a campfire. Could life be any better than this? Just sitting here with her dear Sakaki-chan – she loved her so much…
Chiyo-chan came over to the couple. "Congratulations!" she said and smiled fondly at them. "You really fit each other well!"
"Thank you, Chiyo-chan" Sakaki replied, smiling at her.
For a short instant a pained expression appeared on Kaorin's face – then she smiled uneasily. "Thank you, Chiyo-chan" she said, though without much enthusiasm.
Sakaki and Chiyo-chan looked at her, both a bit bewildered. "Kaori-chan, is something wrong?" Sakaki asked with concern.
"Oh, it's nothing" Kaorin said, holding Sakaki tighter.
It had been a cold February day, two years ago, when Kaorin heard about Chiyo-chan for the first time. Her adoptive father had led her to a sinister warehouse in a dreary industrial area. There she was led to a small, gloomy office with closed window blinds. The air was thick with tobacco smoke. She was asked to sit down by a simple table. In front of her sat a middle-aged man with an empty face, wearing a worn blazer, who was smoking a cigarette. Her adoptive father left the room, leaving the two of them alone.
The man gazed at her for about ten seconds, keeping a straight face, and then spoke: "Welcome, Comrade! Are you ready to serve the Dear Leader?"
Kaorin nodded timidly.
The man lighted another cigarette. "Good!" he said with a smile that almost seemed sarcastic. "Your target is a 10-year-old girl by the name of Chiyo Mihama."
Kaorin was about to say something, but the throat-burning tobacco smoke gave her a coughing fit.
"She is no ordinary girl" the man went on. "She's very talented, and already attends classes three years ahead of her age. Therefore, her parents applied to enroll her in high school come April." He took a pull of his cigarette, then went on. "Mihama is an only child, and has a dog called Tadakichi-san. The family lives in 19 Morigamae-cho, Uzumasa, here in Tokyo. Apart from this we don't know a lot about her, but you can read about her in this file." He handed her a dossier. "Learn this by heart, and give it back to me before you go!"
"Ummm… why is she a target?" Kaorin hesitatingly asked.
The man gazed at her with an empty face, and took another pull on his cigarette. "You don't need to know, Comrade" he said. "You should know, though, that her father is connected to the Japanese intelligence service, Naicho. Hence, you should be careful not to arouse any suspicion whatsoever. It would probably be best if you can avoid her parents completely. We have other agents who'll keep an eye on them."
Kaorin nodded, with eyes burning from the smoke, and opened the dossier.
Why this? Why would she remember her mission at this moment? From divine joy one moment, to the unfeeling and grim reality the next. Going from 100 to 0 in a couple of seconds. The sudden, brutal return to reality caused tears in her eyes.
"Kaori-chan, are you…?" Sakaki said, a bit worried.
No, she wouldn't do it! At long last, after a life of loneliness and anxiety, Kaorin had found love and happiness. Would she, just because Kimura-sensei wanted it, now throw all this away? Would she, under orders from the North Korean intelligence service, Gakushu-gumi, now break their love? Kidnap Chiyo-chan?
No! Never! To complete her mission would mean letting go of Sakaki-chan – that was unthinkable! She would tell the hated Kimura-sensei to go jump in the lake! She would break with her North Korean fatherland! She would leave her adoptive parents! She would start a new life with Sakaki-chan! Was it possible? It was – it had to be!
"Sakaki-chan, I love you!" she said, and kissed her.
Sakaki eagerly accepted her kiss, and held Kaorin closer.
And as we came out of the water, we sensed a certain movement in the air, and we both shivered slightly; and we ran to collect our clothes. And as we walked home we could hear the leaves curling, and turning brown on the trees, and the birds deciding where to go for winter; and the whole sound, the whole sound of summer packing its bags and preparing to leave town. (Pulp: "David's Last Summer")
XXXXXXXX
Kaorin and Sakaki lay close together that night. But Kaorin slept badly, waking up frequently. She tried to concentrate on her beloved Sakaki-chan, who slept peacefully by her side – almost tried forcing herself to feel happy. But inescapably, images of Chiyo-chan and Kimura-sensei popped up in her head, ruining her peace of mind.
The next morning, Kaorin awoke with a start from an unpleasant dream. For a short moment she was confused, then she looked around: The place next to her, where Sakaki had lied the evening before, was empty! Feeling uneasy, Kaorin jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. Her anxiety left her, though, as she heard the sound of piano music and rhythmical "One! Two! Three! Four!" from outside, and was replaced by a yearning for closeness with her beloved. She ran outside, and saw Sakaki and Chiyo-chan doing morning exercises to the radio, just like the prior morning. Without hesitation Kaorin ran up there and hugged Sakaki, who staggered from the sudden impact of Kaorin.
"Good morning, Sakaki-chan!" Kaorin fondly said.
"Ah, good morning, Kaori-chan" Sakaki replied, and kissed her.
"Good morning, Kaorin" Chiyo-chan said and smiled. She had also interrupted her exercises when Kaorin appeared.
Seeing and hearing Chiyo-chan, Kaorin was reminded of her problems, and it wasn't easy for her to smile at the girl, as she replied: "G-good morning, Chiyo-chan." But no! Nothing would be allowed to ruin her relationship with Sakaki-chan! She refused to give up! With all her might, and with some luck, she tried to suppress every thought and anxiety of her mission. Soon she was smiling sincerely, and hand in hand with Sakaki, she went back into the house to prepare breakfast.
On Nyamo-sensei's suggestion (and with half-hearted support from Yukari-sensei, who preferred reading her book) the morning, like the other days, was spent studying.
Kaorin still had a hard time focusing on studying, but this time the cause was much happier: The day before she had sat anxiously thinking about how to express her love to Sakaki-chan – now she was spending most of the time gazing lovingly at Sakaki, who seemed somewhat more focused on her studies. The other girls couldn't help noticing this, but merely exchanged suggestive glances and smiles, saying nothing.
In the afternoon they once again went to the beach to have fun. Kaorin and Sakaki played in the waves, kissed, went walking holding hands, and just enjoyed their love. Kaorin felt extremely happy!
They were just coming out of the water after another swim, when she saw what she had dreaded most of all: Kimura-sensei was running down to the beach, headed directly for Chiyo-chan, who sat in the sand chatting with Osaka. He appeared to be sweating excessively, his shirt unbuttoned at the throat, and his tie loose and fluttering all over. But far more Interesting was the fact that in his hand he was holding a gun!
"Kaori-chan, this is it!" he cried in his shrill voice.
Kaorin despaired: Would her world now come crashing down? Would Kimura-sensei destroy the love of her and Sakaki, by forcing her to help with his wicked plans? Would she succumb to him?
No… No! NO! Never! It was over! No more Kimura-sensei! Kaorin just wished to live with her beloved Sakaki-chan, with no ties to her North Korean past! She wouldn't help Kimura-sensei – no, she would stop him!
Nyamo and Yukari, who had been sitting under the sunshade some distance away, looked up in surprise at their colleague.
"Kimura-sensei!" Nyamo exclaimed with astonishment.
"What the heck is he doing here?" Yukari said, loathing in her voice.
They stood up, and walked towards him.
Tomo, Yomi and Kagura had been playing in the surf, when they heard Kimura-sensei's cry. Their faces showed varying degrees of abhorrence, as they saw their best hated teacher appear.
"Oh no, not him!" Yomi sighed.
"Kaori-chan?" Kagura said, astonished.
The three girls ran over to see what was up.
Kimura-sensei rushed for Chiyo-chan, who barely had had the time to turn and look, and grasped her with his left arm, the right one holding the gun to her head. "Take it easy, Chiyo-chan!" he demanded. "Then it'll be all right!"
The young girl screamed with fright, writhing in the clasp of the teacher, but then sat as paralyzed, once she saw and felt the gun pointing at her head.
"What's going on?" Kagura yelled.
"Kimura-sensei, what are you doing!" Nyamo-sensei angrily shouted.
"Let go of Chiyo-chan!" Osaka cried.
"Is… is that a gun?" Tomo said in disbelief.
All of them gathered around Kimura and Chiyu-chan. "Everyone, just take it easy" Kimura croaked, "then Chiyo-chan will be all right!"
Kimura-sensei turned his foggy glasses to Kaorin. "Come on, help me, Kaori-chan!" he demanded.
This was the moment: Did she have the courage, the will, to oppose him? Kaorin swallowed hard: "No!"
"Eh?" Kimura let his jaw drop, gawking at her.
"No, Sensei!" Kaorin said with resolve. "I won't help you! Leave Chiyo-chan alone!"
Kimura gaped at her: "Kaorin, your duty is…"
"I don't give a shit about my duty!" Kaorin cried angrily. "I won't let you ruin my life! Leave us alone!"
Kimura leaned his head on one side, and was just about to say something, when Kagura, who had snuck behind his back, fell on him and seized his gun. Her assault seemed to come as a complete surprise to him, and as quick as a wink she forced the gun upward, so that it didn't point at anyone. Kagura's interference triggered a reaction from several of the others: Tomo hit him in the face, shattering his glasses, and kept hitting him, even though her hands were bleeding. Nyamo-sensei tried to help Kagura hold on to Kimura's right arm, while Yomi futilely tried to wrest his left arm off Chiyo-chan. Furiously, Kagura bit down hard on Kimura's hand, until he screamed and let go of the pistol.
With that, Kimura yielded: He let go of Chiyo-chan, who frightened and crying staggered away. The girls prostrated him in the sand, Kagura sitting on his back and holding his arms in a vise-like grip. Nyamo tossed the gun a few meters away.
They all stood gasping after the short, intense fight.
"Kimura-sensei, what is this all about?" Nyamo-sensei demanded.
Kimura ignored her. "Kaori-chan, how can you do this to your fatherland?" he panted.
"Shut up!" Kaorin screamed angrily. "Leave me alone! I won't help you, or the other psychos from Gakushu-gumi. I don't ever want anything to do with North Korea anymore! Just leave us alone!"
Kaorin was panting after her tirade, and the other girls gasped and looked astonished at each other, and at her.
Kaorin gazed, with eyes full of loathing, down on her former superior. "What do you intend to do now?" she asked.
"Not I" he said in his shrill voice. "Sakaki-san, do your duty!"
With a collective gasp, the girls turned to face Sakaki behind them. Calmly, she was clutching Chiyo-chan with one arm, pointing Kimura-sensei's gun at the girl's head with the other.
"Kaori-chan, I'm sorry I lied to you!" she said, her eyes moist with tears. "I really do love you – but I also have an obligation to the Dear Leader! Please don't hate me!"
"S-Sakaki-chan…" Kaorin stammered in a low voice. No! This was impossible! She was seeing things! She fell to her knees, and slowly the tears started flowing down her cheeks.
"Please stand still, everyone" Sakaki said. "Then nothing will happen to Chiyo-chan!"
She hardly needed to warn them: The girls stood as frozen, in disbelief, astonishment and shock, without making a sound. Chiyo-chan also stood perfectly still, silent and shocked.
"That's right" Kimura hoarsely panted, as he had trouble breathing because of the weight of Kagura on his chest. "And if her influential father will help us, she will be returned unharmed!"
"Kagura-san, please let go of Kimura-sensei" Sakaki asked.
Grumbling and with hesitation, Kagura let go of the arms of the hated teacher, and stood up. Puffing, Kimura stood up, brushed most of the sand off his clothes, and went over to Sakaki. "Let's go, Comrade!"
"Yes!" Sakaki replied, a tear running down her cheek. Slowly, she started to walk towards the forest, still clutching Chiyo-chan and pointing the gun at her. Kimura followed her, frequently looking back at the girls, who stood rooted in shock.
Kaorin heard a shrill, grief-filled wail, which could hardly be uttered by any human. But, slightly surprised, she found that the cry was her own:
"Sakaki-chan, don't leave me! I love you…"