Tokyo was the largest city in the whole world yet it was so small for individuals to hide.
"Oh how are you?" a young woman asked another girl who was of the same age as she.
"Would you like to buy some fruits?" A vendor asked trying to sell his goods to one of the people passing by. That was the same vendor you could see as you pass this place daily.
"Where are you going?" one yelled at another as he saw his peer walking briskly along the crowded streets.
Oh how small this blue planet was!
Day by day, we were meeting the same faces…
Doing the same things…
Encountering the same situations…
Hearing the same music…
Falling on the same trap…
Going crazy over the same person…
The earth was a vast yet small world for every one of us to linger.
How long had it been? Chi began to think while Ban's strong powerful arms were still wrapped around her.
Is it more than or lesser than a year since I left him?
How is he now?
What does he feel?
Is he still in pain?
Sorrow?
Chi wept silently thinking of her friend Hideki. Though she did not want Ban to know, Ban noticed it. He did not want to make Chi cry but what could he do?
As Chi cried all his tears out, Ban was struck by a fast and sharp arrow breaking his heart.
His heart ached. He did not know what to say. He feared Chi would be willing to send him away. But his greatest fear was knowing that Chi loved someone else.
Just then, a forlorn man, who seemed not to notice them at all for he had problems of his own, quietly passed by. Ban eyed him suspiciously.
I think I have seen him somewhere.Was it because a year had already passed that Ban already forgot who the man was?
Chi planted his hands on Ban's well-built chest and gathered her remaining strength to push him away.
Ban moved back.
He touched her face and he let his finger catch the tears that continue to fall from her creepy yet fine-looking irises. He had sworn he would never make her cry but he failed and now he blamed himself.
He regretted squealing at her.
However, could he do anything to alter the situation?
By the time Chi and Ban continued their walk, the downhearted man had already gone. Nevertheless, he had not left completely.
As they reached a bookstore, where Ban was supposed to buy a book that Natsumi asked him to buy for her, he saw the man there.
Chi surveyed the store with his eyes moving around. She spotted a little cute item and walked towards it.
Ban remained at his place. He just followed Chi with his eyes. He watched her from behind and smiled as Chi's scent spread in the place.
Meanwhile, Ban felt a cold hand on his shoulder…
He turned his head…
There he was… the pathetic man he had seen earlier…
"Can I talk with you for a minute or two?" the stranger said.
Ban looked back at Chi.
She was still looking at the stock of souvenirs sold at one corner.
"What do you want?" He asked the stranger as he turned his head back to face him.
"Let's talk outside." The stranger said.
Ban was about to complain but he could do nothing for the stranger had already left for the outside. He followed.
He still did not recognize him but the stranger did recognize him.
"What do you want?" Ban asked again.
There was a long pause giving way for the silence to conquer the place…
"Why?" The man asked breaking the tranquility of the atmosphere.
Ban eyed him with one of his eyebrows raised. He could not understand what the man was saying. He was left at a lost.
He had no idea of what was happening.
"Why won't you make yourself clear? What do you want from me?" Ban asked impatiently.
"What do I want from you…?" The stranger taunted then laughed.
"So you're saying you have already forgotten about me, huh?" he shouted.
"How could you? You have taken Chi away from me and then you can just act like nothing serious had happened!"
"So you are…" Ban broke in.
"Yes I am!" The stranger yelled cutting Ban.
"I am the guy, Hideki, the original man of Chi." He yelled.
"Isn't it funny?" He asked.
"When we first met, I, you and Chi, you were the one stranger here. And now, I am the one who's being a stranger. I have always thought of Chi. I have always loved her. I have not forgotten a single little detail of her. Not even yours. I could never forget the face of the man who has caused all the misery I feel!" Hideki was now shouting in pain and in anger.
"I remained silent. I have thought Chi was already happy by your side. I have thought you love him but then I was wrong!" Hideki yelled in hatred.
"I love her. I really do love her!" Ban reassured.
"But I've seen you. Don't tell me it's all in my imagination!" Hideki's loathe for Ban was mounting.
"You've seen what?"
"Stop pretending you know nothing!"
"I don't know so tell it."
"A while ago, I saw you made her cry."
"What?" Ban felt his heart was breaking. It turned into pieces. The noise created of the busted pieces of his heart echoed in his mind. Those words caused so much pain… so much guilt. He said nothing more. Hideki did not utter another word anymore. He was already breathing heavily trying to calm himself down.
"You…" Ban started.
"You don't know what really happened, do you?" Ban continued.
"What?" Hideki looked at him blankly.
"Chi cried because of you." The words came out from Ban's mouth almost in a whisper but enough for Hideki to hear.
"What do you mean?" Hideki asked him startled.
He was now getting confused. He wasn't as sure as he was when he asked Ban to come. His convictions left him. He was not sure of what was really happening.
"She still loves you." Ban looked straight at him.
There were loud gusts of wind. The people watching them kept silent. Hideki had no idea what to say… what to feel… how to react.
"Chi? She still loves me?" he thought aloud. Ban nodded at his question.
"Hideki-kun!" an attractive young woman appeared in the middle of the crowd.
Hideki raised his head up and searched where the voice came from.
Just then…
He found himself wrapped around Chi's soft comforting arms.
He turned his head to see her.
A plaintive smile was drawn in his tantalizing lips but was broken as Chi plunged her mouth into it even in front of everybody else.
The people who were watching were all shocked.
But as Ban saw this, he was heart-stricken.
He could not help it but kneel down to his knees.
I have done everything for you to love me but it is not enough.
Chi was the first one to let go. She noticed that Hideki did not fight back with a kiss. She wondered why.
"Ban's kisses are sweeter and more productive yet I love both of you."
The two men's eyes widened at what Chi had said…
Their mouths were opened in a gape.
Did I hear her wrong? Each one thought.
They swallowed hard.
They both lick their lips as they felt their faces drying up of the hot aura that surrounded them.
Chi seemed to be the only one enjoying.
"What is happening to you two? Aren't you happy?"
The two men did not replied but fixed their eyes on her. They were both startled. And so as the audience who were watching them.
What is she saying? Can she not understand?Hideki also knelt down. He was stupefied.
Nevertheless, the strangest thing that had happened that day was that Chi rubbed her belly.
"Don't you know?" Chi asked them. "I will soon be a mother of two. I am pregnant. The doctor said its twins. You should be happy. The father of one is Ban and the father of the other is Hideki. Isn't that amazing?"
No one of the two men move after hearing what Chi had said. They could do nothing but gape at the revelation that had just been disclosed to them.
Was it really possible for Chi to bear a twin with different fathers?
OWARI