She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 73)
by BrDPirateMan

It's finally come to this point. The place was teeming with people, waiting for their ride to arrive. A few people noticed the cast on my arm and stared; it did make me stand out somewhat. Suddenly, the train station looked very imposing.

But this was no time to get cold feet. I had a goal in mind and I was here to fulfill it. Even more importantly, I had with me a luggage bag full of mementos that I hoped would help my cause.

Seeing as it's dangerous to drive with one hand, I'd asked Uzuki and Kariya to help drive me here. He stood by my side, clapping a hand on my shoulder as he did so.

"Here we are, buddy. We've done our part, now's your turn."

"You know, Neku," said Uzuki, "I haven't changed how I feel about your plan. It's crazy."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "I thought you'd feel that way."

"That said, I recognize that you have a little thing called tenacity and that's actually not bad at all. So good luck out there."

"Oh, uh… thanks!"

"You're gonna need it, Phones!" Kariya patted my shoulder some more. "All the luck you can get!"

Just then, we saw the train in the distance, getting closer. As it was pulling over, I turned to my friends.

"I'll make it up to you guys for this, I promise."

Kariya laughed. "Do I smell a bowl of ramen waiting for me?"

"Heh… Ramen it is, then. Catch you guys later."

The train doors opened up and a bunch of people came pouring out. In moments I was inside and standing by a window, watching Uzuki and Kariya. The train started to move and I exchanged goodbye waves with them. He even gave me a wink and a thumbs-up. Soon they were out of sight and I sat down for the two-hour journey to Fukushima.

There was no turning back.

I'm coming, Eri.

XOXOXOXOXO

Despite having visited Fukushima before, it was still alien territory to a Shibuyan like myself. I had the vaguest idea of where to go, and in hindsight this was the part where I was least prepared. Any less, and I'd have ended up naked and penniless in an alley somewhere. But somehow, through sheer determination and some degree of luck, here I was. The front gate of the Tanikawa residence loomed before me.

I gulped.

Suddenly I thought of her father and how intimidating he could be, and remembered how our last conversation probably did not endear me to him. Self-doubt started to resurface within me, but I quickly squashed that like a bug.

Focus! Remember why you're here, Neku!

Waiting any longer would just give my fears an opportunity to solidify, so I threw all caution to the wind and pressed that damn doorbell. The five or six seconds I waited felt like forever. Then the speaker crackled to life. I jumped at the voice that talked to me.

"Hello? Who's this?"

That's Granny's voice. Relief glazed over my soul, if only a little. She was the calm before the storm.

"Hello Granny, it's me, Neku Sakuraba. How are you?"

She reacted in surprise, but responded warmly.

"Oh! Neku, it's so nice to hear from you again. Are you here to see Eri?"

"Yes, Granny. You… You could tell?"

"It's not that hard to figure out," she replied with a smile in her voice. "Now come in, I'll open the gate."

Greeted by Granny at the front door, I helped myself into the house. I handed over some snacks as a gift for the whole family, which she accepted gracefully.

"I'll go call Eri," she said. "You two can have a nice chat – "

"Sakuraba?"

I froze. I knew that voice. And true enough, I came face to face with both of Eri's parents.

Mr Tanikawa struck an imposing figure as usual; by now, looking at you like you owed him money was his shtick. His frown was like a permanent part of his face. His wife wasn't quite as frightening, but her expression – cold and emotionless – could give one the shivers.

"Sakuraba," said Mr Tanikawa, who looked like he was reining in his displeasure, "have you forgotten what I told you?"

He's talking about the time he told me to stay away from his daughter. Of course I'd remember something like that.

"I didn't forget," I said simply. "But I can't just leave Eri be. She's in a bad way, so I thought I'd come to at least see how she's holding up."

I expected him to explode in fury and chase me out of the house with a stick. With how he was under normal circumstances, I wouldn't put it past him to do that. Instead, much to my surprise, he just sighed in resignation.

"Alright, fine. If you must see my daughter, then I suppose you may do so for now. But don't try anything funny, or I'll make you regret it."

Mrs Tanikawa shot him a disapproving look and hissed, "Shinichi! He's a guest!"

"But I – "

The tense situation diffused somewhat with the timely arrival of the lady herself.

Eri came jogging down the stairs and upon seeing everyone gathered around she just looked on with confusion. That swiftly gave way to surprise when she saw me. That look of hers gave me a sliver of hope that maybe she'd finally recognized and remembered me.

But no, she hadn't.

"Oh, it's you!" she said. "From the hospital, right?"

Credit where credit's due, at least she remembered that we'd met before.

"Yeah," I said, "that's me. I came here to see you."

"You came all the way from Shibuya?"

Granny cut the conversation short. "I'm sure both of you have a lot to talk about. Let's give you some privacy. This way, please."

And she herded us towards one of the rooms. I could feel the intense stare of Mr Tanikawa boring into my back as he watched us. I'd be glad to get into that room and put some distance between him and myself.

Once the two of us were settled down with snacks and green tea, I got to work.

"So, once again," I said, "my name is Neku Sakuraba and I'm here to see if I can, well, help your amnesia."

"That's not something you hear every day," she remarked, slightly amused. "I appreciate that you're willing to try, but almost a whole week has passed and I haven't been able to recover my memories yet."

"I'll get them back for you. At least, I mean… I can't promise anything, but I'll give it my best shot."

With a sad smile, she said, "I dig your optimism. I really do. But I think this might be a permanent sort of thing… I'm aware that a lot has happened during the past few years, I just can't recall any of it. And if that really is how it's going to be, well… I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I? I'll just have to make do with what I have left."

Anxiety started to pool in my heart, with a tiny bit of despair thrown in. This was a girl who could overcome any obstacle, and now she was so helpless she was this close to throwing in the towel. I couldn't stand to see her in this state. I wanted the old Eri back.

"Kinda sucks, huh, Neku? They're all right there in my head, locked up tight, but I don't have the key."

"Don't worry. It'll work out." I opened my bag and brought out the first of many items I hoped would facilitate the return of her memories. "Perhaps this might help. What do you think of this?"

I placed a teddy bear in her hands, which she examined from all angles. Initially her reaction was one of simple joy – "Cute," she noted – but soon changed to puzzlement. She probably had no clue about its significance.

Sheepishly, she giggled, "Um, do I get any hints?"

"This was from way before we started dating. We attended the Hachi Fest that year, and I won the teddy for you at one of the game stalls. You even gave it a nickname."

"I… I did?"

"Yeah, you called it Phones… after me."

Incredulous yet amused, she snorted, "That's your nickname too?"

"Everyone seems to like calling me that." I gave my shoulders a shrug. "I have some weird friends."

"Maybe I should start calling you that too," she teased. "Ain't too late for me to hop on the Phones bandwagon."

"Let's just stick to proper names, shall we?"

Eri gave the teddy one last look before setting it aside. "I like the bear. It's cute… but I can't recall attending any Hachi Fests."

"That's all right. Okay, how about this next thing?"

I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. No matter. I still had plenty of ammunition left.

The mountain of things inside my luggage bag grew smaller and smaller with each new memento I brought out. There was a couple of souvenirs we bought during our stay at the Red Tide beach resort. I showed her a few magazines that had her photos in it, hoping to remind her that she was a part-time model. I managed to dig out the costume she wore during the time she cosplayed as GAL-AXY. Then there was the notebook she used to write down all of the recipes I taught her. Heck, I even showed her the external hard drive she bought me for my birthday.

Safe to say, there was a lot of stuff. As long as it held a connection to our relationship, no matter how tiny or seemingly insignificant, I took it with me and spared no expense filling her in on the details when she couldn't recall them.

Except… even with my help, she couldn't recall even seeing them. And with each time she failed to remember, my confidence thinned. I clung onto the faint hope that it'd all come back to her, but there was no such luck in store for me. As it turned out, her inability to recall from her memories affected her just as much as it did me. Frustrated that we were going nowhere, the cracks in her mood were starting to show and she began to smile less and less.

But I pushed on. I didn't have much left to go on though…

The second last item I had for her was the jade pendant I gave her as an anniversary gift. Again, she showed no signs that she knew about it, which wasn't very encouraging.

"Sorry I keep drawing blanks," muttered a dejected Eri. "I'm trying, really I am."

"Don't blame yourself," I said kindly. "It's not your fault you got amnesia. Besides, I still have one last thing left. Maybe we'll find a winner in this."

Fear overcame her and she reached out to clutch the sleeve of my shirt.

"What if that's it? What if… I never get my memories back?"

My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. Eri just looked so fragile, so different from her usual self. Here I was, practically a stranger to her, and she was begging for me to just tell her everything would be alright. Her desperation was the saddest thing.

"If that happens," I replied, patting her hand, "we can always start over, you and me. It's never too late for anything, and I'll be around."

She didn't look very convinced, but understood it was her best bet in a worst-case scenario.

"Starting over sounds like a lot of work. But it's not like there's anything else that can be done, right?"

"Yeah, life sucks sometimes, so you might as well laugh it off and have fun."

The smile returned, if just a little of it. It was a welcome sight for sore eyes.

"If you put it that way, having an empty skull doesn't sound like such a bad time."

I snorted. "I know, right? Still, it's too soon to give up, Eri. Now let's look at this…"

And it's the photo album that she was so fond of. It had become quite thick from memories over the years. There was a selfie of the two of us smiling broadly, stuck on the cover to give the reader an idea of what to expect inside. Eri examined this closely, and the looks of recognition that flashed across her face were brief but noticeable.

Could she be… starting to remember?

With a faltering voice, she remarked, "So this… this book is basically about us… Us being a couple?"

"Yeah, you'd take lots of photos and stick them in here. Got about two years' worth of stuff to look at. With this much, I'm certain some of it's bound to help."

"Well then, scooch on over and let's take a look together!" She patted the floor next to her invitingly. "I'm gonna need a guide for the stuff I can't recall."

I did as she asked and she was actually getting excited as we turned to the first page. The photo in question was something she took together with me while we were still in high school. I remember being not ready for it; the look of surprise on my face said it all.

"Now that's a great candid photo," chuckled Eri. "Hmmm, that's a school uniform…"

"Yes, it was the last year of high school."

"Really? So then – "

Whatever it was she wanted to say, she stopped it dead. Her expression changed to a frown, as she racked her brains hard. I felt my throat go dry as I waited for her to speak. I didn't utter a single word, didn't even breathe, afraid that if I did anything at all she might hit a dead end.

Eventually, with dawning realization, she said, "This… This photo. We had it taken on the last day of our final exams."

I gasped. I couldn't believe my ears. "You remember! You… You remember, right?"

At first she answered with a quiet, uncertain "yeah". But then, a moment later, she practically called out with more confidence, "Yeah! I remember this! I remember everything about it! The last exam was History, wasn't it? And there was a question about World War II that you got wrong, and you were kicking yourself over it!"

That's a really detailed recollection of a past event. This was music to my ears! Hers, too. She was overjoyed.

"I did it!" she squealed. "Finally, I remembered something!"

"That's good, Eri! Let's keep the momentum going while it's still strong!"

Next we came across a group photo. The five of us old friends, all smiles and huddled together. Eri beamed at this one.

"I met you and Shiki when I was in hospital. These two, though… Not yet."

Her finger hovered around the faces of Beat and Rhyme. She left Shibuya before they had a chance to meet.

"Eri, any idea who they are?"

"They're… uh… ah, their names are at the tip of my tongue."

Come on, Eri. You can do it.

She smacked a fist into her palm. "That's Rhyme! She was still so young back at the time! Grew up into a fine lass and a half since then."

Good! That's one half of the Bito siblings taken care of. Now, what do you have to say about the older brother…

"And that's her big bro Beat! He got a lot rounder after he entered college."

"To be fair, he's been trying to lose the pounds."

"I finally feel like we might be going somewhere." She was all smiles and feeling good about herself. "Okay, next photo!"

We combed the entire album, page by page. Astonishingly, she was able to remember a lot and as a whole was making good progress. Although there were photos she had no clue about, these were few and far in between, and none of these were held that much importance – just random selfies and such. Otherwise, she had a story for every page we turned. In fact, we'd reached a point where we'd pretty much forgotten why we were looking through the album in the first place. We're just two friends having fun reminiscing about the past. It just felt that natural.

"And that," she laughed, "was how I ended up pushing Super Ranger laser swords at the local toy store. In a maid outfit. Heh, good times! Real weird, though."

"You don't say! What were the guys at your agency thinking? They should at least give you a Super Ranger outfit or something."

"Weird or not, it did the job. That's what they were going for, get people's tongues wagging and all that."

I flipped the page and there lay the most recent set of photographs. Like before, I didn't even need to provide any hints before she started spilling out what she knew.

"That's… Kurogane Inn. I was there with you… We were on vacation."

I nodded, confirming that she was correct. Then again, just looking at the pictures, it was easy for anyone to deduce that much.

She dispensed an assortment of random details, "The exams were over… Stayed there for two days, ate ramen, played table tennis. We went skiing, and you weren't very good at it. You saved me from that bear… I remember you screaming a lot."

Feeling embarrassed, I cleared my throat. "True, but it was heroic screaming."

"Back home, we went out to buy stuff at the supermarket… and then…"

Mid-sentence she stopped, eyes growing wider along with her gaping mouth. She was no longer looking at the photos, only staring off into space. For a full ten seconds she remained that way, but when I nudged her arm to get her attention, she held up her other hand to demand silence.

"I'm getting there," she muttered. "I think I'm… starting to… remember…"

That's what I've wanted to hear! I almost yelped, "Really?!" but stopped myself. Let the lady do her thing, I say.

She slowly rubbed her temples in both hands. "Yes, Neku… It's all coming back to me now. No, you know what? I actually remember… well, everything!"

I was overjoyed to see that my efforts to restore her memories weren't in vain. But it's still too early to celebrate. I needed to be sure.

"Alright, Eri," I said, barely able to contain my excitement. "Let's see what you can recall. This time, I'm not giving you any hints. Just tell me as much as you can that comes to mind that we haven't already discussed."

"We have a cactus in our apartment. I call it Mr Spiny."

"Good! Speaking of which, it's time I gave it some fertilizer. I almost forgot."

"Don't use too much!"

"I know. Keep going."

And boy, did she ever. If there were ever any doubts that her mind was beyond repair, what she said laid them to rest.

"Okay, in no particular chronological order…" – she took a deep breath and then off she went – "I used to be a butler at Tea & Orange. Had to tape down my boobs and stuff. One time we went swimming and I had to chase off a bunch of guys hitting on Shiki. For your birthday party, I got you cake from Valhalla Cakemasters and wore a bunny outfit I rented from a cosplay store. My college held a festival some time back… I had diarrhea and couldn't watch the beauty pageant. Missed opportunities, you know? 'Least I got pics of Shiki in a swimsuit. When you confessed to me, you botched the delivery by kissing me before waiting for me to give my answer."

The heat filled up my cheeks as I went through that confession in my head. "Yeah, uh… it was… I done goofed, that much is true…"

"Eh, it all worked out in the end, that's what matters! I mean, heck, I got me a nice boyfriend for the next two years!"

I chuckled. For the first time in a week I felt like I could finally relax and laugh and crack jokes again.

She's back.

"Well," I whistled, "if you can remember that much, I think it's safe to say you're you again."

"Come on, I've always been me," she giggled. "I was just taking a break this whole time."

"No more breaks, then. We've all missed you, you know. Not just your folks and Granny, but Shiki and the Bitos… Kariya, Uzuki, Mr H… and me."

"I'm aware." Her tone softening to a whisper, she added, "I was really down in the dumps throughout my amnesia. There were so many gaps I couldn't fill… So I'm glad you came and set things right."

I couldn't even start to imagine the hell she went through after the accident. Thinking about how lonely and helpless she must have been, I felt the urge to give her a hug.

And I did. I took her by surprise; she gasped audibly. I was real gentle, though. Her body must still be in a delicate state and I didn't want to worsen her injuries.

I tried to contain my emotions but I wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Everything's okay now," I choked. "You'll be fine."

I felt her arms around my neck and now she started to get teary-eyed along with me.

"Thanks, Neku."

We just clung to each other and cried, overwhelmed by joy and relief.

Right in the thick of that emotional moment, the door slid open to reveal all of the other members of the Tanikawa household huddled in a cluster.

Mr Tanikawa was the first to speak. His words were tamer than usual and went at odds with his deep booming voice.

"Did we miss something?"

XOXOXOXOXO

At first, Eri's family weren't sure they could believe her memory had returned. She had to mention several details that presumably only they would know before they were convinced. Once the realization set in that she was back to the way she used to be, everyone was drowning in tears. I was mostly on the sidelines for a while as they celebrated her triumphant return. Remarkably, Mr Tanikawa was weeping. He'd always struck me as the sort who could scarcely show any emotion apart from fury and disgust, so this was, to me at least, a rare sight.

Granny was the first person to thank me. She clutched my hands tightly, saying, "You did good, young'un. Whatever it was that you did, I'm glad you did it."

I chose to play the humble card. "I didn't do much. I'm just happy she's back."

Mrs Tanikawa addressed me next. She was a lot more reserved in her gratitude than Granny was but she was happy all the same.

"This is a miracle," she said. "I'm a doctor, and I've tried everything, but couldn't make any progress at all. Then you came along and fixed it all up."

"Again," I said, "I'm just glad to be of help."

And then came the big man himself. Mr Tanikawa took a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts. I braced myself; actually, I think to some extent so did everyone else. It was a fact that he was never warm to me, so I half-expected him to say his thanks and then tell me in no uncertain terms to never come back again. I was so sure it would happen.

So it came as a surprise when he actually said something that didn't involve me vanishing off the face of the earth.

"I… might have misjudged you, Sakuraba," he began. "After everything that's gone down, I'd say you're not so bad after all. You're actually… tolerable."

His choice of words in that last bit was sharply and wordlessly criticized by his wife with a jab to his elbow with her own. He switched right away to a more tactful choice of words.

"W-Well, I've seen worse kids. And you did save my daughter. Few people would go this far for her. You were probably well aware you might not succeed, yet you came all the way here just to try. It takes a special friend for this to happen, so that's something about you I can respect."

Unsure what to say in return, I remained silent. I felt chills down my spine being complimented by quite possibly the most difficult person I've met so far. I haven't gotten completely in his good graces, but this was a start.

He went on to add, "My words towards you thus far have been harsh, I'm aware. I just… I was just worried my daughter had ended up in bad company. But that is no excuse for my behavior, considering you've been trying your best for her sake. For that, I am sorry. I'm still not entirely sure you're the right man for my daughter, but I think I can trust you a little more. Thank you, Sakuraba."

Then he actually bowed, with Granny and Mrs Tanikawa following suit. It's the most sincere form of respect one can receive, and I wasn't used to it.

"Y-You don't need to thank me," I said. "It all turned out well, is what matters."

Everyone rose. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, Mr Tanikawa muttered, "Hmmm, say, Sakuraba, you wouldn't happen to be in a hurry, are you?"

I felt myself reaching for the proverbial shield but reasoned that in light of Eri's recovery, whatever he wanted to say would be all right.

"No, I'm… quite free. Is… Is anything the matter?"

"No, I'm simply inviting you to have dinner with us. You came all the way here from Shibuya. At least take a load off and spend some time with us."

Wow, really? This was a huge step forward! And this was from the guy who was more likely to wring my neck than give me the time of day! I'd be a fool to pass up this chance to earn brownie points with the whole family.

With a smile, I replied, "I'd love to, Mr Tanikawa."

For the first time ever, he actually smiled back.

XOXOXOXOXO

The time I spent dining with the Tanikawa family was a glorious one. I was made the guest of honour. And unlike the first time I dined with them, which was a disaster, this evening was actually pleasant. Granny was as kind as ever. Eri's parents made an effort to treat me like a human being and Mr Tanikawa showed genuine interest in holding a conversation with me, with none of the disdain that made mincemeat of our first meeting. Now that's progress.

And as for Eri?

Honestly, do I really need to say anything more? She was as happy as a clam, just the way she ought to be.

Finally, after everyone's been put through the ringer for the past week or so, it's nice to enjoy some respite.

It was already quite late when dinner was done and the Tanikawas suggested I stay over for the night, to which I agreed. Granny escorted me to a spare room reserved for guests.

"Make yourself at home," she said. "Oh, and I've taken the liberty of running a hot bath for you. Please, go ahead."

She bowed and turned to leave, but I stopped her. Gripped by a sudden sense of uncertainty, I had to ask:

"Granny, I… I gotta know."

"Neku? What's the matter?"

I bit my lip. "What do Mr and Mrs Tanikawa think of me now? Are they okay with me being, you know, their daughter's boyfriend? I need an idea of where I currently stand."

The wrinkles around the corners of her mouth deepened as she smiled.

"They seem to like you better, but you still have a lot of ground to cover before they can fully accept you. You're on the right track."

"I had a feeling it wouldn't be so simple. But this is still good news."

She chuckled. "If it helps, I personally think you make a good partner for Eri."

"Thanks, Granny. That does help."

"Heh, just don't get complacent, lad. Now run along, your bath water will get cold."

Well, no one said it'd be a walk in the park. True love doesn't just fall from the sky. You gotta work for it.

But for now, I deserved a break. Life dealt me a strong blow and I survived it. The progress I had made with the Tanikawa family was enough cause for celebration, but I was too exhausted to bask in the glory of my victory. I just wanted to finish this bath, hit the sack and call it a night.

"Hell of a day," I muttered to myself, as I settled into bed. "Damn…"

My mouth widened in a yawn. Good god, I could just doze off any minute. Stress has a way of making you sleepy.

The quietness of the bedroom roared in my ears. Outside of my room I could hear the soft faraway clatter of presumably Granny doing dishes in the kitchen, but otherwise there was nothing to be heard.

My hand brushed against something beside me; it was fluffy and felt nice to the touch. Oh, they had bolsters here too? I could use one to rest my broken arm.

Except the bolster moved on its own. Eri had snuck into my bed somehow and it was actually her shoulder I'd touched. Whoops!

Actually, scratch the 'whoops'. There's a bigger question to be asked here…

Groggily, she mumbled, "Huh? Neku, is that you?"

"Yeah, what're you doing here? Or rather, I'm not in the wrong room, am I?"

"Nah, you're good. I just got bored so I snuck into your room to surprise you. But I kinda fell asleep…"

"You'd make a terrible assassin."

"To be fair, I'm into fashion much more than I am into espionage."

"Fair enough."

"Are you gonna sleep already?"

"Sure. Is there something you need to talk about?"

She paused for a second. "For one, I just want to thank you again for everything."

"That's cool and all, but didn't you thank me a whole bunch throughout the evening? I reckon you did it 30 times already… well, now would be the 31st."

Eri laughed. "You counted? Wow."

"There anything else on your mind?"

"Your arm." She pointed at my cast. "How are you holding up?"

"Not too bad…" I lifted my left arm and waved it slowly. "Hard to do stuff with only one good arm though."

"You don't need both hands to do, ahem, some things…"

I rolled my eyes at the insinuations in her words. But I didn't mind the sex jokes. I was just happy to hear a joke from her at all.

"But seriously," she said, "it must've been hell to do anything with only one arm. And you came all the way here, lugging that big bag of stuff."

"Yeah, it is tough. But all's well that ends well, right?"

"Yes, well, lucky for you I'm back. I'll return to Shibuya with you tomorrow. Three hands should be more than enough to do a lot of stuff."

"Thanks, Eri. I'll be counting on you, then."

Eri didn't reply immediately; she looked like she was thinking about something. Before I could ask what, she yawned.

"I'll talk to you some more tomorrow. There's something else I'd like to get off of my chest…"

"Your bra?"

"Pfft… nice one. But there'll be no shenanigans in my parents' house so no, the bra stays on."

"Not even a peek?"

"Good night, Neku. Catch you in the morning."

Any further thoughts about what Eri wanted to say were quickly pushed to the back of my head. It was time to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Home!" whooped Eri. "Finally home!"

So eager was she to set foot in our apartment once more that she dashed inside as soon as the front door was unlocked. She even did a spin on one foot, ballerina-style.

Back in Shibuya at last, good god. I located the nearest armchair and plopped down on it, melting in my seat like a mound of jelly. I'd spent the whole of yesterday in Fukushima within the presence of the Tanikawa family and the experience gave me stress by the bucketload. I had to ponder each action before I did it, think through each word before I said it. I had finally gotten in the Tanikawas' good graces and I didn't want to muck it up. You can imagine the relief I felt when I was back home where I was free to say and do anything.

Incidentally, Eri's folks even gave me a hefty amount of cash as a token of their gratitude. Mr Tanikawa himself gave it to me personally.

He had said, "I know nothing can ever compare to the life of a person, but I'd like you to have this. As our thanks."

The envelope he pressed into my hands contained 1,000,000 yen. Shocked at how big the sum was, I hurriedly said, "I appreciate the gift, but I couldn't possibly take so much money…"

But they would have none of it. "It's the least we can do. Please, take it. We insist."

It would be rude of me to refuse any further. I gracefully pocketed the money and said my thanks.

"All we ask," said Mrs Tanikawa, "is that you take good care of our daughter."

"That I will. Don't worry."

And with that out of the way, we exchanged goodbyes and Eri and I took the next train back to Shibuya.

Hell of a day or two, I'd say.

"You took good care of Mr Spiny, I see." Eri examined our potted cactus closely, before moving on to the fridge. Opening it up, she greeted its contents with a satisfied smile. "Ah, my blueberry ice cream is still intact. But Neku, why are my panties in the freezer?"

"Huh? Wh-What panties?"

"Just kidding."

And she stuck out her tongue at me, coupling it with a cheeky wink. I just chuckled. The jokes were officially back in full force.

"I could use a bath," I muttered, rising from the chair. "Eri, wanna join me?"

"Join you?"

As though caught off guard, she hesitated for a second – surprising given how much she loved sharing baths with me. But she relented.

"Ah yes, Neku, why not. I figure now's the perfect time to talk about it."

She did want to tell me about something ever since last night.

"Talk about what?"

"Patience, Neku. I'll get to it. Now go on, I'll join you in a minute."

I helped myself to the bathroom, giving my hair a much-needed conditioning, just the way I liked it. As I was rinsing the suds away, I heard Eri slide the door open and come in. The thought of sharing some skinship in the bathroom got my insides tumbling with excitement. It's only been a week but I already missed the flirting and good-natured ribbing.

"Well," she announced, "here I am."

I turned and beheld my girlfriend's figure, expecting to enjoy the view. However, right away I noticed some details on her bare skin that alarmed rather than titillated me.

"E-Eri?" I gulped. "Are those… scars?"

"Yeah… that road accident gave me a ton of cuts and scrapes here and there. I guess I got torn up real bad…"

"You don't say. Come closer, please. Let me have a better look."

She seemed a little self-conscious for once but acquiesced and inched towards me. Up close I was able to see the extent of her injuries. The scars had healed up somewhat, but they were pretty obvious. One was sitting directly on her left hip; small but red and angry-looking. Another similar scar found its way on her left shoulder. The biggest of them all, though, was a diagonal one that ran between her bosom – starting from the top of her left breast and ending below her right. It wasn't the prettiest sight.

She sighed. "Looks like I won't be wearing bikinis for a while. And no, you don't need to worry about me. Sure, I'm sad, but I'm not gonna bawl my eyes out over this. I just feel defeated, you know? 'Cause I love to dress sexily, and now I'm… not quite so hot anymore."

I stood up from the stool and placed my hands on her shoulders. "That's not true. I still think you're all kinds of hot."

Eri could have brushed off my words and accused me of giving her fake compliments. In fact, anyone else in her shoes might have done so. But she's been my girlfriend for long enough to know I wasn't a liar. She simply took my words to heart and smiled.

"I know," she said. "I can tell that you still like me, even with how I look now." And then, giggling softly with a growing tinge of pink on her cheeks, she added, "After all, the body doesn't lie."

"Huh?"

She pointed at my crotch. It was… straight. Very straight.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "Whoops."

"Hey, no biggie. At least I know I can still turn someone on. Seriously though, thanks for being there for me."

"Listen, Eri. I don't care about your scars. All I care is that you're still here. I still love you, you know."

She smiled. "I'm glad. I love you too."

Without another word, she threw her arms around me and our lips danced in perfect harmony. When we stopped for a breath of fresh air, we gazed into each other's eyes with white-hot intensity. We knew where this was going…

We did away with the bath and instead settled with a quick shower together. My heart pounded like crazy. Her every movement was hurried and even a little careless. We toweled ourselves dry in record time. Then, hand in hand, we raced naked out of the bathroom.

In the comfort of my room I yanked her into an embrace and a lip lock, but she proved impatient and broke off the kiss with a giggle, shoving me back-first onto the bed. Eri reached for the bottom drawer of my bedside table; that's where I kept my cache of, um, protective equipment. She pulled out a condom and licked her lips in anticipation as she tore open the foil wrapping.

"Just leave everything to me," she drawled. "I'm very good at what I do."

"I believe you," I said with a grin, as she climbed into position. "You're a real pro."

She dropped the sexy act for a bit to give me a sincere warning. "Seriously though, don't try anything risky. I know you're excited, but you still have a broken arm and I don't want to you to hurt yourself."

"Appreciate it. Guess you're in charge today, huh?" I took the chance to tease her, "But do you still remember what goes in where and all that?"

"Pfft… you're still going on about the amnesia thing? That's yesterday's news!"

"Splendid, now I'm certain I'll be in good hands."

"You better believe it. …There! All done. Neku, how's it look?"

She'd slipped the condom on me perfectly. I couldn't resist poking fun at her some more.

"Seven out of ten."

Eri played along. "Seven? But how? I usually get eights or nines."

"It's a good effort, but I need to deduct some marks because let's face it, we can't all be perfect."

"I'll show you perfect, just you watch!" Back in sincerity mode, she said, "I'm gonna start now, okay? I'll be real gentle and make you feel all kinds of good, I promise. We're gonna have the best sex ever. But if you start hurting anywhere, just tell me and I'll tone it down."

Her thoughtfulness touched me. I could only mutter, "Y-You don't need to shoulder the whole burden. I'll do my best too…"

"I know you will." The sweetest smile rested on her lips. "But lean on me for once."

"Alright…"

Eri chuckled in that seductive manner she was so fond of, and her face was aflush with a deep pink glow. "Now then, I shan't keep a good man waiting. Your little skyscraper looks eager to play… and I've got just the thing it needs…"

Hoo boy. Here we go…

She said she'd be gentle.

And you know what? She actually kept her promise. We took things easy. Even with the heat building up between the two of us, there was no rush. It was a ride we took at a snail's pace but the going was incredibly romantic. I savored every movement she made, every flex of her body, every inch I could lay my eyes on of her bare sweaty skin. She was so beautiful. And she loved every bit of the journey as I did.

I didn't know how much time we took but it sure felt like ages before we reached the finish line in glorious fashion. Exhausted, we lay side by side, trying to catch our breaths. I was pretty knackered myself, but she'd been doing most of the work that I felt a little guilty.

Her face was obscured by strands of matted hair which I peeled away like a veil. Tired eyes met mine.

"Well," she said softly, "I had fun. Did you?"

"You bet I did." I pulled her close, our foreheads nuzzling. "Thanks."

"I'm glad you can still love me despite the scars. It really helps that you don't mind them. Because I know a lot of people will."

"What they think is their business. And if they can't love you because of a few scars… well, then you know who your true friends are."

Suddenly, sadness peppered her tone of voice. "I'm afraid it's not so simple with some things, Neku."

"What'd you mean?"

"My scars have yet to heal completely. I have no idea how well they'll turn out afterwards, but… I suspect a number of things will change for me."

"Like how you can't wear bikinis because the scars stand out?"

"Yeah, that'll suck alright. But the issue I have in mind is a bigger one. I mean, I was chosen to represent Fresh-'n'-Go soybean milk in that upcoming TV ad… They're not going to hire someone with a bunch of scars to appear on television. Heck, even I won't want to hire myself."

The TV ad was a great chance for her to add some major creds to her resume. But in the world of modeling, looks were everything. I felt my chest tighten upon seeing the disappointment on her face.

"Oh, right. Damn, that's a bit of a downer. What will you do now, Eri?"

"Well, I'll just turn up for work as usual, see how they like my new look. I'm prepared for whatever they have in mind for me, but at the end of the day, it's not like it matters."

"Why doesn't it?"

"It's only a matter of time before we get our exam results. Once I graduate and get a proper job I'm gonna have to quit modeling anyway so no loss."

"Except for the chance to appear on TV."

"Yeah, real shame," she sighed. "I'm this close. Can almost taste it. Like the soybean milk I was supposed to push."

"And I could've been an extra in the background. Missed opportunities."

Amused, she snorted, "I already told you, Neku. You need to work on your hair first."

"And I insist it's just fine."

We shared a brief laugh. Clearly feeling better, Eri joked, "I'm sure my agency will freak out upon seeing my scars. I can just tell them I got 'em from wrangling bears. Yes, I can see it now: Eri Tanikawa, challenger of ursine opponents nationwide! Scored her first win against a vicious black bear at Kurogane Inn!"

"Except you left out the part where I had to save you, and you peed yourself in the – "

"We don't need to hear all of the other unflattering details. Only what's necessary and makes me look far more amazing than I actually am."

"Wow, you're being very honest with your fact manipulation."

"Hey, that's showbiz for you, kid. Watch and learn."

"Heh."

More laughter, soft and of the "feel good" kind. Eri turned over on her side, reaching for the bedside table next to her. And she pulled out another condom from the bottom drawer, dangling it in front of me cheekily like a carrot on a stick.

"Y'know," she giggled, "it's barely 5 pm. I reckon we have time for another round before dinner, if you're up for it. What do you say?"

"Y-You're not tired?" I gulped. "You worked up quite a sweat just now."

"Hey, it's great exercise!"

"No, seriously, aren't you… exhausted?"

"I'm plenty strong," she said, sitting up to show off her arm with a bicep flex. "I've got enough in me to last a while. You don't need to worry about me. Just lay back and enjoy the show!"

The thought of another spot of tender lovemaking got my insides churning with excitement and made my groin react accordingly – a fact the sharp-eyed Eri picked up on. She couldn't resist poking fun at me.

"I take it that's a yes? Your lead pipe certainly says so."

I groaned at that last bit, though I was also amused. "First a skyscraper, then a lead pipe. Those euphemisms of yours… they make my head hurt."

"Hee hee! Too bad, Neku – there's more where that came from. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to put the sword in the scabbard."

"See what I mean?"

As she took the liberty of slipping the condom on me, she tortured me with another euphemism. At this point, she was having way too much fun. "Your revolver's been locked and loaded. And I'm ready to jump on the gun… I mean, jump the gun."

"Good god… Hop on before I get a migraine."

"With pleasure!"

XOXOXOXOXO

Eri went back to the modeling agency the soonest chance she got, hoping to squeeze in some work and secure a paycheck or two. As I couldn't drive her to her workplace with only one arm, she had to take the bus this time.

But then she came back much earlier than I expected. Way earlier. I quickly realized something wasn't right.

She flopped onto the couch, lying down and occupying the whole thing. And she grumbled, half to herself, "Well, that's that."

I took the couch opposite to hers. "So… what happened?"

Her response: "They let me go."

My heart sank. We both expected that something like this would happen. Seeing it become a reality, however, still felt jarring. Life isn't so kind.

"Damn, Eri. I'm sorry."

"Relax, Neku. I'm fine. No skin off my nose."

But it's clear that she was still affected. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

"Back there, I was about to do another swimsuit photoshoot, like usual. But then they saw my scars and they were like, 'Nope, that's not gonna work.' We had a discussion after that to determine what to do with me from here on out, but no one wants to work with damaged goods, so out I went."

"That was quick… I thought they'd take at least a day to mull it over."

Echoing a line she'd uttered just a few days prior, she said with a disappointed tone, "That's showbiz for you, kid."

"Eri, I… I'm sorry. Sorry to hear about that."

"Eh, what's done is done. Not like it's a matter of life and death, so no point getting all sad about it. So that's that."

"Yeah, I suppose."

It's good that she knew what really mattered. But I should still lift her spirits regardless.

"Eri, um… wanna get some pizza?"

That worked. She brightened up considerably. "Deluxe Pepperoni Onslaught?"

"Sure."

"Make it two. I'm gonna pig out tonight. I can always burn the carbs off later."

"Hell yeah… Two it is."

The modeling career of Eri Tanikawa had officially come to an end.

Amidst a paradise of pizza, she seemed to get over her disappointment in a hurry. After all, she was to be a fashion designer first and foremost, and working as a model served as a temporary distraction.

"It was fun," she said, taking a bite from her pizza slice, "but I need to move on. Besides, posing in bikinis was starting to get old."

"Hey, why change what ain't broke?"

"It broke for me some time back already. But who can blame them, eh?"

"Well… I hope you don't mind if I take a photo of you every now and then. I do like me some swimsuit pics."

She smiled. "You know I won't say no."

My phone chimed with a message from a college buddy of mine. It was one of those memes people forwarded to hell and back. This particular meme didn't really appeal to me, but the message reminded me what day it was today. Amidst all of the worry and drama over the past week or so, I guess I just lost track of time.

"Oh, that's right," I said, "we get our exam results in a week."

"Gives you goosebumps, doesn't it?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Eri noticed the tremor in my voice. "Hey, don't fret! You worked hard, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I'm confident we'll both make it. But this is gonna be a huge turning point in our lives. We'll be out in the workforce soon enough, our lifestyle will be completely different, and we'll be up against a whole new slew of challenges on top of the lot of it."

Eri sprang off the couch and hopped in the seat beside me, making sure to glue our hips together. I could almost feel our pelvic bones grinding from how physically close we were. Actually, it kind of hurt a bit. But the fuzzies made it well worth the pain in my side.

"Hey, I got over my amnesia. And for a guy with a mangled arm, you're doing great. I say we can take on the world, come what may."

"D-Don't say 'mangled'… You make my fracture sound worse than it actually is."

"Okay, your arm was pulverized and pancaked into oblivion, then."

"…You know what, stick to 'mangled'."

She laughed. "No one said work life is going to be easy. There's stress, deadlines and office politics to deal with. But I'll take that over a textbook any day of the darn week."

Smiling, I agreed with her. "Can't wait to toss out my lecture notes myself."

"Freedom is within our reach, Neku! Soon we can do whatever we like…" She fixed narrowed eyes of mischief at me. "So, how many kids did your aunt and uncle ask for again?"

"We are not going there yet."

"Heh!"

XOXOXOXOXO

Late that night past bedtime I lay in bed by myself, pondering about the future and what it might hold for us. I honestly had no idea. It's hard for me to grasp the reality of what lay ahead.

All I could see was that Eri and I would be together, braving the journey side by side.

Therein lay the first clue to what I should do next.

I stared at my phone, flicking through pages on the internet. This was a big step to take and even simply looking made the butterflies tickle me in the stomach.

Under my breath, I muttered to myself:

"So that's how much rings cost, huh?"