Re:Misaki

Re:Two

One of the fondest memories I had with Misaki was when we were 8 years old. Being mischievous little brats, we would switch our seating positions in class and pretended to be each other for a day. Sometimes, we loved to mess with our music teacher's mind. Misaki was a better music player. In contrast, I had no music talent at all. So, during that mind game, Misaki would pretend to play the recorder horribly while I would just play as per normal which was equally horrible. Then, we would look at the music teacher cheekily, letting her try to identify us. The result would be...

Us being sent to the back of the classroom as punishment.

Back then, Misaki was close to me. We played, bathed, slept and studied together. Practically, we did everything together. As our mother was always working, our father would be the one taking care of us. The three of us would have fun together during the weekends, going to different places for picnics or to play.

But everything changed when we were twelve. Misaki left the house. She rarely came back home and each time she saw me, she would shun me or give me a condescending look. I didn't know the reason behind her sudden change of behaviour, even our father got into an argument with her one day as he demanded a reason for her frequent disappearance. Meanwhile, our mother only cared about Misaki's grades.

"That's great, Misaki. Keep up the 'A's. Keep up the good work, then you can go to the best high school."

Then, Misaki would smile at our mother with raised eyebrows and unwavering eyes, and say, "Of course."

-:-:-:-

"Mikan has just passed away."

My heart palpitated at the constant repeat of that stranger's voice in my head. It must be a lie. I was the said person and here I was, driving rapidly towards the direction where I had just came from to meet 'Mikan'. It took less than a second for me to realise that 'Mikan' was actually my sister, Misaki. It was a no-brainer riddle. Because of our switched identity cards, everything was messed up. Besides, the reason why I was panicking was the fact that someone had claimed that she had died. How could it be? I had just met her like... six hours ago? Okay, anything could happen within six hours. But still, what could have happened to Misaki? She said that she wasn't the type who could be easily hurt, right?

Oh gosh. Please let it be a lie.

Throughout my journey back to Tokyo, my head that was once throbbing in pain were totally forgotten as I was too focused on the fact that Misaki was no longer in this world. It was so sudden that I could not feel that her death actually did happen. 30th December could be replayed all over again, right? What I was experiencing at this moment had to be part of my dream. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare soon.

After arriving at Tokyo College Hospital which the stranger had told me about my sister's and mother's whereabouts, I headed to the information counter and obtain the necessary details of 'Mikan'. Just then, I finally realised that I had to face reality. It was believed that Misaki had committed suicide and her body was found right outside of Genki Hotel, a five-star hotel nearby this hospital. Her body was badly in shape, like a porcelain doll which had been thrown out of a window, and there was no hope for revival.

However, despite how badly I wanted to visit Misaki, I wanted to give Misaki's name back for this was what she was supposed to be called even after her death. I was entirely sure that she wouldn't want to die with a useless twin's name. So, I took out her identity card and showed it to the nurse at the counter.

"Actually, this is my sister's identity card. Her real name is Misaki Harada. Just this afternoon, we accidentally took each other's identity card and... so, yeah... Please look into this and change her name from 'Mikan Yukihira' to 'Misaki Harada'," I requested.

The nurse looked at me, confused.

"I am Mikan Yukihira. Misaki Harada is my twin sister and this is her real identity card," I said in a desperate voice and pushed the card towards her. "Please do something about it! Please!"

The nurse hesitantly took the card from my hand and walked towards a senior nurse who was busying doing some administrative work at the other side of the counter. The nurse whispered something to the senior nurse and showed her the card. Then, the senior turned to look at me and I could see a look of scepticism painted all over her face. The senior nurse spoke something to the nurse and the nurse hurriedly attended to me again

"I'm sorry. The hospital will look into this... Please let me know your contact number so we let you know the outcome," the nurse said calmly although her eyes totally betrayed her with a hint of anxiety.

She might be good at hiding her emotions but she could not fool me with those assuring words. For six years, I had been 'reading' eyes - liars' eyes, the eyes of patients with depression, cheaters' eyes and even ex-murderers' eyes - so I could roughly tell the emotions of the person and also if the person was lying. I couldn't read minds but there was some sort of underlying patterns a human would behave under certain circumstances and it just so happened that I had seen too many good liars in my life. Apparently, this one was lying to me and I bet 70% chance that I was correct.

"When can you make the amendment on her death certificate?" I questioned.

"As soon as we are done investigating this issue and upon the approval from the Birth and Death Registrar," she replied, still looking calm and confident at answering another complete lie.

"But I want it need now," I lowered my voice and pointed Misaki's identity card in her hand. "I can't have my name on her death certificate."

"Ma'am." The senior nurse finally stepped in and took the identity card from the nurse. "We will investigate this matter and get back to you and your family as soon as possible. Do note that not only us are looking into this, but also the police."

Then, she held my hand up and placed the identity card on my palm.

"Just saying, this is one serious mess you have gotten yourself into if this is really the case," the senior nurse whispered, making sure only the three of us could hear at the counter.

My eyebrows rose at her statement.

"In the first place, you shouldn't have mixed your card up with hers. The police is going to question you if you are going to show this card to them."

Oh. That was true. Still, I had to do something about our names even if I had to be questioned or jailed for it.

"By the way, her identity card that has your so-called name..."

"That is really my card," I interrupted the senior nurse with a glare.

"Okay, your card that has your name. That card is with the police."

Crap. That meant that I had to go to the police station to get my card and explain the whole story again. Before doing that, I had to visit Misaki first. After getting the details of Misaki's wake, I made my way up to the mortuary and saw a few flower stands lined up outside some of the rooms. I walked towards the room nearest to the elevator which I had just taken and was greeted by the sight of my grieving mother, Anna and my colleagues. Against the wall was an aluminum plate that had words that said 'In memory of Mikan Yukihira' and beneath that plate was my framed photograph which was taken during my high school graduation. The sight of all these made me feel like I was really visiting my own wake. Somehow, I really felt like I had really died and was no longer existing in this world. I clutched my chest and clenched my teeth, trying to suppress the immense sadness I was feeling. The one who had died wasn't me, I mentally told myself, it was Misaki. Just when I wanted to get close to her after all these years, she finally left me for good. What kind of sister she was?! Which sister would leave her sibling behind like this? Please, not like this.

"Misaki!" I heard my mother's crying voice. "Oh my gosh, Misaki!"

I felt a pair of arms wrapped around me and I looked up wearily. My mother was hugging me tightly as she cried tearfully on my shoulder.

"Misaki, Mikan is dead. She can't be dead. No, she can't be! Oh, my poor Mikan."

"Mother, listen." I gently pushed her away from me, making her release her embrace around me. "I'm Mikan."

Her red swollen eyes widened, unable to say anything as she studied my features. Anna walked up to us and placed her hand on my mother's back, looking angrily at me. She looked so pale, even her lips were not the usual lush pink. With her hair bundled in a messy bun and her white oversized shirt that was halfway tucked in her grey pants, I could tell that she had not bothered about her appearance for once and had rushed all the way to Tokyo just to see 'Mikan'. It hurt me to see her like that. Anna always looked so pretty. Before each social work session, she would put on some light make up and dress herself presentable. She would make sure she would still be presentable after the session, unlike me who dressed up in the shirt and jeans and would have dirt all over the face after the session.

While I was lost in my thoughts for a moment, Anna's voice interrupted the silence as she berated, "Listen. That was not a nice thing to say here, Misaki. I know the two of you are identical twins but..."

"I am Mikan! Can't you guys tell? The one in that coffin there is Misaki!"

"Misaki, you're going overboard this time!" my mother yelled and raised her trembling hand, getting ready to slap me across my face.

I swiftly caught her wrist and forcefully brought her hand down. The look on her face became more aggravated than ever. Her mouth twitched, looking as if she wanted to say something but was holding it back. Letting out a loud sigh, my mother shook her hand off from my grasp and pressed the back of her palm against her eyes. After wiping her tears, she looked at me again before glancing away.

"You haven't changed, have you?" she mumbled in a raspy voice due to all the crying and yelling. "I'm sorry for wanting to slap some sense in you... all the time. But every time, you will catch my hand like this."

I frowned at her words. I didn't remember my mother ever trying to slap me. She had never done that. Neither had I ever skillfully stopped anyone from slapping me. Not that I liked getting slap, it was just that I had always gotten slap before I even noticed that there was a palm in front of me. The only person I knew that could stop me from slapping her face was Misaki. She had pushed my hand away on time and that was how the both of us rolled down the stairs that afternoon.

"But like Umenomiya said, this is not the time for your witty comments. Please respect your sister, okay? Mikan really loved you even though she might be a little foul-mouthed. She willingly came all the way to this city just to meet you," my mother continued.

No, no, no, I am Mikan! The one should be hearing this is Misaki, not me! I had been living with my mother for 28 years. Why couldn't she tell me and Misaki apart? Despite the appearance, I swore that we were totally different in personalities.

"Misaki," Anna spoke again with tears rolling down her pale cheeks. "I don't know much about you but Mikan had been telling me some things about you. Like how amazing you are in your studies and other stuffs such as music and akido. Although she hated the fact that you're always missing, she had never hated you. She just wanted to be with you like sisters do."

Gosh, Anna. We were friends for six years, yet why couldn't you identify me?

I gave up. I walked past the two ladies and my colleagues who were silently watching our little quarrel. I knelt down in front of the wake, brought my hands to my forehead and lowered my upper body until my hands touched my cold ground. Then, I rose again and pressed my palms against each other in front of my chest, closing my eyes in prayer.

"I'm sorry, Misaki," I muttered as softly as I could. "I'm going to give back your name right after this. If you have heard what Anna had said earlier, those were my true feelings. Misaki, this is so sudden. We were doing... at least fine together just now. Why did you commit suicide? What kind of problems you were facing and couldn't tell me anything?"

Suddenly, there was a soft thud in front of me. My eyes flew open and I saw a medium-sized tangerine rolling on the ground towards me. Startled, I stood up and took a few steps back. It scared me for a moment. The fruit had just fell off the offering table and what was even stranger that two joss sticks fell out of the incense pot. One of them were already burnt out despite being the taller one while the shorter one was still lit.

"Damn. This is so creepy."

"And it so happens that tangerine means mikan."

"That was what I am saying."

"What if it wasn't suicide? Her eyes weren't closed. That means..."

I spun around and stared hard of my whispering colleagues who were mortified by these 'signs'. To be honest, I was also frightened by what they had just said. It was believed that if someone committed suicide and died with the eyes open, the spirit would come back to the real world to take revenge. But what kind of revenge would Misaki take? I didn't know anything about her so I did not have a slightest idea about what kind of grudges she had before dying. Up to this point, I was still unsure why she had committed suicide and it appeared that no one knew why 'Mikan' had died. I walked over to the fallen tangerine and picked it up.

'Mikan...'

Then, I placed it back on the offering table. As I was about to turn around, the fallen joss sticks caught my eyes again.

'Misaki shall prevail as one.'

I clenched my fists. No way, Misaki. Like hell I was going to let Mikan's life, my own life story, end here. I lowered my head to give my final respect to my sister before walking towards the exit. My mother quickly came over and clutched my arm, looking shock and desperate probably due to my departure.

"Are you leaving now?" she queried. "That's... so fast. Please stay here a little longer, okay? Our relatives are coming here by the bullet train so they will be here in a few minutes."

"Sorry, I have to go now," I said dryly, pulling my arm from her grasp. "I have something important to deal with now."

"What could be more important than your sister, Misaki?!" the woman in front of me yelled. "You are always busy, having something very important to do and not coming home for so many years. You heartless daughter of mine! Mikan was never like you! She might be less intelligent but she had some heart to even care about someone like you."

I looked away, feeling a little guilty for my actions. I knew that I should not be walking out of my sister's wake but getting our names right was my utmost priority. I needed to head to the police station quickly.

"Mother, I will be right back after I have settled some... administrative issues regarding about Mikan," I said in the most rationally calm voice I could muster.

At least it sounded logical this time, right? Not like it was a lie either.

"You can do it later," my mother retorted.

To keep this conversation short, I ignored her suggestion and waved to her. "See you later."

Then, I turned around and walked out of the room. I could hear my colleagues talking about 'Misaki' behind my back, criticising 'her' rude attitude and how weird 'she' was for not shedding a single tear while 'she' was there. Although I wouldn't cry, my eyes and nose would sting, my heart would clench, my throat would turn sour and my mind would feel like it had been frozen. I experienced pain and sadness internally because throughout the years of independence, I had learnt not to express them out and was relatively good at coping with them.

Setting these thoughts aside, I thumped my fist against my chest and told myself to be brave while facing the police. I got into my car and started my journey to the nearest police station. It was already close to 11pm and there were many cars on the road. I went to the very left side of the lane which would lead me to a turn up ahead. That turn would then lead me to street where the police station was. As I was driving, I noticed something strange going on around my car. The car behind me was driving dangerously close to mine while the car next to me seemed to inch closer as if it was trying to cross into my lane but didn't even cross into it when I tried to give way. The funniest thing was that car beside me had black translucent binds covering the side windows. I wondered how the driver could even see where he was driving if he had everything covered except for the rear.

At the 'T' junction, the traffic lights went red and I halted. This time, the car behind me was replaced with a motorcycle while the 'hesitant' car next to me was replaced with a lorry. I heaved a sigh of relief. The two dangerous cars were finally out of my sight. Someone should teach these two drivers how to drive properly. Then, the traffic lights went green. I pressed my accelerator and turned my stirring wheel to the left, preparing to make a left turn. However, I noticed something bright reflected on my right mirror. At first, it was a pair of small dim yellow lights. But the lights seemed to grow bigger and bigger rapidly and I immediately caught on the danger I was going to face. I could not reverse because of the motorcycle behind me. The only thing I could do was to speed up my turning and quickly change lane. Yes, that should be it.

I pressed my accelerator even further and made a quick turn to the left, successfully entering into another lane. Or so I thought. The next moment in which I found myself was no longer me driving on the road, trying to reach the police station. Rather, I found myself lying on something soft as my head throbbed in pain like this afternoon, and blankly staring at a man's anxious face which was just above mine. His black messy hair reminded me of someone but I could not remember that person at all. With a look of relief, the man cracked a small smile as he wrapped his hands around my left hand and held it so tightly as if this was his last chance holding onto me. For the first time, my hand was actually held like this. I could feel so much care and warmth from the person, filling my heart with the warmth and love which I had lost and craved for so long. Yet I had no idea who he was, and I was totally confused as to what was happening around me.

"Thank goodness... Thank goodness... " he muttered in a quivering voice and squeezed my hand even tighter, causing me to flinch in alarm. "And happy birthday, Misaki."

Hello! Thank you to those who have dropped some reviews, followed and favourited this story. I have changed the names of the real-life notable universities and hospital if you have noticed. It is an intended change. There isn't a particular reason as to why I changed the names (and landmarks) but since this is fiction, I believe that there shouldn't be any restrictions on our imagination. Before I end this author's note, everything in this story is written in Mikan's perspective. What she thinks about something as positive or negative, that doesn't mean it is true in reality.

Till next time ~