Tenma sat dejectedly at the kitchen table, her hands clasped around a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
"Sis… Why are mom and dad …What's going on?"
Yakumo whispered as she leaned across the table towards her sister. Tenma sighed into her mug and shook her head slightly, eyes still downcast.
"I didn't… I never expected they would come back after so long …" Tenma's shoulders slumped as she remembered the last time she had ever seen her parents…
"Mommy, where are you going?" A 10 year old Tenma clung to her mother's skirts and looked tearfully up at her mother, a young woman of only 28, having given birth at an early age.
"An adventure!" Mrs. Tsukamoto beamed, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Pirates – Treasure – AN ADVENTURE ON THE GRAND LINE!" She cried, her voice rising in volume as she continued, "THE GREAT KARINA TSUKAMOTO AND HER FAITHFUL HUSBAND-" She rambled on, gesturing widely about her.
Tenma shook her head violently and clung tighter to her mother.
"No! No! Please don't go again mommy!" She wailed, sniffling through her runny nose. Karina, however, was lost in her fantasy, living the life she had always dreamed of, before motherhood had interrupted.
"PLEASE! What about Yaku-chan and me!" Tenma screamed, tugging furtively on her mother's skirts, trying to catch her attention.
"What?" Karina looked down and frowned upon her daughter, who she saw as a mature young woman, despite her age. "You will be fine. Now run along okay dear? There's money in the account for you." Karina shrugged her daughter aside, wanting nothing more than to escape into her personal wonderland.
Tenma staggered backwards and clenched her fists, anger radiating through her body. Her antenna crackled with electricity as she turned her back to her mother for the last time, furiously wiping the tears from her cheeks. She sniffled as she heard the door open and then slam shut, leaving Tenma and Yakumo alone, again.
It had been this way ever since Tenma was old enough to care for herself. Her parents would return home for days, perhaps a week or two, before becoming restless and leaving on some adventure. Sometimes they would be gone for months, before returning home and starting the cycle all over again.
"All we have is each other." Tenma said, through clenched teeth. "All we need is each other."
"They've been… gone for years. I don't know where they went. I thought maybe they finally forgot to come back, 'cause whenever they came home all they ever wanted to do was leave! Ha ha!"
Tenma said, rubbing her neck and forcing herself to laugh, refusing to give in to the confusion and anger swirling inside her. "I guess it's good we asked your friends to go home. Mom and Dad never liked us having company over, remember?"
Tenma looked up and was shocked to see her sister eyes swimming with tears.
"Yakumo!" She cried frantically, trying to think of a way to lighten the mood.
Yakumo shook her head, gently drawing first one, then the other index finger along her eye lashes, stopping the tears from falling. "It's ok, sis. But… where is Karasuma?"
Tenma glanced towards the door, her hearth wrenching painfully at the mention of her new found beloved.
"He… He left. He didn't say anything, but I'm sure he had a good reason for just…" Tenma started to tremble as she spoke in a small voice, "…leaving…"
Yakumo fretted as she watched her sister struggle with her uncertainty, unsure of how to comfort her.
"Well… maybe…you should find him." Yakumo meekly stared at her toes as Tenma turned towards her, her face shining with anguished hope.
"Yea. Yea, I should! Mom and Dad will be busy unpacking for hours, anyway!" Tenma's eyes glowed with renewed vigor as she wound herself up once again. Yakumo smiled sadly as she saw her mother's youthful spirit shining through her sisters' eyes. Good luck, sis, she thought, as Tenma darted from the kitchen and out the door like a rocket.
Karasuma stood on the hill overlooking a park and tried to understand the conflicting desires from his heart and mind. His heart screamed at him to go back, to find Tenma and wrap her in his arms and never let go. His mind cautioned him to wait – to hold back and court her slowly, properly, as a woman should be courted.
Holding his head in his hands, Karasuma closed his eyes and summoned up a mental image of his love, eyes bright and shining, warmth and kindness radiating from her very being.
"Karasuma!"
He looked up just as the fiery girl barreled into his side, latching on to him for dear life. Blinking in confusion, he drew her chin up and examined her expression. Always an open book, her eyes screamed of fear and trepidation, which confused him further.
"What is wrong?"
Karasuma embraced Tenma as tears spilled down her flushed cheeks, rubbing her back and frantically trying to figure out how to comfort her.
"I… I'm scared" She whispered, lowering her eyes, "Mom and Dad have been gone for so long. I don't know why they are back now… Last time they came back we had to… to – to move to a new city"
Although she had become increasingly distressed and garbled, Karasuma understood and a jolt of pure fear went through him. Was he doomed to lose her already? Unwilling to accept this, the dark haired boy pulled Tenma into a crushing embrace in a rare show of passion.
"I will not let them take you away." He whispered fiercely, trying to calm his scattering nerves.
Tenma nodded and sniffed away her tears, trying to relax but becoming increasingly embarrassed at their proximity. She frowned as she realized Karasuma was trembling and felt the racing of his heart. Her own problems dropping from her mind, Tenma's concern for her crush grew larger with every passing second.
"Are… are YOU okay, Karasuma-kun?"
Tenma asked softly.
"The thought of losing you –"
Karasuma stopped abruptly and Tenma felt his shaking increase. Worried, she gently disentangled her arms and wrapped them around to the taller boy's back. Moving her arms up and down, Tenma tried to sooth him the way Yakumo did when she had a nightmare.
"I won't leave. I promise. It's okay Karasuma-kun"
Her only reply was a shuddering exhale, but as she continued her ministrations the frantic boy eventually calmed and relaxed his hold. Opening his eyes, Karasuma looked down into the worried face of his angel and said the first thing that came to mind that he knew would make her happy.
"Please go out with me, Miss. Tsukamoto"
I am so, so sorry. That is all I can say - I can't believe I let this story go for so long. It is completely unacceptable for me and to everyone reading this who was waiting on it to be updated. All I can say is... life got in the way. I am back now, and will be finishing this story up with a few more chapters in the coming weeks. I have also re-written the first few chapters and will be re-uploading them tomorrow, if anyone wants to come back in a few days you will see how my writing has matured in the last few years.
Thank you all so much for sticking with me!
