Chapter 14: She never left your side
"She never left your side Keitaro," Motoko assured him. "Even in the hospital, she refused to leave you."
"I won't leave him," Naru growled at the nurse. "Please ma'am, visiting hours are over," the nurse replied, trembling. Naru stood up from her chair and approached the young woman like a predator stalking her prey. She glared at her with demon eyes, the nurse breaking out into a cold sweat. Stuttering out the words, the nurse tried to convince Naru of reason, "You…you…can come visit him…tomorrow morning." Naru made no reply, but continued to walk towards her, stopping only inches from her face.
With a cold and menacing voice, Naru whispered," I lost him once little girl. He died and came back to me. Do you believe that I would leave him now?" The nurse couldn't speak, her eyes averted away from Naru's sweltering gaze. Naru was about to launch the young woman out of the room, when Haruka entered the room.
"Nurse, please let me handle this," Haruka said as she gently led the clearly shaken young woman out of the room. "Haruka, I won't leave him, ever," Naru said gently as she walked over to Keitaro, clutching his hand.
Haruka stood in the doorway, saying nothing at first. All that could be heard was the beeping sound of the monitors and the gentle hum of Keitaro's breathing apparatus. Haruka's heart nearly broke at the sight of her nephew, comatose, his body hooked into machines by tubes and wires. Steeling herself, she spoke, "Naru, you need to rest. You're no good to anyone if you're exhausted." Naru, gently caressing Keitaro's hand, could not turn away from him. She replied, speaking through her tears, "I never got to tell him how much I love him, Haruka. He loved me with all his heart and all I did was put him down, hit him for every little mistake. He never gave up on me, not even once. How can I leave him now?"
Haruka closed the distance between them. She placed her hands on Naru's shoulders and started to massage them. "I know it hurts Naru, but he wouldn't want you this way. He'd want you to take care of yourself first. Come home and rest, we'll be back tomorrow morning," said Haruka.
For a few minutes nothing was said. Naru, trying to fight back the tears, stood up from her chair. She leaned over him, gently placing a kiss on his lips. Naru whispered, "I love you Keitaro, please come back to me." She then walked out of the room, leaving Haruka alone with her nephew. She made ready to leave, when something inside stopped her. She looked back to Keitaro, and slowly made her way to him. She leaned over his prostrate body, brushing his hair with her hand. She whispered a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening, asking for help – something she would never do for herself.
"Come back to us Keitaro," prayed Haruka, hoping that somehow he could hear her words.
Motoko, wiping away an errant tear, continued, "Naru visited you every day in the hospital. And when you came back home, she was there, always by your side."
Keitaro interjected a question, "Did she ever get into Tokyo U.?" Motoko's throat dried up at this question. She tried to speak, but only a guttural sound escaped her lips. She took a sip of her tea, trying to lubricate the words out. She spoke once more, "Naru never took the entrance exam again. She said that her dream was to go to Tokyo U. with you and that she'd wait until you came back to her."
Keitaro's heart broke at the news. "She didn't go because of me," he whispered to himself. Motoko heard this, and added, "She told Haruka that when she was young, her dream was to attend Tokyo U. She never knew why it had to be Tokyo U., she just assumed it was prestige or the challenge that attracted her. It wasn't until she met you that she realized why she strove so hard to get in. She wanted to go and live the legend Keitaro. She wanted to go to Tokyo U. with the man she loves, and live happily ever after, so you see, she could not go without you."
The words hung in the air, trying to seep into Keitaro's dense mind. He wanted to speak, but he couldn't form the thoughts. It was all just too much for him. Motoko saw his troubled look and hesitated to speak. She did not want to tell him what came next; she did not want to tell him how he came to be in America.
It was not to be.
Keitaro, finally finding his words, asked, "Motoko, what happened to Naru?"
Motoko closed her eyes and prayed silently to the gods for the strength to tell him of that night and hoped that somehow – he would forgive her for what she had done to him.
Chapter 15: one night in November
Haruka had managed to cover up the incident. Tsuroko had vanished without a trace, and there were only a few customers who bore witness to the event. Sakura swore never to reveal Motoko's presence to anyone under penalty of death. Haruka had a way with words. Seeing Motoko sacrifice her sword arm to fulfill a promise gave Haruka the courage to do what was necessary.
For two years, the residents of the Hinata apartments lived their lives in painful remembrance of their fallen friend and love. Naru had abandoned her pursuit of Tokyo University. Instead, she chose to stay by Keitaro's side and take up his managerial duties.
Shinobu became a shadow of her former self. She withdrew from the world, even from Su, who had been her closest friend. For two years, she focused only on one goal – to make it into Tokyo University. "I won't fail you Sempai," Shinobu often said to the unconscious Keitaro.
Mitsune, the name she went by after Keitaro went into a coma, fell on hard times. She wallowed in silent misery, lamenting over the loss of the man she secretly loved. She gave herself to the bottle and whatever available man that was in reach.
Mutsumi was devastated by Keitaro's injuries. Though he remained alive, she felt as if he was already gone. The man she loved was forever lost to her. Her only solace was the archaeologist who stumbled upon her unconscious form in the middle of Kyoto. "Oro Oro, where am I," she asked, still feeling faint. "You're in Kyoto," Seta answered. Mutsumi looked up and saw a man with the same gentle eyes as her love. Two years later, they married and raised Sarah together, along with their newborn son – Keitaro.
Su abandoned her childhood and chose to live in her mature form. When asked why she decided to grow up, Su would simply reply, "it was the only way to help big brother." She tore down the jungle in her room to make way for her lab equipment. For the first six months of Keitaro's coma, Su threw herself into mastering biology, medicine, and organic chemistry. The residents knew that she was a genius, but soon discovered that her intelligence was unrivaled on the planet. It was only her desire to stay forever young that prevented her true potential to shine through. They also discovered, to their ever lasting amazement, that their Su was a princess of the small island nation of Momol, a nation rich in natural oil deposits and intellectual talent. With incredible resources at her disposal, Su set out to develop a treatment for her former manager and secret love.
It was her chemical formula that served as the basis for Dr. Smith's experimental treatment. The treatment used to revive Keitaro from his deep coma.
Haruka was left alone to shoulder the burden. She was den mother to the girls and manager of a small, but successful tea shop. She found love renewed in an unlikely place. His name was Shirai, Keitaro's friend. Though he was several years younger, he had a kind and caring heart like the man she had once loved a life time ago. Unlike that man, Shirai never once placed anything above her. It was Shirai that gave her the strenght to continue after Keitaro's "accident." However, their love affair was cut short one September day.
"Haruka," Sakura called out, her hands trembling. "Yes," Haruka merely responded. "I'm so sorry Haruka," she tried to finish, but her sobs got the better of her. "What is it Sakura, what's wrong," said Haruka, her chest tightening inexplicably. "It's Shirai," Sakura cried out, her hands covering her face, mumbling her words. Haruka grabbed her by the shoulders and demanded to know, "What about Shirai?" Lost for words, Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out the morning paper. On the cover was a picture of an explosion rocking the side of two tall buildings. The headline read, "New York City Under Attack!" Haruka's eyes darted back and forth, reading each line until she came across a particular passage – it read "United Airlines Flight 175 was crashed into the South Tower…" Haruka collapsed to the ground. The night before, Shirai called from Boston, telling his love that he was coming home a day early. Shirai spoke, "I convinced Haitani to leave a day early, so we'll be on US Flight 175 to New York, then we'll get on the next available JAL flight back home. I love you honey, gotta run. I'll see you soon." Haruka reached for her cell phone and desperately pressed the speed dial. It rang, but was cut short, "I'm sorry, but the number you that you dialed is currently unavailable," said the automatic message. "Oh please God, this can't be happening," Haruka wept openly – clutching onto Sakura with her might.
It was almost a year since she lost Shirai. If it were not for her responsibilities to her family, she would have went to Afghanistan to exact her revenge against any who had called themselves Al Qaeda or the Taliban. Leave none alive was her chosen moto. "Another time," she promised herself, but first, Keitaro.
Haruka stood outside the hospital, smoking her cigarette. Motoko finally walked out, her right arm in a sling. She was surprised to see Haruka waiting for her. Before she could say anything, Haruka spoke out, "We need to talk."
Motoko nodded her head in agreement.
"Walk with me," Haruka ordered. Motoko followed. After a few minutes, Motoko broke the silence, "I just wanted to tell you Haruka-san how sorry I was when I heard about Shirai. He was a good man." Haruka's facial expression showed no response, but her eyes seemed to soften. "Yes, he was," Haruka responded in a gentle voice. Silence once again set in.
"There's something I want you to do for Keitaro," Haruka declared, "but it will involve great sacrifice on your part." Motoko replied with deep conviction, "Anything for Keitaro." Haruka took a deep breath in, forcing her courage to the forefront. She exhaled, and said, "Keitaro would not want the other girls to live their lives as they have been living them. Naru has abandoned her dreams. Shinobu's closed herself off from the world. Mitsune can't find peace without the aid of a bottle, and poor Su, she left behind her childhood. The house has become a mausoleum Motoko, something has to be done – something drastic."
The hair on the back of Motoko's neck began to tingle. She knew of the hardships that all of the girls had endured, but Motoko was surprised by the depths of their sorrow. Haruka continued, "That's why I want to send him away to America." She then turned her head towards Motoko, and with a voice filled with both conviction and sadness, she completed her thought, "with you."
Motoko was floored by Haruka's words. Of course she would go with him. She would travel to hell and back if it meant being with Keitaro, but she was amazed that Haruka, who still had not forgiven her for what she had done, was asking her to take care of her nephew for her. Then a thought entered her mind.
Haruka saw the change in her expression and replied, "The others would follow him without a doubt, which is why the next thing I ask of you will require a great sacrifice. I cannot tell you upfront, only that if Keitaro ever wakes up and finds out the truth, he will not forgive you. He will curse your name, he may even hate you. I know you cannot imagine such a reaction from Keitaro, but understand that what I ask of you will be that terriblek, but it must be done. I wish there was another way, but there isn't. Are you will to endure this burden Motoko?"
Motoko, her eyes unyielding, stared into Haruka's. She knew very well the price that Haruka was asking of her – a price she would gladly pay three fold. She replied with a voice of steel, "Yes, tell me what needs to be done."
Haruka looked away towards the Hinata apartments. From their vantage point, they could see the house, standing proudly in the distance. "Generations of my family have lived on these lands Motoko. We have survived wars, famines, and natural disasters. That house was built by my ancestors, a house built out of love." Haruka then returned her gaze into Motoko's eyes and spoke with an uncompromising tone in her voice, "I want you to burn that house down Motoko. I want it razed to the ground and with it – Keitaro."
As Haruk spoke those words, a lone tear broke free from her right eye. The reservoir in Motoko's eyes had already broken free, her tears raining down her face. "So many tears have been shed already," Motoko whispered, "how many more must be shed?"
There was no further discussion, only the unending gaze of two women determined to do the impossible.
"Yes, I understand what you ask of me," Motoko replied, "I will do as you ask."