Kaldhi: This is becoming pretty epic, and it might eventually be enough to make three more movies at least. Hell we'd all make a whole series out of Makoto Chiaki and Kosuke if we could, right? Right. Anyway. You guys have been so patient, so I tried making it worth the wait. Hope you love it.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Part Two: ' Run '
_____________________________________________________________________________
Hmm… He must have… he must have jumped out of an airplane or something.
Makoto was volunteering to hand out the little paper maps to the visitors at her aunt's art gallery today. What else should she be doing? Kosuke wouldn't be back from Osaka until tomorrow. And anyway, summer was getting hotter and hotter, and sometimes she preferred the company of the air conditioners. Besides, it was quiet in here, and she liked watching people, and she needed time to think. Today she was debating the possibilities of how Chiaki managed to leap so far into the past.
Yep. Definitely. Airplane. Or helicopter. Has to be. How else could he have jumped so far through the air? But then again… Makoto realized she hardly knew one thing about how the time leaps worked. After all, hadn't he somehow managed to actually stop the whole world, that time he said goodbye to her? How did he do that? That would definitely be a pretty powerful ability to have.
How could he… how could he possibly do so many impossible things and still… still not… I mean… why can't he just come back to see m—… to see… us… again…? I wish… I really wish I could just…
Makoto didn't expect it would be this hard. But she'd never really been in lo—… never really missed someone so much before, and so she'd never realized how the pain can cut so deep into your life, making everything you do a thousand times more lonely… and empty, and…
"I'll be waiting for you…"
That feeling on her skin… when he held her shoulder in his arm… and leaned down to her ear… it stirred things in her she didn't even know she could feel. Emotional things… deep in her heart… and physical things… deep in h—…
Shaking her head and squeezing her eyes out of that as her face turned red, she snapped back to her grey world… and decided to just stop thinking about him today. As if that would ever happen.
* * *
"Oneeehh-chan…" Makoto called to her little sister through the bathroom door.
"What?? I'm taking a bath…" she whined.
"Did you take a little brown key from somewhere on my side of the room?"
Some small swishes of water replied, and then a hesitant. "…N-no…"
"Look, I don't care if you did. I won't be mad, I promise, it's just really important that I find it." I might kill you if you lost it, though, Makoto thought.
There was a long pause. "I-It's dad's fault, he was looking for the key to his desk, and I saw it in your drawer…"
"You went in my drawers?"
"N-Noo!! You left it open…"
"Nevermind. Where is it now?"
"Um… I think… on the bookshelf… somewhere…?"
Makoto didn't stop grumbling and muttering about stupid little sisters until after she'd pulled and dragged all the books off the shelf… and then finally caught the glint of copper and the clink of metal as it fell on the floor at her toes.
With excited eyes, she plucked the key off the carpet. "YATTAAAA!!!!" came the barbaric cry of joy as she galloped back to her copper box from Chiaki, leaving the books all over the ground. Her room was a disaster too. She'd searched every pocket and corner of her entire life. Later, in a fit of desperate rage, she'd almost resorted to smashing the box open with a brick or a big can of bean paste or something. But then remembered those little walnut-things were pretty fragile, and she didn't want to break them. She was even afraid to shake the box and listen, in case that might be enough to crack a walnut-thing.
Trembling with anticipation she crawled onto her bed with the box and the key, and stuck the key in, and with a glowing heart…
I'm almost there…
…she clicked the lock sideways…
I'm going to find you…
…and lifted the lid.
Chiaki…
And it was empty.
"W-What…?" Makoto blinked. And looked into the box again. And put her hand inside and felt the cracks. And dumped it upside down. And shook it. "Wh- what… h-how…? How can it… be empty…? Is it-… is it really empty…? But—… how… HOW CAN IT BE EMPTY??!!!"
As usual, Makoto masked her bitter disappointment behind frustrated anger. And after the initial shock wore off, it was all she had — that crushed feeling of defeat, like something impossibly beautiful had just been stolen from her.
"I- I don't get it…" she babbled, her eyes watering. "Why? Why would he lead me to an empty box?! I… I thought he—…" Choking on her sadness, Makoto thumped the box down on her bedside table and collapsed into her bed with an angry roar and clenched fists.
It… it hurts so much. Chiaki… I don't understand… I just… I just don't understand!! If… if he really likes me, why did he leave? Why can't he come back? What does he expect me to do?? Invent my own stupid time leap machine or something?? I can't— I can't do this… I can't stand waiting here… without… without hi— without knowing when I'll ever… if I'll ever… get to see… that stupid moron… ever again.
Makoto's dazed depression lasted all evening. She checked inside the box again about twenty one times. She hated being so obviously lovesick, but she couldn't help it. She stomped downstairs, grabbed three peaches, stomped upstairs and munched on them while lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her head drifted far away, and after her sister went to bed and shut off the lights, the night felt so dark and empty, Makoto felt herself start to cry. Fighting the flood, she rubbed her eyes and groped around for her cellphone. Flicking it open, she did the one thing she knew would either cheer her up, or make her nostalgic beyond belief, and then she'd sob herself to sleep. Taking her chances, she searched back into her old messages, hoping to find one from Chiaki she'd kept. They always used to make her smile.
They still do… thought Makoto as her tears rolled away, and she laughed softly over one of Chiaki's old texts.
[ Received: 4:06pm - May 19th]
[ Sender: C. Mamiya ]
oyyyy. where the hell r u guys? save me.. im dyin in this place. i cant even read this weirdass menu.. u gotta help me mako. so get over here already. whatevr u & kosuke r doing right now sure as hell cant be as fun as i am.
---
Trying not to wake her sleeping sister, Makoto muffled a quiet laugh from her dry throat and blurry eyes, as she tumbled headfirst into the memory…
May 19th…
* * *
"Aaaaaaahh- CHOOU!!" Kosuke blinked as the sneeze rattled his brain. He opened his eyes again, and looked down at what was supposed to be on the table in front of him… but it was gone!
"Mm. Ah tolhd you that you'd getta cold, Kosuke!" Makoto mumbled through her pastry-filled mouth. "You shouda listenn to meh."
"Hurts to admit it, but for once Mako's right," Chiaki said with a sly grin. The three musketeers were sitting at the corner table of Makoto's favourite sweet shop. She was delightfully devouring her precious dessert, after packing one away for her aunt in her schoolbag. Chiaki was already done, (possibly considering buying another one), and his wrapper was crumpled in a ball he was flicking back and forth on the table. Kosuke had just bought his, and he'd hardly sat down to eat it before he sneezed. And now it was gone.
After suspiciously scanning the floor and the seat beside him, Kosuke turned an evil eye at his two companions. "Alright… very funny guys…"
"Wha? Ahm serious, Kosukeh, you shoulh really get your own umbrella."
"Yeah, whatever. Who took my cupcake?"
Makoto looked at him, and then the table. "What cupcake?"
"The one I just bought," he said, as he shot a knowing glare at Chiaki.
"Hey, don't look at me!" Chiaki chuckled defensively. "I'm on the other side of the table. Ask the one sitting next to you."
Kosuke turned his eyes to Makoto. His face was less harsh now, and more surprised.
"Whaa—?!" Makoto choked. "I didn't take anything!! It was Chiaki, look at him smiling over there!"
"Get real, Mako, like I would ever do something like that," Chiaki teased, totally unable to keep a straight face.
"YEAH right. That's a lie," Kosuke rolled his eyes. "But I barely blinked, there's no WAY Chiaki could have reached…"
"I didn't, I swearrrr!" Makoto whined. "Did you check the floor? Maybe it fell…"
"I already checked."
"I bet she stuffed it in the takeout box for her aunt," Chiaki accused with a smirk.
"Ch—!" Makoto scoffed, hand on her hip, eyes closed in defiance. "As if Kosuke will ever believe you over me."
Silence. Makoto opened her eyes again and peeked sideways to see a puzzled, astonished Kosuke looking at her, expectantly. Sighing, she stuffed a hand in her bag, pulled out the paper carton, and flipped the lid open to prove her innocence.
"See, it's just my aunt's— AAHHH—!!! H-how… How did that get in here?!" Makoto exclaimed with angry eyes — looking seriously confused at the cupcake sitting next to her aunt's chocolate cheesecake.
"Makoto…" Kosuke regarded her with amazement.
"But- I didn't-!"
"How… how the heck did you steal that… and get it in there so fast…?" he gaped.
"But- but it wasn't me—!"
"W-wow," Chiaki managed to utter between laughs. "Kosuke, what'dya think… she must be a ninja.. or something…"
"But I'm n—!!"
"Seriously. More like ninja master—"
"Look, I don't even LIKE cupcakes!!"
"Yeah whatever, gimme that."
Handing it over to Kosuke, Makoto squinted an evil eye at Chiaki as he sat across from her trying to contain his cackling. "I'll get you for this," she vowed.
He just laughed harder. "S-stop trying to blame this on me! How the hell could I do that anyway?"
"I don't know… but I KNOW it was you," she said, flicking his paper-wrapper-ball up into his face. Thus began an all-out paper wrapper war, as Kosuke, the peaceful spectator ate his cupcake and shook his head with a grin.
Finally, he interrupted the chaos. "Well, guys, I'm off," he declared, licking his thumb and tossing out his wrapper.
"W-wait, what??"
"OY, where d'you think your going?" Chiaki complained. "Today's that carnival-thing, remember?"
"And Monday's the exams, remember?" Kosuke mimicked. "You should be studying, too. You guys need it way more than I do, that's for sure."
"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that," Makoto challenged.
"How could you STILL need to study? You're crazy, man… You're gonna kill your brain…" Chiaki mumbled, with that cute, confused, unsettled look on his face. Clearly he did not comprehend how anyone would rather read books than ride bumper cars.
"Come on Kosuke…" Makoto pleaded. "You can't miss it. You promised."
"Yeah, come on dude. Don't ditch us."
"Sorry, Makoto," Kosuke said to her gently, glancing briefly at Chiaki. "Anyway, don't let me stop you. I'll see you tomorrow, 'k?" he waved, heading for the door.
"Eh-? You're seriously leaving?"
"Waaahh, nooooou!! Come back, Kosuke!!" Makoto whined.
"Better get that dad of yours to run a couple medical scans on your head," Chiaki called after him. The clerk stared nervously as Kosuke left the shop. After he was out of sight, there came that stillness that always crept in right after he was gone. Even if Kosuke hadn't been talking or anything, even then, as soon as he left, the atmosphere always changed. Makoto didn't usually notice. Chiaki did.
Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and tossed his wrapper up and over to the waste bucket across the aisle. It bounced off the rim, but then bumped the wall and fell in.
"Yess," he grinned. Then he turned to Makoto, who hadn't noticed she was staring at him. Chiaki looked smug. "Alright, Queen of Ninjas. Now what?"
"What do you mean?"
"Where to?"
"Hello. The carnival, idiot."
"Are you sure you still wanna go?"
"What, you don't?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Course I do.. just thought.. you wouldn't."
"Huh? Why?" Makoto asked. What's going on… he looks nervous. Chiaki's never nervous.
"Well, you know… without Kosuke we'd look—… The carnival's all like—… it's like usually for… couples… and stuff… and there'll probably be lots of kids from our school… who would see us… and stuff…"
Eventually understanding what he was getting at, Makoto grinned wickedly. "You know what, you're right," she proclaimed, crossing her arms. "In fact, I can't believe I ever let myself be seen anywhere in public with you."
"Oooh, that's harsh," he moaned comically.
"Come on, stupid. Who cares what people think? You said you've never been on a ferris wheel in your whole life, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Right. Unacceptable. Let's go," Makoto announced, standing up and shouldering her bag as she marched for the door.
"Okay…" Chiaki said, following her. "As long as you're not gonna get all weird on me once we're in there, and then change your mind."
"Promise. As long as you don't try to hold my hand."
"Deal. As long as you don't 'accidently' swing your cotton candy into my face."
"Hmm… dunno about that one. I haven't forgiven you yet."
"For what?"
"The cupcake. How did you DO that anyway??!"
"What? You're still tryin to tell me you didn't do it?"
"I. Didn't." Makoto swung her fist out to punch him in the shoulder.
"Hm, nice try," he said, catching her arm so she lost her balance and staggered harmlessly into his chest. "I gotta admit though," she heard him chime, as she shoved him away and recovered. "You're pretty good at keepin a straight face, ninja-girl," he mocked, attempting an innocent smile. But his eyes betrayed him. He looked like he was holding a million hidden jokes, and could barely smother his secret delight. Then that mischievous smirk, and Makoto's train of thought… crashed.
* * *
Right there. That was the one. That one expression on his face that made her feel too many things all at once, so she didn't understand any of them. All she knew was… it hurt to remember it now.
She groaned, and stretched back on her bed, rolling over to her little table. Snapping her cellphone shut, she plunked it into the copper box and shut the lid. Drifting off to sleep, she tried to distract herself by thinking of other times when Chiaki must have used his time-stop ability to mess with her and Kosuke.
"That sneaky little jerkface…" she mumbled with her face in her pillow. "Stopping time… Stealing cupcakes… Framing me."
But Makoto couldn't really get annoyed with him, considering that she'd used her time leaps to mess with him too. And at least he was only playing around. He didn't go back in time to avoid a serious conversation… like she did.
Or did he?
I wonder… I wonder if maybe… if… if he ever asked me out before that, and I turned him down, or ran away… and then he went back and erased it…?
Imagining how much she might have hurt him, without even knowing it, Makoto curled into a ball on her bed with the sick regret filling her stomach.
Chiaki…
"I'm such a horrible person. Why… why did I do all that stuff? Why did I turn away and hide from him and… and…" Makoto sobbed. "I'm— I'm such an idiot!!" she cried into her pillow, and sunk into sorrow as she fell asleep.
* * *
"Gah! I'm gonna be late! Again!!"
The morning was bright. But Makoto just moaned as she scoured for some socks while simultaneously trying to wrestle her arms into her shirt, unable to see anything from the mess of brown hair hanging over of her eyes. I promised Kosuke I'd meet him at the field at ten! Dammit, I should tell him I haven't even left yet…
Double-checking her duffel bag for her baseball glove, she snatched it up, swung it over her shoulder, reached down to tug at her sock again, and half-hopped, half-stumbled towards the hallway.
"Oh! Wait!" she gasped. She spun back around to her bed, swooped down to open the copper box, grab her cellphone, close the lid, and head for —
Makoto froze. What…the…? What was that…?
Moving in slow-motion, she rotated her whole body back again to stare at the box. Inching forward, as if approaching a wild cobra, she slowly reached her hand out and down again to open the lid…
What… the… hell?!
It was still empty. But scrawled in under the lid, someone had written in white chalk.
' Good, you found it. '
Makoto dropped her bag. Mystified, she stared at the white letters, shut the box again, took a deep breath… took another one… rubbed her eyes, and opened it again.
' Write to me… 'the chalk now said.
Makoto shrunk back and gasped. Oh my god… there's no way… Her mind spun and her heart throbbed, and she definitely thought she was dreaming, or hallucinating, or going insane. Or several of the above. In her mental turmoil she shuffled through the papers on her desk, ripped off a corner, grabbed a pen and in shaky script wrote her note to the box-thing, since she had no chalk.
' Who is this? '
She placed the paper inside, and waited. Nothing. She shut the box and opened it again. The chalk had changed again.
' Who do you think, stupid. '
Makoto's heart spun around in her stomach.
Chiaki…
UWAHH—!! I can't believe this is happening! Is it—…? Am I really talking to him… through a box??
' Chiaki? What is this? Where are you? How is this possible?? ' she wrote back. Shutting the lid and whipping it open again, the chalk words were still the same, and she had to wait a couple moments before it changed.
' Magic box ' he wrote.
Great that's really helpful. It's definitely him alright. ' Where are you? ' Makoto wrote again.
' The future ' was his answer.
"Tch," Makoto sighed, rolling her eyes at his messy, scribbled, two-word answers. ' You idiot, why are you only writing in chalk like that? Write on the paper! '
' Can't. '
' Why not? '
' Got no pen. '
Makoto grabbed a pen from her desk and a spare paper, folded it up and stuffed them both in the box. ' Here use these. Sheesh, seriously, where are you? Don't you have pens in the future? '
Her cellphone buzzed, and she almost jumped out of her skin, her nerves were so excited. A twang of guilt stung her when she read Kosuke's text, and typed back that she was caught up in something, and she couldn't make it to the field yet. She hoped Kaho and her friends would show.
' Pen is dry ' said Chiaki in chalk again.
' Liar, I just checked it! It is not dry. '
' Is now. '
Eh? Makoto furrowed her brows, thinking for a minute. Eventually she started to wonder if it could be possible that the ink would dry up because the pen was aging into the future…?
' K, I'll get you a pencil then, just hold on a minute ' she responded, praising her own cleverness.
' No. Wait. No time. '
Makoto was about to ask, What? Why? What's wrong? …but then she remembered something. Glowering angrily and scratching furiously onto the paper she responded. ' Fine. Whatever. I'm not talking to you anyway. ' Stuffing it back in the box she slammed the lid closed and glared at it.
After a few moments, she opened it again, and could almost hear Chiaki's unconcerned laughter as she read the words, ' What I do this time? '
' You know what you did, jerkface. I can't believe you! Pulling that stupid angel stunt on a six year old!! I'm not forgiving you for that! ' she wrote with an evil grin.
' . . . ' There was no answer, but Makoto just knew he was leaning over and clutching his stomach, cackling. Which only fuelled her annoyance.
' You could try apologizing! ' she wrote, even though he probably hadn't finished laughing.
' Ok. I'm sorry. '
' No you're not. I can tell. '
' Yes I am. '
That jerk! ' No you're not. '
' Yes. '
' No! ' That idiot! I'm gonna—
' You were a cute kid. '
Makoto stopped thinking. Her face snapped from stunned to embarrassed. All her fury had dissolved. And Chiaki knew it.
' Nice try, ' she wrote back, still annoyed, but this time blushing. ' I'm still going to kick your ass. '
' Haha. Good luck trying. '
' Is that a challenge? '
' Maybe… '
' Oh yeah? If you're so sure you can beat me, why don't you get over here and find out? ' Makoto jeered.
' Sorry. Can't. '
' Why not? Are you scared? '
' Of you? As if. '
' Yeah sure. Why not then? '
' Got no time leaps '
' So go get some. '
' Can't. '
' Why? '
' They don't sell them in prison. '
Makoto's thought process tripped and collapsed. Wh- What…? Her heart felt cold and the hairs on her arms stood up.
' Chiaki… You're… Wait. Are you serious? '
' Yep. '
' Why? What the hell! Why are you in prison? What happened? What'd you do? '
' Broke the rule. '
' Which rule? '
' Told you about time leaps. '
' Then… Then why on earth did you tell me??!! '
' Didn't matter then. '
' Huh? What do you mean? '
' Long story. Explain later. '
' But… ' Makoto's pen hovered above the paper as her hand started to tremble. She really hadn't expected this. ' But why did you go back if you knew they would arrest you?? '
' Go back = prison. Run away = dead. '
' What?! Seriously? They would have killed you?? But if you… if you stayed in the past… how could they ever find you? '
' Magic. '
' What? Get real, that's… that's not fair! That's just not fair! You didn't do anything wrong anyway! You didn't hurt anyone… or anything. Is the future really that bad? ' Makoto was quiet for a moment, churning her brain as she tried to process this. It was hard. Imagining Chiaki trapped in a cage, so far out of her reach, locked up for something so… so stupid…! All at once it made her feel like screaming her lungs out, smashing a watermelon, crying her eyes out, and hugging him to death.
Wait… ' Wait, Chiaki. You'll be able to leap again once you get free again, right? '
' Probably. '
' Well then come back! ' Makoto wrote excitedly. ' Come back and visit Kosuke and me once they let you go! And you could stay here. I mean, you said you liked our time better, right? You can… you can just come back to this day! And see me right now, in my time. You could come back again! ' Makoto's excitement grew. She knew she was right. It was possible. He could do it. ' You could do that, right?? '
' I could, ' Chiaki replied.
' Then do it! ' Makoto scribbled eagerly, her mind running around with happy anticipation. He could come back tonight… He could come right now—
' Would you date a 60-year-old? '
Makoto stared at the chalk words. Eh…? She just kept staring… and all her hope dripped away. Wh- what…? But that's— that's…
' Are you… will they really keep you locked up for… for that long? ' Makoto finally wrote, fighting back the sting in her eyes. She waited, and had to check the box three times before Chiaki's answer came.
' Mako, listen. Don't worry. '
Tears started growing and clinging to her eyelashes as she blinked them away to write back. ' But that's not fair!! I don't want to… That's STUPID! You shouldn't have to wait so long for something so lame! That's practically forever. And… ' she was about to write something about… something about missing him, because a whole life without Chiaki made her sick to imagine. She'd never make it. She'd… it would break her. But actually writing anything like that would be mortifying. So she didn't.
' Calm down, Mako. It's okay. You can help me. '
' What? Really? How? '
' Tell you later. Gotta go now. '
' What! Why?! Wait! Tell me!! And… I want to know about other stuff, too. Like how did you know about the pudding, anyway, that time when I was a kid? How do you know all this stuff? '
Chiaki's chalk words were sketchy now, like he was really in a rush. ' Ask your aunt. '
' My aunt? How do you know my aunt?! '
' I don't. Just tell her… ' Chiaki's messy writing was almost impossible to read after that. There were a bunch of words, but Makoto could only make out 'Snow' and 'our footprints'.
' Idiot. I can't read that. Write it better. '
' . . . '
' Chiaki? '
' . . . '
' Hey, come back! '
After stubbornly flipping the lid up and down a dozen times, Makoto sighed and gave up.
* * *
"For someone who just had a conversation with her boyfriend, you sure look frustrated," Auntie Witch remarked calmly. "What happened? Did you decide to break up with him so you can go out with Kosuke?"
Makoto groaned, "He's not actually my boyfriend," she sighed with annoyance. "And Kosuke's gonna fall for Kaho, remember?"
"Mm, maybe not," she grinned. "Maybe he'll change his mind about you, now that Chiaki's gone."
Makoto shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. What would I say to him if… No, no, no, no no! I can't think about this now. I have too much to worry about. "If that happens, I'll deal with it. But right now—"
"Deal with it? Does that mean you can leap again?"
"No. I don't know. Maybe I—… No, I don't know! Chiaki told me I could help him somehow, but he won't explain it yet. And he said…" Makoto trailed off, looking warily at her mysterious aunt.
"What did he say?" she coaxed gently, with her always-slightly-amused-eyes-of-wisdom.
"He said you would know something. He said… something about snow… and our footprints."
Makoto's Auntie Witch was raising her cup of tea to her lips, to take a sip, when she stopped, and her face went blank. The expression was unreadable, and Makoto was afraid she might have said something bad… but then her aunt started to chuckle. She looked over at her bookshelf. "Mm, amazing," she breathed, and then gazed off at nothing, deep in thought.
"What?" Makoto begged. "What's amazing?"
Her aunt was still lost in a trance.
"Auntieee… come on…! Why are you smiling like that? What's amazing?"
"You're precious Chiaki," she replied.
"What? Have you met him? What happened?"
"That boy…" her aunt began, "I mean the boy I met in junior high, remember him?"
"You mean the one you fell in love with?"
"That's the one. Well he—"
"It was Chiaki?!?!"
"Ahaha… No, silly. Just listen."
"…kay. I'm listening."
"That boy found me one winter day while I was sitting alone in the park… that park with the pond, near my old school. You know… over in the Katakura district…"
Makoto just nodded, afraid to speak now. Her aunt's voice had a delicate, faraway emptiness to it, and it sounded soft in the silent room. Makoto felt like she might shatter the fragile memory if she interrupted.
"I probably should have been studying, but I just felt like watching the people walk through the fresh snow. Anyway, he came up to me, dropped his schoolbag on the ground, and sat down on the bench with me. I was so surprised I blinked."
Makoto furrowed her forehead. Blinked? That's it? Is it really possible she's been this mellow her whole life?
"Even though we were already going out at the time," she continued. "We weren't always together, and I didn't know who could've told him where to find me. I asked him, but he just smiled and said, 'The snow remembers all our footprints.' He looked confused when I asked him what that meant. 'That's weird — he told me you'd understand that,' said my boyfriend. I asked him who, and he asked, 'Do you know any guys our age with bleached red-orange hair…?' "
It took Makoto a moment before her face turned from attentive concentration to wide-eyed suspense. "Orange… hair…?"
"That's right," her aunt replied. "Apparently the guy had appeared out of nowhere, approached my boyfriend and told him to meet me in the park, where I was waiting for him. He asked the stranger how he knew me, and he explained that I was a distant friend, and I might not even remember him. But he needed a favor from me. He said he'd come a long way from home… because the girl he loved was being hunted by dangerous people… and he was trying to protect her."
Makoto's eyes went wider, and her lungs went tight. What…?
"My boyfriend was such a gossiper," Makoto's aunt chuckled. "He wasn't even disturbed by this stuff. Instead he wanted to know what the girl had done, and which gang was after her. The guy said she hadn't done anything, but some powerful people were afraid of something she might do in the future, and they wanted to stop her before she could."
Now Makoto's head was spinning. "Wait… you mean…"
Her aunt nodded. "Who else could it be? Anyway, the stranger said he was running out of time, and he couldn't save her without my help. So he asked my boyfriend to make me promise one thing. Never refuse chocolate or camellias."
Makoto's daze broke and she scrunched up her nose. "…Eh?"
"Mm-hmm," her aunt smiled, leaning back in her chair. "I didn't know what it meant either. My boyfriend laughed at that point, and started to object to the stranger. But the guy told him if he didn't believe him, just say to me 'The snow remembers all our footprints', and then I'd understand."
Makoto's expression became even more puzzled. "Really… Then… what does that mean?"
Still smiling, her aunt shrugged. "No idea."
"Oh…" Makoto said, disappointed and insanely confused.
"My boyfriend wanted to know too, but I told him I didn't know anything about chocolate, camellias, snow or footprints. But I said I'd probably obey the chocolate at least, because it seemed like pretty good advice. We both started to laugh about it," she murmured, glowing with the warm memory, "and spent the rest of the afternoon walking together, making footprints in the snow."
Makoto drifted into silence, not wanting to believe any of it. I don't get it… Was that really Chiaki…? And… the girl he was talking about… could that really be… "Nnn… no… That doesn't make sense…" she moaned.
"Why not? You told me Chiaki saved you from someone as a child, right?"
"Yeah, but… Camellias? Snow? What was he talking about?!"
"Well, I think I understand the camellias now. And maybe the chocolate too."
"Eh?"
"You know that painting he wanted to see so badly?"
"Yeah…?"
"The day I was offered to do it's restoration, I was busy with a lot of projects. So I decided I'd turn it down and send it off to a colleague instead — another man who works at the gallery. But after school that day you came to visit, and you brought me a surprise chocolate thing from that shop. And that's when I remembered what the strange advice. So I changed my mind about the restoration."
"But… what…? I still don't under—"
"That painting is called White Plum, Camellia and Chrysanthemum."
Makoto stared a her aunt. "Oh…"
Her aunt just laughed again. "I know. That doesn't help you at all, does it?"
She shook her head, and slumped forward. "No. It just makes everything more confusing. Are you sure about this? I mean… who are those powerful people he was talking about? Why would they care about me? And what does a painting have to do with saving someone's life?"
"I don't know, but I do know one thing," she said.
"What?"
"Someone who went to so much trouble to look after you," she said with a wink, "Someone like that must love you a lot."
* * *
Makoto's aunt wouldn't let her leave until she promised to be extra careful, and watch out for those 'powerful people' who were coming after her. Makoto couldn't tell if her aunt was joking or not. She'd spent the rest of her day on auto-pilot, trying to make all the pieces of the mystery fit together. All she got was a massive headache.
And then the most horrible nightmare of her life.
She couldn't see anything, but she knew she was sinking. It felt like being on the side of a steep hill, and the ground had turned to sand and was falling away beneath her feet. She was tripping and stumbling, and trying to get back up the hill, but she just kept sinking faster down the slope. No, that wasn't the horrible part. It was the sounds. Twisted, screeching sounds, and a thousand angry whispers… a million wicked thoughts combined… all waiting for her… all watching as she slid down and down, faster and faster. They waited with hungry mouths. Waiting for her. She felt sick, and the terror was so intense, squeezing her heart, she felt like her body was going to die from fear. She tried to scream. But it was a nightmare. Nothing you can do but fall, and everything feels more terrifying than you could ever imagine it.
"Makoto. Come back. Don't go over there."
The words reached her through the madness. She felt sunlight and grass. Where? Where is he?
"It's okay… you're still here. You're still in your bed. I'm right here."
Still dark. But the danger was gone. The blankets were soft on her cheek, and the warm body beside her shielded her. She felt overcome with relief, and all her fear drifted away as she curled closer into him. Chiaki… He said something to her. Something comforting. What was it? Her mind was clouded with sleep, but her body felt the vibration of his voice, and the breath near her face.
All her senses were alive, and every sensation incredibly strong. She didn't know she could feel like this, and how good he could make her feel just by lying beside her.
Chiaki… She could feel that famous smirk of his, and the carefree look in his eyes. His body was warm. And strong. He brought his hand along her skin, in that insanely sensitive spot, right under her stomach and slowly across, over to her hip. Stopping just short of invasive, that touch made Makoto want to melt. Involuntarily, her body pressed itself closer and closer to him. She felt that ache… that aching to be closer.
But he took his hand away, and she felt him change — almost like he suddenly felt guilty. "Chiaki…?" She felt him pull back, and started to remember the fear that had chased her before. "Wait! Chiaki!" Then he sighed. And very slowly, he held his palm down on her head of dark hair, and leaned forward, resting his face close to her, lips on her forehead.
"Shh… Mako… I'm always here. I'll keep you away from them. Don't worry," said his low voice in her ear. "You're alright now. Wake up, okay?"
Her heavy eyes opened, and met a blurry sunlit alarm-clock. It took her a while to fully realize she was back in the waking world. And as soon as she did, none of her nightmare frightened her anymore, of course. Except one thing. It had seemed way more realistic than usual. Especially…
Oh my god.
Makoto's face burned red with embarrassment.
He… N- No, he didn't…!! He wouldn't…
Feeling somehow exposed, she scrambled out of her pyjamas and into her clothes. It's one thing to use some crazy powers from the future to get into my dreams and tell me about a secret box. But did he really…? Was that… really…?
Scribbling her words onto the paper, she desperately prayed that it had only been a dream… just a normal dream… convincing herself it definitely wasn't him… ignoring the tiny part of her that was secretly hoping it was.
' Chiaki? Are you there? '
' Yeah. I'm here. '
Makoto hesitated, but swallowed her pride and asked him. ' Was that really you? '
' When? '
' In my dream. ' There was a pause. Makoto tried to imagine the most likely expression on his face.
' You dream about me a lot, eh? '
' Just answer my question, idiot. '
' What question? '
' Was it really you? '
' I dunno. What did I do? '
Makoto blushed again. He is NOT gonna get me to say it, she thought, annoyed. ' If it was you, you would know. '
' Maybe not. '
' Yes you would. '
' How do you know? ' he asked. ' Maybe you were in mine. '
' Give me a break, I don't know how to get into people's dreams. Besides, I would NEVER dream about that. '
' About what? '
' Idiot. Nevermind. '
' Aw, come on. Tell me. '
' No! '
' Come on. Please? '
' No! I'm trying to forget about it. '
' Forget? '
' Yep. '
' Haha. You won't. '
' Yes I will. '
' No you won't. '
' Shut up! ' Makoto wrote, slamming the box shut and scowling. After a few long moments of grumbling about stupid men, she opened the box again, and froze.
' You liked it. '
Mortified, Makoto nearly choked and died before recovering herself enough to write back.
' I KNEW IT!!! I knew it was you!!! You pervert! You can't just sneak into people's beds without asking! How could you do that?!! ' she scribbled, nursing her bruised dignity.
' Haha, relax, ' Chiaki replied, obviously liking her reaction. ' I could have done a lot more. '
' . . . ' Makoto glared at the chalk, trying to be angry to distract herself from the excited, twisted feelings spreading through her body. Eventually she wrote, ' You know, I wish it had been real. At least then I could report you. '
' Ha. Okay, okay. I'm sorry. '
' Yeah right. '
' I swear, ' he wrote back. ' But you were in trouble. Couldn't help it. '
' I wasn't in trouble! It was just a nightmare! '
' No. Withdrawal symptoms. From time leaping. Very serious. '
' What?! '
' Charging your body. After effects. Like drugs. '
' What are you talking about? I haven't been time leaping since you left! Why would I be feeling some stupid side effects from that walnut-thing now? '
' 4 weeks, right? '
Makoto counted in her head. ' Right. '
' Yep. Withdrawal. '
' Seriously? '
' Seriously. Kills some people. '
' How long will it last? '
' Depends. Don't go outside today. '
' What?? Are you saying I'm going to get sick if I go outside? '
' No. Different problem. '
Makoto sighed, exasperated. ' What now? '
' Dangerous people. Stay inside today. '
' That's insane! I can't stay in my house all day! Besides, I have to get groceries for my mom. Who are these dangerous people, anyway? What do they want? '
There was a long wait before Chiaki wrote back. ' Okay, go, ' he wrote. ' But take box everywhere. Don't put it down. '
' Why? '
' So I can warn you. '
' How? '
' Just don't put it down, okay? '
' Fine, ' said Makoto. ' But only if you promise to explain what's going on. '
' Can't now. Maybe later. '
' Promise? '
' Promise. '
* * *
Makoto was standing on the city train to the supermarket, after successfully dropping off her dad's dry-cleaning. As instructed, the copper box was packed in her shoulder bag, hiding silently beside her. She hadn't put it down, except when she'd gone to the washroom, and she made sure it was really covered up, because who knows what Chiaki was doing with that thing. Maybe he could listen through it. Or actually watch her.
He better not be… she thought suspiciously, giving her shoulder bag a dirty look. The train started slowing for the next stop, but it wasn't hers yet, so Makoto let a few people move past her to the door.
Suddenly, her arm felt like it was a hundred pounds heavier. Her shoulder buckled under the sudden pull, and she nearly fell over. What the hell?? Reaching into her bag, she found the box. It usually weighed about as much as a mug of tea. Now it was like eight textbooks. What just happened?! What on earth did he put in there? Makoto thought, troubled and starting to get worried for some reason. Prying the lid open, there was a broken chunk of some kind of super heavy metal or stone or something. Chiaki's message made Makoto's heart stop.
' GET OFF. RUN. '
Makoto looked up from the box to frantically scan the train. Her wild eyes locked to the man watching her from across the car, hastily shoving people aside and tunneling his way straight for her.
What the…??
Panicking, Makoto tried to edge her way past the people who'd just gotten on the train, struggling desperately for the door.
Oh my god. Who is that guy?!
He was getting closer. Fast.
Aahh—!! I have to… I have to get off the train!
But the door was closing.
"N-no!! Wait!! S-stop! Please! I need— I need to get off!!"
'Attention. Doors are closing. Please stay clear of the exit.'
"N- No!!" Makoto wailed. Somebody… Help me… Please…
Ch- Chiaki—!!
"AAAHH!!!"
* * *
(To be continued… Part 3…)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kaldhi: Hi guys. :P Hey, if you have a really good eye, you might have caught that scene of Mako's favourite pastry shop in her flashback of Chiaki. Did you see it? No…? Time to watch it again!! :D Oh yeah, for those of you who didn't see English dub, try it. Even if you are the sworn enemy of dubs, trust me. Because it's possible that I only love this movie so much because of Chiaki's english voice actor. Okay sue me if you think I'm insane, but that voice is ridiculously… awesome to me, and I was in love with him by about his fourth line. (friggin beat ya to him, mako! give him back… ._.) Makoto's english dub annoys me at a couple parts, but she's actually pretty good for most of it. Hell, even if she sucked, I'd still think it was worth it anyway.
:D
Review if you feel like sayin' something.