The forever piece
Chapter 7: The secret past

We didn't have to walk that long for us to reach the paddy fields. Actually, there was a field right behind the house my grandparents lived in and the fields continued and continued and continued for what felt like forever. I saw people plant rice plants in the mud and pulled up plants.

The man also named Gopher happily talked on and one how much he had waited for me to arrive to Japan and how happy he is. Surprisingly my success with my publish company had spread to the paddy fields and they had wished every day that, that day would be the day I would arrive and take control over the paddy fields. He told us some of us even kept pictures of me from papers and prayed to them that I would come. It is all very weird and confusing. Why would they pray for me to come?

"Come inside Albarn-dono! This is where we have our breaks!" Gopher says excitedly while we walk inside. The house is very small and it isn't in the best condition. The pillows they use to sit on are much damaged and the tables are in an even worse condition. It looks like it is about to collapse in any second.

Gopher takes a seat on a pillow and he excitedly asks me to have a seat.

Soul and I awkwardly takes a seat in front of him while he holds my hand. "Tell my Gopher, what happened to my grandparents? How did they die?"

"Oh yes Albarn-dono! Mrs. Albarn-sama died of heart failure and Mr. Albarn-sama died of old age. He died in his sleep."

I nod understandingly. It hurts knowing that I'm the only one alive on my mother's side. I don't have any close family. So my father is truly the only one I have left of my family by blood.

"I see. You can call me Maka you know. I don't like the –dono thing."

Gopher's eyes widen and he starts shaking his head. "That would disrespect you―"

"It wouldn't. Just call me Maka." I smile warm gently toward Gopher and it seems to make Gopher relax a little. "Tell me about the paddy fields. Why have you been waiting for me?"

He nods. "Of course Maka-sama." He says. "The paddy fields have always belonged to the Albarn family. When Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama abandoned her duties with Spirit-san Mrs. and Mr. Albarn-sama had to continue taking care of the fields while they came up with a different agreement with the Hoshi family."

"Wait," Soul stops Gopher. "What kinds of agreement? What does that even mean?"

"Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama was engage to be married to Ragnarok. I don't know the full story, but I know Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama was always a very kind and gentle woman. She couldn't take it since she was in love with Spirit-san who worked here. They both ran away and Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama abandoned her duties to marry Ragnarok."

I nod slowly. I see. My mama did the right thing. I wouldn't get married to a person if I was in love with someone else. That is something I wouldn't be able to do. "Can you fill us in more what happened? Before she ran away and what her motives were."

"Of course Maka-sama, but for that to happen I have to get you Noah-san. He is the wisest man on the fields. He knows everything when it comes to the Albarn family and Hoshi family." Gopher stands up from his seat. "Just wait here for a moment please, Maka-sama."

I smile and nod approvingly. Gopher runs out of the building and Soul and I are left inside of the shed-like house.

"Okay," Soul says, "This was not what I had thought we would find in Japan."

I nod and move closer to him. "Agreed. This is just so surreal." I rest my forehead on his shoulder. I don't think that in my entire life I have been in such great need of having Soul with me. I just need someone to lean on for a minute and I couldn't be happier that Soul is here with me. "Thank you for being here with me. I don't know what I would do if you weren't."

Soul wraps his strong arms around me and cages me in his scent and warm. It is so addicting. "I told you Maka. This is your time being selfish. I'm here to support you."

I inhale Soul's scent and my whole body shivers with pleasure. Just his scent can give me the chills of pleasure. His scent and warm is completely addicting. Send me to rehab because I'm on Soul's scent! "I'm still grateful."

"See Noah-san!" Gopher runs inside of the small house. "This is Maka Albarn-sama! She is the one we have been waiting for!" After Gopher walks a tall man inside with a mean tan. He wears a cap on his head which covers his eyes.

"Maka Albarn," he takes off his cap and looks at me. His dark eyes meet my green ones. "You are very welcomed here." Gopher and Noah takes a seat in front of us. I pull away from Soul but my hand remains entwined with Soul's.

"Maka-sama wants to know what happened before Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama ran away with Spirit-san. She wants to know more about Mrs. Kami Albarn-sama's past and motives." Gopher says excitedly with a large smile plastering on his face.

Noah nods understandingly while he takes off his cap and puts it on the coffee table. "I see. It all began when Kami-sama and Spirit-kun were very young. Kami-sama lived the good life while Spirit-kun was raised on the paddy fields like me. Kami-sama always went out on the fields and helped the workers out. That is when she met Spirit-kun. They spend their days together and helping the workers. When Spirit-kun was old enough to start working on the fields, Kami-sama was always there to help him and support all the workers. Spirit-kun and Kami-sama fell in love and they were happy, but when Kami-sama reached the age of eighteen, she was supposed to uphold their tradition by getting engage to Ragnarok of the Hoshi family." Noah looks at us. "Do you know who the Hoshi family is?"

Both Soul and I shake our heads. "No, we don't."

"The Hoshi family has always been the ones keeping track on the fields. They are the ones who make sure the workers are doing their job and collecting and planting enough rice to reach the quota. If they don't, they get punished. Some get beaten and some don't get into solitary confinement. You can say they are the security here."

"Security?! Are you serious? Security doesn't lock people up or hurt them!" Soul hollers and his nails dig into his pants. "What the fuck is up with that?!"

"Soul." I put my hand on his and squeeze it reassuringly. "Let him finish. I'm not happy about this either." Soul looks at me and I squeeze his hand again and he seems to restrain his anger. "Please continue Noah."

He nods. "As I was saying, Ragnarok was the man who would take over the Hoshi family's security over the paddy fields, just like Kami-sama. She would take over the paddy fields; it made sense for them to get married in Kami-sama's parents' minds and Ragnarok's parent's minds. They arranged the marriage and Kami-sama was determined to take over the paddy fields so she could stop the Hoshi family from hurting her workers and most important, to keep Spirit-kun safe." Noah sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "But the ordeal didn't keep him safe. Spirit-kun was devastated and he went against his orders of collecting the rice. He went head to head with Ragnarok and he ended up being beaten badly. Kami-sama saw the whole thing and managed to separate them before Ragnarok killed him. That night when Kami-sama addressed Spirit-kun's wounds, he convinced her to get married to him and they would leave everything behind and start a new life in the USA. Kami-sama agreed and they left that night with only a note left. Mrs. Albarn-sama and Mr. Albarn-sama weren't pleased. They banished her name from ever being spoken and since they hadn't anyone to take over the paddy fields, they would go to Ragnarok's son Akane Hoshi but it never became official. The paddy fields are yours to claim Maka Albarn-sama."

I nod slowly. Tears end up running down my cheeks. My mama and papa were so brave. They did what was right to them. They really did love each other from the very start. They were obviously each other's soul mates. There won't ever be a love that is more powerful than their love they had. They left everything behind in order to be with each other.

I sniffle and Soul wraps his arm around me and pulls me close to him. "What happened then after they left? I know my mother doesn't exist on the internet and her CDs are completely gone. Do you know why that is?"

Noah nods. "Yes, when Mrs. and Mr. Albarn-sama got the word about her success as a singer, they weren't pleased. So when she passed away, they offered large amounts of money to wipe away her presence on the internet because of her family betrayal. And I must say. They weren't pleased when you found her testimony. They had to give you everything they had inherited from her death. If they would have still been here, they would have made your life a living hell. Mrs. and Mr. Albarn weren't nice people."

"And I'm not happy with them erasing my mama. She didn't deserve that treatment she had. She was allowed to love whoever she wanted and she made the right choice by leaving them. I'm very proud of my mama and papa. They are the ideal parents and I couldn't be more proud to be their daughter." Tears keep streaming down my tears and Soul holds me in his arms while he rubs his back.

"You have indeed very amazing parents. You should be very proud. I know you will be just as great as them because you are their daughter." Soul murmurs into my ear while he caresses my back.

I can't help but keep crying because my mama and papa had to abandon their family in order to be with each other. I know I wouldn't be able to do that. Never would I be able to walk away from papa in order to be with Soul. My papa is very important to me and I couldn't be able to abandon him for Soul. He is my only family.

"I know it must be upsetting to you to hear what happened to your parents." Noah leans closer toward us over the table. "But we need your help Maka-sama. The Hoshi family has gone farther and when your parents were here. They are the ones running this place and it is either work or die. You are the only one who can help us."

I pull away so I can look into Soul's eyes.

He sighs and nods. "I know exactly what you are thinking and I'm all in. I'm here to support you."

I smile wide and kiss him quickly before I wipe my tears and look toward Noah. "We will do everything we can in order to help you. I know my mama must have tried to help you and I will do everything I can in order to help you from the Hoshi family that my mother couldn't do." Soul squeezes my hand and I smile wide. My mother may not have been able to go through and helped these people, but I'm going to succeed. I want to help people and since my mother didn't manage to help them, it makes my job the more important to finish what my mother started.

This must be it; this must be what my mother wanted me to do before I got married. I had to help her workers to be in a safe environment while they do their work. I won't let these people down.