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Chapter 21: Bipolarity, explosion, nosebleed?
"What's the address again?"
Round framed glasses thoroughly searched the street.
"7121 Kamiseya Ave." I answered exasperated.
We've been waiting for 30 minutes trying to search for that orphanage.
"Not in your smiling mood today?" My neighbor asked amusedly.
"I would be if I was in your position!"
Right, compared to Tezuka who was carrying a thin book, I was shouldering a large backpack, two rackets and a bag of activity kits.
"No one told you to carry so much."
Today we along with 1/5 of Seigaku freshman class was supposed to meet at Kamiseya Orphanage to spend time with the kids there. Because we don't know which kids we'll be assigned as our little sister/brother, I decided to bring all sorts of activities that will suit any age and gender, but to find my companion simply carrying one thin paperback.
"Now can we say we're lost and ask for direction?" I panted, desperately trying to catch up with the owner of the long legs up ahead.
"No, we're in the right city and state." The deep voice responded.
Great…and I thought he was reliable.
"Oh it's here." I let out a sight of relief as we entered the gate.
"Even if government funds this place, it looks run down." I commented.
"Our government is more fixed with spending money for OPEC."
"True…"
The said building was a run down sky blue color, roughly rectangular shape with windows that looked like they kept prisoners inside.
"Aizawa-san! Tezuka! Over here!" Near the enormous shaggy tree, there was a colorful group of Seigaku boys and girls unlike the usual green, black and white of our uniforms. "Aizawa-san I was so worried! You remember we have to be in charge of assigning the kids to the students right?"
"Sorry! We got lo…" Tezuka shot me a glare. "I mean Tezuka-Kun woke up late." I grinned satisfied.
"Anyways, here's the census of the kids here." Oishi caught Tezuka's fuming expression and backed away towards me.
"Can we match up randomly? Except separate them according to gender?" there were 120 kids on the list and we didn't have all morning to match up.
"Ok, I'll line up the students. Can you go tell the head of the orphanage?" I nodded and ran off toward the building.
The head of the orphanage or more specifically, Ms. Kume, was a bright and friendly teacher contrary to the atmosphere that the orphanage gave. She happily led me to a group of children varying in ages. The children were well…gloomy, unhappy and insecure looking. Nonetheless, I smiled a warm smile. Heh wonder which one I have to cheer up…
"I'm sorry they've never received visitors before, they maybe shy.." Ms. Kume added as my smile was returned with pug-like expressions. Along with Ms. Kume, I headed toward the grass field. One by one, the Seigaku students held their little sister/brother's hands to show the pair up and went off to spend their next 6 hours. Oishi-Kun took the hand of the last boy and I was about to do the same for my little sister but to find that all girls were gone.
"I thought the number of students and kids were equal?" I questioned.
"Yes, I was debating whether or not I should put her in your care." Oishi cocked his head in confusion.
"She's dumb." Ms. Kume stated quietly.
"Huh?" Oishi and I both rather exclaimed. "As in she can't speak." She calmly explained. "Mina Chan come with me." I nodded at Oishi as to say "good luck" and followed the young lady.
I passed by the rooms where the kids slept. It was dark, the curtains faded and dusty. 5 futons were squeezed in each compartment, the pillows were almost flat and the walls were written on and nasty yellow.
"They're all growing children here." Ms Kume said as she traced my gaze. "We have to concentrate on spending the funds on their nutrition rather than their living environment." "I understand," though I felt very sympathetic for the kids. "I really admire you Kume sensei for handling this job. It's as though you have to raise 120 kids of your own."
"It is very stressful," she agreed, "some kids come in physically and psychologically damaged. But as time passes, my pity for these kids turns into love. And because of that, I want to try my best to raise them as happy as ordinary people."
"This orphanage sure is lucky to have you." I said sincerely.
"You're sweet. But I don't deserve all the credit for the growth of the kids here. I have other staff that nurtures the kids. And I'm grateful for students like you. Oh it's here." She stopped at an isolated blue door.
"This is where one of the staff sleeps. The girl came to the orphanage a week ago and she's still sensitive about the new environment. I'll tell you now why she's here. If the girl hears us talk about her parents, she'll start crying." I nodded.
"Akane was a perfectly healthy girl two weeks ago; until her parents and her uncle along with her went on a drive until they were going through an isolated road when a dog jumped out. Her uncle swerved to avoid hitting the dog and the car flipped over. The only people that survived safely was her, Akane. Her parents were gone immediately after the crash and her uncle is in coma. After that incident, Akane never spoke." I placed my hand over my mouth. "She has a wealthy grandma but due to the shock, she doesn't want to have anything to do with her."
"That's cruel..." I mumbled.
"The grandma lost so many people she loved including her husband 3 years ago. Seeing Akane would remind her of such sad memories."
"But that's selfish!" I gave an outburst. "Akane only has her left and the same goes to her! She should be thankful that her granddaughter was safe and treasure her."
"Shh..Mina Chan..." Ms Kume began but the blue door opened.
"Ms Kume is that you?" there was a tired looking lady holding up a girl of about age 5. The girl was undeniably cute. Her head was filled with short curly brown locks, her skin a bit too pale yet round eyes that held wonders and her sakura petal-like lips suckled her fingers as she gazed at me.
"Ms. Miwa, this is a student from Seishun Gakuen."
"But I thought you said…" Ms Kume immediately shook her head as she watched me reach out towards the girl.
"Come here sweety" I cooed and opened my arms toward her. The girl smiled to my surprise and reached out her tiny plump hands. When I was about to hold the fragile girl, Ms. Kume caught my shoulders. "I hope you can fill in the hole her grandmother dug in Akane's heart."
I nodded and gently took the girl into my arms. I felt crushed as the girl laughed or seemed to have done so since her mouth opened and her corn teeth showed but there was no sound.
"She can understand anything you say." The woman who carried her before said, "Just don't mention anything about her past." She breathed in my ear. I nodded and thanked both ladies.
"Your name is Akane right?" Large brown eyes squinted a bit and she made a nod.
Good at least I have a way to communicate with her.
"My name is Mina, can you mouth my name?" her small lips opened and closed. "Akane dear, do you want to go outside to play with your friends?"
At that she strongly shook her head.
That's right she came only a week ago and is sensitive about the environment.
She wiggled in my arms so I let her down and she pulled my finger (Mind you my hand was too large for her hand…) toward a communal playroom.
There were a decent plastic slide and couple of stuffed animals that must have been donated due to the tears and stains on them. Akane let go of my finger and climbed up the slides. It was hard to believe she was the girl who went through a catastrophe as she slid down showing a toothy grin. Before I knew it, she was next to me tugging me toward the slide.
"Eh…sweety, I'm too old." But the continuous tugging and the eventual pushing got me climbing on those ridiculously small stairs. I folded my legs in so that I can actually slide down rather than touch the floor with my feet.
"Wee." I said less than joyfully and forgot to stop myself. "Ouch…" I said as I landed on my butt.
Akane on the other hand was laughing silently.
"You naughty girl, you don't come help me but you mock me?" I caught her in a second and tickled her. That made her laugh even more but still no sound.
That's weird…if she wasn't born dumb, how can she stop sounds that come out as reflex? But I didn't have time to ponder as the said naughty one was tugging me for another joyous ride.
"Akane chan, nee chan brought you a lot of goodies." I reached for my belongings that I had set on the side I reached in and grabbed jigsaw puzzles.
"Akane chan you see this?" I held one of the pieces. "Find me a piece that will fit here." I pointed at the crevice.
She got the hang of it and in a couple of minutes, she completed the puzzle.
Next I took out a book titled "The cat and the mouse."
When I was about to open the book, Akane hastily climbed into my lap. I couldn't help but utter an "aww…" and hug her securely to my stomach.
"There was once upon a time a grandpa and grandma who lived alone." Akane pointed to the cat. She seemed to like the appearance of the furry feline.
On a snowy day, grandpa left to gather wood for the fireplace. He heard a feint mewling and found a cat buried in a small mound of snow. He hurriedly carried back the cat to his house. Grandma and grandpa nursed the cat back to its health and loved it as if it was their child. One night, the cat caught a mouse trying to steal a rice cake. The cat held down the mouse by its tail and was about to take a bite until the small squeaky voice begged,
"Please don't eat me yet! Please let me nurse my mother back to health and I'll let you eat me."
The mouse led the cat to its hideout and sure enough, a group of mice were gathered around one mouse lying in a futon with ice pack on its head.
For two nights, the cat stole a rice cake and brought it to the rat's hideout.
But on the third night, the cat jumped up to get a rice cake but knocked over a bowl of rice grain in the process.
"Grandpa did you hear that? It might be a robber!" grandma who's become a light sleeper due to her age got out of the bed and trotted toward the kitchen behind grandpa.
There lying in the heap was their cat who landed on its back along with rice grains splattered.
"Oh…my" grandma muttered but the cat was determined to deliver the rice cake that was in his mouth. The two elders followed the cat to the rat's hideout.
"What a kind child." Grandpa and grandma hugged the cat as they saw the reason. The mouse walked up to the cat and said,
"My mom is well, you can eat me as I promised." But the cat didn't eat the mouse. After that, the mice gave their treasure which was gold and silver pieces to the old couple and they all lived happily ever after.
(Sorry I must have made the story less interesting than it's supposed to be. But I had to condense it!)
Akane turned around and gave me a silent giggle.
"Did you like that sweety?" I brushed back the dark tresses. "Akane do you like Mina nee
Chan?" she nodded continuously and hugged me closer.
"If you like nee Chan you can meet nee Chan's friends." I felt that I needed her to open up to repress her past memories.
She gave a small pout.
"We can see if you like them, if you don't we'll come back here to play ok?" The small girl in my arms seemed to be uncertain as I picked her up and headed towards the flower bed.
"Hi Minna" I greeted as I saw my 3 friends.
"Hey Mina! Cute kid is she your charge?" Hitomi exclaimed.
Count on Hitomi to make the first move. As Hitomi came closer, Akane grabbed the front of my shirt.
"Akane dear, that's one of my best friend Hitomi. Wave hi." I held her with one arm and used the other hand to take her little hand in mine. Each of my friends introduced herself and their charges.
"So what's your name?" Kaga asked but received a vigorous shake of my head.
"This is Akane, she's 5 years old. Let's all play together ok?" I said toward my friends and their charges. "So what were you guys doing?"
"Arranging flowers." Miyuki, the shy one answered. Which explained why they each had
flowers in their hands.
"Oh, that's right your mom owns a flower shop by the train station." Miyuki nodded with a soft smile.
"Teach us too." I sat down on the flower bed, which actually looked more like weed field. "How did you make yours?" I asked Miyuki's charge.
"Nee chan said you have to balance the bright and light colors."
"Oh and the sizes and the shapes of them too!" Hitomi's charge trotted toward us to show us her bundle.
"So which flowers should we pick?" I asked, glad that the kids are more social than the one in my lap.
"There's some nice cosmos over there nee chan." Kaga's charge must have felt left out and picked some white and pink cosmos and sat down with us.
"Thank you dear. Akane what else should we pick?" she climbed out of my lap and picked a dandelion.
"Akane chan you should pick that leaf there too. It looks pretty when you put it together. Hitomi's charge sat next to Akane. I smiled in relief when my charge insecurely looked up at the girl but nonetheless followed her lead and picked the fern.
"So what's the gig?" I could tell Hitomi was itching to ask that question.
"PTSD" I answered simply.
"Sorry I'm not a nerd like you and the glasses boys. (Tezuka and Inui)"
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It occurs when someone goes through a trauma and afterwards there is a change that greatly affects their normal routine. In her case, she can't talk."
"What happened to her?" Kaga spoke next, half keeping her watch on the kids.
"You must have difficulty reaching out toward her, Mina." Miyuki whispered after I finished the story. I shook my head as I picked some flowers.
"I don't really have a problem communicating with her but it's hard to get her to open up to others. I think she's into the one-on one thing more."
"But that grandma is a beep."
"Hitomi! She went through a lot of stress too." Miyuki reprimanded her.
"Yeah but she should make an effort to accommodate her own granddaughter." I nodded at Kaga's claim.
"Well, my priority right now is for Akane to be able to live comfortably."
"Wait you don't mean…" Miyuki caught on quick.
"Done!" I exclaimed and held up a flower crown.
At the same time, the kids rushed towards us and held a flower bundle for each of us. Akane held out hers for me. Even though the bundle was made from the garden of weeds, it was nice to behold the mix of purple, pink, red, white and yellow.
"Thank you sweety, did you have fun?" I was relieved as she gave me a small smile and a nod. "I have something for you too." I put a crown on her head. I was thanked by a tight hug.
"I want a crown too!" Hitomi's charge seems to have taken after Hitomi's talkative nature.
"I want one too!" "Me too!" the girls echoed.
"I think your onee chan tachi knows how to make it." I grinned as Hitomi groaned.
"Oh man Mina! You gave us more work!"
"Doesn't this make you feel like we're in the future? It's like we have kids of our own." Kaga stated as she finished up the crown.
"Haha that's so far ahead."
Future? I repeated her words. Would I still be alive? Would God allow me to live through my disease?
"Aizawa san!" A certain afrohead sprinted up the hill. "Can I borrow your rackets? I want to teach the kids how to play tennis."
"Sure." I pointed at the rackets I had set aside. "Oh, I'll come watch you."
"You guys want to come?" I asked my friends as I carried up Akane. "You can meet more friends." I winked and at that they stood up.
I understood why Oishi kun said "Kids" and not "kid" Tezuka, Fuji, Kikumaru were also in the tennis court.
"Akane, do you want to learn how to play?" This time I didn't push her to go learn it since it was the age of "boys are icky." Besides, the rest of the girls supported Akane's decision and decided to watch by the benches.
"Aizawa san! Can you get that for me?" A rough voice yelled from afar.
There near my feet was a baseball.
"Oh I'll get it Mina." Miyuki offered but I shook my head.
"I need to stretch anyways." True I was stiff from carrying the girl.
I put down Akane and ran toward the grassless land used as baseball field.
"Wow who hit a homerun this far?" I asked as I threw the ball.
"Me." Kawamura said sheepishly.
Should have known. He gets so fired up when he holds something in his hand. I laughed when I saw the pitcher, Inui kun, mutter continuously until his teammates coaxed him to pitch the ball. No doubt he was calculating endless statistics about the throw.
When I turned back, I knew something was wrong immediately.
A small figure with curly locks with unusually pink face was trotting towards me followed by a slender cocoa head. As I run back, it was confirmed that it was Akane followed by Fuji Kun and tears were streaming down her face like waterfall.
"What's wrong sweety?" I pried her arms away from my legs and gathered her up.
"What hap…" I was about to ask Fuji Kun and my friends as I saw disturbed faces.
"RACKETS ARE NOT USED FOR HURTING PEOPLE!" a deep voice thundered.
If voice could awaken the dead, this would have awaken a corpse that died 10,000years ago.
"What happened?" I questioned the boy that was following me.
"Eh… that boy over there teased her when she went to get the tennis ball for him," he said hesitatingly.
"Tease?" Hitomi roared. "That brat had the nerve to try to hit her saying 'let's see if hitting you would cause you to make a sound!"
At that I froze as I felt the figure in my arms tremble uncontrollably and more tears wet my shirt.
"I'm sorry Mina; I should have stopped her from getting the ball! I thought it was good she was trying to interact." Miyuki explained but I blocked out all sounds.
I stomped over to the boy that Tezuka had yelled at.
"Is this true?" I said quietly. The boy seemed quite shaken after Tezuka's rage.
"IS IT TRUE THAT YOU TRIED TO HIT HER AND MADE FUN OF HOW SHE DOESN'T TALK? ANSWER ME NOW!" I yelled as loud as I could.
I felt my ears ringing from my screaming or the deafening silence I couldn't tell apart. The boy nodded quivering and ready to cry.
"Don't you dare cry from what you did. You think just because you can talk you're superior? If you use your mouth for saying such things, you don't even need a mouth."
I calmed down and pronounced each syllable with poison.
I felt the child in my arm tighten her arms around me so I headed to the inside of the building.
"Sweety, don't cry." I said as I rocked her gently. My shirt was soaked to the point where my bra would be seen if I wore a white shirt that is…I mentally wiped the sweat drop off my forehead.
"I know! I'll sing you a song. That always makes me feel better." I searched for my "songs are friends" text book.
"You'll be in first grade next year so I'll sing you this 'when I become a first grade."
(It's a Japanese song so a translation may not sound too good.
When I become a first grade
When I become a first grade
Would I have 100 friends?
With a 100 friends
I want to eat rice balls on top of Mount Fuji.
Ehh maybe mention of friends wasn't a good idea right now. I thought but Akane looked up from my shoulders to my music book.
When I was about to sing the second verse, a knock sounded at the door.
"Oishi-kun." I muttered when I opened the door and I wasn't pleased that the boy I had yelled at earlier was behind him.
"He's ready to apologize." He began but I beat him to it.
"But she's not ready to accept, please find another time." And I shut the door.
Ready to apologize? What is Oishi kun saying? That kid had to think about what he did to realize it was wrong? I know boys mature slower but come on…
The more I thought about it, more steam was blowing up from my head.
Another knock vibrated through the door as I stood with my back towards it, if it's Oishi Kun again I'm going to yell his head off but it was Ms. Kume.
"Mina chan I heard what happened. I think I should just give more time for Akane to be in your care. Thank you for the effort but…"
"I'm sorry I need more time!" I cut her off and locked the door. When I got back to Akane, her tears were all dry though there were tear stains.
"What else should I sing for you?" she tugged on my arm and pointed at a picture of a bear chasing after a girl.
"Ok…it's called a Bear from the Forest.
One day in the forest, I met a bear,
I met a bear in a blooming forest,
I met a bear I met a bear.
The bear says
"Hey girl, you should leave"
So the girl runs afar, far, far away.
However, the bear is chasing after her,
The bear chases and chases.
"Hey girl" says the bear
"Hold on you dropped your earring" in his paw was a shell shaped earring
"Oh thank you kuma-san. To thank you, let us sing."
I barely finished the song when another knock was heard. I grinded my teeth with my lips closed and took Akane off my lap.
"Mina nee chan." It was Hitomi's charge followed by other girls and my friends.
"We have something to give to Akane chan. Can we see her?" I had doubts on letting them in but I couldn't say no.
Akane seemed confused and terrified but she couldn't hide from the girls since I was standing with my friends.
"Akane chan." Hitomi's charge began. I felt my heart crack when Akane seemed to give me a reproachful look at me.
"Akane chan we each made a crown for you." I smiled as corners of her mouth lifted and eventually showed her teeth.
"Did you guys tell them to do this?" I whispered as each of the girls placed a crown on her head.
Miyuki shook her head. "I wanted to suggest something but Kaga's girl ran toward the flower bed and started to make crowns."
"Mina nee chan is right." I heard Miyuki's charge say, "just because you don't talk doesn't mean you're inferior. We can find ways to communicate with you. So um…friends forever?" she hesitatingly held out a pinky while the other girls immediately attached their pinkies too.
I felt my heart warm up when Akane finally loosened the insecure fist she made and stuck out her smallest finger toward the girls.
"Friends forever!" the girls shouted.
"Were we ever so formal?" Kaga yawned.
"Nope, how we met each other was even weirder," I added.
"Yeah I remember I had to whack that guy since he was close to rubbing against your ass Mina!" Hitomi reminiscenced
"And you stepped on my English book, Hitomi that's how we met."
As we laughed, our laughter was joined by miniature version of us.
"So that means we should ask Ms Kume to let you sleep in our room from today on." I heard one of the girls say.
"That's fine with me." All of us turned toward the rich soprano voice. "Mina Chan, thank you so much." Ms. Kume caught my hand with both of hers. I quickly shook my head. "Without all of them, Akane wouldn't have opened up. Just like you said, it wasn't by my strength alone."
At last...
"Thank you all for coming!" the staff waived.
Seigaku students were finally able to exit the orphanage.
"Akane I'll come to visit you ok?" She pouted as she hugged my legs. "Go eat your dinner; your friends are waiting for you." I gave a final kiss on her forehead and pushed her toward her friends.
As I exited the gate of the orphanage, Oishi stopped me.
"Aizawa san, I want to apologize to you."
"For what?" I was in a good mood and I wasn't getting affected by any melancholy mood that the lemon head was in.
"For not watching my charge well and…" he mumbled looking at the ground.
"Oh, don't worry about it." I smiled and ran off.
"I practiced my apology so many times and she didn't even finish listening to it…"
"It's ok aibo but it sure makes an impact when a beauty gets mad. Your yelling didn't work on that boy, and Tezuka's rage was so scary nyah and Mina Chan's yelling got the boy peeing in his pants!" Kikumaru laughed as he patted his aibo.
"According to diagnostics and statistical manual of mental disorders 4th revision (DSM 4), she might have bipolar disorder. Also, her pitch hits the high G note when she yells." Inui scribbled along as he walked.
"Eh…I think she just exploded awhile ago, nothing serious." Fuji joined in.
"Tezuka kun!" I hugged the stoic chestnut head from behind. Somehow I felt extremely happy to see him.
"Weren't you extremely angry an hour ago?"
"Yup but I'm so happy happy now."
"That's nice…" Tezuka seemed to not want to be afflicted with such joy as he pried my hands from his waist.
"Are you still upset?" I couldn't tell the difference between his stoicism and anger; he was just too calm for his own good damn it!
"I always thought Takeshi senpai would be the only radical to use rackets to hurt others but I've been stand corrected."
"That's why don't you look forward to have your own child as soon as possible?" He gave me a questioning look.
"From going to the orphanage, I feel eager to have a child of my own to have to nurture, to educate and to simply influence them in what is right or wrong. I want my child to grow up strong, loving and kind with my care so I won't leave a hole in their hearts like the parents of the orphans did." Tezuka nodded and I definitely saw…
"You smiled!!" I exclaimed.
"Hn," was the answer as he picked up his pace.
"Wait do it again!" I shook his arm as I caught up with him.
"Please do not cling to me."
"Then smile again!"
"No."
"Hey I wasn't done with 'my ideal child' discussion!"
"Hn."
"I was going to ask you a favor."
"Depends."
"Want to donate me a sperm?"
"…" for a minute we reached absolute zero Kelvin.
"I'm just kidding!" I bursted out laughing and whacked Tezuka's back with a loud bam! "I'm so hungry see ya tomorrow!" and I rushed in before my tummy could utter a growl. During dinner time…
"I love you mommy!" I said melodically as I hugged her waist as she flipped an omelet. "What's wrong with you Mina?"
In the Tezukas…
"Kunimitsu, are you done showering yet?" Ayane called.
Her son had been in the shower for 30 minutes and dinner was getting cold.
In the shower room, Tezuka Kunimitsu was definitely more than glad that the shower water stayed cold for all 30 minutes of his shower time.
She said she wants my sperm…
A red liquid dropped onto the marble tile.
"Nosebleed…"