Disclaimer: By now you know I don't own any of the characters from Princess Nine, and my original characters aren't based on any real persons
Emotions
-
Ms. Himuro made her way across the floor of the school's lobby. Chairs had been set up for the media, and a podium erected for her to give her statement. Due to the large number of reporters, it could not be held in the conference room where she normally did this. She had extended invitations to the sports media as well, as she wanted to use this time as an opportunity to tell them about Amy. She placed the folder containing her statement on the podium, and greeted the assembled throng. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the press. I apologize for making you wait like this, but I have been extremely busy this morning. I hope to answer all your questions in time, but first, I would like to make a statement about this mornings events." Opening the folder, she adjusted her glasses, and read: "Kisuragi Girl's High School is outraged at the actions taken by a group of miscreants on our campus this morning. They were on the grounds unlawfully, and for the sole purpose of abducting the man in the custody of the officer that was assaulted. Our deepest sympathies go out to the officer and his family. We wish him a speedy recovery from his injuries. Events happened last evening that precipitated this attack. Three students from this school were accosted by the same group while returning from a dinner party." Murmurs were heard from the media, and Ms. Himuro waited a moment before continuing, "At approximately eight o'clock this morning, Principal Mita encountered one of the young men sitting on the front steps of this building. He was here to warn the school of a future assault against a member of the baseball team. He also told us that this attack was solicited. When the officer arrived, the man cooperated fully, and went along willingly. The police believe they know who the other members of the gang are, but are not sure who paid them to attack the girls last evening. We do know it was directed at a student who will be playing baseball for us this upcoming season." She paused dramatically, looking slowly around the room. When she was sure they were captivated, she said emotionally, "Ladies and gentlemen, we believe this was a racially motivated hate crime." The room erupted in voices barking questions, clamoring to be heard, as camera flashes erupted across the room. Some reporters scrambled for their cell phones, hoping to be the first to break the story. Ms. Himuro refused to acknowledge their raised hands. Instead, raising her own, she indicated she wasn't finished. When the room quieted again, she continued. "The girl in question is an outstanding young pitcher. In her tryout, she struck out Hiroki Takasugi." Now the sports reporters stood, shouting questions, each louder than the other. Again she motioned for silence, and eventually the room became quiet. "This is getting tiresome. Please refrain from any questions until I have finished making my statement. She was targeted for this assault, because she is from America. Her mother is Japanese, and an alumnus of this school. I will not give you any more details about her, because I want the rest of her stay here to be uneventful. She was injured courageously fighting off her attackers, and trying to protect her teammates. Unfortunately, one of the girls was seriously wounded, and may not be returning to the team. Her doctor was hopeful, but until we know for sure, we're making no guarantees. We pray she makes a full recovery… I will now take your questions."
-
Ryo sat unmoving, her world spiraling away. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend what she had just heard. Her vision lost focus as she looked at the man who had become a surrogate father to her. She said nothing. She just stared at him, disbelief on her face.
"Ryo?" Her mother asked. "Are you ok?" Looking down at the Captain, she said. "Why Shige? What could have motivated you to do something so heinous?"
"I know it was deplorable." He said looking at the floor. "I only did it to help Ryo."
Hearing him say that, Ryo's focus snapped back. Her eyes flashed as she said angrily. "Help me? How can injuring two of my teammates help me?"
"Two of them?" Shino asked. "Who else got hurt?"
"Amy hurt her knee fighting those guys off and can't put any weight on her right leg." She replied glaring at the Captain, who groaned when he heard.
"I thought that Amy would steal your glory at Koshien." He said looking up at her. "You should be the heroine, not some foreign newcomer. I'm really sorry Ryo. Matsu made me realize what a horrible mistake I'd made. I'm turning myself in to the police after I leave here. I'm going to try and make it up to you."
Her face going red, she cried shrilly. "Make it up to me? I can't believe you said that! My friend may never walk again! The whole team is expecting these guys to jump out of an alley and grab us! I can't walk down the street anymore without looking over my shoulder! I can't think of anything you could have done that would have helped me less! You were like a father to me, but now you might as well be dead! I never want to see you again!" Tears in her eyes, she ran past him into the back room, kicking off her shoes as she went.
They heard her run up the stairs to her room and slam the door. Muffled sobs could be heard after a moment. Looking at the ceiling, the Captain said softly. "I really screwed up Shino. I saw that girl strike out Takasugi, and I felt she was threat to Ryo." Standing, he reached into his back pocket, and pulled out an envelope. Handing it to her, he said. "I know this doesn't change things, but I'd like Ryo to have this. It's the other half of the money I was going to pay those thugs. I'd pay them to leave the girls alone if I could, but that punk told me last night that it had become personal, and I could keep my money. I've made a horrible mistake Shino; please tell me I have some hope of redemption. I'll be in prison for quite a while; will you speak to me when I get out?"
"That's asking a lot of me to promise you that Shige." She said evenly. "You've hurt my family and friends. The day may come when I can look past this, but now I think it's time for you to leave. As for the money, I think Yuki deserves it more. I'll make sure she gets it."
"Thank you Shino." He said bowing. "Please believe me. I never thought they'd go as far as they did. I never thought anyone would get hurt that badly… I'll go now." He said turning and walking towards the door. He stopped at the doorway, and took one last look. "I'm sure going to miss this place. Thanks for all the good times." Looking at her with a sad smile, he added. "Goodbye Shino. I hope to see you again someday." Then he opened the door, and was gone.
She moved around the bar, and taking a seat at one of the tables, began crying softly, lamenting the loss of a dear friend.
-
Koji Tanaka looked up at the schedule board from the bench he was sitting on. The Shinkansen for Kyoto would be arriving in five minutes. Toru had called everyone, letting them know the guy who had hired them had rolled. He said they shouldn't worry, but Koji decided to get out of town and go visit his mother. 'Toru's an idiot if he thinks I'm hanging around to get arrested. The way we worked over Kosuke, we're looking at attempted murder.' He looked around slowly, not focusing on anything, watching. He noticed a couple of policeman a little ways away, and began to sweat. They were walking slowly down the room, looking closely at people's faces. Pulling his hat down lower, he casually stood, and walked across the room to the information board near the doorway. Adjusting his bag on his shoulder, he pretended to read it. He glanced out of the corner of his eye, checking to see were they were. A man had stopped them, asking them for directions to the proper platform. They walked up next to Koji's left and were showing the man on the large map on the wall.
"This door leads to platform 3A to Kyoto." The one officer said, tracing his finger on the map. "For Sendai, you need platform 5A. You need to follow this hallway to the end, and the turn left. Follow that hallway to the intersection, and turn right. The door at the end of that hallway is platform 5A."
Bowing, the man thanked them and walked off. Koji held his breath as the officers turned to face him. "Excuse me sir," The one said, with his partner standing on Koji's right. "Is there a reason we're making you so nervous? You're shaking. Please turn around slowly, and produce some identification.
Turning to face them, Koji flashed an uneasy smile, saying, "I'm sorry officer. I've had some bad experiences with the police in the past and was hoping to avoid this." Taking the bag off his shoulder, he continued. "My ID's in here; give me just a moment." Zipping it open, he reached in.
"Just a minute." The policeman said taking a step closer. "Give me the bag and I'll find it."
Koji quickly pulled his hand out, and flung the bag into the policeman's face, knocking him backwards. When the other officer moved to grab him, Koji swung the collapsible baton he'd pulled from his bag. He connected with the officer's face, and knocked him to the ground, leaving him dazed, and bleeding from a gash on his cheek. Running for the doorway, Koji heard the first policeman call on his radio as he was being chased
"Attention all units patrolling Tokyo Station. Unit six in foot pursuit of fugitive fleeing on platform 3A. Suspect is male, approximately twenty-two years of age, wearing jeans and a red and black leather motorcycle jacket. Consider him armed and dangerous. Take down with extreme prejudice."
The station was crowded, but Koji ran like it was empty. Fear spurring a manic strength; he plowed through, shoving aside anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way. He saw two more policemen waiting at the other end of the platform, so he ran to the edge and jumped onto the tracks. The first officer followed, and was slowly gaining ground. Everywhere he looked, Koji saw policemen emerging. 'What the hell is this? Why are there so many cops here?' "Ain't going down without a fight though." He said, his baton held low, charging at the group of police in front of him. The angry looks on their faces though, told him he was in for a world of hurt. 'Well mom, it looks like your boy's let you down again. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye.' Then with a cry, he dove in swinging his baton viciously. The police stepped back momentarily, but closed back around him, blocking his blows with their batons. They struck him on the head, back, legs, and arms, until he fell limply at their feet.
Taking the baton from Koji's hand, the first officer said. "Not so tough now, are you punk? You brought this on yourself. Assaulting a policeman is a big mistake."
"That's the same thing we told Kosuke." He replied weakly. Smiling at the irony, Koji blacked out.
-
Kido looked back at a knock on the door of Yuki's room. The nurse entered, pushing a cart containing the bath paraphernalia up to her bed.
"Nurse Tsugimoto." Yuki said smiling. "I'm sorry I was so loud earlier. Thank you for all you did this morning."
The nurse returned her smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through that Yuki." She said. Looking at Kido, she added, "Sir, could you step out for a little while? She'll need some privacy."
"Oh, yeah, I guess she will." He said standing quickly. He had joked with and teased her, trying to lift her spirits, and she didn't seem quite so depressed. "I'll be back in a bit. I think I'll go look for Amy. She should have seen the doctor by now."
"Amy's here?" Yuki asked concerned. "Coach, what happened to her? She was fine when I saw her last."
"I don't know all the details." He said pausing at the door. "Ms. Himuro told me this morning that Amy had hurt her leg in the fight last night, and couldn't stand on it. Enjoy your bath Yuki." He said warmly as he walked out.
Yuki stared at the closing door saying, "I feel terrible knowing Amy got hurt trying to protect me. She hadn't even been here three days, when we got attacked." Looking at the woman, she said excitedly. "Nurse, you should have seen her! It was like a scene from a movie. I wish I could fight like that."
"Fighting isn't something a young lady usually wants to do." She replied pulling back Yuki's covers. "Wouldn't you rather find a big strong man to protect you?"
"There's nothing wrong with a woman being able to fight." Yuki said firmly. Staring intently at the nurse, she continued, her voice becoming more urgent. "My team and I proved we were capable of playing baseball with boys, why should this be any different? My parents cowed me all these years, because I was afraid of making them angry. Well, my worst fears were realized today, so now I figure I have nothing to lose. I got hurt because I tried to help without knowing what to do. When my broken back heals and I get the use of my legs back, I'm going to learn how to fight! I never want to put someone in the position of having to protect me ever again!"
Taken back by the passion of Yuki's words, the nurse nervously asked. "Are you angry with me for saying that? I didn't realize you felt so strongly about this."
Yuki blushed, and said embarrassed. "I was really ranting there, wasn't I?" Looking down at her lap, she continued. "I'm sorry. I just feel like I've lived my life trying to meet everyone else's expectations, and ignoring what I want. I think it's time to make a change." She raised her eyes to meet the nurse's gaze. "No matter what, I know my teammates will stand by me. And since I can't anger my parents any worse than I already have, why not go for it? Just you watch me, Nurse, I'm going to rise from the smoldering heap my life has become into something grand and noble. I'm not going to be the shrinking, pitiful wretch I was. The new Yuki is going to be bold and fearless, just like my friend Izumi. I've been holding myself back, afraid of offending anyone. I'm athletic, fairly intelligent, and I've been told more than once that I'm pretty. I have everything I need to make a place for myself in this world. Why shouldn't I at least try?"
The nurse sat down in the chair by the edge of the bed, and took Yuki's hand. "What an amazing girl you are. Two hours ago, you were crying your eyes out in despair, and now you've found the determination to rebuild your life. Your coach was right. If you were my daughter, I would brag about you to everyone I met. Yuki, I'm glad I got to meet you. You've inspired me to start living my life differently as well. I've been so afraid of being hurt, that I'd forgotten how it felt to truly care for someone. I'm not going to worry about someone I care for dying anymore. Instead, I'm going to care for someone who may be dying so they don't worry. I'm going to cherish the time I have with them instead of dreading being without them. Thank you, for showing me how to be brave again."
Taken back by the woman's words, Yuki smiled politely, and answered. "You're welcome. Actually, I'm amazed, Nurse. This is the first time I've been an inspiration to anyone. I just hope I don't have to eat my words."
"I don't think you'll need to worry." She said standing back up. "If you keep only half of the fire you've shown me this morning, you'll do fine. Oh, and Yuki, please call me Jun."
"Sure, Jun." She replied with a genuine grin. "I'd be happy to. Um, did the coach really say that about me?"
"Yes, but he didn't think you'd want to hear that from him. Now let's get you cleaned up before your teammates get here." She said smiling back. Humming quietly, truly happy for the first time in quite a while, Nurse Jun Tsugimoto began preparing to give her inspirational friend her bath.
-
Amy was starting to feel uncomfortable. Ever since Corey had introduced them, the little girl hadn't stopped looking at her. Wide eyes watched over her father's shoulder, hardly blinking. Smiling, Amy said in the friendliest voice she could manage. "Is something the matter Kimiko? Did you need something from me?"
"No." She replied shyly, hiding her face.
"I won't bite" Amy said, leaning closer. "You can tell me. I'll be your friend if you want me to. Why were you looking at me like that?"
Looking back up, she said in a small voice. "You're bigger than my Daddy. Girls aren't supposed to be bigger than boys."
Relieved that that was the problem, Amy reached out and playfully touched the girl's nose. "I'm not bigger than Corey am I? My father's bigger than I am too. That's why I'm so tall. I'm just lucky I got my mom's looks, or I'd have ended up with a face like this joker." She said punching Corey in the arm.
"HEY!" He cried rubbing his arm. "Now you're asking for it." Taking Amy in a headlock, he ground his knuckle into the top of her head.
"Ow, ow, ow, I'm sorry Corey." She said, her eyes tearing. He let her go and she stood up rubbing her head. "Gee bro, I didn't think you'd give me a noogie."
Kimiko giggled at their antics, and seemed to accept what Amy had said.
"You get your height from me as well, Amy." Kenji said, grinning at their play. "Remember, my father was an American also."
"Is that so Doctor?" Mr. Fujishima asked. "I thought you could be mixed, with your height and fair skin. Was he a member of the occupation force after the surrender?"
"That's correct." Kenji said nodding. "He was a doctor helping to treat the survivors at Hiroshima. My mother was a nurse from Tokyo who went out there to help as well, and they fell in love. He had wanted to bring her back to the States with him, but he was killed in an accident before they could marry. I was born eight months later. My mother eventually married the man who raised me. I've had a good life, and helped a lot of people, so I don't have any regrets about never meeting my real father. I certainly couldn't be happier with how my progeny have turned out."
The elevator stopped, and when the doors opened, the group made its way off. They proceeded to the maternity ward with Mr. Fujishima leading the way, still carrying his daughter. They stopped in front of the window looking into the maternity itself, but the bassinette marked Fujishima was empty. "She must be with her mother." He said looking back. "Let me ask my wife if she's ready for visitors." Looking at his daughter, he added. "Kimiko, why don't you stay with Seira for a minute? I'll be right back."
"No Daddy!" She said pouting. "I want to see my sister!"
"You will." He said smiling at her. Setting her down, he kissed her on the forehead and added. "I want to help you're mama look pretty for when our new friends see her."
"Hey, Kimiko." Seira said, squatting next to her, looking back and forth like she was making sure nobody was listening in. "I'm hungry. I saw a snack machine by the elevator. Do you think you could help me pick out a good one?"
Looking between Seira and her father, she tried to decide what she wanted more. Finally, taking Seira's hand and walking away, she said in a lecturing tone, "You should have had breakfast big sister… Hey, do you think there's any Pocky?"
"If there is, we'll find it." She said looking over her shoulder grinning. "We'll be back in a minute."
"Wait Seira." Amy called, hobbling after them. "I'll come with you. I'm kind of hungry too." She caught up to them and smiled when Kimiko offered her other hand.
"My compliments Doctor." Mr. Fujishima said as he watched them walk away. "Your grandchildren seem to be quite generous. Amy treated Kimiko like she's known her a long time, and Corey went to great lengths to help my wife, a complete stranger I might add, by carrying her in his arms to the police. Most people wouldn't reach out like that."
"Thank you for praising me, but I can't really take the credit for that." Kenji said. "I only see them on occasion. My daughter and her husband are the ones you should be saying that to."
"I only showed them what you showed me, Dad." Kimiko said putting her arm around the old man. "Corey's had his moments growing up, but what teenage boy doesn't? Amy hasn't given me grief, but there's been times I've been concerned for her."
"I think every parent will have times like that, especially with children who are athletic." Fujishima said, looking sympathetically at her. "I noticed the brace. How did Amy hurt herself?"
Kimiko hesitated a moment, not sure she should share their problems. Finally, her resolve firmed, she replied, "She was assaulted walking down the street last night, and hurt it fighting them off."
"That's terrible." Fujishima said shocked. "Have the police caught them?"
"They had Amy and another girl look at pictures this morning, so they know who the bastards are." Corey said, resting his hand on his mother's shoulder. "There's a third girl in this hospital with a broken back. We're going to visit her after we see your baby."
Fujishima's face clouded when he heard this. "Amy's what sixteen? I'm assuming her friends are the same. Where did this happen?"
"Not too far from here actually, about three blocks from the train station. Amy's fifteen if it matters." Corey said surprised at Fujishima's reaction. "Why?"
"This happened in my father's territory. I'd heard about a girl with a broken back, but I didn't realize she'd been hurt in a fight. I hear this on top of a policeman getting attacked this morning? I'm need to discuss these events with my father." He said darkly. "You say the police know who attacked your sister Corey?"
"Yeah," He said nodding. "The detective told us two names. A Kosuke Mugen who ended up getting pounded this morning by the gang after trying to warn us of more trouble, and some big bruiser named Akira."
"Akira Motokai?" Fujishima said quickly. "He's involved?"
"That's what the detective said." Corey replied nodding. "He told us the head of the gang recruited to the muscle head to get his revenge. Amy broke the asshole's nose, and roughed up a couple of the other guys in the gang. Just to bring you up to speed, the same bunch were the one's who jumped the policeman this morning."
"This is disturbing news. Some two-bit gang thinks they can stroll in and cause trouble? I'll make sure they find their way to the police." He turned to go see his wife, when he stopped. Looking back he said. "Oh, Corey, don't worry about Akira. I'm sure I can persuade him to abandon this vendetta." Then he continued down the hallway until he disappeared around a corner.
"Grandpa." Corey said looking at Kenji. "Just what does Mr. Fujishima do for a living? Is he what I think he is?"
"Yes Corey." Kenji said nodding. "He's the oldest son of a Yakuza family."
-
Shino knocked softly on the door to her daughter's room. "Ryo, may I come in?" Hearing no reply, she slowly opened the door. Ryo was sitting on the floor by the window, gloomily looking out of it. Crossing the room, Shino sat down next to her. "Please cheer up Ryo. I know it was a shock, but don't let it get to you. What he did was wrong, but he was only concerned for your happiness."
"How could he think this would make me happy?" She said, turning to face her mother. "He's wounded the whole team. I know he never wanted Yuki to be hurt like that, but he paid those guys to hurt Amy. How is that any different? She's still my teammate. I was leery of her coming here at first. Not because of her pitching, but because she and Hiroki were getting along so well at Hikaru's birthday party. I was worried she might steal him away until I talked with Hiroki and he told me I was the only one he loved." Tears formed in her eyes again as she leaned against Shino. "Mom, how do I tell her? How do I tell Amy that the man I considered a father paid to have her beat up? I wanted to spend some time with her, and get to know her better. How can I when she probably won't even talk to me?"
"You had no idea what the man was going to do." She said smoothing her daughter's hair. "Amy shouldn't hold it against you. She seems like a very warm hearted person, just like another young pitcher I know. You can't hide this Ryo. You need to tell her. She's going to find out about it eventually, so it would be better if she found out about it from you."
"I can't. I'm too ashamed to face the guys. Maybe I should just quit the team."
"Ryo Hayakawa! That is enough!" Shino replied forcefully. Feeling Ryo cringe, she continued in a gentle tone. "Think of your father dear. Imagine the shame he endured during that scandal. Did he quit? No. He continued playing, trying to prove his innocence until the day they threw him out of the league." Putting her hand under her daughter's chin, and bringing Ryo's face up to meet her own, she added. "You are the daughter of Hidehiko Hayakawa, be proud of that. Have faith in your teammates. You've all been through so much. They won't turn away from you."
"You're right Mom." She replied sitting up and wiping her eyes. "Everyone on the team has commented on how friendly Amy is. I'm going to tell her, and hope she forgives me. I need to change Mom. I'm meeting the team at the hospital in half an hour. We need to go see Yuki, to let her know we're not abandoning her. If Amy is still there, I'll tell her then."
Seeing Ryo's mood had lightened, Shino stood, saying. "Good. Well, if you're feeling better dear, I've got to get back down to the bar and get ready for the lunch crowd. I need to run to the store for a minute Ryo, so I might not get back before you leave." Moving towards the door, she stopped. Pulling the envelope out of her apron, she turned and handed it to Ryo. "I almost forgot, the Captain left this for you as an apology, but I think Yuki deserves it more. Would you give it to her, and let her know I'm thinking of her?"
"Ok Mom." She replied taking the envelope. Looking inside, her eyes widened upon seeing the large stack of bills. She said sarcastically, "Huh, You would think with him having this kind of money lying around he wouldn't have had such a hard time paying off his tab."
"Don't think so ill of him Ryo." Shino said pausing in the doorway. "After your father died, the Captain devoted himself to helping take care of you. He made a bad decision, and he regrets it. At least he has the integrity to step up and face the consequences. He treasures you Ryo, and sometimes, when you love someone so much, you can't help doing foolish things."
Ryo thought on this for a moment, then said. "Hey Mom, did Dad ever do anything foolish for you?"
"Nothing I care to talk about." She replied, blushing, as she closed the door.
"I'm sorry Mom," Ryo muttered to herself as she stood, "but what he did was more than foolish. It was criminal, and I can't forgive him."
-
Seira and Amy were sitting on chairs in the hallway, sharing a box of chocolate Pocky with Kimiko, who sat between them. They were leaning over, talking with the little girl, when Kido walked up to them. "Hey you two, did you start a babysitting service? You're the last one I'd expect to see sitting with a little kid Morimura."
"What would you know about it?" She said testily. "You've probably never took care of a kid in your life. I know I wouldn't trust mine alone with you."
"Right, like you'll ever have a kid to worry about." He said smirking. "Who's the daddy going to be? You know you're not the easiest person to get along with, he's going to have to like being abused."
"Don't you talk to big sister Seira like that, you mean old man." Kimiko said, her eyes flashing. "She's really nice. Look, she bought me Pocky."
Amy grinned at Kido's discomfort at being scolded by a four year old and decided to defuse the situation before the coach could say anything back. "You look different Coach. You shaved, and your hair's neat. Did you come here from another date?"
"Actually, this is for Ms. Himuro's benefit. I've been here since last night, and she insisted I get cleaned up before meeting Azuma's parents." His face becoming serious, he asked. "How about you Watson? How bad is your knee? That brace looks like a pretty serious piece of hardware."
"I'll be fine." She said with a smile. "Two weeks wearing the brace, plus some therapy, and I'll be good as new. I'll be ready by April for sure."
"Hey Coach." Seira asked nervously. "How's Yuki? Do they know if she'll walk again? I keep seeing her on that backboard, and…well, you know."
"She has some sensation, and the doctor believes she'll get full use of her legs back." He said sitting down on the chair next to Amy. "It's still to soon to know for sure, but they're hoping she could have some movement by tonight."
"How's she feeling?" Amy asked. "We were worried she'd become depressed again."
"She's had a rough morning, but she was doing better when I left her." He said slouched in the chair, looking at the ceiling. Turning his head to look at them, he added. "Her world's gotten really shaken up. She's going to need you guys to be there for her, to give her your support."
"We planned on doing that, you moron." Seira said impatiently. "What we're worried about is if she's so depressed, she'd try killing herself again!"
"Well now, I guess that'll depend on how well you support her, doesn't it?" He answered evenly.
Movement down the hall caught their eye, and they turned to see Corey approaching. "Is anybody ready to see a baby?" He said as he walked up.
" A baby?" Kido said. Looking at Kimiko he asked. "Are you a big sister now?"
"Yeah." She said hopping down from the chair, and grabbing hold of Corey's hand. "Come on big brother, let's go see my little sister!"
They rose and followed, stopping only long enough to clean the chocolate of Kimiko's face. When they reached the room, she ran in while the girls nervously peeked inside. Mrs. Fujishima was trading birthing stories with Amy's mother, while Shinosuke was showing Kenji his baby daughter. "Come on you two." Corey said pushing them into the room. "Why are you stopping? We're all friends here."
"Please, come in everyone." Mrs. Fujishima said with a tired smile. "Come meet my new daughter."
"I want to see her!" Kimiko said pulling on her father's pant leg. Kenji reached down and picked her up and held her so she could see the baby. "She's all wrinkly!"
Smiling, Shinosuke said, "That's what you looked like at first. She needs to grow into her skin a little, that's all."
Kido hung back in the doorway, feeling a little out of place. Amy stepped up to him, and grabbing his arm, hauled him in saying. "Coach, come here. I want you to meet my mom."
She stood up from the bedside chair as they approached. "How do you do? I'm Kimiko Watson. It's nice to meet you."
Kido stared for a moment, before bowing slightly saying. "I'm Shinsaku Kido, Amy's coach. Forgive me, but I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
"It's possible," She replied smiling warmly. "I was in the papers quite a bit when I was younger. Do you follow tennis Mr. Kido?"
"That's it! Kimiko Suzuki! Ohhh, there were a lot of guys that wanted to meet you back in the day, myself included. I remember sitting in the bar watching your matches on the TV. Wow, this is great!"
"I never knew I was so popular with the bar crowd." She said, a little taken back by his excitement.
"I'm sorry." He said blushing. "I'm sounding like an obsessed stalker. It really is nice to meet you though."
She nodded and the asked, "So, did you play baseball after high school Mr. Kido?"
"No, not professionally anyway. My friend was recruited after we won at Koshien, but I wasn't that talented. Speaking of talented, your daughter put on quite a show the other night. That sinker of hers is going to catch a lot of batters off guard."
"Coach, you won the National Championship?" Amy asked, wide-eyed.
"Yup, I caught for Hayakawa's dad." He said with a grin. "Of course, if I'd been closer to Corey's size, I might have followed him to the pros."
"Hidehiko Hayakawa. You know, I had such a crush on him. He and I were on a lot of sports pages together, and I remember seeing him pitch on TV. He was amazing Amy, his lightning ball was so fast, the batters could barely see his pitches." Kimiko said, reminiscing. "I felt so sorry for him when I heard the accusations. Did they ever prove he had taken the money?"
"No, but they threw him out anyway." Kido said frowning. "We both pretty much gave up on baseball after that." His face brightening, he added. "He was something special alright. I sometimes wonder just how great of a record he would have ended up with if he'd been able to play to retirement. I watched every televised game he played in. He was my best friend, and in high school, we were inseparable. I wish he could have seen the girls play last year. He would have been so proud of Ryo."
They were interrupted when the baby started fussing. Shinosuke bounced her, making shushing noises, but she would have none of that. Finally conceding, he gave her back to his wife, who gently cradled her, and calmly opened her top so the baby could nurse. Kido, Corey, and Kenji quickly averted their eyes, and excused themselves.
"Eriko, you could have given them some warning." Shinosuke said grinning.
"It's alright," She said, smiling. "I wasn't embarrassed. They didn't need to leave for my sake. Please, the rest of you stay. She'll be done shortly, and you can hold her if you like."
"What's she doing Mama?" Kimiko said climbing onto the bed next to her mother, causing the woman to wince, and draw a sharp breath.
Shinosuke snatched his daughter up, and holding her said. "You can't do that Kimiko. Mama's tummy is very sore right now, and you made it hurt bouncing around on the bed." Sitting down in the chair with the girl in his lap, he continued. "She's going to be like this for a while, so you need to be careful. Ok?"
"I'm sorry I hurt you Mama. Did the baby do that to you when it made your tummy so big?" She asked with misty eyes.
"No, this was to help your sister get out of mama's tummy." She replied looking down at the infant at her breast. Looking back at Kimiko she added. "Do you remember when you cut your finger on that kitchen knife?"
"Yeah! It hurt really bad. Mama was mad at me for taking the knife out of the drawer." She said looking up at her father.
"Well, to get your sister out, the doctor needed to use a knife to cut open mama's tummy." Seeing the horror on the little girl's face, She quickly added. "It's ok. I needed to let the doctor do it or your sister might have died. Daddy and I would have been very sad if that had happened… Kimiko, we both love you very much, but we won't be able to play with you like we did. At least not until your sister gets older."
"I know Mama." She said, smiling. Then looking back up at Shinosuke, she said. "Big brother Corey told me that Mama's going to be busy with the baby, so I'm going to be a big girl and help Mama. He said it's a lot of work. Is that true Daddy?"
His eyes tearing, Shinosuke said. "Yes, but it's worth it. You're a good girl Kimiko. We are so blessed to have you for our daughter." Then he gave her a gentle hug as his wife held his other hand and the little girl wrapped her arms around him.
Hearing a soft gasp, they looked back to see Seira barely holding back tears of her own. Turning, she fled from the room.
"What was that about?" Kimiko asked her daughter. "I wouldn't have taken Seira for someone who cried so easily."
"It's a long story Mom." Amy replied hobbling to the door. "I'll tell you later, but now I need to be there for Seira." Stopping, she turned and bowed saying. "Thank you for allowing us to share your time of joy. I wish you all good health and much happiness. I hope to see you again." Then she limped as quickly as she could through the door.
-
Izumi was walking up to her front door to go meet the others at the hospital, when the gate intercom buzzed. Startled, she looked at the camera monitor. Officer Watanabe was standing next to a cab, dressed in a sport coat. Relieved, Izumi pressed the talk button. "One moment Officer, I'm opening the gate." Pressing the button, she watched him get back in the cab. Stepping outside, she looked on as they drove across the courtyard to the base of the steps. Watanabe got out, and without a word, climbed up to meet her.
"Office Watanabe, your timing is impeccable. I was just on my way out to meet my friends. Will you join me?"
"I'm under orders to accompany you at all times Miss Himuro. I have no choice but to join you." He said somberly.
"Why do you sound so displeased?" She asked, frowning. "Is my presence that distasteful to you?"
"I'm a police officer, not a babysitter." He said succinctly. "I know you can afford to hire a bodyguard, so it galls me to leave my beat to hold the hand of some society princess when there are people who really need my help out there."
"Where did this come from?" Izumi said surprised and a little angry. "You were so kind yesterday, I was glad when the detective suggested you for this. I haven't done anything to you to deserve this contempt."
He looked at her, and seeing the fire building in her eyes, decided he should try to defuse the situation before they got into an argument. "I'm sorry Miss Himuro. You can't help the situation you're in, and you didn't ask for police protection, so I'll try to make the most of our time together."
Looking at the waiting cab, she said. "You didn't need to do that." Izumi chided. "I am perfectly capable of walking to the train station. I am an athlete after all."
"Walking makes you too vulnerable, so we'll be using this cab. It's actually an undercover police unit. It is the same one that will transport us to your school tomorrow." He said looking at her blandly. "It was decided that uniformed police and marked squad cars would draw to much attention. That's why I'm wearing this ridiculous outfit."
"I think you look rather dashing in it Officer." Izumi said with a grin, running her hand teasingly over the lapel. Her playfulness stopped when she felt the bulge from his shoulder holster through the fabric. "I'm sorry." She said, snatching her hand away and looking down. "I'm acting like a little girl who's found a new toy."
"If you had been anyone else," He said glaring, "you would have been subdued on the ground with my knee in your back. Please keep your hands to yourself."
Blushing at the thought, she said mortified "Yes sir. I promise. I won't do that again."
Seeing her trembling, he relented, and said. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You didn't know any better. Before we go any further, I think we need to establish some guidelines on what is and isn't acceptable behavior, alright?" Looking up at him, tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. 'Oh crap, I made her cry.' He thought, pulling out his handkerchief. Holding it out to her, he said. "Here, dry your eyes before someone sees us and I get put on report for abusing a witness."
"We're off to a bad start, aren't we?" Izumi said wiping away her tears. "I agree we need to decide on protocol. What do you suggest?"
His face an emotionless mask again, he said. "First, you will walk beside me at all times, watching for trouble. If you spot anything, alert me, and put me between yourself and said trouble. Second, please refrain from idle chatter. It will distract me, and may prevent me from doing my duty. Not to mention that I find it extremely annoying. Third, if I tell you to do something, I expect no argument. Hesitation on your part may prove disastrous. Fourth, you will maintain a personal space between us at all times. If the situation warrants, I will pull you down out of harms way. If that happens, you may get a little banged up. I apologize for that in advance."
"What about going to the bathroom?" She asked, blushing at the thought. "Will you accompany me there as well?"
"If it is a public toilet, I will accompany you in, verify that the facilities are secure, and then wait for you outside the door. When the time comes for me to use the facilities, you will accompany me, and stand by the door on the inside. I will try to use restrooms that have locking doors."
"This sounds like a lot of trouble for an idle threat." She grumbled, shaking her head.
He motioned for her to precede him down the steps. Reaching the cab, he opened the door and held it for her. As she climbed in, he said. "This is strictly for your protection. He isn't completely harmless, but he isn't a hardened criminal, so we're pretty confident he's bluffing. If we thought this was a serious threat, we wouldn't be taking a cab, you would have been secured in a safe house, in spite of your disapproval."
Izumi started to retort, and then thought better of it. 'He's just doing his job, and what he said is probably true.' She thought looking out the window so she wouldn't have to look at him. 'Just be patient Izumi, you agreed to this.' Looking at the driver, she said. "Could you take us to University of Tokyo Hospital please?" At his affirmation, she looked at the man sitting next to her. "Hey, if we have to do this, let's be civil to each other at least. I promise. I'll try to do everything you ask me to."
"Very well, Miss Himuro. I will do my best to safeguard you until these criminals are caught." He replied nodding. "I assume you and your friends are going to see Miss Azuma?"
"That's correct." She said with a sad smile. "We were going to go this evening after classes, but being school was cancelled, we decided not to wait."
"Would you mind if we made a small detour?" He asked, pulling out his wallet. "I'd like to pick up some flowers for her." When Izumi agreed, he handed a card to the driver. Soon they pulled up to a small flower shop. "I'll be right back, so stay in the car. Kobiyashi, you let me know if you spot anything suspicious." Getting out of the cab, he quickly crossed the sidewalk and entered the shop.
"Miss." The drive said looking at her in the mirror. "Don't take this personally, but I really don't like well to do people. Officer Watanabe feels the same way. We think all of them are ruthless, greedy bastards, who enjoy grinding the working class down under their heels. Don't worry. We swore an oath to protect the public when we joined the police force, so we'll do our best to keep you safe. I'm just telling you this so you don't get the idea that we're your friends. This is our job, plain and simple. The sooner this is over with the better. I'm sure you feel the same way. This has to be killing your social life."
"To be honest," she replied, feeling a little taken back, "I was somewhat looking forward to this. My previous encounters with Officer Watanabe were positive, and I was hoping to use this time to maybe…Never mind, it was a silly schoolgirl fantasy. What you told me dashed the last glimmer of hope from my mind. I would also like this situation to be resolved quickly, so we can get back to our normal lives."
"So the princess was daydreaming about a romance with a beat cop." Kobiyashi said grinning. "I bet your old man would love to see you bring him home."
"My father is dead." She replied softly.
"Oh. Oh shit, I'm sorry Miss." He said turning red. "I'm always shooting my mouth off. One of these days I'm going to say something to the wrong guy, and get my butt kicked. I have to tell you though, for a society gal, you seem pretty down to earth. You're not nearly as snobbish as I was expecting."
"I've had my moments Officer." She said sadly. "It's only been recently that I've become more 'down to earth' as it were. I used to be really condescending, looking down at those I thought were beneath me. Now I realize that how I treat others, will come back in how they treat me. My newest teammate has shown me that. She was deeply traumatized by something that happened to her, but her heart is so big, she can still be cheerful and outgoing. She refused to give in when the world was against her. It's just her nature to smile and be friendly. I've never been one to take the easy way out, and before I didn't care whom I hurt to achieve my goals. All my teammates have endured a lot of abuse from me, but they were willing to put up with it, waiting for me to join them. One girl in particular kept chipping away at my 'Ice Princess' facade. Trying so hard to be my friend, that I couldn't help but care for her. Don't get me wrong. They still irritate me sometimes, but now they're like a part of my family."
"I hear you," he replied nodding. "Officer Watanabe and I are a team. We've known each other since middle school. When we graduated from high school, we entered the police academy together. I'm an only child, so he's the closest thing I have to a brother. Oops, her he comes, time to cut the chatter."
Climbing back in, Watanabe asked. "We're you too bored waiting for me, Miss Himuro?"
"No." She replied, looking at the driver. "Officer Kobiyashi kept me entertained. He was telling me about your feelings towards people like me. I'll try to resist making you feel like I'm grinding you under my heel. By the way, those flowers are lovely. If you've finished your shopping, may we continue to the hospital?"
Whacking Kobiyashi on the back of the head, he said. "Idiot. Your big mouth is going to get us both in trouble some day." Looking back at Izumi, he said coolly, "I won't apologize for how I feel Miss Himuro. We grew up seeing examples of that kind of lopsided favoritism on a daily basis; so don't believe any guilt trip is going to change my opinion of the wealthy. Let's get going. I'm sure your friends will be waiting by the time we get there."
-
-
A/N: Did anyone get confused having the two Kimikos together? I tried to distinguish between them, but my apologies if I failed to do so. Is Seira getting too out of character? I'm trying to show how she would react to normal, caring, relationships. First with Corey, he makes her feel more like a girl, so why shouldn't she act more like one? Besides, didn't we all act a little silly the first time we fell in love? Now, seeing that tender moment in the hospital room, made her heart ache for never experiencing anything like it with her parents. I think that quiet moment she had with the coach after they ran from the alley fight in episode four, gave a glimpse of the true Seira, lonely, and longing for affection. Please offer some feedback. If anyone has a suggestion on how to make my writing better, please share. Thank you very much for reading up to this point. OMS.