Disclaimer: Ownership of Princess Nine and its associated characters still eludes my grasp. Kanako Urashima, Naru Narusagawa, and Mitsune Konno, a.k.a. Kitsune, appear courtesy of Love Hina by Ken Akamatsu. I'm playing with time here, putting the Love Hina crew a little in the past since the manga series didn't begin until 2003. (In the States anyway.) It's all good though. Please enjoy.
Condolences
"That should be everything gentleman." Ms. Himuro said as they exited the locker area back into the central room. "Mr. Akimatsu, I hope you can come up with a design that will alleviate the inadequacies of this facility. Chairman Takasugi, thank you again for your generous offer. If I'd known the situation was this dire, I would have pressed the Finance Council to make some kind of compromise."
"Don't concern yourself about that my dear." Konosuke said lightly. "You made your decision based on information people supplied you. You had other responsibilities demanding your time, so don't feel guilty."
"I can have some rough drawings by the end of the day Chairman." Makito said as he made some final notes in his folder. "The site limits us to making the building longer, but there is ample room that way. I have ideas forming already."
"Splendid." The Takasugi patriarch said beaming. "I look forward to seeing what you have in mind. Keiko, now that this has been addressed, how would you like him to come to your home and draw up the modification needed to make it handicap accessible?"
"I don't think that will be necessary." She said shaking her head. "The doorways in the guest room are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and the path leading to it will only require minor changes. The real obstacle will be building a ramp to replace the step up to the patio, and that shouldn't be too hard to figure out."
"I could send you a copy of the government requirements Ms. Himuro." The architect said as he closed his folder. "I can't give you a drawing without taking some measurements, but I can give you information on the required grade and width, as well as acceptable materials."
"That would be most helpful, thank you." She said bowing her head in gratitude and giving him a grateful smile.
"It's not any trouble." He said with a grin. "I can also recommend a couple of very talented carpenters that could get the job done quickly."
"Let me think on that." She said contemplatively. "I'd like to involve her teammates in this. I think it would be a source of encouragement for the girl if they were the one's to build it."
"That sounds nice." He said nodding. "It will give the other girls a sense of achievement too." Any further conversation was interrupted by Akimatsu's cell phone ringing. "Excuse me please." He said as he turned and stepped away.
"So Keiko, are you up to going to see your team play?" Konosuke said chuckling. "You enjoyed watching them last year."
"Are you sure you have the time Chairman?" She replied with a measured look. "This isn't the regional preliminary."
"I'm certain Keiko." He said firmly. "I also want to go meet Amy Watson, and offer my wishes for her rapid recovery."
"WHAT!" They heard Makito yell angrily into his phone. "The little fool! I'll be down there in less than thirty minutes. Thank you for your call." Turning back to his employer, he bowed saying. "Forgive me Chairman, but a family emergency has come up. I'm afraid I must leave you. I'm sorry, but I may not be able to get the drawings to you until first thing tomorrow."
"That's alright." Konosuke said with concern. "Go take care of the problem so you can direct your full attention to the project."
"Thank you for your understanding Chairman." He said bowing. Straightening, he addressed their host. "Ms. Himuro, it has been a delight meeting you, and I apologize for abandoning you like this."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" She said concerned.
"No, this isn't the first time this has happened." He replied gruffly. "Hopefully, though, it will be the last. Good day Chairman, Ms. Himuro." Then he turned, and strode quickly through the door.
"It would appear misfortune is in abundance today." Ms. Himuro said sadly. "I believe I also need a diversion. Chairman, I would love to accompany you to watch the game. Allow me a moment to inform Mr. Yamagida."
"That's fine Keiko." He said warmly, pulling out a pocket watch. "My driver should just be getting here. He can wait a little."
They walked the path back to the school building, meeting up with his driver who was standing alongside the car.
"Punctual as ever Sato." Konosuke said with a grin. "Did you have an enjoyable lunch?"
"Yes Chairman, thank you for asking." He replied with a slight bow. "Good afternoon Chairperson Himuro, it is good to see you again."
"Thank you Mr. Sato." She said warmly. "I trust you've been keeping the Chairman out of trouble?"
"One does what one can." He replied straight-faced. "Was your lunch satisfactory?"
"Very much so, the Chairman pampered me shamelessly." Turning to Konosuke she added. "Would you wait for me in the car please? I'll be back shortly."
"Of course Keiko, but there's no need to rush." He replied as Sato opened the door. Watching Ms. Himuro move up the steps, he sighed. "If only I were twenty years younger." Then he climbed into the back seat to wait.
oOo
Hiroki checked his watch, noting that the woman had been in surgery for nearly an hour. He then glanced down at the sword lying across his lap. She had given it to him as they had gotten on the elevator, asking him to keep it safe, and to tell her friend what had happened. Her breathing had gotten shallower as they had talked, indicating a diminished lung capacity. The doctor in the emergency room had taken one look at her and immediately sent her up for surgery. Hiroki had found Shinobu and let her know what had happened. He had asked her to take the sword and put it in her locker, but the young woman had shaken her head as she'd replied. "I can't do that. Motoko wants you hold on to it for her. You need to keep it safe until she's able to reclaim it. It's her most prized possession. She's given you a great honor asking you to guard it." She had then taken him to Motoko's locker and retrieved the woven shinai case the samurai carried her sword around in.
With a resigned sigh, he leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes, and lamented. "Why did I agree to do this? I'm going to miss the girls' game." His attention was diverted by sound of someone settling into the chair next to him. Looking over he saw a woman staring coldly at him. "Can I help you?" He inquired.
"Why do you have Motoko's sword?" She asked with a voice that implied that he'd better have a good explanation.
"Funny you should ask that." He replied neutrally. "I was just thinking the same thing. You save someone's life and suddenly your babysitting their katana."
"You saved Motoko?" She said with a derisive snort. "Somehow I find that hard to believe. You stole it from her after she was injured, didn't you?"
Angered by the accusation, Hiroki quickly stood. "I'm no thief! I saved her by distracting her attacker when she got hurt. She gave me the sword for safekeeping. Who the hell are you to say that to me anyway?" He added, clutching the sword so tightly his knuckles turned white
"I'm Kanako Urashima, her dormitory's acting manager while my brother's out of the country." The woman said standing and matching his glare. "I've known her for almost five years, and there's no way she gave it to a man!"
"Believe what you want!" Hiroki argued back. "I tried to give the thing to Miss Maehara, but she said if she took it, I would offend Miss Aoyama. I have too much respect for her to do that. So even though I really don't want to, I'll protect her sword until she comes to get it back."
"That's not a normal sword you know." Kanako said eerily. "It houses a sealed demon."
"You know, after seeing the punch she threw and hearing how she blew a barricaded door off its hinges, I don't find that all that hard to believe. But, if it was dangerous, I don't think she would have entrusted me with it." He answered evenly, his expression serious.
"You're no coward, I'll give you that." She said with a chuckle. "Maybe you did save Motoko after all."
"I had some help." He admitted rubbing the back of his neck. "A girl I was with held the guy off by threatening him with the sword. Then Miss Aoyama regained her feet and finished the fight. I'm afraid that action is what made her lung collapse."
"I see… I'm not too surprised." She answered with a knowing smile. "Motoko is stubborn to the end, and noble to a fault."
"That's what makes her so endearing though." A voice said behind them." Turning, they saw another woman, dressed in a neat skirt suit, standing a few meters away. "Hello Kanako."
"Naru." She said coolly. "Why aren't you at work?"
"Shinobu called me. Did you really think I wouldn't come when I heard Motoko was hurt?" The woman said pointedly. "Kitsune's on her way as well."
"Correction, Kitsune's here." Another female voice said in a Kansai accent as she entered the room. "Our favorite samurai's been smacked down, how could I not come." She added throwing an arm around Kanako. "You think just because you two spar together, you're the only one who should be here?"
"No. I just didn't want to deal with the chaos that happens when all of you get together." She paused for a moment and then quickly added, "Su's not coming is she? We can't afford a repair bill from the hospital."
"She has classes all day." Kitsune answered. "We all agreed not to tell her until tonight. As hyper as that kid is, she'd be driving the hospital staff buggy waiting with us. By the way hon, who's the dreamy guy you're talking to?"
"I'm sorry, I never introduced myself." He said flashing a smile. "My name's Hiroki Takasugi."
Kitsune's eyes opened wide as she exclaimed. "The Hiroki Takasugi, heir to the Takasugi Group?"
"You know about me?" He asked surprised. "Outside of sports talk, I didn't think I was that well known."
"If it has anything to do with money or celebrity, Kitsune knows all about it." Naru added. "I'm Naru Narusagawa. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise… Naru Narusagawa, I know I've heard that name before." Hiroki said as his brow furrowed, trying to remember.
"She had a short career as a pop idol." Kitsune said slapping Naru on the rear, eliciting a squeak and a dirty look from her friend.
"Until she was photographed punching my big brother." Kanako said with venom. "The record companies couldn't distance themselves from her fast enough."
"That was a long time ago." Naru said blushing. "He couldn't have been more than twelve when that happened."
"No, they're right." Hiroki said with a grin. "My friend Izumi has your CD. She listened to it a lot when she was depressed about her father dying. She said it always cheered her up."
"It's sad to hear your friend suffered a loss like that, but I'm glad I was a source of comfort to her." She replied with a kind smile that made Hiroki's heart skip a beat.
He cleared his throat, and said in and unaccustomedly nervous voice. "If you don't mind me saying, I can see why someone put you on stage. You're very beautiful."
"Easy there hon." Kitsune interjected. "She's already taken. She's getting married this summer, and after all the trouble we went through to get those two to admit that they loved each other, we're not going to let some good looking stud come between them. On the other hand, I'm still available." She added with a sly wink.
"That's ok." Hiroki said uneasily, seeing the predatory look in Kitsune's eyes. "I already have a girlfriend. We've been together for seven months now."
"Damn!" she exclaimed. "I missed out on another one."
"I doubt you would have succeeded even if he was unattached." Kanako said looking at the older woman with disdain. "He's nearly ten years your junior, and has been raised to show proper manners."
"It never hurts to try." She said with a grin. Looking back at Hiroki she continued. "Hon, if you ever get tired of your little girl, come look me up."
"I don't think I'll ever get tired of Tofu." He answered reflectively. "In fact, just yesterday, I promised her I would never abandon her."
"Tofu?" Naru asked with raised eyebrows. "Is that your girlfriend's name?"
"No, it's Ryo. Tofu's the nickname I gave her the morning she came to school. It's a long story."
The doctor entering the lounge put a stop to any more conversation. "Are you all here about Miss Aoyama?"
"That's right Doctor." Naru said stepping forward. "How is she?"
Motioning for them to sit down, he waited until they were seated before he began. "Her surgery went well. We were able to repair her punctured lung, and evacuate the air from her chest cavity. She's breathing easier, but she's still extremely weak. She's broken four ribs and torn the surrounding intercostals. She's out of any immediate danger, but she'll need time to mend completely. She's to avoid any strenuous activity for at least six weeks, preferably two months. I want you to especially restrain her from practicing kendo." He said looking pointedly at the case on Hiroki's lap. Redirecting his gaze back to the women he continued. "Pneumonia is the single greatest risk for people with broken ribs. Because it hurts to breathe, they tend to take shallow breaths. This allows mucus that is normally expelled, to accumulate in the lungs. I want you to encourage her to take deep breaths and cough when you are with her. Most of all, however; she needs rest in a quiet environment."
"He doesn't know Hinata Sou, does he?" Kitsune deadpanned.
"She's right." Naru added. "Our dormitory is a very lively place. It would be impossible for her to get any rest, at least while Su's around."
Kanako nodded "She still slips into Motoko's futon at night too. She'd re-injure those ribs for sure."
They thought quietly for a moment. Then, as a group, they looked at Hiroki, who swallowed nervously as he suddenly got a very bad feeling.
oOo
Coach Kido set the equipment bag next to the bench in the dugout area. Looking around, he was impressed. The field was well equipped, comparing favorably to the field at Kisuragi Girls'. There was seating for about one hundred and twenty people in the bleachers placed along the baselines, along with nearby restroom facilities, complete with water fountains. The young men practicing noticed him and approached him as a group. He put his game face on as he leaned against the waist high fence. "Good afternoon gentlemen my name is Kido. I'm the coach for Kisuragi Girls'."
"It's nice to meet you sir." The captain said with a nod. "We're looking forward to playing your team. We're betting they'll give us a good game."
"That's a safe bet." Kido replied coolly. "Look, I won't mince words here. My girls are a little out of practice, but they'll all play to the best of their abilities. I want to stress that this is only a friendly game, and feel it would be prudent to set some ground rules to prevent anyone from getting hurt."
"That's the last thing we want to happen as well Mr. Kido." The young man agreed. "We understand that one of your players is already hurt. We wouldn't want to thin the ranks any more."
"Great!" he said with a grin. "I'm glad you're willing to cooperate. The one thing I think needs to be stressed is that there'll be no blocking the plate. With this cold weather, collisions could easily strain muscles or injure tendons. Corey says you have a game in a month. I doubt you could afford to lose a player at this time either."
"That's fine." The young man said, nodding again. "Will the infield fly rule apply as well?"
"I'm good with that. A pop fly ball that doesn't clear the base paths is an automatic out."
"Say, Mr. Kido? Is Miss Hayakawa's lightning ball really that hard to hit?" One of the other players asked.
"Now that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. I will tell you this. Hiroki Takasugi was the only one to hit it last year, and he's on the fast track to the pros."
The players all looked at each other uneasily, wondering if Corey's banter about whether they could handle this team was true after all. They chuckled nervously as they turned back to practice some more. They had only taken a few steps, when they heard female voices chatting excitedly. Turning, they saw their opponents walking across the hospital grounds.
"Hey Coach, we're here!" Hikaru called as they approached. "Did you bring our gloves?"
"Of course I did Yoshimoto." He growled. "Now get your butts over here and start warming up. These fine young men are looking forward to you all showing them what you've got."
"Coach!" Ryo scolded as she walked up to him. "Did you have to say it like that? That was embarrassing!"
"They know what I meant Hayakawa." He answered with a grin. Then he added seriously. "Be careful out there kiddo. This isn't an official game, so don't go crazy trying to strike everyone out." Seeing her take a breath to rebuke him, he quickly added, "I know you've been throwing in the off season, but it's cooler weather than you're used to playing in. I'm just saying, take it easy out there. Don't worry about winning as much as just having some fun."
"Ok Coach, I understand." She said with a sigh. "I have an extra layer on so I should stay warm enough. Can I throw at least one lightning ball?"
"We'll see how you're feeling after a couple innings. If your shoulder's doing ok, then go ahead and surprise them." He placed a hand on her shoulder and added softly, "That was quite a shock to hear about the Captain. He always seemed like a real nice guy."
"How did you hear about it?" Ryo asked in a hushed voice, her face showing a shocked expression. "Mom and I just found out about him getting stabbed when I went home to get changed."
"He got stabbed?" Kido said alarmed. "I was talking about him hiring those thugs. Ryo, are you sure you're up to doing this?"
"I'm sure Coach." She answered gamely. "The detective said he'll be ok, so I'm not too upset. I was worrying more for Seira and Izumi when I heard something was happening here. The detective had called just before I left and told us they were ok. It'll be all right, Coach. I need this distraction now more than ever."
"Do the girls know about what happened to him?" He asked quietly.
"I didn't tell them" She responded looking down. "They've all gotten to know him over the last year. They were already feeling hurt by what he did, and I thought if I told them, it would just make them even sadder. They don't need any more things to think about before the game. I'll let them know afterwards."
Tousling her hair, he said warmly. "You're a good friend Ryo. I think your dad would be proud of the young woman you've become." Then loudly, he added. "Things happen Hayakawa, so get your head out of the clouds and get ready to play some baseball."
"Sure thing Coach. Come on Mao, let's go warm up." She said turning with a grin.
The catcher looked up from buckling her shin guards. "I'll be ready in just a second Ryo."
Turning back to the field, Kido saw the captain approaching again. "We're going to take a little break. Go ahead and use the field to get loosened up." Mao chose that moment to stand up, and got her first look at her counterpart. She stared, admiring his face. When the young man noticed, he smiled and added. "The rumors about you all being cute weren't exaggerated. Good luck." Then he turned and walked back to his teammates.
"I'm cute?" She said to herself as she ran to catch up to Ryo. "No one's called me cute before. I'm too big to be cute. Aren't I?" She stole glances at her teammates and found she agreed with him. They were all cute, but then any girl was cuter than she was. These thoughts ran through the back of her mind as she and Ryo began tossing the ball. "I'll ask Corey what he thinks. He'll tell me the truth."
"Hey, where's Seira?" Yoko asked pausing in her warm-up with Koharu. "She lives closer to here than any of us. She better not be making out with Corey!"
"Izumi hasn't shown up yet either." Hikaru said, throwing to Kanako. "That policeman's probably trying to get her to wear a bulletproof vest under her running suit."
"They might be a little late." Kido replied scratching his chin. "They weren't able to leave the hospital as soon as they'd wanted to." He'd seen a police car parked by the garage entrance, and asked the officer for details. He was told how the three friends and Izumi's bodyguard had captured the bad guys. He was going to have a talk with the girls about being so reckless. Still, he had to admire their bravery, giving everything they had to help their friend. "They'll be here, so just keep warming up."
"Did something happen to Yuki, Coach?" Kanako asked, throwing back to Hikaru.
"No, she's fine." He said sitting down on the bench. "Look, concentrate on getting ready for the game. I'm sure they'll show up at any time now."
oOo
The policeman finished writing on his pad, and ripping off the ticket, handed it to Mr. Morimura. "Here you are sir. Try to watch your speed a little more closely."
"Yes officer. I'll try harder from now on. Sorry for the trouble." was the reply as he took the piece of paper. When he rolled the window back up, he glanced over his shoulder at his daughter. "Sorry Seira, I guess in my haste to get you all there on time, I only made you even later."
"You weren't going that much faster than anyone else Dad." She replied with a sour expression. "I think he went after you because of the car."
"That may be true, but I was still speeding." He said as he started the car again. "What stinks is that we're less that three hundred meters from the entrance to the college. Two more minutes and we'd have been there."
"It's just for fun Mr. Morimura." Corey said genially. "They won't mind us being late. I'm sorry if we made you think otherwise."
"I knew that." He replied with a nod, putting the car in gear. "I just like to be punctual. I've tried to instill that same way of thinking on Seira, and I think she does well keeping her appointments."
"Unless they're at some ungodly early hour." The redhead replied. "I've been known to hit the snooze button one too many times."
"You use to get up a the first sign of daylight when you were running Seira." Her father said looking at her in the rear view mirror. "You got your body's clock all screwed up when you started staying out all night."
"Yeah, I know." She responded looking out the window. "I get this big rush of energy at around ten and I can't fall asleep. Turning her attention back to the others, she continued. "I think the only reason I fell asleep so early last night, was because Corey's singing to me helped me relax."
"He serenaded you?" Izumi asked intrigued. "I'm jealous Seira. So, was he any good?"
"Very good." She said with a grin. "My English isn't so hot, so I couldn't understand everything he was singing, but he has a nice voice. He played the piano too."
"Really?" Izumi said, giving Corey a measured look. "You're quite the renaissance man aren't you?"
"It wasn't anything fancy Izumi. I played an old Eagles tune." He said looking back at her. "I saw your piano and couldn't resist. It's a very fine instrument."
"Who are they? I've never heard of them." She pressed, interested.
"They're a rock group originally from the early seventies. They broke up in 1980, but now they're back together. Thirty years later, and they're still making music." He said enthusiastically. "They're my favorite band. I can't think of one of their songs I don't like."
"You played rock and roll on a fifteen million yen piano?" She said looking a little green. "What a dreadful thought. Be glad my mother wasn't around."
"It's a legitimate music form Izumi." He replied in a cold tone. "Don't make light of it because it not classical."
"I'm sorry, but mother would be scandalized if she heard." She said shaking her head. "She has no appreciation for modern music. All those squealing guitars and pounding drums give her a headache."
"You're painting with a pretty wide brush Izumi. A lot of the early stuff the Eagles did was acoustic, really a mixture of country and rock." He pressed. "And when they did go electric, it was hardly screeching."
"I can attest to that Miss." Seira's father said, turning into the entrance. "I saw them in concert while in college. They came to Tokyo as part of a world tour."
"A rock concert can't come close to the refinement of the symphony." She argued back. "And I've never heard of anyone losing their hearing from listening to an orchestra."
"I'll give you that one." Corey replied with a grin. "My buddies crank the volume when we play, so I need to wear earplugs sitting at my piano."
"So you don't like any modern music either, Izumi?" Seira asked, surprised.
"I never said that." She replied. "I have a more than a few pop CD's. I just don't like the heavier stuff."
"I bet you would have liked it then. It wasn't heavy at all. It was so soothing that I fell asleep sitting next to him."
"Was that when he saw your boobs?" Izumi teased, nudging her in the ribs.
"What!" Mr. Morimura said loudly. "You didn't tell me that Seira!" He pressed hard on the brakes, the car grinding to a halt. Looking coldly at Corey, he added with a threatening edge to his voice. "You saw my little girl's breasts?"
"It was an accident!" Corey said quickly, turning red. "She'd stubbed her toe, and when I looked up from examining it, her robe was open. I looked away as soon as I saw them, honest!"
"Dad!" Seira cried, mortified at her father's reaction. "I told you he was a gentleman. He's treated me with nothing but respect. All the time I was running the streets, you never said a word. Now I find a decent guy for a boyfriend, and all of a sudden you need to be protective. I can't believe you're getting upset over this!"
"What do you want me to feel when I hear my daughter's exposed herself to a boy?" He snapped, looking over his shoulder at her. "Between the hours I worked, and you running off at night, I didn't see you for nearly a year. I turned around and my baby was a grown woman. Of course I want to protect you! You're all I have left!"
Seira froze, her father's words striking her deeply. Anger tingeing her voice, she replied. "It's too late for that Dad. When you two were arguing, you chose to stay away as long as you could, because you hated the fighting too. As soon as you did get home, you and Mom would go at it. I tried to talk to you, but you'd just yell at me to go to my room. You never tried to find out how I was feeling, let alone ask what was happening in my life. You're right Dad, I'm a grown woman, well, almost grown anyway. In a couple of years I'll be going away to college, so I'm not going to be around much longer. I know Mom's leaving left as big of hole in your life as it did mine, but you can't expect me to take her place. It's not fair. Corey's the real thing Dad. I love him with all my heart. I've already told him that if it weren't for the team, I'd be going back home with him. Well guess what? In two years, when I'm done with high school, I'm going to do just that."
"Seira, calm down." Corey said firmly. "That wasn't what we decided earlier. Don't use me as an excuse to run away again."
"Three days together, and you were already plotting to take her away?" Mr. Morimura said heatedly. "Get out of my car! All of you get out… now!"
"Dad! Don't be angry with him." Seira pleaded. "It's me…"
"GET OUT!!" He bellowed, his face flushed. Then he turned and looked silently out the windshield, waiting for them to exit.
Any further conversation deemed pointless, they promptly got out and stood silently as they watched him drive rapidly away. Corey put his arm around Seira, unsure what to say. She turned and buried her face in his shirt as unwanted tears began flowing. He held her compassionately as her muffled weeping tore at his heart. Izumi watched on as her own tears of sympathy fell for her beleaguered teammate.
"It'll be alright, Seira." Corey said. "He'll come back when he's calmed down. I can understand why he's upset. When Amy was raped, I was so angry with the guy for doing it, that I wanted to beat him within an inch of his life. She couldn't just be a normal girl anymore. She'd had her innocence taken away from her because I failed to protect her. He's feeling the same way about you. He did overreact a little though. It's no wonder your parents argued so much. If he got that excited over me seeing your breasts, I can imagine what happened when your mom confronted him about problems."
She took a shuddering breath, and then said in a trembling voice. "I thought things were going to go so smoothly, but I just ruined it Corey. Dad wanted to help me, and I just made him angry again. I was really looking forward to sitting down with them and talking, but now he'll tell my Mom about this. She'll think I've become a slut, and get back on the train to Sendai."
"I know better Seira." Izumi said stepping up and laying a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "If your mother does leave, then we'll go to Sendai and talk to her there. It's my fault your father found out, so it's my responsibility to try and mend the damage."
"I suppose." She replied, wiping her eyes. "God, I'm getting to be such a crybaby." Pulling back and looking at Corey, she added. "Does falling in love always do this?"
"I'm not sure. This is my first time too." He responded, taking her into his arms again. "Go ahead and cry Seira. I won't love you any less because of it."
"Amy said that you want a girl you didn't have to take care of." She replied softly, laying her head against his chest. "I'm not doing very good at that, am I?"
"I don't mind." He said squeezing her gently. "I'm sure there will be times you need to take care of me, so don't worry about it…What do you say? Are you ready to forget about all this and go play some baseball? I'm sure the others are waiting for us."
She nodded gamely, and the three of them set off at a jog to go meet their teammates.
oOo
Shino looked up as the door to her restaurant opened and two women entered. "Welcome ladies. You have good timing. The lunch rush just died down. Have a seat and I'll be with you shortly."
"We'll sit at the counter if that's all right." The dark haired one said as they claimed stools.
"There are tables open." Shino replied. "Those seats are much more comfortable.
"This is fine." Was the reply as she pulled two pair of chopsticks from a dispenser and handed one to her companion. "I've heard your oden is exceptional, and I want to try it before I head back to the States."
"Oh, you're from America? Thank you for coming. Let me deliver this order and I'll be back to take yours." She said as she picked up two bowls and moved to a table in the corner.
"The woman seems friendly enough." Kimiko said, following her actions closely.
"I really doubt she had anything to do with it." Emma said looking around the room. "Seira said she treats all the girls like family."
"None of those girls play the same position as her daughter." She replied giving her friend a cool glance. "I want to hear from her what she thinks about all this."
The blonde shrugged her shoulders and leaned over the counter to get a better look at what ingredients were available. Kimiko just watched as the woman exchanged pleasantries with the customers, made a polite bow, and headed back. Walking behind the counter and taking out two bowls, Shino looked up and said with a wide smile. "Now ladies, what would you like?"
Emma spoke first. "I'll take boiled egg, potato, onions, fish cake, and fried tofu."
Kimiko looked stonily at Shino and said. "I can't make up my mind. I'll have what my daughter had two nights ago."
Shino looked confused. "Your daughter? I'm sorry, but two nights ago I was closed for a private party and…" Her expression changed from one of puzzlement to one of realization and then joy. "Oh! You're Amy's mother! I'm so glad to meet you!" She moved around the counter to stand next to the women. "Your daughter is such a wonderful girl. She was so grateful to Ryo and the rest of the team for all they did for her. We were troubled to hear about her and Yuki getting hurt. Please accept my condolences for all the unpleasantness your family has endured. Ryo felt so guilty when she found out what our friend had done. How is Amy doing?"
The warmth that had entered her voice when she talked about Amy eliminated any thoughts of Ryo's mother being responsible. Kimiko looked down, ashamed that she had suspected this woman of treachery. Avoiding Shino's gaze, she said. "She's in the hospital. Those thugs your friend hired attacked us again this morning. My father was beaten as well."
"Oh no, you poor woman!" Shino said taking her hand. "I would be going out of my mind if Ryo had been the one attacked. What can I do?"
Looking up, Kimiko said with a weak smile. "Forgive me? I came here thinking you were involved. I can tell now that you didn't know about this at all." She then gently took back her hand, stood, and bowed. "I'm truly sorry."
"Why would you think that?" The restaurateur asked guardedly.
Embarrassed, she replied ruefully. "I heard Ryo was the motivation behind the attack, and thought you had collaborated with him because you were worried that Amy's coming here would compromise your daughter's place on the team."
"I'm a little hurt that you believed that, but I guess I can understand. You don't know me, so you couldn't know how I felt about Amy. The truth is that I was angry with my friend when he confessed to us what he'd done. He was genuinely sorry for what happened, but it didn't change the fact that people I care for had gotten hurt." She paused a moment, to let what she'd said register, and then continued. "As exhausted as Ryo was after pitching every game last season, I was glad to see that they'd found another girl who could hold her own on the mound. The team was so excited when they came back that night from her tryout; that they were practically bouncing off the walls. Please, don't worry anymore. None of us would ever do anything to hurt her."
Relieved the woman wasn't offended, and heartened by her reassuring words, Kimiko took a shaky breath. Looking down again, she grew quiet. All the pain, anger, frustration, sorrow, and guilt that had been churning around inside her came out as her shoulders sagged and she began to weep.
Shino stepped closer and took her into a gentle embrace, as if she were a long lost friend. Kimiko laid her head on the woman's shoulder as the tears came faster, and her sobs became harder. "It's hard being strong all the time, isn't it? You needed to be there for Amy, pushing your own pain aside. Don't be ashamed to cry. I've been to this place, and I know all too well how helpless you feel when something bad happens to someone you love. When Ryo's father died, I needed to be strong for her, to help her deal with her pain. I cried myself to sleep for nearly a month, because the pain of missing him next to me was so fierce I could hardly stand it. Your daughter is going to be fine. She'll be among friends. Good friends that will support her and look out for her." She looked around the restaurant. The other patrons were watching events unfold with acute interest. She called out. "Everyone, this woman's daughter is going to help Ryo and her teammates make it to Koshien this year. She's had a traumatic day, so please excuse her display." Then she continued holding Kimiko until the tears were gone. Letting her go, Shino stepped back and looked the other woman in the eyes. "Are you feeling better now?"
With a grateful smile, she replied. "Yes. Thank you. Seira said you were an angel. I'm glad she was right." Then she blushed as her stomach growled again.
"Let's get you something to eat." Shino said warmly as she made her way back around the counter. She filled the bowls with a little of this and a little of that until they were nearly full. She then ladled in the broth. Setting them before the two friends, she added. "I think you'll like this combination. It's popular with my regulars."
The two women offered thanks for the food, and then after taking a wary initial bite, began eating with enthusiasm. Seeing the smiles on their faces, Shino beamed. "I'm so glad you like it. Please eat as much as you like. It's my treat."
Emma paused with a bite of fish cake halfway to her mouth. "I was going to treat her, but if you insist…"
oOo
Flanked by two of his men, Shinosuke strode into the Motofuji Police Station. The Policewoman at the reception desk looked up, and recognizing him, quickly picked up the phone to call her superior. "Chief! The number two of the Fujishima family just walked in! What should I do?"
"Don't do anything!" He yelled. "I'll be right down!"
"Yes, sir." She replied. Laying the phone back in its receiver, she looked up with a smile, and said. "Good afternoon Mr. Fujishima, welcome to Motofuji Station. The Chief asks that you please be seated, and he will be here shortly to address your problem personally."
"Thank you. For what I have in mind, I believe that would be best." He replied with a gracious smile. He then sat down as his men stood behind him.
He'd only been sitting a few minutes, when the Section Chief came striding into the lobby. "Mr. Fujishima, what a surprise. I never thought I'd see you come in here by choice."
"Good afternoon, Chief." He replied standing. "Yes, I know what you mean. The last time I was here your people weren't nearly so friendly."
"Three members of a rival yakuza family were found disemboweled, and the clues led back to you. You can understand why we were less than gracious."
"Of course. You were just doing your job. It was never anything personal." Shinosuke said with a conciliatory bow. "When I found out who was responsible, I turned him over to you didn't I?"
"Yes you did." The chief said nodding. "But I believe it was more to chastise an overly ambitious underling from your organization, than to serve justice."
"Chief." He said shaking his head. "When will the police recognize that my father and I are not the ruthless men everyone thinks we are? I'm not a criminal. I'm simply a businessman trying to run my family's businesses. When my father dies, I want to grow our small enterprise into a competitive business group. There's plenty of money to be made in lawful free enterprise."
"So you're denying your father is involved in criminal activities?" the Chief pressed.
Scratching his cheek, the yakuza boss said. "None that I know of. If he is, good luck trying to pin him to any. He's much too shrewd to let himself be implicated."
"Of course he is." The Chief replied with a knowing smile. "So, what brings you here today?"
Shinosuke's face became serious as he leaned close and said softly. "I heard you've apprehended the man behind the attack at Kisuragi Girl's. I'd like to speak to him."
"Now why would an honest businessman like yourself, need to talk to someone like him?" The chief said grinning even wider. "Surely you don't think we'd let you so close to a dangerous criminal, do you? Please think about your safety sir."
"I simply wish to express to him how greatly his actions have inconvenienced my father and me. My associates are here to make sure he behaves." Shinosuke responded, motioning to the men behind him. "I simply want to talk to him and try to persuade him to choose another path in life. Be assured Chief. We won't need to lay a hand on him."
The Section Chief went silent as he pondered what to do. "I want an officer in there as well. Detective Kimura is working this case. He'll accompany you."
"That's fine. I've always liked Kimura. He's a good man. He's one of the few policemen in this station that treated me civilly when you dragged me in here before."
Turning to the receptionist, the Chief said. "Contact Kimura. Have him bring the suspect to interrogation room 3. We'll be joining them there." Turning back to Shinosuke, he added. "It will be a few minutes until the suspect is ready. May I get you or your men something to drink?"
"That would be nice. Thank you Chief." Shinosuke replied as they were led out of the lobby.
oOo
Yuki looked up from her book at a knock on her door. Her eyes grew wide when she saw who was standing there. "Ms. Himuro! Please, come in!"
"Hello Miss Azuma." She said, approaching the bed, followed by Konosuke. "You appear to be in good spirits. I'm glad. I don't believe you two have met yet. This is Chairman Takasugi."
"It nice to meet you Chairman." Yuki said giving a little bow. "I'm Yuki Azuma. Thank you for you consideration in coming to see me."
"It is my pleasure." He said with a twinkle in his eye. "I'll never complain about spending time with a beautiful young woman. I only wish the circumstance for my visit were happier."
"As do I." Ms. Himuro added. "This is a tragic thing to have happen to you, Miss Azuma. Are you doing all right?"
"Yes Ma'am." She replied with a smile. "I'm trying not to be discouraged by this, but it's been hard. I don't think I can come through this unchanged, so I want it to be a change for the better. Thank you for coming to see me. It means a lot to me that you interrupted your busy day like this" Yuki paused a moment, and looking down added. "Um, Ms. Himuro, I don't mean to put you on the spot, but did the Coach tell you about my parents?"
The Chairperson was silent as she sat down in the chair next to the bed. She met Yuki's uneasy look with one of gentle warmth. "Yes he did. I think evicting you like that is unpardonable. You haven't done anything to deserve being treated in such a cruel manner. I talked with the doctor last night, and he believes you'll recover from this. However, even if you do get the use of your legs back, there's a good chance you'll need to use a wheelchair until your broken back is somewhat healed. That being the case, Mr. Mita and I feel it would be impossible for you to return to the dorms." She paused a moment, seeing the panicked look on Yuki's face.
"Are you saying I can't come back to school? Are you taking away my scholarship?" The young woman said alarmed. "I'll be able to play! The doctor said I should be completely healed by July! Can't you give me a little time?" Tears filled her eyes as she pleaded. "Ms. Himuro, school is all I have left! Please don't take that away from me too!"
Ms. Himuro stood, and then sat gently on the bed. Taking the girl's hand in her left, she gently caressed Yuki's face with her right. "Please don't misunderstand Miss Azuma. Your place at school is secure. The faculty would want my head if I tried to do that. Your gentle heart has won you a lot of fans there, myself included. I believe that if you had lost your scholarship, your instructors would have pooled their money to pay for your tuition. They were outraged to hear about you being cast from your home. Forgive me, I meant nothing sinister with that statement. I simply meant that living in the dorm is not an option for you at this time. What I would like to propose is that you come live with Izumi and me for the interim of your recovery."
Yuki's face held an expression of disbelief. She said nothing, only sat there open-mouthed. Finally finding her voice, she said quietly. "The Coach thought you might do this, but I never really believed him. Are you sure Ms. Himuro? I don't want to burden you or Izumi."
"I'm positive." She replied with a reassuring smile. "I'm looking forward to it. Izumi will be pleased as well. I told your father off by promising I would take care of you, and I always live up to my promises."
"In that case, I would love to come live with you!"
"Wonderful!" Ms. Himuro said standing. "I'll start preparing the room for your arrival."
"Ms. Himuro, wait a little before you make a lot of changes to your home. I'm going to have surgery tonight to mend my broken vertebrae, so I may not need a wheelchair. I would still love to come stay with you and Izumi, but give me a day to see how things go."
"This is the first I've heard of this." She said with concern. "Has anyone informed your parents about this?"
"The doctor said they signed the consent forms last night. They left knowing I faced this possibility." Yuki replied downcast.
"Very well." Ms. Himuro said, giving Yuki an encouraging smile. "I'll put off building the ramp until we know for sure we need it. I'll be back here tonight before you go into surgery. It always helps to know someone's waiting. I'm sure Izumi will also want to be here."
"I'll be going down to pre-op at eight o'clock. The doctor said I should be out of surgery by ten." She said, looking expectantly at the woman. Then looking down, she added uneasily. "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you possibly be here when I wake up?"
"That's part of taking care of you Miss Azuma." She replied with a gentle smile. "We still need to go see Amy, so if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way."
"Wait! Ms. Himuro?" She called. When the woman turned back, she met her gaze resolutely as she added. "If I'm going to come live with you, I think I'd like it if you called me Yuki. Would that be all right?"
"It's more than all right, Yuki." The Chairperson replied with a wide smile. "It would be my pleasure. I was waiting for you to tell me that. I'm glad you're comfortable enough around me to feel that way. Try not to worry too much, and get some sleep. I'll see you tonight."
They walked out of the room, and nearly collided with the nurse reading Yuki's chart. When Shinobu looked at her with a smile, Ms. Himuro noticed the young woman's eyes were glistening, and smiled back as she thought. 'You've made another friend, haven't you Yuki?' Then said out loud. "Take good care of her Miss. She's something special."
Shinobu bowed, saying, "Yes Ma'am. I feel the same way! Thank you for taking her into your home. I felt so bad for her when I heard her parents had left."
"It's the only thing I could do." She replied. "Please excuse me, but I have another student to visit today." Then she and Konosuke made their way to the elevator.
oOo
Amy's grandmother was leaning over, brushing a strand of hair from the girl's face, when she awoke. "Grandma. How long was I asleep?"
"Only about an hour and a half." She said gently caressing the girl's face. "I'm sorry I woke you."
"That's ok. Where's Mom?" She asked, looking around the room.
"She went with her friend to get something to eat." She said pulling the chair closer. "How are you dear?"
"I've been better." Amy replied with a grin that quickly changed to a grimace with pain from her swollen cheek. "Those guys really worked me over." Looking over to the next bed, she added. "How's Grandpa?"
"He's still sleeping." The old woman said looking over at him. "The doctor came in to check on him, and said he should be fine. It was such a relief to hear that."
"What time is it?" Amy asked looking for a clock.
"It's just two thirty. Why?"
"The teams' game has started already then." She replied regretfully. "I really wanted to see it."
A knock on the door interrupted them. Ms. Himuro strode in followed by Chairman Takasugi. "Good afternoon, Amy. I brought someone who wanted to meet you."
Amy's Grandma stood, disbelief on her face. "Konosuke?"
"Oh my goodness, is that you Masako?" He replied equally stunned. "What a delightful surprise! It's been what, nearly forty years!"
"You know this woman, Chairman?" Ms. Himuro asked.
"Of course Keiko." He said warmly. "One doesn't forget his first love."
oOo
A/N: My apologies for taking so long to update. I hope I didn't lose anyone by the delay. I promise I haven't abandoned it. I just have other things demanding my time, not to mention having a period of serious writer's block. Next chapter should be fun. The girls play their game, and Mao will have the spotlight for a change. Please be patient for the next chapter, as I can't say how soon it will appear. I can only promise that it will. OMS.