Chapter 9

Tora had been about to finish up at work when he'd received the text from Misaki telling him that she'd run into one of their old high school friends, Takumi Walker, and that due to problems with their commercial flight, she would be returning home via his private jet. Tora was happy to know he'd get to see his girlfriend earlier than expected, but he had an unsettling feeling about her spending such a long flight with her travel companion.

Before he'd met Misaki, Tora would have been described as a spoiled playboy. He had always been given every material object his heart could desire, but his parents were busy and important people and it was made clear, at a very early age, that their son would always play second fiddle to the family business. The rejection and lack of love made Tora bitter and gave him the impression people could not have real bonds or connections. Relationships were fleeting. Once you got out of them what you desired, it was time to move on. Generally, he bored with people easily and he found his life to be one large, empty void.

He'd met Misaki almost by chance. They didn't attend the same school and they didn't mingle in the same social circles. What they did have in common was a passion for student government, a strong academic record, superior athletic talents and they lived in the same ward in Tokyo. When they'd first met, he'd behaved abominable and she was already in a relationship with Takumi. Yet he was drawn to her. He watched her from a distance at first. He was taken by her relationship with Takumi. Tora had know a Takumi for years. Their families had some business connections and truth be told the two men had a lot in common. Both were rich, talented, handsome and completely and utterly alone. They were both rejected by family and were struggling through life not understanding how to form and maintain emotional connections to others.

As he watched Misaki, he saw Takumi change. Takumi was not nearly as outgoing as Tora, so his social ineptitude displayed itself in an entirely different manner. Tora openly used people, bullied others to get his own way, and acquired a reputation as someone to be feared. Takumi, on the other hand, subtly manipulated his surrounding to control others, obtained his way through charm, and acquired a reputation as someone that you'd do anything for to make sure he liked you. They were very much alike, but they appeared to others as polar opposites. But Tora watched as Misaki seemed to slowly mold Takumi. It was extraordinary and it made Tora all the more fascinated by this girl with big hazel eyes.

Even from afar, Misaki was influencing Tora. He found himself rethinking his approach to life and striving to act in a way that might make him worthy of her attention. He knew it was hopeless. She was in love with another man. But maybe, if he could improve himself, he could earn her friendship.

Tora had attended a very prestigious high school and was offered admissions to some of the top universities in the world. Tora knew, however, that he was able to learn most things on his own. What he really could not grasp, and what he desperately needed to learn, required that he be near Misaki. He enrolled in the college she was attending. It was not a University without prestige, but it was not as well renowned as his family had wished. She had selected the school because it was affordable. Tora's family was disappointed, but the apathy they had toward their son meant that he rarely had to face any struggles when choosing a path they saw as less than ideal. Thus he was allowed to follow Misa to college.

Tora slowly managed to develop a friendship with Misaki during their undergraduate studies. It had not been easy. She viewed him with suspicion and not without reason. But slowly, as their acquaintance grew, she could see the change in his behavior. His haughty ways were becoming a thing of the past and the spoiled, rude, arrogant playboy she had met was growing into a thoughtful and kind man.

The undergraduate years ended and a Tora followed Misaki onto graduate school. Their friendship deepened and Tora came to care for Misaki so greatly that he wanted only her happiness. He recognized her love for Takumi and he couldn't deny that Takumi seemed to care as much about her as he himself did. It looked as though Takumi was going to be a permanent part of Misaki's life. If Tora wanted to be part of her life as well, he would need to also become close to Takumi. He offered an olive branch to, and worked to build a relationship with, Takumi. It wasn't easy. Takumi was attending professional school outside of the country and a Takumi was not oblivious to Tora's feelings for Misaki. Eventually Takumi could see that Tora had accepted his role as the friend with an unrequited love and the two suitors were able to develop a friendship of sorts. Then, Takumi did the unthinkable.

It had happened about a year before her accident. It had been around the fifth anniversary of Takumi and Misa's first date. Misaki had flown out to surprise her boyfriend and came home with a broken heart. Tora couldn't understand. He broke off all ties with Takumi. He could not forgive him for hurting her like that. For six months he was the shoulder to cry on and the friend that dragged her out of the house rather than letting her wallow in self pity and depression. He made sure she was fed and stayed on task with her studies. He would do anything to erase her pain. He had no intention of taking advantage of the situation. His unrequited love was not of importance. All that mattered was bringing back the smile that he believed could move Heaven and Earth.

It was Misaki that made the first move. He'd never expected it. It had been six months and she told him that she'd wanted to go up to the roof top of her old high school. Apparently it held a lot of memories for her and Takumi. Tora didn't want her to go alone. He was worried she'd try to jump. Instead, when they got there, she took all the pictures she had of Takumi from a bag and began tearing them into small pieces. She walked to the edge of the roof and threw them from the rooftop. The wind picked up and scattered the small bits of paper like confetti. "I've also deleted all my digital picture of him." She said, a small sad smile on her lips. "I've decided I want to move on. I want to make new memories. I want to live." That's when she reached up and pulled his lips to hers. He knew he was just a rebound. He was a way for her to forget. But if he could help her, the cost didn't matter.

They dated for six months and in that time he became hopelessly in love. He had thought he had loved her before, but this new feeling made any feelings from the past feel meaningless. He could see that thoughts of Takumi were still in her mind. While she might one day grow to love him, she would never feel about him the way he felt about her. The feelings he had came but once in a lifetime and for her, Takumi had been the lucky recipient of that gift. But he still had more than he had ever expected. She had allowed him to love her. For that, he was grateful. He willingly gave over his whole heart and prayed for the mere chance that someday he might be able to capture just a small sliver of hers.

It was nearly a year to that fateful day, when her heart had been broken, that the accident occurred. He was still haunted by the last words she'd said when she climbed behind the wheel. When he heard about the accident, his world was shattered. He dropped out of school, he stopped eating, he was beside himself. He spent every hour he was allowed in her hospital room holding her hand, reading to her, playing music for her. She was in a coma for close to nine months. The doctors said she couldn't hear or feel anything but he couldn't, he wouldn't, believe that. They did not know Misaki and her determination.

Tora became close to Misaki's family. They appreciated the care and devotion he'd shown to Misaki. He paid for specialists to be flown in and he paid for any experimental treatments her mother thought might be successful. The doctor's were not optimistic about her outcome. Even if she did survive, they said, it was unlikely she would be anything like her former self. Physically, she would recover, but the brain damage had been extensive.

Misski's mother brought Tora a gift one day. She knew he would be by her daughter's bedside and she handed him the present with a bit of sadness. She knew it was unlikely that her daughter would survive or be the woman that this young man had grown to love so passionately. She saw that he was still so young and had the chance to move on and find someone that would be able to bring him happiness. She felt helpless to save her daughter, but maybe she could help save this young man who had done so much for her family. "Sometimes, the kindest thing to do, is to help someone let go," she said as he took the package. She left the hospital to give him some time alone.

The gift was Misaki's diary. It contained an account of her relationship with a Takumi. Mrs. Ayuzawa had not given it to hurt him. She had hoped that by reading it, he would come to understand that Misaki was not in love with him. Maybe with that, Tora would be able to move on. She didn't know that Tora was already painfully aware that Misaki's heart belonged to another. Rather than having the intended effect, her gift inspired Tora to redouble his efforts to bring Misaki back from the land of the unconscious. He read the journal to her out loud repeatedly, hoping that her love and passion for a Takumi would make her fight for her life.

She heard his voice and his words despite the doctor's warnings. She began to remember the passion and love she had experienced. She began to fight. She wanted to live. She wanted to love. Slowly she began to show more signs of consciousness and to everyone's amazement she did eventually wake up. Her rehabilitation was slow and arduous but Tora was constantly by her side supporting and encouraging her. Misaki recovered her function but her long term memories were spotty. It didn't matter to a Tora. She was still the same smart, kind, feisty, determined, and unpredictable Misaki. As she recovered, the pair resumed their relationship. Misaki began to look at Tora in a way that he never expected she could. He wasn't entirely sure what had changed but he hoped that his love and devotion had allowed her heart to open up more.

He started to notice about a year ago, that she would sometimes make odd statements. While visiting her high school, she told him it was one of her favorite places because it brought forth all of their shared memories. They did share some memories at this location, but not as many as they had shared at University. Every time she made one of these comments, a little sliver of doubt planted itself in his mind. He wondered if it was possible that Misaki had somehow confused him with a Takumi. It was entirely possible he was simply being paranoid. Even if he was not, she had lost a year of her life to that car accident and she had lost six months to her heartbreak. She had given up on her dream of practicing law. He was not about to forcefully open her wound once again. He wanted her to love him for who he was and the thought that her new found feelings might be because she thought he was Takumi made his heart ache, but he'd ignore his pain if that is what she needed. Then he would remind himself that he didn't even know if that was what she was doing. Frankly, he didn't want to know. All that he knew was that if she could regain her smile, he would play any part or fulfill any role.

Now, he had received her text. Takumi had waltzed back into her life. Tora had an unsettling feeling about this. He kept replaying the final words she'd said before the accident. He wasn't worried about losing Misaki. He knew now that he would always be a part of her life. He had long ago made peace that the role he would get to play in her life might not be the role he'd hoped for. He was worried for her well being. He was worried that Takumi, probably without any malice or ill intent, would once again manage to destroy the life and soul of the woman he loved. Tora called Suzuna after reading the text. He asked her if he could pick Misaki up from the airport. He told Suzuna he wanted to surprise her. Suzuna had agreed. It was now three in the morning in Japan, and Tora was on his way to the airport.

Thanks for all the new reviews! I even got a new story followers. Yippie! What was it .misa said right before that accident? Why did he keep going back to that? Totally separate note... I'm so confused sometimes - like there was roughly 140 people (visitors) that read chapter 4, but the chapters 5 and 6 it drops down to the 80s. Okay that's understandable. But here's what's weird, chapter 7 then goes back up to 116. Do people skip chapters? If so how do they follow it? Are chapters 5 and 6 just boring? How did they know they'd be boring without visiting them to skim? I'm not surprised to see the numbers drop over time but I can't understand why they would go back up mid-story. Thoughts?

Anyway... Tora's not so bad right? Plot has been mapped out and I have a feeling I'll be lynched in the end. Pretty sure you will not see it coming. I'm a bit stuck on how to write one bit which is slowing me down. Maybe I'll just be less graphic so the story doesn't stall.