THE PASSING WIND

-TheSilentReader-

Ito ay isang pugay sa lahat ng nagsipagtapos ngayong taon

Sa mga magigiting at matatapang na itinaas ang luntian at pula

Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan!

The truth will set you free. In that case, she should have been caged forever.

With determination, I shall be the one to release her from such cage. She thought that she freed herself from their influence; but in reality, they only staged a bigger cage for her, one she could never notice, and let her do whatever she wanted, not knowing that the sky she thought to be boundless was limited.

I've been in that cage once, and found myself freed from it by myself. I saw her in that same cage, struggling to get free. Many times I denied myself from helping her; she must do this herself. I got out of that cage—yet, should I show the way for her?

Because everything she did to be free is killing her.

CHAPTER 4:

Yumi stood up from the pavement the moment Sachiko tried to touch her hand. Although she was very much aware of her proverbial older sister trying to reconnect with her, she was not comfortable with the idea that she was staying more than she should. Today had been a very ominous one. She just dreamt of her then she appeared before her. The painter looked at Sachiko blankly and said, "We should not be talking about our past. What was done was done. You surely moved on with it quickly. To explain ourselves would not bring back what we had before. But if you were asking for forgiveness, I'm afraid that you won't find it here. It's much too soon."

Sachiko stood by herself, since Yumi was not offering her hands. The latter opened the door, and said to the former, "We must go. I'm staying here more than I should."

She had no choice.

When Yumi closed the door after Sachiko got inside, Sachiko's patience with Yumi's indifferent attitude snapped. It was not only the past that changed her entirely, even her present was messing up her life. She could not fathom that she was not able to recognize her little sister and once lover over this woman. Yumi was descending the stairs without recognizing Sachiko's presence. In frustration, she cried at Yumi, "What happened to you? Where is the sweet, kind Yumi that I used to know since high school?"

Yumi stopped walking. "I thought you would never ask," she spat without looking back at her. "Lying bitches such as you killed her."

Nine years ago

She kissed her deeply and quickly that she was not sure whether to respond or to stop themselves. Onee-sama was quiet ever since they've been walking to the greenhouse. She was confused of why her older sister was behaving this way—it should have been otherwise—since she'd just graduated from high school and would pursue Fine Arts degree in Lillian University. She was not talking at her ever since the ceremony had finished. She just asked to talk privately.

Now, it came to this.

Yumi was happy she was beet red all over and she felt that she was sensitive of the places Sachiko had touched her. "Onee-sama," she breathed after their lips parted; she still felt the hot moisture of Sachiko's lips from her. "Do not joke about this. Please."

Yumi could not look at her, because if ever Sachiko was just teasing her heart, then it could be too much painful for her. Sachiko opened her eyes to something that she was not aware before. Probably to something that she tried to neglect over and over. She never knew, until now, that she wanted her older sister more than the common sisterhood, but of a unique, rare, and of pure kind. She must have loved her like a soulmate.

"Do you think I'm joking about this?" Sachiko whispered to her ear and embraced her tightly.

Yumi's mind had so many things running in her mind—but those were nullified by Sachiko's embrace. She still could not fathom that, somehow, they were now treading on a path that Sachiko herself would initiate.

"All I know is that, Onee-sama, I love you. All this time. But, it would be better if we shouldn't be doing this. But you—"

Yumi was reluctant to submit to Sachiko's silent offer—it was very evident upon her actions. It was evident that Sachiko had been seducing her the moment they went inside the greenhouse. It was not because she doesn't like what was happening now—it was more like she's more concerned with the future.

"I love you, too, Yumi."

Yumi could not argue with such a declaration. At last, her love was received.

Present day

A call interrupted Yumi. She reached for her pocket and flipped her phone. "What now? No, not at all."

Sachiko was still in shock after hearing Yumi's harsh description of her.

"Witness? Wait, I'll go right away." She closed her phone and put it into her pocket. Then she continued to walk.

Sachiko did not say anything, and just followed Yumi. After all these years of not seeing her, she thought that after all this time, Yumi's anger would somehow diminish. She thought that Yumi would forgive her, and accept her again, even as a friend. But it seemed that time did not heal Yumi's wounds. She had not heard from anyone from the Yamayurikai ever since the marriage. She just trusted her old memories about Yumi, thinking that talking to her would be easy.

By the time they reached the ground floor, only Sachiko stepped out of the elevator. Yumi remained and directly looked at her, she said, "If you want to see the rest of the gallery besides the old rooftop, you can ask one of the curators over that counter for your personal indulgence. Please appreciate and support the new artists. But if you don't have any business here, you could see yourself out." She smiled widely.

The doors closed, while Sachiko watched Yumi retain the smile on her face. Such a fake smile. Yet, even though they met again, Sachiko did not fulfill her goal: Yumi's acceptance of her apology.

Yoshino waited for her at the lobby of the police station. It was obvious the private investigator was very pissed, the fact that Yumi was wearing the smirk that Yoshino did not want to see. She was reminded of the gag that the painter had put her through. Being late, that was inconceivable. Yumi knew that she's like a ticked-off atomic bomb about punctuality, and Yumi just went on her taunting, not caring even if Yoshino had an axe to butcher her.

(Yes, she was that mad.)

"What?" Yumi asked rather abruptly.

Yet, after she called Yumi, she felt that there was something wrong about her best friend's gait. The negativity that emanated from the artist's body was unusually more malevolent than before. "What happened?"

Yumi was very good at dismissing Yoshino using her expressionless voice, but the lines upon her face could betray her. "I was in the middle of a meeting, Yoshino. Now, shall we proceed?"

They walked towards the elevator, and Yoshino was kind enough to stop the door from closing for those others that were rushing to the compartment like rabid dogs. Yumi just put her hands on her pockets, not mindful of the people around her.

Yoshino, being the meddler of the two, prodded bravely before other people fill the elevator. "I was hearing gusts of wind. Either you're at a rooftop, or you're in front of air-condition, or at a middle of a windstorm while talking to me."

Yumi gave her shocked expression, as if having eureka moment, "You don't say."

Yoshino rolled her eyes away. "Do not say that sentence ever again. I heard enough from Yuuki-san."

"I've no doubt that he's my brother."

"Whatever."

The compartment was now filled with people, uniformed and otherwise. Yoshino was lucky enough to observe that all others would vacate a floor before them. With that, she attacked again. "Now who was with you then?"

Even when the elevator closed, Yumi still did not answer her. That could only mean one thing. "Oh."

(What exactly was Yoshino thinking?)

Yumi thought that Yoshino assumed that she was with someone. Thinking of it sounds nearly improbable for her social situation, but not impossible. If Yoshino had been thinking that way, then . . . she would just go with the flow. She'd just let the insurance agent think of whatever she wanted to think.

Yumi sighed, and looked at the former Rosa Foetida with a forced smirk. "Yes, I'm with someone. You deserve a medal for smelling the general idea, Shimazu-san. Now, where's the witness?" she asked as they entered the floor.

"There he is." Yoshino pointed to the man sitting at the receiving area, who was talking to Yuuki.

Yumi narrowed her eyes. "I think I saw him before."

"He's from Hanadera Academy. He's Yuuki-san's sempai, Kashiwagi Suguru." Yoshino said, as she received a folder from a uniformed officer.

"Sempai?" Yumi narrowed her eyes. She had seen him before, and if her memory were accurate enough, he used to fetch Yuuki from the house for the reason of council activities—if he were Yuuki's sempai, as depicted in the tradition of the Hanadera council.

(Being the Rosa Chinensis, remembering that information was easy.)

"You probably know that he's one of the patrons of the gallery." Yoshino descreetly informed.

Yumi jerked slightly, "My bad."

(She obviously did not know that.)

Yuuki saw her, and asked her to advance to his worktable. They were formally introduced by Yuuki. She replied with a small bow and raised her hand to shake his. "Kashiwagi Suguru, thank you for your cooperation. I heard you're my brother's sempai back at Hanadera. Thank you for supporting the museum as one of our benefactors. I should have known."

"Yes, I was his kouhai. It's an honor to meet you. I admire your works. Particularly The Passing Wind."

She thought of a better answer for that praise. He's a sponsor? His gait would not expose it. "Ugh, thanks. Many would pick that one."

"Many critics were saying that it expresses bliss and freedom. But it was the opposite, wasn't it?"

She was not sure if he was not an art critic, but for the first time, someone guessed it right. He beamed as he spoke those words, but the enthusiasm expressed by his lips did not reach his eyes. She moved a step away from this man named Kashiwagi. She guarded.

Away with you. Scary man.

Sachiko stood in front of The Deformed, another of Yumi's works. She had been staring at it for the rest of the afternoon, not minding the intensifying pain on her knees. Against her wits, she repeatedly played everything that happened that afternoon, from the moment she stepped on the gallery to the point that she was escorted away by Yumi. Sachiko felt Yumi the same as before—the smoothness of her chestnut hair, her petite figure, the strong smell of paint upon her hands and clothes. But she was not the same as she last seen her years ago.

She could not help but to embrace her the moment she saw Yumi. Even if with all her might, she must not do so. Seeing her face, she could not help it. But her words were tormenting her ever since Yumi spoke it—

"Ogasawara Sachiko, at last you had the nerve to come here unannounced."

She looked away from the painting, turning her head side to side, as she inspected her surroundings. She noticed several spectators of the Nihonga section, but she observed none of her acquaintance. Turning around, she saw a figure, wearing a white collared-shirt with its sleeves rolled up her elbows, and long legs covered with coffee-colored pants. Her blonde hair reached almost her lower back. Her bangs did not cover the heated stare of her gray eyes. She was sitting at a black cushioned bench at the middle of the Nihonga wing, facing one of Yumi's pieces. Her hands supported her lean upper body. "Sei-sama." She bowed, but she was interrupted. Her respects were not recognized by her sempai.

Satou Sei did not waste any time, "What do you want with Fukuzawa-san?"

"I beg your pardon?"

She was not moved by Sachiko's invented ignorance. "You might have heard the news. Her painting was stolen, thanks very much. Now, she's been receiving guests. How charming. When would be the next visit; when you see in the news that she's dead?"

Sachiko felt her sempai's antagonism towards her, even though she had no idea what caused Sei to be hostile. Yet, in annoyance to the sempai's last bold statement, she gritted, "What a very rude assumption for a very much alive person."

"Only I can assume that. What about you, have you seen her in a near-death state?"

Lying bitches such as you killed her.

"I . . ." Sei's words suddenly blocked Sachiko's train of thought.

"I thought so. Why now? Why not ages ago?" Sei demanded loathingly. She could not even try to diverge her eyes from the raven-haired lady, who was clearly taken off-guard with Sei's succession of questions. The rest of the visitors seemed not to be hearing them. She decided that Sei evidently knew something of their personal past. From the senior's tone of voice, she had an unambiguous picture of every detail that happened. The problem was when did she learn about it? Still Sei continued, "Did you think that Fukuzawa-kun will let herself be found so weak and helpless? What a strange assumption of mine . . . thinking that you used this kind of situation to lure her again. But the question is: did you succeed?"

She tried to find an avenue to avoid those questions; therefore, she proceeded with another tactic. "Why should I not visit my petite soeur?"

Sei stood up from where she sat, walked in front of Sachiko to invade most of her personal space as she whispered, "Haven't you noticed? She no longer considers you as her onee-sama. I've seen so many kinds of relationship between Lillian soeurs, but yours and Fukuzawa's is unique."

"What do you mean?"

"How does it feel . . . to wrap your arms around the heat of an old flame?" Sei rhetorically dramatized her words, shocking not only Sachiko, but a few random persons lurking along the Nihonga section near them. "That's not how normal soeur sisters feel."

When did she learn that? From Yumi? "Then, what are you now, her new Onee-sama?"

She snuffled against Sachiko's face, "I don't even dare wish it." She then took steps back away from Sachiko. Sei's eyes drifted quickly to Yumi's painting then to her adversary. "Gokigenyou. Enjoy the view."

After Sei left her, she could not tell how long she had been standing in front of The Deformed. She was particularly vexed after talking to Sei. Sei's presence and words just dabbed salt to the wound that still not healing. She looked at the painting, trying not to burst to tears. She stood there, trying to decipher the meaning behind Sei's actions. She was repeatedly eying the painting as she talked to Sachiko, as if some sort of a message had been vandalized upon it.

Yumi's work was hanging by the wall, depicting an old woman wearing a very old, tattered kimono, trying to walk along an empty sidewalk. She frail back was crouched in a very acute angle, and one of the sleeves of the kimono seemed empty. However, a little child was holding one of her hands, leading the way. However, the child was leading them in darker vicinity, while at the bent back of the old lady scattered light.

Then she shook her head. Cryptic and cruel as Satou Sei may be, she would not be dissuaded in seeing Yumi once more.

She had fought the times that she wanted to see Yumi again. It was for the best, for her and for the painter, yet for the last years, she schemed to see her little sister. She needed her forgiveness. She wanted to personally ask her if she were doing fine. She wanted Yumi to be a part of her life once more, just like the old high school years. Yet, Yumi did not want her anymore.

Her legs then began to buck as pain seeped from her calves to her knees. She could not find her way to go back home; she did not want to see anyone from the office, from her family, and even her husband. He would surely know it. The sudden desire of looking once more outside the impossibilities. The thought of going to the dark side of the frame, attended by an unknown and naïve child, trusting her with all her strength, as she struggled to walk even though her back was aching. Even though she knew that, she was lacking, like she lost an arm. Like that woman in the painting.

She looked at her watch. It was time for her to depart. She looked yet again to the old woman's expression—she could not interpret it. She then turned around to find her way outside the gallery when she saw a man was sitting on the same spot where Sachiko had found Sei.

The man said, "She had no choice. She knew where they were going, but the child was eager to proceed. In conclusion, she's ready to meet her doom." He adjusted his glasses as he explained.

"Fascinating." Sachiko tried to smile.

"Yes, indeed. Fukuzawa's works were very literal upon sight, but painted very contrasting passion of her subjects." He agreed, without looking at her.

"True." She then went outside, unable to prevent her eyes from watering.

Yoshino sighed as she looked at the transcript of the testimonies of the suspects. "It's no use extracting information from them. All of the members were actually captured. Appears to have an unknown instigator." Acrosss her worktable was Yuuki, who had been reading the same copy of the document.

"Then this investigation has nowhere to go." Yuuki mumbled.

Both dismissed each other's presence to concentrate on their own thoughts. Yuuki, being the police officer had more pressing cases other that her sister's missing painting, but in Yoshino's case, it would be otherwise. She must find the painting for the sake of insurance. It would not be too much of a big deal for him, but instead, he was still finding some sort of an avenue to connect the robbery to something else logical. Did it have to do with her?

It was supposed to be very easy to know everything that was related to the painting and its maker, since she knew Fukuzawa Yumi back from high school years, but even with that advantage, she could not find any opportunity to continue the case. Fukuzawa Yumi had substantial connections in the art world, and they were strictly in respect to the craft itself, not in respect of money. She remained to Musashino, even though she was very welcome to continue her craft in Kyoto, or somewhere else more lucrative. Yet, she stayed here. What good staying here in Musashino would do for her? Would that be because of her few, very intimate friends?

(Yoshino bitterly realized that she was not anymore inside that circle, no matter how small the world they were in.)

She would start with the closest ones. Satou Sei. They were together since high school, and reunited on the end of third year of Yumi's collegian years. Ever since, Satou Sei had never been away from her. She had been some sort of a mentor, particularly after she came back from Kyoto.

Next: Fukuzawa Yuuki. Not at all related to Nihonga world. Almost followed his father's footsteps.

(She tried not to look at the man in front of her, as she read his profile. God knows where her associates found this data.)

Another: Matsudaira Touko. Not at all related to the art world. A medical student. Not once had visited the gallery for personal correspondence. (Must have been visiting Yumi's flat.) Never disclosed information about her grande souer.

Next: Her boss. Yumi has been recommended by Satou Sei to have her first exhibit at the gallery itself. Had his eyes on Yumi's potential ever since Yumi was a college art student. Somehow, she put up with Yumi, and granted her several commissions on restoration ever since. The owner of the gallery. Could not convince Fukuzawa to sell her paintings. (Must have been keeping her for her talent.)

One more: Hinomura Takuya. Yumi's old mentor at Kyoto. A professor and a Nihonga painter. She stayed with him as an apprentice for a year for her thesis. Also helped her to register several major and minor subjects at a university at Kyoto to continue her studies, which were accredited at Lillian University.

But most of her associates had little relation to the painting. She must have a talk with them. Sei-sama is easy to find but hard to talk to; Yuuki is easy to find and easy to talk to, as it was with his girlfriend; But with the last two, she was not sure.

She had that painting shown to the public at her second exhibition. Only that. Then, it was loaned to the gallery.

Yumi was known for her mastery at Modern Nihonga, and was infamous at the University for her dual-option in her art major—she pursued a thesis option apart from the general exhibition that most students had chosen. Somehow, she graduated on time. Known to her sempai's and kouhai's as open, cheerful, and honest. Recognized by professors and few institutions as a true genius in modern Nihonga, as soon as she took it as a major. Quite accomplished, even at an early career.

Looking at the detective, she asked very decidedly, "That painting . . . what is it to her?"

Yuuki looked at her with a bleak smile.

Yet, amidst the list of the people Yumi had been significally associated with, why is it that Ogasawara Sachiko, Yumi's beloved onee-sama, was not among them? Was unrequited love inevitably hurt Fukuzawa Yumi that much to the point of never seeing her again?

Satou Sei looked at him with surprise as she scanned the documents upon her hands. The look at her boss' face was very enthusiastic in accepting this kind of offer.

Sei was sitting down in one of the office's long couches, hardly looking at the person beside her. She had met this person just this day, and tried to hide her discomfort. She smiled widely as she shifted upon the sofa. Since the boss had other visitors inside the room, she would not generally force her objection to her boss' orders; some of the gallery's benefactors, in their impeccable attire and imposing bearing, were inside the room, and had wildly supported the proposal that was given to Sei.

"Is this final?" Sei asked.

"Yes. Soon as she'd finish the last commission you gave to her, she would be proceeding in restoring those paintings. Besides, it would only be just the proper procedure before the paintings would be displayed to the public. Even though she'd just sweeping dust or anything superficial. Still, those paintings are a great deal for the gallery. It's a win-win situation."

Then their employer looked at her, "So, please tell Fukuzawa-kun about it."

"Does she have a choice?"

"Satou Sei-kun."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure."

The boss beamed. "I expect a positive answer as soon as possible. Well then, Satou-kun, off you go."

She stood up, bowed down to the benefactors and to her boss, and strode off the room with the documents in tow. With the new commission, things would get busy for her junior. Week after week of restoring several artworks were very monotonous (as Yumi commented about it), but she was contented with that, given that she was not busy with her own works. Two years have passed and not a single painting was finished.

She might even forget about that lost painting for a while. But how can she forget?

Well, at least she had more restoring to do than to wait for her muse to join her in her studio. Or anyplace that Yumi would visit. Whenever she asked the painter why she had been no finished painting from her, she would just say, "Nothing worthy to paint."

(What a petty excuse.)

The boss demanded that she'd tell Yumi of the new commission, but does it have to be now? She had so many things to do, like visit an old friend. Or get drunk again.

She walked along long lines of paintings. Life could be as simple as walking down the same colored path. She spent almost an hour just loitering around the museum. When she was about passing at the Nihonga section, she had the mood again to look at Yumi's paintings. When she was about to enter the wing, she saw Kashiwagi just took a step into her field of vision, and sat down at the same bench in front of The Deformed.

Sei proceeded on walking and greeted the gallery's sponsor. "Kashiwagi-sama,"

"Satou-san, would you mind?"

"No, not at all. I rather watch it while standing."

"Very well."

Both gazed at the painting. Then Sei spoke, "Those paintings must have a very great deal to you."

"Of course. I would not let anyone touch them that easily."

"So it would seem."

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N: This is the first time Kashiwagi and Yumi met. In this AU, Suguru rarely and insignificantly appeared during Yumi and Sachiko's highschool days.

This chapter seemed to be filler, before I give a more relevant chapter next time. I hope I did not bore you with this one. It was really hard getting into Sachiko's character—the fact that she's almost perfect. Her character in the canon is what we call the true character development. It was even hard to extract emotions from her, without sounding so cliché and repetitive. Please let me know if I pulled her off beyond the usual character. I'm dying to read a reaction with this one.

Thank you for those who read, support and comment about this story! I hope I'm still keeping your curiosity after you read chapter by chapter. I hope I could read your opinions about the development of the story. Thanks!