Disclaimer: I don't own Majikoi or its respective content and creators. I only have my OC.
As Always Give Me All Your Thoughts On This Chapter In Your Reviews!
Review Shoutouts
The Storyteller993 – You'll see…
The embodiment of weirdness – I'll try and stick to my one-week update momentum, but no absolute promises. Still hope you enjoy what's to come.
MightMakeAccount – All in all not really friend. In fact it was just me being pensive, in fact it was my own indecisiveness on that to do in the previous chapter is what delayed it by nearly two weeks instead of going on my usual one-week update.
But still thank you for enjoying the story despite me essentially writing the original story, but I added my own touch to it. So I hope you guys enjoyed that to.
Also, I think you should make an account.
Majikoi – Love Me Seriously - Kazuko Route
Daughter of Kawakami – Part 15
A Young Girl's Choice – Part 2
September 2nd, 2009, Wednesday
I'm sorry everyone…
I knew better… I know this will hurt the others even more… but I made a promise. That's what's important right now.
The problem is that Kazuko got a head start on me by a day's worth and now I've got to find her.
The White Home. Province A in City H… To be honest I don't know why they described it like that. I mean really Minatosoft. But no more fourth-wall breaking this is serious.
Narrowing it down and after a quick search of Kazuko and Gen's old orphanage I cam to figure out that it was located in Akita Prefecture in northern Honshu in Sendai and after some process of elimination I found out it was located in the small town of Hachirōgata given it's the shortest distance to the ocean.
"Kazuko… I'm coming…"
And so in the middle of the night after making some arrangements ahead of schedule and taking what I needed, I snuck out from the Temple and headed off to find Kazuko.
September 3rd, 2009, Thursday
(Kazama Family POV)
"You mean both Kazuko AND Nagamasa are missing and haven't come back?!" Yamato asked his sister-figure in shock.
"Yeah. When I first noticed Kazuko was gone, I thought she'd just been on a walk. But I found this note in her room." Momoyo hands a note from Kazuko to him.
Yamato read it out, " 'To Whoever Finds This.'"
"Read it." Momoyo said.
Miyako read the only line on the note, "Please don't look for me. – Kazuko." Her own eyes went wide as well like Yamato's.
Moro was now worried, "Wait… doesn't this mean she's run away from home?! And what about Nagamasa?!"
Momoyo answered, "Yeah, it was the same with him. Yesterday, one of the monks saw Nagamasa walking out from the temple, but he thought he was going on some night training or something. Then we found this in his room."
It was another note, but upon opening it unlike Kazuko's it was in the form of a poem.
While things may stay
Everything changes
Back to where it all began
"W-what does he mean by that?" Yamato said stumped by the cryptic poem he'd just read aloud.
"Has either of them shown up at the dorm or anyone else's place?" Momoyo asked.
Mayucchi answered, "They haven't come to the dorm!"
"Nor have I seen them come to my place." Gakuto also replied.
"Same here." Moro added on.
Momoyo deflated as she frowned, "Then… where are they?"
"Let's blow the whistle. Once she hears that, she'll haven no choice but to come back, she'll come running no matter what state she's in." Yamato thought of.
"That's how we trained her – to come on reflex." Miyako says.
Seeing a chance Momoyo took the whistle, "Right, I'll blow it. One of you try and call Nagamasa's cell phone while you're at it."
Momoyo blew the dog whistle, while Mayucchi called the Temple.
After the first while… nothing.
Kazama then stepped forward, "Nothing's happening. Let me give mine a shot."
"Let's all blow at once." Miyako then suggested. And so everyone sans Mayucchi took out their Wanko Whistles and blew them in sync.
Even with one big echo… nothing.
Wanko didn't come.
"Everyone… Nagamasa-san seems to have left his phone at the Temple. One of the monks was on the other end and found it in between his futon and the sheets." Mayucchi told the others.
"What's going on Yamato?" Momoyo asked her brother in a panic, she was truly starting to worry. One for the sister who was missing, and second for the boy who for all intense and purposes was like family to her.
"Either she's out of range to hear us, or she's choosing not to come back." Yamato told her.
"What does that mean?!" Momoyo asked him again.
"Calm down, Nee-san. I'll ask around our classmates. You contact your relatives. But for Nagamasa… I don't know…all we've got is his message." Yamato told her.
"You're right." Momoyo took a breath to calm herself, "I'll try everyone I can think of."
"Let's also check their rooms to see what all they took with them. Maybe that will give us some clues. If there's lots missing from their rooms, then maybe they did run away from home." Miyako laid out the possibility.
"I'll find that out right now." And with that Momoyo sprinted on home to the Temple.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Minamoto-san today either." Mayucchi pointed out.
Moro noted that too, "Oh, do you think it's related?"
"Yeah, I'll call him right now." Yamato did so.
"How did you even convince him to give you his number?!" Gakuto was amazed. Seemed Gen didn't give out his number unless it was to people he trusted.
Or were very persistent like Yamato…
But no dice, "Nothing. It just went to the standard no-reception message."
"Oh…" Moro seemed deflated.
"The fact she's not answering her whistle doesn't seem right to me. And Nagamasa's disappearance too, it just seems a bit… coincidental." Kazama reasoned.
"What you think Nagamasa went after her? Then why not tell us?" Yamato inquired.
"Who knows? Maybe it was something he felt he couldn't tell us. Even so, for now let's gather as much info as we can, then meet back up at noon." Everyone agreed.
And so after hours of scoping through all of their classmates and the students in the school, as well as Momoyo's relatives…
They had nothing…
(Noon – School Rooftop)
"Nobody's even got a clue?!" Kazama says shocked they've learned absolutely nothing.
"None of my relatives have a clue where she is." Momoyo told them. "And neither of them has come back to the Temple or left a message."
"Chikarin hasn't heard from either of them." Gakuto relayed. "Noe does anyone else in 2-F as far as I know."
"No luck with Ms. Ume either…" Moro informed the group.
"I tried to search for either Kazuko-san or Nagamasa-san's aura… But I must apologize, I couldn't sense either of them for a three-kilometer radius." Mayucchi told them.
"You can sense up to three kilometers away? That's pretty amazing…" Momoyo was surprised in the moment.
"I'm good at it, but still…" Mayucchi didn't feel any pepped up.
"Kazuko only took a few sets of clothes, that's it. Nagamasa though, he took one of his duffel bags with him as well as most of his money with him and some clothes too. So it seems like he planned his leaving." Momoyo recounted her search of the Temple.
"Mmm…" Miyako hummed.
"So no one has any idea… What do you think this means?" Momoyo asked.
"I'm just guessing here, but… Maybe she went on one of those journeys you go on to find yourself?" Kazama wondered.
"You think so? But then what about Nagamasa leaving? Do you think he's gone after her, then that means… he knows where she is?" Momoyo inquired.
"I mean despite coming so far, Kazuko gave up her own dream she'd worked for years to achieve, and now she feels like she has nothing. She doesn't know what she's supposed to do. So off she wanders, to find her purpose." Kazama gave his own opinion on what Kazuko was doing.
"But what about Nagamasa?!" Momoyo exclaimed.
It was then Miyako spoke up, "Love."
"Love? What do you mean, Miyako?" Momoyo asked as she turned toward the archer.
"Nagamasa has been by Kazuko's side since day one of all of this. And while he may not have the same amount of time as we've had with her as kids, there's one thing he knows he has to do. It's something he's staked his life on… and it's being with her. Nagamasa wants to support her no matter what, he's dogged in what he does and nothing is going to stop him. He loves Kazuko… even if that means he has to leave the friends he has here." Miyako explained her reasoning.
"It's because… he loves her? He'd go so far as to go to the ends of the earth to help her through whatever she's going through?" Momoyo summarized what Miyako told her.
"You know that makes sense. The two of them have been really close these last few months." Moro said.
"Yeah, when you think about it. It makes sense for both of them. Kazuko feels lost and even though she might want to be alone; Nagamasa refuses to leave her alone knowing she needs somebody by her side to be there to support her. No matter what…" Yamato added his own two-sense.
"Well… I guess then if he's on her path, maybe it's not such a bad thing she left?" Moro0 wondered.
"Even still… Wanko… Naga… one of you could at least call us from some phone…" Momoyo's breath hitched.
"Now I wished I placed a GPS tracker on her phone now." Yamato grumbled to himself.
"Oh, and it seems like Wanko left her phone at the Temple too." Momoyo told the others.
"Hmm…." Miyako was still thinking to herself.
"Well, I still mean what I said before. If she's doing this journey for herself and Nagamasa might be onto her, maybe they'll be fine?" Moro brought up his previous point again.
"Even if she wants to be alone and even if Nagamasa is with her… it's dangerous for both of them to be doing this alone and probably so far from home too." Yamato thought.
"Yeah, Yamato's right." Miyako agreed. "We can't leave them alone. And even with Nagamasa's support, I'm sure Wanko will still feel empty, she's lost a very big pillar of support and there's only so much Nagamasa can fill. If I were in her shoes and left all alone… it wouldn't end well."
"Let's find them!" Momoyo then headed off to the Temple. "I'll ask Gramps and Assistant Master Lu to help us too!"
Kazama and Mayucchi joined her in assisting in the search.
"What about you, Yamato?" Gakuto asked the brains of the group.
Yamato looked down at the poem that Nagamasa left as she said, " 'Where it all began…' I'm going to talk with Beard-sensei."
"What's he got to do with any of this?" Gakuto wondered.
"He's a good source of information… Nagamasa… you made it so obvious, I should've known from the start! You did trust us, otherwise… you wouldn't have left this." And so Yamato goes off to find Usami-sensei.
"Wanko… Nagamasa… I can't believe you'd make us all worried sick over you. I think that while Wanko needs someone to teach her a lesson. Nagamasa will need a personal scolding… from me." Miyako then went into her mischievous mode.
And so the group spread out there search now from just Kawakami City to all of the Kanto region…
September 4th, 2009, Friday
And despite their best efforts, neither Kazuko nor Nagamasa had come home or sent a message.
"We teamed up to search all over the Kanto area… but we couldn't find either of them." Momoyo told them.
"Y-You guys searched ALL of Kanto? Wow…" Moro was surprised.
"Though now everyone's worn out using their Ki for so long and searching at such a wide net." Momoyo said.
"And despite all of that, we couldn't find them." Mayucchi said with a frown.
"So where did they go?"
Yamato spoke up, "Well, about that-" But then was interrupted.
"You there! Kazuko-dono is still missing!?" It was Hideo Kuki, seemed he picked up on the search and in that earned that Kazuko was missing.
"Hope you don't mind if we join you!" Azumi, his ever present maid was by his side.
Miyako was clearly annoyed, "There they go again…"
"After hearing about Kazuko-dono's dream and how it was crushed, I understand how grievous the wound in her heart is now. If only I was there to hold the maiden in my arms!" Yep, he's gone off the deep end.
"You rich people sure know how to get news fast." Kazama pointed out.
"Well before anyone else bursts out with an interruption, I have a lead." Yamato spoke up.
"Nwuh?!" Hideo was dying to hear this new info.
"Kazuko's destination is the old orphanage called the White Home in the town of Hachirōgata in Akita prefecture." Yamato told the group.
"She went back to the orphanage? All the way in Sendai?" Momoyo was shocked.
"Besides Gen-san's abscene, it was Nagamasa's poem that kicked on the lightbulb in my head. When he said 'Back to where it all began" was talking about Kazuko. Just like we surmised, also the other lines… they're from the song he sang a few months back remember?" Yamato said.
"! Everything stays… it still changes…" Momoyo realized the significance of the lines.
"Yeah, and so he deduced where she was headed and left this not for us to tell her where she was. I also got in touch with Gen-san and that's how I knew. But the orphanage is closed, it shur it's doors this year." Yamato continued to explain.
"Oh, I read about that online… but if she went all that way up there and she couldn't find anything… I'm sure now that's why Nagamasa went after her, he figured out about the orphanage and probably knew she'd be disappointed and upset and that's why he left after her. And with a days head-start on us… I think he's with her now." Miyako said.
Everyone then seemed to figure out that the only reason she'd go to the orphanage was to look for some clue to her past…
Even though one of her best supporters was with her, the hole in her heart was still wide-open…
"Has Gen-san found her?" Kazama asked.
"No, but someone said they saw her with another guy with blonde hair carrying a katana on his hip." Yamato replied.
"If you knew that yesterday, you should have told us yesterday!"
And so after all of that Hideo insists that htye use his family's high-speed helicopter to get to Akita Prefecture, though he'd only made a seat for Momoyo, the rest of the Family decided to jump on board and join them.
After being given a "stern warning" about how they were skipping school from their teachers who had ran up to the roof hearing the commotion, the helicopter took off into the big blue sky and flew northeast toward Sendai…
To bring their friends back!
(Meanwhile… Akita Prefecture – Beach)
And it was here at the sea that a young Kawakami Kazuko and by her side was me, Azai Nagamasa…
A day ago I'd finally caught up with her and told her about the orphanage's doors shutting down. The news for her was… devastating, but she didn't cry.
I think she didn't have the strength to cry anymore. Everything about her was just empty when I saw her.
There were some bags under her eyes, and she'd gone through most of her money to get here and barely had enough to buy some bread.
But with all I had, I was able to get us a proper meal at a local diner and paid for a room at a inn that was local to the town.
But right now, the only thing that mattered to me right now was the girl beside me…
"Ugh… the sea… it's so beautiful." Kazuko said with melancholy in her voice.
"Yeah, it's so vast… and open." I replied.
"But the orphanage… it's gone… So why didn't anyone tell me about it?" She whined a bit.
"Kazuko…" I said.
"Well, I'm still in contact with everyone who used to be there, so I guess the orphanage itself doesn't matter. But it was the only clue I had to my roots. And in the end, I wound up empty-handed?" Kazuko sighed again.
"Kazuko… I know finding out the truth about who your real parents are is what you wanted to do, but this isn't healthy. I understand the want to find out where you come from, but perhaps it's a door that's just not worth opening anymore?" I tell her.
"But… how can I know who I am? Ugh… I'm feeling blue… even bluer than the ocean…" She then falls to my shoulder. "I'm so tired…"
"Kazuko… then just take a nap for now. I'll be right here." Actually…
(Also for reference if this moment were a CG/Still – Imagine the scene is Kazuko leaning back into Nagamasa's chest as they sit down on the sand and watch the ocean as the waves roll on by.)
Just like before. This reminds me of when she had her head in my lap when she fell asleep, "Let's go in the garden. You'll find something waiting. Right there where you left it, lying upside down."
I continued, "When you finally find it, you'll see that it's faded. The underside is lighter when you turn it around. Everything Stays, right where you left it. Everything stays… but it still changes."
"Ever so slightly; daily and nightly. In little ways, when everything stays…" With a little hum of a chorus, I continue with the song.
"Go down to the ocean, the crystal tide is raising. Waters, gotten higher as the shore washes out. Keep your eyes wide open; even while the sun is blazing, the moon controls the tide it could cause you to drown. Everything stays right where you left it. Everything stays, but it still changes…"
Nearing the end, "Ever so slightly; daily and nightly… in little ways… when everything stays…" As I finish I rub Kazuko's head as she seems to snuggle up at the end of the song.
"I feel so… tired..." Just then, a whistle broke through the air. "What?!"
"N-Naga… that was my whistle! They came all the way out here to look for us?" But then Kazuko deflated, "But I don't want them to see me now."
But then a third whistle later she began walking on reflex, "Ah, b-but… my body's moving on it's own…"
No Wanko, would call that moving on command. You know, that thing you have be to taught to do?
"I know she's the kind of person to be looking at the sea if she's depressed. So come on out!" Yamato blew his whistle again.
And out came the dog of the hour, Kazuko.
"Yamato…" She greeted him.
With me right behind her, "Hey, Yamato."
"Nagamasa, you're okay too."
But then, "W-waaaahhh!" Kazuko starts bawling as she runs off with me on her tail.
"Wait, Kazuko, stop!"
"I don't want them to see me like this!" She screams back. "Not when I'm so, so…"
"Gotcha!" I tackled her into the sand.
"Aaah, you're faster than me?!" She panicked.
"Give it up, you know I can keep up with you AND you can't resist that whistle." I tell her.
"Guuuh…" She stops resisting as I take her back to Yamato.
"Wow, you caught her, that's impressive. But still… you made us look all over for you…" Yamato chops her on the head, I don't stop him.
"Ow, I'm sorry…" Kazuko apologizes.
"I'm guessing you came to find your roots at the orphanage? But it was gone wasn't it?" Yaato pointed out.
"Yeah, that was the only clue I had left of my roots, and the person who took care of me was gone too… I'm all out of ideas…" Kazuko said.
"And so she wanted to come here and mope and brood for a while." I said.
"A 'mohhp'? What's that." Both Yamato and I sweatdropped.
"You're so stupid," The both of us said in unison.
She cried, "Waahh! I know I'm stupid… Yeah, that's it… I'm just a stupid little existence… Everything I do is stupid… So how am I supposed to live now?"
"Well, like you said you are stupid." I said at first.
"Waaah, I knew it!" Wanko screams.
"Wanko, so you don't know what to do with your life?" I ask her.
"But, there's nothing left…"
"You know that's no true." I tell her.
"Then what DO I have?" She asks me.
"That's a question you have to answer yourself. But knowing you, once you found something, you always put your mind to it." I remind her.
"… If I ever can." She says defeatedly.
"And I'll help you." I tell her as I hug her. She clams up suddenly.
"W-what?" She says.
"I know you had fun training day in and day out. But school can be fun too. Especially when you do it with someone special…" That got her attention.
"Eh? A-Are you saying…?"
"Yeah, I want you to be my girlfriend. I… love you, Kazuko." As I said this I gave a "look" to Yamato in which he smiled and back away a few steps to give us some privacy as he looked away.
"Huh…?" Kazuko was taken aback.
"I can't say when it completely started, but I do know I fell in love with you around the time we started living together. We can make a new beginning… together. I'll be with you, every step of the way." I confess to her.
But she's still unsure, "B-But… I have nothing now…"
"That's not true and you know it. No matter what, you'll always be you, you'll always be Kawakami Kazuko to me, just like you said at the area, you're your own person. Remember?"
"No, I'm just the stupidhead who couldn't make her dream come true… and gave up."
"No, you're just always stupid." I brought her closer to my chest as I wrapped my arms around her.
"Ah, N-Nagamasa…" She said with a stutter.
"I promise here and now, I'll always be there for you, as someone you can lean on. So, how about it? Will you go out with me?" I ask her.
Seems she's finally gotten it, "Y-y-y-y-you're serious?! You really want to choose me? I thought you'd go for Onee-sama, or Mayucchi with how close you two are…"
I tighten my hold on her, "There's no one else I want to be with, but you Kazuko."
"Ah… N-Naga…" Her look softened as the two of us stared at each other. "T-This is so… s-sudden…"
I can feel her fidget in my arms.
Just then a voice called out, "They're over here, Hideo-sama!" Damn you! You stupid maid! And Hideo's with them too, fan-fucking-tastic!
Yamato was shocked at how quickly they'd found them, "Ngh, you guys are already here?!"
"Huh? Kuki-kun's here too?" Kazuko said.
"Something tells me they came with him, that's how they were able to get here so quickly." I tell her.
Hideo approaches us, "Kazuko-dono! I'm so glad you're safe."
"Ahaha. Thanks I guess?" She replies.
"Azai Nagamasa! There is a matter of great importance that I must discuss with Kazuko-dono. Step back and give us space!" Oh, you little twat…
"If you're just going to talk, then there's no need to get rough about it." I stand my ground.
Hideo shoots back, "OF course. Now step aside, do not make me repeat myself."
"Naga, it's okay." Kazuko tells me.
"Alright then." I acquiesced to her request and left them alone. I knew what he wanted to say, but I'd leave it to Kazuko, she had every right to make her own decisions.
"Naga…" She said though a little sadly.
"Kazuko-dono!" Hideo called to her. "I have words I must say that are grander than the cosmos themselves!"
"Huh?" Kazuko wondered.
"That loud jackass, I can hear him even from hear." I grumbled to myself.
"Though oft have I told you this, I must say it once more! Kazuko-dono, you have stolen my heart! I love you, Kazuko-dono!" And there it is…
"Kuki-kun…" Kazuko replies probably shocked a bit after hearing my confession.
"I vow that I will make you the happier than any other person could! My abilities, my assets, and my love for you shall be second to none!"
Kazuko is taken aback, "U-um… well…"
While the Kuki allows for a harem, there can no one other than you! Grant us the pleasure of your embrace, Kazuko-dono!" Okay, what the fuck!?
"W-Why you too, Kuki-kun?" She asks him.
"Nwuh?" He seems confused by her timidness.
"Why me? I'm a total mess…" Oh, Kazuko…
"Whatever else may be, are you not you?" Hideo tells her. "Painfully do I know the pain of a broken dream. To support a woman in her hour of need, is that not proof of a good man?!"
"I…" But she couldn't get a chance to reply.
"Oi, oi, oi! That's enough out of you, way to much!" I got in between the two of them.
"Begone, commoner! A lowly simpleton like you could never understand the compassion of my love!" Hideo exclaimed.
Just then another face appeared, "Ah! Kazuko, finally…" It was Gen. "You guys are already here?"
Seems he finally noticed all of us.
"Gen-san?" Yamato said.
"Yeargh! Why must so many interfere?!" Hideo said annoyed.
"Ta-chan…" Kazuko seemed a bit happy to see another familiar face.
"Look at you. You're a mess." Gen said.
'You came to look for me too?" Kazuko asked him.
"Yeah… I ain't leavin' you like this. Hey, Azai, Kuki. Get lost." Wow, now I know what jackass Gen sounds like.
"I won't do that." I rebuked him.
"I as well! I will not be lost from this world, only woe would befall upon it if I were to do so!" Hideo did the same.
Gen then gave us his stern look, "I got some serious shit to talk about, so get freaking lost."
"Never." I say back. Gen to his reaction seems a bit surprised I'm not backing off.
"T-Ta-chan… Asking either of them to leave after all they've done seems a bit mean." Kazuko told him.
"Fine… then I guess I got to say with them around… Damn, this is awkward now." Gen says.
"Eh?" Kazuko says.
"Well whatever. Got nothing left to do but say it!" I know what it is of course.
Gen stares into Kazuko's eyes, "Kazuko…"
"T-Ta-chan…?" I get the feeling she knows too.
"I love you." Gen confesses.
"Ah!?" Safe to say with three confessions she's thoroughly overwhelmed.
"What?!" Even Hideo is taken aback by his sudden confession after his.
"I always have too." As he says that I look over to Kazuko and she just seems so blown by this triple confession she's gotten. "I thought watchin' over you would be enough… But I can't stand seein' you like this, with no firm ground under your feet. I'll always take care of you . Just like when we were kids. So, be with me."
"T-Ta-chan, you like me too?" She asks.
"Yeah." Gen simply replies.
"When I first met you, I never thought I'd meet someone my age who was such a helpless crybaby."
"Ooh…" Seems she remembers that too well.
"It sucked, honestly, lookin' after you." Kazuko listens to what he has to say. "Then I got used to it… lookin' after you. Now I can't imagine a life without you. And when you smile… it kind of washes away all the bad stuff. Seein' you sad, just rips me up inside. I'm gonna always be by your side!"
"Aw… aw… aw…" Her brain seems so close to short circuiting.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Azumi gritting her teeth probably frothing at the mouth that of all women it was Kazuko Kawakami, who got three love confessions back to back. Wow, a grown woman looking for her own fantasy… never thought I'd see the day.
After that Hideo and Gen begin to argue over who confessed to her first, but me, I just stood by and waited.
"Dude, aren't you gonna say anything?" Yamato asks me.
"I trust her to make her own choices Yamato, if I didn't believe in her to make her own future, she has to do that much. As cruel as rejection will be for the unlucky two." I tell him.
"Wow, you're… really mature about this" Yamato says.
"Heh, when you're really in love with someone, you trust them no matter what." I tell him. "Also how's Chris?"
"She's doing fine. Apparently she's recovered, but the hospital wants her to stay and rest for a while longer to make sure she's in top form." Yamato told me.
"Oh, someone sounds like he cares a bit much. Maybe all that teasing about you two was true?" I said teasingly.
"S-shut up! We're nothing like that!" He says denying it.
"I know you two constantly argue, but let me say I can't help but think there's something cute to it. It's like you two are opposites that seem to hate each other, but when you come down to it you guys really get along. Just sayin…" I tell him.
"Shut… up…" Oh, was that a blush I saw?
"Like I said… just sayin'…" I'll leave him alone now.
(AN: And to the audience. Yes, I ship it.)
Back with Kazuko she was just as flummoxed as ever, "Uh… well uh… Um…"
But just then the others arrived as well finding out group, Moro was the first to show up followed by everyone else. But then they saw that Gen and Kiku were here as well.
"Momo-senpai searched the other way, but I've already told her and she's on her way." Mayucchi told us.
"Oh lord… that's gonna be something." I thought to myself in dread.
"What's up guys? Did we come at a bad time, or…?" Well Capt, yes and no…?
"Everyone does seem a bit touchy, at the moment." Miyako notices.
"Everyone… You all came for me?" Kazuko is astonished.
"Well, Chris is still in the hospital." Moro told her.
"what's got you guys all awkward?" Gakuto inquires.
"Hideo-sama, if I may?" Azumi asks him.
"Do as you will. I have never sought to hide it." He allows her to reveal why all of us have been a bit on edge.
"Hey, wait!" Gen exclaims.
"Wait, you're telling them?!" Yamato yells.
"The truth is…" And Azumi goes on to explain to the others how I, Hideo and Gen went on to confess to her. Much to the shock of everyone here.
"Whoa, so it's a love polyhedron?" Really Moro?
"!..." Miyako begins panicking.
Capt notices immediately, "Miyako, you got to calm yourself down."
"I-I'll be fine… I'm just… shocked is all. Especially seems all three of them seem to be on the same level." Miyako replies.
"All three of you want Wanko? No way…" Gakuto was shocked.
"She's quite popular." Mayucchi says.
"Sweet, Wanko. So who's it gonna be?" Capt asks her.
"Huh?" Wanko gasps.
"You haven't given them an answer yet, right? That's gotta come next." Capt tells her.
"Y-Yeah… but… um…" Knowing her she's trying to be considerate.
"At the end of the day, her choosing one of us leaves two others out in the cold." I tell Hideo and Gen.
"Let not that burden your feelings, Kazuko-dono!" Hideo replies.
"Yeah, answer however you want." Gen acquiesces to.
"There's no hard feelings from any of us." I tell her.
"Of course, choosing none of them is a choice too. Just so what your heart tells you." Capt responds.
"I agree too, but not giving them an answer might be unfair though. You have to give them some kind of response. And even if you choose Nagamasa, I'll be able to live with that." Miyako says.
" 'K-Kay. Then I've already made up my mind, so…" As she says that everyone tenses as they wait for her reply, "I… like Nagamasa."
She then hugs me, "Kazuko…"
"Nwuh?"
"Mmm…"
Both of the other guys are surprised at her decision.
But so was another, "Eh, really? You like Nagamasa?" Miyako was surprised to despite what she'd previously said.
"Ta-chan… I can only see you as a brother. After all, we were practically family at the orphanage." Kazuko tells her childhood friend.
"I knew it… But I can live with that. It's your choice. Good luck to you, Kazuko, Nagamasa." Gen seems to take it well.
"Ta-chan…"
"Kazuko-dono." Hideo approaches her.
"Kuki-kun… I really appreciate you. You're probably one of the people I respect most. But, when I look at you, I… I just don't have feelings for you in that way." She tells the Kuki heir.
"I see… But still was there some flaw?" He asks her.
"Eh? Well it's not like that." She tries to tell him.
"Spare not my feelings! Please speak true!" He begs.
"It's like you're going at a hundred miles an hour. I don't think I can keep up with you." She replies.
He chuckles dryly, "I see…"
"Sweet!" Capt says. "Wanko. Time to go home."
"Capt?"
"What's the whole reason you came here for? To find yourself, right?" Capt says.
"Well, yeah… I wanted to know, what sort of talents do I have? Where'd I come from? Why am I even here?" She tells him.
"There's no reason to feel that lonely. I mean, look at home any people came out here to search for you. Heck even Nagamasa chased after you." I scratch my cheek at that one.
"Moro…"
"He's right you know? You ain't some brainiac, so stop tryin' to be all philosophical!" Gakuto proceeded to give her a noogie.
"Owww…. G-Gakuto…"
"Actually…" Uh oh, seems like it's Miyako's turn.
It takes gall to start whining after three men confess to you – including Nagamasa! And then you took him away from me!" What was that about accepting her choice before?
"Eeeeek! Don't scare me?" Yep, there's her crybaby look again. But it's cute.
"K-Kazuko-san!" Mayucchi approached her. But unfortunately she started ranting, so I'll just save us the trouble. "Aw… I must've blown a fuse or something."
You think?
"So you wanna how why you're here, do you?" Capt asks Wanko. "Lemme give you that answer nice and quick, chop chop."
"Uh Capt… I've already had that talk with her, you know… before you guys got here?" I tell him.
"Eh? So… all that thinking of what I wanted to say and have na awesome moment, was for nothing?" He asks me.
"Uh… kind of?" I tell him.
"Kuku, seems you were beaten to it…" Miyako chuckled mischievously.
"Nagamasa… stop stealing all the limelight!" Capt whines causing us all to laugh.
And for the first time in all of that, we saw Wanko smile genuinely. It was from her laughter, the initial tension from before died down.
But just then, "Wanko! Naga!" Momoyo had arrived.
"Onee-sama…"
"Momoyo-senpai…"
Everyone sans me gave the three of us some space reflexively.
"I've finally found you two…" She begins.
"Onee-sama, I…
"Momo-snepai… I…"
"Older sister slap!" With one slap she hit the both of us.
"Agh!" Wanko welped in pain.
"Ow, ow, ow…" If that was just a slap, I didn't want to know what a 'Older sister punch' felt like.
"Ooooh, that hurt…" Kazuko whines.
"God almighty, that felt like a bullet train…" I rub my cheek.
"It had better felt like that! Do you know how much trouble you two have caused everyone at the Temple?! Not to mention the rest of us!?" She berates us.
"Ooh…" Wanko looks apologetic.
"Mmm…" Not like I could argue either.
"Sheesh… you both worried me to hell." Momoyo then patted both of us on the head.
"Onee-sama…"
"So, why did you run away? And Naga, why did you go after her without us? Everyone's here, so explain it to them.
Well we already did like twice. But for her sake we told her why Kazuko had ran, and that I'd figured out the reason why I had gone off after her.
"Who you are, what's your talent, where you're from? Ah, so that's what you were thinking huh, you big girl? And you Naga… you were just keeping your promise, right to the very end."
"Yeah, all the time I put into my dream is worthless now, so… I thought, maybe I'd go try and find myself." She told her sister.
"Of course you would… I'm sorry, Wanko…" Just then she took the both of us into her arms as she pull us into her chest.
"Kazuko, I'm sorry I made you feel so alone… Nagamasa, you too, you shouldn't have had to take on that burden alone. And even if I had to end your dream, I shouldn't have pushed you to do this… but…" I can could see it in her eyes.
"Onee-sama?" Kazuko seemed to notice it too.
"You never have to wonder about who you are. You're a daughter of the Kawakami Temple, and you'll always be my sister. Even you Naga, you're like a brother to me… even though I've never said it, you're family too." Momoyo sniffles.
"So please… tell me you two will never leave again…"
"O-Onee-sama…"
"Momo…"
"I never wanted to make you feel this way. As successor to the Kawakami Temple and as a professional martial artist, I had to do what I did… But I'll never stop loving you… So please, never run away again, please…" And so the tears begin to fall. The Goddess of Martial Arts, a devil some even call her… begins to cry.
I'm sure to everyone it's a shock. She even proclaimed she'd never cry no matter what. Even as a baby she never did… but we're all human. It's natural after all…
"My sister, the invincible Onee-sama… is crying? She's never cried before… I-I made her cry… I hurt her… oohm kh… Ah, khh… I-I'm sorry!" The tears begin to rill for Kazuko too. "I'm sorry, Onee-sama. I… I'm sorrrryyyy!"
"I guess even for me… for you to think of me as family… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Kh, hah…" And even for me too, they flowed.
"Wow… even Nagamasa and Wanko are crying." Yamato said to himself.
"Wanko… Naga…"
"Onee-sama… Who am I? that's a stupid question, isn't it? I'm… Kawakami Kazuko."
"Yeah. You're a daughter of the Kawakami Temple.
"Took you long enough." I said.
"Yeah…" Kazuko said. "I'm sorry I said all of that; when I'm this blessed."
"It's fine…" Momoyo comforts her sister.
"Onee-sama…" And so for the next few minutes all three of us let it all out as our eyes cried until they couldn't.
"Better now, Kazuko?" I asked my girlfriend.
"Yeah…" She tells me.
"Yeagh… crying in front of people is so lame…" Momoyo chafs that her image as an unstoppable force is broken.
"I don't know, such things are so… human. Especially for you." I tease her,
"What?! I think I've heard enough wisecracks from you, Naga!" Momoyo puts me in a headlock.
"Ugh, don't take it out on me! Kazuko… help!" I call out to her.
Kazuko timidly approaches the two of us, "Ahaha… Umm…"
"Kazuko?" Momoyo said, wondering why she was butting in.
"Oh well, I'm Nagamasa's girlfriend now, Onee-sama." That changed everything.
"Indian Deathlock!" Momoyo put in a stranglehold of some kind.
"YEEEOWCH! Uncle, uncle, uncle…!" What the hell woman!?
"Damn it! When did you seduce my little sister?!" Momoyo began interrogating me.
"Help me, somebody, Miyako please!" I called out to the archer
"…" She ignores me.
"Guys please… help a brother out!" I call to the other guys.
"I will never bring myself to help someone with a girlfriend, even if that girl is Wanko." Gakuto said.
"And you wonder why no girl wants you!?" I scream back at him.
We then heard the sound of a helicopter fly away as it was Hideo above us, "Ladies and gentlemen, I shall take my leave early! Azai Nagamasa, I declare you as equal a man as I!"
What is he on about?
"to sully your honor would be to sully Kazuko-dono's as well. Never would I stoop to such a low! Rather, if anything becomes amiss, you may come to me for advice!"
Kuki… I didn't expect him to move on that easily.
Hideo then threw a silver sphere from the helicopter that landed in the sand, "Take this and open it later!" Tied to the sphere was an envelope. "Kazuko-dono! Even if someone else were to steal my heart one day… you will always be special to me. May happiness be yours!"
"You'd say all that? Why?" Wanko asked him.
"Because you will always be my first love! Now farewell!" And with that he was off.
But then it was in that moment everyone seemed to remember after all the passion and emotions were cleared away, the only means of transportation that had gotten them here was now gone beyond the clouds.
"Now what do we do?" Moro asked panicked.
"Take a plane?" Gakuto thought.
"Too expensive even if it is only over Honshu." I replied.
"He's right, it's way too expensive…" Moro added on.
Kazama then proceeded to announce his intentions of hitchhiking back to Kawakami. Then he made it a race to see who could get to the secret base first since it was Friday and today would usually be a Friday Meeting anyway.
And off he went Capt and Momoyo racing toward the highway… Geez louise those two are a handful.
"And now they're off to the races…" Moro said wistfully.
"Huh, plane tickets and money for a cab was in here for me and Kazuko. Hah, I didn't even ask him for help… But thanks anyway." I say to myself.
"There's only enough for you two?!" Gakuto said angry.
"Looks like it." I say. "Mayucchi, you take this with Kazuko."
"Huh, are you sure?" The swordswoman was shocked at the offer.
"Well, you two seem like the right choice to me." Moro agreed.
"What about Miyako-san?" Mayucchi asks.
"I'll go home with Yamato and Nagamasa, there's many things we need to discuss going forward in our relationship." Miyako says sternly.
"We don't have a relationship." I reply back with a furrowed brow.
"Yeah, I don't remember having one either with you." Yamato objects too.
"Wanko, I hope you don't mind." Miyako says.
"Okay, but how're all of you getting home?" Wanko asks us.
"I still have enough money to take a bullet train back myself. There's a scheduled ride leaving later today in a few hours back to Kanagawa prefecture, we'll be fine." I tell her.
"Huh, same as me. Guess I'll see you guys in a while." Gen then made to leave.
And so everyone besides Tadakatsu left in their own way.
"Don't worry, I'll be back in no time at all, just wait for me okay?" I tell Kazuko.
"Y-Yeah… I… love you." *Chu*
She kisses me on the cheek.
"You little…" *Chu*
I return the favor and kiss her forehead.
And with that we head for the Tohoku station line and catch a bullet train back to Tokyo, I was seated next to Miyako.
"Well at least we're not hitchhiking like Kazama, Moro and Gakuto did. Though I think Kazama with his luck will be fine." I say.
"Well I'm sure the other two can take care of themselves." Miyako said.
For a few moments there was nothing but silence, "So, you have a girlfriend now."
"Yeah…" I reply.
"I never expected it to be Wanko, or maybe it was something that was bound to happen." She says. "If anything I thought maybe the girl would take you from me, it'd be Momo-senpai."
"You know that's not true. But you are taking this more easily than I thought you would." I tell her.
"Wanko's a great friend, so I can live with this. I am happy for you." Miyako tells me.
"Thank you…" I reply.
"However… that won't change the feelings I have for you." Miyako then confesses.
"Um, what?" I'm sorry don't you have Yamato still?!
Miyako then replies, "I won't get in your way, or do anything weird, but… If you two do break up, then I won't waste a second."
I sigh, "So, you're still trying to think that far ahead?"
"I don't give up on a man I love…" Miyako says.
"Miyako, you've still got Yamato, and there are other guys…" But she interrupts me.
"Yes, there's Yamato I like too. But I'll never look at other guys. My eyes, everything will be for you Azai Nagamasa or Naoe Yamato, no one else. You're the only ones in my sights." Miyako explains.
"You can learn to broaden your horizons." I answer back.
"It still wouldn't change anything. Who you love isn't something you can just decide to change. My love is as great as the sea, and heavy as a rock. Heh, heh…" Those chuckles make me uncomfortable.
"Well that's it, so you don't have to worry about me." I beg to differ.
"Sure, thanks… I guess?" Why did I make that sound like a question not a statement. Yeah… this isn't good for her. I then text Yamato about changing seats telling him about Miyako and how her heart may be hurting a bit much.
And so after a "bathroom break" we traded seats and despite some objections, he did it. Thanks Yamato, I owe you.
Meanwhile, two morons found themselves on Hokkaido of all places. How? Who knows? How're they getting home? That's on them. Good thing for them, they're on summer break.
And so… that's the story of how Kazuko and I came together as a couple.
Now a door finally closes, and a new lays before her, which one shall it be?
AN#1 – Well here's the fifteenth part of the Kazuko Route – "The Daughter of Kawakami" to my Majikoi story, I'm NOT a Samurai, Seriously.
And so, the group is reunited, and the sister have reconciled.
And Nagamasa and Kazuko are now a couple. A new beginning for the two of them is in store.
What will happen next?
What's up next for our heroes, Nagamasa and Kazuko? Stay tuned for Kazuko Route – Part 16 – A Young Girl's Choice – Part 3
AN#2 – I hope you guys are enjoying this rewrite. So please don't forget to leave reviews and also follow and favorite as well too!
AN#3 – Remember I wouldn't be here without you guys! Remember to Favorite, Follow and Review! :)