Chapter 33
01
"Will you be the one seeing us off, or should we say our goodbyes right now?"
For a moment it appears as if Akira didn't hear Hisao's question.
"What? Oh, if possible I'll try to be at the airport when you guys leave. It was eight o' clock in the morning, right?"
"That's right. We'll hope to see you tomorrow then."
We get out of Akira's car and wait for her response. She's been awfully quiet since we left the hospital after paying a visit to her father.
"Yeah..."
"Is everything alright?"
Seems like Hisao also noticed Akira's voice trailing off.
"Yeah, I'm alright. I was thinking it's probably not worth it to return to the office. Maybe I'll just go and get some fresh air. Take a little walk along the bay shore."
"That sounds good."
"I think I wouldn't mind a bit of company."
"Do you want us to come with you?"
"If it's okay, I'd like to borrow Hanako for a bit."
She turns to me.
"You don't mind, do ya?"
"M-Me?"
Hisao makes a face.
"Just Hanako?"
"Yup. Girl talk."
"I didn't know you liked that."
"Hey!"
Akira glares at Hisao and then rolls her eyes.
"From time to time."
I wonder if that's all there is to it. Akira obviously wants to talk about something with me in private. I'm just not sure what it could be. I have to admit it piques my curiosity a bit.
"Ummm... Okay, I'll come with you."
Hisao shrugs.
"Guess I'll just go and continue packing our stuff in preparation for tomorrow."
"Thanks."
As Hisao turns around and disappears into the house, Akira and I walk down the driveway, cross the road and walk up to the shore. This area has slowly started becoming familiar terrain to me as well. The sound of the shore tends to put my mind at ease. Maybe the same is true for Akira.
"You... like this place?"
"When Lilly and I first visited here, I'd often take a little walks along the shore whenever I didn't feel like hanging around the house. Most of the time alone, but sometimes Lilly would come with me, and we'd talk about... stuff. This place makes you relax, doesn't it?"
"It does. I... used to come here daily to write in my journal."
"Right, Lilly mentioned that. But I'm picking up a past tense here. Did you stop writing?"
The last few days have been a bit... uneventful, and the one major thing that has happened is s-something I'd rather forget as soon as possible."
Akira gives me a playful grin.
"That major thing you're trying to forget about involves you saving an old man from what was probably either death or existence as a vegetable. And from what I learned today, he seems awfully determined to not let ya forget about that, no matter how hard you're gonna try."
"Do you... think he was serious?"
"Oh yeah, definitely. In fact, I was secretly hoping you'd ask for something like half of the family fortune or something equally outragous. You know, just to see how far you could stretch that gratitude of his."
"I don't want that sort of thing."
"Hmmm?"
"I read a book once, about a man who won the lottery. And suddenly... everyone wanted to be his friend. He didn't even know who his real friends were anymore, because everyone just seemed to want to take advantage of his new-found wealth. I... would hate for something like that to happen to me. It w-would... drive me crazy."
"Well, it's true that as convenient as it is, money can't buy you happiness. I speak from experience. Still, maybe you can think of something. Heh, if you don't want the old man to keep stalking you for the rest of your life, that is."
"Uhhhh..."
"Relax, I was only joking. Still, I doubt this is the last you'll hear about this. Dad's got this old-fashioned 'you saved my life, so now it belongs to you forevermore'-type of samurai mindset going."
Akira's exaggerated eyerolling makes me giggle a bit.
"It's actually a rather... romantic mindset, don't you think?"
"Only if you ignore the secondary implications of that kinda mindset."
"Secondary implications?"
"Since a child owes her life to her parents, she's obliged to show livelong respect and reverence to them no matter how badly they deserve the opposite. No doubt Dad sincerely believes that. Heck, he couldn't resist rubbing it in my face during your visit."
I think I remember what she's talking about.
"So... that's what he meant."
Akira bends down and picks up a few smooth stones. She flicks one away, and I see it bounce along the water surface several times before it sinks.
Splash - splash - splash
"I must be coming across as very petty, complaining so much about my parents to a person who no longer has her own."
I cringe a bit. Even after all this time, Akira's statement of the obvious still hurts inside.
"It's o-okay."
"Ya know... Hisao probably had a point when we were at the hospital. I wouldn't blame you if you agreed with him."
It comes across as weird for the usually up-beat and assertive Akira to suddenly sound this way.
"I'm not s-sure. M-Maybe, but you... probably have your reasons."
Akira nods absentmindedly and flings another stone along the surface before sitting down on a large rock near the shore.
Splash - splash - splash
02
"You know, this has been a very weird time for me. Over the last six years, I can't say my life's been very easy, but it was fairly stable at least. After Mom and Dad left and our grandparents moved to a place more suitable for Granddad's dwindling health, I ended up concentrating completely on both my job and looking after Lilly. Nothing else mattered. Eventually, I ended up cutting both Mom and Dad out of my thoughts for the most part. Aside from the money that was wired to our account on a monthly basis and the increasingly rare phone calls, I started feeling like they didn't really exist anymore. I considered the matter dead and buried. It was easier this way."
She absentmindedly tosses one of the stones in her hand in the air and then catches it again.
"What I've learned over the last couple of weeks was that the matter may have been buried, but it was far from dead. After six long years, Mom and Dad were suddenly part of my daily life again and acting like nothing friggin happened. As you can see, I haven't been dealing with that very well... at all."
She gives me a guilty look as I sit down next to her.
"When I told you guys in the hospital that I simply screwed up, that was the truth. I didn't really mean to start a fight with the old man when he was in such a sorry state, but... well... it simply happened anyway. I guess that... there are a lot of buried grievances suddenly clawing their way back to the surface."
"Like... them l-leaving."
"Uhuh..."
She sighs.
"To be completely honest, it's not just bad memories I have of them. There's been a few good ones too. Like the annual New Year, when our parents, our grandparents, Lilly and I would visit a shrine to pray for good luck the upcoming year and play games afterwards. Also our trips to the summer house..."
"The one we visited?"
"It was a different one back then, but in the same area. The three, and later the four, of us would go there from time to time and that was also the place where Lilly and I'd get in touch with the British part of our heritage. Our own home was kind of traditional, but the summer house was more like... Well, the residences here in the UK. We'd speak English all the time, eat with cutlery instead of chopsticks, and Mom would read us Scottish folk tales or parables as bedtime stories. It was also like... that intangible pressure I often felt didn't exist there. The atmosphere was simply different. Dad and especially Mom seemed different. Of course, things'd revert to normal the moment we got in the car, but I still have good memories of those times, even though they became more and more rare as Dad advanced up the corporate ladder."
"...pressure?"
"Before our parents allowed me to make my own barber appointments, I used to have slightly longer hair. Other than that though, I've always been the way I am now. In other words, a long shot away from the kind of person the daughter of an upstanding family is supposed to be."
"Your p-parents d-disapproved of who y-you were?"
"It's always been kind of subtle. It's not like they weren't nice to me, but there was often that subtle undertone of sadness like they were expecting me to be more... I dunno... elegant... lady-like... the whole shebang. For a long time I felt like they expected something of me, but I didn't know exactly what that something was. I found out eventually what that was as Lilly grew up. I think in the end Mom and Dad always rued the fact that I couldn't be more like Lilly."
I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach as I attempt to determine if there's any bitterness in Akira's words. If she felt like she lived in Lilly's shadow, how does she feel about her sister?
"Uhhh... H-how d-do you feel about Lilly?"
Akira sees the distressed look on my face and lets out a reassuring chuckle.
"I guess lots of people would grow to secretly resent their sibling in that case, wouldn't they? Interestingly enough that never happened with me. Besides, it's not like Lilly was the perfect daughter to Mom and Dad or they wouldn't have left her behind six years ago."
Splash - splash - splash - splash
"I think the reason we've always been so close is due to the fact I often spent time looking after Lilly, even when our parents still lived in Japan. Mom often asked me to keep an eye on my sister. And there was the fact that while I've often felt a bit like an outsider even in my own family, Lilly was nevertheless always unconditionally accepting of me."
Splash - splash - splash
"Probably one of the very few I can say that about."
Splash - splash
"She was also a really cute kid when she was younger. If I'd show you a picture of her when she was like three, you'd probably develop a girl-crush on her in an instant."
Splash - splash - splash
"Heh."
Akira's light-hearted remark about toddler-Lilly's cuteness was probably meant to lighten the mood, but it doesn't draw my attention away from the rest of her words, especially since this is a sensitive issue for me myself. Didn't Akira make school friends or something? She's pretty sociable, if a bit rough. I always imagined her to have lots of friends, like Lilly.
"Uh... Akira... H-how about y-your school days?"
Splash - splash - splash - splash
"Elementary school was... I think mixed is the right word. Heh, get it?"
"Uh... N-no."
"Sorry, didn't have time to make up a better punchline. Anyway, in the same way I've always been a bit of an outsider in the family, I've also been a bit of an outsider at school."
"Outsider?"
"When I started attending elementary school, I quickly discovered that I was the only kid in the school with a biracial background. I found that there were few convenient things about standing out in a crowd like that, but several downsides. Some of the reactions I'd get were amusing in a stupid way. Like others asking me how on earth I was able to speak Japanese or being amazed that my blood was red like theirs instead of yellow. Other times less funny things happened.."
"You were... b-b-bullied?"
"Picked on, from time to time. I mean, I looked pretty different from the rest, so I naturally attracted attention from all sorts of kids. Now, before you start worrying about me, let me say that I've always been pretty strong for my size, and back in elementary school, I could even take on many of the boys. Bullies don't like running the risk of a black eye when they pull their crap. So all in all things hardly ever truly escalated since I wasn't an easy target."
"That's... g-good."
I'm happy for Akira she that was able to stand up for herself like that, though it also makes me feel inadequate myself. I was never able to stand up for myself. Akira takes a brief look at me and seems to guess my thoughts. A sympathetic expression appears on her face.
"No such luck for you, huh?"
I meekly shake my head. When I was finally released from the hospital, I was still learning how to use my right arm for even basic stuff like lifting and opening a lunchbox. In addition, my scars and the pressure garments I was forced to wear day and night for the first few years made my movements stiff and awkward. Any physical confrontation, even with kids younger than me, would have been over within seconds.
"Figures. I think from the moment I first met you there was something in your eyes and body language that told me you were given a hard time at school."
How do you respond to that? I merely nod my head. Suddenly, my depressing train of thought is interrupted by a hand on my shoulder.
"Ya know... uh... Even though Lilly's usually the one to do this kind of thing, I just wanted to tell you that if you ever wanna talk to someone about this sort of thing, I'm there as well. Don't be a stranger."
Akira puts on a slightly awkward but sincere smile on, and I can't resist smiling back for a moment. I'm not sure if I'd ever accept Akira's offer, but her gesture of emotional support nevertheless feels extremely good to me.
"T-Thank you."
After confirming that my mood has cleared a bit, Akira continues.
"Anyway, I can't say my elementary school time was smooth surfin', but aside from the occasional incident every now and then, I was okay. I was still able to hang out with other kids from time to time, though I didn't really make any deep friendships. Then again, a lot of friendships in that time are kinda shallow anyway. I mean, kids in that phase of their lives often become friends simply because they sit next to each other in class or wear the same color ribbon in their hair, not because their personalities are extremely compatible."
"Ummm... Akira?"
"Yeah?"
"Uh... D-did Lilly ever... get... picked on?"
"I was really worried about that myself when she started attending school, but I don't think that ever happened, and thank heavens for that. Due to her blindness, teachers were always keeping a close eye on her, and two random students from her class were picked every day to help her out with... whatever she couldn't do herself. Sometimes I felt weird about that arrangement, almost as if Lilly was the class pet instead of a classmate, but in practice it probably meant she wasn't an easy target for bullies since she was hardly ever unsupervised. I also think... well... most students eventually forgot about it."
"Forgot?"
"You know what the funny thing is about the labels we human beings tend to stick on others? We usually pick one label and run with it, ignoring everything else about a person. In this case, I think people were so focussed on the very obvious fact that Lilly was blind, they quickly forgot that she was half-foreign. It's weird, but I think it played a role."
I wonder what label ended up sticking in people's minds for me. The one about my burn scars or my disfunctional behavior.
"Anyway, by the time I was about to leave elementary school, I wasn't having that many conflicts anymore, and I was keeping my fingers crossed that things wouldn't get difficult once I'd get into middle school. Turns out I was right to worry."
"You... went to the same school as Lilly, d-didn't you?"
"Yeah. It was expensive, prestigious, all-girls and hella strict. The worst place to be for someone like me in other words. I spent a large part of elementary school playing mostly with boys. Lots of stuff people thought of as typical girl-stuff didn't really interest me. When I was suddenly thrown into Princess U, it wasn't just my mixed blood that made me stand out, but everything else about me as well. I was suddenly having run-ins with obnoxious fellow-students and teachers alike left and right. Less than three weeks into the first year, I was already firmly stuck into the pariah role. Those were some very lonely and miserable three years, let me tell ya."
Looks like I wasn't the only one whose middle school time was hard.
"Didn't you t-tell your parents how you f-felt?"
"Surely you don't think they tossed me into a friggin Japanese wife factory by accident? They were probably simply tired of relying on subtle correction attempts all the time, so they tried a more drastic method of molding me into a better daughter. Of course I told them that I hated it there, but all they said was to please hang in there and keep going. Dad even had the audacity to suggest that this was in my best interests and that I'd be grateful one day. It's been about ten years since I was released from that hellhole, and so far I haven't had any sudden epiphanies of gratitude."
It's a little frightening how bitter Akira sounds, but there's one thing that scares me more than her tone.
"Ummm... J-Japanese wife factory? D-Does that m-mean that Lilly...?"
Akira's expression turns genuinely remorseful.
"Sorry, I kind of went overboard with my venting. I didn't mean to imply anything about Lilly. To reassure you; middle school gave Lilly an additional layer of classy manners, but underneath she's still the same person she's always been. I still wouldn't have sent her there myself, but I'm relieved that she doesn't have the same horrid memories I have of that place."
Sisterhood: True Edition (Hanako Epilogue) (Completed)
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 33
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 33 - cont.
Splash - splash - splash - splash
"Well, as you can see things between me and the folks weren't exactly peachy even before they left Japan, but things might have worked out if they hadn't upped and left just like that."
"You were... 19 when they left, right?"
"Yeah. It was after I graduated from high school, which was fortunately not the same kind of place middle school was. I didn't really know what I wanted to do afterwards. Dad pulled a string or two at the company, and I was allowed to work at the legal department of SMT as a secretary. Back then there were apparently already office rumors about a big change being in the wings."
"Your parents moving?"
"It was a little more complicated than that. Back then, Granddad was still in charge of the company, though he was ill during the last months before the big change. Eventually Granddad revealed his plans for the company's future at the dinner table. He and his brothers on the board of directors wanted to expand our clientèle, but we weren't having a lot of success getting a foot in the door in China. Business was booming in Inverness though, and the people there were doing a good job getting the European mainland to warm up to our brand. So the board made the decision to make Inverness the new headquarters and have the Japanese branch concentrate completely on the domestic market from that point on. Of course, a Satou had to be in charge of headquarters, and that's how Dad finally got his promotion to number 1 executive of the company. A promotion and a plane ticket. He immediately accepted the offer, too. He said he was honored by the responsibility placed on him. I wonder if he even considered how Lilly must have felt. I remember everybody applauding. I wondered even back then how many of those ovations were actually real."
Splash - splash - splash
"The actual shocker came during his visit to Japan a few weeks after moving to Inverness. It turned out that he was going to live there permanently, and he mentioned Mom's help being needed in Scotland and that she'd need to come along with him for some time. The board apparently already approved. Heh, 'for some time' being a euphemism for forever. The true bombshell was when we were told that Lilly had to stay behind. For her education, so to speak. She was gonna lose her parents for a friggin education. At least that was the story."
SPLOOSH
I'm startled by an unusually loud splash. That must have been quite a rock she just threw.
"You still don't believe it?"
"I'm not sure what to make of Dad's reaction, but one thing I know for sure is that there are also prestigious private schools in the UK. I don't think the quality of her education was a good argument to leave her in Japan. Heck, and judging from what the old man said the other day, he wasn't even expecting Lilly to get a job anyway, even with that education."
She shrugs and gives me a sad look.
"Ya know, I always thought there was something creepy about Yamaku, or rather the idea behind it. It's like this place in the middle of nowhere so 'proper society' doesn't have to see or hear those attending there. I still wonder if Mom and Dad didn't rue the fact that Lilly couldn't be shoved there until she finished middle school."
"I... actually like that about Yamaku. M-Middle school was h-hard for me. I'm n-not sure w-what would have happened at an ordinary high school. M-Maybe something terrible. I... didn't function all that well at Yamaku, but at least I wasn't b-bullied anymore. I'm... r-really thankful for that."
Akira thinks for a moment.
"I never really thought much about that. I guess it's a good point, though it didn't apply to Lilly."
I don't really have an answer to that, so I decide to shift the conversation to the earlier subject.
"A-Anyway, after your parents left... you... decided to look after her?"
"Either I stayed with her or she'd be left with an ailing grandmother and grandfather. Shizune's family wasn't an option. Dad and Shizune's Dad hate each other. He wouldn't have permitted it."
"W-What are y-your grandparents like?"
"To be honest, I never really knew Granddad. He was at work even more often than Dad was. Of course, he ranked higher than Dad. On Sundays he'd be out golfing with business pals or reading in his study. The rest of the days he was at work or hanging out with co-workers. The company was his life as well since he stayed at its helm for a very long time, even though he could have retired years earlier. He even considered it a few years earlier, before ultimately reconsidering. He was a pretty heavy smoker, and it came back to bite him six years ago when he developed lung cancer. He was lucky they discovered it before it spread, but they still ended up removing a part of his right lung and with it an equally large part of his stamina. Grandpa and Grandma used to live in the same neighborhood as ours in a house on a rather large incline with stone steps leading up to the front door. After his surgery, it'd take him half an hour just to reach his own porch. Even Lilly could run circles around him at that point. So he and Grandma moved to another town, and we haven't had much contact with them ever since."
Splash - splash - splash
"As for Grandma, when I was a child she'd drop by our home on a daily basis. She was nice enough. She was formal, polite, proper and friendly, but also a bit distant and stoic. She was more responsible than Mom though. She'd always be the one to take me to the park to play when I was a kid. She was also the one who went to PTA meetings during Lilly's elementary school years instead of Mom. Heh, somehow Mom always managed to come up with a reason to be busy with something else. Thinking back on it, it's possible she was already going her own way even then, just on a smaller scale although ironically she didn't really get out of the house much back then. I remember Grandma scolding her about it a few times. Heh, of course when I asked Grandma about that, I got a major scolding myself about how impolite it is to listen in. She was pretty strict, all in all."
Akira toys with one of her locks of hair for a moment.
"Save for a few bad periods once in a while, Grandma's always been in pretty good health, but after Granddad's surgery, her physical condition took a nosedive as well. High blood pressure, ulcers, shortness of breath. I guess his condition hit her harder than any of us expected. Between her declining health and the fallout of grandpa's surgery, I didn't feel it was responsible to leave Lilly in their care. Of course, it's not like I was really all that more fit as a caretaker..."
"I think Lilly would disagree. You did a r-really good job l-looking after her while..."
I pause for a moment. If Akira left for a job right after high school, when did she earn her law degree? Akira seems to read my mind as I trail off and smirks.
"You're wondering how I became a lawyer without visiting a university, right?"
I nod.
"Before 2004, becoming a lawyer in Japan didn't require a university degree. All you had to do was pass the official bar exam, which... heh... had a 3% passage rate at the time. While at work I heard a couple of guys at our department going on about taking a shot at it. It gave me the idea to give it a try myself, which was naturally met with ridicule. But I figured that if I could pass it, I'd be able to get a career without having to attend some university located somewhere far away from my home and my sister."
"You p-passed such a difficult exam without having attended a university?"
Just how much of a genius is Akira if she pulled that off?
"Without a university, but not without preparation. There are cram schools that specialize in preparing people for that particular exam. I attended one before taking the exam."
A sad and slightly guilty look appears on Akira's face.
"I didn't think Dad was going to sponsor an attempt like that, so Lilly suggested letting go of our housekeeping staff and using the money Mom and Dad wired us every month to employ them to get me into one of those cram schools. She was already a lot more independent at the time, but I still had a bad feeling about it. Eventually she managed to convince me to give it a try, and I gave in after swearing a solemn oath to her that if things became too much for her, I'd drop everything immediately and we'd go right back to the way things were. I ended up passing the bar exam on the first try, apparently being one of the few ones who pulled that off."
"W-Wow."
"In order to officially practice as a lawyer, I would have had to spent over a year training at the Supreme Court's training center in Tokyo, but since that involved leaving Lilly behind, I passed on that. Practically speaking, it wasn't a big loss since they focus almost completely on litigation training there anyway and hardly spend any time on contract drafting and other corporate practices. I could do my job as a corporate lawyer even without it. Officially, it did mean I probably wouldn't be able to do my job at any place other than the family company. Still, I promised myself to spend all the free time I had with Lilly if I passed the bar exam, and I did my best to keep it. She was the one who was rooting for me and making sacrifices for me that entire time. It was the least thing I could do back."
"I've... always been a b-bit envious of how c-close you and Lilly are."
"I suppose that with our parents out of the picture we were the only true constants in each other's lives for a long time. That creates a bond. But bonds have to be maintained too. And right now I can't shake the feeling that our bond used to be in a better condition than it is now..."
Splash - splash - splash - splash - splash - splash
I'm distracted for a moment by a particularly skillful throw on Akira's part, and it takes me several seconds to digest what she just said.
"W-Wait! What?"
Akira doesn't immediately respond and merely puts a few flat stones in my hand.
"Go ahead and have a try yourself. It's not that difficult when you get a feeling for it."
Splash
'Not that difficult' is probably still pretty subjective.
Splash
"You gotta throw sideways a bit. Make them spin like a discus. As long as they keep spinning, they keep bouncing."
Splash
"Maybe you ought to try using your left hand instead of your right."
That might work. My left wrist is a lot more supple than my right.
Splash - splash
"See?"
Splash
I sigh in frustration. This is still harder than Akira made it out to be.
Splash - splash
"Ummm... W-why do you think that your bond with Lilly is... in worse condition?"
Akira merely looks at some point in the distance before turning to me with a sad look in her eyes.
03
"It's not just Dad Lilly's been keeping at arms' length over the last two days."
"H-How can you be so sure?"
"The way we parted after our last visit to the hospital gave me that idea already, and the fact that she's neither answered nor returned any of my phone calls merely reinforces my hunch. I probably screwed up one too many times. I've been screwing up ever since Lilly and I first came here."
"B-But..."
I start denying Akira's suggestion, but she stops me with a gesture that indicates she has more to say.
"Ya know, I've been thinking a little bit. Back when I learned that Lilly didn't want to migrate to Scotland after all and that she came this close to going there against her will, I was upset with her for not letting me in on how she really felt. Lilly's rather reserved by nature, but she and I have had very few secrets between us since we started living together without our parents. I was shocked that she kept me out of something this major. When I confronted her with this, she merely apologized, so I dropped it without pressing her for the reason. I think I know the reason now."
"You do?"
"Back when it was just the two of us, I'd occasionally vent my frustration with our parents in front of Lilly. She'd never argue with me or defend them. She'd just sit there nodding her head. No nods of agreement, but simply of acknowledgement. This was the one area we never shared a wavelength on. Most of the time, it didn't matter. Until our folks entered our life again. Then it suddenly became a huge deal. I hate to admit it, but I think the truth is that Lilly simply kept me out of the loop because she didn't think my input could be trusted."
"..."
Even though Akira's words are harsh, I can't bring myself to deny them either. I've witnessed Akira's bitterness towards her parents, and based on what she just told me, she's probably justified to feel that way. Still, her bitterness has made me very uncomfortable recently. Perhaps it's because I've had quite a few bouts of cynicism myself, and Akira has felt like a reflection of myself at times. It didn't make me feel very good.
"I'm not particularly worried about my long-term relationship with my sister. This situation will end in one way or the other, and when it's over, I don’t doubt that she'll let me back in. In the meantime, the best thing I can probably do is keep my mouth shut in her presence whenever the subject of our parents comes up, so I don't end up making things worse anymore."
I meekly nod.
"Still, the rut Lilly's currently in is about our parents, and I hate the fact that I can't do anything to offer her emotional support like I'm supposed to. She won't talk to me about this, but she might confide in someone else. Someone who isn't blood-related to her, yet with whom she feels a strong bond."
Akira gives me an expectant look to remove any doubt about what person she's talking about.
"M-Me?"
"Who else?"
"Hisao and I... already visited Lilly in her room a few times, but all s-she does is make small talk."
"Your boyfriend's a good friend to Lilly, but you're the one she probably trusts most. Maybe if you spend some time with her alone..."
"Then what...?"
Akira smiles awkwardly.
"Dunno."
"I... don't really understand what you want me to do."
"If I knew what had to be done to sort out this whole mess and make Lilly happy again, I'd tell you. But I'm not so sure myself. Maybe you could spend a little bit of time with her before you leave tomorrow. Just you and her. Maybe cheer her up a little. Get her to stop moping in that room of hers. Would you be willing to do that for me?"
"I... uh... Okay. I was... already hoping to t-talk to her a little before we go tomorrow."
Akira smiles broadly.
"Thanks. That means a lot."
I shyly shake my head.
"It... might not m-make much of a difference."
Akira grins in response.
"You shouldn't sell yourself short like that. The last time you had a candid talk with Lilly, she reversed a life-changing decision just like that. That's no small feat. And just today, you got some impressive results with the old man too."
"W-What?"
"You told him how wrong he was about Lilly and also suggested for him to apologize to her, all of that without being so direct as to cause him to get butthurt. Hey, don't give me that look. It was pretty easy to pick up if you read between the lines a bit. I don't think Dad missed it either. He said he'd think about it. That's much more of result than anything I've been able to get done."
"I... just w-wanted to make Lilly happy."
"And I guess you think that reconnecting with Mom and Dad in some way will make Lilly happy or you wouldn't have asked our old man to apologize. Do you still feel this way, even knowing everything I just told you?"
"I'm... n-not sure. I... think... so. When I... met them, they seemed... not so bad. They still seem to care about Lilly. Maybe... it's possible for... someone to be a bad parent... but not a bad person."
"You think so?"
"Besides... n-not having p-parents at all... is still worse, I think."
Akira gives me a sympathetic look.
"I'd feel like a real bitch arguing against that with you."
She gets up to indicate she's ready to start walking back. We walk side by side along the beach until we get back to the Satou home's driveway. Ever since we started walking, Akira's had a pensive look on her face, and she hasn't said a single word the entire time. It isn't until we reach her car and I get ready to go back inside that she turns to me.
"Hey Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe... well... You should try and convince Lilly to do one more patching up attempt. Who knows? It might just work out."
"Well, as you can see things between me and the folks weren't exactly peachy even before they left Japan, but things might have worked out if they hadn't upped and left just like that."
"You were... 19 when they left, right?"
"Yeah. It was after I graduated from high school, which was fortunately not the same kind of place middle school was. I didn't really know what I wanted to do afterwards. Dad pulled a string or two at the company, and I was allowed to work at the legal department of SMT as a secretary. Back then there were apparently already office rumors about a big change being in the wings."
"Your parents moving?"
"It was a little more complicated than that. Back then, Granddad was still in charge of the company, though he was ill during the last months before the big change. Eventually Granddad revealed his plans for the company's future at the dinner table. He and his brothers on the board of directors wanted to expand our clientèle, but we weren't having a lot of success getting a foot in the door in China. Business was booming in Inverness though, and the people there were doing a good job getting the European mainland to warm up to our brand. So the board made the decision to make Inverness the new headquarters and have the Japanese branch concentrate completely on the domestic market from that point on. Of course, a Satou had to be in charge of headquarters, and that's how Dad finally got his promotion to number 1 executive of the company. A promotion and a plane ticket. He immediately accepted the offer, too. He said he was honored by the responsibility placed on him. I wonder if he even considered how Lilly must have felt. I remember everybody applauding. I wondered even back then how many of those ovations were actually real."
Splash - splash - splash
"The actual shocker came during his visit to Japan a few weeks after moving to Inverness. It turned out that he was going to live there permanently, and he mentioned Mom's help being needed in Scotland and that she'd need to come along with him for some time. The board apparently already approved. Heh, 'for some time' being a euphemism for forever. The true bombshell was when we were told that Lilly had to stay behind. For her education, so to speak. She was gonna lose her parents for a friggin education. At least that was the story."
SPLOOSH
I'm startled by an unusually loud splash. That must have been quite a rock she just threw.
"You still don't believe it?"
"I'm not sure what to make of Dad's reaction, but one thing I know for sure is that there are also prestigious private schools in the UK. I don't think the quality of her education was a good argument to leave her in Japan. Heck, and judging from what the old man said the other day, he wasn't even expecting Lilly to get a job anyway, even with that education."
She shrugs and gives me a sad look.
"Ya know, I always thought there was something creepy about Yamaku, or rather the idea behind it. It's like this place in the middle of nowhere so 'proper society' doesn't have to see or hear those attending there. I still wonder if Mom and Dad didn't rue the fact that Lilly couldn't be shoved there until she finished middle school."
"I... actually like that about Yamaku. M-Middle school was h-hard for me. I'm n-not sure w-what would have happened at an ordinary high school. M-Maybe something terrible. I... didn't function all that well at Yamaku, but at least I wasn't b-bullied anymore. I'm... r-really thankful for that."
Akira thinks for a moment.
"I never really thought much about that. I guess it's a good point, though it didn't apply to Lilly."
I don't really have an answer to that, so I decide to shift the conversation to the earlier subject.
"A-Anyway, after your parents left... you... decided to look after her?"
"Either I stayed with her or she'd be left with an ailing grandmother and grandfather. Shizune's family wasn't an option. Dad and Shizune's Dad hate each other. He wouldn't have permitted it."
"W-What are y-your grandparents like?"
"To be honest, I never really knew Granddad. He was at work even more often than Dad was. Of course, he ranked higher than Dad. On Sundays he'd be out golfing with business pals or reading in his study. The rest of the days he was at work or hanging out with co-workers. The company was his life as well since he stayed at its helm for a very long time, even though he could have retired years earlier. He even considered it a few years earlier, before ultimately reconsidering. He was a pretty heavy smoker, and it came back to bite him six years ago when he developed lung cancer. He was lucky they discovered it before it spread, but they still ended up removing a part of his right lung and with it an equally large part of his stamina. Grandpa and Grandma used to live in the same neighborhood as ours in a house on a rather large incline with stone steps leading up to the front door. After his surgery, it'd take him half an hour just to reach his own porch. Even Lilly could run circles around him at that point. So he and Grandma moved to another town, and we haven't had much contact with them ever since."
Splash - splash - splash
"As for Grandma, when I was a child she'd drop by our home on a daily basis. She was nice enough. She was formal, polite, proper and friendly, but also a bit distant and stoic. She was more responsible than Mom though. She'd always be the one to take me to the park to play when I was a kid. She was also the one who went to PTA meetings during Lilly's elementary school years instead of Mom. Heh, somehow Mom always managed to come up with a reason to be busy with something else. Thinking back on it, it's possible she was already going her own way even then, just on a smaller scale although ironically she didn't really get out of the house much back then. I remember Grandma scolding her about it a few times. Heh, of course when I asked Grandma about that, I got a major scolding myself about how impolite it is to listen in. She was pretty strict, all in all."
Akira toys with one of her locks of hair for a moment.
"Save for a few bad periods once in a while, Grandma's always been in pretty good health, but after Granddad's surgery, her physical condition took a nosedive as well. High blood pressure, ulcers, shortness of breath. I guess his condition hit her harder than any of us expected. Between her declining health and the fallout of grandpa's surgery, I didn't feel it was responsible to leave Lilly in their care. Of course, it's not like I was really all that more fit as a caretaker..."
"I think Lilly would disagree. You did a r-really good job l-looking after her while..."
I pause for a moment. If Akira left for a job right after high school, when did she earn her law degree? Akira seems to read my mind as I trail off and smirks.
"You're wondering how I became a lawyer without visiting a university, right?"
I nod.
"Before 2004, becoming a lawyer in Japan didn't require a university degree. All you had to do was pass the official bar exam, which... heh... had a 3% passage rate at the time. While at work I heard a couple of guys at our department going on about taking a shot at it. It gave me the idea to give it a try myself, which was naturally met with ridicule. But I figured that if I could pass it, I'd be able to get a career without having to attend some university located somewhere far away from my home and my sister."
"You p-passed such a difficult exam without having attended a university?"
Just how much of a genius is Akira if she pulled that off?
"Without a university, but not without preparation. There are cram schools that specialize in preparing people for that particular exam. I attended one before taking the exam."
A sad and slightly guilty look appears on Akira's face.
"I didn't think Dad was going to sponsor an attempt like that, so Lilly suggested letting go of our housekeeping staff and using the money Mom and Dad wired us every month to employ them to get me into one of those cram schools. She was already a lot more independent at the time, but I still had a bad feeling about it. Eventually she managed to convince me to give it a try, and I gave in after swearing a solemn oath to her that if things became too much for her, I'd drop everything immediately and we'd go right back to the way things were. I ended up passing the bar exam on the first try, apparently being one of the few ones who pulled that off."
"W-Wow."
"In order to officially practice as a lawyer, I would have had to spent over a year training at the Supreme Court's training center in Tokyo, but since that involved leaving Lilly behind, I passed on that. Practically speaking, it wasn't a big loss since they focus almost completely on litigation training there anyway and hardly spend any time on contract drafting and other corporate practices. I could do my job as a corporate lawyer even without it. Officially, it did mean I probably wouldn't be able to do my job at any place other than the family company. Still, I promised myself to spend all the free time I had with Lilly if I passed the bar exam, and I did my best to keep it. She was the one who was rooting for me and making sacrifices for me that entire time. It was the least thing I could do back."
"I've... always been a b-bit envious of how c-close you and Lilly are."
"I suppose that with our parents out of the picture we were the only true constants in each other's lives for a long time. That creates a bond. But bonds have to be maintained too. And right now I can't shake the feeling that our bond used to be in a better condition than it is now..."
Splash - splash - splash - splash - splash - splash
I'm distracted for a moment by a particularly skillful throw on Akira's part, and it takes me several seconds to digest what she just said.
"W-Wait! What?"
Akira doesn't immediately respond and merely puts a few flat stones in my hand.
"Go ahead and have a try yourself. It's not that difficult when you get a feeling for it."
Splash
'Not that difficult' is probably still pretty subjective.
Splash
"You gotta throw sideways a bit. Make them spin like a discus. As long as they keep spinning, they keep bouncing."
Splash
"Maybe you ought to try using your left hand instead of your right."
That might work. My left wrist is a lot more supple than my right.
Splash - splash
"See?"
Splash
I sigh in frustration. This is still harder than Akira made it out to be.
Splash - splash
"Ummm... W-why do you think that your bond with Lilly is... in worse condition?"
Akira merely looks at some point in the distance before turning to me with a sad look in her eyes.
03
"It's not just Dad Lilly's been keeping at arms' length over the last two days."
"H-How can you be so sure?"
"The way we parted after our last visit to the hospital gave me that idea already, and the fact that she's neither answered nor returned any of my phone calls merely reinforces my hunch. I probably screwed up one too many times. I've been screwing up ever since Lilly and I first came here."
"B-But..."
I start denying Akira's suggestion, but she stops me with a gesture that indicates she has more to say.
"Ya know, I've been thinking a little bit. Back when I learned that Lilly didn't want to migrate to Scotland after all and that she came this close to going there against her will, I was upset with her for not letting me in on how she really felt. Lilly's rather reserved by nature, but she and I have had very few secrets between us since we started living together without our parents. I was shocked that she kept me out of something this major. When I confronted her with this, she merely apologized, so I dropped it without pressing her for the reason. I think I know the reason now."
"You do?"
"Back when it was just the two of us, I'd occasionally vent my frustration with our parents in front of Lilly. She'd never argue with me or defend them. She'd just sit there nodding her head. No nods of agreement, but simply of acknowledgement. This was the one area we never shared a wavelength on. Most of the time, it didn't matter. Until our folks entered our life again. Then it suddenly became a huge deal. I hate to admit it, but I think the truth is that Lilly simply kept me out of the loop because she didn't think my input could be trusted."
"..."
Even though Akira's words are harsh, I can't bring myself to deny them either. I've witnessed Akira's bitterness towards her parents, and based on what she just told me, she's probably justified to feel that way. Still, her bitterness has made me very uncomfortable recently. Perhaps it's because I've had quite a few bouts of cynicism myself, and Akira has felt like a reflection of myself at times. It didn't make me feel very good.
"I'm not particularly worried about my long-term relationship with my sister. This situation will end in one way or the other, and when it's over, I don’t doubt that she'll let me back in. In the meantime, the best thing I can probably do is keep my mouth shut in her presence whenever the subject of our parents comes up, so I don't end up making things worse anymore."
I meekly nod.
"Still, the rut Lilly's currently in is about our parents, and I hate the fact that I can't do anything to offer her emotional support like I'm supposed to. She won't talk to me about this, but she might confide in someone else. Someone who isn't blood-related to her, yet with whom she feels a strong bond."
Akira gives me an expectant look to remove any doubt about what person she's talking about.
"M-Me?"
"Who else?"
"Hisao and I... already visited Lilly in her room a few times, but all s-she does is make small talk."
"Your boyfriend's a good friend to Lilly, but you're the one she probably trusts most. Maybe if you spend some time with her alone..."
"Then what...?"
Akira smiles awkwardly.
"Dunno."
"I... don't really understand what you want me to do."
"If I knew what had to be done to sort out this whole mess and make Lilly happy again, I'd tell you. But I'm not so sure myself. Maybe you could spend a little bit of time with her before you leave tomorrow. Just you and her. Maybe cheer her up a little. Get her to stop moping in that room of hers. Would you be willing to do that for me?"
"I... uh... Okay. I was... already hoping to t-talk to her a little before we go tomorrow."
Akira smiles broadly.
"Thanks. That means a lot."
I shyly shake my head.
"It... might not m-make much of a difference."
Akira grins in response.
"You shouldn't sell yourself short like that. The last time you had a candid talk with Lilly, she reversed a life-changing decision just like that. That's no small feat. And just today, you got some impressive results with the old man too."
"W-What?"
"You told him how wrong he was about Lilly and also suggested for him to apologize to her, all of that without being so direct as to cause him to get butthurt. Hey, don't give me that look. It was pretty easy to pick up if you read between the lines a bit. I don't think Dad missed it either. He said he'd think about it. That's much more of result than anything I've been able to get done."
"I... just w-wanted to make Lilly happy."
"And I guess you think that reconnecting with Mom and Dad in some way will make Lilly happy or you wouldn't have asked our old man to apologize. Do you still feel this way, even knowing everything I just told you?"
"I'm... n-not sure. I... think... so. When I... met them, they seemed... not so bad. They still seem to care about Lilly. Maybe... it's possible for... someone to be a bad parent... but not a bad person."
"You think so?"
"Besides... n-not having p-parents at all... is still worse, I think."
Akira gives me a sympathetic look.
"I'd feel like a real bitch arguing against that with you."
She gets up to indicate she's ready to start walking back. We walk side by side along the beach until we get back to the Satou home's driveway. Ever since we started walking, Akira's had a pensive look on her face, and she hasn't said a single word the entire time. It isn't until we reach her car and I get ready to go back inside that she turns to me.
"Hey Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe... well... You should try and convince Lilly to do one more patching up attempt. Who knows? It might just work out."
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:40 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 34
Chapter 34
01
"L-Lilly?"
Upon receiving no response to my knocking, I hesitantly open the door of my friend's room and look inside. Surprisingly enough, there's nobody there. That's a bit unexpected. Lilly's hardly been out of her room for days, except to eat dinner. Where could she be?
Just as I close the door, I hear the sudden sound of something clattering on a tile floor. Unless Hisao just had a moment of clumsiness in the shower area of our bedroom, the sound I just heard probably came from the bathroom. I walk up to the door of the bathroom, gently push down the door handle and discover that it's not locked. I peek inside and notice that Lilly's sandals are on one of the shelves and I hear some movements from behind the changing area's inner wall. Lilly's definitely in here.
I take off my shoes and socks and put them next to Lilly's sandals on the shelf. I walk into the bathing area, and sure enough, Lilly's kneeling near the small shelves underneath the mirrors. There are several bottles and flasks around her, and Lilly's sweeping the ground with her hands in an attempt to locate them all. She suddenly stops and tilts her head as I approach, probably having picked up the pattering sound from my bare feet on the tiles.
"Lilly?"
A tiny smile appears on her face as she recognizes my voice.
"Oh, welcome back, Hanako."
"Uh... Did you drop a few things, Lilly?"
Lilly sheepishly nods.
"I wanted to put some bathing supplies on the little shelf in front of me, and I discovered too late that someone still left his or her own supplies in that exact spot. The result is this little mess."
"Oh...uh..."
I think I have a good idea of who created this little inconvenience for Lilly.
"S-Sorry, Lilly. That m-may have been me."
Hisao and I took a bath together the day before Lilly's father had his incident. I meant to clean up after ourselves afterwards, but we got... distracted by other things while we were here.
"It's not a problem, Hanako."
"Let me help you."
I walk up to Lilly and quickly pick up the bottles and flasks around her. I take one of each and neatly arrange them on the shelf near her.
"Lilly? I arranged the bottles on the shelf in front of you in the... uh... usual order."
Lilly gives me a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Hanako. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated."
"So, Lilly, were you planning to take a bath just now?"
"That was the idea, Hanako. I've only taken a bath once during this trip, and the circumstances were less than ideal back then. Maybe a pleasant soak will help to ease my mind. There should still be plenty of time before dinner."
"I suppose I... came at a bad time then. But... do you have some time to spare... after dinner?"
"I do. Do you have any plans, Hanako?"
"Not really. I just thought... after tomorrow... we won't see each other again for some time. Maybe we could... spend some time together until Hisao and I leave?"
"That sounds like a good idea, Hanako. I apologize for having neglected you and Hisao over the last few days."
"That's okay, Lilly. There's no need to explain anything. We understand completely."
"I'll be sure to keep you and Hisao company after dinner this evening. Let's make the most out of your remaining time here."
"Um... Lilly?"
"Yes?"
"M-Maybe... the t-two could spend some time... together? We could... talk for a bit, if you like. I'm sure that Hisao... wouldn't mind."
"Are you sure about that Hanako?"
"I... haven't really done a very good j-job s-supporting you, but... maybe I can still do that for the little bit of time I'm here."
Lilly looks in deep thought for a moment. Then she gives a small nod.
"I... would probably welcome that, Hanako."
"G-Great."
Lilly gets up, and I allow her to take hold of my sleeve before helping her return to the changing area. She then feels her way over to one of the baskets on the shelves and starts taking off her sweater. I figure that this would probably be a good time to take my leave.
"Lilly, if you don't need my help for anything else, I'll b-be going, okay?"
"Hmmm, Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"You... said that you wanted to spend some time alone with me, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps we should take the opportunity to do that now. It's not like we have that much time left."
"Huh?"
"If you were to stay here right now, you could keep me company."
I give Lilly a baffled look as she takes off her top and starts removing her skirt. Keep her company?
"Uhhhhhhh.... Is t-that okay?"
Lilly, who is now wearing nothing but her bra and panties, gives me a playful look.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"You'd b-be... n-naked... in f-front of me."
Lilly giggles.
"We're both girls, aren't we? I don't think it'd be that big a problem."
"If it's... not a big p-problem with you then... I'll stay here."
"I appreciate that, Hanako."
I quickly walk to the door and lock it. When I turn around, Lilly has already taken off the last of her clothes and is brushing the shelf with her hand in search of a towel.
"I just l-locked the door, Lilly."
"Could you help me to my stool, Hanako?"
"Sure."
Averting my eyes, I place Lilly's outstretched hand on my arm and lead her out of the changing area. But before we reach the corner with the mirrors and the stools, Lilly suddenly stops.
"Hanako, what will you do?"
"I'll just sit on the edge of the bath."
Lilly nods but doesn't move or say anything. I wonder what she's thinking right now.
"Hanako... I apologize if this seems a bit forward, but... I wouldn't mind if you joined me. Would you like to?"
"W-W-What?"
Lilly seems to have expected my shocked reaction and shows me an amused smile.
"If you wouldn't mind, that is. You and Hisao took a bath several days ago, didn't you? Didn't you like it?"
"I... uh... d-did."
"To be honest, I had been hoping for a chance to take a soak together with you since we came here. I don't see us visiting a hot spring resort or anything like it anytime soon in Japan. Maybe this would be a good opportunity."
"Ah... r-really?"
Lilly nods.
"It's also easier to talk to each other when you're sitting next to me instead of half-way across the room. And as you may have noticed yourself, the bath is a bit on the large side for just one person. It seems to have been built with group activity in mind. Or family activity."
"F-Family activity?"
"Yes, bathing was very much a family activity back in the days. I used to take baths with Mother and Akira all the time when I was young. Occupying such a large bath on one's own feels... off somehow."
"If it's a f-family activity to you, then..."
Lilly quickly shakes her head before I can finish my sentence.
"Then sharing a soak with you would definitely not feel inappropriate to me. You... feel very much like family to me right now, Hanako."
"L-Lilly."
I can't help but smile at Lilly's kind words. Lilly's expression quickly saddens though.
02
"In fact... You may feel more like family to me right now than... anyone else I know."
The impact of that statement isn't lost on me, and I reel back in shock for a moment. This isn't something I ever expected Lilly to say.
Are things really this bad?
This would probably be a good moment to try and put my shyness aside and focus on more important things.
If Lilly really feels this way, then is it okay for me to be flying back tomorrow? Shouldn't I stay and be there for Lilly instead?
I'd best take this one step at a time though.
03
"Ummm... I'll... j-join you then. O-Okay? I'll b-be r-right with you."
Lilly gives me a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Hanako."
Still a bit uneasy, I walk back into the changing area and nervously start undressing. While I'm busy doing so, Lilly doesn't say a single word and the only sound audible in the room is the rustling of my clothes. I eventually take off my underwear, pick up a towel and, my legs shaking a bit, walk out of the changing area to face Lilly.
I blush a bit at the sight of her as we come face to face. Lilly isn't even bothering to try and cover herself up. She just casually stands there as if she was fully clothed. As my eyes briefly wander over Lilly's body, I feel the painful sting of envy for a moment. Lilly is gorgeous. Her vibrantly blonde hair is hanging loosely over her shoulders, her figure is slim, and yet her curves are ample. And her skin is both smooth and spotless. It makes the condition of my own blighted skin all the more jarring.
I'd better move on with things before I get depressed.
"Lilly... could you h-hold out your right h-hand?"
She calmly extends her hand towards me, which I place on my left arm. I guide her to the stools while at the same time keeping a bit of additional distance between us so she can't accidentally touch any of my scarred areas, and when we sit down I also make sure that my stool isn't too close to hers.
I get a bit of a weird feeling when I pick up one of the shower heads, but then shake the sensation out of my mind and dutifully fill both Lilly's bucket and my own. We quietly proceed to drench ourselves, soap ourselves up and then wash ourselves. I feel a bit bad about not offering to wash Lilly's back, but I'm a bit afraid of doing so since I know she'd offer to return the favor, and me declining it would just lead to another awkward moment.
It takes me quite a while to get my hair over and done with, and when I finally rinse the remaining shampoo out of my hair and look at Lilly, I notice she's been absentmindedly toying with her bangs. I wonder how long she's been waiting without saying a word.
"Lilly?"
"Hanako, are you finished as well?"
"Y-Yes. Sorry to keep you waiting. My hair usually takes a little while."
"Almost everyone I know says you have very beautiful hair, Hanako, so it goes without saying that it's important to take good care of it."
"Ah... oh.... R-really?"
Lilly merely grins.
"Really. Are you ready? I must admit I'm getting a bit chilly."
"Okay. C-Could you give me your right hand again?"
I take Lilly's hand again and guide her to the large bath. I help her step in, then get in myself and start considering where to sit. Lilly doesn't seem to have much trouble picking a spot as she walks up to one of the corners, turns around and beckons me to sit next to her.
I hesitate. If Lilly sits down in that corner, I'll have to sit on her left side and my scarred side will be facing her. Maybe it'll be okay if I simply don't sit too close to her. I can't offer support to Lilly and then appear to be distant. I'll simply sit just far enough away to avoid accidental physical contact. I make my way over to Lilly, and we allow ourselves to sink slowly into the water.
"Aaaaaahhhhh..."
"Hmmmm..."
We both let out a long sigh as we make ourselves comfortable, and the water fills our bodies with a pleasant warmth. Then we both giggle.
"The water feels good, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it's just the right temperature."
It feels like the water is still set at the temperature Hisao and I picked when we took a bath here. I'm happy that Lilly likes this temperature too because a bath is quickly too hot or too cold for me.
For a long time neither of us says anything, and we are content to just hang back and relax. Eventually though, Lilly breaks the silence.
"So, Hanako... How was the visit to the hospital?"
"When we arrived, we briefly saw your mother and a person who just arrived here from Japan. Akira said he was the manager of the Japanese branch. Then we went to s-see your father and umm..."
I hesitate for a moment. I don't think Lilly needs to hear about Akira's verbal scuffle with her father.
"...he... uh... still seemed to have a lot of difficulty speaking, but he talked to us even though it hurt. He... thanked us for helping him and said to l-let him know if there was ever something he could do back. Then he wished us a safe journey."
"I see. Did... Akira say anything in particular? When Hisao came back upstairs he said that she invited you for a stroll along the shore."
"She... wanted to spend some time with me before I leave tomorrow. She wasn't sure when we'll meet each other again, after all."
She's also worried about you, but I don't think I should let that one slip. I don't like being so secretive, but if Lilly mistakenly believes that I'm only here because Akira sent me, she might clam up.
"That makes sense."
"Lilly?"
"Yes, Hanako?"
Maybe I should ask her straight out.
"W-What d-did you mean when you said that... I f-felt more like f-family than anyone else? D-Did you... mean that?"
Lilly doesn't immediately answer. I briefly wonder if she's just going to smile and dismiss the whole thing. But then she sighs softly.
04
"After Mother and Father left Japan, I've been telling myself for a long time that this was only temporary and that when they'd return, everything would be as it was before. But when Akira and I visited here in July, I think everyone could feel the distance. When I offered Mother to visit here, I thought all that we needed to do was spend a bit more time in each other’s company. But... I've recently started feeling that things are nowhere that simple. If anything, I feel that this trip has merely widened the distance between myself and the rest of my family. It's like all my efforts have the opposite effect. It's... very disheartening to say the least."
"Widened the distance?"
Lilly nods.
"You've known Akira for some time now. Surely you must have noticed as well."
I think I have, even before Akira herself pointed it out to me.
"Akira... really doesn't get along with your p-parents, does she?"
"Akira and I have always been very close and only grew closer after our parents left Japan. We used to be able to share everything with the other. Only the subject of our parents has always been a troublesome issue. Akira would usually get angry or bitter whenever this subject came up, so I'd usually let her blow off steam and then change the subject. It didn't really become a problem until recently."
"Until... the summoning?"
"Even slightly before that. When we visited Scotland in July, I didn't really know how to act around our parents, but I tried to just make the best of an awkward situation. Akira, however, would often be either distant or hostile whenever we interacted with them. It made the situation with the summoning a lot more difficult for me than it already was."
"How so?"
"In the past, whenever I ran into a situation I had trouble dealing with by myself, such as... hmmm... turning down a confession or dealing with conflicts in the student council, I would take comfort in the fact that I could always approach Akira as a last resort and she'd listen to me and give me sisterly advice. But when we visited Scotland, I started feeling alienated by Akira's attitude towards our family. I used to trust her opinions unconditionally because I knew she always had my best interests at heart, but in this case, I can't deny that I felt a sense of distrust towards her. So I ended up trying to deal with our parents' summoning on my own. I felt... very alone... in that."
"Oh, Lilly..."
Lilly gives me a guilty smile.
"Of course, that's a little bit my own fault as well. I should have realized sooner that I also had you to confide in. I just hope you understand that usually what happens in the family is meant to stay in the family."
"I understand."
"I had been hoping that Father's hospitalization would have resulted in a truce or even a new start, but it seems that even an event as major as this wasn't enough. I'm not really sure how to deal with Akira now."
For a moment Lilly looks mildly frustrated.
"I... really want to be understanding of Akira. She's endured a lot of hardships of her own. But...*sigh* what kind of person starts a fight with someone who only just got off life support?"
And today was pretty much a rematch of the confrontation Lilly referred to.
"It... is indeed a bit harsh."
"Of course, Father is hardly blameless himself. He took an unacceptable risk. And... When he mentioned that he did it for Akira and me, it almost made me feel partially responsible for what happened. As if having him in my life is somehow less important than a large sum of money in the bank."
She sighs again.
"I keep thinking back on what he said. About wanting to make sure I'd always be 'well-provided for'. I wonder if I'm a bad person for believing that that's a really condescending thing to say."
"I don't think you are. "
"Now I just keep wondering if that's how he's always seen me. I keep wondering if the biggest achievement he expects out of me is to be noticed by some potential husband so I don't end up living off his money by myself. I wonder if he'd laugh off my dreams of becoming a teacher. If he's not willing to pay any university tuition, there's probably not much hope of me getting into a university after I graduate."
Wow, she's really in a downer mood.
"It's p-probably a little early to w-worry about that already."
"Hanako... Do you think I'm an ungrateful daughter for feeling this way?"
"N-No. I'd probably f-feel a little bit offended too."
"That's somewhat of a relief to know."
Lilly thinks for a moment.
"I'm also not sure what to think of what Akira said about the way Mother and Father live their lives. Especially Mother. To be honest... I'm not really sure what to think of her to begin with."
"I... noticed that things sometimes seemed a little awkward between your m-mother and you, but I didn't really understand why because your mother has been very friendly from the start."
Lilly nods and smiles sadly.
"It's probably just me. But even so..."
"I... don't really understand the problem."
Lilly turns to me.
"Hanako, if you don't mind me asking... What do you think about my mother?"
"Huh?"
"Please just give me your honest impression. Surely you must have come here with certain expectations."
"Hmmm. She was... different from what I was expecting, but she was nevertheless very nice. I think I like her."
"May I ask what exactly you were expecting?"
"I think I was expecting to meet an older version of you. Like... a formal and graceful upper-class woman with impeccable m-manners. Maybe, unlike you, even a bit haughty or s-snobbish. I know it's a bit silly. But your mother actually reminds me quite a bit of Akira. I think I simply made the wrong guess."
"You were expecting a so-called proper lady?"
I think I’ve heard Lilly's father utter that phrase a few times.
"Yes. But it doesn't really matter that much to me. Why do you want to k-know all this?"
Lilly pauses for a second and then sighs.
"Because the way you imagined her is also the way I remember her."
"The way you remember her?"
"I know it must be difficult for you to believe this, but Mother was a completely different person when she was still living with us in Japan. She was... graceful, gentle, friendly though also just a little bit distant and always very proper and appropriate. And she was completely devoted to Father and the family. While growing up, Mother was the person I always tried to emulate and resemble."
"R-Really?"
"Being around her has been a very strange experience. I... have no idea how to act around her. Living abroad can change a person, I suppose, but..."
It's still very odd. And something doesn't make sense.
"But Lilly, what about y-your first trip?"
"During our first trip to Scotland, Mother took up her days off from work to spend time with her bedridden sister and us. Back then, she was still acting like her old self whenever she was with us. Well, for the largest part anyway. She didn't start acting this casual until I returned here."
Lilly lets out an unhappy sigh.
"I could put up with the more casual way of interacting with me, but what really bothers me is the fact she seems to have been neglecting Father. That's... just so not her. I... really don't know what to think or what to do. This isn't the family I expected to find here."
"I... I'm sorry, Lilly."
"It's okay, Hanako. Thank you for listening to me complaining like this."
"Oh, d-don't worry about that."
"What would you do in my situation?"
I'm not sure. Knowing myself, I'd probably run away, take the first plane back to Japan and hide away in my dorm room for the rest of the year. But that's not what Lilly needs to hear.
Okay Hanako. Think...
"I'm... n-not really sure, but..."
I try to recall the things Akira told me earlier today.
She said something along the lines of not wanting to trouble Lilly with her issues any further.
"Akira... umm... talked to me earlier and... she's not happy with the situation either. She said... she was going to try and b-back off a little. I don't think there's a lot you can do for her. This is probably something she'll have to... sort out herself."
"Did Akira appear angry with me over our lack of interaction the last few days?"
"Not to me. Maybe you can call her. Or spend some time with her after work without bringing up your f-family. I think she'll like that, and you might enjoy it too. You've always enjoyed each other's company so much."
"It may feel odd to ignore the elephant in the room just like that, but if she meant what she told you then there may be no harm in trying."
Akira isn't the tricky issue though. Lilly's bond with her sister is strong enough for it to withstand a few hurdles. The issues with her parents are more difficult. I can imagine how Lilly must have felt. I think I've been there myself.
01
"L-Lilly?"
Upon receiving no response to my knocking, I hesitantly open the door of my friend's room and look inside. Surprisingly enough, there's nobody there. That's a bit unexpected. Lilly's hardly been out of her room for days, except to eat dinner. Where could she be?
Just as I close the door, I hear the sudden sound of something clattering on a tile floor. Unless Hisao just had a moment of clumsiness in the shower area of our bedroom, the sound I just heard probably came from the bathroom. I walk up to the door of the bathroom, gently push down the door handle and discover that it's not locked. I peek inside and notice that Lilly's sandals are on one of the shelves and I hear some movements from behind the changing area's inner wall. Lilly's definitely in here.
I take off my shoes and socks and put them next to Lilly's sandals on the shelf. I walk into the bathing area, and sure enough, Lilly's kneeling near the small shelves underneath the mirrors. There are several bottles and flasks around her, and Lilly's sweeping the ground with her hands in an attempt to locate them all. She suddenly stops and tilts her head as I approach, probably having picked up the pattering sound from my bare feet on the tiles.
"Lilly?"
A tiny smile appears on her face as she recognizes my voice.
"Oh, welcome back, Hanako."
"Uh... Did you drop a few things, Lilly?"
Lilly sheepishly nods.
"I wanted to put some bathing supplies on the little shelf in front of me, and I discovered too late that someone still left his or her own supplies in that exact spot. The result is this little mess."
"Oh...uh..."
I think I have a good idea of who created this little inconvenience for Lilly.
"S-Sorry, Lilly. That m-may have been me."
Hisao and I took a bath together the day before Lilly's father had his incident. I meant to clean up after ourselves afterwards, but we got... distracted by other things while we were here.
"It's not a problem, Hanako."
"Let me help you."
I walk up to Lilly and quickly pick up the bottles and flasks around her. I take one of each and neatly arrange them on the shelf near her.
"Lilly? I arranged the bottles on the shelf in front of you in the... uh... usual order."
Lilly gives me a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Hanako. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated."
"So, Lilly, were you planning to take a bath just now?"
"That was the idea, Hanako. I've only taken a bath once during this trip, and the circumstances were less than ideal back then. Maybe a pleasant soak will help to ease my mind. There should still be plenty of time before dinner."
"I suppose I... came at a bad time then. But... do you have some time to spare... after dinner?"
"I do. Do you have any plans, Hanako?"
"Not really. I just thought... after tomorrow... we won't see each other again for some time. Maybe we could... spend some time together until Hisao and I leave?"
"That sounds like a good idea, Hanako. I apologize for having neglected you and Hisao over the last few days."
"That's okay, Lilly. There's no need to explain anything. We understand completely."
"I'll be sure to keep you and Hisao company after dinner this evening. Let's make the most out of your remaining time here."
"Um... Lilly?"
"Yes?"
"M-Maybe... the t-two could spend some time... together? We could... talk for a bit, if you like. I'm sure that Hisao... wouldn't mind."
"Are you sure about that Hanako?"
"I... haven't really done a very good j-job s-supporting you, but... maybe I can still do that for the little bit of time I'm here."
Lilly looks in deep thought for a moment. Then she gives a small nod.
"I... would probably welcome that, Hanako."
"G-Great."
Lilly gets up, and I allow her to take hold of my sleeve before helping her return to the changing area. She then feels her way over to one of the baskets on the shelves and starts taking off her sweater. I figure that this would probably be a good time to take my leave.
"Lilly, if you don't need my help for anything else, I'll b-be going, okay?"
"Hmmm, Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"You... said that you wanted to spend some time alone with me, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps we should take the opportunity to do that now. It's not like we have that much time left."
"Huh?"
"If you were to stay here right now, you could keep me company."
I give Lilly a baffled look as she takes off her top and starts removing her skirt. Keep her company?
"Uhhhhhhh.... Is t-that okay?"
Lilly, who is now wearing nothing but her bra and panties, gives me a playful look.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"You'd b-be... n-naked... in f-front of me."
Lilly giggles.
"We're both girls, aren't we? I don't think it'd be that big a problem."
"If it's... not a big p-problem with you then... I'll stay here."
"I appreciate that, Hanako."
I quickly walk to the door and lock it. When I turn around, Lilly has already taken off the last of her clothes and is brushing the shelf with her hand in search of a towel.
"I just l-locked the door, Lilly."
"Could you help me to my stool, Hanako?"
"Sure."
Averting my eyes, I place Lilly's outstretched hand on my arm and lead her out of the changing area. But before we reach the corner with the mirrors and the stools, Lilly suddenly stops.
"Hanako, what will you do?"
"I'll just sit on the edge of the bath."
Lilly nods but doesn't move or say anything. I wonder what she's thinking right now.
"Hanako... I apologize if this seems a bit forward, but... I wouldn't mind if you joined me. Would you like to?"
"W-W-What?"
Lilly seems to have expected my shocked reaction and shows me an amused smile.
"If you wouldn't mind, that is. You and Hisao took a bath several days ago, didn't you? Didn't you like it?"
"I... uh... d-did."
"To be honest, I had been hoping for a chance to take a soak together with you since we came here. I don't see us visiting a hot spring resort or anything like it anytime soon in Japan. Maybe this would be a good opportunity."
"Ah... r-really?"
Lilly nods.
"It's also easier to talk to each other when you're sitting next to me instead of half-way across the room. And as you may have noticed yourself, the bath is a bit on the large side for just one person. It seems to have been built with group activity in mind. Or family activity."
"F-Family activity?"
"Yes, bathing was very much a family activity back in the days. I used to take baths with Mother and Akira all the time when I was young. Occupying such a large bath on one's own feels... off somehow."
"If it's a f-family activity to you, then..."
Lilly quickly shakes her head before I can finish my sentence.
"Then sharing a soak with you would definitely not feel inappropriate to me. You... feel very much like family to me right now, Hanako."
"L-Lilly."
I can't help but smile at Lilly's kind words. Lilly's expression quickly saddens though.
02
"In fact... You may feel more like family to me right now than... anyone else I know."
The impact of that statement isn't lost on me, and I reel back in shock for a moment. This isn't something I ever expected Lilly to say.
Are things really this bad?
This would probably be a good moment to try and put my shyness aside and focus on more important things.
If Lilly really feels this way, then is it okay for me to be flying back tomorrow? Shouldn't I stay and be there for Lilly instead?
I'd best take this one step at a time though.
03
"Ummm... I'll... j-join you then. O-Okay? I'll b-be r-right with you."
Lilly gives me a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Hanako."
Still a bit uneasy, I walk back into the changing area and nervously start undressing. While I'm busy doing so, Lilly doesn't say a single word and the only sound audible in the room is the rustling of my clothes. I eventually take off my underwear, pick up a towel and, my legs shaking a bit, walk out of the changing area to face Lilly.
I blush a bit at the sight of her as we come face to face. Lilly isn't even bothering to try and cover herself up. She just casually stands there as if she was fully clothed. As my eyes briefly wander over Lilly's body, I feel the painful sting of envy for a moment. Lilly is gorgeous. Her vibrantly blonde hair is hanging loosely over her shoulders, her figure is slim, and yet her curves are ample. And her skin is both smooth and spotless. It makes the condition of my own blighted skin all the more jarring.
I'd better move on with things before I get depressed.
"Lilly... could you h-hold out your right h-hand?"
She calmly extends her hand towards me, which I place on my left arm. I guide her to the stools while at the same time keeping a bit of additional distance between us so she can't accidentally touch any of my scarred areas, and when we sit down I also make sure that my stool isn't too close to hers.
I get a bit of a weird feeling when I pick up one of the shower heads, but then shake the sensation out of my mind and dutifully fill both Lilly's bucket and my own. We quietly proceed to drench ourselves, soap ourselves up and then wash ourselves. I feel a bit bad about not offering to wash Lilly's back, but I'm a bit afraid of doing so since I know she'd offer to return the favor, and me declining it would just lead to another awkward moment.
It takes me quite a while to get my hair over and done with, and when I finally rinse the remaining shampoo out of my hair and look at Lilly, I notice she's been absentmindedly toying with her bangs. I wonder how long she's been waiting without saying a word.
"Lilly?"
"Hanako, are you finished as well?"
"Y-Yes. Sorry to keep you waiting. My hair usually takes a little while."
"Almost everyone I know says you have very beautiful hair, Hanako, so it goes without saying that it's important to take good care of it."
"Ah... oh.... R-really?"
Lilly merely grins.
"Really. Are you ready? I must admit I'm getting a bit chilly."
"Okay. C-Could you give me your right hand again?"
I take Lilly's hand again and guide her to the large bath. I help her step in, then get in myself and start considering where to sit. Lilly doesn't seem to have much trouble picking a spot as she walks up to one of the corners, turns around and beckons me to sit next to her.
I hesitate. If Lilly sits down in that corner, I'll have to sit on her left side and my scarred side will be facing her. Maybe it'll be okay if I simply don't sit too close to her. I can't offer support to Lilly and then appear to be distant. I'll simply sit just far enough away to avoid accidental physical contact. I make my way over to Lilly, and we allow ourselves to sink slowly into the water.
"Aaaaaahhhhh..."
"Hmmmm..."
We both let out a long sigh as we make ourselves comfortable, and the water fills our bodies with a pleasant warmth. Then we both giggle.
"The water feels good, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it's just the right temperature."
It feels like the water is still set at the temperature Hisao and I picked when we took a bath here. I'm happy that Lilly likes this temperature too because a bath is quickly too hot or too cold for me.
For a long time neither of us says anything, and we are content to just hang back and relax. Eventually though, Lilly breaks the silence.
"So, Hanako... How was the visit to the hospital?"
"When we arrived, we briefly saw your mother and a person who just arrived here from Japan. Akira said he was the manager of the Japanese branch. Then we went to s-see your father and umm..."
I hesitate for a moment. I don't think Lilly needs to hear about Akira's verbal scuffle with her father.
"...he... uh... still seemed to have a lot of difficulty speaking, but he talked to us even though it hurt. He... thanked us for helping him and said to l-let him know if there was ever something he could do back. Then he wished us a safe journey."
"I see. Did... Akira say anything in particular? When Hisao came back upstairs he said that she invited you for a stroll along the shore."
"She... wanted to spend some time with me before I leave tomorrow. She wasn't sure when we'll meet each other again, after all."
She's also worried about you, but I don't think I should let that one slip. I don't like being so secretive, but if Lilly mistakenly believes that I'm only here because Akira sent me, she might clam up.
"That makes sense."
"Lilly?"
"Yes, Hanako?"
Maybe I should ask her straight out.
"W-What d-did you mean when you said that... I f-felt more like f-family than anyone else? D-Did you... mean that?"
Lilly doesn't immediately answer. I briefly wonder if she's just going to smile and dismiss the whole thing. But then she sighs softly.
04
"After Mother and Father left Japan, I've been telling myself for a long time that this was only temporary and that when they'd return, everything would be as it was before. But when Akira and I visited here in July, I think everyone could feel the distance. When I offered Mother to visit here, I thought all that we needed to do was spend a bit more time in each other’s company. But... I've recently started feeling that things are nowhere that simple. If anything, I feel that this trip has merely widened the distance between myself and the rest of my family. It's like all my efforts have the opposite effect. It's... very disheartening to say the least."
"Widened the distance?"
Lilly nods.
"You've known Akira for some time now. Surely you must have noticed as well."
I think I have, even before Akira herself pointed it out to me.
"Akira... really doesn't get along with your p-parents, does she?"
"Akira and I have always been very close and only grew closer after our parents left Japan. We used to be able to share everything with the other. Only the subject of our parents has always been a troublesome issue. Akira would usually get angry or bitter whenever this subject came up, so I'd usually let her blow off steam and then change the subject. It didn't really become a problem until recently."
"Until... the summoning?"
"Even slightly before that. When we visited Scotland in July, I didn't really know how to act around our parents, but I tried to just make the best of an awkward situation. Akira, however, would often be either distant or hostile whenever we interacted with them. It made the situation with the summoning a lot more difficult for me than it already was."
"How so?"
"In the past, whenever I ran into a situation I had trouble dealing with by myself, such as... hmmm... turning down a confession or dealing with conflicts in the student council, I would take comfort in the fact that I could always approach Akira as a last resort and she'd listen to me and give me sisterly advice. But when we visited Scotland, I started feeling alienated by Akira's attitude towards our family. I used to trust her opinions unconditionally because I knew she always had my best interests at heart, but in this case, I can't deny that I felt a sense of distrust towards her. So I ended up trying to deal with our parents' summoning on my own. I felt... very alone... in that."
"Oh, Lilly..."
Lilly gives me a guilty smile.
"Of course, that's a little bit my own fault as well. I should have realized sooner that I also had you to confide in. I just hope you understand that usually what happens in the family is meant to stay in the family."
"I understand."
"I had been hoping that Father's hospitalization would have resulted in a truce or even a new start, but it seems that even an event as major as this wasn't enough. I'm not really sure how to deal with Akira now."
For a moment Lilly looks mildly frustrated.
"I... really want to be understanding of Akira. She's endured a lot of hardships of her own. But...*sigh* what kind of person starts a fight with someone who only just got off life support?"
And today was pretty much a rematch of the confrontation Lilly referred to.
"It... is indeed a bit harsh."
"Of course, Father is hardly blameless himself. He took an unacceptable risk. And... When he mentioned that he did it for Akira and me, it almost made me feel partially responsible for what happened. As if having him in my life is somehow less important than a large sum of money in the bank."
She sighs again.
"I keep thinking back on what he said. About wanting to make sure I'd always be 'well-provided for'. I wonder if I'm a bad person for believing that that's a really condescending thing to say."
"I don't think you are. "
"Now I just keep wondering if that's how he's always seen me. I keep wondering if the biggest achievement he expects out of me is to be noticed by some potential husband so I don't end up living off his money by myself. I wonder if he'd laugh off my dreams of becoming a teacher. If he's not willing to pay any university tuition, there's probably not much hope of me getting into a university after I graduate."
Wow, she's really in a downer mood.
"It's p-probably a little early to w-worry about that already."
"Hanako... Do you think I'm an ungrateful daughter for feeling this way?"
"N-No. I'd probably f-feel a little bit offended too."
"That's somewhat of a relief to know."
Lilly thinks for a moment.
"I'm also not sure what to think of what Akira said about the way Mother and Father live their lives. Especially Mother. To be honest... I'm not really sure what to think of her to begin with."
"I... noticed that things sometimes seemed a little awkward between your m-mother and you, but I didn't really understand why because your mother has been very friendly from the start."
Lilly nods and smiles sadly.
"It's probably just me. But even so..."
"I... don't really understand the problem."
Lilly turns to me.
"Hanako, if you don't mind me asking... What do you think about my mother?"
"Huh?"
"Please just give me your honest impression. Surely you must have come here with certain expectations."
"Hmmm. She was... different from what I was expecting, but she was nevertheless very nice. I think I like her."
"May I ask what exactly you were expecting?"
"I think I was expecting to meet an older version of you. Like... a formal and graceful upper-class woman with impeccable m-manners. Maybe, unlike you, even a bit haughty or s-snobbish. I know it's a bit silly. But your mother actually reminds me quite a bit of Akira. I think I simply made the wrong guess."
"You were expecting a so-called proper lady?"
I think I’ve heard Lilly's father utter that phrase a few times.
"Yes. But it doesn't really matter that much to me. Why do you want to k-know all this?"
Lilly pauses for a second and then sighs.
"Because the way you imagined her is also the way I remember her."
"The way you remember her?"
"I know it must be difficult for you to believe this, but Mother was a completely different person when she was still living with us in Japan. She was... graceful, gentle, friendly though also just a little bit distant and always very proper and appropriate. And she was completely devoted to Father and the family. While growing up, Mother was the person I always tried to emulate and resemble."
"R-Really?"
"Being around her has been a very strange experience. I... have no idea how to act around her. Living abroad can change a person, I suppose, but..."
It's still very odd. And something doesn't make sense.
"But Lilly, what about y-your first trip?"
"During our first trip to Scotland, Mother took up her days off from work to spend time with her bedridden sister and us. Back then, she was still acting like her old self whenever she was with us. Well, for the largest part anyway. She didn't start acting this casual until I returned here."
Lilly lets out an unhappy sigh.
"I could put up with the more casual way of interacting with me, but what really bothers me is the fact she seems to have been neglecting Father. That's... just so not her. I... really don't know what to think or what to do. This isn't the family I expected to find here."
"I... I'm sorry, Lilly."
"It's okay, Hanako. Thank you for listening to me complaining like this."
"Oh, d-don't worry about that."
"What would you do in my situation?"
I'm not sure. Knowing myself, I'd probably run away, take the first plane back to Japan and hide away in my dorm room for the rest of the year. But that's not what Lilly needs to hear.
Okay Hanako. Think...
"I'm... n-not really sure, but..."
I try to recall the things Akira told me earlier today.
She said something along the lines of not wanting to trouble Lilly with her issues any further.
"Akira... umm... talked to me earlier and... she's not happy with the situation either. She said... she was going to try and b-back off a little. I don't think there's a lot you can do for her. This is probably something she'll have to... sort out herself."
"Did Akira appear angry with me over our lack of interaction the last few days?"
"Not to me. Maybe you can call her. Or spend some time with her after work without bringing up your f-family. I think she'll like that, and you might enjoy it too. You've always enjoyed each other's company so much."
"It may feel odd to ignore the elephant in the room just like that, but if she meant what she told you then there may be no harm in trying."
Akira isn't the tricky issue though. Lilly's bond with her sister is strong enough for it to withstand a few hurdles. The issues with her parents are more difficult. I can imagine how Lilly must have felt. I think I've been there myself.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 34 - cont.
"L-Lilly?"
"Yes?"
"I... I think I know how you must have felt."
"You do?"
"When I was... still getting to know Hisao, I used to worry a lot about what he thought of me. I was often afraid that he looked d-down on me. That I was j-just someone for him to worry over."
Lilly suddenly looks very uncomfortable. This used to be a sensitive point between the two of us as well.
"I don't think that was all he saw you as, Hanako."
"I don't know. I still remember that night when Akira took us to that jazz club. Hisao and I played a game of pool in the back and it was really fun... until he said something to me that r-really hurt."
"He did?"
"While I was trying to ease my nerves, he said: 'Don't worry. Even with Lilly away, I'll be there to protect you.' It was then that I realized that... to him... I was just a pitiful and helpless person who couldn't do anything on her own. Someone who would always have to b-be looked after."
"I don't think he really meant it like that, Hanako. He may have acted in a bit of a misguided manner, but in the end I believe he meant well. He simply didn't know you well enough yet."
"I... think he meant well t-too, but it still hurt back then. I wanted him t-to respect me, b-but he didn't."
"I think he respects you now. And I think he also loves you very much. So he obviously came around, wouldn't you agree?"
"Y-Yes, it... took a lot, but... he came around eventually. And he apologized and c-confessed to me. I'm r-really happy that he did."
"Was there anything specific that triggered this?"
I blush briefly upon hearing Lilly's question. I think if I told Lilly that I let Hisao sleep with me in order to make him come around, she'd probably faint in shock. Actually, in the end it wasn't really Hisao and me taking each other's virginity that broke down the walls between us, but the painfully awkward talk we were forced to have the day after.
"A... um... painfully awkward talk at some point. It's n-not really important."
"I think you're right, Hanako. The important thing is the result."
"Umm... L-Lilly?"
"Yes?"
"I was thinking... maybe... maybe the same is true with you and your father. Maybe your father... didn't really mean to d-disrespect you, but... he s-simply didn't know you well enough yet either. Maybe he's simply... ignorant."
There's a long silence as Lilly ponders my words.
"Do you really think the two cases are similar, Hanako?"
"I... think so. I think your father cares about you in his own way or he w-would not have offered to take us to Edinburgh while things were still so busy at work. M-Maybe if you show him how strong and reliable you can be, he'll see past his current view of you."
In fact, you'll probably pull it off without jumping into the kind of irrational actions I took part in.
"Show him?"
"I think this is a good opportunity. Maybe... the best chance you're going to g-get. Your f-father is probably going through a very d-difficult time right now. He could... really use someone like you by his side."
"Someone like me?"
"You're... very good at... comforting people and making them f-feel better. Giving emotional support to people who need it, whether they're classmates or newly arrived transfer students or even p-panicky neighbors with whom you never even spoke before, is simply what you do. It's like a s-second nature to you. It was... the first thing I learned about you."
"That's a very nice thing of you to say."
"If you... look after your f-father like you've looked after Hisao and me, he'll have no choice but to respect you."
"You make it sound more simple than it probably is."
I probably do. Lilly's pride was hurt in this whole mess, and I know that that's not something she can easily let go or overlook.
"If anyone can bring your f-family together, it's probably you. Also... I think if you give things your all while you're here, you can say that you've t-tried your best no matter what happens during the rest of your stay. If you... don't do that then you might feel regrets when you're back at Yamaku."
I wonder if I myself would be able to practice what I'm preaching right now. I feel a bit hypocritical talking to Lilly about swallowing her pride and reaching out to her parents in good faith while I myself am frequently prone to bouts of cynicism. But there's no doubt in my mind that if Lilly just allowed things to stay the way they are, she'd feel awful about her inactivity later.
"Maybe..."
"You... d-don't really have much to lose. If you... m-manage to still get closer to your f-family, you'll have achieved what you c-came here for. And if... despite your best efforts, you s-still feel distant f-from them b-by the time you get back, then... uh... ummm..."
"Yes?"
05
"Then... uh... I'll b-be your f-family... instead. Either way, you w-won't be alone."
Lilly lets out a happy laugh at my remark.
"Hmmm, hmmm... Promising someone such a reward for failing is not a good way to motivate them, Hanako. But nevertheless I really appreciate your kindness."
"Also... uh... This is just m-me, but I t-think that...!"
06
While I'm still in the middle of my sentence I suddenly become aware that Lilly has softly put her hand on my shoulder. My right shoulder! I gasp and in a sudden fit of panic, I lunge forward in an attempt to get away. However due to the resistence of the water reaching to just above my knees, I promptly fall over, producing a loud splash in the process. In other circumstances it'd probably be comical. The splash gets some water in my nose, and I snort and cough a few times before I can regain my composure. I finally calm down enough to realize that I just made an utter fool of myself in front of Lilly and anxiously look over my shoulder at my friend.
Lilly's smile has vanished and in its place is a worried, almost frightened, expression.
"H-Hanako! Are you alright?"
"I... I'm... okay... S-sorry... I'm... alright..."
My panting and stammering attempts at reassurance don't do much to put Lilly's mind at ease.
"Hanako, did I hurt you just now?"
"D-Don't worry. You didn't."
"Honestly?"
"I... I d-didn't even f-feel it at f-first. S-Several of m-my... m-my s-scarred places are n-numb."
"..."
"It's o-okay, really. You j-just startled me a little."
Lilly seems to consider it and then slowly nods.
"I apologize. What was it that you wanted to say before I interrupted you?"
"What I w-wanted to say was... that s-supporting your father is also simply the r-right thing to do. B-Being stuck in the hospital after s-surgery is hard on everyone. Your f-father probably f-feels he can't show it, b-but I think that d-deep down he's feeling a little bit l-like Hisao m-must have felt. Or..."
An uneasy feeling starts welling up in my stomach before I can finish my sentence, but Lilly seems to have guessed what I was about to say.
"Or how you must have felt... Does this situation remind you of your own hospitalization, Hanako?"
07
"B-Being stuck in the hospital after s-something like this is a very miserable experience. In addition to the p-pain, there's the loneliness. And there's all the t-time you have. S-So much time - too much time - and nothing to s-spend it on except w-wondering. W-Wondering why t-this happened to y-you and what you d-did to deserve t-this. Wondering what y-your life will b-be like afterwards and r-realizing it will probably never b-be the same again."
"Was that what it was like for you, Hanako?"
"I... d-don't really remember m-my own first week very well. I... w-was on very heavy medication at first. The strongest they had. M-My room was one of those s-sealed pods that w-was completely s-sterile. I b-barely survived the f-fire. They s-said a s-simple infection could kill me until I m-my injuries healed up a bit more. They usually c-couldn't b-bring in toys or b-books because there could be g-germs on them. D-Doctors or nurses wouldn't c-come in unless really necessary and I w-wasn't allowed out of the r-room. But then again, I c-could barely move b-back then, so I wouldn't h-have been able to leave anyway."
"That must have been terribly lonely..."
"I preferred to b-be alone eventually. Whenever the n-nurses came into my room, it was usually to change the b-bandages or to move and s-stretch my injured arm and b-back. Burned skin becomes really t-tight and it has to be s-stretched several times a day or I wouldn't be able to use those p-parts of my body at all anymore eventually. That's what they s-said. But... I didn't s-see it that way at first. All I knew was that several t-times a day p-people would come into my room to cause me terrible pain."
For a moment my thoughts fly back to my time in the hospital. The constant pain that became unbearable when my limbs were moved or the wound dressing was changed. The fear and panic I felt when I saw the nursing staff enter my room again. Their continuing reassurances how important it was to start these exercises as soon as possible. I suddenly find myself shivering.
"Hanako..."
"S-Sometimes, after the nurses w-were finally done f-for the day, I w-wondered why my m-mother did what she d-did. Why she didn't j-just let me..."
"Your mother?"
"The fire happened when I was eight years old. It was night, and I was s-sleeping when it started. I... curled up into a ball... when the f-fire swept over me. My mother... tried to shield me. Th-that's the reason... I lived... and she... d-didn't."
"..."
"I was... still on intensive care... f-fighting for my own l-life when the... c-c-cremation took place. M-Maybe it w-was for the best. If... If I h-had been there when they... when they... I d-don't think I w-would have... "
I sniffle and it takes all the willpower I have to swallow the sudden lump in my throat, and when Lilly speaks up, her voice is rather tiny as well.
"H-Hanako... your parents' ashes... are they... kept at a grave somewhere? Because if so... perhaps I could go there with you some time and pay my respects."
That comment makes me smile despite the mood of the moment. It's just so much like Lilly to say something kind like that.
"T-They're not. The funeral w-was already very costly, and it w-was decided not to s-spend additional money on a grave with just m-me to maintain it. After I... recovered enough to be able to walk and d-dress myself again, the m-matron came to visit m-me in the hospital. She told me she worked at an orphanage in t-town and that I'd be living with them from then on. They... kept my p-parents' ashes while I w-was recovering in the hospital, and after I was allowed to l-leave, we took a long ride to a place n-near the ocean with a really b-beautiful coastline. The matron s-said I could pick the prettiest spot I could f-find and that's where we would... s-s-see them off."
"She sounds kind."
"She w-was. All the staff members at the orphanage w-were nice, and it felt a bit like Yamaku does. But the staff was also always b-busy. Since they w-were already h-helping me with my... exercises and other m-medical needs, I t-tried not to burden them further. The place had a small library, so I started reading to p-pass the time. S-Sometimes I'd play a game with one of the other c-children if the staff suggested it."
"Did you ever consider getting in touch again with some of the children you got to know there?"
"I didn't r-really get to know anyone. The other c-children didn't really t-talk much to me, and I didn't r-really talk much to them. I... d-didn't really mind."
"But you were all in the same boat, weren't you?"
"I'm n-not sure. As th-the years went on, I realized... I was different. M-Most of the children there were up for adoption, just like I was. But unlike me... they gradually left, o-one by one. By the time I went to Yamaku, I was... among the oldest ch-children there. For a while, I h-helped with some of the y-younger children, but... I n-never really got to know them either."
"That must have been very lonely."
"I d-don't like interacting w-with p-people very much, so I didn't m-mind."
"But everybody needs friends, don't you think so?"
"Friendship... was something I thought I'd g-given up on. I s-stopped believing in others... after what happened after the accident... B-Before my accident happened, I got on well with p-people and other children. I d-didn't have many friends, but... I didn't m-mind. I t-treasured the ones that I had. Afterwards, though..."
I swallow with some difficulty. For some reason just the mere mentioning of this brings back fragments of the desperation I felt back then.
"...I was c-called names by the others and t-teased a lot. It hurt... really deeply. The teachers t-tried to help s-sometimes, but they c-couldn't do much, and even many of them r-recoiled just at the sight of me. Among t-those c-calling me names and t-teasing me... were the ones that I t-thought were m-my closest friends. *sniff* Up to that point, I had been hoping I c-could still maintain... just a little bit of m-my former life, but... it was then that I r-realized that my former life was truly gone for good."
I feel a few tears flow down my cheek, and I see them create small ripples as they hit the surface of the water.
"Middle school... was even worse. I g-got bullied... a lot. I was c-called names and got excluded f-from work groups. There were... worse things, too. Especially when tests came up and p-people started f-feeling pressure. I s-started skipping class. I knew I wasn't s-supposed to... M-my grades were already r-rather low, but... I became more and more f-frightened to go there each day. After m-middle school, Yamaku was one of the options the s-staff brought up. It was... isolated and m-most students there were d-disabled. I d-didn't expect to m-make any friends there, but... at least p-people would leave me be. That was... g-good enough for me. That was… even m-more than I c-could hope for."
I rub my eyes a few times, trying to wipe away the tears. When I take a brief look at Lilly, I see that she's softly crying as well. For a long time, neither of us says a word. When Lilly finally opens her mouth, there's a sad but tender tone in her voice.
"Hanako, you said you gave up on friendship, and yet I think that deep down you never stopped desiring other people in your life. The fact that our friendship came to be is proof of that because it was you who approached me. You chose me as a friend - your first real friend judging by what I just learned - and I feel very honored by that, even if I haven't always been able to live up to your expectations."
"I'm... n-not sure. I think... I really d-didn't believe in real friendship... back then. But... I think I still wanted to believe, even though I couldn't. I thought... since you couldn't s-see what I looked like... t-things would be... different... somehow."
"And were they?"
"I'm... not really sure. Even though... you couldn't see my appearance, there... were still plenty of things wrong w-with me that you c-could notice. And sometimes... I wondered if it w-was just a m-matter of time before... you found out m-more about me and then d-decided you could... do better."
Lilly considers this for a moment.
"Hanako, would you do something for me?"
"Yes?"
"Can you... take my hands? Both of them?"
"Uh...?"
Lilly sits up a little and holds out both her hands in front of her. A little hesitant, I move over her corner, sit down in front of her and carefully take her hands in mine, trying to avoid contact with the scar tissue on my wrist. Lilly gives a pleased nod.
"Thank you. Don't be afraid."
"Huh?"
Lilly gently pulls her hands away and then puts them on top of my own. She gives me a reassuring smile. Then, without waiting for my reaction, she moves her hands upwards along my arms until they're resting on my shoulders. A moment later she leans forward, wraps her arms around me, and before I realize what's happening, Lilly has locked me in an embrace.
"Aaah!"
I let out a cry of surprise, and my body completely freezes up in panic, and time seems to stop for a long time as I wait for Lilly's horrified gasp.
But as more and more seconds pass, a realization starts slowly sinking in.
08
Lilly hasn't flinched.
Not even once.
I finally manage to hold back my anxiety long enough to stammer out a reaction.
"L-L-Lilly?"
"Hanako. Try to relax..."
"Uh..."
She lowers her voice to a whisper.
"Just relax."
"I..."
As my anxiety slowly - very slowly - starts ebbing away, I become aware of Lilly's hands gently feeling my back and running through my hair. As I slowly start to relax, Lilly pulls me even closer, letting her chin rest on my right shoulder and gently pressing the side of her face against my scarred cheek. Her hug is firm yet oddly tender.
"A blind girl and a burn victim being best friends... Several of my sighted friends at Yamaku have pointed out to me how strangely fitting it seems. And yet, it also feels a bit off-putting, to hear our friendship being defined by this single thing. Don't you agree?"
"I... d-don't know..."
"Would you abandon our friendship if some miracle caused your scars to disappear, Hanako? Would you feel you could do better if that were to happen?"
"No, I... I would never do that."
"Likewise, if some miracle gave me eyesight, it still wouldn't change anything between us, Hanako. You are a wonderful person. The scars on your body don't change that. In fact..."
"She gently runs her fingers across the side of my face."
"You will probably disagree with my assessment, but I think you look fine."
"I... I... don't..."
I stammer a half-hearted denial, but leave it at that. There was such sincerity in Lilly's words that it feels disrespectful to loudly decry her words. As a strangely comfortable silence falls, I try to sort out what I'm currently feeling.
It feels strangely pleasant, but it's not passion or desire, like I felt when Hisao and I were in here and he hugged me. The gentle sensation of the warm water and Lilly's close presence feel vaguely familiar, a little bit like whenever Hisao is holding me after we make love. It's the same comfortable sense of safety and security, yet also different somehow.
I slowly feel the tense feeling leaving me as my past demons who were awakened briefly by my story are lulled back to sleep, and I eventually gain enough courage to wrap my arms around Lilly and return her hug. Again, she doesn't cringe like part of me expected her to.
Inexplicably, something Lilly said to her mother on that fateful day she decided to stay in Japan comes back to mind.
I have a very good friend here who is like a sister to me in all but blood. If I need help with something, I can always count on her to be there.
I wonder if my presence is also soothing Lilly's anxieties right now.
Eventually, Lilly lets go of me, and we break off our embrace. I sit down next to her, although this time I no longer bother to stay an arm's length away from Lilly. After another long silence, Lilly finally speaks up.
"Hanako, how are you feeling right now?"
"B-Better. How about you?"
"Better as well. Thank you for entrusting me with all of this, Hanako."
"It's... okay. I felt it was... only fair... to do so."
"Fair?"
"This week I've seen you... during some v-very vulnerable moments. I've also... learned a lot about your f-family. A lot that... you probably didn't want me to learn. It was only fair that... I also allowed you to l-learn a bit more about me even though it isn't pleasant."
"To be honest, I feel a little embarrassed. You've been through so much, and yet here I am, feeling sorry for myself and complaining about parents to someone who no longer has her own. I must really look spoiled to you."
"I think you were right to feel upset."
"Still, my problems must look so trivial in your eyes."
"I... don't think they are and even if they were, it's still okay to feel bad about them. I... uh... g-get upset about what are p-probably trivial things to you... all the time."
Lilly giggles.
"Thank you for cheering me up, Hanako. You're a true friend."
"Lilly... What will you do now?"
Lilly doesn't immediately answer. She merely closes her eyes and seems deep in thought for what feels like several minutes. Eventually a mysterious smile appears on her face for a second as if she's enjoying some private joke. Then she opens her eyes and turns her head in my direction.
"The right thing, Hanako. I'll do my best to support my parents to the best of my ability and hopefully get them to see me in a new light as well. I will do what I can to change this family for the better and do my part to turn it into what I feel it should be."
There's a determination on Lilly's face and in her voice that's unlike anything I've ever seen. It's a stronger determination than she's ever shown before. I can't help being a little awed.
"I hope... No, I know... t-that you'll succeed."
Lilly smiles and nods.
"Shall we go?"
"Okay."
We stand up, and Lilly once again holds out her hand. This time I don't feel frightened to let Lilly take hold of my arm as I guide her out of the bath and back to the changing area. As we dry ourselves off and start putting our clothes back on, Lilly flashes me a playful grin.
"Hanako, what happened here will stay between us, won't it? For the sake of Hisao's heart, it might be better if he doesn't know all the details."
We let out a mutual giggle to confirm our mutual oath of confidentiality, and, once dressed, we make our way out of the bathroom and down the stairs. As we enter the living room, I see Lilly's mother and Hisao sitting there. Karla gives her daughter an unsure look.
"Hello Lilly. How are you doing?"
Lilly answers her mother's question with a polite bow.
"Much better now, Mother. How about you?"
"Okay... I guess. I hope you're not too hungry yet. I didn't know when you would be finished, and I've yet to tell Allison to start preparing dinner."
"Actually, Mother, would it be okay to give Allison the rest of the day off?"
"Huh?"
"This is Hanako's and Hisao's last day here in Scotland. If it's okay with you, I would like to cook for them myself, just this once."
"Uh... Well, I don't mind. But..."
"Perhaps you could help me get the ingredients ready. I'm still not too familiar with the location of everything."
"Well, alright then."
And with that Lilly and her mother disappear into the kitchen. An hour later the four of us share a simple, but delicious meal, and afterwards Lilly accompanies Hisao and me on one last long walk through the neighborhood before the two of us retire for the evening.
--------------------------------------
09
The next morning, after a filling breakfast, Lilly and her mother take us to Inverness Airport where we're pleasantly surprised by a chipper Akira who's been waiting for us there. After checking in our luggage, the five of us have a cup of tea at one of the coffee shops near the security gate. The atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed with Lilly interacting in her usual way with Akira and Akira not displaying any outward signs of hostility towards her mother. Eventually Lilly's mother checks her watch and gives us a sad smile.
"Well, I think it's time for you two to head to your gate. You probably want to be among the first to board."
Hisao sighs.
"Well, I guess we'll be off then. Best of luck to all three of you. And maybe until some other time, Akira."
Akira grins.
"Hey, I'll still be in Japan from time to time. I'll try to accompany whatever business delegation is heading east. And whenever I'm in the country, I'll be sure to stop by at Yamaku. So we'll definitely meet again. "
Karla smiles.
"So will we. I'll probably be the one accompanying Lilly to Japan on her way back, so we'll probably meet again soon. Take care of yourself in the meantime, okay? And uh... Since you're in her class, be sure to tell Shizune that I said hello."
"We will."
Hisao gets up from his seat and looks at me.
"Shall we then?"
I nod uneasily. Saying goodbye to Lilly and Akira suddenly feels very hard.
"O-Okay."
We all get up, and Lilly's mother gives us a respectful bow.
"We’ve put you through quite a bit of trouble. Sorry for that. I hope you enjoyed your time here regardless."
"Oh, we definitely have. Right, Hanako?"
"Yes. It was great fun."
Karla smiles and then reaches into her wallet. She takes some banknotes and puts two of them in each of our hands. I look at them and there's a large 50 on each of them. That's 200 pounds in total. I'm not completely sure how much that is in yen, but I bet it's quite a bit.
"When you get back to Japan, please change this and use it to go on a couple of fun dates together. It's on us."
"We couldn't..."
Akira cuts off Hisao by giving him a playful shove.
"Just take it, you two."
Lilly smiles.
"You can tell me all about it when I get back."
Hisao and I exchange a resigned look. I don't think there's time for us to argue over this. We both put the banknotes away.
"Thank you."
Akira steps forward and gives Hisao a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Have fun, you two. See ya later."
Then she walks up to me and gives me a warm hug while giving me a knowing look.
"See ya, Hanako. Don't be afraid to call sometime."
She leans in and whispers.
"And thanks for yesterday."
"Uh... O-okay."
Lilly briefly puts her hand on Hisao's shoulder.
"Hisao, please take good care of Hanako today, okay?"
"Will do, Lilly. Be sure to hang in there yourself."
"Hanako, will you be alright?"
"D-Don't worry about me, Lilly. I'll... make it."
Lilly steps forward and gives me a loving hug, followed by a light kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for everything, Hanako. We'll keep in touch, okay?"
"Y-Yes."
We walk out of the coffee shop, and Hisao and I join the queue near the security gate. We turn around and wave goodbye one last time to the Satous. The crowds and security checks will no doubt ruin my day today, but until it's our turn to pass through I want to hold on to that image of Lilly and her family.
The sight of Lilly, Akira and their mother all wearing a smile.
Maybe things will turn out alright after all.
10
"Yes?"
"I... I think I know how you must have felt."
"You do?"
"When I was... still getting to know Hisao, I used to worry a lot about what he thought of me. I was often afraid that he looked d-down on me. That I was j-just someone for him to worry over."
Lilly suddenly looks very uncomfortable. This used to be a sensitive point between the two of us as well.
"I don't think that was all he saw you as, Hanako."
"I don't know. I still remember that night when Akira took us to that jazz club. Hisao and I played a game of pool in the back and it was really fun... until he said something to me that r-really hurt."
"He did?"
"While I was trying to ease my nerves, he said: 'Don't worry. Even with Lilly away, I'll be there to protect you.' It was then that I realized that... to him... I was just a pitiful and helpless person who couldn't do anything on her own. Someone who would always have to b-be looked after."
"I don't think he really meant it like that, Hanako. He may have acted in a bit of a misguided manner, but in the end I believe he meant well. He simply didn't know you well enough yet."
"I... think he meant well t-too, but it still hurt back then. I wanted him t-to respect me, b-but he didn't."
"I think he respects you now. And I think he also loves you very much. So he obviously came around, wouldn't you agree?"
"Y-Yes, it... took a lot, but... he came around eventually. And he apologized and c-confessed to me. I'm r-really happy that he did."
"Was there anything specific that triggered this?"
I blush briefly upon hearing Lilly's question. I think if I told Lilly that I let Hisao sleep with me in order to make him come around, she'd probably faint in shock. Actually, in the end it wasn't really Hisao and me taking each other's virginity that broke down the walls between us, but the painfully awkward talk we were forced to have the day after.
"A... um... painfully awkward talk at some point. It's n-not really important."
"I think you're right, Hanako. The important thing is the result."
"Umm... L-Lilly?"
"Yes?"
"I was thinking... maybe... maybe the same is true with you and your father. Maybe your father... didn't really mean to d-disrespect you, but... he s-simply didn't know you well enough yet either. Maybe he's simply... ignorant."
There's a long silence as Lilly ponders my words.
"Do you really think the two cases are similar, Hanako?"
"I... think so. I think your father cares about you in his own way or he w-would not have offered to take us to Edinburgh while things were still so busy at work. M-Maybe if you show him how strong and reliable you can be, he'll see past his current view of you."
In fact, you'll probably pull it off without jumping into the kind of irrational actions I took part in.
"Show him?"
"I think this is a good opportunity. Maybe... the best chance you're going to g-get. Your f-father is probably going through a very d-difficult time right now. He could... really use someone like you by his side."
"Someone like me?"
"You're... very good at... comforting people and making them f-feel better. Giving emotional support to people who need it, whether they're classmates or newly arrived transfer students or even p-panicky neighbors with whom you never even spoke before, is simply what you do. It's like a s-second nature to you. It was... the first thing I learned about you."
"That's a very nice thing of you to say."
"If you... look after your f-father like you've looked after Hisao and me, he'll have no choice but to respect you."
"You make it sound more simple than it probably is."
I probably do. Lilly's pride was hurt in this whole mess, and I know that that's not something she can easily let go or overlook.
"If anyone can bring your f-family together, it's probably you. Also... I think if you give things your all while you're here, you can say that you've t-tried your best no matter what happens during the rest of your stay. If you... don't do that then you might feel regrets when you're back at Yamaku."
I wonder if I myself would be able to practice what I'm preaching right now. I feel a bit hypocritical talking to Lilly about swallowing her pride and reaching out to her parents in good faith while I myself am frequently prone to bouts of cynicism. But there's no doubt in my mind that if Lilly just allowed things to stay the way they are, she'd feel awful about her inactivity later.
"Maybe..."
"You... d-don't really have much to lose. If you... m-manage to still get closer to your f-family, you'll have achieved what you c-came here for. And if... despite your best efforts, you s-still feel distant f-from them b-by the time you get back, then... uh... ummm..."
"Yes?"
05
"Then... uh... I'll b-be your f-family... instead. Either way, you w-won't be alone."
Lilly lets out a happy laugh at my remark.
"Hmmm, hmmm... Promising someone such a reward for failing is not a good way to motivate them, Hanako. But nevertheless I really appreciate your kindness."
"Also... uh... This is just m-me, but I t-think that...!"
06
While I'm still in the middle of my sentence I suddenly become aware that Lilly has softly put her hand on my shoulder. My right shoulder! I gasp and in a sudden fit of panic, I lunge forward in an attempt to get away. However due to the resistence of the water reaching to just above my knees, I promptly fall over, producing a loud splash in the process. In other circumstances it'd probably be comical. The splash gets some water in my nose, and I snort and cough a few times before I can regain my composure. I finally calm down enough to realize that I just made an utter fool of myself in front of Lilly and anxiously look over my shoulder at my friend.
Lilly's smile has vanished and in its place is a worried, almost frightened, expression.
"H-Hanako! Are you alright?"
"I... I'm... okay... S-sorry... I'm... alright..."
My panting and stammering attempts at reassurance don't do much to put Lilly's mind at ease.
"Hanako, did I hurt you just now?"
"D-Don't worry. You didn't."
"Honestly?"
"I... I d-didn't even f-feel it at f-first. S-Several of m-my... m-my s-scarred places are n-numb."
"..."
"It's o-okay, really. You j-just startled me a little."
Lilly seems to consider it and then slowly nods.
"I apologize. What was it that you wanted to say before I interrupted you?"
"What I w-wanted to say was... that s-supporting your father is also simply the r-right thing to do. B-Being stuck in the hospital after s-surgery is hard on everyone. Your f-father probably f-feels he can't show it, b-but I think that d-deep down he's feeling a little bit l-like Hisao m-must have felt. Or..."
An uneasy feeling starts welling up in my stomach before I can finish my sentence, but Lilly seems to have guessed what I was about to say.
"Or how you must have felt... Does this situation remind you of your own hospitalization, Hanako?"
07
"B-Being stuck in the hospital after s-something like this is a very miserable experience. In addition to the p-pain, there's the loneliness. And there's all the t-time you have. S-So much time - too much time - and nothing to s-spend it on except w-wondering. W-Wondering why t-this happened to y-you and what you d-did to deserve t-this. Wondering what y-your life will b-be like afterwards and r-realizing it will probably never b-be the same again."
"Was that what it was like for you, Hanako?"
"I... d-don't really remember m-my own first week very well. I... w-was on very heavy medication at first. The strongest they had. M-My room was one of those s-sealed pods that w-was completely s-sterile. I b-barely survived the f-fire. They s-said a s-simple infection could kill me until I m-my injuries healed up a bit more. They usually c-couldn't b-bring in toys or b-books because there could be g-germs on them. D-Doctors or nurses wouldn't c-come in unless really necessary and I w-wasn't allowed out of the r-room. But then again, I c-could barely move b-back then, so I wouldn't h-have been able to leave anyway."
"That must have been terribly lonely..."
"I preferred to b-be alone eventually. Whenever the n-nurses came into my room, it was usually to change the b-bandages or to move and s-stretch my injured arm and b-back. Burned skin becomes really t-tight and it has to be s-stretched several times a day or I wouldn't be able to use those p-parts of my body at all anymore eventually. That's what they s-said. But... I didn't s-see it that way at first. All I knew was that several t-times a day p-people would come into my room to cause me terrible pain."
For a moment my thoughts fly back to my time in the hospital. The constant pain that became unbearable when my limbs were moved or the wound dressing was changed. The fear and panic I felt when I saw the nursing staff enter my room again. Their continuing reassurances how important it was to start these exercises as soon as possible. I suddenly find myself shivering.
"Hanako..."
"S-Sometimes, after the nurses w-were finally done f-for the day, I w-wondered why my m-mother did what she d-did. Why she didn't j-just let me..."
"Your mother?"
"The fire happened when I was eight years old. It was night, and I was s-sleeping when it started. I... curled up into a ball... when the f-fire swept over me. My mother... tried to shield me. Th-that's the reason... I lived... and she... d-didn't."
"..."
"I was... still on intensive care... f-fighting for my own l-life when the... c-c-cremation took place. M-Maybe it w-was for the best. If... If I h-had been there when they... when they... I d-don't think I w-would have... "
I sniffle and it takes all the willpower I have to swallow the sudden lump in my throat, and when Lilly speaks up, her voice is rather tiny as well.
"H-Hanako... your parents' ashes... are they... kept at a grave somewhere? Because if so... perhaps I could go there with you some time and pay my respects."
That comment makes me smile despite the mood of the moment. It's just so much like Lilly to say something kind like that.
"T-They're not. The funeral w-was already very costly, and it w-was decided not to s-spend additional money on a grave with just m-me to maintain it. After I... recovered enough to be able to walk and d-dress myself again, the m-matron came to visit m-me in the hospital. She told me she worked at an orphanage in t-town and that I'd be living with them from then on. They... kept my p-parents' ashes while I w-was recovering in the hospital, and after I was allowed to l-leave, we took a long ride to a place n-near the ocean with a really b-beautiful coastline. The matron s-said I could pick the prettiest spot I could f-find and that's where we would... s-s-see them off."
"She sounds kind."
"She w-was. All the staff members at the orphanage w-were nice, and it felt a bit like Yamaku does. But the staff was also always b-busy. Since they w-were already h-helping me with my... exercises and other m-medical needs, I t-tried not to burden them further. The place had a small library, so I started reading to p-pass the time. S-Sometimes I'd play a game with one of the other c-children if the staff suggested it."
"Did you ever consider getting in touch again with some of the children you got to know there?"
"I didn't r-really get to know anyone. The other c-children didn't really t-talk much to me, and I didn't r-really talk much to them. I... d-didn't really mind."
"But you were all in the same boat, weren't you?"
"I'm n-not sure. As th-the years went on, I realized... I was different. M-Most of the children there were up for adoption, just like I was. But unlike me... they gradually left, o-one by one. By the time I went to Yamaku, I was... among the oldest ch-children there. For a while, I h-helped with some of the y-younger children, but... I n-never really got to know them either."
"That must have been very lonely."
"I d-don't like interacting w-with p-people very much, so I didn't m-mind."
"But everybody needs friends, don't you think so?"
"Friendship... was something I thought I'd g-given up on. I s-stopped believing in others... after what happened after the accident... B-Before my accident happened, I got on well with p-people and other children. I d-didn't have many friends, but... I didn't m-mind. I t-treasured the ones that I had. Afterwards, though..."
I swallow with some difficulty. For some reason just the mere mentioning of this brings back fragments of the desperation I felt back then.
"...I was c-called names by the others and t-teased a lot. It hurt... really deeply. The teachers t-tried to help s-sometimes, but they c-couldn't do much, and even many of them r-recoiled just at the sight of me. Among t-those c-calling me names and t-teasing me... were the ones that I t-thought were m-my closest friends. *sniff* Up to that point, I had been hoping I c-could still maintain... just a little bit of m-my former life, but... it was then that I r-realized that my former life was truly gone for good."
I feel a few tears flow down my cheek, and I see them create small ripples as they hit the surface of the water.
"Middle school... was even worse. I g-got bullied... a lot. I was c-called names and got excluded f-from work groups. There were... worse things, too. Especially when tests came up and p-people started f-feeling pressure. I s-started skipping class. I knew I wasn't s-supposed to... M-my grades were already r-rather low, but... I became more and more f-frightened to go there each day. After m-middle school, Yamaku was one of the options the s-staff brought up. It was... isolated and m-most students there were d-disabled. I d-didn't expect to m-make any friends there, but... at least p-people would leave me be. That was... g-good enough for me. That was… even m-more than I c-could hope for."
I rub my eyes a few times, trying to wipe away the tears. When I take a brief look at Lilly, I see that she's softly crying as well. For a long time, neither of us says a word. When Lilly finally opens her mouth, there's a sad but tender tone in her voice.
"Hanako, you said you gave up on friendship, and yet I think that deep down you never stopped desiring other people in your life. The fact that our friendship came to be is proof of that because it was you who approached me. You chose me as a friend - your first real friend judging by what I just learned - and I feel very honored by that, even if I haven't always been able to live up to your expectations."
"I'm... n-not sure. I think... I really d-didn't believe in real friendship... back then. But... I think I still wanted to believe, even though I couldn't. I thought... since you couldn't s-see what I looked like... t-things would be... different... somehow."
"And were they?"
"I'm... not really sure. Even though... you couldn't see my appearance, there... were still plenty of things wrong w-with me that you c-could notice. And sometimes... I wondered if it w-was just a m-matter of time before... you found out m-more about me and then d-decided you could... do better."
Lilly considers this for a moment.
"Hanako, would you do something for me?"
"Yes?"
"Can you... take my hands? Both of them?"
"Uh...?"
Lilly sits up a little and holds out both her hands in front of her. A little hesitant, I move over her corner, sit down in front of her and carefully take her hands in mine, trying to avoid contact with the scar tissue on my wrist. Lilly gives a pleased nod.
"Thank you. Don't be afraid."
"Huh?"
Lilly gently pulls her hands away and then puts them on top of my own. She gives me a reassuring smile. Then, without waiting for my reaction, she moves her hands upwards along my arms until they're resting on my shoulders. A moment later she leans forward, wraps her arms around me, and before I realize what's happening, Lilly has locked me in an embrace.
"Aaah!"
I let out a cry of surprise, and my body completely freezes up in panic, and time seems to stop for a long time as I wait for Lilly's horrified gasp.
But as more and more seconds pass, a realization starts slowly sinking in.
08
Lilly hasn't flinched.
Not even once.
I finally manage to hold back my anxiety long enough to stammer out a reaction.
"L-L-Lilly?"
"Hanako. Try to relax..."
"Uh..."
She lowers her voice to a whisper.
"Just relax."
"I..."
As my anxiety slowly - very slowly - starts ebbing away, I become aware of Lilly's hands gently feeling my back and running through my hair. As I slowly start to relax, Lilly pulls me even closer, letting her chin rest on my right shoulder and gently pressing the side of her face against my scarred cheek. Her hug is firm yet oddly tender.
"A blind girl and a burn victim being best friends... Several of my sighted friends at Yamaku have pointed out to me how strangely fitting it seems. And yet, it also feels a bit off-putting, to hear our friendship being defined by this single thing. Don't you agree?"
"I... d-don't know..."
"Would you abandon our friendship if some miracle caused your scars to disappear, Hanako? Would you feel you could do better if that were to happen?"
"No, I... I would never do that."
"Likewise, if some miracle gave me eyesight, it still wouldn't change anything between us, Hanako. You are a wonderful person. The scars on your body don't change that. In fact..."
"She gently runs her fingers across the side of my face."
"You will probably disagree with my assessment, but I think you look fine."
"I... I... don't..."
I stammer a half-hearted denial, but leave it at that. There was such sincerity in Lilly's words that it feels disrespectful to loudly decry her words. As a strangely comfortable silence falls, I try to sort out what I'm currently feeling.
It feels strangely pleasant, but it's not passion or desire, like I felt when Hisao and I were in here and he hugged me. The gentle sensation of the warm water and Lilly's close presence feel vaguely familiar, a little bit like whenever Hisao is holding me after we make love. It's the same comfortable sense of safety and security, yet also different somehow.
I slowly feel the tense feeling leaving me as my past demons who were awakened briefly by my story are lulled back to sleep, and I eventually gain enough courage to wrap my arms around Lilly and return her hug. Again, she doesn't cringe like part of me expected her to.
Inexplicably, something Lilly said to her mother on that fateful day she decided to stay in Japan comes back to mind.
I have a very good friend here who is like a sister to me in all but blood. If I need help with something, I can always count on her to be there.
I wonder if my presence is also soothing Lilly's anxieties right now.
Eventually, Lilly lets go of me, and we break off our embrace. I sit down next to her, although this time I no longer bother to stay an arm's length away from Lilly. After another long silence, Lilly finally speaks up.
"Hanako, how are you feeling right now?"
"B-Better. How about you?"
"Better as well. Thank you for entrusting me with all of this, Hanako."
"It's... okay. I felt it was... only fair... to do so."
"Fair?"
"This week I've seen you... during some v-very vulnerable moments. I've also... learned a lot about your f-family. A lot that... you probably didn't want me to learn. It was only fair that... I also allowed you to l-learn a bit more about me even though it isn't pleasant."
"To be honest, I feel a little embarrassed. You've been through so much, and yet here I am, feeling sorry for myself and complaining about parents to someone who no longer has her own. I must really look spoiled to you."
"I think you were right to feel upset."
"Still, my problems must look so trivial in your eyes."
"I... don't think they are and even if they were, it's still okay to feel bad about them. I... uh... g-get upset about what are p-probably trivial things to you... all the time."
Lilly giggles.
"Thank you for cheering me up, Hanako. You're a true friend."
"Lilly... What will you do now?"
Lilly doesn't immediately answer. She merely closes her eyes and seems deep in thought for what feels like several minutes. Eventually a mysterious smile appears on her face for a second as if she's enjoying some private joke. Then she opens her eyes and turns her head in my direction.
"The right thing, Hanako. I'll do my best to support my parents to the best of my ability and hopefully get them to see me in a new light as well. I will do what I can to change this family for the better and do my part to turn it into what I feel it should be."
There's a determination on Lilly's face and in her voice that's unlike anything I've ever seen. It's a stronger determination than she's ever shown before. I can't help being a little awed.
"I hope... No, I know... t-that you'll succeed."
Lilly smiles and nods.
"Shall we go?"
"Okay."
We stand up, and Lilly once again holds out her hand. This time I don't feel frightened to let Lilly take hold of my arm as I guide her out of the bath and back to the changing area. As we dry ourselves off and start putting our clothes back on, Lilly flashes me a playful grin.
"Hanako, what happened here will stay between us, won't it? For the sake of Hisao's heart, it might be better if he doesn't know all the details."
We let out a mutual giggle to confirm our mutual oath of confidentiality, and, once dressed, we make our way out of the bathroom and down the stairs. As we enter the living room, I see Lilly's mother and Hisao sitting there. Karla gives her daughter an unsure look.
"Hello Lilly. How are you doing?"
Lilly answers her mother's question with a polite bow.
"Much better now, Mother. How about you?"
"Okay... I guess. I hope you're not too hungry yet. I didn't know when you would be finished, and I've yet to tell Allison to start preparing dinner."
"Actually, Mother, would it be okay to give Allison the rest of the day off?"
"Huh?"
"This is Hanako's and Hisao's last day here in Scotland. If it's okay with you, I would like to cook for them myself, just this once."
"Uh... Well, I don't mind. But..."
"Perhaps you could help me get the ingredients ready. I'm still not too familiar with the location of everything."
"Well, alright then."
And with that Lilly and her mother disappear into the kitchen. An hour later the four of us share a simple, but delicious meal, and afterwards Lilly accompanies Hisao and me on one last long walk through the neighborhood before the two of us retire for the evening.
--------------------------------------
09
The next morning, after a filling breakfast, Lilly and her mother take us to Inverness Airport where we're pleasantly surprised by a chipper Akira who's been waiting for us there. After checking in our luggage, the five of us have a cup of tea at one of the coffee shops near the security gate. The atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed with Lilly interacting in her usual way with Akira and Akira not displaying any outward signs of hostility towards her mother. Eventually Lilly's mother checks her watch and gives us a sad smile.
"Well, I think it's time for you two to head to your gate. You probably want to be among the first to board."
Hisao sighs.
"Well, I guess we'll be off then. Best of luck to all three of you. And maybe until some other time, Akira."
Akira grins.
"Hey, I'll still be in Japan from time to time. I'll try to accompany whatever business delegation is heading east. And whenever I'm in the country, I'll be sure to stop by at Yamaku. So we'll definitely meet again. "
Karla smiles.
"So will we. I'll probably be the one accompanying Lilly to Japan on her way back, so we'll probably meet again soon. Take care of yourself in the meantime, okay? And uh... Since you're in her class, be sure to tell Shizune that I said hello."
"We will."
Hisao gets up from his seat and looks at me.
"Shall we then?"
I nod uneasily. Saying goodbye to Lilly and Akira suddenly feels very hard.
"O-Okay."
We all get up, and Lilly's mother gives us a respectful bow.
"We’ve put you through quite a bit of trouble. Sorry for that. I hope you enjoyed your time here regardless."
"Oh, we definitely have. Right, Hanako?"
"Yes. It was great fun."
Karla smiles and then reaches into her wallet. She takes some banknotes and puts two of them in each of our hands. I look at them and there's a large 50 on each of them. That's 200 pounds in total. I'm not completely sure how much that is in yen, but I bet it's quite a bit.
"When you get back to Japan, please change this and use it to go on a couple of fun dates together. It's on us."
"We couldn't..."
Akira cuts off Hisao by giving him a playful shove.
"Just take it, you two."
Lilly smiles.
"You can tell me all about it when I get back."
Hisao and I exchange a resigned look. I don't think there's time for us to argue over this. We both put the banknotes away.
"Thank you."
Akira steps forward and gives Hisao a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Have fun, you two. See ya later."
Then she walks up to me and gives me a warm hug while giving me a knowing look.
"See ya, Hanako. Don't be afraid to call sometime."
She leans in and whispers.
"And thanks for yesterday."
"Uh... O-okay."
Lilly briefly puts her hand on Hisao's shoulder.
"Hisao, please take good care of Hanako today, okay?"
"Will do, Lilly. Be sure to hang in there yourself."
"Hanako, will you be alright?"
"D-Don't worry about me, Lilly. I'll... make it."
Lilly steps forward and gives me a loving hug, followed by a light kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for everything, Hanako. We'll keep in touch, okay?"
"Y-Yes."
We walk out of the coffee shop, and Hisao and I join the queue near the security gate. We turn around and wave goodbye one last time to the Satous. The crowds and security checks will no doubt ruin my day today, but until it's our turn to pass through I want to hold on to that image of Lilly and her family.
The sight of Lilly, Akira and their mother all wearing a smile.
Maybe things will turn out alright after all.
10
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:42 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 35
Chapter 35
01
The sound of footsteps walking into the room shakes me from my semi-slumber. I yawn and curiously peer past my bangs in an attempt to place the room I'm currently in, but quickly close my eyes again when the footsteps get closer and someone walks up to the couch I'm lying on. The footsteps stop close to me, and I can tell that whoever came into the room is now looking at me for a bit. I don't think it's Hisao who's now standing in front of me, so I pretend to be asleep. It may not be social, but I think the impression I leave here will be more positive if I limit the number of awkward conversations I get involved in. When I hear the person in front of me move away, I carefully open my eyes again, thankful that I'm lying on my left side so that my hair covers most of my face, and survey the room again.
Now that I'm fully awake, I recognize the room I'm in. This is the living room of Hisao's home, and the sound of bowls and dishes being placed on a table coming from behind me, mixed in with the occasional sound of soft humming, tells me that it was Hisao's mother who came in here earlier.
It's been two days since Hisao and I returned from Scotland. We were pretty exhausted when we finally made it back to Yamaku, especially since there was no Akira to give us a ride this time, and when we reached our dorm rooms we pretty much hit the sack immediately. Hisao spent most of yesterday getting his biological clock back on schedule while I spent most of the day behind the computer in the newspaper club's archive room downloading photos off my camera, burning them to CD and getting my favorite ones printed out. Late in the afternoon we boarded the train to the Nakai home, and we managed to get there before Hisao's parents. When they came home later that evening they were both happy to see him again, and they were pretty friendly to me as well. Hisao spent the remainder of the evening showing his parents a selection of the pictures we took and telling them about our vacation in Inverness.
The last time I met Hisao's parents, shortly after Hisao and I succesfully salvaged our relationship, I only stayed long enough to introduce myself and sit by Hisao's side for a few minutes while his parents were busy digesting the news that their son had been dating. I was a bit apprehensive about spending an extended amount of time around his parents, but my curiosity about his life before Yamaku overrode my social anxiety, and if his parents were put off by my shy and awkward behavior last night, they didn't really show it. Of course, neither of us had any interest in telling his parents about the more intimate aspect of our relationship and Hisao made sure not to disclose the fact that he and I shared a bed during our stay in Scotland, so we both kept our mouth shut when Hisao's parents said I could sleep on the couch in the living room when it was time to go to bed. I guess I shouldn't complain; the couch was a soft and very comfortable sleeping spot, but I still would have preferred to spend the night together with my boyfriend.
"Good morning."
Another person enters the room and I recognize the voice as the one belonging to Hisao's father.
"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
"Quite well. Is... ah... Hanako still asleep?"
"I think she is, so let's keep our voices down a bit so we don't wake her up."
I hear Hisao's father let out a sleepy yawn.
"Well, it was a short night."
I hear the sound of liquid being poured. I can't see Hisao's parents from where I'm lying, but I suspect they've started their breakfast.
"But you have to admit it's a special occasion when our son not only returns home for the first time since his transfer, but also brings his girlfriend along and souvenirs and photos from a vacation on the other side of the world."
"Yes, it's nice he'll be staying for a whole week. I was beginning to wonder if he had forgotten about us."
Hisao's mother lets out a chuckle.
"That's not very nice, dear. He has called us twice during the weeks after his hospitalisation, and he also sent us a text message to let us know that he and his friends arrived safely in Scotland."
"Well, I can't deny he has been improving lately."
"He's been through a lot this year, and I think he simply needed some time to learn that good things still can and do happen to him despite his condition. I think he's starting to realize that. While he was in the hospital he grew so distant from everyone, but last night while he was talking about their vacation it was almost like his heart attack never took place."
"Maybe that's also because there's a girl in his life now. When he called me yesterday he said that she was curious about his life before transferring to Yamaku. I'm willing to bet that was a strong factor behind his decision."
"It's reassuring to know that she has a good influence on him."
I silently smile a bit. It sounds like they approve of me dating their son. That makes me very happy and a bit relieved as well. Dating someone is tough when his parents don't like you, and I don't think I'd be able to deal with disapproval of that kind. I still feel a bit ashamed that I wasn't even there for Hisao during his last hospitalisation.
I hear a snicker.
"I got the impression last time that he has become quite the ladies' man. When we reached the dorm building last time there were no less than three young ladies waiting there to welcome him back. No wonder he didn't want to come home with us that day. While he was introducing them to us I was actually wondering if he was perhaps seeing one of them."
"That's what I also wondered about back then, but I couldn't really decide at the time which one of them was the more likely possibility."
"You mean you weren't sure what type of girl he was most likely to go for?"
"If Hanako had been there with those other three at the beginning I think it would have been easy. When he came into that teahouse with her in tow, I immediately had a hunch he wasn't going to introduce us to simply another friend. That was before I even noticed he was holding her hand."
"A hunch?"
"Do you remember back when Hisao was still in the hospital and there was this dark-haired girl who dropped by several times during the first few weeks? Hanako reminds me a little bit of her."
"Yes, I remember. What was her name again?"
"I'm not completely sure anymore, but I believe her name sounded a little bit like Hanako's."
"They weren't that similar, were they? If that other girl had been even only half as shy as Hanako, I'd probably remember that."
My smile immediately drops upon hearing that. I know I'm really shy. I'm trying not to be, but I'm still having a hard time relaxing around Hisao's parents, probably for no other reason than the fact that they're my boyfriend's parents. I let Hisao do most of the talking last night and had been hoping that they wouldn't have paid attention to the fact that I barely said a word. Looks like they noticed after all. Finding out that Hisao's parents might have been put off by my timidity has left a bad feeling in my stomach. I pray that this conversation isn't going to end with them agreeing that it would have been better if Hisao had picked up Lilly or Shizune as a girlfriend instead of me.
"I'm not saying they were extremely similar, but I do feel they shared a few superficial traits. Dark and fairly long hair, kind of girlish and coming across as just a little bit delicate. I wouldn't be surprised if those traits are what Hisao finds attractive in a girl."
"You're acting like that girl from the hospital was a girlfriend, but Hisao insisted she was merely a classmate. "
Hisao's mother chuckles playfully.
"Did you believe him when he said that? The few classmates that visited only did so once or twice the first week. And Hisao never mentioned her before as someone he hung out with."
"Well, if there was a relationship before his condition was first triggered I don't think it lasted throughout his hospital stay."
"I don't think so either. I doubt it was just us he grew distant from over those months."
Although I realize that eavesdropping isn't very lady-like, this conversation is very interesting, and I strain to hear more without alerting them to the fact that I'm already awake. However, my attempt at listening in is suddenly cut short.
02
Rrriiinngggggg
"Eek!"
I let out a surprised yelp before I can stop myself when my cell phone, which is lying on a side table next to the couch I'm resting on, suddenly rings. I grab it as quickly as I can, but the knowledge that there are probably two gazes aimed at me right now causes me to fumble a bit, and I nearly end up dropping it out of my shaking hands in my attempts to fold it open as quickly as I can. I manage to fight off my anxiety long enough to press the accept-button, and I try not to look in the direction of Hisao's parents.
"H-Hello?"
"Hello Hanako."
"Lilly!"
I'm surprised for a moment that Lilly would call this early before remembering that we're in different time zones. I didn't recognize the number on the display, so Lilly's probably using her parents' phone right now.
"Is it okay for me to call this early in the morning? I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"N-No, I was already awa.... eh... ummm."
Damnit! I blush as I realize what I just blurted out. Hisao's parents must think badly of me now for pretending to be asleep in order to eavesdrop on their conversation instead of properly acknowledging their presence. While I struggle to react, Lilly replies in a worried tone.
"Hanako, is something wrong? Where are you right now?"
"At H-Hisao's h-home in Chiba. Hisao's p-parents are h-having breakfast right now."
"Ah. Perhaps it would be more convenient if I called back in half an hour?"
"Okay."
"Very well. Please give Mister and Mrs. Nakai my regards."
"Y-Yes."
"Thank you. I will talk to you later then."
"B-Bye."
I snap my phone shut and meekly turn to face Hisao's parents who are looking back at me from their seating spots at the table. They give me a friendly nod which I manage to mimic with some effort.
03
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
"G-Good m-morning. Ummm... L-Lilly s-said hello."
I put my phone away and slowly get off the couch. Hisao's mother looks at my awkward movement with a slightly worried expression.
"Are you alright? Was the couch comfortable enough?"
I quickly nod to reassure her.
"I'm... often a l-little s-stiff in the m-morning."
My scar tissue is often stiff after a night of sleep and requires a few stretching sessions to loosen up. It's a little worse than usual today because the couch left me with little room to move during the night. My scars are also itching a bit, but I can probably handle that for a little while.
"Sorry for not waiting for you and Hisao, but we both have work today, and we thought you were both going to take it easy. Aren't you suffering from jet lag?"
I quietly shake my head.
"I'm o-okay, but Hisao m-might s-sleep in this m-morning."
Hisao's mother makes a gesture towards the fridge.
"I'm terribly sorry that we lack the time to be good hosts right now, but please feel free to help yourself to whatever is in the cupboard and the fridge. There should be more than enough in there for several meals."
"T-Thank you."
They get up and put their bowls, cups and dishes next to the sink. Hisao's mother gives me a friendly nod.
"Please make yourself at home here."
"Thank y-you."
I take a brief glance at the dishes on the sink unit.
"Ummm..."
"Don't worry about those. It's Hisao's task to do them."
"Oh."
Hisao's parents make their way to the entryway area in order to put on their shoes. Before leaving the room, Hisao's father turns to me.
"We expect to be back around nine o' clock. Maybe 8:45 if we're lucky and get an earlier train. There's no need to wait for us with dinner."
"I'll t-tell Hisao."
"We'll see you this evening then. Bye."
"B-Bye."
A few moments later I hear the door close, and I'm on my own again. As I start wondering what to do now, my attention returns to my itching right side. First things first, I guess. I return to the area where I spent the night and do a few careful stretch exercises to get the stiffness out of my body. I then make my way to the bathroom. Most of my stuff is still in my suitcase, which we stored in Hisao's room, but my lotion is one of the things I had the foresight to take out in advance. I lock the door, take off my nightgown and apply some of the moisturizer to the itching areas. I then put my nightgown back on and make my way back to the kitchen, putting my hair clip on in the process.
They said that there was no need to bother, but I don't think it hurts doing something back for the hospitality they've given me.
My mind made up, I get some dishwashing liquid, turn on the tap and quickly start scrubbing the first bowl on the counter with the brush lying near the sink. I realize that Lilly might call back at any moment, so I do my best to finish washing and drying everything as quickly as I can. It turns out that my timing was impeccable, because the moment I finish drying off the last dish I had left, my phone springs to life to alert me of the incoming call.
Rrriiinngggggg rrrriiinnnngggg - rrriiinngggggg rrrriiinnnngggg
"Coming!"
I cheerfully pick up my phone and press the accept-button once more.
"Hi Lilly."
"Hello Hanako. You sound a lot more at ease this time."
"I'm on my own right now. Hisao is still asleep and his parents just left for work."
"How are Hisao's parents doing?"
"I'm... n-not really sure. I haven't really s-spoken with them since we g-got here.They seem to be doing well. They were happy to see Hisao, that much I could tell."
There's a short pause on the other end of the line as Lilly deduces the implication of my words.
"Hanako, I don't think there's any need to be afraid that Hisao's parents will not accept you. When Shizune, Misha and I spent time with them a few weeks ago they came across as fine and kind people. That was an impression all three of us shared. I am certain they will give you the time you need to open up to them."
"I... h-hope so."
"It sounds exciting, getting to spend some time at the place where Hisao grew up and getting to know what his life before Yamaku was like."
"Yes, that's why I wanted to go here. I was a bit curious about that."
"So this was your idea?"
"Yes. We were having brunch at the Shanghai, and we were talking about how empty the school was because most students returned home for the summer break, and Hisao said that reminded him he needed to let his parents know he and I were back already. I asked him if he was going to return home to see his parents too. He asked if I wouldn't be lonely here and I... ummm..."
"You asked if you could come along?"
I started asking, but I ended up tripping over my words before I could get half-way through the question. Fortunately, Hisao quickly got the hint and when he asked if I wanted to come along I only had to nod.
"S-Something like that. So Hisao called his father, and he said it w-was okay if I came along too. We'll be staying here for a week."
"I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun, Hanako. I'm happy for you."
"I'll be s-sure to tell you about it when you return."
I suddenly remember that there's a large time difference between Scotland and Japan. I believe it's nearly half a day earlier there than here. Given that it's early morning here, it must be pretty late over there.
"Lilly... Isn't it late in Inverness right now?"
"It's around midnight here, but I wasn't very tired yet, and I found myself wondering how you and Hisao were doing."
"We're doing well, but... How are you d-doing, Lilly?"
A long silence. Looks like Lilly doesn't want to wave the whole thing off by saying she's doing well, but she probably doesn't want me to get worried over her either.
"I've mostly spent the last two days keeping Father company at the hospital. We didn't really talk that much, but one thing he told me yesterday was that you and Hisao spoke very highly of me to him and that he would like to get to know me the way you two know me. I suppose... That's his way of apologizing to me."
"Yes, it sounds that way."
"I would have liked to start telling him about all the things he has missed over the years, but something told me that now wasn't the right time. He seemed too distracted to really listen to what I'd tell him."
"Distracted? About... work?"
"Yes, apparently the meetings in the US will not be postponed despite his hospitalization, meaning that the final few negotiations will proceed without his involvement. It appears that the thought of not being able to finish what he started occupies his mind day and night. The doctors here told him that worrying and stress at this point will merely extend his stay in the hospital, but he still can't let it go. I can't say I blame him entirely."
"How about your mother?"
"She offered to take some time off from work to be at his side during his stay in the hospital despite the fact that I think she's still a bit angry at him for not letting her in on the risk he was running, but he refused that. He felt the company needed her more than ever now that he's out of commission. She respects his request, but I can tell she does so with a great deal of reluctance. It's a shame. I've spoken to Allison, and she also confirmed that Mother and Father mostly led separate lives here outside the workplace. This incident could give them the opportunity to get closer to each other again if only Father could put the company matters out of his mind."
I can't say I have any business experience, but I can imagine how it must feel to work on something for years and then have someone else take it off your hands a few meters before the finish line. I'd probably feel like a failure. But it still seems disturbing how focussed Lilly's father is on this.
"If it's... that important to him, can't they h-hold the meetings over the phone? Do a teleconference?"
"I don't think the board would allow that. Meetings are always conducted in person, especially important ones. Besides... I don't think Father would be willing to speak to his business partners on the phone the way things are now. His rib fractures make it painful for him to speak at length."
"I'm... s-s-sorry."
"Don't apologize for doing the right thing, Hanako. I'm glad you were there when we needed you."
A short pause takes place as neither one of us really knows how to continue. Then Lilly speaks up again, deciding that it's probably for the best to change the subject.
"So Hanako... What are your plans for today?"
"Hmmm. I don't really know yet. I'm... not sure what Hisao wants to do. We'll have to make breakfast... or lunch if he decides to sleep in. I'd... like to see some of the places he remembers from his childhood. His old school maybe. Maybe we can go on a date today too."
"That sounds like a lot of fun. I hope Hisao will not sleep in too long then."
"How about you, Lilly?"
"Probably the same thing as I have been doing the last two days. I can't do anything to speed up Father's recovery or help him out with anything related to his work, so the best thing I can do is keep him company while he's in the hospital."
"I think... that's very important too, Lilly. Being hospitalized makes you l-lonely very quickly, and even though he might not admit it, I'm s-sure he's looking forward to your visits."
"...I understand, Hanako. Thank you."
I try not to think back too much on my own hospitalization ten years ago, but I have no doubt Lilly sensed that I was speaking from personal experience.
"Hanako, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Is first aid difficult to learn? You seemed to have picked it up fairly quickly. I was wondering... Maybe I could learn it too. At least the basics."
"Are you thinking of following a training?"
"If that's possible for me. I learned yesterday that Mother has had first responder training herself years ago, but she wasn't there when Father collapsed. I... I would rather not ever go through a situation like that again..."
I can emphatize completely with that. I know from experience how extremely frightening it is to have someone you care about nearly die in front of you. I wouldn't wish that sort of thing on anyone.
"I t-think you could easily learn to check someone's vital signs or do CPR and artificial respiration. You don't really need sight for that. I r-really think you should go for it, Lilly. Maybe someone at your father's company gives training. They d-do make emergency devices there."
"Thank you Hanako. If you think it's a realistic goal for me to pursue then I will ask Mother about it tomorrow. Who knows. Maybe I will return to Japan with a certificate of my own."
I giggle.
"Then w-we would need to hold a celebration p-party for you too."
We both laugh out loud at that. The memory of that wacky night has liften the mood, though I still cringe for a moment when thinking back on my actions that night. We spend some time simply making small talk until I pick up on Lilly stifling a yawn.
"You must be tired."
"A little bit. It has been a rather long day. Perhaps I should try and get some sleep."
"That would probably be a good idea."
"Thank you for the company, Hanako. It was good talking to you."
It dawns on me that for all her efforts in easing her father's loneliness, Lilly's probably feeling a bit lonely herself over there with her being far away from Yamaku in a relatively unfamiliar environment and with her mother and sister both dealing with the fallout from the situation at work. She's doing her best to support her father, but I wonder if anyone is supporting her. Maybe I could be that support? I doubt phone bills will be a problem for her and her family.
"L-Lilly... ummm... Why d-don't you call back again tomorrow? If you... want to talk, I mean."
"Would that be okay, Hanako?"
"Of course. You can call me anytime, Lilly. Anytime you want."
Lilly chuckles at my enthusiasm.
"I might just take you up on that offer then, Hanako. And thank you again. Please give Hisao my regards too. And enjoy your day."
"Okay. Bye."
"Goodbye."
01
The sound of footsteps walking into the room shakes me from my semi-slumber. I yawn and curiously peer past my bangs in an attempt to place the room I'm currently in, but quickly close my eyes again when the footsteps get closer and someone walks up to the couch I'm lying on. The footsteps stop close to me, and I can tell that whoever came into the room is now looking at me for a bit. I don't think it's Hisao who's now standing in front of me, so I pretend to be asleep. It may not be social, but I think the impression I leave here will be more positive if I limit the number of awkward conversations I get involved in. When I hear the person in front of me move away, I carefully open my eyes again, thankful that I'm lying on my left side so that my hair covers most of my face, and survey the room again.
Now that I'm fully awake, I recognize the room I'm in. This is the living room of Hisao's home, and the sound of bowls and dishes being placed on a table coming from behind me, mixed in with the occasional sound of soft humming, tells me that it was Hisao's mother who came in here earlier.
It's been two days since Hisao and I returned from Scotland. We were pretty exhausted when we finally made it back to Yamaku, especially since there was no Akira to give us a ride this time, and when we reached our dorm rooms we pretty much hit the sack immediately. Hisao spent most of yesterday getting his biological clock back on schedule while I spent most of the day behind the computer in the newspaper club's archive room downloading photos off my camera, burning them to CD and getting my favorite ones printed out. Late in the afternoon we boarded the train to the Nakai home, and we managed to get there before Hisao's parents. When they came home later that evening they were both happy to see him again, and they were pretty friendly to me as well. Hisao spent the remainder of the evening showing his parents a selection of the pictures we took and telling them about our vacation in Inverness.
The last time I met Hisao's parents, shortly after Hisao and I succesfully salvaged our relationship, I only stayed long enough to introduce myself and sit by Hisao's side for a few minutes while his parents were busy digesting the news that their son had been dating. I was a bit apprehensive about spending an extended amount of time around his parents, but my curiosity about his life before Yamaku overrode my social anxiety, and if his parents were put off by my shy and awkward behavior last night, they didn't really show it. Of course, neither of us had any interest in telling his parents about the more intimate aspect of our relationship and Hisao made sure not to disclose the fact that he and I shared a bed during our stay in Scotland, so we both kept our mouth shut when Hisao's parents said I could sleep on the couch in the living room when it was time to go to bed. I guess I shouldn't complain; the couch was a soft and very comfortable sleeping spot, but I still would have preferred to spend the night together with my boyfriend.
"Good morning."
Another person enters the room and I recognize the voice as the one belonging to Hisao's father.
"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
"Quite well. Is... ah... Hanako still asleep?"
"I think she is, so let's keep our voices down a bit so we don't wake her up."
I hear Hisao's father let out a sleepy yawn.
"Well, it was a short night."
I hear the sound of liquid being poured. I can't see Hisao's parents from where I'm lying, but I suspect they've started their breakfast.
"But you have to admit it's a special occasion when our son not only returns home for the first time since his transfer, but also brings his girlfriend along and souvenirs and photos from a vacation on the other side of the world."
"Yes, it's nice he'll be staying for a whole week. I was beginning to wonder if he had forgotten about us."
Hisao's mother lets out a chuckle.
"That's not very nice, dear. He has called us twice during the weeks after his hospitalisation, and he also sent us a text message to let us know that he and his friends arrived safely in Scotland."
"Well, I can't deny he has been improving lately."
"He's been through a lot this year, and I think he simply needed some time to learn that good things still can and do happen to him despite his condition. I think he's starting to realize that. While he was in the hospital he grew so distant from everyone, but last night while he was talking about their vacation it was almost like his heart attack never took place."
"Maybe that's also because there's a girl in his life now. When he called me yesterday he said that she was curious about his life before transferring to Yamaku. I'm willing to bet that was a strong factor behind his decision."
"It's reassuring to know that she has a good influence on him."
I silently smile a bit. It sounds like they approve of me dating their son. That makes me very happy and a bit relieved as well. Dating someone is tough when his parents don't like you, and I don't think I'd be able to deal with disapproval of that kind. I still feel a bit ashamed that I wasn't even there for Hisao during his last hospitalisation.
I hear a snicker.
"I got the impression last time that he has become quite the ladies' man. When we reached the dorm building last time there were no less than three young ladies waiting there to welcome him back. No wonder he didn't want to come home with us that day. While he was introducing them to us I was actually wondering if he was perhaps seeing one of them."
"That's what I also wondered about back then, but I couldn't really decide at the time which one of them was the more likely possibility."
"You mean you weren't sure what type of girl he was most likely to go for?"
"If Hanako had been there with those other three at the beginning I think it would have been easy. When he came into that teahouse with her in tow, I immediately had a hunch he wasn't going to introduce us to simply another friend. That was before I even noticed he was holding her hand."
"A hunch?"
"Do you remember back when Hisao was still in the hospital and there was this dark-haired girl who dropped by several times during the first few weeks? Hanako reminds me a little bit of her."
"Yes, I remember. What was her name again?"
"I'm not completely sure anymore, but I believe her name sounded a little bit like Hanako's."
"They weren't that similar, were they? If that other girl had been even only half as shy as Hanako, I'd probably remember that."
My smile immediately drops upon hearing that. I know I'm really shy. I'm trying not to be, but I'm still having a hard time relaxing around Hisao's parents, probably for no other reason than the fact that they're my boyfriend's parents. I let Hisao do most of the talking last night and had been hoping that they wouldn't have paid attention to the fact that I barely said a word. Looks like they noticed after all. Finding out that Hisao's parents might have been put off by my timidity has left a bad feeling in my stomach. I pray that this conversation isn't going to end with them agreeing that it would have been better if Hisao had picked up Lilly or Shizune as a girlfriend instead of me.
"I'm not saying they were extremely similar, but I do feel they shared a few superficial traits. Dark and fairly long hair, kind of girlish and coming across as just a little bit delicate. I wouldn't be surprised if those traits are what Hisao finds attractive in a girl."
"You're acting like that girl from the hospital was a girlfriend, but Hisao insisted she was merely a classmate. "
Hisao's mother chuckles playfully.
"Did you believe him when he said that? The few classmates that visited only did so once or twice the first week. And Hisao never mentioned her before as someone he hung out with."
"Well, if there was a relationship before his condition was first triggered I don't think it lasted throughout his hospital stay."
"I don't think so either. I doubt it was just us he grew distant from over those months."
Although I realize that eavesdropping isn't very lady-like, this conversation is very interesting, and I strain to hear more without alerting them to the fact that I'm already awake. However, my attempt at listening in is suddenly cut short.
02
Rrriiinngggggg
"Eek!"
I let out a surprised yelp before I can stop myself when my cell phone, which is lying on a side table next to the couch I'm resting on, suddenly rings. I grab it as quickly as I can, but the knowledge that there are probably two gazes aimed at me right now causes me to fumble a bit, and I nearly end up dropping it out of my shaking hands in my attempts to fold it open as quickly as I can. I manage to fight off my anxiety long enough to press the accept-button, and I try not to look in the direction of Hisao's parents.
"H-Hello?"
"Hello Hanako."
"Lilly!"
I'm surprised for a moment that Lilly would call this early before remembering that we're in different time zones. I didn't recognize the number on the display, so Lilly's probably using her parents' phone right now.
"Is it okay for me to call this early in the morning? I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"N-No, I was already awa.... eh... ummm."
Damnit! I blush as I realize what I just blurted out. Hisao's parents must think badly of me now for pretending to be asleep in order to eavesdrop on their conversation instead of properly acknowledging their presence. While I struggle to react, Lilly replies in a worried tone.
"Hanako, is something wrong? Where are you right now?"
"At H-Hisao's h-home in Chiba. Hisao's p-parents are h-having breakfast right now."
"Ah. Perhaps it would be more convenient if I called back in half an hour?"
"Okay."
"Very well. Please give Mister and Mrs. Nakai my regards."
"Y-Yes."
"Thank you. I will talk to you later then."
"B-Bye."
I snap my phone shut and meekly turn to face Hisao's parents who are looking back at me from their seating spots at the table. They give me a friendly nod which I manage to mimic with some effort.
03
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
"G-Good m-morning. Ummm... L-Lilly s-said hello."
I put my phone away and slowly get off the couch. Hisao's mother looks at my awkward movement with a slightly worried expression.
"Are you alright? Was the couch comfortable enough?"
I quickly nod to reassure her.
"I'm... often a l-little s-stiff in the m-morning."
My scar tissue is often stiff after a night of sleep and requires a few stretching sessions to loosen up. It's a little worse than usual today because the couch left me with little room to move during the night. My scars are also itching a bit, but I can probably handle that for a little while.
"Sorry for not waiting for you and Hisao, but we both have work today, and we thought you were both going to take it easy. Aren't you suffering from jet lag?"
I quietly shake my head.
"I'm o-okay, but Hisao m-might s-sleep in this m-morning."
Hisao's mother makes a gesture towards the fridge.
"I'm terribly sorry that we lack the time to be good hosts right now, but please feel free to help yourself to whatever is in the cupboard and the fridge. There should be more than enough in there for several meals."
"T-Thank you."
They get up and put their bowls, cups and dishes next to the sink. Hisao's mother gives me a friendly nod.
"Please make yourself at home here."
"Thank y-you."
I take a brief glance at the dishes on the sink unit.
"Ummm..."
"Don't worry about those. It's Hisao's task to do them."
"Oh."
Hisao's parents make their way to the entryway area in order to put on their shoes. Before leaving the room, Hisao's father turns to me.
"We expect to be back around nine o' clock. Maybe 8:45 if we're lucky and get an earlier train. There's no need to wait for us with dinner."
"I'll t-tell Hisao."
"We'll see you this evening then. Bye."
"B-Bye."
A few moments later I hear the door close, and I'm on my own again. As I start wondering what to do now, my attention returns to my itching right side. First things first, I guess. I return to the area where I spent the night and do a few careful stretch exercises to get the stiffness out of my body. I then make my way to the bathroom. Most of my stuff is still in my suitcase, which we stored in Hisao's room, but my lotion is one of the things I had the foresight to take out in advance. I lock the door, take off my nightgown and apply some of the moisturizer to the itching areas. I then put my nightgown back on and make my way back to the kitchen, putting my hair clip on in the process.
They said that there was no need to bother, but I don't think it hurts doing something back for the hospitality they've given me.
My mind made up, I get some dishwashing liquid, turn on the tap and quickly start scrubbing the first bowl on the counter with the brush lying near the sink. I realize that Lilly might call back at any moment, so I do my best to finish washing and drying everything as quickly as I can. It turns out that my timing was impeccable, because the moment I finish drying off the last dish I had left, my phone springs to life to alert me of the incoming call.
Rrriiinngggggg rrrriiinnnngggg - rrriiinngggggg rrrriiinnnngggg
"Coming!"
I cheerfully pick up my phone and press the accept-button once more.
"Hi Lilly."
"Hello Hanako. You sound a lot more at ease this time."
"I'm on my own right now. Hisao is still asleep and his parents just left for work."
"How are Hisao's parents doing?"
"I'm... n-not really sure. I haven't really s-spoken with them since we g-got here.They seem to be doing well. They were happy to see Hisao, that much I could tell."
There's a short pause on the other end of the line as Lilly deduces the implication of my words.
"Hanako, I don't think there's any need to be afraid that Hisao's parents will not accept you. When Shizune, Misha and I spent time with them a few weeks ago they came across as fine and kind people. That was an impression all three of us shared. I am certain they will give you the time you need to open up to them."
"I... h-hope so."
"It sounds exciting, getting to spend some time at the place where Hisao grew up and getting to know what his life before Yamaku was like."
"Yes, that's why I wanted to go here. I was a bit curious about that."
"So this was your idea?"
"Yes. We were having brunch at the Shanghai, and we were talking about how empty the school was because most students returned home for the summer break, and Hisao said that reminded him he needed to let his parents know he and I were back already. I asked him if he was going to return home to see his parents too. He asked if I wouldn't be lonely here and I... ummm..."
"You asked if you could come along?"
I started asking, but I ended up tripping over my words before I could get half-way through the question. Fortunately, Hisao quickly got the hint and when he asked if I wanted to come along I only had to nod.
"S-Something like that. So Hisao called his father, and he said it w-was okay if I came along too. We'll be staying here for a week."
"I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun, Hanako. I'm happy for you."
"I'll be s-sure to tell you about it when you return."
I suddenly remember that there's a large time difference between Scotland and Japan. I believe it's nearly half a day earlier there than here. Given that it's early morning here, it must be pretty late over there.
"Lilly... Isn't it late in Inverness right now?"
"It's around midnight here, but I wasn't very tired yet, and I found myself wondering how you and Hisao were doing."
"We're doing well, but... How are you d-doing, Lilly?"
A long silence. Looks like Lilly doesn't want to wave the whole thing off by saying she's doing well, but she probably doesn't want me to get worried over her either.
"I've mostly spent the last two days keeping Father company at the hospital. We didn't really talk that much, but one thing he told me yesterday was that you and Hisao spoke very highly of me to him and that he would like to get to know me the way you two know me. I suppose... That's his way of apologizing to me."
"Yes, it sounds that way."
"I would have liked to start telling him about all the things he has missed over the years, but something told me that now wasn't the right time. He seemed too distracted to really listen to what I'd tell him."
"Distracted? About... work?"
"Yes, apparently the meetings in the US will not be postponed despite his hospitalization, meaning that the final few negotiations will proceed without his involvement. It appears that the thought of not being able to finish what he started occupies his mind day and night. The doctors here told him that worrying and stress at this point will merely extend his stay in the hospital, but he still can't let it go. I can't say I blame him entirely."
"How about your mother?"
"She offered to take some time off from work to be at his side during his stay in the hospital despite the fact that I think she's still a bit angry at him for not letting her in on the risk he was running, but he refused that. He felt the company needed her more than ever now that he's out of commission. She respects his request, but I can tell she does so with a great deal of reluctance. It's a shame. I've spoken to Allison, and she also confirmed that Mother and Father mostly led separate lives here outside the workplace. This incident could give them the opportunity to get closer to each other again if only Father could put the company matters out of his mind."
I can't say I have any business experience, but I can imagine how it must feel to work on something for years and then have someone else take it off your hands a few meters before the finish line. I'd probably feel like a failure. But it still seems disturbing how focussed Lilly's father is on this.
"If it's... that important to him, can't they h-hold the meetings over the phone? Do a teleconference?"
"I don't think the board would allow that. Meetings are always conducted in person, especially important ones. Besides... I don't think Father would be willing to speak to his business partners on the phone the way things are now. His rib fractures make it painful for him to speak at length."
"I'm... s-s-sorry."
"Don't apologize for doing the right thing, Hanako. I'm glad you were there when we needed you."
A short pause takes place as neither one of us really knows how to continue. Then Lilly speaks up again, deciding that it's probably for the best to change the subject.
"So Hanako... What are your plans for today?"
"Hmmm. I don't really know yet. I'm... not sure what Hisao wants to do. We'll have to make breakfast... or lunch if he decides to sleep in. I'd... like to see some of the places he remembers from his childhood. His old school maybe. Maybe we can go on a date today too."
"That sounds like a lot of fun. I hope Hisao will not sleep in too long then."
"How about you, Lilly?"
"Probably the same thing as I have been doing the last two days. I can't do anything to speed up Father's recovery or help him out with anything related to his work, so the best thing I can do is keep him company while he's in the hospital."
"I think... that's very important too, Lilly. Being hospitalized makes you l-lonely very quickly, and even though he might not admit it, I'm s-sure he's looking forward to your visits."
"...I understand, Hanako. Thank you."
I try not to think back too much on my own hospitalization ten years ago, but I have no doubt Lilly sensed that I was speaking from personal experience.
"Hanako, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Is first aid difficult to learn? You seemed to have picked it up fairly quickly. I was wondering... Maybe I could learn it too. At least the basics."
"Are you thinking of following a training?"
"If that's possible for me. I learned yesterday that Mother has had first responder training herself years ago, but she wasn't there when Father collapsed. I... I would rather not ever go through a situation like that again..."
I can emphatize completely with that. I know from experience how extremely frightening it is to have someone you care about nearly die in front of you. I wouldn't wish that sort of thing on anyone.
"I t-think you could easily learn to check someone's vital signs or do CPR and artificial respiration. You don't really need sight for that. I r-really think you should go for it, Lilly. Maybe someone at your father's company gives training. They d-do make emergency devices there."
"Thank you Hanako. If you think it's a realistic goal for me to pursue then I will ask Mother about it tomorrow. Who knows. Maybe I will return to Japan with a certificate of my own."
I giggle.
"Then w-we would need to hold a celebration p-party for you too."
We both laugh out loud at that. The memory of that wacky night has liften the mood, though I still cringe for a moment when thinking back on my actions that night. We spend some time simply making small talk until I pick up on Lilly stifling a yawn.
"You must be tired."
"A little bit. It has been a rather long day. Perhaps I should try and get some sleep."
"That would probably be a good idea."
"Thank you for the company, Hanako. It was good talking to you."
It dawns on me that for all her efforts in easing her father's loneliness, Lilly's probably feeling a bit lonely herself over there with her being far away from Yamaku in a relatively unfamiliar environment and with her mother and sister both dealing with the fallout from the situation at work. She's doing her best to support her father, but I wonder if anyone is supporting her. Maybe I could be that support? I doubt phone bills will be a problem for her and her family.
"L-Lilly... ummm... Why d-don't you call back again tomorrow? If you... want to talk, I mean."
"Would that be okay, Hanako?"
"Of course. You can call me anytime, Lilly. Anytime you want."
Lilly chuckles at my enthusiasm.
"I might just take you up on that offer then, Hanako. And thank you again. Please give Hisao my regards too. And enjoy your day."
"Okay. Bye."
"Goodbye."
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:50 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 35 - cont.
As I close my phone I think back on the conversation I just had. Now that the phone call is over I realize that this talk was slightly different from the conversations we used to have. In the past, the focus was almost always on me - how I was doing. Yet today we talked mostly about Lilly's situation, and Lilly seemed fine and comfortable with that, and she didn't make any attempts to sweep her own troubles under the rug. I think back on what Akira said - about how in this situation, where Akira herself can't be an objective listener, I should be the pillar of support for Lilly. This is certainly not a role I would have expected myself to fulfill a few months ago, but even I can no longer deny that my friendship with Lilly has changed a lot over the last few months. And I think it has changed for the better.
I put my phone away, get off the couch and smile a bit to myself as I ponder these thoughts. I really hope she'll call again tomorrow.
In the meantime, I'm left trying to figure out what to do now. My books are still in my suitcase, and I don't want to risk waking up Hisao by walking into his room and retrieving them. I could watch television, but I don't really feel like doing that right now. Suddenly, an idea pops into my head, and I smile.
I could surprise Hisao by making breakfast for the two of us. His parents did say we could use whatever ingredients were in the fridge and cupboard. I quickly check both and see that there's enough in there for a decent meal.
I put on the apron hanging on a hook near the fridge, open the cupboard and start collecting the ingredients for the meal I have in mind.
--------------------------------------
04
As my breakfast preparation approaches its end, I find myself cheerfully humming a song I've had in my head for the last 15 minutes. This part is rather hectic. I'm still in the process of grilling the fillets of salmon, but I've also kept my soup on the stove to keep it hot, and I've once read that miso soup shouldn't be allowed to boil once the miso paste has been added. Still, despite having to carefully watch what I'm doing, my mood couldn't be better.
As I turn to put a bottle of soy sauce back in the cupboard, I see someone's reflection in the window from the corner of my eye, and when I turn around, I suddenly become aware of my boyfriend, still in his boxers and shirt, standing near the door. The surprise startles me enough to make me drop the bottle I was holding. Fortunately it's a plastic bottle so it doesn't break. While I'm struggling to think of how to react, Hisao quickly walks up to me, takes the bottle off the floor and puts it in its designated place.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's o-okay. Ah... f-for how long have you been standing here already?"
Instead of answering, Hisao simply looks past me, and when I turn around I notice that steam is already rising from my soup. I hurriedly turn down the heat. I'm annoyed by how easily I can get distracted by things that would be so minor to others. Hisao appears to read my thoughts and briefly places a hand on my shoulder.
"I could help if you like, but if you want to do this yourself I'll just go back to my room and take my batch of medication."
"I'll... be done in less than ten minutes."
"Okay."
I breathe a sigh of relief as he walks out of the room. I'm a bit bummed that the surprise is now gone, but I appreciate the fact that he offered to let me be for a little while. Him looking over my shoulder would probably make me nervous to the point where I'd start messing things up in my attempts to avoid messing things up. It's really nice that Hisao seems to start intuitively sensing these kinds of things about me.
With my nerves calmed a bit I manage to focus my attention back on my nearly-finished breakfast. Fortunately there are no further interruptions and five minutes later a full-fledged Japanese breakfast graces the nearby kitchen table. As I finish shuffling things around a bit in an attempt to make the whole thing look as good as possible, the sound of the door opening alerts me to the fact that my boyfriend has made his extremely well-timed return, making me wonder for a second if he hasn't been secretly standing behind the door the entire time.
He briefly looks over the nicely laid table and then looks back at me with a smile.
"Good morning."
The loving way he says it makes it impossible for me to resist smiling back at him.
"G-Good morning, d-dear. D-Did you s-sleep well?"
He frowns for a moment at my reply before his smile returns, him probably having decided to play along.
"Quite well. Thank you dear."
He looks over the table a second time.
"Ummm... I made miso soup with tofu and seaweed, steamed rice, grilled s-salmon and fermented soy beans with soy sauce."
"It looks delicious. I can't wait to taste it."
"Shall we?"
I take off my apron, hang it back in its previous place, share a quick good morning kiss with my boyfriend and then sit at the table across from him. I hold my breath and give him an expectant look as he takes his first sip of my miso soup. When he sends an approving nod my way, I let out a relieved sigh and start eating my own portion.
"Tastes good."
"Thanks."
We finish the soup and move on to the fish, rice and beans.
"Hisao?"
"Yes?"
"So ummm... for how long were you... in here before I n-noticed you?"
"Oh that? For a few minutes, I think."
"A few minutes?"
Now I wonder what exactly he was staring at. He smiles a bit awkwardly.
"It was quite the pleasant sight, and I was afraid you'd get jumpy if you knew I was there."
"What w-was a pleasant sight? M-Me in... an apron?"
He chuckles.
"That too."
He stops to think for a moment, and I wonder if he's thinking something dirty, but before I can come up with a remark, he continues.
"But I was just speaking in general. The sight of you being in a good mood, humming and doing something you obviously seemed to enjoy was... kind of cute."
My heart skips a beat when I feel his foot brush lightly against mine. It takes me a second before I can react.
"Uh... T-thanks."
"Given your mood, I take it you've slept pretty well?"
"That too. But Lilly called me this morning, and we talked for a bit."
"Lilly called? How is she?"
"She's... holding up. I think her f-father apologized... in a way. Now she's just keeping him company. But his mind is still occupied with work. I don't think Lilly's days are as carefree as ours."
"It'd be weird if they already were. Still, this is Lilly we're talking about. There are very few situations she can't handle."
"I agree..."
My voice trails off as I feel his foot brush against mine once more. I'm starting to get the impression that this didn't happen on accident.
"Still, I think her dad's lucky to have her by his side all day long. I would have welcomed something like that."
"Yes, me t..."
I feel something touch my foot once again. Now I know he's doing this on purpose despite the innocent face he's putting on.
Should I return the favor?
"Is something wrong?"
Yes, I definitely should.
"N-No."
"Could I have a little bit more miso soup?"
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah, it tastes very.."
His words are cut off when I move my foot forward and stroke his ankle with my big toe. It takes a lot of effort to suppress a wide grin, but I manage.
"Is s-something wrong?"
"Uh... No. Sorry, it tastes very good."
"I'm happy to hear that. Go ahead and have some more."
"Thanks."
I look on when my boyfriend refills his bowl, and just as he puts the first spoonful into his mouth, I tickle the calf of his right leg with the top of my left foot. I see him react a little, and I squeeze my jaws together in order to avoid laughing.
"Is it... too hot?"
"It's... fine. Perfect temperature."
This is actually pretty fun. I move in again to caress the top of his foot with my own, but this time he's expecting me and he quickly places his other foot on top of mine, causing me to pull back again.
"I... uh... used most of the ingredients in the cupboard and the fridge. We might need to do some shopping."
While I'm still waiting for an opportunity, I feel his foot caress the place just above my ankle. I try to catch his foot with my own, but he pulls back in time.
"Sure. We can do that later today."
Hisao finishes his second bowl of soup, and we get started on the main course.
"Hisao? Do you have any plans for today?"
I feel his foot stroking mine again. This time I manage to catch it with my other foot, but instead of withdrawing, he just continues stroking the top of my foot.
"Not really. We can take it as easy as we like."
And then he starts stroking my other foot with his other foot. I let out a giggle before I can stop myself.
"Did I say something funny?"
I quickly shake my head, but we both have a pretty large grin on our face.
"Let's start with some salmon and rice."
"I'll take some beans and rice."
We both get started on the rest of the food, and I find myself thinking that this could end with one or both of us choking on our breakfast if we make each other laugh while we have our mouths full.
"Hey Hanako, this is kind of nice, isn't it?"
Is he talking about having breakfast together or playing footsies? Or maybe the combination?
"...this?"
"You know... uh..."
I manage to distract him momentarily by using two of my toes to grab one of his.
"...just having breakfast with nobody else around. It kind of feels like us having our own little place."
He starts wiggling his toe in order to break free from my grasp without having to move his foot. I tighten my grasp a bit in order to prevent him from getting loose.
"It... does feel a little bit like that. I think it's kind of nice too."
I giggle as I suddenly feel one of the toes on my other foot being squeezed. Looks like Hisao duplicated my little maneuver, and now we're engaged in this some kind of double tug-of-war.
"I wonder what our lives will be like in a few years."
It isn't even certain we'll still be together by that time. Though I really hope we will.
"It's... probably a little... early for long-term plans."
"Yeah, there are still lots of things to do in the meantime. We both need to figure out a career path for ourselves. We'll have our grades to keep up. There'll be the National Center Test for University Admissions to worry about in January and probably some additional entrance exams afterwards too. Then we'd have to finish university and apply for a job. We'll still have years ahead of us and lots of tough choices to make."
"Yes."
In the silence that follows, we both manage to wiggle free from the other's toe grip. I wait for Hisao to resume our little play-fight under the table, but that doesn't happen.
"Hey, Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Disregarding the specifics, how do you see yourself in a decade or so? Do you see yourself... you know… married and with kids someday?"
I know it's physically impossible, but I nevertheless feel like every drop of blood in my body is instantly rushing to my head.
"Y-Yours?"
"Heh, that's why I said to disregard the specifics. I was just curious, because... uh..."
Because I don't have a family of my own, and the only way to change that would be to start one myself.
It hurts a little to hear Hisao bring it up.
Still, it's not an unfair question.
"For a long t-time... I didn't think it was p-possible to begin with. Recently, I've regained a bit of hope. If... If possible, I'd l-like to b-be married someday and... if I c-can take it... b-be a m-mother too."
"What do you mean with 'can take it'?"
I give Hisao a sad smile and pat my belly.
"I have scars on part of my belly too. Scar tissue... doesn't stretch well. M-Maybe the doctors would advise against it. Or maybe it's possible, but very, very painful without surgery. I'm... n-not really sure."
"I suggest not worrying about that too much for now. At least not without consulting an expert first. It might not be a problem, and medical science still advances every year. Personally, I think you'd make a great mommy."
"W-What?"
He snickers at my baffled expression.
"Hey, no need with the look. I'm totally serious."
"R-Really?"
He nods, smiles sweetly, and I feel how his foot reaches out and starts stroking the back of my leg.
"I mean, you did help the orphanage staff out with taking care of the younger children, didn't you? And you're very sweet and loving whenever you're at ease. You'll be a great mother someday."
That's one of the sweetest things he's ever said to me, and I'm completely at a loss on what to say back. So in the end, I don't say anything back at all. Instead, I merely seek out his leg with the sole of my foot and start stroking it.
We stay like this for a long time with both of us content to just continue our little footsie game without the need to say anything, and I'm wearing a pretty large smile throughout the entire thing.
I eventually decide that I want more than just a cuddling session in which only our feet are involved, so I get up just a little, lean forward across the table, close my eyes and pucker my lips. A second later, he's also leaning across the table, and his lips lock with mine.
This is a rather awkward position since we're both trying to maintain our balance, and our lips are either pressing too tightly or too loosely against each other throughout the kiss. As a lead-in to something more, it's more than enough though, and when we separate and I see the longing in Hisao's eyes, I know that this is just the beginning. We get up completely, and Hisao walks around the table, takes me in his arms and kisses me a second time. I wrap my arms around his neck and playfully tickle the spot near his ankle with my toe while our tongues engage in a passionate embrace.
When we pause in order to catch our breath, Hisao grins a little awkwardly and looks deep into my eyes.
"Hanako?"
05
I give an affirmative nod. The question is obvious. The answer should no different.
"Okay."
"Here?"
I take a quick look around, but I can't see any places where we could comfortably do it, and I don't like the idea of doing it while I'm bending over the kitchen sink unit.
"Y-Your room..."
We can probably wait a few seconds longer.
I put my phone away, get off the couch and smile a bit to myself as I ponder these thoughts. I really hope she'll call again tomorrow.
In the meantime, I'm left trying to figure out what to do now. My books are still in my suitcase, and I don't want to risk waking up Hisao by walking into his room and retrieving them. I could watch television, but I don't really feel like doing that right now. Suddenly, an idea pops into my head, and I smile.
I could surprise Hisao by making breakfast for the two of us. His parents did say we could use whatever ingredients were in the fridge and cupboard. I quickly check both and see that there's enough in there for a decent meal.
I put on the apron hanging on a hook near the fridge, open the cupboard and start collecting the ingredients for the meal I have in mind.
--------------------------------------
04
As my breakfast preparation approaches its end, I find myself cheerfully humming a song I've had in my head for the last 15 minutes. This part is rather hectic. I'm still in the process of grilling the fillets of salmon, but I've also kept my soup on the stove to keep it hot, and I've once read that miso soup shouldn't be allowed to boil once the miso paste has been added. Still, despite having to carefully watch what I'm doing, my mood couldn't be better.
As I turn to put a bottle of soy sauce back in the cupboard, I see someone's reflection in the window from the corner of my eye, and when I turn around, I suddenly become aware of my boyfriend, still in his boxers and shirt, standing near the door. The surprise startles me enough to make me drop the bottle I was holding. Fortunately it's a plastic bottle so it doesn't break. While I'm struggling to think of how to react, Hisao quickly walks up to me, takes the bottle off the floor and puts it in its designated place.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's o-okay. Ah... f-for how long have you been standing here already?"
Instead of answering, Hisao simply looks past me, and when I turn around I notice that steam is already rising from my soup. I hurriedly turn down the heat. I'm annoyed by how easily I can get distracted by things that would be so minor to others. Hisao appears to read my thoughts and briefly places a hand on my shoulder.
"I could help if you like, but if you want to do this yourself I'll just go back to my room and take my batch of medication."
"I'll... be done in less than ten minutes."
"Okay."
I breathe a sigh of relief as he walks out of the room. I'm a bit bummed that the surprise is now gone, but I appreciate the fact that he offered to let me be for a little while. Him looking over my shoulder would probably make me nervous to the point where I'd start messing things up in my attempts to avoid messing things up. It's really nice that Hisao seems to start intuitively sensing these kinds of things about me.
With my nerves calmed a bit I manage to focus my attention back on my nearly-finished breakfast. Fortunately there are no further interruptions and five minutes later a full-fledged Japanese breakfast graces the nearby kitchen table. As I finish shuffling things around a bit in an attempt to make the whole thing look as good as possible, the sound of the door opening alerts me to the fact that my boyfriend has made his extremely well-timed return, making me wonder for a second if he hasn't been secretly standing behind the door the entire time.
He briefly looks over the nicely laid table and then looks back at me with a smile.
"Good morning."
The loving way he says it makes it impossible for me to resist smiling back at him.
"G-Good morning, d-dear. D-Did you s-sleep well?"
He frowns for a moment at my reply before his smile returns, him probably having decided to play along.
"Quite well. Thank you dear."
He looks over the table a second time.
"Ummm... I made miso soup with tofu and seaweed, steamed rice, grilled s-salmon and fermented soy beans with soy sauce."
"It looks delicious. I can't wait to taste it."
"Shall we?"
I take off my apron, hang it back in its previous place, share a quick good morning kiss with my boyfriend and then sit at the table across from him. I hold my breath and give him an expectant look as he takes his first sip of my miso soup. When he sends an approving nod my way, I let out a relieved sigh and start eating my own portion.
"Tastes good."
"Thanks."
We finish the soup and move on to the fish, rice and beans.
"Hisao?"
"Yes?"
"So ummm... for how long were you... in here before I n-noticed you?"
"Oh that? For a few minutes, I think."
"A few minutes?"
Now I wonder what exactly he was staring at. He smiles a bit awkwardly.
"It was quite the pleasant sight, and I was afraid you'd get jumpy if you knew I was there."
"What w-was a pleasant sight? M-Me in... an apron?"
He chuckles.
"That too."
He stops to think for a moment, and I wonder if he's thinking something dirty, but before I can come up with a remark, he continues.
"But I was just speaking in general. The sight of you being in a good mood, humming and doing something you obviously seemed to enjoy was... kind of cute."
My heart skips a beat when I feel his foot brush lightly against mine. It takes me a second before I can react.
"Uh... T-thanks."
"Given your mood, I take it you've slept pretty well?"
"That too. But Lilly called me this morning, and we talked for a bit."
"Lilly called? How is she?"
"She's... holding up. I think her f-father apologized... in a way. Now she's just keeping him company. But his mind is still occupied with work. I don't think Lilly's days are as carefree as ours."
"It'd be weird if they already were. Still, this is Lilly we're talking about. There are very few situations she can't handle."
"I agree..."
My voice trails off as I feel his foot brush against mine once more. I'm starting to get the impression that this didn't happen on accident.
"Still, I think her dad's lucky to have her by his side all day long. I would have welcomed something like that."
"Yes, me t..."
I feel something touch my foot once again. Now I know he's doing this on purpose despite the innocent face he's putting on.
Should I return the favor?
"Is something wrong?"
Yes, I definitely should.
"N-No."
"Could I have a little bit more miso soup?"
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah, it tastes very.."
His words are cut off when I move my foot forward and stroke his ankle with my big toe. It takes a lot of effort to suppress a wide grin, but I manage.
"Is s-something wrong?"
"Uh... No. Sorry, it tastes very good."
"I'm happy to hear that. Go ahead and have some more."
"Thanks."
I look on when my boyfriend refills his bowl, and just as he puts the first spoonful into his mouth, I tickle the calf of his right leg with the top of my left foot. I see him react a little, and I squeeze my jaws together in order to avoid laughing.
"Is it... too hot?"
"It's... fine. Perfect temperature."
This is actually pretty fun. I move in again to caress the top of his foot with my own, but this time he's expecting me and he quickly places his other foot on top of mine, causing me to pull back again.
"I... uh... used most of the ingredients in the cupboard and the fridge. We might need to do some shopping."
While I'm still waiting for an opportunity, I feel his foot caress the place just above my ankle. I try to catch his foot with my own, but he pulls back in time.
"Sure. We can do that later today."
Hisao finishes his second bowl of soup, and we get started on the main course.
"Hisao? Do you have any plans for today?"
I feel his foot stroking mine again. This time I manage to catch it with my other foot, but instead of withdrawing, he just continues stroking the top of my foot.
"Not really. We can take it as easy as we like."
And then he starts stroking my other foot with his other foot. I let out a giggle before I can stop myself.
"Did I say something funny?"
I quickly shake my head, but we both have a pretty large grin on our face.
"Let's start with some salmon and rice."
"I'll take some beans and rice."
We both get started on the rest of the food, and I find myself thinking that this could end with one or both of us choking on our breakfast if we make each other laugh while we have our mouths full.
"Hey Hanako, this is kind of nice, isn't it?"
Is he talking about having breakfast together or playing footsies? Or maybe the combination?
"...this?"
"You know... uh..."
I manage to distract him momentarily by using two of my toes to grab one of his.
"...just having breakfast with nobody else around. It kind of feels like us having our own little place."
He starts wiggling his toe in order to break free from my grasp without having to move his foot. I tighten my grasp a bit in order to prevent him from getting loose.
"It... does feel a little bit like that. I think it's kind of nice too."
I giggle as I suddenly feel one of the toes on my other foot being squeezed. Looks like Hisao duplicated my little maneuver, and now we're engaged in this some kind of double tug-of-war.
"I wonder what our lives will be like in a few years."
It isn't even certain we'll still be together by that time. Though I really hope we will.
"It's... probably a little... early for long-term plans."
"Yeah, there are still lots of things to do in the meantime. We both need to figure out a career path for ourselves. We'll have our grades to keep up. There'll be the National Center Test for University Admissions to worry about in January and probably some additional entrance exams afterwards too. Then we'd have to finish university and apply for a job. We'll still have years ahead of us and lots of tough choices to make."
"Yes."
In the silence that follows, we both manage to wiggle free from the other's toe grip. I wait for Hisao to resume our little play-fight under the table, but that doesn't happen.
"Hey, Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Disregarding the specifics, how do you see yourself in a decade or so? Do you see yourself... you know… married and with kids someday?"
I know it's physically impossible, but I nevertheless feel like every drop of blood in my body is instantly rushing to my head.
"Y-Yours?"
"Heh, that's why I said to disregard the specifics. I was just curious, because... uh..."
Because I don't have a family of my own, and the only way to change that would be to start one myself.
It hurts a little to hear Hisao bring it up.
Still, it's not an unfair question.
"For a long t-time... I didn't think it was p-possible to begin with. Recently, I've regained a bit of hope. If... If possible, I'd l-like to b-be married someday and... if I c-can take it... b-be a m-mother too."
"What do you mean with 'can take it'?"
I give Hisao a sad smile and pat my belly.
"I have scars on part of my belly too. Scar tissue... doesn't stretch well. M-Maybe the doctors would advise against it. Or maybe it's possible, but very, very painful without surgery. I'm... n-not really sure."
"I suggest not worrying about that too much for now. At least not without consulting an expert first. It might not be a problem, and medical science still advances every year. Personally, I think you'd make a great mommy."
"W-What?"
He snickers at my baffled expression.
"Hey, no need with the look. I'm totally serious."
"R-Really?"
He nods, smiles sweetly, and I feel how his foot reaches out and starts stroking the back of my leg.
"I mean, you did help the orphanage staff out with taking care of the younger children, didn't you? And you're very sweet and loving whenever you're at ease. You'll be a great mother someday."
That's one of the sweetest things he's ever said to me, and I'm completely at a loss on what to say back. So in the end, I don't say anything back at all. Instead, I merely seek out his leg with the sole of my foot and start stroking it.
We stay like this for a long time with both of us content to just continue our little footsie game without the need to say anything, and I'm wearing a pretty large smile throughout the entire thing.
I eventually decide that I want more than just a cuddling session in which only our feet are involved, so I get up just a little, lean forward across the table, close my eyes and pucker my lips. A second later, he's also leaning across the table, and his lips lock with mine.
This is a rather awkward position since we're both trying to maintain our balance, and our lips are either pressing too tightly or too loosely against each other throughout the kiss. As a lead-in to something more, it's more than enough though, and when we separate and I see the longing in Hisao's eyes, I know that this is just the beginning. We get up completely, and Hisao walks around the table, takes me in his arms and kisses me a second time. I wrap my arms around his neck and playfully tickle the spot near his ankle with my toe while our tongues engage in a passionate embrace.
When we pause in order to catch our breath, Hisao grins a little awkwardly and looks deep into my eyes.
"Hanako?"
05
I give an affirmative nod. The question is obvious. The answer should no different.
"Okay."
"Here?"
I take a quick look around, but I can't see any places where we could comfortably do it, and I don't like the idea of doing it while I'm bending over the kitchen sink unit.
"Y-Your room..."
We can probably wait a few seconds longer.
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 35 - cont.
Hisao takes my hand, and we hurriedly make our way to his bedroom. Just when Hisao closes the door behind us, I decide I've waited long enough and press my lips against his again. I close my eyes and allow myself to get lost in the sensation of our kiss. With some amusement, I notice that his kiss has the slight flavor of soy sauce, and I wonder if I taste the same to him.
Without breaking our kiss, we edge closer and closer to the bed. I tingle with anticipation. How many more steps? Ten? Five?
"Whoa!"
"Eeek!"
Our shuffle towards the bed is unexpectedly interrupted when we accidentally bump into the office chair standing near Hisao's desk and it's only through sheer luck that we're able to remain standing though we have to quickly let go of each other in order to avoid landing on the floor.
"Sorry."
"S-Sorry."
We look at each other with a sheepish grin. We didn't land on our face, but the mood we were in just seconds ago was nevertheless shattered.
"I'll try to avoid the chair the next time. Either that or we'll have to keep our eyes open in the future."
"Y-Yes."
We give each other a 'now what'-look.
"So... Shall we continue?"
"Uh... Yes."
Undressing suddenly feels a lot more awkward with the mood having gone up in smoke.
Stupid chair!
"Maybe we should take our time to get back into the mood?"
"Okay."
Hisao takes a look at the bed, then at the chair and then at the bed again before pulling the office chair towards him, sitting down on it and giving me an inviting nod.
"Here?"
"This chair kind of owes us something, don't you think?"
I giggle. At least the mood already seems a little less awkward. I walk up to Hisao and pull up my nightgown to just above my waist, trying to ignore the stare aimed at my panties. I put my feet on both sides of the chair, which is fortunately lacking armrests, and then straddle his lap.
I can hear his breath pick up briefly when I shift a bit in an attempt to get comfortable, but he doesn't say anything. He merely looks up at me with an expectant look in his eyes.
"Hisao... What do you want me to do?"
"Whatever you want, Hanako. You'll need to take the active role this time."
"The... active... role?"
"I'm all yours."
Me, the active role?
That's not exactly common unless we're engaged in something that involves taking turns.
I guess I could give it a try.
I gently use a finger to tuck his chin up, lower my head and press my lips against his, softly nibbling on his upper lip at first, then letting my tongue slip into his mouth. I tickle his chin with one hand while lovingly rubbing his hair with the other.
He brings his hands up to my face, caressing both sides of it before moving on to my hair and then edging down my sides until they're resting on my upper legs.
The awkwardness of a few minutes ago is all but forgotten now, and I've reached the point where mere kissing and light petting just isn't sufficient anymore. Wiggling my bottom a bit in order to get the best angle possible, I start moving my hips.
Hisao lets out a pleased sigh at the sensation and then spreads his legs, causing me to slide down a bit. I blush as I feel something hard press against me. Looks like someone is eager to continue.
I place my hands on his shoulders in order to get a bit more leverage and continue grinding against him. In less than a minute, the place where his boxers are rubbing against my panties goes from feeling good to feeling great, and when one of his wandering hands softly fondles my right breast, I let out a moan before I can stop myself.
Hisao snickers and gives me a playful look.
"Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"What we're doing right now. It... kind of feels familiar, doesn't it?"
What is he talking... Oh!
I cringe a bit and feel my cheeks start to burn. Why did he have to bring up that incident at a time like this? Deciding to change the subject as quickly as I can, I brightly smile at him and firmly shake my head. Then, when he opens his mouth to say something, I passionately kiss him to get the hint across.
Apparently it's very effective, because when our lips finally part, he shows no desire to bring up that particular subject again. Instead, he merely raises his arms, aching to continue, and I eagerly take the opportunity to take his shirt off.
Having to take the 'active role', as Hisao called it, is really nice as it's allowing me to rub myself against him at the best possible angle and speed and just moving around on his lap feels really good to me, but it's also pretty tiring, and I feel a drop of sweat running down my forehead.
Not wanting to continue until my nightgown's drenched, I also raise my arms and allow Hisao to take it off for me. I avert my eyes for a moment as his gaze sweeps over my body, stopping on my breasts for several seconds. Then I move again.
And again.
And again, making sure to press a little firmer this time.
In an attempt to assist me, Hisao places one hand on my lower back and presses me tighter against him. Meanwhile, his other hand goes back and forth between caressing my side, breasts and neckline.
"Hhhhhhhhh.... Hhhhmmm."
"Hhhh... ah... Hhhh."
Between our ragged breathing, we start letting out little sighs of pleasure, arousing each other further. I can see a tension building on his face. He's probably close to his limit. I should probably get off his lap so we can take off our underwear and finish this properly. But at the same time, this rubbing feels so wonderful that I can't bring myself to stop. Even halting for a moment to pull my panties aside feels like a waste. Maybe I should just keep going until we finish. We're already in need of a change of underwear anyhow.
"H-Hanako... I..."
He's almost there. Only a little while longer.
"H-Hanko... S-stop... Stop."
With some reluctance, I let go of him and get off his lap. Hisao immediately pulls his boxers down, takes the tip of his member between his thumb and index finger and squeezes firmly. After a second or two he lets out a relieved sigh.
"Whew. That was close. Nearly... soiled... my boxers there. Could you give me a minute or two to cool down?"
"..."
Two minutes sounds like an eternity. I give a relucant nod, but at the same time start anxiously rubbing my thighs together. I don't really want to cool down myself.
Hisao seems to notice my fidgetting and smiles.
"I can still make you feel good in the meantime. I could... you know..."
He shoots a knowing look at the dark spot on my panties and then gently kisses my belly button.
"T-That...?"
"Why not? You liked it before."
"I... uh... h-haven't bathed or showered this morning and... it's really b-bright in this room."
He chuckles at my worried expression.
"That first part really isn't a problem for me, and if you like, I'll just close my eyes."
"...o-okay..."
That last word was nearly a whisper, but Hisao nevertheless heard it as he takes off his boxers, kneels on the floor in front of me, gives one more kiss on my belly button and then closes his eyes.
Feeling a little awkward still, I take off my panties, take a careful step forward and gently press myself against Hisao.
I feel his hands on my thighs and what follows is a sensation so intense I let out a high-pitched squeal.
"G-G-Gently!"
That grinding session must have left me more sensitive than I thought."
"Sorry. Is this better?"
I let out a content sigh.
"Y-Yes..."
The intense stimulation changes to a more gentle lapping, and I let out a content sigh, trying my best to push the usual sense of embarrasment out of my mind. As he promised, Hisao's keeping his eyes shut, and I close my own as well in an attempt to block out everything around me and just let myself get carried away by his sensation.
It's really quiet around me, the only sounds I hear being the soft suckling noises from Hisao, my heavy breathing and the occasional moan. Letting him pleasure me like this is different from before. I can still run my fingers through his hair like usual, but I can also move my hips a little more this time, pulling away or pressing myself against him depending on what feels best.
It's starting to get tough to remain standing though. Maybe it's because of my extended physical involvement this time, but my legs are getting wobblier the longer he continues.
"Hhhhhhh..."
Suddenly, he starts speeding up and the pleasure nearly causes my legs to give out. I manage to remain standing only by putting my hand on his desk to support myself. Almost immediately, the intense sensation stops, and I feel his arms around me, holding me up.
"Hanako, you okay?"
I'm still panting heavily, but nevertheless nod my head.
"Y-Yes..."
"You don't want to rest for a bit?"
I shake my head and then unexpectedly kiss him. He reels in surprise, but then returns it. He tastes a little different this time, but nothing too bad.
"Hisao... Do you want me t-to... return the favor?"
"Uh... Next time, okay?"
"Okay."
He takes a towel from a nearby shelf, puts it on the chair's seat and then sits down, inviting me to sit on his lap again. My legs still a little unsteady from before, I walk up to him, position myself above him and place one hand firmly on his shoulder to stabilize myself. I take hold of his member with my other hand and slowly start lowering myself. It's tougher than I thought. As I start squatting down, my legs immediately start shaking, and I'm forced to brace myself against his shoulder in order to keep steady.
"Uh... Hanako..."
My gaze shifts from our loins to Hisao's face and I can see a slightly scared expression on his face.
"Be very careful, okay? If you aim wrong, you might just... snap... something important, and I don't think I can handle a few weeks of having to hobble around the school with a problem in my pants."
06
"Pfffffffffff! Hahahahahahahaha!"
Before I can help it, an image appears in my head of an extremely sad-looking Hisao with his willie in an orthopedic cast similar to the one Jun from the newspaper club has been wearing, and this image is so utterly bizarre that I burst out laughing, and I have to stand up straight in order to avoid dropping down on his lap for real.
Hisao for his part is merely looking at me with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. He obviously finds the sight of my laughing fit funnier than the thought that caused it.
Eventually though, he rolls his eyes and softly clears his throat. Looks like he's eager to continue.
"Hanako? Shall we...? I can give you a hand if you like."
I giggle, but nevertheless nod in agreement.
"T-Thanks."
I take hold of him again, and this time he puts his hands on the back of my upper legs, gently lowering me onto him. I manage to guide his tip inside me and then allow myself to slide down until he's all the way inside. We both exhale sharply as we become one, and I fidget a bit in an attempt to get comfortable. When I'm reasonably sure I have the right angle, I start gyrating my hips, still giggling a little bit.
"Hmmmm..."
The friction is really pretty good even though moving is a bit tiring. His hands have found my breasts again and are stroking and kneading them. No longer needing to hold onto his shoulders so much, I take his face in my hand and kiss him again, muffling the moans we can't suppress.
"Hanako... Can you... move up and down a little?"
"Y-Yes..."
I try to alternate the gyrating movement of my hips with moving up a little, taking care not to let him slip out. It still feels really good, though my legs start shaking again.
"H-Hisao... C-can you help me...move?"
"Yeah..."
He puts his hands under my butt, playfully squeezing it a bit and helps me gently bounce up and down. I hear an embarrassing noise coming from the place where we're joined each time he sinks back into me, but I'm too far into the whole experience to care anymore.
"... Mmh!... C-closer."
"... Hah... G-got it."
He pulls me closer, increasing the friction between our bodies and intensifying my pleasure even more. We soon figure out a rhythm and start increasing the speed of our movements. This is probably tiring for both of us, but since we're sharing the workload we'll probably be able to keep this up until the end. I let out a cry followed by a giggle as he leans forward and licks my nipples before putting his head between my breasts and kissing the spot between them. I press his head further against my chest, eager for more pleasure.
"Hmmmm. H-Hanako. Hhhh..."
"Ah! Hmmm. H-Hisao. Nnnnng. Hmmm..."
Our panting and gasps barely leave us breath to moan each other's name. I can feel my limit approaching and speed up my movements as much as my body allows. Judging from his closed eyes and ragged breath, Hisao's even farther along than I am. I lift his chin up and kiss him once more. He seems almost too immersed in our love making to notice, and just as our lips part I can see a grimace appearing on his face. He squeezes my buttocks even harder than before and starts bouncing me up and down even faster.
"Hanako!"
And then he tenses up, grips me tightly and his body jolts several times in sheer pleasure. I stop my up-and-down movementand focus on my gyrations. My hips seem to have gotten a life of their own and are grinding against him as hard as they can. I close my eyes and block out everything to focus on that feeling, that intense feeling of pleasure that's slowly completely overwhelming me. I picture Hisao's face in my mind. The one I saw just seconds ago. The bliss written on it. The pleasure that I gave him. His gasps and moans. The way he called my name. That image is enough to push me past my limit.
"Hisao!"
I feel a discharge of pleasure between my legs, and my upper body surges forward in the grip of my climax. I throw my head back and let out a cry of ecstasy as my body shudders and quakes. After the last few aftershocks have disappeared I wearily open my eyes and look at my boyfriend.
07
His eyes are half-closed. His breathing still fast, but steady. He exchanges his usual 'I'm alright'-smile with me, wraps his arms around my waist and then leans his head against my chest. As I shift a bit in order to get more comfortable, I feel him slipping out of me. We could probably both use a shower right now. My back, sides and forehead are drenched in sweat, and I feel something that probably isn't perspiration running down the inside of my thighs. Good thing Hisao put a towel on the seat.
As wonderful as this experience was, it was also really exhausting, and while we probably ought to get up and clean ourselves, I don't really feel motivated to hurry and get off his lap, not just because my legs and thighs still feel tired and I feel a bit drowsy, but also because it feels really good being so close to him. I let my chin rest on his head and tenderly ruffle his hair. He responds by gently stroking my back and shoulders. For several minutes, neither of us says anything. Both of us are content basking in the afterglow of our experience and exchanging these little acts of affection. I love the warmth of his body and the sweetness of his touch. Eventually, I lean back a little so Hisao can lift his head and we look each other in the eyes. I let my forehead rest against his, and we tenderly caress each other's cheek. After one more kiss, Hisao finally speaks.
"Did you... enjoy it?"
I smile and nod my head.
"Yeah, me too. It was pretty enjoyable to switch places for once. Maybe you can take the lead more often?"
"It was pretty tiring in the end."
"Maybe we can do it on the bed next time and see if it's less taxing on you."
"O-Okay."
"So... Wanna take a shower together?"
A nice warm shower to wash the sweat off does sound very tempting. Now that my body's cooling down from our lovemaking session, I'm starting to feel a bit chilly.
"Y-Yes."
I get off his lap, Hisao takes some tissues from his desk drawer that we use to clean ourselves and then he takes my hand and leads me to the shower in the bathroom where we wash ourselves and engage in some additional post-coital cuddling. It's such a nice experience that part of me wouldn't mind doing this all day long. That's not realistic though, and eventually Hisao turns off the water though he doesn't let go of me yet. He has a cheeky smile on his face.
"You know, there's no running track in our backyard and this might be good morning exercise. I wouldn't at all mind if every morning of our stay turns out just like this."
I wouldn't either, though I don't tell him that.
"Emi likes to say that a good workout still beats sex, but I think she simply doesn't know what she's talking about. Either that or she's had nothing but lousy experiences."
We both laugh at that.
"Hey Hanako, now that I think about it again... What was that song you were humming while you were preparing breakfast?"
"I... don't really remember the title. It was just in my head at the moment."
"Heh, you know, it was a little disappointing that you weren't singing while we were taking a shower. Quite a few people sing under the shower."
"I don't... usually."
"You sounded really nice this morning though."
"N-Not r-really..."
He snickers at my embarrassed reaction. I can see him thinking to himself. After a while, his eyes suddenly light up. He lets go of me, takes a towel and starts drying me off. All the while, there's a grin on his face.
"W-What is it?"
"I'll tell you later. Let's get dressed first."
"W-Why are you smiling like that?"
"I think I just thought of a suitable destination for our first date here."
Without breaking our kiss, we edge closer and closer to the bed. I tingle with anticipation. How many more steps? Ten? Five?
"Whoa!"
"Eeek!"
Our shuffle towards the bed is unexpectedly interrupted when we accidentally bump into the office chair standing near Hisao's desk and it's only through sheer luck that we're able to remain standing though we have to quickly let go of each other in order to avoid landing on the floor.
"Sorry."
"S-Sorry."
We look at each other with a sheepish grin. We didn't land on our face, but the mood we were in just seconds ago was nevertheless shattered.
"I'll try to avoid the chair the next time. Either that or we'll have to keep our eyes open in the future."
"Y-Yes."
We give each other a 'now what'-look.
"So... Shall we continue?"
"Uh... Yes."
Undressing suddenly feels a lot more awkward with the mood having gone up in smoke.
Stupid chair!
"Maybe we should take our time to get back into the mood?"
"Okay."
Hisao takes a look at the bed, then at the chair and then at the bed again before pulling the office chair towards him, sitting down on it and giving me an inviting nod.
"Here?"
"This chair kind of owes us something, don't you think?"
I giggle. At least the mood already seems a little less awkward. I walk up to Hisao and pull up my nightgown to just above my waist, trying to ignore the stare aimed at my panties. I put my feet on both sides of the chair, which is fortunately lacking armrests, and then straddle his lap.
I can hear his breath pick up briefly when I shift a bit in an attempt to get comfortable, but he doesn't say anything. He merely looks up at me with an expectant look in his eyes.
"Hisao... What do you want me to do?"
"Whatever you want, Hanako. You'll need to take the active role this time."
"The... active... role?"
"I'm all yours."
Me, the active role?
That's not exactly common unless we're engaged in something that involves taking turns.
I guess I could give it a try.
I gently use a finger to tuck his chin up, lower my head and press my lips against his, softly nibbling on his upper lip at first, then letting my tongue slip into his mouth. I tickle his chin with one hand while lovingly rubbing his hair with the other.
He brings his hands up to my face, caressing both sides of it before moving on to my hair and then edging down my sides until they're resting on my upper legs.
The awkwardness of a few minutes ago is all but forgotten now, and I've reached the point where mere kissing and light petting just isn't sufficient anymore. Wiggling my bottom a bit in order to get the best angle possible, I start moving my hips.
Hisao lets out a pleased sigh at the sensation and then spreads his legs, causing me to slide down a bit. I blush as I feel something hard press against me. Looks like someone is eager to continue.
I place my hands on his shoulders in order to get a bit more leverage and continue grinding against him. In less than a minute, the place where his boxers are rubbing against my panties goes from feeling good to feeling great, and when one of his wandering hands softly fondles my right breast, I let out a moan before I can stop myself.
Hisao snickers and gives me a playful look.
"Hanako?"
"Yes?"
"What we're doing right now. It... kind of feels familiar, doesn't it?"
What is he talking... Oh!
I cringe a bit and feel my cheeks start to burn. Why did he have to bring up that incident at a time like this? Deciding to change the subject as quickly as I can, I brightly smile at him and firmly shake my head. Then, when he opens his mouth to say something, I passionately kiss him to get the hint across.
Apparently it's very effective, because when our lips finally part, he shows no desire to bring up that particular subject again. Instead, he merely raises his arms, aching to continue, and I eagerly take the opportunity to take his shirt off.
Having to take the 'active role', as Hisao called it, is really nice as it's allowing me to rub myself against him at the best possible angle and speed and just moving around on his lap feels really good to me, but it's also pretty tiring, and I feel a drop of sweat running down my forehead.
Not wanting to continue until my nightgown's drenched, I also raise my arms and allow Hisao to take it off for me. I avert my eyes for a moment as his gaze sweeps over my body, stopping on my breasts for several seconds. Then I move again.
And again.
And again, making sure to press a little firmer this time.
In an attempt to assist me, Hisao places one hand on my lower back and presses me tighter against him. Meanwhile, his other hand goes back and forth between caressing my side, breasts and neckline.
"Hhhhhhhhh.... Hhhhmmm."
"Hhhh... ah... Hhhh."
Between our ragged breathing, we start letting out little sighs of pleasure, arousing each other further. I can see a tension building on his face. He's probably close to his limit. I should probably get off his lap so we can take off our underwear and finish this properly. But at the same time, this rubbing feels so wonderful that I can't bring myself to stop. Even halting for a moment to pull my panties aside feels like a waste. Maybe I should just keep going until we finish. We're already in need of a change of underwear anyhow.
"H-Hanako... I..."
He's almost there. Only a little while longer.
"H-Hanko... S-stop... Stop."
With some reluctance, I let go of him and get off his lap. Hisao immediately pulls his boxers down, takes the tip of his member between his thumb and index finger and squeezes firmly. After a second or two he lets out a relieved sigh.
"Whew. That was close. Nearly... soiled... my boxers there. Could you give me a minute or two to cool down?"
"..."
Two minutes sounds like an eternity. I give a relucant nod, but at the same time start anxiously rubbing my thighs together. I don't really want to cool down myself.
Hisao seems to notice my fidgetting and smiles.
"I can still make you feel good in the meantime. I could... you know..."
He shoots a knowing look at the dark spot on my panties and then gently kisses my belly button.
"T-That...?"
"Why not? You liked it before."
"I... uh... h-haven't bathed or showered this morning and... it's really b-bright in this room."
He chuckles at my worried expression.
"That first part really isn't a problem for me, and if you like, I'll just close my eyes."
"...o-okay..."
That last word was nearly a whisper, but Hisao nevertheless heard it as he takes off his boxers, kneels on the floor in front of me, gives one more kiss on my belly button and then closes his eyes.
Feeling a little awkward still, I take off my panties, take a careful step forward and gently press myself against Hisao.
I feel his hands on my thighs and what follows is a sensation so intense I let out a high-pitched squeal.
"G-G-Gently!"
That grinding session must have left me more sensitive than I thought."
"Sorry. Is this better?"
I let out a content sigh.
"Y-Yes..."
The intense stimulation changes to a more gentle lapping, and I let out a content sigh, trying my best to push the usual sense of embarrasment out of my mind. As he promised, Hisao's keeping his eyes shut, and I close my own as well in an attempt to block out everything around me and just let myself get carried away by his sensation.
It's really quiet around me, the only sounds I hear being the soft suckling noises from Hisao, my heavy breathing and the occasional moan. Letting him pleasure me like this is different from before. I can still run my fingers through his hair like usual, but I can also move my hips a little more this time, pulling away or pressing myself against him depending on what feels best.
It's starting to get tough to remain standing though. Maybe it's because of my extended physical involvement this time, but my legs are getting wobblier the longer he continues.
"Hhhhhhh..."
Suddenly, he starts speeding up and the pleasure nearly causes my legs to give out. I manage to remain standing only by putting my hand on his desk to support myself. Almost immediately, the intense sensation stops, and I feel his arms around me, holding me up.
"Hanako, you okay?"
I'm still panting heavily, but nevertheless nod my head.
"Y-Yes..."
"You don't want to rest for a bit?"
I shake my head and then unexpectedly kiss him. He reels in surprise, but then returns it. He tastes a little different this time, but nothing too bad.
"Hisao... Do you want me t-to... return the favor?"
"Uh... Next time, okay?"
"Okay."
He takes a towel from a nearby shelf, puts it on the chair's seat and then sits down, inviting me to sit on his lap again. My legs still a little unsteady from before, I walk up to him, position myself above him and place one hand firmly on his shoulder to stabilize myself. I take hold of his member with my other hand and slowly start lowering myself. It's tougher than I thought. As I start squatting down, my legs immediately start shaking, and I'm forced to brace myself against his shoulder in order to keep steady.
"Uh... Hanako..."
My gaze shifts from our loins to Hisao's face and I can see a slightly scared expression on his face.
"Be very careful, okay? If you aim wrong, you might just... snap... something important, and I don't think I can handle a few weeks of having to hobble around the school with a problem in my pants."
06
"Pfffffffffff! Hahahahahahahaha!"
Before I can help it, an image appears in my head of an extremely sad-looking Hisao with his willie in an orthopedic cast similar to the one Jun from the newspaper club has been wearing, and this image is so utterly bizarre that I burst out laughing, and I have to stand up straight in order to avoid dropping down on his lap for real.
Hisao for his part is merely looking at me with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. He obviously finds the sight of my laughing fit funnier than the thought that caused it.
Eventually though, he rolls his eyes and softly clears his throat. Looks like he's eager to continue.
"Hanako? Shall we...? I can give you a hand if you like."
I giggle, but nevertheless nod in agreement.
"T-Thanks."
I take hold of him again, and this time he puts his hands on the back of my upper legs, gently lowering me onto him. I manage to guide his tip inside me and then allow myself to slide down until he's all the way inside. We both exhale sharply as we become one, and I fidget a bit in an attempt to get comfortable. When I'm reasonably sure I have the right angle, I start gyrating my hips, still giggling a little bit.
"Hmmmm..."
The friction is really pretty good even though moving is a bit tiring. His hands have found my breasts again and are stroking and kneading them. No longer needing to hold onto his shoulders so much, I take his face in my hand and kiss him again, muffling the moans we can't suppress.
"Hanako... Can you... move up and down a little?"
"Y-Yes..."
I try to alternate the gyrating movement of my hips with moving up a little, taking care not to let him slip out. It still feels really good, though my legs start shaking again.
"H-Hisao... C-can you help me...move?"
"Yeah..."
He puts his hands under my butt, playfully squeezing it a bit and helps me gently bounce up and down. I hear an embarrassing noise coming from the place where we're joined each time he sinks back into me, but I'm too far into the whole experience to care anymore.
"... Mmh!... C-closer."
"... Hah... G-got it."
He pulls me closer, increasing the friction between our bodies and intensifying my pleasure even more. We soon figure out a rhythm and start increasing the speed of our movements. This is probably tiring for both of us, but since we're sharing the workload we'll probably be able to keep this up until the end. I let out a cry followed by a giggle as he leans forward and licks my nipples before putting his head between my breasts and kissing the spot between them. I press his head further against my chest, eager for more pleasure.
"Hmmmm. H-Hanako. Hhhh..."
"Ah! Hmmm. H-Hisao. Nnnnng. Hmmm..."
Our panting and gasps barely leave us breath to moan each other's name. I can feel my limit approaching and speed up my movements as much as my body allows. Judging from his closed eyes and ragged breath, Hisao's even farther along than I am. I lift his chin up and kiss him once more. He seems almost too immersed in our love making to notice, and just as our lips part I can see a grimace appearing on his face. He squeezes my buttocks even harder than before and starts bouncing me up and down even faster.
"Hanako!"
And then he tenses up, grips me tightly and his body jolts several times in sheer pleasure. I stop my up-and-down movementand focus on my gyrations. My hips seem to have gotten a life of their own and are grinding against him as hard as they can. I close my eyes and block out everything to focus on that feeling, that intense feeling of pleasure that's slowly completely overwhelming me. I picture Hisao's face in my mind. The one I saw just seconds ago. The bliss written on it. The pleasure that I gave him. His gasps and moans. The way he called my name. That image is enough to push me past my limit.
"Hisao!"
I feel a discharge of pleasure between my legs, and my upper body surges forward in the grip of my climax. I throw my head back and let out a cry of ecstasy as my body shudders and quakes. After the last few aftershocks have disappeared I wearily open my eyes and look at my boyfriend.
07
His eyes are half-closed. His breathing still fast, but steady. He exchanges his usual 'I'm alright'-smile with me, wraps his arms around my waist and then leans his head against my chest. As I shift a bit in order to get more comfortable, I feel him slipping out of me. We could probably both use a shower right now. My back, sides and forehead are drenched in sweat, and I feel something that probably isn't perspiration running down the inside of my thighs. Good thing Hisao put a towel on the seat.
As wonderful as this experience was, it was also really exhausting, and while we probably ought to get up and clean ourselves, I don't really feel motivated to hurry and get off his lap, not just because my legs and thighs still feel tired and I feel a bit drowsy, but also because it feels really good being so close to him. I let my chin rest on his head and tenderly ruffle his hair. He responds by gently stroking my back and shoulders. For several minutes, neither of us says anything. Both of us are content basking in the afterglow of our experience and exchanging these little acts of affection. I love the warmth of his body and the sweetness of his touch. Eventually, I lean back a little so Hisao can lift his head and we look each other in the eyes. I let my forehead rest against his, and we tenderly caress each other's cheek. After one more kiss, Hisao finally speaks.
"Did you... enjoy it?"
I smile and nod my head.
"Yeah, me too. It was pretty enjoyable to switch places for once. Maybe you can take the lead more often?"
"It was pretty tiring in the end."
"Maybe we can do it on the bed next time and see if it's less taxing on you."
"O-Okay."
"So... Wanna take a shower together?"
A nice warm shower to wash the sweat off does sound very tempting. Now that my body's cooling down from our lovemaking session, I'm starting to feel a bit chilly.
"Y-Yes."
I get off his lap, Hisao takes some tissues from his desk drawer that we use to clean ourselves and then he takes my hand and leads me to the shower in the bathroom where we wash ourselves and engage in some additional post-coital cuddling. It's such a nice experience that part of me wouldn't mind doing this all day long. That's not realistic though, and eventually Hisao turns off the water though he doesn't let go of me yet. He has a cheeky smile on his face.
"You know, there's no running track in our backyard and this might be good morning exercise. I wouldn't at all mind if every morning of our stay turns out just like this."
I wouldn't either, though I don't tell him that.
"Emi likes to say that a good workout still beats sex, but I think she simply doesn't know what she's talking about. Either that or she's had nothing but lousy experiences."
We both laugh at that.
"Hey Hanako, now that I think about it again... What was that song you were humming while you were preparing breakfast?"
"I... don't really remember the title. It was just in my head at the moment."
"Heh, you know, it was a little disappointing that you weren't singing while we were taking a shower. Quite a few people sing under the shower."
"I don't... usually."
"You sounded really nice this morning though."
"N-Not r-really..."
He snickers at my embarrassed reaction. I can see him thinking to himself. After a while, his eyes suddenly light up. He lets go of me, takes a towel and starts drying me off. All the while, there's a grin on his face.
"W-What is it?"
"I'll tell you later. Let's get dressed first."
"W-Why are you smiling like that?"
"I think I just thought of a suitable destination for our first date here."
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 36
Chapter 36
01
"♪ Fill my heart with song ♫"
"♫ And let me sing forever more ♪"
"♪ You are all I long for ♪"
"♫ All I worship and adore ♫"
"♫ In other words, please be true ♪"
"♪ In other words, I love you ♫"
"♫ In other words, I love you ♪"
As I finish singing the latest song we picked for our karaoke session and make a humble bow, my one-man audience breaks into spontanous applause. I blush a bit, but am nevertheless very pleased by how appreciative Hisao seems to be about my singing, although his opinion is probably far from unbiased.
"That sounded really good, Hanako."
"T-Thanks."
I walk over to the table and take a few sips from the soft drinks we bought in order to prevent my throat from getting sore. In the meantime, Hisao is already eagerly browsing through the karaoke machine's music catalog.
"Would you be up for another one, Hanako?"
"Don't you want to try another song?"
"If you take this one too, I'll give you a kiss."
I playfully roll my eyes. While the initial idea was to take turns in singing songs, I ended up doing most of the singing while Hisao took the role of a doting audience that keeps asking for an encore. Still, I'm having a good time. The karaoke booth we got was among the smaller ones, but the atmosphere in here is relaxed and cozy.
"Hmmm... Okay. But I need a little break first."
"Sure."
I take a seat at the table, and Hisao sits down next to me and wraps an arm around me.
"I think we can safely declare this date a success."
"Hisao... Do you... like my singing voice that much?"
I admit I'm not exactly bad at singing, but I'm surprised how taken Hisao is by it.
"Yeah, I do. I guess it's because I've never seen this side of you before. Or rather 'heard this side of you' is a better way to word it. Your singing voice is kind of different from your speaking voice."
"It's not... that different, is it?"
"It's still recognizable as yours, but it's... less restrained. Since you usually speak rather softly, it's a pretty noticable contrast when you raise your voice like you do when you sing."
I suppose he has a point. In everyday life, I make an attempt to attract as little attention as possible, and never raising my voice is very much part of that.
"Out of curiosity; how are Akira's and Lilly's singing voices? I understood that Lilly's not overly fond of karaoke."
I smile.
"Akira's singing is okay - as long as she doesn't drink too much beer. But she's always really enjoying herself while singing karaoke, whether she sounds good or not. She's not too self-concious about how she sounds when she's with us."
"And Lilly?"
"I think she sounds fine. Maybe she's a bit perfectionistic about how she wants herself to sound. Part of the reason she doesn't enjoy karaoke more is because she can't read the lyrics off the screen and there aren't many songs that she has completely memorized."
"That kind of makes sense."
"She does enjoy hanging out with Akira and me and listening to us though."
"Maybe the four of us could go give it a shot the next time Akira is in Japan, assuming she doesn't visit in the middle of examination hell."
"That would be nice."
Hisao takes a chug of his own drink and then checks his watch.
"Man, time sure flies. Our hour is nearly up already. What do you say about extending our stay for another hour?"
"Sure."
Hisao takes out his wallet and gets some bills out. It's part of the sum we got from Lilly's mother before we boarded our plane back to Japan. He prepares to get up, but I stop him.
"Ummm... I c-could go and do that. I have to take a restroom break anyway."
"If you insist."
"Thanks."
"Take your time."
02
I put the money in my pocket and leave the booth, making my way over to the reception. From what I can tell, most of the booths are occupied right now. Summer break is obviously an excuse for many local students to take some time off from school work and relax for a spell. Fortunately, it's not particularly crowded at the reception desk. The only people aside from the employee behind the desk are two people about my age who seem to be a couple and who still appear to be involved in a discussion on how long to rent a booth. I carefully approach them, wondering if I should wait for them to make a decision or if I should ask them if I can quickly let the clerk extend my stay. Then I wonder if I'd even have the nerve to follow through on the second option.
As the two other customers notice me, the male looks at me and opens his mouth to say something, but then notices my scarring and stares for a moment without saying anything. The female, who until now was cheerfully chattering to her partner, gives me an awkward look. I shudder a bit and instinctively turn away from his gaze, my formerly good mood quickly dropping. After three excruciating seconds he remembers he was on the verge of saying something.
"Ah... If you want to go first, go ahead."
I nervously nod and then approach the desk. I notice that the clerk behind the desk isn't the same person as when Hisao and I arrived here and as a result I'm treated to three stares rather than two in less than half a minute. I'm beginning to feel that not letting Hisao handle this was a really big mistake.
"Ah... ummm..."
"Can I help you, miss?"
"I... uh... W-we w-would like to s-stay for one m-more hour."
"Ah... Of course. What's your booth number?"
"Uh?"
03
Damnit! There was probably a number next to the door when we entered the booth, but I didn't pay attention to it when I entered or left. I desperately dig through my memories of the last hour, but my nervousness makes it impossible to recall what number Hisao and I were in. If I get the number wrong and then have to return here to sort things out later that'll be even worse.
"Ummm... D-down the hall on the r-right..."
"Number 15? 16? 17? 18?"
I'm straining to resist the urge to just run off. Just when I'm about to blurt out a random number, I have a moment of clarity that manages to calm me down just a bit.
"Ummm... W-we called ahead earlier to ask if t-there was still r-room. Y-You'd keep a b-booth r-reserved f-for us."
It's a longshot since this employee may not have even been on duty when Hisao called this morning, but maybe whoever took the call wrote it down. Sure enough, the clerk nods, checks a notepad next to his computer and then looks at me.
"Nakai. Booth number 16."
"Y-Yes. T-That's us. Ummm... One m-more hour, please."
I hand him the yen I brought along, and he makes a semi-bow to me in return.
"Please enjoy your stay, and I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience."
I realize he's expected to apologize for any and all issues that arise, whether they're his fault or not, but it feels odd to say sorry for something that's entirely caused by my anxieties. When I take the change he hands me and turn around, I suddenly realize that the couple behind me hasn't said a single word since I first started interacting with the desk clerk and has been following my tortured conversation word-for-word. This time it's the girl staring at me. My anxiety flaring up, I make my way past them and towards the restroom as fast as I can without actually running. As I get away from there, I can feel their gaze on my back like a pair of knives.
--------------------------------------
04
My restroom break takes longer than I planned, simply because I remain in the stall until my nerves have eased a bit. I don't want to return to Hisao looking all stressed out, or he'll just get worried about me. After taking a few minutes to calm down, I exit the stall, wash my hands and then prepare to return to our booth.
"Oh!"
That's when the door suddenly opens and a familiar face walks in. It's the same person who witnessed my bungled conversation with the receptionist a few minutes earlier. Upon seeing me, she lets out a subdued cry of surprise. I can feel my anxiety rearing its head again as she looks at me, but before I can decide on whether to flee back into the stall or make a quick exit from the restroom, she makes a quick bow and opens her mouth to speak.
"Ummm... Excuse me."
She seems a bit uneasy herself, probably due to my appearance. Is she going to try and have some random conversation about nothing with me? I really should get going.
"I'm... ah... sorry for earlier. I really didn't mean to stare."
That's a bit of a surprise. I don't receive apologies very often. Most of the time I have the impression that others feel the fault for making them uncomfortable lies with me, and the best thing I can do to get rid of the awkwardness is to quickly get away from their presence.
"It's... o-okay."
"Can I ask you a question, please?"
A question? What would she want to ask? I hope she's not going to ask how I got these scars. 'What happened to you?' is a question that was posed to me on several occasions when I first came to Yamaku, and I've never been able to deal with it very well. It's not like the answer's all that difficult to guess, so why even both with the question?
"This may seem a bit forward and I... ah... apologize in advance, but erm..."
If she asks about my burn scars, I'm out of here. I'll just cross my fingers and hope there's nobody in the hallway to see me sprint back to our booth.
"...I was just wondering if you..."
What could she possibly want to know about me if not for my scarring?
"...you wouldn't happen to be a student at Yamaku Academy, would you?"
"W-What?"
That question comes so completely out of nowhere that I visibly reel in shock. For the first time since she started speaking to me, I move my gaze away from the floor and towards the person standing in front of me. She's a girl with a slim figure and a slightly delicate posture. Her hair, which is even darker than my own, reaches just past her shoulders, and her long bangs are not completely unlike mine. I can't say she looks familiar to me. Does this person know me or something?
I struggle to determine how to react, but the girl in front of me patiently waits for me to get my bearings back. I finally manage to stammer out a response, my curiosity slowly reining in my anxiety.
"I... ah... I am. B-But how...?"
She gives me a rather weak smile that seems more than a little forced.
"There was... a boy at my school who was hospitalized last school year. He... ended up transferring there."
"H-Hospitalized last school year and t-transferred?"
I certainly know one person at Yamaku who fits that particular description.
"I... ah... overheard your conversation at the reception desk earlier. His... ah... last name matched the one that the receptionist mentioned. I apologize if I got this wrong, but I wondered..."
There's no doubt in my mind that this girl is talking about Hisao. What are the odds of us running into someone from his old school? Well, according to Hisao this place is rather close to his old high school, so I suppose the odds of us running into students from there aren't impossibly low, especially since it's summer break.
"Ah... "
This girl is pretty quick to latch onto a surname that is probably shared by several more families in a city as large as this one.
"I... t-think we're t-talking about the same p-person, but..."
I can't help but grimace as the girl's logic suddenly hits me. I already know that she's aware of Yamaku being a school. Chances are that she also knows what kind of school it is. In that case, she probably decided to take her chances because it was a girl with severe facial scarring who was bringing up Hisao's name. The idea that I can be this easily identified as a Yamaku student in this way, even when I'm out of my school uniform, feels like a painful blow to the gut. The girl, who is eyeing me pretty closely, looks slightly worried.
"Is something wrong?"
I quickly brush off her concerns. I don't think there's a need for me to bring up my insecurity about my scars.
"It's n-nothing. Ummm... so... y-you were f-friends with Hisao?"
Her forced smile seems to relax for a moment when I mention Hisao's first name, but then resurfaces just as quickly.
"We were... in the same class."
Hisao, during one of our get-togethers in the city, confided in me that there were only three people he used to hang out with on a regular basis before he moved to Yamaku, and it doesn't seem like this girl was one of them. Simply a former classmate then?
"Oh."
But there's something that doesn't make sense to me. Why is she having this tortured discussion with me? If she overheard his name, she must have heard our booth number as well. Why didn't she just take a peek inside and simply apologize if the person inside wasn't who she was expecting?
"Ummm... Are y-you g-going to say hello to him?"
The girl in front of me doesn't immediately answer. For a moment she seems lost in thought. Then she smiles awkwardly.
"I am... uh... not sure if I should impose on him."
She sighs. For some reason she's fidgeting a bit as if trying to make a decision yet not quite succeeding.
"It's a bit complicated."
Complicated? That's rather vague. Were they more than classmates? Did she have a crush on him? Or...?
I suddenly remember something Hisao once told me. It was on the day that I first told Hisao about why I look the way I do. In return he told me that his first heart attack took place when a girl confessed to him. Could the person in front of me be that girl? That would explain her seeming awkwardness.
Hisao has told me before that he lost contact with all the people from his old school, including his old friends, during his hospitalisation. While telling me about that, he did his best to put on a 'life goes on, so what can you do'-attitude, although since I went through a similar thing myself when I was younger, I never truly bought his act. If what Hisao's parents said this morning was true and if this girl is the person who confessed to him, then she's also the girl who visited him in the hospital for a while. The girl I was being compared to.
"S-Sorry if it's too f-forward to ask, but d-did you... ummm... l-like him?"
She doesn't immediately respond, obviously not completely sure if it's appropriate to answer that question.
"I was there when... it happened. I visited him in the hospital for a while, but I haven't really heard from him since his hospitalisation. We... didn't really part on the best of terms."
Looks like my hunch was correct. This girl confessed to him last year, his heart acted up and he spent nearly half a year in the hospital. She visited him at first, but they drifted apart while Hisao was busy digesting how much his life had changed. I can't really judge her for not sticking with him all that time since I did an even worse job supporting him during his last stay in the hospital. I don't think anything like a relationship ever came out of it. Hisao already mentioned before that they lost contact after she stopped dropping by. Yet at some point he did get a letter which I suspect came from her, and he was visibly upset when he saw who sent it. He mentioned wanting to write a letter back at some point, but it sounds like he never actually got around to doing it.
I guess even when you think you've moved on, people from your old life resurfacing unexpectedly can quickly cause the past to come back and haunt you. That seems to be the case for this girl too. I sincerely wonder how Hisao would react if he suddenly came face to face with this girl. He's been doing pretty well lately, so maybe he would be in the mood for briefly catching up. But judging from the way they went their separate ways and the fact that he never ended up sending a reply to that letter, it's equally likely that a confrontation would be excruciatingly awkward. I'm fairly certain that this girl is currently contemplating the same thing.
"On the one hand it feels a bit rude to know he's here and not say hello and ask him how he's doing. But it could get a bit awkward, too, and I... don't really want to ruin the afternoon for him or for myself."
"T-The person you came in with... Is he y-your b-boyfriend?"
The girl gives me a tiny smile.
"Maybe. This is only our first date."
She rolls her eyes a bit.
"It almost makes you wonder if this is an omen of some sort, does it not?"
I personally think that instead of an omen this karaoke club is simply popular with the students from Hisao's old high school, and Hisao simply took me here because he was familiar with the place without really thinking of the possibility of running into someone he knows.
"Ummm..."
I'm not really sure what to tell this girl. I think Hisao has moved on from that old 'relationship'or he wouldn't be dating me. This girl has moved on too or she wouldn't be going out with that person I saw at the reception desk. But I can imagine that when she thinks about Hisao, she's still thinking about that boy lying in his hospital bed and trying to fight off a depression. That's probably her most recent impression of him after all. Maybe I can help with that.
05
"...if you're c-curious about h-how he's d-doing, I c-could tell you a f-few things. He's b-been in my class since early June. He... ummm... has been eating lunch with m-my best friend and me since h-his first week there. It t-took him a bit of t-time to get used to the n-new school, but n-now he gets along well w-with most of the class."
She doesn't immediately react, and I wonder if I'm even doing the right thing here, but I still continue on.
"He still l-likes to read a lot, l-like he did in the hospital. He also set up a science club together with our homeroom t-teacher who also teaches science. The club is still s-small, but Hisao is looking to recruit more m-members. Our homeroom teacher has t-taken a liking to him because he's doing so well in the subject. He also plans to study science after he g-graduates."
I hesitate for a moment before continuing on a more serious subject.
"He... w-was hospitalized again a little while back because a small accident triggered his c-condition, but fortunately that w-was only for a week. After he got out he told me that he w-wasn't going to let a hospital s-stay get him down again and that he wanted to continue where he left off. He goes jogging almost daily to stay in shape, and he does his best to mind his medication, so his condition doesn't h-hinder him in everyday life these days. My best f-friend let us come with her to Scotland for a while, and I think Hisao also really enjoyed that. I t-think he's... happy with his l-life right now."
I kept my eyes pointed at the floor during most of my story to limit my stammering, but when I finish my story and cautiously look back at the girl, I immediately notice that her awkward posture has diminished, and a genuine smile has appeared on her face. She lets out a soft giggle.
"You brightened up a little while talking about him. Are you... dating him?"
I nod meekly, a bit embarassed by her observation but also feeling a bit proud.
"S-Since early July. We're c-currently on a date too."
She smiles gratefully at me.
"Thank you for telling me all this. It's a real relief to know he bounced back so well."
"It's o-okay."
"If it's just you and him here then he's probably starting to wonder what's keeping you. I was thinking; it'll probably feel odd if I seek out his company instead of my date's."
"M-Maybe we s-should both j-just go and have a good time without c-complicating things."
She gives a determined nod.
"Perhaps that would be best."
"O-Okay then. Ummm... G-goodbye then?"
"There's one more thing if you don't mind."
"Yes?"
She gives me a curious smile.
"May I know your name?"
I blush. We've been talking for some time now without even knowing the other's name. I make a polite bow to her.
06
"H-Hanako."
She returns my bow and lets out a girlish giggle.
"That sounds a little bit like mine. I am Iwanako."
"So... ah... I'll be g-going then."
She nods
"Thank you again."
I make my way over to the exit, but before I open it I look behind me one more time. Iwanako smiles at me and gives me a small wave.
"Hanako... enjoy your date today."
I smile bashfully.
"Y-You too, Iwanako."
--------------------------------------
"I was beginning to worry whether the door of your stall got jammed."
I give my boyfriend, who I find waiting outside the ladies' room, a guilty smile.
"S-Sorry for making you wait."
"Well, at least I have the feeling that I'm not the only one who's waiting for his lady friend."
He shoots a brief look at another person who's standing in the hallway and who appears to be keeping an eye on the door I just exited.
"Let's get back to our booth."
I take hold of his sleeve and give it a gentle tug to indicate I'm eager to get back.
"Okay, okay, no need to rush. If we exceed the time we have we can always extend our stay a second time."
We move back into our booth, but before I take the microphone I turn to Hisao.
"Hisao? If it's okay with you, I'd like to go somewhere else after our time here is up."
"Sure, Hanako. Any suggestions?"
"I would... like to see your old high s-school, or maybe the game center you used t-to visit."
"Hmmm."
He seems deep in thought for a moment.
"Can we move that to tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we might actually end up running into someone I know there and I'm not completely sure how to act around them yet. I'd like to sleep a night on it if that's okay with you."
"Sure."
"I know a cozy movie theater I've been to a few times in the past that's about a 15 minute bus ride away from here. We could go there and see if there are any nice movies playing."
"That sounds like fun."
"It's a deal then. But let's go through a few more songs first."
"Okay."
He takes one of the soft drinks standing on the table and raises it.
"To a wonderful date."
I take my own soft drink and touch the bottle against his.
"T-To a wonderful date."
07
My anxiety from the incident at the reception desk vanished, I pick a song from the karaoke machine, grab the microphone and then walk up to Hisao and gently sit on his lap. As I start singing and he lovingly wraps his arms around my waist, I think back on the last words of the conversation in the restroom and smile.
I think I will enjoy my date today.
08
01
"♪ Fill my heart with song ♫"
"♫ And let me sing forever more ♪"
"♪ You are all I long for ♪"
"♫ All I worship and adore ♫"
"♫ In other words, please be true ♪"
"♪ In other words, I love you ♫"
"♫ In other words, I love you ♪"
As I finish singing the latest song we picked for our karaoke session and make a humble bow, my one-man audience breaks into spontanous applause. I blush a bit, but am nevertheless very pleased by how appreciative Hisao seems to be about my singing, although his opinion is probably far from unbiased.
"That sounded really good, Hanako."
"T-Thanks."
I walk over to the table and take a few sips from the soft drinks we bought in order to prevent my throat from getting sore. In the meantime, Hisao is already eagerly browsing through the karaoke machine's music catalog.
"Would you be up for another one, Hanako?"
"Don't you want to try another song?"
"If you take this one too, I'll give you a kiss."
I playfully roll my eyes. While the initial idea was to take turns in singing songs, I ended up doing most of the singing while Hisao took the role of a doting audience that keeps asking for an encore. Still, I'm having a good time. The karaoke booth we got was among the smaller ones, but the atmosphere in here is relaxed and cozy.
"Hmmm... Okay. But I need a little break first."
"Sure."
I take a seat at the table, and Hisao sits down next to me and wraps an arm around me.
"I think we can safely declare this date a success."
"Hisao... Do you... like my singing voice that much?"
I admit I'm not exactly bad at singing, but I'm surprised how taken Hisao is by it.
"Yeah, I do. I guess it's because I've never seen this side of you before. Or rather 'heard this side of you' is a better way to word it. Your singing voice is kind of different from your speaking voice."
"It's not... that different, is it?"
"It's still recognizable as yours, but it's... less restrained. Since you usually speak rather softly, it's a pretty noticable contrast when you raise your voice like you do when you sing."
I suppose he has a point. In everyday life, I make an attempt to attract as little attention as possible, and never raising my voice is very much part of that.
"Out of curiosity; how are Akira's and Lilly's singing voices? I understood that Lilly's not overly fond of karaoke."
I smile.
"Akira's singing is okay - as long as she doesn't drink too much beer. But she's always really enjoying herself while singing karaoke, whether she sounds good or not. She's not too self-concious about how she sounds when she's with us."
"And Lilly?"
"I think she sounds fine. Maybe she's a bit perfectionistic about how she wants herself to sound. Part of the reason she doesn't enjoy karaoke more is because she can't read the lyrics off the screen and there aren't many songs that she has completely memorized."
"That kind of makes sense."
"She does enjoy hanging out with Akira and me and listening to us though."
"Maybe the four of us could go give it a shot the next time Akira is in Japan, assuming she doesn't visit in the middle of examination hell."
"That would be nice."
Hisao takes a chug of his own drink and then checks his watch.
"Man, time sure flies. Our hour is nearly up already. What do you say about extending our stay for another hour?"
"Sure."
Hisao takes out his wallet and gets some bills out. It's part of the sum we got from Lilly's mother before we boarded our plane back to Japan. He prepares to get up, but I stop him.
"Ummm... I c-could go and do that. I have to take a restroom break anyway."
"If you insist."
"Thanks."
"Take your time."
02
I put the money in my pocket and leave the booth, making my way over to the reception. From what I can tell, most of the booths are occupied right now. Summer break is obviously an excuse for many local students to take some time off from school work and relax for a spell. Fortunately, it's not particularly crowded at the reception desk. The only people aside from the employee behind the desk are two people about my age who seem to be a couple and who still appear to be involved in a discussion on how long to rent a booth. I carefully approach them, wondering if I should wait for them to make a decision or if I should ask them if I can quickly let the clerk extend my stay. Then I wonder if I'd even have the nerve to follow through on the second option.
As the two other customers notice me, the male looks at me and opens his mouth to say something, but then notices my scarring and stares for a moment without saying anything. The female, who until now was cheerfully chattering to her partner, gives me an awkward look. I shudder a bit and instinctively turn away from his gaze, my formerly good mood quickly dropping. After three excruciating seconds he remembers he was on the verge of saying something.
"Ah... If you want to go first, go ahead."
I nervously nod and then approach the desk. I notice that the clerk behind the desk isn't the same person as when Hisao and I arrived here and as a result I'm treated to three stares rather than two in less than half a minute. I'm beginning to feel that not letting Hisao handle this was a really big mistake.
"Ah... ummm..."
"Can I help you, miss?"
"I... uh... W-we w-would like to s-stay for one m-more hour."
"Ah... Of course. What's your booth number?"
"Uh?"
03
Damnit! There was probably a number next to the door when we entered the booth, but I didn't pay attention to it when I entered or left. I desperately dig through my memories of the last hour, but my nervousness makes it impossible to recall what number Hisao and I were in. If I get the number wrong and then have to return here to sort things out later that'll be even worse.
"Ummm... D-down the hall on the r-right..."
"Number 15? 16? 17? 18?"
I'm straining to resist the urge to just run off. Just when I'm about to blurt out a random number, I have a moment of clarity that manages to calm me down just a bit.
"Ummm... W-we called ahead earlier to ask if t-there was still r-room. Y-You'd keep a b-booth r-reserved f-for us."
It's a longshot since this employee may not have even been on duty when Hisao called this morning, but maybe whoever took the call wrote it down. Sure enough, the clerk nods, checks a notepad next to his computer and then looks at me.
"Nakai. Booth number 16."
"Y-Yes. T-That's us. Ummm... One m-more hour, please."
I hand him the yen I brought along, and he makes a semi-bow to me in return.
"Please enjoy your stay, and I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience."
I realize he's expected to apologize for any and all issues that arise, whether they're his fault or not, but it feels odd to say sorry for something that's entirely caused by my anxieties. When I take the change he hands me and turn around, I suddenly realize that the couple behind me hasn't said a single word since I first started interacting with the desk clerk and has been following my tortured conversation word-for-word. This time it's the girl staring at me. My anxiety flaring up, I make my way past them and towards the restroom as fast as I can without actually running. As I get away from there, I can feel their gaze on my back like a pair of knives.
--------------------------------------
04
My restroom break takes longer than I planned, simply because I remain in the stall until my nerves have eased a bit. I don't want to return to Hisao looking all stressed out, or he'll just get worried about me. After taking a few minutes to calm down, I exit the stall, wash my hands and then prepare to return to our booth.
"Oh!"
That's when the door suddenly opens and a familiar face walks in. It's the same person who witnessed my bungled conversation with the receptionist a few minutes earlier. Upon seeing me, she lets out a subdued cry of surprise. I can feel my anxiety rearing its head again as she looks at me, but before I can decide on whether to flee back into the stall or make a quick exit from the restroom, she makes a quick bow and opens her mouth to speak.
"Ummm... Excuse me."
She seems a bit uneasy herself, probably due to my appearance. Is she going to try and have some random conversation about nothing with me? I really should get going.
"I'm... ah... sorry for earlier. I really didn't mean to stare."
That's a bit of a surprise. I don't receive apologies very often. Most of the time I have the impression that others feel the fault for making them uncomfortable lies with me, and the best thing I can do to get rid of the awkwardness is to quickly get away from their presence.
"It's... o-okay."
"Can I ask you a question, please?"
A question? What would she want to ask? I hope she's not going to ask how I got these scars. 'What happened to you?' is a question that was posed to me on several occasions when I first came to Yamaku, and I've never been able to deal with it very well. It's not like the answer's all that difficult to guess, so why even both with the question?
"This may seem a bit forward and I... ah... apologize in advance, but erm..."
If she asks about my burn scars, I'm out of here. I'll just cross my fingers and hope there's nobody in the hallway to see me sprint back to our booth.
"...I was just wondering if you..."
What could she possibly want to know about me if not for my scarring?
"...you wouldn't happen to be a student at Yamaku Academy, would you?"
"W-What?"
That question comes so completely out of nowhere that I visibly reel in shock. For the first time since she started speaking to me, I move my gaze away from the floor and towards the person standing in front of me. She's a girl with a slim figure and a slightly delicate posture. Her hair, which is even darker than my own, reaches just past her shoulders, and her long bangs are not completely unlike mine. I can't say she looks familiar to me. Does this person know me or something?
I struggle to determine how to react, but the girl in front of me patiently waits for me to get my bearings back. I finally manage to stammer out a response, my curiosity slowly reining in my anxiety.
"I... ah... I am. B-But how...?"
She gives me a rather weak smile that seems more than a little forced.
"There was... a boy at my school who was hospitalized last school year. He... ended up transferring there."
"H-Hospitalized last school year and t-transferred?"
I certainly know one person at Yamaku who fits that particular description.
"I... ah... overheard your conversation at the reception desk earlier. His... ah... last name matched the one that the receptionist mentioned. I apologize if I got this wrong, but I wondered..."
There's no doubt in my mind that this girl is talking about Hisao. What are the odds of us running into someone from his old school? Well, according to Hisao this place is rather close to his old high school, so I suppose the odds of us running into students from there aren't impossibly low, especially since it's summer break.
"Ah... "
This girl is pretty quick to latch onto a surname that is probably shared by several more families in a city as large as this one.
"I... t-think we're t-talking about the same p-person, but..."
I can't help but grimace as the girl's logic suddenly hits me. I already know that she's aware of Yamaku being a school. Chances are that she also knows what kind of school it is. In that case, she probably decided to take her chances because it was a girl with severe facial scarring who was bringing up Hisao's name. The idea that I can be this easily identified as a Yamaku student in this way, even when I'm out of my school uniform, feels like a painful blow to the gut. The girl, who is eyeing me pretty closely, looks slightly worried.
"Is something wrong?"
I quickly brush off her concerns. I don't think there's a need for me to bring up my insecurity about my scars.
"It's n-nothing. Ummm... so... y-you were f-friends with Hisao?"
Her forced smile seems to relax for a moment when I mention Hisao's first name, but then resurfaces just as quickly.
"We were... in the same class."
Hisao, during one of our get-togethers in the city, confided in me that there were only three people he used to hang out with on a regular basis before he moved to Yamaku, and it doesn't seem like this girl was one of them. Simply a former classmate then?
"Oh."
But there's something that doesn't make sense to me. Why is she having this tortured discussion with me? If she overheard his name, she must have heard our booth number as well. Why didn't she just take a peek inside and simply apologize if the person inside wasn't who she was expecting?
"Ummm... Are y-you g-going to say hello to him?"
The girl in front of me doesn't immediately answer. For a moment she seems lost in thought. Then she smiles awkwardly.
"I am... uh... not sure if I should impose on him."
She sighs. For some reason she's fidgeting a bit as if trying to make a decision yet not quite succeeding.
"It's a bit complicated."
Complicated? That's rather vague. Were they more than classmates? Did she have a crush on him? Or...?
I suddenly remember something Hisao once told me. It was on the day that I first told Hisao about why I look the way I do. In return he told me that his first heart attack took place when a girl confessed to him. Could the person in front of me be that girl? That would explain her seeming awkwardness.
Hisao has told me before that he lost contact with all the people from his old school, including his old friends, during his hospitalisation. While telling me about that, he did his best to put on a 'life goes on, so what can you do'-attitude, although since I went through a similar thing myself when I was younger, I never truly bought his act. If what Hisao's parents said this morning was true and if this girl is the person who confessed to him, then she's also the girl who visited him in the hospital for a while. The girl I was being compared to.
"S-Sorry if it's too f-forward to ask, but d-did you... ummm... l-like him?"
She doesn't immediately respond, obviously not completely sure if it's appropriate to answer that question.
"I was there when... it happened. I visited him in the hospital for a while, but I haven't really heard from him since his hospitalisation. We... didn't really part on the best of terms."
Looks like my hunch was correct. This girl confessed to him last year, his heart acted up and he spent nearly half a year in the hospital. She visited him at first, but they drifted apart while Hisao was busy digesting how much his life had changed. I can't really judge her for not sticking with him all that time since I did an even worse job supporting him during his last stay in the hospital. I don't think anything like a relationship ever came out of it. Hisao already mentioned before that they lost contact after she stopped dropping by. Yet at some point he did get a letter which I suspect came from her, and he was visibly upset when he saw who sent it. He mentioned wanting to write a letter back at some point, but it sounds like he never actually got around to doing it.
I guess even when you think you've moved on, people from your old life resurfacing unexpectedly can quickly cause the past to come back and haunt you. That seems to be the case for this girl too. I sincerely wonder how Hisao would react if he suddenly came face to face with this girl. He's been doing pretty well lately, so maybe he would be in the mood for briefly catching up. But judging from the way they went their separate ways and the fact that he never ended up sending a reply to that letter, it's equally likely that a confrontation would be excruciatingly awkward. I'm fairly certain that this girl is currently contemplating the same thing.
"On the one hand it feels a bit rude to know he's here and not say hello and ask him how he's doing. But it could get a bit awkward, too, and I... don't really want to ruin the afternoon for him or for myself."
"T-The person you came in with... Is he y-your b-boyfriend?"
The girl gives me a tiny smile.
"Maybe. This is only our first date."
She rolls her eyes a bit.
"It almost makes you wonder if this is an omen of some sort, does it not?"
I personally think that instead of an omen this karaoke club is simply popular with the students from Hisao's old high school, and Hisao simply took me here because he was familiar with the place without really thinking of the possibility of running into someone he knows.
"Ummm..."
I'm not really sure what to tell this girl. I think Hisao has moved on from that old 'relationship'or he wouldn't be dating me. This girl has moved on too or she wouldn't be going out with that person I saw at the reception desk. But I can imagine that when she thinks about Hisao, she's still thinking about that boy lying in his hospital bed and trying to fight off a depression. That's probably her most recent impression of him after all. Maybe I can help with that.
05
"...if you're c-curious about h-how he's d-doing, I c-could tell you a f-few things. He's b-been in my class since early June. He... ummm... has been eating lunch with m-my best friend and me since h-his first week there. It t-took him a bit of t-time to get used to the n-new school, but n-now he gets along well w-with most of the class."
She doesn't immediately react, and I wonder if I'm even doing the right thing here, but I still continue on.
"He still l-likes to read a lot, l-like he did in the hospital. He also set up a science club together with our homeroom t-teacher who also teaches science. The club is still s-small, but Hisao is looking to recruit more m-members. Our homeroom teacher has t-taken a liking to him because he's doing so well in the subject. He also plans to study science after he g-graduates."
I hesitate for a moment before continuing on a more serious subject.
"He... w-was hospitalized again a little while back because a small accident triggered his c-condition, but fortunately that w-was only for a week. After he got out he told me that he w-wasn't going to let a hospital s-stay get him down again and that he wanted to continue where he left off. He goes jogging almost daily to stay in shape, and he does his best to mind his medication, so his condition doesn't h-hinder him in everyday life these days. My best f-friend let us come with her to Scotland for a while, and I think Hisao also really enjoyed that. I t-think he's... happy with his l-life right now."
I kept my eyes pointed at the floor during most of my story to limit my stammering, but when I finish my story and cautiously look back at the girl, I immediately notice that her awkward posture has diminished, and a genuine smile has appeared on her face. She lets out a soft giggle.
"You brightened up a little while talking about him. Are you... dating him?"
I nod meekly, a bit embarassed by her observation but also feeling a bit proud.
"S-Since early July. We're c-currently on a date too."
She smiles gratefully at me.
"Thank you for telling me all this. It's a real relief to know he bounced back so well."
"It's o-okay."
"If it's just you and him here then he's probably starting to wonder what's keeping you. I was thinking; it'll probably feel odd if I seek out his company instead of my date's."
"M-Maybe we s-should both j-just go and have a good time without c-complicating things."
She gives a determined nod.
"Perhaps that would be best."
"O-Okay then. Ummm... G-goodbye then?"
"There's one more thing if you don't mind."
"Yes?"
She gives me a curious smile.
"May I know your name?"
I blush. We've been talking for some time now without even knowing the other's name. I make a polite bow to her.
06
"H-Hanako."
She returns my bow and lets out a girlish giggle.
"That sounds a little bit like mine. I am Iwanako."
"So... ah... I'll be g-going then."
She nods
"Thank you again."
I make my way over to the exit, but before I open it I look behind me one more time. Iwanako smiles at me and gives me a small wave.
"Hanako... enjoy your date today."
I smile bashfully.
"Y-You too, Iwanako."
--------------------------------------
"I was beginning to worry whether the door of your stall got jammed."
I give my boyfriend, who I find waiting outside the ladies' room, a guilty smile.
"S-Sorry for making you wait."
"Well, at least I have the feeling that I'm not the only one who's waiting for his lady friend."
He shoots a brief look at another person who's standing in the hallway and who appears to be keeping an eye on the door I just exited.
"Let's get back to our booth."
I take hold of his sleeve and give it a gentle tug to indicate I'm eager to get back.
"Okay, okay, no need to rush. If we exceed the time we have we can always extend our stay a second time."
We move back into our booth, but before I take the microphone I turn to Hisao.
"Hisao? If it's okay with you, I'd like to go somewhere else after our time here is up."
"Sure, Hanako. Any suggestions?"
"I would... like to see your old high s-school, or maybe the game center you used t-to visit."
"Hmmm."
He seems deep in thought for a moment.
"Can we move that to tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we might actually end up running into someone I know there and I'm not completely sure how to act around them yet. I'd like to sleep a night on it if that's okay with you."
"Sure."
"I know a cozy movie theater I've been to a few times in the past that's about a 15 minute bus ride away from here. We could go there and see if there are any nice movies playing."
"That sounds like fun."
"It's a deal then. But let's go through a few more songs first."
"Okay."
He takes one of the soft drinks standing on the table and raises it.
"To a wonderful date."
I take my own soft drink and touch the bottle against his.
"T-To a wonderful date."
07
My anxiety from the incident at the reception desk vanished, I pick a song from the karaoke machine, grab the microphone and then walk up to Hisao and gently sit on his lap. As I start singing and he lovingly wraps his arms around my waist, I think back on the last words of the conversation in the restroom and smile.
I think I will enjoy my date today.
08
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 37
Chapter 37
01
The sounds of footsteps approaching the kitchen draws my attention away from the cupboard containing what I believe to be various cooking implements. I've been trying to memorize the layout of the kitchen and the contents of the cupboards and drawers since the start of this week. Due to the size of the kitchen this is not exactly a small task.
As the footsteps get closer, I softly tilt my head to try and determine the identity of the person approaching me. From the sound of the heels it must be a woman, so that rules out Father. The footsteps' pace is also too quick and steady to be his. It could be Allison. Or perhaps Fiona, the cleaning lady. From what I've noticed, Fiona's pace is more energetic than this, so that must mean Allison has returned from her shopping trip. I turn around and try to face the doorway so I can greet the person walking into the room.
"Good afternoon, Allison. You're back sooner than I expected."
"Good afternoon, Miss Lilly. I was lucky it wasn't very busy at Raigmore's apothecary, so it only took a few minutes to get your father's latest batch of medication."
"I greatly appreciate it. May I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"When we have visitors here, do we usually serve green or black tea?"
"It depends on the visitors. We offer both out of courtesy, but people from around here usually stick with black and the few times your father has Japanese visitors over they usually prefer green."
"Do you often have visitors here?"
"Your mother has visitors almost weekly. There are friends with whom she goes on bike rides around the countryside, and they usually have tea before and after the ride. She's also chairwoman of the neighborhood association, and meetings often take place in this house."
"Mother certainly lives an active life. Doesn't she ever take it easy?"
Allison chuckles as if I just told her a very funny joke.
"I do not think your mother is the type for that."
I smile wistfully. Mother has changed so much from the way I remember her. Back in Japan she hardly ever left the house and wouldn't even go to my school's PTA meetings or take us to the park. Would I change this much if I had decided to move here? It's a bit of a creepy thought. I like the way I am.
"How about visitors for Father?"
"People from the Japanese branch occasionally stop by in Inverness, and your father lets them spend the night here instead of at a hotel. He always looks forwards to their visits, and when they stay here we are asked to treat them like royalty. But such a thing only happens once every four months or so."
"We will be getting a visitor from Father's office later this day. He called earlier today, and he asked if it was okay if he stopped by after work to drop off some equipment for us."
"I see. That means he will probably be here within 40 minutes or so. But I don't think your father would appreciate it if we let that colleague come up into the master bedroom."
"No, he would not. I think it would be best if we receive him in Father's study. Isn't that where he usually has his guests?"
"It is. So what would you like me to do, Miss Lilly?"
"Ahem..."
This is a bit awkward. Two days ago, Mother took a flight to the United States together with a business delegation consisting of Akira, Kojima and a few more colleagues, leaving Father and me as the sole residents in this house. Allison was supposed to be responsible for running the day-to-day things here, but only minutes after we left Inverness airport, she started getting slightly more formal than usual with me and explained that as far as she was concerned I was the lady of the house right now and officially in charge of the household. I was taken back by that at first, but over the last two days I've slowly started growing into the role that had been handed to me, and although I'm not about to admit it out loud, I am somewhat enjoying it.
"Perhaps it would be good if Fiona could make certain that the room is cleaned and vacuumed. Because of its distinct appearance, our visitor is certain to pay close attention to the state of its interior."
"As you wish. If I give Miss Wilson a hand, I am certain we'll be able to have it looking prim and proper in 10 minutes."
"Wonderful. After Father's colleague called, I made a phone call to the nurse we hired to do Father's daily checkup, and she thinks he should be able to handle a short meeting as long as he rests up afterwards. When our visitor arrives, I could perhaps do the serving while you wake up Father, make certain he looks presentable and help him down the stairs. I might have trouble with some of those tasks myself."
"Not a problem. Do you wish me to help you make the tea, Miss Lilly?"
"I think I can manage. Assuming everything is still in the same place as it was yesterday."
"It should be. I brought some tasty biscuits along to go with the tea. I put the box containing them on the second shelf of the cupboard next to the fridge."
"Shall we get started then?"
--------------------------------------
"Good afternoon. May I help you?"
After the doorbell rang, I made my way over to the front door, while Allison went to help Father get out of bed. I do hope he will be okay. It's only been about two weeks since his heart attack and he's only been home for a few days.
"Good afternoon. Geoffry McLaughlin. We spoke on the phone two hours ago."
I make a gracious bow towards him.
"Welcome, Mister McLaughlin. I am Lilly Satou. This way please. My father will be with you shortly."
"Thanks."
I make my way back to the study with McLaughlin following close behind.
"Wow, nice place you've got here."
"You're flattering us."
He chuckles briefly at my response, but doesn't say anything back. When we reach the study and I open the door for him, he lets out a soft 'Holy Shit' under his breath.
"Please take a seat while I get you some tea. Would you prefer black or green tea?"
He pauses for a bit, probably wondering whether it's okay to let a blind person serve him hot tea, but then responds.
"Black with just a dash of milk, please."
"Certainly. I will be right back."
"One question if you don't mind."
"Of course."
"Do you have Wifi in this place?"
"Ah... Wifi?"
"Wireless network. I'd like to start setting things up, and it'd be good to know if I have to use the ethernet cable I brought along or if I can set up a wireless connection. Either way's fine."
My smile becomes a little more forced. I have no idea what he's talking about. He's probably assuming that every teenager, even a blind one, knows what a Wifi is.
"Ah... I'm afraid I... can't help you."
"That's fine. I'll just power up the laptop and see if it can detect any wireless routers around here. If I can find any and authorization is needed, I can ask your father for the password. Okay?"
Translation!
I force the brightest smile I can muster.
"That would be... good. I will be right back."
I quickly make my way out of the room and head over to the kitchen. I take the kettle from the stove, fill the tea pot and think back on what just happened. That was painfully embarrassing. I thank God that Father's not here right now, because he would certainly feel that I brought shame on him by my blatant display of computer illiteracy.
I can't let this throw me off though. After preparing the tea (and some fruit juice for Father) I carefully head back to the study, making sure not to accidentally drop the tray while reaching for the door handle.
"I apologize for taking so long."
"That's fine. I doubt I'd be able to prepare tea if I wasn't able to see what I was doing."
I pour a bit of milk into his cup and carefully fill it. Then I fill my own. I hold his cup out to him until he takes it from my hands.
"Please enjoy."
"Thanks."
"It might take Father a few minutes to get ready. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"No need to apologize. Suffering from a heart attack isn't something anyone would do on purpose, now is it?"
"That is certainly true. May I inquire what exactly do you do at the company, Mister McLaughlin?"
"You know, you can call me Geoffry if you wish. No need to be formal."
I merely smile at him. If Father heard me address one of his colleagues with his first name, I'd probably get in trouble.
"Anyway, I'm a system administrator. My colleague Alec and I are in charge of the department that maintains the computers, company network and servers at the office. We also take care of whatever issues people have with their computer systems. Hehe, in a way we're the most powerful people in the company."
I politely chuckle at his remark, but remind myself I'd better try and steer the conversation away from his area of expertise if I don't want to embarrass myself again.
"Your mother came to us last week with the request to set up a digital conference system."
Indeed. During the days I spent at Father's side after he was hospitalized, it quickly became clear to me that the matter of him now missing out on the final steps of the company's expansion wasn't a passing problem. And while I was thinking on how to help him, Hanako's suggestion of a teleconference came back to mind.
I first spoke to Akira about the feasibility and then later to Mother and Father as well. Mother wasn't extremely enthusiastic about going to the US without Father at first, and I don't think her reluctance was out of insecurity. Rather, she seems to partially blame Father's condition on the company and wasn't eager to stick her neck out for it instead of remaining by her husband's side. Eventually, I managed to convince her that helping Father tie up this loose end would be the best way to get the four of us together again. As for Father, he was reluctant as well because he considered not showing up in person to an important meeting to be an insult to his business partners although when Mother assured him that these were special circumstances and that the people we'd be meeting wouldn't think less of him for it, he eventually relented.
"I am glad you managed to obtain the necessary equipment so quickly."
"Well, we've worked with stuff like this before, so it wasn't that big of a deal."
I hear him take a careful sip from his cup.
"By the way, how is your dad?"
"He's getting better. Though it is unlikely he will be seen in the workplace any time soon."
I pause for a moment and then continue.
"Mister McLaughlin... It is probably best to tell you in advance that my father will not be able to talk at length and can only be present for a very short while. It would be good if you could take that into account."
"...fair enough. I'll try not to waste any time. I kind of need to get home quickly too. Lord knows it's going to be a long night for me as well. Alec's gonna owe me quite a few pints when he gets back."
"Your colleague accompanied our business delegation to the United States, didn't he?"
"Yeah, we drew straws to determine who was going to stay here and who was going to take a trip to the US and stay in a luxury hotel. Three guesses who took the short one."
I giggle a bit at his remark.
"That's unfortunate for you, but I assume that someone had to stay behind."
"Yeah and to be honest, this was for the best. Alec's a bit of an eternal bachelor, and he can afford to go there for a week or two. I have a wife and a seven-year old waiting for me at home, and my boy has football training at six each Wednesday. It'd be kinda hard to drive him there when I'm on the other side of the world. His mom could do it if necessary, I get called on emergencies from time to time, but there's usually nothing but fathers on the sidelines. Football is really a guy thing, you know?"
"Of course."
He's talking about it like it's normal for him to be home around that time each day. Maybe it is over here, but if that's the case then that's a pretty big contrast from the way things were in my childhood. Even before he left the country, Father's job often kept him away from the home for six days a week, and he wouldn't return from work until way after my bedtime. It was this way with all fathers in the neighborhood. During these weeks where I've been by his bedside, we've probably had more extended interaction than any other time in my life I remember.
I consider asking him about his son, but my ears suddenly pick up the sound of approaching footsteps. I instinctively rise to my feet when they stop on the other side of the door, and when it opens, I greet my father with a graceful bow.
01
The sounds of footsteps approaching the kitchen draws my attention away from the cupboard containing what I believe to be various cooking implements. I've been trying to memorize the layout of the kitchen and the contents of the cupboards and drawers since the start of this week. Due to the size of the kitchen this is not exactly a small task.
As the footsteps get closer, I softly tilt my head to try and determine the identity of the person approaching me. From the sound of the heels it must be a woman, so that rules out Father. The footsteps' pace is also too quick and steady to be his. It could be Allison. Or perhaps Fiona, the cleaning lady. From what I've noticed, Fiona's pace is more energetic than this, so that must mean Allison has returned from her shopping trip. I turn around and try to face the doorway so I can greet the person walking into the room.
"Good afternoon, Allison. You're back sooner than I expected."
"Good afternoon, Miss Lilly. I was lucky it wasn't very busy at Raigmore's apothecary, so it only took a few minutes to get your father's latest batch of medication."
"I greatly appreciate it. May I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"When we have visitors here, do we usually serve green or black tea?"
"It depends on the visitors. We offer both out of courtesy, but people from around here usually stick with black and the few times your father has Japanese visitors over they usually prefer green."
"Do you often have visitors here?"
"Your mother has visitors almost weekly. There are friends with whom she goes on bike rides around the countryside, and they usually have tea before and after the ride. She's also chairwoman of the neighborhood association, and meetings often take place in this house."
"Mother certainly lives an active life. Doesn't she ever take it easy?"
Allison chuckles as if I just told her a very funny joke.
"I do not think your mother is the type for that."
I smile wistfully. Mother has changed so much from the way I remember her. Back in Japan she hardly ever left the house and wouldn't even go to my school's PTA meetings or take us to the park. Would I change this much if I had decided to move here? It's a bit of a creepy thought. I like the way I am.
"How about visitors for Father?"
"People from the Japanese branch occasionally stop by in Inverness, and your father lets them spend the night here instead of at a hotel. He always looks forwards to their visits, and when they stay here we are asked to treat them like royalty. But such a thing only happens once every four months or so."
"We will be getting a visitor from Father's office later this day. He called earlier today, and he asked if it was okay if he stopped by after work to drop off some equipment for us."
"I see. That means he will probably be here within 40 minutes or so. But I don't think your father would appreciate it if we let that colleague come up into the master bedroom."
"No, he would not. I think it would be best if we receive him in Father's study. Isn't that where he usually has his guests?"
"It is. So what would you like me to do, Miss Lilly?"
"Ahem..."
This is a bit awkward. Two days ago, Mother took a flight to the United States together with a business delegation consisting of Akira, Kojima and a few more colleagues, leaving Father and me as the sole residents in this house. Allison was supposed to be responsible for running the day-to-day things here, but only minutes after we left Inverness airport, she started getting slightly more formal than usual with me and explained that as far as she was concerned I was the lady of the house right now and officially in charge of the household. I was taken back by that at first, but over the last two days I've slowly started growing into the role that had been handed to me, and although I'm not about to admit it out loud, I am somewhat enjoying it.
"Perhaps it would be good if Fiona could make certain that the room is cleaned and vacuumed. Because of its distinct appearance, our visitor is certain to pay close attention to the state of its interior."
"As you wish. If I give Miss Wilson a hand, I am certain we'll be able to have it looking prim and proper in 10 minutes."
"Wonderful. After Father's colleague called, I made a phone call to the nurse we hired to do Father's daily checkup, and she thinks he should be able to handle a short meeting as long as he rests up afterwards. When our visitor arrives, I could perhaps do the serving while you wake up Father, make certain he looks presentable and help him down the stairs. I might have trouble with some of those tasks myself."
"Not a problem. Do you wish me to help you make the tea, Miss Lilly?"
"I think I can manage. Assuming everything is still in the same place as it was yesterday."
"It should be. I brought some tasty biscuits along to go with the tea. I put the box containing them on the second shelf of the cupboard next to the fridge."
"Shall we get started then?"
--------------------------------------
"Good afternoon. May I help you?"
After the doorbell rang, I made my way over to the front door, while Allison went to help Father get out of bed. I do hope he will be okay. It's only been about two weeks since his heart attack and he's only been home for a few days.
"Good afternoon. Geoffry McLaughlin. We spoke on the phone two hours ago."
I make a gracious bow towards him.
"Welcome, Mister McLaughlin. I am Lilly Satou. This way please. My father will be with you shortly."
"Thanks."
I make my way back to the study with McLaughlin following close behind.
"Wow, nice place you've got here."
"You're flattering us."
He chuckles briefly at my response, but doesn't say anything back. When we reach the study and I open the door for him, he lets out a soft 'Holy Shit' under his breath.
"Please take a seat while I get you some tea. Would you prefer black or green tea?"
He pauses for a bit, probably wondering whether it's okay to let a blind person serve him hot tea, but then responds.
"Black with just a dash of milk, please."
"Certainly. I will be right back."
"One question if you don't mind."
"Of course."
"Do you have Wifi in this place?"
"Ah... Wifi?"
"Wireless network. I'd like to start setting things up, and it'd be good to know if I have to use the ethernet cable I brought along or if I can set up a wireless connection. Either way's fine."
My smile becomes a little more forced. I have no idea what he's talking about. He's probably assuming that every teenager, even a blind one, knows what a Wifi is.
"Ah... I'm afraid I... can't help you."
"That's fine. I'll just power up the laptop and see if it can detect any wireless routers around here. If I can find any and authorization is needed, I can ask your father for the password. Okay?"
Translation!
I force the brightest smile I can muster.
"That would be... good. I will be right back."
I quickly make my way out of the room and head over to the kitchen. I take the kettle from the stove, fill the tea pot and think back on what just happened. That was painfully embarrassing. I thank God that Father's not here right now, because he would certainly feel that I brought shame on him by my blatant display of computer illiteracy.
I can't let this throw me off though. After preparing the tea (and some fruit juice for Father) I carefully head back to the study, making sure not to accidentally drop the tray while reaching for the door handle.
"I apologize for taking so long."
"That's fine. I doubt I'd be able to prepare tea if I wasn't able to see what I was doing."
I pour a bit of milk into his cup and carefully fill it. Then I fill my own. I hold his cup out to him until he takes it from my hands.
"Please enjoy."
"Thanks."
"It might take Father a few minutes to get ready. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"No need to apologize. Suffering from a heart attack isn't something anyone would do on purpose, now is it?"
"That is certainly true. May I inquire what exactly do you do at the company, Mister McLaughlin?"
"You know, you can call me Geoffry if you wish. No need to be formal."
I merely smile at him. If Father heard me address one of his colleagues with his first name, I'd probably get in trouble.
"Anyway, I'm a system administrator. My colleague Alec and I are in charge of the department that maintains the computers, company network and servers at the office. We also take care of whatever issues people have with their computer systems. Hehe, in a way we're the most powerful people in the company."
I politely chuckle at his remark, but remind myself I'd better try and steer the conversation away from his area of expertise if I don't want to embarrass myself again.
"Your mother came to us last week with the request to set up a digital conference system."
Indeed. During the days I spent at Father's side after he was hospitalized, it quickly became clear to me that the matter of him now missing out on the final steps of the company's expansion wasn't a passing problem. And while I was thinking on how to help him, Hanako's suggestion of a teleconference came back to mind.
I first spoke to Akira about the feasibility and then later to Mother and Father as well. Mother wasn't extremely enthusiastic about going to the US without Father at first, and I don't think her reluctance was out of insecurity. Rather, she seems to partially blame Father's condition on the company and wasn't eager to stick her neck out for it instead of remaining by her husband's side. Eventually, I managed to convince her that helping Father tie up this loose end would be the best way to get the four of us together again. As for Father, he was reluctant as well because he considered not showing up in person to an important meeting to be an insult to his business partners although when Mother assured him that these were special circumstances and that the people we'd be meeting wouldn't think less of him for it, he eventually relented.
"I am glad you managed to obtain the necessary equipment so quickly."
"Well, we've worked with stuff like this before, so it wasn't that big of a deal."
I hear him take a careful sip from his cup.
"By the way, how is your dad?"
"He's getting better. Though it is unlikely he will be seen in the workplace any time soon."
I pause for a moment and then continue.
"Mister McLaughlin... It is probably best to tell you in advance that my father will not be able to talk at length and can only be present for a very short while. It would be good if you could take that into account."
"...fair enough. I'll try not to waste any time. I kind of need to get home quickly too. Lord knows it's going to be a long night for me as well. Alec's gonna owe me quite a few pints when he gets back."
"Your colleague accompanied our business delegation to the United States, didn't he?"
"Yeah, we drew straws to determine who was going to stay here and who was going to take a trip to the US and stay in a luxury hotel. Three guesses who took the short one."
I giggle a bit at his remark.
"That's unfortunate for you, but I assume that someone had to stay behind."
"Yeah and to be honest, this was for the best. Alec's a bit of an eternal bachelor, and he can afford to go there for a week or two. I have a wife and a seven-year old waiting for me at home, and my boy has football training at six each Wednesday. It'd be kinda hard to drive him there when I'm on the other side of the world. His mom could do it if necessary, I get called on emergencies from time to time, but there's usually nothing but fathers on the sidelines. Football is really a guy thing, you know?"
"Of course."
He's talking about it like it's normal for him to be home around that time each day. Maybe it is over here, but if that's the case then that's a pretty big contrast from the way things were in my childhood. Even before he left the country, Father's job often kept him away from the home for six days a week, and he wouldn't return from work until way after my bedtime. It was this way with all fathers in the neighborhood. During these weeks where I've been by his bedside, we've probably had more extended interaction than any other time in my life I remember.
I consider asking him about his son, but my ears suddenly pick up the sound of approaching footsteps. I instinctively rise to my feet when they stop on the other side of the door, and when it opens, I greet my father with a graceful bow.
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 37 - cont.
"Hello Father. I'm glad you could join us."
"Lilly. Mister... McLaughlin. Good afternoon."
I can tell that he's doing his best to speak at normal volume. Since speaking too loudly or even breathing too deeply is still painful and very exhausting, I doubt he will last very long. There is, however, no doubt in my mind that he'll do whatever it takes to make certain his colleague won't notice.
"Good afternoon, sir. How are you feeling?"
"I am well... thank you. I apologize for the delay."
"Not a problem. Your daughter's an excellent host."
I wait until he's seated, pour him a glass of fruit juice and hand it to him.
"Would you like some more tea, sir?"
"I haven't finished my first cup yet, but thanks."
He scrapes his throat.
"I'll try not to take up too much of your time. Shall I start explaining how we've set up things?"
A short pause before responding. I know that Father prefers to start meetings off slowly with some polite small talk and that getting down to business immediately feels rude to him, but at the same time he seems to remember the importance of saving his strength.
"Please proceed."
02
"First of all, I notice there's a wireless network set up here. I can log the laptop onto it, but I will need the network password."
"Please... check under... the table."
I hear a the sound of fingers probing the underside of the table surface.
"Ah! A network cable. I didn't realize that table leg was hollow. That'll do fine too."
I hear a soft click as the cable he spoke of is inserted into a device on the table.
"Looks like we have a connection to the web. This laptop here runs the conference software we've installed. This little unit next to it is the transmitter for the wireless headset. The headset should be able to pick up the signal from just about anywhere inside the house. I also have a normal headset ready on the off chance of the transmitter failing."
"I... beg your... pardon, but do... you have... a spare head... set?"
"Would you like someone else listening in too?"
"If... she is... interested."
I realize that Father's talking about me. I was planning to remain by his side this night, but I didn't expect being given a chance to actually listen in. I doubt I'll understand much of what's discussed, but this is quite the chance to hear my parents 'working'.
"I'd be honored, Father."
"I have several more headsets back at the office. I'll stop by there and fetch one later this evening."
"Thank you."
"This laptop is part of a pair. Alec took the other one along to the US. He has a transmitter just like the one here, except it's connected to a collection of microphones. Since some of those meetings the upcoming week will be held over dinner, we felt that putting a teleconference unit on the table might be cumbersome. The microphones we'll be handing out to the participants are the small, unintrusive kind. You clip them onto your lapel and then forget they are there. They have a noise filter too, so you shouldn't have any problems making out what is said even if there are other discussions going on nearby, and if the volume is too soft, the conferencing software has the ability to amplify the incoming voices."
"That is good. After... all, I will not... be able... to ask them to... repeat themselves."
"That's true. Everyone in the room will be getting a microphone, but only your oldest daughter will have an earphone, so she'll be the only one who can actually hear you."
Akira's job will be to act as Father's proxy. If, at any point, Father wants to bring up his own points, he will mention them to Akira and it'll be her task to relay them to the rest of the room.
"We also took the possibility into account that people might want to share documents. Alec has a small scanner with him, and I have a wireless printer in the trunk of my car. Any documents or graphs they want you to look at can be transferred from there to here in a matter of moments."
"Quite convenient. I... suppose all that is... left is to ex... plain to me how to set... up the connection."
"I think I actually have a better idea, sir."
"..."
I silently cringe. I'd be very surprised if Father didn't take that as an insult and the fact that I'm present here as well probably only made things worse. But to my surprise, there isn't even a subtle change in tone when my father answers.
"What exactly... did you... have in mind?"
"Well, I was thinking about changing the plan and being present here myself to operate the equipment. I could get things running over here while you and your daughter can relax in the room of your choosing and leave the technical stuff to me. You can focus on the meetings while I keep the connection running, handle the receiving and printing of incoming scans and immediately jump in in case of a malfunction."
"You would... work from this room... then?"
"Yeah. I can take over and control the laptop from my desk at the office, but in case of technical issues I'd still need to drive over here, and that could take up to 10 to 15 minutes. If I'm allowed to handle things here, that will also mean there won't be any need for me to spend time teaching you the ropes about setting up the connection and working with the software."
"...Very well then."
"Great. I believe the first meeting is set to take place at ten o' clock our time, so I could be here at nine to set things up. We'll have plenty of time to run some tests and talk to our guys on the other side."
"It has... decided then."
Sensing that there's not much more business to discuss, I take advantage of the moment of silence to address Father's colleague.
"Can I pour you another cup of tea, sir?"
"Just one then. I don't want to impose on you longer than necessary."
--------------------------------------
"Should I take the printer out of my car now or is it just going to get in the way?"
The meeting ended with a minimum of small talk, and I have taken it upon myself to see our visitor out while Allison guides Father back to the master bedroom."
"Is there a need to do... something... with it before it can be used?"
"No. Your father can turn it on and press the connect button and my laptop will find it as long as it's within range. I assume you'll want to remain in a bedroom upstairs this evening?"
"Yes, it would indeed be most convenient if he remains in bed. If you leave the printer in the hallway, our housekeeper will take it upstairs."
I hear the sound of the trunk opening and then being slammed shut. After putting his cargo in the hallway, he walks up to me again.
"I could tell he was straining himself earlier on. I'll set your dad's microphone's output volume a little higher than usual so he won't need to raise his voice as much. I have a buddy who broke a few ribs in a rugby match once, and he spoke in little more than single syllables while he was recovering. It's a real pain when you can't breathe well."
"Thank you for going through the trouble of accommodating him."
"Don't sweat it. I'll be back in a few hours."
I remain near the front door until the sound of his car's engine is no longer audible and then make my way back inside. Father is probably resting right now, which gives me time to get started on today's dinner. This is probably going to be a long night, so it'll be best to be well prepared.
--------------------------------------
03
"I did not even hear the doorbell. Your sharp... sense of hearing never ceases to amaze me."
I smile humbly upon re-entering the master bedroom after briefly going downstairs to let the system administrator in and making certain he was provided with a cup of tea. The housekeeping staff all went home two hours ago, but Allison made sure that everything she thought I'd need for tonight would be in a place where I could easily find it.
"It wasn't really the doorbell itself. I heard the sound of a car outside."
"Nevertheless."
As inconvenient as my blindness is at times, I'm thankful for the fact that it has honed my sense of hearing to a greater degree. Speaking at length still tires and discomforts Father, but as long as he keeps his voice down to a whisper, he can communicate without it hurting too much. That does mean people other than me are forced to ask him to repeat himself every two sentences or so.
"Has Mister McLaughlin gotten settled in there?"
"Yes. I've made sure to serve him some tea and left the water boiler and a supply of tea bags in the study so he can make some additional tea for himself if he feels like it. I also asked him to knock and wait for me to come out rather than walk into this room if he needs to talk to us. He's currently on the phone with his fellow administrator, but he said everything will be ready in half an hour."
"So we still have about half an hour... of time to kill."
"Would you like to rest for a little bit more?"
"I do not think I would... be able to sleep in the current situation. But perhaps you could give... me another bowl of your hot soup. It is truly on... par with the rest of your cooking."
"I will."
I walk over to the corner of the room where a small electric stove is keeping the large pan of miso soup that I made this afternoon to get us through the night warm with its single heated plate. I went through a lot of effort to make the soup myself, but the result is apparently quite pleasing to Father. I fill a bowl with the contents of the pan, slowly walk back to the bed and carefully place it in Father's hands.
"Let's hope everything goes well, and we'll have no difficulties."
" Mister McLaughlin seems capable enough. We... should be fine."
My thoughts return to the talk we had with him earlier today.
"Father, may I ask something?"
"What is it?"
"What did you think of his proposal?"
"To handle his duties in here instead of from the office? I am not... overly fond of others using my private study... without me being present, but his suggestion was the most practical and riskfree one."
"I understand, but there was something that caught my attention."
"You are referring to the way he brought it up, are you... not?"
"If his words offended you, you did a good job of hiding it."
Father lets out a self-deprecating sigh.
"Welcome to western civilization, Lilly. It is quite... a different world over here."
"I imagine."
"A subordinate telling his superior that he 'has a better idea', especially in... the presence of others, would be a massive transgression in our home country. But westerners... are a lot more tolerant and sometimes even encouraging when it comes to questioning or challenging... people in positions of authority. As long as the challenge has merit... and is voiced in a civil way, it is deemed acceptable and the person being challenged... is expected to acknowledge it without feeling slighted or shamed. I was told in advance to expect this, but... it takes some getting used to. It helps to realize the people here weren't... brought up with our value system. I think... I would probably still expect Japanese employees to stick to our own etiquette."
That probably explains why he puts up with an employee making him lose face in front of his family without even a change in heartbeat while I get put on prohibition for falling asleep in the wrong place.
"Are there any other Japanese working here besides Akira?"
"None that I know of at the... moment. We have good relations with several universities... in the region, so there has been little need to borrow talent... from the Japanese office. People from here sometimes travel to Japan and we get visitors from their branch, but we are not involved in each... other's day-to-day activities. This branch was... initially only intended as a production plant. Assembling and later also manufacturing the equipment that was sold to our clients in the region here... was cheaper than producing it in Japan and then shipping it to Europe. Eventually... it started picking up more and more... customers and became a full-fledged sister company. The board... has been playing with the idea of sending managers from the Japanese branch here to make them familiar... with this part of the company, but did not want to immediately replace the Scottish managers who have been doing a good job serving this company for years. I became... manager of this branch six years ago because that was when the former local manager here retired, and I could take his place without pushing away someone else. One of my tasks was to... test which aspects of Japanese management style could be succesfully implemented here and which ones would merely... cause frustration. You cannot just lead... a western company like... a Japanese one or a Japanese company like a western one... and expect it to work out."
"That sounds like a tough job. Japanese management style and company culture are very different from the western one, aren't they?"
"They are. Japanese... management emphasizes loyalty and insight gained through... seniority, long-time goals, risk avoidance, maintaining harmony and decision-making through well-crafted consensus. Western management emphasizes quick... returns on investment, individual decisiveness, efficiency and calculated risks. Many times the... two seem incompatible. I have found that many people... here often do not have the patience for sitting in meetings for hours on end until a consensus is made on how... to deal with a problem. Westerners... also have a very different definition of company loyalty than Japanese, and that is not something you can ignore when leading a company."
"I'm sure both cultures have their merits."
"Hmmm... It was not really my intention to complain. There is something interesting about the carefree way... they can go about their lives without the burden of what others... might or might not think of them. They also admittedly handle diversity a lot better than we do."
I wonder if that's truly a touch of envy I hear for a moment. I feel a bit taken off guard by his words.
"That's a rather frank assessment..."
"On the other hand, many could... be more loyal. You would be surprised how... many western managers seem unwilling to impose a... pay cut on themselves while their company is going through hard... times. Too many people, workers and managers alike, only seem to be in... it for themselves. It is hard for me to understand that attitude. I... try not to condemn them though. Nor am I saying that their culture... is better... or worse. I believe it is best to keep an open mind about the differences... between our society and theirs. It would be very difficult for... me to lead a branch consisting of almost nothing but Scotsmen and... deal with American businessmen on an almost daily basis if I let everything about western culture get to me."
I suppose what he says makes sense. When moving to another country, it's logical to try and adapt a little to fit in with the local people better. It just feels a little off to hear my father, who I've always seen as very traditionally-minded, say these things. It clashes with the image I had of him. I initially thought it was just Mother who changed during her time here, but perhaps Father has changed in his own subtle way as well.
Still, managing a company with a completely different business culture must have been a very harrowing job for Father, and I'm starting to suspect that the stress he's been under may have been caused by more than just social pressure to live up to his own father's accomplishments. His job here has probably been sapping a lot of his energy from the very beginning. That would explain why the doctors said that he's had high blood pressure for years.
"It still sounds like it must have been very stressful for you. How do you think Akira will handle the culture shock?"
"I think she will... do fine. Your sister can be very straight-forward when... she feels she needs to be and westerners value that trait as long as... it is combined with a modicum of respect. Young people tend to be more adaptable to... begin with. I suspect she will do a better job at integrating... into western culture than I could ever hope to do. I have... heard that her transferring here required some sacrifice, but I feel... fairly confident that in the long run she will not regret her decision to move here."
"Ah... Father? About that..."
"Yes?"
"Were you... very disappointed in me when you learned I decided to stay in Japan?"
"Hmmm..."
There's a long pause after I pose my question, and for a moment I'm starting to suspect he's not going to answer in order to avoid hurting my feelings. But just before I can apologize for asking him, he answers.
"When we invited you and Akira to join... us here, I used to believe that if anyone would reject our offer, it... would be Akira rather than you. I was... rather shocked when your mother told me the news. But, on the other hand..."
"Y-Yes?"
"...From what I have heard from... you about your life in Japan over the last two weeks, I know that you had your life set up well there. You had a school... you enjoyed attending, a position of responsibility among... your classmates and friends you enjoyed spending time with. All of those are valuable things. To... give all of that up, just to make a brand new start on the other end of the... world in a country with a culture completely different from your own... is quite a gamble."
"Father...? Are you saying...?"
"All I am saying is that while it is most regrettable that you decided to stay there, I do understand why you chose to do so."
"I..."
I don't know what to say for several seconds. What I feel right now is a strange mixture of relief and befuddlement. I've always assumed that Father would be dismayed by the fact that I turned down the summons. He was always the one who would talk to us about the benefits of respecting and deferring to your elders. Did he start getting second thoughts about having me move here?
"Thank you for your understanding, Father."
"Lilly. Mister... McLaughlin. Good afternoon."
I can tell that he's doing his best to speak at normal volume. Since speaking too loudly or even breathing too deeply is still painful and very exhausting, I doubt he will last very long. There is, however, no doubt in my mind that he'll do whatever it takes to make certain his colleague won't notice.
"Good afternoon, sir. How are you feeling?"
"I am well... thank you. I apologize for the delay."
"Not a problem. Your daughter's an excellent host."
I wait until he's seated, pour him a glass of fruit juice and hand it to him.
"Would you like some more tea, sir?"
"I haven't finished my first cup yet, but thanks."
He scrapes his throat.
"I'll try not to take up too much of your time. Shall I start explaining how we've set up things?"
A short pause before responding. I know that Father prefers to start meetings off slowly with some polite small talk and that getting down to business immediately feels rude to him, but at the same time he seems to remember the importance of saving his strength.
"Please proceed."
02
"First of all, I notice there's a wireless network set up here. I can log the laptop onto it, but I will need the network password."
"Please... check under... the table."
I hear a the sound of fingers probing the underside of the table surface.
"Ah! A network cable. I didn't realize that table leg was hollow. That'll do fine too."
I hear a soft click as the cable he spoke of is inserted into a device on the table.
"Looks like we have a connection to the web. This laptop here runs the conference software we've installed. This little unit next to it is the transmitter for the wireless headset. The headset should be able to pick up the signal from just about anywhere inside the house. I also have a normal headset ready on the off chance of the transmitter failing."
"I... beg your... pardon, but do... you have... a spare head... set?"
"Would you like someone else listening in too?"
"If... she is... interested."
I realize that Father's talking about me. I was planning to remain by his side this night, but I didn't expect being given a chance to actually listen in. I doubt I'll understand much of what's discussed, but this is quite the chance to hear my parents 'working'.
"I'd be honored, Father."
"I have several more headsets back at the office. I'll stop by there and fetch one later this evening."
"Thank you."
"This laptop is part of a pair. Alec took the other one along to the US. He has a transmitter just like the one here, except it's connected to a collection of microphones. Since some of those meetings the upcoming week will be held over dinner, we felt that putting a teleconference unit on the table might be cumbersome. The microphones we'll be handing out to the participants are the small, unintrusive kind. You clip them onto your lapel and then forget they are there. They have a noise filter too, so you shouldn't have any problems making out what is said even if there are other discussions going on nearby, and if the volume is too soft, the conferencing software has the ability to amplify the incoming voices."
"That is good. After... all, I will not... be able... to ask them to... repeat themselves."
"That's true. Everyone in the room will be getting a microphone, but only your oldest daughter will have an earphone, so she'll be the only one who can actually hear you."
Akira's job will be to act as Father's proxy. If, at any point, Father wants to bring up his own points, he will mention them to Akira and it'll be her task to relay them to the rest of the room.
"We also took the possibility into account that people might want to share documents. Alec has a small scanner with him, and I have a wireless printer in the trunk of my car. Any documents or graphs they want you to look at can be transferred from there to here in a matter of moments."
"Quite convenient. I... suppose all that is... left is to ex... plain to me how to set... up the connection."
"I think I actually have a better idea, sir."
"..."
I silently cringe. I'd be very surprised if Father didn't take that as an insult and the fact that I'm present here as well probably only made things worse. But to my surprise, there isn't even a subtle change in tone when my father answers.
"What exactly... did you... have in mind?"
"Well, I was thinking about changing the plan and being present here myself to operate the equipment. I could get things running over here while you and your daughter can relax in the room of your choosing and leave the technical stuff to me. You can focus on the meetings while I keep the connection running, handle the receiving and printing of incoming scans and immediately jump in in case of a malfunction."
"You would... work from this room... then?"
"Yeah. I can take over and control the laptop from my desk at the office, but in case of technical issues I'd still need to drive over here, and that could take up to 10 to 15 minutes. If I'm allowed to handle things here, that will also mean there won't be any need for me to spend time teaching you the ropes about setting up the connection and working with the software."
"...Very well then."
"Great. I believe the first meeting is set to take place at ten o' clock our time, so I could be here at nine to set things up. We'll have plenty of time to run some tests and talk to our guys on the other side."
"It has... decided then."
Sensing that there's not much more business to discuss, I take advantage of the moment of silence to address Father's colleague.
"Can I pour you another cup of tea, sir?"
"Just one then. I don't want to impose on you longer than necessary."
--------------------------------------
"Should I take the printer out of my car now or is it just going to get in the way?"
The meeting ended with a minimum of small talk, and I have taken it upon myself to see our visitor out while Allison guides Father back to the master bedroom."
"Is there a need to do... something... with it before it can be used?"
"No. Your father can turn it on and press the connect button and my laptop will find it as long as it's within range. I assume you'll want to remain in a bedroom upstairs this evening?"
"Yes, it would indeed be most convenient if he remains in bed. If you leave the printer in the hallway, our housekeeper will take it upstairs."
I hear the sound of the trunk opening and then being slammed shut. After putting his cargo in the hallway, he walks up to me again.
"I could tell he was straining himself earlier on. I'll set your dad's microphone's output volume a little higher than usual so he won't need to raise his voice as much. I have a buddy who broke a few ribs in a rugby match once, and he spoke in little more than single syllables while he was recovering. It's a real pain when you can't breathe well."
"Thank you for going through the trouble of accommodating him."
"Don't sweat it. I'll be back in a few hours."
I remain near the front door until the sound of his car's engine is no longer audible and then make my way back inside. Father is probably resting right now, which gives me time to get started on today's dinner. This is probably going to be a long night, so it'll be best to be well prepared.
--------------------------------------
03
"I did not even hear the doorbell. Your sharp... sense of hearing never ceases to amaze me."
I smile humbly upon re-entering the master bedroom after briefly going downstairs to let the system administrator in and making certain he was provided with a cup of tea. The housekeeping staff all went home two hours ago, but Allison made sure that everything she thought I'd need for tonight would be in a place where I could easily find it.
"It wasn't really the doorbell itself. I heard the sound of a car outside."
"Nevertheless."
As inconvenient as my blindness is at times, I'm thankful for the fact that it has honed my sense of hearing to a greater degree. Speaking at length still tires and discomforts Father, but as long as he keeps his voice down to a whisper, he can communicate without it hurting too much. That does mean people other than me are forced to ask him to repeat himself every two sentences or so.
"Has Mister McLaughlin gotten settled in there?"
"Yes. I've made sure to serve him some tea and left the water boiler and a supply of tea bags in the study so he can make some additional tea for himself if he feels like it. I also asked him to knock and wait for me to come out rather than walk into this room if he needs to talk to us. He's currently on the phone with his fellow administrator, but he said everything will be ready in half an hour."
"So we still have about half an hour... of time to kill."
"Would you like to rest for a little bit more?"
"I do not think I would... be able to sleep in the current situation. But perhaps you could give... me another bowl of your hot soup. It is truly on... par with the rest of your cooking."
"I will."
I walk over to the corner of the room where a small electric stove is keeping the large pan of miso soup that I made this afternoon to get us through the night warm with its single heated plate. I went through a lot of effort to make the soup myself, but the result is apparently quite pleasing to Father. I fill a bowl with the contents of the pan, slowly walk back to the bed and carefully place it in Father's hands.
"Let's hope everything goes well, and we'll have no difficulties."
" Mister McLaughlin seems capable enough. We... should be fine."
My thoughts return to the talk we had with him earlier today.
"Father, may I ask something?"
"What is it?"
"What did you think of his proposal?"
"To handle his duties in here instead of from the office? I am not... overly fond of others using my private study... without me being present, but his suggestion was the most practical and riskfree one."
"I understand, but there was something that caught my attention."
"You are referring to the way he brought it up, are you... not?"
"If his words offended you, you did a good job of hiding it."
Father lets out a self-deprecating sigh.
"Welcome to western civilization, Lilly. It is quite... a different world over here."
"I imagine."
"A subordinate telling his superior that he 'has a better idea', especially in... the presence of others, would be a massive transgression in our home country. But westerners... are a lot more tolerant and sometimes even encouraging when it comes to questioning or challenging... people in positions of authority. As long as the challenge has merit... and is voiced in a civil way, it is deemed acceptable and the person being challenged... is expected to acknowledge it without feeling slighted or shamed. I was told in advance to expect this, but... it takes some getting used to. It helps to realize the people here weren't... brought up with our value system. I think... I would probably still expect Japanese employees to stick to our own etiquette."
That probably explains why he puts up with an employee making him lose face in front of his family without even a change in heartbeat while I get put on prohibition for falling asleep in the wrong place.
"Are there any other Japanese working here besides Akira?"
"None that I know of at the... moment. We have good relations with several universities... in the region, so there has been little need to borrow talent... from the Japanese office. People from here sometimes travel to Japan and we get visitors from their branch, but we are not involved in each... other's day-to-day activities. This branch was... initially only intended as a production plant. Assembling and later also manufacturing the equipment that was sold to our clients in the region here... was cheaper than producing it in Japan and then shipping it to Europe. Eventually... it started picking up more and more... customers and became a full-fledged sister company. The board... has been playing with the idea of sending managers from the Japanese branch here to make them familiar... with this part of the company, but did not want to immediately replace the Scottish managers who have been doing a good job serving this company for years. I became... manager of this branch six years ago because that was when the former local manager here retired, and I could take his place without pushing away someone else. One of my tasks was to... test which aspects of Japanese management style could be succesfully implemented here and which ones would merely... cause frustration. You cannot just lead... a western company like... a Japanese one or a Japanese company like a western one... and expect it to work out."
"That sounds like a tough job. Japanese management style and company culture are very different from the western one, aren't they?"
"They are. Japanese... management emphasizes loyalty and insight gained through... seniority, long-time goals, risk avoidance, maintaining harmony and decision-making through well-crafted consensus. Western management emphasizes quick... returns on investment, individual decisiveness, efficiency and calculated risks. Many times the... two seem incompatible. I have found that many people... here often do not have the patience for sitting in meetings for hours on end until a consensus is made on how... to deal with a problem. Westerners... also have a very different definition of company loyalty than Japanese, and that is not something you can ignore when leading a company."
"I'm sure both cultures have their merits."
"Hmmm... It was not really my intention to complain. There is something interesting about the carefree way... they can go about their lives without the burden of what others... might or might not think of them. They also admittedly handle diversity a lot better than we do."
I wonder if that's truly a touch of envy I hear for a moment. I feel a bit taken off guard by his words.
"That's a rather frank assessment..."
"On the other hand, many could... be more loyal. You would be surprised how... many western managers seem unwilling to impose a... pay cut on themselves while their company is going through hard... times. Too many people, workers and managers alike, only seem to be in... it for themselves. It is hard for me to understand that attitude. I... try not to condemn them though. Nor am I saying that their culture... is better... or worse. I believe it is best to keep an open mind about the differences... between our society and theirs. It would be very difficult for... me to lead a branch consisting of almost nothing but Scotsmen and... deal with American businessmen on an almost daily basis if I let everything about western culture get to me."
I suppose what he says makes sense. When moving to another country, it's logical to try and adapt a little to fit in with the local people better. It just feels a little off to hear my father, who I've always seen as very traditionally-minded, say these things. It clashes with the image I had of him. I initially thought it was just Mother who changed during her time here, but perhaps Father has changed in his own subtle way as well.
Still, managing a company with a completely different business culture must have been a very harrowing job for Father, and I'm starting to suspect that the stress he's been under may have been caused by more than just social pressure to live up to his own father's accomplishments. His job here has probably been sapping a lot of his energy from the very beginning. That would explain why the doctors said that he's had high blood pressure for years.
"It still sounds like it must have been very stressful for you. How do you think Akira will handle the culture shock?"
"I think she will... do fine. Your sister can be very straight-forward when... she feels she needs to be and westerners value that trait as long as... it is combined with a modicum of respect. Young people tend to be more adaptable to... begin with. I suspect she will do a better job at integrating... into western culture than I could ever hope to do. I have... heard that her transferring here required some sacrifice, but I feel... fairly confident that in the long run she will not regret her decision to move here."
"Ah... Father? About that..."
"Yes?"
"Were you... very disappointed in me when you learned I decided to stay in Japan?"
"Hmmm..."
There's a long pause after I pose my question, and for a moment I'm starting to suspect he's not going to answer in order to avoid hurting my feelings. But just before I can apologize for asking him, he answers.
"When we invited you and Akira to join... us here, I used to believe that if anyone would reject our offer, it... would be Akira rather than you. I was... rather shocked when your mother told me the news. But, on the other hand..."
"Y-Yes?"
"...From what I have heard from... you about your life in Japan over the last two weeks, I know that you had your life set up well there. You had a school... you enjoyed attending, a position of responsibility among... your classmates and friends you enjoyed spending time with. All of those are valuable things. To... give all of that up, just to make a brand new start on the other end of the... world in a country with a culture completely different from your own... is quite a gamble."
"Father...? Are you saying...?"
"All I am saying is that while it is most regrettable that you decided to stay there, I do understand why you chose to do so."
"I..."
I don't know what to say for several seconds. What I feel right now is a strange mixture of relief and befuddlement. I've always assumed that Father would be dismayed by the fact that I turned down the summons. He was always the one who would talk to us about the benefits of respecting and deferring to your elders. Did he start getting second thoughts about having me move here?
"Thank you for your understanding, Father."
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 5:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 37 - cont.
Or is this about something else? Is it possible his words earlier weren't merely a reflection on my situation, but also on his own? I've learned from Father's and Akira's stories that the work culture between Japan and Scotland is radically different. In Japan, working overtime is pretty much a daily occurrance and leaving before the boss goes home is considered rude and bad for the team spirit, so people like Father would usually remain at the office until late in the evening. Afterwards, the various teams would go out drinking together or visit karaoke establishments. Since so little time is spent at home, people's entire circle of friends tends to consist of the same colleagues they spent a large part of their week with.
But judging from what Akira has told me, people here often immediately go home at the end of their official work day, and they only do overtime when there's an approaching deadline to meet. While it's not uncommon for friendships to form on the workfloor here, most people here develop their friendships outside the workplace through social activities like sport clubs, hobbies or pub visits. Mother quickly developed a big social network here and has been partaking in a large number of activities outside her working hours, but how well did Father adapt here? After over 25 years of having all his social interaction through the workplace, how quickly could someone like him switch gears? Was him doing all that overwork here on his own purely out of loyalty to the company and to his own father or was it also because any time outside his office was simply spent at home in that study of his, reading one of the countless books he keeps there? Is the quantity of books in there an indication of how much of his free time he spent on his own without the company of others? Did he want Akira and me here because he desired more company? Was loneliness part of the stress factors that nearly ended up killing him? Did he say what he just said because of the possibility that I might have ended up feeling lonely here as well?
"Father?"
"Yes?"
I skim the surface of the bed with my fingers until I locate his hand and gently place my own on top of it.
"How about the life you had in Japan? And the friends you had there? Aren't you... lonely here?"
An uncomfortable pause. I can sense his hand stiffening for a moment. Was that question out of line?
"Is that... pity I hear in your voice, Lilly?"
"Just a bit of concern for your well-being, Father."
"I have been fine, Lilly."
The tone in his voice pretty much confirms what I've been thinking. But he probably feels that over the last few weeks he's already shown enough vulnerability to his children, so I doubt that prying further into his personal feelings will achieve anything other than making him uncomfortable. So I drop the subject, but not before giving his hand a gentle comforting squeeze.
Not really knowing how to continue the discussion, we simply stay like this for a little while, neither of us bothered by the prolonged silence, until my attention is drawn to a static noise coming from the nearby nightstand.
"The headsets. It sounds like it's starting. Would you like one more bowl of miso soup, Father?"
"That would be appreciated."
I refill Father's bowl and take the two headsets off the nightstand. We both put one on and I carefully speak into the microphone.
"Ah... is this thing on already?"
"It is and I can pick you up loud and clear, Miss Satou."
"Mister McLaughlin. How are things proceeding so far?"
"We've succesfully got a session running. The clip-on microphones have all been distributed to the meeting's participants, but we're keeping their microphones muted until the meeting has officially started. It'd be kind of a cacophony otherwise."
"Could we... speak to... my daughter... or Mrs. Satou?"
"Sure. I'm adding you two to the session right now. Then I'm going to take a short bathroom break. I'll be back in five minutes."
"Hello?"
04
"Hey Sis! Will you be listening in too?"
"Akira! It's so nice to hear you again. How was the flight?"
"Kinda long, but our airline had some very luxury business class seats, so I can't complain. Heh, they have some pretty good liquor too."
"Akira. Is everything... ready? I do not... hear anyone else... nearby."
"That's because I just retreated to one of the empty meeting rooms here. I figured that in case you wanted to discuss some last minute stuff, it'd look weird if others see me talking to thin air."
"Wouldn't they notice the headset? It seems like something that would be hard to miss."
"I'm not wearing a headset. I have the same microphone on my lapel as everyone else and I'm listening to you through one of those earpieces that secret agents often wear in movies. Hehe, I was just thinking... between the earpiece and the business suit, all I'd be needing right now would be a sidearm and maybe some sunglasses, and I'd be ready to join the secret service."
I laugh at Akira's wacky remark, but hear a soft groan coming from Father. It seems Akira's playful attitude isn't inspiring confidence in him.
"Akira... can I... count on you to take... this a hundred... percent seriously?"
"Dad, it's not like I've never been part of business meetings before. Everything will be fine, I promise."
"Just act... like the person... standing in... for me is... expected to act. *mumble* And I will have your... mother buy you a vodka martini afterwards."
"Hmmm? I didn't catch that last part."
"Never mind. Am I sufficiently... audible to you?"
"You are. You can probably speak a bit softer if that feels more comfortable."
"That might... cause problems if... someone else is... speaking at the same time."
"Father? Perhaps you should lower your voice a bit more so that speaking is less painful for you. If at any point Akira didn't hear you clearly, maybe she could softly clear her throat as a cue and I will repeat your words to her."
"That's a pretty good idea, Sis. Something like this?"
We hear her let out a soft 'hrmm' under her breath.
"That will probably suffice. Father?"
Father lets out a resigned sigh.
"Very well. Let us... give that a try."
"I'll be heading back to the rest. Mom's finished giving everyone a mic, and she's explained your situation. Without getting too specific, of course. I'll leave it to her to give you the details, but so far everyone's reacted very positively, and Mom got word from just about everyone that they're willing to go out of their way to accommodate you."
"I really hope... that will not be necessary."
"By the way, Kojima will be seated at the head of the table in your place despite you being 'present'. We figured the board wanted a senior in that seat instead of me, despite him only being an observer in a practical sense and me representing you directly."
"I agree with... that decision."
While Akira's speaking, I become aware of a slight background noise appearing on the line, indicating the vicinity of other people. I faintly hear Mother's voice asking Akira if she's ready.
"Yeah, I'm ready and so is Dad. Let's go in."
The next moment, we're startled by a wave of voices as the microphones of the meeting room's occupants are turned on. I cringe a bit as the room suddenly appears to be filled with people. Just as I prepare to take off the earphones, the fragments of conversation suddenly fade out and then increase in volume again. I fiddle a bit with the dial on my headset until the sound volume's comfortable. I notice that some voices sound further away than others and certain people are specifically audible through either the left or the right speaker. I suppose the administrators set this up in some way or another and smile in appreciation of their effort to make the experience feel more natural to us.
And then finally, the meeting begins. Kojima opens the meeting with a short introduction, followed by a word from Father, consisting mostly of an apology for not being able to be there in person and a statement of appreciation for his business partners. I personally think he might have stressed the apologetic part too much, yet Akira delivers his words without a single trace of insincerity nor do I hear even a hint of the usual defiance in her voice that's almost always there when she's dealing with our parents. I suppose in her mind right now Akira isn't representing her father, but rather representing her boss. It's impressive how much of a difference that makes with her.
What stands out most for me, however, is hearing Mother. Unlike Father, who merely listens most of the time and only rarely takes the opportunity to provide a quick summary or offer his own opinion, Mother turns out to be the member of the delegation who seems to be handling most of the questions and counterproposals. Her tone right now isn't the energetic and casual one I've been struggling to get used to over the last few weeks. Instead, it's polite and relaxed, yet confident and in charge at the same time. I've never heard Mother speak this way before. I realize I have to remain focussed in order to assist Father, so I try not to think about it too hard.
The meeting ends up taking two hours with only a short coffee break near the middle. For the most part, I've simply sat by and listened, repeating Father's words to Akira when necessary, handing Father scanned graphs and proposal summaries as they roll out of the nearby printer and refilling our bowls of soup once or twice. Still, after two hours of taking in a continuous stream of information, I feel drained. When the microphones are turned off, I let out an exhausted sigh.
"Tired?"
"Only a little bit. This will be good practice for the months prior to the exams though, which will involve cramming as much information as possible into my head."
"That is one way of looking at it."
"I suppose I should show Mister McLaughlin out. It's probably late for him as well."
"That would be appreciated. Since there... are a meeting and a business dinner planned for tomorrow, it... will be okay for him to sleep in tomorrow morning. He... will probably have to be up for most of the night."
"I will tell him so."
--------------------------------------
05
"He will be back here at eight o' clock tomorrow evening."
After showing the system administrator out, I returned to Father's room. Judging by the sound of his voice, he's either feeling less tired than I am right now or he's simply doing a better job at hiding it.
"That is good to hear."
"He was quite relieved when I told him he could sleep in. He said that this had to have been one of the longest working days of his career."
"Hmmm. I suppose it would be ungrateful to... point out to him that at our Japanese branch we used... to consider any working day shorter than 11 hours to be an unproductive one on general principle. "
"Looking on the bright side, he at least didn't leave before his boss went home today."
"Touché."
He chuckles a bit at my remark, then groans in discomfort. Laughing too much will probably be out of the question for the time being.
"Father, can I get you anything before we retire for the night?"
"Hmmm..."
There's a long pause as if he's considering something to himself.
"If I still had been at our Japanese... office, my co-workers and I would have headed over to a drinking establishment... to drink and celebrate today's events right about now..."
"Do you want me to fetch you some wine, Father?"
"I suppose a little nightcap cannot hurt. You have been to the cellar before, have you not? Is it not too difficult to navigate?"
"Not overly so."
"One of the bottles of wine on the second shelf from the top will probably do. I am certain you already know where to find some glasses."
"I'm sorry, but...did you say glasses?"
"You know what they say about people who... drink alone. You may not be a co-worker, but you did do your... best to help out this evening. It is okay... with me for you to have a drink or two...as long as it is under the supervision of an adult."
My smile widens a bit. This is certainly one pleasant and unexpected surprise.
"Thank you, Father."
With a bit of effort, I manage to get a bottle from the wine rack in the cellar and two glasses and a corkscrew from the kitchen and get them all to the master bedroom in one piece. Father takes the bottle and corkscrew from my hands, and moments later, I hear the distinct sound of a bottle being uncorked, and the smell of white wine teases my nostrills. I sit on the side of the bed, hold out my glass and hear a sloshing sound as it's being filled.
"Just remember... that a proper lady does... not pass out on the couch."
I playfully raise my hand.
"It will not happen again. The Lord is my witness."
"Very well. To the success of your mother and... your sister then."
"And to your speedy recovery as well, Father."
"That too."
I carefully balance the glass in my hand, bring it up to my face and slowly breathe in in order to sample the wine's aroma. I continue taking in the smell until it leaves a subtly sweet taste in my mouth and then take a few soft sips. The wine's taste turns out to be as pleasing as its fragrance.
"Father, I suppose this nightcap indicates that the meeting went well overall?"
"Things matched my expectations. Aside from Akira, who performed better than I expected."
"How about Mother?"
"She did as expected. She has... been part of everything since this all began, so she... knows how to handle herself."
"Really?"
"Your mother has been an true asset to the company from the... moment we came here. She did an excellent job helping the staff and... me get used to one another's mindset and bridge the cultural... divides. She has also always been ready with advice on how... to best deal with our Scottish staff and how to best interact... with American business contacts. I also quickly discovered that her knack... for networking and connecting with business people has remained as sharp as it... undoubtedly was in her days as a business reporter."
There's an unmistakable hint of admiration in his voice, and I'd probably feel a sense of pride if all of this wasn't so new to me. Shortly after Father was hospitalized, Akira suggested his and Mother's marriage was in ruins, but from the way they speak about one another, I think she was sorely mistaken. Still, Father's words once again make me wonder who Mother really is. The quiet and graceful homemaker I remember from my childhood? The energetic woman I've been spending time with here? Or the confident businesswoman I heard through my headset this evening? Perhaps a combination of all three? Is that even possible?
"Father, how... do you see Mother?"
"Akira was incorrect about us... Lilly. Please just take my word for that."
He doesn't really seem to be eager to discuss that particular subject, so I decide to drop it and move to a different topic.
"Mother certainly handled herself well from what I could tell. I don't think I'd be capable of such a thing. But then again corporate business isn't really where my own interests lie."
I hear Father let out a soft 'hmmm' as he hears this.
"You have... plans for the future then?"
"I would like to study English after I graduate and become a teacher after finishing my higher education."
"I had a very good English teacher back in... university. It is a valuable job. You would... be surprised about how many businessmen in our country, even senior... ones, are insecure about their own English skills. And yet it... is important in staying relevant in this age of globalisation. But... ah..."
I give him a reassuring smile.
"You can ask, Father. I won't be offended."
"Is that not hard? How would you prevent... students from cheating on a test for example? Or handle discipline?"
"I would seek the help of another English teacher. At times when my class has to take a test, I'll ask him to switch classes. He keeps an eye on my class for an hour while I teach his. As for discipline, I would make a seating chart so that I know where each pupil is sitting and I would walk around the classroom while teaching, so I can keep students in check through force of proximity."
"How about tests? How would you grade them?"
"I would again engage in a deal with a fellow English teacher. I would prepare and write up both my own tests and his, as well as the corresponding answer keys and he would do the grading. I'm...ah...still trying to think up how to deal with essays. If I wanted to check a specific pupil's homework, I'd have them read it to me out loud."
I take another sip of the delicious wine before continuing.
"I would also attempt to create a sense of team spirit in each class I'd teach, so pupils could eventually be relied on to grade each other's homework. I acknowledge that school teachers have duties that require sight, but there are just as many which do not. By volunteering to take some tasks of the latter category off my colleagues' hands, I can get away with asking them to help me with things I cannot do myself."
My explanation is followed up by a long silence on his end. I can almost hear the gears in his head turning as he weighs and evaluates every word I just said. Then, just before I am about to break the silence...
"You seem to have put... a lot of thought into this."
I wonder what he thinks about my plans for the future. I weigh the tone in his voice for traces of skepticism, but the only thing I can pick up is a sense of honest curiosity.
"It's been a dream of mine since middle school, so I've had some time to think about it."
"You learn something new every day."
As I empty my glass, he takes it from my hand and pours a bit more wine into it. When I take it back, I notice it's lighter than the first time. It's probably only half-full this time around. We gently touch our glasses together and then slowly sip the contents. After noticing a failed effort to supress a yawn on my part, Father decides that enough is enough for today and bids me good night. I carefully make my way to the door, but as I open it I hear a soft chuckle behind me.
"Father?"
"It is nothing. Just an... amusing thought that came to me just now."
"Hmmm?"
"I just thought about how... different it felt, holding... a meeting this way. Interacting with people without being... able to see their faces. Having to determine who is... talking purely by the sound of their voice, their accent and... the direction their speech is coming from. I suppose... you can relate... to this?"
I cover my mouth to mask a cheerful giggle. For some reason it feels really good to hear him say something like this.
"Trust me when I say that it's not so bad once you get used to it."
06
But judging from what Akira has told me, people here often immediately go home at the end of their official work day, and they only do overtime when there's an approaching deadline to meet. While it's not uncommon for friendships to form on the workfloor here, most people here develop their friendships outside the workplace through social activities like sport clubs, hobbies or pub visits. Mother quickly developed a big social network here and has been partaking in a large number of activities outside her working hours, but how well did Father adapt here? After over 25 years of having all his social interaction through the workplace, how quickly could someone like him switch gears? Was him doing all that overwork here on his own purely out of loyalty to the company and to his own father or was it also because any time outside his office was simply spent at home in that study of his, reading one of the countless books he keeps there? Is the quantity of books in there an indication of how much of his free time he spent on his own without the company of others? Did he want Akira and me here because he desired more company? Was loneliness part of the stress factors that nearly ended up killing him? Did he say what he just said because of the possibility that I might have ended up feeling lonely here as well?
"Father?"
"Yes?"
I skim the surface of the bed with my fingers until I locate his hand and gently place my own on top of it.
"How about the life you had in Japan? And the friends you had there? Aren't you... lonely here?"
An uncomfortable pause. I can sense his hand stiffening for a moment. Was that question out of line?
"Is that... pity I hear in your voice, Lilly?"
"Just a bit of concern for your well-being, Father."
"I have been fine, Lilly."
The tone in his voice pretty much confirms what I've been thinking. But he probably feels that over the last few weeks he's already shown enough vulnerability to his children, so I doubt that prying further into his personal feelings will achieve anything other than making him uncomfortable. So I drop the subject, but not before giving his hand a gentle comforting squeeze.
Not really knowing how to continue the discussion, we simply stay like this for a little while, neither of us bothered by the prolonged silence, until my attention is drawn to a static noise coming from the nearby nightstand.
"The headsets. It sounds like it's starting. Would you like one more bowl of miso soup, Father?"
"That would be appreciated."
I refill Father's bowl and take the two headsets off the nightstand. We both put one on and I carefully speak into the microphone.
"Ah... is this thing on already?"
"It is and I can pick you up loud and clear, Miss Satou."
"Mister McLaughlin. How are things proceeding so far?"
"We've succesfully got a session running. The clip-on microphones have all been distributed to the meeting's participants, but we're keeping their microphones muted until the meeting has officially started. It'd be kind of a cacophony otherwise."
"Could we... speak to... my daughter... or Mrs. Satou?"
"Sure. I'm adding you two to the session right now. Then I'm going to take a short bathroom break. I'll be back in five minutes."
"Hello?"
04
"Hey Sis! Will you be listening in too?"
"Akira! It's so nice to hear you again. How was the flight?"
"Kinda long, but our airline had some very luxury business class seats, so I can't complain. Heh, they have some pretty good liquor too."
"Akira. Is everything... ready? I do not... hear anyone else... nearby."
"That's because I just retreated to one of the empty meeting rooms here. I figured that in case you wanted to discuss some last minute stuff, it'd look weird if others see me talking to thin air."
"Wouldn't they notice the headset? It seems like something that would be hard to miss."
"I'm not wearing a headset. I have the same microphone on my lapel as everyone else and I'm listening to you through one of those earpieces that secret agents often wear in movies. Hehe, I was just thinking... between the earpiece and the business suit, all I'd be needing right now would be a sidearm and maybe some sunglasses, and I'd be ready to join the secret service."
I laugh at Akira's wacky remark, but hear a soft groan coming from Father. It seems Akira's playful attitude isn't inspiring confidence in him.
"Akira... can I... count on you to take... this a hundred... percent seriously?"
"Dad, it's not like I've never been part of business meetings before. Everything will be fine, I promise."
"Just act... like the person... standing in... for me is... expected to act. *mumble* And I will have your... mother buy you a vodka martini afterwards."
"Hmmm? I didn't catch that last part."
"Never mind. Am I sufficiently... audible to you?"
"You are. You can probably speak a bit softer if that feels more comfortable."
"That might... cause problems if... someone else is... speaking at the same time."
"Father? Perhaps you should lower your voice a bit more so that speaking is less painful for you. If at any point Akira didn't hear you clearly, maybe she could softly clear her throat as a cue and I will repeat your words to her."
"That's a pretty good idea, Sis. Something like this?"
We hear her let out a soft 'hrmm' under her breath.
"That will probably suffice. Father?"
Father lets out a resigned sigh.
"Very well. Let us... give that a try."
"I'll be heading back to the rest. Mom's finished giving everyone a mic, and she's explained your situation. Without getting too specific, of course. I'll leave it to her to give you the details, but so far everyone's reacted very positively, and Mom got word from just about everyone that they're willing to go out of their way to accommodate you."
"I really hope... that will not be necessary."
"By the way, Kojima will be seated at the head of the table in your place despite you being 'present'. We figured the board wanted a senior in that seat instead of me, despite him only being an observer in a practical sense and me representing you directly."
"I agree with... that decision."
While Akira's speaking, I become aware of a slight background noise appearing on the line, indicating the vicinity of other people. I faintly hear Mother's voice asking Akira if she's ready.
"Yeah, I'm ready and so is Dad. Let's go in."
The next moment, we're startled by a wave of voices as the microphones of the meeting room's occupants are turned on. I cringe a bit as the room suddenly appears to be filled with people. Just as I prepare to take off the earphones, the fragments of conversation suddenly fade out and then increase in volume again. I fiddle a bit with the dial on my headset until the sound volume's comfortable. I notice that some voices sound further away than others and certain people are specifically audible through either the left or the right speaker. I suppose the administrators set this up in some way or another and smile in appreciation of their effort to make the experience feel more natural to us.
And then finally, the meeting begins. Kojima opens the meeting with a short introduction, followed by a word from Father, consisting mostly of an apology for not being able to be there in person and a statement of appreciation for his business partners. I personally think he might have stressed the apologetic part too much, yet Akira delivers his words without a single trace of insincerity nor do I hear even a hint of the usual defiance in her voice that's almost always there when she's dealing with our parents. I suppose in her mind right now Akira isn't representing her father, but rather representing her boss. It's impressive how much of a difference that makes with her.
What stands out most for me, however, is hearing Mother. Unlike Father, who merely listens most of the time and only rarely takes the opportunity to provide a quick summary or offer his own opinion, Mother turns out to be the member of the delegation who seems to be handling most of the questions and counterproposals. Her tone right now isn't the energetic and casual one I've been struggling to get used to over the last few weeks. Instead, it's polite and relaxed, yet confident and in charge at the same time. I've never heard Mother speak this way before. I realize I have to remain focussed in order to assist Father, so I try not to think about it too hard.
The meeting ends up taking two hours with only a short coffee break near the middle. For the most part, I've simply sat by and listened, repeating Father's words to Akira when necessary, handing Father scanned graphs and proposal summaries as they roll out of the nearby printer and refilling our bowls of soup once or twice. Still, after two hours of taking in a continuous stream of information, I feel drained. When the microphones are turned off, I let out an exhausted sigh.
"Tired?"
"Only a little bit. This will be good practice for the months prior to the exams though, which will involve cramming as much information as possible into my head."
"That is one way of looking at it."
"I suppose I should show Mister McLaughlin out. It's probably late for him as well."
"That would be appreciated. Since there... are a meeting and a business dinner planned for tomorrow, it... will be okay for him to sleep in tomorrow morning. He... will probably have to be up for most of the night."
"I will tell him so."
--------------------------------------
05
"He will be back here at eight o' clock tomorrow evening."
After showing the system administrator out, I returned to Father's room. Judging by the sound of his voice, he's either feeling less tired than I am right now or he's simply doing a better job at hiding it.
"That is good to hear."
"He was quite relieved when I told him he could sleep in. He said that this had to have been one of the longest working days of his career."
"Hmmm. I suppose it would be ungrateful to... point out to him that at our Japanese branch we used... to consider any working day shorter than 11 hours to be an unproductive one on general principle. "
"Looking on the bright side, he at least didn't leave before his boss went home today."
"Touché."
He chuckles a bit at my remark, then groans in discomfort. Laughing too much will probably be out of the question for the time being.
"Father, can I get you anything before we retire for the night?"
"Hmmm..."
There's a long pause as if he's considering something to himself.
"If I still had been at our Japanese... office, my co-workers and I would have headed over to a drinking establishment... to drink and celebrate today's events right about now..."
"Do you want me to fetch you some wine, Father?"
"I suppose a little nightcap cannot hurt. You have been to the cellar before, have you not? Is it not too difficult to navigate?"
"Not overly so."
"One of the bottles of wine on the second shelf from the top will probably do. I am certain you already know where to find some glasses."
"I'm sorry, but...did you say glasses?"
"You know what they say about people who... drink alone. You may not be a co-worker, but you did do your... best to help out this evening. It is okay... with me for you to have a drink or two...as long as it is under the supervision of an adult."
My smile widens a bit. This is certainly one pleasant and unexpected surprise.
"Thank you, Father."
With a bit of effort, I manage to get a bottle from the wine rack in the cellar and two glasses and a corkscrew from the kitchen and get them all to the master bedroom in one piece. Father takes the bottle and corkscrew from my hands, and moments later, I hear the distinct sound of a bottle being uncorked, and the smell of white wine teases my nostrills. I sit on the side of the bed, hold out my glass and hear a sloshing sound as it's being filled.
"Just remember... that a proper lady does... not pass out on the couch."
I playfully raise my hand.
"It will not happen again. The Lord is my witness."
"Very well. To the success of your mother and... your sister then."
"And to your speedy recovery as well, Father."
"That too."
I carefully balance the glass in my hand, bring it up to my face and slowly breathe in in order to sample the wine's aroma. I continue taking in the smell until it leaves a subtly sweet taste in my mouth and then take a few soft sips. The wine's taste turns out to be as pleasing as its fragrance.
"Father, I suppose this nightcap indicates that the meeting went well overall?"
"Things matched my expectations. Aside from Akira, who performed better than I expected."
"How about Mother?"
"She did as expected. She has... been part of everything since this all began, so she... knows how to handle herself."
"Really?"
"Your mother has been an true asset to the company from the... moment we came here. She did an excellent job helping the staff and... me get used to one another's mindset and bridge the cultural... divides. She has also always been ready with advice on how... to best deal with our Scottish staff and how to best interact... with American business contacts. I also quickly discovered that her knack... for networking and connecting with business people has remained as sharp as it... undoubtedly was in her days as a business reporter."
There's an unmistakable hint of admiration in his voice, and I'd probably feel a sense of pride if all of this wasn't so new to me. Shortly after Father was hospitalized, Akira suggested his and Mother's marriage was in ruins, but from the way they speak about one another, I think she was sorely mistaken. Still, Father's words once again make me wonder who Mother really is. The quiet and graceful homemaker I remember from my childhood? The energetic woman I've been spending time with here? Or the confident businesswoman I heard through my headset this evening? Perhaps a combination of all three? Is that even possible?
"Father, how... do you see Mother?"
"Akira was incorrect about us... Lilly. Please just take my word for that."
He doesn't really seem to be eager to discuss that particular subject, so I decide to drop it and move to a different topic.
"Mother certainly handled herself well from what I could tell. I don't think I'd be capable of such a thing. But then again corporate business isn't really where my own interests lie."
I hear Father let out a soft 'hmmm' as he hears this.
"You have... plans for the future then?"
"I would like to study English after I graduate and become a teacher after finishing my higher education."
"I had a very good English teacher back in... university. It is a valuable job. You would... be surprised about how many businessmen in our country, even senior... ones, are insecure about their own English skills. And yet it... is important in staying relevant in this age of globalisation. But... ah..."
I give him a reassuring smile.
"You can ask, Father. I won't be offended."
"Is that not hard? How would you prevent... students from cheating on a test for example? Or handle discipline?"
"I would seek the help of another English teacher. At times when my class has to take a test, I'll ask him to switch classes. He keeps an eye on my class for an hour while I teach his. As for discipline, I would make a seating chart so that I know where each pupil is sitting and I would walk around the classroom while teaching, so I can keep students in check through force of proximity."
"How about tests? How would you grade them?"
"I would again engage in a deal with a fellow English teacher. I would prepare and write up both my own tests and his, as well as the corresponding answer keys and he would do the grading. I'm...ah...still trying to think up how to deal with essays. If I wanted to check a specific pupil's homework, I'd have them read it to me out loud."
I take another sip of the delicious wine before continuing.
"I would also attempt to create a sense of team spirit in each class I'd teach, so pupils could eventually be relied on to grade each other's homework. I acknowledge that school teachers have duties that require sight, but there are just as many which do not. By volunteering to take some tasks of the latter category off my colleagues' hands, I can get away with asking them to help me with things I cannot do myself."
My explanation is followed up by a long silence on his end. I can almost hear the gears in his head turning as he weighs and evaluates every word I just said. Then, just before I am about to break the silence...
"You seem to have put... a lot of thought into this."
I wonder what he thinks about my plans for the future. I weigh the tone in his voice for traces of skepticism, but the only thing I can pick up is a sense of honest curiosity.
"It's been a dream of mine since middle school, so I've had some time to think about it."
"You learn something new every day."
As I empty my glass, he takes it from my hand and pours a bit more wine into it. When I take it back, I notice it's lighter than the first time. It's probably only half-full this time around. We gently touch our glasses together and then slowly sip the contents. After noticing a failed effort to supress a yawn on my part, Father decides that enough is enough for today and bids me good night. I carefully make my way to the door, but as I open it I hear a soft chuckle behind me.
"Father?"
"It is nothing. Just an... amusing thought that came to me just now."
"Hmmm?"
"I just thought about how... different it felt, holding... a meeting this way. Interacting with people without being... able to see their faces. Having to determine who is... talking purely by the sound of their voice, their accent and... the direction their speech is coming from. I suppose... you can relate... to this?"
I cover my mouth to mask a cheerful giggle. For some reason it feels really good to hear him say something like this.
"Trust me when I say that it's not so bad once you get used to it."
06
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 5:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
01
The sun is already setting by the time Hisao and I make our way to the parking lot. I received a text message from Lilly's mother telling me that they landed safely and that she'll drop Lilly off near the school gates.
“Are you sure they’ll be here soon?”
“Yes. It should take them less than an hour to get here.”
My boyfriend chuckles a bit.
"I have this strange feeling of déjà vu. Don't you?"
I smile and nod back.
"Yes. This is exactly the same situation as when we were waiting here for Lilly before."
"Well, it's not exactly the same."
That's true. The last time we were here waiting for Lilly to arrive, Hisao was wondering out loud whether we should be holding hands or not. This time, we've been holding hands since we got here. He probably would have wrapped his arm around me too if it wasn't for the other thing that's different from before: The presence of the other two Yamaku students who invited themselves onto our welcoming committee.
"No, not exactly the same."
Hisao throws a suspicious side-glance at our classmates.
"It's kind of heartwarming to see that you've missed Lilly so much that you're joining us here to welcome her back."
02
"Hicchan, ever since we came here with you, you've done nothing but gripe. If I didn't know better I'd say our presence here is bothering you. If we're imposing on you, you should just come out and say so."
"You're not really imposing, but..."
"Perhaps you were hoping to take the opportunity to be lovey-dovey with your girlfriend for a little while, and us being here is preventing you from doing that."
"WAHAHAHAHA~!"
"That's not really the issue here."
It looks like Hisao has been thinking the same thing as I have. When Lilly's mother and Akira left for the US, Lilly decided to stay in Scotland to look after her father, and as a result she wasn't able to return to Yamaku until the company's business delegation was back from their trip. Because of that, Lilly has missed close to 2 weeks of school, and during those weeks, Shizune has missed no opportunity to express her disapproval of her cousin's absence. When Hisao and I went for the gate in order to wait for Lilly and met the student council duo on our way there, Shizune insisted on accompanying us. Neither I nor Hisao can shake the feeling that Shizune's simply here because she can't bear to postpone the scolding for one more day.
Hisao and I went to town the other day to do a bit of shopping for this evening. We wanted to make the occasion a bit special and bought tea and snacks just like before to celebrate Lilly's return. Lilly's probably not going to have a lot of energy, but I'd be very surprised if that's also the case for her mother. Given her energetic nature, Karla is probably as jetlag-proof as they come.
While I'm absentmindedly toying with my hair, Hisao suddenly points at a car heading up the parking lot and approaching us. As it gets closer, I see the striking blonde hair of Lilly and her mother behind the windshield. As the car stops in front of us and the car door opens, Karla steps out and gives a cheerful wave while Lilly slowly gets out on the other side.
“Lilly!”
Even though we've spoken with one another on a very frequent basis, I still feel overjoyed to see my best friend again and rush to greet her. Knowing that Shizune and Misha are watching, I go for a modest embrace, but the moment I make contact with Lilly, she wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug that is as drawn-out and tight as it is sincere and loving.
"Hanako..."
I blush a bit. I'm not really accustomed to the usually reserved Lilly making such an affectionate and unrestrained gesture. The smile on her face is one of the happiest ones I've ever seen though. It dawns on me that Lilly's probably not aware that her cousin is nearby and looking at us, but I decide that that revelation can wait for a few more seconds. With some effort I manage to tune out the rest of the world around me and return Lilly's embrace. As fun as the last few weeks have been for me, things still weren't completely the same without Lilly around, and I'm really happy that she's back.
"It's... really good to s-see you again, Lilly."
"I've really missed having you around, Hanako."
"Apparently not enough to come back sooner and avoid missing the first weeks of the new trimester."
"WAHAHAHA~! Awww... that's not nice, Shicchan. You ruined a really sweet moment just there."
Upon hearing Misha's voice, Lilly instantly freezes, and a look of horror appears on her face. She lets go of me and hastily turns towards the source of the loud voice that ruined the magic of our greeting. Her face is a little flushed, and I can almost see her brain going into overdrive in an attempt to figure out how to deal with this unexpected embarrassment.
"Ah... S-Shizune. When did you get here?"
Feeling a bit guilty about not notifying Lilly before, I whisper to her.
"S-Sorry, Lilly. Ummm... We ran into them on our way here, and they f-followed us here."
Rather than responding to Lilly's question, Shizune turns to Karla, smiles and makes a deep and respectful bow.
"Welcome back to Japan, aunt Karla. It's good to see you again."
Lilly's mother smiles back broadly at Shizune and replies with a polite bow of her own.
"Thank you, Shizune. It is good to see you too. You certainly seem to have grown. I didn't even recognize you at first. How is your family doing these days?"
"About the same as always."
"I see. And who is your friend here?"
"I'm Misha. Nice to meet you."
Maybe I misjudged Shizune. It's probably been a long time since she has last seen her aunt and maybe she simply wanted to say hello to her. From what I've heard, Mister Satou and Shizune's father don't like each other, but as far as I can tell there appears to be no bad blood between Karla and her niece.
"The pleasure is all mine. I am very pleased to meet you as well."
She then turns to us.
"Hanako... Hisao. It is very good to see you two again. Lilly told me that you two still managed to make the most out of your remaining vacation days. That is a great relief to me."
She bows to us as well, and I notice that her bow towards me is deeper than the others. I can tell that Karla's a lot more formal than she was in Scotland right now. It feels a bit odd coming from her. Is she acting that way because she doesn't want to puzzle her niece? In the meantime, Lilly has managed to regain her composure and awkwardly nods to Shizune.
"You caught me a bit by surprise, Shizune. But thank you for the welcome nevertheless."
Lilly's mother frowns and shoots a puzzled look at her daughter.
"You were surprised that your own cousin is here to greet you? I was assuming you asked Hanako to bring her along as well."
"Uh..."
A slightly panicked expression appears on Lilly's face, and I suddenly realize that she probably never told her parents that she and Shizune used to get into fights all the time. From the looks of it, Shizune has come to the same conclusion as she gives Lilly a highly amused 'let's see you talk your way out of that one'-look.
"I... ah... apologize. I did intend to drop by and catch up on the last few weeks. But student council duty must have been keeping you busy, and I didn't want to take up time you may not have."
"Well, it's nice that my efforts are acknowledged every now and then."
Lilly's mother gives Shizune a curious glance.
"Does student council truly take up so much more time than, say, an ordinary school club?"
"It is hectic at the start and end of each trimester, and it gets even worse during special events like school festivals or other activities. We usually suffer from a lack of helping hands around those times."
Shizune toys with her glasses for a second and then starts signing again.
"Not every class representative is of the reliable sort either, and we're regularly forced into crunch time because some of them won't hand in budget reports in time or even worse, ask for extensions of the deadline. This often causes the final few days to be extremely stressful."
I can see the corners of Lilly's mouth twitching a bit as she hears her cousin's remarks. It's obvious that she does not like where this is going, but she doesn't dare react to Shizune in front of her mother. Shizune, on the other hand, appears to be having the time of her life. Karla gives her niece a sympathetic look, obviously still oblivious.
"Well, the best thing you can do is to keep fighting the good fight. Think of it as good practice for the workplace later."
"Yes, I suppose you end up working with all kinds of people there as well."
I exchange a worried look with my boyfriend who also seems a bit uncomfortable with Shizune's little game. Deciding to cut this awkward little charade short, Hisao steps up to Lilly's mother.
"Maybe it's a good idea to return to the dorm rather than hang around here. I'm sure that Lilly's eager to get back to her room and start unpacking."
Lilly's mother nods.
"Yes, that's a good idea. Let me get the luggage out of the trunk."
Karla opens the trunk of her car and fishes Lilly's suitcase out of it. Before she closes the trunk, however, she quizzically looks at Shizune who's still wearing a huge smile.
"By the way, Shizune... I remember my daughter is a class representative too. She isn't among those unreliable people you just complained about, is she?"
This time it's Shizune's turn to get a little uneasy. Her opinion of Lilly's handling of her class is pretty well-known, but she obviously doesn't want to appear mean-spirited in front of her aunt. So with a little forced smile she shakes her head and signs a few things to Misha, although in a less enthusiastic manner than before.
"Don't worry. Her classmates consider your daughter to be very adept at her duties."
"Yup. And over the last two weeks several people from her class picked up her duties purely out of loyalty, so that says a lot."
Judging by the lack of signing on Shizune's part preceding it, that last statement is Misha's contribution to the discussion, and my hunch is that Shizune isn't very happy with her friend letting slip that particular detail. Lilly, who was looking rather tense just a minute ago now gives her cousin a cheerful smile before twisting the knife a little bit.
"I'm honored by this kind appraisal from no one other than the student council president herself. I will make sure to remember these gracious words."
While Lilly's mother has her back turned in order to close the trunk, Shizune shoots her cousin a dirty glare, but when Karla turns around and grabs the suitcase, Shizune merely shakes her head and sighs as if forcing herself to dismiss the matter.
"Let's get going, people."
We leave the parking lot, walk through the school gate and make our way to the girls' dorm building. As we near the entrance, Shizune politely bows to Lilly's mother and starts signing to Misha.
"We still have some work left to do, but it was good to see you again."
Karla responds with a bow of her own, takes a little card out of her handbag, writes a number on it and then gives it to Shizune.
"I'll be in the area for a little while. If you wish to do some catching up, do not hesitate to send me a little text message, and I'll treat you two to lunch."
Shizune gives her aunt a friendly nod, and then she and Misha walk back towards the school building while we venture inside the dormitory. When we get to our hallway, I take Lilly's room key (which I got from Lilly before Hisao and I left Scotland) from my bag and unlock the door.
03
"Welcome back, Lilly. We cleaned your room for you yesterday. It was already starting to get a little d-dusty in your absence."
"Thank you, Hanako. I will be happy to return the favor this week if you let me."
"It's... okay."
We enter and Lilly's mother takes the opportunity to look around a little bit.
"Well, isn't this a cozy place?"
"We... umm... bought tea for tonight. I'll go and make some."
Lilly smiles at me, but nevertheless shakes her head.
"Hanako, I think you've already done enough for me as it is. Would you mind if I take over the hosting duties for tonight?"
"Aren't you tired, Lilly?"
"It's been a rather long day, but I haven't really done much other than sitting still and reading a bit. I think being able to put my shoulder to the wheel for a little while may actually make me feel better."
"Okay then. We put the tea in your cupboard in the kitchen area."
"I will be right back."
Lilly walks out of the room and the three of us sit down. Lilly's mother stretches herself and sighs, dropping her formal disposition now that we're alone.
"Man, at the start of this week I was still in the US. I've really been all over the place lately."
"That must be exhausting."
"I've been able to handle it so far. It'll be good to take it easy for a few days though. Take some time to relax and catch up."
Lilly's mom plays with her hair a little bit.
"You know, the last time I interacted with Shizune, she was probably short enough to fit in my suitcase with a bit of effort. She's kind of starting to look like her mother now."
"You know Shizune's mother?"
Lilly's mother looks a little wistful for a second.
"When I married my husband, Mayoi was still living at home, so we lived under the same roof for some time until she got married and became part of the Hakamichi family. We barely saw each other anymore afterwards as she barely came home anymore after her marriage. Her husband and my husband didn't get along so well either."
"What's Shizune's Dad like then?"
This question makes Karla grin for a moment.
"Pretty much the total opposite of my husband. My husband once told me that he felt his brother-in-law was a cartoon character pretending to be a human. The man's a little odd. Or was when I last saw him. That was really long ago though. He might have changed."
Before we can consider whether to leave it at that or ask for more details, the door opens and Lilly comes in carrying a teapot and several cups. She carefully places them on the table, fills the cups and then hands one to each of us.
"It's been a while since we've spent time together like this. Let's enjoy the evening together."
Hisao checks his watch after Lilly says this and frowns.
"I'm afraid I can't stay for very long. I have an appointment in 15 minutes and I still have to stop by my own room."
"An appointment?"
Lilly looks a little puzzled.
"Isn't it a little late for that? Most of the teachers have probably gone home already."
I giggle.
"Not this t-teacher."
"I beg your pardon?"
Hisao grins.
"It's a bit of a long story, but the gist of it is that Mutou was approached by several students who were interested in giving the science club a try. There are now two first years and one second year student attending the meetings. One of the juniors still has some trouble with one of the subjects, and I didn't have a lot of time to explain it to him during our last meeting, so I promised to stop by his room this evening to tutor him a bit more."
"If he has trouble with the subject then isn't he in the wrong club?"
Lilly's mother snickers.
"I recall that that article Hanako wrote specifically said that an interest in the subject was more important than good marks. Looks like some people took that literally."
"It was actually... m-meant to be taken that way."
"Hmmm?"
"I... had some trouble with a few parts myself just before the summer break, but Hisao was r-really good at explaining them. So I thought..."
Hisao looks a bit sheepish.
"That line in Hanako's article about interest in the subject being more important than high marks is more or less a nice way of saying that the club is ideal for people who have an interest in science, but have trouble following Mutou's lectures. His teaching style is a bit unique. At the science club we can let members get familiar with certain topics in a more casual manner that allows them to understand the subject better. And there are also other members who can help explain things."
Lilly's mother frowns.
"If students are having trouble comprehending a subject because a teacher's lectures are too convoluted, starting a club to compensate for that isn't really the first thing I would do as a school."
Lilly giggles.
"That may be so, but Mutou has his good qualities as well and most students like him. Also, I think this is a really good initiative. I hope word of mouth can get you a few more members in the future, Hisao."
"Thanks Lilly. Anyway, I guess I'd better get going. I still need to get my textbooks from my room."
Lilly's mother gives Hisao a friendly nod.
"I very much doubt that we won't be seeing each other again before I fly back to the UK, so I'm not going to say goodbye here and now. Best of luck with your tutoring gig."
"Thanks. Have fun and enjoy the snacks we bought."
He gives me a quick kiss, gets up and walks out of Lilly's room, leaving me with the two Satous. With not much more to say about the subject of Hisao's new responsibilities, we simply sit there for a little while and take the occasional sip from our tea cups. Eventually the silence becomes a little awkward, and I bring up the first subject that pops up in my mind.
"So ummm... Mrs. Satou..."
Lilly's mom chuckles.
"I won't be offended if you keep using my first name, Miss Ikezawa. But I won't press the matter if you feel rude doing so."
"Ummm... Karla... How d-did it go in America?"
Karla smiles playfully at me.
"I suspect you already know most of it, seeing that Lilly's been calling you so often, but... I'd say the trip was officially a success."
"Officially?"
04
"Well, before my husband was hospitalized, I was looking forward to the trip. Not just because we'd finally be tying up a process that's been taking us years to set up, but also because I was planning to stick a well-earned vacation at the end of it. Obviously that didn't end up happening, and during most of the trip I was actively counting down the minutes. So I can't really say it was an enjoyable experience. But since we ended up striking a major deal there, I can at least call it a productive trip."
"You could... still go on v-vacation with him when he's feeling a little better."
Lilly's mother smiles at my suggestion, but I notice her smile has a sad quality to it. Did I say anything wrong?
"Yeah, I guess I could try and convince him to take a break together... When he's feeling better."
I notice Lilly has adopted the same sad smile as her mother. They obviously know something I don't. Last time I spoke to Lilly on the phone she said that his condition was slowly improving.
"Ummm...Is he... s-still okay?"
Karla looks away and for a moment there's a very bitter look in her eyes that sends a shiver down my spine. It's the same kind of look that I've seen on Akira's face a few times.
"Hmmm... Physically he's getting better, but about a day after we got back we got word that he won't be returning to his job after all this. It was a pretty severe blow to his morale even though I got the impression he wasn't very surprised himself."
01
The sun is already setting by the time Hisao and I make our way to the parking lot. I received a text message from Lilly's mother telling me that they landed safely and that she'll drop Lilly off near the school gates.
“Are you sure they’ll be here soon?”
“Yes. It should take them less than an hour to get here.”
My boyfriend chuckles a bit.
"I have this strange feeling of déjà vu. Don't you?"
I smile and nod back.
"Yes. This is exactly the same situation as when we were waiting here for Lilly before."
"Well, it's not exactly the same."
That's true. The last time we were here waiting for Lilly to arrive, Hisao was wondering out loud whether we should be holding hands or not. This time, we've been holding hands since we got here. He probably would have wrapped his arm around me too if it wasn't for the other thing that's different from before: The presence of the other two Yamaku students who invited themselves onto our welcoming committee.
"No, not exactly the same."
Hisao throws a suspicious side-glance at our classmates.
"It's kind of heartwarming to see that you've missed Lilly so much that you're joining us here to welcome her back."
02
"Hicchan, ever since we came here with you, you've done nothing but gripe. If I didn't know better I'd say our presence here is bothering you. If we're imposing on you, you should just come out and say so."
"You're not really imposing, but..."
"Perhaps you were hoping to take the opportunity to be lovey-dovey with your girlfriend for a little while, and us being here is preventing you from doing that."
"WAHAHAHAHA~!"
"That's not really the issue here."
It looks like Hisao has been thinking the same thing as I have. When Lilly's mother and Akira left for the US, Lilly decided to stay in Scotland to look after her father, and as a result she wasn't able to return to Yamaku until the company's business delegation was back from their trip. Because of that, Lilly has missed close to 2 weeks of school, and during those weeks, Shizune has missed no opportunity to express her disapproval of her cousin's absence. When Hisao and I went for the gate in order to wait for Lilly and met the student council duo on our way there, Shizune insisted on accompanying us. Neither I nor Hisao can shake the feeling that Shizune's simply here because she can't bear to postpone the scolding for one more day.
Hisao and I went to town the other day to do a bit of shopping for this evening. We wanted to make the occasion a bit special and bought tea and snacks just like before to celebrate Lilly's return. Lilly's probably not going to have a lot of energy, but I'd be very surprised if that's also the case for her mother. Given her energetic nature, Karla is probably as jetlag-proof as they come.
While I'm absentmindedly toying with my hair, Hisao suddenly points at a car heading up the parking lot and approaching us. As it gets closer, I see the striking blonde hair of Lilly and her mother behind the windshield. As the car stops in front of us and the car door opens, Karla steps out and gives a cheerful wave while Lilly slowly gets out on the other side.
“Lilly!”
Even though we've spoken with one another on a very frequent basis, I still feel overjoyed to see my best friend again and rush to greet her. Knowing that Shizune and Misha are watching, I go for a modest embrace, but the moment I make contact with Lilly, she wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug that is as drawn-out and tight as it is sincere and loving.
"Hanako..."
I blush a bit. I'm not really accustomed to the usually reserved Lilly making such an affectionate and unrestrained gesture. The smile on her face is one of the happiest ones I've ever seen though. It dawns on me that Lilly's probably not aware that her cousin is nearby and looking at us, but I decide that that revelation can wait for a few more seconds. With some effort I manage to tune out the rest of the world around me and return Lilly's embrace. As fun as the last few weeks have been for me, things still weren't completely the same without Lilly around, and I'm really happy that she's back.
"It's... really good to s-see you again, Lilly."
"I've really missed having you around, Hanako."
"Apparently not enough to come back sooner and avoid missing the first weeks of the new trimester."
"WAHAHAHA~! Awww... that's not nice, Shicchan. You ruined a really sweet moment just there."
Upon hearing Misha's voice, Lilly instantly freezes, and a look of horror appears on her face. She lets go of me and hastily turns towards the source of the loud voice that ruined the magic of our greeting. Her face is a little flushed, and I can almost see her brain going into overdrive in an attempt to figure out how to deal with this unexpected embarrassment.
"Ah... S-Shizune. When did you get here?"
Feeling a bit guilty about not notifying Lilly before, I whisper to her.
"S-Sorry, Lilly. Ummm... We ran into them on our way here, and they f-followed us here."
Rather than responding to Lilly's question, Shizune turns to Karla, smiles and makes a deep and respectful bow.
"Welcome back to Japan, aunt Karla. It's good to see you again."
Lilly's mother smiles back broadly at Shizune and replies with a polite bow of her own.
"Thank you, Shizune. It is good to see you too. You certainly seem to have grown. I didn't even recognize you at first. How is your family doing these days?"
"About the same as always."
"I see. And who is your friend here?"
"I'm Misha. Nice to meet you."
Maybe I misjudged Shizune. It's probably been a long time since she has last seen her aunt and maybe she simply wanted to say hello to her. From what I've heard, Mister Satou and Shizune's father don't like each other, but as far as I can tell there appears to be no bad blood between Karla and her niece.
"The pleasure is all mine. I am very pleased to meet you as well."
She then turns to us.
"Hanako... Hisao. It is very good to see you two again. Lilly told me that you two still managed to make the most out of your remaining vacation days. That is a great relief to me."
She bows to us as well, and I notice that her bow towards me is deeper than the others. I can tell that Karla's a lot more formal than she was in Scotland right now. It feels a bit odd coming from her. Is she acting that way because she doesn't want to puzzle her niece? In the meantime, Lilly has managed to regain her composure and awkwardly nods to Shizune.
"You caught me a bit by surprise, Shizune. But thank you for the welcome nevertheless."
Lilly's mother frowns and shoots a puzzled look at her daughter.
"You were surprised that your own cousin is here to greet you? I was assuming you asked Hanako to bring her along as well."
"Uh..."
A slightly panicked expression appears on Lilly's face, and I suddenly realize that she probably never told her parents that she and Shizune used to get into fights all the time. From the looks of it, Shizune has come to the same conclusion as she gives Lilly a highly amused 'let's see you talk your way out of that one'-look.
"I... ah... apologize. I did intend to drop by and catch up on the last few weeks. But student council duty must have been keeping you busy, and I didn't want to take up time you may not have."
"Well, it's nice that my efforts are acknowledged every now and then."
Lilly's mother gives Shizune a curious glance.
"Does student council truly take up so much more time than, say, an ordinary school club?"
"It is hectic at the start and end of each trimester, and it gets even worse during special events like school festivals or other activities. We usually suffer from a lack of helping hands around those times."
Shizune toys with her glasses for a second and then starts signing again.
"Not every class representative is of the reliable sort either, and we're regularly forced into crunch time because some of them won't hand in budget reports in time or even worse, ask for extensions of the deadline. This often causes the final few days to be extremely stressful."
I can see the corners of Lilly's mouth twitching a bit as she hears her cousin's remarks. It's obvious that she does not like where this is going, but she doesn't dare react to Shizune in front of her mother. Shizune, on the other hand, appears to be having the time of her life. Karla gives her niece a sympathetic look, obviously still oblivious.
"Well, the best thing you can do is to keep fighting the good fight. Think of it as good practice for the workplace later."
"Yes, I suppose you end up working with all kinds of people there as well."
I exchange a worried look with my boyfriend who also seems a bit uncomfortable with Shizune's little game. Deciding to cut this awkward little charade short, Hisao steps up to Lilly's mother.
"Maybe it's a good idea to return to the dorm rather than hang around here. I'm sure that Lilly's eager to get back to her room and start unpacking."
Lilly's mother nods.
"Yes, that's a good idea. Let me get the luggage out of the trunk."
Karla opens the trunk of her car and fishes Lilly's suitcase out of it. Before she closes the trunk, however, she quizzically looks at Shizune who's still wearing a huge smile.
"By the way, Shizune... I remember my daughter is a class representative too. She isn't among those unreliable people you just complained about, is she?"
This time it's Shizune's turn to get a little uneasy. Her opinion of Lilly's handling of her class is pretty well-known, but she obviously doesn't want to appear mean-spirited in front of her aunt. So with a little forced smile she shakes her head and signs a few things to Misha, although in a less enthusiastic manner than before.
"Don't worry. Her classmates consider your daughter to be very adept at her duties."
"Yup. And over the last two weeks several people from her class picked up her duties purely out of loyalty, so that says a lot."
Judging by the lack of signing on Shizune's part preceding it, that last statement is Misha's contribution to the discussion, and my hunch is that Shizune isn't very happy with her friend letting slip that particular detail. Lilly, who was looking rather tense just a minute ago now gives her cousin a cheerful smile before twisting the knife a little bit.
"I'm honored by this kind appraisal from no one other than the student council president herself. I will make sure to remember these gracious words."
While Lilly's mother has her back turned in order to close the trunk, Shizune shoots her cousin a dirty glare, but when Karla turns around and grabs the suitcase, Shizune merely shakes her head and sighs as if forcing herself to dismiss the matter.
"Let's get going, people."
We leave the parking lot, walk through the school gate and make our way to the girls' dorm building. As we near the entrance, Shizune politely bows to Lilly's mother and starts signing to Misha.
"We still have some work left to do, but it was good to see you again."
Karla responds with a bow of her own, takes a little card out of her handbag, writes a number on it and then gives it to Shizune.
"I'll be in the area for a little while. If you wish to do some catching up, do not hesitate to send me a little text message, and I'll treat you two to lunch."
Shizune gives her aunt a friendly nod, and then she and Misha walk back towards the school building while we venture inside the dormitory. When we get to our hallway, I take Lilly's room key (which I got from Lilly before Hisao and I left Scotland) from my bag and unlock the door.
03
"Welcome back, Lilly. We cleaned your room for you yesterday. It was already starting to get a little d-dusty in your absence."
"Thank you, Hanako. I will be happy to return the favor this week if you let me."
"It's... okay."
We enter and Lilly's mother takes the opportunity to look around a little bit.
"Well, isn't this a cozy place?"
"We... umm... bought tea for tonight. I'll go and make some."
Lilly smiles at me, but nevertheless shakes her head.
"Hanako, I think you've already done enough for me as it is. Would you mind if I take over the hosting duties for tonight?"
"Aren't you tired, Lilly?"
"It's been a rather long day, but I haven't really done much other than sitting still and reading a bit. I think being able to put my shoulder to the wheel for a little while may actually make me feel better."
"Okay then. We put the tea in your cupboard in the kitchen area."
"I will be right back."
Lilly walks out of the room and the three of us sit down. Lilly's mother stretches herself and sighs, dropping her formal disposition now that we're alone.
"Man, at the start of this week I was still in the US. I've really been all over the place lately."
"That must be exhausting."
"I've been able to handle it so far. It'll be good to take it easy for a few days though. Take some time to relax and catch up."
Lilly's mom plays with her hair a little bit.
"You know, the last time I interacted with Shizune, she was probably short enough to fit in my suitcase with a bit of effort. She's kind of starting to look like her mother now."
"You know Shizune's mother?"
Lilly's mother looks a little wistful for a second.
"When I married my husband, Mayoi was still living at home, so we lived under the same roof for some time until she got married and became part of the Hakamichi family. We barely saw each other anymore afterwards as she barely came home anymore after her marriage. Her husband and my husband didn't get along so well either."
"What's Shizune's Dad like then?"
This question makes Karla grin for a moment.
"Pretty much the total opposite of my husband. My husband once told me that he felt his brother-in-law was a cartoon character pretending to be a human. The man's a little odd. Or was when I last saw him. That was really long ago though. He might have changed."
Before we can consider whether to leave it at that or ask for more details, the door opens and Lilly comes in carrying a teapot and several cups. She carefully places them on the table, fills the cups and then hands one to each of us.
"It's been a while since we've spent time together like this. Let's enjoy the evening together."
Hisao checks his watch after Lilly says this and frowns.
"I'm afraid I can't stay for very long. I have an appointment in 15 minutes and I still have to stop by my own room."
"An appointment?"
Lilly looks a little puzzled.
"Isn't it a little late for that? Most of the teachers have probably gone home already."
I giggle.
"Not this t-teacher."
"I beg your pardon?"
Hisao grins.
"It's a bit of a long story, but the gist of it is that Mutou was approached by several students who were interested in giving the science club a try. There are now two first years and one second year student attending the meetings. One of the juniors still has some trouble with one of the subjects, and I didn't have a lot of time to explain it to him during our last meeting, so I promised to stop by his room this evening to tutor him a bit more."
"If he has trouble with the subject then isn't he in the wrong club?"
Lilly's mother snickers.
"I recall that that article Hanako wrote specifically said that an interest in the subject was more important than good marks. Looks like some people took that literally."
"It was actually... m-meant to be taken that way."
"Hmmm?"
"I... had some trouble with a few parts myself just before the summer break, but Hisao was r-really good at explaining them. So I thought..."
Hisao looks a bit sheepish.
"That line in Hanako's article about interest in the subject being more important than high marks is more or less a nice way of saying that the club is ideal for people who have an interest in science, but have trouble following Mutou's lectures. His teaching style is a bit unique. At the science club we can let members get familiar with certain topics in a more casual manner that allows them to understand the subject better. And there are also other members who can help explain things."
Lilly's mother frowns.
"If students are having trouble comprehending a subject because a teacher's lectures are too convoluted, starting a club to compensate for that isn't really the first thing I would do as a school."
Lilly giggles.
"That may be so, but Mutou has his good qualities as well and most students like him. Also, I think this is a really good initiative. I hope word of mouth can get you a few more members in the future, Hisao."
"Thanks Lilly. Anyway, I guess I'd better get going. I still need to get my textbooks from my room."
Lilly's mother gives Hisao a friendly nod.
"I very much doubt that we won't be seeing each other again before I fly back to the UK, so I'm not going to say goodbye here and now. Best of luck with your tutoring gig."
"Thanks. Have fun and enjoy the snacks we bought."
He gives me a quick kiss, gets up and walks out of Lilly's room, leaving me with the two Satous. With not much more to say about the subject of Hisao's new responsibilities, we simply sit there for a little while and take the occasional sip from our tea cups. Eventually the silence becomes a little awkward, and I bring up the first subject that pops up in my mind.
"So ummm... Mrs. Satou..."
Lilly's mom chuckles.
"I won't be offended if you keep using my first name, Miss Ikezawa. But I won't press the matter if you feel rude doing so."
"Ummm... Karla... How d-did it go in America?"
Karla smiles playfully at me.
"I suspect you already know most of it, seeing that Lilly's been calling you so often, but... I'd say the trip was officially a success."
"Officially?"
04
"Well, before my husband was hospitalized, I was looking forward to the trip. Not just because we'd finally be tying up a process that's been taking us years to set up, but also because I was planning to stick a well-earned vacation at the end of it. Obviously that didn't end up happening, and during most of the trip I was actively counting down the minutes. So I can't really say it was an enjoyable experience. But since we ended up striking a major deal there, I can at least call it a productive trip."
"You could... still go on v-vacation with him when he's feeling a little better."
Lilly's mother smiles at my suggestion, but I notice her smile has a sad quality to it. Did I say anything wrong?
"Yeah, I guess I could try and convince him to take a break together... When he's feeling better."
I notice Lilly has adopted the same sad smile as her mother. They obviously know something I don't. Last time I spoke to Lilly on the phone she said that his condition was slowly improving.
"Ummm...Is he... s-still okay?"
Karla looks away and for a moment there's a very bitter look in her eyes that sends a shiver down my spine. It's the same kind of look that I've seen on Akira's face a few times.
"Hmmm... Physically he's getting better, but about a day after we got back we got word that he won't be returning to his job after all this. It was a pretty severe blow to his morale even though I got the impression he wasn't very surprised himself."
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 38 - cont.
"He g-got fired?"
"Well, technically he resigned on his own, but... It's a bit of a complicated situation. Let's just say corporate politics reared their ugly head and leave it at that."
"I'm s-sorry..."
Karla doesn't immediately answer and closes her eyes.
"You know... My mother used to tell me that God works in mysterious ways. When we asked Lilly and Akira to join us in Scotland, the idea was to make a fresh new start. Things worked out differently than we planned them, but..."
She opens her eyes and smirks.
"This has all the telltale marks of an opportunity to make that fresh new start. It just feels a bit mixed. I can't really feel glad about it knowing what had to happen for things to get to this point."
This gets me to smile. I've been thinking the same on several occasions ever since I became Hisao's girlfriend.
"I... think that's f-fine. I've often thought about this m-myself. If Hisao... never had his first h-heart attack, he never would have c-come here. I wouldn't w-wish what he's been through on anyone, but... I think that... maybe... it's still... okay for me... to feel really happy that he came here and... that I met him."
Both Lilly and her mother laugh cheerfully at my reply.
"You know, that's a pretty good point. I guess there's not necessarily something wrong about being happy with silver linings. Now we'll just have to figure where to go from here."
"Any ideas?"
Lilly smiles mysteriously.
"There are... some."
"Some?"
Lilly falls silent and then slowly turns towards her mother.
"Mother? Would it be okay if I tell Hanako?"
"Even though the whole thing is still up in the air?"
"I assure you that she won't talk to anyone about it."
Karla lets out a resigned sigh.
"Okay then."
05
Lilly turns back to me and straightens her pose a bit as if preparing for some major announcement.
"Hanako. One of the options that my parents are... strongly considering... is moving back to Japan."
That statement manages to take my breath away for several seconds, and I wonder for a moment whether the people down the hall were able to hear the gasp I just let out.
"Lilly!"
I can barely believe this, but the happy smile on Lilly's face tells me that I didn't imagine what I just heard. As this statement slowly starts sinking into my brain, a smile almost as large as Lilly's starts forming on my face.
"Lilly, t-that would be wonderful."
"Nothing has been decided yet, but... I'm keeping my fingers crossed and offering a little prayer every evening."
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too."
"Thanks, Hanako."
"Lilly? What about Akira? Would she be coming back too?"
Lilly's smile drops for a moment.
"I've asked her several times to consider it, but so far my attempts to convince her haven't met with much success."
Lilly's mother takes this moment to jump in.
"You tried as hard as you could, dear, but Akira's situation is different from ours. I don't think she'd be taken very seriously at the Japanese branch anymore if she returned there so soon after leaving. And forcing her to come along would defeat the purpose of having her join you here. I know you care about her a lot, but I think we should allow her to choose the life that she feels is best for her."
"I know, Mother..."
Lilly gives a resigned nod, but the tone in her voice suggests that she's not particularly happy about it. I'm suddenly reminded of something else. If Lilly's parents were to return to Japan, will Lilly move back in with them? That would probably make sense. I'd still be happy for Lilly, but I'd be really sad to lose my neighbor. We'd still be able to have lunch together and talk to each other, but I'd really miss hanging out with Lilly in here before bedtime.
"Lilly, ummm... If your p-parents move b-back here, you would... probably go and l-live with them again, w-wouldn't you?"
Lilly shakes her head and gives me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Hanako. I won't be going anywhere. I've already decided to stay here, and if my parents return to this country, I'll simply visit them on Sundays. I promise you that Mother and Father coming to live in Japan again will not come at the expense of my friendship with you. Mother can be my witness."
Lilly's mother gives me a cheerful nod.
"With the exams coming up later this year, it'd probably be more convenient for Lilly to keep living here on campus rather than having to deal with the travelling again on a daily basis and you two seem so close that I'd feel really bad about doing anything that would create distance between you. Besides..."
She grins and a mischievous twinkle appears in her eye.
"...imagine how early Lilly'd have to get up each morning in order to make it to class every day. It'd be torture."
Lilly's expression immediately changes into a pout, and she shoots her mother a disapproving look.
"M-Mother! That was a bit uncalled for. Besides, I had to get up early when I was still living with Akira, and I handled that just fine..."
This feels a bit awkward. I have the impression that Lilly hasn't gotten used to her mother's habit of playfully teasing her. Karla, for her part, merely snickers at her successful attempt at getting a reaction out of her daughter. Upon hearing this, Lilly lets out a tired sigh and shakes her head.
"Mother, if you keep making fun of me, I'm afraid I won't be able to share any of our snacks with you."
Lilly's mother laughs.
"You're not shy about bringing out the big guns against me, huh? Very well, I'll stop poking fun at you."
Lilly gets up and takes the teapot.
"Thank you. I will go and get us some more tea. Hanako, where did you put the snacks for this evening?"
"On the bottom shelf of your cupboard."
"Good. I will be back soon."
After Lilly has left the room, Karla stares at the door for a moment and then looks back at me.
"You know... When we left for the USA, Akira assured me that my husband was in good hands with Lilly. I thought she was merely being polite at first. But when I came back from that trip, it turned out that Lilly had been responsible for nearly every meal my husband ate those weeks and was pretty much running the household in Allison's place. I got the impression that her presence was also soothing and comforting for my husband. The fact that all of that surprised me probably shows that some extra time spent getting to know my daughter better is probably long overdue."
I giggle. I've been experiencing Lilly's nurturing side ever since I was introduced to her, so what I'm hearing right now doesn't surprise me in the least.
"Did I say something funny?"
"Lilly likes to... mother p-people she cares about, so..."
Karla lets out an amused laugh.
"...my daughter's been mothering her own dad for the last few weeks. That is kind of funny."
Lilly's mother eyes me with a smile.
"Lilly's been a big support for my husband, but she said that you in turn were a big support for her all this time. So... Thanks for that."
I'm a bit flustered by Karla's grateful expression. Lilly's called me on an almost daily basis while she was in Inverness, and I was happy to help her unwind by listening to her, though I never really thought of it as much of a big deal.
"I d-didn't do t-that much."
"You did enough, and that's what matters."
"Ummm..."
"Yes?"
"It's... probably not my p-place to say so, but... I... think... if you r-really r-returned to Japan... Lilly w-would be... very happy."
Lilly's mother smiles sadly.
"You're the third one to mention that in a few days. Lilly herself made a pretty strong case for moving earlier this week. And Akira sided with her."
"And ah... W-what do you think?"
"Me? Hmmm. I think..."
She sighs sadly, and for a few seconds it seems like all traces of her usual up-beat personality vanish before my eyes.
06
"I think... I'm really going to miss my homeland."
"It has... already b-been decided?"
"My husband's the only one who hasn't thrown in his opinion yet. He hardly ever makes decisions on a whim. There are a few factors to consider in the whole situation, and he wants to think about them first."
"Factors?"
"Like a job. He'll probably want to start working again at some point. Objectively speaking, he's probably more likely to get one quickly if we stay in Scotland. He has a reputation there as a capable businessman leading a successful company, and I have a large network of business contacts in the Highlands area I could make use of to create opportunities for him. His successor would probably agree to buy his shares if we offered, and we could use the money to retire or buy shares of local company. Maybe even set something up ourselves. It'd be a completely new start. If he wanted to continue working as a manager, western companies are also more open to hiring outsiders as managers while their Japanese counterparts prefer managers who started work at that company as freshmen straight out of university and who grew into the role over the span of a few decades of company service."
She absentmindedly toys with her blond bangs while continuing.
"But in the end a lot of it comes down to what he wants to do with his life. Even before he entered elementary school there's been this roadmap made out of other people's expectations that told him exactly where he was and where he was supposed to go. I can only imagine that now must be a confusing time for him now that all of that is suddenly gone. Still..."
Lilly's mother stares into the distance for a second.
"...there's little doubt in my mind that deep down he'd really like to return to his home country. He's missed it a lot over the last few years. I also think that even though he wouldn't have much say on the board of directors yet, he'd still want to remain involved in the company that's been part of his life ever since he was young."
The slight tone of resignation in her voice makes me worry a bit. I'm having the impression that if the Satous end up moving back here, it'll merely be because Karla abided by the majority decision.
"You would... rather n-not move?"
Lilly's mother smiles sadly.
"It won't be easy to leave everything behind that's become part of my daily life over the last six years, but it was bound to happen eventually. Though I would have liked to stay in Scotland, I knew our move from Japan to Inverness was never really intended to be permanent. My husband left Japan for his job, not because he was tired of living here. He would probably have wanted to return here after his retirement anyway. He probably even felt he had to in order to continue serving the company as a member of the board of directors."
"B-But... h-he... you asked Lilly..."
"To tell you the truth... asking Lilly and Akira to move to Inverness wasn't my husband's idea. It was mine."
"Y-Yours?"
"It's a bit ironic. When we lived in Scotland, I'd see my husband more often in a single day than I'd have seen him in a week while we still lived in Japan. But despite that, I felt we were slowly growing apart. When my older sister fell ill and said that she wanted to see Lilly and Akira, it kind of gave me an official excuse. I had hoped some time spent together as a family of four would get us closer again. But things were merely very awkward during their time here, and I started fearing that if something wasn't done, our daughters would be little more than strangers to us by the time my husband retired and we'd move back. So I convinced my husband to take action to reunite our family. Conveniently enough a position was available at the office at that time that Akira could probably fill. I don't think she would have considered moving otherwise."
"Oh."
"My husband always insisted on Lilly finishing her education in the places we picked for her, so I didn't think I'd be able to convince him, but he went along with it after some urging on my part."
"But now... you're m-moving instead of Lilly."
"Karma works in weird ways, huh? Still, I asked Lilly to give up her life here and move to the other end of the world just for us. It's only fair that I'm not going to be a hypocrite about it now that the shoe is on the other foot. And besides..."
She gives me that familiar grin of hers, although this one looks just a little bit more forced than usual.
"...I have experience in permanently leaving my homeland behind in favor of another, so I'll be okay. Besides, we'll get to see Lilly a lot more often if we move here, and I do want to spend more time with her. A few weeks weren't really that much to reconnect with one another."
"W-Were you... very disappointed when Lilly s-said she wanted to stay here?"
"I'm kind of split on that. On the one hand I was very sad and disappointed after that phone call. But when I thought it over some more, I realized that Lilly's decision must have been a very hard one, and I came to respect it. Children eventually have to leave their parents' nest and find their own way in life. Lilly's always been a very obedient girl, and I sincerely worried that her initial decision to move was merely because she felt it wasn't her place to reject our offer. After the initial shock from her change of plans wore off, I realized that above all I'm extremely proud of my daughter for having the courage to follow her own dreams rather than letting others dictate them for her."
She smiles proudly to reinforce her words.
"What about y-your job? Do you already k-know what to do?"
"Our staff manager is already looking for someone to replace me and when we find someone, I'll spend my remaining time in Scotland informing business contacts and teaching my successor the ropes. Afterwards I'll be focusing on helping my husband get back into his daily routine. I haven't really thought of what to do after that. I'm sure I'll get plenty of time to think about it."
Lilly's mother reaches absentmindedly for her tea cup and puts it to her lips only to realize that it's empty.
"Speaking of time, what's taking that girl so long? She doesn't get lost in here, does she?"
I giggle and shake my head.
"No."
07
As if on cue, the door opens and Lilly enters carrying the teapot and two bags of snacks.
"I'm terribly sorry for the wait."
"Couldn't find the snacks?"
"I just ran into a few friends down in the common room who started asking me how my time in Scotland has been, and I felt it was rude to just brush them off like that."
"Heh, I'm sure that'll happen several more times the upcoming days. Better to get yourself prepared for it."
"I'll do my best."
Lilly pours the tea, and we take some time to feast on the snacks she brought along.
"Lilly?"
"Yes, Hanako?"
"If your friends who aren't b-blind want to know what it was like in Scotland, I could m-maybe get you a few of the pictures I took so you can show them."
"Hmmm, that's a very good idea. But aren't those your photos?"
"I'll simply print out some extra copies at the club. It's n-not a problem."
"In that case I'd love to have a few of your photos, Hanako."
Lilly's mother has lowered her teacup and has turned her head in my direction upon hearing about the club.
"So how's the newspaper club going? Have you already released the column you were working on in Inverness?"
"N-Not yet. It'll be out next week."
"I can't wait to read it."
She's still as passionate as ever about the subject. Suddenly an idea pops in my mind. I'm not sure if Naomi's going to go along with this, but she might just be interested.
"Ummm...K-Karla?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe ummm... If y-you have t-time... Y-you don't really have to if you d-don't want to, but..."
Is this really a good idea? Isn't this too amateurish for someone with Karla's experience?
"It m-might be nice if... ah... you could s-stop by the c-club tomorrow and have a l-look around yourself."
A surprised smile appears on Karla's face, and I can see a twinkle in not one, but both of her eyes.
"Can I? Really?"
"I'd h-have to ask Naomi, but she m-might allow it."
"I'd love to drop by and see things for myself."
"I'll ask her in c-class tomorrow."
"Wonderful. It's a busy day for me tomorrow as my husband's successor wanted to see me, so I have to drop by the Japanese branch tomorrow morning. But I also have an appointment with the principal here tomorrow afternoon to fully explain our situation to her and apologize for Lilly's absence over the last weeks. If you let me know if I can stop by I will do so after I'm done with that meeting. It'll be a great way to conclude the events of the day."
"Let you know?"
She takes a business card out of her bag and writes a number and e-mail address on the back. When I take it, I notice they differ from the ones on the front. These must be her private phone number and e-mail.
"I already have your phone number, but would it be a problem for you to give me your e-mail address too? For the sake of completeness?"
"O-Okay."
We take out our cell phones and put in the other's contact information. When it's finished, I look at the small list of contacts on my screen. Karla's name is visible right above Lilly's and Naomi's entry.
"...Done. That makes five."
08
"Well, technically he resigned on his own, but... It's a bit of a complicated situation. Let's just say corporate politics reared their ugly head and leave it at that."
"I'm s-sorry..."
Karla doesn't immediately answer and closes her eyes.
"You know... My mother used to tell me that God works in mysterious ways. When we asked Lilly and Akira to join us in Scotland, the idea was to make a fresh new start. Things worked out differently than we planned them, but..."
She opens her eyes and smirks.
"This has all the telltale marks of an opportunity to make that fresh new start. It just feels a bit mixed. I can't really feel glad about it knowing what had to happen for things to get to this point."
This gets me to smile. I've been thinking the same on several occasions ever since I became Hisao's girlfriend.
"I... think that's f-fine. I've often thought about this m-myself. If Hisao... never had his first h-heart attack, he never would have c-come here. I wouldn't w-wish what he's been through on anyone, but... I think that... maybe... it's still... okay for me... to feel really happy that he came here and... that I met him."
Both Lilly and her mother laugh cheerfully at my reply.
"You know, that's a pretty good point. I guess there's not necessarily something wrong about being happy with silver linings. Now we'll just have to figure where to go from here."
"Any ideas?"
Lilly smiles mysteriously.
"There are... some."
"Some?"
Lilly falls silent and then slowly turns towards her mother.
"Mother? Would it be okay if I tell Hanako?"
"Even though the whole thing is still up in the air?"
"I assure you that she won't talk to anyone about it."
Karla lets out a resigned sigh.
"Okay then."
05
Lilly turns back to me and straightens her pose a bit as if preparing for some major announcement.
"Hanako. One of the options that my parents are... strongly considering... is moving back to Japan."
That statement manages to take my breath away for several seconds, and I wonder for a moment whether the people down the hall were able to hear the gasp I just let out.
"Lilly!"
I can barely believe this, but the happy smile on Lilly's face tells me that I didn't imagine what I just heard. As this statement slowly starts sinking into my brain, a smile almost as large as Lilly's starts forming on my face.
"Lilly, t-that would be wonderful."
"Nothing has been decided yet, but... I'm keeping my fingers crossed and offering a little prayer every evening."
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too."
"Thanks, Hanako."
"Lilly? What about Akira? Would she be coming back too?"
Lilly's smile drops for a moment.
"I've asked her several times to consider it, but so far my attempts to convince her haven't met with much success."
Lilly's mother takes this moment to jump in.
"You tried as hard as you could, dear, but Akira's situation is different from ours. I don't think she'd be taken very seriously at the Japanese branch anymore if she returned there so soon after leaving. And forcing her to come along would defeat the purpose of having her join you here. I know you care about her a lot, but I think we should allow her to choose the life that she feels is best for her."
"I know, Mother..."
Lilly gives a resigned nod, but the tone in her voice suggests that she's not particularly happy about it. I'm suddenly reminded of something else. If Lilly's parents were to return to Japan, will Lilly move back in with them? That would probably make sense. I'd still be happy for Lilly, but I'd be really sad to lose my neighbor. We'd still be able to have lunch together and talk to each other, but I'd really miss hanging out with Lilly in here before bedtime.
"Lilly, ummm... If your p-parents move b-back here, you would... probably go and l-live with them again, w-wouldn't you?"
Lilly shakes her head and gives me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Hanako. I won't be going anywhere. I've already decided to stay here, and if my parents return to this country, I'll simply visit them on Sundays. I promise you that Mother and Father coming to live in Japan again will not come at the expense of my friendship with you. Mother can be my witness."
Lilly's mother gives me a cheerful nod.
"With the exams coming up later this year, it'd probably be more convenient for Lilly to keep living here on campus rather than having to deal with the travelling again on a daily basis and you two seem so close that I'd feel really bad about doing anything that would create distance between you. Besides..."
She grins and a mischievous twinkle appears in her eye.
"...imagine how early Lilly'd have to get up each morning in order to make it to class every day. It'd be torture."
Lilly's expression immediately changes into a pout, and she shoots her mother a disapproving look.
"M-Mother! That was a bit uncalled for. Besides, I had to get up early when I was still living with Akira, and I handled that just fine..."
This feels a bit awkward. I have the impression that Lilly hasn't gotten used to her mother's habit of playfully teasing her. Karla, for her part, merely snickers at her successful attempt at getting a reaction out of her daughter. Upon hearing this, Lilly lets out a tired sigh and shakes her head.
"Mother, if you keep making fun of me, I'm afraid I won't be able to share any of our snacks with you."
Lilly's mother laughs.
"You're not shy about bringing out the big guns against me, huh? Very well, I'll stop poking fun at you."
Lilly gets up and takes the teapot.
"Thank you. I will go and get us some more tea. Hanako, where did you put the snacks for this evening?"
"On the bottom shelf of your cupboard."
"Good. I will be back soon."
After Lilly has left the room, Karla stares at the door for a moment and then looks back at me.
"You know... When we left for the USA, Akira assured me that my husband was in good hands with Lilly. I thought she was merely being polite at first. But when I came back from that trip, it turned out that Lilly had been responsible for nearly every meal my husband ate those weeks and was pretty much running the household in Allison's place. I got the impression that her presence was also soothing and comforting for my husband. The fact that all of that surprised me probably shows that some extra time spent getting to know my daughter better is probably long overdue."
I giggle. I've been experiencing Lilly's nurturing side ever since I was introduced to her, so what I'm hearing right now doesn't surprise me in the least.
"Did I say something funny?"
"Lilly likes to... mother p-people she cares about, so..."
Karla lets out an amused laugh.
"...my daughter's been mothering her own dad for the last few weeks. That is kind of funny."
Lilly's mother eyes me with a smile.
"Lilly's been a big support for my husband, but she said that you in turn were a big support for her all this time. So... Thanks for that."
I'm a bit flustered by Karla's grateful expression. Lilly's called me on an almost daily basis while she was in Inverness, and I was happy to help her unwind by listening to her, though I never really thought of it as much of a big deal.
"I d-didn't do t-that much."
"You did enough, and that's what matters."
"Ummm..."
"Yes?"
"It's... probably not my p-place to say so, but... I... think... if you r-really r-returned to Japan... Lilly w-would be... very happy."
Lilly's mother smiles sadly.
"You're the third one to mention that in a few days. Lilly herself made a pretty strong case for moving earlier this week. And Akira sided with her."
"And ah... W-what do you think?"
"Me? Hmmm. I think..."
She sighs sadly, and for a few seconds it seems like all traces of her usual up-beat personality vanish before my eyes.
06
"I think... I'm really going to miss my homeland."
"It has... already b-been decided?"
"My husband's the only one who hasn't thrown in his opinion yet. He hardly ever makes decisions on a whim. There are a few factors to consider in the whole situation, and he wants to think about them first."
"Factors?"
"Like a job. He'll probably want to start working again at some point. Objectively speaking, he's probably more likely to get one quickly if we stay in Scotland. He has a reputation there as a capable businessman leading a successful company, and I have a large network of business contacts in the Highlands area I could make use of to create opportunities for him. His successor would probably agree to buy his shares if we offered, and we could use the money to retire or buy shares of local company. Maybe even set something up ourselves. It'd be a completely new start. If he wanted to continue working as a manager, western companies are also more open to hiring outsiders as managers while their Japanese counterparts prefer managers who started work at that company as freshmen straight out of university and who grew into the role over the span of a few decades of company service."
She absentmindedly toys with her blond bangs while continuing.
"But in the end a lot of it comes down to what he wants to do with his life. Even before he entered elementary school there's been this roadmap made out of other people's expectations that told him exactly where he was and where he was supposed to go. I can only imagine that now must be a confusing time for him now that all of that is suddenly gone. Still..."
Lilly's mother stares into the distance for a second.
"...there's little doubt in my mind that deep down he'd really like to return to his home country. He's missed it a lot over the last few years. I also think that even though he wouldn't have much say on the board of directors yet, he'd still want to remain involved in the company that's been part of his life ever since he was young."
The slight tone of resignation in her voice makes me worry a bit. I'm having the impression that if the Satous end up moving back here, it'll merely be because Karla abided by the majority decision.
"You would... rather n-not move?"
Lilly's mother smiles sadly.
"It won't be easy to leave everything behind that's become part of my daily life over the last six years, but it was bound to happen eventually. Though I would have liked to stay in Scotland, I knew our move from Japan to Inverness was never really intended to be permanent. My husband left Japan for his job, not because he was tired of living here. He would probably have wanted to return here after his retirement anyway. He probably even felt he had to in order to continue serving the company as a member of the board of directors."
"B-But... h-he... you asked Lilly..."
"To tell you the truth... asking Lilly and Akira to move to Inverness wasn't my husband's idea. It was mine."
"Y-Yours?"
"It's a bit ironic. When we lived in Scotland, I'd see my husband more often in a single day than I'd have seen him in a week while we still lived in Japan. But despite that, I felt we were slowly growing apart. When my older sister fell ill and said that she wanted to see Lilly and Akira, it kind of gave me an official excuse. I had hoped some time spent together as a family of four would get us closer again. But things were merely very awkward during their time here, and I started fearing that if something wasn't done, our daughters would be little more than strangers to us by the time my husband retired and we'd move back. So I convinced my husband to take action to reunite our family. Conveniently enough a position was available at the office at that time that Akira could probably fill. I don't think she would have considered moving otherwise."
"Oh."
"My husband always insisted on Lilly finishing her education in the places we picked for her, so I didn't think I'd be able to convince him, but he went along with it after some urging on my part."
"But now... you're m-moving instead of Lilly."
"Karma works in weird ways, huh? Still, I asked Lilly to give up her life here and move to the other end of the world just for us. It's only fair that I'm not going to be a hypocrite about it now that the shoe is on the other foot. And besides..."
She gives me that familiar grin of hers, although this one looks just a little bit more forced than usual.
"...I have experience in permanently leaving my homeland behind in favor of another, so I'll be okay. Besides, we'll get to see Lilly a lot more often if we move here, and I do want to spend more time with her. A few weeks weren't really that much to reconnect with one another."
"W-Were you... very disappointed when Lilly s-said she wanted to stay here?"
"I'm kind of split on that. On the one hand I was very sad and disappointed after that phone call. But when I thought it over some more, I realized that Lilly's decision must have been a very hard one, and I came to respect it. Children eventually have to leave their parents' nest and find their own way in life. Lilly's always been a very obedient girl, and I sincerely worried that her initial decision to move was merely because she felt it wasn't her place to reject our offer. After the initial shock from her change of plans wore off, I realized that above all I'm extremely proud of my daughter for having the courage to follow her own dreams rather than letting others dictate them for her."
She smiles proudly to reinforce her words.
"What about y-your job? Do you already k-know what to do?"
"Our staff manager is already looking for someone to replace me and when we find someone, I'll spend my remaining time in Scotland informing business contacts and teaching my successor the ropes. Afterwards I'll be focusing on helping my husband get back into his daily routine. I haven't really thought of what to do after that. I'm sure I'll get plenty of time to think about it."
Lilly's mother reaches absentmindedly for her tea cup and puts it to her lips only to realize that it's empty.
"Speaking of time, what's taking that girl so long? She doesn't get lost in here, does she?"
I giggle and shake my head.
"No."
07
As if on cue, the door opens and Lilly enters carrying the teapot and two bags of snacks.
"I'm terribly sorry for the wait."
"Couldn't find the snacks?"
"I just ran into a few friends down in the common room who started asking me how my time in Scotland has been, and I felt it was rude to just brush them off like that."
"Heh, I'm sure that'll happen several more times the upcoming days. Better to get yourself prepared for it."
"I'll do my best."
Lilly pours the tea, and we take some time to feast on the snacks she brought along.
"Lilly?"
"Yes, Hanako?"
"If your friends who aren't b-blind want to know what it was like in Scotland, I could m-maybe get you a few of the pictures I took so you can show them."
"Hmmm, that's a very good idea. But aren't those your photos?"
"I'll simply print out some extra copies at the club. It's n-not a problem."
"In that case I'd love to have a few of your photos, Hanako."
Lilly's mother has lowered her teacup and has turned her head in my direction upon hearing about the club.
"So how's the newspaper club going? Have you already released the column you were working on in Inverness?"
"N-Not yet. It'll be out next week."
"I can't wait to read it."
She's still as passionate as ever about the subject. Suddenly an idea pops in my mind. I'm not sure if Naomi's going to go along with this, but she might just be interested.
"Ummm...K-Karla?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe ummm... If y-you have t-time... Y-you don't really have to if you d-don't want to, but..."
Is this really a good idea? Isn't this too amateurish for someone with Karla's experience?
"It m-might be nice if... ah... you could s-stop by the c-club tomorrow and have a l-look around yourself."
A surprised smile appears on Karla's face, and I can see a twinkle in not one, but both of her eyes.
"Can I? Really?"
"I'd h-have to ask Naomi, but she m-might allow it."
"I'd love to drop by and see things for myself."
"I'll ask her in c-class tomorrow."
"Wonderful. It's a busy day for me tomorrow as my husband's successor wanted to see me, so I have to drop by the Japanese branch tomorrow morning. But I also have an appointment with the principal here tomorrow afternoon to fully explain our situation to her and apologize for Lilly's absence over the last weeks. If you let me know if I can stop by I will do so after I'm done with that meeting. It'll be a great way to conclude the events of the day."
"Let you know?"
She takes a business card out of her bag and writes a number and e-mail address on the back. When I take it, I notice they differ from the ones on the front. These must be her private phone number and e-mail.
"I already have your phone number, but would it be a problem for you to give me your e-mail address too? For the sake of completeness?"
"O-Okay."
We take out our cell phones and put in the other's contact information. When it's finished, I look at the small list of contacts on my screen. Karla's name is visible right above Lilly's and Naomi's entry.
"...Done. That makes five."
08
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:30 am, edited 3 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 39
Chapter 39
01
"A writing club, huh?"
Lilly, her mother and I are currently sitting in Lilly's room and having a cup of tea. We all have plans for this evening that don't involve hanging around here, but it feels nice to take a few minutes to sit back and relax.
"Not really an official c-club. Just a few of us trying s-something new."
"As a result of my advice?"
"Yes."
Karla's visit to the newspaper club a few days ago had been an unexpected success. Neither Naomi nor Mister Hoshino had objections to letting a former journalist pay a visit, and so the afternoon at the club turned out to be quite different from the usual fare. Lilly's mother was first introduced to everyone and given a little explanation on how we usually go about putting a newspaper issue together. Afterwards, all usual activities for the day were put on hold, and we spent several hours listening to Karla's stories about her own time as a journalist. It turned out that Karla and Naomi took pretty much an instant liking to one another, feeding off each other's enthusiasm rather than being put off by it.
At first I was a little worried when Lilly's mother mentioned that she had been out of the profession for quite some time, but that concern was quickly alleviated when it became clear how knowledgable Karla still was about many aspects of the job. She started with an recount of how she went to study journalism in order to broaden her horizons and meet new people and how she got to travel around the country as a business reporter. She continued with an account of how she switched jobs and relocated to Japan and concluded with an analysis on how she experienced the news business in Europe, Japan and the United States.
"I spoke with one of the club's members in class two days ago. It seems you've made quite an impression on the club, Mother."
"Hahaha, that's good to know. It'd have been bad if it turned out that I was the only one who had fun that day."
"I heard you brought me up, by the way."
"Only to make a point, dear. You should be honored that I brought you up as a source of inspiration."
I remember that. Naomi asked Karla about the possibilities of getting a job in the news business if you couldn't drive and were encouraged by the doctor to keep your day-night rhythm as regular as possible. Karla responded that the image of the reporter who's out and about 24/7 in search of the next big scoop hardly covered all journalists and that many articles could take weeks or even months to gather interviews and information for, so planning the project properly could go a long way in avoiding having to pull all-nighters. She also mentioned that it wasn't uncommon for reporters to team up to work on articles, and joining up with the right partner was all it would take to work around your individual limits. She then mentioned how Lilly wanted to teach English as a career and listed some of the workarounds her daughter came up with to circumvent the limits of her blindness. That was a pretty motivating moment for everyone. Even I found it inspiring, even though Karla didn't really say anything about Lilly that I didn't already know.
"Speaking of inspiration, what advice did you give that inspired the formation of this club?"
Lilly's mother turns to me.
"Probably the stuff I said about writing practice, wasn't it?"
I nod. Near the end of her visit, Lilly's mother said that the best way to start a journalism-related career would be to apply to a good university and get plenty of writing practice in the meantime. Mister Hoshino promised to drop off a collection of brochures at the club for universities that offered suitable studies, and Naomi came up with a proposal to cover the writing practice a day after Karla's visit. Her proposal was to start checking out online writing competitions and take part in them.
Unfortunately for her, Mister Hoshino immediately shot that idea down, as he argued that the club was centered around the creation of the school newspaper and received a club budget specifically for that purpose. He did encourage Naomi to pursue the venture after club hours, though and said he was happy to look up a few contests held by magazines, websites and other third parties that high schoolers would be able to partake in. Encouraged by our teacher's support, Naomi promptly announced the founding of an unofficial writing club and invited everyone in the room to join.
I wasn't very sure how serious she was at first. Naomi has the tendency to be a bit impulsive from time to time, but when she approached me the day afterwards and repeated her invitation, I realized she was actually planning to go through with this. Long story short, she ended up convincing me to give it a try. I wasn't sure if this was going to go anywhere, but I had been thinking of getting some writing practice myself, and since our teacher said he was willing to provide feedback on everything we submitted, this appeared to be a pretty good opportunity.
"Y-Yes. Mister Hoshino said he'd look into a few competitions for us to submit our w-work in. Even if we d-don't win anything it'll still be good practice."
Lilly smiles.
"And even if you don't win anything you're still spending your time with friends doing something you enjoy. That's never a waste of time."
Friends? I'm slowly starting to get used to my clubmates' presence, but I'm not sure if we're truly friends. Certainly not in the way I'm friends with Lilly.
"I... suppose."
"When will you be starting?"
"We... meet up for the f-first time this evening. It's just... three of us right now."
"How exciting. And where will you be meeting up?"
I sigh. That issue came up earlier today, and I'm not too fond of the outcome.
"We d-drew straws. They're c-coming t-to my room tonight."
Lilly nods understandingly, but her mother looks a bit confused.
"You look a bit apprehensive about it."
"Ummm... L-Lilly and Hisao are the only two people I've ever let into my room before."
I'm quite aware of the possibility that they'll find my room empty, dull and devoid of personality , especially Naomi who tends to speak her mind from time to time, and that might be enough to instantly kill my motivation and what little self-esteem I've been trying to gather for this.
"Would you like to use my room, Hanako? Mother and I will be away for most of the evening, so nobody will bother you here."
Karla will apparently be travelling the country the upcoming week in order to look for attractive neighborhoods to settle down in if they want to go through with the plan of migrating back to Japan. That means she won't be in the area for several days, so she and Lilly are going out tonight and probably won't be back until rather late.
"Ummm..."
I strongly consider taking Lilly's offer, but there are a few problems with it. First of all, if this meeting turns out well, it won't be the last time we get together, and I might end up playing host at some point in the future again. I can't keep relying on Lilly for that. Also, the others will be able to immediately tell that this isn't my room and might start speculating why I'm so reluctant to invite them over to my place. That speculation, especially with Naomi, might be worse that the real thing.
"Thanks, but... they'll probably s-start thinking bad things about me if I won't even l-let them into my room."
Lilly's mother toys around with her hair a bit and looks at me with a serious look in her eyes.
"I guess this must be kind of intimidating, but sometimes the only way to move forward is to take a bold step and have faith that it'll turn out alright."
"Faith?"
"Yep. It can help from time to time, you know."
Lilly takes the teapot and holds it out for me.
"If you're not going to use my room, please at least use my tea set. Seeing that you were the one who picked it, I feel it is also partially yours anyway."
That might not be such a bad idea.
"Okay then. I'd better go and make new tea."
We leave Lilly's room, head down to the kitchen area, and I start boiling water for a new batch of tea. Judging by the fact that Lilly and her mother are carrying their handbags, the two are just about ready to leave. As I start filling up the teapot, Lilly turns to me.
"Hanako, I know that Naomi is part of this little club too, but you said there were three of you right now. Who is the third member?"
"I am."
We turn around to find my fellow editor standing in the kitchen doorway wearing her favorite red-and-white cap, carrying a flat, black bag with one hand while wearing an orthopedic brace on the other. Lilly's mother smiles and returns Jun's bow with a polite one of her own.
"Yamazaki, wasn't it?"
"Good evening."
Karla shifts her gaze to the bag Jun is carrying.
"You brought a laptop along?"
She nods.
"It's my own. We can use it to type up what we come up with and look things up if necessary."
Lilly's mother frowns.
"Do you have internet here? I didn't notice any network sockets in the wall of Lilly's room."
I shake my head.
"There aren't any. But I've seen people checking their mail on l-laptops in the common room before, so the building probably has Wifi."
"That makes sense."
Jun nods enthusiastically.
"There's a Wifi router in the common room's TV cabinet. The network isn't password-protected so anyone with a laptop who wishes to access the internet can log onto it."
"Mother, now that one of Hanako's guests has already arrived, perhaps it would be a good moment for us to be on our way."
I use my hand to hide a small amused smile. Lilly has a point of course, but I noticed she visibly cringed for a moment when the discussion turned technical. Lilly's never been very comfortable with her computer illiteracy.
"I guess so. You'll say hello to Inoue for me, won't you?"
"Sure."
"Well, have fun you two. Bye."
Lilly and her mother wave goodbye and walk out of the room while I'm left with Jun who seems eager to leave.
"Shall we go, Hanako? This laptop is getting a bit heavy, so..."
"Oh... ah... Sure."
We leave the kitchen and make our way to the door of my room. Once again my anxiety flares up a bit. Jun isn't someone whom I expect will immediately criticize me for the way my room looks, but she'll definitely think something when I let her in.
"Hanako?"
"J-Just a moment."
I unlock the door to my room, and we go in. I walk right up to my desk and put the tea set down so I don't have to see the look on Jun's face. There's no immediate reaction either. When she finally says something, it isn't even a reaction to her surroundings. I'm not sure whether to feel relieved or worried.
"...can I put my laptop on your desk? It'll be easier that way."
"Ah, sure."
She walks up to my desk, plugs her laptop into the nearby power socket and starts it up. The room is quiet except for the subdued humming of the computer. The silence starts feeling really heavy to me, but it doesn't seem to bother Jun. I haven't really known her for very long, but one thing I've learned about her is that she isn't very talkative most of the time unless a subject she's specifically interested in pops up, at which point she can get quite verbose. I don't think it's shyness in her case... I've seen her put Naomi in her place when the latter said something that Jun thought was ridiculous and that's a pretty big thing seeing that Naomi is her senior. It's just that she doesn't like to use twenty words to say something that can also be said with ten.
"..."
"..."
While I'm still struggling to think of a way to make conversation, Jun has finished booting up her system and is now running her internet browser to test the network connection. That suddenly makes me wonder about something.
"Ah... Jun?"
"Hmmm?"
"Ah... You... often visit the computer lab, don't you?"
"Yes. I think that's where we first saw one another. It was some time before you joined."
"Why... do you go there if you h-have your own laptop?"
"This is a really old model, and it isn't always stable. That's why it took so long to start up. It can't handle graphically intensive websites well. Or message boards where a lot of pictures are posted."
"Oh."
"Hanako, what do you like most? Writing or editing?"
"I like the idea of writing. I just... don't have much experience yet."
"Maybe now that I'm back at the club you can do more writing. I'm sure Naomi can find plenty of things for you to do."
"Maybe... I'd still like to do a bit of editing if that's okay. It's... umm..."
Safer. People are less likely to criticize me, because I didn't actually create anything for them to criticize.
"...fun too. Do you like editing?"
"It's a fun job to do. I've been told that I'm very particular about spelling and grammar, so it's nice to put that to good use."
"Told by whom?"
"Some people online. I don't think much of it. I usually make an attempt to type correctly, on message boards even if one of my arms is in a cast or brace, so it's not too much to ask others to do the same, is it?"
For some reason she rolls her eyes while she says that. I wonder why.
"No. But... if you prefer editing then why did you join a writing club?"
"Editors and researchers are useful for writing clubs too. When Naomi invited me, I told her I wasn't really up to writing stuff myself, but I'd be happy to assist you with yours."
The conversation falls silent again until I'm startled by a sudden movement from the door handle. Someone just tried opening the door. Jun throws me a puzzled look.
"Did you lock the door after we got in here?"
"F-Force of habit."
I quickly unlock the door and notice someone with bleached hair and a file folder under her arm walking down the hall and away from the door.
"N-Naomi."
She turns around and waves.
"Hey! I was already heading for the kitchen to check for you there. Is Jun already inside?"
"Y-Yes. C-come in."
I let Naomi into my room and my heart skips a beat when I see her take a long, long look around the room. Surprisingly, the expected 'What the hell?' doesn't come. Instead, she merely keeps sweeping my room with an analyzing gaze that feels strange coming from her. Eventually, her eyes fall on my cabinet containing my two dolls. A smile suddenly appears on her face.
"Hey! This one looks a lot like Satou. That's probably not a coincidence, is it?"
I'm taken a bit off guard by her sudden switch from analytical observer to her usual self, but manage to stammer out a response.
"It... was a g-gift from Lilly. Hisao p-picked it out for her."
"It looks really cute."
Jun taps her fingers on the teapot next to her laptop to get Naomi's attention.
"Do you want to have some tea? It's still warm and pretty good."
"Yeah, I'd like some."
A bit relieved by Jun's attempt to divert Naomi's attention away from my room's interior, I pour some tea for her and myself, and we take a seat on my bed while Jun remains seated on my chair. The atmosphere is fairly relaxed as we drink our tea and just sit there, but I still feel a bit on edge. I wonder if that's because there are two people whom I haven't known for that long sitting in my room right now. Ever since I came to Yamaku, this room has been the only place where I could always go to feel safe and secure. The knowledge that I'll have nowhere to run off to if something happens that sets my anxieties off makes me feel uneasy and a little bit cornered.
"...Hanako?"
"Ah... Y-yes?"
"I was asking whether it's okay to get started."
I really need to stop spacing out over this. I'm not going to be able to pull my weight here if I can't put my mind at ease.
"S-Sure."
Naomi gets up, scrapes her throat, pauses for a bit of effect and then throws her fist up in the air.
02
"Welcome to the first meeting of our new club, people. It would be grand if we could start cranking up pieces tonight already, but let's start with the most important thing first."
Jun looks at the folder Naomi took along with her.
"You spoke to Mister Hoshino about recommendations, didn't you?"
"We'll get to that later. The most important thing for now is deciding on a name for ourselves."
"Ummm... D-do we really need a name? This isn't an... official club, is it?"
"Of course we need a name. I already felt cheesy saying 'our new club' the first time and having an official name makes things easier. We need to know what to say when referring to the club. It's also a matter of principle."
Jun looks puzzled at that.
"Why is it a matter of principle?"
"If we don't even have the creativity to think up a name for ourselves, what does that say about our ability to come up with stuff to write about?"
"I can't really argue that point."
Naomi grins.
"Okay! Brainstorm time, girls! How are team names made up?"
Jun thinks for a moment and then starts typing on her laptop. A few seconds later she moves aside to reveal a website containing information about the Japanese baseball league.
"Yomiuri Giants. Hanshin Tigers. Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Chiba Lotte Marines. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks."
"Okay, so those teams often use animal names or some other impressive-sounding noun and combine it with the area they're from or the company that owns them. That's not a bad way to come up with a name. For us that would probably be Yamaku then. We just need a noun to go with it. Maybe animals. How does 'The Yamaku Kittens' sound?"
There's a short silence followed by a giggle from all three of us. I think that name sounds way too cute for a writing club. Jun smilingly shakes her head.
"That may be a better name for a cheerleaders' squad. Maybe we need to go with something that refers to writing or writing implements. 'The Yamaku Pens' or 'The Yamaku Pencils' perhaps?"
Those might be better suited for a writing club. Naomi doesn't look completely convinced though.
"Doesn't sound bad, but I think it lacks a little punch."
"There aren't that many writing implements. I hope you're not planning to go with typewriters or word processors."
"Hehehe, that sounds horrible. I don't know, maybe we ought to look at it from more than one angle. Hanako, what do you think?"
"Ah... I'm... n-not sure. I don't r-really have any better ideas."
"What's the last team name you've heard lately? Baseball teams don't count."
"Ummm... Oriental Express?"
"Huh?"
"In Scotland... Lilly and her sister won a p-pub quiz under that name."
"Heh, that sounds kinda cool. Do you remember any more names?"
01
"A writing club, huh?"
Lilly, her mother and I are currently sitting in Lilly's room and having a cup of tea. We all have plans for this evening that don't involve hanging around here, but it feels nice to take a few minutes to sit back and relax.
"Not really an official c-club. Just a few of us trying s-something new."
"As a result of my advice?"
"Yes."
Karla's visit to the newspaper club a few days ago had been an unexpected success. Neither Naomi nor Mister Hoshino had objections to letting a former journalist pay a visit, and so the afternoon at the club turned out to be quite different from the usual fare. Lilly's mother was first introduced to everyone and given a little explanation on how we usually go about putting a newspaper issue together. Afterwards, all usual activities for the day were put on hold, and we spent several hours listening to Karla's stories about her own time as a journalist. It turned out that Karla and Naomi took pretty much an instant liking to one another, feeding off each other's enthusiasm rather than being put off by it.
At first I was a little worried when Lilly's mother mentioned that she had been out of the profession for quite some time, but that concern was quickly alleviated when it became clear how knowledgable Karla still was about many aspects of the job. She started with an recount of how she went to study journalism in order to broaden her horizons and meet new people and how she got to travel around the country as a business reporter. She continued with an account of how she switched jobs and relocated to Japan and concluded with an analysis on how she experienced the news business in Europe, Japan and the United States.
"I spoke with one of the club's members in class two days ago. It seems you've made quite an impression on the club, Mother."
"Hahaha, that's good to know. It'd have been bad if it turned out that I was the only one who had fun that day."
"I heard you brought me up, by the way."
"Only to make a point, dear. You should be honored that I brought you up as a source of inspiration."
I remember that. Naomi asked Karla about the possibilities of getting a job in the news business if you couldn't drive and were encouraged by the doctor to keep your day-night rhythm as regular as possible. Karla responded that the image of the reporter who's out and about 24/7 in search of the next big scoop hardly covered all journalists and that many articles could take weeks or even months to gather interviews and information for, so planning the project properly could go a long way in avoiding having to pull all-nighters. She also mentioned that it wasn't uncommon for reporters to team up to work on articles, and joining up with the right partner was all it would take to work around your individual limits. She then mentioned how Lilly wanted to teach English as a career and listed some of the workarounds her daughter came up with to circumvent the limits of her blindness. That was a pretty motivating moment for everyone. Even I found it inspiring, even though Karla didn't really say anything about Lilly that I didn't already know.
"Speaking of inspiration, what advice did you give that inspired the formation of this club?"
Lilly's mother turns to me.
"Probably the stuff I said about writing practice, wasn't it?"
I nod. Near the end of her visit, Lilly's mother said that the best way to start a journalism-related career would be to apply to a good university and get plenty of writing practice in the meantime. Mister Hoshino promised to drop off a collection of brochures at the club for universities that offered suitable studies, and Naomi came up with a proposal to cover the writing practice a day after Karla's visit. Her proposal was to start checking out online writing competitions and take part in them.
Unfortunately for her, Mister Hoshino immediately shot that idea down, as he argued that the club was centered around the creation of the school newspaper and received a club budget specifically for that purpose. He did encourage Naomi to pursue the venture after club hours, though and said he was happy to look up a few contests held by magazines, websites and other third parties that high schoolers would be able to partake in. Encouraged by our teacher's support, Naomi promptly announced the founding of an unofficial writing club and invited everyone in the room to join.
I wasn't very sure how serious she was at first. Naomi has the tendency to be a bit impulsive from time to time, but when she approached me the day afterwards and repeated her invitation, I realized she was actually planning to go through with this. Long story short, she ended up convincing me to give it a try. I wasn't sure if this was going to go anywhere, but I had been thinking of getting some writing practice myself, and since our teacher said he was willing to provide feedback on everything we submitted, this appeared to be a pretty good opportunity.
"Y-Yes. Mister Hoshino said he'd look into a few competitions for us to submit our w-work in. Even if we d-don't win anything it'll still be good practice."
Lilly smiles.
"And even if you don't win anything you're still spending your time with friends doing something you enjoy. That's never a waste of time."
Friends? I'm slowly starting to get used to my clubmates' presence, but I'm not sure if we're truly friends. Certainly not in the way I'm friends with Lilly.
"I... suppose."
"When will you be starting?"
"We... meet up for the f-first time this evening. It's just... three of us right now."
"How exciting. And where will you be meeting up?"
I sigh. That issue came up earlier today, and I'm not too fond of the outcome.
"We d-drew straws. They're c-coming t-to my room tonight."
Lilly nods understandingly, but her mother looks a bit confused.
"You look a bit apprehensive about it."
"Ummm... L-Lilly and Hisao are the only two people I've ever let into my room before."
I'm quite aware of the possibility that they'll find my room empty, dull and devoid of personality , especially Naomi who tends to speak her mind from time to time, and that might be enough to instantly kill my motivation and what little self-esteem I've been trying to gather for this.
"Would you like to use my room, Hanako? Mother and I will be away for most of the evening, so nobody will bother you here."
Karla will apparently be travelling the country the upcoming week in order to look for attractive neighborhoods to settle down in if they want to go through with the plan of migrating back to Japan. That means she won't be in the area for several days, so she and Lilly are going out tonight and probably won't be back until rather late.
"Ummm..."
I strongly consider taking Lilly's offer, but there are a few problems with it. First of all, if this meeting turns out well, it won't be the last time we get together, and I might end up playing host at some point in the future again. I can't keep relying on Lilly for that. Also, the others will be able to immediately tell that this isn't my room and might start speculating why I'm so reluctant to invite them over to my place. That speculation, especially with Naomi, might be worse that the real thing.
"Thanks, but... they'll probably s-start thinking bad things about me if I won't even l-let them into my room."
Lilly's mother toys around with her hair a bit and looks at me with a serious look in her eyes.
"I guess this must be kind of intimidating, but sometimes the only way to move forward is to take a bold step and have faith that it'll turn out alright."
"Faith?"
"Yep. It can help from time to time, you know."
Lilly takes the teapot and holds it out for me.
"If you're not going to use my room, please at least use my tea set. Seeing that you were the one who picked it, I feel it is also partially yours anyway."
That might not be such a bad idea.
"Okay then. I'd better go and make new tea."
We leave Lilly's room, head down to the kitchen area, and I start boiling water for a new batch of tea. Judging by the fact that Lilly and her mother are carrying their handbags, the two are just about ready to leave. As I start filling up the teapot, Lilly turns to me.
"Hanako, I know that Naomi is part of this little club too, but you said there were three of you right now. Who is the third member?"
"I am."
We turn around to find my fellow editor standing in the kitchen doorway wearing her favorite red-and-white cap, carrying a flat, black bag with one hand while wearing an orthopedic brace on the other. Lilly's mother smiles and returns Jun's bow with a polite one of her own.
"Yamazaki, wasn't it?"
"Good evening."
Karla shifts her gaze to the bag Jun is carrying.
"You brought a laptop along?"
She nods.
"It's my own. We can use it to type up what we come up with and look things up if necessary."
Lilly's mother frowns.
"Do you have internet here? I didn't notice any network sockets in the wall of Lilly's room."
I shake my head.
"There aren't any. But I've seen people checking their mail on l-laptops in the common room before, so the building probably has Wifi."
"That makes sense."
Jun nods enthusiastically.
"There's a Wifi router in the common room's TV cabinet. The network isn't password-protected so anyone with a laptop who wishes to access the internet can log onto it."
"Mother, now that one of Hanako's guests has already arrived, perhaps it would be a good moment for us to be on our way."
I use my hand to hide a small amused smile. Lilly has a point of course, but I noticed she visibly cringed for a moment when the discussion turned technical. Lilly's never been very comfortable with her computer illiteracy.
"I guess so. You'll say hello to Inoue for me, won't you?"
"Sure."
"Well, have fun you two. Bye."
Lilly and her mother wave goodbye and walk out of the room while I'm left with Jun who seems eager to leave.
"Shall we go, Hanako? This laptop is getting a bit heavy, so..."
"Oh... ah... Sure."
We leave the kitchen and make our way to the door of my room. Once again my anxiety flares up a bit. Jun isn't someone whom I expect will immediately criticize me for the way my room looks, but she'll definitely think something when I let her in.
"Hanako?"
"J-Just a moment."
I unlock the door to my room, and we go in. I walk right up to my desk and put the tea set down so I don't have to see the look on Jun's face. There's no immediate reaction either. When she finally says something, it isn't even a reaction to her surroundings. I'm not sure whether to feel relieved or worried.
"...can I put my laptop on your desk? It'll be easier that way."
"Ah, sure."
She walks up to my desk, plugs her laptop into the nearby power socket and starts it up. The room is quiet except for the subdued humming of the computer. The silence starts feeling really heavy to me, but it doesn't seem to bother Jun. I haven't really known her for very long, but one thing I've learned about her is that she isn't very talkative most of the time unless a subject she's specifically interested in pops up, at which point she can get quite verbose. I don't think it's shyness in her case... I've seen her put Naomi in her place when the latter said something that Jun thought was ridiculous and that's a pretty big thing seeing that Naomi is her senior. It's just that she doesn't like to use twenty words to say something that can also be said with ten.
"..."
"..."
While I'm still struggling to think of a way to make conversation, Jun has finished booting up her system and is now running her internet browser to test the network connection. That suddenly makes me wonder about something.
"Ah... Jun?"
"Hmmm?"
"Ah... You... often visit the computer lab, don't you?"
"Yes. I think that's where we first saw one another. It was some time before you joined."
"Why... do you go there if you h-have your own laptop?"
"This is a really old model, and it isn't always stable. That's why it took so long to start up. It can't handle graphically intensive websites well. Or message boards where a lot of pictures are posted."
"Oh."
"Hanako, what do you like most? Writing or editing?"
"I like the idea of writing. I just... don't have much experience yet."
"Maybe now that I'm back at the club you can do more writing. I'm sure Naomi can find plenty of things for you to do."
"Maybe... I'd still like to do a bit of editing if that's okay. It's... umm..."
Safer. People are less likely to criticize me, because I didn't actually create anything for them to criticize.
"...fun too. Do you like editing?"
"It's a fun job to do. I've been told that I'm very particular about spelling and grammar, so it's nice to put that to good use."
"Told by whom?"
"Some people online. I don't think much of it. I usually make an attempt to type correctly, on message boards even if one of my arms is in a cast or brace, so it's not too much to ask others to do the same, is it?"
For some reason she rolls her eyes while she says that. I wonder why.
"No. But... if you prefer editing then why did you join a writing club?"
"Editors and researchers are useful for writing clubs too. When Naomi invited me, I told her I wasn't really up to writing stuff myself, but I'd be happy to assist you with yours."
The conversation falls silent again until I'm startled by a sudden movement from the door handle. Someone just tried opening the door. Jun throws me a puzzled look.
"Did you lock the door after we got in here?"
"F-Force of habit."
I quickly unlock the door and notice someone with bleached hair and a file folder under her arm walking down the hall and away from the door.
"N-Naomi."
She turns around and waves.
"Hey! I was already heading for the kitchen to check for you there. Is Jun already inside?"
"Y-Yes. C-come in."
I let Naomi into my room and my heart skips a beat when I see her take a long, long look around the room. Surprisingly, the expected 'What the hell?' doesn't come. Instead, she merely keeps sweeping my room with an analyzing gaze that feels strange coming from her. Eventually, her eyes fall on my cabinet containing my two dolls. A smile suddenly appears on her face.
"Hey! This one looks a lot like Satou. That's probably not a coincidence, is it?"
I'm taken a bit off guard by her sudden switch from analytical observer to her usual self, but manage to stammer out a response.
"It... was a g-gift from Lilly. Hisao p-picked it out for her."
"It looks really cute."
Jun taps her fingers on the teapot next to her laptop to get Naomi's attention.
"Do you want to have some tea? It's still warm and pretty good."
"Yeah, I'd like some."
A bit relieved by Jun's attempt to divert Naomi's attention away from my room's interior, I pour some tea for her and myself, and we take a seat on my bed while Jun remains seated on my chair. The atmosphere is fairly relaxed as we drink our tea and just sit there, but I still feel a bit on edge. I wonder if that's because there are two people whom I haven't known for that long sitting in my room right now. Ever since I came to Yamaku, this room has been the only place where I could always go to feel safe and secure. The knowledge that I'll have nowhere to run off to if something happens that sets my anxieties off makes me feel uneasy and a little bit cornered.
"...Hanako?"
"Ah... Y-yes?"
"I was asking whether it's okay to get started."
I really need to stop spacing out over this. I'm not going to be able to pull my weight here if I can't put my mind at ease.
"S-Sure."
Naomi gets up, scrapes her throat, pauses for a bit of effect and then throws her fist up in the air.
02
"Welcome to the first meeting of our new club, people. It would be grand if we could start cranking up pieces tonight already, but let's start with the most important thing first."
Jun looks at the folder Naomi took along with her.
"You spoke to Mister Hoshino about recommendations, didn't you?"
"We'll get to that later. The most important thing for now is deciding on a name for ourselves."
"Ummm... D-do we really need a name? This isn't an... official club, is it?"
"Of course we need a name. I already felt cheesy saying 'our new club' the first time and having an official name makes things easier. We need to know what to say when referring to the club. It's also a matter of principle."
Jun looks puzzled at that.
"Why is it a matter of principle?"
"If we don't even have the creativity to think up a name for ourselves, what does that say about our ability to come up with stuff to write about?"
"I can't really argue that point."
Naomi grins.
"Okay! Brainstorm time, girls! How are team names made up?"
Jun thinks for a moment and then starts typing on her laptop. A few seconds later she moves aside to reveal a website containing information about the Japanese baseball league.
"Yomiuri Giants. Hanshin Tigers. Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Chiba Lotte Marines. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks."
"Okay, so those teams often use animal names or some other impressive-sounding noun and combine it with the area they're from or the company that owns them. That's not a bad way to come up with a name. For us that would probably be Yamaku then. We just need a noun to go with it. Maybe animals. How does 'The Yamaku Kittens' sound?"
There's a short silence followed by a giggle from all three of us. I think that name sounds way too cute for a writing club. Jun smilingly shakes her head.
"That may be a better name for a cheerleaders' squad. Maybe we need to go with something that refers to writing or writing implements. 'The Yamaku Pens' or 'The Yamaku Pencils' perhaps?"
Those might be better suited for a writing club. Naomi doesn't look completely convinced though.
"Doesn't sound bad, but I think it lacks a little punch."
"There aren't that many writing implements. I hope you're not planning to go with typewriters or word processors."
"Hehehe, that sounds horrible. I don't know, maybe we ought to look at it from more than one angle. Hanako, what do you think?"
"Ah... I'm... n-not sure. I don't r-really have any better ideas."
"What's the last team name you've heard lately? Baseball teams don't count."
"Ummm... Oriental Express?"
"Huh?"
"In Scotland... Lilly and her sister won a p-pub quiz under that name."
"Heh, that sounds kinda cool. Do you remember any more names?"
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.
-
Guest Poster
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:42 am
Chapter 39 - cont.
Akira listed a whole bunch of them when we left the pub, but I don't remember them all.
"Ummm... A lot of them w-were related to beer or drinking like ummm...'Beer today, Gone tomorrow'. And some were some self-mocking names like... 'Beauty School Dropouts'."
"Hmmm, a slightly playful name may be cool too."
Jun turns back to her laptop and types a few more words. The page she's looking at must be pretty funny, because she lets out a soft giggle but when Naomi comes over she quickly clicks the page away.
"Hmmm... Well, some of those pub quiz team names are pretty creative, but I don't know how I'd feel about referring to us as 'Oh no, my pen's running ou...' or 'One wheel short of a unicycle'. It'd probably get old after the second time."
Naomi nods.
"Yeah, so playful is okay, but over-the-top is bad..."
"Maybe we should go with the pen or pencil angle after all."
Suddenly Naomi snaps her fingers.
"How about... The Broken Quills?"
Jun and I instinctively exchange a baffled look.
"What?"
"Ummm... W-what?"
"You girls know what a quill is, don't you?"
"Yes, but what about the broken part?"
"It's not meant to be insulting, but simply a little playful. I mean, if you use Yamaku in the name and people wonder what the heck the word means and look it up, they'll know what kind of school this is anyway."
"Just because we attend this school doesn't mean we're... like... damaged beyond all use, right?"
Naomi pumps a fist into the air as if Jun just proved her point.
"Just like a quill you break in half. It may not be exactly like an ordinary quill, but you can still use it and you can even write masterpieces with it if you have the inspiration and the drive. We may be attending this school and have reason to do so, but with inspiration and drive we too can create some great things!"
I exchange another baffled look with Jun. Naomi's reasoning, as twisted as it is, kind of makes sense, but only in a very morbid way.
"I'm still not completely sold, to be honest."
"Hanako?"
"I'm... not really sure... either."
"Consider it, okay? And take some time to think up some alternatives. We'll get back to this the next time. Let's get to the other topic of tonight."
Naomi takes the file folder she brought along and fishes several sheets of paper out of it.
"Aaaaand... here are our challenges. Look them over and let me know what you think."
She passes a few pages to each of us, and I start look through mine. I'm impressed by how many our Japanese teacher managed to find in only a few days. There are a few contests organized by online writing communities, but most of them are hosted by various literary clubs associated with high schools and universities in the region.
"Wow... A p-poetry contest."
"I have one about essays here."
Jun scratches her cheek.
"Did you girls notice that most forms mention a word or page limit?"
Naomi nods.
"I think Hoshino picked those out on purpose. He probably wants us to start small and not spend months writing a single piece. Hanako and I have exams in Januari after all."
She smirks.
"If we're going with the essay assignment, I suggest we make them about those exams. Plenty of stuff to write about."
"Such as?"
"How stupid they are. You spend three years working your butt off trying to get good grades and yet all those grades end up not meaning crap as far as your admission goes. Just a handful of days in three whole years that have any significance whatsoever. You sleep through high school and have a lucky break at the end and you pass. You work hard and have a bad day or two and you flunk. Does that sound fair to you?"
Looks like we've hit a personal pet peeve of Naomi's.
"If you don't like exams then how would you do it?"
"I dunno. Instead of stuffing the whole national exam into one weekend maybe spread it out throughout the year so you only have to memorize a little bit at a time and get a chance to make up on the next run if you miss one or do badly? Or maybe hold the exams four times a year. Now you lose a whole year of your life if Murphy screws you over on the wrong day. It's complete bullshit."
Wow, she's really passionate about this. Jun looks at Naomi, then at me, then back at Naomi again.
"I don't think an essay needs to be completely objective, but I doubt the word 'bullshit' will look good in there."
"Duh. I can reword it a bit."
Jun looks at one of the forms again and smirks.
"We probably won't win a prize with that subject."
"Why not?"
"Because the essay contest is hosted by a university. They might not take well to us criticizing their method of accepting students."
Naomi grumbles.
"It's a conspiracy."
Jun rolls her eyes.
"I may know of a few internet forums that are suitable for venting about that if you're interested..."
"Okay, okay. Next."
"The rest seem to be about short stories."
"Mine too."
"That's probably the best place to start. So what options do we have in terms of subjects? Jun?"
"I have science fiction and slice-of-life here. The rest allows the participants to pick their own genre."
"Hanako?"
"Hmmm... Slice-of-life, fantasy and drama. The rest leaves it up to us."
"Mine are fantasy and romance. Looks like we have plenty of options. What do you say we write down our two favorite options and compare them all?"
Jun and I both nod in agreement. As I take a piece of paper to jot down my preferences, I notice that Jun has finished her cup of tea. I take the teapot to refill her cup only to find out that it's nearly empty.
"I'll... ummm... go and make some more tea."
"Great. Thanks."
I leave my room, teapot in hand, and make my way to the kitchen. So far everything's been going rather well. I'd still like to get back though. What would happen if Naomi started snooping around and found my birth control pills or the diary I kept until Lilly's father got hospitalized? I don't think there'd be a second meeting if that were to happen. At least not with me present.
After boiling some more water and refilling my teapot, I start walking back to my room. As I do so, my thoughts return to Naomi's rant about the exams. It came as a surprise to hear her get so worked up over something like that. I guess there's still plenty about her that I don't know.
03
I make it to the door of my room and reach out to push it open when I'm suddenly startled by a loud crashing noise followed by a shriek. I freeze. That sound came from behind my own door. What's happening? I uneasily open the door and look inside.
Jun's no longer sitting at my desk. She's standing up, her back pressed against the nearby wall, and there's a terrified look on her face. There are several things lying at her feet. A box of tissues, a desk lamp and an alarm clock. My things. They're usually on the shelf just above my bed. Did Naomi accidentally knock them off?
"She... She suddenly got like this..."
04
My gaze shifts to Naomi who hasn't moved since I opened the door. She's still sitting on my bed, but there's something strange about her posture. It looks like she's leaning - no, slumping - against the now empty shelf. Just when I'm about to walk up to the bed and ask if she's alright, her head snaps back as if an invisible person just walked up to her and punched her in the face. At the same time, she violently swings her left arm as if trying to slap someone. I cringe as I hear her hand crash into the shelf. That sounded like it hurt, though Naomi doesn't even acknowledge it. That certainly explains how all my items suddenly ended up on the floor. I look at Jun again. Judging by the freaked-out look on her face, this is probably the first time she's seeing Naomi having an epileptic seizure. And truth be told, the sight of Naomi, eyes rolled back, lips slightly blue and movements spastic and unnatural is an extremely disturbing sight even though I've witnessed this spectacle plenty of times myself over the years.
"What should we do?"
I really don't know. If we were in class, Natsume or the teacher would jump in and take care of this. But right now it's just Jun and me, and neither of us really seems sure what to do. Again, Naomi's hand violently hits the shelf. I know enough about epilepsy to remember that epileptics sometimes suffer concussions from banging their head against a wall or floor during a seizure. The least thing I can probably do is making certain that won't happen this time.
I walk over to the bed, grab hold of Naomi and try to get her to lie down to the best of my ability. I'm promptly rewarded for my efforts as one of Naomi's flailing arms hits me hard in the side.
"Ow!"
I quickly back off, grimacing and rubbing my side. That was unexpected. Jun worriedly gets a little closer, but quickly steps back when one of Naomi's legs kicks the air. I don't think it's a good idea for someone as physically fragile as Jun to try and get anywhere near Naomi. Some time ago she accidentally tripped and broke her hand while trying to catch herself. I don't want to imagine what would happen if Jun took a hit from one of Naomi's thrashing limbs. I doubt the results would be pretty.
"Are you alright?"
I quickly nod. I don't think I'm the one we should be worrying about right now.
"Is... is it always like this?"
I nod again. Well, it's like this most of the time. There are times when she simply appears to black out, but my mind isn't really clear enough to give Jun a detailed account on Naomi's condition as far as I've experienced it.
"Hanako, we should... probably get help. Don't you think?"
My first thought is ironically that I don't want some random nurse barging into my room. Then I realize how selfish and unfeeling that is, and I feel guilty for even thinking it.
"Y-Yes, we probably should. But w-we can't leave her alone like this."
Jun is obviously looking to me for advice on how to deal with this, but unlike someone like Natsume, I really don't have any experience handling this sort of thing.
"Hanako?"
"...Natsume. You s-should go and fetch Natsume. I'll stay with Naomi."
"Right."
As Jun walks out of the room I focus my attention back on Naomi. She's still flopping around like a fish out of the water, and she's threatening to fall off my bed because of it, so I take a deep breath and push her as far back onto the bed as possible, making sure she keeps lying on her side. I'm currently racking my brain to remember what my first aid training said about seizures again, but one thing I remember is that it's best to lay victims on their side so they don't risk choking on their own saliva. Judging by the large dark stains that have already formed on my pillow, that's certainly something to keep in mind with Naomi.
"Hanako?"
The door opens and I see Jun in the doorway. Did she find Natsume already? It's probably been less than a minute.
"Did you already find...?"
Jun points at something near my feet.
"I just thought of a better way to get a hold of her. Could you toss me Naomi's handbag?"
I take the handbag Naomi left near the nightstand and give it to Jun. She opens it, takes a cell phone out of it, quickly presses a few buttons and then puts it to her ear. That's a pretty smart move. I don't have Natsume's number saved on my phone and apparently Jun doesn't either, but Naomi unsurprisingly does.
"Natsume? This... ah... is Jun speaking. Something's happened to Naomi."
"It's... ah... actually still happening as we speak."
"No, we're in Hanako's room right now."
"I'll tell her. Thank you."
Jun puts down the phone and turns back to me.
"Natsume's on her way. She says that the best thing to do is to let the seizure run its course and not to put anything in her mouth or restrain her in any way."
"Ummm... O-okay."
"She also said that if the fit lasts longer than five minutes, you'll have to use this and then warn a nurse."
She reaches into Naomi's handbag and takes something out of it that looks a bit like a marker.
"It's an injection pen that's applied to the thigh. It contains a rather strong anticonvulsant for emergencies."
I instinctively look at my alarm clock on the ground only to notice it's not displaying anything right now.
"Ummm... W-when did this start?"
"I'm... not really sure. I think 3 minutes ago."
I really hope Natsume gets here before it comes to that. Naomi isn't thrashing around as badly anymore, but she's definitely not lying nice and still either, and I wonder if, nervous as I'm feeling right now, I'd be able to keep my hand steady enough to jab that thing in just the right place without messing up, especially with 'the right place' twitching every second or so. Without really thinking about it I put one hand on Naomi's thigh and make a few stabbing gestures with the other hand in an attempt to practice the motion. It is then that I suddenly notice something. Naomi's inner thigh feels a bit moist and when I look down, my eyes fall on a dark stain on the blanket. My eyes widen in shock as I realize what happened and I can only barely suppress a gasp.
Jun looks at me with a worried expression.
"Is something the matter?"
"N-No."
This is getting worse and worse. First my clubmate has an epileptic fit right in front of us. Then it turns out I might have to apply an injection in order to stop the seizure, and now I find out that Naomi has voided her bladder in the process. What's taking Natsume so long?
"Just one more minute. Is it... just my imagination or is she quieting down a bit?"
The twitches seem to start getting more infrequent. But there's still a trinkle of drool coming down her lips, and a small puddle has already formed on the pillow her head is resting on. I take a tissue from the box on the floor and start wiping Naomi's cheek. Just when I get started on the pillow, a knock on my door draws our attention. A moment later, Natsume enters the room.
"How is she?"
Jun makes a helpless gesture.
"It might be better for you to have a look yourself. I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with this."
Natsume approaches the bed, and I consider moving over, but then I remember the stain on my blanket, and I decide that I can at least try to make sure Jun doesn't notice, so I remain in place trying to block the spot.
"Was it like this the whole time?"
I shake my head.
"N-No, it was... like it usually is in c-class."
We remain silent for some time and watch as Naomi's convulsions become more and more infrequent until eventually they stop entirely. Just when I'm about to ask what to do now, we can see Naomi's eyes open just a little bit, and she lets out a soft moan.
05
"Ooh...."
"Are y-you alright?"
Natsume positions herself close to Naomi's face and speaks to her in a soft voice.
"It's okay. I'm here. So are the others."
"What...is...g-going...on..?"
There's more than a hint of fear in her voice and it pains me to hear the usually confident and up-beat Naomi talk like this.
"You had a seizure. But it's over now. It was just a seizure."
"W-What...who...?"
"It's over now. Do you remember where you are?"
"...n-no..."
"Do you know who I am? Or who these girls are?"
She tries to open her eyes a little bit more and look in our direction, but when she does so there's no immediate sign of recognition.
"...no..."
"Do you remember your name?"
"...n-no..."
The fear in her voice starts becoming more pronounced, and I can even sense a hint of panic. She sniffles before the next words leave her mouth.
"W-what...is going...on...?"
"Just close your eyes and relax. Let it come back to you. It will. It always does."
"...but..."
I softly place a hand on her shoulder.
"Just r-relax, Naomi. It'll be okay."
As Naomi closes her eyes again while letting out a pathetic whimper, I whisper Natsume's name to try and get her attention, and when she looks at me I make a little gesture with my head towards the Naomi's groin. The fact that she closes her eyes and groans softly suggests that Natsume has gotten my meaning. After some deliberation, she gets up and looks at Jun.
"Jun, will you do me a favor? There's usually a nurse on duty in the dormkeeper's office, and otherwise there'll be one doing rounds outside. Could you go and give her a summary of what just happened?"
Jun looks a little puzzled.
"Is it necessary to bring a nurse in here?"
"No, but if we report this right now, Mutou won't be expecting Naomi to show up in class tomorrow morning, and it'll save me an explanation later. Just stress that the seizure is over and that the situation is under control."
"Well... okay."
Jun shrugs her shoulders and leaves the room. As the door closes, Natsume silently sighs.
"What a mess."
It is, in every sense of the word.
"N-Now what?"
Natsume thinks for a moment.
"Do you happen to have a spare blanket?"
"In my closet."
"I'd like to use it. Also..."
She takes Naomi's handbag, takes a room key out of it and gives it to me.
"I'd like you to go to her room real quick and get a few things from there. You're probably faster on your feet than I am. I need you to retrieve her pajamas from under her pillow and some clean undies..."
I blush a bit as Natsume casually peeks under Naomi's skirt.
"...white ones if there are any. She keeps them in her dresser. There should be a washing bowl and a wash cloth in the bathroom next to her room."
"Ummm... O-okay."
Trying not to think too hard about this, I leave my room and hurry over to where I believe Naomi's room is. Good thing we swapped room locations before drawing straws to determine where to hold our meeting. A few minutes later, I return to my room with the items Natsume requested. Natsume's still at Naomi's side, and Naomi's still lying completely still. She's obviously still very much out of it.
As I put the items I retrieved on my desk, Natsume gives an appreciative nod. Before she can say anything though, the door opens and Jun comes back in. I instinctively move in front of the bed in order to prevent Jun from spotting the stain on my blanket. Natsume coughes softly in order to get our attention.
"It'd be rude of me to ask you to leave your own room, but would it be a problem if you gave Naomi a bit of privacy? You can wait in her room if you like."
Jun and I both nod our heads in unison. I personally don't think this is something I'd even want to see anyway. Before we leave, Jun asks if I'd mind carrying her laptop. When I walk out of my room with her laptop, I notice she's carrying my lamp and alarm clock along with her.
--------------------------------------
"Ummm... A lot of them w-were related to beer or drinking like ummm...'Beer today, Gone tomorrow'. And some were some self-mocking names like... 'Beauty School Dropouts'."
"Hmmm, a slightly playful name may be cool too."
Jun turns back to her laptop and types a few more words. The page she's looking at must be pretty funny, because she lets out a soft giggle but when Naomi comes over she quickly clicks the page away.
"Hmmm... Well, some of those pub quiz team names are pretty creative, but I don't know how I'd feel about referring to us as 'Oh no, my pen's running ou...' or 'One wheel short of a unicycle'. It'd probably get old after the second time."
Naomi nods.
"Yeah, so playful is okay, but over-the-top is bad..."
"Maybe we should go with the pen or pencil angle after all."
Suddenly Naomi snaps her fingers.
"How about... The Broken Quills?"
Jun and I instinctively exchange a baffled look.
"What?"
"Ummm... W-what?"
"You girls know what a quill is, don't you?"
"Yes, but what about the broken part?"
"It's not meant to be insulting, but simply a little playful. I mean, if you use Yamaku in the name and people wonder what the heck the word means and look it up, they'll know what kind of school this is anyway."
"Just because we attend this school doesn't mean we're... like... damaged beyond all use, right?"
Naomi pumps a fist into the air as if Jun just proved her point.
"Just like a quill you break in half. It may not be exactly like an ordinary quill, but you can still use it and you can even write masterpieces with it if you have the inspiration and the drive. We may be attending this school and have reason to do so, but with inspiration and drive we too can create some great things!"
I exchange another baffled look with Jun. Naomi's reasoning, as twisted as it is, kind of makes sense, but only in a very morbid way.
"I'm still not completely sold, to be honest."
"Hanako?"
"I'm... not really sure... either."
"Consider it, okay? And take some time to think up some alternatives. We'll get back to this the next time. Let's get to the other topic of tonight."
Naomi takes the file folder she brought along and fishes several sheets of paper out of it.
"Aaaaand... here are our challenges. Look them over and let me know what you think."
She passes a few pages to each of us, and I start look through mine. I'm impressed by how many our Japanese teacher managed to find in only a few days. There are a few contests organized by online writing communities, but most of them are hosted by various literary clubs associated with high schools and universities in the region.
"Wow... A p-poetry contest."
"I have one about essays here."
Jun scratches her cheek.
"Did you girls notice that most forms mention a word or page limit?"
Naomi nods.
"I think Hoshino picked those out on purpose. He probably wants us to start small and not spend months writing a single piece. Hanako and I have exams in Januari after all."
She smirks.
"If we're going with the essay assignment, I suggest we make them about those exams. Plenty of stuff to write about."
"Such as?"
"How stupid they are. You spend three years working your butt off trying to get good grades and yet all those grades end up not meaning crap as far as your admission goes. Just a handful of days in three whole years that have any significance whatsoever. You sleep through high school and have a lucky break at the end and you pass. You work hard and have a bad day or two and you flunk. Does that sound fair to you?"
Looks like we've hit a personal pet peeve of Naomi's.
"If you don't like exams then how would you do it?"
"I dunno. Instead of stuffing the whole national exam into one weekend maybe spread it out throughout the year so you only have to memorize a little bit at a time and get a chance to make up on the next run if you miss one or do badly? Or maybe hold the exams four times a year. Now you lose a whole year of your life if Murphy screws you over on the wrong day. It's complete bullshit."
Wow, she's really passionate about this. Jun looks at Naomi, then at me, then back at Naomi again.
"I don't think an essay needs to be completely objective, but I doubt the word 'bullshit' will look good in there."
"Duh. I can reword it a bit."
Jun looks at one of the forms again and smirks.
"We probably won't win a prize with that subject."
"Why not?"
"Because the essay contest is hosted by a university. They might not take well to us criticizing their method of accepting students."
Naomi grumbles.
"It's a conspiracy."
Jun rolls her eyes.
"I may know of a few internet forums that are suitable for venting about that if you're interested..."
"Okay, okay. Next."
"The rest seem to be about short stories."
"Mine too."
"That's probably the best place to start. So what options do we have in terms of subjects? Jun?"
"I have science fiction and slice-of-life here. The rest allows the participants to pick their own genre."
"Hanako?"
"Hmmm... Slice-of-life, fantasy and drama. The rest leaves it up to us."
"Mine are fantasy and romance. Looks like we have plenty of options. What do you say we write down our two favorite options and compare them all?"
Jun and I both nod in agreement. As I take a piece of paper to jot down my preferences, I notice that Jun has finished her cup of tea. I take the teapot to refill her cup only to find out that it's nearly empty.
"I'll... ummm... go and make some more tea."
"Great. Thanks."
I leave my room, teapot in hand, and make my way to the kitchen. So far everything's been going rather well. I'd still like to get back though. What would happen if Naomi started snooping around and found my birth control pills or the diary I kept until Lilly's father got hospitalized? I don't think there'd be a second meeting if that were to happen. At least not with me present.
After boiling some more water and refilling my teapot, I start walking back to my room. As I do so, my thoughts return to Naomi's rant about the exams. It came as a surprise to hear her get so worked up over something like that. I guess there's still plenty about her that I don't know.
03
I make it to the door of my room and reach out to push it open when I'm suddenly startled by a loud crashing noise followed by a shriek. I freeze. That sound came from behind my own door. What's happening? I uneasily open the door and look inside.
Jun's no longer sitting at my desk. She's standing up, her back pressed against the nearby wall, and there's a terrified look on her face. There are several things lying at her feet. A box of tissues, a desk lamp and an alarm clock. My things. They're usually on the shelf just above my bed. Did Naomi accidentally knock them off?
"She... She suddenly got like this..."
04
My gaze shifts to Naomi who hasn't moved since I opened the door. She's still sitting on my bed, but there's something strange about her posture. It looks like she's leaning - no, slumping - against the now empty shelf. Just when I'm about to walk up to the bed and ask if she's alright, her head snaps back as if an invisible person just walked up to her and punched her in the face. At the same time, she violently swings her left arm as if trying to slap someone. I cringe as I hear her hand crash into the shelf. That sounded like it hurt, though Naomi doesn't even acknowledge it. That certainly explains how all my items suddenly ended up on the floor. I look at Jun again. Judging by the freaked-out look on her face, this is probably the first time she's seeing Naomi having an epileptic seizure. And truth be told, the sight of Naomi, eyes rolled back, lips slightly blue and movements spastic and unnatural is an extremely disturbing sight even though I've witnessed this spectacle plenty of times myself over the years.
"What should we do?"
I really don't know. If we were in class, Natsume or the teacher would jump in and take care of this. But right now it's just Jun and me, and neither of us really seems sure what to do. Again, Naomi's hand violently hits the shelf. I know enough about epilepsy to remember that epileptics sometimes suffer concussions from banging their head against a wall or floor during a seizure. The least thing I can probably do is making certain that won't happen this time.
I walk over to the bed, grab hold of Naomi and try to get her to lie down to the best of my ability. I'm promptly rewarded for my efforts as one of Naomi's flailing arms hits me hard in the side.
"Ow!"
I quickly back off, grimacing and rubbing my side. That was unexpected. Jun worriedly gets a little closer, but quickly steps back when one of Naomi's legs kicks the air. I don't think it's a good idea for someone as physically fragile as Jun to try and get anywhere near Naomi. Some time ago she accidentally tripped and broke her hand while trying to catch herself. I don't want to imagine what would happen if Jun took a hit from one of Naomi's thrashing limbs. I doubt the results would be pretty.
"Are you alright?"
I quickly nod. I don't think I'm the one we should be worrying about right now.
"Is... is it always like this?"
I nod again. Well, it's like this most of the time. There are times when she simply appears to black out, but my mind isn't really clear enough to give Jun a detailed account on Naomi's condition as far as I've experienced it.
"Hanako, we should... probably get help. Don't you think?"
My first thought is ironically that I don't want some random nurse barging into my room. Then I realize how selfish and unfeeling that is, and I feel guilty for even thinking it.
"Y-Yes, we probably should. But w-we can't leave her alone like this."
Jun is obviously looking to me for advice on how to deal with this, but unlike someone like Natsume, I really don't have any experience handling this sort of thing.
"Hanako?"
"...Natsume. You s-should go and fetch Natsume. I'll stay with Naomi."
"Right."
As Jun walks out of the room I focus my attention back on Naomi. She's still flopping around like a fish out of the water, and she's threatening to fall off my bed because of it, so I take a deep breath and push her as far back onto the bed as possible, making sure she keeps lying on her side. I'm currently racking my brain to remember what my first aid training said about seizures again, but one thing I remember is that it's best to lay victims on their side so they don't risk choking on their own saliva. Judging by the large dark stains that have already formed on my pillow, that's certainly something to keep in mind with Naomi.
"Hanako?"
The door opens and I see Jun in the doorway. Did she find Natsume already? It's probably been less than a minute.
"Did you already find...?"
Jun points at something near my feet.
"I just thought of a better way to get a hold of her. Could you toss me Naomi's handbag?"
I take the handbag Naomi left near the nightstand and give it to Jun. She opens it, takes a cell phone out of it, quickly presses a few buttons and then puts it to her ear. That's a pretty smart move. I don't have Natsume's number saved on my phone and apparently Jun doesn't either, but Naomi unsurprisingly does.
"Natsume? This... ah... is Jun speaking. Something's happened to Naomi."
"It's... ah... actually still happening as we speak."
"No, we're in Hanako's room right now."
"I'll tell her. Thank you."
Jun puts down the phone and turns back to me.
"Natsume's on her way. She says that the best thing to do is to let the seizure run its course and not to put anything in her mouth or restrain her in any way."
"Ummm... O-okay."
"She also said that if the fit lasts longer than five minutes, you'll have to use this and then warn a nurse."
She reaches into Naomi's handbag and takes something out of it that looks a bit like a marker.
"It's an injection pen that's applied to the thigh. It contains a rather strong anticonvulsant for emergencies."
I instinctively look at my alarm clock on the ground only to notice it's not displaying anything right now.
"Ummm... W-when did this start?"
"I'm... not really sure. I think 3 minutes ago."
I really hope Natsume gets here before it comes to that. Naomi isn't thrashing around as badly anymore, but she's definitely not lying nice and still either, and I wonder if, nervous as I'm feeling right now, I'd be able to keep my hand steady enough to jab that thing in just the right place without messing up, especially with 'the right place' twitching every second or so. Without really thinking about it I put one hand on Naomi's thigh and make a few stabbing gestures with the other hand in an attempt to practice the motion. It is then that I suddenly notice something. Naomi's inner thigh feels a bit moist and when I look down, my eyes fall on a dark stain on the blanket. My eyes widen in shock as I realize what happened and I can only barely suppress a gasp.
Jun looks at me with a worried expression.
"Is something the matter?"
"N-No."
This is getting worse and worse. First my clubmate has an epileptic fit right in front of us. Then it turns out I might have to apply an injection in order to stop the seizure, and now I find out that Naomi has voided her bladder in the process. What's taking Natsume so long?
"Just one more minute. Is it... just my imagination or is she quieting down a bit?"
The twitches seem to start getting more infrequent. But there's still a trinkle of drool coming down her lips, and a small puddle has already formed on the pillow her head is resting on. I take a tissue from the box on the floor and start wiping Naomi's cheek. Just when I get started on the pillow, a knock on my door draws our attention. A moment later, Natsume enters the room.
"How is she?"
Jun makes a helpless gesture.
"It might be better for you to have a look yourself. I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with this."
Natsume approaches the bed, and I consider moving over, but then I remember the stain on my blanket, and I decide that I can at least try to make sure Jun doesn't notice, so I remain in place trying to block the spot.
"Was it like this the whole time?"
I shake my head.
"N-No, it was... like it usually is in c-class."
We remain silent for some time and watch as Naomi's convulsions become more and more infrequent until eventually they stop entirely. Just when I'm about to ask what to do now, we can see Naomi's eyes open just a little bit, and she lets out a soft moan.
05
"Ooh...."
"Are y-you alright?"
Natsume positions herself close to Naomi's face and speaks to her in a soft voice.
"It's okay. I'm here. So are the others."
"What...is...g-going...on..?"
There's more than a hint of fear in her voice and it pains me to hear the usually confident and up-beat Naomi talk like this.
"You had a seizure. But it's over now. It was just a seizure."
"W-What...who...?"
"It's over now. Do you remember where you are?"
"...n-no..."
"Do you know who I am? Or who these girls are?"
She tries to open her eyes a little bit more and look in our direction, but when she does so there's no immediate sign of recognition.
"...no..."
"Do you remember your name?"
"...n-no..."
The fear in her voice starts becoming more pronounced, and I can even sense a hint of panic. She sniffles before the next words leave her mouth.
"W-what...is going...on...?"
"Just close your eyes and relax. Let it come back to you. It will. It always does."
"...but..."
I softly place a hand on her shoulder.
"Just r-relax, Naomi. It'll be okay."
As Naomi closes her eyes again while letting out a pathetic whimper, I whisper Natsume's name to try and get her attention, and when she looks at me I make a little gesture with my head towards the Naomi's groin. The fact that she closes her eyes and groans softly suggests that Natsume has gotten my meaning. After some deliberation, she gets up and looks at Jun.
"Jun, will you do me a favor? There's usually a nurse on duty in the dormkeeper's office, and otherwise there'll be one doing rounds outside. Could you go and give her a summary of what just happened?"
Jun looks a little puzzled.
"Is it necessary to bring a nurse in here?"
"No, but if we report this right now, Mutou won't be expecting Naomi to show up in class tomorrow morning, and it'll save me an explanation later. Just stress that the seizure is over and that the situation is under control."
"Well... okay."
Jun shrugs her shoulders and leaves the room. As the door closes, Natsume silently sighs.
"What a mess."
It is, in every sense of the word.
"N-Now what?"
Natsume thinks for a moment.
"Do you happen to have a spare blanket?"
"In my closet."
"I'd like to use it. Also..."
She takes Naomi's handbag, takes a room key out of it and gives it to me.
"I'd like you to go to her room real quick and get a few things from there. You're probably faster on your feet than I am. I need you to retrieve her pajamas from under her pillow and some clean undies..."
I blush a bit as Natsume casually peeks under Naomi's skirt.
"...white ones if there are any. She keeps them in her dresser. There should be a washing bowl and a wash cloth in the bathroom next to her room."
"Ummm... O-okay."
Trying not to think too hard about this, I leave my room and hurry over to where I believe Naomi's room is. Good thing we swapped room locations before drawing straws to determine where to hold our meeting. A few minutes later, I return to my room with the items Natsume requested. Natsume's still at Naomi's side, and Naomi's still lying completely still. She's obviously still very much out of it.
As I put the items I retrieved on my desk, Natsume gives an appreciative nod. Before she can say anything though, the door opens and Jun comes back in. I instinctively move in front of the bed in order to prevent Jun from spotting the stain on my blanket. Natsume coughes softly in order to get our attention.
"It'd be rude of me to ask you to leave your own room, but would it be a problem if you gave Naomi a bit of privacy? You can wait in her room if you like."
Jun and I both nod our heads in unison. I personally don't think this is something I'd even want to see anyway. Before we leave, Jun asks if I'd mind carrying her laptop. When I walk out of my room with her laptop, I notice she's carrying my lamp and alarm clock along with her.
--------------------------------------
Last edited by Guest Poster on Sat Sep 20, 2014 5:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sisterhood: True Edition. Hanako epilogue I wrote. Now expanded with additional chapters.