Happy birthday Sukoshi-chan!!! This is my present to you. It's still on time right?
And as always, I hope you and all my other faithful readers cum commenters (you know who you are
) enjoyed this chapter
Guardian Angel: Chapter 5 - Before Sunrise Studying the young woman sitting across her in the somewhat cramped booth, Eri smiled. It was one of the rare occasions in recent times when she had smiled so genuinely.
The season’s latest make-up colors, check.
Super short, almost non-existent skirt, check.
Star-like attitude, check.
Reina was still the same even after two years and Eri felt a sense of familiarity towards the younger. She missed her, she missed the past where the most pressing problem was how to comb a hairstyle that wouldn’t clash with another member’s for the duration of their many concert tours.
"How have you been?"
Starting the ball rolling in a conversation had never been Eri’s forte. But things were different now and she had been forced to learn. Without Sayumi by her side, she could no longer rely on her faithful assistance. And then there was Gaki-san...
"The same."
"And you?"
Reina replied truthfully. There was no reason to say more for she was certain she had stayed unchanged throughout these 700 or so days. The only noticeably difference was her alteration of position to Morning Musume’s leader. It was no secret that she had yearned for this time in the spotlight, to weld the power which could control and dictate the actions of fifty something younger charges. Except that Reina didn’t covet the influential role if it meant the determination of the current state of affairs. She would gladly forsake this post in exchange for more important things, things like the revival of Sayumi.
"Better than before."
There was an awkward silence following Eri’s last words and the atmosphere in the booth where they were sitting in felt thick and heavy. The thankful appearance of the waitress gave them a chance to divert their directionless attention.
The spread of American food on the table ten to fifteen minutes after the girls have placed their orders was a welcome memory of how they had spent numerous days hanging out at this American food diner for meals or just enjoying ice-cream.
"Look at that couple. I think the guy is going to make his
move tonight."
"Eewwww Reina! Don't say things like that!"
Reina’s comment on a random couple broke the ice and chiding her in a good hearted manner, Eri giggled delightedly as she turned in her seat to observe for herself the aforementioned couple.
Believing that Eri’s mood was serene enough, Reina decided this was the best opportunity to bring up a topic which had been weighing on her mind. As Eri munched happily on her hamburger, Reina discretely took in a sharp intake of air.
"She’s coming back."
At hearing Reina's words, Eri froze in mid-action. Taking a moment to recover, she pretended to be unaffected and persisted in chewing on the French fry balanced between her thumb and fore finger.
“You can’t keep it from her forever.”
Still Eri didn’t reply and Reina pressed on in her one-sided conversation.
“She has a right to know.”
Incapable of holding back the indigence of what she felt was an undue reprimand by Reina, Eri lashed out angrily.
“Don’t talk to me about rights! She lost them the day she left. We don’t need her anymore. Gaki-san doesn’t need her anymore.”
“You can’t make that choice for her. Gaki-san would have wanted her to know.”
Trying to explain matters to a clearly agitated Eri, Reina spoke in a soothing tone.
“You don’t know what Gaki-san wants. No one knows her needs better than I. It has constantly been just the two of us and it will always remain that way!”
Her words cut through Reina like a cold steel knife.
The two of us? Wasn’t Reina her friend too? Granted, she didn’t have much time for her in between juggling the role of leader and taking care of Sayumi. Nonetheless she did call to ask about her at some point in those two years, though the phone calls never did span for more than an hour. Recalling her insufficient concern, Reina regretted it immensely. She hadn’t been there for Eri when she struggled with physiotherapy sessions. None of them were there at the most trying stage of Eri’s life. Not Ai, not herself but Risa. Risa was the one who accompanied her on those daily trips to the orthopedic department in the hospital. It was Risa who had gotten her to resume treatment when Eri had lost every ounce of optimism in regaining the use of her leg. In that way, Reina couldn’t blame Eri for her current behavior. Perhaps Risa had become more than a mere pillar of strength.
“Eri..”
What Reina didn’t anticipate was the older’s decision to cut short their spontaneous reunion. Throwing down some dollar bills onto the table top, Eri grabbed her purse from the chair with rigid resolve. The bitterness in her eyes was unmistakable as she accused through gritted teeth.
“I thought you would understand me. I guess I was wrong.”
The iciness in Eri's voice startled Reina. Watching helplessly the disappearing back of Eri, Reina realized that the meek and naive girl she once knew had vanished. Eri had turned into a different person, the accident snatched away more than the movement and function of her leg. It changed her...
-----
In the early hours of the morning, a young woman decided to take a warm shower on this humid day. The practice helped relax her body and hastened the rate at which sleep was induced. Insomnia was a condition she had been grappling with on countless nights and this was ironic considering she had already been living in this foreign land for close to two years. Subsequent to the bath, she felt too lazy to blow her hair dry and instead decided to pass time by checking her email. As the Mac computer started up and the monitor flickered to life, a wallpaper with the New York City landscape appeared. Automatically clicking on specific buttons in the browser, she checked for new messages in her email and stumbled upon one that an old friend had sent. Speed reading through the letter, her mind picked up only the key information.
The plan of bringing you around has to be shelved. Morning Musume tour Korea 2010 has been extended and it’s most likely I would not be in Japan when you visit.A few paragraphs down and she saw yet another essential line.
There is something I’ve been keeping from you all this time. It’s about Gaki-san. Something happened while you were away.The tone of the message shocked her as the sender was hardly one who beat about the bush. If anything, she was in all probability the most straightforward member in the group. Or at least that was what she remembered of Reina’s character from all those years ago. Ignoring that thought for a moment, she read on.
Contact Eri. She can fill you in. It might be difficult at first to convince her but I believe she would open up to you in the end.Concluding the email was Eri’s phone number and the reader noted that the figures were different from what she once knew.
No wonder I could never reach Kamei-chan.Before signing off in the email, a final line was written, one which puzzled her further.
She had her reasons. Please forgive Eri.Intrigued by the contents of the email and fueled by her inability to sleep, the woman opened the doors to her large wardrobe and dragged out a stiff luggage case. Putting chosen clothes and other necessities into the bag, she packed her belongings halfheartedly and reached for the cordless phone lying on the night table. Dialing some numbers, she spoke in accented English when the line connected.
“I would like to bring forward the departure date for my flight to Japan. My name is Ai Takahashi.”
-----
On this wet and cold night, it is not definite if the late hour or the damp weather contributed to the lack of occupants in the bus. There was just one other passenger seated in the vehicle journeying between the street across the diner and Eri’s intended destination. Taking the seat in the last row, Eri gazed outside. Her action gave the impression that she was watching the passing night scenery when in actuality, she was thinking back on the earlier edgy conversation. As the bus rumbled along, the only other commuter sat sleeping in a single seat several rows ahead and his head knocked periodically against the murky glass window.
A lone figure clad in a long overcoat paced around the area adjacent to the dingy bus top, her umbrella titled at an angle as it rested on her shoulder. She raised her head intermittently from looking down at the pavement to keep an eye out for any forthcoming vehicle. At last her patience paid off when the shining headlights of a large bus approached, its noisy engine announcing its arrival. Standing on the curb and waiting for the vehicle to come to a complete standstill, she peeked in through the many windows looking for a sign of the person she was waiting for. At the very last window situated at the end of the long vehicle, she saw Eri staring off into space, her thoughts visibly a million miles away. Standing there with an amused smile, she wondered how long it was going to take before the younger realized she had arrived at her stop.
The sound of rapping knuckles on the dusty glass panel yanked Eri out of her musing and she bolted upright with a jerk. Looking around wildly, she took in her surroundings and finally realized from the sight of some recognizable landmarks that she was in the vicinity of her apartment. Hollering to the driver that she was going to get off, she bowed embarrassedly at having caused a mild disturbance. Coming down the narrow stairs, she stepped off the bus and promptly turned towards the direction of home when a voice rang out.
"Did you plan to sleep on the bus tonight?"
Whirling around to face the surprise arrival, Eri saw the puffed up cheek and playful expression on her housemate's face. Scooting over to punch her lightly on the arm, she complained.
"Quit teasing me Gaki-san."
The other’s reaction was rolling her eyeballs upwards in addition to a sideways smirk.
“Here.”
Handing her a jacket, Risa cocked her head and waited for Eri to put it on so they could continue on their way home. Unexpectedly, the turtle girl only stared at her wordlessly, not moving an inch. Finding her actions strange, Risa waved her free hand in front of Eri’s face.
“Hello? Earth to Kame.”
"You didn't have to come pick me up."
Her reply wasn't exactly what Risa was expecting. Nevertheless, she answered her statement.
"I worry about Kame not dressing warmly and forgetting to bring along an umbrella. Hora, I was proven right."
A pained expression flashed across Eri’s face and she took off abruptly which resulted in Risa having to quicken her pace to catch up.
“Kame!”
Pulling on her arm to halt her advance, Risa linked her fingers with Eri's and their shoulders touched as a consequence of the proximity from sharing a single umbrella. Glancing up at the profile of her companion, Risa furrowed her brows at seeing Eri’s vexed features. Eri was bothered by something. She knew it. Aware that Risa was watching her, Eri refused to meet her gaze and instead kept her eyes straight ahead.
Don’t treat me so well Gaki-san. I don’t deserve it. I kept you and Ai-chan apart.
Topic: More Than One Story...[111016 Loving You Forever] (Read 236731 times)