Miracle's Dream (Chapter 6)

Summary: A young girl who seemed to have no connection at all to any of them are the one who brought them together and drove them apart. She’s the one who shows them the real person they could be. 

Chapter Word Count (Total): 1,563 (9,992)
Rating: PG-15 in later chapters due to PDA and sensitive issues

Disclaimer: I do not own people... Mentioned people in this fiction belongs to themselves and their professional self, belongs to Johnny's Entertainment

Warning: Character Death

He stared at the foreign ceiling as various thoughts played in his hear. He wondered to himself why did he even tell Yasuda about Yamashita. It was not like the relationship between Yasuda and Yamashita was great to begin and he had no intention to see them fight. Somehow, in his mind, if he tells Yasuda about it, it will just make it better.

The elderly woman came out of the hospital room in a rush. He had to come in place of Yasuda that day to visit Catherine. “Ryo-kun.” The elder woman said, surprised to see him. Nishikido was shocked as well to see her.

“Yamashita-san. Why are you here?” Nishikido questioned. Catherine had told himself and Yasuda that she does not have any relative in Japan. It was then that he got to know that Yamashita had shared a same biological father with Catherine. However, her life story goes beyond that. She never even met her biological father.

“His father left us when Tomo-chan was about ten years old. It was around that same time that I lost contact with my best friend. It was not until roughly five years later a letter came to my house. My best friend just found out that she was in a relationship with my ex-husband that abandoned us. Six months later, I received another letter saying that he had left her in labor with their six and a half months premature baby.” Yamashita’s mother told the whole story to Nishikido.

“But her name is not Akira.” Nishikido reasoned.

“When she was two, her mother remarried an American man. They both loved her very much. It was not five months ago that they were involved in an accident. I was willed her custody, but I can’t take another child and Tomo-chan cannot know about this.” She replied. She was practically begging Nishikido to keep their occurrence a secret.

She did not want her son to know that she was not going to take her given responsibility. It was then he felt that Yasuda and himself could somehow fill the empty spaces that exist in Catherine’s life. Though at that moment neither one of them could fill the void that existed within her. She needed her brother.

Over the years, the little secret grew bigger and bigger. Somehow, he was the one that Catherine could trust with her secret and to confide with, while Yasuda gradually grew to be like her brother, until the point that she said he is her brother.

There was a reason for why she really wanted to see him. She wanted him to know her side of the story. A story that should never have been seared into the memory of a six years old girl. She wanted so badly just to see his face and find a reason to live on.

The moment that she said, “My brother would never want to see me not because I’m sick, he doesn’t want to see me because he thought I took his father from him. I want him to know that it is not true. I want him to know that because of our father and what he did to both of us, I never had the intention of living on. Even worse, when my parents that brought me up left me for better place beside god, I have lost all the reason why I should hold on. That was until I met Sho-chan and you. I don’t need to know my brother anymore now, because replaced him with two very special brothers for me. But I need to see him before I die to let him know that there are things that were left for him.” 

Since the day he met Yamashita’s mother and knew her side of the story and the side that Catherine told him, he felt torn on whether to tell Yamashita. He could not tell them to Yasuda either. Within the calm surface of his friend he of all people knew there lay a boiling hot-tempered man inside waiting to burst out.

Feeling sick to his stomach at that moment, he picked up his phone and called up his friend. It was almost two in the morning but he knew Yasuda is not the kind to be sleeping early. Especially with Catherine under his care. He picked up after the second ring. “I’m sorry to drop this on you and make you keep it quiet.” Nishikido spoke quickly without even saying hello.

The person on the other end of the line just remained silent. Yasuda was working hard to find out who Catherine’s brother was and for Nishikido to know who he was and not tell him, just pisses him off. Knowing Nishikido, he must have had his reason. Although, it always seemed that he had to tell the fact at the wrong time.

“Shota, please. You have to promise me not to tell anyone else about this. Especially not Pi. He has to know her on his own terms.” Nishikido pleaded.

The voice on the other line just sighed. “Don’t worry about it.” Shibutani spoke in a whispery voice.

“Baru?” Nishikido said with a shocked voice.

“Next time say hello before pouring your heart out.” Shibutani said nonchalantly. “And don’t worry; I’m not having an affair with him. Just making sure that he sleeps. The boys are here as well.” He said suddenly.

“Why are you telling me this? Of course you’re not having an affair with him.” Nishikido spat back out. “I would never think of it that way. Never.”

“Tell Ryo-chan to sleep. Or else I’ll have to go to his room next and put him down.” Nishikido heard Yokoyama spoke.

Nishikido let out a laugh. “Tell Yokocho I’m going to sleep right after this and don’t worry about me, I’m a big boy now.” He said.

“We know that you are a big boy, but you are the big boy that is going to drive us back to Osaka. We don’t want to get into an accident.” Shibutani said as they ended their call.

*******

Yasuda was the first one to rise as usual that morning. Looking at the little creature beside him breathing steadily as she cuddled close to him. The look on Yamashita’s face yesterday bothers him. How could he not know his own blood? How could he be so oblivious of reality? Yet the way Catherine was looking at him was different. She was not happy or afraid like she usually is with strangers, she was just content. Maybe the unseen bond of family goes deeper than what is seen.

He knows deep in his heart he could never replace her brother, but it was enough for him to just be there with her. Her will has brought him to that day. He was a changed man since he saw her. Now knowing that her brother is someone he does know, makes it even more difficult for him. How was he supposed to tell her? What was he suppose to tell.

The first thing he did was to check his phone. ‘Last received call – Ryo-chan’. He did not remember talking to Nishikido at all last night. He sighed. One of the other boys must have taken his phone while he was sleeping. It had to be. He glanced around the room and looked at each and everyone’s peaceful face. It’s not a common scene to see most of them like this. He smiled to himself.

*******

Tegoshi stared out the window as Yamashita drove him back to his house. His eyes were distant and it seemed like his heart was not connected with his body. Yamashita reached for his hand. His touch brought Tegoshi back to reality. “What’s with you today?” Yamashita asked. Tegoshi just shook his head as a reply. “If this is about yesterday. I’m sorry.” He said softly.

“This has nothing to do with yesterday.” Tegoshi answered. A moment of silent filled the car again. “Do you think I’m a pedophile for liking a little girl?” Tegoshi posed the question suddenly. Yamashita’s facial expression changes completely. “Pi, I think I like Sakura-chan.” That sentence halted every other thought in Yamashita’s mind. The entire drive was then filled with utter silence.

*******

Yamashita sat in his room in his family house that afternoon after sending Tegoshi back to his house as he flipped the old pictures that he had of his father. He sat quietly just reminiscing the good memory they had.

“Tomo-chan, tadaima.” His mother’s voice floated from the front door.

“Okaeri, kachan.” He replied. “You went to the hospital already?” He questioned his mother as he approached her.

The older woman just shook her head. “I’m not going for a while.” She answered. “Catherine checked out.”

Yamashita just nodded. “If you’re going to see her at her school, please tell me. I want to see her too.” Yamashita said suddenly.

“She went to Osaka with a friend. She won’t be back for a while I guess.” His mother replied. “Why the sudden change of heart?” She questioned.

Yamashita dropped his head down. At the moment he wanted to see her, she was gone. He had so many opportunities before but never once he grabbed it. “No reason, I just thought I ought to see her sooner or later.”