Hanako and Hisao –Road to Tokyo Conclusion Update!

[Helbereth]

Generally when I'm hungover Elvis Presley comes to me in a dream and, when I'm conscious again, a new chapter has been written.

Hmm... I'm never hungover as I'm an oxymoron (non-alcoholic writer), but sometimes Jim Morrison visits my dreams. Last time that happened, I awoke with the pilot chapter for The Kenji Files written...

[griffon8]

blindness; not a lot of Seeing Eye cats out there.

This should be a double-hyphen -- rather than a semicolon ;

No, because nobody under any circumstances should use a double-hyphen. The proper punctuation here is the em dash —

We're using computers here, everyone; don't treat it like a typewriter.

Oh, I should mention that I liked the chapter. Good to see Hanako stretch her ability to deal with other people, and good on the desk person to completely ignore Hanako's scars.

[Hoitash]

... and good on the desk person to completely ignore Hanako's scars.

I figure people in the service industry are like Master Sergeants; they've seen it all and are too seasoned campaigners to react to much. And I imagine there's something in the employee manual about respecting the customers, showing deference, etc., etc.

Doesn't necessarily mean they'll heed the manual, but it's probably at least there.

[Helbereth]

No, because nobody under any circumstances should use a double-hyphen. The proper punctuation here is the em dash —

Well, yes. However, I've never found a way to write one on the forums. My writing program creates them automatically when I use a double-hyphen.

[Silentcook]

Em dash —
Unicode codepoint U+2014
Alt code (Windows) Alt+0151
Mac OSX key combination ⌥ Opt ⇧ Shift -
Microsoft Word key combination Ctrl Alt Num -

(Truncated from Wikipedia)

[Helbereth]

Em dash gobbledegook.

Yeah, I'm not even gonna try to remember that.

[Hoitash]

“You’re the meaning in my life,
You’re the inspiration” –Chicago’s “You’re the Inspiration”

Previous Chapter

Chapter Ten (Hisao): Unleash the Swagger


Hanako wasn’t the only one to zonk out once we had unpacked and started to settle in. Even Emi and Kenji nodded off for a few hours, when they weren’t looking after Miki. Eventually Kenji started rousing the troops for dinner and an evening out. He refused to give anyone any details, which made them understandably nervous. I was worried how they would take it when the cat was out of the bag, but we both agreed Hanako needed to unwind after the road trip from hell. I also wanted to do something nice for her, since as much as she wanted to go to the concert, the prospect still likely made her anxious.

“Alright,” Kenji declared as we ate our dinner in the hotel restaurant. Having abandoned the trench coat and cap, he had resumed wearing his normal glasses and scarf like a scarf. Pausing to step onto his chair for maximum pontification power, he continued, “ladies, gentlemen, Ibarazaki, once we’ve finished dinner, I want everyone to suit up and meet me at the lobby within fifteen minutes. No exceptions, no excuses!”

With that, he sat back down to eat through his Stromboli, which was the closest thing the menu had to a pizza. The hotel restaurant was going for a bistro vibe, with a mix of Italian and Thai food peppered with traditional Japanese dishes and a smattering of French ones. Resuming his meal while being completely indifferent to the confused stairs of the patrons was kind of admirable –if he had even noticed them. Hanako, on the other hand, looked a little nervous at the pronouncement.

“And what exactly do you have planned?” Emi asked from over her dinner.

Kenji shrugged and grinned, “It’s a surprise.”

Emi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she quickly activated her puppy-dog eye pout. Kenji was too focused on his food to notice, so she refocused it on me. I’d like to say Hanako’s adorable demeanor immunized me against such action, but that would be a lie. So I looked down and stared very intently at my Pad Thai.

I heard Emi huff and her glass of ice water clank a little as she gave up. A few minutes after that, I felt a light tug on my sleeve. Glancing next to me, Hanako was trying to quietly catch my attention. When she saw she had it, she leaned forward and whispered, “W-what is he p-planning?”

Crap. I was never good at hiding things from Hanako; her intuitive nature and propensity for self depreciation made it difficult. I decided to smile and respond, “don’t worry, I know you’ll like it. Please trust me?”

Hanako looked into my eyes for a second, her Stare of Judgment analyzing me carefully. Slowly, she nodded, then turned back to her food.

I gave a quiet sigh of relief and glared at Kenji. He somehow saw and gave me a wink before downing the last of his beer. I sighed again and finished my own beer, hoping that Kenji was right. In theory we had nothing to worry about, but my parents constant nagging was starting to wear on me.

Although in theory I wasn’t supposed to be mulling over marriage for another few years, ever since my parents brought it up I hadn’t been able to let the thought go. I was hoping tonight might help sort out my feelings a bit. Or just make things worse; with Kenji involved it could go either way.

Kenji was the first to finish eating, turning in his voucher and leaving before bounding off to get ready and plot his various plans. When he had left, Kwan glanced at me and asked if he was serious about “suiting up.”

“Not really,” I replied, “he just watches a lot of How I Met Your Mother. Says it helps him with his English skills. Just wear something a little more dressey then what we came here in and you’ll be fine.”

“I don’t think I packed anything like that,” Emi grumbled.

“He did warn us to,” Kwan reminded her, “so I packed that green shirt of yours before we left.”

“The polo one? Cool, thanks!” this earned Kwan a peck on the cheek, which he seemed to appreciate, despite the disapproving glances of the older patrons.

Hanako being Hanako, she would just wear her standard denim jacket over a pink blouse with blue jeans or black pants, topped off with a flat cap. It looked good on her and she was comfortable in it, and it was a nice hat besides. Despite the summer and city heat, the night would be cool enough I could wear a sweater vest, several of which I’d packed, just in case.

We all finished eating and filtered out to change at a steady pace, eventually reconvening at the lobby like Kenji wanted. Kenji was waiting for us of course, looking over the directions to our destination one last time while he tapped his foot impatiently.

“We’re ready,” I announced.

“Whose there?!” Kenji snapped. His head darted about and he flailed around like a flopping fish for a moment, before he managed to notice us. When he did, he leaned forward to make sure it was us, then grinned and said, “Oh, hey, you’re on time. Good job. How’s Miki?”

“She’s fine,” Emi stated, “so where are we going, exactly?”

Kenji raised a finger and waved it tauntingly, “Ah-ah-ah. All good things to those who wait. First things first; Hisao?”

I sighed and nodded as attention was diverted towards me, “Hanako, could you please close your eyes?”

Hanako tilted her head quizzically for a moment, eyeing me as she tried to gauge my intentions. After a few moments of quiet looking, which seemed to resolve something in her mind, she nodded and complied.

“Could you turn around?” I asked.

She did so, and I slowly reached into my pocket. As I pulled out an old black ribbon, I noticed Emi was whispering to Lilly to keep her informed.

“Hana,” I said, fighting the sense of guilt boiling somewhere in my stomach, “Kenji and I would really like where we’re going to be a surprise for you, so… could I blindfold you? I’ll guide you the entire way.”

Hanako didn’t move or acknowledge what I said right away. Even two years later, I still wasn’t entirely sure of all her triggers; some of them she didn’t want to talk about. I was worried being blindfolded might trigger a flashback, and that would seriously put a damper on things. And make me feel like shit for the rest of the weekend. In a way, I guess the prelude to the night was as much a test as the night itself, in my over thinking empirical mind.

Finally, she moved. Her response was a single, decisive nod. Repressing a sigh of relief, I slowly laced the ribbon over her eyes, ignoring the curious glances from the staff or occasional wandering hotel guest. A few of them lingered to eye her scarring, which I did my best to ignore. Poor Hanako probably knew it was happening, but if she couldn’t see it, at least she could pretend it wasn’t happening.

“It’s on,” I declared. I moved in front of her and waved my hand, “can you see my hand?”

“N-n-no,” she replied.

“Works for me,” Kenji stated. Hooking his arm around Lilly’s so fast he startled her, he waved his directions and pointed towards the front door, “the time has come! And anyone who spills the secret early has to drive the whole way back!”

“Wait,” Emi cut in, “you and Hisao are leading us?”

Kenji glared at her and raised an eyebrow, “That a problem?”

Emi shrugged, “Something about the blind leading the blind comes to mind.”

“In regione caecorum rex est luscus,” Lilly interjected.

Emi blinked, “huh?”

“L-latin,” Hanako responded.

“’In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king’,” Kenji translated.

Lilly smiled sheepishly and turned towards Kenji’s voice, “I was not aware you knew Latin, Kenji.”

Kenji shrugged, “I know bits and pieces of the etymology. Helps uncover Templar secrets and enhance my French.”

“You know French?” Kwan asked.

“He’s not fluent,” I stated, “but he knows a decent amount. Some Russian, too. And his English is better than mine, but that isn’t saying much. Shouldn’t we be going now?”

Kenji nodded, “indeed. Remember to be careful; this city is chock full of fuckin’ loons, vagrants, NEETs, and just general quacks. You get them in every city, and we’re in a big-ass city, so stay frosty. Now forward, with gusto!”

I heard Hanako giggle quietly next to me. Smiling, I hooked my arm around hers, and we began our trek into the city. Kenji and I, along with our blind and blinded charges, took the lead, while Kwan and Emi trailed closely behind. The sight of a blindfolded woman and a tall blond being guided around the city attracted a lot of attention, and Kenji’s head constantly darted everywhere as his paranoid mind no doubt imagined a horde of commandoes or a group of mech-suited assassins lurking behind every alley or on every roof. Or he was just unsure we were going the right way; deciphering Kenji’s mind was a difficult task that would no doubt drive most people to insanity themselves.

“Are p-people w-watching us?” Hanako asked me as walked, after a few minutes of quiet travel.

“Yes,” I replied, “but I think they’re more focused on the hyper-active Harry-Potter look-alike guiding the tall blond woman with a cane.”

Hanako smiled and scooted slightly closer to me.

“Are we there yet?” Emi asked a little while later.

“We get there when we get there,” Kwan declared.

[Hoitash]

Part II:

Emi humphed in annoyance, so I interjected, “yes, we are. I think.”

“Not helping,” Emi grumbled, not seeing my teasing smile.

A few minutes later we reached our destination. If you hadn’t guessed by now, it was a relatively upscale karaoke bar. Well, upscale in the sense we wouldn’t have to worry about a bar fight breaking out somewhere, which was better then could normally be expected when Kenji picks where we drink. The outside of the bar had a simple elegance to it, with darkened glass and various flyers posted near the front door. A gaggle of patrons were near the street smoking. Lilly sniffed and coughed at the smoke, so Kenji and I hustled the group inside.

The inside was pretty plain; an open bar took up a lot of the building, with the private and semi-private rooms off to the right side. A large group of foreigners, most of whom seemed roughly our age, were hanging around the bar area proper. We had passed a few hotels on the way here, so I guessed it wasn’t too out of place; for all I knew, they were there for the concert as well, and just looking to kill an evening.

A hostess in a simple black uniform that matched her short hair bowed and greeted us, “hello, how many in your party?”

“P-party?” Hanako whispered to me.

“You’ll see,” I replied.

“Six,” Kenji responded, “we have a reservation under Honeymuffin.”

The hostess blinked and checked her charts. After a few seconds of confused blinking, she perked up and smiled, “Ah, yes. Right this way, please.”

The hostess led us to one of the rooms, which she opened and motioned for us to enter. Once we were all inside, she stated, “enjoy your evening, and if you need anything, the bar is just outside and to your right.”

Once she had left, I unhooked my arm from Hanako’s and slowly removed the blindfold. Her eyes blinked rapidly as they adjusted to the slightly dim lighting of the room. When they had, she slowly looked around the arranged chairs and the open area loaded with equipment. As she did, a smile slowly formed, and I couldn’t help smiling myself.

“Ready for some fun?” I asked.

Hanko nodded, still smiling, “y-yeah.”

“Um,” Emi interjected, “hate to be a downer, but I can’t carry a tune to save my Cheetahs.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Lilly stated.

“Uh…” Kwan grunted.

“Don’t worry,” I said, “Hanako’s performance’ll blow ours outta the water no matter what, so just do your best.”

Emi sighed and scratched the back of her head, “I dunno….”

“We could do a duet,” Kwan suggested.

“Excellent idea,” Kenji declared, clapping his hands and making Lilly jump, “so, everyone needs to pick a song, and while they do that, I can go grab drinks-”

“What, you’re not gonna sing?” Emi asked.

“Duh, I already know what I’m gonna sing,” Kenji replied, “I planned this, remember?”

“Hmm,” Lilly mused, “I think I have an idea of what I’ll sing as well.”

“No Gilbert and Sullivan!” Hanako, Kenji and I all barked.

Lilly balked and pouted, her cloudy blue eyes looking forlorn as she stated, “But, I have information animal, vegetable, and mineral.”

“No,” Kenji said, “Hisao can help you pick a song, since he knows what he’s gonna sing, too.”

“I have an idea you might like,” I interjected.

Lilly smiled and nodded, “very well, and thank you.”

“So,” Kenji said, “if no one has any objections, margaritas all around.”

“That doesn’t sound very manly,” Emi sneered.

Kenji stopped mid stride to wheel around and march toward Emi. With surprising accuracy he managed to lean down to look her almost in the eye, “The margarita is the traditional karaoke cocktail. If you’re too health conscious, though, I can get you a pink lemonade.”

Emi smiled and grabbed Kenji’s collar and headbutted him, “That’s okay; I’ll take a strawberry daiquiri on the rocks.”

Rubbing his head, Kenji nodded, “one Hemingway wannabe, comin’ up. Lils, sangria?”

Lilly nodded, ignoring the nickname, “yes, please.”

With that, Kenji left to grab the drinks.

“Okay,” I said, taking charge in his absence, “pick your songs, and we’ll figure out the order when Kenji gets back. Now, Lilly, do you know anything by the Irish Rovers?”

By the time Kenji returned with a waiter to deliver the drinks –and a pitcher for the margaritas- everyone had picked their songs. Emi still didn’t look too thrilled, and Lilly wasn’t much of a fan of karaoke either, but Kwan and Hanako seemed excited. Hanako sat in the chair beside mine, and kept looking at me while blushing lightly, which probably meant she had picked a particularly flirtatious song.

Hopefully the song Kenji had picked for me earlier and helped me practice would be a good one. I wanted to try my damndest to make Hanako feel the same way about me as I did about her when she sang. She poured out her soul when she sang, to share with those she considered closest, and I wanted to replicate that myself, if I could. I don’t have a logical answer for why I wanted to, I just did.

“Time to pick the order,” I declared when the drinks were distributed and the waiter had retreated.

Kenji nodded and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a baseball cap and some pieces of paper, “each piece of paper has a number on it, so whatever number you get, that’s your order.”

I could tell Kenji was suppressing a smirk and a dramatic wink; we had agreed to partially rig the drawing so that I went after Hanako. Other then that, the order would be random.

Hanako drew first, then Lilly, Kwan, myself, and Kenji.

“I’m first,” Kenji declared.

Feeling the Braille bumps Kenji had poked into each piece of paper, Lilly stated, “I’m second.”

“Third,” Kwan declared.

“Fourth,” Hanako added.

“And I’m last,” I declared, “I’ll try not to disappoint, though following up Hana might make that tricky.”

Hanako blushed and ducked into her chair, still unused to compliments. Grabbing his drink and preparing the equipment, Kenji spent a few moments readying for his song. When he was ready, the show, as it were, began in earnest.

What, exactly, a Swedish power metal song with English lyrics was doing in a Japanese karaoke machine,I have no clue. On the bright side, Kenji did a decent job; I guess being a rambling conspiracy theorist was good vocal training for metal songs.

Whether from enthusiasm or reduced body weight, Emi chimed in with the occasional howls throughout the song, much to my and Kwan’s amusement. Lilly looked less than thrilled, but I never pegged her for a metal head –or maybe it was Emi’s off key howling that put her off. Hanako, on the other hand, was actively headbanging, her purple hair flying everywhere as she bobbed furiously with the music.

“Long live metal!” Kenji declared when the song ended, thrusting the sign of the horns skyward to punctuate his statement, “Lilly, you’re up.”

“I’m not sure I can deliver such a…spirited performance,” Lilly mused. Finishing her sangria before standing up, she added, “But I’ll try.”

While she readied herself and the microphone, I set up the song and whatnot for her. When she was ready, I started the song.

Again, I questioned the song list of the karaoke bar we were patronizing. English isn’t my strong suit; I only knew the band from talking to George. A song about Nova Scotia seemed like a good choice for Lilly, especially since she actually knew it.

Lilly didn’t like singing much, or maybe she just didn’t like karaoke –she did enjoy singing Christmas carols. Either way, I was sure she had at least some vocal training in her childhood –Christmas choir practice at the least, I imagined. She sang with a lilting, soft spoken voice, and her wistful tone helped convey the lyrics despite their upbeat, folksy nature. When she finished, Hanako and I gave her some encouraging applause.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing and carefully walking off the stage to resume her seat, “Kenji, could I get another round?”

“Sure,” Kenji replied, “anyone else?”

When everyone who wanted another round had asked for it, Kenji dashed off to get the drinks, while those that chose to refilled their margarita glasses. Emi and Kwan seemed content to wait for his return before performing, so I decided to talk to Hanako.

“Having fun?” I asked.

Hanako smiled and nodded, sipping her margarita a bit before responding, “Yep. We should bring Kenji along more often.”

I raised an eyebrow, but nodded, “he certainly knows how to plan a gathering, doesn’t he?”

“He picks fun songs, too,” Hanako stated.

“You never mentioned you like metal,” I said.

Hanako shrugged, “I like the story the songs tell… it helps my writing.”

“I guess that makes sense,” I said, “Just be careful around Kenji; he can get kinda passionate about his bands.”

Hanako smirked and glanced at Kenji’s vacant seat, “So can I.”

[Hoitash]

Part III:

Kenji came back after a few minutes with the drinks, and handed them out before Emi and Kwan started their song.

Emi, standing in front of her seat, glared at Kenji and declared, “I want it on record that I warned all of you.”

“You’ll do fine,” Kwan stated, “and if not, we’ll just keep drinking until we forgot how much you sucked.”

Emi growled and gave him a light punch on the shoulder before dragging him and his refilled drink onto the staging area.

Emi was not kidding; the poor woman had no sense of melody, and her efforts to sing quietly didn’t help hide the fact. We all knew what we were getting into, though; that’s half the fun. Kwan did an okay job with his part, and the song itself- a Disney showtune from a preview single of an upcoming movie- was pretty good.

Their performance made me want to see the movie with Hanako; she always enjoyed a good Disney romance. Speaking of Hanako, during the duet, she had started twirling my loose tuft of hair in her hand. It just made the hair lie even less flat than normal, but, watching her smile absentmindedly as she fiddled with the unruly strands, I failed to care.

“There,” Emi said when the two were done, “happy?”

“That was…” Lilly started before trailing off, “…different.”

“Good effort,” Kenji declared, with a level of magnanimity I found startling.

“Yeah, and nice song, too,” I stated, to which Hanako added an affirmative nod and a smile.

Emi smirked and rolled her eyes before sitting back down, Kwan trailing behind as he gave us a grateful nod. While they sat down I turned to face Hanako, whose face had set in the grim determination she had whenever she was about to do something that made her nervous. She did enjoy singing, but it always made her self-conscious. Depending on the song she sang, she had a little ritual she would perform before the song. If the song she had picked was in the genre or theme I expected, the ritual would be my favorite one.

“Ready?” I asked her.

Hanako nodded and hefted herself up from the chair. She tentatively trudged herself up to the staging area, then stiffly grabbed a microphone and set up the machine. Then the ritual began. She closed her eyes, inhaled once, exhaled once, opened her eyes, and grinned. My heart thumped once in anticipation as her eyes slowly traversed the small group before her- the small audience before her- and settled on me. Her grin widened and she slowly flicked her tongue over her teeth, then gave me a wink.

I loved that wink.

With that, she began her song. Hanako the shy, introverted bookworm was gone, and in her stead was the demure, fluid, sultry Hanako the Singer. The song itself was only part of the equation- a rock song about a bassist was only as flirtatious as the singer and vocals could create. Hanako pulled it off, of course. She hadn’t always been able to, but now her singing was a sight to behold as much as a sound to be heard. Er, sounds. You get the idea.

At the appropriate times she’d hold out the mic for us to shout “bo-boom-boom-boom-boom!” and then she’d pull back the mic and wink. The entire time she sang, and every time she winked, she was focused on me, and I was captivated by her. I liked to think that this was a part of Hanako before the fire, let out of its shell in her most intimate and secure moments, to share with those she absolutely trusted. That, as much as the singing itself, always reminded me of how much she truly loved me.

All I had to do was prove how much I truly loved her, and our relationship would once again be on equal footing. A silly thought, I know, but one the logical part of my mind wouldn’t stop yammering about, especially after the two of us had discussed the matter when she insisted on paying for half the cost of our dates. Or maybe it was the booze making my mind wander.

The song ended and Hanako gave a final wink before bowing and retreating from the staging area to a furious flurry of applause.

“Awesome as always,” I commended, giving her a kiss on the cheek as she sat down.

“Th-thank you,” a flustered Hanako mumbled as she took her seat.

“Wow,” Emi said, “that was incredible. I shoulda come with you guys sooner.”

“Don’t be a stranger,” I said, “Kenji was starting to headbutt his pillow out of loneliness.”

“Very funny,” Kenji deadpanned, “I believe you’re up next?”

I smirked and nodded, “Though I’m not sure I should bother trying to follow that up.”

Hanako pouted and sighed, “D-don’t be like that, please?”

“Don’t worry, I was kidding,” I stated, and hefted myself up to the machine.

Kenji and I had spent weeks looking for a song and then having me practice it. An English song may have been a bad idea, but Hanako liked jazz, so I figured it’d work out. As long as the song was available, of course. Considering the variety offered so far that evening, I wasn’t too worried that they’d have it. Sure enough, they did, along with a few other songs by the same artist. Part of me was starting to suspect a conspiracy, and who better to form one than someone who was studying them, trying to find a way to reveal and stop them? I never asked him about it; even if he would tell me, knowing would detract from the evening’s events, somehow.

But enough rambling, time for singing. Unlike Hanako, I usually preferred to just plunge in and start the song. This was different though. Before starting, I smiled at Hanako and gave her a wink, which made her flush and raise an eyebrow.

So far, so good.

Unlike me, Hanako had a half-decent grasp of English, mostly because of Lilly. Which meant that not only was the song itself important, but my ability to sing it. Hence all the practice. I figured a big band jazz song from the Rat Pack would work nicely.

As for my performance, I more or less just copied Hanako, except I was a suave lounge singer, not a gorgeous idol. And I was a guy, but that part was obvious. The occasional wink and a steady, smooth voice were the major components of my performance, and honestly I had to focus so much on getting the lyrics right, I couldn’t do much else, except the occasional casual flick of the wrist for effect.

When the song ended, I bowed and turned to Lilly, speaking up slightly over the rippling of applause, “my accent wasn’t too bad, was it, Lilly?”

“Actually, it was hardly noticeable,” Lilly replied, “You must be working on your English.”

“Or practicing the lyrics,” Emi interjected. Pointing a finger at Kenji, she snapped, “I smell conspiracy!”

“That’s just your breath,” Kenji retorted with a dismissive wave, “and how dare you accuse, me, the Crusader of the Dark Secrets of Man, of forming a conspiracy?”

“Probably cuz she’s buzzed,” Kwan declared.

Emi whipped around to face her boyfriend, “hey, whose side are you on?”

“I’m the mediator, remember?” he asked, “so I’m on the side of truth, justice, and you apologizing to prevent causing a scene.”

“Oh…yeah,” Emi sighed and rolled her eyes, “fine. Four Eyes, I apologize for insuiating –insiniating… fuck, in-sin-u-ate-ing, you had formed a conspiracy, even though it is so obvious you planned this whole evening to turn out like this.”

“Please don’t argue,” Lilly pleaded, “at least not while I’m still reasonably sober.”

While they went at it, I had retreated to my seat. Hanako was beaming at me, and as soon as I sat down she gave me a light kiss, the argument and lighting of the room –and the alcohol- no doubt emboldening her.

“You were great,” she declared when she had pulled back from my lips.

“Thanks,” I replied, “still not as good as you, but…”

Hanako sighed, “That’s not the point. You did practice that song…for me. This whole evening, was for me, really, and… us… wasn’t it?”

I glanced at Kenji, who was standing and jabbering away at Emi as she struggled to get up, only held back from assaulting him by Kwan’s firm grip. Lilly, meanwhile, heaved herself up with a sigh, and stepped out of the room- hopefully to get the check for Kenji. Or another round for the road.

Smirking, I looked deep into Hanako’s alluring eyes. They were probing me, waiting for my answer. Her smile told me that my answer really didn’t matter, because she already knew it.

I placed a hand on her head and slowly sifted through her dark, silky hair. Pulling her close for a kiss, I whispered, “I’ll never tell.”

Hanako chuckled lightly, and just before our lips met, she muttered, “I love you, Hisao.”

Mission Accomplished.

+++
Next Chapter

Hisao, Overthinking his relationships since 2012 (his science teacher was a Time Lord, so that makes sense.)

All music rights to their respective owners, and the play list is as follows:

Sabaton- Metal Machine (I think if you got Hanako drunk enough, she’d do a metal song.)

I’ve been listening to a lot of J-rock and power metal these days, and it’s reshaping my mind into a channel for the sheer power of awesome. Also keeps me from going nuts… eh, nutser.

Irish Rovers- Farewell to Nova Scotia (they are a Canadian group, so I figure Lilly and Hisao learned of them through George.)

Disney- I See the Light (Tangled soundtrack, some folks cover. The song itself starts at the minute mark, FYI.)

I am 33-89% sure that this fic takes place in summer of 2010. Tangled came out in autumn of that year. The song was too good to pass up, though, so I used the excuse of a preview single so the song’d be available. It’s one of my favorite songs from the movie (which is my favorite Disney movie) with I Have a Dream a close second.

Ho-Kago Tea Time- Heart Goes Boom (Pony Canyon is brutal when it comes to copyright…)

My reference pool of Japanese music is sadly somewhat lacking, and this seemed like the kinda thing Hanako would perform. So I ran with it, and hopefully you won’t mind (and if you do, well, I am the writer here, heh. BOW BEFORE MY OTAKU POWER!)

Frank Sinatra- Blue Moon (I thought about using I’ve Got You Under My Skin for the song, but… yeah.)

Jazzy, smooth, with just a hint of post apocolyptia, I wanted something suave and jazzy, and this is what I went with. I do apologize for my western centric music choices, but last time I checked Michigan was in the western hemisphere.

As for Lilly knowing Latin: she went to a Catholic school. It’s offered; my mom went to a Catholic high school and took some Latin, so I imagine a prestigious school would certainly have the program.

Next week, nightmares, nightgowns, and melancholy, oh my!

[inthewind]

one Hemingway wannabe, comin’ up.

I laughed. Out of all the shades of references from different realms, this was the one that broke me.

[Hoitash]

one Hemingway wannabe, comin’ up.

I laughed. Out of all the shades of references from different realms, this was the one that broke me.

It's a pet peeve of mine, because at its core, a daiquiri is just rum, sugar, and lime juice -I'm not sure if its a well drink, but it should be. People insist on blending it into some neon slushy and guzzling it down like a Slurpee, but hey, to each his own, and thanks for reading .

[Mirage_GSM]

It’s one of my favorite songs from the movie (which is my favorite Disney movie) with I Have a Dream a close second.

Myself, I prefer I Have a Dream, but I agree on Tangled being one of the best Disney movies ever.

[Hoitash]

It’s one of my favorite songs from the movie (which is my favorite Disney movie) with I Have a Dream a close second.

Myself, I prefer I Have a Dream, but I agree on Tangled being one of the best Disney movies ever.

It's really close for me, but I've Seen the Light appeals to the hopeless romantic in me. I mean, that whole scene is so perfect it's almost unfair.

[Hoitash]

“With each victory of the light, it is the darkness that wins.” –Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novelization

Previous Chapter

Chapter Eleven (Hanako): Sleepless in Tokyo


I jerked awake suddenly, my body covered in a sheen of cold sweat. Well, most of my body. The contrast of dry numbness and cold dampness brought the nightmare that had awoken me crashing back to the forefront of my mind. The smoke, the memory of burning wood, of flesh and bone burning and cracking-

No! I remember reminding myself, it’s over. Come back to reality; to the present, where you’re safe and loved.

After several seconds of silent shivering, I managed to focus on my surroundings as the nightmare’s grip on me dissipated, though I was still shaken. The nightmares had become less of a problem over the years, and being in bed with Hisao almost made them a non-issue; it’s hard to sleep fitfully when you’re cuddling, at least for me. They still snuck up on me every now and then, though, but I could deal with them. Getting back to sleep was the tricky part.

I groped for my cell phone to check the time. Morning was several hours off, but I doubted I’d be falling back asleep anytime soon. Lilly wasn’t snoring like a beached whale, but my nerves were still a little off. Besides, I was covered in sweat. I forced myself up and shuffled to the bathroom, not even noticing the swath of star-streaked night encroaching on the room as I wandered into the bathroom. After toweling off the sweat I applied a cream to prevent irritation between the scar tissue and skin –using a scrubber for the parts I couldn’t reach, a job now mainly reserved for Hisao- and when it was soaked into my skin, I tiredly wandered out of the bathroom. It was only then that I realized that the curtains to the balcony had been pulled open, just enough so that the door outside could be easily opened.

Three plastic reclining chairs had been set up on the small balcony, along with a small square metal table. One of the chairs was occupied, and I could easily make out Emi’s petite form sitting in one of them. I glanced back to the bedroom, then to the balcony. Apparently I wasn’t the only one with sleeping troubles. I considered going back to bed, but I felt Emi might need some silent company. I was good at that, so I slowly shuffled over to the glass window, quietly sliding it open and shut behind me.

The noise of the city pounded into me as I stepped outside. Tokyo, like any major metropolitan city, never slept. People and cars hustled and bustled far below, their cacophony reaching and echoing along the towers and spires of the city buildings. The lights and neon of the city nearly drowned out the light of the stars above, but the sky was so clear you could still see them, just barely, blinking dimly, high above in the night sky.

Emi didn’t acknowledge my entrance onto the balcony. Her ruffled light brown hair was down her back in a tangled mess, her prosthetic legs, dark gray and uncovered, dimly glinted the city light on their matte finish. She was wearing a revealing blue nightgown that flittered lightly in the mild breeze. Whatever she was doing, I felt like I was intruding on it, so I turned and reached for the door to go back inside.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she muttered.

I stopped and looked at her. She was staring dimly off into space, her face pointed forward toward a nearby building that was slightly higher than the hotel. I focused on her eyes, and noticed they were unfocused and glazed over. She truly was staring off into space.

Realizing I hadn’t answered her, I mumbled, “n-nightmare.”

Emi grunted; a strange sound to hear her make, “same here. Wanna sit?”

She lethargically motioned to the chair next to her, a motion I’d more attribute to her painting friend than her (besides the obvious that Rin would use her foot) and kept her unfocused gaze off into the distance. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she was on something. I felt a slight breeze waft past us, its summer coolness oddly soothing. I glanced back at the door for a moment before silently easing myself into the indicated chair.

As I said, I’m good silent company, which was fortunate, because I had no idea what I would’ve said anyway. Once I had taken my seat, I started staring in the same general direction Emi was. I couldn’t unfocus my gaze like she did, though; the city lights and traffic noises kept distracting me.

“You have nice feet, you know,” I heard Emi say.

I glanced down at my bare feet. I flushed and moved to cover them with my oversized nightgown, “s-sorry.”

Emi chuckled and I looked up at her. Her eyes were focused and she was smiling wryly as she glanced at me, “don’t. You’ve got a good figure. Hisao’s a lucky guy.”

“So’s Kwan,” I said, “t-to find you.”

“Yeah…” Emi sighed, “…relationships can be a pain in the ass… literally, sometimes.”

…and it was officially awkward. I spent some time digesting that, wondering if it was worth pursuing. Emi was a very guarded person, but when caught off guard she could reveal some startling things. Whether she’d listen to anything regarding those facts was a separate matter. I had to try, though; she was clearly upset about something, and as an expert in that, I felt I had to at least try and cheer her up a bit. I guess Hisao was rubbing off on me.

“Is… e-everything… alright, between you and K-Kwan?” I asked.

Emi caught my eye and smirked, “yes and no. We’ve been dating for a few months, and I think he wants to get serious.”

I nodded, letting her go at her own pace.

“…I’m not so sure I want that. Actually, I do want that, but not in the ways where someone would normally want that,” Emi stated. Frowning at her rambling, she added, “Great, now I sound like Rin.”

“How is Rin?” I asked, hoping a diversionary strike might work. Great, now I was acting like Kenji.

Emi smiled and stared out back at the city, “not bad, last I heard. She got a scholarship to an art school here in Tokyo. I visit her every now and then; make sure she’s eating and stuff.”

“Good,” I declared.

Emi nodded. Laughing lightly, she turned back to face me, her normal energy filling her eyes as she stated, “you know the art club at Yamaku? Well, another student who was in the club is going to the same school, and I think –it’s hard to tell with Rin- he and Rin are dating! Rin, dating! Can you freaking believe it?”

I smiled and shrugged, “a-anything’s possible, I g-guess. I’m l-living proof of that.”

Emi nodded, still smiling, “same here. Who would guess the shit we’d gone through was survivable?”

I’d never told Emi about the fire, and she never talked about how she lost her legs, but we could scrape out the obvious from what we did know about each other. That melancholic thought caused me to sigh, “As a fictional mathematician once said, life will find a way.”

Emi raised an eyebrow at that, “considering the cost, I’d say whoever or whatever is keeping this giant ball of mud twirling, they got a sick sense of humor.”

Emi’s dark humor caught me off guard, but I managed to stammer out, “T-the M-Middle Way is n-not an easy way; it’s j-just the one that makes the most sense.”

Emi grunted, “You really believe that stuff?”

I nodded.

Emi grunted again and turned to stare off into the city. After a moment’s silence, she glanced at me, grinned and hopped up and clapped her hands, “enough about the past, though. Whadda you gonna wear to the concert?”

I blinked and shrugged, “n-no idea, beyond band colors.”

The band’s colors were pink, purple, and black, which was slightly odd for a mixed gender band, but that was the twenty-first century for you, I guess.

Emi rolled her eyes, “that’s no good. You need a game plan, Hanako! You can’t just wander into the sea of merch booths without knowing what you’re getting! Not only will those jackals gouge you, you’ll get lost in the crowds and end up just another bland sheep! You gotta stand out to rock out!”

I raised an eyebrow and gave Emi a mildly patronizing glare, “have we met?”

Emi blinked as she remembered who she was talking to, “oh. Right. Sorry. But still, you need to look kickass, and you gotta plan your outfit if you’re gonna do that. What clothes do you like to wear?”

I frowned in thought; she had a point, and it was better to go in with a plan than without. My clothing purchases were usually from second-hand thrift stores. Being a ward of the state hadn’t generated a lot of revenue, and college was expensive. I was also trying to save up for a future with Hisao, if he still wanted to be with me in a few years. Still, there were a few fashion choices I was willing to pay full price for.

“Denim,” I declared, “I l-like the comfort, and… the way it sh-shows my figure.”

Emi nodded, “yeah, you got the hips for denim, that’s for sure. And that jacket always does look good on you. Not sure that’s the way to go here, but it’s a start.”

Emi reached down and yanked me up, startling me with her strength. When I was standing, she started pacing around me, eyeing me like a matchmaker with a particularly difficult case.

“We want to accentuate the hips, and your hair- it’s already ready for the concert, lucky,” Emi noted, “so something revealing, but in a tasteful, demure way, with just a hint of chic Rocker Girl vibe to it…”

Emi stopped pacing to stand in front of me, eyeing me up and down slowly, which made me very uncomfortable. After a few seconds she smiled and snapped her fingers, “got it! Do you trust me?”

Not an easy question for me. Emi had helped Hisao get healthy, and she was a good friend, if a little wearying and blunt. So I smiled and nodded, still flushed from her examination.

Emi grinned mischievously, her eyes narrowed as she declared, “excellent. I know just what you should wear. What time is it?”

I shrugged and looked into the hotel room, which proved unhelpful as there weren’t any clocks in view.

Emi sighed and yawned, which made me yawn myself, “well, if I’m gonna be shopping for two, I better turn in.”

“Me, too,” I said, “t-tomorrow’s gonna be a full day.”

Emi nodded and slid the door open, “that’s for sure, especially if Setou’s in charge.”

I nodded in agreement, “y-you have to admit, he knows how to plan a trip.”

+++
Next Chapter

Some people question Hanako and Emi’s ability to be friends, since their personality’s conflict so much. They do both like to cook, and Emi is the type to drag people she knows into her own world –something that I can appreciate, being an introvert and social coward myself.

Think of their relationship as a friendship version of the first five minutes of Up!, but without the crying and miscarriage.

Emi and Kwan, having relationship troubles? Hmm, wonder what could be causing that.

Next time, we find out what could be causing that. Hint: it doesn’t involve a bear.

[octovaitor]

Great couple of chapters. I thought the conversation between Emi and Hanako was oddly casual considering the two barely know each other, but whatever. The karaoke scene was positively delightful; is it wrong that I imagined Kenji picking a Tenacious D song, to the horror of all the patrons?