I open my eyes when the car hit a bump in the road. The world blurs outside the windows as the car speeds down the highway. Mother blinks, watching the road very intensely while leaning over the steering wheel as if to put her nose against the window. I rub one eye, trying see straight.
"Mother, slow down a little. You're going a bit fast."
"We're going to be late, Akira. I cannot let that happen," she replies, looking at me through the corner of her eye. I gulp, watching as the world grew blurrier by the minute. Mother presses her foot against the gas pedal, weaving down the road, and taking on all the turns at full speed. I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling a tight knot in the pit of my stomach as if someone was tying it. As she turns the wheel to take a curve, I slam into the passenger side door. My bones ache from the blow. I rub my arm gently while sitting up straight again. I open my eyes and shifts them to the driver.
Mother's eyes never leave the road to check on me or ask if I'm alright. She focuses on the path to my engagement, or at least pairing, more than my health right now. This isn't worth me getting killed over. I huff, leaning over to attempt to grab the wheel from her sweaty grip. “Mom, you’re going to get us killed! Pull over and just breathe for a minute. I can’t marry a man if I’m dead from a crash.”
She pauses for a moment, slowing lifting her red heeled foot off of the gas pedal. Her chest rises then falls with each deep breath. She pulls the car over to the side of the road. She presses the brakes and puts the vehicle in park. She then let’s go of the wheel, taking one last breath before turning to me.
“I’m sorry, koibito. I guess I’m only taking in account of my own needs, not your safety,” she says softly, pausing while tapping her lower lip with a red fingernail. “I’ll drive a bit slower, but I still don’t want to be late.”
“I understand, Mother,” I reply, my lips slightly curving upward. She starts the car again, driving at a much more legal speed this time. Her chest rises and falls in a more steady pace, different from when she was in her rushing hour. I look out the window, casting my gaze at the sunny blue sky. Little clouds take the shape of many animals, objects, and plants known well to me. One cloud seems to form into a lizard, then breaks apart when the wind hits it.
I glance away, looking down at my shoes. My painful-yet-beautiful looking shoes. The beautiful shine makes me feel uneasy and I look away. This isn’t like the true me. The true me would never put on heels for a man. I rub both of the shoes together, hearing them squeak against their leathery skin. I flinch at the sound, pulling my feet apart and placing them on opposite sides of the car’s mat. I glance about, tapping my fingers against my leg.
Mother pulls the car to the left, turning down a road into a city I’ve never been to before. Buildings tower into the air, reminding me of that American tower I saw in a book I’ve read. I believe they call them skyscrapers? I can’t remember.
The city’s buildings are only a small bit of what I saw. In the distance, my eyes widen at the large temple sat on its own as Mother drives past it. In the streets, little boys play with plastic swords and katanas, stealing little girls’ dolls and running away from them. I lower my head a bit, a sudden pain coming to me before a flash of images.
xxx
“Taki! Taki, wait up!” I sprang off of the steps to my home, scampering after the boy with my Aria hanging from his grip. “Give her back!”
The boy, Taki, laughed, running to a tree. He grabbed onto one of the branches and started to climb up like the monkey he was. “It’s not that simple, Akira-Lee! You have to get her. I won’t give her to you for free.” He grinned, his perfect smug look disappearing when I started to climb up the tree after him. He ripped his hand through his dark, messy hair before jumping off the tree and running again.
I almost had him! “Taki!” I yelled, getting down off the tree to chase him. I dodged trees, logs, branches, and a rock before slamming face-first into a fence pole. I fell onto my back, hitting the ground hard. Taki’s ever-going laughter stopped just moments after, then the sound of running footsteps made their way over to me.
“Akira?” Taki said in a small voice. “Akira, let me see your face.” His hand reached for me and I shoved it away, pulling my hair forward to cover my most-likely battered face.
“No. You caused this, Taki. This wouldn’t have happened if you just left me alone. Just give my doll back.” I looked deep into those brown eyes through the black curtain over mine. He looked back at me then held Aria out in front of me. HIs big hand gripped her tightly, only loosening when I reached forward to grab her. Suddenly, I was being yanked towards him, falling against his chest. My hair fell back, revealing what I thought was a black eye. It felt puffy when I touched it before.
Taki took my face in his hands, touching my nose. A sharp pain went through me when he did, and I snapped, “Hey! Be careful already!”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.” His hand gently stroked my cheek before letting go, leaving nothing but a ghost’s touch. “Seems you broke your nose. Your eye is also pretty bad looking. I think you should go to your father and get this checked out.”
“Father is working, and I don’t want Mother to see–"
“We will stay here than,” he said, cutting off my words. “I will stay and protect you.”
“I don’t need protection. Go home,” I muttered.
He looked at me and sat down next to me. “Not gonna happen, Akira-Lee.”
I crossed my arms and turned away from him, zipping my mouth closed. We sat in silence for what seemed like a while until Taki turned to me. “You know, that’s gonna leave quite a mark. It makes you look tough.”
I looked back at him, blinking. “You think so, Taki?”
“Yeah, sure. Girls should be tough like you. They could actually gain some character.”
“Girls aren’t meant to be tough.”
“That’s why you’re special, Akira, because you are.”
We laughed, slowly fading away to nothing but light…
xxx
I rub my head, frown, and look back out the window. Taki. When you left Tokyo, it felt like I was losing a brother. I wonder if you still have Aria in your grasp now, keeping her safe like I asked of you. I wonder if you still remember me. I sigh, flashing a sweet smile at the glass before glancing over to Mother. She didn’t glance back at me, just keeps her eyes glued on the road. My eyes grow heavy, and my mind draws blank.
xxx
The car stops, waking me up from my slumber. I glance over at the clock on the dashboard, which reads 3:30 P.M. and gasps. I only slept for twenty minutes? I thought I slept an hour. Mother shuts off the car and I open the passenger door. I cold air hits me like a bulldozer, a part of me wanting to jump back into the car and shut Mr. Freeze out. I shiver in my shoes, look around, and spot a big mountain in the distance.
Mother clears her throat. “Welcome to Fujikawa, a town near our Mount. Fuji,” she said softly.
“How long did it take us to get here?”
“About an hour. Not long, Akira. This is where you will find your perfect match.”
We walk down the streets, young samurais and young girls talking to each other near cherry blossom trees and stores. I look around, spotting one lone warrior in the darkness of an alley. His dark hair covers her face, casting a shadow over his features. A katana is strapped to his hip, lying snug against his side. My heart beats a bit in my chest with my thoughts commanding it to stop. He flashes brown eyes in my direction, burning a hole in me, before turning on his heel and walking deeper into the shadows.
Mother tugs on my kimono. “Akira, are you okay?” she asked.
“Huh?” I turn and look at her. “Oh, yeah, I’m okay. I-- just thought I saw someone. But it might just be my imagination.”
She walks us towards a shrine near the center of the town. “Things like that do happen, koibito. Now come along. I have a surprise to show you.”
She pulls me along, while I try to dig my feet into the dirt. “Mother, I don’t like–"
When we stop, my mind freezes at the figure before me. Dressed in battle armor with a smug smile on his face, my memory comes to life before me. His hair still as messy as ever, and those deep brown eyes still the same that use to take my fear away. My heart sinks when I see the lonely, mischievous little boy who, in his hand, holds my doll with great care near his side.
“Taki-san!”
“Akira-Lee,” he said before groaning when I jump into his arms.
After eight long years, I have finally found you.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
