Advertisement
FluffandCrunch

Class of 2017 (Part Four)

Aug 9th, 2012
3,862
0
Never
Not a member of Pastebin yet? Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features!
text 39.46 KB | None | 0 0
  1. Standing on the edge of the gathering crowd, Emi, Rin and I take a moment to get our bearings amid the small cluster of tightly packed returning students.
  2.  
  3. "So, where exactly is Shizune?" I ask Emi.
  4.  
  5. "She and Misha told me to make sure you went right to the backstage area when I found you. They said I had permission to use force if needed."
  6.  
  7. I groan. "I guess I had better hurry up then. Where are you and Rin going?"
  8.  
  9. Emi pulls Rin closer to her side and smiles. "There's a little get together for the contributors Shizune put together outside the gardens! I'll bring Rin and make sure she doesn't run off."
  10.  
  11. I turn towards Rin. "Are you going to be okay? There may be a lot of people there."
  12.  
  13. Rin shrugs. "I know."
  14.  
  15. Emi pulls Rin into a hug. "Don't worry!"
  16.  
  17. "I'm not worried, more...dreading, but I guess those are the same thing, so, yeah, I guess I am. Worried, that is."
  18.  
  19. "You can do it, Rin, I'll be right there with you!"
  20.  
  21. Rin looks at Emi hanging onto her sleeve and a smile crosses her face. "...thank you, Emi."
  22.  
  23. The two women face me and Emi waves. "See you later, Hisao, and good luck with your speech! Knock them dead!"
  24.  
  25. "Yeah, thanks, I'm going to need it. See you later, Emi. Bye, Rin. Thanks for listening."
  26.  
  27. Rin gives me no more than a nod before she is led away by Emi and I lose sight of the mismatched pair among the party.
  28.  
  29. Breathing in a sigh, I slink away towards the stage, trying to avoid too much notice. I arrange my tie, straighten my jacket and try to make myself as presentable as possible.
  30.  
  31. Behind the stage is a small area filled with black crates used to store and transport sound equipment stacked high on top of each other. There are several machines and computers that I imagine have something to do with lighting or sound or something technical I can't begin to understand.
  32.  
  33. Emerging from underneath one of them, I see a pair of legs sticking out into the walkway.
  34.  
  35. I peer curiously at them for a moment. "Excuse me?"
  36.  
  37. There's a bang from under the computer and a muffled groan. "Ouch! Who's there? Pull me out, would you?"
  38.  
  39. I'm a little hesitant, but I grab the person by the legs and pull them from beneath the console. The young man stands and dusts himself off, thanking me for the help.
  40.  
  41. He's got a couple inches and a lot of muscle weight over me, making him look older than he actually is. Puberty hit him like a truck. Still, he's got quite the baby face, the kind the ladies love.
  42.  
  43. I look him up and down, imprinting the image in my mind. "Never thought I would see you in a suit."
  44.  
  45. Hideaki shrugs. "Rules are rules, I guess. But don't get too excited."
  46.  
  47. He grips his pant leg and rolls the cuff up, revealing a couple inches of tights beneath.
  48.  
  49. "You still wear those?"
  50.  
  51. "It's comfortable," he says.
  52.  
  53. "Aren't you afraid of getting made fun of?"
  54.  
  55. "Hisao, do I look like the kind of guy who gets made fun of?"
  56.  
  57. I look him up and down again. He looks more and more like his Father every time I see him.
  58.  
  59. "Good point. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"
  60.  
  61. Hideaki glares at me. "Very funny."
  62.  
  63. "Knock them dead, killer. Where's your sister?"
  64.  
  65. He shrugs. "Looking for you. She and Misha are working the crowd as well. She should be back soon."
  66.  
  67. "Good, because I need a favor. You know how to run the projector for the stage?"
  68.  
  69. "That's why I'm here."
  70.  
  71. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the tiny memory stick I've been carrying around all night close to my heart. "Put this up when I tell you during my speech."
  72.  
  73. Hideaki looks suspiciously at the tiny object before taking it. "What is it?"
  74.  
  75. "A surprise," I tell him.
  76.  
  77. Hideki doesn't look too sure about my request as we step over to one of the computers set up back here, a laptop with many wires running from it. Hideaki plugs the stick in and a few seconds later has pulled the picture up.
  78.  
  79. He stops suddenly, taking a sharp breath of air. "Is that...?"
  80.  
  81. "Yeah," I say with a slight tremor in my voice. "That's Saki."
  82.  
  83. "That's the girl you're doing the speech about? Should you be showing this? I mean, she's not... she isn't...?"
  84.  
  85. "No, Hideaki, she's not dead. She was alive when I took this picture."
  86.  
  87. "Why'd you take it?"
  88.  
  89. "So I couldn't force myself to forget about her."
  90.  
  91. Hideaki looks at me over his shoulder. "I'm not going to get in trouble for this, am I?"
  92.  
  93. "I'll take the blame. I'm only doing this to remind people what we do here."
  94. I shrug a little. "And to get one over on your sister."
  95.  
  96. Hideaki looks like he's thinking about it for a while before he nods. "I like the sound of that. You know she's going to be mad at you, right?"
  97.  
  98. I smile. "I'm hoping."
  99.  
  100. "Hoping for what, Hichan?"
  101.  
  102. I drop the screen of the computer down fast and turn around, facing the two woman who always seem to be looking over my shoulder.
  103.  
  104. Misha is there, still as pink and fluffy as ever, but she's now joined by Shizune, her arms crossed over her chest and her features in a stern mask of disapproval.
  105.  
  106. Shizune looks stunning tonight and I have to remind myself that she's Lilly's cousin before I get into any trouble. Classy, black framed glasses with a string of tiny pearls, a modest sized diamond around her neck and a long black dress that still manages to look professional, all give her a sharp, confident, business persona, the color complimented by a tiny pink awareness ribbon on her chest.
  107.  
  108. "Misha, good to see you again. Where's Lilly?"
  109.  
  110. Misha is already signing for Shizune's convenience even before the first word has left my mouth. She continues to do so as she responds verbally to my question. "With Hanako, waiting in the crowd for you, Hichan~!"
  111.  
  112. I turn to Shizune and give her a broad, well-meaning smile. [Shizune,] I sign. [There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!]
  113.  
  114. Misha smiles, putting her hands on her hips, no longer needing to sign for Shizune.
  115.  
  116. Administrator Hakamichi glares at me, unwrapping her crossed arms and signing back.
  117.  
  118. [You are late.]
  119.  
  120. [Sorry, I had a few things to take care of. Mingling, partying, you know how it is.]
  121.  
  122. [No, Hisao, I do not know how it is. I had a job for you to do and you nearly blew me off. Again!]
  123.  
  124. [It's our reunion too, Shizune. We have a right to have fun tonight.]
  125.  
  126. She adjusts her glasses. [Of course we can have fun. But some of us have to make sure everything goes smoothly so the rest can have as much enjoyment as possible. I was hoping I could count on you for tonight. Are you ready?]
  127.  
  128. She looks me up and down and her look of slight annoyance turns into one of outright shock and confusion. [What the hell happened to you!?] she signs furiously.
  129.  
  130. I fidget a little, readjusting my collar a bit, aware of the slight tears in my jacket and sleeves. [Got into a little trouble, that's all....]
  131.  
  132. [Little trouble? This is what you call a 'little trouble'? I'm not letting you go out there looking like that! And what the hell are you wearing?]
  133.  
  134. She steps up to me and takes it all in, mouth open in bewilderment and a little disgust.
  135.  
  136. [Good lord, why are you wearing that thing? Isn't it bad enough you wore it at your wedding, you have to embarrass the school as well?]
  137.  
  138. [I like this thing,] I say as I straighten the kilt. [It was a gift from Akira and I look dashing! Misha said so!]
  139.  
  140. Shiina laughs, arms crossed, head thrown back. Shizune throws her a nasty look and Misha stifles her guffaw with a smirk.
  141.  
  142. Shizune whips her glare back towards me and signs very quickly. [You are not wearing that out there in front of the class! I won't allow it!]
  143.  
  144. [You're not my wife, you can't tell me what I can wear!]
  145.  
  146. [If I was your wife, we wouldn't be having this discussion! You are not going to embarrass this school with that...that...skirt!]
  147.  
  148. I sigh. [It's not a skirt, it's a....]
  149.  
  150. Shit. I don't know if there is a sign for kilt.
  151.  
  152. Shizune's eyes glow, seeing my hesitation. [What's wrong, Hisao?]
  153.  
  154. I look away from her. [Nothing.]
  155.  
  156. She grins, her teeth sharp as a shark's. [Say it!]
  157.  
  158. [No.]
  159.  
  160. [Say it now!]
  161.  
  162. [I'm not letting you do this to me.]
  163.  
  164. I turn to Misha. "Misha, is there a sign for 'kilt'?"
  165.  
  166. Misha laughs once more, even louder than last time. She puts a finger over her mouth and ignores me.
  167.  
  168. Pink traitor.
  169.  
  170. Shizune is still waiting for my answer, eagerly expecting my humiliation. [What are you wearing, Hisao?] she asks again.
  171. She wants me to say it, she wants me to admit it.
  172.  
  173. I groan and sign despondently. [It's a skirt. I'm wearing a skirt....]
  174.  
  175. Shizune gets very, very close to me, barely enough room available to sign, her eyes almost the size of dinner plates and her smile one of victorious malice. She signs in such a way that, if she were talking, it would be a nasty hiss and does it right in front of my face. [Always remember how I made you say that!]
  176.  
  177. My face is red as she draws away from me, making a sweeping, cast off gesture. [Not that I don't enjoy your humiliation, Hisao, but you're not going out there like that! Take it off!]
  178.  
  179. [I can't,] I sign.
  180.  
  181. [Off! Now!]
  182.  
  183. [Shizune, I can't!]
  184.  
  185. She grabs my belt and tugs.
  186.  
  187. I sign very seriously and solemnly. [Shizune, I'm not wearing anything under this.]
  188.  
  189. Seeing my response, she stops dead in her tracks, fingers still wrapped around my belt, moments from tugging my clothes down.
  190.  
  191. She blinks a couple times before she lurches back as if the belt scalded her, her face red.
  192.  
  193. [You're not...wearing....?]
  194.  
  195. Her eyes go wide in outrage and her face is bright red in embarrassment. [That's disgusting!]
  196.  
  197. [It's traditional.]
  198.  
  199. She cringes, the full awareness of what she almost did hitting her. Her eyes dart up and down, going between my face and my hips and her cheeks are practically glowing. [Can't you once, just once, act like an adult!]
  200.  
  201. She takes off her glasses for a moment and pinches her nose in frustration.
  202.  
  203. She whips around to Hideaki. [You! Take off your pants!]
  204.  
  205. Hideaki's eyes grow very large. Even if he didn't know some sign, those commands she is giving him are unmistakable.
  206.  
  207. [NOW!] Shizune signs ferociously.
  208.  
  209. [Shizune, don't you dare make Hideaki do this!] I say.
  210.  
  211. A pair of pants are thrown over my shoulder. I turn and find Hideaki, a nice tuxedo jacket on top, tights and shorts on bottom.
  212.  
  213. That was fast!
  214.  
  215. [You were wearing shorts under that?]
  216.  
  217. He shrugs.
  218.  
  219. [Change! Now! Now, now, now, now!] Shizune orders with rapid, repeated signs.
  220.  
  221. [Are we really having this conversation!?]
  222.  
  223. [Do it or you're fired!]
  224.  
  225. [You can't fire me!]
  226.  
  227. [No, but I can drown you in enough paperwork to make you quit!]
  228.  
  229. I growl, I clench my fist in anger and I want to punch Shizune right in the face, but somewhere, deep down inside, I know she's right. Damn her for always being right!
  230.  
  231. I change behind some crates, all the while Misha continues to snicker and laugh.
  232.  
  233. When I come back out, my shame covered, I throw my arms to the side and spin once.
  234.  
  235. [Fine? Are you happy now?]
  236.  
  237. [Marginally,] Shizune signs, taking a deep breath, calming herself.
  238.  
  239. I grimace. [I'm here, aren't I? What more do you want?]
  240.  
  241. [Perhaps a little enthusiasm would be appropriate?]
  242.  
  243. [You and I both know I didn't want to do this.]
  244.  
  245. Shizune looks at me levelly, her brow raised. [You're the only one who could. It was the most logical decision.]
  246.  
  247. I sign harder than before. [And that's somehow your call to make?]
  248.  
  249. She rolls her eyes. [Of course it is! I'm your boss! You're not still upset about this, are you?]
  250.  
  251. I step closer to her, keeping just enough room between us to sign freely with.
  252.  
  253. [Yes, I am! When Saki died, I didn't want to talk about it and now you're shoving me in front of a crowd to do exactly that! You want to slap her name on the Foundation like a brand and you want me to be the one to do it!]
  254.  
  255. Shizune puts a foot out and taps her heel several times. [It's for the good of the school! It's been what, two, three years since she died? Why are you still so worked up about this? The two of you weren't even friends back in school.]
  256.  
  257. [That doesn't matter! You try it, Shizune! You watch someone die and see how long it takes you to 'get over it,'] I sign with emphasis.
  258.  
  259. Hideaki and Misha watch from the sidelines, the silent argument playing out in front of them, their eyes carefully watching our hands dance back and forth in debate.
  260.  
  261. Shizune sighs, annoyance in the action. [I understand you're having difficulties with this. If you can't handle it, then I guess I'll have to do your job for you. Misha can interpret for me just as easily as she could for you.]
  262.  
  263. She looks as if she's about to step away before I stop her, moving into her path. [Like hell you will! You dug into Saki's death and found out she listed me as her only contact, I was the one who had to tell the doctor's to pull the plug. She has no one else to trust except a virtual stranger she hadn't seen in years! She trusted me back then and I'm not trusting you to do her justice now!]
  264.  
  265. Shizune locks eyes with me, a slightly satisfied grin on her face. [Well, I'm glad you're taking this seriously, then. Are you ready?]
  266.  
  267. I tell her I am.
  268.  
  269. She nods, pleased, then holds her hand out to Misha who hands her a small stack of cards which she then hands to me. I flip through them, confused at first. Then I start reading them.
  270.  
  271. It's a speech!
  272.  
  273. Not mine, hers!
  274.  
  275. It's filled with what the Yamaku Foundation has done over the years, how it's helped the students, past and present and how a new focus has been placed on helping them outside the school, to aid them in going to university, to help them in getting jobs and joining the workforce even after their education here is over. All stuff I agree with, but that's not what angers me.
  276.  
  277. Saki is mentioned once, nothing more than a example of the help students receives and no mention is made of the circumstances of her death.
  278.  
  279. I bite down on the cards to free my hands. [What is this?] I sign.
  280.  
  281. [Your speech.]
  282.  
  283. [I already have a speech! You asked me to write one!]
  284.  
  285. [No, I asked you to speak at the reunion. You didn't think the Foundation would let you say whatever you wanted, did you?]
  286.  
  287. I pluck the cards out of my mouth and throw them in her face.
  288.  
  289. One of them bounces off of her glasses and they all flutter around her and land on the floor in a messy scatter. The look on Shizune's face is priceless and Misha's mouth drops open in surprise. Hideaki looks on with a dull, but observant glance, waiting for what our next actions will be.
  290.  
  291. Shizune's expression is one of utter disbelief before her cheeks start to burn red. She takes a moment, closing her eyes tightly and rubs the brim of her nose before she masters her outrage.
  292.  
  293. [What the hell is wrong with you!?] she signs furiously.
  294.  
  295. [You pull me into this with Saki and you give me that trash? It doesn't even talk about her! She's barely mentioned!]
  296.  
  297. [People don't want to be reminded that someone who used to be their friend is dead, Hisao! That isn't why they are here!]
  298.  
  299. [And they're not here to kiss the Foundations ass, either! That's your job, not mine!]
  300.  
  301. Her mouth puckers into an angry little circle and her cheeks turn a brighter shade of crimson. [I am in charge of this school and I will not let you trod all over it's reputation!]
  302.  
  303. [If the school hadn't done something to ruin that reputation, then it wouldn't have anything to worry about! Saki's death was a failing on Yamaku's part, she didn't get the help she needed when she was here or after!]
  304.  
  305. [And that is why I can't allow you to go out there and point that out! I am trying to fix the mistakes of the past! Why do you think I've pushed so hard to get the scholarships, the advocacy groups, the education out there? So students can become productive members of society! It's so other students don't get abandoned like Saki was! I'm trying to help, Hisao, we're on the same side!]
  306.  
  307. I keep signing, hard and fast and I know sometimes I screw up a few of them, but I don't care anymore.
  308.  
  309. [Good for you! But people need to know what happened, that the school failed! Saki needed help when she left this place, she needed support and she didn't get it! That's the school's fault!]
  310.  
  311. [The school's fault, or your fault?]
  312.  
  313. I clench my hands into fists and for a moment I seriously consider doing something I'll regret.
  314.  
  315. [You feel guilty about what happened to Saki?] Shizune signs, [fine! Feel that way, but you are not the one to broadcast the school's part in the blame or air Yamaku's dirty laundry! This school's reputation is mine to protect and I'm not letting you besmirch it because you feel guilty!]
  316.  
  317. I laugh. [You can't put a gag order on me! You can't tell me what I can and can't say! Don't pull my strings, Shizune, I'm not your puppet! I'm not Misha!]
  318.  
  319. I hear a gasp of hurt and I turn towards Misha, who looks sad and insulted. I wince because of my hasty words.
  320.  
  321. "Misha, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I wasn't trying to call you out, really. I'm sorry."
  322.  
  323. Misha still looks upset, but gives me a little nod.
  324.  
  325. I turn back to Shizune, reigning in my temper. Unlike with Emi, though, I don't mind using my anger about the rooftop against Shizune. [You're right, I do feel guilty that I wasn't there to help Saki. That's the only reason why I'd consider doing this. I'll do the speech, but it'll be my speech, Shizune, not the words fed to me by the Foundation and certainly not by you!]
  326.  
  327. Shizune glares at me, a hard, nasty expression. Were she the kind of person who used physical violence to get what she wants, I would expect her to jump me as soon as my back was turned to her.
  328.  
  329. [You have grown into an obstinate and stubborn man, Hisao Nakai! Is it so hard for you to go along with the plan, just for once? Why can't you just let things work themselves out? Why can't you be part of the team? Why can't you see that what's best for the school is sometimes what's best for our students!]
  330.  
  331. [They are not 'your' students, Shizune! They're mine! I am on the team, you're the one who isn't. You're so concerned about the Foundation and the money and the reputation, you lose sight of the important things!]
  332. [You talk about them, the students, the young people we help, but you know nothing! You wouldn't understand! You're not like me! I'm a teacher, Lilly and Misha are teachers, even Emi and Hanako deal with the kids more than you do! You're just an administrator! Nothing more than a glorified bureaucrat!]
  333.  
  334. Shizune's mouth drops open and she stare at me for a long moment, wide, hurt, surprised.
  335.  
  336. Misha looks on, a conflicted look on her face, like she wants to intervene. She makes a move to step forward, but Shizune holds up a hand, cutting her off.
  337.  
  338. Shizune blinks a couple times and adjusts her glasses, covering her face slightly. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was holding back tears.
  339.  
  340. She looks up at me with a strong, composed expression a moment later.
  341.  
  342. [That hurts, Hisao. You don't really believe that, do you? Is that why you think I have this job? I may not wear my heart on my sleeve like Lilly, but that doesn't mean I don't care! Just because I don't tell people what I feel all the time doesn't mean I don't feel at all! I don't think there's any need to sit down and spill my heart out and get all emotional over this stuff! Someone has to think about the bottom line, think logically, to keep things moving! That's my job!]
  343. [I wanted you and Lilly and the others with me at Yamaku because you were the people I could trust, who I knew would put the work into this place that this school deserves, to help the kids here who are just like us when we were attending Yamaku! I don't talk about this stuff much and it makes me feel like a weepy little princess for doing so, but you and I are on the same side here! I'm not trying to force you to do something you don't want to, but I am forcing you to do something I think is good for you!]
  344.  
  345. She takes a moment, keeping eye contact between the two of us, never looking away.
  346.  
  347. Shizune has always been an intense person and I can see in her eyes how seriously she takes this subject matter.
  348.  
  349. [I never liked Saki,] she continues.
  350. [She was lazy, mean spirited, a gossip, a shameless flirt and, when it came right down to it, a bitch! But she deserves to be remembered in some way, you're right about that.]
  351. [But I'm the one who has to think about the consequences of your actions! I'm your boss and I'm the one who gets called when you screw up, not you! I can't let you go out there and rail against the Foundation to make yourself feel better! Keeping this school running is my responsibility! You may be a star player, but I'm the coach and we need to work together as a team, otherwise the only people who will suffer will be our students! And no matter what you say or think, they are just as much my students as yours! Don't you dare say otherwise ever again!]
  352.  
  353. I stand close to Shizune, signing slowly. If I was talking, I'd be whispering. [Then let me say what I want, what I feel. Saki deserves that much, doesn't she? If the Foundation let her down, let any student down, it should be known. You would be the first one to call them out! Don't gag me, Shizune, let me speak the truth. You've never been one to sugarcoat things or spare anyone words when it's what they deserve, so don't cover up for the Foundation. The only people here who will judge are our fellow students and what better judges are there than us? As for the contributors, you don't think I can't guilt them? I will and they'll be crawling over each other to donate just so they can make themselves feel better about a poor girl who died tragically.]
  354.  
  355. Shizune blinks. I can see the doubt starting to show in her eyes. [I don't think this is a good idea.]
  356.  
  357. [Shizune, trust me on this. It's what Saki would deserve. And you said it yourself, she was a bitch. She'd love it!]
  358.  
  359. [You can't possibly know that.]
  360.  
  361. I shrug. [I have an idea.]
  362.  
  363. Shizune glares at me for a very long time, working out all the possibilities and contingencies in her head, her eyes flickering with concentration.
  364.  
  365. [Fine,] she agrees, [have your little speech.]
  366.  
  367. [Thank you, Shizune. You won't regret this.]
  368.  
  369. [I already am....]
  370.  
  371. I'm about to leave before I turn back. [One more thing; you have a picture of Saki for the projector?]
  372.  
  373. [Yes, it's from the yearbook. It's a really nice one I found in the school archives. Why?]
  374.  
  375. I hadn't planned on it, but I might as well go through with telling her. If Shizune is working with me on this, I wouldn't want to abuse that trust.
  376.  
  377. [I have a picture of my own I'd like to show the crowd.]
  378.  
  379. I lift the computer screen and show Shizune the picture of Saki I took.
  380.  
  381. Saki looks painfully frail lying in that hospital bed just as I found her, withered and pale. Her face is sunken and her hair, once the color of dark honey, is now limp and faded. She's almost invisible beneath all the wires and tubes coming out of her, surrounded by machines and screens with all the vital statistics of life in glaring, unfeeling neon green. The Saki I met at school was a clever, vibrant and vivacious young girl, but the Saki I'll always remember will be this wreck of humanity I was faced with just a few years ago.
  382.  
  383. Shizune looks stunned and shakes her head. [Absolutely not! You can't show this to people!]
  384.  
  385. [Why not? Too hard for them to accept the truth?]
  386.  
  387. [You can't.]
  388.  
  389. [Shizune, please. It's the truth. It's what really happened]
  390.  
  391. Shizune looks at me with a long and steady gaze, calculating and careful. She tips her glasses slightly with one long finger and sighs.
  392.  
  393. [You'll get in trouble.]
  394.  
  395. I smile. [And I think I know the person who will be bailing me out.]
  396.  
  397. She glares at me. [You've asked me to cover for you a lot.]
  398.  
  399. [That's only because we both know how good you are at what you do.]
  400.  
  401. Shizune doesn't make any expression at first, but she suddenly smiles, a glint in her eyes. Her teeth look very sharp from this angle.
  402.  
  403. [Like I said, you have become a very stubborn and obstinate man, Hisao Nakai. Lilly is lucky she married you.]
  404.  
  405. [Oh?] I sign with as curious an expression on my face as I can manage. [And what is that supposed to mean?]
  406.  
  407. Shizune's smile and that glint in her eyes turn practically smoldering. [It means she's lucky she scooped you up first. Otherwise I might have gotten my hands on you back in school.]
  408.  
  409. [We would have strangled each other the first week.]
  410.  
  411. Her delicate eyebrow lifts slightly. [Not if I tied your arms behind your back....]
  412.  
  413. I take a couple steps away, smiling as I do and I steal a quick glance at Misha and Hideaki.
  414.  
  415. I pick up one of the cards I threw and use my pen to write something down, handing the note to Shizune. She reads it and her face turns bright red before crumbling it and possessively hiding the paper ball in her clenched palm.
  416.  
  417. [So, am I free to go?] I ask.
  418.  
  419. Shizune nods curtly.
  420.  
  421. I leave, watching as Misha steps up to Shizune and asks what the note said. Shizune refuses, but Misha pesters and Shizune eventually hands it to Misha who reads it, her own cheeks turning red as she does. She throws a nasty glare at me and softly slaps Shizune's arm.
  422.  
  423. They both slap Hideaki as he tries to read the note.
  424.  
  425. "Come on, Misha," I say. "Time to hit the stage."
  426.  
  427. ----------------------------------------
  428.  
  429. I was not expecting this many people.
  430.  
  431. The crowd in front of the stage is expansive, most of them seated at tables, but many more standing around the edges of the stage or on the dance floor.
  432.  
  433. Peeking from behind the red curtains on the side of the stage set-up, I can see many familiar faces including several who I've spoken too just a few hours ago. Miki has been joined by Suzu and the two of them are seated at a table with drinks, Suzu nodding off and Miki straightening her before she tips over her glass of wine. Takeshi and Molly are at the bar holding hands and I catch Yuuko standing next to Nurse and Mutou, the three engaged in conversation, Yuuko habitually bowing in apology and Nurse laughing it off.
  434.  
  435. No sign of Kenji. Damn him.
  436.  
  437. It isn't hard to spot my Lilly's lovely head of hair, Hanako sitting next to her at a table near the middle of the crowd, holding hands and talking quietly.
  438.  
  439. I swallow the golf ball sized lump forming in my throat. My heart is starting to race and I try to control my breathing to slow it down.
  440.  
  441. "You ready, Hichan?" Misha says as she walks up behind me.
  442.  
  443. "Yeah, I think so. There's a lot of people out there, though."
  444.  
  445. "You'll do great! Just give me and Shichan a few minutes and then we'll get started."
  446.  
  447. "Yeah, I guess."
  448.  
  449. She laughs. "Don't worry, you silly goose~! You'll be fine!"
  450.  
  451. She gives me a quick hug and pats me on the shoulder. "Good luck~!"
  452.  
  453. I smile and nod, still a little nervous, my heart beating loudly in my ears.
  454.  
  455. Shizune joins Misha and she gives me a little glare, softened a bit by her mischievous smile. The pair of them walk out onstage.
  456.  
  457. With Shizune signing and Misha speaking, Shizune goes through the whole song and dance, thanking everyone for their attendance, congratulating them on their accomplishments since graduation, even throwing in a little humor and nostalgia to keep people interested.
  458. She gradually turns the topic from the students of the past to the students of today and speaks about the Yamaku Foundation's mission of aid and support for young people with disabilities.
  459. Eventually she begins speaking about the sad fact that some of our fellow students are not here with us today. She takes a quick glance at me waiting in the wings and gives a little sigh that I almost miss before she introduces me.
  460.  
  461. I step out on stage to a modest amount of applause, Shizune leaving the podium and walking past me.
  462. She momentarily faces away from the crowd, hiding her hands.
  463. [I'm trusting you on this,] she signs as we pass one another, a glare in her eyes.
  464.  
  465. I take the podium and face out towards the crowd of my former, fellow students, taking my speech cards in hand and placing them flat onto the wooden surface in front of me. I look over at Misha standing nearby and she gives me a little wink.
  466. I cough and adjust my collar.
  467. I then take a moment, breathe and begin speaking.
  468.  
  469. "It's my pleasure to speak to you tonight on behalf of the Yamaku Foundation. I'm here to...."
  470.  
  471. A loud voice practically screams from the back of the group. "Louder! I can't hear you!"
  472.  
  473. Takeshi is still at the bar, both hands cupped over his mouth, yelling at me with an embarrassed and mortified Molly cringing next to him.
  474.  
  475. Laughter ripples through the crowd before settling back down.
  476.  
  477. I want to throw something at him, but I have no ammunition and it would be a hell of a toss to hit him from here.
  478.  
  479. I hate you, Takeshi.
  480.  
  481. I collect myself once more.
  482.  
  483. "As I was saying, it's my pleasure to speak to you tonight on behalf of the Yamaku Foundation. I was supposed to comment on several of the recent additions to the education our students receive, as well as to clarify the Foundation's new goals and mission statement. But I think I can do that better by sharing a story with you about someone who we once knew."
  484.  
  485. "All of us have had the opportunity to receive an education in a nurturing and safe environment thanks to Yamaku. Many of us spent time in schools which were not conducive to our needs or we required assistance in various ways to supplement the education we would normally have had in any other teaching establishment. Each and every one of us has or had a requirement or necessity that made Yamaku the best choice for us."
  486.  
  487. As I speak, Misha keeps pace, signing my words with wide hand movements, large enough to be seen by anyone in the crowd. I notice several clusters of students intently watching her as I continue.
  488.  
  489. "In recent years, thanks due in part to the efforts of Administrator Hakamichi, Yamaku and the Yamaku Foundation has turned it's attention to establishing scholarships and advocacy groups that help former students go to the university of their choice or find jobs in the workforce, as well as establishing a legal avenue for those students who have difficulty obtaining scholarships or jobs based on their disabilities due to discrimination. I know I can thank financial assistance from the Foundation for the education I received which helped me become a teacher. I can also thank the Foundation for the job I have now."
  490.  
  491. "That is not always the case, though. Some people who graduate from Yamaku did not receive the help they needed or had access to the opportunities that I and many of you may have had. I am not talking about money. Whether because of their life situation or a refusal on their part, some of our fellow students have been forgotten."
  492.  
  493. I give a small nod and an image flashes on screen, a yearbook picture of Saki Enomoto. I take a glance at it from over my shoulder and find that Shizune was not lying. It is a good picture of her, Saki wearing her pristine uniform well, sitting on a bench I recognize from the school grounds, a tree behind her framing the scene. She has a little knowing smile on her face as she turns towards the camera, a coy look in her eyes, a prepared expression for taking pictures, but an effective one nonetheless. Saki always was a very attractive and photogenic young girl.
  494.  
  495. I feel a little sick to my stomach seeing her like that, but I continue on.
  496.  
  497. "Saki Enomoto was a fellow student of ours. Many of you may remember her from art class where she ran the fashion club or perhaps you spoke to her at one point or another. Maybe some of you were her friends. From what I know, Saki did not have many of those. But I'm not here to talk about what we already know about Saki. I'm here to talk about what happened to her."
  498.  
  499. "When we graduated, Saki practically disappeared. No one heard from her and she had no contact with the few acquaintances she kept from school. I was never a real friend of hers, we barely spoke, but I did remember her. She left quite the impression on anyone she met. As you can see, she was a very lovely young girl."
  500.  
  501. I see people taking notice in the crowd with the past tense my words have taken. I see Hanako watching me and Lilly listening intently, a worried look on her face. Both my wife and Hanako already know the story, but they also know I've never told anyone else about it.
  502.  
  503. "Two years ago, I received a call from a hospital. Those of you who know me, know I hate hospitals, a dislike I'm sure at least some of you share. But my health was not the topic of the phone call that day. I was called as an emergency contact for Saki, which was strange because I hadn't seen her in years, had given her barely any thought. The doctor explained the situation to me, though, and I understood what he was asking me to do."
  504.  
  505. "Saki was born with Spinocerebellar Ataxia, the reason she attended Yamaku in the first place. For those of you who don't know, it is a progressive, genetic condition which eventually would rob Saki of all muscular control and eventually lead to her death. When I went to the hospital, that's how I found her."
  506.  
  507. I gesture to the picture of Saki from back in school.
  508.  
  509. "This is Saki as you remember her."
  510.  
  511. I take a deep breath to calm myself before looking over to where Shizune and Hideaki stand. I give a nod and Hideaki changes the projector.
  512.  
  513. When Saki comes up on screen, a few gasps come from the audience, some murmurs travel through the crowd. I let the people shift nervously for a few minutes, let them get uncomfortable. A few people even look away. I spy Hanako leaning close to Lilly, whispering to her. Lilly has an alarmed look, her hand covering her mouth.
  514.  
  515. "This," I say pointing to the picture of Saki in the hospital bed, hooked up to the machines, "is the Saki I'll be forced to remember."
  516.  
  517. I let that sink in for a moment before I continue speaking.
  518.  
  519. "You see, Saki didn't have anyone she could turn to at that point in her life. No friends she could open up too or at least any that she could bring herself to trust, no family to watch over her, or at least none who cared enough about her to do so. The only reason she listed me, practically a stranger, was because she found my phone number in an old yearbook I had signed. I was not Saki's friend. I hadn't thought of her in years until out of the blue, I was the one who had to decide to take her off of life support."
  520.  
  521. I nod. "And that's what I did."
  522.  
  523. I can see the shock on some peoples faces. Some have a look of disapproval, others of silent agreement. Others just listen grimly to what I'm saying.
  524.  
  525. "This school has done so much for us, but it isn't enough. For too long, our country has used Yamaku as a place to hide away it's shame, to put the mistakes someplace where they won't disrupt society. A place to gather and herd the freaks, mistakes, the quirks of nature, the cripples, the defective youth, the embarrassments, the...the gimps."
  526.  
  527. I swallow hard.
  528. I see Lilly cringe in the crowd.
  529.  
  530. "That is not what this place is. This is not where we hide. When a student comes to Yamaku, they have already healed as much as they can in the outside world. That is what this place is; a place of healing, not just of physical wounds, but of spirits and wills. This place gives each and every child who walks through those gates the opportunity to receive an education without any regard to the situation they find themselves in or what state their body is in."
  531.  
  532. "But that is not enough. Just because a student steps back out of those gates into the outside world, does not mean our duty and obligation to them had ended! They are not cast out into a world to fend for themselves, into a world that does not want them or tries to deny they even exist!"
  533.  
  534. "That is what happened to Saki Enomoto. She was cast out and forgotten. And because of that, she died alone with only a stranger to vouch for her, to remember her passing. She did not get the help she needed, and I am not talking about the help she got from medicine or education. I'm talking about the kind of help only a friend can give, someone who is there for you when you need them, who accepts you no matter who or what you are."
  535.  
  536. I look out over the crowd, seeing my friends and family out there.
  537.  
  538. "When I first came here, I was in a dark place. I was left with no friends, no ambitions or even hope. This was a prison where they sent the unwanted. But I learned that that was not the case, that Yamaku was a second chance, a chance to make things right, to find a new direction, to make new friends. Now, I have so many of them! More than I could ever hope for, a family and circle of loved ones. I am truly blessed."
  539.  
  540. "But despite everything I've been given, I still failed. I didn't help Saki. I didn't take the time to seek her out, to give her the help she needed, to give her a call and ask her how she had been. Maybe a word of encouragement or support from me or any one of us could have avoided what happened to her. I failed Saki and so did Yamaku."
  541.  
  542. "I can't watch over each and every one of us, making sure that we're all doing fine, but together, and as long as I work here, so long as I teach these young people and people like us care, that will never happen again! We cannot stand by and let one more students pass through these gates without doing everything humanly possible to ensure they get the help, the education and the support they need, now and in the future. I can only hope those of you here today will join me in making sure that the goals of the Yamaku Foundation are kept intact and true; that no child will suffer needlessly and that every child will receive the education they deserve."
  543.  
  544. I gather my cards together and slip them into my pocket, my heart pounding a drum beat in my chest.
  545.  
  546. "I'd like to thank you, my fellow graduates, my Class of 2017, for coming here tonight. I'd also like to thank the members of the Yamaku Foundation here as well for all the work and funding they have given to this school. It is through your generosity that we all find ourselves here today and through that continued generosity that we can ensure that there are no more stories like Saki's to tell, that we will be true to our mission and succeed in our mutual goals."
  547.  
  548. "Saki had a little motto she liked to use and I think it should be applied to each one of us. I asked Saki once what she thought about her condition, whether or not she let it upset her. She said it didn't and that confused me. Saki was going to die, that was a fact. My heart was bad, but I could take medication, exercise, live a long life and it depressed me more than her condition seemed to depress her. She was living on borrowed time. I asked her why that didn't bother her and she had a very simple answer. She said, 'every day is a gift, every hour is golden, every minute is a diamond. Life is wonderful, if you have the courage to live it.'"
  549.  
  550. "I think we all should live like that. Yamaku is our legacy, so ask yourselves this; How do you want to be remembered?"
  551.  
  552. Misha doesn't get the chance to finish signing by the time the applause starts. I leave the podium, my breath coming in quick little gasps. Both Shizune and Hideaki are clapping as well and I give them nods of thanks. I force my way past them though and I'm glad they don't follow.
  553.  
  554. I make my way backstage, finding a secluded spot where I can be alone. I sit on a black crate and check my heart. It's racing, my pulse throbbing in my neck. There's a little sweat on my forehead and I'm gulping down buckets of air.
  555.  
  556. I didn't really want to do that, but it feels good that I did. Maybe Shizune was right, maybe this was something I needed to do. Maybe now I'll be able to deal with what I've been through and move on with my life.
  557.  
  558. In the seclusion backstage, a voice next to me makes me violently shudder.
  559.  
  560. "That was a great speech! Never would have imagined you'd be such a hell of a speaker!"
  561.  
  562. I look over, hesitating. I don't want to acknowledge it, but it's there.
  563.  
  564. Sitting next to me is a pretty girl who smiles at me and winks. She wears a sky blue dress I recognize as the same one she was buried in.
  565.  
  566. "Those were some really nice things you said about me," says Saki Enomoto.
  567.  
  568. ----------------------------------------
  569.  
  570. Part Five
  571. http://pastebin.com/cUC50eT4
Advertisement
Add Comment
Please, Sign In to add comment
Advertisement