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FluffandCrunch

Confession (Part Two)

Oct 25th, 2012
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  1. Whelp, that just happened.
  2.  
  3. Here I am, sitting up in my hospital bed with a thankfully well placed pillow over my lap, Lilly sitting in a chair on my right side with her rear end, pride and dignity bruised and looking like a whipped puppy and both of my parents on my other side in their own chairs. Dad is reading one of the books he brought, but I doubt he has much interest in its contents. He looks up every so often, first at Mom, who is still glaring at me, then at me, with an apologetic look, then at Lilly for a nervous moment before looking back at the page.
  4.  
  5. All of us are waiting for some silent or hidden message to continue on or address the situation.
  6.  
  7. I pray it never happens.
  8.  
  9. My Mom is the one who ends up speaking first.
  10. Of course. She always is.
  11. “Well?” she says to my Father.
  12.  
  13. Dad looks up, a bit surprised. “Hm? What?”
  14. “Aren't you going to say something to our son?” she asks, gesturing towards me.
  15.  
  16. My Dad looks back and forth between me and Mom. “What do you want me to say?”
  17.  
  18. Mother sighs angrily. “Anything! Just don't sit there!”
  19.  
  20. Dad looks up at me once more. He closes the book and places it along with the others on my side table. “I brought you some books from home I thought you might like.“
  21.  
  22. “...thanks, Dad.
  23.  
  24. “Is that all you have to say?” Mom says in a strained tone.
  25.  
  26. Dad shakes his head. He takes the can of coffee out of his pocket and hands it to me surreptitiously. “I smuggled this in for you,“ he winks at me. ”It's your favorite.”
  27.  
  28. I take the can from him. “Thanks, Dad. But I don't really drink coffee anymore.”
  29. “You don't?” He seems surprised. “You couldn't get enough of it.”
  30.  
  31. I shrug. “Not really the best thing for me.”
  32.  
  33. Dad blinks and then clenches his hand into a fist. “Right. Heart. Yeah, sorry.” He makes a move to take it back, but then lets it go, sitting back in his seat with a pained expression of embarrassment on his face.
  34. He looks like he just handed a bottle of colorful pills to a toddler.
  35.  
  36. Poor Dad.
  37.  
  38. Mom sighs once more. “That is not what I was talking about! I meant about what this...person was doing!“
  39.  
  40. Lilly cringes in her chair.
  41.  
  42. “I don't think we need to talk about that,” my Dad says.
  43. “I think we do! I want to know what she was doing!”
  44. “I think we both know what they were doing, dear. There's no reason for us to embarrass them any more than I'm sure they already are.“
  45.  
  46. Mom glares at Dad and crosses her arms over her chest.
  47. Lilly is wringing her hands tightly together, a look of mortified and helpless shame on her face.
  48.  
  49. I sigh.
  50.  
  51. “All right. This isn't how I wanted this meeting to happen, but I guess we can't change that anymore.“
  52.  
  53. Dad looks halfway between a nervous breakdown and running for the door while Mom turns her nose up.
  54.  
  55. “Mom, Dad. This is Lilly Satou. She's my girlfriend.”
  56.  
  57. Dad looks surprised despite what he walked in on us doing and Mom turns back towards me, a little outrage and shock on her face. “G-girlfriend? You have a girlfriend?”
  58.  
  59. “Yes, I have a girlfriend.”
  60.  
  61. Lilly sits up very straight, hands in her lap and speaking in a shaky whisper. “I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Nakai. I'm very sorry for the circumstances." She wrings her hands together. "I'm very, very sorry,“ she says with a slight bow from the waist.
  62.  
  63. Lilly puts on a very formal facade, but I can see she is still extremely upset about the two of them walking in on us.
  64.  
  65. Dad smiles and sits up from his chair, reaching over my bed with an open hand. “It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Satou.”
  66.  
  67. I can feel my pupils dilate.
  68. Oh, God! Dad, please, no!
  69.  
  70. He stands there with his hand hovering in mid air for a few seconds before Lilly takes the hint and lifts her own hand, reaching out, politely trying to find my Father's offered handshake. Her fingers bump into his and she clasps it firmly.
  71.  
  72. “I'm very pleased to meet you,” Lilly says with polite smile.
  73.  
  74. Dad looks confused for a minute, but when he looks Lilly in the face, I'm sure he sees her faded eyes and notices for the first time how she doesn't face exactly towards him when speaking.
  75.  
  76. Dad look horrified when the connections must click in his head and he sits back down, sputtering in his awkwardness and shame.
  77.  
  78. I try to muffle my groan of embarrassment.
  79.  
  80. Mom blinks several times, but she gets the hint as well and looks horrified in turn, turning towards me and then back to Lilly before controlling her reaction with a stern grimace.
  81.  
  82. Lilly smiles, but it's wan and stressed. Even she can catch onto their reaction.
  83.  
  84. I give both of my parents a very clear look that it's not to be discussed.
  85.  
  86. Mom brushes her business skirt a few times to give herself something to do. “Well, I have to say this is a...surprise. You hadn't mentioned a girlfriend, Hichan. In fact, until we were called to the hospital, we hadn't heard from you in a very long time.“ She glares at me slightly. ”A letter or call would have been appreciated.“
  87.  
  88. “I know, Mom. I'm sorry. I've been busy with school and I've had a lot on my mind.“
  89.  
  90. Mother practically sneers. “I can see that.”
  91.  
  92. Lilly doesn't react, but I wince. Dad turns away from Lilly, not sure exactly whether to avoid looking at her altogether or to make eye contact or watch her hands or something. He gives my Mom a disapproving glance from over his glasses.
  93.  
  94. “You hadn't mentioned anything when we visited before,“ Dad says, quickly changing the subject. ”Something like that, a girlfriend, I mean. It's very important.“
  95.  
  96. I nod. “Well, until recently, I didn't know she was even here. It's...complicated.“
  97.  
  98. Lilly, who has been silent this whole time, finally speaks up. “I'm very sorry for not meeting you earlier. When we first brought Hisao in, the doctors wouldn't let me visit because I wasn't family and because of his condition. I guess I just simply didn't run into you before then.“
  99.  
  100. “'Brought him in'?” my Dad asks.
  101. Lilly nods. “Yes. My older sister, Akira, and I. We were the ones who called the paramedics and brought Hisao to the hospital.“
  102.  
  103. “Wait,” my Mother says, “Hisao was brought in from the airport, that's what the Doctors said. What were you and him doing there?“
  104.  
  105. Lilly swallows and grows a little pale. “He was...he was trying to catch up to me. Before I got onto a plane.“
  106.  
  107. Mom turns to me. “That's what you were doing? Trying to stop this girl from getting on a plane? That's why you had another heart attack? Why were you doing that?“
  108.  
  109. “She was going to leave,” I say calmly. “I had to stop Lilly before she left.”
  110.  
  111. “Maybe you shouldn't have!” Mom says in a raised voice. “If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place!“
  112.  
  113. "Mom, please."
  114.  
  115. "I don't want this person here if she's the reason you're in this condition!"
  116.  
  117. Lilly grows even more pale and looks like she's about to be sick.
  118.  
  119. I clench my jaw and look at my Mom with a sharp glare.
  120.  
  121. “Stop it,” I hiss.
  122.  
  123. Mom's eyes grow wide when she sees my expression, a moment of shock and troubled fear at the tone I take with her. Dad likewise looks taken aback, hearing me talk to her that way. I've never spoken like that with Mom before, but I'm angry enough to not care. She looks like she's about to snap at me but the door opens and a nurse with a metal tray walks in, delivering my medication for the morning.
  124.  
  125. Everyone goes very quite.
  126.  
  127. I take the drugs silently with a glass of water, each pill one at a time, each a bitter burden to swallow.
  128.  
  129. Mom sits in her chair, arms crossed over her chest in silent fury while Dad looks helplessly on, looking for some calm, mitigating response. Lilly sits in her chair, very contrite and put out. It's painful for me to see her this uncomfortable. She has both arms wrapped around her chest protectively.
  130.  
  131. I think that's a little odd until I tip my head back to take the last pill when something on the floor catches my eye.
  132.  
  133. It's black and silky looking and very familiar.
  134. I choke on the water when I see Lilly's bra peeking out from under the bed.
  135.  
  136. Dad sees my reaction and looks confused before he follows my eyes and sees what has me terrified. His own eyes go wide and his face goes red, looking back and forth between Lilly and my Mom.
  137.  
  138. With the tip of his shined shoes, Dad nudges the offending garment under the side table and out of sight.
  139. I look at him over the glass of water very gratefully and he gives me a little nod of encouragement, hiding a thumbs up from my Mother.
  140.  
  141. I know that look from Dad well enough. He knows Mom is making a big deal, I just have to wait it out.
  142.  
  143. With my medication out of the way, the nurse takes the glass from me and begins to leave.
  144. Lilly stands from her chair, smoothing out her skirt as she does. “Hisao, I think I should let you and your parents talk this over without my interference.“
  145.  
  146. “Lilly, please. You don't have to go.”
  147.  
  148. She smiles. “I think I should. I'll be back in a little while once you are done speaking to your parents.“
  149. She turns towards my Mom and Dad and bows towards their general direction. “I'm very pleased to have made your acquaintance, Mr. and Mrs. Nakai. If you would excuse me for a moment....“
  150.  
  151. Lilly follows the sound of the departing nurse when my Dad stands. “Are you going to be all right?”
  152. Lilly smiles and nods. “I'll just be in the visitor's room, Mr. Nakai. I know where it is.“
  153. Dad scratches the back of his head. “Yes. Of course.”
  154. He sits back down quickly. I watch Lilly walk away feeling a little pained as she shuts the door behind her.
  155. A few tactful moments pass to put some distance between Lilly and our room. Mom is the first to speak, turning on me with a glare. “How dare you speak to me in that tone!”
  156.  
  157. “Mom, you were out of line.”
  158.  
  159. “No, you were! I am your Mother and I will not have you speak to me like that!“
  160. “Dear,” Dad says diplomatically, “perhaps you were a little overzealous in your tone as well?“
  161. “Why shouldn't I be?” Mom stands and stalks to the foot of my bed, beside herself with anger. She turns back towards me and my Dad sitting by my side. “She's the reason he's in here! She's why he's had this second attack! She shouldn't have been allowed in the room! She is not family! I'm going to have a very long discussion with your doctor when this is over!"
  162.  
  163. "Dear, please! Keep your voice down, she might hear," Dad pleads. "'They' have a very sensitive sense of hearing!"
  164.  
  165. "What does 'they' mean?" I say slowly.
  166.  
  167. Dad cringes. "Sorry! I didn't mean it like that."
  168. "Dad, she's not superhuman," I tell him. "It's okay."
  169. He nods bashfully.
  170.  
  171. "And did you see what they were doing?!“ Mom continues to rant at him.
  172.  
  173. Dad adjusts his glasses. “Yes, I did. We both did. They're young, it's no reason to get upset.“
  174.  
  175. “Our son just had surgery and you're making excuses for that...that...succubus!“
  176.  
  177. “Mom!” I yell.
  178.  
  179. “Stay out of this, Hichan! We sent you to Yamaku to get better, not get worse!“
  180.  
  181. “Mom, I'm not going to get 'better', all right? This isn't something that goes away! I'll have to live with this the rest of my life.“
  182.  
  183. “All the more reason that you need to be more careful! What could possess you to do something like this! Running in your condition? What you thought you were doing, I'll never know!“
  184.  
  185. “Lilly was leaving and she wasn't going to come back! I had to stop her!“
  186.  
  187. “Have you ever heard of a phone call?” she yells at me.
  188.  
  189. I flinch. “Well, I could have, but...well, I wasn't really thinking clearly....“
  190.  
  191. “Clearly, you weren't thinking at all!”
  192.  
  193. Mom runs her hand through her hair in exasperation. Dad looks on, just riding the storm until it's over.
  194.  
  195. “And what is wrong with you?” Mom says in a hushed whisper. “She's...she's....”
  196.  
  197. I look at Mom carefully. “She's what?”
  198.  
  199. Mom taps her heel a few times in frustration. “You know what! Don't make me say it!”
  200.  
  201. “She's what, Mom? Beautiful? Polite? Foreign? What exactly do you think is wrong with her?“
  202.  
  203. Mom's cheeks turn red and she looks away from me. “She's blind.”
  204.  
  205. Now I'm angry.
  206. “Yeah! She's blind! Congratulations, you win the prize! How very observant of you!“
  207.  
  208. Mom turns on me and shoves a finger in my face. “Don't you dare take that tone with me, young man! What business do you have dating a blind girl!“
  209.  
  210. “What were you expecting? You're the ones who sent me to Yamaku! Remember? Yamaku? That place filled with people with disabilities, that Yamaku? Did you think I wouldn't meet someone there?“
  211.  
  212. Mom glares at me and Dad sits silently in his chair. “Well, couldn't you have...dated someone more...normal?“ she tells me.
  213.  
  214. “Normal? I'm not normal, thank you for noticing! Since I got to Yamaku, I haven't met a single 'normal' person there, whatever your idea of normal is! What did you expect me to do; not make any friends for the rest of High School?“
  215.  
  216. “Of course not! Don't be so dramatic, Hichan! All I'm saying is do you really understand what you are getting yourself into? The responsibility involved?“
  217.  
  218. “Responsibility? Mom, I'm not adopting a puppy! I'm in love with her!“
  219.  
  220. Mom looks shocked and flustered by my words. “'Love'?” She laughs. “Surely not! You're only children!”
  221.  
  222. “I am not a child! Lilly and I have been through more in the last few months than most people go through their whole lives together! You may not appreciate that, but I do! Did you expect me to go through Yamaku and just be the same person? You're the ones who sent me away, so don't be surprised when I come back changed and you don't like it!“
  223.  
  224. “What has gotten into you? You have never spoken to me like this before!“
  225.  
  226. I turn away from her. “I guess I'm just sick of holding myself back. It's time I move on.“
  227.  
  228. Mom looks very upset with me. “What about your old life and all your friends! What about that nice girl who visited you in the hospital? What was her name?“
  229.  
  230. I lean back in bed and look down at my hands. “Iwanako.”
  231.  
  232. “Yes,” my Mom says. “What about her? She was so nice and she visited you almost every day.“
  233.  
  234. “Yeah,“ I say, staring out the window. ”Then she stopped. Like everyone else did.“
  235.  
  236. Mom clamps her mouth shut.
  237.  
  238. I look up at her. “Has anyone from my old school asked about me while I was gone?“
  239.  
  240. Mom blinks a couple times.
  241.  
  242. “Well?” I ask her.
  243.  
  244. She turns and looks out the window. “No,” she says.
  245.  
  246. “Well, there you go. Lilly was there for me when I needed someone. She's here. I don't see any of my old friends here with me right now. Did you tell them I was in the hospital again?“
  247.  
  248. Mom continues to look outside. “We...may have told a few who lived nearby.”
  249. “They haven't visited me. Did they give you any cards or anything to give me?“
  250.  
  251. Mom slowly shakes her head.
  252.  
  253. I sigh. “So there. They're not here and neither is Iwanako. Who cares? I don't need them.“
  254.  
  255. I point to the stack of cards on the table next to me.
  256.  
  257. “I have new friends. A girl who cares about me, who adores me. Why can't you be happy for me?" I turn from Mom in disgust. "You don't even know her and you've already judged her. The only thing you know is she's blind and that's all you care about."
  258.  
  259. Mom turns towards me with a mournful look. “Hichan, that isn't it at all! This is a huge step and you've had a very stressful several months. I just...we're just worried, that's all. You've had so much happen to you so quickly, we're just worried you're rushing into things without thinking through it clearly.“
  260.  
  261. I nod. “I know you're worried, Mom, but you don't have to be. I don't need to think about it. Lilly is...Lilly is amazing, Mom! She's already done more for me than I could possibly tell you. I was a mess when I went to Yamaku, you know that, and Lilly was there to help me. She became my friend and helped me pick myself up. I was lucky enough to have her tell me she loves me. She's a wonderful girl, Mom, and I know you'll like her if you give her the chance.“
  262.  
  263. Mom presses her lips tightly together, arms wrapped around her. “It's just...this is happening too fast! First you get sick and leave your old school and move out and now you have a girlfriend and you're going to be out of school and moving to university and...it's just too fast for me!“
  264.  
  265. Dad finally speaks up, picking the right moment to add his voice. “It may be too fast, dear, but perhaps it's for the best.“ Dad looks at me with a smile and adjusts his glasses. “The truth is our son hasn't looked this happy in a long time. If that's this young lady's doing, then I think she's just what he may have needed.“
  266.  
  267. I turn to him and smile. “Thank you, Dad.”
  268. He adjusts his glasses and grimaces. “Although...you couldn't have dated a nice Japanese girl while you were at Yamaku?“
  269.  
  270. I roll my eyes. “Dad, don't start that!”
  271. He sighs and chuckles, shrugging his shoulder slightly. “Please don't blame an old man for his traditional outlook, son. She's a very nice and lovely seeming girl.“
  272.  
  273. He looks over his glasses at me. “Exactly where is she from, if I may ask?“
  274. “She's from Japan, Dad, she's lived here all her life. Her Mother is from Scotland.“
  275.  
  276. My Dad looks surprised. “Scotland? What an odd combination.“
  277. “Please don't let her hear you say that.“
  278. Dad waves me off. “Of course not! Give your old man some credit. I may be an embarrassment to you and myself, but I have more tact than that.“
  279.  
  280. Mom shrugs and stares out the window. “Well, she is...a very pretty girl, I guess.“
  281. Dad nods. “And polite as well.”
  282. He looks at me squarely. “Although...I am a little surprised.”
  283. “By what?”
  284. “Well, as your Mother said, she is very...pretty. I'm just a little surprised she's dating you....“
  285.  
  286. I blink. “You think she's out of my league?”
  287. Dad fidgets awkwardly. “To be blunt, she's not the type of girl I would have expected you to be with. Yes.“
  288.  
  289. I'm not sure how to take that comment. “Thanks for that, Dad.”
  290.  
  291. “Now, now, I only mean well! I'm not trying to put you down, I was just...very surprised.“
  292.  
  293. “I was too when you walked in the room.”
  294.  
  295. Mom nods. “Good! At least one of you brought it up! What exactly were you doing when we walked in? You have a condition!“
  296.  
  297. I feel my cheeks turn red. “Do I really need to say, Mom?”
  298.  
  299. Mom's cheeks turn red as well and she turns away from me and faces my Dad. “I think you need to have a talk with your son about certain things.“
  300.  
  301. Dad looks at me helplessly with a desperate look in his eyes.
  302.  
  303. I grab the remote from the side of my bed. If I hammer away at the button enough, the medication should knock me out.
  304.  
  305. ----------------------------------------
  306.  
  307. After suffering through...that, and assuring my parents I am well aware of...all of that, a Doctor arrives for a short consultation. Close behind him is Lilly who enters the room silently. I immediately smile when I see her and she joins me at the side of my bed. Mom look a little upset when I hold her hand in my own, but Dad smiles.
  308.  
  309. The doctor drones on with Mom and Dad about my condition, noting how pleased he is by my swift recovery. He says some more time will be needed for me to rest before I can be discharged.
  310.  
  311. “Will I be out before summer vacation ends?” I ask.
  312. The doctor seems uncommitted to saying anything about a hard deadline and deftly avoids the subject, saying that they will have to see how I come along.
  313. “That's fine,” I tell him. “I'll be out in less than a couple weeks.”
  314.  
  315. The doctor doesn't share my confidence, but says that anything is possible and I have made a very swift recovery. He says it's because I was lucky enough to get to the hospital so quickly. I'm willing to chalk it up to Lilly more than anything.
  316.  
  317. The doctor talks to us for a few more minutes before leaving to see other patients.
  318.  
  319. I have decided I do not like doctors.
  320.  
  321. I know their detachment to the patient is something they need to develop to keep themselves sane, but it makes me feel like I'm a test subject, nothing more than a sheet of paper on a clipboard to them. After meeting Nurse and how personable he is, I guess I'm really not not going to like hospitals or normal doctors anymore, as if they were ever my favorites things in the world to begin with.
  322. I guess with this happening, I'll be hearing from Nurse a lot more when I go back to Yamaku.
  323.  
  324. Yeah. That's what I have to do.
  325.  
  326. “Hichan, you can't push yourself. You need your rest.“
  327. “Mom, what I need is to get out of this place. It's driving me crazy. Besides,“ I say, squeezing Lilly's hand softly, ”I have a lot of incentive to get out. I have a life to get back to.“
  328.  
  329. Mom doesn't seem pleased by my attitude, but Dad gazes at me with a funny look and still with that same smile on his face.
  330.  
  331. “But what about your medication? Who will help you take care of it?“
  332.  
  333. “I know,” I say. “I'll pay more attention to it from now on.”
  334. Lilly pats my arm. “He won't be the only one paying attention to it.”
  335. I smile at her and squeeze her hand in agreement, turning back to my parents. “And I don't need the exercise talk again from anyone either. When I get back to Yamaku, I'll be starting that as well.“
  336.  
  337. A flicker of concern passes over Mom's face. “Yamaku? You're going back? I thought...well, your Father and I thought if you got out of the hospital before summer ended, you would come back home until school started again.“
  338.  
  339. “I'm not planning on being here the whole summer, no way. As for Yamaku...well, a lot of students stay there during the vacation. I guess...without Lilly around, I was just going to stick around campus. Now that she's back....“
  340.  
  341. Mom looks troubled. “But you haven't been home in so long.”
  342. Lilly rubs my shoulder. “Hisao, I think it would be a good idea if you spent the time with your parents. I'll be at Yamaku when school starts and Akira has decided she will remain in Japan until summer ends. With the situation as it is, she and I will to be staying at the Hakamichi house until then.“
  343. “Yes, Hisao, listen to her,” Mom says. “You need rest and you can get that at home.”
  344.  
  345. I'm not so sure about that. Going home after everything that has happened; it strikes me as a step back. I've liked the independence I've had since going to Yamaku and I've started liking the taste of the freedom it offers me. For so long I relied on my parents and then I did the same to Lilly, I don't think going back home would be the best thing for me.
  346.  
  347. I recall my dream, that force pulling me down, holding me back, crushing me.
  348.  
  349. “No. I'm sorry, Mom. Even if Lilly isn't at Yamaku, I think I'll be staying at school for the summer.“
  350.  
  351. Mom looks heartbroken. “But why?”
  352.  
  353. “I think...I think the best thing for me right now would be to get back on track and as fast as possible. I don't think going home and being waited on hand and foot will do me any good.“
  354.  
  355. “I wouldn't....”
  356. Dad puts a hand on Mom's shoulder and stops her. “Dear, we both know you would. He'd never get a moments peace from either of us.“
  357.  
  358. Mom look contrite. “I just thought he would want to take the time and rest.“
  359.  
  360. “I think the best thing for me is to get moving again,“ I say. ”I have to start taking my medication, start exercising, I have to keep preparing for university. I have to keep moving. This has been a wake up for me. I've been pretty lucky so far, more than I have any right to be. I don't have many second chances. With my heart or the people in my life.“
  361.  
  362. I turn to Lilly and look at her for a very long moment. Without any sign on my part, she turns towards me and I look her in the eyes for a few heartbeats.
  363. “I have a lot to make up for and I'm going to start right now.“
  364.  
  365. My parents watch the two of us together and I think my Mother's expression melts from the icy exterior she had been keeping up. My Dad smiles fondly before speaking up.
  366.  
  367. “Well, Hisao, I'm very glad to see you have a clear idea of what happens next. You talked about university? Have you come to an idea of what you'll be studying?“
  368.  
  369. “Yeah, Dad, I have. I'm going to become a teacher. I want to teach science.“
  370. Dad lights up. “Really? That's wonderful, Hisao! I've always known you've had a head for science, I'm very happy to hear you'll be taking advantage of it.“
  371.  
  372. “Are the two of you planning on going to the same university?“ Mom asks hesitantly.
  373.  
  374. “Yes,” Lilly answers. “We have similar scores and grades, so it shouldn't be that difficult to find a university that suits both of us.“
  375. “What will you be studying, Lilly?”
  376. “I am planning on becoming a teacher as well, Mrs. Nakai. I'll be studying English.“
  377.  
  378. Mom nods. “You're both going to be teachers?”
  379. “Lilly and I talked about university and what we wanted to become. She wanted to be a teacher. I really had no idea what I wanted to do, but after hearing her talk about it, I realized I've always been interested in science. I've had a lot of encouragement from my homeroom teacher as well.“ I turn to Dad. ”You'd like him, Dad. You're a lot alike.“
  380.  
  381. Dad grins. “I'm very glad you've had such a good time at Yamaku, son. I was very concerned about sending you there. I'm pleased it's had such a good effect on you.“
  382. He looks at Lilly with a broad smile. “Although, I am interested in learning how you and this young lady first met there.“
  383.  
  384. Lilly smiles and dips her head down slightly.
  385. “It was an accident,” I say. “I was lost and looking for the library. I stumbled into an empty classroom and...there she was. We had tea and spent all afternoon talking together.“
  386.  
  387. Dad gives Lilly a glance and a smile. Mom listens carefully. “So, the two of you are not in the same class?”
  388. Lilly shakes her head. “No. Hisao is in Class 3-3 and I am class representative of 3-2. It's made up of students who have various levels of sight related issues.“
  389.  
  390. Moms eyes light up at the mention of Lilly being the class rep.
  391.  
  392. “Really? I see, that's very impressive,” Mom says in a pleased tone.
  393.  
  394. Her face goes pale and she tightens her hands in her lap, catching her slip of the tongue. Dad hisses and looks like she just dropped a match in a room full of gasoline canisters.
  395.  
  396. Lilly smiles and touches her cheek ever so slightly. “Mrs. Nakai, you don't have to be worried about using phrases like that in my presence. I couldn't possibly be offended by such a simple word. Please, don't feel you need to tip toe with your speech around me.“ Lilly giggles. ”Hisao had the same difficulty when we first met.“
  397.  
  398. Both Mom and Dad look relieved and ease up after their imagined slight.
  399.  
  400. "So when did the two of you start dating?" Mom asks, sounding a little bit like an inquisitor.
  401. Lilly opens her mouth, but then shuts it, her face turning a little red as she does. After how they found us, perhaps the whole story of Hokaido, about my heart flutter or our first time together wouldn't be the best of news to share.
  402.  
  403. I speak up for her. "Well, me, Lilly and Hanako...oh, Hanako is our friend. She went on a trip with us. She's in my class. The three of us went for a long weekend in Hokaido."
  404.  
  405. Dad looks interested in asking more, but Mom interrupts him with a startled gasp. "Hokaido? You went to Hokaido and didn't tell us!?"
  406.  
  407. I'm not sure if she's more upset about not alerting them to my trip or that I took it with two girls.
  408.  
  409. "Well...it was a vacation and it was a special trip."
  410. Mom crosses her arms. "The least you could have done was alert us that you were leaving Yamaku for several days."
  411.  
  412. Dad pats her on the shoulder. "You were, saying, Hisao?"
  413.  
  414. I nod. "Right. We were at Hokaido and, well, I guess Lilly and I had been dancing around the issue for some time. Lilly had just come back from visiting her family and her being gone kind of got me thinking about how I felt about her, how much I missed her. So when we were there, I was going to talk to her about how I felt, but she beat me to it."
  415.  
  416. Lilly is smiling, a little grateful look to the expression for my tact on avoiding anything concerning our first night together or the reason for her sudden confession.
  417.  
  418. "I'm very glad to hear that, Hisao," my Dad says. "You mentioned a girl named Hanako? Have you been...making other friends as well?"
  419.  
  420. "Yeah," I say. "A few, actually. There's Hanako, like I said. And Shizune. She's Lilly's cousin and the Class President. And Misha, she's a little odd, but she's fun to be around. She's Shizune's interpreter."
  421.  
  422. "Is she...foreign?"
  423. "Hm?"
  424. "Why does she need an interpreter?"
  425. "Oh, sorry. Shizune is deaf."
  426. "Oh...oh, yes, sorry. Anyone else?"
  427. "Well, there's Emi, she's on the track team. You'd love her, Mom. And then there's Rin, she's a painter."
  428.  
  429. Mom and Dad both look very surprised.
  430. "What is it?" I ask.
  431.  
  432. "It's just...you've never had that many friends before."
  433. "And they're all girls...."
  434.  
  435. Lilly covers her mouth and giggles.
  436.  
  437. I blink. "Well, yeah, I guess so. Does that matter?"
  438.  
  439. "Well, do you have any friends who are guys?"
  440. "Sort of. There's....well, there is this guy. Kenji. He's my hall mate in the dorms. He's...a little odd. Really odd. He's sort of...you know what? I'd rather not talk about him right now. But yeah, I guess he is sort of a friend. Yamaku has been...I've made a lot of friends there."
  441.  
  442. Mom and Dad look at each other and if I didn't know better, I'd say they looked pleased.
  443.  
  444. "So Lilly," my Dad continues, "you spent some time in Hokaido. Is that where your family lives?"
  445.  
  446. Lilly falters a little, but recovers swiftly. "Actually, no. The home in Hokaido is a summer house my family owns. My sister let us borrow it."
  447.  
  448. Mom's eyes go wide. I think she's impressed with the fact that Lilly's family own a summer house. “The same sister that helped bring in Hisao, yes?”
  449. “Correct. My older sister, Akira. She's visited the hospital a couple time, but she has been very busy recently explaining the situation to our parents.“
  450. “I hope we have the opportunity to meet her,” my Dad says. “So we can thank her for her help with our son.”
  451. “Yes,” Mom adds. “Perhaps we'll get the chance to meet your parents as well.“
  452.  
  453. Lilly's polite smiles falters a bit.
  454. “I'm afraid that won't be possible, Mrs. Nakai. My parents live in Scotland.“
  455. Mom is very surprised. “Scotland?”
  456. “Yes.”
  457. “Then...when Hisao stopped you at the airport....?”
  458. “It was...because I was moving to Scotland. To live with them. I wasn't going to come back.“
  459. Mom turns and looks at me for a very long time. So does Dad.
  460.  
  461. I glance between my parents and Lilly, wondering how she must feel about the situation. My parents have always been very career minded. I spent most of my life taking care of myself, home alone while my Mom and Dad stayed at work for long hours. Sometimes I would be the one to make dinner for when they came home, if they came home early enough. If not, sometimes I would end up walking the streets around our house until it was late at night before I had to get to sleep and they still wouldn't be back.
  462.  
  463. Despite that, they always made the time for the three of us to do something every now and then, to spend time as a family. My Mom has always been extremely protective of me and Dad may be awkward and an embarrassment at times, but he's pretty cool in his own way. We have a lot of the same interests and he's always tried to make time for me.
  464.  
  465. For eight years, Lilly went without her parents. They left when she was twelve years old. Maybe I could be convinced they thought they were doing the right thing, that they were thinking of their careers, but I've heard enough to suspect that Lilly's blindness was a contributing factor to their decision to leave her behind.
  466.  
  467. What kind of people could do that to their own daughter?
  468.  
  469. “Hisao?”
  470. I snap to attention. Mom and Dad are still looking at me and even Lilly has noticed my silence.
  471. “I'm sorry,” I say. “I drifted off there a little bit.“
  472.  
  473. Dad nods. “You must be tired.”
  474. “No, I'm all right.”
  475.  
  476. Proving me wrong, I immediately yawn. “Heh. Sorry.”
  477.  
  478. “It's all right. You should get some rest. Your Mother and I should get going.“
  479. “You have to leave so soon?” Lilly asks.
  480.  
  481. “I'm afraid so,” Mom says. “We both have our jobs. We'll visit again tomorrow or the next day, as soon as we can.“
  482.  
  483. Mom and Dad stand, as does Lilly. Mom gives me a hug that's a little too clingy for my taste and Dad gives me a pat on the shoulder before they leave.
  484.  
  485. “Get some rest, Hichan.”
  486. “I will, Mom.”
  487. “Promise?”
  488. “Yes, Mom, I promise.
  489. “We'll talk to you later, son.”
  490. “Thanks, Dad.”
  491.  
  492. Mom and Dad stop at the door and Mom whispers something to him. I can't quite hear them and looking at Lilly, she doesn't notice or can't hear even their hushed tones.
  493. Just as they leave, Dad turns back and looks at Lilly. “Lilly, could I ask you to join us for a minute?”
  494.  
  495. Both Lilly and I are very surprised by the request.
  496. “Well, yes, Mr. Nakai, of course.”
  497.  
  498. Lilly feels out my hand and gives it a little squeeze. “I'll be right back, Hisao.”
  499. Lilly joins my Dad and Mom and they leave the hospital room leaving me by myself.
  500.  
  501. I don't like where this is going.
  502.  
  503. ----------------------------------------
  504.  
  505. Part Three: Conclusion
  506. http://pastebin.com/qxxcQfg2
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