Chapter 9
Shizuyo’s car screeches to a halt in the parking space. She hurriedly climbs out of the driver’s seat and slams the door behind her, rushing up to the sidewalk and around the school’s low wall to the entrance. She half-runs up the walkway, up the stairs and through the doors, then turns into the office on the side of the hall and barges through the door. “What’s happened?” she cries. “Where’s Naoyuki?!”
“Calm down,” the secretary coaxes her as she rises slowly from her chair behind the desk.
Shizuyo’s hands slam on the desk top as she leans over and yells, “How can I be calm when I get a phone call that my kid’s been beaten to a pulp on school grounds and hauled off to the hospital?! How could you people let this happen?!! Or don’t you care because he’s – !”
“Please, miss, calm down,” the secretary repeats. She grabs a small sheet of paper and jots something down on it. “This is the hospital he’s at. Here’s the address. The doctors are expecting you.”
Shizuyo snatches the sheet of paper from her and storms toward the door. “You’ll hear about this later!” she threatens as she swings the office door open and rushes into the hallway.
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Haruko hadn’t been able to concentrate in class after seeing Naoyuki so brutally tortured earlier on. Her teacher sent her to the office, and she was soon sent home. She sits on her bed, a book at her side that she hadn’t been able to concentrate on either. The door swings open and her mother steps in. “Haruko, honey,” she says gently, “are you all right?” Haruko shakes her head as her mother approaches the bed. “What’s wrong?”
Tears roll down Haruko’s cheeks. “Naoyuki didn’t do anything wrong...He never asked to be different! Why did this happen?!” She leans forward, and her mother hugs her comfortingly.
“Haruko,” her mother says, “don’t cry...”
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Shizuyo drives home late at night, the sky pitch-black with only the street lights to guide her, Naoyuki lying asleep in the back seat of the car. She pulls up in the driveway and parks, glancing at Naoyuki before getting out and going around to his door. She unbuckles the seatbelt and gently scoops him up; then, she carries him to the front door and carefully unlocks it, finally stepping inside.
Shizuyo carries Naoyuki upstairs to his room and gently lays him in the bed and pulls his covers up over him. She sits down on the edge of his bed and rubs his side soothingly. “Why did you hide this from me?” she whispers sadly. The doctor at the hospital had said that the injury he’d treated was several days old, aggravated and reopened. When Shizuyo thought of her battle to get Naoyuki into the car that night for his friend’s house, she knew it was true. “Why didn’t you tell me,...Naoyuki...?” She heaves a sigh, then leaves the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.
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The sun shone bright in the sky when Shizuyo parked in Aya’s driveway in the afternoon. She knocked on the door; her friend answered. “Hello, Aya,” Shizuyo greeted Mrs. Kondo. Aya stepped aside to let her in. Shizuyo kicked off her shoes and stood in the doorway. “Where is Naoyuki today?” she asked.
“He’s coming,” Aya replied. “Naoyuki!”
Naoyuki bounded up to his mother and Shizuyo only seconds later. “Shizuyo-sensei!” he greeted her with a grin. “I have something for you!”
“For me?” Shizuyo asked with surprise.
Naoyuki pulled a small square box from behind his back. “Here!”
Shizuyo took the small package and unwrapped the paper to reveal a little grey box underneath. She lifted the lid and pulled out a beautiful beaded necklace with a glimmering gemstone dangling in the center. “This is..for me?!” Shizuyo exclaimed.
“Naoyuki made it himself,” his mother laughed. “The gemstone is from one of my rings.”
“Really?” Shizuyo exclaimed. “This is beautiful!”
Naoyuki blushed at the praise. He hugged Shizuyo and said, “It’s for being the best teacher ever!” with a big, bright smile.
Shizuyo awakens in the dark with tears in her eyes, her hand on the necklace hidden in her shirt collar. She sits up on the couch and pulls out the necklace, staring at it. Is that Naoyuki gone forever...? She clutches the necklace in her hands and gives way to tears. As the first rays of sunlight begin to leak through the curtains, Shizuyo gets up and busies herself with housework; she tries to stay quiet for fear of waking Naoyuki.
The doorbell startles her, and she rushes away to answer it. She pulls the door open to reveal Kazunori standing on the threshold. “Kazu,” she says with surprise, “it’s still early. Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“I had the day off,” Kazunori replies as he steps in and kicks off his shoes. “Look,..I heard about what happened to Naoyuki. Is he all right?”
Shizuyo frowns. “He needs rest,” she replies. “He got it pretty bad.”
“Can I...see him?” Kazunori asks.
Shizuyo nods and leads him upstairs into Naoyuki’s room. Naoyuki is still asleep when they step inside, fidgeting in pain under the covers. Kazu silently looks him over. “I wish I could’ve been there to help,” he whispers. He looks around the messy room, walls bare, but an assortment of clothes and books left on the floor. He steps toward a table in the corner, where a mess of shiny plastic and a pair of scissors litter the top. He steps closer and sees the photo of Naoyuki and his parents, worn and bent, its corners doggy-eared, under the plastic. He reaches out to pick up the photo, but Shizuyo stops him with a shake of her head. Kazunori chuckles a bit. “He’s doing a little repair work on that photo, huh?”
He and Shizuyo hear Naoyuki begin to whine; Shizuyo rushes to him and caresses his sore side. Naoyuki’s eyes ease open, and he glances up over his shoulder. “Hello, there,” Shizuyo greets him. “It’s good to see you awake.”
Naoyuki catches sight of Kazunori and tries to sit up. “Naoyuki, what are you – ?” Shizuyo cries; she reaches out to steady him as he flinches. “Take it easy, okay?!”
Naoyuki turns toward Kazunori and starts signing with his hands.
“What is he saying?” Kazu asks.
Shizuyo watches him sign “M...a...” She glances over to the table, the picture sitting on top. “Mama,” she replies to Kazu.
Kazunori’s eyes widen. “I see,” he sighs, his eyes easing shut. “You want to know where your folks are.” He looks up at Naoyuki with a frown. “I’m afraid I don’t know. I’m sorry, Naoyuki.”
Naoyuki lowers his head and frowns. “Could you get some ice, Kazu?” Shizuyo requests. “Bring it up here, please.” Kazunori nods and leaves the room.
