Chapter 20
The dog’s excited barks awaken the children the next morning. Mattie galumphs over and licks them all – startling Naoyuki out of his wits – until they wake up and get to their feet. “Good morning, Mattie,” Haruko greets the golden retriever, which barks back at her in reply, wagging its tail happily. Haruko stretches her arms and legs, yawning, then looks around through the sun-lit living room. Mr. Fubuki is pulling on his socks and shoes nearby. “Is it time to go?” Haruko asks.
“Almost,” Mr. Fubuki replies. The kids are just about ready. We need to set out before the next wave of snow comes in.”
“Okay,” Haruko replies. She laughs as Naoyuki peeks out from behind her at the retriever and cautiously puts out his hand. The dog gets up and bounds toward him, nuzzling Naoyuki’s outstretched hand with his head. “See? Mattie’s not so scary, huh?” Haruko says as she bends over to pet the dog, and Naoyuki follows her lead, smiling at the softness of its fur.
Kotaro chuckles a little at the scene. Sister, indeed, he thinks to himself as he also puts out his hand and strokes it down Mattie’s golden coat.
“Mattie!” Hana emerges from the hallway with her hands out in front of her, and the dog turns and bounds toward her, barking, as it sits down at her feet. Hana hugs it around the neck and listens to its tail thump excitedly on the floor. Her brother walks out behind her and greets their visitors.
“Come on, guys, we’ve gotta beat the snow,” Mr. Fubuki calls. His kids come rushing toward him, and he bundles them up in their winter coats. Haruko, Naoyuki and Kotaro follow after them and pull on their coats and shoes before Mr. Fubuki opens the door and leads them all outside. To his dismay, new snow was already beginning to fall lightly from the dusty grey clouds above.
“So much for beating the snow,” Kotaro comments under his breath.
“Come on, into the car – Come up front, Ko...”
“Kotaro,” he answers, climbing into the front passenger’s seat.
Haruko and Naoyuki climb into the back from the driver’s side as Ushio and Hana climb in from the passenger’s side, and Mr. Fubuki plops down in the driver’s seat. “Buckle up!” Mr. Fubuki reminds the kids.
“You and Hana will have to share the middle buckle – don’t worry, it’s big enough,” Ushio tells Naoyuki. Naoyuki fastens the middle buckle over himself and the little girl.
“Can I see that map?” Mr. Fubuki inquires. Naoyuki unzips his coat and pulls the paper from his jacket pocket, then hands it to Mr. Fubuki, who looks it over carefully before starting the car, turning on the heat, and pulling onto the main road toward the freeway. “This will be a bit of a long drive,” he says. “Just hang tight, the heat’ll kick in soon.”
Naoyuki zips his coat back up and curls up as the kids all huddle for warmth in the back seat until they can finally feel the heat.
“I brought granola bars,” Mr. Fubuki says, passing a bunch to Kotaro while he waits at a red light. “Eat up.”
Kotaro takes one, then passes the rest to Ushio in the back seat. The light turns green, and the car lurches to a start again. Kotaro looks out the window as he fiddles with the wrapping on his breakfast. The snow’s already picking up and dusting the road, he thinks. He looks down at the street and tries to see what it looks like. Seems kinda slick. Hope that won’t be a problem. The wrapping finally rips, and Kotaro takes a bite of the granola bar.
“Thanks for breakfast!” Haruko calls from the back seat.
“Yeah, thanks,” Kotaro chimes in, a little embarrassed that he’d already started eating before thanking Mr. Fubuki.
“You’re welcome,” Mr. Fubuki replies.
Finally on the freeway, the hum of the engine and the traffic outside starts lulling the kids back to sleep. Kotaro observes the grey clouds above and the snow falling heavier and heavier outside the window. The wind begins to whistle past the car. The other drivers had begun to flip on their headlights as the visibility worsened. Mr. Fubuki, too, turns on the windshield wipers and flicks on the lights.
In that instant, the car suddenly twists to one side; Mr. Fubuki struggles to steer out of the skid and puts his foot on the brake pedal. Suddenly, the car fish-tails the other way. The driver next to them blasts his horn; but the car was out of Mr. Fubuki’s control. It slams into the car next to them, another impact jolts the car from its rear and suddenly, Kotaro feels it tip severely to one side, his eyes widening in dread. It’s flipping! Jarred from their light sleep, the kids in the back seat scream wildly as they find themselves going sideways.
The car crunches and lurches as it tumbles onto its top and twists around before being jarred forward, the glass breaking from all the windows. In terror, Naoyuki curls up, clutching the crying little girl next to him as the car skids across the icy road. He suddenly finds himself slipping out of the seatbelt and landing on the ceiling of the car, still clinging tightly to Hana, his back aching, and the glass shards from the windows cutting into his hands and cheek. The car slams into something else, then finally, everything is still. The car was silent with the exception of the sputtering engine, some moans and Hana’s cries. Naoyuki still lays, trembling, as he clutches onto her, afraid to open his eyes. “H-Haruko...?” he half-whispers. No one answers.
He finally allows his eyes to open and glances around. Kotaro’s arm was hanging limply between the front seat and the little compartment between the seats. Naoyuki shivers in fear. “K-Ko..taro?” he stammers. The other boy in the back seat, Ushio, Hana’s brother, was completely motionless; not a sound comes from him. Naoyuki twists around to see Haruko limply hanging by her seatbelt; she was badly hurt. Naoyuki could hear small whimpers slipping through her lips, though she appeared to be unconscious. Naoyuki’s eyes slowly widen as he realizes what has just happened. Terror steals his breath as he stares, numb, still clutching Hana in his arms. “H-Ha...Haru..ko...” Tears slip down his cheeks as he trembles, barely aware of the approaching sirens.
“N-Naoyuki,” Kotaro rasps in pain as he comes to, “are.. you and Haruko..okay?” He hears Naoyuki choke down shivering sobs. “Naoyuki?” He tries to move, but a wave of pain surges through him. I hear sirens. “Naoyuki!” he calls. “Haruko!” I think my left arm’s busted... He tries to look behind him and sees Naoyuki shaking on the ceiling of the car, holding onto Hana; Haruko and Ushio were frighteningly still. “Naoyuki, is Haruko breathing?!” Kotaro cries. “Naoyuki!”
The blaring sirens signal that emergency services were arriving. Within only minutes, a fireman hurries to Mr. Fubuki’s car and uses a piece of equipment to break off the doors; he and a few others gently pull everyone out of the car. “These three are the only ones still conscious,” says the fireman who freed Kotaro from the passenger seat, “but the dark-haired boy is experiencing major trauma.”
Kotaro glances around from his gurney, gathering that Haruko, Mr. Fubuki, and Ushio were being hauled into ambulances, while some of the EMS workers were tending to Naoyuki and Hana. Why now? he wonders. If anything happens to Haruko,... Kotaro lets his stare settle on Naoyuki, who is watching, wide-eyed, as Haruko is wheeled away. ...I think Naoyuki would snap. He’s so fragile as it is, so close to breaking – that’s why he acts the way he does. Suddenly, a familiar figure rushes past him toward Naoyuki with a teen in tow. “Miss Shizuyo... and that high school guy?!”
“Hey! This is a restricted area! Get back, miss!” yells one of the EMS workers.
“That’s my stepson!” Shizuyo cries, pushing to get past him. “NAOYUKI!” She finally breaks through and hurries toward Naoyuki. “Naoyuki, are you all right?!” she cries, dropping to her knees in front of him. Naoyuki stares past her toward the ambulance that was carrying Haruko as the men inside close its back doors, and its sirens and lights come back to life.
Naoyuki bolts to his feet as the ambulance starts to drive away. “HARUKO!” he screams, tears streaming down his scratched cheeks. His caretaker clutches onto him to keep him from running any farther as he reaches out toward the ambulance and wails, “HARUKO! HARUKO!!!” Naoyuki collapses into his caretaker’s arms, sobbing hysterically as the ambulance disappears, and its wailing sirens grow further and further away.
***************************
When Kazunori had arrived home from school a few days earlier, his sister told him that Naoyuki had made his way to their house and asked for a map to his parents’ house. Kazu immediately informed Shizuyo and got a copy of the map from Mizue. Then he and Shizuyo set out for the Kondos’ house only to be delayed by the snow storm. They never expected that their setback would end with meeting Naoyuki halfway there – nor did they expect to meet him under such dire circumstances.
Naoyuki was all right, and Hana had gotten off scot-free from the accident. Kotaro escaped with minor injuries – a broken arm and a few cuts and scrapes on his legs. Unfortunately, it was a different story for Haruko, Mr. Fubuki and his son – as Shizuyo found out when she had Kazu inquire about the situation. “Taro Fubuki and Haruko Miyai are in critical condition,” one of the nurses told him, “and Ushio Fubuki passed away shortly after arriving.”
After Naoyuki is released to Shizuyo, still clinging onto Hana Fubuki – the girl whose life he had saved – Shizuyo leads them to the visitors’ area, where they and Kazu sit and wait. “On the way, I phoned your mother,” Shizuyo tells Naoyuki. “She and your father agreed to see us; I told them to meet us here.” Naoyuki neither nods nor looks at her; he just holds the sleeping little girl and stares listlessly ahead. “Naoyuki, your parents will be here soon,” she says, hoping for a little smile, but getting nothing out of him. “Doesn’t that make you..at least a little happier...?” She heaves a sigh when Naoyuki gives her no reply. “I’m sorry this had to happen,” she says, caressing his scratched cheek. “I hope your friend gets better soon.”
The evening drags into nightfall; Kotaro is finally released, and his father comes to pick him up. As Kotaro passes Naoyuki by, he says, “Hey, Naoyuki, ...I’m glad..at least you and Hana made it okay.”
Naoyuki looks up at him, his green eyes dull with worry, and nods back in reply. “I’m glad...” he murmurs softly, “...you’re okay, too.”
Taken aback that he spoke, Kotaro, Shizuyo and Kazu all stare at him, and Naoyuki lowers his head and grips onto Hana.
Kotaro’s father yanks Kotaro away. “You should have waited for me to take you home,” he angrily tells Naoyuki. “How could you go out there and drag my kid and someone else’s kid along with you? This is your fault!”
Shizuyo bolts to her feet and yells, “Don’t go blaming Naoyuki; he’s just a child! He’s had enough misery for one day!”
Kotaro’s father glowers at Shizuyo, then leads his son away. “Bye, Naoyuki,” Kotaro says sadly. “See you back at school?”
My fault...? Naoyuki’s thoughts drift back to the accident on the highway, the car twisting and tossing and sliding. If I hadn’t...dragged them with me,...If I hadn’t gone out by myself,...we never would have been in Mr. Fubuki’s car; we never would have been in that accident. Everyone would be fine. It is my fault. I should’ve been the one who... Tears find their way down his cheeks. Ushio died because of me. Haruko and Mr. Fubuki got hurt real bad. I’m the one who fell out the seatbelt; I should’ve been the one who died. So why? Why am I still here, while they have to pay for my screw-up?
“Naoyuki, don’t pay that man any mind,” Shizuyo tells him upon seeing his tears. “It wasn’t your fault. It was no one’s fault; the roads were icy, and the weather was bad. What happened there could’ve happened to anyone. Do you understand?”
“In fact,” Kazunori adds, “if you hadn’t been there, the little one you’re holding might have lost her life today. But you saved her, didn’t you?”
Naoyuki’s tears slow and stop. He looks down at Hana and snuggles his face against her warm cheek. There’s not even a scratch on her, he thinks, listening to her soft breaths. I...saved Hana... Hesitantly, he gently hugs the little four-year-old closer.
The hospital doors open, and tapping footsteps approach them, breaking Naoyuki out of the sleep he felt coming. He looks up into the face of a fair-skinned, dark-haired woman and a tall, husky man with dark brown hair and green eyes. His eyes snap wide open, sleep forgotten. “Mama...? Papa...?”
Shizuyo gets up to greet the couple. “It’s been too long, Aya, Hiroto.” Kazu, too, gets up next to her and bows to the Kondos.
Kazu takes Hana from Naoyuki and sits back down, allowing Naoyuki to get up and go to his parents. Mrs. Kondo holds her arms wide open and embraces Naoyuki. “Mama...!” Naoyuki cries, hugging her back.
His mother brushes her hands through his hair and caresses his cheeks. “Oh, look at you!” she cries. “You’re all scratched-up! I was so scared when Shizuyo called and told us to meet you at a hospital! I’m so glad you’re okay, Naoyuki!” She kisses him and says, “And look how tall you’ve gotten! You’re so big now!”
“No less of a hand-full, though, I hear,” Mr. Kondo comments. “All the family’s been abuzz about how troublesome he is. And, by the way, if I recall correctly, guardianship was given to my brother. How did you come to get him?”
“Your brother withdrew his guardianship after only months taking care of Naoyuki,” Shizuyo replies pointedly. “He had him in a boys’ home.”
Naoyuki tenses at the words and backs away from his parents.
“I know,” Mrs. Kondo says, “I read your letter. Thank you for getting Naoyuki out of there. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost him.”
Kazunori frowns. How can she say that after they left Naoyuki the way they did? he wonders. She ‘lost’ Naoyuki three years ago. “So you’re satisfied with things the way they are?” he asks. “Is that what you’re saying, Aunt Aya?”
Mrs. Kondo frowns. “Well...”
“We want you to come back,” Shizuyo says. “Please, Aya, you have no idea how hard Naoyuki’s taken all this. Come back home to him. Please.”
“You don’t understand,” Mrs. Kondo says. “We haven’t been able to find what we – ”
“I’m not against seeing Naoyuki,” Mr. Kondo says, “but he’s your son now. We won’t be going back to that old town.”
“What are you saying?!” Shizuyo explodes.
“You adopted him, didn’t you? He legally became your son. The rest is in the past.”
“But you’re his father! Naoyuki needs you – both of you!” Shizuyo argues.
“The old house is yours and Naoyuki is yours. We’ve put those things behind us,” Mr. Kondo says coldly.
“Hiroto!” Mrs. Kondo cries. “What are you talking about? We left to – !”
“It’s been a pleasure to see you again,” Mr. Kondo says coldly to Naoyuki.
“Let’s go home, Aya.” He turns to walk away, leading his wife out with him.
What just happened? Kazu wonders. No – what has the Kondo couple already done?
Naoyuki bolts after his parents before Shizuyo can say anything; she gives chase after him, running into the dark parking lot, the salt crunching under her feet. “Naoyuki!” she calls. “Hiroto, Aya!!” The Kondos have already found their car and begun climbing in when Naoyuki hurries to his mother’s car door to stop them, and Shizuyo catches up.
“Don’t leave me, please!!!” Naoyuki cries. “Don’t leave me again!!!” He presses his palms to his mother’s window and stares pleadingly at her through the glass.
“Aya, don’t!” Shizuyo yells.
Mr. Kondo starts the engine and starts backing out of the parking space. Shizuyo pulls Naoyuki out of the way as Mr. Kondo maneuvers out, but Naoyuki pushes away from her and hurries to his father’s side of the car. “Don’t go, please!!!” he wails desperately. “Please, I’ll be good! I’ll be a good boy!!! Please don’t leave me!!!”
“Naoyuki...!” Shizuyo rushes to the car and pounds on Mr. Kondo’s window until he rolls it down. “Naoyuki came all this way to find you!” she yells. “He got into an accident on his way to your house, and his friends got hurt! He’s begging on his hands and knees! If you’re going to add to all the misery he’s been put through after all that – !”
“Fine!” Mr. Kondo gripes. “Bring Naoyuki to our current address tomorrow at noon. We’ll take him.”
Shizuyo heaves a sigh and backs away from the car with Naoyuki. The Kondos drive off, and Shizuyo leads Naoyuki back through the slushy parking lot and into the hospital. “What happened?” Kazu inquires. Wide awake now, Hana jumps from his lap and runs to Naoyuki.
“They agreed to take him,” Shizuyo replies. “I’ll drop him off tomorrow at noon.” She looks down at Naoyuki, who tiredly kneels on the floor and takes Hana in his arms. Shizuyo picks them both up and sits them in a chair, then takes a seat. Naoyuki instantly falls asleep against her arm. You really did blame yourself, didn’t you? Shizuyo thinks, reflecting on his pleas in the parking lot. ‘I’ll be good,’ huh? Naoyuki,...you never did anything wrong.
