We got the news at Heathrow. I turned on my mobile as soon as we were off the plane and quickly scanned the texts I had missed. Work stuff, a bon voyage from the boy (the bastard, we'd agreed not to string this out), and on the next page
 
    Hisao Nakai had heart attack at airport. In hospital, serious but stable. Was he with you? What happened?
    from Shizune Hakamichi, sent 9:08 JST
 
I couldn't think of anything for a moment. It passed and I thought of everything all at once. Hisao chased after her, like in a movie. I have to tell her what happened. I don't know how she's going to handle that. I don't know what she's going to do. There's an immense pressure in my stomach.
 
She asked me what was wrong.
 
I don't remember how I told her. I remember her face.
 
She was such a crybaby as a kid. Don't misunderstand me, she wasn't attention-seeking or manipulative. But everything got to her. When she was about 12, I guess, a little while after our living conditions changed, that's when she stopped, all at once.
 
So, the face. I have a lot of memories of that face.
 
I held her. I have a lot of memories of holding her too.
 
A sudden feeling of regret. We had lost something important over the last few years. I should never have let her get so distant. What would become of us now?
 
She grew calm. I gave her my handkerchief and she began to rebuild her façade. It was time.
 
"Lilly. What are you going to do?"
 
She dabbed her eyes, cleared her throat, and took a few deep breaths before responding. Her expression still betrayed her.
 
"I'm going back. I have to."
 
"And then what?"
 
Another change of face. This one was all wrong. I grabbed her hands.
 
"Akira, I'm so sorry. I can't leave again. Akira, you..."
 
There it was. The knot in my stomach loosened. I don't know what I was hoping for, but a definite answer was some comfort. It wouldn't hurt for a while.
 
~~~
 
Still have to respond to Shizune. I flicked back up to that last text from the boy and paused. Bastard. I couldn't help but give a small smile. Lilly and Hisao moving heaven and earth for one another. Maybe there was something to it.