“Um.... I-I’ll raise five.”
 
“I see your five and raise you another ten.”
 
“Uh.... ch-check. Um, you said this was a flush, right?”
 
“Bah, yeah, I did. That beats my three-of-a-kind easy.”
 
I guess I went a bit farther on my bluff than I should have. I breathe a heavy sigh, passing over my pieces to Hanako, who seemed delighted in her victory in our battle of wits. Despite not knowing a thing about poker before we started, she’s picking things up pretty fast, and our respective piles of chess pieces that we have been using as a substitution for actual betting chips has stayed largely even. Then again, she does have Lilly, who has been busying herself with reading a book she had brought along, helping her out, so that might have something to do with it.
 
The train we have been riding on is currently heading up to Hokkaido, where we made plans to spend our three day weekend from school. Lilly brought the suggestion up after we had picked her up from the airport the day her and Akira returned from Scotland. It seemed like the perfect way to unwind after what Hanako and I have been through the days before.
 
That day... it’s still fresh in my mind. Seeing Hanako sprawled onto the ground, crying her eyes out after we had finally realized our feelings for each other, holding her in my arms to comfort her while fighting back my own tears. Not to mention that kiss she gave me later on in the public square. It all seemed like a dream. And yet here we are, just a few days later, officially seeing each other. Well, sort of.
 
Since then, Hanako and I have been around each other a lot more, though we’ve been keeping our actual relationship status a secret from everyone. Even Lilly is still in the dark regarding us. A part of it is because we didn’t want the entire school to find out and hound us regarding the matter, something I’m sure Hanako wouldn’t want. The other is that Hanako didn’t want to mar the celebration of Lilly’s return by drawing attention towards us instead. I can respect that kind of decision, though I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to shout my love for her from the top of the school building.
 
The place we were heading to for our little vacation is an old summer house, owned by Lilly’s parents, located out in the countryside. Akira and her boyfriend apparently visit it on occasion, so they gave us permission to use it for the weekend. And, hey, being able to share a single house with two lovely women, one of whom I’m dating, isn’t really something to complain about. The fresh country air could also do some good for my heart, so that’s a plus as well.
 
On the other hand, I didn’t really enjoy the idea of getting on a slow train as the crack of dawn, rather than simply taking the bullet train down there instead. But, Lilly insisted, so, I tried to keep my complaints to a minimum.
 
“Sh-should I deal this time?” Hanako asks after all the playing cards are collected.
 
“Nah, I got this one.” I shuffle all of the cards in my semi-expert fashion, though I almost end up spilling the deck everywhere in an attempt to show off.
 
 
---
 
 
After a long walk up the deserted road, we finally arrive at our destination; The Satou summerhouse. I’m actually surprised at how small it is. In my mind, I had expected a large, rural mansion, but in actuality, it’s more reminiscent of a small farmhouse. The simple western design, the rickety old wooden fence that separated the yard from the rest of the grassy plains, and open land as far as the eye can see.
 
“Wow! This is... really amazing,” I speak up.
 
“Mmhhm. It looks lovely,” Hanako echoes my compliments.
 
“Why thank you,” Lilly replies to us with a smile. “When Akira told me that she made sure to keep it in good shape, I was fairly reluctant to believe her. She normally has a different definition of such things compared to mine.”
 
“It’s so quiet up here too. It feels like there isn’t another soul for miles.”
 
“Actually, from what I remember, there is a small town just down the road from here. Other than that, well, you would probably be right.”
 
A moment of silence passes as the three of us take in the vast scenery. Eventually, I remind myself that we still have bags to unload, of which I’m carrying two of. Hanako is carrying Lilly’s belongings, while I’m stuck carrying hers and my own.
 
“Shall we go on in then?” I propose.
 
The two girls both respond enthusiastically and we enter the domicile together.
 
The inside of the house shares the old fashioned nature that the outside has. A simple living room holds a modest bookshelf, futon, and television set, while the nearby kitchen is small, but has all the things one needs to cook a proper meal. I direct the bags over to the living room area, setting mine and Hanako’s next to the futon.
 
“Should I just leave these here for now?”
 
“Well, Hanako and I can bring our things to the bedroom. We’ll share the bed in there.”
 
Not that I was expecting to be able to share a bed with Hanako anyway. Such a thing would likely rouse a fair amount of suspicion in Lilly.
 
“So, is there only one bedroom here?” I ask.
 
“Unfortunately, yes. So, if Hanako and I share that, then for you that would leave...”
 
“The futon, right?” I finish Lilly’s sentence.
 
“I-I’m sorry Hisao...” Hanako speaks up with an apologetic look.
 
“I’m sorry as well, but, it’s the only thing I can think of.”
 
“It’s okay. I’ll be all right out here.” Lilly and Hanako both share a smile at my acceptance of this position.
 
“Well, now that that’s settled, shall we go ahead and take our things in, Hanako?”
 
Hanako gives confirmation of this decision, grabbing hers and Lilly’s things before walking by my side and leaning to my ear.
 
“I-I would have been okay with sharing the bed with you...” she whispers to me.
 
I give her a small nod, whispering back not to worry about it before giving her a light hug. Although I feel bad for taking advantage of Lilly’s blindness to get in these small moments of intimacy between us, it’s at least better than not making any kind of contact at all. Watching them leave the room, I simply plop down on the futon, exhausted from the long walk up here, and see if the TV still works. Pressing the proper button on the remote brings it to life, broadcasting a news program. Akira must have left it on this channel the last time she was here.
 
Stretching myself out, I lean back and try to relax a bit. That walk up really did wear me out. I didn’t think I was this out of shape...
 
.............
 
...................
 
................................
 
“Is he still asleep, Hanako?”
 
“Y-yes. He’s been like this since the afternoon.”
 
I manage to rouse myself up from my position, rubbing my eyes to adjust to the new light the room has taken on. Outside, night has already fallen, and the moonlight is noticeable on the grassy knolls. I must have fallen asleep earlier.
 
“Mmm, what time is it?”
 
“A-almost ten o’clock.”
 
“What? Really? Oh man, I’m sorry. Guess I kind of dozed off.”
 
Lilly and Hanako both giggle at my expense. The combination of having to get up so early for the train, as well as the long walk up to the house, must have did more of a number to me than I thought.
 
“It’s quite all right, Hisao. We felt it would be best not to disturb you, so we just let you rest.”
 
“T-there’s some dinner on the stove if y-you’re hungry.”
 
“Thanks guys. I’ll probably get something in a minute.”
 
“Very well, then. Hanako, we should also retire for the evening. It’s getting fairly late.”
 
“O-okay, Lilly.”
 
“Good night, Hisao. Don’t stay up too late.”
 
“I’ll try not too.”
 
Lilly gives me a warm smile and leaves first, brushing her hand along the wall as a guide. Hanako remains in the living room with me, still sitting by my side. When Lilly is finally out of sight, I look down to Hanako and speak in a lower tone.
 
“You sure you don’t want to tell her about us?”
 
Hanako gives a look as if she’s carefully thinking about it. After a brief moment, she shakes her head at me. “N-no. Not yet. I want to tell her, b-b-but... I don’t...”
 
“It’s okay. I understand. Whenever you want to tell her just let me know, and we’ll do it together. Sound good?”
 
“O-okay.”
 
After that short conversation, I give Hanako a good night kiss, which has the intended effect of bringing a bit of color in her cheeks. A rather adorable display, no matter how many times I see it. After that, Hanako retires to the bedroom for the night.
 
I manage to get myself off the futon and hobble over to the kitchen, finding the pan that still has the evening’s meal resting in it. Turning the stove back on letting it reheat for a few minutes warms the food right back up to digestible levels. It actually doesn’t smell too bad. Turning the stove back off and taking a meager portion of the food, I retreat back to the futon and flip through some channels on the TV. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to go back to sleep now. Maybe there’s a soap opera on that’ll bore me to sleep.
 
 
---
 
 
“He has been sleeping an awful lot lately, hasn’t he?”
 
“Um, should we wake him?”
 
Please don’t, Hanako. I love you, but I don’t want to wake up yet.
 
“Probably not. He might not have gotten enough sleep last night. I could hear the TV throughout the night.”
 
Thank you, Lilly.
 
“O-okay...”
 
“Well then, could you assist me in making lunch?”
 
“Sure.”
 
Thank you, Hanako.
 
Lilly was right about one thing; I couldn’t get any sleep at all last night. No matter how much I wanted to, I just couldn’t doze off. I don’t even remember what time of the night it was when I finally did. I remember the nurse saying that insomnia was one of the side effects my medication had. Of course it’d decide to hit me when I was supposed to be on vacation, rather than on a day where I could actually get away with sleeping late.
 
What I can only imagine to be a few more minutes passes by as I let the sound of food cooking travel through my ear canal. The sweet smell of it all just seems to help keep me from dozing off once more. After more time, another feeling comes up. This time, it’s of someone touching my hair. The feeling is light, as if the person is unsure of what they’re doing. The hand slowly moves across my face, fingers tracing along my features, and then down to my chest, right where my surgery scar is, staying there for the longest time, seemingly checking to make sure I’m still alive. I highly doubt it would be Lilly doing this, so that would only leave...
 
I finally manage to get my eyes open, the sight of long, dark hair being revealed to me, as well as the familiar sight of burn scars. The urge to shut my eyes and ignore the sensation of her touch fights against me, as I try to form a weak smile.
 
“Good morning Hanako.”
 
Hanako quickly withdraws her hand from my chest, her embarrassment as a result of being caught written all over her face.
 
“I-I’m sorry Hisao. I didn’t mean to... I-I wasn’t... umm....” I simply smile at her stuttering, slowing bringing myself up and on my feet.
 
“It’s all right. I probably shouldn’t be sleeping in all day anyway.” I try to hide my fatigue as best as I can, while giving Hanako a long hug out of endearment. She eventually settles down and returns the gesture.
 
“What’s that I smell? Something cooking?”
 
“Mmhmm! Lilly and I are making lunch. It should be about ready.”
 
The prospect of food sounds great right now. I didn’t really eat much of what was left of dinner since I wasn’t too hungry.
 
“D-did you not sleep well last night?” Hanako asks with noticeable concern in her voice.
 
“Nah. My pills have been interfering with my sleep again. One of the side effects they have is insomnia. It’s off and on, but it’s not usually that bad.”
 
“Are you going t-to be okay?”
 
“I should be. I’ve had worse bouts of it.”
 
This seems to have helped to ease her concerns, as her smiles returns to her face. She gives me a light hug, leading me into the kitchen by my hand.
 
“Lilly! Hisao’s up.”
 
“Oh, is he now. Well good morning Hisao.” Lilly says to me with a cheeky grin.
 
“Yeah yeah, I know. Sorry for getting up so late. Had troubles sleeping last night.”
 
“It’s no trouble at all. I do imagine the futon isn’t the best place to sleep on.”
 
Actually the futon is pretty comfortable if I was able to completely doze off yesterday afternoon. It’s probably just my medication doing its dirty work.
 
After a bit preparation time, all of us finally sit down to eat lunch (well, more like a late breakfast for me). I notice the appearance of the silverware adorning the table. Fork on one side of the plate, knife and spoon on the other. A very traditional western setup, expected considering who the original owners were.
 
As we begin to sit down for our meal, I realize that Lilly has fallen out of my sight. A few moments wondering where she went off too are answered by her sudden reappearance, this time holding a rather large bottle, and a mischievous grin on her face.
 
“Lilly, is that what I think it is?”
 
“Probably so, Hisao.”
 
“Isn’t it a bit early in the day to be drinking wine, though? I mean, we didn’t exactly fair well last time either.”
 
“It’s quite all right. Akira gave me permission to use some from her stash. Besides, one glass shouldn’t do that much harm to us.”
 
That Akira. Not only does she give alcohol to minors, she also lets them pilfer their own from her storage space. The model of a responsible adult she is not. Still, Lilly does have a point. The main reason we all got trashed last time was because we emptied two whole bottles worth of the stuff. A single glass to go with lunch shouldn’t have such drastic effects. They do say a glass of wine a day is good for you, after all.
 
Upon our agreement to the idea, Lilly expertly pours each of us a small glass full, using her finger to gauge the levels of each. After everything is set, the eating finally begins.
 
As I dig in, a realization something hits me. This is really the first time I’ve ever actually eaten at a table like this, in a home environment, since before I went in the hospital and ended up at Yamaku. The three of us, sitting here, eating a pleasant lunch. It’s actually a welcoming change. I suddenly felt like I was at home again, like the three of us are our own crazy, little family. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this feeling until now, after spending so long away from my parents.
 
“Hisao,” Hanako breaks the silence that had ensued during the course of our meal. “Lilly and I were t-talking about going down to the city. Is that all right with you?”
 
“Oh really? Sounds like fun.” I shouldn’t really be surprised that, even out in the country, two young girls want to go shopping on the weekend. It does sound like an interesting excursion, though.
 
“We were p-planning on going out a bit after we finished eating.”
 
“How far is it to the town? Not that far I imagine, right?”
 
“About a mile straight down the road, I believe,” Lilly answers. “So, yes, not too far of a walk.”
 
Oh boy. Considering I couldn’t even run that distance if I wanted to, I suddenly don’t feel up for making the excursion. But, if it’s to spend more time with the two girls, I suppose I could endure.
 
 
---
 
 
The surprisingly warm weather isn’t doing me any favors, as we walk on down the road to the town. I’ve found that I’ve been working up a bit of a sweat just by walking, and I think we’ve just barely made it halfway. I really am out of shape. Emi would probably be riding my ass hardcore if she could see the sad state I’m in right now.
 
“Are you okay, Hisao?” Lilly calls out to me. She and Hanako must have noticed I’ve fallen behind a bit.
 
“Don’t worry, I’m okay,” I reply back, hiding the fact that I’m already winded.
 
I try to take my mind off my own condition by taking in my surroundings. The large amounts of foliage create a decent amount of shade along the road, doing their best to shield us from the suns rays, while a gentle breeze is just enough to rustle them the slightest. Not a single person has crossed our path for the entirety of our journey. If not for the town that’s was prophesied to exist here, I’d imagine there really wasn’t anyone around for miles. This feeling of isolation would probably hit me a lot harder than it is right now if I hadn’t spent so much time at Yamaku. It’s actually not that bad of a feeling now. In fact, I probably wouldn’t mind getting a house in an area like this sometime.
 
I then turn my attention back to the two girls in front of me. Hanako is walking by Lilly’s side, who lightly taps the ground with her cane in her usual manner. I should feel a bit jealous that Hanako is walking with her instead of with me, but she’s her closest friend, and they haven’t seen each other for a long time. It’s only natural that they’d want to spend time to catch up on things. Besides, they make a good pairing. Sort of like Batman and Robin, or something to that effect.
 
“So, Lilly,” I try to strike a bit of conversation to further take my mind off my fatigue. “Do you know the way there well?”
 
“Fairly well,” she replies back. “My family and I used to come down this road often to go into town. After our parents left, Akira would sometimes drive the two of us down for an evening.”
 
Could probably use her right about now. Or at the very least, a bus.
 
“What about you, Hisao? Have you ever been to Hokkaido before?”
 
“Not really. It’s too far from where I used to live, so I never really came up for school trips or whatever. What about you Hanako? Have you ever been here?”
 
“Not really. I had never really thought of coming to Hokkaido, and the orphanage didn’t go on any field trips this way.”
 
“Well, guess it’s a fir-“
 
My sentence is forcefully interrupted by a sharp pain in my legs, causing me to completely stop in my tracks. Hanako and Lilly catch that I’ve stopped talking and look back towards me.
 
“Hi-Hisao? Are you okay?”
 
“Yeah, it’s nothing,” I reply back, trying to take a couple more steps. “Just felt something in my legs for a-“
 
THU-THUMP
 
My chest suddenly tightens up on me, and all air seems to escape from my lungs. I instinctively raise a hand for my heart, trying to breathe deeply.
 
Shit! Now is not the time I wanted this to happen.
 
Looking up, I can see the worried expressions of Hanako and Lilly. I probably look like a mess right now. I make an attempt to right myself and take another step, but my legs finally give out, causing me to collapse to the ground. I just barely have the mind to get my hands up to brace myself before impact.
 
“HISAO!!”
 
“Hisao? Hanako! What’s wrong? What happened??”
 
THU-THUMP
 
My vision is blurring. That familiar red tinge that appears when I get like this is there. Damnit, what did I do this time? Think, think. Damn it! Of course! In all that’s happened in the last couple days, I completely forgot to take my medication last night and today before we left. And now, because of that one little misstep, I’m now in a heap on the ground with Death himself pointing and laughing at me.
 
“Hisao! Hisao!!”
 
I can make out Hanako’s cries, but I force myself to focus. Breathe deep. Remember your breathing. In. Out. In. Out.
 
THU-THUMP
 
THU-THUMP
 
THU-THUMP
 
.....Thump
 
Thump
 
My breathing normalizes. The tightening in my chest fades, and the red tinge fades from my eyes. The ordeal has thankfully passed.
 
I slowly raise my head up, beads of sweat threatening to invade my eyes, and look over to Hanako, her fear about the worst written across her countenance.
 
“Hi... Hisao?”
 
“It’s okay. I’m all right now.”
 
At this, she throws herself onto me, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face in my chest. Lilly, obviously due to her lack of sight, is still trying to figure out what just happened.
 
“Hisao! Are you all right?”
 
“I’m fine. My heart just had an episode. I guess I forgot to take my meds before we left. I’m okay now.”
 
Upon the mention of my heart, Lilly’s expression becomes grim. Now I feel even worse than I did when my heart was failing me.
 
“...We should go back.”
 
“No, no. It’s all right. I’m fine now, really.”
 
“Hisao Nakai!!” Hanako breaks off to suddenly shout at me. The look of fear she had worn just a moment ago is now replaced by sudden anger. Her cheeks are completely red, and little droplets of water are threatening to escape from her eyes. It’s a sight that I’ve never seen from her, and one I hoped I would never lay eyes on. “You’re obviously in no condition to keep going, and to make matters worse, you forgot to take your medicine! Why are you being so irresponsible? It’s not like you!”
 
Damn it. Now I’ve done it. I’ve upset Hanako in the worst way possible. Judging by Lilly’s expression, she wants to say the same thing. I have a feeling this is one battle that I’m not going to win, no matter how hard I try to hide how I’m really feeling.
 
“Okay...” I quietly concede.
 
Hanako helps me on my feet and places one of my arms around her shoulders. Lilly catches up to us, as we all make the trip back to the house. Meanwhile, I can’t help but feel absolutely miserable. Not only did I pretty much ruin the afternoon because of my neglect to follow my doctor’s orders, I ended up making Hanako cry in the process.
 
So much for a peaceful vacation.
 
 
---
 
 
My eyes open up as they scan their surroundings. I’m back at the house, lying on the futon once again. I try to piece back what had happened during the course of the day. Woke up. Lunch. Went for a walk. Almost died. Came back. Took pills. Passed out.
 
Right, that did happen, didn’t it?
 
The memories of that incident come rolling back to me. Through all of it, Hanako’s furious expression stands out the most. I wonder if she’s still upset over me forgetting to take my medication...
 
Looking around, I notice from the light coming in through the window that the sun has started to go down. Guess I was out for at least a few hours. Turning my gaze up to the ceiling, I can almost make out the tiles that adorned the ceiling of the hospital room I stayed in. That reminder alone is enough motivation for me to get up.
 
As I move to set my feet on the floor, however, I catch an unexpected sight.
 
Hanako is right there, lying on the floor next to the futon. Because of her positioning, my left foot almost made contact with her chest before I realized her presence. Why is she there of all places?
 
I’d rather not wake her up and receive a second verbal thrashing for my negligence, so I gently tip-toe over her sleeping body. Once I do so, I examine my surroundings. My ears finally pick up on the sound of a knife hitting a cutting board. Guess Lilly must be in the kitchen.
 
Slowly walking to where I predicted her to be, she is in fact in front of the kitchen counter, cutting something up. Her back is facing me, which hides what exactly she is preparing, instead giving me a view of her long, blonde hair.
 
“Hey Lilly,” I gently call out to her, trying to avoid startling her.
 
“Oh, is that you Hisao?” Lilly responds back, turning her head to face me. “How are you feeling?”
 
“Better, now that I’ve had my drugs and rested a bit.”
 
“I am glad to hear that. Is Hanako still asleep?”
 
“Yeah, she is. Though why on the floor of all places?”
 
“She wanted to stay by your side, in case something happened. I tried to tell her that you would be fine, but she insisted on it.”
 
My mood went from slightly rested to miserable once again upon realizing all the trouble I put her through.
 
“Hisao...” Lilly lightly places the tools she was using to cut the food down, and turns to face me at last. The expression she’s wearing is grim at best. “You really scared us back there.”
 
“I know, I know. I kind of wanted to apologize for, you know, ruining the afternoon.”
 
A simple shake of her head is her reply back to me. “You don’t have to apologize for anything. We should have considered your health more.”
 
“I was the one who forgot to take my medicine, though. If I hadn’t, then I probably would have been able to make it there. And Hanako...”
 
My mind travels back to the look Hanako had back there. The look of anger she had on her face has been haunting me, reminding me of how much I screwed up.
 
“Hisao. I know Hanako is normally a quiet person. But she acted that way because she cares for you. In reality, she was terrified over what might have transpired. That the situation would have turned dire. I can imagine how much of a shock it was for you to see her act out like that; I was surprised as well by her choice of words. But she did it out of concern for your well being.”
 
“That’s why she also insisted on staying by your side. She was that worried over you, and wanted to make sure you were all right. You are the closest person in her life. I dare not think about what she would do if you were to leave us.”
 
I look back towards the living room, thinking back on everything that had happened. She had already lost so much; her home, her parents, all of her friends, not to mention a chance at a normal life. What if I did kick the bucket back then? What would she have done? How could she go on? Would she even be able to go on?
 
The feeling of a hand grasping my shoulder jerks me out of my thoughts. My gaze turns back to Lilly, a smile on her face at last, and her cloudy blue eyes looking right into mine, as if she was peering through to my soul.
 
“You are a wonderful person, Hisao. And I’m sure Hanako thinks the same way. Now, go stay with her. I’ll have dinner ready in a little bit.”
 
Although she is unable to see the smile on my own face, somehow, I can imagine she knows it’s there. “Thank you, Lilly.”
 
Lilly goes back to her cooking, while I make the trek back to the living room. To my surprise, as soon as I walk in, Hanako bumps right into me. Apparently she already woke up during my conversation with Lilly.
 
“Ah! I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to! Are you a-all right?” Hanako is in full panic mode. She must have thought that bump would have sent my heart into overdrive. Guess I really did scare her back there.
 
“I’m fine, I’m fine. You don’t have to worry so much about me.”
 
“Why not!? You were practically gasping for air earlier! I have full rights to worry about you!”
 
Oh boy. Here comes the lashing I was expecting.
 
“Look, Hanako, I really am sorry for putting you through all of that.”
 
“You should be! Not only did you put your own life at risk, you worried Lilly and I to d-death! How could you be so irresponsible? What do you think would have happened if y-you really had a major heart attack? We c-couldn’t call f-for an ambulance! There wasn’t a p-person around for at least a half a mile!” Her finger is consistently jabbing me in my shoulder during the entire tirade, trying to drive the point home. At least she has the mind to avoid my heart.
 
“You could have.... you could have...”
 
The barriers keeping her anger steady are finally breaking down. Her head hangs low, and her hands are now grasping my shoulders instead of trying to jab a hole in them.
 
“Hisao... y-you mean so much to me... I don’t want to l-lose you too...”
 
I say nothing, but instead take her in my arms and pull her in close. My shirt soaks up her light sobs, but I don’t pay it any mind. I just let her get it out of her system.
 
“Hanako. I truly am sorry. I feel awful for worrying you. I will make sure to never put you through that again. I promise. I love you, Hanako. More than anything.”
 
I can’t see the expression on her face, but the sound of her crying seems to be subsiding, if only just a bit.
 
“I-I love you too, Hisao,” she finally manages to whisper back.
 
For the longest time, we just stay like that, holding onto each other in a moment of pure intimacy. Those simple words were all we needed to share to reaffirm our feelings to each other. It was like it was just the two of us in the entire country, just standing in that small hallway in each other’s arms. After a long silence had passed, I gently pull her away, raising a finger to wipe away the last bits of liquid coming down her face.
 
“Come on. Lilly’s making dinner. Let’s go help her with that.”
 
Hanako nods her head at my suggestion, and the two of us walk over to reunite with our friend, hand-in-hand.
 
 
---
 
 
The clock on the nearby wall reads past midnight. And yet here I am, once again, unable to sleep, staring at the TV in the hopes that something will cause me to just pass out at last. At least I was able to remember to take my medication this time. I could do without the persistent insomnia, though.
 
I slowly flip through the various channels, trying to find something to help fill the void. Cooking shows, infomercials, low budget anime, sci-fi movies, recaps of a tournament involving some video game that’s big in Korea. Absolutely nothing catches my interest. I never did watch a whole lot of TV in the first place, even before I went to Yamaku, and I guess this just reaffirms why.
 
“Hi... Hisao?”
 
I almost fail to catch the sudden, quiet voice, which causes me to look over back towards the doorway. My eyes then catch a sleepy Hanako, wearing her trademark pink nightgown. It never fails to cause my heart to skip a beat seeing her in that adorable getup.
 
“Hey Hanako. Can’t sleep?”
 
She shakes her head gently in reply to my query. “Not really. Neither c-can you?”
 
“Nah. Pills are interfering again.”
 
“So you did remember t-to take them this time?”
 
“Yeah. Kind of wishing I hadn’t though. Maybe I can actually get some sleep then.”
 
“Don’t say th-that, Hisao.”
 
“Sorry. But, yeah, that’s kind of the situation.”
 
“Can... can I stay out here with you, then?”
 
“I don’t see the harm in that.” I get up to make room on the futon, motioning for her to come over, which she complies with. Gently plopping herself down on the side of me that’s closer to the TV, she leans into me, while I wrap my remote arm around her shoulder and continue the dreary activity of flipping through channels.
 
“I w-wish we could stay here,” Hanako speaks up after a momentary silence between the two of us.
 
“Yeah, same. It’s very peaceful up here. Although I don’t think I’d want to stick around when the summer heat comes in full force.”
 
“I agree. I never did like the summer.”
 
The TV once again takes up the task of filling the silence between the two of us once more. I find a channel that’s playing one of those Super Sentai shows, taking in the goofy, over-the-top gestures that the heroes perform just to get to the other side of a building where they’re fighting a giant moth-like monster.
 
“I’m... I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier, Hisao.” Hanako breaks the silence between us once more.
 
“Don’t worry about it. I kind of deserved it.”
 
“I just... I-I was so scared. I thought I really was going to l-l-lose you.”
 
“Don’t worry. I plan on being around as long as I can.”
 
A bit of a cheesy line, but it at least seems to have eased her worries. She looks up to me and places a light kiss on my lips, which I return in kind before the both of us go back to watching the television.
 
Flipping through more channels doesn’t produce any interesting results. There’s some B-rated action flick. A martial arts movie about a superhuman sent to a prison. Another cooking program. More commercials.
 
The remote then stops on another movie portraying a man and a woman. The man is trying to convince the woman that he cares for her. Must be some romance flick. The two go at each other for a bit, then turns into the predictable make-out session between them. I’m not really sure what the real draw is for these kinds of movies, other than to give women an easy romantic fantasy to grasp onto.
 
The scene goes on, and they get more into the act. The man is moving his lips all across the woman’s neck as he carries her over to a bed that the setting suddenly shifts to. He then starts unbuttoning her top, revealing a rather sizable chest trapped inside a fairly small bra. The realization then sets in as to what kind of movie this is. I must have accidentally wandered onto an adult entertainment channel.
 
“Gah! Damn you Akira! Why would you pay for something like this?” I curse her name as I motion to change the channel once more. Hanako’s hand prevents me from doing that, however, placing it on top of the remote and pulling it downward. I look down to see what was wrong, only to meet her gaze. Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes have a look of longing in them.
 
“Please... leave it on there...” she quietly asks. I feel forced to comply, silently switching the remote to my other hand and setting it aside, all the while asking myself why she would want to keep it on this channel of all things.
 
Our attention then turns back to the movie. The woman is now completely topless, her chest in full view, which the man goes to work on, taking one breast in his hand and another in his mouth. The woman moans in delight, causing the man to hasten his actions. Eventually, her pants are gone, along with the rest of her undergarments. The man is soon completely disrobed as well, his parts being covered by a large, pixilated circle. Censorship laws in Japan are pretty weird, now that I think about it. Even intended adult programming isn’t safe from it, and yet they’re more than willing to broadcast a scene of a guy’s head getting blown off during prime time. I’ll probably never understand politics.
 
The man in the movie brings himself in, putting himself inside of the woman, and begins thrusting, all the while kissing her on various parts of her body. Although the movie definitely seems intended for some people to, well, enjoy themselves to, the on-screen couple at least seem to portray the image of them being in love with each other. They actually sell it pretty well, although maybe in a bit of an overdramatic way, though I guess that’s the idea. It’s... actually a bit arousing, such that it actually takes a moment for my brain to register that something is slowly creeping up my leg.
 
Upon this realization, I look down towards the source of this new feeling, and am surprised to see that it’s actually Hanako’s hand. Her gaze is focused on my lower body, as she slowly moves her hand up and down my upper thigh. Perhaps the movie is having a similar effect on her? Then again, has she ever even seen a movie like this one?
 
As I ponder this, she seems to finally sense my watching her, as she looks up to meet my eyes with hers. Her face is full red now, seemingly at the idea of being caught, but that doesn’t deter her movements in the slightest. The sight actually does a better job of getting me hot and bothered than the movie ever did.
 
“Hanako...”
 
“Hisao...”
 
No more words were exchanged between us. Instead, I raise a hand to cup her face with, lightly caressing the scarred side of her face. The leathery texture is a sharp contrast to the smoothness of the rest of her body, but it’s just another aspect of her that I’ve learned to love. She leans into my hand, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensation. Opening them once more, her eyes meet mine, and we merge our lips together. Light pecks at first, then slowly increasing in passion and intensity. Eventually, I find myself being pushed onto my back onto the futon. Although I don’t think this thing was intended to hold two people like this, Hanako doesn’t seem to care, and neither do I really.
 
Hanako surprisingly starts to take the initiative, reaching for my shirt and pulling it over my head, breaking our connection for a brief moment, and tossing the fabric aside. Her hand maneuvers itself across my torso, resting on my surgery scar. My mind travels back to the day that I showed her that scar, the feeling of her hand on my chest for the first time. This time the feeling is different somehow, like she’s checking to make sure it stays intact during the session.
 
She breaks our link at last, moving herself down my body, reaching my pajama bottoms. A sudden wave of hesitation hits her before taking a big gulp and reaching to pull them and my boxers down to reveal the other part of me. Another hesitation, this time mixed with noticeable confusion as to what she should do next. Her hands slowly reach toward me, taking hold and working me over slowly. My guess is that she’s trying to mimic what she saw in the movie. It’s a bit awkward at first, but she starts to get the hang of the motions, rubbing up and down, up and down, slowly but surely. She then leans in to kiss me once more, one of her hands continuing to give me the treatment, while her other hand props herself up.
 
Hanako finally breaks off to catch her breath, leaning in towards my ear. “Do you have the.... you know...?”
 
“Oh! Yeah, in my bag, top pouch.”
 
Hanako briefly rises up, leaning over to grab the bag that’s nearby, surprisingly never leaving her position on top of me. In time, she finds the small square wrapping that she was looking for. Opening it up and finagling with its contents, it takes her a while to prep me. As she tries to figure out how it goes on. It’s incredibly cute to watch. In time though, she gets it right, a smile of triumph forming on her features before coming back in to kiss me once more.
 
She then takes part in the next step of the process, holding up her nightgown to reveal a pair of black panties. The fabric of the gown is placed in her mouth, whilst she carefully removes her undergarments, setting them next to the futon. Positioning herself carefully so as to give me a proper view of herself, she lowers her body onto me, and the feeling of me entering her quickly courses through my body. A quiet yelp escapes her once I’m completely in, muffled by the fabric of her gown.
 
“Hanako? Are you okay?”
 
A simple nod tells me she’s fine, but I still can’t help but feel worried. We take a moment to rest, Hanako pulling her gown around in a way so that most of the material is behind her.
 
A realization dawns on me during the downtime. We haven’t even done this since that day, and back then it was incredibly awkward for the both of us. Neither of us was really sure what we were doing, and I ended up taking the lead. This time, however, we both seem to understand better just what this action entails. Hanako is even taking the lead this time, although I can’t tell if it’s because she wants to, or if she’s concerned about my heart again.
 
My thoughts jerk back to the present, as Hanako slowly begins moving her hips at last. The process is awkward at first, as she’s trying to find a working rhythm, but in time, she starts to get it working. Her hips rise up and down, granting me the view of myself moving further inside of her with each downward motion, then out again. The visual and sexual sensation starts to get to me, causing my hands to find a place on her waist, assisting her in the act.
 
She starts to gain momentum at last, rising up into a vertical position and using her legs to push herself upwards and down again. My hands grasp onto hers to support her, as our collective quiet moans accompany the sounds of the couple in the movie. She’s moving faster now, and I’ve even found myself pushing into her instinctively. I don’t even care about my heart anymore. I just want Hanako. All of her.
 
“Hi...Hisao...”
 
Her words are lost in the moment of passion, as I start to reach my limit. A few more hard thrusts finish the act at about the same time as the movie couple’s, with the both of us completely spent.
 
Hanako collapses on top of me as we both work to catch our breath. Her nightgown provides a surprising level of warmth against the chilly evening air for my exposed body. I take her into my arms, placing my lips onto hers once more.
 
“I love you, Hisao.”
 
“I love you too, Hanako.”
 
We stay like that for a while, the movie continuing to play in the background, as sleep finally starts to overtake the both of us.
 
 
---
 
 
I’ll be the first to admit that waiting for the train isn’t one of my favorite activities. In fact, I could go so far as to say it’s my least favorite activity. The setting sun threatening to blind my eyesight doesn’t make things any better, nor does the fact that we all have to go back to class tomorrow.
 
If anything were to make this more bearable, however, it’s the feeling of Hanako resting her head against my shoulder while we all sit at the train track. It’s been a busy weekend for us both. Even with the problems that arose, mainly my heart acting up again, those few days we spent at that small summer home with Lilly and Hanako, especially with Hanako, will be the most memorable for a long time.
 
“My my, Hanako must have been exhausted,” Lilly speaks up from her position on the opposite side of us.
 
“Yeah, I guess we kind of wore her out.” I slyly say, avoiding mention of our late night shenanigans.
 
“It has been a bit of an active weekend, to say the least.”
 
A moment of silence passes between us. A few other people waiting for our same train are speaking on their cell phones, either making business contacts or checking in with relatives and loved ones. They don’t pay the three of us any attention as they try to sort out their own dilemmas.
 
“I couldn’t help but notice that her confidence has improved a lot,” Lilly breaks the silence at last. “Not just how she berated you yesterday, either.” The last line is accompanied by a friendly giggle.
 
“Yeah, she’s really changed, hasn’t she?”
 
“You must have done something spectacular to get her to improve so much while I was away.”
 
You have no idea...
 
I take a moment to lightly move a few strands of hair away from the sleeping Hanako’s face. The face that I’ve kissed several times before, that has greeted me with a smile everyday, and that has told me her true feelings for me. That is the face I want to live for. To make sure every day has that infectious smile on it.
 
“Maybe I’ll finally take Emi up on those morning runs. At least that way I can walk a mile without worrying about dying in the middle of the road.” Although Lilly doesn’t seem to enjoy the little quip about me dying, she at least seems to be able to tell where my intentions are.
 
“That would be a wise choice. Though you also have to make sure you take your medicine regularly.”
 
“Don’t worry. I won’t let that slip again.”
 
“I’m glad to hear that. And I’m sure Hanako would be as well if she can hear us.”
 
The intercom turns on at that moment, calling out for the arrival of our train. Sure enough, I see it popping into view not more than a minute later, signaling the need for us to gather our things and get ready to board. After that, it’s back to reality, back to Yamaku, to life. A life that I want to spend with Hanako, and hopefully one that will be long and prosperous for the both of us.
 
“Hey, Lilly. You think you’d be able to have another one of those tea gatherings this week?”
 
“Hmmm. Well, exams are coming up, but I suppose we could squeeze one in on one night. It’d be nice to get back into that routine.”
 
“Great. I think Hanako would like that too. Oh, and, thanks for that little lecture yesterday. I think it helped clear my head a bit.”
 
“Not at all, Hisao. Thank you for making Hanako happy.”
 
As the train pulls up, I gently wake Hanako from her slumber and help gather our things. We all board the train, prepared to travel away from this fantasy land, and back to the real world. What awaits for us back there is unknown, but I’m more than prepared to meet it head on. As long as I have Hanako to support me, I feel like I can take on anything.