Kokoro and Taro: Remember me

Two weeks later and Kokoro’s condition only got worse. There were now traces of blood in her vomit, and the headaches continued assaulting her even when she was not wearing the neural link. She was getting weaker, her frame was getting thinner, and her boyfriend was starting to suspect something was wrong.

“Are you sure you are okay?” Taro asked her as they were floating around in the same gravity lift from their first unofficial date to Wonder-Park. Although it had been a couple months ago, to Kokoro, it felt like a whole other life time.

Everyday with Taro since she had met him had been a small eternity she would never forget. From the first day she bumped into him at school, and to the present moment.

She floated over to him and wrapped him in a gentle hug.

“I told you.” Kokoro said over his shoulder. “You worry too much. I’m fine.”

***

“I don’t like this K.” Tomomi said with authority, while tears flowed freely from her eyes. “He has to know, he’s your boyfriend.” Kokoro noticed, it was the first time she was seeing her friend cry. The girl’s voice was shaking as she spoke, and she constantly shook her head from side to side.

“Plus, he’s the one that made the thing right? He, he, can fix it. He can do something.”

Silently breaking inside, Kokoro reached out to comfort her friend. She grabbed hold of Tomomi’s shaking hands and spoke to the girl in a gentle tone.

“It’s Okay.”

“No! It’s not K,” Tomomi protested, still shaking her head side to side. “No, it’s not.”

Tomomi tried to break free of her grip, but Kokoro held on tighter.

“Listen to me for once in your life Tomomi, just listen.”

It took a second, but the girl finally relaxed herself to listen to reason.

“If Taro finds out about this now, then I’m afraid of what he might do to himself. Do you hear me?”

Kokoro asked as she looked up at the girl, waiting for a response. They were outside the hospital, and Kokoro had worn back the neural link and speaking aid so she could talk to Tomomi.

“But he needs to know.” Tomomi sniffled as she said in an almost quiet tone. “He has to know.”

After receiving her diagnosis, something within Kokoro just turned off. She no longer had a future; she no longer had a life ahead to look forward to. All her plans, everything she wanted to do. It was over. Just like that. Snuffed out, with a simple statement from the doctor.

Holding back her tears for later, Kokoro focused her attention back on Tomomi.

“Taro will find out eventually, and I want you to be the one to tell him.” Kokoro said. “But you also need to make me a promise.”

Kokoro released her grip on one of Tomomi’s hands so the girl could wipe her tears with the back of her arm. As soon as she was done, Tomomi offered her hand again and Kokoro grabbed a hold of it once more.

“I want you to promise me. Don’t leave him alone. Don’t let him blame himself. Don’t let him spiral out of control.”

As Kokoro spoke, she could feel a burning sensation rising up from her throat. A tremor was starting to sneak its way into her voice, and her eyes were starting to well up with tears.

“Please Tomomi.” Kokoro tried but, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Please don’t leave him alone. Please don’t let him blame himself. Please don’t…”

She suddenly broke down sobbing, and Tomomi immediately rushed her with a hug. She couldn’t control it. She kept crying, and crying, and crying, and the tears just wouldn’t stop. Tomomi, Taro, the children at the orphanage, these were people she was soon never going to see again. Because she was leaving. And she was never coming back.

***

A few days later, and Music and Metal’s first ever concert was about to go live. Taro was standing in the corner, while he watched a reporter as she interviewed some of the fans that were coming into the venue.

…

“So, are you girls excited to be here?”

“Yeeess!” the girls replied in a loud and frightening unison.

…

“What about you sir? What do you think about all the hate Music and Metal is getting from some people in the industry?”

“Look. All the girl wants to do is sing. I say let her sing to her heart’s content. It dons matter if she might be using some super advance AI or something. She’s already says that’s not the case. Plus, it’s not like she’s even making money or charging anyone to hear her perform. The concert is free!”

…

“And you mam, what do you think about some of the hate Kokoro is getting online for the technology she is using?”

Taro smiled and paid close attention as the reporter interviewed his sister next.

“Well, ah,”

Taro nearly chuckled at the sight of Ruka fumbling with her words.

“Well, I’m just going to say, everyone is entitled to their opinions. As the elder sister to the boyfriend of the girl in question, and as a disabled woman myself, I understand the situation more than most. Society can sometimes make us feel like outsiders and interruptions rather than actual citizens. For me, I’m naturally stubborn so I got used to it really quick haha. But for my baby brother’s girlfriend,”

Taro noticed his sister pause a little before continuing.

“All she wants to do is sing. Just like I wish to be able to see my children one day with my own two eyes. And if the technology my brother has made for her helps her do that, then I say let her use it. The girl doesn’t want to go back to a world of silence. So, let’s not force her.”

…

Taro was momentarily interrupted when a hand rested on his shoulder. He turned, and found Tomomi staring at him with a melancholy expression.

He had noticed that about her all week. But whenever he tried saying anything, Tomomi would always be Tomomi and choose to ignore him.

“She’s done changing.” Tomomi said. “She’s waiting for you to go see her.”

When Taro stepped into the backstage changing room, the first thing he noticed was the stranger standing in front of the mirror.

She looked like a rockstar.

Her blonde hair was plaited into braids and hung low like two very long pigtails. She wore a pair of jet-black boots, slim black pants, and a black top that exposed the scarab walker on her back for the world to see.

To say she was the very definition of beauty would have been an understatement. Taro was at a loss for words.

“Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.” Kokoro said, turning to face him. “So, how do I look? Is it too much black?”

Snapping back to the present, Taro cleared his throat and responded.

“You look great.” he said. “You always look great.”

“Calm down dude,” Kokoro replied, while she walked towards him. “I already love you. You don’t have to try so hard.”

She kissed him lightly on the lips, then pulled back and closed her eyes as she winced in pain.

“Are you okay?” Taro asked.

“No, it’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Taro asked again, starting to get a little worried. He hadn’t been entirely relaxed the past week either. He had been a little on edge. It was obvious Kokoro had lost some weight. She was looking paler than usual. But he had always suspected it to be a normal thing, and he guessed it was probably due to all the stress of preparing for the concert. He was going to have to ask her to take it easy after the show, and maybe start eating better too.

***

Kokoro could hear the voices of the people calling out to her outside the changing room. It was time for her to go.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled. She looked up at the boy in front of her. Would this be the last time she saw his face?

***

“Miss Takahashi,” the doctor had said. “Any further use of the neural link in conjunction with the scarab walker would only accelerate the strain on your body. Most of your organs are already weak as it is. My advice, is to take the prescribed medication which should hopefully prolong the time you have left. And as for the concert you have coming up this Saturday, I think with enough rest before then, you should be able to perform one song without trouble. Otherwise, if you continue to push yourself to the point of collapse, it could prove fatal.”

***

“Hey, you okay? You zoned out on me back there.” Taro said.

“Sorry, I was just thinking of something.” Kokoro replied, flashing her boyfriend a weak smile. They were still standing around in the changing room, despite the crowd outside already chanting for Music and Metal.

“Sounds like they already want you out there.” Taro said, smiling. “So, what song are you going to perform for your opening act?”

Kokoro did not miss a beat as she replied.

“Remember me, by Solo.” she said as she gazed up at Taro. At his eyes. His kind eyes.

“Really? That’s your first song?”

Kokoro nodded.

“I mean, I like it but, seems a little heavy for an opening act.”

“I know.”

Kokoro smiled, then leaned forward on her tip toes to plant a kiss on Taro’s lips. And as she made her way outside the changing room, she turned and gazed at her boyfriend one last time.

“Thank you.”

***

The concert was about to begin, and Taro was now seated by his sister’s side in the front row. Although Ruka couldn’t see, she wanted to come and be as close to the music as possible.

“You know, for a woman who only just gave birth, you really didn’t have to come all the way!” Taro practically screamed into his sister’s ear, over the roar of the crowd.

“Yeah! But Kokoro is part of the family now! Also, I haven’t been to a concert in over fifteen years! Make sense the first one I start to attend should be my future sister in law’s, no?!”

Taro smiled at Ruka’s never ending optimism. He glanced around a bit, but he couldn’t find Tomomi anywhere. Star Airi was there, so were Maiko Mai and the rest of the dance club. They all occupied the front row. But Tomomi was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe she had to visit the bathroom or something.

The time was now a little after 8: 30pm, and Kokoro finally walked onto the stage. The crowd went wild and roared even louder at the sight of her new look, and soon enough, Music and Metal began performing for all to see.

Just as she had said, her first song of choice was Remember me by Solo. As she sang, Taro could feel the symphony of the music as it vibrated in his chest. The song talked on themes of isolation, longing, and a desire to be remembered. And although Taro thought it was a fantastic piece, the way Kokoro sang it with such intense emotion in her voice, made him feel a little uneasy.

At long last, Kokoro was approaching the end of the song. Taro was relieved, but was also excited to hear the next one. The crowd behind him screamed, whistled, and applauded while also chanting for an encore. Kokoro was smiling, and had a look of pure joy and excitement as she stood facing the large audience. Her big blue eyes radiated ecstasy, and her smile never faded. But then, it happened.

Kokoro suddenly coughed up blood on stage, and her entire body began to tremble. The crowd went silent at the sight, and Taro’s world suddenly slowed.

His eyes grew wide, and his breath caught in his throat.

What was happ…

Kokoro swayed on her feet, as if struggling to remain standing. Then she coughed up more blood, and slowly, she began to fall.