Till Human Voices Wake Us

Shuhei stopped when he saw Kaho’s mother and father still waiting beside his truck.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Yes, we… we were just waiting for you,” her mother replied.

His palms turned cold as nerves fluttered in his chest.

“Thank you for allowing tonight. It meant so much to me and Kaho. She did so well, in every way,” Shuhei smiled weakly.

“She did. She’s the most vibrant she’s been in, maybe ever,” her mother agreed.

“...And we wanted to thank you for that,” her father added.

Shuhei blinked and looked to him.

“Me?”

Both of them nodded.

“We tried as parents, in the ways we understood. It is no easy task to raise a child. You may yet know that one day. We did our best, but we realize now that we were lacking in so many ways. We may never know how much of a part we played in causing Kaho to do the things she did to herself, and we will wrestle with that for the rest of our lives. But you…”

Her mother cleared her throat.

“You helped our daughter bloom into the young woman that we just saw in that room. And we will thank you for that as long as you will allow us,” her father added.

Warmth spread through Shuhei’s face and lungs.

“You never tried to take her from us. Why?” her mother asked.

Shuhei inhaled.

“My mom walked out on us when I was young, and I lost my dad way too early. If Kaho wanted a relationship with you, I would never try to take that from her just for my own gain.”

“And you were willing to give everyone the time to settle, as we asked.”

“It wasn’t easy,” Shuhei laughed.

“It never is. But you did. And you both seem better.”

“I wanted to be better. For her, and for myself.”

“And what does that ‘better’ look like?” her father asked.

“I sold everything. I bought a house in Nikko. I diversified all of my investments and still have enough money to have a good, comfortable quality of life for several years. I’ve been looking at a few new ventures, which I’ll use my Century money to fund. I could give her a good life. I promise. But I want your blessing for that.”

He spoke with earnest, sincere conviction. Deep down, he wanted Kaho to have a healthy family relationship. It was something denied for him, but if she could, he wanted to cultivate that, not drive a wedge in it. Several seconds passed, then her father finally nodded.

“There’s a lovely, quiet kaiseki restaurant near our house which we were going to after this. Kaho was joining us. She can guide you there, if you wish to join us…”

Joy ruptured and poured out. Shuhei smiled in understanding.

“You have our blessing. Please, treat our daughter well,” her mother said as both of them bowed to him.

Shuhei bowed deeply, then immediately turned and began sprinting back to the door. Even though his ribs were still mending, he didn’t want to stop. Steps became strides, and breaths became gasps. The door neared.

When he reached the glass, he saw that Kaho was still on the floor, weeping into her hands in the dimmed light.

“Kaho!! Kaho!!” Shuhei called as he removed his phone to flash the light.

She didn’t see it through her hands. His palms opened, and he patted on the glass, hoping she sensed the vibrations.

After three taps, she did.

Her hands lowered, and she saw he was there. An unrefined gasp left her mouth as she stumbled, then rose and jumped for the door. Locks were undone, and hinges turned as the door swung wide to allow him in.

As soon as they touched, he hoisted her into his arms and spun around as their lips reconnected.

Seconds lasted lifetimes, and they breathed against one another with faint inhales and exhales as their lips bound themselves for eternity. When they parted, she raised her brows in confusion.

He lowered her to the ground and removed his phone.

“Your parents said yes,” he typed.

Her eyes pulled shut as she basked in the victorious news.

“We can be together now?” she asked.

Shuhei nodded.

“I am yours for as long as you will have me. I will do everything to give you a beautiful, gentle life. I promise you.”

“I’ll do the same for you. I cherish you, with every part of me that I know, and even the parts that I don’t yet understand. Thank you for helping me learn so much. I am finally at peace,” she replied.

Shuhei wiped his eyes and nodded.

“I am as well. I don’t hate myself anymore. And I’m working on liking myself. And I’ll keep working on it.”

“So will I,” she added.

Trembling fingers traced the curves of lips and chins as they mapped the topography of their love's face.

“Can we go to Nikko tomorrow, to see the house?” she asked.

“I’d love that,” he replied.

Light softened as the phone screen was shut off and returned to Shuhei’s pocket. Their fingers found one another’s once more, and they moved to be against one another. Arms wrapped around waists and shoulders, and they hugged beside the fourth ikebana arrangement.

Star Falls And Petals In Summer's Silence

Written by

Prufrock