REMEMBERS

The house was dark, dreary, and still. I walked carefully into the long corridor by Misako’s room. Outside her door, I could see that her bedroom light was on, I knew she was awake. She needed someone, and I wanted to be that someone. I practiced breathing methods to keep myself under control. My brain went through the motions again: I thought about what I should say to her, how I should approach her, if it was appropriate to talk to her so late in the evening. Then, I remembered Hiroshi’s advice: to go with the flow.

I knocked on her door.

No answer.

I knocked again; I would not leave without speaking to her.

No answer one again.

I knocked one last time.

Silence.

‘I’m sorry, Misako. You can shout me later…’ I thought. And placed my hand on her doorknob, turning it.

“I didn’t say you could come-” She began.

Misako saw me. But more importantly; I could see her. She was there.

“Da…” She trailed off.

“Why are you on the floor?” I intercepted her from speaking.

I walked inside her room, closing the door behind me. She did not speak. She could not. I walked closer to her, sitting down on the floor opposite her. Her hair was disorganized, unkept and in need of severe care. She had dark rings under her eyes, sleep had not been her friend. Her eyes were puffed and red, tissues strewn across the floor. She wore my thick brown jacket; the same one that I bled onto the night I had my seizure. I could tell she had attempted to have it cleaned, as the blood stains on my jacket were almost faded away.

“D-David…” She finally said.

“I thought you were asleep for a moment there, Misako. You were just staring at me.” I replied.

“I’m not…dreaming, am I?” She asked.

“I hope not, or else I’m having the same dream too.” I replied.

“Then…why are you wearing women’s clothes? Why do you look pregnant?”

I looked down, I was still wearing the clothes Hiroshi had given me. I removed the dress from my body, revealing my shirtless self to her.

“Ah, long-story. You see-” I began.

Before I could finish my sentence, Misako threw herself against me. I caught her, but my strength hadn’t fully returned to me, so we fell to the floor. We embraced. I could feel myself start to cry. And so did she.

“David. David. David…” She repeated.

“Misako…Misako…” I repeated.

And we cried.

And cried.

And cried some more.

No words were needed - I did not need any. As Hiroshi had said, going with the flow was the best course of action. Around ten minutes had passed, we cried violently, we cried ferociously, letting the well of built-up emotions out.

“I thought you were going to die, you idiot.” She cried.

“I must be a cat because I’ve received so many second chances.” I replied.

“Don’t make jokes now you idiot.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t say that I’ve heard you apologize enough. Just shut up.”

“I won’t. I want to bother you, tease you…talk to you.”

“Me too…Me too!”

I pulled her away from me, wiping the tears from her eyes. I brushed her hair, I wanted to see her full face; the red, adorable, sobbing face I fell for.

“Misako…I remember everything.” I said to her.

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“Everything. I remember you I remember us.”

She was confused, I was rushing past the most important part. I took a deep breath.

“King, it’s me… Lawrence.”

Her eyes shot open. She could not believe me. The whites in her eyes glistened. Her pupils filled with more water.

“King…that’s my…” She began.

“I’ve come to Japan, King. I’ve come to see you. I missed our late-night raids on Human-Hunter. I missed talking to you. I missed…”

“Don’t lie to me, don’t play a sick joke on me right now.” She said in disbelief.

“I’ve missed you, and Blue. I missed my friends, Misako and Hitomi, I’ve missed you both so much.” I replied.

“You…You’re Lawrence…This whole time…You were Lawrence. You are Lawrence.”

“I am, Misako. I am.”