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The Remedy was Memory: Seeking Shadows |
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“So... what’s happening now?” Saruko asked.
“Erm… well you know how I’m dealing with lotta stuff now, right? Well, please understand that it’ll be a while before anything can happen.” Oki said.
“Yeah, I understand.” Saruko looked down.
Oh well, at least he will give me another chance. However, it will not be soon…
The following week, Oki barely interacted with Saruko much. Moreover, she began to worry if what he told her was the truth that day.
Saruko returned to school after a week o f the day that she lost her memory. She was standing in line routinely for bottled water. Suddenly she felt someone zap her sides.
Saruko reacted with an “Eep!” She turned around and saw this strange boy smiling at her. He stood 5’ 9’’ with black hair barely an inch long. It was at least long on his bangs. “Um… hi.” Saruko greeted him with an expression that was blank for she did not know who he was.
“Ey!” This boy replied, making thumbs up pose. “How’re you, Saruko?” he asked.
“Uh… well. Not really good to be honest.” Saruko answered.
“Hm? Why, what’s up?” He asked. His tone slightly changed to a bit of worry.
“Uh… well… I lost my memory this past weekend. It has been hard on me having all these strange people appear to me. I lost it at… crap! What was his name?!” Saruko yelled in frustration.
“Sej’s?” the boy asked, trying to help her out a little.
“Y-yeah…” Saruko answered. “I think so…” she added, her tone filled with disappointment.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. You’ll get your memory little by little.” Jacob patted Saruko on the head in means to console her.
Saruko tilted her head forward letting the loose pieces of hair fall over her face. It did not completely cover her face as it would usually.
“Wh-What’s wrong, Saruko? I’m sorry if I had said something to upset you or--”
“Oh no, that’s not it. It’s just that… I dunno. I feel bad that…” Saruko cut him off. Yet trailing off near the end of her sentence.
“Feel bad that…?” the boy tried to encourage Saruko to continue. Leaning in to her carefully.
“I feel bad that I don’t know your… name.” Saruko spoke softly. Beginning to cry.
The boy’s eyes widened in surprise to the sudden breaking of tears. “Saruko, it’s okay! I understand. I understand your memory loss situation. It’s me, Jacob. I’m always gonna do whatever I can to help you out. If you ever need anything, and I mean anything, I’m here for you. Don’t worry.” Jacob assured. He hugged her tightly trying in every way possible to console her.
“I’m sorry, you just have to bare with me Jacob.” Saruko said under her breath.
“It’s okay… like I said; I’ll do anything for you.” Jacob told her.
Saruko leaned into his embrace. She breathed in deeply and exhaled. “Thank you, Jacob. You’re a good person and I’m thankful to have you in my life. Thanks.” Saruko whispered.
“Hey, no sweat!” Jacob replied.
The two had stood there in the empty walkway when suddenly; Saruko became startled by a loud sound. A sound that was as if a wooden sword had struck a coconut. Followed by Jacob yelling in agony. He fell to the ground holding his head and rolling about the floor.
Saruko’s eyes widened. “Jacob!” she knelt down by him trying to soothe him. “Jacob! Are you alright?!” she said aloud.
Saruko looked up, ready to run her mouth off at the assaulter. However, she was suddenly too frightened and intimidated to say anything to him.
A boy stood as tall as Oki, and as dark as him too. However, he had pitched black hair that ran down in front of his face. Part of his bangs was bleached nearly white yet it still showed some gold. He wore a button-up shirt only halfway up and tight black jeans. In his right hand, was a katana yet sheathed. Nevertheless, the most eye-catching thing was his expression that clearly spoke “I’ll kill you…” that makes you turn away instantly.
“Saruko?” His deep voice boomed. It seemed as sweet as such a person could say.
Saruko had turned away after seeing his expression and now had to force herself to look up at him. “Y-Yeah?” she answered.
The boy’s expression softened from that death look to a loving face. “I didn’t mean to scare you, Saruko. You know I hate Jacob.” he explained.
“Uh… I don’t know that, actually.” Saruko informed the boy. “See, I had lost my memory about a week ago now. You can imagine that it’ll be hard with people I know so if you could just bare with… me…” Saruko trailed off.
I have the sudden urge to attack this boy. But why? Was it because he assaulted Jacob? Doesn’t seem like it… Maybe if I tried to hit him. I dunno. Oh!
Saruko slowly walked to the boy then stopped a couple feet away. As quickly as she could, she went for his head with her left foot. Trying to sweep from left to right. But he blocked her kick. Quickly thinking, she tried to stomp his face in with her right foot. And yet, he grabbed that foot but, he pulled that foot past him and grabbed her by the waist with his other hand. Smiling so confidently, Saruko was amazed. Amazed at herself for attacking a strange person. And at how he countered her kicks with ease, with that strange yet calming smile of his.
Saruko began blushing and her heart racing at this strange boy’s open affection. With all this excitement, Saruko fainted. Falling limp in his arms.
“Saru-chan!” the boy raised his voice slightly. He carried her bridal-style outside and took a place under a tree. He laid his katana against the tree, set Saruko between his legs, and stroked her hair.
Jacob watched with somewhat jealousy and hate towards him from inside the cafeteria. “It’s like a cat dragging a beautiful bird to play with it before eating and picking at it slowly. Guarding it from anyone else.” he described.
“Who Kuroshi?! You dare compare him to a cat?!” Royce exclaimed, offended. Royce is a major cat enthusiast.
“Oh… haha.” Jacob laughed sheepishly. “I didn’t realize you were the one standing next to me. Sorry Royce.” Jacob smiled.
Saruko awakened a few minutes later and jumped when the first thing she saw was Kuroshi.
“Hey sleeping beauty. Finally awake I see.” Kuroshi said in a rather confident tone.
Saruko stared at him with a blank expression for a few seconds. Then she had thrust her right knee to his face. Though once again, he simply blocked her knee with ease.
“Maybe you were right when you said it’s become a natural thing.” Kuroshi said. “Hm!” he smiled and threw her foot with enough force to turn her yet not break her leg. The next thing Saruko realized, was Kuroshi’s face in hers, with that smile of his.
Saruko couldn’t help but smile back. Then remembered his name. “Kuroshi.” she said.
Kuroshi leaned backwards with an expression of surprise. “You remembered my name.” he said in a relieved tone. Then smiled softly where it made you feel safe and secured.
Saruko giggled. “You have such deep expressions, Kuroshi!” she complimented. Yet giggling, Kuroshi could not help but chuckle a little.
“Saruko!” a familiar voice called out from a distance. Saruko looked in the direction of which the voice came from and there she saw Oki standing there. He gestured her to come over.
Saruko got up. “Excuse me for a moment, Kuroshi.” she said politely. Then ran down over to Oki. Oki made a shaka sign to Kuroshi, he replied with a two-finger salute.
“What’s up?” Saruko asked somewhat out of breath.
Oki gave a funny look at her. “You should start exercising again. You’re so out of shape! A run that short wouldn’t even phase you.” he laughed. “Anyway, tonight, everyone’s going to Seji’s. You going?” Oki asked.
“Oh I didn’t know! I’d gladly go!” Saruko said excitedly. “It’d be convenient for me since I’d be closer to Umi’s for her party!” she smiled.
“A party? I wanna go!” Oki pleaded.
“Oh, she didn’t tell you? She said she would.” Saruko put a finger to her head with a bit of disappointment on her face. “Well I’ll call her about it.” Saruko assured. She began to blush for the sudden interaction with Oki.
“Okay then. Tell me what she says at Seji’s then.” Oki requested.
“Sure thing! What time are you gonna get there?” Saruko asked.
“Well Cody’s giving me a ride after work so it’s probably going to be around ten-ish.” Oki explained.
“Oh, well see you then.” Saruko said spilling with excitement.
“’Kay then.” Oki said, then walked away.
Saruko waved good-bye then ran back over to Kuroshi.
“What was that about?” Kuroshi asked with curiosity.
“He was telling me about a sleepover at Sej’s and I decided to go considering the convenience of Umi’s party tomorrow.” Saruko explained.
That night, Saruko went to Sej’s house and found herself to be the first there. She had suddenly became hyperactive and ran about the halls to Seji then outside in the garage to his little sister and her friends. Time passed by so quickly that she almost didn’t notice a mustang engine stopping in the garage. Followed by car doors opening then slamming. Familiar voices chattering about. Saruko then became very excited because now Cody and everyone else were here. Finally!
Saruko ran to the door and waited for them to open it. Then she heard Oki’s voice getting louder as he approached the door. Saruko hear the name ‘Risa’ several times from his voice.
R-Risa? But… I… you… wait, what? Saruko was confused and felt heaviness exceed quickly upon her heart. He… got a girlfriend? He likes another girl? …What about me? She became very confused.
The rest of that night, Saruko sat on the couch in the living room thinking of the most horrible, most painful death she could arrange for herself. I hate love. “I hate love.” she whispered. Then she put in earphones and listened to her mp3 player. Saruko began to hate herself and felt stupid and hopeless once again.
Eventually, Saruko fell asleep without even knowing it. However, she had woke up some hours later to the boys becoming loud in a game of Halo 3 on the xbox 360. She checked the time on her mp3 player. 4:17AM. “Wow! They’re still up? I fell asleep? I don’t recall…” Saruko spoke softly to herself.
Saruko got up and walked into the TV room and looked for Oki. She found him on the ground without a shirt on. Suddenly, she had remembered she promised him a back massage. Therefore, she sat on his back and felt around his back.
“Hey! Who’s that on my back? What the hell are you doing?” Oki questioned a bit paranoid that one of the boys was being weird. He felt around perhaps, he could identify by touch.
“Ah! It’s me! Saruko!” she raised her voice fearful of him grabbing something. “Remember I had promised you to take the knots out of your back?” she reminded him.
“Oh, sorry Saruko.” Oki apologized. “Uh… I--yeah.” Oki stumbled over words, tired from lack of sleep; his brain was not functioning properly.
“Ugh! It’s so hard defining muscle and bone!” Saruko complained exasperated.
“Here.” Oki pulled his arms out from under himself and positioned himself as if to do pushups. His shoulder blades poked out, helping Saruko very much.
“Oh there we go.” Saruko grinned.
As Saruko worked through knot after knot, Oki yelled in pain. “Sorry! I am almost done.” Saruko assured. Some minutes had passed before Saruko finished and made a final check that she had all the knots out. Oki’s painful cries had diminished into pleasured groans.
“Phew. That was a lot of knots, Oki.” Saruko rubbed away the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. “Feel better?” Saruko asked in a pleased manor with all the she had put out on Oki.
“Oh my God… that was so good. I feel a lot better.” Oki said, pleased himself. “Thank you so much, Saruko.” He told her.
“No problem.” Saruko told him, quite happy now. She got off him and walked back out into the living room and claimed her spot on the same couch she had fallen asleep on.
A few minutes past and Saruko was nearly asleep when she head Oki yell into the TV room from the same room she was in. “You guys are so weird! I’ma sleep out here.” The guys made silly sounds, mainly because Saruko was in the room. Everyone knew how Saruko felt. And perhaps, how Oki felt. Oki saw Saruko had claimed the couch, had resort to the love seat.
Saruko sat up, “Oki, I’ll sleep on the love seat. You’re much taller than I am so you need the leg space.” Saruko told him as she got up and budged Oki.
“Nah it’s okay. You need the leg room too.” Oki told her, trying to be polite.
“Oh no. I don’t actually. I curl up in my sleep all the time.” Saruko chuckled.
“Um… you sure?” Oki got up, a little hesitant
“Mmhmm!” Saruko assured. Though you couldn’t see in the dark, she was smiling.
A couple minutes passed and Oki had already crashed. Saruko was still wide-awake and stared about the room, admiring what she could from the light provided by the streetlights. Then she saw two figures come into the room from the hallway where all the rooms were. One was very tall, looked like a guy. The other was rather short, and was a girl.
“Saruko?” A deep voice spoke.
“Shh! She’s sleeping!” a girl’s voice scolded.
“Oh… I was just checking.” The guy whispered.
“I-I’m awake.” Saruko sat up. “Who’re you two?” Saruko asked.
“Oh, it’s just me and Arissa.” The tall figure said.
“Who’s ‘me‘?” Saruko questioned after a short pause.
“Hah. Your big brother, Jeremy.” He laughed. “Sorry, I kinda forgot about you memory loss dilemma.” Jeremy said sheepishly. “Well, I’ll see you later on. Have a good sleep.” Jeremy and Arissa then left.
Later on, Saruko got up and yet everyone was asleep. Saruko took this to her advantage and hogged the bathroom. Brushed her hair, her teeth, changed, washed her face and put on deodorant. When she finished, she collected her belongings and neatly put it away in her bag.
“I wonder what time it is…” Saruko said to herself. She grabbed her phone and pressed the side button to light up the sub LCD screen. Instead of the time, there was a message. Saruko was quite curious and flipped open her phone. It read: ‘6:45AM- Take your pill!’
“My pill?” Saruko looked around but no one was awake. She didn’t want to bother anyone so she looked through her phone perhaps for some clue. She pressed back and there was another alarm. No, it was two text messages
‘From: Kuroshi at 6:57AM’ it read. Saruko opened and read the message. “Hey Saruko. I was remembering that you lost your memory about a week ago. You know how you get stomach problems in the morning and at night? That’s because “ the message cuts off. Saruko pressed the back button once again then reads the next one. “You have a stomach condition. So take your pill, please Saruko. Take care. -Kuroshi.” The message ends.
“How nice of him to tell me.” Saruko whispered. She dug into her bag and found a medicine container. She opened it and pulled a pill out. It was as big as a sumo grip’s diameter and shaped like a pentagon. Saruko gave it a funny look then plopped it into her mouth. She took as much water as she could gulp all at once and waited for the pill to settle on her tongue, then swallowed it. Saruko stood there and allowed it a few seconds to settle into her stomach.
“I’m hungry.” Saruko thought aloud with a discontent expression.
“Well, I’m making breakfast right now, so you don’t have to wait too long, Saruko.” A woman’s voice told her. She turned around and saw a short Filipino woman poking her head out of a little window that connected the kitchen to the dining/living room.
Saruko nodded her head. “Okay, thank you Ma’am!” she said.
The woman smiled. “Just call me Auntie Toosie.” She told Saruko.
Saruko smiled warmly at Auntie Toosie.
Saruko walked up to Oki and jumped on him. “Wakey, wakey! Nice eggs and bakey!” she yelled out enthusiastically.
Oki only groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.
“Aw c’mon! Lori’s bound to be on her way soon to take us to Umi’s!” Saruko said, still jumping on the couch causing Oki to thrash about. She jumped down and sat by his side. “You want to go to Umi’s.” She gestured to Oki as if she were a magician.
“Fine, I’ll get up.” Oki said at last. He got up and rubbed his eyes. “If it makes you happy.” He looked at her.
Saruko smiled warmly. “It does.” She told him.
Oki couldn’t help but smile back. You could see he tried to resist but had just given into smiling back at Saruko. This made him chuckle.
Saruko got up to wake up Seji and Shayne.
 SikM808 · Thu Apr 02, 2009 @ 04:29pm · 0 Comments |
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