Chereads / In Need To Please / Chapter 3 - 0.3: Destination

Chapter 3 - 0.3: Destination

My name is Hitoshi Keiko - er.. was it Luo Keiko? Doesn't matter, I need to analyze the situation I'm currently facing.

At the age of 14, my family and I went through a car accident. Unfortunately, that caused me a mild brain damage and scattered my memories; the amnesia, however, will not last long since little by little I've regained some of my memories.

For example: my identity. Though, I'm not so sure. Luckily, Ma- Mom... is unharmed. It seems that I get triggered if a situation similar to the ones in my memories occurs. However, I was lucky enough to at least remember a bit about myself.

The woman talking to the driver beside me is my mother, Hitoshi Yui. She has short black bob cut hair with glasses, her eyes curved in along her genuine smile; eyes like the color that of the clouds in the sky.

Auntie said I had the same eyes as her... I'm not offended, I took it as a compliment. Compared to Mom, I have locks the color of brilliant Valencia Orange fruit; a lighter and softer tone in the orange color spectrum. I placed it up to the window where a ray of sunlight shone, the locks became yellow due to the light radiation. I wonder...

Did I get this from my dad?

I remember a photograph of him smiling brightly with his orange hair perking up like spikes. His eyes closed with his toothy smile. He was... a great dad. But that's all I could remember of him.

My father, Luo Kai, whose converted name was supposedly Hitoshi Kei, died in a car accident where my family and I was meant to be riding towards a destination I currently don't know.

Background: My birth and existence was a 'mistake'. Driven by two young (lovesick) couple, thus the hatred pointed at me like a knife by my paternal family. From what I had gathered from the flash of memories, I -- most likely Mom too -- was abused while staying in the house of the Luo Family.

Childhood memories have not been fully revived.

However, I, as a child, would commonly run away from home and hide whenever overwhelmed by anyone in the house, and handle my own emotions outside where none of my relatives (or anyone at all) could see.

This explains how I was frightened when I faced 'those people' I met in the hospital. Unfortunately, Mom has been abused as well. Auntie - I mean, the short woman, (I no longer refer to her respectfully.), confirmed it with the harm she had inflicted on Mom.

"We're here," Mom announced. We had driven in the taxi for an hour and a half; passing through building after building, and a traffic by the time the clock strike 8 am. "Thank you for your service," she gave the driver a tip before he drove off.

Meanwhile, I looked up in wonder at the building that has 'Airport' written as its heading. Where exactly were we planning to go? I wondered.

"Keiko, help me with the bags. We'll put these first in the airline baggage section." grabbing three of the bags, while Mom took the other four, we entered the building. "Our flight is not until 1 pm," she looked around the proximity before spotting the baggage handling service.

"Come on, Keiko." I followed along as she put the bags down and so did I. "Now that'll do it." she sighed in relief, relieving the heavy objects and stretching.

"Hmm, we still have 5 hours to spare..." her stomach growled, "have you had breakfast yet? Let's go to the airport canteen," she suggested with a radiant smile. I nodded along as she held my hand and guided me towards the canteen.

We picked a table, I waited there as she ordered food then came back with a numeral and waited patiently. "So, Keiko, what... do you remember?"

"Um... well, I remember about the Luo Family's abuse--"

"A-tat-tat-tat!" she waved her finger at me and continued, "Anything else besides that?"

I thought deeply... what else do I know? "Oh! I remember when I was a kid I would always run away from the house and hide somewhere in- the... playground? There was that one kid who.. helped me?" I was unsure.

"Ah... right, yes yes- wait, you 'ran away'?" she nodded along until she realized a word usage and repeated.

"Yes..? I don't know," I shrugged, the only source I could count on was that vision I saw in the hospital's staircase. I drank the water placed on the table as I looked away and thought 'That was pretty dramatic, lol'.

Mom looked worriedly at me with furrowed brows. I placed down the cup with slight confusion, "what is it, Mom?"

She sighed and shook her head, "Nothing..." Mom said in a daze, looking down on the cup with its water rippling. "...mom..?" she muttered, then smiled.

"Hm?" was the word 'mom' what I used to call her? I smiled, 'I'm glad I made her smile.'

Five hours passed with Mom and I eating 'breakfast' and walking around the airport. Mom explained me what this and that is and how everything works. At times, mentioning how we were before the accident with a slight sadness in her tone.

"You know, before we booked our flight for today. Your papa had planned to meet someone close yesterday. But, with what happened... let's just hurry and board the plane." I didn't question her further.

Talking about father must be really hard on her.

"Flight B045 will depart in 15 minutes. Repeat, passengers of Flight B045 please proceed to the designated entrance."

A beep rang out while I sat near the window and Mom sat at the seat closest to the isle, reading magazine after magazine. I let the announcements of the pilot go on, ignoring half of it until the pilot told the location we were headed. "Destination Tokyo, Japan."

"Japan..?" I repeated, turning to Mom as she nodded through the magazine she was reading.

"My home country, Japan." Mom nodded and confirmed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it slipped my mind haha." she chuckled embarrassed. I continued to stare at her as she began to explain, "We planned to move to Japan, since he got promoted and-- this was a free ticket there... but after all that's happened... I made some few adjustments to the plan." she turned to me with a smile, putting back the magazine to the holder.

Her hand met my head, patting the orange locks, "We'll get through this. I know we will." I had no time to react as the plane took off and I began to feel dizzy. "After this, we'll be heading straight to--"

"Ugh..." I held onto my forehead and sat back.

"Keiko? Are you okay?!" Mom panicked, looking around and finally going through her shoulder bag and taking out pills. "Here, this will help you."

A passing attendant came by with a trolley, Mom took the opportunity and asked, "Excuse me, Miss! Please give me a water bottle," the lady happily cooperated and Mom thanked her gratefully.

She turned back to me and I gladly drank the water with the pill. 'Ugh... I hate this.' I grimaced at the wandering pain in my head. I still felt dizzy too...

"Sleep for now Keiko, we won't be landing for another 3 hours. Here, a blanket," she placed it on me and a muffler with a pat on the head as she whispered, "Rest..."

Just like that, out like a light. In all honesty, I haven't slept since 1 am this morning. "I blame myself." my voice echoed out to the void. I'm dreaming.

My surrounding was all dark and black, the only thing that was shining was me -- I walked around while observing, expecting that I might find something in this unconscious void of mine.

Fifteen minutes later, still black and nothing. "Wow, am I this dim in the head?" I laughed at myself, "Hahaha, I've finally gone insane-"

"Yeah, who the hell laughs by themselves?"

"Huh?" I turned my head left and right, no one. "...Now I'm hearing voices... greaaaaat."

"Hey!! Down here!!" A small squeaky voice yelled out. I looked down, still nothing. "Geez, you forgot your glasses!" suddenly everything became clear. It wasn't dark and all black.

There was a whole street, buildings, and people passing by with cars honking. "Ehhhh, what happened?" I touched my face and felt two pairs of glasses.

"Are you deaf now?! Like I said, you forgot your glasses!!" the little kid I saw earlier -- aka me, yelled. I looked down on the small little child, she was fuming and huffing out the anger. Her short orange hair with bangs glided up and down as she moved about.

"... ... ... you lost, kid?"

"REALLY?!!" She yelled out, her small little fists pounding on my stomach. No pain whatsoever = dreaming confirmed. "After I just helped you is that the first thing that you thought?!"

"Geez. Okay, okay! I get it, thanks."

"Hmph!" she turned around with her arms crossed. "You should've said that before you insulted me!" I deadpanned the child. "I already know that you know that I am you!"

"So?"

"So~ I wanted to~~"

The kid went on with the 'o' when I noticed two vehicles, a truck and a familiar white car, behind her will intersect each other's route. I felt a strong feeling of panic when the accident had already happened with me inside.

"Kei- KEI WATCH OUT!!" The screeching of the tire was the last I could've heard when the ring in my head rang out.

"Show you this."