It took me several minutes to really come back to myself, and when I finally did, I didn't know where I was, but above it all, I was not alone in the bed on which I was resting.
'Hime, you're awake?' the two women said, sitting up, and I stared at their faces, with tears coming to my eyes, my emotions in turmoil.
'Tsubasa-sama! Katsura-san!' I exclaimed, and sitting up in a jerk, I sent my arms around their neck to hug them while I cried, my heart heavy.
'Shh! It's alright, Hime! It's alright! We're here!' they murmured, comfortingly, caressing my back.
Very quickly though, I brushed the back of my hands over my eyes and pulled away to apologize to them for the outburst.
'Hime, no! Why are you apologizing?!' Tsubasa-sama asked me, with a reassuring smile.
You're like a daughter to us!'
Oh Tsubasa-sama… Katsura-san…
My tears threatened to fall again, but this time in gratefulness. The two women had apparently spent the whole night with me. They had entered the bed with me, to cuddle themselves by my side and keep me securely in their arms.
'Where are we?' I asked them, timidly.
It was day outside by now.
'Gōjun and Kenren have brought you to their house,' Katsura-san informed me, and Tsubasa-sama added, 'And you're here in Gōjun's bedroom. Your grand-father came to see you last night. He was deeply worried about you. But you were unconscious.'
Ojii-san…
A knock came on the door at that moment and Shunsui and Gōjun entered.
'Ah, you're up?!' the reddish-brown-haired young man told me, smilingly, though his eyes were filled with concern. 'Mizoroge called you on your phone just a while ago.'
My breath caught.
'Shunsui, did you- tell her?' I asked. 'Please, don't tell her anything! It's been such a long time since she's found some happiness-'
'Now, I'm going to get angry!' a familiar voice declared from behind the boys, at that moment, and the two males moved out of the doorway to allow the girl in.
'Natsui...' I whispered, my heart clenching.
'Hime!' she said, and running up to me, she jumped onto the bed to send her arm around my neck, embracing me.
I froze for a second, before I lifted my hands up to grab her shoulders from behind in an embrace.
'I'm sorry, Hime,' she apologized, her voice filled with regret and guilt. 'I have never asked you anything about your parents!'
'I have to apologize to you too, Hime,' Katsura-san told me, in the same tone. 'I'm such a bad friend.'
'Natsui... Katsura-san… No!' I said, my heart skipping a beat. 'I'm the one who's sorry! I should have told you about it!'
Letting go of me, the ginger-haired girl took hold of my hands to give me a meek smile, while Katsura-san and Tsubasa-sama watched me tenderly.
'Are you staying for breakfast?' Gōjun asked Natsui.
'No. I need to leave. I have to go to work at the pizzeria early today. We're going to have the visit of a sanitary inspector,' she answered, before telling me, 'I will call you every hour to make sure that you're doing well.'
I nodded, giving her a small, grateful smile.
After which, she left.
'Well, well, Hime,' Shunsui declared, in a giggle, pressing his eyes closed, 'now that I think about it… What's that whole story about Gōjun, Kenren, Katsura-san, and you? Apparently, you've known each other all this while without being aware of how you're related to one another?!'
That's true… I said to myself, thoughtfully.
I had discovered last night that the director of the hospital where my mother is admitted is none other than Gōjun's father, and that the latter is also the man whom Katsura-san is in love with.
'It's really such a big coincidence, isn't it?' the brown-haired woman chuckled.
'As luck would have it!' Tsubasa-sama asserted, with a large smile, before telling me, 'But we'll talk about this later. Go freshen up a bit. Your grand-father has brought you some clothes. After that, we'll take breakfast all together.'
I nodded.
***
Sometimes later...
When I came out of the bathroom to into Gōjun's bedroom again, I didn't find anyone there. Everyone had already gone downstairs.
Gōjun Shoran…
This is his bedroom…
I could catch his scent everywhere. The whole room was impregnated of him.
The room was very large, the floor covered with a carpet. Just across of the entrance door, against the back wall, was his king-size bed. Next to it, still against the back wall, sat his study desk. There was a window on the other side of the bed, on the side wall, just opposite of the door of the bathroom behind me. And there were a few other furnitures around the room, including a long and tall cupboard by the side of the window. The room was very neat.
I remembered the conversation Kenren Shoran and I had had at the restaurant about his son. At that time, I didn't know that he was talking about Gōjun.
His parents have thus abandoned him legally. He has known abuse in his life, just like me. And between Kenren Shoran and him, he has set up a wall. I wondered how strong this wall still is today, and hoped that it has crumbled down by now.
Somebody entered through the doorway at that moment, and turning my head around, I saw that it was Gōjun himself.
'Are you ready?' he asked. 'Everyone is waiting for you downstairs.'
Just as he had finished saying this, I thought I could see a blush come to his cheeks, and scrunching his face up at me, he crossed the room up to me to pull roughly at the hem of my T-shirt.
'We can see your waist!' he groaned, and looking downward, I flushed up in embarrassment, as I realized only then that the hem of my T-shirt had got caught under the strap of my bra from behind all this while and I had not even noticed it!
'I know how distracted you can be, but you could pay a little more attention to yourself, yes?!' he muttered, turning his face slightly to the side. 'You're truly unbelievable!'
Grabbing me by my hand then, he started to drag me out of the room, telling me that it was time to eat and that little Yamcha was waiting for me.
When we entered into the kitchen, the small animal jumped into my arms to rub its face against my chest, and I petted her head, affectionately.
We all sat together to eat breakfast, and after we were done, Tsubasa-sama- who had left the table for a minute to make a phone-call- returned to inform me, joyously, 'Now, it's done! I'm not going to work today! Hime, I'm taking you to the mansion with me. We're going to spend the whole day together. And tonight, it's going to be PAJAMA PARTY!!!'
My eyes went wide at her, my heart skipping a beat.
Tsubasa-sama…!
'And, of course, you're coming too, Katsura!' she exclaimed at the latter, excitedly. 'I won't take a no for answer! We're going to spend some quality time between girls, watch plenty of romantic movies, and make a feast on delicacies! It's going to be so much fun!'
'I'm in for it!' the brown-haired woman told her, with as much excitement, smiling widely. 'But I have to make a jump at home first. I'll join you in a few hours.'
'Hai! No problem! You give me a call when you're ready and I'll send you a car!'
'It'll be my first pajama party! I'm so impatient!'
'It'll be my first pajama party too! I have always dreamed of it!'
'Tsubasa-sama… Katsura-san…' I whispered, staring at my hands in my lap, my heart swollen. 'You don't have to do this for me...'
Turning back to me, the blonde woman pressed her forefinger over my lips, chiding me, 'Shh! I don't want to hear another word!'
I looked up into her eyes.
Oh Tsubasa-sama…
'Oi, what about us?' Shunsui groaned, disapprovingly. 'Why are Gōjun and I being left out?'
The blonde woman cringed once, before she grabbed Katsura-san's hand- as well as my own- to dash for the door with us, exclaiming over her shoulder, apologetically, 'Sorry boys! Hime is all ours today! You're not having her!'
And on this, we were gone.
***
After we had dropped Katsura-san at her apartment, I asked Tsubasa-sama if we could make a small jump at the hospital for me to visit my mother.
'Take your time!' she told me, with a gentle smile, as we arrived in the corridor in front of her room. 'I'm going to wait for you here.'
'Thank you,' I whispered, giving her a grateful look, and turning around, I entered the room, closing the door slightly behind me.
Okā-san…
The weight on my chest tripled as I approached her bed.
Her heart was beating at a regular pace, her eyes firmly shut against the world. She still showed no signs of waking up.
The tears that I had been able to hold back for a while, began to fall again, and clutching her hand, frantically, I begged her, in desperation, 'Okā-san, please, you have to wake up! I need you!'
Never before had I felt this desperate in my life. I, desperately, wanted to see her awake; I wanted her to take me in her arms.
But she didn't respond.
Falling onto my knees on the ground, I covered my face with my hands, crying my heart out.
***
'Shunsui! Gōjun!' Tsubasa Shigeizumi exclaimed, in surprise, when she saw the two teenagers appear in the corridor of the hospital. 'What are you doing here?'
'We came because we were worried about Hime,' Shunsui answered, his expression filled with concern, just like Gōjun. 'Where is she?'
'She's in there,' she answered, in a sad tone, making a sign of the head in direction of the door behind them.
Turning around on themselves, the two young men caught sight of the dark-haired girl through the slightly open door, where she was kneeling on the ground by the side of her mother's bed, holding her face in her hands and crying, while she desperately begged the woman to wake up.
Their heart clenched, and neither the blonde woman, nor the two teenagers, could remain still where they were.
***
A hand came down onto my shoulder from behind.
Uncovering my face, I looked around on the spot, my eyes going wide at Tsubasa-sama, Gōjun and Shunsui. I had not heard them arrive.
'Hime, it's going to be alright,' the blonde woman told me, tightening her grip on my shoulder. 'I've put our family detective on his trace. Last time, Hideyoshi Daicho-san had not been able to find any clue that would lead us to him. But this time, he won't be able to escape the police.'
My heart skipped a beat.
She had engaged a detective since months ago?! Oh, Tsubasa-sama!
'And do you remember the police officer I had engaged to keep a watch on the Mizoroge?' Shunsui asked me. 'He's also on the affair! It's only a question of time before the cops manage to catch him!'
Shunsui...
I didn't know how to thank them.
Getting down onto one of her knees on the ground, Tsubasa-sama took me in her arms to hold me tightly against her chest as I began to cry harder.
'It's okay! You can cry your heart out to me!' she whispered and rested her cheek against my head, caressing my hair comfortingly with one of her hands.
'Tsubasa-sama!' I sobbed, and we remained like this for an indefinite length of time, until I had shed all the tears of my body. She didn't release me even once, and the boys remained by our side.
When I had dried my tears, Tsubasa-sama took me by my hands to lead me downstairs for us to head to the mansion together.
'Are you sure that we can't come?!' Shunsui muttered, poutily, when we arrived in front of the car which was waiting for us.
The blonde woman stared at his face for a minute with a faltering look, seeming about to crack and give in, but closing her eyes then and putting her hands up in his face, she exclaimed, 'Sorry! Boys are not invited! But I love you!'
And on these words, she jumped onto the vehicle, pulling me along with her, and she asked the driver to drive us away as quickly as possible before she would waver from her original plan.
Once we reached the mansion, Tsubasa-sama provided me with a small tour of the property, before she took me to her bedroom. She organized it a little bit, by placing pillows on the ground at the foot of her bed, and grabbing several DVD boxes and tons of food and candies, we both took seat in front of the television to watch one romantic movie after another; Katsura-san soon joining us as promised.
It was very entertaining and it managed to distract me from every other thoughts, especially that of my father. I was utterly grateful to Tsubasa-sama and Katsura-san for all that they were doing for me.
Even if I missed my mother, I felt like I had found two other mothers.
I simply loved these women.
***
In the early evening...
'I'm fed up!' Shunsui muttered, as he put his cards down on the low table.
Gōjun and he were sitting on the floor of the reddish-brown-haired young man's living room, playing cards and smoking. They had been at it nearly the whole day.
'A royal flush, huh?' Gōjun said, as he put his cards down too. 'You win!'
'I really don't understand what's wrong with me today! I'm not used to feeling bored like this! Mendokusai ne!'
'I have to admit that I'm feeling extremely bored too!' Gōjun admitted, only to wonder after a minute, 'What do you think the girls are doing right now? Do you think they are enjoying themselves?'
They both leaned backward onto one of their hands and lifted their head up to stare at the ceiling, bringing their cigarette to their mouth again, as they tried to imagine what the two women and dark-haired girl were doing.
'You know what? We're not going to stay here tonight!' Shunsui declared, suddenly, in a decided tone, and stubbing the end of his cigarette, he jumped to his feet.
'Oh? And where are we going?'
'Can't you guess?' the reddish-brown-haired young man replied, with a large grin. 'We're going to the mansion, of course! But first, let's make jump at the video club, as well, at the fast food.'
Grinning back, Gōjun jumped to his feet equally, not hiding his eagerness.
***
'What are you doing here?!' Tsubasa-sama gasped at the two young men.
'Oh, come on! You can bend the rules a little, yes?' Shunsui cajoled, grabbing hold of her hands and rubbing his cheek against hers. 'I know that there aren't supposed to be boys at a pajama party, but I promise you that Gōjun and I are going to make ourselves very small! And look! We've brought lots of DVDs and fast foods! You have not dined yet, have you?!'
Gōjun lifted the bags in his hands up to show them to her.
The blonde woman gave the two males an uncertain look, struggling with herself.
'Come on, Tsubasa,' Katsura-san declared, at the moment, with an encouraging smile, grabbing her shoulders from behind, 'we can make an exception for once. Hime and I really don't mind.'
'Alright!' Tsubasa-sama exclaimed, dropping the struggle on the spot, and sending her arms around Shunsui's neck, she rubbed her cheek against his affectionately, telling him in effusion that she loves him so much and she's sorry for having thought to exclude him on the pajama party, and that she'd be with him forever and that he should not have felt scared or abandoned.
'I- I think you're doing a little too much!' Shunsui told her, his expression turning awkward.
'A mother never does too much!' she asserted, solemnly.
'Eh? And who said that?'
'Well, me!'
The reddish-brown-haired young man held his forehead with his hand, to exhale, 'Oh, god!' while Katsura-san and I chuckled to ourselves.
We all took a seat on the floor after that and began to eat in good humor. Some times after we were through with dinner, Tsubasa-sama declared that it was bath time.
'And the best part is that, we have a jacuzzi!' she exclaimed, cheerily, putting her forefinger up and pressing her eyes shut.
A jacuzzi?!
Without waiting for a minute, she grabbed my hand and that of Katsura-san to drag us into her private bathroom with her. The next minute, we had taken off our clothes and wrapped ourselves up in a towel to enter the jacuzzi together.
I couldn't help but blush madly.
Back at the Ryokan during the Golden Week, Tsubasa-sama and I had taken our baths together, but not like this. The bath had been larger and there had been several other people. While the jacuzzi was more… personal. It was the first time that I was taking a bath with two women like this!
'Ah! It feels so good! The water is so hot!' the blonde woman cooed, closing her eyes in appreciation. 'And it's really agreeable to spend some time like this together!'
'Yes, it's really very enjoyable!' Katsura-san agreed, her voice another coo.
When Tsubasa-sama opened her eyes again, she looked at my face and tilted her head slightly to the side, seeming to notice something.
I lowered my eyes very shyly.
'That's strange! I had never noticed it before, but your boobs are big as mine!' she declared, and I half-covered my face with my hand, blushing even harder. And when she cupped her breasts with her hands to check their size, I almost had a nose-bleed.
'That's true! You're well-endowed!' Katsura-san seconded, cupping her own full breasts.
My whole face turned red now.
'I want to see them! Come on, show them to us!' Tsubasa-sama declared, unexpectedly, and I cringed away on the spot, flushing even deeper.
'Wha- What?!' I stammered, holding my towel carefully into place, but already she was moving towards me, with a mischievous grin on her face.
'Katsura! I'm going to hold her arms! You take off her towel!' she said, and grabbing hold of my wrists, she held my arms apart, while the other woman moved in closer to undo my towel, with the same grinning face.
'Wah! What are you doing?!' I cried, struggling, my face heating up completely.
***
Shunsui Shigeizumi and Gōjun Shoran covered their noses with their hands, having a nose-bleed.
They were in the blonde woman's bedroom, checking out the different DVDs they had bought, and from where they were, they could hear everything that was going on in the bathroom. The girls had not closed the door properly.
'What are these three up to?!' they demanded at themselves, and crossing the room in two long strides, they slid the door fully close, reminding the two women and the dark-haired girl testily that they were also there, that they could hear everything, and therefore to show some decency!
They heard the two women giggled for a minute in embarrassment, but only for them to get back to what they were doing again, that was, denuding the dark-haired girl while she cried for them to stop.
'They're going to traumatize her!'
***
I was traumatized.
Even an hour after we had come out of the bathroom, I still couldn't get rid of the flush of color on my face, so much I felt embarrassed.
'Oh, come on, Hime!' Tsubasa-sama told me, sending one of her arms around my neck playfully, where we were all sitting on our respective futons in front of the television, with hers just next to mine. 'Are you still thinking about it?! It's the kind of things that we do between girls! It's absolutely normal!'
'R- Really?' I asked, looking at her face.
'Don't listen to her!' Shunsui stated, bluntly. 'You're getting yourself duped!'
'Eh?!'
I cringed, flushing deeper.
I knew it! It can't be the normal kind of thing!
The blonde woman laughed; Katsura-san joining her.
'Ah, by the way, Hime,' the latter told me, suddenly, 'I have something to announce to you.'
I held my breath in anticipation, murmuring, 'Yes, what is it?'
Taking a glance at Gōjun and squirming a little, she revealed to me with a shy smile, 'Kenren has a medical congress to attend at the capital this week and he has asked me to accompany him. The congress is only on Monday, but we're leaving tomorrow morning itself and wouldn't be back until next Sunday, so that we can spend the maximum of time together!'
'Katsura-san!' I exclaimed, with rejoice. 'It's amazing news!'
I had great hope of his proposing to her during this week! We could expect them to become an official couple at their return from vacation!
'I'm sorry, Gōjun,' she said to the latter, sheepishly, turning to face him. 'You're going to have to spend the whole week without your father!'
'I'm sure that I'm going to be able to survive it!' he muttered, turning his face slightly to the side and grimacing, though his cheeks took a small shade of red.
He, clearly, encouraged their relationship with each other.
Lowering my head, I smiled.
Thank you for reading!