*************
Who Am I
Part 8
By Usa and Emiri
Disclaimers in Part 1
*************
Usagi woke up feeling a constant throbbing pain all over her body. "Kami, it feels like I was rammed by a truck!"
"Usagi-oneechan, daijobou?" Kiseki peered over the bed.
Usagi almost jumped out of her skin. "Kiseki, you scared me!"
"Gomen, but I had to come see how you were."
"It's all right," Usagi replied with a smile. "I'm glad you came."
"Are you feeling any better? Oh, and arigatou for saving me."
"A little," Usagi lied. "You're my nee-chan, all I have left of the family I had so long ago. Daisuki desu!"
"Are you sure?" Kiseki smiled a bit.
"Hai..."
"So, when do the doctors say you can go home?"
"I can't remember. I was so out of it last night because of the pain medicine."
"Okei. Well, I'll come and visit every day then." Kiseki smiled again.
Usagi smiled. "Arigatou!" She darted her eyes around the room. "Ne, could you try and bring some fries and a milkshake?"
Kiseki giggled. "I guess hospital food is as bad as they say."
"You have no idea!" Usagi groaned.
"I can run down to the cafeteria now, if you want. It's about lunchtime, and I'm starving. Wonder if this is any better than my school cafeteria."
The blonde giggled. "Onegai!" she cried dramatically.
"Alright, I'll be right back." Kiseki slunk out of the room, trying to look nonchalant.
Ikuko was coming from the cafeteria when she saw Kiseki leaving Usagi's room. "Ano, Kiseki-chan."
"Tsukino-san." Kiseki bowed.
"May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.
"Hai."
Ikuko sighed. "Gomen nasai... for my daughter's behavior. My husband and I are trying to get Usagi to go to a counsler for it but for some reason she actually believes you're her little sister."
"Well, I actually am." Kiseki took the picture of her parents and a much younger Usagi out of her pocket. "I did survive the car accident, the doctors delivered me on the way to the hospital."
"Kami-sama..." she whispered. "But... how? No one told us you survived!"
"Well, my parents didn't know much about the circumstances, and even if they did, they never told me. I'm sure this is a bit shock for you."
Ikuko sank into a chair, her hands covering her face. "It's not that... Kami, I accused Usagi of lying. Making things up to help her feel better. What made me think I'd be such a wonderful mother?"
"Well, how were you to know?" Kiseki sounded a lot wiser than her 11 years.
"Kiseki-chan..." Ikuko whispered, standing to hug the young girl. "Usagi needs to learn more about her family. Will you help me get all the information we can?"
"Hai. Demo, first she wants a milkshake and fries." Kiseki
Ikuko laughed. "That's my Usagi!"
************
A few weeks later, the doctor pronounced Usagi well enough to go home. "Just watch out for cars," Usagi was warned. Upon getting home, she found all her friends there. They ha d thrown her a surprise party.
Usagi had tears of joy in her eyes. "You guys are wonderful! Arigatou!" she said, hugging each one in turn. The last person she came to was Kiskeki. She whispered, "Arigatou," to her baby sister.
"Save your thanks for after," Kiseki told her, pulling out a small book from behind her back.
"What's this?" Usagi asked.
"Open it."
Usagi opened to the first page. In calligraphy, Kiseki had written: 'To my long lost onee, Usagi. Dedicated to our wonderful parents whom we lost so long ago...' A lump formed in Usagi's throat as she looked through the book. There were pictures, articles, everything about her parents and herself. She noticed to letters addressed to her, one from her mother and one from her father. "What are these?" she asked Kiseki.
"Mama wrote us lots of letters for when we were older." Kiseki explained. "Ikuko-san was going to give them to you, but since you just discovered this all..." She looked up at Ikuko to continue explaining.
"I did the same when Shingo was born and when you came to live with us. We do it in case something bad happens. We want you all to know how much you mean to us and how much we love you."
Usagi smiled as more tears poured down her cheeks. "It's beautiful... arigatou."
"I'm glad you like it," Kiseki said. "You can read the letters Mama wrote to me too, if you like."
"I think I'd like to," Usagi replied quietly.
*************
Usagi sat down with one of Kiseki's letters. "My dear daughter, I love you. I'm writing this exactly three weeks before you are to be born. Something feels wrong inside me, but I know that you will be born healthy and happy. Know that I love you, no matter what happens, or who and what may separate us. I'm filled with so much joy at the thought of having a second daughter to love, and someone for you to grow up with, your big sister Usagi. I plan on giving you these letters on your 16th birthday . I love you both equally and with all my heart. I know you will grow to be a strong, beautiful lady, and you can do anything that your heart desires. Always have faith, and remember that your family is here for you. You are my darling daughter and nothing will change that. Remember that every cloud has a silver lining, and there is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. I can't wait until I can finally hold your tiny body in my arms, and know that all will be well. Never forget that your parents love you."
Tears fell as Usagi opened one addressed to her. "My dearest Usako, I love you so... You're 2 years old now and Mama's going to have another baby. A little one for you to play with, take care of, protect. You are the sweetest little angel and I know you will love your baby sister. I love you both so much and I know you will be a beautful young lady, with much more strength than I've ever had. Never give up on life because even if we're not there, you will always have each other! Look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Usako! Never forget that Papa and I love you dearly."
"Come in," Usagi said, her voice cracking. The letters had emotionally drained the teenager.
"Oneechan?"
Usagi smiled and patted the bed. "Sit by me."
"Okei." Kiseki hopped beside her onto the bed.
"Kiseki-neechan," Usagi said, taking her sister's hands in her own.
"You've read this letter already, ne"
"Hai, I've read the ones Mama wrote for me."
"I found it!" Usagi exclaimed suddenly.
"Found what?" Kiseki was confused.
Usagi smiled warmly at Kiseki. She kissed her on the cheek. "The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
"Nani? Do you mean me?"
"Of course I mean you, baka!" Usagi said, giving Kiseki a playful punch. "Daisuki desu, Kiseki!"
Kiseki smiled, and then giggled. "Then I guess you are my silver lining."
Who Am I
Part 8
By Usa and Emiri
Disclaimers in Part 1
*************
Usagi woke up feeling a constant throbbing pain all over her body. "Kami, it feels like I was rammed by a truck!"
"Usagi-oneechan, daijobou?" Kiseki peered over the bed.
Usagi almost jumped out of her skin. "Kiseki, you scared me!"
"Gomen, but I had to come see how you were."
"It's all right," Usagi replied with a smile. "I'm glad you came."
"Are you feeling any better? Oh, and arigatou for saving me."
"A little," Usagi lied. "You're my nee-chan, all I have left of the family I had so long ago. Daisuki desu!"
"Are you sure?" Kiseki smiled a bit.
"Hai..."
"So, when do the doctors say you can go home?"
"I can't remember. I was so out of it last night because of the pain medicine."
"Okei. Well, I'll come and visit every day then." Kiseki smiled again.
Usagi smiled. "Arigatou!" She darted her eyes around the room. "Ne, could you try and bring some fries and a milkshake?"
Kiseki giggled. "I guess hospital food is as bad as they say."
"You have no idea!" Usagi groaned.
"I can run down to the cafeteria now, if you want. It's about lunchtime, and I'm starving. Wonder if this is any better than my school cafeteria."
The blonde giggled. "Onegai!" she cried dramatically.
"Alright, I'll be right back." Kiseki slunk out of the room, trying to look nonchalant.
Ikuko was coming from the cafeteria when she saw Kiseki leaving Usagi's room. "Ano, Kiseki-chan."
"Tsukino-san." Kiseki bowed.
"May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.
"Hai."
Ikuko sighed. "Gomen nasai... for my daughter's behavior. My husband and I are trying to get Usagi to go to a counsler for it but for some reason she actually believes you're her little sister."
"Well, I actually am." Kiseki took the picture of her parents and a much younger Usagi out of her pocket. "I did survive the car accident, the doctors delivered me on the way to the hospital."
"Kami-sama..." she whispered. "But... how? No one told us you survived!"
"Well, my parents didn't know much about the circumstances, and even if they did, they never told me. I'm sure this is a bit shock for you."
Ikuko sank into a chair, her hands covering her face. "It's not that... Kami, I accused Usagi of lying. Making things up to help her feel better. What made me think I'd be such a wonderful mother?"
"Well, how were you to know?" Kiseki sounded a lot wiser than her 11 years.
"Kiseki-chan..." Ikuko whispered, standing to hug the young girl. "Usagi needs to learn more about her family. Will you help me get all the information we can?"
"Hai. Demo, first she wants a milkshake and fries." Kiseki
Ikuko laughed. "That's my Usagi!"
************
A few weeks later, the doctor pronounced Usagi well enough to go home. "Just watch out for cars," Usagi was warned. Upon getting home, she found all her friends there. They ha d thrown her a surprise party.
Usagi had tears of joy in her eyes. "You guys are wonderful! Arigatou!" she said, hugging each one in turn. The last person she came to was Kiskeki. She whispered, "Arigatou," to her baby sister.
"Save your thanks for after," Kiseki told her, pulling out a small book from behind her back.
"What's this?" Usagi asked.
"Open it."
Usagi opened to the first page. In calligraphy, Kiseki had written: 'To my long lost onee, Usagi. Dedicated to our wonderful parents whom we lost so long ago...' A lump formed in Usagi's throat as she looked through the book. There were pictures, articles, everything about her parents and herself. She noticed to letters addressed to her, one from her mother and one from her father. "What are these?" she asked Kiseki.
"Mama wrote us lots of letters for when we were older." Kiseki explained. "Ikuko-san was going to give them to you, but since you just discovered this all..." She looked up at Ikuko to continue explaining.
"I did the same when Shingo was born and when you came to live with us. We do it in case something bad happens. We want you all to know how much you mean to us and how much we love you."
Usagi smiled as more tears poured down her cheeks. "It's beautiful... arigatou."
"I'm glad you like it," Kiseki said. "You can read the letters Mama wrote to me too, if you like."
"I think I'd like to," Usagi replied quietly.
*************
Usagi sat down with one of Kiseki's letters. "My dear daughter, I love you. I'm writing this exactly three weeks before you are to be born. Something feels wrong inside me, but I know that you will be born healthy and happy. Know that I love you, no matter what happens, or who and what may separate us. I'm filled with so much joy at the thought of having a second daughter to love, and someone for you to grow up with, your big sister Usagi. I plan on giving you these letters on your 16th birthday . I love you both equally and with all my heart. I know you will grow to be a strong, beautiful lady, and you can do anything that your heart desires. Always have faith, and remember that your family is here for you. You are my darling daughter and nothing will change that. Remember that every cloud has a silver lining, and there is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. I can't wait until I can finally hold your tiny body in my arms, and know that all will be well. Never forget that your parents love you."
Tears fell as Usagi opened one addressed to her. "My dearest Usako, I love you so... You're 2 years old now and Mama's going to have another baby. A little one for you to play with, take care of, protect. You are the sweetest little angel and I know you will love your baby sister. I love you both so much and I know you will be a beautful young lady, with much more strength than I've ever had. Never give up on life because even if we're not there, you will always have each other! Look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Usako! Never forget that Papa and I love you dearly."
"Come in," Usagi said, her voice cracking. The letters had emotionally drained the teenager.
"Oneechan?"
Usagi smiled and patted the bed. "Sit by me."
"Okei." Kiseki hopped beside her onto the bed.
"Kiseki-neechan," Usagi said, taking her sister's hands in her own.
"You've read this letter already, ne"
"Hai, I've read the ones Mama wrote for me."
"I found it!" Usagi exclaimed suddenly.
"Found what?" Kiseki was confused.
Usagi smiled warmly at Kiseki. She kissed her on the cheek. "The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
"Nani? Do you mean me?"
"Of course I mean you, baka!" Usagi said, giving Kiseki a playful punch. "Daisuki desu, Kiseki!"
Kiseki smiled, and then giggled. "Then I guess you are my silver lining."