(Hanmyo)

“I used to be one of the Anten Seven, Jim…everyone wants me dead…” I looked at him with tears running down my scarred face. He had dropped my hand when I said I had killed people…not that I could blame him. I still couldn’t help the tears that came from that, though.

“Uh-B-But…how could you possibly…?” he stuttered. I took a deep breath and told him everything.

“Jim, when I didn’t show up for our date, it was because I was floating in the middle of space after a battle I had lost. I was supposed to die, Jim, but fate wouldn’t let me…that flower…the one you are holding protected me and brought me a rescuer from the cold dead of space.”

He looked at the flower as if he just understood something. I took another breath and went on.

“When I was a baby, Hazanko came and kidnapped me, killing my mom and dad in the process. I hadn’t even learned to walk yet. He trained and trained me to talk and use my brain until I could walk. Then he had me trained extensively in martial arts, piloting and in becoming an assassin. I learned exceptionally fast, and he soon introduced Mata and Kemi as my personal guardians and I soon learned to talk to them telepathically once we had established a bond. Together, with Kemi and Mata, we became the most dangerous assassination team in the Anten Seven. We were constantly sent out to kill those who had angered Hazanko and we had never failed, until that day…the day we met, and the day I went against the Outlaw Star a second time…” I trailed off, choking back a sob that tried to escape my throat. I didn’t dare look Jim in the face, but I saw that his hands had clenched into fists. I held back another body-racking sob and went on.

“Jim…I had no idea that it was you who was piloting the Outlaw Star…If I had, I would have never…even if it had meant my own death…I was sent after Gene to kill him and give Hazanko a way to take Melfina and the XGP…Jim…I know this won’t mean anything to you and I don’t blame you, but for what it is worth, I am more sorry than you’ll ever know…” I looked back down and gripped the bed sheets, expecting to hear the door slam and Jim to walk away and not come back. I heard his footsteps and started to sob quietly…

Then I felt a hand guide my face upwards. Jim looked at me with an expression of pity and something else I couldn’t make out…remorse…? His other hand began wiping off tears and then gripped my shoulder softly.

“Jim…?” I asked, unsure of what to do or think. He didn’t answer. He just leaned in and gave me my first real kiss. I was in shock, but I gradually closed my eyes and let the pain ebb away and drop into oblivion along with the rest of the universe. I was just going to enjoy this and the warmth of his lips.

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(Jim)

I reveled in the soft feel to her injured lips and tried to make her forget all that had ever gone wrong in her life, even if just for a brief moment. I let warm tears leak out of the corner of my eyes, realizing that I had been the one who almost got her killed those six months ago in the middle of space. I felt shame worse beyond anything imaginable. I had almost killed this girl who had enough pain in her short life that would drive most insane. I, probably the only person in her life to ever love her, had almost killed this sweet angel who had been corrupted by Hazanko and the rest of the Anten Seven and she wanted to take on all the blame! I knew that I would never let her leave me again, she was too precious to lose a second time.

After what seemed an eternity, we broke the kiss. She stared at me, bewildered, as if waiting for an explanation.

“Jim…?” she asked, a little scared. I looked at her with absolute remorse.

“Hanmyo, I’m sorry that I am more trouble than I am worth…I would have never touched your ship if I had known…although my apology means nothing…I still added more misery to your life and for that, I will never forgive myself.” I looked into her eyes, hoping she would understand me and not hate me. She actually began to smile, causing more tears to drop from her eyes like dew descending over a smooth leaf.

“Jim, you were the greatest gift to me that brought me the happiest moments of my life. I could never hold this against you…I attacked you when following orders because I feared for my life, but if I had stopped to realize it, I would have known that it was for nothing, because my life until I met you had been a miserable existence, only made bearable by Kemi and Mata…” she said, with pure confidence in her voice.

I looked at her in awe. She was the strongest and most beautiful being in my eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile and step forward to embrace her, to let her know that she was not going to get away from me again.

And then the door opened…-_-

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(Gene)

“Hey, doctor, how is she?” I asked, standing out in the hallway. I had gotten Melfina to calm her crying into a deep look of sorrow. I hated seeing Mel this way, so I got hold of the doctor as he passed through the hallway. He looked at me and smiled lightly.

“Oh, I apologize, I thought someone had told you already. She will be fine, Mr. Starwind, the operation was a success and she has a history of being stronger than she appears. I am going to check on her now as a matter of fact, if you would like to follow me please…”

“Right. Hold on a sec…” I ran back to Melfina, Suzuka and Aisha, who had just regained consciousness and refused to be treated any longer by the hospital staff. I tapped Melfina lightly on her shoulder and motioned for her to follow me.

“Melfina, the doctor says she will be fine and we can go check on her now.” She instantly lit up and quickened her pace. Suzuka helped Aisha up and began to follow us.

“By the way, Doctor, how do you know Hanmyo?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.He looked at me a bit amused.

“Hanmyo’s her name, huh? So she was hiding something after all. She was brought in after what seemed to be a ship explosion a few months back. She was extremely lucky. A cargo man found her drifting through space some 20 meters from what used to be a ship and brought her in, once he found her pulse. I was originally the doctor on Symka 5, but I got transferred to this area some weeks ago, and it seems just in time.”

I stiffened a bit. We were the ones who put her into the hospital in the first place. She could have died all alone, in the middle of space, and no one would have known…

I shivered at the thought and continued walking to her room. This was going to be difficult to explain to Jim that we almost killed his first date. We finally got to the room and opened the door. I couldn’t help grinning at what I saw.

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(Hanmyo)

Wouldn’t you know it? As soon as things between Jim and me are mostly cleared up and we share a happy moment, we are interrupted…

I opened my eyes and looked over Jim’s shoulder to stare at Gene and the others. I saw Melfina sigh and smile in relief and something in her eyes that looked like adoration. Jim whirled around a little too quickly and I almost fell out of the hospital bed.

Lucky for me, he turned around to catch me just in time.

“Sorry, Hanmyo-chan…” he said with a nervous smile. I couldn’t help but giggle a little, ignoring my wounds for the moment. Gene was grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey Jim, take it easy with her, this private room is supposed to be for treatment of wounds and I don’t think you count!” He laughed. I could literally feel the fire rush to my face. It was nothing compared to Jim though, I was only blushing out of embarrassment. Jim, however, was going to explode.

“YOU ARE SUCH A PERVERT! NOT EVERYONE HAS THOUGHTS MADE UP BY THEIR HORMONES LIKE YOU!” Jim yelled at him. I unblinkingly stared at him. Gene didn’t seem to take this comment to nicely.

“HEY! IF YOU DON’T WANT CRACKS MADE, DON’T SET YOURSELF UP FOR THEM!”

“YOU’RE ONE TO TALK, YOU LETCHEROUS DRUNK!”

…

They went on like that for sometime, making the rest of us sweat drop in unison. Melfina walked over to my bedside and spoke to me softly amidst their arguing.

“Hanmyo…would you like to come with us? I know Jim would be really happy to have you along as well as the rest of us—well, if you would be willing to stand this every now and then.” She said with a wink, running her cool hand down my face in an attempt to get the swelling of my eyes to go down. It was in a vain attempt, for my eyes had watered up again and I smiled back.

“Hai, if you will have me, I would be glad to come with you.” Then Melfina wrapped me in a hug. Aisha came over, carefully avoiding Gene and Jim’s continuing argument. She ruffled my hair again. Suzuka remained in the doorway…I forced myself to look her in the eyes, I didn’t want to look like a coward anymore. She caught my gaze and stared back.

She was smiling.

“Welcome to the crew of the Outlaw Star, Hanmyo-chan!” Aisha purred, straightening my hair again. I grinned and embraced Aisha and Melfina a little unexpectedly. The doctor was the only one to remain silent until he picked up the chart at the end of my bed, filled out the information and smiled at me in a familiar way.

“Nakao-sensei…?” I blinked. He opened his eyes and continued to smile.

“It’s a good thing you have good timing, Hanmyo-chan, you seem to be full of luck. But try not to make a habit of testing your luck, ok?”

“Ano…about my name, before, I—“ he cut me off.

“Don’t worry, I understand, but you must have forgotten the Doctor’s code of confidence.” He said, pointing his finger into the air to make a point. I grinned.

“Gomen…I’ll remember that next time.” The doctor raised an eyebrow at me jokingly.

“I hope not.” He said as he walked over to examine the stitches on my abdomen.

“Try not to wear these out for a few weeks alright?” He said with a wink.

“Hai! I am sorry, but I won’t be able to pay you for the medical attention this time either.” I said, nervously placing a hand behind my head. Then his smile evolved into an all-out grin.

“Oh ho, you are now a member of the crew of the Outlaw Star, don’t worry, you can pay the hospital back when you hit it big!” I looked at Gene and Jim who held each other in a headlock.

I giggled. Apparently the good doctor knew about the financial explanations of the infamous gang of the Outlaw Star. I felt Melfina’s hand on my shoulder and I looked up at her.

“Yes, I think I will enjoy being a member of this crew.” I grinned…

~*~*~

1 month later…

I have been a crewmember of the Outlaw Star for a month now. My stitches have long since been removed and I am almost back to normal. Melfina and Aisha have become like older sisters to me, and Gene is still like a reckless older brother whom I have come to love for all of his faults; Suzuka is like my mentor. She has been training me to get back into shape by sparring with me every time we land to the point to where I am stronger and faster than I ever was. And then there is Jim…

When we left the hospital a month ago, we found that the flower had finally died, and I came to miss it a bit, for it felt like an old guardian. Jim, being the sweet lover that he is to me, brings me flowers whenever he can. Melfina provides the vases to store them in. I smile everyday now, for I have everything: friends, family, and love…

We had been traveling for a few weeks now, once we got all the parts needed to repair the XGP. The doctor had been kind enough to not demand pay until I could “hit it big.” We had stopped on, coincidentally, Symka 5, again. I returned to the fountain with Jim, where we first met. But there was something missing from before. Sighing, I look up at the sky, thinking of Kemi and Mata.

“Hanmyo-chan…?”

‘Hmm?”

“Do you have any regrets?” Jim asked me with concern in his eyes. I gave him a small, reassuring smile, along with a bit of a confused look.

“Of course not, Jim-kun, I feel perfectly happy for the first time in my life!” I said, running in front of Jim and then throwing myself around his neck. He chuckled and returned my embrace. I released my hold on him slightly.

“I just wished that Kemi and Mata were here to be happy with me.” I said softly, looking at the fountain in reminiscence. Jim followed my gaze and pulled me into another hug, only lighter. I just sort of settled in his arms. Then I heard it.

~Hanmyo-chan…~

My eyes shot open once more, like the last time this happened.

“Kemi…? Mata…?” I whispered. Jim looked at me in confusion.

“I can hear them again…” I tried to explain. He was about to say something when he was cut off.

~Hanmyo-chan, we were always watching over you, whether you realized it or not~

~Shut up, you sentimental ball of fluff.~

I heard Kemi chuckling like he used to when they argued…it brought a wistful smile to my face…

~Take this as a small gift and protect your Jim-kun as well~

“Nani…?” I began. Then Jim nudged me slightly. He gestured me to look up. And then I saw it. A pink rose surrounded by a soft aura was gently floating down. It landed in between Jim’s hands and my own, glowing brighter as it descended. Then the glowing faded away, as if it were sucked back into the rose. We stared at it for a while. Then Jim, grinning, kissed me on the cheek and put an arm around me as we both looked back up at the sky, until sunset came, casting its eerie glow through the water of the fountain. Not bringing my eyes from the sky, I said one last thing before Jim and I returned to the ship.

“Arigatou…”

~Owari~