November 9, 2002
Jiya is staying for a couple more days before he gets back to work. It’s so cool to have Jiya back. I’ve missed him so much. We spent so much time together, I notice how different he and Aoshi are. Jiya’s so much fun, he’s always loud, and he’s so embarrassing sometimes! When we went to the mall, he kept pointing out the boys I should approach to ask for phone numbers! How humiliating!
He and Aoshi are so different…but it doesn’t matter to me. I love both of them so much. And I wouldn’t trade guardians, either. I’m happy where I am.
I found out that not too long after Aoshi woke up, his crew separated and went on different assignments, each of them under a new command. I’ve been wondering where they’ve been all this time...
Jiya and I decided to visit Aoshi in the afternoon instead of first thing in the morning. I wasn’t that shocked to see who was visiting him, but Jiya was…
-Misao
Megumi carefully added water to the new set of flowers she had bought for Aoshi’s room. She thought of buying potpourri, but she got the feeling he wouldn’t appreciate his hospital room smelling like a ladies’ bathroom. Besides, the flowers added a subtle, natural scent to the room.
She smoothed her palms over her hips, down the fabric of her mint green halter dress with its mid-thigh hem. Her brown eyes shifted to the bed, to his sleeping form. It was fairly early in the afternoon and relatively quiet at the hospital. After lunch in downtown Honolulu with her aunts, she figured that she’d drop by to see how he was doing.
Every time she came to visit him, she usually went with the Himuras or Misao. It was the first time she was here in the room by herself. Megumi quietly skimmed the information on his chart before setting it aside.
According to the notes, he had been recovering pretty rapidly during the last three weeks. He was starting to look very much like his old self again. Megumi moved closer to the head of the bed, studying his chiseled features. The exhaustion was gone, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he looked peaceful, as if half-smiling in his sleep.
If Misao’s energy is any indication, it looks like you’re getting better by the day…
Slowly, his eyes opened to fully rest on her. She took a small step back.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said softly. “I was in the area, so I thought I’d visit.”
Instead of responding, he craned his neck slightly before looking at her again. “New flowers?”
“The others were wilting,” she quipped. She cleared her throat. “You gave us quite a scare, Commander…”
He was silent for a moment. “Misao told me that you made arrangements with her school when you found out I was admitted into the hospital…”
“Yes, I did.” Where was he going with this?
Pause. “Thank you…”
“You’re welcome,” she said softly. Then she stepped closer to the bed, a mischievous smile on her face, and said teasingly, “I had to do something in order for you to change your opinion about me...”
On a whim, she leaned forward, brushing her lips lightly against his.
When she pulled back, his eyes met hers for several moments, where an interesting mix of curiosity, wariness, but definitely not aversion lingered. She smiled inwardly.
“I’m just glad you’re all right, that’s all,” Megumi explained.
Aoshi lifted one brow.
“Honestly.” Apparently her action had caught him off-guard. Again.
He seemed thoughtful at first, but gradually, he relaxed, accepting her reasoning.
Someone coughed discreetly. Megumi, along with Aoshi, looked up to see Misao standing in the doorway with an elder man beside her. Misao was dressed in a blue tank top and board shorts, the older man in a yellow t-shirt and brown shorts. Like Megumi, they were dressed for the warm weather.
Megumi straightened and smiled. “Hello, Misao.”
The teenager smiled back. “Hi, Dr. Takani.”
Aoshi sighed. She wasn’t sure how much they saw and if he was embarrassed. His tone of voice gave no indication. “Okina, this is Dr. Megumi Takani. Dr. Takani, this is Admiral Nenji Kashiwazaki…”
Megumi held her hand out. “It’s nice to meet you, Admiral…So you must be the Jiya I hear Misao mention several times…” Her smile grew at the warmth and sincerity in the man’s grip and smile.
“Correct. The pleasure is all mine, ma’am,” the old man responded smoothly. “And there’s no need to be so formal…”
“I couldn’t possibly address an admiral by his first name,” Megumi commented lightly.
“Aoshi refers to me as Okina…would that work?” he pressed, dropping her hand.
“I suppose,” she commented, reflecting on the title, then after a moment, “Okina it is, then.” Megumi then turned to Misao. “I’ll see you next week at the halau?”
“Definitely.”
“It was nice meeting you, Okina,” Megumi said as she left.
Misao waved then she and Okina looked at Aoshi.
“Don’t. Ask,” the young officer ordered.
“Wasn’t gonna,” Misao quipped, grinning.
The old man crossed his arms. “Well…since I’m the higher ranking officer between the two of us…I will.”
“Okina…” Aoshi warned, glaring at a giggling Misao…
December 15, 2002
These diaries are becoming a habit…
Anyway, Aoshi’s been home for a while. He’s on medical leave at least until mid-January. Which is cool, because the Pacific fleets don’t deploy until late January. It’ll give Aoshi time to get used to the new job.
I’ve gone Christmas shopping so many times during the past couple weeks. Megs (Dr. Takani – I told her it was a cool nickname and she said I can call her that), Himura, Kaoru, Aoshi and I started going out to dinner a couple times a month. At first, everyone brought the party to Aoshi. He’s doing much better, so he can go out now. But he still goes to the doctor for checkups.
Lately, Megs has been really busy with some Christmas donation program. Lt…was it Greenleaf? Yeah, Lt. Greenleaf and Megs are working on some program to donate food to needy families and toys to kids. Her dad is really into community service, I hear. I guess she’s catching on to the spirit.
Jiya’s going to be coming to Pearl Harbor soon for the holidays. I’m so excited!
-Misao
He noticed that she was conversing on the phone while typing into her computer. Aoshi frowned slightly. It may be best not to disturb the lady doctor, who seemed to be with a patient.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Frost. He should only be taking the painkillers sparingly. And only if he absolutely needs it, not because he wants to be unconscious,” Megumi assured. She looked up and gestured for Aoshi to come in. “You’re welcome. Goodbye.” She hung up and smiled in greeting as he took the seat in front of her desk. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” he answered. “The doctor says that I’m recovering faster than he thought…so it won’t be long before I go back to work.”
“I’m glad you’re doing well,” Megumi stood up and moved to the seat next to him, her trained eyes assessing him. “You look better now that you’ve had so much time to rest…”
He nodded in response, his eyes straying to her face. It was interesting to see the differences between the Dr. Takani Pearl Harbor knew and the Dr. Takani he knew. Both women were very intelligent and warm, but the one he knew had just a hint of an adventurous spirit. He had gotten to know her fairly well over the last month and a half. He could almost call her a friend, but he would never tell her that.
“So when do you plan to take me surfing?” she asked suddenly.
That’s right. They had casually discussed it a long time ago.
“When you’re able to, of course,” she added.
He studied her pinned up hair, cap-sleeved white silk blouse and knee-length black skirt. Classy, elegant. And yet, he could imagine her out on the water.
“Next month or so,” he promised.
She grinned. “Oh…before I forget…Dev asked me to ask you if you’d be interested in doing a speech at Honolulu High…he’s going to different schools on the island to promote Navy careers…”
“That’s Misao’s school.”
“Yeah…he thought that would be best…”
“Lt. Devin Greenleaf the public affairs officer?” Aoshi asked.
“That is his name, yes,” Megumi responded.
He knew that Megumi was working with the man for the Christmas season, however he didn’t know that they had gotten really acquainted. Closely acquainted, he corrected. He decided not to ask.
Then she sighed. “Whatever you’re thinking…you’re probably right…”
Since when did she know him so well? He arched a brow. “I sympathize…He has no idea who he’s getting involved with…”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you going to help him or not?”
The devil made him talk. “If you two are no longer seeing each other after a month, is there a reason why I should?”
“That was uncalled for…” Megumi retorted.
He smirked. “I dislike giving public speeches. So don’t waste my efforts.”
“If that means you’ll help as a favor to me, thank you,” Megumi responded.
“You’re welcome.” Aoshi shifted to stand up.
Megumi moved to assist him, but he stopped her. They walked to the door.
He paused before exiting her office, turning slightly. “What are you doing for Christmas?”
“Celebrating with family. We have relatives flying in,” she explained.
He nodded. “If I don’t see you before then…”
“I hope you have a nice holiday,” she finished. Their eyes met for several moments.
He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it. He wasn't exactly sure what he had planned to say. It didn't really matter.
"Merry Christmas...and Happy New Year," he said finally as a sentimental
smile crossed her lips.
December 24, 2002
Jiya, Aoshi, and I are going to celebrate Xmas and the Himuras are invited. (Aoshi is making the turkey tonight. He makes a KICKBUTT, juicy turkey in this REALLY good sauce and Jiya is making cheesy mashed potatoes and candy yams from scratch. Aoshi told me that when he was a kid, he and Jiya would always fight over the yams while Grandpa laughed at them.) It’s amazing how Westernized Grandpa and Jiya were. If they weren’t, Aoshi’s Christmases probably would have been different.
Megs is going to spend the holidays with her family. She mentioned that her brothers are coming to town. Her aunts have decorated the halau with plenty of stuff. It’s the weirdest thing, seeing a combination of Hawaiian décor with Christmassy stuff. Aoshi said that when he was a kid, his classmates’ moms decorated their homes just like that.
A part of me feels really sad, because this year is almost over. Next is New Year’s, Valentine’s…Hey! That’s RIGHT! I still have to find Aoshi a girlfriend by Valentine’s Day! I wonder if he’s forgotten about that. I’ll mention it to him. One holiday at a time.
I’m glad things are okay now. Aoshi and I are doing great. He’s still the same Aoshi, but he has changed. He’s a little more open now. This season made me see how important my family really is to me. I think it’s done that for him, too.
- Misao Makimachi
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