Hime was in the hospital because of the wounds they
inflicted her. Indeed, there was no time to lament, or give pompous hero-like
speeches. Fortunately I had money. Now there was nothing capable of relieving
her pain, other than the hospital care. The fortune I held would be useless in
that way, as well as the pay my parents sent monthly to me (which was pretty
considerable). Of course, it would be useless, unless…
I searched in Internet, until I found what I needed.
The advertisement said something like: <<Self-defense and martial arts
instructor. Learn to defend yourself from the very beginning!>>
I
supposed it would not be cheap… But if I was to use my money for something, I
would not find a better opportunity.
I called the telephone number written in the
advertisement:
… … … “Yes…?”
“Hello, I am calling for the advert…”
“Advert? What advert?”
“Err… an advert I saw in Internet, about a martial art
instructor…”
“What? That advert is still around? And I told them to
remove it… Whatever, I no longer take students. Have you looked at its date by any
chance?”
“Ah, I didn’t notice the…” As I said that I sought it:
‘XX-XX-2003’. <<Ehhh? But this advert is ten years old…!>>
“Argh, I’m sorry. I hadn’t noticed that detail… sorry
to bother you.”
You’re forgiven. It’d rather be me who apologized. And
for sure I’m going to contact the admin of the web to remove that expired
advert.”
“In any case… look, I need to become strong, and
quickly. Don’t you know any good instructor that could teach me? Money is no
problem, what I want is results.”
“Hahahaha…!” From the other end of the line was heard
a loud laugh, like the typical one of an old sea wolf in a pirate film. “What
is your age, boy? Eight years? Maybe nine? What’s with a child like you talking
so seriously?”
I bit my lower lip in a gesture of frustration.
“No… I’m seven. But as you can see, I have money and
determination. You can laugh as much as you want, but I need an instructor. I
must become strong whatever it takes, it’s a matter of life or death.”
It is not as if they were going to kill Hime, but if
her life was going to be day-to-day living with fear… for sure they would
finish her off. Anyway I did not have to give explanations to that stranger.
“You seem an interesting boy.” His voice sounded
livelier now. “As I said before, I no longer take pupils ever since years ago.
However, I know someone that could train you… Write my address down. You’ll
come here tomorrow evening after classes, and we’ll go to see him.”
“Ah, thanks a lot… I’ll be there.”
The next day I showed up at the address he had given
me. It was a small, old apartment building, most of them probably occupied by
singles.
I rang the intercom:
“yes?”
“Yes, err… I’m Kotaro,
I was talking to you on the phone yesterday…”
“I’m on my way.”
In a few moments he came out through the main gate of
the building. There was a middle-aged man, who must have been around 45 years old,
more or less. His face was crossed by deep wrinkles. A scar laid on his left
cheek, and an eye-patch on the other side. I thought he resembled too much the
first impression I got from him on the phone, of an old sea wolf.
I tried to hold my laugh as I could. And to top it
all, he also limped a little. Seeing his state, I could understand why he did
not take pupils anymore… literally he was a wreck.
“Hello, I’m Kotaro. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Ulysses.” He shook my hand, and although he
obviously did not try to tighten it I felt how it was squashed. His skin was
tanned and rough like sandpaper.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you to meet your trainer.”
We departed on foot and after a while reached a
martial-art gym. From outside could be heard shouts of many people in unison. The
main gate leaded us directly to a big room where the shouts came from. Ulysses
opened the door and just from there made a gesture to somebody standing at the
back. He returned the greeting and seemed to tell something to other person who
accompanied him, before coming to meet us at once.
“Ulysses! Long no see! Rare to see you around here…
what’s up?”
“This boy called me because he wanted me to train him,
but I’m retired. So I am bringing him to be your pupil…”
“Of course, no problem, boy. Tell me when you want to
start, and I will enrol you in the elementary class, with white belt…”
Ulysses interrupted him: “He didn’t ask for that kind
of training, but… you know, the special one.”
“Ah… I get it.” He shook his head denying: “I’m sorry,
but I’m also retired from that. As you know, now I only want a quiet life with
my gym. I wouldn’t like to have anymore to do with that ‘matter’…” When saying
‘that matter’ one could tell there was some complicity between them.
“It’d just be training him to be able to defend
himself, I’m not asking anything else. He’ll pay well.”
As the last words were said, the man made a strange
gesture with his eyes.
“In any case, the answer is ‘no’. I’m really sorry,
but now just maintaining my gym I’m more than bussy.”
“… Alright. I guess there’s nothing we can do. You
heard it, kid. It seems like he won’t be able to train you…”
“And… why don’t you train him? You aren’t called Ulysses
for nothing…”
“You now I gave up on it, and my body is no longer up
to that sort of thing.”
“Bah, there you have an old man grumbling. Instead of
spending time torturing yourself for what happened you should take up some
pupil, or go fishing, or whatever… I mean, rebuild your life, in short.
Ulysses dedicated him a rather stern glare: “Thanks
for your advice. We leave already.”
He closed the door and we headed towards the main
entrance.
“I’m sorry, boy. I did what I could.”
“And what about that thing, training me yourself? You could
try. As I said before I’ll pay as much as you ask. I’ll be a good student, obey
everything you tell me…”
“Hahaha… you are certainly an interesting boy, hahaha…
give me some time to think over it, but only because I see you so keen. If I
decide something I’ll let you know, ok?”
“Yes, thanks!”
“Hahaha… well, I have to go. See you, kid.”
“Ok. See you.”
The next day I went to the hospital to see Hime. On
the way I could not forget the image of her in that room of the attic, with her
face ruined. How should I behave when I met her? Even I did not know. Maybe my
expression when seeing her face would make her feel sad.
I entered the room without further thoughts. And there
was the girl lying, as beautiful as ever, but with her eyes purple and still
swollen and her lips broken in several spots. Ah, what a great relief. I was
able to talk to her without hesitating, without minding the changes in her
look. Definitely, Hime would remain Hime.
“Hime! How are you?”
“Well, mostly in pain. Apart from that, not too bad…”
<<…Panic…>> Her eyes were terrified, by far
showing the greatest change in her.
“Aw my girl, what a beautiful thing…!” Although I
would have liked to pinch her cheeks I did not do it since I would hurt her.
Instead I squished and shook her vigorously from side to side like a doll.
“Ayayayay…! Hey, it’s painful, don’t squish me like
that!”
“Bah, bah, what a drama queen… it can’t be so much.
You are as beautiful as always…” I lifted her soft bangs and kissed her
forehead.
“No, wait… what are you doing!” She seemed awkward
just for one kiss. That was not normal…
“Puahhh!” I noticed something strange in my mouth and
as a reflex action I spat it aside.
“What in the world…?”
I had stained myself with something. I lifted her
bangs again, and Hime reacted in a still harsher manner:
“No! Leave it!”
“Eeeeh? What happens…?”
“Nothing! It’s nothing!”
“What do you have on your forehead? Let me see.”
“No.”
“Let me.”
“No.”
“So then no, eh? Now you’ll see…” I restrained her two
hands with one mine abusing my greater strength, and rubbed the thumb of the
other one on her forehead.
“Noooooooo!” My thumb was stained flesh tone, and I
found it out. There was an enormous scar in her forehead, concealed by her
bangs and make-up. Following I did the same on one of her cheeks, and there
appeared the intense purple until then hidden.
“Buahhhh…” The girl was crying like a baby. “You’re an
idiot… and look how ugly I am… now I’m not Hime, but a monster… you are so
mean… Buahhh…”
“Hime, don’t say that…”
“Leave me alone! You saw it already, didn’t you?! Are
you satisfied?! And don’t call me Hime ever again!”
Then I thought probably I had gone too far. I should
not have forced her to show me, but it was already done. There was no turning
back.
“Himawari!”
“What do you want! Don’t look at me!” She covered her
face with her hands.
“Whatever happens, you’ll always be my Hime! The sun
will fade, or the world will break, or whatever! But you’ll be my Hime! So
that’s not going to change just because of something as small as some scars!”
After hearing my words the girl opened her eyes wide
and seemed to lower a little her guard. Then I did something I regretted for
years…
I jumped on her during her absent-mindedness and
kissed her on the lips, before embracing her in a lock of arms she could never
escape from.
My Hime, you are gorgeous. You are the most important
thing for me. And my best friend, the only one that accepted me when nobody
else did, and I would never abandon you for something like this.”
Like the moment when the sluice gate of a dam is open,
her eyes flooded and broke uncontrollably into tears, ruining the make-up the
nurses poured so much effort into. If only I could drain the terror from them…
I would not mind her crying in my arms for years.
The horrendous mark on her forehead left a deep
imprint in my memory. I was not going to cry, I was supposed to cheer her up…
but I could not avoid it. The image was too cruel, just too much for me. After
some minutes her tears stopped.
“Look at you… come on, you can stop sobbing…”
“Shut up, idiot! You’ve cried as well, I saw you!”
“Aw, you caught me…”
<<What a perfect chance…>> I put on an
evil grin…
“Eh? What are you laughing at?”
“Ah, nothing important. It’s only that, since you seem
to like make-up I also brought one for you. Moreover it’s a very special one
that you sure will like.”
“Eh? What did you bring?” She looked a little
bewildered, which only enlarged my grin, now in ‘insurance seller’ mode. I dug
a postmark from one of my pockets.
Let me make you beautiful, you’ll see how much fun…”
“Arrghh! Noooo! Heeeelp! He wants to ship me in a
parcel!”
“Yeah, yeah, you will enjoy it…”
“No, no, only you will enjoy it…”
“Hahahaha…!” We burst in laughs. It is the truth. I
had not said a joke; whatever happened she would continue to be my
irreplaceable ‘Hime’. In spite of all she went through, smile came back to her
face. That made me feel a little relieved.
Finally I said goodbye and was going to open the door.
When I grabbed the knob… it was not locked! Three nurses were just behind the
threshold.
“Bravo…! Very well…!” They were clapping! And shouting
something:
“Bravo, kid, that’s how a man speaks!”
“These children are more and more precocious!”
I felt a little embarrassed. Aw, they had seen and
heard everything… But it made no difference. The most important thing was, Hime
was better now. I just resigned myself and left walking by the corridor. In the
background I kept hearing the nurses’ voices:
“Come on, girl, don’t cry…”
“Look what a beautiful thing he told you… I wish I
were told something like that…”
“See? The make-up wasn’t needed… oh, silly thing…”
I was a shambles: <<I say I’m going to keep my distance
from her, so that she isn’t in danger, and now I go and kiss her… There’s no
way to understand me. And, after all, what happened to her could’ve been
avoided if I’d been there to protect her… But later they would use her to take
revenge, and there’ll be moments when I can’t be with her… Aaarghhh! What a
mess! If only I were stronger…>>
I could not erase the image of that scar from my mind.
So I made a new decision: I went home immediately, picked up the phone and
dialled.
“Yes…?”
“Ulysses…? I’m Kotaro. I know we’d agreed you would
call me when you made up your mind. But I think first of all I must tell you my
story, so that you know why I want to become strong…”
“But like this, on the telephone…?”
“It’s ok for me. I only want you to listen. If finally
you decide not to take me up as a pupil I won’t blame you. It’s up to you, after
all.
“…”
“Alright, I’m listening.”
And I began to tell everything, from the beginning.
About my friendship with Hime, about those who harassed us, about how much I
esteemed her… about everything:
“My name is Kotaro. I’m a wealthy
child…”
It took me almost half an hour to tell
the story.
“Well, and that’d be all, more or less.”
The speaker remained quiet:
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Ulysses! Are you there…?”
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