Dreams & Memories
Part 4
By: Tisha


	Hiroshi sighed and closed the door, throwing his book bag on the floor and quickly kicking off 
his shoes. His day had not gone so well. The thought of seeing Akina cheered him up though. "Akina? 
You home?"

	"In here!"

	Her voice came from the kitchen so he went in there, coughing at the smell of burnt cookies. 
She plopped the tray on the counter and made a face. "I wonder if I was this bad at cooking before."

	Hiroshi stared at her and she looked at him. "What? Do I have flour on my face?" She started 
wiping random areas of her face.

	Hiroshi shook his head. "You cut your hair." He took in the golden strands that now fell right 
past her shoulders.

	She looked up at him and blinked. "Oh. Yeah."

	"Why? It looked so pretty all long and silky!"

	Akina giggled. "Well it wasn't practical. It always got in the way. I wonder why I never cut it 
before..." She trailed off and got a look of longing on her face, one Hiroshi had seen plenty of times. 
She sighed and sat across from him. "It's been two weeks and I still don't even know my own name. I 
wonder where I even came from...how far I ran." She'd gone to school with mixed emotions, 
wondering if people there would know her, but to them she ended up being just a new transfer 
student, meaning she'd ran quite a ways from home.

	She suddenly bit her lip and looked at Hiroshi. "Can...can I ask you a favor?"

	"Of course."

	"Can you teach me English?"

	"Don't you learn English in school?"

	"Well...I don't really understand it..."

	Hiroshi looked at her for a minute. "Why do you need to know English?"

	"Well...I kind of want to go to America...sometime."

	Hiroshi really didn't want Akina leaving any time soon; he really enjoyed her company, only as 
a friend though. He already had a girlfriend, one who had become good friends with Akina. He did 
want to see her happy though. He really admired her for being so cheerful when she didn't even know 
who she was, but he could see her pain slip through at times. "Sure. How about every night after 
dinner? I'll teach you little by little."

	Her face lit up with a smile. "Arigato, Hiroshi!" She stood up, dumped the tray of cookies in the 
garbage, and went toward her room. Hiroshi only smiled.



•••••••••••••••••••


	Mamoru looked out from his balcony over Tokyo. The sun was setting on the city and he could 
hear the bustle as some people headed home from work and others came out to enjoy the evening. 
Usagi had been gone for seventeen days. He counted each painful one. Him and Rei were in 
agreement on one thing- she was alive. They both knew they would feel it if she wasn't. He couldn't 
understand it though. It definitely wasn't like her to leave purposely, even if there *were* dreams 
influencing her. And where would she have possibly gone? She didn't have anything with her at the 
time, how could she live...alone...in Tokyo, without any money? 

	That's the part Mamoru hated the most, he knew you couldn't...he didn't even want to think 
of what that meant. He went into downtown Tokyo every day. Looked in windows of restaurants and 
watched people go by, but he never saw the one person he was looking for. He whispered one word 
as a tear slipped from his cheek onto the ground below.

	"Usako..."

•••••••••••••••••••


	Akina knocked softly on Hiroshi's door and waited as she heard rustling. She bit her lip 
impatiently until he opened the door in his pajamas and looked at her with concern.

	"What's wrong?"

	"I...I think I remembered."

	He put his hand on her back, leading her into the family room as they both sat down. "What do 
you mean? What do you remember?"

	She stared blankly at the wall. "It...well it was a dream...but I *know* it's a memory, 
I've...known it before. It's like it triggered something in my brain."

	"So do you know who you are?"

	"No...and I'm not sure if I want to." He looked at her questioningly and she took a deep 
breath. "There were people...they felt so familiar...people I loved...my friends...or 
family...and...and...they were trying to hurt me..." Her face was a mixture of pain and confusion and 
Hiroshi took her hand.

	"Are you sure it's not just a nightmare?"

	"Yes, it wasn't even like a dream. I could see myself being concerned *about* it and I know I 
knew those people. Besides, how could I dream about someone that I don't even *know* now? Ever 
since the accident I only have dreams about...school or you or something current. I must really have 
been running for a reason. These people obviously wanted to kill me."

	Hiroshi didn't know what to say so he only sat and waited.

	"I'm sorry, I'll let you go back to sleep."

	Hiroshi stood up, pulling her up as well. "You need to sleep too. Maybe you'll feel better in the 
morning...or remember something better."

	She smiled. "I hope there *is* something better."


•••••••••••••••••••


	The next morning was Saturday and Hiroshi was surprised to find Akina already awake. She 
was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on coffee. He poured himself a cup and sat next to her. "I've 
never seen you up so early on a Saturday."

	She nodded. "I've been up since five. I had more dreams...or memories..."

	"Get any better?"

	She looked at him and he first saw the haunted look in her eyes. "Worse, if that's possible. I 
mean there were even like monsters after me." She looked at him and laughed. "I know that seems 
weird, but somehow I *know* it's true. I could *feel* the feelings that I had back then. I'm scared, 
Hiroshi. I had a lot of time to think this morning and I made up my mind."

	"About what?"

	She shook her head. "I can't stay here. I'm going to America."

	"Akina, how do you expect to support yourself in America?"

	"Well, you've been teaching me English for nearly a month and I feel I know it well enough. 
I've got all my money from waitressing saved up and I can get another job as a waitress there."

	"Akina..."

	"I know you want to protect me or whatever because you feel like my big brother. And I really 
love you for it, you are my best friend. I can't stay here though. The memories haunt me... I'm afraid 
there is someone out there who wants to find me, and not for good reasons."

	Hiroshi sighed. He already knew her too well; she wasn't going to back down. He knew she 
would actually go through with this and he couldn't stop her. "Only if you let me give you some 
money."

	Akina started to shake her head but Hiroshi broke in before she got a chance to speak. "I have 
plenty and I will *not* let you wander around in America without enough."

	She slowly nodded her head. "I'm leaving in a week. For New York City."

	He sighed and hugged her. "I can't believe you are actually doing this. You *have* to call me 
often."

	She smiled. "I will."


To be continued