70 3.27- A Stroll in The Park... In A WheelChair

Monday, 22nd of January 1996

It is already time to close the funds for the crowd-funding activity that had been going on for almost a week. I looked at the balance of the funds in the bank account and it has passed an amount of more than 15 million yen. I had decided to skip school today and headed straight to the bank to close its account.

But first I have to fulfil my obligation to meet with Akira in the hospital. She had just finished breakfast of oatmeals with chia seeds and was sitting propped up in her bed. I peeked through and knocked on her door and she told me to come in.

She looked up with rosy cheeks and bowed slightly at me from her bedside. I was wondering to myself if Akira would like to take a walk around the hospital grounds rather than spending her time in bed all the time.

"Can I really do that? Do you think the nurses will allow me to leave and take a walk outside?"

"Sure... Why not, Akira... I'd arrange for a wheelchair to wheel you around. At least a bout of fresh air would bring you some good. You had been breathing in this uncirculated air in this room for months.... Give me a second while I talk to the nurses outside..."

After discussing health matter for bringing patients out from their beds to the streets, they finally let me have a wheelchair and assist Akira out of bed. Since she had spent months lying down and not moving her limbs at all, they felt kind of useless and wobbly jelly-like after being immobilised for long.

I princess-carried Akira out from her bed and she sheepishly had to slide her arms around my neck and shoulder to support herself while my hand supported her back and one arm under her legs. I gently carried her out from bed and placed her on the wheelchair. The nurses who saw me doing for Akira all let out a deep, low and audible sigh of wishful thinking.

I told them to call me if there's any need arises as I slowly wheeled her out for the first time in months since her accident. She shielded her eyes from the morning sun's rays.

"Akira, it's good to sunbathe in the morning before 9 am, you know. It is full of Vitamin C. But after 9 am its vitamin D..."

"How come there's a change in vitamin C to D? What's the difference...?"

"Oh... Vitamin D after 9 am means you could get Dark from it like the fishermen from Hokkaido... Hahaha..."

I laughed out loud and she too let out a shy laugh which she covered the mouth with her hand. From a single look, she is overcome with the cuteness of a middle school girl.

As I wheeled Akira out of the hospital compound in her wheelchair, she saw a group of students walking by. "Shiro, aren't you supposed to go to school today? You are in your school uniform, right? But why are you not heading to school?" Akira asked with a worried look on her face.

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"Sure, Akira... In a while but more. Furthermore, it's a Monday so the start of school would be much slower than normal days... Besides we have other projects that need to be done by today... Time is running out."

I said nonchalantly at her as I wheeled her out in the sunshine. A student in Asahigaoka school uniform waved at me and approached us." Is this place alright?" the unnamed student asked and I said just get on with it. He then took a green backdrop cloth and placed it behind on a wall. Then I wheeled Akira in front of the cloth and asked Akira to smile and the unnamed student took a photo of her. Next was my turn. I paid ¥5000 and a piece of crumpled paper to the unnamed student and specifically told him that I'd be waiting in front of Yaskawa-kun in an hours time.

The unnamed student unfurled the cloth from the wall and folded it. He pocketed the money and left while nodding in agreement. He soon left in a huff.

"What was that all about?" Akira asked as I wheeled her towards Ozone Station that was about 15 minutes time.

"Ah... That photo taking just now? Oh... It was for keepsake..." I explained while I kept pushing the wheelchair towards the intended destination. Her eyes looked left and right trying to absorb all the scenery that she hoped to regain her memories from.

After crossing some traffic lights we both reached the newspaper vendor man underneath the myriad of overhead passes.

"Oji-sama, I am Shiro... Do you still remember me when you talked to me on a Sunday evening around 5 pm? I want to introduce you to someone... "

"Oh yes... I remember you... And this girl... It is her right? Wah... Omagai... You just came out from hospital ah? Haiyo... Its been so long already... How are you onee-chan?"

Akira looked at me and back at the elder and she said she is fine and just awoke from her coma. The elder told her what happened on that day and she was surprised because she didn't recall anything like that.

"Young man... You must take good care of this little girl OK. Never break her heart, never disappoint her and never make her sad. Fill her days with laughter and joy and even though she had a memory loss, deep down inside her heart she knows who you are... "

The old man advised me and before I left, I gave him a small packet as a token of appreciation. At first he was moved into refusing it and I nudged Akira and she coaxed the elder to accept it and at last, he did. He bowed deeply to me and we both bowed back. I embraced the elder and saw his eyes glistening and he wished he had a grandson and granddaughter just like us, he said.

Next stop... Shindeki Park. I narrated that we used to walk to school from this Ozone Station and to school which was about 8 to 12 minutes away. I jingled my multipurpose utility bag in front of Akira and told her that I brought a lot of coins today. She raised her eyebrows and smiled brightly.

I am not sure if she knew that we are getting ice cream or not but her smile was genuine and I hope that this stroll would make it worthwhile.

We stopped at Shindeki Park and we stopped at the swing we had sat on and realised that I was crying and my tears dropped on her head before. I stood before her and held my hands to her.

"C' mon Akira... You are a big girl now. I know you can do it. Come and reach for my hands and try to stand and walk baby steps to the swing... I will never let go of your hands, I swear..."

She reached out sheepishly for my hands and I pulled a bit so that she could stand on her foot. Her knees were still buckling and the moment she finally able to stand straight she lost her balance and fell on my chest. Her hands dug into my chest as I supported her in both my arms around her back.

We were like that for a few moments as I felt her hands dug deeper into my chest with her head under my chin. I heard her speak softly.

"Am I always like this, Shiro... I don't remember being so physical with you like this but it makes me feel warm and safe. It is like as if you were meant for me and for life..."

"Yes, Akira... We were meant to be forever and ever, till death do us part. I already swear to myself that I would be there always for you no matter how thick or thin, in richness or in poor... I will always be by your side... No matter how long it takes for you to remember it... "

I felt Akira somewhat melting in my arms as I embraced her so tight that I would not let go. One of my hand patted her head and I felt her bury her head deeper in my chest. Then I pinched her butt cheeks and called out,"Muuuaaakkkkkk.....!"

'Omagai....! SHIRO.....!!! I remember that part when you make that funny sound effect after what you had done to me...!!! "

We were laughing at each other and looked rather silly until we both ended up teary-eyed. I wiped my eyes and hers with my fingers and slowly I told her to put her feet on top of mine. This is a way to guide someone with a weak motor system in the lower extremities.

She did and I slowly" walked" her to one of the swings and carefully sat her down. All at the same time she kept embracing me and not wanting to let go. I released the embrace and took her hands which were already around my neck then and placed it on a swing.