A Timeless Moment of Hope

Himari was scared to be left behind with the strange adults. But she bravely promised Eiji that she would be a good girl and look after Tama whilst they were gone. 

Eiji and Tyne carefully drove towards the outskirts of Koumi City with Shuu guiding them on roads he was certain had no kenpei presence. It was the way he had taken to ensure the escape and refuge of Kou, Yuri's and Akira's parents. 

Unfortunately, a lot of the locals had been incarcerated in a truck that was destined for the prison encampment. Eiji had promised Shuu to save those locals and bring some sense back to town.

They drove behind Shuu's family cottage acting as a safe house.

Mei and Aiyama-san had seen their approaching vehicle. They hastily gathered their bags and had the kids sneak out of the secret escape hole in the back room.  Shuu intercepted them on the porch before they could make a break. 

"It's only us." He reassured the women. 

The women followed him around to where the car was parked on the grass. 

Aiyama-san's eyes felt they were betraying her when a foreigner stepped out of the passenger side of the car.

"It's not possible." She gasped, hoping her words were a lie.

The man had yet to see her. Unaware of her eyes tracing his masculine jawline and body contours that were familiar to her. Tears welled in her eyes with a prayer that those familiar features were real.

"Tyne." The name instinctively came out of her mouth.

Tyne paused. His heart pounded with hope at the voice he had just heard.

"God. Please. Let the voice be real," he whispered as he slowly turned to face a woman in a kimono standing on the porch.

Tears dripped from his eyes as he watched her tentatively approach him.

"Are you real?" Aiyama-san stepped closer towards him.

Time slowed to stillness and peace. The sunlight made clear her image. Memories of the woman he loved soothed his troubled mind. 

The others stepped back to make room for them. Looking on with curiosity. 

Tyne lips quivered with tears, unable to speak the name of his lover. Least her image faded from him. 

They both stopped a few meters before each other. Wanting each other to be real, but were scared to reach out to one another in case their touch dispelled their images like a dream.

Tyne took the plunge. He raced for her with all his might. Aiyama-san laughed as he flew into his outstretched arms, which were solid and real.

"Oh, God. Thank you!" She cried.

Tyne looked at her lovely face through tears of joy. She was in his arms. His beautiful and brilliant Hinata. 

"Tyne?" Eiji drew his attention away for the moment.

Tyne gave Eiji a teary confirmation. "My wife." 

Eiji nodded with understanding and happiness for him.  Shuu sighed. He couldn't hate the foreign man for that moment. 

"We have to hurry.  The information I had gathered from Mimaki had indicated a final truck convoy was going to pass through here about now. We can follow it back to where the others are," Shuu said. 

Eiji looked to Tyne who was still hugging his woman. 

"Tyne. I'm going to get my Hinata back. Stay here." Eiji cockily called out to him. It was obvious Tyne wasn't going to go anywhere. 

He ambled back into the car with Shuu.