Chapter Two

"Breath into this." Dr. Satomi Takagi instructed as she held an incentive spirometer towards Miyoko. Miyoko obeyed, holding the tube as she breathed into the mouthpiece. She breathed in slowly, the piston rising. It only went up to 60, the effort causing her to cough when she pulled away.

"It's still below normal, but your medicine is making better progress after I increased the dosage." Dr. Takagi commented. She put the spirometer in a small drawer across from the hospital bed and pulled her stethoscope from her slender neck and into her ears. "Now I'll check your lungs."

Miyoko shifted uncomfortably on the crinkled paper sheet that lay across the bed. Dr. Takagi put the stethoscope to her chest, ordering her to inhale each time. It only took her a matter of minutes before she removed her stethoscope and placed it back onto her neck. "You're still wheezing terribly. Have you been doing any physical activities lately?"

"I've been doing some work for the community. Nothing big, just small end jobs…" Miyoko glanced down at her hands, avoiding her doctor's gaze.

"You can do that, but try to limit yourself. Have you been walking to school? I understand you don't live in this town." Dr. Takagi asked, writing some notes onto her clipboard.

Miyoko shook her head. "No. I ride my bike, but I don't go fast."

"Good. I'll inform the school about how your condition is going. Your father…. has he ceased his smoking?" Dr. Takagi glanced at her, her voice in a low tone.

"No, but he goes outside whenever he does now." Miyoko replied. "We don't see each other much, so I'm not around him much anyway."

"I would personally like to speak with him about that. With the severity of your asthma being greater than normal, it could cause many issues for you in the future. Other than that, you're free to go. I'll see you in a month, Sakai-san." Dr. Takagi finished up her paperwork. "My intern will give you your next appointment date."

The intern in question had entered the room, as if she had been summoned. She was a gorgeous woman, with a slender model figure and thick wavy hair. She was much taller than average, looking around 5'7. Just the essence of her made Miyoko feel self conscious and she suddenly felt aware of her short stature.

"You're Miyoko Sakai, correct?" She turned to Miyoko, looking at her through a pair of glasses. Miyoko nodded. "Yes."

"I'll schedule your next appointment for September 23, exactly a month from now. It'll be at 5 pm, so it won't affect your schooling." Nozomi handed her a piece of paper with her appointment written on it. "Please travel safely."

"Thank you." She bowed to the two women before heading out of the room. She was silently grateful to be away from the room. She went monthly for checkups, though his dislike for hospitals still remained every time. This checkup, however, seemed even agonizing in regards to time.

I'm late… Hana-chan and Shin-chan will be gone if I don't get there in time. Miyoko thought in annoyance at herself. The library is closed tomorrow…

With a sigh, she unlocked her bike from in front of the hospital and climbed onto it. She hurriedly pedaled through the streets, careful to avoid anyone. The streets were calmer now since she'd left school, though there was still the occasional person walking across the street.

Miyoko arrived at the library after 30 minutes. She locked her bike in front of the small building and pulled her school bag that'd slipped down onto her forearm up to its original perch on her shoulder. Her chest burned from her rushed trip and her wind battered hair made her long thick braid frizzed and out of place. She stifled a cough, ignoring the dry urge in her throat. She cleared her throat and straightened her hair as best she could before pushing open the door to the library.

"Sakai-san, you seemed to be in a hurry." The librarian greeted her, a kind smile spreading across her lips.

"Yes, my apologies." Miyoko replied. "Where's Hana-chan and Shin-chan?"

"They're over there." The elderly lady pointed to the corner filled with children's books. Two children were sitting across from each other at a desk, looking deeply at some picture books.

Shinichirou, a boy no older than 5, looked up at the sound of Miyoko's approaching, his eyes lighting up at the sight. His sister, Hanako, immediately followed his brother's gaze. "Sis! You're here!" She leaped out of her chair and ran up to Miyoko.

"You're late. We were worried." Shinichirou told her as he joined his sister, his dark eyes glowing with joy.

"Sorry, guys. I had something to do. But, I brought you gifts. I remembered Hana-chan's birthday was tomorrow, but I didn't want to leave you out, Shin-chan." Miyoko explained, rummaging through her school bag. "I know you liked my keychain last time you saw it, so I got you one of your own." She pulled out the item in question, a plush cat keychain, similar to the one hanging from the handle of Miyoko's bag. This one was a calico with yellow eyes, in contrast to Miyoko's white one with green eyes, though it still was special to Hanako. The small girl took it happily. "It's so cute! Thank you, sis!"

"What about me? What do I get?" Shinichirou asked in an impatient excitement.

Miyoko got out his gift next. "I thought a keychain would seem too girly to you, but there was a sweets shop next to the store. So, I got you some konpeito. I remember you said it was your favorite." She handed him to neatly wrapped sugar candies, filled with a variety of colors.

"Thanks, sis!" Shinichirou took the small bag gratefully.

"I'm glad you like it. I'll have a new story for you two next week. Have you been practicing your reading?" Miyoko asked them, looking down at them each in turn.

"Uh-huh! Reading is fun!" Hanako replied, holding her keychain in her tiny hands. The two siblings were only 4 and 5 years old, neither of them in elementary school. Instead, they'd always stay with their grandmother at the library while their parents worked. Miyoko was a regular, creating stories for the kids to read every time she visited. She even adopted the title of their older sister, though they weren't truly related. They're such good kids… I know they'll do well.

"Good. Keep at it." Miyoko told her, placing a hand on Hanako's head. "You too, Shin-chan."

"I will, sis! I'll be better in no time!" Shinichirou promised.

"I know you will." She ruffled his dark brown hair, much to his slight embarrassment. "Anyway, I better go. I'll come back next week, I promise! Bye, you two!" She disliked the thought of leaving so soon, but the ride home would be too difficult by bike. Though it took 30 minutes by car, getting there by bike took much longer. It was a grueling process for Miyoko, and by the time she'd returned home, the sun was starting to set in the humid sky.

Her house was more modern than the ones she'd seen near her school, with white walls and a gray shingled roof, bordered by a brick gate with a name plate saying 'Sakai' on it. She unlatched the gate, placing her bike beside several flowers and bushes her mom took care of, before heading inside.

Miyoko removed her shoes at the door, hoping her mother wouldn't hear her return.

"Miyoko? Is that you?" Her mom called for her from the living room.

"Yes, it's me." Miyoko replied, concealing her disappointment.

Her mother came into the room, brushing out her black hair. "A simple doctor's appointment shouldn't have taken so long. Your hair looks horrible, what have you been doing?" She didn't give Miyoko a chance to reply. "I got you some reference materials for medical schools. I know you have two years left, but it's a good thing to consider…. What?" She paused in her brushing to look into her daughter's gaze.

Miyoko wished she hadn't let even a spark of disappointment show. "It's just… I would rather write. I like to write and…" Her voice trailed off at her mother's sigh.

"Miyoko… we've been over this. We're not doing that, remember? You'd do good in the medical field. Writing is just a hobby. You could never make a real career out of that." She caressed Miyoko's cheek with her hand. "I just want what's best for you. Now, go to your room. I'll call you for dinner."

Miyoko didn't say anything other than a quiet, "Yes, Mom…" and headed upstairs to her room, immediately closing the door behind her.

She sighed heavily, collapsing onto her bed. She finally felt as if she could erase her facade for the night, removing the mask that veiled her true feelings. It was like a creature mentally attacking her every day, nagging at her every choice and decision. That creature was Yuki Sakai, the woman who wanted to force her own hopeless dreams onto her daughter. Miyoko sometimes felt like her mother even blamed her for the life she'd lost. Maybe she did, Miyoko could never tell. She closed her eyes, wishing nothing more than to sleep at that moment.

"Mrrrow?" The soft white muzzle brushed against Miyoko's hand. She opened her eyes to see the regal frame of her cat. "Mrrow?" The cat repeated, looking at her with wide green eyes.

"Ah, sorry, Miruku-chan. I didn't mean to ignore you." Miyoko apologized, stroking her cat's fur. "I hope you weren't too lonely while I was gone." She sat up from her bed, trading the comfort of her sheets to stand in front of a slim mirror at the corner of her room.

She looked at herself, immediately noticing every flaw she had. Her face was applied with slight makeup in an attempt to hide any issues. Her lips were glossed with pink lipstick, her eyes lined with a black eyeliner, the only two features that she thought stood out among the rest of her face. Even her school uniform, the school's plain navy blue blazer, white dress shirt, and plaid gray skirt, didn't look correct to her. Unlike most girls, she wore a black ribbon tied under her collar instead of the usual black necktie, though even that wasn't right. Her frame was too small for the uniform, making her blazer and skirt longer than they should be. She hated even looking at herself. She was shorter than the girls in her class and her measurements were too slim. She bit her lip at the sight of herself, turning away from the mirror. I'm not good enough for them nor will I ever be. I could try and I'd still gain nothing… she thought in bitter annoyance.

Miyoko's brown gaze flickered to the object next to her mirror, the true cause of her isolation. A framed picture of the closest person she knew, her friend of several years. A gorgeous girl, with long brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a dark gray seifuku. Tae-chan… She averted her gaze at the thought. Taeko Iwanaga was her best friend since elementary school and her neighbor for 10 years. The two grew up together and went to the same elementary school and middle school. Tae-chan preferred the town… she liked that middle school. It was Miyoko's sole reason to attend her current school. It's been 2 years… She reminded herself solemnly. Taeko had disappeared when they were in the last months of their 2nd year of middle school. Miyoko had come to terms with the high probability that her close friend was dead, but she couldn't bear to search for her. Anyone who also knew her disappeared from the public, hiding in their houses or moving away. The only mention of Taeko anymore was people on the internet, slandering her and any of the victims who disappeared. And now it's happening again… this messed up cycle.

Miyoko had only heard about the news of Takeshi Sakata from her school, but she still couldn't deny the presence of the lingering thoughts that persisted her. Whoever had killed Taeko did this too. Whatever had put a gap in their spree for the past two years had ended and the killer was drawn again to their cruel work. She'd originally wanted to look into it, to get justice for all the harm this murderer had done, though she was unable to in the end. At the mention of the crime and Taeko, Yuki Sakai turned off the news channel and told her to, "Never bring that girl up again. You should've never spoken to her! She ruined you!", and sent her off to her room with her "medication." Miyoko's father merely said nothing, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and exiting the house to light one up.

It had been like that for the past two years and Miyoko had secluded herself since then. She didn't want friends, they'd leave her like they all did, and she continued to put on the mask every day. It's not like she hadn't gone to therapists before, her mother made sure of that, but as soon as the news started talking about Taeko, they all didn't want involvement with any of the press. They'd sign her up for medication and clear her to leave. When she got into high school, she tried to speak to teachers about everything. Her mother's constant badgering and claiming how insane her daughter had become, Taeko's disappearance and the press asking her for interviews on the subject, but in the end, no one believed her. Her grades were top class, she never did any delinquent activities… someone like that could never be like that. After that, she gave up trying. She never spoke to anyone unless she felt inclined and her free time was spent alone in her room, writing books about a content life she'd never gain.

Miyoko forced herself to clear her thoughts, turning away from the picture. Instead, she fumbled with the band that kept her hair tied in a braid, loosening its grip. She ran a brush through her long, navy hair, untangling any knots or waves left by the braid before trading her uniform for a pair of night clothes. I'll wash them in the morning. She decided, not wanting to see her mother anymore that night. She glanced at the papers her mother had laid out onto her desk next to her pencil case of a black cat. She wants what's best for me, huh? Yet she's really just making me do what she wanted. Most of the materials were from a prestigious academy in a metropolis area of Tokyo. Her mother had always been bitter about the country side of Akita where they resided and dreamed about moving to Tokyo one day. It's her dream though. Not mine. Miyoko preferred the quiet tranquility of the country and the traditional atmosphere it brought. If she had to move, she'd like somewhere like Kyoto for its history. She'd even based one of her books she wrote in Kyoto, though it'd never seen the light of day. She never published a book officially nor did she have the nerve to do so. It doesn't matter either way. With someone like her around, I'd never be able to choose my own life…

Ignoring the papers, she returned to her bed and laid down, Miruku curling onto her stomach. She placed a hand onto her cat's thick fur, feeling the vibration of Miruku's purrs, and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her.