Chapter 1

-2003-

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"Hello?�

"Oh hi mom�No, I wasn�t doing anything�huh? You want me to come back? Why?�

"Something important,� answered her mother on the other line, �I want you to come back to Tokyo, we want you to meet Tama.�

"Wait, wait, hold on just a second�who or what is Tama?�

"Well�ummm�he�s your fiancé�,� her mother answered.

"Mom! How can I have a fianc�é when I never had a boyfriend yet?� she was getting a little impatient. Was this for real or was her mother playing a very bad joke?

"He�s the son of a very close friend of ours�you�ve met him before when you were younger,� she listened as her mother continued to sell this man to her, �besides it would be very beneficial to us if the two of you were to tie the knot. It�s a business strategy honey, I hope you understand. You know that if he were a bad person we would never do this in the first place�your father and I want the best for you�and so far Tama is it.�

"But mom! I can�t marry someone I met when I was a kid! Plus I don�t even love him�it would hurt the both of us in the long run.� Her tears ran down her face, she couldn�t believe her mother was selling her off just for �business reasons.�

"No buts young lady�we�ve given you plenty of time to find the right guy and so far you haven�t so we�re deciding your fate. I expect you to arrive at Tokyo no later than two days�you hear!�

"But�� her mother hung up before she had a chance to defend herself.

"Grandma!� Kokoro ran to her beloved grandma for consolation.

"Dear, what�s wrong?� the old lady held Kokoro while wiping away her tears, �tell me what happened.�

"Mom & Dad want me to marry this guy I�ve never met all because they want to complete a merger with his family�s company,� she sniffled as she poured her heart and soul to the old woman, �how can parents do this to their children�they don�t love me anymore!�

"Kokoro, you know in your heart your parents love you�you�re their only child�there are no parents in the world that don�t love their children.� The old woman tried to comfort her dear grandchild.

"Then why don�t they let me decide my own fate?�

"Because they want you to be happy, they don�t want to see you become an old maid and later regret never having gotten married all because you�re such a feminist.�

"But it�s not fair�I want to find my true love by myself and not have false love.� Kokoro wiped the tears from her face.

"Let�s do it this way,� the old woman said cheerfully, �go back to Tokyo and meet this Tama fellow, if he�s a jerk or you don�t like him; talk to your parents again before doing anything rash. Give him a chance to show himself to you�and from there you can decide whether or not you want to marry him�sound good to you?�

"What if they don�t listen to me?�

"They will, I will make them! Only the best for my granddaughter!� Her grandma had a huge smile on her face and kissed Kokoro�s forehead, which dried the tears from Kokoro�s face and replaced it with a smile.

"Okay then, I�ll go back to Tokyo�but you have to promise you�ll help me.�

"You�re my darling granddaughter, there is nothing in the world I would not do for you,� the old woman promised, �now let�s get you packing, alright?�

"Um huh!� Kokoro went to her room and started packing her suitcase. She would show this Tama fellow it was a mistake to mess with her. She would make him break off the marriage so she wouldn�t have to break her promise with her parents about marrying him. He was messing with the wrong girl.

Chapter 2

"WHAT!!??� Tama almost choked on his toast, �you want me to what?!�

"Get married,� his father and mother answered in unison.

"But why? What did I do to deserve such a punishment?� Tama was begging for his life, �are you still angry that I decided to major in art and not business management?�

"No�� answered his father, �but that�s another story.�

"We just wanted you to settle down,� his mother cheerfully answered, �besides you�re not seeing anyone at the moment�are you?�

"Well�no�but that doesn�t mean I want you to find me a wife!� He thought his parents were delirious. How could they even think he wanted to settle down�let alone find a wife for him.

"Let�s say that this union would help out our business a lot,� his father tried to persuade him, �the girl isn�t all bad looking at all�you could say she�s quite a looker!�

"Father!� his wife pinched him, �Tama�please give this a chance. At least get a chance to know her before you decide to do anything.�

"Fine�if you guys think that she�s the best girl out there�I�ll give her a chance,� Tama resolved to not marry her, �I�ll prove you wrong, that you guys picked the wrong girl!� He stormed off in a fit of rage into his studio.

"We�ll see who�s wrong�� his father smirked and continued to eat his breakfast. Tama�s mother was worried that her son would do something crazy, but her husband consoled her by saying they should know their son well by now.

---In the Studio---

"I�ll prove them wrong�then they�ll think twice about ever arranging a marriage for me again!� He sat down angrily at his easel and turned to look at the painting he could never finish.

Despite years of slaving over it in college he could never finish it. What was it about this painting that had him worry and spend many sleepless nights over it?

The painting resulted from his childhood memory. It took him forever just to mix the right pigments for the colors. He was determined to finish it one day, but there was no inspiration�he didn�t� know why but this was the hardest painting for him to finish. Tama shook his head, whenever he looked at this particular painting, it always seemed to make him feel calmer.

"Until I can finish this painting�I won�t get married to anyone!� That was his vow. Tama was already thinking up ways of making his soon-to-be wife miserable so she would have to pull out and not want to marry him. At the age of 25, he was too obsessed with his art studio to worry about miscellaneous things such as marriage. Besides, if he did choose to get married it would be for love and not for his parent�s business.

Chapter 3

"It�s raining heavily outside missus,� Thik, the chauffer commented as he looked outside, �are you sure you want to travel back today Missus Kokoro?�

"I�m sure,� Kokoro was intent on having a quick end to her situation, �I want to get everything settled before my parents decide to do anymore husband-picking for me.�

"Okay then, if you insist, I�ll bring the car around.� He went around into the garage and got her grandfather�s Mercedes Benz.

"Oh�it�s really coming down,� her grandfather mused as he came up to her side, �are you sure you want to go home now? Why not wait till the weather clears up.� He was genuinely concerned for her safety, �The weatherman reported that this would be one of the worst storms ever.�

"Grandpa,� Kokoro put her arms around the old man, �I�ll be alright.� She smiled her famous smiles that melted his heart and allowed her to do whatever she wanted. Thik brought the car around, and after receiving hugs and kisses from her grandparents, Kokoro took to the passenger seat and they were off.

"Missus, it�s very bad weather don�t you think?� Thik was very worried about the safety of his master�s only grandchild. If anything ever happened to Kokoro, he knew it would be his head that would be rolling.

"Yeah, I�ve never seen such a wild storm in my life,� Kokoro answered him but her mind was off elsewhere. She was saddened to have left her grandparents to face a destiny she had no part in. She looked at the raindrops that swam furiously by her window and wished she was as free as them�to do whatever they wanted.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dog ran out into the streets. Thik swerved to avoid hitting it, causing the car to hydroplane off the road.

"Aaahhhh!!!� Kokoro screamed as the car spun out of control and�

>>>>CRASH!!!<<<<

The rain came down even heavier than before. Thik felt the water from the roof of the car. He struggled to move and slowly came to his senses. The car had hit a tree�the front was totaled, practically gone through half of the tree.

"Missus�� Thik tried to move and look for Kokoro, �are you alright miss��

"Oh my god!!!� Thik was shocked at the sight he saw�

Kokoro had forgotten to wear her seatbelt when she got into the car. Her body laid across the front of the car. The impact was so hard that Kokoro flew through the windshield, half of her body was lying on the hood, while the rest was across the dashboard. Blood was everywhere.

"Missus Kokoro!� Thik was on the verge of break down, frantic of whether the young missus would be dead�suddenly he saw her hand move a little. Thik picked up his cell phone and dialed the police. He dared not touch Kokoro in fear that what precious life she had left would be taken away. A few minutes later sirens came blasting down the road towards the scene of the accident.

Chapter 4

Darkness�footsteps�they�re coming closer�I turn around but I can�t see anyone.

"Somebody�help me! Where is this place?�

"Is anyone there? Who are you?�

A voice calls out to me and I walk towards it. I can�t see anyone�where am I?

"Can somebody please help me�why am I the only one here? Are you there?

The voice calls out again, but I can�t make out what it�s saying.

"Please�where are you? Don�t leave me alone�Mom�Dad�if only you two were here.�

I can no longer hear the footsteps�they slowly vanish from my hearing. There is nothing but silence�silence and darkness�

Chapter 5

Kokoro�s mother broke down as she and her husband raced to the hospital to see their daughter. Kokoro was listed in critical condition, and the doctor told her parents the good news that she was still alive�the bad news was she fell into a deep coma and was not expected to wake up any time soon.

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"Hello Hikaru residence,�

"Mariko what�s wrong?��.�Oh my gosh! That�s horrible�we�ll be there as soon as possible.�

*Click*

"Father�� Mrs. Hikaru called for her husband.

"Mother, I�m in the den,� Mr. Hikaru sensed a weird tone in his wife�s voice, �Dear, what is it?�

"Horrible news father,� She was frantic, �Mariko has just called to say that Kokoro got into an accident last night and right now is at the hospital in critical condition. She also said Kokoro was expected to live, but she�s deep asleep in a coma.�

"That�s terrible�which hospital are they at�we have to get going.�

"Right�I�ll ask Tama to come to�it�s only right,� Mrs. Hikaru rushed to her son�s studio, �Tama, quick come with me and your father to the hospital!�

"Mom, what�s wrong�did someone get hurt?� Tama was quite confused.

"Your fiancée has gotten into a horrible accident last night and is in a coma at the hospital�quickly we�re going to see her.�

"Okay mom, let me get a jacket.� Tama picked up his jacket from the chair and followed his mother to where the car was. In a few seconds, the Hikaru family were blazing off to the hospital.

In the car, Tama could not help think about this girl to whom he was betrothed.

"I can�t believe it�� Tama didn�t want to think that such a fate could befall someone; however, he could not help but think selfishly that if she were to stay in the coma, he would not have to marry her.

"No! Don�t think that way,� he scolded himself, �I�m sure she didn�t want to marry me either�well�at least I think so???� Tama was getting a headache from answering his own questions.

Finally, they arrived at the hospital and all three rushed inside to find out where Kokoro was.

"Excuse me,� Mr. Hikaru asked the nurse at the desk, �could you please tell us where Kokoro Taru is? We�re friends of the family.�

"She�s in room IC125,� replied the nurse, �I�ll have someone take you there, but you�ll have to change into more appropriate attire before I can let you see the patient.�

The nurse then took them to a room to have them change into smocks. She then led them into the Intensive Care Unit were they met up with Kokoro�s parents. Mariko eyes were swollen from all the crying while her husband tried to console her. When Mrs. Hikaru walked in, Mariko ran to her and fell into her arms crying.

"Now, now Mariko,� Mrs. Hikaru wanted to console her best friend, �I�m sure Kokoro will get out of the coma soon, she is a good person�she will get through this.�

"My�only�daughter�� Mariko attempted to speak through her sobs but couldn�t.

"Can we go in and visit her?� Mrs. Hikaru asked, �If that is fine with you, Mariko?�

Mariko wiped the tears from her face and led the family into the room where Kokoro was. Tama was shocked�she was hooked up to all these respirators, heart monitors, and other hospital equipment. He carefully went in for a closer look, to see what his parents saw in this girl that made them want her for their daughter-in-law.

Her face was pale, the doctor said she lost a large amount of blood, which may be why her body wasn�t responding to anything and went into a coma. Tama realized that she was actually decent looking, but he still didn�t want to get married to her. He touched her had and felt a small electrical shock.

"Whoa! What was that?� Tama was rubbing his hand, why did he get an electrical charge from her body? �Must�ve been all these wires she�s hooked up to.�

"We should leave them alone,� Mrs. Hikaru spoke to the other adults in regards to her son. The adults filed out of the room, which gave Tama a chance to tell the sleeping Kokoro his intentions.

"I know you can�t hear me�but I want to tell you I really don�t want to get married,� Tama began, �it�s me and not you. I hope you understand�I want to marry a real girl who I can love, and not Sleeping Beauty.�

Tama backed away from Kokoro�s bedside and walked out of the room.

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