Time After Time 🌹 Daniel LaRusso [1]

Chapter 18: So, Coward... You Return

They arrive at an airplane hangar. I knew these guys were weird, the girl thinks. The car pulls into the empty hangar and Chozen gets out of the vehicle. "Out!" he commands. The trio looks at each other in confusion before climbing out of the car. "What's going on?" Daniel questions. "No talking!" Chozen booms as he opens the trunk and dumps their bags out. "Uncle! Uncle!" he calls out as he stares into the distance. Rosalía follows his line of vision, confused about why he's calling his uncle. The door in front of them opens and a man walks out. The three can't make out who it is, however, due to the darkness. The mystery man walks closer to them and Mr. Miyagi instantly recognizes him as he comes into view. "Sato," he voices. Daniel and Rosalía look at him shocked.

"So, coward... you return."

"To settle affairs with father."

"And with me."

"Sato, I no fight you," Mr. Miyagi says, shaking his head. Sato keeps his emotionless expression. "Then you die as you have lived... a coward!" he claims. His nephew opens the car door for him and he strides over before turning to face Mr. Miyagi. "You see your father... then you see me!" he bellows. The couple watches in shock, not believing how this man is threatening their friend's life. Sato climbs into the backseat and hands Daniel's book to Chozen, who tosses it on the ground. The boy quickly goes to pick it up and just watches him get into the driver's seat.

The car drives off and the three just stare after it. "Man, that guy was hardcore," Rosalía comments. Mr. Miyagi starts walking and Daniel asks, "What are you gonna do?" The older man only says, "find taxi." The couple remains in place. "No, about Sato," Daniel clarifies. Mr. Miyagi stops in his tracks and replies, "nothing." He grabs his luggage and resumes walking. "Nothing?" the pair asks in unison. "Nothing," Miyagi repeats.

They look at each other and the boy asks, "are you okay?" He grasps Rosalía's shoulders and analyzes her face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry," she assures him with a grin. She nods her head in the older man's direction, suggesting that they follow suit. The girl grabs her bag but Daniel takes it from her hand and gives her the book instead. "I got it," he tells her, making her heart flutter at his attentiveness. They catch up with Mr. Miyagi. "All this because you had to go and tell everybody you were gonna marry Yukie?" the boy questions.

"Hai."

"Why didn't you just marry her and then- and- move to Alaska?" he asks again. "Daniel-san, nobody perfect," the man answers. The girl shakes her head. "So no matter where I go, I cannot escape toxic masculinity, huh?" Rosalía remarks, huffing.

*Time skip*

The taxi moves through a construction zone. A man in a military uniform comes up to the car window. "Where you going, buddy?" he asks. "Tomi Village," Miyagi yells over the loud noise. "Tomi Village?" the man repeats. "Yeah," Mr. Miyagi confirms. "Never heard of it! This is Kadena Airbase," the man responds. Mr. Miyagi glances at the pair. "Sarge, Tomi Village?" he yells to someone. "You're standing on it, Corporal! Get them out of here!" the person shouts back. I knew it, Rosalía thinks, rolling her eyes.

"Right. Just take that road and make a right," the man instructs the taxi driver. The driver takes off and Mr. Miyagi pipes up, "oi, Daniel-san, Rosalía-san, Miyagi remember first time father teach fishing right off this point. Was 1927... was much quieter then." Damn, this dude is old, the girl thinks. "I'm really looking forward to seeing where you grew up," she comments. Mr. Miyagi smiles. "Excited to show you," he responds. The three observe the passing scenery, taking in everything they see. They finally arrive at their destination and exit the taxi.

"Thank you," Rosalía says to the driver. "Thanks a lot," Daniel speaks at the same time. "Hai," the driver replies before driving away. The pair walks through the front gate and studies the house. This is very charming. "Take off shoe," Mr. Miyagi whispers as they near the front door. They immediately kick off their shoes before the man knocks. A woman's voice sounds from inside the house and they can see her figure approaching. The door glides open to reveal a pretty girl who looks around Rosalía and Daniel's age.

Her face lights up when she sees Mr. Miyagi. "Ah, Miyagi-san!" she voices, making the man respond, "hai." She continues, "Auntie Yukie said you would come." The two teens just stay behind the man, smiling kindly at the girl. "Yukie, where is she?" Mr. Miyagi quickly asks. She glances at the pair skeptically before looking back at the man. "Eh... nursing your father," she answers. Miyagi thanks her before walking off. The couple stays behind. "Hi, I'm Rosalía and this is Daniel," Rosalía introduces themselves to the girl. "Hi, I am Kumiko. Please," she kindly says, gesturing for them to pass. "Thank you," the couple simultaneously responds before walking through.

"Hai," she returns, following after them. The three watch from the door as Mr. Miyagi enters the room. Wow, she's still so beautiful, Rosalía thinks as she observes Yukie. She looks at the old man in the bed, causing a wave of sadness to wash over her. The three view Mr. Miyagi bow and kneel at his father's side as Yukie stares at him. The tension between the ex-lovers is high. Daniel notices the upset look on his girlfriend's face and circles his arm around her shoulders. Yukie finally speaks to Mr. Miyagi. "He sleeping," she informs.

The teens listen to their conversation, which makes Rosalía's heart break. It breaks even more and she holds Daniel tighter when Yukie reveals that she never got married. This would 've been so different if one of them had just reached out to the other. Mr. Miyagi's father speaks up out of the blue. "What did he say?" Daniel asks Kumiko. "If I am dreaming, let me never awake. If I am awake, let me never sleep," she translates. The boy glances down at Rosalía, who looks up at him with a sad smile. It's a beautiful sentiment, she thinks.

*Time skip*

Kumiko gives the couple a short tour of the house after Mr. Miyagi and Yukie finish nursing his father. "This place is very beautiful," Rosalía compliments, smiling at the girl. "Hai! Come, I show you to your room," Kumiko replies. She starts walking but suddenly halts. "Uh, you want two room or one?" she questions. Daniel and Rosalía look at her skeptically. "You're together, no?" Kumiko asks, pointing between the two. "Oh," Rosalía utters as she and the boy chuckle. "Uh, yeah we are but um... what do you think?" she looks up at Daniel. He blushes, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden. "Oh, um..." he clears his throat.

Rosalía turns back to the girl in front of her and says, "we'll share a room." Kumiko smiles and nods, gesturing for them to follow her. Rosalía glances at Daniel, who's staring at her, shocked and red-faced. She grins and casually shrugs before walking after Kumiko. She doesn't see the problem with sharing a room with her boyfriend. It's not like they've never been in a room alone together. They've had plenty of super-heated makeout sessions before but never went all the way, which is why Daniel feels so timid about sleeping in the same room as his girlfriend for six months.

Kumiko leads them to their room before leaving them alone. The two get settled in and get ready for bed. They crawl into the bed and lay face-to-face. Daniel caresses the girl's face, stroking her cheek with his thumb before running it over her lips. Her heart pounds as she sees the adoring look on his face. "Hm," she suddenly chuckles. "What?" the boy whispers. "This is like our first getaway together... well, with Mr. Miyagi but still," Rosalía answers. Daniel chuckles and smiles widely. "Yeah, I think it counts," he replies. "Good," the girl says with a soft smile. Daniel places his finger under her chin, slightly lifting her head, and plants a slow loving kiss on her lips.

"Goodnight, Juárez."

"Goodnight, LaRusso."