Stars Fell on Tokyo | ✓

11 | pearl harbor

       LOUANNE COULDN'T SLEEP after that, growing restless with every minute. She couldn't close her eyes without even thinking about the attack on Pearl Harbor, something that was going to live in her mind for the rest of her life. Until the morning sun rose, she was staring up at the window.

        After last night, she had no intention of getting out of bed for a while because of how conflicted she was. She was paralyzed at the thought of her father who seemed like a gentle and quiet soul being forced to do the devil's bidding. Louanne wanted to leave the house and just run. Go away where she can be alone and even if she could, where would she go? Getting lost in Japan wasn't something that she wanted to experience this summer. Instead, she ran far from the house until Louanne found herself underneath the cherry blossom tree.

      She began looking at her reflection in the lake, a single tear slowly rolled down her soft cheek and it caused a ripple after it dropped. She didn't know whether to be angry or sad at the fact that her father hid the truth from her and perhaps she shouldn't blame him for it. Louanne wondered how the people of Hawai'i treated him as the enemy before he met her mother. And she wondered why he didn't tell her from the start.

       Out of the blue, Kohei's face appeared in the reflection next to her. She wasn't too fazed by his presence but she quickly wiped away her tears as he looked at her, with concern in his eyes. "Lou? Are you okay? I stopped by your grandparents' house so that way we go out together-I mean hang out together again today but they said that you left. My first thought was that you were here," he explained, "I guess I was right,"

      "I'm so sorry, Kohei. I just have a lot on my mind and figured the coming to our spot would hopefully clear my head," she said, trying to brush off the tear dripping from the tip of her chin.

      "Most people would come to a place like this. It's peaceful and in a way... romantic. But everyone needs a friend once in a while to share their troubles with and right now-you're in a dire need of that friend," Kohei did his very best to put on a smile for her.

    "Well, I've just found out that my father was one of the people who attacked Pearl Harbor in the second world war,"

      "My mother told me about the war and how things were back then. I don't think I can forget about my country's part in the war. I'm so sorry," he scoots closer to her, "how are you feeling?"

       "I don't know what to feel. I want to be angry at him for not telling me from the very beginning and the other part is that I know that he was just trying to do all of this for my own good. He wasn't proud of the man that he once was and hearing about his past is starting to make me forget about the loving, caring, and gentle part of him too,"

      "Hmm, don't get me wrong but anyone would lie if it means to protect their friends and family. I'm not saying lying is the right thing to do but it'd be my last resort if it means that I would have to do it for the people I love," Kohei saw his face in the clear water, having thought to look at her but decided against it, "we can't change the past even if we wanted to but there's nothing left to do is come to grips with it and hope that in the future we'll choose peace instead of violence."

       "I hope for that future too. Thank you for cheering me up, Kohei," Louanne smiled at him.

       The corner of his lips perked up, "No problem, and to be completely honest right now... You look pretty when you smile," Kohei blushed but he didn't want to look away from her. With each and every second, it feels like time has frozen all around the two of them. The pink petals of the cherry blossoms lazily fell from the trees as the soft wind blows.

      Louanne and Kohei hadn't realized that their faces were getting closer to each other as a minute goes by until... they stopped moving. Louanne retracted herself from practically kissing him.

      She cleared her throat. "Um, sorry about that! So what do we do now? There's so much of Japan that I want to explore,"

      "I am so glad you asked-" he quickly jumps up to his feet, his hands on his hips as he smiled proudly when his confidence had risen up— "Miss Yamasaki, it'll be an honor to guide you on this quest... if you will allow me?"

      "Well, I'd love nothing more than to have your company, Mr. Isa," she smiled widely back at him.

      Kohei reached out his hand to her, lifting her up to her feet. "Then there's no time like the present," He said.

      "Then let's go!" Louanne smiled back at him.