Tokyo, Japan

An eight years old girl was walking home after school. She opened the front door of her house and came in. A pregnant woman had been standing in the living room, looking at her daughter who came home.

“How is your mathematics test, Harada? Do you get a good score?” Her mother asked.

Her daughter looked down before she took off her bag to take her paper test. “Mom.. I got a bad score.. Daddy must be mad.” She said in disappoinment.

Her mother smiled as she knelt in front of her daughter, taking the paper from her hands. She looked at score. “You just got sixty three?”

The little girl sighed in despairing. “Yes.. I planned to make a surprise for Dad that I would get eighty in mathematics. But, I failed... If I got eighty score, Daddy would take me to his favorite place next Sunday.”

“Do you mean that your dad’s paradise?”

She nodded. “Yes.. He said that it’s so beautiful.”

“You still have another chance. All you have to do is study hard and get the best score in the next test. So, your dad will take you to that place.” She stared at her daughter’s sad face. She put her hands on her cheeks, so her daughter would look at her. With her sweet smile, she told her. “Listen to me, your dad won’t get mad because of this matter. You can pass the test with eighty score next time. Believe and keep it in your mind. Don’t be sad, sweety...”

“All right... Mom?” She called.

“Yes?”

“I love Daddy so much. That’s why I’ll always try to be the best daughter for him. I want to make him proud. I promise to get eighty score in the next test. I won’t disappoint him again.” She said enthusiastically.

Her mother smiled as she caressed her long hair. “That’s good! I love him too.. Your dad is an amazing man, good-looking, understanding, and righteous. He is the one who could make me leaving my sorrow and pain. He gave me a world and love to believe in when I almost gave up in love.”

Suddenly, her daughter looked interested. “Really? Mom, tell me more about Dad. How was your first meeting with him?”

Her mother got up and sat on the couch. “Sit here, Harada.. I’ll tell you our past story.” She told her.

Her daugther quickly sat beside her mother and listened carefully to her story.

--- FLASHBACK ---

A young man was sitting on the bench near the statue of Hachiko in Tokyo’s Shibuya Station. He looked at his watch. It was 4.49 pm. His face looked so bored right now.

“I’ve been waiting here for almost fifty minutes. Why is there no sign of someone picking me up?” He said as he looked around him. "I feel like I'm the second Hachiko here."

Then, he saw a woman walked in his direction and stopped in front of him. “Are you Otohata Rei?” She asked.

“Yes, it’s me. Who are you?” He asked.

“My name is Yui. My father, Mr. Yoshioka Kuroi sends me here to pick you up.”

“Finally... What makes you so long? Don’t you want to apologize for your late?”

“What?”

He got up from his seat and pointed his finger at his watch. “You are late for fifty minutes and you don’t say sorry? Let me tell you, I absolutely hate to wait someone!” He said in annoyance.

“Turn down your voice! You must thank to me because I spend my busy time just to pick you up. Don’t you know how busy I am? You just waited for fifty minutes and you get mad?! I’ve ever waited someone much longer than you! Why is man always annoying huh?! Hurry up, I still have many things to do.” She said firmly before walked away.

Hearing her words, he was blinking his eyes. “What did she say? I am annoying? The one who should be mad is me. But, why does she become so angry to me?” He shook his head at her behaviour as he took his suitcase and followed her.

☁ ☁ ☁

Rei, Yui, and Mr. Yoshioka Kuroi were sitting in the living room this evening. They were talking about something.

“I’ve received the call from your father that you’ll stay here to make an essay for your college task. We’ll happily help you finish your essay. Your father and I are bestfriends since we’re high school students.” Mr. Yoshioka said.

“Yes, thank you. I’m so glad to have you help me. It’s an honor for me.” Rei said.

“Don’t mention it. By the way, Yui is the person who will help you about the essay. Do you agree Yui?” Yui’s father asked.

“What? Help him?” Yui glanced at Rei before she looked at her father again. “But, Dad.. I’m busy with teaching and my business.” She refused.

“Yui? Just this time, okay. He had came all the way here. It’s not good if you refuse his request.”

She sighed. “Okay..” She finally agreed. She knew that she could not protest her father.

Rei looked at Yui. “Hi, Yui. I hope we can cooperate with each other.” He extended his hand for her.

Yui just looked away and left the living room to get in her bedroom, ignoring his greeting.

“Why does she act like that?” Rei asked in confused.

“I’m sorry about my daughter. She is too sensitive when it comes to a man. She ever had a bad experience with a man she loved .It ended up sadly.” Her father said.

Rei frowned. “Sadly?”

He nodded. “She almost got married with someone. But, the man cancelled their marriage in sudden with unbelieveble reason. He didn’t love her anymore and he got another woman who was better than her. It really hurt her. She locked herself in her bedroom for days because of it. She cried everyday. She almost lost her hope in man.” Her father explained.

“That man is so rude. He is an evil. I think this is the best way for her to not marry that irresponsible man.” Rei said.

“You are right. I hope you would be patient to face her behavior. Honestly, she is a kind and good girl.” Her father said.

“Yes.. I understand.”

“Thank you.. Good luck for your essay, Rei. Enjoy your stay here.. If you need anything, let me know.”

Rei smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Yoshioka.”

☁ ☁ ☁

It was 09.24 pm when Rei heard someone playing the guitar. He walked closer to the source of the sound and it was coming from the back yard of Mr. Masato’s house. From the door frame, he saw Yui sitting on the bench, playing her guitar beautifully. He decided to come closer.

“You can play guitar?” Rei asked as he sat beside her.

“Stupid question.” She said before she stopped playing.

Rei made a sullen face. “I’m just asking. Why did you answer it coldly?”

“I’m a music teacher. So, it will be funny if I can’t play music instruments.”

“Oh... I know now. Your father told me everything about you. If I were you, I would not care about it and let it make me down. If you think about it again, the world keep rotating without him. You can still breathe and live without him. You are a beautiful woman. I believe that there are many people who want to be with you. He is not the only man in this world. So, let it go.” He told her.

“Do you think it’s easy to heal my heartache? What do you know about a broken heart?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I never feel broken heart because of love. But, I was broken because of something else. It’s much bigger than your tragic love story.”

Yui looked at Rei as he rolled his pants up to his knee. Yui widened her eyes when she was seeing him using a peg leg.

“You see this. I don’t have a leg. I’m not a perfect human like you think. It’s what I mean.”

Yui still startled to see him like that. She could not say a word.

“I lost my leg three years ago because of motorcycle accident. The doctor said that my left leg was broken and had to undergo amputation. When I heard it, I felt like I had lost my life. My world was stopped. I had no meaning of life anymore at the thought that I would not be able to walk again with one leg. My heart was in pain whenever I thought about it. I was hopeless.”

Rei stopped speaking for a while before he continued again, “I had ever thought to commit suicide. But, I decided to cancel it... I realized, my life had to go on. I would never let this thing holding me back. I wanted to look forward to see the world, the future...  I believe that there is always a way for me to continue my life... We just live for once, so I will do everything I want and reach my dream before I’m dead... We don’t know when we’ll die, right? I have a principle that it will be the best if I don’t neglect my chance.” He smiled as he stared at the starry sky.

“You have a strong heart.” She said. “I admire it. For the first time, I see a lot of spirit in you.”

He looked at her. “Yes.. and you have to do the same.”

Yui stared at the ground. “I don’t know.. My heart is still in pain.”

“I see. You need time to recover.” He said as he took the guitar from her hand. “Lend me your guitar..”

“You can play it?” She asked as she gave her guitar.

“Smart question!” He grinned.

Yui formed a small smile.

“Finally, I see your smile. You look more beautiful now.” He said and began picking the guitar strings to make a beautiful sound. “I love music too. Since I was child, I learned to play guitar and piano. Playing music is my hobby. Music always gives me inspiration and motivation.”

“We are similar in music.. I love music too. About your essay.. I’ll help you.”

“Thanks.”

“What is the concept of your essay?”

“I want to write about music as profitale jobs and business. I plan to combine about music and management theory.” He answered.

“It’s a good idea. You combine two different things..”

“Yeah.. I just have a thought that music makes people getting money such as singer, band, and dancer. It also provides a profit for a businessman to build their music studio, karaoke, and many more. It’s all related to music, isn’t it? Besides interesting, music is a profit maker. That’s why I choose you as my resource person. You are a music teacher and the owner of music store too. Your father is a producer. Uhm.. Yui?”

“What?”

“Tomorrow is Sunday. So, you’ll have a free time. Would you go with me tomorrow?”

“Where?”

“I have a beautiful place. I am sure that you’ll love to see it. Please.. It will make your heart better to go somewhere new.”

Yui thought about it. Then, she said, “All right.. It sounds nice.”

Rei smiled widely. “Okay! It won’t disappoint you.”

☁ ☁ ☁

“Wow... It’s so beautiful.. I can see grassland and many flowers here.” Yui said when she and Rei were arriving at the place that Rei mentioned before.

“I call this place as my paradise under the sun.” He said as he walked into the grassland, picking some flowers and gave it to her. “For you..”

“Thanks..” She took the flowers. “How did you know this place?”

“I moved to Japan when I was ten. My parents and I are living in Yokohama. I knew this place because my mother often took me here. She just loves travelling. Do you like this place?”

She nodded. “I like it.. I can easily breathe. It’s so refreshing.” She spread her arms to feel the breeze.

Rei folded a paper into a plane. “Look this.. Let your pain and tears fly away like this paper plane.” He said as he sent the plane flying in the air.

Then, Rei sat on the grassy ground and Yui followed him to sit. Together, they were staring at the blue sky. “This is my world, my paradise. I feel so comfort here without the noise of city. In this place, I started to move on again. All can be redone as long as there is a tomorrow.” He smiled. He began singing..

You gave me faith and you gave me a world to believe in
You gave me your love to believe in
 

Yui followed him to continue the song..

And feeling this love I can rise up above
And be strong and be whole once again
 

Together, they were singing...

Because your love hears my soul once again
I can live and I can dream once again
Because you made me believe

Let’s keep on living

Rei looked at Yui. “You know this song?” He asked.

“Yes.. I love the song. It has so much meaning. Let me tell you, you have a good voice.” She said.

He smiled. “You too...”

“Uh.. Rei?”

“.....?”

“Thanks for today. You gave me a motivation and I feel much better. Now, I believe that I can move on.. I’ll trust the world once again.” She smiled.

“Don’t mention it. If you are happy, it will make my essay finish easier and faster, right? It’s my only purpose..” He chuckled.

“Tsk..” Yui rolled her eyes at his statement, feeling annoyed.

“Hey.. Just kidding. You look ugly and older when you mad.”

Smack!! Yui smacked Rei’s head quickly.

“Aaugh... Why did you hit me?” He rubbed his head.

“Don’t ever say the word ugly or old in front of me! Remember it!” She said firmly.

“Okay.. okay. I’m sorry.” He apologized.

--- END OF FLASHBACK ---

“It was our first meeting. From that time, we’re getting closer as I learned to love someone again. Your father confessed his love to me three months later and we got married two years after his confession. Do you know? During that time, he never hurt me. He always makes me happy till this time. It’s your father..  I love him just the way he is.” Yui told her daughter.

Harada nodded. “Mom?” She asked.

“Yes, sweety?”

Harada touched her mother’s stomach to feel the baby. “I  really want my younger brother is born in this world soon.”

“Why?”

“I want to see his face and hold him. I bet he will look alike Daddy.”

Her mother chuckled. “I hope so... Let’s cook your father’s favorite foods together, Harada. Your dad must be hungry when he is coming home after work. But, you have to change your clothes first.”

“All right, Mom!” She said before run to get in her bedroom.

Yui stared at her womb. “Do you know, Rei? I was right to choose you as my husband. We have a happy family. You are the best man I had ever had. Thank you for giving me this wonderful world. We’ll have our son soon. I can't wait.” Yui said as she caressed her womb, smiling at it.

A/N : That's all. The storyline just came into my head when I was listening to the song... and it's the result. Thank you for reading :)