KANO
“Thank you. You were a big help,” I say to Jacob as we enter the elevator, descending toward the critical care floor.
“I’d always help you, Kano. No matter what, you just need to ask.” Yeah, that’s what Muki used to say, too. Now he’s dead. Clearing my head of that reminder, I shake off the loss of him and concentrate on my family.
When I rode over to the hospital with Kaori, the medics frantically poured over her vitals, working to save her as I watched with a vacant disbelief. My sister is a rock. She’s strong, willful, and stubborn. If father hadn’t died, and if Uncle Kato hadn’t forced her hand, she’d still be living her life in the US, far from this mess. This never would have happened.
“She’ll be okay,” I say, more to remind myself than requiring an answer from Jacob.
“From what I’ve seen lately, and from what you’ve talked about over the weeks leading up to Kaori coming home, then yes, I believe she will be.”
“You’ve listened?”
“I probably shouldn’t have, but it’s hard to miss conversations in the headset.”
I guess our conversations have never been private before, what with family and law enforcement bugging us. So why would I expect the pilot of a chopper to be any less intrusive?
Growing quiet for a moment, looking at him in the elevator mirror, I see the guy who’s always been there, but never seen. He’s always just there. That’s the downfall of our lives. We’ve passed through without seeing those beneath us. It takes something like this to take notice. It may sound awfully conceited, but the truth hurts sometimes.
We’ve been taught that our family is the strength of Japan, that those who are not Yakuza are not the powerful. We reign. Miori believes it wholeheartedly. Uncle and Father molded her, worked her in a way that tainted her to their will. And I have been left alone to a point. My partial deafness has left me outside the inner circle for years. Because of that, I’m both thankful and disappointed. Just because I can’t hear them on one side, doesn’t make me an idiot. I know more than they think.
He raises his eyes to look at me through the reflection in the mirrored wall. “I didn’t listen to Miori,” he says in flawless Japanese. His stare is electric as he tries to impart that he’s only listened in on me. I guess I’ve been just as bad as the rest, ignoring that which is outside my immediate bubble. Taking in Jacob, I have to admit, he’s a good-looking guy. His smile is sweet and his eyes are gentle. With a strong jaw, dark coffee skin that’s coated in freckles across his nose and cheeks, Jacob is a nice package. But not for now.
Mentally cursing myself, I’m glad when the doors open. Hopping out, teetering slightly until I get a rhythm, Jacob stays back to catch me if I fall. Rounding the corner and entering the waiting area, I see everyone is clearly unhappy.
“Mi,” I say to grab her attention.
Looking up, her makeup is streaked and her eyes are puffy. Her usual contained self is breaking down.
“What’s going on?” I ask in Japanese, taking a seat in the chair beside her.
Sniffling for a minute, she gathers her composure. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be resting.” There was no way I was staying behind while I didn’t know the fate of my family.
“Good luck with that, Ms. Katana. Kano wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Jacob says beside me. Looking around the room, the Crown’s don’t understand a word of what we’re saying, and that right now is okay with me. I have the feeling this private affair would be worse with more voices shouting.
“She’s sustained heavy damage to her kidneys and they need a donor. They have her on support, but it’s only a matter of time.”
“Kaori could die?”
She nods, with fresh tears falling down her face. “Yes.”
Attempting to rise back out of the chair, I lean on the crutches. “Then why are we sitting here? Let’s go tell the doctor we’ll do it. I will. I can’t believe you hadn’t already volunteered. Why haven’t you, Mi?”
Standing, she puts a gentle hand on my shoulder. “It’s not that simple. We have to match.”
She’s upset, but not enough it seems. At least not like I am. I shrug off her touch. “I don’t get you. Why wouldn’t we match, Miori? We’re her sisters.”
“No. We’re her half-sisters.”
What?
“Pardon? What did you say? It sounded like you said we’re not her sisters?”
Miori and I face off. “We are, but we’re not. Our father is the same, our mothers are not.”
I’m stewing for a fight. Why would she spring this on me now? Ignoring the fact that I’ve been lied to and she knows the truth, won’t help Kaori. So instead, I settle and try again to convince my sister we need to help. “Miori, she’s our sister. Blood full or half, it doesn’t matter. We need to help her.” Making my way to the do not enter sign, I bang with my crutch. Shortly after, a nurse arrives.
“Yes? May I help you?”
“I need to see the surgeon for Kaori Katana. Now.”
Nodding curtly, but with respect, she closes the door and bounds off.
“Kano, think about this.”
“No, Miori, you think about this.” I try pleading with her. “She’s our sister. We have to save her. And if you can’t, I won’t say no.”
“And if I lose two sisters, then what? What about me, Mono.” Miori is very formal, so for her to use my nickname, she’s clearly upset. Still not enough though, it seems.
“Then we did our best.”