Field of Yellow

The sun was shining on the field of yellow flowers, whose type lay unknown to him. The wind rushed up behind and embraced his face as he turned around, waiting patiently for her to catch up.

She was breathing heavily as she ran. He smiled and laughed as she made her way toward him. So slow..., he thought with a smile.

"Hurry up would you? I don't have all day!" he shouted. She puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

"You're so mean Aoron-chan!"

Aoron laughed out loud. He loved it when she pouted at him like that. He figured he was being a bit mean, but teasing her had become one of his favorite games. And she was cute. Drop dead gorgeous, according to Aoron. He never knew that his relationship with Chiharu-san would come to this. And for that, he was very thankful.

He was also very thankful to Chiharu. Ever since his family moved to Kakogawa City, Aoron felt like he would never fit in. Learning Japanese had been his biggest road block since moving to Japan. And it's all thanks to Chiharu for teaching him night and day. It was lucky for Aoron to be her next door neighbor.

*************************************************

1 year ago...

"Aoron, Sarah?" their father asked gently. The two siblings seated in the back feebly lifted their heads to show they were listening. Their father understood.

"When we get to the house, the movers will be there waiting. It finally stopped raining, so I want you guys to stay out of their way while they move the furniture, okay?"

They both nodded, and their father shook his head. Looks like I got my work cut out for me this time, eh Aiko-chan?

Aiko, Aoron and Sarah's mother, passed away several months ago. She and her family had had a long history of heart problems, so it was no surprise when they learned that she had coronary heart disease. And several months ago, it had taken a turn for the worse. She suffered a heart attack and died at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. Aoron had just finished middle school, and Sarah had finished the seventh grade. They worried for hours while their father drove her to the hospital. An ambulance would take too long to reach their mother, so Michael, their father, drove like a bat out of Hell, desperate to save the woman he loved so deeply.

But it was too late. She died an hour after arriving at the emergency room. Michael called the whole family and gave out the news. Relatives started flying in from all over. After Aiko's father and mother had arrived, Michael drove home to his tell his two children that their mother had died.

After hearing the news, Aoron and Sarah cried all night. Having lost their mother was the hardest thing they had ever experienced. They loved their mother more than anyone else in the world. To lose her so suddenly, without even saying good bye tore their hearts in two. After the funeral, they shut down, keeping to each other and their father for comfort. There was nothing anyone could do.

It had been extremely hard on Michael as well. Maybe even harder than it was for the children. Aiko had been raised in a very traditional family in Japan. When she was sixteen, her father had announced that she was to be wed to a man of a respected family. Arranged marriages weren't has common back then, but they still happened nonetheless.

But Aiko refused to marry. She wanted to marry for love, not for her parent's approval. But her father would not allow his daughter to shame their family reputation, so he allowed for the arranged engagement to continue until her twenty-first birthday. Aiko began contemplating running away several months before the wedding.

It was then that she met Michael. He had just graduated from the state university in California, and decided to spend a lot of his time traveling Japan. He took a great interest in Japanese culture, and wanted to find a job somewhere in Tokyo. That was his dream before meeting Aiko.

April 12, 1993, Akashi, Japan

One day, when Aiko was taking a walk through her family's garden, Michael had accidentally wandered onto the property. He still hadn't fully mastered the language, so there some words he hadn't learned yet, such as private property or keep out. And when he found his way into the garden, he saw her there, in a traditional kimono, gazing up at the blossoming cherry trees. She noticed his presence, and turned to look at the stranger that had wandered in. Michael was taken aback by her beauty. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as the one standing right in front of him. She too, couldn't deny how handsome the man, who appeared to be a foreigner, was. Michael, being the outgoing guy that he is, walked up to her, and extended out his hand to her.

"Hello there. What's your name? I'm Michael." He said in almost perfect Japanese. This surprised Aiko, who took his hand and shook it. She was amazed at warm and big his hand was. He must be from America, she thought. And his Japanese is good too. Amazing...

"Uh... Hello? Are you alright?" he asked. She was startled from her reverie, and shook her head.

"Yes, I'm alright. Um... what did you say your name was?" she asked him.

"It's Michael. Michael Trent." He replied with a smile. This made Aiko blush. She had never met a charming man like this one before. Most of the men she met were sex hungry pigs. She returned the smile.

"I'm Aiko Fukushima." She said with a dazzling smile. This made Michael blush. So beautiful, he thought. He tried to think of what to say when she spoke.

"Um... you do realize you're on private property right?" she asked. His eyes went wide.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I was just looking around the area and saw this place. So I guess I just..."

She giggled.

"It's fine. I was getting bored here anyway."

"Forgive my intrusion." He replied, bowing to her. Aiko blushed. So formal, she thought. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.

"Well, why don't you make it up to me then?" Michael looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well... you wouldn't want me to have to call the police, would you?"

Uh, oh, he thought. He started to panic.

"U-Uh... please don't! I'll do anything! Just name it." Aiko laughed. He's cute when he freaks out, she thought. This might actually be fun. She made a stern expression, trying to hide a smile.

"Alright, then. If you want to stay out of jail for trespassing, you have to..." He leaned in to hear her demands, with an expression of pure apprehension.

"...Take me out on a date!" she proclaimed with a smile. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and confusion.

Eh?! That's it? Alright!, he thought. But he was still pretty surprised.

"U-Uh... sure, alright." He said nodding his head. She sure is interesting. I wonder if it'll be fun.

She smiled happily.

"Great! Let's go" and she took him by the arm, and off they went on the first of many dates.

On the first date, they really hit it off. They had so much fun just walking around the city, taking in all the people and neon signs that decorated the city at night. Michael was expecting Aiko to be leading them on their date, but it turned out that Aiko had lived a really sheltered life behind her family estate's walls. At the restaurant they went to, she was able to tell him everything about herself. About how she never went to school, but rather received a private education from a teacher her parents hired, about how she had few friends outside the walls of her home, and about the arranged marriage her father forcing her to go through. Michael listened patiently to every detail. He nodded at all the right moment, and sometimes asked questions about certain things he didn't understand. All in all, he knew that it wasn't right to force someone to marry if they didn't want to. And it wasn't right to be hid from the world that had so much to offer.

When she had finished talking, she hung her head in sadness. Michael knew that they had just met, but something inside him was telling him not let her marry the man her father chose for him. He understood what it was like being told to do something you knew wasn't right for you. His family had always pressured him into becoming a lawyer just like his father and grandfather. But Michael didn't want to be a lawyer. He wanted to be a writer. And ever since he became interested in Japanese culture as a teenager, he wanted to know more about the language, the history, everything. He wanted to see all that the country had to offer. And when he had finished seeing Japan, he dreamed of working as a translator for a tourist company. Like translating travel guides, or maybe even writing his own someday. Fortunately, his family caved in, and supported his dreams. Michael graduated from college and left for Japan with their blessings.

After telling all this to Aiko, she became interested in his dream. She too had never fully explored her hometown, let alone the whole country. It would be fun to go with him, she thought. She imagined going to all sorts of places with Michael, and smiled. Yeah... it would be nice.

They promised to see each other again after that night. And several days later, Michael returned her house, and found her in the garden. They continued on like this for several months. And soon, before they knew it, they had fallen in love with each other. It was two weeks before Aiko's arranged wedding when they confessed their feelings for each other on the beach outside the city. But as they held each other as the sun went down over the horizon, Aiko began to cry.

"What's wrong, Aiko-chan? Why are you crying?" Michael asked.

"Because I don't want this to end, Michael-san. I don't want to marry the man my father chose. I want to marry the man I chose. And that man is you, Michael! I love you..." and she sobbed into his shoulder as he held her.

"I love you too, Aiko. Trust me, I wont let this end." He promised. But Aiko shook her head.

"How? There's no way my father will change his mind now." She said.

"Like this."

Michael took a small velvet box out of his pocket. He stood up and got down on one knee in front of Aiko. He opened the box, and inside was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Aiko sat there speechless. Michael looked into her eyes.

"Aiko Fukushima? Will you marry me?" he asked with a small smile on his face.

Fresh tears from her eyes. This time, it was out of joy. She smiled greatly, and leapt into Michael's arms.

"Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you Michael!" she exclaimed, holding him tight and kissing his face all over. Michael fell, and they both lay down in the sand, laughing. They had never been this happy before in their lives. But Aiko stopped.

"But what about my parents? What am I going to tell them?" she asked.

"You mean what we are going to tell them. There's no way I'll let you do this alone." he said. She nodded in agreement. They would go to her family tomorrow, and tell them everything that has happened. Michael knew there had to be some way for this to work, but just in case things went bad, he asked a few of his friends that he made when he moved here to help bail them out if they needed to make a getaway. It might seem a tad extreme, but Aiko and Michael agreed that nothing would keep them apart.

The next day was a tiring one. They went to her family estate to speak with her father. Michael had never been beyond the garden before, so he was a little nervous. Aiko saw this, and took his hand firmly. He looked at her and saw her expression. She smiled, but she too was worried just as he was. Michael shook his head, and put on a confident face. I have to be strong. For myself, yes, but mostly for Aiko. Who knows what her father will say? They made the arrangements with her father's assistant. Her father worked as the head of a real estate company. But he was getting older, and having no son, he had looked for a suitable heir to take over his company. When he had found one, he made the arrangements for Aiko's marriage.

Ten minutes later, they were brought to a room that looked like a private study. The walls were lined with tons of books, and a desk sat facing them in front of a large window, which overlooked the entire property. Standing next to the desk was a woman. She looked to be about fifty years old, and wore a beautiful kimono, but also wore a stern expression as she noticed that her daughter and some man were holding hands. This was Kaori Fukushima, Aiko's mother. And seated behind the desk which faced them was a man in his mid-fifties. He held his head on top of folded hands, and wore the same stern expression. But his seemed a little softer, almost bemused. However, he still carried an air of authority and respect. This man's name was Takashi Fukushima, Aiko's father. As they walked inside the study, he gestured towards the two chairs in front of the desk.

"Have a seat, sweetheart. And you as well, Michael-san." Michael's eyes widened. How does he know my name?! Mr. Fukushima smiled. It appeared innocent, but somehow held a hidden menace.

"Come now, you don't think I didn't know about this little affair of yours, did you?" Aiko spoke first.

"How did you know, Father?" she asked.

"I just saw you with him one day" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I was looking out the window, saw you in the garden, and there he was. And you, all dressed up to go somewhere. I was worried, so I asked my assistant to follow you. Do you understand, Aiko?" She nodded her head. He smiled.

"Now, now, no need to be ashamed. Yes, you did disobey me behind my back, and even worse, began dating another man when you are engaged to be married in just two weeks. However..." Michael looked up. He had been staring at the floor the entire time, unsure what to do. But he looked up and saw that something was different about the way Mr. Fukushima looked now. He seemed calmer, almost younger even.

"For the past few months, my assistant has kept me informed on everything you two did. Where you went, what you ate, everything. Up until last week, I had been very disappointed in you, and outraged at this man who I thought was just using you for his own perversion. But... your mother and my assistant seemed to understand the situation better than I did. It appears that you are in love with this man, who if I'm not mistaken, is from America, right?"

Both nodded in agreement.

"And it appears that I have misjudged the character of this young man." He said turning to Michael. "I apologize. Please forgive my lack of judgment." Michael had know idea what to say.

"Ever since Aiko was born, I've been terrified of what would happen to her if I wasn't around. I'm getting on in my years, and I need to find someone who can take over my business and ensure my daughter's welfare. Clearly, you don't fit the first qualification." Michael hung his head.

"But you have proven yourself to be more than qualified for the second one. My assistant tells me that you love my daughter more than anyone in the world. Is that true?" he asked.

Michael looked at Aiko for a long moment. He turned back her father, and with his head held high, he replied, "Yes. I do love your daughter. More than I've ever loved anyone else in the whole world." Mr. Fukushima nodded. He turned to Aiko.

"Now, sweetheart, are you sure that this is the man you wish to spend the rest of your life with?" he asked her.

Aiko looked at Michael for a long moment. She turned back to her father, and with her head held high, she replied, "Yes. I love Michael-san more than anyone. Please let us be together, father."

Takashi Fukushima looked at the young couple for a minute. He saw the love in their eyes. The kind of love he only saw reflected in the eyes of his wife, Kaori. He knew that nothing he could say would sway her. He bowed his head in thought. Finally, he spoke.

"There will be some conditions, of course."

Aiko's face lifted and brightened instantly. A wave of enormous relief washed over Michael. Thank god, they both thought. Aiko sprang up, and embraced her father.

"Thank you, Father! Thank you." She cried. Takashi smiled. If there was one he would guarantee, it was his daughter's happiness...

Three days, later, Takashi called off the wedding, saying that it was no longer in their daughter's best interest for her to be married right away. A month later, she and her true love, Michael, were married with their families' blessings. Both families had arrived to see them wed, and it was a beautiful ceremony. They did of course, fulfill the conditions that Takashi laid out. The first was that Michael would marry into the Fukushima family. This way, Michael and any children that he and Aiko might have would be covered under their health insurance, which was very extensive and excellent. Michael agreed. The second was that they would visit every summer, Christmas, new years, and spring break to see them at the family estate. They happily agreed. Life became very wonderful for the happy couple...

*************************************************

Present day, Kakogawa City, Japan

But now that Aiko had passed away, life seemed empty for Michael and his two children. They couldn't bear to live the house that reminded them too much of her. It was too painful, so Michael decided to apply to one of the offices that he worked with to one that was stationed in Japan. He picked the one closest to his In-Laws in Akashi. The city was Kakogawa, and his new office was just a few miles from the new house that Takashi helped pick out for him. Takashi loved his grandchildren and son-in-law, whom he has come to think of as his own. He would ensure their welfare if anything happened to their father. When Aoron and Sarah visited, he would teach them Japanese. Now that they were living in Japan, he planned to find them a suitable teacher to help them along in learning the language. And he found one. And their teacher lived in the house right next to the one that Michael and his children had moved into.

The house was very nice. It had four bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a backyard with lots of space. Michael thanked Takashi over and over for all the help he did for them. He tried to say that he would repay him, but Takashi wouldn't hear of it.

"Anything for my family" he said.

And today was the day that the Fukushimas moved into their new home. All the heating and electrical arrangements were made, so all there was left was moving the furniture into the house.

It was a few minutes past noon when they arrived. Everyone was exhausted from the long drive from the airport in Tokyo. Aoron and Sarah were snoozing in the back seat as Michael pulled into the drive way. He got of the car, rolled down the windows for his kids, and went to speak with the movers.

Aoron lifted his head and looked out the window. He saw the house. It was nice. He turned to look at his sister, who slept soundly right next to him. She had a sad expression on her face while she slept. I probably look that way too when I sleep, he thought. He pulled her close to him, and tried to fall asleep again. But it didn't work, so he gently laid her aside, and got out of the car. He remembered what his father had said about keeping out of the way while they moved stuff, so he decided to let Sarah sleep while he took a look around.

Aoron had been to Japan before. He was fourteen, just about to turn fifteen, and knew how to read the road signs and street signs pretty well, so it wasn't all that unusual for him to know his way around. He and his family had even been to this city before, so he remembered the layout of the area pretty well. He remembered how to get to the local convenience store, so he took out his wallet to count how much he had. His father made sure to convert all his American money to Japanese yen when the arrived at the airport. He checked his wallet, and saw that he had 3000 yen, which is roughly 30 in American dollars. Aoron put his wallet back in his pocket, and walked down to the store to buy drinks for his him and his sister. His dad too, he supposed.