We Will Meet Again
Prologue
She sat down and glanced out of the window.
It was early in the morning before the teacher came in. Being a typical
Japanese high school, some students were sitting in a corner studying.
Some were busy trying to finish the homework which they had forgotten
about. Some were just busy talking about the latest teen idols or
movies. The noise pollution in the class was about a moderate level.
Saki took her book out of the bag in anticipation of today's lesson.
She was taller than the average girl of her age and had a rough-looking
air about her. She had something of a "bad girl" image because of the
way she looked though most of the reputation was unjustified. Okay, she
did sometimes smoke and had been disciplined by the schoolteachers
after being caught smoking in school. But other than that, she was a
nice girl who basically kept mostly to herself. Why? Because she
was....afraid? Maybe, Saki had a paranoid fear of being hurt by others
even though she was loathed to admit it. Yes, one could say that Saki
was someone who was rather sensitive in personality despite her "tough
girl" exterior.
"Class rise."
Following the class monitor's instruction, the class rose to give the
customary Japanese good morning greeting to their class teacher and
then sat down.
"Class. Today we have a new student." Saki looked the other way,
feigning disinterest as the class teacher beckoned someone to come into
the classroom. The new girl shyly tiptoed in, looking somewhat nervous
as her eyes darted from corner to corner. Her gaze settled on Saki and
a slight smile showed on her face but Saki's facial expression remained
unchanged.
Somewhat humbly, she nodded to the class and introduced herself. "Good
morning class. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. My parents named
me Reika but I prefer to call myself Rakka."
Some students smiled back; a few acted disinterested; some who were
better known as class troublemakers simply scowled at her. Saki did
nothing and started to open her textbook in anticipation of today's
lesson.
"Well Reika, there's an empty seat next to Saki," The class teacher
pointed in Saki's direction. "Why don't you go and seat next to her?"
Reika nodded similingly and started to work in the right direction with
lots and lots of textbooks in both arms.
Heavy....heavy.
Not being able to balance herself, she stepped on the wrong footing and
fell....
....amidst the loud laughter of the class.
"My my. You're so clumsy. Are you okay?" The teachers asked in a
concerned tone.
"S-sorry."
Feeling embarrassed, Reika nodded and slowly picked up her books while
walking to her assigned seat.
"Hi. I'm...."
"Rakka, right? That's what you prefer to be called, right?" Saki
glanced slightly at her new classmate who was sitting beside her. "Are
you okay.You..."
"I'm okay. I'm so glad to see you."
"Shhhhh. Teacher's staring at us. She doesn't like her students to talk
in class when she's teaching."
Saki gestured in the direction of the classteacher who was impatiently
motioning her students to open their textbooks. Saki did not quite
register in her mind what Rakka had said earlier but noticed that
Rakka's face was red with excitement.
"We'll talk later during lunch break," Saki whispered thinking perhaps
that her new classmate was eager to make her acquaintance. Rakka
nodded, barely able to conceal her excitement.
"That's an...umm...rather unusual place for us to be eating together."
Saki looked around nervously.
She and Rakka were on the rooftop of the school building. Supposedly.
That was a place in Japanese schools where couples met to confess
their....Saki hit her own head. What was she thinking? They were both
girls.
"I'm so happy to be able to meet you again, Reki."
"Reki? What are you talking about? My name's Saki."
Looking somewhat downcast for a while, the shorter girl then looked
back at her classmate's face. "I see....of course, you don't remember
all the things we did together." She looked somewhat sad.
"Together? But we've only just met today."
Rakka opened her bento and meekly offered some of its contents to her
taller classmate who politely declined. After downing some of the food
down, she turned to Saki.
"Do you mind listening to a story?"
"Mmm....don't suppose it would hurt to...." Saki took out a cigarette
and a lighter. "You don't mind if I...." She looked slightly nervous
suddenly when she remembered where they were. "On second thoughts,
you're not going to tell the teachers about me smoking, are you?"
Rakka looked down without saying anything for a moment. Saki looked at
her quizzingly trying to guess what her facial expression meant. She
finally realized that Rakka was trying her best to suppress her
giggles. Unable to hold it in any longer, Rakka burst out laughing.
"What...?"
"You haven't changed at all. You're still the same old Reki."
"What do you mean?" Saki was getting perplexed at the still-laughing
Rakka.
"Never mind what I just said."
After calming down, Rakka smiled and said, "I have a little story to
tell you. It may sound a little strange but please bear with me until I
finish. I'll answer your questions later."
Rakka proceeded to tell an unusual tale about the "Haibane". She
explained what they were, where they lived and how their lifestyle was.
She proceeded to gush on and on about a certain Haibane called Reki.
She decribed how they first met, how they were always there for each
other and how they might have been each other's "salvation." Rakka
however wisely decided to omit certain intimate detailes of their last
night together before they parted.
"....and then before we went our separate ways, we promised each other
that we would meet again. And I kept my promise."
Saki was silent for a moment. She looked at Rakka whose facial
expression seemed like she was eagerly awaiting a positive reply.
"You know, Rakka....most Japanese believe in the concept of
reincarnation. I, for one, would readily believe in the idea of being
reborn again and frankly I don't think that it's too far-fetched for us
to have known each other in some previous life. But the concept of
these beings you call the "Haibane"....beings who are like angels and
yet are not exactly angels seems a little....."
Saki paused for a moment as if she was trying to find a word that would
not sound too offensive to Rakka. "...too incredible. I mean I'm sure
that I must have had some kind of past life but it seems more realistic
and believable for me to be told that I was some female samurai in the
Meiji era or even a World War II widow whose husband died fighting in
the jungles of Malaysia. I admit that this Reki person whom you seemed
particularly close to sounds somewhat like me in personality but..."
"....there are some things I'm having a hard time believing. How could
you possible know all these things from the moment you were born?"
"I didn't know everything when I was born. But my mother said that they
first word I uttered when I was a baby was the word "Reki". All these
memories were not in my head at once but rather, they returned
gradually over the years You know kind of like how when one visits a
childhood hometown and the memories gradually flow back as you walk
slowly through all the familiar landmarks in the city? In fact, I don't
think I got back most of these memories until I was about twelve years
old."
"There's still one thing that makes absolutely no sense to me. How is
it that you can remember all of these things if I can't recall any of
them?"
"I met God."
Rakka paused while looking at Saki's disbelieving face. "Okay I know it
sounds too incredible but please hear me out. Basically, the Haibane
are human beings who died before their time was up. Not just any human,
mind you, but people who had the potential to be good people but may
have made mistakes or wrong decisions and really deserve a second
chance. The day of raising is a day when they are ready to be given a
second chance in life by being reincarnated. However, the Haibane are
never really given a choice as to whom they will be reborn as or where
they will be reborn."
Saki was still smoking as she listened to Rakka's story.
Rakka continued. "I was different. God told me that He was pleased
because I did so much to help all the new Haibane. He said that I took
care of them and guided them along the correct path until the day I had
to leave the nest myself. Gold told me that because I had done so much,
He was willing to allow me to choose how I was going to be
reincarnated. He told me that He seldom made exceptions unless the
particular individual had done such outstanding work and the last time,
he made an exception was for a Haibane called Kuramori." Rakka stopped
for a while as if she was trying to remember something. She went on
anyway. "I told him that it really didn't matter to me who I was reborn
as or where I was reborn. All that mattered to me was keeping my
promise. I wanted to see you again and live again in the same place and
time with you. I pleaded with Him to let me retain my memories of you
so that I could find you again."
"He finally agreed. However, it seemed that He had only retained my
memories of the moments I spent with you. What did this mean?
Basically, I could only remember about other Haibane from that time if
they also happened to interact with you and me at the same moment. My
memory of them therefore is rather fuzzy. "
Rakka scratched her head as if trying to recall a distant memory.
"Wasn't there also a Haibane who had known you for a long time? What
was her name again? Nezu? Nemu? I can't seem to remember. Rakka
scratched her head again trying to remember but finally gave up and
went on.
"Therefore I also can't seem to remember too much of what happened
between the time you left and when I met God. I know I must have been a
very good person and must have done some great deeds but I don't seem
to remember the details...."
Saki suddenly noticed that three less-than-welcome guests had shown up
at the school rooftop. She quickly dropped the cigarette from her mouth
and moved protectively towards Rakka.
"Looks like we finally found the newbie Reika. It's time to collect our
collection fees," the tougher-looking of the three said as the three
students walked to the direction of Rakka.
Saki put both her arms on Rakka's shoulders and whispered to her in an
urgent tone. "Listen here. These three are Miyabi, Anko and Urumi.
Collectively they are known as the F3. They are notorious in this
school for picking on new students and extorting money from them. Do
not, I repeat, do not give in to them. Once they have established that
you're easy to pick on, they will not stop picking on you and extorting
money form you.
"I...ummmm..." Rakka walked towards the F3 trying to look brave. She
was obviously trying her best to keep Saki out of trouble and take care
of her own problems but Saki rushed in front before she could finish
talking.
"Leave her alone. Let her be. Pick on someone else your own size."
"Oh...our local touch girl Saki trying to protect her? What is she to
you - your lover?" All three girls laughed mockingly at Saki who tried
her best not to look bothered.
"She's a very important to me. J-u-u-s-st leave us alone." Rakka tried
to sound brave while doing her best to keep Saki out of her troubles.
"How sweet. The two lovers are trying to stand up for each other. I
take it that you're not going to pay our protection fee? Looks like we
may have to do something about that."
Saki saw that Miyabi was brandishing a baseball bat and sensed that she
was about to swing the bat at Rakka. Instinct took over and she quickly
pushed Rakka aside. However, she was not quick enough to avoid having
the impact of the bat land on her back with a painful "whack". Saki
felt pain stinging her back but bravely ignored it. Grabbing Miyabi's
bat with a strength that even surprised herself, she quickly threw it
away. Before Miyabi could react in time, she landed a punch into
Miyabi's gut causing her to kneel down in pain. Her two accomplices
were too stunned by the sudden developments to do anything.
Grabbing Rakka's hand, Saki decided to run before the F3 decided to do
anything else. As they ran, Rakka smiled as she held her partner's warm
hand.
"You protected me. Just like how you always would protect me when we
were Haibane." Saki said nothing but continued to hold Rakka's hand.
The two girls stopped. They were now a safe distance from their
pursuers and it seemed that they were not being followed. Rakka turned
to her partner, "You're hurt, aren't you? Let's go to the restroom."
"I'm okay....I...."
"Just come on. Let's go"
"You can let go of my hand now. People will think that we're...Oh okay.
Never mind what I said." Saki protested as Rakka held her hand tightly
but affectionately and led her to the restroom. No one else was there.
"Take off your top."
"But...I...."
"No need to be shy. I just want to see if you're hurt."
Somewhat shyly and reluctantly, Saki took off her top, keeping only her
bra on. Rakka examined her back.
Sure enough, there was a large bruise. She took out some ointment from
her pocket and gently rubbed it. Saki initially winced with pain but
after a while the pain subsided and she sat silently while Rakka gently
massaged her back.
"Just as I thought," Rakka said as she touched two little spots near
Saki's bra strap on her back.
"These? Oh, these are birth marks. My mother said that I was born with
unusual birth marks."
"No. Can't you see? These are the marks where you used to have wings.
Let me show you something interesting."
"W-w-what are you trying to do?" Saki's face turned deep red as Rakka
started to undress. Her face turned deeper red when Rakka started to
pull the back of her bra strap slightly lower. She gasped however when
she noticed that Rakka's back had the same two unusual markings like
hers.
"You see? This is where I used to have my wings....just like you."
"You mean that all the Haibane that are reincarnated will all have
these marks?"
"I don't know about that for certain and frankly speaking, I doubt ALL
of them have these marks. Otherwise, they would be more common amongst
the populace. However, I am pretty sure that the Haibane whose wings
were black or turned black at some point will retain these marks when
they are reincarnated. At least this is what I think."
The tall girl turned to the shorter girl. "I am still not completely
sure about this Haibane story...but you may call me Reki if you wish."
Hearing this, Rakka embraced Reki warmly who reciprocated. Reki was
actually a little embarrassed about what the others would think if
someone were to walk in and find two barely-dressed girls in each
other's arms but she felt secretly happy. Happy that there was going to
be someone who would keep her company; someone who would be there for
her. More importantly, she would be as lonely anymore and there would
be someone to share her joys and sorrows.
That moment seemed to last for eternity before both girls finally got
up.
"Come on, Rakka. Let's get dressed and go to class. I think I hear the
bell ringing."
"Sure Reki. We don't want to be late, do we?"
Rakka and Reki dressed up and walked hand-in-hand to their classroom.
Back to Haibane Renmei Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction