Chapter Text
January 6, 1986
A nearly drunken into a stupor uncle once advised Sato Aiko, "Never half ass two things, whole ass one thing.”
After that, the uncle preceded to vomit on her shoes and the Sato family agreed that it was a memorable family reunion for everyone and Aiko's pink flats. Still, this statement struck Aiko, for it held some truth: why should people do two things at once and fail, when they can do one thing really well then succeed? Thus, at the ripe age of 13, she decided to do things wholeheartedly.
September 21, 1988
Passion and determination became her motto; nothing too big or small prevented Aiko from fulfilling tasks with vigor. In junior high school she joined the basketball team and immediately found out that running plus bouncing a ball proved to be too much hand-eye coordination for clumsy Aiko. Despite this setback, she begged the coach to keep her as manager.
February 14, 1991
There is no doubt that she applies the same mindset on love. Armed with tooth aching chocolate and romantic confession letters, Aiko set her eyes on senior high school as the setting of her first love. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm was always too much to handle in senior high school and her crushes were doomed to be unrequited, so she was resigned to relationship virginity. Nevertheless, the 5’4 petite Aiko assured herself that it was not the matter of appearance but heart. These boys she chased after lacked passion and hoped that one day she will meet the perfect boy—no, the perfect man that could keep up.
March 1, 1995
On her usual walk to work, she began tracing the familiar brick pattern of her favorite industrial building and attempted to stifle out a yawn. Her job at the Sōgō Hospital is complicated, tiring, and demanding: a nurse for the Critical Care ward. This meant constant attendance to patients on the brink of death, but she knew this was the type of work that her storm like will stood as an advantage.
Groaning and rubbing the back of her neck to soothe the knots forming, “Nine hours of standing! Without sitting once during the shift, nobody should be doing this.”
Pausing in front of an apartment complex, she notices her reflection on the first floor window. Forefinger gently tracing the curve of her brow, then her hooked nose, and finally stopping at her thin pink lips. Aiko is not remarkably pretty, though she has striking features at a second glance: flattering bobbed hair frames her oval face and twinkle in her eyes can compete with the stars. Shaking her head and thinks to herself, today will be a new day with new experiences. And to highlight this declaration, she makes an abrupt turn from her usual path to work.
This detour still lead out to the street the hospital was located and Aiko glanced at her wrist watch confident that she was early enough for work to have time for a relaxation walk. On this street, quaint family houses boasted spring trees coming into full bloom and in one corner, a line of preschool students walked in unison to the park. Stopping in her tracks, she observes a beautiful shrine with steep stairs and an astonishing Torii standing proud, while at her entrance stands a stranger.
He was dutifully sweeping the steps and at the first glance he was not handsome at all…yet the way the sun shone on him—enveloping him in light and highlighting his black hair tastefully mused on his head or his solemn face filled with concentration, Aiko swears that she heard wedding bells. Climbing the stairs with cool indifference, she tried to strike up a conversation with the attractive Shrine worker.
“Good morning! What a beautiful shrine, my name is Sato Aiko, nice to meet you”, she bowed in greeting.
Stopping his work, he looked up and provided a friendly smile, “Ah—good morning to you as well. We don’t get a lot of pretty girls visiting the Higurashi Shrine, my name is Higurashi Ichirou.”
Aiko blushed prettily and asked about Ichirou’s job at the shrine; he explains that he follows family tradition of becoming a Shinto Priest and he is currently in training.
“I love the work and I grew up here”, he assured her, “but if I had a choice? I wanted to be an architect.” Upon revealing this, he grimaced and smiled goofily.
“I’m sorry I told you this, you’re probably thinking what a weirdo, huh?”
Noting the bashful grin and the way his face lit up when he spoke about his dream, “No not at all, it’s admirable.”
Noticing the time, Aiko excused herself and promised to return after work. Jogging down the steps, she looked back and saw Ichirou returning to his cleaning. It turns out fate has not forgotten about her and things are starting to look up
September 5, 1995
Tears filled her eyes and her hand shook in the larger palms of her beloved. Aiko doesn’t know if she said yes audibly, but from Ichirou’s similarly glistening eyes, her answer was satisfactory. Placing the ring on her ring finger, never in her life has her heart felt heavy of joy.
July 28, 1996
Cradling the bundle in her arms, she released a satisfied sigh. After six hours of labor, Higurashi Kagome finally arrived into this world. A healthy baby girl with a tuff of midnight black hair and the jewel of her father’s eyes.
Handing the baby to Ichirou, he hummed, “My little Kagome, so ready for the world. I hope your heart grows as strong as your mother’s.”
August 16, 2000
The phone receiver fell on the floor and the thump of the object hitting the tiles echoed in the silent house. Pregnant Aiko steadied herself by grabbing unto the couch and sat down slowly.
“Mrs. Higurashi? Hello? Are you okay, ma’am? Your husband was placed in Sōgō hospital”, the responder yelled on the other line but she only heard a response of stifled sobs.
Aiko stood up and walked away from the phone abandoned on the tiled floor. Never in her lfe has her heart felt heavy with despair.
August 17, 2000
Fate has an ironic sense of humor. On August 16, 2000 at 5 PM Ichirou Higurashi passed away from a tragic accident. A few hours later, his wife was admitted to hospital for she gone into labor. It was like an exchange of life; a cycle that needs to be observed.
Four year old Kagome poked the cheeks of her new baby brother and curiously pointed out, “Okaasan, why does little brother look so slimy and pudgy?”
“Kagome, you have to be a good big sister to your brother”, Aiko reminded her daughter and motioned for Kagome to bring the baby carrier bed next to her.
Pushing the strands that escaped her ponytail, she prayed, “Ichirou wherever you are, don’t you dare slack off watching our kids! Just because you’re dead, doesn’t mean you’re still not their father”, wiping away a stray tear, “I love you and I’ll raise them well.”