Reunion
A Marmalade Boy Fanfic
Based on characters created by Yoshizumi Wataru. 
"Reunion" by Marisa Price, c 1999.
minako@aino.com

Chapter I: An Old Friend

	It had been a wonderful movie. Better than wonderful, even. It was too bad that she was too depressed and upset to enjoy it. Namura Meiko, 25 years old and a married lady, slipped quietly between the crowds and made a beeline for the door to exit the theatre.
	She was almost there when a rather large gentleman pushed passed her and in order to avoid being crushed, Meiko threw herself to the side. Warm hands grasped her shoulders and pulled her away from the pushy people and out of harm's way.
	Meiko turned and blinked up at the stranger. He was young, most likely around her own age, and handsome. Brown hair was brushed rakishly to one side, and a bit of it refused to stay still and floated  above his beautiful clear blue eyes.
	"Excuse me, I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, and tried to pull back. 
	The stranger was looking down at her, a curious expression on his face. He blinked. "Akazuki-san?"
	Meiko straightened up at the sound of her maiden name, and looked the unfamiliar man in the eyes. There was something about him... maybe he wasn't so unfamiliar after all...?
	"No," she said, "My name is Namura. But it used to be Akazuki. Do I know you...?"
	The man smiled, and he leaned forward to whisper to her, "Ah, I forgot, it IS Namura-san now, isn't it? Don't you remember me?" He looked injured at the thought.
	Who was this man? Why was he acting as if he knew her? She looked at him again. He WAS familiar, that face, those clear blue eyes. But something was wrong. What was it? The only thing that really stood out to her was his light brown hair, it was a pretty color but it looked unnatural with his olive complexion. He would look much better with black hair.
	Meiko smiled. With the image of black hair, the name of this man had snapped into place.
	"MIWA-san," she smiled warmly, "I never would have thought to see you again!"

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	"Has it really been seven years?" Meiko thought aloud as she sipped a mocha and tried not to stare at Miwa. He looked so different than he did on TV. On TV he was just that boy she had scorned so many years ago, although now a man and a successful politician. She never thought to meet him in person again.
	He was handsome, tall and lean, but well-built as if he worked out a lot. Most likely he was wearing a wig to keep him from being noticed. Whenever she had seen him on TV he had his normal black hair, though short now. She blinked and looked back down at her coffee, trying not to stare at him. He was being quiet, too quiet.
	Miwa had a plain black coffee, and he stirred a little milk and sugar in while watching the swirls in the cup. He looked up.
	"Yes, seven years. Time flies by quickly, doesn't it? I never thought I would see you again. I thought you had left Tokyo and that you were living in Hiroshima."
	"Oh, I am!" She laughed, pleased that her laughter sounded calm. "I'm just here to visit Miki and Yuu."
	"Really?" Miwa asked, surprised. "I was just there last night, and neither Yuu nor Miki mentioned you coming to visit. In fact, Miki was complaining that she hadn't heard from you for so long."
	Meiko tried not to drop the cup, but she couldn't stop her hands from shaking. She set the cup down on the table cautiously and hid her hands in her lap. She looked up at Miwa, who was blinking innocently at her. She had forgotten that Yuu and Miwa still kept in contact with each other.
	"It's, ah, a surprise visit," she lied.
	"Ah! Well, I am sure they will be glad to see you. I know how busy one can get. Are you writing again? You should really go see their new baby, she's adorable. Looks just like her father."
	"Yes, I have been busy," Meiko agreed, happy to change the subject. "You must be insanely busy with your political career. I can't believe that you are running for office! Every day it's some new little tidbit on the famous Miwa Satoshi, the young, brilliant politician."
	He laughed and allowed the subject to change. "Yes, I suppose that's me! You forgot handsome though!"
	Meiko stuck her tongue out at him. "Looks like you aren't all that different, you still conceited! Though I truly DON'T like that color of hair on you."
	"Ah this?" Miwa reached up and snatched the offensive brown wig off his head and his black hair tumbled out messily around his face. "It's just to keep people from figuring out who I am, so I can go out and enjoy myself once and awhile."
	"You probably shouldn't have taken it off then," She laughed, and then added as an afterthought, "You cut it, I never thought you would do that."
	"I thought you LIKED short hair!" He winked at her.
	Meiko smiled. "I do, not that it matters, but someone might recognize you, Miwa-san..."
	He shrugged. "Probably not, I look like a mess and I am in normal clothes. I'm with a girl, and that definitely isn't the style they know me for."
	A girl? Meiko hardly felt like a girl. Maybe an old woman, but not a girl. She leaned forward to ask, "What do you mean? I hear you are the most eligible male around. All the society girls would love to snatch you up."
	"Really? I had no idea. I assumed everyone thought I was 'dangerous' as Yuu-kun puts it, since I don't have a wife or a girlfriend." He winked at her. "Besides, most of those 'society' girls are a dime a dozen."
	"'Dangerous'?" Meiko laughed. "You? More like 'lecherous'!"
	Miwa looked at the smile on her lips and grinned back. "How can you say that? The only person I was ever even CLOSE to being lecherous towards was YOU! And that failed miserably. You can't blame me for THAT, Aka.. err, Namura-san."
	"Call me Meiko if it makes it any easier on you, we HAVE known each other for years, so I think it's okay."
	"It IS easier to call you that," Miwa agreed, "But I'm not sure that your husband would approve."
	It was meant to be a joke, and Miwa was surprised when Meiko stiffened and turned away to look out at the restaurant.
	She said something so quietly that he almost didn't hear it. When he thought about it and realized what she had said, he was shocked. Had she said, "I don't think he'd really care?"
	"Meiko-san?" He whispered, and reached out to cover her hands with his. The name felt so unfamiliar on his lips. "Is there something wrong with your relationship with Namura?"
	"No," a tear rolled down her cheek. "Not really..."

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	Miwa had managed to get her out of the coffee shop, paying the bill on his way out with a casually tossed handful of yen, before she had really started to sob. He pulled her close to him, and she hid her face against his chest. It was a good thing too, because several people had finally noticed who he was and there were a few loud comments by passersby.
	He walked her swiftly and they got into his silver BMW, parked on a little way from the movie theatre, and headed away from the downtown.
	Miwa gave her a sideways glance, and saw that she was leaning against the window, tears streaming down her cheeks. What the hell was the matter? Had she and Namura had a fight? That somehow didn't seem likely. 
	She looked different than she had seven years ago. Still a bit stiff and unfriendly, but her hair was shoulder length and straight, and she looked more polished and mature. Or at least she had, before she had disintegrated into tears. Miwa was actually surprised that he had recognized her at all; all these years and he had only been able to think of what she looked like at sixteen.
	Maybe that was because it was that girl he had fallen in love with, so long ago. Not a single one of those society women or anyone else over the past seven years had ever come close to the one who got away. She had been an icon in his head, someone who never aged or changed.
	But now, now that he saw her as she looked all these years later, he realized that he had been wrong. She was even more beautiful now. Something he thought he had forgotten pulled at his heart when they were in the movie theatre, and especially so in the coffee shop when she had actually loosened up and started to chat with him like she had in the old days. Those days when he still thought he had a chance. Not like now. She was married.
	"Meiko-san," he spoke quietly, so as not to startle her, "Where are we going? Do you want me to take you to your hotel? How did you get to the theatre?"
	"I took the bus," she whispered, not looking at him. "I... I guess you can take me back to where I am staying. I'm really sorry, Miwa-san... For us to meet again like this..."
	Miwa placed his hand on hers, light as a feather, and then moved his hand away. "It's okay, I'm just worried about you. Where is this place?"
	She gave him a name, The Towers, and Miwa almost swerved on the road he was so surprised.
	"The TOWERS? But that's not a hotel, that's an apartment building," he protested.
	"It's where I am living..."
	"You... where is Namura?"
	She looked at him with her tear-bright eyes, and he saw the deep pain reflected back at him.
	"I have left my husband. He's still in Hiroshima."

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End Chapter I.

Thanks for reading!
misa