𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

Was It Worth It

'And you will always and forever be cute to me.'

Koga had been doing CPR for minutes but nothing seemed to work. It all felt quiet as I tuned out everyone's screams. I knew the Mutoh's needed me now more than ever. Tears fell from everyone's eyes, and yet no words were shared between us. Go ran into my arms as Ayumu took over the CPR. He was whispering to himself that she would be fine and that everything would work out. I cried out for not only the woman who looked after me all this time but for everyone else we lost along the way.

Mr. Mutoh

Nanami

Gramps 

Daniel

and now Mrs. Mutoh

I felt stranded, so alone. It felt like it wasn't my place to grieve and that I had to be strong for them but I didn't know if I could. Looking at the Mutoh pair and Koga I knew we had to keep going forward. For everyone we lost and for ourselves. After a couple hours or so we decided to let Mrs. Mutoh swim to her heart's content. 

"Let's go!" Koga yelled out and began driving the boat. It was a fresh start and we could get to Kite in no time with it. Mrs. Mutoh really did risk her own life to save ours, she was a mom to us all. The next problem came when we noticed trash littered all around us. However it wasn't trash, it was food and water from a capsized boat. Death didn't seem so imminent anymore. We had fruit, water, other supplies from the wreck all piled up into our little motorboat.

"It's frustrating to see Japan looking like this. It was so beautiful before." Kogas words stuck with me. Japan was now hidden below the surface of the water, all of the history and beauty was gone. My home was gone. 

After a while of driving around our boat came to a stop and my first thought was that something had become caught in it again. Our fuel was high and we had been cruising without problem for a while. 

"I think something is stuck, I'll go check." I offered as I began to take off my shoes and shirt. Before I could dive in though a huge moving object was spotted in the distance coming straight for us. I redressed and tried to get a closer look.

"Is it a whale?"

"No way."

"Or a ship?"

Pulling up right next to us it appeared to be some sort of submarine. It looked like the submarine from a movie and I could only wonder what the captain of this thing was gonna look like. The hatch on the top opened up and there was Kite in all his glory. He seemed like an angel at this moment.

"You guys are pretty tenacious." I felt tears come to my eyes as he smiled down at me. I thought for sure he was dead and now here he is rescuing us in a submarine.

"Kite! You're alive after all." 

"I totally knew you were alive!" Koga cheered on as I stood in silence. I couldn't believe it and I couldn't believe how much I missed the guy. 

"I knew you would too and don't worry, I've got the bedridden old man in here with me."

He seemed to notice a necklace around Ayumu's neck and recognized it as Mrs. Mutoh's confirming his suspicion. I could tell from the look on his face that he knew what happened as he grew solemn. She really made a mark on us all.

He ushered us into the submarine and I went to enter last. Kite held out his hand for me to take and instead I hugged him. I wouldn't let go, I couldn't let go. What if he slipped away from me again? What if something happened and we got separated again? I didn't want to risk it.

"I missed you princess." Kissing my head he made his way back to the steering area and I went to sit by Ayumu. She had rested her head against my shoulder and I rubbed circles into her back. We had had a rough couple days with all of the uncertainty that being with the group again relaxed us. All of a sudden the submarine began shaking back and forth and I panicked.

"Another earthquake?" Kite nodded at my question and I realized how lucky we were to have not been on the boat right now. As we found a spot of land to stop at everyone stretched their legs out and relished the solid ground, something we hadn't had in days. There was a lone lighthouse at the top of the hill and it felt symbolic of sorts.

As Koga and Kite reunited I walked over to Go to help him carry his stuff. Suddenly a burst of water shot out from the ground and rained us in hot water. It was the closest thing I had to a shower in what felt like years.

"It's a hot spring, be careful"

Go pulled my hand over to the hot spring that was built like a mini hot tub. Warm water felt like heaven on Earth, like a reward. I undressed out of my shoes and shirt and lay in the hot springs like Go. I had a bra on which was enough of a bathing suit, right? Kite eyed me down before turning away embarrassed. 

"We used to make many trips to the hot springs." I hummed in agreement and closed my eyes happily. It was a solemn memory but it felt nice to make a new one with everyone here.

"Well I say this is a good pit stop. I didn't know how much I missed hot water til now." I said laying back and taking in the heat. 

"Japan is pretty great. They don't have hot springs in Estonia, do they?"

"Well actually there are."

"Yea? Well I'm sure they don't have cherry blossoms out there." Go seemed to dismiss all of Ayumu's claims and took a pessimistic view of Japan. It was understandable as the sinking of the archipelago had ruined his life to an extent but there is, or was, so many things to enjoy about Japan. The food, the culture, the scenery.

"I never want to see any of it again anyway, it all sank anyway." 

And that it did.

Kind of long A/N - So this is my first fanfiction and if you've made it this far could you tell me what I need to improve on. I personally think I made this boring and I don't know how to improve. I hate that when people look up Japan Sinks they only have limited options and are left reading mine as well. I just don't think it's good enough for the average reader. I promise to improve however and will try to make this book more enjoyable!! Lots of love. ~ Rach