To My Sunflower

Hinata followed his family out of the kitchen hall after their meal.

"Don't worry. We're not far from this place." Aiyama-san reassured Hinata when she saw him glancing back towards the ward where Akira rested.

Hinata sighed and prompted her to lead the way.

Kei's eyes were fixated to Hinata's lean back. He wondered on how many injuries the man had suffered for them. And how he could be still walking around.

"Are you hurt?" He coolly asked, which caused Hinata to pause and turn around.

"I'm fine, but I'm happy to see you're well."

Kei frowned. He glanced to Hinata's hands, slightly trembling at his sides. He relaxed his frown with a sigh. Adults were a funny bunch.

"I'll help the kids," he said to end their conversation.

Hinata scratched his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"Hina-tan!" Shouta came up to him with his arms outstretched.

Hinata's eyes welled with tears at the sight of his yellow ribbon. He hadn't realized it was gone. He felt his full hair bun and realized the texture of harsh cotton. Of course, Rocko had bundled his hair up in a practical piece of cloth.

"Wibbon."

Memories of Eiji flooded his mind as he tenderly removed the ribbon from Shouta's tiny hands.

"Thank you." He gratefully patted the boy's head.

Shouta bowed and hurried out of the hospital to catch up to the other kids, who were already walking down a dirt path where wild flowers and grass ran up towards formidable mountains. Small creatures rummaged through the grasses and dashed away from them when they drew near. The mellow chirping of sparrows and field birds added to the ambience of refuge.

He stepped out further and stood beneath soothing sunlight with his ribbon fluttering about his fingers. The uplifting and purifying scent of nadeshiko boosted some of his stale energies. He felt his spirits also lifted at the sight of the children and his friends again.

"Friends." Hinata heaved a grateful sigh. It was a nice feeling to be welcomed amongst others.

His mind lingered on a sober fact. He was still a problem to them. It would break his heart beyond repair if someone else was hurt like Akira.

"Akira." He sighed again and gazed to the cloudy white skies. 

His heart was set and not going back. He re-styled his hair it into a top-knot bun with the yellow ribbon. Long strands of his back length flowing over his shoulders and about the edges of his face. His heart eased into a calmer pace. 

He caught up to Mei-san who was guiding Kou by the arm. Although, he suspected it was to reassure herself of his existence and never let him go.

They formed a pleasant conversation about general things until they reached a weathered minka near the edges of a foot-hill.   Despite the mould growing on the straw roof and some moist stains on the beams, wide porch floorboards and shoji door frames, the place promised a sturdy comfort.

Hinata didn't mind the astringent musk and smell of Earth from within the main room. It was as good place to stay until they could figure out what exactly was going on.

"Who owns this place?" He asked Yuri.

Yuri shrugged his shoulders and said Tanaka-san had offered it to them. 

"Officer Tanaka-san?" Hinata frowned, perplexed. 

He had always thought that officer had been born and raised in Mimaki. Upon further information from Yuri, it seemed the village they were seeking refuge was the man's original hometown. Once Akira and the Mayor's too when they were young boys.

"Strange. The school Honda left behind is now being a hospital ward for him." Yuri sighed.

"Mama!" Miki-chan called out from the front door. 

Hinata panicked when he saw her rush to Aiyama-san's side in the main room.  He went to see what was making the young girl nervous and saw Shuu Tanaka enter. The young officer looked exhausted and pale. 

"You're alive." Shuu smiled at Hinata before him.

"Tanaka-san!" Hinata promptly assisted Shuu out of his shoes and onto the best cushion of the house. 

"Are you okay?" Shuu soberly directed his question to Hinata.

Hinata peered at Shuu's expressionless face. He was still in his policeman's uniform, which should some signs of a scuffle from the dirt stains and smudges on his sleeves and pants. His gloves were no longer pristine and white.

"What happened?" Hinata sat before Shuu in seiza. 

He waited for Shuu to speak.

"My question to you." Shuu stared earnestly into Hinata's eyes. "Why does the Kenpeitei believe you are a traitor?"

Hinata gasped, frowning at the absurdity. Shap pain jabbed at his ribs and stomach. A reminder of the torture he had suffered for no reason.

"I honestly don't know. Only, that the man I ran away from seems to have done something wrong."

Shuu peered into Hinata's eyes for a while, not allowing the man to drop his stare until he felt he had seen the truth from them.

"I believe you." He sighed. "I've been monitoring you since your arrival in the village. Not once have you ever done anything to cause a problem to someone else."

He stared into Hinata's eyes again. "These so-called documents that the Kenpei are after seem to be plans to an instrument that will either help Japan finally win or loose the war." 

Shuu soberly explained that he had over heard the mayor talking to one of the kenpei in his officer about Hinata. The kenpei officer had mentioned that an intern called Eiji Takaki had stolen the documents on Governor Takaki's instruction. Or he was a decoy whilst the real documents were being handed over to the enemy. 

"How do they think Governor Takaki is involved?" Hinata frowned. He wasn't understanding the reasons for the implications.

"Because he was the last person to hold them. He was meant to deliver them to the Diet for vetting, but instead delivered something else unthinkable," Shuu said.

He further explained that it seemed the documents needed to be in the hands of the Emperor by the first week of September.

"The Kenpei knew all this?  Seems strange to be privy to such details." Hinata wasn't convinced.

Shuu chuckled. "If law enforcement was more organized that officer wouldn't be. To be honest, I'm no longer surprised. Seeing so many displaced people. Something's happened on the East Coast, but no one knows what. It seems everyone is desperate to survive."

Hinata still wasn't convinced and clear on why he and his family had to suffer.

"Why me?"

Shuu flashed him a cocky grin. "It seems the Governor had you on his list of family. You were listed next to Takaki-san."  

He leaned closer to Hinata. "He's Takaki's father, isn't he?"

Hinata felt his face heat up. His heart race with rage. "He's nothing to us!" 

Shuu's eyes widened with surprise. The fierce tone of Hinata's voice caught everyone by surprise.

"That man. I..." Hinata expelled a heavy breath. He clenched his fists against his thighs.

"I understand. I apologize for your suffering." Shuu softened his tone. He lowered his eyes to the table before him.

"Are you hurt?" Hinata went to check on the man and had his hand knocked away.

"Sorry. I'm struggling to come to terms with your..." Shuu stopped himself before he said words that would discriminate Hinata. The man had suffered enough. 

"I'll tend to him." Aiyama-san said as she shuffled next to Hinata with a medicine kit. 

Shuu smiled and relaxed under her care. 

Hinata rose and headed to the genkan. 

"Where're you going?" Rei asked from the kitchen doorway adjacent.

"To see Honda-san." Hinata answered over his shoulder when he shuffled into his getas.

"Nya!" 

Hinata's face lit up with happiness at the sight of his fat and cranky looking ginger tabby cat. 

He gave the cat some loving pats and a tummy rub, apologizing for leaving him again when he left the house for the hospital.