[FF] Our Future

[Zunar]

A/N: This was written as if the reader has no previous knowledge of Katawa Shoujo.

The morning sun shines through my window, waking me up. It's 8 AM on a cool Saturday morning. I yawn and stretch, getting out of the bed.

I head towards the kitchen, led by smells and sounds of breakfast being cooked. I see my wife Lilly and our daughter Hanako making us all breakfast.

"Good morning, Hisao," Lilly says.

Hanako jumps slightly in surprise, as she hadn't noticed my entrance. "G-Good morning."

"Morning Lilly, morning Hanako," I answer.

I look at Lilly. She is tall and slender, with beautiful blonde hair. As I watch her pour drinks, it's captivating to see how she works around her blindness. Her hands lightly brush against the cups and she lowers a finger into each cup, checking how much is in each. I flash back to the day I first met her.

It was my first day of school. I was looking for the library and happened upon a door that was slightly ajar, which piqued my interest. I opened it and saw Lilly there, seated at a table, drinking tea. After I had introduced myself, she offered to make me some tea. Afterward, she showed me to the library, and that was where I first met Hanako.

Snapping back to reality for a second, I turn my gaze to Hanako as she gets plates out of the cabinet. I had seen her earlier that morning when I introduced myself to the class, but we never talked to each other until I went to the library. She's a very timid girl, as I came to find out. I had gotten some books to read and sat down near her, which startled her. After apologizing, I found myself glancing over at her occasionally over the top of my book.

Right off the bat, I noticed that half her face was badly scarred. It wasn't until later than I found out why; her house caught fire when she was younger and both her parents died trying to save her. She had grown up in an orphanage until going to the school. She and Lilly became really close, probably partially due to the fact that Lilly's blindness prevented her from noticing Hanako's scarring.

As school went on, I found myself spending time with Lilly and Hanako. Lunchtimes, for example; they usually went to the tea room (where I met Lilly), so I would get my lunch and join them. Sometimes they played chess (they had a special chess board specifically for blind players). Sometimes I also met Lilly on my way to town and helped her with her shopping.

It wasn't until Lilly left for a week to visit her family that I realized my feelings for her. As luck would have it, when Lilly came back, we had a long weekend off from school. Lilly invited Hanako and I to spend it at a quiet little house that her family owned. This is it, I told myself, I'll tell her there. But lo and behold, she beat me to it. I remember how surprised I was at how forward she was about it and how happy I was that she felt the same for me that I did for her.

After returning back to school, we were almost driven apart; Lilly had been summoned home by her parents in Scotland. I begged and pleaded for her to stay, but she said she wasn't able to.

On the day of her flight, I called a taxi and hurried to the airport. I had to see her one last time. I caught a glimpse of her heading to board the plane and I ran after her, calling her name. Suddenly, pain erupted in my chest. I had forgotten about my heart condition. Nurses orders: don't overexert yourself. There I was, doing exactly that, just to see my girlfriend one last time before she flew back home. I collapsed to the floor, not expecting to wake up again.

Fortunately, I did; I woke up in a hospital later. I was taking in my surroundings when I noticed something next to the bed. It looked like the music box I had bought for Lilly earlier that year. As I wondered how it got there, the door to my room opened.

...I thought I'd never see her face again. Lilly walked over to my bed and threw her arms around me, sobbing. Touched by how I risked my life to see her again, she had decided to stay. To this day I still wonder, if she was so stubborn about leaving before, how did she work out being able to stay? Not that I'm complaining, I'm glad she did.

After we graduated from school, we married and adopted Hanako. I didn't want to leave her by herself and neither did Lilly, so adopting her seemed like the best option. I don't regret it one bit.

"Hisao?"

Lilly's voice jerks me out of my flashbacks.

"Yes, Lilly?"

"Can you give me a hand with the drinks?"

"Of course."

I pick up two cups and she picks up the third, walking slowly to the table. She feels out the edge of it and places the cup gently down. Hanako puts plates down on the table and takes each plate one by one to the stove to fill it with food.

"Lilly..." I reach my hand up and stroke her cheek. She nuzzles her cheek in my hand, smiling contently. I put my lips to hers and she offers no resistance.

We break after a couple of seconds and I notice Hanako staring.

"Come here, Hanako," I say, motioning for her to come over. She walks to us and all three of us embrace. All three of us together, as one happy family. Things couldn't be any better.