Touching Love Story: One Meter Apart
On May 11, during the great tsunami in Japan, 74-year-old Kiko was out for a walk with her husband, Hashimoto, on a road a kilometer from the sea in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, when disaster struck unexpectedly.
Hashimoto’s first instinct was to run to the evacuation shelter. For young people, running quickly is easy, but for them, it was a Herculean task. Kiko had been nearly blind due to cataracts for over 20 years, and Hashimoto had taken care of her daily needs.
With no time to think, Hashimoto desperately grabbed Kiko’s hand and tried to escape to higher ground, but the monstrous waves followed them like demons, and soon they were engulfed in the raging torrent.
Kiko, unable to see, had no idea what was happening. The roaring waves crashed around them, and they stumbled, yet they held onto each other tightly.
Tragically, Kiko’s hand slipped from Hashimoto’s grasp. He clenched his fist, realizing it was empty. In a moment of panic, he closed his eyes and felt around, trusting that Kiko was still by his side, just like the last 20 years of their life together.
Those fleeting seconds felt like an eternity to Hashimoto.
Fortunately, after what felt like forever, he found Kiko’s hand again. After some struggle, they finally reached the safety of a slope, escaping the disaster. The elderly couple, now safe in the evacuation shelter, embraced each other and cried.
Their story quickly spread in the shelter, and when reporters came to ask, one inquired, “Sir, how did you manage to find your wife’s hand in just a few seconds?” Hashimoto replied calmly, “It was a sense of heart. When the tsunami knocked Kiko down, I felt a distance that seemed insurmountable, but my heart told me she was right there with me.”
Kiko’s response was even more touching: “When I lost his hand, I told myself to hold my position with all my might. As long as I stayed within one meter, Hashimoto would find me. Fortunately, we succeeded.”
Their story held even more depth: when Kiko first fell ill, she had contemplated suicide several times, but Hashimoto encouraged her time and again, saying, “I am your eyes. In this life, we will never be more than one meter apart!”
At those words, Kiko’s tears flowed freely, and Hashimoto gently wiped them away. The two elderly souls, despite their years, felt like sweethearts once again.
Though Kiko could no longer see Hashimoto, they both felt the connection forged over 20 years, even if they were just one meter apart.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
