Chapter 1. A journey back…

Sayuri was packing her stuff for she was to depart from Spain tomorrow, to land in her hometown, Tomoeda, Japan. She's been in Spain since she was 5 and a half year old and yet all the memories were as fresh as if it's been yesterday. Though she felt excited to head back to the place where it all began, she felt a pang since she would leave Spain and her best friends here.

"Would it all be okay?" Sayuri thought while she finished her packing.

Sayuri had only two best friends Ayumi and Troy. Ayumi was a half Japanese and half Spanish just like Sayuri. Whereas Troy on the other hand was a pure Roman breed. Everyone knew Troy had always had a crush on Saya, as he called her. But she's always been oblivious to his obvious feelings. Saya was the name she (Sayuri) was called by only her best friends, guardians and parents. But who knew everything she had was about to change….

She waved off to her friends at the airport and once the plane took off she looked down from the window… the same sight greeted her which she saw when she first came to Spain with her parents. And a small tear came rushing down her cheek. All the memories flooded back to her, and hit her like a meteor. But as the time passed she drifted off to sleep.

Once at the Tokyo airport, she was greeted by a familiar face… her beloved aunt – Miyuki. A face that she could never forget... Mrs. Miyuki Hitoshi, a fairly gorgeous lady in her late 30s, dressed up in a traditional Japanese dress, eyes – color of the hazel, 5ft 4 inches in height, and her brown hairs tied up in a chignon, was waiting with a bright smile for her niece to arrive. Miyuki was Saya's paternal aunt and one of the best friends of her mother.

Gathering up the luggage they took a cab home… Saya's home 11 years back, a place where her parents lived. This was the place where she was about to live for until her graduation. Saya's aunt lived a few blocks away from this place. Her aunt wanted Saya to live with her but since her parent's house was much easier to access her way to her new high school and to her part time jobs, she decided to live here. Nonetheless this was the very place where she could relive her memories, the time she spent with her parents.

11 years back, Saya lost her parents and her elder brother – Hiroyuki who was elder by 7 years to her, in a car accident, though she was in the same car but somehow she was the only one to survive it. That was the year that took her to her mom's sister's place back in Spain. It was decided by her two aunts that Saya would be completing her school education in Spain and her rest of the career in Tomoeda, Japan. But Saya longed to go back to her home.

She now stood in front of the gates of her old home, she could see that her aunt had cleaned everything for her arrival. It was a small house, but very spacious, and had a small but beautiful garden. There were many more houses in the neighborhood, and she also remembered few of the neighbors from her childhood, she noticed some of the old ones were gone and in their place new faces could be seen. When she enthusiastically stepped on the porch she could see a small balcony like area where two chairs were kept accompanied by a small wooden and glass table by the main door. When she excitedly turned the key and opened the door to the house, she found a pretty living room, which was adorned by a set of beautiful furniture, old T.V. and some beautiful pictures of her past clung to a wall. At the left corner she could see a doorway which led to a passageway which had entrance to a bathroom, kitchen and a staircase which probably led to bedrooms and a mini-terrace.

She quickly left her luggage in the living room and rushed upstairs to her room which she used when she was 5. She noticed a study table which was attached to a window, but beneath the glass of the table there were lots of pictures of her favorite cartoons, action heroes, etc. there was also a cupboard and a doorway that led to a bathroom. The room had the same feeling it used to have 11 years back, but the only thing that felt empty was the presence of her parents and her ever teasing brother. She checked out everything and every room one by one and her aunt reminded her of the things she forgot. She also checked out her bicycle that she rode 11 years back and a new bicycle standing next to it with all its glory.

"No way! But Miyuki you've already done so much for me! I can't take this…"

"Sweetie it's just a late birthday gift! After all you've been away for such a long time and after all this time now I get to have you back! This is fair enough! Plus your uncle doesn't want you to run around Tomoeda, school-home-work-home! It'll probably affect your health!"

"Aw thank you! But this means no expensive gifts from now on okay?"Miyuki nodded and Saya kissed her aunt's cheeks, "Thanks for everything!"

"Anything for you sweetheart, just remember the spare keys are with the Kinomoto family next door. And if you need anything call me! I've stocked everything you'll need, and just in case you forget about anything… I've written it on this paper; I'm keeping it in this drawer. Now unpack and get some rest, you've got to attend your new high school tomorrow morning… I hope you've got everything ready…" Her aunt said as if she had memorized everything from a script…

"Yeah thanks again…" Saya hugged her aunt goodnight and placed another kiss on her cheek wishing sweet dreams.

"You know, you look just like your mother. It's just your eyes that remind me of your father!" Miyuki said as she opened the door to exit.

"Goodnight Miyuki!"

"Goodnight pumpkin!"

It was their way of affection, to call each other on the first name basis. Saya was the beloved in the entire family. Not due to sympathy that she lost her both parents when she was a kid but because of her nature, attitude and the way she kept everyone happy around her.

Saya didn't ate that night as she was sort of jet lagged. But she did unpacked and readied all her stuff for her first day of her high school life. Then after going through her family photographs, and after contemplating each of them, she picked a certain one which enclosed a caption of her parents and her friends along with her in her home's small garden. it was rather an aged photo but still she managed to frame it up and placed it on her bed-side table. She hung her guitar oh the free wall opposite to her bed and went to the small terrace to greet the overview of the small city.

"I'm finally home!" she sighed.

A car passed down the road to the neighboring house, she figured it was one of the Kinomoto's and sure she was, it was Touya Kinomoto driving back to the house after a long day at work. She heard the car being parked and "I'm home!" greetings being exchanged. And for a while she looked at the sky when a shooting star caught her eyes… as like everyone who'd caught such a glimpse, would do, she too clasped her hands and eyes shut and wished…