DISCLAIMER: I do not own Higurashi or its characters. It belongs to Ryukishi07, as depressing as that is. And what is the point of a disclaimer anyway? This is FANFICTION
Keiichi: I'm glad. If you owned me, it'd be a nightmare...
Hey hey, don't get cocky.
Keiichi: Worse than being Onikakushi'ed!
...Just get to the story...
Keiichi: I'd pick that over you any-
And not a peep out of you! -pulls wire-
-static noises-
I was laughing. Laughing so hard I thought my lungs could fail me any second. Even so, I just kept on laughing. I'd never felt this happy. Never. I felt as if I could do anything. Absolutely anything. The rain has proved of that, because now I was covered in mud. I didn't care the slightest.
What had happened today was rather unusual. It was bright and sunny one second, and it was drizzling the next. Small droplets of water seeped through the many crevices in the cracked dirt, stirring it and making it all mushy-like. At first, I stuck up my nose in disgust. I said it was best if we head home, find shelter before it starts raining cats and dogs, but my friend just laughed.
He said there is nothing better then spending a rainy day out in the misty rain itself, and that I should learn to enjoy it rather than running away and hiding. I thought he was downright nuts, and urged him to follow me. In response, I was dragged into the mud myself. I was stubborn, but eventually allowed the mud to stain my clothes as I sat there and tried to suppress my giggles.
"WATCH OUT!" I heard him yell, and ducked my head at the last minute. A giant wad of mud flew over my head, catching a small strand of my green hair, " If you wanted to hit me, you shouldn't have asked me to dodge it!" I scooped up some dirt myself and threw it at him. He watched as the dirt slowly slipped off his shirt, leaving an ugly brown mark.
He shrugged, "Wasn't my favourite shirt anyway," I missed his throw by a huge distance.
"Your aim sucks, Kei-chan!" I smirked.
"I'm not even trying!" he replied.
I cocked my eyebrow, "You're not?" I dropped the remaining dirt in my hand, disappointed, "What a waste..."
As planned, his face flushed, "What?" I looked over my shoulder, and winked tauntingly, "Kei-chan doesn't try when it comes to Mion-sama. He thinks he's to good for her!"
Keiichi grinned, "Sure, let's go with that," I shook my head.
"Still no answer..." I looked at him, my face serious all of a sudden, "What exactly to you think of me?" I asked.
He kneeled, his hand resting on some more dirt, "You're a girl," With one swift move, a claud of dirt caught me straight on my stomach.
"That does it!" I lunged at the boy, pinning him face first to the grass nearby. Kei-chan grumbled audibly.
"Give up already? How sad," I pouted, sitting on his back.
"Dammit," he groaned, "You're heavy. What have you been eating?" I hit his head with the back of my hand, "Food, you dumbass. What else?"
"That's just great. Can you get off of me now?' He asked, "I swear, I heard something crack,"
"I still have my victory to soak in!" I laughed manically, enjoying his helplessness.
He sighed, "It's been raining a while now," I nodded, roughly combing water drops out of my hair. As I looked at the fogged landscape, some brown blotch caught my eye,
"What's that?' I asked, standing up. Kei-chan got up as well, squinting at what I was pointing towards, "I don't know..." My curiosity seemed to have swallowed me whole, because I found myself sprinting to my new find.
"Wha- MION! WAIT~!" Kei-chan called, following me.
It didn't take long to reach it, since the mist had exaggerated it's distance. I slowly halted, fixing my gaze on the ruined wooden structure. That's odd. I know this field like the back of my hand, but I never had come across something like this... Kei-chan finally caught up with me, panting like crazy.
I smirked, "You are much more athletically challenged then I! MWAHAHA!" I laughed, raising my hands up in the air.
"Shut...up..." He rasped, punching me lightly on the shoulder.
"Whatever you say," I closed my eyes, sticking out my tongue at him. He grumbled.
"So~?" I said, rocking back and forth on my heels, "Do ya wanna explore~?' Kei-chan eyed my suspicious smile, "I don't trust you," He replied flatly, looking back at the old heap of soggy wood, "Plus, I don't think it's safe..." I pouted, "Please, Kei-chan? Don't you like to see me happy?"
"Sure..." Was his simple reply. "What is that supposed to mean?" I fumed, poking his arm.
He smiled, "It means I'll help you, stupid!" I calmed down a bit, "Oh... Well, what are you waiting for?" I grabbed his wrist, tugging it, "To the old barn-ish thingamajig we've never seen before!" He chuckled, following me, "That's not dangerous at all. I bet it's friendly!" I laughed, "You think it's got cookies?"
"Why not?"
"What about fuzzy quilts and teddy bears?"
He paused, then he gave me weird look, as if I'd gone insane. I grinned, entering the wooden structure, and found out it was indeed a barn. It had hay (now sticky and soggy, thanks to the damaged roof) stables, small wooden cages, and a few chains were attached to the poles holding the barn steady.
"Definitely a barn," Kei-chan pointed out the obvious, forcefully shaking his head. Drops of water flew out, some landing on my face.
I tugged at my wet green ponytail, "When do you think it was built?"
He cocked his head to a side, inspecting one of the wooden poles, "There's a carving here: says it was built a year before the dam war," He replied short after.
"Really..." I marvelled, walking around. I glanced up at the roof, watching stray beads of rainwater slip through the wide cracks, dripping onto the floor.
"Still raining," I muttered. It took me a while to realize I sounded wistful.
Kei-chan walked back towards the entrance, and I realized it didn't have doors. The doors were pulled off their hinges and placed beside the opening. The sky was covered with clouds, all a gloomy grey. They leaked raindrops much heavier than before.
"We're going to be stuck here a while..." I pointed out.
"Mmhm,"
I sighed deeply, and Kei-chan looked over his shoulder, "What is it?"
I shook my head, smiling, "Nothing... It's just these little moments that remind me of how much fun you are to be around..." I repeated my words in my head, blushing lightly.
I saw his face light up with pink as well, "Thank you..." He said. I widened my eyes, still blushing, "No need to thank me! It's natural isn't it?" I winked. Kei-chan grinned at me, "I am pretty awesome," He boasted, "Naturally,"
I grinned back, "I think you're overdoing it just~ a bit!" I used my thumb and index as an example, showing him the tiny gap in between them.
He huffed, "You're just jealous."
"What?"
"That's right. You're jealous because I'm awesome-er than you are." He stuck his tongue out at me tauntingly.
I gasped, spreading my fingers out in front of my mouth dramatically, "How dare you!" Kei-chan stared, placing his hands on his hips, "I dare, and I'll win like before!"
"You just love to piss me off," I broke into a run after him, "Don't you?"
"You have to admit, it's fun!"
The bastard knew exactly how to get me angry, and had me red faced by the time he was done. I swear, I was about ready to snap every bone in his body, as if they were measly twigs. When I did catch up to him, however, I did something that surprised me as much as it surprised him.
"M-M-Mion? What are you doing?" Kei-chan stuttered, his voice nervous and muffled.
I found my arms wrapped securely around him and my head resting on his dampened shoulder. I froze immediately, my face growing hot.
"Ju-j-just needed a hug," I said, "Y-you didn't want one?" I pulled away, far enough for me to get a clear view of his dirt smeared face. My heart skipped happily as I realized he was blushing harder than I was.
"U-u-uhmm... I don't mind.. But I don't get it," He said slowly, lowering his head.
I raised an eyebrow, "Get what, Kei-chan?" I asked worriedly, my hands now on his shoulders.
"Why you would want to spend this time with me of all people!" He exclaimed, raising his head to look me in the eye, "You could've asked Rena, or Satoko-chan or Rika-chan..."
My eyebrows furrowed, "You mean..." My eyes went wide, "What are you saying?"
He gave me a curious look.
"So..." I groaned in disbelief, "All this time.. You were holding back because you thought I picked you by chance?" I ran this over in my head, and it still wouldn't make sense.
I squeezed his shoulders, feeling the corners of my eyes dampen slightly, "Do you know how much of an idiot you just sounded then? I'm telling you now, and I have a thousand times before: You're amazing! Why would you let that thought dare cross your mind, that you aren't good enough?" I asked firmly.
Kei-chan was frozen at the spot, so I figured I'd continue:
"Ba-chan really likes you," I chuckled, "From that time you came over last week. She says she sees potential in you." I looked him in his violet eyes, my own shining proudly, "Our own club let you in because we knew you were something special!" I reached out my hand and gently wiped some dirt off of his face, so I could see it clearly.
"You're my best friend for a reason. This oji-san doesn't give out honorary titles for nothing!" I removed one hand from his shoulder and prodded his chest, "If I ever hear you say, or said that, I will kick your sorry ass." I practically glowed, standing up straighter, "Besides, it already hurts me enough. Don't do it any more, OK?" I smiled kindly, beaming at him with my usual embarrassing blush.
Kei-chan just stared at me. I didn't look away either, my blush darkening.
Eventually, he gladly smiled back, "Am I you're best friend?" He asked, gripping my arms while my hands where still on his shoulders.
I threw myself into him again, resting my chin on his shoulder, "Yes. The best of all my friends." I replied.
"Why?"
It took me a second to realized what he was asking, "Why? Goodness, why not?" This time, he didn't hesitate to hug back.
"All those thank-yous you said to me... Those were nothing compared to what I owe you! I'll be there for you, as you had been, and will be there for me."
I felt him hug me tighter, "Why am I hearing this just now?"
I slammed my fist roughly onto his back, out of annoyance, "You didn't have to hear it to know. You were stupid enough not to notice!" I pulled away from him, checking the sky once again. The raining had stopped, and the sun was shining brightly.
"Well," I started, offering him my hand, "I guess we ought to head home now, huh?"
He grabbed my hand, "What time is it anyway?" he asked.
I squinted up at the sky, "I'd say, five thirty?"
"CRAP! My mom wanted me home at five!" Kei-chan swore, tugging my hand. I groaned inwardly, "Ba-chan wanted me home at four..." I allowed myself to be pulled away, as we talked about things that seemed utterly important at the time. Our grip on each others hands tightened.
Through the whole walk, neither of us let go.
MAJOR EDIT: I'll pretend you can't see the bold letters and say that I did indeed edit this story. It's been months since I'd written this, and since I've improved my writing style, I came back and tweaked my old stories a little. Not hammered and rebuild, tweaked.
You know, I'm actually thinking of rewriting this in third-person. Mion telling the story is just wierd, and it sounds way too OOC for it to be her. Like, if she hugged Keiichi, she would explode in pink goo right after. I think if I reversed the roles, it would fit much much better.
Ho hum...well, I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review while you're here, and I'll mail you an internet cookie. :D