-:The Heart's Stone:-
Chapter 1 : Camping Out!
The scent of fresh air, wet ground, all types of flowers, and the way the lake stinks sure mixed up inside my nostrils making me feel sick to the pit of my stomach. Nice way of letting us, students, out in such place to draw a master piece. Noh-sensei sure knows how to piss people. I hate it when I'm in a place after the rain pours out then everything's all wet and muddy. It always makes me feel sick and I also hate it when I'm all worked up before doing my own master piece.
All of us were tired and sticky with sweat but we still had long way to go before settling in for Art Camp. It always comes right before the finals. Now that I'm about to graduate middle school, I was planning on going to an Art school where I can sharpen my skills and go to Arts and Science University. Of course, my parents were against it but they have no rights to tell me what I want to do with my life.
"Ah!" A yelp hold us back and I stopped from my track to look back at my cousin who was flat on the ground. "Ouch, ouch, ouch..."
I quickly made my way to her even if she was already being helped by her fellow classmates. As I grabbed my cousin's shoulders, I frowned from concern. "Miha, are you alright? Do you want me to piggy-back you?" Sure enough that she'd refuse because she's all red out from embarrassment. She's the shy type yet she had a very determined personality on what she'll do. Even if she has a very weak heart, she still kept up her charming smiles that made me cheer up whenever I see it.
"N-no... thanks, Chi-neesan. I'm okay. Ichi-kun is here to help me." Miharu said as she smiled weakly, her cheeks were tinted with slight blush. Ogino Miharu's my cousin whom lost her parents in a rational accident. We took her under our care and I treated her as my own sister. After that day, Miharu came in to our family. I've told her my story but made false characters since, to her, it's all just fiction. But from what I see after telling her the story before she goes to sleep, she really wanted to see the Spirit world. That would be great but I still don't want her to go there by her own. She's still too young. Well now, that's too ironic for me to think.
"Alright, then I'll go back now. Be careful next time, please?" I started walking away but I still glued my eyes on her not caring if I would ever trip. When I saw her nod with her signature smile, I sighed in relief.
We started walking again and after an hour, we finally reached our camping site. Everyone grunted from exhaustion. I looked over to where Miharu was and smiled to see her well again. It would've been easy for me to breathe if she stayed. But how could I leave her? She loves to sketch every little thing that passes her head. Noh-sensei clapped his hands to get our attention and told us to set up our tents. So we did but Miharu and I will be sharing since I don't think she'll be okay alone.
Right after setting up our tents, Noh-sensei told us our schedules, which was very peculiar since it was just an overnight camping. Lest of something, it would be alright if we have our schedules till tomorrow noon, it sure would be troublesome to have free wills. We all gathered up around Noh-sensei and listened to him. It didn't take us long to hear out our scheduled activities so we all headed out for our place to sketch.
Both Miharu and I went to the river shore and sat on top of a big rock. Sketch pads and charcoal pencils were already set beside us while we both exchange laughter.
"Look, Chi-neesan! A flying fish!" Miharu pointed towards a fish that was really flying. But when I looked up at the tree, I laughed at one of my classmate who was trying to pull out the fish from the river. "What? Was I wrong about it flying?"
"Yup, sure is. Look up there, Azure's trying to fish it out." I pointed towards the red blond who was struggling at his place. He was using the old style to catch the fish. How stupid of him. "Now, what will you sketch? I'm sure you won't just draw the trees, right?" I glanced at her who was starting to scribble.
"The whole place." Just with a simple answer, I'm really taken aback at how she's serious with this activity. Well, she's been an artist ever since she was still five. I've got to hand it to her, she's way better at everything when it comes to nature.
"You sure are serious." I chuckled and started scribbling myself.
We were both silent for two long hours and when suddenly, I caught a glimpse of something moving by the bushes. Miharu was too busy to notice it so I didn't bother her. I put my sketchpad away for a moment then slipped out from the rock. Now I made Miharu lose her concentration and she looked at me with a worry frown.
"Chi-neesan?" She called right after setting her pad down and slid off of the rock herself. "Are you going to go somewhere? Can I come?" Her question made me a little worried. I surely don't want her coming with me in a dangerous place. She backed away a bit with a disappointed frown while looking away. "I couldn't come, right?"
"I'm sorry, Miha. I'll just check something out there." I smiled at her then patted her head. She sure had that same chocolate brown hair of hers with matching steel grey eyes. No wonder some would mistakenly call her as me. "I'll be right back."
"Mm." She nodded her reply. I'm sure she doesn't like it when I go off somewhere absent-mindedly. "I'll finish this off right away so we can go home as early as possible." She smiled then went back to the rock where we were sitting earlier.
Reassuring that she's safe and sound there, I started walking away inside the forest and scanned the whole place. I was so sure I saw something, or someone, move inside this forest. Without any luck to find what or who it was, I sighed and went back empty handed. If it was a cute animal, Miharu would be so much in delight.
It was almost dark when I came back. My stuff was already gone so probably Miharu took it back to our tent. Once I stepped inside our tent, Miharu was already fast asleep. The others were still chatting by the bonfire so there's much of a noise to be asleep of. I smiled then walked over to the side of the tent to get my pad. But I got Miharu's pad instead. I look inside of it and was so surprise to see it in so much detail. I smiled and looked at her sleeping figure. For some reason, there's the feeling again, feeling of me wanting to go back to the Spirit world and to see Haku. But after those five years of waiting for him, I think there's no point of him keeping such promise. I even tried going back to that tunnel but I only stopped halfway through. Somehow, something blocked me from going any further.
So much for hoping but, since Miharu's here, I guess there's still hope for him to come. My inner self kept on giving me tingles whenever I think of that day to come. I'd wanted to feel that hand, that longing hand that calls out for me to hold. I wonder what Haku's doing for the past five years.
"Chi-neesan?" Miharu sat up, rubbing her eyes in a very adoring manner. "Noh-sensei said that we can go since Akio-ojichan's here to take us home." Her childish accent made me laugh. I never thought she'd try and call dad an 'ojichan', she'll make him breathe out fire if he'd hear that.
"Okay. Let's pack now?" I asked her who was trying to get her way out from the sleeping bag. "You okay there, Miha?" I giggled at her while packing up our things.
"No thanks..." She finally found her way out then rolled it up and helped me pack our things. "How come we're the only ones exceptional?" She whined out from the bag she's dwelling.
She's right about that question. We're always in exception that I got tired of it. Well, sometimes it's a handy part but it's sickening to the bone, you know. "Dunno and don't care."
"Boo, that's such a state." She giggled while strapping the last strap on her bag. "I hope we can go to that place. I'm sick of just story..."
"Haha. That's a fact." I laughed while going out of our tent with my own bag. "You sure like that to happen, huh?"
"Let's visit that tunnel tomorrow." She suggested while sitting down a rock behind me. "I hope that forest green haired guy comes."
I almost ripped my tent from that comment. When I looked back at her, she had eyes that I'd never once seen before. It was dull and bored, as if it wanted something extraordinary. "Miha?"
"Mm. Well, that's something." She shrugged dismissively and stood up. "Ah! It's Akio-ojichan!" She yelled.
"You know that he might send us flying if he ever hears that, right?" I joked, finishing the roll up of our tent.
"Hey, Chihiro! Mind lending us that tent of yours?" Suzuke yelled. I looked over at him then smiled as my reply. "Thanks, girl!" He grinned widely.
I stood up then left the tent lying on the muddy ground as I slipped my backpack on my shoulder. "Ugh, this is so heavy." I whined under my breathe and as dad walked near us with a smile, I started taking Miharu towards him who started to yawn. "Miha, are you still sleepy?" I asked while looking over to my shoulder just to see her with a tired face. But her tired face doesn't seem to look good since she looks sort of red. I wanted to ask her but I guess her energy's drained out.
"Hey, Chihiro, Miharu! How was your camping?" Dad asked as he took our bags away from us. "Oh, Miharu, you don't look so good there. Did you catch a cold?" He asked while peeking at the tired figurine behind me.
"Uh-uh." Miharu shook her head while leaning against me.
I giggled at her. "Want me to piggyback you?" I asked while taking a hold of her shoulders.
"No, I'm alright." She smiled while closing her eyes for a bit. "Let's go home. I'm tired of camping, anyway." She breathed out and it was heavy.
"Alright and ready! Let's get us home." Dad said and we all headed out of the camping site.
Inside the car, Miharu was already fast asleep. She's leaning on my shoulder while I looked out of the window, waiting. Waiting? Oh, how will I ever get back to the Spirit world? I miss everyone. But, what about Miharu? Should I take her with me? There were too many questions that should be answered yet nothing came.
The car was put to a stop then dad turned off the engine. I shook Miharu by the shoulder then she slightly opened her eyes but closed it stubbornly. "Miha, we're here." I said softly to her ears.
"Carry me..." She said in almost a whisper. Something really was wrong about her.
I sighed then pulled her behind me as I took her arms around my neck. I slowly skid my way out of the car and almost lose my balance but regained it back. Even if I asked her earlier for a piggyback she's too stubborn when it's comes to some personal reasons. But even so, she's really a nice girl and does her stuff plainly.
When we got to my room, I put her down on her bed since we're both sharing the same room. Her expression seemed to be in so much pain so I checked her forehead if it was hot but it wasn't. I frowned out of worry about her condition but sighed it off so that she can rest if she ever had a fever.
I walked towards the window and peeked down the hillside where a road lies and a tree that stood there along with little houses under it. Old memories started to come back that made me bit my lip to prevent some tear to flow. I retreated back and slipped on my bed as I drifted back to my dream land where I was back on the Spirit world.