Spring.

It was the time of spring. Her eyes were full of sadness. She didn't look up to the Cherry Blossoms, just down on the ground.

"Carly, when you walk, chin up head up and back straight." Misty said to her companion. Typical for a model to say. Posture is everything.

Carly just ignored her older companion's words. She was depressed lately and she can't think straight, all she was thinking about is Jack and the fact that she was a dark signer.

"What's wrong with you? You'll collide with a tree if don't watch where you're going." Their third companion, Kiryu, said without much thought. Carly, again, ignore it. She couldn't hear them; she was trapped in her depressed state to hear anyone out.

"Hey, you're giving me the creeps, say something will you?" Kiryu stopped and faced her. She wasn't paying attention to where she going so she did collide with something. It was Kiryu's chest.

"Jack?" She looked up but did not see the violet eyes which Jack has, but two golden ones.

"No, it's me, K- I - R -Y -U."

"Oh. Sorry about that Kiryu. I wasn't watching where I was going." Her voice was trailing off as she said those words. She was lost again in her own little world.

"Hey Misty, what do we do with her? She's lost it."

"I know what would cheer her up."

"It's not Jack, is it?" There was hint of anger and annoyance in his voice.

"No, of course not. We're here to take her mind off of Jack Atlas."

"How do we do that?"

"Through a festival."

"What?"

"Cherry Blossom Festival. It's tonight."

"Then why are we here then? It's still early."

"We need to find a Kimono for her."

"A what?" Kiryu confused by the term 'kimono'.

"You'll see later what a kimono is." Misty said suggestively. Kiryu being Kiryu, did not get it at all.

"Carly dear, let's go shopping." Misty said with a smile. She grabbed her hand and lead her to the city. Kiryu followed them from behind.

"How's this, Kiryu?" Misty asked Kiryu who was busy looking at the floor.

"I don't care." He said for the nth time. There was a slight blush on his pale face, he had his hand in his pockets and he was avoiding their gaze.

"You aren't even looking, Kiryu." Misty said.

"That's how ugly you are."

"Aww...Don't listen to him Carly. He's just shy and dishonest." Misty stood behind Carly and held her by her shoulders. Carly's eyes were glued to her sandals, hiding her face with her bangs.

"It-its okay, I know that I'm not as beautiful as Misty-san."

Guilt filled Kiryu's heart. He had hurt her indirectly, now she was even more depressed than before.

"Don't be stupid, Misty doesn't even compare to you." Kiryu was turning red as an apple as he said those words to her. He faced her and felt more flustered. Her kimono fitted her right. It was orange like her jacket and it had pretty swirly designs on it.

Misty decided to just let Kiryu's somewhat insult to her go. It seems that Kiryu had finally said the right thing to Carly. Carly looked up to Kiryu as if asking for an explanation for what he had just said.

"Re-really?" She said in disbelief.

Kiryu was getting scared, his face was hot and his heart was racing fast. He didn't know why he was acting and feeling like what he was feeling right now.

"Well not ex--" Kiryu was not able to finish his sentence because someone had bumped him from behind thus propelling him towards Carly. Misty shoved Carly towards him and they bumped into each others arms.

"Oops." Misty said in mock innocence.

Kiryu's heart seem to stop for awhile, not that it was still beating since he is dead but figuratively speaking, his heart was still beating. Barely.

"Carly..." Kiryu whispered her name softly. He had caught her when they bumped into each other, preventing her from hitting his face.

"I-I'm so-sor-sorry, Kiryu." Her clumsy self was returning again.

"I think you'll trip often when you wear this kimono." He averted his eyes away from her's.

Misty smacked her face out of frustration. Kiryu was supposed to be complementing her not insulting her.

"Maybe you're right; I'll change back to my clothes now."

"No Carly, Kiryu was just joking with what he said, right Kiryu?" Misty said to Kiryu implying that he should apologize.

Kiryu, seeing Misty's threatening glare faced Carly yet again.

"But don't worry; I'll be there to catch you whenever you fall."

The depressed Carly seemed to return back to her old self to the clumsy, shy and awkward Carly that we all grew to love. She looked up to meet Kiryu's eyes. For a minute, time seemed to freeze and everything around them stood still. Kiryu wanted tell her how beautiful she looked in her kimono but he always end up saying something else. Carly on the other hand, was a little obliviously to Kiryu's shy nature around her.

"Well, I hate to break this moment between you two but, we'll be late for the festival if we don't leave now. Kiryu you go ahead, we'll just meet you there at the park." Misty instructed Kiryu.

"Where are you going?" Kiryu asked Misty.

"You don't need to know, just go ahead."

Misty went away with Carly to the cashier while Kiryu went off to the opposite direction.

Later that afternoon…

"Where are those idiots?" Kiryu

"Behind you, Kiryu."

Kiryu turned around to see two ladies dress in their kimonos. Kiryu's attention was stuck on Carly's face. She was wearing the kimono Misty bought for her and hair was tied in a pony tail.

"Take a photo, it'll last longer." Misty teased Kiryu.

"Shut up. Let's get going already. I'm starving." Kiryu began to walk towards the stands.

"Still timid are we?"

"Give me some cash, Misty." Kiryu demanded Misty who carried all their money.

"Not till you promise to spend time with Carly after we eat. Just the two of you."

"Whe-where are you going Misty-san?" Carly shocked by Misty's statement t o Kiryu.

"Don't worry, I'll just be in the background. Spend time with Kiryu and get to know each other more. Here you hold on to the allowance." Misty gave Carly her wallet and waved at them as she disappeared into the crowd.

"Great, I'm stuck with you."

"Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Well it's obvious that you don't like me and you don't want to be around me just like Jack..."

"What was that? What makes you think I don't like spending time with you." It was more of a command for an answer than a question.

"You don't sound happy..."

"I never sound happy."

Carly just looked down on the ground and continued to follow Kiryu.

blueorange: uhhm...no comment. Just review. I know I shouldn't sart alot of stories when I have little time to write but I wanted to support the Carly and Kiryu pairing and a little Misty/Kiryu/Carly thing.