A/N: This chapter refers directly to the 14th chapter of the manga "After the Rain", the 16th "Fujimoto's Worries", and earlier ones to corroborate the plot. Contains Spoilers! From (Fujimoto) Kiyokazu's POV.

Title: My Worries
Rating: K+/T?
Pairing: KiyoKoba
Word Count: 3954
Synopsis: An insight to Kiyokazu's mind the day after the confrontation with Okiura.

It was early morning…

The birds were chirping happily outside my window and I cursed my insomnia as I rolled over and tugged the covers over my head; I had barely slept that night.

Hissing in discomfort at my burnt fingers as they touched the covers, I closed my eyes in annoyance.

I was still mad.

Truly furious that that bastard had the gall to still show his face around me and Sayaka. Mad that he scorned my warnings to stay away from us. Mad that he was still trying to shut down the school that meant so much to Sayaka. Mad that he was fine with involving Kobato in all that mess…

'Damn, I warned her... I told her to stay out of it! And what did she do? She got involved further!' I grumbled in my mind.

The bastard was even okay with stirring up problems with Chitose-san, all because of me living in her apartment building. Well, me and Kobato, though I figured Kobato was just collateral damage in that bastards mind, I was sure.

As the birds kept chirping I gave up on the thought of trying to sleep a bit more. I'd only slept a few minutes after I'd lain down and a few more before dawn broke, since I'd spent most of the night thinking about my earlier encounter.

I suddenly found myself wishing Kobato would sing once more.

I'd finally recognized her voice from the Hanami festival. As she sang last night I instantly recognized her voice, even though it'd been a much more sad song. I recalled how surprised I'd been when I realized Kobato was the one singing - but there was no mistaking it - and how I berated myself for not noticing why her voice seemed so familiar.

Her song had calmed me somewhat after I'd returned to his quarters. Even though I'd been surprised by our conversation after Okiura left, I'd also been burning in rage at Okiura's visit and her song had soothed my temper. It'd been enough to lull me to sleep for a while, though I woke a couple hours later and had spent countless hours tossing and turning on the futon, unable to sleep again, all the while berating myself for whishing I could listen to her song once more.

Sighing in resignation I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, only to hiss again as I felt the increasingly familiar sting of my burnt fingers.

'Damn, I'll have to be more careful. Don't want Sayaka noticing anything,' I thought as a memory of an extremely worried Kobato made way to my mind, 'Why did she get in the way? Was she really that worried about me?' I glanced at the wall that separated our quarters, 'She even got into the fight to help me out…' I recalled despite being bummed that she wouldn't let me hit Okiura after he let me go.

Okiura looked back at Kobato and pointed at me.

"See? Told you he'd hit me."

Kobato agreed quietly as I dropped my bag to the floor and lunged at Okiura again, hoping he was distracted enough. What I didn't expect was for her to catch on and step in front of Okiura.

She kept her arms open barring my passage as she faced me.

"No! You can't!" she shouted, surprising both of us.

"Move!" I hesitated, but didn't back off.

"You can't hit him!" she repeated.

"But the school! He wants to-!" I tried to talk her out of protecting the dirt kept in place, still staring starring to my eyes with concern.

"Still! You can't hit him!" she pleaded, "You'll hurt Okiura-san, but you'll hurt yourself too!" she claimed.

Looking down at the clock resting beside my futon I sighed as I realized it was high time to get up and get ready to head to the Nursery.

Standing up I began to undress my pajamas and putting on some fresh clothes as I continued to recall the events of that night.

"I… That's how I've always…!"

Suddenly her eyes widened and she lowered her arms slightly, still staring at me, silently.

Surprised at her sudden change I almost forgot Okiura was still there as I gave her my attention, focusing on her. That made her falter somewhat as she stepped back - her gaze unwavering. Curiously, I found myself unable to look away from her eyes as well, and I was sure she was having the same difficulty. I only hoped my eyes didn't seem as surprised and unguarded as her own.

"…What?" I tried to brush off the strange feeling I was getting by making her continue her speech.

That seemed to snap her off the spell we both seemed to be under as she finally looked down, searching for words as I kept my gaze on her, observing every movement.

"Nothing. Um…" she answered quietly as brought both her hands close to her chest – one raising to her lips as if she almost said something she shouldn't, "Um… what I meant was…" she began, worriedly, "Uhh…" she trailed off again.

Behind her Okiura apparently recovered from the shock and smiled, adding his two cents.

"I knew you were interesting, hmm, Kobato-chan?"

At that my gaze snapped back to him, glaring.

Just who did he think he was to call her by her name? He had no business messing with her!

Okiura reached for his shirt pocket and drew out a lighter and a cigarette, which he proceeded to light, completely unworried about my threats.

"Guess I better get going for today, then?" he mused out loud as he smoked, "Since that's what Kobato-chan wants."

My eyes left him to quickly glance at her worried features.

"Make sure to tell Chitose I said 'See you later'," he continued with a smile.

"Bastard," I glared back at him, my fury rising again, "You plan on making trouble even for Chitose-san?"

"When I have to, I will," he added, almost cheerfully, "I won't show mercy." He drew in a breath of his cigarette and then blew out the smoke, coolly, before tilling his head forward and adding with a mysterious smile, "Because… I'm a Yakuza."

I gritted my teeth and took a step forward, as he turned his back on us with a wave and a calm "Later, you two."

"Don't come back again!" I shouted in anger.

"If that's what you really want, then you better move, and fast." He answered, walking down the street, as I glared at him all the way.

After I'd dressed up, rolled up my futon, and took care of my usual morning hygiene I walked to the door and put my shoes on.

Glancing back to make sure everything was left in order I picked up my bag, opened the door and closed it softly behind me, fully certain that Kobato must still be sleeping since I hadn't listened to her running around to get ready yet. Locking my door I cast a look at hers before I shook my head and made my way downstairs.

Recalling Kobato's worried state, I looked at her, only to find her still on the same spot with that same worried frown marring her features.

"Hey," I called, trying to get her attention back on me, "What happened to you?" I asked, slightly worried about her.

"N-nothing!" She snapped at attention, tensely trying to brush it off, "It was nothing at all!"

She looked back down as if she couldn't look at me for too long, which got me by surprise after the long stares we'd shared not so long ago.

As I left the building I covered my eyes with a hand to ward off the strong light of the morning; it always gave me a headache when my eyes were still trying to adjust to the light outside the buildings, since my eyes are green, and hence more susceptible to the sunlight than brown or black ones.

Lowering my hand I stopped walking as I noticed a person standing in my way.

'Doumoto', I frowned, 'Great. Just what I needed after yesterday night!'

"Hey," he smiled hesitantly.

"Hey," I answered back patiently. It wouldn't be right to get mad at him, he was probably only trying to help. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Well, I was heading to class and I decided to check up on you, since you've stopped showing up," he explained sheepishly.

"Hmm," I nodded noncommittally, and started to walk again. He knew why I stopped going to college, and I didn't want to be late.

Doumoto followed.

"Listen, Kiyokazu-"

He was interrupted by a familiar shriek of "I overslept!".

Doumoto looked back over his shoulder reflexively to try and pinpoint who'd screamed, surprised to find no one as the shouts continued for a few seconds.

I took that chance to keep walking, so that maybe this way he wouldn't notice me leaving, since he seemed so intent on discovering who'd yelled. Of course I already knew who it'd been, and I was proved right when I listened to her familiar steps coming closer.

"Oh…" I heard her small gasp as I made my way out of the gate.

"Fujimoto-sa-Wah!!" she wailed as she felt herself fall.

Quickly reacting, I turned around to help her but noticed that Doumoto had already taken care of it. I saw as she looked up in surprise at Doumoto, who was carefully holding her up close, since she'd stumbled into his arms.

Oddly, that sight didn't sit right with me.

"Are you alright?" Doumoto asked her, gently.

Instead of answering she looked back towards the gate, in my direction, locking her gaze with mine once again.

"Fujimoto-san…" she whispered, as I quickly looked down and turned away once again.

"Wait! Kiyokazu!" Doumoto called, to no avail. I had to get out of there quickly, or else I'd be late.

Or at least that's what I told myself, as I noticed some ashes from his cigarette still on the floor and let the memories take over again as I made my way to the Nursery school.

"Oh!" she focused on a fallen cigarette.

I looked down as well; noticing it was the one Okiura had dropped in surprise as she'd lunged at him and pleaded to let me go.

"His cigarette!" she reached for it quickly, ending up by picking it up while it was still lit, "Ow!" she wailed as it burnt her.

"Idiot!" I lunged at her in worry, as she recoiled slightly from me, taking it out of her hand and crushing it in my own, hissing at the burnt sensation in my fingers.

"Fujimoto-san!" she gasped in worry, her eyes wide at my gesture, staring in agony at my hand that still hadn't released the cigarette, despite the burn it was causing.

"What should we do!?" she frantically looked over her shoulder as if searching for an answer, "We have to cool it off!" she continued, anxiously, "Water! No! Ice!"

I let my gaze drop to the floor, breathing out slowly, and shaking my hand to get rid of the ashes and help cool it down.

"It's no big deal."

"But! But!" She turned to look at me again, as if I was crazy.

"What about you, then?" I asked, frowning in wonder, "Yours doesn't matter?"

Her eyes locked with mine again.

"No!" she claimed, "It's worse to see you hurt than me!"

"You're overreacting," I sighed as I bent down to retrieve my pack, "Geez, you always get so worked up." I added, recalling the only time she'd called me.

"I'm not overreacting!" she insisted, "Because it's you, Fujimoto-san!"

My eyes widened at this revelation and she gasped at her own words, staring back at me with the same surprise I felt.

Before I could say anything, she took a step back, broke our gaze and ran into the apartment building, leaving me alone as I stared at her retreating form, wondering what she meant.

Almost an hour had passed since I'd left home. Sayaka and I had made sure all was ready for when the kids arrived, came outside to sweep out-front, and still no sign of her.

She hadn't shown up since that morning, when I'd been too disturbed by the sight of her in my best friends arms to bother listening to what she had to say. Though, I still had no idea why it'd bothered me so much. It's not like I had feelings for her, right? I almost scoffed at the thought.

"The sky is cloudy today, huh?" Sayaka attempted to start a conversation for the up tenth time that morning.

"Yeah…" I answered as I kept sweeping the floor by the gate. The same spot I'd been sweeping for a couple minutes, lost in my own thoughts.

"It might even rain after lunch," she continued, still staring at the gray clouds in the sky.

"Yeah," I repeated, wondering what was taking her so long. Surely, she hadn't been hurt when she almost fell, and it still wouldn't take her so long to get there even if she had, anyways. I was well aware of the usual scraps she sported from her falls; nothing serious.

"But it might clear up," Sayaka persisted, amusedly, though I couldn't tell why at the moment. I was too focused on Kobato's absence to notice.

"Yeah," I answered on auto-pilot as I continued to wonder what could have happened to her to cause her to be this late. Maybe Doumoto had stayed for a while to speak to her and make sure she was alright?

"I think rain," she added after a few seconds.

"Yeah." I kept sweeping. That still wouldn't explain it; if that was the reason, she would be there by now. Then there was the way she was acting yesterday… what was that all about?

"For today's afternoon snack, I think we should have leaf rice," Sayaka commented.

"Yeah…" I answered yet again before her words actually registered and my eyes widened, "Huh?" I stopped sweeping and turned my head to look at her.

Sayaka was snickering at me.

"This is a bit nostalgic," she giggled.

"Wh…what is?" I stammered, blushing slightly at being caught spacing-out.

"In the past you were a comparatively spaced-out kid, Fujimoto-kun," she explained, smiling, "Even if I talked to you, you wouldn't respond immediately." She snickered at some memory.

I bowed my head and frowned slightly, trying to find words to explain my weird behavior.

"I wasn't spacing-out, I was thinking about…"

"Yes," she interrupted, "You'd think about something and be flying somewhere immediately. You wouldn't notice no matter how often I called you." She laughed, "Even when it was dinner time and your stomach was empty." She turned to look at him, "Thinking without ever noticing."

I blushed again.

"That's the past," I closed my eyes at the unwanted memories that resurfaced.

"Yes," she agreed a bit more seriously, "That's why it's been such a long time since I've seen that sort of Fujimoto-kun."

Her eyes took on a faraway look, and I was sure she was remembering something as well.

"But, you were happy spacing-out, Fujimoto-kun," she stated, "You haven't been free of your worries at all since you came here."

"I didn't come," I answered in a monotonous tone, trying to cover up how hurt I still felt after all those years, "I was thrown away, right?"

"No," she declared, surprising me, "You came."

I look up to her, seeing a gentle smile in her face.

"I was very happy, and so was my father," she said with that same smile.

"Sayaka-san…" I whispered in gratitude, hoping my eyes would convey just how thankful I was for those words.

Suddenly her expression changed to one of mirth and I recoiled slightly under her stare.

"So," she raised a hand to her chin thoughtfully, as she stared at me with accusing delight, "What were you thinking about, hmm?"

I gasped at her and turned my head away, with a snort. It's not like I would admit to her that I'd spent the morning worrying about Kobato.

She chuckled.

"I get it – about Kobato-chan, huh," she tilted her head in amusement.

My head snapped back towards her.

"H-how!" I stammered, my eyes widening in surprise at her perceptiveness, and a small blush betraying my usual coolness.

"When you get like that, Fujimoto-kun," She looked up at me with a gentle and patient look, "recently it's only been about Kobato-chan." She finished explaining, as if it was obvious.

I frowned at her words; I didn't really feel like admitting it.

"That's-"

"The case." She finished for me with a smile.

Damn, I couldn't let her think I had feelings for Kobato. Because, really, I didn't! She was just a co-worker! ...And a neighbor. And one of the many that I'd silently vowed to protect… but that was beside the point!

"I'm just thinking that even though it's time, she hasn't come yet!" I tried to cover up my concern.

"You were worried," Sayaka stated, proving just how much of a bad actor I really was.

"I'm telling you, that's not it!" I tried to convince her with my most resolute expression, failing miserably.

She continued to smile.

It's not like I would tell her I was worried at the possibility that Okiura had somehow gotten to her after she left the apartment building that morning. Or that he'd shown up at the apartment building that night. Had something else happened to her? An accident perhaps? Had Doumoto stayed with her? Or had she stayed with Doumoto, even though she was supposed to be here?? My mind was going completely crazy! Still, it was personal, and something I just couldn't help but want to keep a secret – my worry for her, that is. Not my feelings for her, because I don't have any.

I looked down at my hands and it suddenly occurred to me… I suppose there's one thing I could tell her that may be enough to cover up for my weird behavior.

"Yesterday, she went to touch a cigarette that had fallen in the street with her bare hand, even though it was still lit..." I said, recalling the moment.

"Was Kobato-chan alright?" she gasped in worry, reflexively bringing a hand to cover her mouth over the shock, "I wonder if that's why Kobato-chan is late," she added, looking down the street as if expecting to see her walking over.

"No, I don't think so," I sighed, closing my eyes before turning to her again.

As I did so I saw the confusion and curiosity she must have felt at my answer, since she was staring at me with a raised eyebrow, a clear sign for me to continue.

"I saw her leave her apartment this morning," I replied to her silent question with an appeasing expression, "Doumoto was there too."

"Doumoto-kun was…" Sayaka's eyes were downcast, almost guilty when she turned to me again with a frown, "Say, Fujimoto-kun, I'm fine here by myself, so, college…"

"I took a break from college of my own volition," I reminded her - it wasn't fair that she kept blaming herself for my own choices.

"But…" she persisted, "You worked that hard and got into the law department. You said you'd become a lawyer."

"That's-" I sighed at her diligence, "When we've removed Yomogi kindergarten from these circumstances, I'll think about it again."

"…I hope we can remove it, but…" she adverted her eyes to the floor again, sorrowfully. "If I give up on the school…" she stared at the building that had been almost like a home for her for years, "I guess I'll be able to manage the debt somehow."

My eyebrows furrowed as I stared at the building as well. 'It's been like a home to me, too, so…'

"I won't let him shut us down." I finished my thought out loud.

"Yeah…" she whispered, sadly.

Looking down at her, and noticing the blank expression she was using, I couldn't help but plead for her sake.

"…Sayaka-san." I looked at the floor, almost ashamed to face her as I asked this, "You won't give up the name?" I inquired, anxiously.

A sudden breeze blew from behind us, gently pushing her bangs forward, obscuring her reaction from me as I tried to discern it. A few leaves blew by as she reached for her hair locks with her right hand and tucked it behind her ear, following the trail of a random leaf with her eyes.

"Yes, that's right…" she looked up with a bitter smile, still not looking at me, "Really …I have to, at this point."

Lowering my own gaze back to the floor, I clenched my hands at the unfairness of life.

"Well, I'll head inside now," she smiled over at me, trying to cover up her sorrow, "Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Sure, go ahead." I nodded, "I'll be in as soon as I finish sweeping the yard."

"Okay," she acquiesced, before she smiled amusedly again, "I feel a little guilty about leaving you here outside by yourself, though…"

I raised an eyebrow at that. It made no sense. 'I've been doing this chores for years, why would-'

"At least you wouldn't be so lonely if Kobato was here." She smirked as my cheeks reddened slightly at her comment.

"I am not lonely!" I retorted, "Plus, she would only get in the way." I continued, frowning, looking away from her as I once again wondered where Kobato might be.

Sayaka giggled at me - a clear sign that she hadn't taken me seriously. I turned my attention back to her again and she sobered up at my sullen expression.

"You really think she's okay?" she asked again, worriedly, letting her eyes wonder outside the gates.

I furrowed my brows. I couldn't be harsh and say I didn't care; this was Sayaka, after all. So even though I was worried myself, I let my eyes look outside as well as I answered.

"She's fine." I told her resolutely, "And she better be here soon," I grumbled just for show, "Making you worry like that. I'll give her a piece of my mind once she gets here."

"Don't be too hard on her," She smiled at my grumpiness, even though I could tell she was still worried, "I'll head inside now."

"Right," I continued to sweep, "I'll send her in as soon as she gets here."

"Okay," she nodded as she opened the door and walked in, letting it close behind her.

Pausing once again in my sweeping, I pondered on calling Doumoto just to make sure she was alright. I almost reached into my pocket, but decided against it as I recalled that weird felling I'd had when I saw her clinging onto him so she wouldn't fall.

That clenching inside… I'd quickly adverted my eyes at the time, I didn't want to watch. But I still didn't understand why it bothered me so much. Maybe I was just worried about her, after what had happened last night… and Doumoto, I was still annoyed that he felt the need to look out for me. I don't need any help.

'Yes, that's probably it… It was just the mix of those feelings that made me feel like that...'

I was not jealous. Not at all.

'Still, she'll get an earful when she gets here for making m-, Sayaka worry.'

Nodding at my self-appointed goal, I started sweeping again, wishing I could sweep away my thoughts and worries as easily.

A/N: Hey. Another Kobato story, yay!
Just so you have an idea, I started writing this fic on the same day the 16th drop was out... and I only finished now. Damn college for keeping me too busy to write, lol. And is it just me who's itching for the 17th drop? It was supposed to be out on Dec 10th, but I still haven't found anything on it. Not even raws! (º.º)
I want it~ (T.T)
Mostly because I wanna know if I'm right and Kobato will get an earful for making them worry! xD
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this fic!