Youhei Sunohara

"Sunohara." A firm voice said. I didn't know who it was. I wasn't even really sure what day of the week it was. I just laid on my bed half sleep.

"What...?" I asked the weird voice. I don't how who the voice belonged to, yet I considered starting a conversation with it.

"Tomoyo, wake him up." The voice said. My eyes widened.

"Tomoyo!?" I jumped up from my bed and saw who was standing before me. "Okazaki!? Tomoyo!? What the hell are you doing here!?" Okazaki smiled his usually mischievous smile.

"I just thought you'd like to experience the feeling of being woken up by a pretty girl, that's all."

"Don't reuse corny jokes like that you sick bastard!" I shouted pointing at him. I shifted my hand to Tomoyo. "Hey! Get lost will ya? I want to get some sleep."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm trying to get everyone to get to school on time this week." She explained. I sighed.

"Count me out." I huffed. "I have no interest in coming to school today. Try again next week." Tomoyo frowned.

"As I expected, I'm going to have to use force." A flash of blue and I woke from my dream. I sighed as I sat up. I miss those days. Okazaki and Tomoyo waking me up every morning. Spending whole afternoons doing who knows what, going who knows where. I even miss getting my face smashed by Tomoyo every other day. But that's all over now. I have a normal job. And live my normal life in a normal house. I even have normal dreams from time to time. But why don't I feel normal. I left my house wearing a black hoodie and normal jeans. The black hoodie matched my hair. Even my hair was normal now. It just made no sense to me. As I closed the door, my phone rang. I walked back inside my house and answered.

"Hello? Is this Sunohara?" a voice asked. That's sounds so familiar.

"Yes? Who is this?" I asked. The response changed my life for the better. A blast from the past, that affected my future.

"It's Ryou Fujibayashi." My gripped on the phone loosened and I strugled to hold it.

"Fujibayashi?" I asked surpised. "Wow, it's so glad to hear from you after all this time. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'd ask about you, but this very important. Nagisa and I decided to hold a get together for everyone. We would like you to come." I stood silently holding the phone.

"Everyone" I asked.

"Yes, everyone. Does that affect your decision of joining us?"

"No, I'm coming... It's jus-"

"Great! We'll pick you up on Saturday! Bye!" She hung up quickly. What the hell? Today was Tuesday. I had a while to pack. But she never even told me where we were going. I decided to pack my stuff after work, so I had more time to think about it. I left the house for a second time. This time with out any intruptions.

As soon as I got home I picked up my phone and decided to call Okazaki. We haven't spoken in a while, plus I wanted to know where we were going. I dialed the numbers. Each number I pressed hurt my fingers. Working as a contruction worker is hard work. Even more so if you're my size.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey Okazaki, it's Youhei." I said through the phone.

"Oh, hey man. I guess Nagisa called you already."

"No, actually it was Fujibayashi that called me." I corrected him.

"Ryou called you?" He sounded surprised. I sat down, figuring that this conversating was going to drag out.

"Yeah. But she never told me where we're going." I explained. I could hear him sigh over the phone.

"We're going camping in the woods."

"Camping? Why didn't she tell me that?" I asked confused.

"I don't know, ask her." He said bluntly.

"Who's idea was it?" I asked.

"It was Ushio's." I had almost forgotten about Ushio. Little Ushio turned eight this year. She growing faster than I ever could Imagine. "Sunohara! You there?" I snapped out of my daze.

"Oh, sorry." I said a little embaressed.

"I've got to, man. I'll talk to you later. Oh, and dye your hair. You're not Youhei Sunohara without blonde hair. Bye."

"Bye." I said. I have to dye my hair? I like my blonde hair and all, but I'm not sure If I could dye it again. The next few days flew by faster than I had ever thought it could. I fell asleep Tuesday and woke up standing out side my house. I pulled my hoodie over my head as I waited for them to arrive. It wasn't long before two cars pulled up infront of my house. The window rolled down. Kotomi was the face I saw.

"Kotomi?" I asked surprised.

"Hello Sunohara. It's nice to see you." Tomoyo was sitting on the other side. She lightly waved at me. "I waved back. "This car is full, so you're going to have to ride in the other one with Tomoya." I nodded and walked to the other car. The door opened for me, Kyou had opened it. We both sighed as I sat beside her.

"Youhei." She said bluntly.

"Kyou." I replied. Tomoya looked back at us through the mirror.

"I don't want any fighting out of you two." He commanded from behind the wheel. Nagisa giggled. I haven't heard that in a while.

"Hi Nagisa." I said. "Glad to see you again. It's been a while."

"But you're not glad to see me?" Fujibayashi said jokingly. She sat on the other side of Kyou.

"I'm glad to see you too, Fujibayashi." The car pulled off, and we began a long lasting drive to the camp sight.

"Did you dye your hair like I asked you to?" Tomoya asked. I froze solid. I never did dye my hair.

"Uh... No?" I said shakily. Tomoya sighed.

"As we expected... Kyou, give it to him." I looked over at her. She reached in her bag and pulled out yellow hair dye.

"Here, you idiot." She dropped it in my lap.

"Thanks... Where's Ushio?" I asked.

"In the other car. Kotomi wanted to see her for the first time." That only made sense. All the traveling she's been doing. She probaly never knew Ushio exsisted. I laid my head on the window and closed my eyes.

"If I fall asleep, make sure Kyou doesn't eat me."