Disclaimer: Nope, sorry, X isn't mine.
Hokuto once again found herself in the shadowy Japanese-style room. "Hi Kakyou," she greeted the pale figure seated at the far door.
Kakyou lifted his head and smiled, his golden eyes bright. Hokuto was thrilled. When she first started to dream with him, he had looked so lonely and sad, even when he was smiling. Now he seemed genuinely happy.
"Hey," she teased, reaching out both hands and standing him up. "How come you're always waiting here for me? You could dream about anything you wanted and i'd still find you."
Kakyou turned away and mumbled something. Was that a blush she saw? Hokuto grinned.
"Too shy to talk to a cute girl like me?" she inquired innocently. She winked to let him know she was teasing. "Come on. There's something i want to show you."
Kakyou gripped her hand. "I'll go with you," he said.
The dream shifted. Now they were in Ueno Park. Unlike the Ueno Park Hokuto visited with her brother, however, this one was completely empty. There were no schoolchildren on trips, no couples strolling arm in arm, no businessmen on breaks. No cars drove past on the streets outside. It was a world to themselves.
The sky was dark grey. Tiny, cool droplets fell on the pair. "We had a summer rain today," Hokuto explained. "It's past the rainy season, but it feels sooo nice to have rain when it's so hot out. I thought you should experience it for yourself."
"It does feel nice," Kakyou admitted, looking at the sky. She put extra effort into recalling the afternoon for him.
Raindrops kept pattering down, polka-dotting their clothes. Soon enough, Hokuto's flame-red shirt was spotted like a big cat's coat. She laughed out of sheer delight, and saw that Kakyou's thin kimono had received the same treatment. The rain wasn't heavy enough to plaster their clothes to their skin and reveal what was underneath, but it felt wonderful in the warm air.
She glanced over to Kakyou. He stood still, his face tilted upwards, hair catching the rain. Hokuto thought, just then, that he was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. She took a moment to study him, to try and freeze this picture in her mind forever, but standing still was not in her nature.
She grabbed the young man's arm and threw herself backwards, pulling him with her. A startled half laugh burst from his throat. "Hokuto, what is it?"
"Dance with me!" she exclaimed.
"I can't–" he started, but she interrupted him, laughing. "It doesn't matter!" She skipped around him, pulling him into an awkward spin. "Just have fun with it!"
He stumbled after her, and she flashed him a grin. He smiled back, reaching for her free hand. She gave it to him as the two whirled under the falling rain.
Hokuto's feet almost soared over the grass. This was a dream, so she could soar if she wanted to, but this was even better. Dancing with Kakyou out in the air was the kind of dream she slept for now. The dream would only last until she woke up, but she would fall asleep again.
