Chapter One

Miyuki stared at herself in the mirror.

Every now and then she'd gaze at her reflection thinking of the future and what would happen.

It seemed very stupid to Miyuki and very Moe to Konota but Miyuki couldn't stop doing. Gazing at herself seemed very self-centered but that wasn't Miyuki at all. She was the sweetest of the bunch.

"Miyuki" Ms. Takura, her mum, called. "Mum" Miyuki entered the kitchen. Her mother was making a bowl of ramen which she didn't usually do. "Sorry sweets" her mother said blushing. "I feel kind of tired today so I just prepared some ramen. I hope you like it". Miyuki beamed at her mother. "Of course I don't" she said. Her mother smiled. "Oh and the telephone's ringing. It's from Minami"

Miyuki picked up the telephone and asked sweetly, "Hi Minami". "Hi Yuki-chan" Minami said. Her voice was usually soft and shy but it was more than that this afternoon. It sounded teary. "Minami? Is there something wrong? You can tell me". There was the muffled sound of sobbing at the other end. "Please call Yutaka and the others I need help" Minami said and the line went dead.

Miyuki was worried sick. She rushed to her bedroom to get cell phone and dialed the Izumi's Household's telephone since Konota never bothered to answer her phone.

"Hi Miyuki" came the cheery greeting of Yutaka. Ordinarily Miyuki would be kind and spark up a conversation but these were not regular circumstances. "Yutaka listen Minami is in trouble. She just called me. Can you please tell Konota and tell her to call the others?" Miyuki pleaded. "I will Miyuki. But what's the trouble?" She asked worried as well. "I don't know" Miyuki said. With rushed farewells the girls hung both worried at what the emergency could be. "Miyuki you don't look to happy. Is something wrong?" asked Mrs. Takura. "Mom Minami is in…" Miyuki was interrupted by the ring of her cellophane. It was Konota calling from her cell. That hardly happened. She must've realized what an emergency it was.

"Is everything ok, Yuki-chan?" Konota said worriedly. "No I'm afraid not Kono-chan. Minami is in trouble…"

"I told Kagami, Tsukasa, Patricia, and Hiroyi. They're really worried" Konota said. "Look I'll call Minami again to see if I can pry anymore information from her then lets meet at the coffee shop down the street" Konota agreed. "I'll call Kagamin and Tsukasa" Konoata added and both hung up.

"Hunny what's wrong?" Mrs. Takura said. "Mom, Miyuki was in tears, Minami is in trouble". "Aw sweetie. What are you going to do?" she asked softly. "I'm metting me friend in ten minutes at the coffee shop" she said fighting back tears. "Now hun' I'll drive you there and help you. It's sounds serious". Thankful for her mom she gave her a hug. She would've cried and stayed in her mother's all day but she quickly dialed Minami's number. "Minami-chan are you okay?" she asked tearfully. "I'm on Conch Street" Minami said wearily and again she hung up. Mrs. Takura and Miyuki headed in the car.

As each second wasted away Miyuki's thoughts floated to Minami and what the problem could be. It only took five minutes to reach the coffee shop but to Miyuki it felt like an hour. When Mrs. Takura and Miyuki entered the coffee shop the other girls were already there. They had purchased cappuccinos for themselves and Miyuki already but even though it wasn't too hot, no one had touched their drink. "I'm sorry Mrs. Takura we didn't know you were coming. Otherwise we would've bought you one. Here"
Tsukasa said handing Miyuki's mother a crumpled five dollar bill. Mrs. Takura smiled graciously and smiled her thanks to Tsukasa as she went to the front counter to purchase her drink. "So Miyuki where is Minami?!" Yutaka said almost immediately. Her face was tear streaked from crying. "She's more worried than the rest of us" Konota explained to Miyuki. "Do you know where she is?" asked Kagami who had worry lines on her forehead. Miyuki nodded slowly. "Yes she said she was on Conch Street. She sounded…weary" Yutaka broke into tears.
Hiroyi patted her friends back and adjusted her glasses. "It's ok. Yutaka" she comforted. "No it's not, my best friend…. Minami in trouble" Yutaka whimpered.

"What could happen to her? What if she gets killed?" Yutaka asked followed by another stream of tears. None of these girls wanted to consider this question and sat in their chairs. To avoid saying anything the girls forcefully drank their cappuccinos. "Well, Mrs. Takura had returned, do you know where your friend is?" "Yes she's on Conch Street" Patricia said quietly while Hiroyi wiped Yutaka's tears. "Now darlings I'll drive you there in case anything happens" Mrs. Takura said. Without a word the girls squeezed in the car.

They were squished so much that Konota was practically on Kagami's lap. Sure enough Minami was curled up in a ball on the grass. As soon as the car doors were unlocked the girls ran out of the car towards Minami. The girls green short haired girl was curled up in a ball. Her fingertips were bloody and her shirt was torn. Her skirt and shirt was stained with dirt and she was barefoot. When she saw the girls she smiled weakly. When Patricia helped her to her feet Yutaka wrapped her in a bear hug. Tears streamed down her face. "Where were you? Oh Minami what happened?!" Minami hugged her back. When Mrs. Takura took one good look at her she forced her to sit in the passenger seat.

"You look terrible and the girls are squished back there!" Mrs. Takura exclaimed. After much insisting Minami sat in the passenger seat and instantly fell asleep.

When Minami woke up she was tucked comfortably in Miyuki's bed. All the girl were dressed in there PJ's including Minami. "We wanted to sleepover. I had to make sure you were okay" Yutaka said. "Yeah plus your parents are out of town. So Cherry-san is here!" Patricia said excitedly. She petted the big furry animal that looked up Minami. "So, Kagami said casually, are you ready to tell us what happened".

Minami snuggled in the blankets, "Guys I really don't feel like it" she whispered. "No Minami-chan. I promise we won't tell a soul" Yutaka said with a small smile.

Minami closed her eyes and sat up. "I was walking from my friends' house. Then this Keku…" her voice broke. Minami didn't cry but looked away. "Who is Keku?" Hiroyi asked. Minami shook her head. "Keku is… sorry I can't do it. He did something so unforgivable….I can't…." Minami finally burst in tears. Yutaka rushed to comfort her but was beat by it by Hiroyi who seemed to be comforter of the day. When Minami was finished crying the girls decided to drop the subject so Minami could feel better. Yutaka slipped next to Minami and smiled at each other. Minami looked in Yutaka's eyes and slowly but her hands in hers.

Little did they know Hiroyi was sketching them. "What are you drawing?" Konota blurt out looking of Hiroyi's shoulder. Hiroyi paled.

"N-nothing" she stammered but Konota, being the Otaku she is, snatched the notepad from her hand and looked at the drawing with a smirk.

"What are you looking at?" asked Patricia peering over Konota's shoulder. She pointed to the half-finished sketch.

Patricia looked at it and smiled while Hiroyi was dead white.

"You promise you're okay?" Yutaka said ignoring her friends. Minami nodded shyly. Her cheeks went red as Yutaka pulled back from the embrace she will giving her friend.

"Lets's play truth or dare!" Konota said always ready for something exciting. "Kagamin, she said, Truth or Dare?" "And oh, she added, are you going to be a chicken and pick Truth?" Kagami flushed. "I am not a chicken!" she exclaimed blushing. "Ohkay since you're not a chicken, I dare you to do…whatever I think of….twenty four seven!" That didn't sound great but Kagami was determined to have Konota to stop teasing her.

"Fine, she said coldly, what do you want?" Konota smiled. "Take your pigtails out and put your hair in a braid" she commanded. "Why?" Kagami asked. "Just do it my slave" Konota said with a giggle. Rolling her eyes Kagami pulled the ribbons that held her purple hair and twisted her hair into neat French braid. I always suspected she looked cuter with a French braid, Konota thought gazing at Kagami. "Well!" Kagami said impatiently. "Then you must…eh...hug me" Konota said smirking. "Why?" Kagami asked. "Just do it" Konota said a little sheepishly. Kagami's annoyed expression softened and she pulled Konota into an embrace. She smells like ramen, Kagami observed but she never noticed how delicious and how much she loved that smell till she hugged Konota. A warm fuzzy feeling descended over her. Her cheeks reddened. What had happened?

What was wrong with her?

Konota slowly wrapped her hands around the purple headed girls head and closed her eyes. Kagami smelled like chocolate Pocky sticks. When she hugged Kagami the chocolate essence was just about as heavenly as the mouth-watering smell of ramen on a winter day. Konota closed her eyes savoring each moment of the embrace.

Kagami at the same time wrapped her hands around Konota's waist and for a few minutes the girls closed their eyes enjoying every second of the hug. Then Kagami pulled away. Konota stared at her weirdly in the eyes and she looked away. Miyuki looked at the two and adjusted her glasses.

"Time for the next dare!" Patricia said not minding the awkward moment. "Hiroyi probably needs something to draw, Konota blurted, so why don't you kiss Patricia, Hiroyi?" Everyone in the room went tomato red with embarrassment. "With who?" Hiroyi said finally. Konota smirked. "You choose". She scanned the room. "Patricia" she said finally. Everyone gasped and looked as the two scooted towards each other. "Can I have a peppermint?" Patricia asked. "Sure" Miyuki said glancing at them, how about you, Hiroyi?" "Yes" Hiroyi said barely whispering. '

Miyuki went to the kitchen where Mrs. Takura was reading a book. "Mom you have any peppermints?" she asked. "Yes darling" she said. Mrs. Takura dug through a black handbag and fished out two peppermints. "Thank you mum" Miyuki said. "You're welcome" Mrs. Takura said with a grin before Miyuki went off to her room. She gave Patricia and Hiroyi each a white and red striped peppermint. The slowly removed the wrapper and sucked in it for a few minutes then swallowed.

Hiroyi looked Patricia and moved closer and closer till their lips were inches apart. Just as she was going to kiss her, Patricia attempted to kiss Hiroyi. Their lips connected and both closed their eyes as kissed. Both felt a warm buzz and their cheeks reddened. Patricia daringly stroked Hiroyi's cheek that had her arm around Patricia's shoulders.

"That's enough torture for you two" Konota sniggered but it wasn't torture at all. Hiroyi broke the kiss and looked shyly at Patricia who for the first time was speechless. Minami's cellophane buzzed. It was text from Keku. It read simply:

MEET ME TONIGHT.

Minami pressed the button with the red telephone till her phone went black. She refused to cry. "I've got to go to the bathroom" Minami said. She went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She touched the cold glass and stared at the sink wondering what to do. At that moment there was a knock on the door. It was Yutaka. "I know you two well Minami. Something is wrong". Minami burst in tears while Yutaka comforted her. Minami and Yutaka sat on the plush green carpet. "What's wrong?" she asked. Minami sniffled. "It's Keku. He was a nice guy and great friend of parents. He's a lot older than me. Keku was like an uncle to me….a brother, Minami explained, and then that night came….I'm sorry Yutaka I can't continue. Then Yutaka smiled.

She tucked a green lock of hair behind Minami's ear. "It's ok. I'm your friend I promise I won't tell squeeze information out of you" she said. "Is there anything I can do?" "Yes, Minami said as Yutaka wiped her tears, I know I haven't said much but please don't tell the others". "I won't tell a soul. I'll always be there for you Minami" Yutaka told her soothingly.