Disclaimer: I don't own My HIME, My HIME is a copyright of Hiroyuki Yoshino.

Author's note: This story takes place after the events of the My HIME anime and before the events of Ode To My Beloved.

The Letter From The United States

One hot summer day, a few short weeks after the defeat of the Obsidian Prince and Miroku, Mai Tokiha was fixing breakfast for herself, Natsuki Kuga, and Mikoto Minagi while Natsuki packed the bento boxed lunches into the picnic basket and beverages into a cooler and Mikoto came out of the bathroom from drying off, dressed in her Fuuka Academy summer school uniform.

Mai, who wore a rose red one piece bathing suit underneath a violet sun dress with shoulder straps as well as sunshine gold flip flop sandals, and Natsuki, who was sporting a bright yellow bikini which cris cross straps underneath a maple orange sun dress with short sleeves as well as bright yellow flip flop sandals.

Mikoto was caught in the act of wearing her school uniform by Mai.

"Mikoto," Mai asked. "we are going to the beach to join Chie and the others for a picnic, shouldn't you change into your new bathing suit & sundress?"

For the Fuuka Academy middle school students, the uniform was blue & white, Mikoto was going to miss wearing her middle school uniform because come this September, Mikoto would be wearing the same Fuuka Academy school uniform as both Mai & Natsuki along with her archrival, Nao Yuuki.

Mikoto was to be attending her first year of high school, while Mai was to be attending her second year of high school, and Natsuki & Shizuru were both repeating their first year and third of high school respectively at Fuuka Academy.

"I will change in a few minutes, Mai," Mikoto said. "I'm just going to run to get the mail."

"Okay," Mai said to Mikoto. "and, please let me know if I get a letter or a postcard from the United States of America."

"Will do, Mai." Mikoto said.

Mikoto raced out the dorm bedroom she shared with Mai & now Natsuki.

On her way to the mailboxes outside, Mikoto literally ran into Aoi Senoh, who wore a sunshine gold one piece bathing suit with orange polka dots on it underneath an orange sun dress with shoulder straps as well as sunshine gold flip flop sandals, and Chie Harada, who was sporting a bright green bikini which cris cross straps underneath a soft purple sun dress with short sleeves as well as bright green flip flop sandals.

"Whoa, Mikoto," Chie asked. "why the rush?"

"Mikoto," Aoi agreed with a slight laugh. "did you have a spicy curry bun for breakfast?"

"No, you guys, I didn't even have breakfast yet," Mikoto answered Chie & Aoi. "I'm going to get the mail."

Mikoto then skipped off toward the mailboxes.

"Wow," Chie commented. "Mikoto sure loves to make herself useful to Mai."

"Yes, she does, now, we have to go hit the beach." Aoi said.

At the mailboxes, Mikoto didn't see anybody as she went to grab the mail that morning.

"Hey, Look! It's a letter to both Mai & me from America," Mikoto said. "I wonder what Akira & Takumi have to say this time?"

Mikoto tucked the letter under her right arm and slowly walked back to her dorm.

When she got back to the dorm, Mikoto found Mai & Natsuki were still waiting on her to sit down to breakfast.

"Welcome back, Mikoto," Mai said. "you are just in time for breakfast!"

"Excellent, Mai," Mikoto said, setting the letter from Akira Okuzaki & Takumi Tokiha down on the table. "what are we having?"

"We are having something entirely new," Natsuki answered Mikoto. "we are having chocolate crisped rice cereal with milk on it."

Mikoto stared at her bowl of cereal, "It looks so... strange." she observed.

"Come on, Mikoto, just try it," Mai urged her younger roommate. "it's delicious."

Mikoto raised her spoon to her mouth and took a big bite of the chocolate crisped rice cereal and smiled, "It really is good!" she exclaimed.

After finishing breakfast, Mikoto went to change into the bedroom she shared with Mai & Natsuki while Natsuki's room was being fumigated for bugs to put her bathing suit & sundress on while Mai did the dishes and Natsuki cleaned off the table.

"Hmmm," Mikoto heard Natsuki saying as she came out of the bedroom in her sun dress, tankini, and sandals. "what's this?"

"That's the letter to Mai & me from America." Mikoto answered Natsuki.

"Would you like to read it here & now?" Natsuki asked Mikoto.

"I think I'd like to read it to everyone when we get to the beach," Mikoto answered Natsuki. "what do you think, Mai?"

Mai gave the idea some thought before answering Mikoto's question.

"That sounds like fun." Mai said to Mikoto.

"Yes!" Mikoto exclaimed.

Once at the beach's boardwalk, Mikoto saw her older brother, Reito Kanzaki or Reito Minagi waiting for her with his arms stretched out wide, ready to give her a hug.

"Mikoto!" Reito exclaimed.

"Brother!" Mikoto shouted, running up to Reito.

Seeing Reito wrapping Mikoto up in a family hug, Mai began thinking about how much she missed Takumi and how much she wanted to hug him in the way Mikoto was being hugged by Reito right now.

"Takumi..." Mikoto heard Mai say, beginning to sob.

"Brother, Mai really misses Takumi," Mikoto whispered to Reito. "we should let her join us in this hug."

"You are right, Mikoto," Reito said, "hey, Mai! Come here and join Mikoto & me in a hug!"

Mai stopped crying, "Do you really mean it, Reito?" she asked him, hesidently, walking toward Reito & Mikoto, her mind still thought they were in evil's grasp.

"Of course I mean it, Mai," Yuuichi Tate heard Reito saying. "you may join us."

Seeing Mai joining the Minagi siblings in their hug, Tate went ballistic.

"NO! MAI!" Tate shouted furiously.

Tate was prepared to fight Reito for Mai, but Mikoto put her left palm up to signal him to stop before a fight could even begin.

"Hey, Mai," Mikoto asked. "now, can I read the letter to us from Takumi & Akira out loud?"

"Go for it, Mikoto." Mai said.

Mikoto cleared her throat and began to read the letter.

Mikoto: Dear Mikoto & Mai,

Takumi's heart transplant operation went well.

We will be returning home to Japan to attend our second year of middle school at Fuuka Academy in a few days.

Lots of love,

Akira & Takumi.

Mai was delighted.

At long last, Mai thought. Takumi is finally coming back home to me.