A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews, everyone. In the first 24 hours that this has been up, it's already doing better than all of my past fics. An OC will be introduced in this chapter, and he may return for a larger role, depending on what you all think of him. Please leave your input. And, a very special thanks to my two betas, A-chan and Mr. Torture.
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"I'm leaving, now!" Kaorin shouted to her mother.
"Be careful, Kaori! Tokyo streets aren't the safest place at night!"
"I'll be fine, Mom!" Kaorin said, as she hurried out the door towards the shopping district where she was supposed to meet everyone. The days waiting for this little excursion from her home went by rather boringly. She had passed the time by caring forand playing with her kittens, doing chores, and of course, staring at the picture of Sakaki. She had jotted down a few more poems, too.
And, today, she thought excitedly, she would be able to see Sakaki-san! It had only been a week since graduation, but she still missed the sight of her idol. She had even picked out a good outfit for the situationa sleeveless shirt that showed off her slender arms and a pair of jean shorts, simply because it was a hot day out. The two articles of clothing matched rather nicely, though. Sighing, she wished that she could have arms as strong, yet as slim and smooth as Sakaki-san's.
She had even convinced her mother to give her a little money for shopping. She didn't need a new swimsuit or anything, but she had a few things in mind that she wanted to bring to Chiyo-chan's summer home.
And this time, Kaorin thought, she would not ride in Yukari-sensei's car. She remembered how she felt last time, and how it rendered her unable to swim with Sakaki-san. She just hoped that Tomo wouldn't get in the way this time. Kaorin started to become lost in her daydreams of her vacation with Sakaki, completely and perfectly absent of all others, especially Tomo.
She dreamedof swimming, watching Sakaki-san's elegant body flow through the water as if it was a part of it, her raven-black hair spreading about her like a storm cloud-- no, more like a warm comforting night, blanketing the earth. Kaorin swam after her with all her might, but she couldn't keep up with her idol. She began to get tired, but she still chased after that calm darkness drifting on the sea. But she could not make it. Kaorin began to sink, struggling to reach the surface again, and she could feel the air in her lungs burning. She sank deeper and deeper, and she knew that it was hopeless to continue. She let herself go limp and waited for darkness. Just as she thought that she was at Death's door, a pair of warm soft arms enveloped her. She recognized them immediately as Sakaki-san's.
Sakaki swam upward, her hair flowing about them, reminding Kaorin of an angel's wings, covering her in its protection. Kaorin felt happiness and relief surge through her as her head broke the water's surface. She coughed and sputtered her thanks and apologies to Sakaki. Sakaki held on to her tightly as she swam back to shore, merely saying, "It's alright, Kaorin… I'll take care of you, now."
Kaorin smiled and snuggled into her savior.
"Kaorin." Sakaki whispered, the name flowing perfectly through her soft lips.
"Yes, Sakaki-san?"
"Kaorin."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Hey, Kaaaaooooriiin!" a completely different voice came from Sakaki's mouth.
"Huh!" Kaorin gasped as she snapped back into reality. Tomo was yelling into her ear, with the rest of the group looking at her from across the street.
"Hey, are you ignoring us!" Tomo shouted.
"Oh… I'm sorry. I must have been daydreaming." Kaorin muttered, embarrassed.
"Ahh, were you dreaming about Sakaki-chan?" Tomo said in a quiet voice.
"O-Of course not!" Kaorin protested. Tomo laughed, and ran back to the group. Kaorin preferred walking. She became more and more nervous as she approached, though. What did Sakaki-san look like now? It hadn't been that long, but, what if she cut her hair, or something? "No," Kaorin thought, "Sakaki-san wouldn't do something like that."
Kaorin was relieved to see that Sakaki still looked exactly like she did when Kaorin last saw hertall, majestic, cool, and mysterious. Sakaki was staring absentmindedly intoa nearby store's window in such a way that made all the blood in Kaorin's body to rise to her head and boil. Kaorin remembered their last athletics competition, and how Sakaki-san had tied her hair into a ponytail. Sakaki had run so dutifully, with her shining hair billowing behind her elegantly as she passed all of the competition. Unfortunately, Yukari-sensei's slowness had put all that effort to naught. But, Kaorin would never forget the warm, loving smile Sakaki gave that day, when she gazed upon Chiyo-chan after the young girl had tried so hard. Kaorin grew redder. Light-headed, she managed to pull her gaze away from Sakaki and onto Yomi.
"So… Yomi-san, where are we headed?"
"First, we're going to the summer shop down the street, then—"
"Then," Chiyo interjected, "we're going to the new sweets shop for lunch!"
"Yeah!" Tomo yelled. "But, I wonder if Yomi-chan can handle the temptation? Can her diet hold!" Tomo laughed tauntingly.
"I'll be fine!" Yomi said gloweringly, glaring at Tomo.
"There's a new sweets shop?" Kaorin asked, turning towards Chiyo.
"Yes! It's called "Imagination Cake!"Chiyo said, ignoring the usual bickering between Tomo and Yomi. "They serve so many different kinds of desserts there!"
"Really?"
"Yeah…" Osaka's dreamy voice floated by. "They've got all sorts of stuff… like cakes, and pies, and bread filled with sweets…"
"It sounds really good!" Kaorin said, whileponderings of what type of sweet Sakaki would enjoy filed into her mind.
---
The smell of cooked sugar filled Kaorin's nostrils. It was a delightful smell that made one reminisce of their childhood and become hungry instantaneously. This effect was enhanced by the bright colors and bubbly atmosphere provided. The waitresses and waiters were dressed in animal costumes as well. Several banners had been placed about the store and said things like, "Wonderland welcomes you!" and "Eat it tonight!" Kaorin noticed a grandfather clock in the corner of the restaurant with a sign that said "Believe in this," hanging from its hand. She realized that the other hand was missing, and the pendulum had fallen off.
Kaorin looked at Sakaki, and noticed a steady blush growing on her idol's cheeks. Yomi had familiarized this event with Kaorin in the past, and Kaorin had experienced it previously when she showed Sakaki-san pictures of her newborn kittens. That was Kaorin's first experience with the real Sakaki… and, truth be told, she liked the cuter Sakaki-san just as much as she liked the cool and mysterious Sakaki-san.
Someone in a full cat suit approached them. It gave a deep bow and said, "Ladies, if you will follow me to your table…" The muffled voice from within the suit was definitely male. The suit reminded the girls of their first culture fest. Kagura, who wasn't part of the class that year, remembered Tomo running by her stall while wearing the suit. It stuck out in her mind because Tomo had tripped right into a crowd. Kagura always laughed when she remembered all of the "what the hell's" that rang out.
The Cat-Man led them through what could easily be described as a child's heaven. Tables were polka-dotted, striped, full colored, filled with shapes, and decorated withall sorts of other patterns and arrangements in all shapes and sizes. Big, round tables that were designed to look like something out of King Arthur's court, big stars, squares, trapezoids, elongated diamond shapes, small triangles and Kaorin also spotted a large octagon made to look like a big stop sign.
The group in particular was seated at a circular table. The Cat-Man had laid out several pamphlet-like menuson the table, each in its own shape. The table itself was covered in purple stripes and yellow polka-dots against white. The girls took their seats—-Kaorin made sure to get one next to Sakaki—-and placed the bags from the summer shop under the table. Yomi had bought the swimsuit she needed, but Kaorin opted not to. Her pink one-piece still fit nicely. She did, however, purchase some sunscreen from some company based in France.
Osaka opened her oblong menu, and almost instantly said, "Oh… I want that!"
Kaorin opened her own star-shaped menu. Many pictures of strange yet appetizing deserts greeted her. She immediately saw the dish named "Temptation of Wheat" which seemed to be a collection of candy-filled breads. YesKaorin thought, thatis something Osaka would like. I wonder what Sakaki-san is going to order…?
Kaorin turned to the next page and saw a large ice-cream bowl made out to look like the popular Neko Coneko plushie. Desiring conformation, she stole a peek at Sakaki, and saw the familiar blush spreading across her face. Yes, that would be Sakaki-san's order.
The next page contained something for people on diets called the Apple of Memories. It was an apple covered in low-fat or sugarless candies. A little caption underneath the picture said, "Fat-free versions of all the candies you ate as a kid!" Definitely an order for Yomi. Kaorin looked at her. Yes, that fierce look boring into the page was a familiar one indeed. Tomo seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she was looking at Yomi with a snide grin growing across her face. Kaorin returned to her menu, determined to tune out the inevitable bickering.
The next page contained something that Kaorin couldn't describeit was something so perfectly tailored to her that it was unbelievable. Raspberry Heaven. The dish was a large platter of vanilla ice-cream with little raspberries stuck in it, covered in a raspberry sauce, with graham crackers. Whipped cream topped the dessert, and numerous raspberries could be seen in that, as well. Kaorin loved raspberries.
Satisfied, Kaorin set her menu down. She noticed that Sakaki had done the same. Kaorin wondered if she should start a conversation with her. Should she wait for someone else? No, Chiyo-chan and Kagura-san were still looking at their menus, Osaka was in her own world again, and Tomo and Yomi were fighting. Kaorin briefly hoped that it did not become physical. But, more importantly, what should she say to Sakaki-san? Questions and topics of conversation raced through her mind. Finally, one that she had been meaning to ask stood out. Kaorin hadn't asked Sakaki-san about her tests yet. Oh, but what if she did poorly and got upset? No, that couldn't happen, Kaorin reassured herself, Sakaki-san is too intelligent for that.
"S-So, Sakaki-san…" Kaorin started off, stumbling over her words like always. She had really hoped that she could get over that, but it seemed as impossible as scaling Mt. Fuji alone. "D-Did you do well on your e-entrance exams?"
"Yes. I passed the test for my first choice." Sakaki responded calmly. Waves of relief washed over Kaorin but did nothing to stanch how red her face had become.
"Th-that's great! I'm happy for you S-Sakaki-san!" There it was again. What was your first choice?"
"Veterinarian." Sakaki replied simply. "How about you?"
The question caught Kaorin completely off guard. She wasn't so surprised to see Sakaki-san doing something with animals, but to ask about her? About meager little Kaori? Kaorin turned an even deeper shade of red.
"U-Uh… well, I-I passed my first choice, too. I'm going t-to a college for astronomy…"
"Mm." Sakaki nodded, showing a small smile.
Kaorin became redder. Was that a sign of acceptance? Was Sakaki-san happy for her? Was she simply being courteous? Did she really care at all? Kaorin panicked. Should she keep talking? What should she say? What if Sakaki-san really didn't care at all? A sick feeling sprouted up in Kaorin's stomach.
The Cat-Man reappeared, this timewith a notepad and pen. "May I take your orders, ladies?" Kaorin noticed the blush line on Sakaki-san's face and briefly contemplated how visible her redness was. The girls placed their orders, but when it came to Sakaki, Kaorin was stunned.
"I'll have the Cat Sundae, please." Sakaki muttered. Even for Sakaki, it was quiet. Kaorin had to strain herself to even hear it. The Cat-Man seemed to understand, though, because he jotted it down and turned his large foam head to Kaorin.
"And you, miss?"
"I-I'll have the Raspberry Heaven, please." Kaorin said, jostled from her surprise.
"Good choice," the Cat-Man nodded. "Miss?" He said, the head turning towards Osaka.
"Temptation of Wheat!" The words fell lazily out of Osaka's mouth, despite her attempt at enthusiasm. That was the last thing Kaorin heard before turning her thoughts to her idol and what caused her to become so quiet. Did she really become that shy around cats? Or was it something Kaorin had said?
"So, Kaorin." She was shaken from her thoughts a second time. "You were in Astronomy Club, right?" It was Kagura asking the question.
"Uh, yes…" Kaorin shyly responded.
"What was that like? I wanted to join the club when I heard about it, but I was already too loaded with sports and stuff." Kagura inquired. Kaorin wondered if she was being serious or not
"It's pretty interesting," she said anyway, "we learned about all of the constellations, the phases of the moon, made star charts, the Zodiac, and stuff like that."
"Whoa… that's pretty cool. You're becoming an astronomer, right? What do you do there?"
"Er…" Kaorin wondered what brought on the sudden questioning. "Well, astronomers mainly research the Universe to find out things that we don't know about it. Like black holes, for example. We don't really know much about those."
"Ooh," Osaka suddenly spoke. "I know about those. They're gateways to other universes, right?"
"Well, that is one theory. It's the Wormhole Theory, I believe."
"Wow… a gateway to another universe… I wanna find one some day…"
"But, Osaka-san," Chiyo's worried voice floated by, "black holes are also said to crush anything that enters it! Even light!"
"It's not like she could even reach one, anyway." Yomi said, newly victorious in her bout against Tomo.
"Well, black holes are all theory anyway…" Kaorin said. "They're hard to prove, because they're nearly impossible to see in space."
"You're very knowledgeable." Sakaki said quietly. Kaorin's head filled with blood again.
"R-Really? Thank you very much, Sakaki-san!" Kaorin said cheerily.
"Here's your food, girls." Kaorin jumped a little bit. She hadn't even noticed their waiter's presence. A small blush crept upon Sakaki's cheeks again. Kaorin couldn't help but feel a tad jealous. The Cat-Man had begun placing the food expertly on to the table, withoutlosing a single crumb of cake or drop of melted ice-cream. "Enjoy your meal," he said before walking off.
Kaorin learned that the name of her meal was a very proper one indeed. Every part of it was expertly made, and every ingredient complimented each other nicely. The small talk was good as well, since Kaorin had little chance to speak to her friends during her third year. She made sure to savor every word spoken by Sakaki.
Part way though the conversation, Yomi had suddenly looked beyond Kaorin's head and choked. Though Kaorin looked, she couldn't see what had surprised Yomi. When Kaorin asked, Yomi simply stated that it must have been her imagination.
---
Stomachs full, gossiping done, and sweet teeth satisfied, the girls paid their tab, and reluctantly left the restaurant.
"I really like this place." Tomo said.
"Yeah," Kagura agreed, "it's really comfortable here, for some reason."
"I agree," Kimura chimed in.
Tomo jumped into Yomi, Kaorin shrieked, Osaka took a few steps back, Kagura gasped, and Sakaki merely looked worried.
"What the hell're you doing here!" Tomo shouted.
"Here. Please accept this." Kimura said ignoring Tomo. He handed a small envelope to Kaorin, cracked his neck, and walked away.
Kaorin held the letter in shaking hands. Should she open it? Everyone was looking at her curiously. Nervously, she turned the letter over, and let out a small cry when she saw that it was sealed with a small heart. She managed to break it open and pull out the letter. She read it slowly.
Kaorin steadily turned the palest color anyone had ever seen her. Tomo could have sworn that she saw small cracks appear in Kaorin's little frame. Kaorin's mouth was agape and her eyes were wide in shock. The letter fell from her hands. Yomi reached down and picked it up.
"Dear Kaorin," she recited, "now that you have graduated, you can come live with me! My address is… oh, god." Yomi was shocked. "There… there are hearts all over it!"
"Are you alright?" Sakaki asked, looking at her petrified friend. Kaorin's only response was a small groan.
---
'That really sucks, Kaorin." Kagura muttered. "He's been sending you pictures of him, too?"
"Yeah…" Kaorin whined. Kimura's sudden appearance had put a damper on her day. She was lingering towards the back of the group, the event taking a toll on her will.
The group was on their way back to the train station. Night had already fallen, and they were loaded with packages from their trip. They were the only people on the street, Kaorin had noticed. They were walking past a shady looking building with boards over its windows. The look of it really creeped Kaorin out, and she couldn't wait to be past it.
They had almost passed the foreboding alleyway between the boarded building and the next when Kaorin suddenly felt something probe against her back and a hand clap over her mouth, pulling her back. She had dropped her bags and attempted to scream through the man's hand.
Something she had done alerted Sakaki, who turned around and saw with wide-eyed shock what was happening. "Kaorin!"
The rest of the group turned around. Kaorin felt tears burn at the corners of her eyes as she watched comprehension and horror dawn upon each face of her friends. Tears gathered in Chiyo's eyes. Sakaki took a step forward.
"Don't move!" the man rasped. "I've got a gun on your little friends back. Now, gimme all of your goods, and yer money too, if you wanna see her make it through tonight." He began laughing quietly. He traced his tongue down Kaorin's neck. It sent fearful shivers up and down her spine and sickness to her stomach.
Sakaki looked very flustered, very confused, and most of all, afraid. Kaorin could tell that everyone was counting on Sakaki-san to take care of the situation, but she wished that she didn't have to see Sakaki-san like this. Chiyo started sobbing.
"Shut up!" The robber yelled, moving the gun and now putting it against Kaorin's temple. "Shut up, you damn brat!" Light from a nearby lamp made the metal of the gun gleam menacingly. Chiyo did the best she could to steady her crying.
"Okay… okay… now put down your bags…"
Kaorin could smell the alcohol on the man's breath as he yelled his orders past her. She could feel the bristly hairs of his mustache, but... why was she feeling that...? The man's head should be-- As soon as she realized what was wrong, she felt him breathing hotly into her ear. Her eyes shot open widely as his slimy tongue licked her neck directly under her ear, leaving a coat of acidic saliva. The girls looked on in disgust and surprise, unsure of what to do. "I said put down your bags! Now! Unless, you just want me to take this sweet little thing, instead," he added with a soulless, drunken laugh. Everyone did as they were told. Sakaki's eyes darted from the man's face, back to Kaorin's frightened one. Kaorin watched her idol's eyes move back and forth hopelessly and felt something in her heart flicker and die. But didn't Sakaki-san just look behind the robber, too?
Kaorin's suspicions were confirmed when she felt the gun leave the side of her head and the hand being jerked away. Kaorin took a step forward, and felt another hand take hold of her arm. Sakaki was pulling her towards the rest of the group. Kaorin couldn't help but wonder for a moment if she was in another one of her daydreams. She had stopped right next to Sakaki, looking up at her. Sakaki's eyes suddenly grew wide, and Kaorin felt both of Sakaki's hands push her small body away. Kaorin staggered back a few steps, but before she could even mentally question why, a loud crack sounded, followed by a cry of pain.
A neat bullet hole had made its way into the wall next to where Kaorin had been a moment earlier. But that didn't concern Kaorin. Not at all. Kaorin was much more worried about the wound that was now on her idol's arm, and the fact that Sakaki-san was bleeding. The bullet had grazed her upper arm and made a smooth cut. Sakaki clapped a hand over the wound, but blood still poured out from between her fingers.
"S-Sakaki-san! Are you all right?" Kaorin's voice was filled with panic and worry.
"Yes… I-I'm fine." Sakaki said, despite the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
A shout behind her awoke Kaorin to the fact that the thief was still there. Turning her head, she saw the burglar engaged in a fistfight with another man, the gun lying uselessly on the ground nearby. The form of the two men struggling on the ground was coupled perfectly with the sound of clashing bone and sinew. A cry, followed by the sickening crack of a skull against cement marked the end of the struggle. Kaorin looked at the gun again… no, it was too far away.
The man who stood up was silhouetted, and the girls couldn't see his face. He turned his head towards them andtook a step forward into the light. Relief spread over the group when they saw that he wasn't the person who had just held them up. The man was tall, but not as tall as Sakaki-san, Kaorin noted. His build reminded Kaorin of one of the boys she used to talk to in school. However, his short messy hair reminded her of Kimura-sensei. She also saw that the man was wearing sunglasses, even though it was night. There was also a large bruise forming on his cheek. Kaorin noticed that Sakaki took a step back, hiding her arm in the shadows.
"Are you girls all right?" he asked. No one responded, and his head scanned across the girls until it finally stopped on Chiyo-chan. The view of his sunglasses remained on her for a moment before he finally said, "My god…" he said, taking off his sunglasses. He took a few steps forward and kneeled in front of the quietly crying girl. "You're adorable."
"Who are you?" Yomi asked. The man stood up to face her. He smiled a large friendly smile.
"My name is Kazuki. Now, are you girls all right?" Kaorin looked to Sakaki. Was she going to say anything? Sakaki returned her gaze. Kaorin felt her face go red again. The shade deepened when Sakaki nodded, and it was a second before Kaorin realized what she was supposed to do.
"Uh… S-Sakaki-san is hurt!" Kaorin called out, gesturing towards her idol. Chiyo let out an audible sob. Kazuki walked over to Kaorin and Sakaki, while Yomi and Kagura tried to comfort Chiyo.
"Let me see," Kazuki offered, reaching out to Sakaki's arm. Sakaki pulled her arm out of the shadows slowly, cautiously, scanning the man as she did so. Kaorin wondered why she was so hesitant around the man who had just saved them. Kazuki took Sakaki's arm into his hand-—much to Kaorin's jealously—-and peered at the wound. "Yeah," he started, "you got grazed pretty nice. I've got some stuff at my house that'll fix this right up", heoffered, allowing Sakaki her arm back. "It's not too far from here. Hell, we could probably walk there faster than an ambulance could drive here."
Kazuki looked from girl to girl, smiling widely. Kaorin followed his eyes. She knew that she felt like she could trust this guy… after all, he did just save her. Sakaki-san was hesitant; Kaorin knew this even though Sakaki-san's face did not show it. Osaka still looked frightened. Kaorin knew that it took a lot to snap her out of her reverie, but once she was, she would be stuck like that for a while.
Tomo looked completely different from what Kaorin was used to. The normally loud and abrasive girl now had the look of a wounded animal. Yomi and Kagura were still trying their best to calm Chiyo-chan down. Kaorin noticed how they both looked like mothers tending to their own children.
Kaorin's gaze strayed back to Sakaki. "S-Sakaki-san…?"
Sakaki nodded towards her, and then looked back to Kazuki. "I'll go."
"Okay, then!" he called out merrily. "Just follow me." He started off down an alleyway.
"You guys can go home, if you want." Sakaki said.
"I-I'll go with you, Sakaki-san!" Kaorin called.
"Me, too." Osaka said quietly. "He might be dangerous."
"Yeah," Yomi agreed. "He seems just too friendly… Chiyo-chan, do you want to stay here?"
"N-No… I-I wanna go with you guys…" She said tearfully.
"I'll watch her," Kagura suggested.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Yomi concurred. "Everyone, be careful."
Kaorin was surprised. Why would this man save them if he wanted to harm them? He had just saved her, didn't he? He had saved them all from being mugged, didn't he? Sakaki-san was already heading down the alleyway after the man. Kaorin picked up her bag from the ground. She hurried down the alleyway after Sakaki.
Kaorin could hear the footsteps of her friends behind her and the footsteps of Sakaki and Kazuki in front of her. She saw Sakaki turn at the other end of the alley and followed.. No one was speaking.
"Well, here we are. Told ya' we could get here faster!" Kazuki's jovial voice came. Kaorin had barely exited the alley when she saw Kazuki standing on a stoop next to her. He pulled out his keys, humming a little tune to himself, unlocked his door, and let everyone in.
The house was nothing special, Kaorin noted. A bit of a mess here and there, and very little in terms of decoration. The most she could see off-hand was a small plastic figurine of a medieval soldier with an axe. The floors were like they werein any other home, and the wallpaper was peeling at the ceiling. Kazuki led Sakaki into a different room. Kaorin followed hastily.
Sakaki was sitting in a chair, watching Kazuki's every move, as he looked through some drawers and cabinets. The rest of the group filed in slowly. Kazuki placed a bowl he had taken from a cupboard in the sink, and let it fill with cold water. He looked over all of the girls again.
"Hey… now that I can see you all clearly… aren't you the girls whose table I waited on?"
Yomi and Kaorin could both feel beads of sweat growing at their temples.
"You mean… you work at that place?" Yomi asked.
"Yep! Neko-Kazuki, they call me." He responded, turning off the water, and taking a washcloth from his counter. Kaorin finally noticed that they were in a kitchen. Kazuki sat down on a footstool next to Sakaki and began dabbing the cold water over her wound. Kaorin watched him jealously.
"So… what are all of your names? You're Sakaki, right?"
"Mm." Sakaki muttered.
"And, you are?" he said looking at Chiyo.
"C-Chiyo Mihama," Chiyo choked out. Tears were still streaming from her eyes.
"Nice to meet you, Chiyo-chan," he said warmly. "And you?" he spoke to Kaorin this time.
"Kaori Aida." She responded quickly. She didn't really listen as he continued asking names, through Tomo's nervous response to Osaka's shell-shocked one. Kaorin made sure to watch the man's every move, in case he did intend on hurting Sakaki-san. He seemed gentle enough, though. The way he talked, the way he carelessly smiled, and the way he gently dabbed at Sakaki-san's arm. It gave Kaorin a sort of subconscious reassurance, but she made sure to be prepared. She couldn't let anything happen to Sakaki-san.
Kazuki let out a few hums while looking closer at Sakaki's wound. "It doesn't look infected… shouldn't need stitches, either… All right," he said loudly, "I'll just bandage it up, and you can be on your way!"
"Um…" Chiyo let out, "A-Are you qualified to be doing this?" Kaorin gave herself a mental smack in the head. Why hadn't she thought of that question? It was so obvious!
"Yeah, took medical classes in college." He responded calmly. "My degree is right there on the wall behind you. I only took it as a minor, though, so I'm no PhD." Kaorin looked at the spot he gestured to, and sure enough, there was a degree with the name "KAZUKI YOTSUA" in large letters in the middle.
Kaorin turned her gaze back onto Kazuki. He was spraying some sort of liquid on Sakaki-san's cut, which Kaorin could only assume was some sort of disinfectant. Kaorin made a mental note to look for any suspicious behavior in Sakaki-san, in case everyone's suspicions were well placed. Kaorin watched Kazuki's every move as he wrapped the bandages around Sakaki's arm.
"All right, all done. You girls can go now. Unless you want some tea or something?"
"No, that's all right." Yomi said. "Thank you for your help."
"Thank you." Sakaki said as she stood up.
"No, no, it's nothing!" Kazuki said, scratching the back of his head. "I enjoy doing stuff like this, honestly. It's not often someone will let me help them, instead of dashing off to the nearest hospital. Now, if any of your girls are around and need help, you know where to find me, right?"
"Yes," they all said at once.
"All right, don't hesitate!" Kazuki said happily, as he led them back to his door. "Don't be strangers! I'll see you later!" He shouted the final gleeful farewell as he closed the door behind him.
---
Kaorin plopped down on her bed. The train trip home had been filled with discussing the events of that night, and they were in disagreement of whether or not that guy could be trusted, or if he was just trying to lure them back. Kaorin had little time to think until now. Everything had happened so fast. But… Sakaki-san had saved her life, hadn't she?
A wellspring of emotions erupted within Kaorin's heart. Respect, admiration, thankfulness, happiness, and… and… something else. Something Kaorin couldn't place. Something so familiar, yet so distant and unknown. It felt like it had been in her heart the entire time, though this would be the first time Kaorin can remember experiencing it. A poem came to her mind. She stood up, feeling as light as a feather, and jotted it down hastily in her book. She settled down to sleep. In two days, they would be going to Chiyo-chan's summer home…
---
Kaorin was standing against a wall, her eyes wide with fear. Sakaki tried to run after her, but no matter how hard she pressed forward, or how fast she ran, she grew no closer. Kaorin turned her head towards Sakaki slowly.
"Sakaki-san…" the name escaped her lips fearfully, in a whisper that was as loud as a gong in Sakaki's ears. Tears spilled from Sakaki's eyes. Then, the sound came. The sound that Sakaki dreaded: the crack of distant thunder. A hole opened up over Kaorin's heart, pouring out blood. Sakaki screamed. There was another crack. Another hole, in Kaorin's shoulder. She fell to the ground like a lifeless doll. Sakaki finally was able to move, and she dashed to her fallen friend, taking her body into her arms.
"Kaorin!" She shouted again and again, "Kaorin! Kaorin!" It was too late. There was already no light left in her eyes. "Kaorin! Kaorin!" Sakaki shouted again, shaking the body in her arms. No, no, this couldn't be. Kaorin couldn't be dead. "Kaorin! Kaorin!" The body in Sakaki's arms made no move as her tears spilled onto it. "Kaorin!" She shouted one final time, before collapsing on to her dead friend. She felt hate beyond words at the one who fired the gun. But where was he? It was too dark… she couldn't see. But she heard laughing, the same laughing she had heard earlier that night… Sakaki screamed.
Then Sakaki awoke. She was still in her bed, yet she was crying. It was just a dream. She hugged her legs to her chest and let the tears flow freely. But… what if she hadn't moved fast enough? What if she didn't see the man about to fire the gun? What if Kazuki hadn't saved them? Where would they be now? Would Kaorin be all right?
Sakaki couldn't bear the thought of Kaorin being dead and started to sob into her bed sheets. She couldn't ever let anything like that happen.