WRITER'S NOTE: I'm sorry if the first chapter was confusing! At the beginning, Ayumi tells us about Heavenly Host. Thinking of that school reminded her of how much Yoshiki had taken care of her both in and after Heavenly Host, making her think back to the day when she helped Yoshiki for the first time.

After the flashback with Yoshiki and Mr Tsubota, Ayumi tells us a bit about the night they escaped Heavenly Host a couple of weeks earlier. This is my first fanfiction, so I'm not that good at describing what is what. I hope this chapter will be less confusing!

Thank you ~

Ayumi's POV

...What? I feel like I'm drowning... I'm really cold ...Where am I? How did I end up here, like this?
I can't see anything..Murky water?.. What is this?! I-I can't move .. so... heavy .. can't breathe ..I can't breathe at ALL..!
- "SHINOZAKIIII!"
..That voice... ! It's ..Kishinuma, isn't it..?! He sounds like ..something really terrible happened to him..
- "K... K-Ki ...I ...I'm ...h ... "
- "WHERE ARE YOOUUUU?!"
Agh ..I can't... ...
- "KISHINUMA!"

. . . . . .

I was awakened by my own voice screaming .. what? A...nightmare? I'm really sweating.. Ah... I yelled ..for Kishinuma ...
Why? ..Anyway, what time is it? I turned around in bed to look at my alarm clock.
- "Ah.. almost four ... Not good! I have to try to fall back asleep again, I can't be tired at school ...!"
I turned around again, facing the wall. It was easier for me to fall asleep that way.

I woke up again, and this time it was because of my clock. 07:00. I sighed... Guess I got some sleep after all.
Well, time to get up! I have a while to get ready before school starts.
I got up from bed and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror.
- "Geez.." I had gotten dark circles under my eyes, and my hair stood on all ends.. "Better do something about this.." I said, starting to brush my hair. Then I made my hair into piggytails, as usual. I washed my face, then I put some concealer under my eyes. Just in case it'll get worse.
I changed into my school uniform, then went downstairs.
- "Good morning, sis!" I smiled.

- "Good morning, Ayumi." Hinoe smiled back at me.
Since our parents had to get up for work really early we didn't see them on mornings.
"Have you slept well?" she asked me.

- "E-eh.. Kind of. I had a nightmare. How about you?"

- "Great, thanks! What did you dream?" She looked at me, seeming worried.

- "I was drowning, I remember not being able to breathe or move, I couldn't even see, like I had something in my eyes.. Oh, and I woke myself up by screaming "Kishinuma"..."
We had rice and fried eggs for breakfast, Hinoe had made it and it was really good.
- "Kishinuma." She repeated, thinking. "He's in your class, right?"

- "Y-yeah.. The thing is .. the dream I had. It happened while we were at Heavenly Host. But.. in my dream... he just screamed my name, he didn't try to come and pull me up. B-but... he did save me when I got possessed and tried to drown myself. He told me that." I started to feel tears in my eyes. I am truly, deeply thankful for him saving me back there.

- "He sure is one special guy." Hinoe said, smiling.

- "Y-you could really say that.." I agreed, blushing a little. I looked at the clock on my cellphone. "I have to go to school now! Thank you for making breakfast. I'm off! I put my shoes on, said goodbye to Hinoe and was on my way to school.
My home is pretty close to the school, and that was giving me enough time to get ready for class. I changed into my uwabaki slippers, collected my books and went to see the three of my friends; Kishinuma-kun, Nakashima-san and Satoshi-kun. We would usually hang with each other in the classroom, just enjoying the company.

I was on my way to them, a little lost in my own thoughts. It's like my feelings for Kishinuma-kun have changed .. I've only just realized. It's not weird at all ..He's been so caring of me, and I guess that's why. I think I should apologize to him for only blabbering on about Mochida-kun. All the time me and Kishinuma-kun were together at that school and I mentioned him, he seemed to get frustrated. And now I get it.. I get why. I'm really sorry ...

- "Sh..Shinozaki." Kishinuma surprised me, he had just walked up to me, his hands in his pockets. Was he blushing a little? .. No, it's probably just my imagination.

- "Yes, Kishinuma-kun?" I smiled brightly at him.

- "Would you... mind.. talking over things a bit?" He stared down to the floor. Now he definitely were blushing, no doubt about it!

- "A-about what!?" Damn it, his weird acting is getting me flustered!

- "If you just think hard enough, I think you'll get it." He was still blushing, but he looked me in my eyes with his captivating, deep blue and smiled. What?! My cheeks feel really hot..-WHAAH! He saw it! I tried to hide my cheeks, but it was too late!
- "What's up with the red face, Shinozaki?" He grinned. As if HE hadn't been blushing in the first place!

- "N-nothing! Geez, what's gotten into you?!" If my cheeks had lost any shades of red, they sure had came back now! What's up with him? He doesn't know about my feelings for him, right? It can't be it..! Have I been that bad at hiding them..?

- "So, Shinozaki.. Do you feel like staying at my place for the weekend? We really need to talk, you know? I can walk you home afterwards, I promise." He smiled and petted my head. HE WAS PETTING MY HEAD. It's the feeling..I only used to get when thinking about Satoshi-kun ...But things have changed, haven't they.. I know I really like Kishinuma-kun, and he did confess back at Heavenly Host, right?... At least it seemed like it .. I got lost in thought.

- "Shinozaki?" He looked at me, a little worried. Hearing him call my name dragged me back from my deep thoughts. "How are you? You didn't answer my question." He said, smiling.

- "A-ah... Gomene. I got a little lost, nothing else.. Yes, Kishinuma-kun! I would like that." I gave him a big smile. "Class is starting soon, wanna go together?"

- "Alright! I'm glad you want to come over." He seemed really happy, and it was rubbing off on me. We went to greet Nakashima-san and Mochida-kun. It looks like something has happened between them! Heehee..
I actually can't wait to spend some time with Kishinuma-kun! I really wonder what he wants to talk about, though... If it is what I think ... My heart started to beat faster at the thought of it.
N-no, it's probably something else! Ah, well.. I have to focus on class for now... I sighed and looked out through the window, hoping for the day to end as fast as possible.

/ / / / /

After school had ended, me and Kishinuma met up outside the school entrance.

- "So, do you have everything you need?" Kishinuma asked, smiling at me.

- "Hm.. Let me think." I looked into my bag, searching for my homework. "Umm, I just need to go pick up some things. I'll be right back!" I ran back to the classroom. I went to my desk, and found just what I needed. "Got it! I think that's all for now." Our new teacher had put my assignments on it, so I didn't have to look for her. I ran back outside to meet Kishinuma again, I really didn't want to waste our time together.
- "Hi! Did I take too much time?" I breathed out, tired after running.

- "No, not at all, Shinozaki." he assured me. "Did you run?" he added, seeming amused.

- "A-ah..yes." I blushed a little at his question. "It's just .. You wanted to spend this weekend with me, so I .. don't want to make you wait the whole time." I smiled at him.

- "It's fine with me, I could wait forever if it's you." He smiled back at me even bigger.
What..?! I looked at him with big eyes, but he just kept on smiling .. The color of my cheeks turned into deeeep, deeeeep red. I already knew that he would, but hearing it directly was something different. Kishinuma-kun ...
I felt something warm inside all of me.