Stay With Me Forever
Chapter 2: An Island in the Middle of Nowhere
"We're stuck here, all alone, in the middle of nowhere. And you decide to compliment the view?" Kashino stared at the brunette in disbelief.
It was true. The two had been in the middle of nowhere for three days now. The seemingly endless ocean stretched in every direction, not a single clue of land in sight. And to be honest, Kashino was a tiny bit more concerned about actually not dying than admiring the surroundings.
Ichigo smiled. "Relax, Kashino! If we are going to die here, at least we could do it happily!"
Kashino facepalmed.
Ichigo laughed at his expression. She trailed her fingers in the water, ripples forming in the crystal blue.
Kashino was starting to enjoy the peace and quiet when she gasped. "K-Kashino!"
The blonde glanced up at her. "What is it now? I hope you didn't just call me to say that the ocean looks pretty." He rolled his eyes.
It wasn't entirely true. To tell the truth, he kind of enjoyed her company. Sometimes, that Baka could bring up the most interesting things. Not like he would ever admit it, though.
"It's... it's a coconut leaf! And it's still fresh!"
Kashino rolled his eyes. "Yeah, how amazing. It would have been better if you found a coconut instead."
Ichigo shook her head. "Coconut leaves won't be able to survive for long in the ocean. One this fresh... means there's land nearby!"
Kashino paused. Why hadn't he thought of that? Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine. I admit you're right."
Ichigo smiled, her chocolate eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "We're saved! We're really saved!"
Right again. Because in a few minutes, she spotted a thin green line on the horizon. And as it boldened, Kashino knew it was true.
"The sand, it's so warm!" Ichigo picked up a shell and turned it around, smiling.
"Come on, Amano." Kashino muttered. "Let's go."
"Go where?" The brunette blinked innocently.
Kashino rolled his eyes. "Where do you think we'll stay for the night? There's no telling how long we'll be stuck here, or what's on this island. We need somewhere we can sleep safely."
Ichigo nodded. "You're right."
"Stay close by. It would be very dangerous to get lost here," Kashino warned.
Ichigo nodded, quickly dropping the seashell in her hand and hurrying up to him. "Don't worry, I won't!"
But of course, soon she found herself upon some star-shaped blossoms. Each one was a different color, light pinks and sky blues decorating the grass below it.
She examined a small white blossom and brought it to her nose, forgetting entirely about Kashino's warning. That is, at least until she found herself in the heart of the forest. All alone. "Kashino!" She called. "Kashino? Where are you?" She stood up shakily, looking around.
Unfortunately, Kashino couldn't have been more oblivious. "Look, this tree looks easy to climb. Don't you think so, Amano?"
He spun around to find himself alone. "Amano? Where are you?" He called, hoping she was nearby.
There was no reply.
"AMANO?"
It was no use. Ichigo was too far away to hear him. A tear slipped down the brunette's cheek. "This is all my fault. If only I had listened, if only I had followed him..." She leaned backwards onto a tall rock, only to fall backwards. The Pâtissière looked around and gasped. She was standing in...
...A cave?
It was only a few feet deep, hidden behind a few vines that she had mistaken for a wall of stone. Just big enough to fit two people.
Suddenly, she heard a distant voice. "AMANO!"
Her eyes widened. "KASHINO!"
"Amano?" Kashino followed her voice to the cave. He raced up to the brunette. "I told you to stay nearby!" He muttered, but he couldn't hide the relief in his voice.
"I'm sorry..." Ichigo hiccuped, tears streaming down her face. It stung Kashino to see her like this.
"It's ok," He whispered. "But we still haven't found a place to spend the night..."
Ichigo smiled. "I think it was over here..." She led the blonde over to the tall stone and pushed aside the vines. "I was looking for you, and accidentally fell into it..." She smiled crookedly.
Kashino laughed for the first time on the island. "I guess there is an advantage of being clumsy," He teased.
"Kashino!" Ichigo ran after him, giggling. "What did you mean by that?"
The cave was much smaller than the bed they had shared on the plane. But that night, neither of them could have slept more soundly.
Kashino: What is this? It isn't even CLOSE to "Don't Leave Me"!
Me: Yeah, I know. Because "Don't Leave Me" had a really boring plot.
Kashino: Well, this one isn't much better.
Me: Mou...
Kashino: Moo? Are you a cow?
Me: No, I said 'mou'! And aren't you supposed to know Japanese?
Kashino: Since when exactly did YOU learn Japanese?
Ichigo: Um... *sweatdrops* Please read and review!