Kita looked out the car window as the group pulled in front of a small apartment building. "I'm sure Hachi will not mind you joining us for the fireworks tonight."
Oh I completely forgot the fireworks were tonight. Kita thought as she followed Nobu out of the backseat of the car. She wondered who this girl named Hachi was, but shrugged it off. She followed the three males upstairs and to a door where Yasu knocked on the door. The door slowly opened and a little girl no older than six years old stood with a bright smile on her face. She had long black hair and hazel eyes and was wearing a yellow long sleeve kimono with orange flowers.
"Yasu!" The little girl cheered as she ran to Yasu who picked her up with a smile.
A young woman with short light brown hair walked out dressed in a reddish brown kimono. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and she had a white apron tied around her waist.
"Oh you guy's made it, i have your kimonos all set for you-" She gasped looking at Kita. "What happened? Oh come it I will get you some ice." She quickly turned and rushed into the kitchen.
"Thank you Hachi." Shin spoke as he walked into the apartment with the others. The apartment was small but cozy. It had white tile floors and a small seating area in front of a large window.
"What happened? How did you hurt your lip?" The little girl in Yasu's arms spoke looking at Kita.
"Oh, I am fine, I just got hit by accident." Kita lied not wanting to explain the situation to such a young child.
"Here, this should help." Hachi handed a small, damp washcloth that had a couple ice cubes in it to Kita.
"Thank you." Kita took the cold cloth and tossed the bloody tissue into the trash before placing the ice cold cloth against her lip. It stung at fist but the pain faded soon after. She walked with the group over to the dining room table and each sat down, the little girl sitting on Yasu's lap.
"Oh Satsuki I got you something." Nobu reached into a bag and pulled out a doll, still in its box.
Satsuki's eyes lit up upon seeing the doll. "It's so pretty!" Satsuki grabbed the doll and rushed from the table to her mother Hachi. "Mommy look!" She showed the doll to her mother who smiled and took the doll.
"It's so cute! I love retro dolls!" Hachi cheered.
"I didn't get it for you!" Nobu laughed as Hachi handed the doll back to Satsuki who rushed down the hall to her room.
"So mind if I ask what happened to you. I am Nana by the way but everyone calls me Hachi." Hachi smiled remember how she had originally got the nickname from her friend who too was named Nana.
Kita brought the cloth away from her lip so she could speak. "Well I caught my boyfriend, well I guess I should say ex...having sex with another girl in a bar lounge...I ran home to get my things, and he followed me, as I attempted to leave the apartment we share he hit me..."
"That's awful! You should call the police or something." Hachi began to rant.
"I can't...the press would have a field day with that kind of story...Besides he didn't mean it." Kita trailed off.
"The press?" Shin asked not sure why the press would be a factor in all of this.
"Who is your ex?" Yasu asked.
"Kei Namamore." Kita replied softly, her voice quiet.
"You mean the lead singer of Kirami?" Nobu asked surprised.
Kita nodded her head as the group gasped.
"They rose in popularity just over the past two years, they are amazing!" Hachi trailed on about the band as the group stopped listening to her rambling.
"You're missing the point Hachi, Kei hit her." Shin looked over at Hachi.
"By the looks of the scars this wasn't the first time either." Yasu noted looking over at Kita who had her head down.
"How often did he hurt you?" Nobu asked his deep brown eyes full of concern as he looked at Kita who slowly rose he head.
"This was the first time..." Kita spoke softly. "He has been really stressed with the tour coming up, he had been drinking so I am sure that he did not even know that he hurt me until I ran away." Kita explained. I'm making excuses for him again... Then sighed.
"That is not a good excuse." Hachi mumbled.
"I know it is stupid...but he is my first true love..." Kita spoke, her voice barely above a whisper when her phone started to vibrate. She reached into her jean pocket and pulled the phone out, looking at the caller ID on the screen which read. Kei. Her breath caught in her throat as Nobu and Hachi as well as Shin peered over at the screen.
"Don't answer it." Hachi looked at Kita.
"Yea, make him realize that you won't stand for his actions." Shin suddenly sounded so mature which shocked the group who all looked at him. "What I can make a good point once in a while."
Kita hit a button on the side of her phone and silenced the vibration before she set the phone on silent. She placed the phone into her bag before smiling at the group, removing the damp cloth from her lip, which had now stopped bleeding.
"Hey Hachi do you think she could stay here with you for a while until she gets a place of her own?" Yasu asked as Satsuki walked back into the room, having finally found a safe place for her new doll.
"Sure, we still have the spare room. Nana shouldn't mind you using it until she comes back." Hachi smiled. She still believed that Nana would return to them someday while the others seemed to accept the fact that she was gone to have a life of her own somewhere.
"Thank you, I promise not to be a burden." Kita smiled softly then looked down to see that Satsuki had rummaged into her bag and pulled out her notebook.
"Satsuki that isn't yours!" Hachi rushed over and picked up Satsuki who had the notebook open now.
"It's alright they are just my doodles she can look at them, they aren't that good." Kita looked up at the young girl who's eyes were wide in amazement looking at the drawings.
"Look Mommy it's a birdie." Satsuki held up the notebook to reveal one of Kita's drawings. It was a raven, sketched in pencil. Every detail was intricately drawn, from the textured feathers to the shaded beak and deep black eyes that seemed to be reflecting light. The dark bird was sitting upon a branch that too was shaded in detail, giving the bark a textured affect.
"Oh wow that is beautiful!" Hachi looked at the drawing in amazement.
"How did you do it?" Nobu asked looking at Kita who was shocked that they liked the drawing.
"I just drew, I have always loved to draw since I was little." Kita smiled.
"Can you draw me?!" Satsuki looked at Kita, practically begging her to draw her.
"Sure." Kita smiled, unable to deny the little girl's wish. " Sit on the table facing us, the fireworks will be starting soon and will make a pretty background."
Hachi put Satsuki down on the table as the girl walked over after handing the notebook back to Kita, and sat down with her legs straight out with a smile on her face.
Kita placed the notebook down on the table and pulled out a pencil and pulled open a clean page as she began to draw. The world around her faded, as it always seemed to do when she was focused on her latest piece of art. When drawing she forgot all about her problems, her pain, everything except the important details that she wanted to capture on this single piece of paper. She carefully drew Satsuki's head before capturing the girls, deep eyes. She captured every detail in the girl's eyes, every gleam of light, before moving onto the little girls nose and drawing the simple smile. She carefully drew the pigtails on either side of Satsuki's head. Drawing every wave and gentle strand. She then moved onto carefully drawing the girl's kimono. She drew the long, elegant sleeves and the floral pattern.
"Its amazing how fast you work yet capture every detail." Yasu noted as he watched along with the others.
Kita could barely hear the people speaking as she began to draw the window frame, being sure to give it detail of each piece of painted wood that framed the spotless window.
A bang was heard outside and a flash of colorful light filled the sitting area. The fireworks had finally started.
"Its ok, to turn to watch now Satsuki, I am almost done." Kita smiled as she saw the little girl rush to sit on Yasu's lap to watch the beautiful lights dance in the sky.
Kita returned her focus to the drawing as she began to draw a single large flare in the sky outside the already drawn window before she began to add the final details to the drawing. She added some shading to make the piece look more realistic. She gently closed the notebook and looked up out the window at the fireworks. She smiled as she saw the light catch in Nobu's eyes. She blushed faintly before shaking the vision from her mind and returning her attention to the fireworks.
After a half hour passed and the fireworks were silenced, the group was sitting at the table.
"Can I see my picture?" Satsuki rushed off Yasu's lap and to Kita's side.
Kita nodded and opened the notebook to the drawing of Satsuki. The young girl looked in amazement as Kita carefully tore the page out of the notebook and handed it to Satsuki.
"I love it! I love it! I love it!" Satsuki cheered as she jumped up and down, the drawing carefully held in her hands.
"Satsuki careful, i will put it in a safe frame for you." Hachi smiled, still amazed by the beautiful picture of her daughter.
Kita saw the joy in little Satsuki's eyes and in that moment, surrounded by people whom she had only met this evening, she felt something she had not felt in such a long time... She felt truly happy...