Chapter 4

The festival was filled with all sorts of games and food. The S.A. group and Emi had all come together, but when they saw all the festivities, each one ran after the thing he or she found most exciting. Akira and Tadashi were the first to disappear together. No one knew where those two were going, but they seemed to be headed in the direction of the couple's game. Emi, Megumi and Jun sat at the stage in the middle of the festival where different bands took turns performing. Hikari challenged Kei to beat her in all the games, but Kei had something he insisted he needed to talk to Ryuu about.

"Fine," Hikari told him, "but when I see you again, then the challenge will begin."

"Perfect," Kei replied, "and if you loose, then you will have to wear what I tell you to wear when you come to the birthday party with me."

"That's only if you beat me in the next test. Don't get overconfident Takshima! I won't go easy on you!"

"Yes, yes. Do your best, Ni-san."

"Don't c . . ." Hikari was interrupted when Kei gently guided her to the nearest game, telling her to practice hard, and once again calling her "Ni-san". Kei and Ryuu walked a short distance away to a park bench. There were not many people around, and the noise level was low enough that the boys did not have to raise their voices to be heard.

"What did you want to talk about?" Ryuu asked.

"I'm just curious about something," Kei began as he sat on the bench.

"About what?"

"You're reaction to Emi when you saw her in the shop the other day."

"Oh?"

"Well . . ."

"I guess it just took me off guard when I saw her spinning like that. I . . . thought it was . . . cute . . . I guess."

"Uh-huh. Is that why you asked us to leave you alone with her?"

"I just wanted to talk with her. We went to eat at the place across the street, and talked for a while."

"And afterwards she ran away."

"You were spying on me?"

"Not intentionally."

"Right."

"Don't become her problem, Ryuu."

"I wasn't trying to. I only asked if I could see some of the painting she says she's done. Asking to come over to her apartment might have been a little too much, but I wasn't really trying to be a bother."

"Sometimes people have to try harder not to be a bother to someone."

"I guess so."

"You should go talk to Emi."

"Yeah." The two boys rejoined the festival. Kei found Hikari practicing at one of the games, and joined her, starting their challenge without warning. Ryuu found Emi, Megumi, and Jun in the stands by the stage at the festival. They were passing Megumi's notebook to talk to each other.

"Hello Ryuu," Emi wrote as Ryuu took a seat next to her.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" Ryuu wrote to Emi.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I thought you might still be mad at me."

"Nope." Emi flipped back a page, and showed Ryuu a part of the conversation the three had been having before Ryuu showed up. He was able to identify who said what by their handwriting.

"Are you mad at Ryuu-nii, Emi-chan?" Megumi had begun.

"I don't know that I'd say that I'm mad." Emi had answered.

"What then?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been acting strange around him." Jun had joined the conversation. "It is because he wanted to talk to you alone that one day?"

"He asked to come to my place to look at my art. It would have been strange because I live alone. He got really excited."

"He gets excited about seeing you every day tough, since he can talk to you about animals."

"I think he really likes you," Megumi interjected.

"Likes?" Emi wondered. "Like 'love at first sight' or something?"

"Do you not believe in 'love at first sight' Emi?"

"Well I've never been in love so I wouldn't know. And I would have thought that both people would have had to fallen in love when they met in order for it to really be 'love at first sight' right?" This is where the conversation ended.

Ryuu took a pen out from his pocket and wrote a new response on the next page, then handed the sketchbook back to Emi. It said, "I was a little too eager, and I put you in an awkward position. I'm sorry."

Emi wrote back saying, "It's okay." After she showed it to Ryuu, Emi took the book back and quickly wrote, "My cell phone's vibrating. I'll be right back" and then Emi had rushed out and disappeared around the corner. When Emi returned, Ryuu. Megumi, and Jun had started a new conversation.

Emi asked for the sketchbook and wrote, "I have a job interview. They said they wanted to see ma as soon as possible, so I'll be heading out now. I might be back in time for the fireworks."

Megumi took back the sketchbook and wrote "Good luck."

June nodded.

Ryuu smiled and mouthed the words "Good luck."

A/N: Find out the result of Kei's and Hikari's challenges and the consequences that follow in the next chapter.