Sorry for the long absence. For personal reasons I had to stop posting my writing cause I didn't have time, but I'm back now! Hope you guys like the long awaited chapter 7! :D

Read and Review please!


Chapter 7

I couldn't help but grin as I led Kazuki into what once was his favorite ramen restaurant. Opening the door for him, I chuckled a bit as his face lit up at the deep aroma wafting from the kitchen.

"It smells amazing!" he exclaimed as I followed him into Osaka Ramen. Despite the warm, rich smell the rest of the restaurant was bright and cheery. Full of orange and red colors swirled throughout the store. A few young people sat at the booths lining the walls and others in tables that littered the space.

"I told you that you would like this. You always begged me to go here whenever we had time to eat someplace besides school or one of our apartments," I explained to him as I walked up to the bar. I rang the silver bell placed on the counter and in an instant a figure slipped out from behind the curtains that led to the kitchen.

"Haruto! Kazuki!" the man boomed, throwing up his arms in excitement, "So glad to see you two are safe and sound now!" I laughed out loud at Kaleo's obvious joy at seeing his normal costumers come back after so long. Kaleo was quite a muscular man for being in the ramen business, but his passion for noodles was clear to see. Sweat littered his sun-stained brow and his pure white teeth shone behind full lips. Kaleo was a born Hawaiian but he spoke fluent Japanese and had come to the country to learn the art of ramen and noodle making. So far he had done pretty well. His restaurant was the most popular in the district.

"Kaleo, so nice to see you again," I answered. Glancing at Kazuki I added, "Kazuki, this is Kaleo Nainoa. He's a friend of ours and owns Osaka Ramen. He makes the best Miso you've ever tasted in your life." Kazuki nodded and looked up at Kaleo with a hesitant smile. Kaleo held out a hand.

"Good to meet you Kazuki…again," Kaleo grinned and gave Kazuki a playful wink as Kazuki shook his hand, "Still trying to remember the things you should know?"

"Yeah," Kazuki answered with a small smile, "I've remembered a few. But most of it is just not important. Like shampoo or something."

Kaleo let out his big booming laugh yet again. "It's always the important stuff that slips away, Hoaloha."

"He means friend," I said to Kazuki as I saw his confused expression, "Even though he knows Japanese well enough he sometimes decides not to use it." Kaleo shrugged.

"It's a habit. I do it when speaking English too," Kaleo chuckled, "Now what would you two like today?"

"Just two Miso Ramen bowls, Kaleo," I told him as I got the money out of my pocket. I gave it to the Hawaiian after he wrote our down on a piece of paper.

"I'll have that out for you two in a bit," he said, giving me my change back, "Just sit down and make yourselves comfortable." I nodded and started off to the far corner of the restaurant, and Kazuki's favorite booth.

"What is up with you today?" Kazuki asked me once we had sat down, "First you bring home Lemon Rolls and now this." I shrugged, acting as if I didn't know. The truth was that I wanted to treat Kazuki special today because today was an important day. A year ago today was when I had first seen Kazuki, stumbling around on the campus looking for his classes.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Kazuki asked, a little snap to his voice, "You'll look at me then smile that stupid, goofy smile!" I brought myself back to the present and shifted in my seat in embarrassment.

"Sorry Kazuki…thinking of the past is all," I said, picking up a pair of chop sticks that were laying on the table. I broke them apart and put the tips of them to my mouth, hoping they would hide my smile that was beginning to form again. Kazuki acted more and more like this old self every day. Kazuki let out a loud sigh and slumped back in his chair. He mumbled something I couldn't catch as he looked away from me.

"Saito, Kazuki!" a voice squealed from the front of the restaurant. I looked up to see Aiko practically running from the door to our booth. I laughed as she jumped in Kazuki's booth with him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Kazuki, I missed you!" I covered my mouth as my laughing became louder. Kazuki looked so confused. He even had a little blush on his cheeks from the kiss. Even though I should have felt jealous at that, I actually didn't. Aiko was a very outgoing and attractive young lady. Even with her bleached hair and European clothes.

"This is Mori, Aiko," I explained, "She's a very good friend of ours. She's been wanting to see you for the past couple days but I told her you needed to rest. She also works with me." Kazuki nodded, his eyes still a bit wide and a hint of pink still in his cheeks.

"Hello Mori…" Kazuki said, using Aiko's formal name. Aiko's face scrunched up.

"Just call me Aiko. We're friends remember? And I'd rather be called Aiko anyway…The Europeans and Americans just call each other by their first names too," she said with a smile as she straightened out her tight skirt, settling down in the booth. Kazuki nodded, looking innocent and confused again. I let out another chuckle, trying my best to cover it up with my hand.

"What Haruto?" Aiko asked, her brow furrowed, "Is there something wrong with wanting to be called by my first name?" I shook my head and looked up at Aiko.

"It's just interesting that you were born in Japan but you want to be American so much," I answered her. She just smiled, suddenly realizing I wasn't really laughing at her.

"Two Miso bowls!" Kaleo called as he set the two ramen bowls down on the table. He then shot a grin to Aiko and added with a wink, "Anything you would like, Miss Aiko Mori?"

Aiko giggled, "Just a bowl of Shoyu Ramen please." Kaleo smiled back at her.

"I'll bring some it in a moment, Aiko," Kaleo answered. Aiko smiled and stood up to give him a kiss on the cheek as well. Kaleo grinned and left to go back into the kitchen. Aiko stared after him for a moment before sitting down again by Kazuki.

Kazuki looked over at me with a curious look on his face, as if asking if those two were more than friends. I just shrugged.

"So Kazuki, what have you remembered so far?" Aiko asked, setting her elbow on the table and playing with her hair. Kazuki glanced at her before looking back at me.

"Not much…" he answered, "Just what kind of shampoo I used." Aiko giggled a bit, knowing the story behind that. "And also," Kazuki paused and I sat up in my seat, knowing he hadn't told me this yet, "A guy named Makoto…"

Suddenly my heart lodged in my throat. He…He remembered Makoto? Did that mean that he also remembered the feelings he held towards him? I looked down at my miso bowl and started to swirl the contents around in the bowl with my chopsticks, messing up Kaleo's wonderful art he had made with the ingredients.

"Um…Haruto?" Kazuki asked, "Who is Makoto? I think I remember you mentioned him before." My jaw clenched and I started to stir faster. "…Haruto?"

Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I stood from the booth and stormed out of the restaurant. I heard Aiko call my name before the door closed but I kept walking. Even after he left that Makoto wouldn't leave me alone!


I stared after Haruto as he stormed out of sight down the street. I quickly looked at Aiko and asked, "Did I…say something I shouldn't have?" Aiko, who had stood up as Haruto had left, looked back down at me and sighed.

"No Kazuki," she murmured, "Makoto…is a touchy subject for Haruto."

"Why?" I wanted to know why this Makoto guy was so important! What Haruto had against him and his relationship with Haruto. I remembered my relationship with him. We were close friends in high school but that was it.

…Right?

Aiko sighed again and I saw a softness come over her expression. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Her skin was flawless and her hair flowed like water past her shoulders. Slight smile lines still graced her mouth on either side even though her young face was calm.
She sat where Haruto had just been and grabbed my hands in her own. "I would tell you, Kazu," she said softly, "but I think Haruto should be the one to tell you. The situation involves him a lot more than it does me." She pat my hands with her own soft ones. "Just give him time. Maybe tonight after he has calmed down you can ask him about it." Her eyes darkened. "But don't ever hate Haruto for anything okay? He's trying his best. I know he is." I blinked in confusion.

"What has Haruto done?" I asked. Aiko shook her head.

"It's not what he has done, Kazuki. It's what he feels." With that Aiko stood up and smiled at me. "I'll get take-home bowls that you can put this ramen in then I'll take you home. Is that okay?"

"Um…sure." I answered as I stood as well, glancing at the door yet again. What was Haruto hiding? I had known he was hiding something this whole time but I had yet to have the time to ask him about it. I sighed and furrowed my eyebrows, trying hard to remember whatever I had lost. Every memory of my parents and my hometown. Aiko and Kaleo. Makoto and Haruto. I let out a frustrated sigh and covered my face with my hands. Why couldn't I remember?

"Kazuki..? Are you okay?" Aiko asked as she came back with the take-out bowls. She set them down on the table and gently pulled my hands away from my face. I saw her surprised face as she added, "Kazuki, why are you..?" She then grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the kitchen of the building. I touched my face to realize I was crying.

As we entered the kitchen I saw Kaleo and another man leaning against the steel table in the middle of the room. They were talking and smiling, but the moment Kaleo saw my expression his own fell. "Leave please," Aiko told the men. Kaleo nodded and motioned for the other man to follow him out.

Once they were gone Aiko looked into my face and wiped away some of the tears. "Kazu, what's wrong?" she asked in a voice that reminded me of a mother. I looked up into her worried chocolate brown eyes and I suddenly found myself crying a little harder.

"I can't frickin' remember!" I yelled at her through tears, "Why can't I remember, Aiko?" Aiko's eyes glazed over as if she was about to tear up as well.

"…I don't know. God works in mysterious ways. This could be for the better."

"God?" I suddenly exclaimed, my tears stopping, "Like God has anything to do with this!" Aiko flinched and let go of my wrist. "God has some frickin' sense of humor if he has anything to do with this! Making me forget my whole life! My life, Aiko! What if you lost everything you had known? Because of a stupid car crash! Lost your love of America or lost how you felt about Kaleo! Or even you stupid dog, Dingo!" Aiko's face suddenly turned into one of surprise.

"Kazu…" she said with a growing smile.

"What?" I yelled back at her. She burst into a giggle.

"Haruto or I never told you about my feelings for Kaleo or even about my dog Dingo!" she laughed, "How did you know that?" My enraged face softened and I blinked.

"Um…I don't know I just said it," I answered her. Aiko giggled a bit more and hugged me tight.

"You're healing, Kazuki!" she said into my ear, "You'll remember everything soon. I know it!"


The doorbell rang just as I slammed shut my diary notebook and I looked up at the door to my apartment. The moment I got home I had grabbed my notebook and started to write furiously in it until the paper was practically ripping. I let out a sigh and got up to see who it was. Probably Kazuki and Aiko. As I opened the door I was met with a shove to the shoulder as a blazing red haired man pushed past me.

"Where's Kazuki?" He asked, turning back around to look at me. I was frozen to the spot. Shocked that he of all people would show up at my apartment. Especially after he had left the country. Suddenly my frozen fear turned into a hot rage. I narrowed my emerald eyes, meeting blazing blue ones.

"What are you doing back, Makoto?"