Meanwhile, out on the ocean, Chika climbed up onto the board again. "How long have you been doing this, anyway?" she asked.

Sora paddled them to the next wave. "Since I was five. There's a reason I'm King of the Beach." He stood up. "Okay, ready?"

Chika grabbed on tightly. "Ready."

Sora laughed and pointed to his left. "Look, a tunnel! There hasn't been one of those for a while!" He steered them towards it. "This is going to be great. Keep your eyes open, Chika-chan, there's going to be quite a show!"

As they dove into the tunnel, and Sora ran one hand along the far end of the wave, Chika gasped. The rays of the rising sun broke through the wave's surface, turning the waters a fiery orange, and the drops of spray coming from where Sora's hand hit the wave caught the light and shimmered in a rainbow of colors. "Rainbow drops…" she murmured.

Sora turned his head to her, his mouth wide and smiling. "Amazing, isn't it? I used to love coming out here at dawn in the summer and just doing this."

Chika smiled back. "It's wonderful… Thanks for showing me. I'll have to pay you back next time you're in Hokkaido."

Sora shrugged. "How about some time in February?"

Chika hugged him tightly from behind. "It's a date, then!"

Sora burst out laughing. "As you wish, Chika-chan." He turned back to the wave. Suddenly, the board struck something hard and swerved hard to the right. "What the…?!" Sora shouted, as the board tipped up. "Hang on, Chika-chan!"

Chika looked down, and caught sight of the thing that had bumped them. "Oh… no…!" As Sora turned and went to pull her closer to him, she forced his head down and tucked it into her chest, holding him tightly to her.

They crashed into the water, and almost immediately smashed into something that made Chika yelp and let go of Sora, who flew onwards, buffeted by the wave. He struggled his way back and to the surface and looked around. "Chika-chan!" he called. He began swimming towards the abandoned board, and grimaced at the large gouge on the bottom. "What did that?" He stopped as his foot kicked something hard. "A rock?"

His eyes flew wide as he realized what had happened. "She was… shielding me?" He dove into the water, forced his eyes open against the stinging salt, and looked down. Chika was lying on the seafloor, about two feet below his hanging feet. Without hesitation, he dove, scooped her into his arms, and carried her back to the surface. Laying her on the board, he shook her, but she didn't answer. He grabbed the board and swam back to shore as quickly as he could. "Come on, Chika-chan. Hang in there!" he muttered, over and over.

At the shore, Mahi and Takeshi ran over as Sora knelt and laid one ear against her chest. "Damn it… nothing!" He laid his hands on her chest, one over the other, and thrust downward several times. When nothing happened, he pinched her nose, forced her mouth open, and blew into it.

Mahi stared. "What are you…? Chika, what's wrong? Y-you, boy, get away from her!"

Sora raised stormy eyes to her and glared. "Do you have lifeguard training?"

Mahi blinked. "N-no."

Sora began compressing Chika's chest again. "Do you even know CPR?" When Mahi shook her head, he added, "Then kindly get the hell away from me and let me handle this."

Miho knelt beside him. "Oniichan… is she okay?"

Sora blew into Chika's mouth again. "I don't know. There's a big rock out there, and she whacked her head against it pretty hard." He pounded on her chest. "Come on, Chika-chan! Breathe!"

Miho nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sora glared at her for a moment, and then his eyes softened. As he continued giving Chika CPR, he said, "Call an ambulance. At the moment, that's all we can do, except hope…" He took a very deep breath and blew into Chika's mouth again, tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

Miho nodded. "It's all right. I already did when I saw her go under."

Sora gave her a feeble thumbs-up, took another breath, and continued blowing into Chika's lungs.

Beneath him, Chika twitched slightly, and then began to cough. Sora hastily drew back as she sat up and began coughing up seawater. "Ugh…" she muttered as she finished. She slowly opened her eyes, and spat out another mouthful of seawater. "Sora?"

Sora threw his arms around her, beaming as happy tears ran down his face. "Chika! You're all right!"

Chika coughed again, and felt the back of her head. "What… happened? I remember… wiping out…" She drew her hand back and examined it. "Blood?"

Sora immediately went behind her and parted her hair. "Ow… that looks nasty. You've got a pretty big gash back there. But it doesn't look like you damaged your skull. Thank goodness… that was a hard hit." He nodded to Miho, who ran to get a clean cloth.

Chika's eyes widened. "That's right! The rock!"

Sora smiled, and hugged her again. "That's right. You saved me out there. Thank you so much." He sighed. "Just be more careful, okay? You could have killed yourself doing that."

Chika let him lay her gently back on the surfboard. "If I hadn't done that, we both might have hit the rock. Then we'd both have been goners."

Sora nodded. "Yeah… but where the heck did that rock come from?" He shook his head. "Never mind. You should lie still, Chika. You were out for a long while." Miho returned with the cloth, and he slid it under her head so it pressed against the gash.

Chika smiled. "Yeah, but you saved me. Just like I saved you, right?" She laughed. "Say… did I hit my head harder than I thought, or did you just call me 'Chika'?"

Sora blinked. "Huh… I did, didn't I? Now why'd I do that?"

Chika smiled. Because you love me, her mind said. "Who knows?" she said out loud. "But don't stop. It sounds nice."

Mahi twitched. "Chika!"

Sora looked up at her. "Don't start that again, Mahi-san. It hasn't even been half an hour since our last little encounter."

Mahi clenched her fists, but then sighed and bowed. "I… I believe I owe you an apology, Kapalo-san. I can see now you truly are devoted to those you care about." She extended a hand. "I will accept you as someone worthy of my daughter."

Sora laughed and shook her hand. "Is that so? That means a lot, coming from someone like you. Thanks."

Chika laughed, and then coughed. "Ow… why does my chest feel like someone's been pounding on it?"

Sora blinked. "Um… that's what I was doing. CPR, remember?"

Chika grinned wanly. "Oh, were you? Well? Did you get a good feel?"

Sora blinked. "Feel? What are you…?" He suddenly understood, and turned bright red. Then he laughed. "No, actually. I was a bit preoccupied."

Chika crossed her arms. "Hmmm… that's too bad. I might give you another chance, if you're good…"

Mahi looked scandalized. "Chika! What are you thinking?"

Chika raised a hand. "I'm just kidding around with him. Hiruma-kun said that he likes it when Shizuka-san does it, so I figured…"

Mahi sniffed. "Fine. But that's really no way for a nice young girl to behave."

Sora blinked. "I thought we were past this. Chika's no china doll, no matter how much you want her to be."

Mahi sighed. "Just because she's not like me doesn't mean she should be running around, doing things like that."

Chika threw an annoyed glance at her, and then pressed the back of one hand to her forehead in a theatrical gesture. "Sora… I think I need some more air…" she gasped out.

Sora blinked. "Air? What are you talking about?"

Miho raised one eyebrow. "You mean, like CPR again?"

Chika rolled her eyes. "Forget it… man, you're dense, Sora. Just come closer."

Sora blinked. "Closer?" He scooted forward on his knees. "Like this?"
Chika ran a hand down her face. "No, not like that. Bend down closer to my face."

Sora cocked his head, but leaned down until they were looking into each others' eyes. "Um… what are you asking me to do, Chika?"

Chika laughed. "Oh, come on, Sora. Figure it out, would you?" She smiled, and whispered, "A lotus adrift on the sea. Does that help?"

Sora's eyes widened. "Oh, now I get it. Geez, why not say so?" He glanced up. "But… I mean, Mahi-san is right there."

Chika shrugged. "So? Let her watch, if she wants to."

Mahi started. "What are you two…?"

A loud, wailing siren sounded out as an ambulance pulled up at the head of the beach. Two men jumped out with a stretcher and ran towards them, as Miho waved to call them over. Chika pouted. "Aw… well, it's now or never, Sora." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Sora lifted her into his arms. "Sure you want this?"

Chika's soft brown eyes stared into his. "More than anything."

As Sora bent towards her, the two ambulance men ran up. "Is she the one?" one asked brusquely.

Sora looked up, and sighed. "Yeah, this is her." He lifted her up and placed her gently on the stretcher. "She whacked her head hard against a submerged rock, and lost consciousness for a while."

The other stretcher holder nodded. "Breathing?"

Sora nodded. "It was stopped for a while, but I managed to bring her back with CPR."

Chika tugged at his arm. "Hey, what about…?"

Sora laughed. "Don't worry. We've got the whole vacation to work with." He bent and pecked her gently on the cheek. "There. Maybe that'll hold you over."

Chika sighed, and folded her hands on her chest. "I doubt it… Well, take me away, I guess."

The two men with the stretcher nodded and carried her back towards the ambulance. Sora followed closely at her side. At the ambulance, he nodded to her. "I'll have to direct your parents to the hospital. I'll meet you there, okay Chika?"

Chika pouted. "Fine. But you'd better have a kiss waiting for me when we get a chance together, okay?"

Sora laughed. "Fair enough." He waved as the ambulance doors shut, and the ambulance drove off.

Later on in the evening, after the others had come and gone and the doctors had pronounced her fine but insisted she stay overnight "for observation", whatever that was supposed to mean, Chika's cellphone rang. She picked it up and nodded when she saw the caller's identity. She flipped it open with a quick motion of one hand and put it to her ear. "Hey, what's up?"

The voice on the other end was hesitant. "How is he?"

Chika laughed. "Pretty good, actually. We had a lot of fun last night and this morning together."

The other voice laughed. "Oh, is that so? What happened in between?"

Chika frowned. "Before? My mom decided he was too wild for me." She broke out laughing. "Actually, we had fun for a bit before that, too. He invited me over for lunch, and proceeded to get utterly drunk."

Another laugh. "Uh, oh… I hear he's crazier than usual when he's drunk."

Chika giggled. "Yeah… and by the way, he's a total lightweight. His brother Adam drank him under the table without breaking a sweat." She sighed, and lay back. "It's okay, though. He's a loud, giggly drunk. And a total idiot." She grinned slyly, although the other person couldn't see it. "I asked if he wanted to lie down, and he went and plopped his head in my lap. It was hysterical!"

The other person sighed. "He did, huh?"

Chika caught the tone and smiled. "Hey now, chin up."

"I know," the voice said. "So, from what I've heard of your mother, I can imagine what she did. But what about this afternoon?"

Chika sighed. "The two of us went surfing together- he took me on his board- but we wiped out. He was going to hit his head on a rock, so I got in between him and it."

"What?!" Chika winced and held the phone away from her ear. "Didn't you listen to anything I told you? He's going to break if people keep getting hurt protecting him!"

Chika's eyes were steady. "He'll never break, as long as he has all of us."

The voice raged on. "And what if he loses one of us because we keep insisting on taking bullets for him?" It stopped suddenly. "Wait… you included yourself in that…"

Chika laughed. "Sorry, Akiko-san. I'm falling for Sora too."

Akiko groaned. "Geez… I sent you out to keep an eye on him, and you end up becoming his third girlfriend. Great…"

Chika giggled. "You know, I was surprised to get that call from you. Shizuka-san, or maybe Hiruma-san, sure, but you?"

Akiko sighed. "Chika-san… do you know about what he did for me?"

Chika blinked. "Um… some random guy attacked you, and he saved you, right?"

Akiko shook her head. "Not exactly. That wasn't a random mugger. It was a…" She flinched. "A predator was after me. Sora came just in time."

Chika's eyes widened. "No way…"

Akiko nodded. "Unarmed, and still recovering from surgery and a throat injury, he fought off a man armed with a knife and saved me." She squeezed her eyes shut. "But… he got hurt in the process. A lot.'

Chika sighed. "So that's where he got that scar over his eye."

Akiko's voice was strained. "Yeah. He took a deep wound in the side, too, even though there's no scar there. I couldn't bear to see him like that. So, that day, I promised myself I'd do anything to protect him."

Chika smiled. "I see. So that's why you wanted me to watch him. Well, I kept him safe from cracking his head open on a rock, so you're welcome."

Akiko laughed. "Yeah… I guess you've got me there."

Chika nodded. "Anyway, it's all right. I was unconscious for a bit, but Sora brought me back. And nothing else happened except I had a cut back there. The doctors just insisted on keeping me overnight."

Akiko gasped. "Brought you back? You didn't stop breathing, did you?"

Chika closed her eyes. "Yeah, I did… Sora saved my life today."

Akiko sighed. "Actually… that may work out. He's been feeling lately like everything he does fails. But he didn't fail to save you, now did he?"

Chika smiled. "No, he didn't. I see- a blessing in disguise. By saving my life, he doesn't feel so bad about failing to save…" Her eyes snapped open. "Wait… who did he fail to save?"

Akiko lowered her head. "Amy-san is in a coma."

Chika grit her teeth. "No… All right, then. I'll make sure to do everything I can to help him be happy again."

Akiko sighed. "Thank you…" She snickered. "By the way, you kissed him, didn't you?"

Chika groaned. "No, I didn't. We were so close, though! I was in his arms and everything, and he knew I wanted him to… but then the ambulance guys came and brought me here, and there hasn't been a chance since."

Akiko laughed. "Ooh… Well, make sure you find a chance. You won't regret it."

Chika sighed. "What's with him, anyway? He's going through girls faster than Kuhn does."

Akiko's voice turned stern. "Don't mistake him, Chika-san. It's not that he loved Shizuka-san first, and then me, and now you. He loves all three of us, with all his heart, all the time. That's just the sort of guy he is."

Chika sighed. "Yeah… but he'll have to choose in the end, won't he?"

Akiko shook her head. "I'll never make him do that. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him, even if I have to give him up to do it."

Chika nodded. "I know. And now it makes sense, why you're doing what you're doing in 'The World'…"

Akiko cut her off with a fierce growl. "Don't you dare tell him about that. He might snap just from knowing that I've…" She trailed off.

Chika smiled. "I won't. You should be a bit more trusting, Akiko-san. After all, you trusted me with your identity in 'The World'."

Akiko sighed. "Don't tell him that, either. I'll do it myself, but only when the time is right." She laughed. "Luckily, he's an idiot, so he's got no chance of figuring it out before that time comes."

Chika laughed too. "Yeah. The look on his face when he figured out that I'm Alkaid was priceless, though."

Akiko giggled. "I bet. How'd he manage to figure it out, though?"

Chika laughed louder. "I had to practically spell it out for him, the big idiot. We were out stargazing, and…" She began recounting the past two days' events in detail to Akiko. As she talked animatedly, Akiko smiled. Oh, Sora. I know you're in good hands now. I won't worry anymore, as long as Chika-san's with you.

Author's Notes: Did I mention yet that Sora's an idiot? :) I do love the psychology of this particular character, though... the way he makes these deep, loving connections with these three girls (and I promise, that's all!) is, I think, really beautiful. And yet, you just know it's going to end up getting him into a lot of trouble someday. More specifically, in the epilogue. (snicker)

And I do love the comparison to Kuhn up there. Meanwhile, more hints at a strange secret that Akiko is hiding, and the fact that it was her who asked Chika to keep an eye on Sora is revealed. Hmm... what could she be hiding?

Also, sorry about Wednesday's update not being up... my laptop was in the shop, and I keep all my files on that. As compensation, there will be two updates today instead of one. They're both kinda short anyway, so it works out.