Ruki tapped her pencil with a spaced out expression on her face. Tsuna stared at her strangely and Lin just yawned. Reborn kicked Ruki in the head.
"Owchies!" She cried out.
"What're you spacing out about?" Reborn asked.
"She spaces out all the time," Lin muttered. Ruki stuck her tongue out at her friend, which returned the gesture.
"Nee, Reborn," Ruki murmured. "Is it okay if I go somewhere for a few days?"
"Go where?" He asked, staring at her suspiciously.
"There's someone I want to meet," She said thoughtfully.
"Someone?" Tsuna asked.
"Yeah, it's a girl, she's, I think, one year younger than us."
Lin blinked for a few moments.
"There's a girl in KHR one year younger than us?" Lin asked. Ruki nodded.
"I won't say her name, obvious reasons, but I want to at least see her in person," Ruki said. "She's my favourite female character after all." Ruki smiled a little herself.
"…" Reborn eyed her warily for a moment but then sighed. "Fine, but you'll have to go incognito."
"Oh?"
"You'll be dressing as a girl, instead of a boy."
"Oho?" Ruki was mildly surprised. "This sounds interesting."
"Ruki in girl clothes… Haven't seen that in so long!" Lin said, pursing her lips.
"Where am I going to get clothes that fit anyways?" Ruki asked.
"That's covered, just make sure you stay in contact and not do anything that would mark you as a traitor," Reborn stared at her.
"Yep, omerta," Ruki nodded. "You guys have my cell phone number, right?"
"Yesh," Lin murmured as she randomly pulled out her own cell phone.
"I'll be gone at least one day," Ruki said. Reborn nodded. Tsuna inwardly rejoiced. No Ruki! It meant no attempts to steal any of his firsts, may it be kissing or… other things. He paled. "I can't wait to see her!" Ruki was grinning again. Lin shook her head.
"You're an idiot."
~Tsuki no Curse~
Ruki frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was clipped up and she was wearing a blue top with a cropped jean jacket. She also wore a dark blue skirt that ended a few centimeters below her knees.
"It's too short," Ruki muttered.
"It's longer than the uniform skirt!" Tsuna retorted.
"Ruki wasn't really the one for skirts or dresses," Lin snorted. She pulled out her cell phone and took sneak pictures. Future blackmail.
"I hate you," Ruki said to Lin. Tsuna sweat dropped as he watched the two go back and forth. Ruki sighed and took a little bag to bring with her that carried her cell phone, keys, money etc.
~Famiglia~
"I wonder where she would be," Ruki murmured to herself as she walked through a park. "I'm lost enough as it is." Ruki sighed and leaned against a light pole, glancing around the area. She blinked as she spotted just who she was looking for. She was all alone, petting a cat. "Awe!~" She hoped it wasn't that loud. She walked over to the girl and the cat. She crouched down when she was in front of the cat. "Awe! So cute!" She did have a liking to cats… The girl looked at Ruki in surprise. Ruki smiled at the cat and the cat mewed. The girl's hand was stiff on the cat while she stared at Ruki.
"…" The girl didn't speak and she looked at Ruki nervously. She had purple hair and purple eyes. Ruki concluded she was incredibly beautiful in person.
"Is this cat yours?" Ruki asked, looking over at the girl. Said girl shook her head quickly. "Really?" A nod. "Mm, it seems to really like you though." Ruki giggled as the girl blushed. "I'd pet it but I'm allergic to animal fur." The girl blinked and looked at Ruki. Ruki paused to think for a minute. "You have to go by an alias as well." Reborn's words rung in her head. "Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Yuuki!" She stood up and held out her hand. The girl looked at Ruki nervously and took her hand shakingly.
"I'm… Nagi…," The girl said quietly, a blush on her cheeks. The two shook hands.
"Oh! You're shy!" Ruki's hands covered her mouth. "I used to be really shy, still am! I hope I'm not being too forceful when talking to you!"
Nagi quickly shook her head. Ruki sighed in relief. She had known Chrome was a shy one; she was trying to get her to talk. She really did admire the girl.
"Mm, but it seems true," Ruki took a seat beside Nagi while the cat leaped into Nagi's lap. "It seems really like you."
"I… Really like it too," Nagi said with a small smile. Ruki grinned.
"Does it have a name yet?"
"Eh?"
"You didn't name it yet?"
Nagi shook her head.
"Why not name it now?"
"… Is it a boy or girl?"
"…"
"…"
"Uuuuhh….."
Nagi stared at Ruki.
"I don't know…Boy?" The cat hissed.
Nagi giggled. "I think it's a girl." The cat purred. Ruki sweat dropped.
"Is it me or does that cat hate me?"
"N-no! It probably just doesn't… Like being called a boy," Nagi said. Ruki laughed.
"Well sorry, Miss Kitty," Ruki said with a giggle. Nagi smiled. "Any thoughts of a name?"
"Why not Hinata?" Nagi asked. "… Her fur is as beautiful as a sunflower…" She glanced nervously at Ruki and looked at the floor. "S-sorry! It must be a bad name…"
"It's PERFECT!" Ruki exclaimed. Nagi jumped a little. "How do you like your new name? Hinata?"
The cat mewed and rubbed its face affectionately against Nagi's hand. Nagi blushed and pet its head.
~Last Cross~
"Uwah! This place is big!" Ruki said as she stared up at Nagi's house. Nagi blushed and looked a little surprised at Ruki. "It's bigger than Tuna's house anyways."
"Tuna?"
"My friend, I nicknamed him that," Ruki laughed.
"Ah, you must have a lot of friend, Yuuki-san," Nagi said, her eyes downcast. Ruki patted Chrome on the back.
"Nah, not really. I'm really shy most of the time, from time to time, I like to be really open, especially to nice people like you!~" Nagi turned bright red and looked around flustered. Ruki giggled.
"A-ano, p-please come in," Nagi said as she opened the gate. Ruki smiled at the girl and did as she was asked. They walked through the front door.
"Nagi? Is that you?" A female voice asked. A woman walked towards them. She looked surprised at Ruki. Nagi nodded without a word.
"I… brought someone over…," She said quietly. "Mother…"
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ruki said with a smile, she bowed down politely. Nagi's mother looked at Ruki in surprise.
"W-we'll be up in… my room," Nagi said, as she gestured for Ruki to follow her as she walked up the stairs. Ruki smiled brightly at Nagi's mother once more and then followed behind Nagi up the stairs. She paused halfway to hear the mother talking to herself.
"Who knew that child would have a friend, especially one so bright and happy." Ruki frowned and her expression was grim.
"Ano… Yuuki-san?" Nagi's voice was barely a whisper, Ruki was lucky she even heard it. Ruki quickly hurried up the steps to see Chrome standing outside of a room. "T-this is my room, sorry if it's a little messy…"
"UWAH! SO CUTE!" Ruki said with wide eyes. "Nagi-san you have such cute taste!" There were pictures of cats hung up on the walls. There was a little table in the middle of the room and the bed sheets were a light shade of pink and had cute little cats on it.
"P-please have a seat if you'd like," Nagi said as she gestured of the table. Ruki grinned.
"You don't have to be so polite," She said as she kneeled at the table. Nagi blushed and sat across from Ruki. "Nee, Nagi, do you have any paper here?" Nagi nodded and opened a drawer to reveal a booklet of adorably designed paper. Ruki giggled. "May I use one?" Nagi nodded ecstatically and tore one out, handing it to Ruki. She gazed curiously at the older girl.
"Ano…" Nagi was quiet as she watched Ruki fold something out of the paper. She blinked in awe and watched each fold and crease. Ruki grinned as she saw how engross Nagi was in watching.
"Um… Do you have a marker?" Nagi jumped in surprise and blushed in embarrassment. She quickly stood up and grabbed a black permanent marker and handed it to Ruki. Ruki thanked her and then drew on the folded piece of paper. She handed it to Nagi.
"… It's… so cute," Nagi said with a smile.
"Since you like cats, it's an origami cat," Ruki said with a sheepish smile. "I'm not that good at folding them yet."
"It's really cute… C-can…" Nagi blushed and looked at her lap with a flustered expression. Ruki smiled, already knowing what the girl would request. "C-can… you teach me?"
"Of course!"
~Only Human~
Nagi's mother went upstairs to check up on the girls. She peeked through an opening in the door. She was surprised to see Nagi smiling and laughing. The two girls were folding paper and working on crafts on the table. This was incredibly surprising because before, Nagi could never make friends, nor could anyone work out what the girl was thinking…
~Movin'!~
Ruki blinked as her cell phone was ringing. She had recently changed her ringtone to a piano piece. Ruki reached over to her bag and pulled out her cell phone.
"Hello?" She asked into the receiver. Nagi gazed curiously at Ruki as she spoke. "Oh, hey! … Yep!... Oh? Really now? That's… Ah…" Ruki's tone turned monotone as she continued to speak to whoever was on the other end. "Okay. Yep. Got it." Ruki nodded and Nagi gazed worriedly at Ruki, the crafts long forgotten. "I'll be there A.S.A.P. Yeah. Bye. Love yah." Ruki laughed. "It's a joke! Aha, I bet you're blushing!~" Nagi was extremely curious now. "Yeah, 'kay, arrivederci!" Nagi blinked. What language was that? What did it mean? Ruki shut her phone and glanced over at the curious pair of eyes. She giggled.
"A-ano… Y-Yuuki-san…" Nagi blushed and looked away.
"I need to go home now," Ruki said. "I don't live around here too." Nagi looked at Ruki downheartedly. "Ah! Don't give me that look! It'll make me feel really guilty and then I'll want to take you home with meeeee! Like a kitty!"
Nagi turned bright red and Ruki swore she saw steam coming out from the girls head. Ruki giggled. She put her phone back into her bag and then stood up. Nagi quickly stood up as well and showed Ruki to the door.
"I had a lot of fun today," Ruki said with a grin. Nagi smiled and nodded.
"Me too," She said quietly.
"I wish you luck with making more friends, 'kay?" Nagi blushed and nodded again.
"A-ano… Yuuki-san..!" She tried to get her voice as firm as possible, though it was hard to. Ruki looked at Nagi, blinking. She was handed an origami cat. Ruki grinned and took it.
"Thanks," Ruki said, patting the girl on the head. Nagi was flustered. "We'll meet again, I'm sure of it. We'll meet in the mist."
"Eh?" Nagi looked at Ruki confused. Ruki just grinned and waved goodbye as she headed down the road. "In… The mist?"