Note:

"People that talk in italics are talking a different language in this story's case, Japanese!"

-10-

Life and Play

Go loved the weekends.

Weekends were fun and exciting. They meant no school, no work, no chores. They meant sleeping in until late in the afternoon. Weekends meant it was time to play. They also meant that onee-chan would come to his house and play...or at least, they had been until she started working on that super special event Mommy talked about.

Go didn't like the fact that onee-chan was working.

It was Sunday! It was fun day!

She didn't have to work on Sundays!

But for some stupid reason, his onee-chan was doing stuff on Sundays. It wasn't fair.

She hadn't done that before.

He remembered onee-chan had stayed at home for days on end that one time. Go would always visit, with Mommy bringing food from the house. They talked, Go played, and they talked again, while Go played some more. Sometimes onee-chan had visitors over. Sometimes it was onee-chan's friend, other times it was onee-chan's other friend, whom she kissed in the cheek like she kissed Go's goodbye. Sometimes it will just be onee-chan and Go alone, with Go trying to get her to play. Sometimes onee-chan would humor him by singing.

She was good at that, singing.

Go liked her voice. She could be loud and quiet, gentle and soothing. Other times she'll make a comical voice, trying to play out a certain part of her songs to make Go laugh. The songs she sang for Go didn't have the pace of the ones she sang on the stage. They were chaotic, random, cool, fun.

One time she made out a song about a little mouse living in shoes, then about an elephant that could fly and then one about chocolate-filled mochis and candy rain! Yummy!

Onee-chan could come up with any song in just a few minutes, sometimes less, and while they made his Mommy laugh when she and Go sang together, they made Go even happier. And they might have made onee-chan happy too, as one day, his Mommy mentioned that singing "kept her mind off things" to his daddy. Go didn't understand.

He assumed that meant she would be free to play with him forever, so surely she must continue to sing. That's what it was, right?

But then, one day, onee-chan said she was busy.

It was Saturday when onee-chan told Mommy about 'work'. She wouldn't be coming to play as often, because she had to practice her songs, her dance moves, and stuff. Go remembered crying at that. He had been so upset. But onee-chan had just hugged him and said, "I will come to play more often after that show, okay Go? Don't cry."

And so, he didn't cry. He didn't even cry when he fell on his butt that one time on Monday. Nope. He kept strong for onee-chan. She had promised, hadn't she?

But that didn't mean he couldn't visit her, right?

And that's what Go had planned to do for this Sunday. Visit onee-chan.

It was a simple plan. A genius sort of plan. It couldn't possibly fail.

He had seen onee-chan leave earlier in the morning, and he knew she'll be back later. She always was. But it took forever for her to get back. But...she never did. Or at least, Go didn't see her.

Mommy had been distracted by some loud scream and had quickly walked outside, ordering Go to stay put. Minutes later, Mommy returned, looking less nervous and more calm, muttering something along the lines of "poor girl getting scared by a cat", leaving Go to wonder why a girl would be scared of a cat. His onee-chan wasn't scared of anything!

So, he waited. And he waited some more.

Then he noticed onee-chans friends and those pretty girls from before walk by. Onee-chan's friend held unto a broom, and Go had thought it was weird. Was he going to clean? Was he going to fly? Was he going to sell it?

And Go waited again. And again. And again.

Onee-chan's friends and the pretty girls appeared once more, but still no onee-chan.

Had onee-chan been left behind? Had she gone back to 'work'?

Go let out a whine.

He wanted to play! He wanted to share the mochi onee-chan had given him yesterday! So where was onee-chan!?

When he had asked Mommy about it, the older woman had just smiled and said she was probably in the park, doing the dreaded work. UGH! All this time, and Go was wasting time again!

He went to wait by the window again but this time his waiting didn't take long.

Onee-chan's friend and the pretty girls left behind the boy with onee-chan's papa. One of the pretty girls, the one with blonde hair and blue eyes, the prettiest of the bunch, was now carrying the broom in her hands. Go blinked.

Did onee-chan need the broom for her work? Is that why they were carrying it around everywhere? But why would they need aーah! They were leaving again! There they went! There! Gone!

"Mommy!" little Go cried, running towards the small kitchen where Mommy was busy with the dishes. "Mommy!"

"What's wrong, Go?"

"I'm running away!"

Mommy smiled, cleaning her hands on her apron, before asking, "Oh? Where to?"

"The park!"

"Again?" Mommy asked, puzzled. "Didn't you run away to the park yesterday?"

"It's a different park!"

"Ah," Mommy nodded, now understanding what Go meant. "That park. Well, I don't see why not? But, couldn't you wait a while, sweety?" Go shook his head. Mommy didn't understand. He had to leave now! And help onee-chan escape the work. "I...suppose you could." Mommy looked at all the dishes and then stared at Go. "Tell Akko-chan to call, alright?"

Go nodded excitedly.

"Okay! Okay!" He was already running towards the door, struggling to open it. Mommy went after him.

"And look both ways...Go...look...Go...Go! Please look both ways before crossing the street, okay?"

"Okaaay! Okay! Open up! UP!" Go cried, failing to open the door for the second, third, and fourth time. Mommy came to his rescue, shaking her head with amusement. She managed to get the door opened for Go, who almost tripped on his own two feet. He ran off, waving at his Mommy goodbye.

He couldn't see the pretty girls and onee-chan's friend anymore. But he knew where he was going.

Look out, work! Go's going to save onee-chan from you!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"What happened to your glasses, boy?"

"Uh...Go stepped on them a few days ago…"

Yuujin and Satoshi were back inside the former's home, the latter, going to the kitchen to prepare the older man and himself something to drink.

As he prepared some tea, Yuujin took a look around, taking particular noticed of the plates and bowls full of food. "...did something happen?" the older man suddenly asked. Satoshi reacted by almost dropping the glass pitcher.

"What!?" the young man squeaked, getting a snort from Yuujin.

"I don't bite, Kagari...no need to panic! I was just asking...there's plates full of scrambled eggs and a few bowls filled with rice."

"Oh...those...uh...we...uh…" Satoshi scrambled to find an explanation, but the words came out wrong. Yuujin didn't seem to notice.

"Where those kids staying over?"

"Yes...yes, they were."

The older man was quiet for a while, before saying, "...they're not really going to help Atsuki with her show, are they?"

"No! I mean...yes! I mean…!"

"Breath, Kagari." Yuujin replied with a laugh. "You kids thought I wouldn't notice? Megumi is usually more confident when she talks to me. This time around, it seemed she was making things up." Satoshi gulped. "So, what's the story with those kids?" Yuujin went on, turning to face the younger man.

"Uuh…"

"Come on, Kagari! I'm not mad! I'm just confused. Why did Megumi need to lie to me? You could have just said they were some friends of Akko's that were staying over and I would have believed you."

"We...panicked?"

"Did you? Is that why you have the unfinished breakfast just there?" The man pointed towards the plates and bowls. Satoshi let out a small groan and mumbled that he "should have cleaned that up" to himself. "What was that?"

"I said...nevermind," Satoshi sighed as he approached the table, the glass pitcher and glasses completely forgotten. He sat down next to Yuujin with a huff. "...it's been a little hectic these few days."

"So I heard," Yuujin replied with a nod. "When was Akko going to tell me about the stage?" That made Satoshi flinch as he shot up from his chair.

"Who told you!?"

Yuujin laughed, as Satoshi realized what he had said and buried his face with his hands. He let out a miserable groan.

"Atsuki...is going to kill me…"

"Nah, my Akko is a sweetheart. Besides, I think Yukimura-san should take the blame more than you on that one." Satoshi peeked at him.

"...Mamori told you?"

"Yes. Akko-chan came in one day looking a little angry and well...I made some calls. They do let me use the phone at the hospital too, you know."

"And she told you?"

"She gave me the full story." Yuujin nodded. "I get my little girl is upset about, " the old man gestured towards himself, "me but she shouldn't stress herself so much with lying to her old man. It's not healthy. And besides, I bet you and Megumi get angry enough for her sake." Yuujin turned to stare at the living room, trying to find something that seemed to be lost.

Satoshi finally uncovered his face and sat down, nodding his head. "She's...been upset."

"I know…" Yuujin said with a sigh. "Most of her smiles don't seem genuine these days. She seemed happier when she came from visiting Go...but well…"

"...the show is going to happen one way or the other." Satoshi finished. Yuujin crossed both arms over his chest.

"She didn't have to do this. I didn't want her to do this. I can't help but think I forced her hand like this...sure, working in that kind of industry is harsh...but…"

"...she'll rather spend time with you." Satoshi told him. Yuujin just let out another sigh.

"I won't be here forever."

"She knows that…"

"And yet she also knows I don't like you and yet she's still going out with you!" Yuujin grumbled, earning a small laugh from Satoshi. "She won't listen to you. She won't listen to me. Does Megumi even have a chance?"

"If we couldn't convince her otherwise, what makes you think Megumi would have?"

Yuujin shrugged his shoulders. "...You surprise me, Kagari…"

"Sir?"

"Most boys your age would have left by now."

"Huh?"

"...don't give me that stupid look, Kagari, you know what I am talking about." Yuujin turned to face him. "You neglected your studies to be with Atsuki. Neglected clubs and friends and even work to hang around with Atsuki and her old man." Satoshi gave him a sad look, before smiling and nodding.

"...I love your daughter."

"Do you? Most boys your age say the same thing. And it doesn't last." Satoshi shook his head.

"I'm not most boys."

"Hmph! All boys look the same to me!" Yuujin uncrossed his arms and patted Satoshi on the shoulder. "I...appreciate it. I know this must cause no end of consternation for your grandparents…"

"They understand," he said.

"They'll be the first." Yuujin sighed. "You take care of her, then...she's already wasted enough tears on her old man…" Satoshi nodded, and patted the older man's hand that still lay on his shoulder.

"You know I will...I can be stubborn too."

Yuujin let out a loud laugh, but it was drowned by the sudden ringing of the phone. "Ho? You expecting a call?"

Satoshi rose from the chair and went to grab the phone. With any luck, hopefully not Atsuki's, it was the mikos calling back from the temple with good news.

"Yes?"

"I'm assuming from the voice, it's Kagari-kun, eh?"

"Yoko?"

Yoko chuckled from the other side. "The one and only."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Satoshi turned away from Yuujin as he held the phone, putting a hand over the speaker so Yuujin wouldn't hear what Yoko was saying. "I thought Ruka-san said you were busy."

"Ichigo, bless that girl, ran into Honda-san and myself as we were making our way back to the temple." Yoko explained with a sigh. "She told us everything...is...is Atsuki with you?" Satoshi shook his head as he answered.

"No. We ran into her father and well…"

"I think I understand...so, I'm guessing our little witches are not there either?"

"They left with Megumi."

"Wonderful, they're all in one place!" Satoshi raised an eyebrow at that remark, but waited for the miko to continue. "A pair of women showed up in the Urashima Sanctuary looking for them...said they were the teachers of our little group." Yoko told him. "That's why I wasn't there in the morning...Kato-sama had called for me to give them a hand. They were rather anxious when I arrived but now everything seems alright. They'll wait for the young ladies in the main temple until I return with their students."

"Well, at least they'll be able to go home now."

"True...which takes us back to Atsuki's little, ah, problem…"

"You can fix it, right?" the young man asked, sounding nervous. He heard a small chuckle from the other side.

"Oh, you bet I can. Ruka gave me enough information to go on, so I know exactly what kind of curse this is. I might also have a good idea where our little troublemaker came from as well…"

"Really?"

"The spell that ensnared your little singer is something I'm very familiar with. A few temples from the Shibuya ward use it as a training tool against other transformation curses."

"W-wait...are you saying that…?"

"Ruka told me that our little broom mentioned a young man, so my best guess is that a monk has run amok...hehehe!" Yoko laughed when Satoshi let out a groan at her terrible joke. "In any case, the spell requires a particular set of words to be broken. A very simple thing to do, really."

"That's good to know…"

"It is. For Atsuki, anyway. Listen…" The young man heard Yoko take a deep breath. "I'll head to the park straight away...let's meet on the way, alright?" Satoshi nodded, despite the fact the miko couldn't see.

"Alright."

"Good." And with that, Yoko hanged up.

Yuujin was staring at him as he put the phone down. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing yet...it was one of the girls that's going to help us." Satoshi lied. "She was looking for Atsuki…" The young man nodded. "She's got some questions about a few things...and keeps forgetting which, uh, which park the event is taking place."

Yuujin laughed. "I'm guessing she asked for directions."

"She did but...well…"

"She got lost." Yuujin nodded.

"I'll go to meet up with her...she's near the Taro Shrine…"

"Alright." Yuujin watched as Satoshi turned to leave. "Hey...Kagari?"

"Sir?" The older man shook his head, smiling.

"...nah...I...I decided I'll tell her later."

Satoshi stared at the older man for a while, before nodding and leaving the house.

Yuujin watched him close the door, and then, leaning against the chair let out a long sigh. "...how you manage to find a stubborn one like you, Akko-chan?" He stared at the empty house, his eyes falling on a picture of a younger Atsuki and Yuujin, smiling at the camera, as the little girl sat on her papa's shoulder. "Life's too short sometimes...isn't it..." Yuujin let out another sigh and stared at the clock.

Seven hours to go.