I'm back. First of all, this chapter is already past it's deadline and so I published it now. Sorry for the wait! I'm not gonna blab about how busy my life is...haha! Ahh...yes, I did promise a 2-part Shinji chapter, but so far, I wrote it longer than I originally planned it to be. And so, not choosing to bore you guys out with one very very long chapter, I decided to split this chapter into two, making it 3 Shinji chapters all in all. Thank you for your reviews! It was greatly appreciated!

Sigh...still wishing I own them. But sadly I don't.


MORNING

Darkness. The loneliness that eats away your heart, sucking everything til nothing is left to feel. Touching loosely the intangible dream that ebbs beneath the surface, he struggled to maintain his mentality. Heavily falling down the endless waterfall that is darkness, and succumbing to numbness, he reached up, stretching the tip of his fingers as far as he could possibly reach.

"Where..."

Then...there was light.

"...am I?"

A faint voice. "Wake...up..."

He knows it all too well. Needless to say, it was the reason for his being, the reason why he chose to stay alive among the midst of uncertainty and profanity. The voice that saved the world. The world he had grown to hate.

The voice called again, this time with much clarity. "Please...wake...up..."

As he slowly opened his eyes, that voice came with a face looking down at him, shielding him from the blinding sun's rays. He realized he was laying down. Checking to see if he can move any part of his weak body, he raised one pinky, and the the other, until his whole hand was at sight.

That face softened, smiling at him from above. He would smile too if he could, but the moment his mouth parted, to his distaste, he could feel it rising. His hand that was lifted quickly found its way to his parted lips.

"Shinjiro-sama!"

Everything was clear. The light, the sun, the girl worriedly looking by his side, the nauseating wave-like movement gently rocking his body, and the unmistakable blue water that surrounds them both. Now he remembers the reason why he scorned every trip to the sea. The deep blue green churning machine, with all it's might and glory, was escalating his seasickness to its optimum level.

Finally, not able to control it, he rushed to the edge, bending as low as he could towards the water and gave it his all.

"BLEEEHCH!"

Rushing over to the man who was turning green every minute, she gently stroked his back, "I told you to drink a medicine before riding the ferry," she said. Handing a cool bottle of water to him, he quickly declined before again bending against the railings.

Coughing forcefully, he went back to where he was. Reclining to a chair, he covered his eyes, pushing back the revolting taste inside his mouth. The girl went back to his side once more, assisting him to the fullest of her capacity, trying hard to make him forget his suffering.

"Shinjiro-sama? Are you okay?"

A ridiculous question to which he never bothered to answer. Just half an hour more and he could touch the land with his feet. Patience is the key to his success, something that he had learned through his tough life. Letting his mind think of anything else aside from the up and down movement beneath him, he looked to his side, and seeing the reason he was in that situation, he reached out and touched the side of her face.

Again he saw that bright smile, the summer sun paled in comparison to her. The line of his lips curved ever so slightly up as he cupped one cheek, applying pressure through his fingers, and pinching her soft cheek til it turned flushed.

"Oww! Shinjiro-sama!" She backed away from the onslaught, rubbing her cheek with her right hand. "That hurts..."

Laughing softly, he lightly spoke. "This is your fault you know..."

"Actually...it's your fault. You were the one who bought the tickets." She reached inside her pocket for the piece of paper and playfully waved it in front of him. "And you didn't listen to me when I said you should drink the medicine for seasickness."

Drugs and Medicines – ironically speaking, he was getting sick of it. Any form of any kind upsets him. It was due to it that his health deteriorated, which unfortunately affected his recovery in the hospital. It was also in the hospital that he was obliged to constantly drink those bitter tasting stuff, accompanied with tasteless hospital meals delivered to him from morning til night.

"Shinjiro-sama...look! I got you a souvenir!" she said. Holding a piece of key chain with a small figure of a white dog, much like Koromaru, dangling at the end. She happily played it in front of him, smiling and speaking in a little childish voice. "Arf! Are you okay, Master?"

He could sense her determination to distract him from his handicap, but the silly impersonation coupled with the little dog she was purposely dangling in front of him, could do little to keep his head from spinning. Closing his eyes, but still hearing her comical acting, he heard her little voice say, "Master, Master, are you alright?"

Hearing no response from him, he heard her speak again, deepening her voice much like his own. "Yeah...I'm fine."

"You don't look fine to me master..."

"I said I'm fine."

"But master...earlier you fain-"

"Will you stop it...!" Fed up with the noise, he moved and quickly tried to snatch the tiny object out of her hands, but failed when she, retaining her swift reflexes, evaded his sudden attack.

She merely laughed as she stretched her arm that was holding the key chain away from him. With a few more tries, he lounged forward to catch her hand, his seasickness completely forgotten, and with a bold move, he grabbed both of her wrists.

"No! Don't! Not there master!" she exclaimed. Her voice, still imitating that of a little child, drew attention from the crowd of passengers walking by the deck.

Feeling his face heating up, the first signs of a blush coming forth, he pulled her closer hoping it will silence the annoying girl."Y-you idiot!"

She gave a useless struggle to free her wrists, and gripping the key chain tighter in her left hand, she looked up to him and smiled. "I did it," she said. "I made you forget about your sickness."

The mention of that, he frowned and released her wrists quickly. He could feel the disgusting liquid slowly making its way up his throat. She just had to remind me. Rushing to the edge and bending over, he made another round of withdrawal of stomach contents before he heard her gasp from behind. "There it is!" she zealously said.

Straightening his body and looking up ahead, the white sand peeking out from the shore line barricaded with the lush green forest behind came into view. The beach was, on its own, a marvel to look at, and definitely worth his trouble for.

To get a better look, Hamuko stepped on the railing, letting her auburn bangs sway with the movements of the strong wind. Closing her eyes and inhaling the fresh sweet scent of the sea breeze, she had forgotten to take a good grip on one of the handles and soon found herself loosing her balance. Strong hands held her straight up as she regained control over her footing and stretching both of her arms wide, balancing them on each sides.

Shinjiro sighed, holding her waist firmly, and allowing her to use the strength of his arms as leverage to keep her upright. Wait...didn't I see this in a movie? He shook his head to erase any unnecessary thoughts as the boat neared the harbor. Setting her down on the deck, they waited for the boat to come to a complete stop before carefully getting off.

Relieved at the feeling of immovable ground underneath him, Shinjiro wasted no time unpacking the luggage on an empty spot by the shore. Opening a large umbrella, then spreading towels all over the sandy floor, he sat down and waited for his companion to dress up in her swimsuit.

Minutes passed until he eventually heard a small voice. "Umm..."

Turning his head to the side, his mouth gaped open at the sight of the pink ribbon bikini he remembered seeing during a mission at the forsaken building. If it looked good then, it certainly look better now with the sunlight accentuating her pale complexion, the way her hair flows behind her, and the pink polka-dotted ribbon placed conveniently by her bosom.

"Don't you have anything else to wear?" he asked. Finding it hard to look at her directly, he fixed his eyes straight ahead to the glistening waters of the beach.

Before she can answer back, she saw him stand up from where he was sitting and dusted himself. "I'm going to get something to eat. Stay right here!" was the absolute demand coming from him. Not even bothering to look her way, he walked over to where the food stalls are located.

Wondering what ticked him off, she looked down to her swimsuit, and checked every detail of the outfit. It fits her nicely, so she thought. Thinking that maybe the color pink repulses him, she sat down under the wide umbrella and reached out for her sunscreen. Squeezing the bottle, the white thick liquid oozed out to her palm, and slowly she rubbed it from her forearm to her shoulders. Doing the same to the other arm, she was about to squeeze the bottle once more when a small girl passed by her.

The girl's white dress, dusty and stained with mud, was clinging to her thin bruised body, and her dull, disheveled hair covered her face. The small sniffing sound escaping from her was all it took for Hamuko to approach the little girl.

Cautiously, Hamuko bent down in front of the girl, and softly she spoke. "Hello!"

Slowly, the she tilted her head up and stared at the auburn-haired girl. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and biting her lower lip, the girl sniffed once and then coyly answered. "H-hi..."

Bringing one hand and brushing the hair that covers the girl's face, Hamuko gave the little girl a smile before asking. "Why are you crying?"

It was then that the girl's cries escalated, her tears flowing from each side of her face as the girl carelessly wiped it with the back of her hands. "My doll...they stole my doll..." She related her story, hiccuping every now and then.

"Who are they?"

The girl looked down to her feet and said nothing.

"Could you tell me where they are?"

Still, the girl chooses not to speak. Hamuko placed a hand on the little girl's head and tenderly smiled. Flashes of her past clouded her mind, seeing images of a young sweet girl; crying to her, smiling and laughing with her, and a memory of matching bead rings. Blinking the visions away, she turned back to the girl. She could feel the girl's apprehension as Hamuko tried to calm her down. "Don't worry," she said, "Oneesan will get your doll back for you...now please tell me where I can find them?"

Hesitantly, the girl lifted one arm and pointed a small finger to the direction of the forest. Hamuko patted the girl's head and smiled again. "Wait for me, I'll come back with your doll."

Standing up, she started to walk when she turned to the girl once more and said, "and tell Otoubutsu-niisan that I'll be right back." With that, she darted straight ahead into the direction of the forest.


Before long, Shinjiro arrived back to the spot with two ice creams, one on each hand, to find the little girl sitting on the towel he had placed earlier. Looking around, but not seeing the red-eyed girl he was supposed to be with, he examined the small girl and wondered if Hamuko suddenly turned into a small kid.

"Hey..."

The little girl turned her face to him, her tears dried up from the warm breeze, yet her eyes were still red and swollen. "O-otoubutsu-niisan..."

"Otou..." He stared at the girl. Did she just call me Vomit-niisan? He saw her stand up but kept her eyes to her feet. Now that she's standing, he can clearly see the bruises on her skin and the tattered clothes she's wearing. Fresh new tears were forming from her eyes and soon, droplets fell down to her toes.

"O-oi..."

The sight of the little girl crying in front of him was alarming, and the more she cried, the harder it is for him to think. Finally the girl's cries were silenced when he offered one of the already melting ice creams he was holding. Timidly she reached for the ice cream cone and looked warily at the tall man. "You better eat it before it all melts."

Giving him a smile as warm as the weather, the girl happily ate the ice cream he has given. Shinjiro sighed and did the same thing, licking the cold ice cream til it's finished. The cooling effect of the ice cream with the soothing tropical sounds of the beach did the trick to ease both of their anxiety. He waited for her to finish her cone, then started to question. "Who are you?"


Hamuko headed deeper in the forest until she found a clearing with a big mossy tree resting in the middle, and a bunch of boys crudely talking by themselves. Crouching down behind a thick bush, she heightened her senses and listened carefully.

"Hahaha! Like taking candy from a baby..."

"Dude, I think you mean taking a doll from a baby."

"Whatever! Did you see the way she looked at us?"

"Yeah...that was the best...haha! The crybaby went home to mommy...oh wait! She doesn't have one!"

They all laughed simultaneously, unaware of the hidden presence lurking nearby. Behind the bush, Hamuko could feel her blood boiling at the scene. She never understood why others would stoop so low as to bully the weak. There is no honor in torturing someone who cannot fight back. Picking up a long stick, she gripped it tightly then jumped from behind the bush and landed a few feet away from the group.

"How dare you do that to her!" she shouted. Glaring, she noted that there are only four of them, looking like they're from middle school. But still, four against one isn't exactly easy to win.

She tapped one foot twice before unknowingly taking in her battle stance. "Give back the doll now!" she demanded before sprinting towards them, then taking a huge leap in the air.


Unsure if she heard him, he repeated the same question. "Hey little girl, who are you?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak. "...Miki."

His breath caught in the back of his throat. Looking at the girl in front of him, she looks nothing like a certain girl he knew. Coincidence and fate seems to follow him around lately, reminding him of the past more so than he wanted to remember.

"It's been almost fourteen years since we met at the orphanage...You, me, and Miki...We used to run around here until the sun went down. Back then, it seemed like we had all the time in the world."

"Heh... You haven't changed one bit. If you wanna get all sappy, go do it with your other friends."

"What was that?"

"It's rare for you to think about the past. Usually, you just charge ahead like a damn fool."

Shinjiro sighed again and looked to his side. "...that damn fool..."

"Eh?" The little girl took a step back, hearing the small comment out of the young man.

He shook his head slowly and bent down to her level. "Did you see a girl with a hair clip here?" he said while pointing to the left side of his head.

She nods her head and again pointed her small finger to the forest. "Oneesan left and said she'll get back my doll. She told me to say to Otoubutsu-niisan that she'll be right back."

"Doll?"

She nodded again. "My bunny doll..."

He contemplated on her answer. Fate really likes to play with him. He waited in silence, glancing at the girl then to direction of the forest every now and then, when a bitter memory involuntarily enters his mind.

".. I stole a doll from a toy store."

"Aki's sister couldn't make any friends. I stole it because I thought it'd make her happy."

Taking a deep breath while standing up, he scans the area, then turned back to the girl. "Where are your parents?"

She looked downwards again, her face saddened, and gently she spoke. "I...have no parents..."

Even though she didn't say much, he knows exactly what she's going through. If this was Miki's ghost, he silently prayed to haunt her brother instead of him. Although not blood-related, heaven knows he treated Miki just like how her brother treated her. He placed one hand over her head and lightly pats it. "Where do you live?"

She answered the question with another gesture, pointing to a shabby house far away at the end of the beach. Bending down on one knee, he offered his back, to which she shyly climbed on, and holding on to his neck, they thread lightly by the shore towards her home.

Upon reaching her house, an old woman went out, looked up to them and greeted, "Ah Miki...where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you."

Setting her down, He saw Miki silently went towards the old lady and timidly hid behind her. The woman, hunched-back from old age, smiled at him and bowed her head. "I'm sorry for troubling you, young man. Thank you for bringing her home. Please do come in, but you must forgive me for we have nothing to serve you."

Shinjiro acknowledged it with a slight nod and said,"it's fine, I'll be going in a short while." Bending down towards the girl who's hiding, he added, "we're gonna bring back your doll. I promise..." After saying that, he stood up and started to walk away.

He inwardly smiled when he heard the little girl's call. "Niisan! Arigatou!"

AFTERNOON

Tree after tree, bush after bush, and grass after grass, he searched for her in that unknown terrain. Yelling her name countless of times, the sun passed the apex point and still no sign of her. He was getting tired, irritated, and more importantly, worried.

"Hamuko!" he called out one more time. Searching the ground for any kind of footprints that will give him a clue to her whereabouts, he felt his heart skip a beat when he spotted a very familiar object.

"Hey boy, what are you doing here?" he mutters, picking up the small key chain with a white dog hanging at the end of it. Wiping the mud from the white miniature Akita, he desperately looked around then tucked the object safely in his pocket.

"Where the hell are you?"


"Aaaachooo!"

She sniffed a couple more times and tried to hug herself, rubbing both of her arms to keep her warm. She realized a few minutes ago that running around in the forest with only a swimsuit on is not such a good idea after all. Picking up the doll and cuddling it for extra warmth, she walked away from the scene of the crime with the boys scampering away from her like roaches when the lights were turned on.

And then she heard it. "...ko!"

Another pause and she heard it again. "Hamuko!"

With the doll on her right hand, she ran until she reached the person calling out her name. Hugging him from behind, she welcomed the warm body and pressed herself closer against it. "Shinjiro-sama..."

The sudden contact caused him to stiffen. Hearing his name being whispered from behind, he blushed at the feeling soft breasts being pressed harder against his back. Slowly he felt her let go, and facing her, he eyed the bunny doll and sighed in relief.

Even though knowing the very obvious answer, he still let out the first typical question, "Where the hell have you been?"

Followed by the second question, "Didn't I tell you to stay right there?"

"Gomen...nasai," she said. She hugged the doll tighter and looked to her side, feeling guilty for having him worried even for just a little. She heard him give another sigh and then feeling a large hand on her left arm, they started to walk following the forest path.

Step by step, through the muddy and grassy forest floor, they walked for what seemed like an hour or so for both of them. His male pride slowly decreasing at the thought of getting lost. Without saying anything but still holding her arm, he continued to walk until he stopped suddenly in front of the large tree he remembered seeing earlier.

"Shinjiro-sama, you don't know where we're going, do you?"

"Just shut up and keep walking!" They walked again through the same path, turning left and turning right, keeping in mind any distinguishing mark on any tree. Not admitting to himself that he was too worried in the first place to even remember the path from where he entered, he turned to her and finally asked. "Do you remember how you got here?"

Looking around, the currently surrounding trees were all new to her as she shook her head and looked at him apologetically. This wasn't the first time she was lost, and taking the initiative, she looked deep within herself and followed her instincts. Picking up a short branch, she tossed it into the air and landed in front of her. "That way!" she said.

He gave her a disbelieving look before taking the role of a follower. He wasn't going to argue with her ways especially when he doesn't have any idea where they are.

After some time, trees started to thin out, and sunlight started to push through the forest. Maybe there is something about a woman's instincts that is most likely to solve their problem. But then, a gut feeling that something is wrong alarmed his senses. "Hamuko!"

"Hai!" She answered and turned around to check if there's anything wrong with him. She didn't get a chance to see where she was going and slipped a foot on a mossy cliff. One second she was looking at him, the next thing she knew she was falling. Seeing the bright cloudless sky and feeling the sudden rush of wind, she knew she was inevitably falling.


"Found her yet?" said the voice from the speaker.

"No...she's not here. I looked everywhere."

"Well keep looking!"

The call ended, and hearing only beeping sounds from the other line, he flipped his phone close. Junpei knocked on the door again, and peeked inside through the window. Not a sign of the waitress nor the owner of the noodle shop was seen.

Flipping his phone again, he dialed a number of keys and waited. The annoying voice in the other line played.

"The subscriber cannot be reached. Please try again later."


-Author's Note-

I decided to play with the significance of the bunny doll, not with Aki, but in Shinji's point of view. But still, it IS Aki's trademark, so I hope you guys don't mind. Hmm...what else? Not much fluffy-ness here coz I'm saving it up in the Evening part, which I always do. Again thank you for supporting this fic! ^^

I hope you guys like it! ^^

Tsuki-Rae - More cuteness to come! ^^

I'm Doxophobic - Hehe...well there needs to be a conflict. As for Shinji...hmm...I do enjoy making him suffer but that's coz I want to make his smile at the end of the day really worth it.

SourL - Haha...I'd go for both of them!

Deidara'sgirl19 - Hmm...yes, I suppose she remembers something when she asked that. Haha...I'm not really gonna reveal anything yet. ^^

zerOtodona - hello! Nice of you to write a review! ^^ Thank you!