Natsumi woke the next day. She rubbed her eyes and stretched before climbing out of her bed and looking at the morning sunlight.
"Natsumi." Fuyuki's voice called up the stairs. "Koyuki's here to see you."
Natsumi perked up and quickly changed from her night wear into some day clothes. She hopped down the stairs and received a hug from her ninja friend.
"Natsumi! I was wondering if you'd go shopping with me today." Koyuki wore her cat grin as usual with her chipper voice.
"I thought you'd want to spend more time with D. Don't you guys want to catch up?" Natsumi looked at her questioningly.
"He has to help his other friends today. Besides I feel like we haven't been able to hang out since school started." Koyuki pulled gently on Natsumi's hand to urge her to go out.
"School just started a week ago." Natsumi smiled lightly. "But sure I'll hang out. I've got nothing else to do and it could keep me distracted from thinking about G. Let me get my bag."
"YAY!" Koyuki danced in a circle. Soon the girls were off.
I guess I'm following the teenagers for the day. Even though I first took this job for the aliens; not everyone gets to work with extra-terrestrials.
Natsumi and Koyuki walked through the streets giggling. They tried on dresses and shoes, caught up on gossip mags, and even helped another young girl feel more confident about her outfit choices. After a few hours on their feet the two girls decided to take a small break in a cake shop.
"I'm so hungry. We should get the biggest cake and share it." Koyuki giggled as she hopped into her seat.
"How about we just start with individual slices first." Natsumi giggled in return. She arranged all of her little bags and her purse beside her in the booth.
"Ok, I'll have the strawberry cream." Koyuki smiled as she pointed to the small plastic standee for the new cake flavors.
"I was thinking about that one too." Natsumi smiled and nodded her head. At that moment a young man walked up to the table wearing the store's brand of uniform and apron. He pulled out a small pad and pen from the pocket and gave the girls a big childish grin.
"Hey there! What can I get you guys?" His perky attitude was complete with his cute, rounded, and adorable face topped off with smooth waves of strawberry blonde hair.
"We'd each like a slice of the new strawberry cream please." Natsumi requested.
"No problem! It's our popular flavor. I suggested it myself and I knew everyone would love it." The young man beamed. "I'll bring it real soon."
The waiter left humming a chirpy tune.
"Well he seems to be having a great day." Natsumi mentioned.
"Just like us." Koyuki giggled.
"I'm glad you asked me to hang out today. I really needed to get away from my own head." Natsumi smiled gratefully to her friend.
"How have you been feeling by the way? D told me what was going on. They're all getting worried." Koyuki asked as her smile faded to show her genuine concern.
"I don't want anyone worried about me. I think I'll be fine. I just got a little dizzy, that's all." Natsumi held her hand up to her head remembering the sensation. "I'm tough remember?"
"Of course." Koyuki exclaimed. "I just want to be sure. You're my best friend Natsumi."
"I appreciate your concern Koyuki." Natsumi smiled brightly, happy to have their friendship.
Aww. A young girl's friendship can be so inspiring to go out and build your own. It can strengthen your life and bring happiness. I think the readers get it at this point. Friendship is awesome so go out and get some, now can we get on with the plot?
The girls ate their cakes, paid, and went on with their shopping. The young waiter came up and cleared the table. After walking into the back, he spoke with the cake chef.
"She ate all of them; every last one of the little chocolate decorations."
"That's good news. Giroro will be happy." The chef re-adjusted his mask and swung his long white hair back over his shoulder and continued making cakes. "Good work Tamama. Now we can just focus on delivering sweet cake to our other customers."
"YAY! Cake is good!" The waiter walked out with more orders and carried on with his day.
I wonder what was so important about the chocolate. Will it help Natsumi be able to remember?
Koyuki and Natsumi left the shop refueled and ready to shop for a few more hours. They walked further down the street deciding if they should go to the music store or the video store next when they were interrupted by a tall foreigner walking up to them.
"Excuse me." The man brushed a lock of his reddish brown hair away from his eyes with a gloved hand. He wore slim glasses with a golden tint. His clothes suggested he was a rich Englishman. The only thing that set him off was his odd voice and a creepy look in his eyes. He held out his other hand with a small folded note. "This is going to sound really strange but I need you to read this little paper in exactly 25 minutes."
I think I know where this is going.
"Why?" Natsumi looked at him with serious eyes. She didn't trust the stranger.
I wouldn't trust him either but, then again I know who he is.
"I can't tell you. The paper will explain more, but the whole fun is that you won't know until you read it." He wore a crooked smile. Natsumi looked at Koyuki who simply smiled innocently and happily. She wasn't worried about the strange man asking Natsumi to read his note at a specified time.
"Koyuki what do you think?" Natsumi wanted to know what kept her from being suspicious or even slightly worried.
"He isn't going to bring you harm. He might seem odd but he's just trying to help." Koyuki was confident in her reply. Natsumi trusted Koyuki's evil/good-radar and turned back to the man.
Is that really a thing? I'd love to be able to tell if people were bad towards me or not. It would really help me out.
"Alright then." She took the paper into her own hands.
"Remember. Don't read it any sooner than the 25 minute mark or bad things could happen. KU!" With his task completed the stranger briskly walked away and into the crowd of pedestrians.
"That was really odd." Natsumi looked at the paper when she couldn't see the man any longer. "I wonder what it's all about."
I'd tell you but I don't have a death wish with Giroro.
Natsumi placed the paper into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She quickly set an alarm for when she could read it.
"Let's go before anything else happens." Natsumi said as she turned down another street to the music store. Koyuki followed close behind.
She does know that walking away won't stop Kururu from doing anything more if he wanted right?
They flipped through the CD's and tapes. Natsumi smiled fondly at some of her old favorites that were boxed in her closet at home. Some of the others made her wince in embarrassment that she ever liked it. Koyuki sampled more of the popular songs. Natsumi mentioned how it was normal to follow and enjoy the current top songs and the ninja wanted to be more normal.
I'm sure she'll pick up on that real soon; it can't be that hard to be normal.
The short visit had only slightly taken Natsumi's mind from the paper. She traced her fingers over her jeans pocket before Koyuki slipped some headphones on her.
"Natsumi, listen to this one. It's dramatic but really pretty." Koyuki smiled and waited for Natsumi's reaction. She recognized it really soon.
"I see a hundred of headlights flashin'"
"Hey this is the song for my English homework. Where'd you find it?" Natsumi asked and watched her friend point to a far wall. There was a display for music from other countries that reached from one end of the wall to the other. "I didn't know they had such a large foreign section."
The girls searched until they found the right album. Nadeshda Brennicke.
I see this song is just going to keep popping up in the story.
"I'll think about getting it; but it is a nice song isn't it?" Natsumi asked.
"I think it's lovely." Koyuki had taken a liking to the song.
Is it even important? It's getting too much attention if it's just on a whim.
Before Natsumi or the Narrator could say any more her red phone sounded off. She flipped it open and turned off the alarm. She then pulled out the small paper.
"It's safe to look at it now." Natsumi's eyes sharpened with serious attention. She didn't know what was so important about it that she had to wait 25 minutes or that a stranger was the one to deliver it. She slowly unfolded the paper to read:
You should be in the clear to remember things now. You were right about the alien frogs btw. Ku ku ku. Think about us as often as you want now.
At the bottom was a quick sketch of a yellow round head with blue headphones and spiral glasses.
Natsumi dropped the note as a memory slammed her mind. She saw five small alien Keronians lined up and saluting her. The green one always tried to challenge her to get his way with everything. The yellow one was creepy and invented insane things. The tadpole ate lots of sweets and the light blue one was quiet and nice. She recognized Giroro as he tried to help her when their plans went to crap. She watched more and more memories re-surface, but she couldn't seem to stop them. Her vision darkened but not before she saw the ground fly towards her.
"Natsumi!" Koyuki caught her before she hit the floor. "I need to take you to the hospital. Stay awake Natsumi!"