A high wind blew the whole night, and well into the next morning. Thunderous surf tumbled onto the beach some distance away from the house. Grandma was having trouble covering the plants with plastic sheeting to keep the salty spray out. She didn't want to have to strip the sea-facing part of the yard of greenery but perhaps she will be moving the garden next year.

As for Mrs. Albright and the three first-years, they were already off, and it was dust from the unpaved section of road puffing at the windshield of their pickup truck. "This should clear once we get to the airfield," reassured the professor.

The dusty annoyance at the road gave way to a refreshing scent of grass as they eased the truck onto the middle of the field. Ai looked out in wonder at an entire sea of partly-trimmed grass undulating like oceanic swells, the mountain in the background seeming to be a nearby island, and the strong wind consummating the feeling of being out at sea.

Further away on the field was something the size of a boat covered in cyan plastic tarp and tied down with ropes. Far off to their left was another object, a larger one, orange in color and resembling a wheel-less tractor.

Parking the truck by the edge of the field, they set out to the covered object walking against the wind.

They had some difficulty taking off the covering, but as soon as they got a good look at it, the girls were astounded at such a curious object.

#2. The Sky of Dreams

"Is it a plane?" wondered Kanako.

"But it's too small," echoed Ai.

Surprised at each other's words, they promptly fell silent and shied away again, much to the professor's amusement. These kids… "It's a glider," explained Albright. "It seats two and flies without an engine."

Ai was wide-eyed with a sigh of awe. But it looked so much like an airplane. "Is it true, professor? D-Did you invent this?'

Yoshiyuki hung his head in exasperation as though Ai had been born just yesterday, but the professor only smiled. "I wish I did. This is the only aircraft where you can feel you're actually in the air."

"Like a hot-air balloon?"

"Close, yes."

"It can fly on the wind?"

"Well," the professor said with a playful grin, "why not give it a try?"

At this, Kanako paled. "F-Fly?! A-Are we really flying, Madam? For real?!"

Albright's eyes shone as everything started to fall into place. "I will be piloting at the front seat so I can take only one passenger."

Yoshiyuki stepped back. Kanako hastily followed suit, but then threw an anxious glance at Ai, somewhat guilty at leaving her to such a seemingly dangerous situation. But Ai did not flinch. "I want to try it, Madam!" she blurted. "Uh—I mean, if it's alright with…" she just remembered Kanako, who might want a shot at it herself, but then she couldn't just up and ask her.

"It's OK!" said Yoshiyuki. "You'll be needing a ground crew."

"True, that," agreed the professor. "So, I guess we should assign our roles now. Kubo-san, please take your place in the cockpit. Yoshiyuki, set up the takeoff dolly."

Later, having duly carried the checks and other instructions out, Yoshiyuki radioed to Kanako at the winch. Professor Albright was busy with the instruments while Ai only sat staring dreamily out the canopy. "Kubo-san," broke the professor into her reverie, "are you properly secured? We will be aloft shortly."

She checked her seatbelt one last time and quietly nodded. "How high are we flying, Ma'am?"

"To the sky of your dreams. To the highest point in the sky, I guess." She shrugged. "We'll see."

Ai stifled a chuckle. "That's what the balloon man kept saying."

The professor was finally done with the preps. "Alright." She tapped at the canopy and signaled to Yoshiyuki, who again radioed to Kanako at the winch. "Let's go."

A few minutes later, they felt the tug of the rope and the plane began to lurch forward. The wind was good today, and they were largely facing into it, so she didn't have to angle up much. The plane eased off the groundand suddenly all Ai could see before her was blue sky. She could not look over to her side as the G's pushed her back in her seat, but soon enough she felt a jump as the rope was cut, and it was gone.

Everything was so calm. The craft shifted a little bit kind of like a hammock and it lulled Ai a little more. She lay back like that for a good while, half-stupefied by the motion.

"Want to look outside now?"

Ai peered out and saw a grand vista of ocean studded with whitecaps and portions of island, mostly snatches of green forest. But there were other islands. She looked out the other side and beheld an area of ocean that hosted most of the offshore islands off to one side of Otou-san. She never flew this high before. A galaxy of isolated lands over a universe of deep blue. It was almost another reality to her.

"Awesome," she breathed. She wanted to squeal, but wonderment held her back.

"Glad you liked it," said Mrs. Albright. "The wind's just great today, I'm confident we could go all the way to Okaa-san and back in a flash."

"It's fine here," she said still glued to the view. "Uh-I mean, you can go to Okaa-san if you like, Madam, anything's fine."

"You're my guest so I'm good. I think we'll just circle around for a bit and then head out. But you mind if we go higher? The wind's just too good."

She nodded her assent. After a round of whirly flying they eventually settled again. Ai spent the whole time drinking the scene. This time clouds sailed past just below them, white floating islands in their own right. She felt she wanted to stay up here forever.

"I'm quite surprised at you," remarked Mrs. Albright. "Girls your age usually shriek. And this is your first time."

"Oh? Well, I… I have been on a balloon with my sister two years ago. It wasn't so scary as I thought. Maybe it would be… if I'm flying alone."

"You have a sister?"

"She's the Student President, Kubo Arisa."

The professor adjusted the controls. "You must be very close."

Way to trip on a raw nerve there. But it inadvertently set the stage for the discussion to come. "She must be nice," she continued.

"Uhn," she said in a soft voice. "She is."

"As I thought. I can tell because Student President's sister is so caring."

"…"

"You know, back there on the ground I can almost smell your excitement to fly. But you still hesitated because you thought of your friend."

Ai set her lips. Is she going to get a grilling now? The professor's intro was blatantly obvious, almost amateurish. "Madam, I think it's only good manners."

"Oh," said the professor in a very disappointed tone. "So you don't actually care about her anymore."

Ai felt about her seatbelt and fingered the little knob there nervously, bracing herself for another tirade. So this is all an elaborate ruse to get her into mid-air counseling, with no other people around. Well-played.

She awaited tensely the professor's next line, but the lady did not speak another word, save for the radio every once in a while. She returned her gaze at the vast ocean. No, it's not like she actually didn't care anymore. She sensed her thoughts gravitating back to Kanako on the ground. Hmm… isn't a view as lovely as this something she would have shared with Kanako? Even now she felt sorry having all this scenic beauty to herself. Was that the result of her "manners?" To have it all?

"Madam?"

"Hm?"

"If one cares about another person, shouldn't that be the same with her? It's a mutual thing. Right?"

She only shrugged. "Usually."

"Usually?" she echoed. "No-no, it's always like that. That's what it should be. A person don't deserve to be cared about at all if she doesn't care about you."

"What was it Riho-kun did that she doesn't care about you anymore?'

Well. She is not going to be drawn into this. She will spill no private details. She'll only stick to arguing. "Please, Madam. I need to know your answer. I'm correct, am I not?"

"Come on, girl, chill. I was only asking. I was mildly curious, is all. If you will not tell me, I won't really push you. Did you think I brought you up here just so I could wring you dry?" Well, you're not too far off.

Ai gasped. How did it get to this? "N-No-no! I didn't… I-I'm sorry!"

"But since we're here anyway, you can say everything you couldn't tell anyone down there. I solemnly promise I won't tell anyone a word you'll utter in this cockpit. I only hope you will find the guts to open up to her yourself.

"You see, Riho-kun never told me anything so I am completely in the dark about you two. So if I don't know anything about the situation, I can't just barge in and presume I'll get you together again. The most I want is to get the two of you talking eventually. That's all.

"I don't want you to keep it in. You'll probably suffer enormously for the rest of your life. Talk to a mirror. Talk to a wall. Better yet, talk to someone you won't be awkward with.

"You still really care for her, don't you? That's what you really want to say, am I right? Aren't you just scared Riho-kun won't believe anything you say? So just tell me all about it. Don't keep it in.

"Come on. There's only the two of us up here."

Ai wanted to hold back some more, play more cat-and-mouse, but the professor had already laid everything on the table. Amazingly, her feelings also started to well from within her against her will, seemingly taking on a life of its own. Was the professor right? Was it because she had been holding back for so long? But she couldn't argue anymore.

You'll suffer enormously for the rest of your life.

She discovered she really didn't want to keep Kanako away… well, not that far away and not for as long as it turned out, even if at first she braced herself to stay away "forever" if need be. Even "someday" seemed long enough, honestly.

Come on. There's only the two of us up here.

It was then that she remembered what had been happening with her as of late. If she remembered correctly, it came first with Yoshiyuki at the booth in Izu Mite. The next she knew, she was standing up to Arisa for him. She has been increasingly honest, vocal even, with the Student President no less, so why is she holding back now with Kanako? Kanako, who had mostly been the only close friend she knew. Who saved her at a crucial point in her life.

Kanako, who she had hurt deeply.

But wasn't she open about her feelings back at that fateful night when she called her? She was going to be alone at that blasted booth after having to sleep at home alone for so long. She was lonely, can't she tell, a supposed best friend? She was laying out her soul to her…

Wait, no… Half the discussion was spent on that little issue of her parents which she brought up herself. What if, back then, she only shared her thoughts and her fears the whole way, like a close friend would?

Then again, why not do it now? If anything, the loneliness has only increased since she went away.

Still, it's not like she can just up and say sorry to Kanako. It's not that simple… right?

But then, up here, she can drop all niceties. Surely a lady who could eat like a pig in front of them won't condemn her for baring herself.

Her lips started to quiver. "I…" she began, sobbing.

"I was so scared…"

Back at the airfield, Kanako and Yoshiyuki stood by the winch, the wind to their back. She was holding the radio to her ear and was herself in silent tears as Yoshiyuki gazed soberly over the field. She has already told him everything… the events that transpired in Uchiura. Now that she has released her pent-up hurts from the past, what is there to stop her from telling it to the one closest to her heart?

Afterwards, Ai wiped the back of her hand against her moistened face. Mrs. Albright was silent the whole time. Now the girl looked out the canopy to see the ocean starting to glitter from a sun peeking through the clouds. It was refreshing to see the waters from a new viewpoint; it was certainly grander than when it shone from the sunset as viewed from down at the beach.

"Madam," she said, "it's OK if you go and tell Kan-chan everything I said. I… I still can't face up to her."

"No, it's alright. I'm keeping my word. Anyway, if you have anything more to say, you can talk into that button affixed to your harness."

Eh?!

Ai saw the black knob she was playing with her hand in anxiety. That was… That was a mic?!

"No fair!"

"Ahem. That little thing is found in many civilian hobby and trainer aircraft including gliders. It enables the co-pilot to communicate with ground control."

"But I'm not a co-pilot!"

"Look in front of you."

She saw the dashboard of instruments and a large joystick, the yoke, just behind the professor's seat. How could she have not noticed it?!

Mrs. Albright handed her the radio. "You got a call from Riho-kun."

Ai stared at the thing for a moment in disbelief and took it with trembling hands. "Ai-chan!" went the voice at the end. "Talk to me please!"

"Ehhhh… Uwa…. Ah… Ahhhh…"

"Ai-chan, are you still mad at me?"

The tears now burst forth, those of joy, and she spent a glorious moment savoring it.

"Please come down to me! I wanna hug you!"

Albright checked the instruments and peered outside. "Well. I guess it's calm enough. Yo, I'm switching over the controls to you. You're in charge of the flight now."

"What?!"

"Take charge of our landing. I'll coach you."

"Heh?! Eh! Wait! No!" She only sat there frozen in place for the next ten minutes.

"Kubo-san, our altitude's starting to tank."

"Ah… Ah… Iya! Pigyaaaa!"

"Hey, quit screeching! Your shriek is breaking the sound barrier. You'll puncture the canopy in no time."

"Pigya! I can't do this!"

"Kubo-san, we'll end up in the water, do something!"

And thus ended a fine day in the sky.

"Huh?"

Ai was wide awake.

It happens sometimes. Her body would just switch on abruptly in the middle of the night, or very early in the morning while dark, as with now. She sat up, not one bit groggy, taking in the stillness of the room in the dark. She does this more often whenever she slept away from home.

But it shouldn't be; Kanako lay right next to her, in a deep slumber, as she always did back at the dorm. For all she knew she had been sleeping with her all her life. Kan-chan's presence made her so comfortable she could stay in bed for hours, if only Kanako herself didn't tug at her so hard in her sleep. But now it just felt odd.

She regarded Kan-chan as she slept; so that's what she looks like when asleep. She can easily make out her form even in the dark. Her face looked so refined and mature. Belying that, though, were the little slurping sounds she made every so often. Either that was her version of snoring, or she was dreaming of a ramen shop; come to think, that was entirely plausible. She giggled softly. Oh, Kan-chan. Would she stir if she touched her now? She reached out and caressed the unkempt locks of honey-colored hair off her forehead.

Welp, looks like she won't be up for hours. Perhaps it's about time she was the one to make breakfast for Kanako, and for the whole house, as well. She wasn't a great cook; but she can manage at least tea and pancakes, the others would add in the rest.

She stood up and felt her way to the door, careful not to disturb Mrs. Albright in the other bed. Outside, in the living room, the lights were on and the windows were only beginning to turn purple from the oncoming sunrise.

As soon as she got to the kitchen she set to work. She took out of her pouch packets of instant green tea she brought over from the dorm. Even now, however, she regretted picking this sort of tea over the boxes of sencha tea bags even if she was in a hurry. Tea, even in the most informal of occasions, was fairly serious business in the Kubo household.

"We're not hiding any sweets in here."

"Pigi—" She very gingerly turned round and saw Yoshiyuki at the doorway. "Oh…" she puffed in relief, hand on breast. Please don't do that…" She hastily collected herself and finally got about to boiling the water. "By the way, I'm not here to eat anything."

"Then you're making us breakfast?" he said approaching her. "Looks like you'll be making a lot to be here this early."

"No, I'm just making tea. It might be a bit time-consuming if I see fit, but I hope to finish in time for you to all come to the table. This is as much as I can do for taking up space in your house."

He remembered that bento she once prepared, back when they were just forming a trio with Kanako. He watched her as she quietly produced the pancakes. "Do you always make the breakfast back home?"

"Nuh-uh. Onee-chan does. But I did so in her place once when she was away early for a month or so."

"Arisa-senpai must be missing your breakfasts now."

"Um…"

"Of course, it's something if somebody else makes breakfast for you, right?"

"Onee-chan's used to buying something to eat by now, being always at school and all that."

"You don't plan to return home some time?"

Ai dropped what she was doing and faced him. "You're here to grill me again, aren't you?"

"Well, yes." He was unapologetic. "Aren't we all fast friends now? We already know each other like our own stomachs."

"Kan-chan and I told each other some of our deep secrets. I'm sure you have your own, and you never told us."

He went even closer to her, much to her consternation, and patted the top of her head. "Professor Albright was there, too, so why don't you ask her own secrets, first?" He stood back and leaned against a chair. "Besides, I'm sure there are things you yourself are still holding back. Things you want to say."

Ai closed her eyes and pondered for a moment. "Onee-chan…" she finally said. "Onee-chan has been running my life this whole time."

"Well, she does think she's your mother and your father, didn't she say so herself?"

"I want to be able to chart my own life. Be my own person. Even just in some things."

"Don't we all?" He sat down. "But you will have to come back, eventually. We've been away from school long enough. I hear Granny's going to talk again to Arisa-senpai."

"Even if we go back to school, I want to stay here for another month. I… I want to show her I'll be fine by myself."

"Humph. She'll only say Granny looked after you. And that you got assistance from Kanako and me."

"…"

"But if you want a moment's breath of Arisa-free air, then be my guest."

She stifled a laugh and went back to work. "I miss mama and Papa already," she mumbled to herself.

Later that morning Grandma told Mrs. Albright and the three first-years to make one last excursion and enjoy themselves for the day while she went to Nankaisei to intervene for them. And they knew of no better place. "Let's take the seaplane," invited the professor. Oh yes, she had arrived at the island on one, and it is still at the harbor. "I'll have to return it to the university next month, so let's make good use of it while we can."

Kanako looked uneasy. "Looks like I can't escape the sky."

"The open sea is rough today," said Yoshiyuki. "You can choose between drowning and crashing."

Gulp. "We're… We're really crashing that? I think I'll end up with both."

Mrs. Albright dismissed it all with a laugh. "Okaa-san is just twenty minutes away by plane, tops, as compared to maybe one or two hours by boat—make it two, then, if the sea is roiling. You don't want to spend the better part of the day battling a veritable canyon of waves, do you?"

They phoned Nanaka shortly thereafter, and she eagerly agreed. She directed them to land at the cove. "The weather should clear a bit around lunch," she said excitedly, "so let's have a wonderful time! Grandpa and I will bring in our best seafood."

They boarded the seaplane at around eight. Kanako had been planning to feign sickness so they'll have to leave her behind in a pinch to make it to the harbor on time, but much to her massive chagrin the pilot called in at around quarter to eight—and the plane was not at the harbor but right off the beach near the house.

"T-there's a pier there?!" she blurted.

There was. So they got into the craft without any bother and before she even realized it, they were already aloft. And just as quickly the plane has already touched down at the cove… Congratulations, Miss Riho, you have just been on your very first flight.

"We… We're here?" she managed to utter as they boarded the dinghy, and then fainted.

It wasn't even nine and an entire camp was already up and running at the beach, the plane sitting comfortably in the calm waters. Shortly before ten, everything was already done and a beach volleyball net was already set up… though there was one last thing to do before they finally get into the match.

"I can't do it!" squawked Kanako.

They were standing atop the rock platform, thirty feet above the crystal-clear surface of the cove. A constellation of colored shells can be clearly seen embedded in the sand underwater, with equally diverse schools of fish to boot.

"Look Kan-chan!" encouraged Ai. "Isn't it pretty? I'm sure you are craving to have a dip in there, right now."

"Of course! Let's get down to the beach right now and wade out to there."

"You know that place is still as deep as we are high," Yoshiyuki remarked drily.

So they made a few concessions. They had her fit into a large inflatable ring, as well as don a life jacket, and finally Yoshiyuki gave her a large picnic mat, amid the dubious stares of the rest, which he told her would serve as a parachute if she held the corners together. Thus supported, she gamely jumped—and promptly screamed as the mat didn't really work as hoped.

Yoshiyuki jumped in after her, and then came Ai, piggybacked on Nanaka.

Later that day, Grandfather taught a volleyball clinic of sorts to the two buddies, after which was the two-on-two match. He and Nanaka took up one side of the court with them on the other side of the net.

"Remember, kids," said Grandpa, "to remember everything you see in this match. I will go all-out on you, so be careful."

Yoshiyuki watched lazily from his beach chair and passively absorbed the details of the play. He found his eyes resting on the complexions and figures of Nanaka and Kanako—Nanan-chan actually got muscles? Nanaka, who was also but very lightly tanned despite working a job that put her outdoors often. What sunscreen was she using? Come to think, he did recall at least once, when they were indoors, when Nanaka's skin was completely fair. Was it at the storage room? Ah, he couldn't be bothered to remember everything right now.

Kanako was definitely fair, and the blood rushing in the excitement of the game colored her pinkish, almost like she was blushing hard. She just got one hundred percent prettier if he must say.

But what held his attention longer were the oddities that stood out. Grandfather was probably just several years younger than Granny, and nobody can mistake the greying hair, but was still quite athletic and played like he was in his forties. He was also noticeably muscular just like his granddaughter.

And Ai… Is that Ai? He had always thought she had a child's body, she being rather childish (initially), and screamed like an absolute spoiled toddler, not to mention her imouto status and shorter stature, but… she actually has hips? And her belly was fine and slender, emphasizing her…

Ahem.

Look away, man.

He got to his feet and made for the deck where Nanaka has kept dessert.

"Way to go!" hollered Grandpa. "Your spikes have improved really quick!"

That same afternoon, the gang hurriedly packed up. "It's going to be much rougher out at sea after four," warned Nanaka. The homeward ferry was going to leave earlier than scheduled, too. Nanaka accompanied them all the way to the small harbor where they quickly boarded the ferry, just in time for an equally speedy departure. It was a little past three, and the sea was already being worked into a fitful frenzy. Whitecaps were popping up everywhere.

Will they be alright? she wondered. But at least they won't be missing school tomorrow; had they been just ten minutes late they will have to sleep at her place. Now, the harbor was totally vacant and the wind kicked up dust over the empty wharves.

Thus, great was her astonishment when she spied a lone craft plying the rough sea and aiming directly for the harbor. It grew closer and closer, negotiating the waves with some difficulty, until she clearly recognized it as Mr. Yamanobe's trawler. It hastily docked, and off of it jumped Arisa Kubo, the Student President.

Next Time! #3. Restoration