August 5, 2009

"Bye, Maia!" I said to my best friend. I went into Daisuke's house.

"You're home!" Mrs. Niwa said, hugging me.

"Um…yeah," I said softly. "No offense, Mrs. Niwa, but may I go to bed now?"

"Oh!" she released me abruptly. "Of course. Daisuke was so worried about you! You'd better stop by his room before bed. He finally turned in an hour ago but told us to wake him when you got here."

He worried about me? I thought. That's weird. It doesn't change anything, though…

Regardless of what my brain was saying, my body paid no attention. I took the steps two at a time and practically ran to Daisuke's room. It was locked. I knocked on the door.

I'm pretty sure he fell out of bed because there was a bang and when he came to the door he looked tired and disheveled.

"M-Miss Kuri!" he said. "You're home!"

"Yeah," I said. "I'm sorry for worrying you and your family. It was nice of them to wait up for me."

"Next time call or something! We were all really upset!" Daisuke said, trying his best to look stern, but I knew he was just relieved I was okay.

I smiled at his concern. "I will. I promise. It was just…probably the last time I'll see her for a while…"

Daisuke paused for a minute. "Miss Kuri, are you okay?"

"Can I come in?" I asked him. I was still standing in his doorway.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" He said opening the door.

I had to hold back a laugh. His sheets must have fallen on the floor with him, or he got tangled up in them and then fell.

"I'll just sit on the floor," I said.

To my surprise, Daisuke sat in front of me. "So what did you and Miss Maia do?"

"We went to eat, and then to the movies," I said. "Typical best friend stuff. But...we got in a fight after the movie."

"Over what?" Daisuke asked.

I shook my head. "You'd disagree with me anyway."

"Come on, just tell me," Daisuke said.

"Ok, fine," I responded. "Maia believes in love, I don't."

Daisuke just stared at her. What?

"What do you mean, you don't believe in love?" Daisuke asked.

Why does this all sound so familiar? He wondered.

Because she's said it before, Dark replied. And neither of you remember.

"I mean what I said," Kuri replied, sounding slightly irritated. "I don't believe it. All love is is candy-coated heartbreak."

"You don't really believe that!" Daisuke exclaimed.

"Look, Daisuke," Kuri said softly. "Until I am proven otherwise, I can't let myself hope. Like I said…some things just hurt too much."

"What…What made you give up?" Daisuke asked.

"I…I can't remember," she replied. "But it was a long time ago. You know, I don't think I ever even got to go on a date with anyone I actually liked."

She laughed drily. "Pathetic…right? I went on dates…with all the wrong people."

She suddenly blushed slightly. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I ramble on without thinking. You probably want to go to sleep."

She got up and turned to the door. Daisuke jumped up too.

"Wait!" he said. "Miss Kuri…please don't give up."

I looked at him.

"You believe in love then," I said simply. "So where has it gotten you? Are you happy? Do you have a girlfriend? Have you ever lied because of love? If it was so good, so wonderful, it wouldn't make you hurt so much!"

I knew I had won the argument then. My point had been driven home. Now, thinking back and writing this down, I wonder: Why was I so mean? Was I just tired? Was I angry at him, or at myself? Why did I take it out on him?

And then I was in my room, and almost asleep when Dark showed up.

"You really hurt him, you know," he said. "Daisuke, I mean."

"Shut up!" I threw a pillow at him. "I didn't mean to, I just got mad!"

"You're as bitter as an old lady," replied Dark, sitting on my bed, much to my annoyance. "When are you going to admit that you're in love with him?"

"I'm not!" I hit him with a pillow. "I don't love anyone! Not him and not you! So go away!"

"Fine, I'm going," Dark replied, annoyed. "But you really hurt him. You need to say something."

"Like what?" I replied viciously.

"Like admit that you believe in love!" Dark replied. "Stop lying to him, and stop lying to yourself!"

I sighed. "Fine. I'll go talk to him."

I went to the door.

"No!" Dark said suddenly. "He wants to be alone. Why don't you wait till the morning?"

"I'll forget," I replied simply. "And what are you, the Daisuke Expert? You don't know what he wants."

"I've known him longer than you have," Dark said. "And I know that something like this is better left until the morning."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because…I think he left to go for a walk," Dark replied.

"What?" I exclaimed. "That idiot! He could get mugged!"

"No, he won't," replied Dark. "I'm going to go down there and make sure of that. But you need to stay up here."

"I get it," I replied. "The girl's always a liability. Even if she is a magical girl."

August 6, 2009

I was up at six AM, pacing on the beach.

What do I say to him? I wondered. I won't admit that I believe in love! Love is stupid! And I'm stupid for feeling it.

But if I don't tell him I believe in love…he might…he might never speak to me again.

"Miss Kuri?" Daisuke was standing on a rock nearby. "Are you okay?"

He asks me if I'm okay, I thought. After what I said to him. He's so...

"Resilient!" I exclaimed.

"Hm?" Daisuke said softly.

"You, Daisuke Niwa, are resilient!" I said, grinning. "The most resilient person I've ever met."

"No, I'm not," he said, just as softly. "I'm just…I don't want you to know how much it hurts…" His voice broke slightly, and so did my heart.

My smile faded. "Daisuke…I don't know why I said what I did. But I was wrong. Love is just as real as…as the ocean. I only said it wasn't because…I can't stay here."

Daisuke fell back a step. If possible, there was more shock and pain on his face then before.

"I don't understand, Miss Kuri," he said in the same soft voice that was slowly breaking my heart. "Why do you want to leave? Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I…ruined everything, Daisuke. I used magic on you without your permission."

He looked at me. "Miss Kuri, I want you here. You may have done it without my permission, but you…you can have my permission now."

I looked away from him.

Finally I just sat down. He sat beside me.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked softly.

"Sure," he replied.

"I…am afraid," I said. "I am afraid to trust you as a friend, because some nagging, tugging feeling says I'll lose you."

"That…will never happen," Daisuke replied seriously, locking eyes with me. "Never."

The sun slowly began to rise.

"I'm also afraid of change," I said. "Going to college…it terrifies me. But…knowing you'll be there with me, knowing I'll have at least one friend…it makes me feel less…scared. Thank you, Daisuke."

I thought for a second I saw him blush.