Lieutenant Takehisa Hinawa pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up. He had been hard at work filing reports when he noticed the date on his desk calendar.

Damn, is it that time of year already? he thought to himself. I'll have to make a trip out to see Mom.

"Lieutenant! We still have three more reports to file before you can leave!" Maki Oze said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"You can do them on your own, Maki," Hinawa said. "Stop worrying about me and focus on your work."

"But it's your work too!"

Hinawa left her behind in the office and walked toward Obi's door. He knocked on it, hoping that he'll at least grant him this one small favor.

"Come in!" Obi called out.

Hinawa opened the door and entered, shutting it behind him. He walked to stand in front of Obi's desk.

"Oh, Hinawa, what is it?"

"Captain, I was wondering if I could get the weekend off," Hinawa said.

"Is there a reason why you need the whole weekend? Why not just take a day off?" Obi asked him.

Hinawa hesitated. He had never really told anyone before; he always kept the secret to himself. But he'd have to tell people eventually, as he hadn't been out to see his mother in a few years.

"I want to go and pay my respects to my mother," he said. "This year makes twenty years that she's been gone."

Obi sighed. "I knew your dad died a few years ago, but I didn't know your mom died when you were so young."

"Yeah. It's something I don't like to go into specifics about."

Maki, who was leaning against the outside of the door, lowered her head. She had been giving him a rough time when he probably had his mother on his mind. And he did this every year?

Maki barely had time to move out of the way as the door opened. Hinawa glared at her as he shut the door behind him.

"Did you do those reports, Maki?" he asked.

"Yes, sir!"

"Okay. I didn't want to hear that you had been slacking just to eavesdrop."

"I wasn't eavesdropping!" Maki said. "I was looking for you to tell you that I had finished."

Hinawa sighed as he walked toward his room. He had to pack quickly if he wanted to make it to his hometown before dark. He was busy stuffing underwear into his overnight bag when he heard a soft knock on his door. He laid the shirt in his hands on top before going to open his door, already knowing who it was.

"Yes?" he asked Maki.

"I was wondering… if you could tell me more about your childhood?" she asked.

"It's none of your business," Hinawa said.

"It is too my business!" Maki demanded. "I'm not leaving until you talk to me!"

Hinawa groaned and moved aside. Maki walked over to his bed and gently moved his bag over so she could sit down.

"Why are you so interested in me?" he asked her.

"I-I'm not!" she yelped.

"Then why do you assume that knowing more about me is your business?"

"It's nothing," Maki said, crossing her arms.

"Well you came to talk to me about it, so it's obviously something," he replied.

Maki stood up suddenly and huffed. "It's nothing!" she repeated before leaving.

Hinawa watched her leave, baffled. He slowly walked over to his overnight bag and began placing more clothes inside, pushing Maki to the back of his mind. This weekend was all about his mother. He didn't have to worry about Company Eight.

"Stupid Lieutenant Hinawa," Maki mumbled. She had sought refuge on the roof of the cathedral and was throwing pebbles onto a lower level. "Why did I have to develop a crush on him, of all people?" She pulled her knees into her chest and sighed. He's so cool… but he's also very intimidating.

She stood up and brushed herself off. She knew she should go say goodbye to the Lieutenant before he left. She headed downstairs and walked into the office. Shinra and Tamaki were straightening up the desks before heading to eat.

"Where's the lieutenant?" Maki asked them.

"He's in the garage, getting ready to leave. Do you know where he's going?" Shinra asked.

"Not really."

She thanked the two of them and hurried to the garage to catch up with the lieutenant. She saw him talking with Vulcan under the hood of the car and waited.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked him as he dropped the hood back into place.

"Maki, you saw me packing my bag," he told her.

Damn. "Sorry, it slipped my mind." She walked over and stood beside him. "What are you doing?"

Hinawa sighed. He knew what she was doing — she wanted to tag along with him on his trip. He leaned back up and looked at her. She backed away slightly.

"What do you really want, Maki?" he asked her.

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"To my hometown," he told her. "It's a small town by the sea. I should be back by tomorrow."

"You heard the weather reports, right?" she asked him.

"About a possible snowstorm? Yeah."

"Will you be okay?"

Hinawa patted his bag. "Everything I need is inside my bag."

"Oh. Okay. Have a good trip, I guess," Maki said, turning to leave.

Hinawa sighed. "Maki, do you want to come along with me?"

Maki bit her lip excitedly before turning back to face the lieutenant. "Are you sure? I mean, you are going somewhere pretty personal."

Hinawa walked over to her and nudged her shoulder. "I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't sure. Plus you were hinting pretty strongly at wanting to come along."

"I was that obvious?"

"Go pack a bag and I'll let Obi know you're coming with me."

"Okay!"

Hinawa watched Maki leave and sighed. He probably just doomed himself to listening to Maki's incessant questions for the whole weekend, but having her along would be a welcome respite from visiting his mother's grave.

He walked out of the garage and toward Obi's office and knocked on the door. When he called him inside, he shut the door behind him.

"I'm about to leave, Captain. And I'm going to be accompanied by someone, as well," Hinawa said.

"Really?" Obi asked.

"Yes. Maki is joining me this weekend."

"Hmm."

Hinawa sighed. "Nothing is going to happen to her, I promise."

"Okay. If anything happens to her — "

"I understand that I am solely responsible, sir." Hinawa saluted and left.

"I'm ready, Lieutenant!" Maki said, appearing at his side. She clutched her side, out of breath from having run down the hall to catch up with him.

"Do you have a coat?" he asked.

"Of course."

"I recommend getting it out, as it'll get cold the closer we get to the town."

Maki grumbled. "I'll get it out when we get back in the garage."

Hinawa grinned slightly as he walked toward the garage, Maki right behind him. He walked around to the driver's side of the car and climbed in; Maki's face turned red and she ran back inside and grabbed her coat.

"I knew you didn't pack your coat in there," Hinawa told her as she buckled her seat belt.

"Where's your coat?" she retorted.

"Under my bag, nice and comfy, waiting to be worn."

Maki scoffed. "Okay."

"Are you sure you want to come with me this weekend?" Hinawa asked her.

"Do you have something against me coming?"

"No, I was just asking because it's going to be pretty boring. I mean, I am visiting my mother's grave."

"I brought a few books. Besides, I don't think you'd mind the company."

Hinawa sighed. There was no changing her mind now.

This weekend is going to be a disaster, Hinawa thought.