"Thank you a lot mom!" Hikari said hugging her. It was her birthday
and her mom had given her a beautiful locket. Taichi had given her a pink
t-shirt with white flowers, exactly what she had been hoping to get which
made her suspect someone had read her diary… Wearing her new t-shirt
she held the locket staring at it, it seemed amazing that someone could
have done something like that, with tiny beautiful stars, a moon and a
sun. It looked beautiful, almost magical…
Hikari tried to open it. "Stuck…" she mumbled.
"It was stuck since your grandmother gave it to me, and I think it
was stuck when her mother gave it to her too… I have no idea of what picture
could be in there, but good luck trying to find out."
She glanced at it again. It didn't need to be opened, it was beautiful
just as it was but still…
"Hikari we're late for school!!!"
"Darn it…" she mumbled, "forgot…"
She walked out with her locket, her t-shirt and her thoughts about
what could be in there.
"Morning Hikari, happy birthday!" Daisuke greeted her and gave her a
red rose. She smiled at him. He wasn't a bad guy at all, a bit annoying
but not bad…
"Hikari!" The girl turned around. " Morning Takeru!" she smiled, he
was the person who she'd been waiting for.
"Got you this," he said handing her a small box, "don't open it until
you're alone." Hikari put it in her pocket. Then the bell rang.
After classes Hikari walked back home. Looking at the trees happily
she remembered her past birthdays. Takeru couldn't go back with her for
some business… and she'd find out about it pretty soon.
"Oniichan, wait!!" she yelled from the corner running to Taichi. Suddenly she stopped. Not wanting to believe her eyes she stood there staring… Takeru and… Miyako?! Kissing… they were kissing… why? Her eyes filled with tears. She ran away while Taichi stared. (Taichi: What?! Miyako?! I thought he loved me… Writer: We're not at Pink's page!!)
Hikari's tears rolled down her cheeks drowning every hope of love with Takeru. Laying down on her bed she took out her locket and stared at it for a moment. One single tear touched its lid and it opened… A light blinded Hikari.
As she opened her eyes again she was laying on the floor instead of
her bed. As she looked at herself she noticed that the place where she
was not the only thing that had changed…
She was wearing a huge light pink dress, with loads of ribbons.
It was one of those people used to wear centuries ago… why was she wearing
that? She touched her hair, it wasn't the thin short hair she was used
to, it was rather long and she seemed to have a flower crown on her hair.
She looked at it, "purple?" she whispered, since when was her hair purple
and long?
"Miss Lilly! Miss Lilly, miss Claire is looking for you!! What are
you doing down here?" a maid looking girl about 14 years old asked her.
"W-who are you?" she asked. Had she called her Lilly…?
"I'm Catherine of course, I'm yours and miss Claire's personal maid.
Are you feeling well miss Lilly?" she asked in a worried tone.
Hikari nodded, "Yes I'm fine, where's Claire?" Claire…. Who in the
world was Claire? Better to go on with the game and find out, there was
nothing else to do and she didn't know what would happen…
"She's upstairs, in the garden," Catherine answered.
Carefully lifting her huge dress Hikari, now Lilly managed to get to
the top of the stairs. She opened a door and found herself in a dining
room. She glanced at the paintings on the walls and realized she was not
in Japan anymore… she wasn't even in her own time.
"Oh Lilly, there you are!" Hikari recognized that voice. She turned
around, "M-miyako?"
"What did you say, excuse me I didn't understand," said the Miyako
looking girl politely. "N-nothing…" answered Hikari, "why had you been
looking for me?"
"Because…" she said grinning, "Jonathan is coming over and I'd
like you to come and bet with us! I promised I'd let you this time. Mom
is not at home so it'll be the perfect occasion."
"Sure I will!" she answered faking eagerness, noticing that was what
Miyako or whoever it was, was expecting.
"What a pity James can't join us, you would have liked to have him
here wouldn't you?" she asked winking. Something inside her made Hikari
blush, probably the real Lilly telling her what to do.
Then the doorbell rang. Catherine entered followed by a boy… Yamato?
He sure looked funny in those strange clothes. Miyako's cheeks turned slightly
pink… she was in love with him?
"Good afternoon ladies, Clair, Lilly," he said smiling at each, "I'm
sorry my little brother James couldn't come but he had to go hunting with
dad, it was his turn to go, so I've come in his place." Yamato (Jonathan)
grinned.
Clair went out followed by Jonathan and then Hikari. The 3 of them sat
down under the sun hearing the birds sings as if they were trying to get
into their hearts and take them away flying.
"I've brought you some Juice…" said Catherine looking at the floor.
Hikari looked at her, maybe she could tell her her secrets… then she shook
her head, bad idea. What if she told everybody, they thought she was crazy
ad she got Lilly in troubles?
They started playing cards. Clair seemed to have terrible luck and
lost everything against Jonathan who was really having fun. When Clair
had lost everything she begged for one more chance and strangely Jonathan
gave it to her.
"Lost…" Clair grumbled looking at her cards. Jonathan grinned.
He took her to a corner, right in front of the kitchen window and whispered
something into her ear. Clair didn't seem to like it very much but her
gestures indicated she ended up giving up. But what had he said…?
Hikari couldn't stop thinking about that when Yamato left riding his
horse. Then she wondered who that James boy was. "If Yamato is Jonathan
James, Yamato's brother will be…" she froze that second. It was him ? Why
had she been transported like that and why was everybody so similar to
her friends?
"Lilly, would you please come here! Didn't you hear the bell saying
it's supper time?"
"Sorry Clair I'm not feeling very well…" she answered. It was true,
he wasn't.
"Then go to bed, I'll ask Catherine to take you something."
She nodded. Walking upstairs she wondered where her bedroom was, when
she spotted a light purple sign with the name Lilly on it and a few flowers.
She entered the bedroom. It was amazing how big rooms used to be, so different
from the Japanese ones, there was a desk, a trunks with books in it, a
closet, a chair and of course a bed. It didn't look like any of the beds
Hikari had seen before, it had light blue flowery curtains and was much
bigger than normal beds. Taking off her shoes she sat down, it was really
comfortable. She let herself fall on the soft blankets and rested there
for a second.
"Miss Lily may I go in?" It was Catherine's voice.
"You may," Hikari answered. Holding some food Catherine entered. She
sat on the bed and waited for Hikari to sit down to and it to her, but
after that she didn't get up.
"Miss Lilly, I know this is non of my business but… do you know what
mister Jonathan told miss Clair today, when you were outside?"
Hikari shook her head. The curiosity was killing her by now.
"Well… I know I shouldn't say this so I'd appreciate if you didn't
tell anyone. Mister Jonathan is a huge prankster and well… he's forcing
Clair to kiss James, your James."
"My…James." Hikari repeated softly. Things were starting to get some
sense. Excepting for one thing. Catherine looked desolated, "why does this
affect you so much?"
"Because I don't want miss Hikari to suffer, that's all," she lied.
Hikari looked into her eyes.
"It's for Clair isn't it, you love her don't you?" those words were
shot from Hikari's mouth like poisonous darts, she didn't mean to say it
but now it was done and she didn't know what would happen. Catherine broke
into tears.
"Yes, it's true!" she cried, "I do love her and she loves be but… that's
not right."
Hugging Catherine she started thinking of her own situation, her true
situation, what if…? She looked back at Catherine.
"If you love with all your heart nothing is impossible, remember it…"
Catherine stopped sobbing for a second and smiled, "thank you miss
Lilly."
Hikari slept well that night, to her relief she didn't dream of anything
at all, she was scared what would happen if she did. She woke up after
sunrise when the light had already filled her bedroom. She changed into
a strange dress ( not without troubles) and went downstairs. There she
recognized her "sister", Clair, Jonathan the Yamato-looking boy that had
been there the day before and near him James. She stared at him for a moment.
He was just like she had imagined him, blonde with blue eyes… identical
to Takeru.
Silently she sat down near Clair and started eating breakfast. She
was rather surprised that James wasn't saying much either, he seemed rather
awkward, even more than Takeru. Their eyes met only once and both turned
away fast. It looked as if they were avoiding each other.
Then the moment arrived. "James would you please come here?" Claire
asked. James blinked once but still got up and walked to her. "Yes…?" Then
Claire's lips touched James's and they kissed in front of Hikari and Jonathan.
Having flashbacks of her own experience and with her heart newly broken
she ran away upstairs where she lay down on her bed.
As she opened her eyes once more she was back at home. Her pillow
was wet with ears yet her eyes weren't. She looked at her locket. It was
still locked. She got u from her bed deciding to be strong, then she noticed
something in her pocket. It was Takeru's birthday present. Carefully she
opened it. It was a little golden ring and a note, "Hikari, I love you."
Her heart bounced as she read over an over the same short phrase, short
in length huge in meaning.
He loved her, she knew it, why had she been so stupid? She put on the
ring and walked out, it was time to face her troubles.
Some minutes later she arrived at Takeru's. She knocked the door and
soon after the boy appeared.
"Hikari, I-"
His phrase, interrupted by a kiss, didn't need to be finished, because
words were meaningless in front of an act of love, and Hikari knew she
loved him. He smiled and kissed her once more and, hanging from Hikari's
neck there was an open locket with the picture of 2 people identical to
Hikari and Takeru in their wedding.