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Disclaimer: RahXephon and its characters are the property of their respective owners.  This piece is not for profitable purposes.

Chapter 3: Megumi

"Onee-chan, let's play again."

"All right, Megumi," I answer as I pick up the game pieces.

The phone rings and I get up to answer it.

"Mishima residence."

"Haruka, it's Itsuki."

"Itsuki-kun, it's nice to hear from you."

"I decided to take today off from studying, and was curious what you're up to."

"Ah, how nice.  I'm taking care of Megumi today.  I don't think I'll get much work done, but that's all right."

Megumi walks over to me and tugs me on the shirt as she says, "Onee-chan?"

I smooth her hair and say, "I'll play soon, Megumi, I just have to take this phone call."

"All right," she says as she lets go and sits down again near the board.

"I'm sorry about that, Itsuki-kun."

"It's perfectly fine.  Haruka, I have an idea, I could help you watch Megumi, we could bring her to a playground."

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do that, today is your day off."

"I think it would be nice, and I'd get to meet the little sister you speak of so often."

I laugh and say, "All right, but don't tell me I didn't warn you!"

I walk to the park where I will meet them.  I have not seen her for a few days and I found myself missing her.  I had sat by the phone, deciding whether I should call her and what I would say.  On a stroke of good luck, she was home, and I was able to think of a reason to spend time with her.  I smile, looking forward to seeing her again.  As I approach, I see the two of them standing in front of the swings, facing towards me.  Haruka notices me and waves, which I return. 

When I am before them, I say, "Hello."

Haruka smiles and says, "Hello, Itsuki-kun, thanks so much for helping."

"Of course, I'm happy too."

Megumi moves so that she is hiding behind Haruka.

"She's shy around strangers," Haruka says.

I bend down to about Megumi's height and smile slightly as I say, "Hello, I'm Itsuki, a friend of Haruka's."

She looks up at Haruka and then at me.  She moves so that she is beside Haruka and looks at me once more.

"I'm Megumi."

I hold out my hand and she slowly extends her own and we shake hands as I say, "It's very nice to meet you, Megumi."

She smiles but remains silent.

She looks back at Haruka, who says, "Megumi-chan, you can go play now, Itsuki-kun and I will be sitting on the bench there."

Megumi nods and says, "Ok, Onee-chan," as she runs off to the slide.

Haruka turns to me and smiles as she says, "Shall we sit down, Itsuki-kun?"

"Sure."

Itsuki-kun and I walk to the bench and sit down.  I watch Megumi and smile, happy that she is having so much fun. 

"I can tell you get along very well."

I nod my head and respond, "Yes, I've helped raise Megumi, so we've been close."

Remembering a question I had been meaning to ask, I say, "I'm guessing that, as a music translator, you must play a lot of instruments."

"I've learned some, yes, though my favorite remains the piano."

"How about you, Haruka?"

"I – I used to play the piano."

I am unable to suppress my sadness as I remember the time I played for Kamina-kun in the classroom; I haven't been able to play again since we were separated.

He answers, quietly, "I see."

He then smiles slightly and continues, "I'd like to hear you play sometime, Haruka."

Surprised, I wave my hands in the air and say, "Oh, I haven't played in a while, I'm sure I'd be terrible, you'd be begging me to stop!"

He grins and says, "I highly doubt that."

I smile in response.

Soon after, Megumi walks over and says, "Onee-chan, I'm hungry."

I pick her up and seat her between Itsuki and me.

"All right, we'll go home and I'll make something for you, ok?"

"Ok, thanks, Onee-chan."

I hug her and say, "You're welcome."

Not wanting to end my time together with Haruka already, I lean in towards Megumi and say, "I know I could go for some ice cream now, how about you, Megumi?"

Her eyes light up and she says, "Ice cream?"

She smiles and nods her head yes.  I look at Haruka, who has a surprised expression on her face.

I say to Haruka, "We'll all go, it will be my treat."

Megumi shouts, "Yeah!"

She turns to Haruka and says, "Can we, Onee-chan, please?"

Haruka, at first, looks uncertain, but then says, "All right."

"Great!" Megumi shouts.

We all then get up, and, with Megumi between us, the three of us walk to an ice cream stand nearby.  Haruka lifts up Megumi so that she can see what she has to choose from, and she selects an ice cream sandwich.  Haruka chooses a Popsicle, which I decide on an ice cream bar.

As I take out my wallet, Haruka turns to me with a worried expression and says, "Itsuki-kun, you don't have to pay for Megumi's and mine, really."

I smile and say, "Please, I'm more than happy, too."

Still looking slightly unsure, she says, "Well, thank you very much," before smiling.

We walk back to the bench, Megumi sitting between the two of us again, and eat our ice cream.

As she finishes, Megumi turns to me and says, "Thank you!"

I smile and answer, "You're very welcome."

Megumi plays some more, but eventually becomes tired, so the three of us walk back to their home.

Megumi walks in first, and, as she does, she turns around and looks to me and says, "Good bye!"

"Good bye, Megumi."

Haruka remains standing with me and says, "Thanks very much for today, Itsuki-kun.  It was nice, and I can tell Megumi enjoyed herself."

"I'm glad."

"I'd better be going inside, I'll see you on campus, then?"

I nod my head and say, "Of course, enjoy the rest of your day, Haruka."

Smiling, she answers, "Thank you, you, too, Itsuki-kun."

I watch as she enters and, as I walk back home, I realize that, as thankful as I am to have Haruka's friendship, I want to tell her my true feelings, and ask her what I have wanted to for so long.