:: chapter 4 ::

"Chihiro, I feel neglected."

Chihiro glanced puzzledly at Miki, slurping her milk. "Why?"

A grin spread on the girl's face. "You spend all your precious time with Hashi. He's been here for a month, and you're with him all the time."

"Says who?" Chihiro arrogantly put her milk back down on the cafeteria table, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"Says me." Hashi sat down at the spot across from Chihiro. It had become almost routine, him eating lunch with the girls.

"Hashi! I'm not a friend-ditcher at all!"

Hashi plastered a look of hurt on his face. "So you're a boyfriend- ditcher? Ditcher ditcher ditcher . . ."

"HASHI!"

"Just kidding!" Hashi broke into good natured laughter, and Chihiro was giggling along soon too.

Aiko rolled her eyes. "Lovebirds."

Chihiro pinched her. "Says who?"

Miki made a face. "Everybody."

"Oh, by the way," Aiko said, changing the subject, "since it's Friday, what are we all doing? I want to go to the movies, and Miki is coming too. Are you two interested?"

"Nah." Hashi shook his head. "Chihiro and I have a . . . date."

"Psh, Hashi," Chihiro said, dismissing the raven-haired boy. "You're the reason they call me a friend-ditcher. We'll go to the movies with you two, ok?"

"Cool, we'll meet you in front of the theater at six."

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Three stunned girls walked out of the theater, with a sweatdropping boy lagging slightly behind.

"The ring . . . I . . . see . . . the . . . ring . . ." moaned Miki.

"No . . . don't take me . . ." Chihiro said dazedly.

Aiko could only stare around paranoidly.

Hashi sweatdropped. "Ugh, are you girl's ok? That movie was scary, but not that scary . . ."

Suddenly, a cat in a nearby alley overturned a trash can. In a flash of light, he found Chihiro in his arms, clutching his neck tightly to a point of suffocation, Aiko wimpering, grabbing his right leg, and Miki burying her face in his back, her arms clutched around his waist. He sweatdropped. "Uh, it's just a cat."

He walked to a taxi, and with the help of the driver, pried Miki and Aiko off him. He waved the girls off. "Go home, and stay in the light!"

Hashi loosened Chihiro's hands from his neck. "Let's go on the rest of our date, shall we?"

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

"Wow, the stars are beautiful!" gushed Chihiro, her fear of the Ring forgotten.

Hashi handed her a mug of hot chocolate. "When I moved here onto the top floor, I knew it was a great place for star seeing. Here, drink something warm."

Chihiro snuggled deeper into her seat, a blanket around her shoulders. Her hands cupped around the steaming mug, and she took a sip.

Hashi settled in next to her, holding a mug of hot chocolate himself. "Occasionally, I see some shooting stars. Try to find one."

Chihiro leaned back, resting her head on Hashi's shoulder. She murmered to herself, "I'm glad I went on . . . not doting on Haku . . ."

Hashi turned his head around. "Hai?"

Chihiro smiled. "Nothing."

A burst of bright blue flashed across the sky. "Look!" Chihiro squealed. "Shooting star!"

The blue flashed across again. And again. And again, before disappearing into the bright buildings in the near distance.

"Wow," Chihiro sighed amazedly. "What a star!"

Hashi chuckled. "It could be a dragon, swooping down from the heavens!"

Chihiro laughed. "Yeah, sure. And I suppose it'll go to our school as a human."

She rested her head against his shoulder again. This was great, this was terrific. For the first time in five years, she felt truly happy.