Chapter Three: Developing Feelings

Like Fuu promised, she walked with me to the dojo after school. Even though it could only be an one hour visit, I knew it would mean a lot to her. She had so much fun the day before, standing in the pouring rain, like all her cares went away. And her excitement still showed when she took her first step into my house that afternoon.

"Welcome, Fuu!" I said with my arms open.

She smiled and looked around the room, then wandered down the hallway. "So many rooms," she said with sparkles in her eyes.

"Yeah. And sometimes, my brothers give lessons to kids who want to learn swordsmanship. I help sometimes, too!"

Fuu spun around and faced me. "Brothers? You mean, you are the only girl?"

I began to laugh nervously. "Yeah. I'm growing up to be such a tomboy!"

And just like magic, Kakeru's head popped out from the open slide door. "Hikaru! You're home!" He lept outside and tackled me into a hug. "Hey, kid. Welcome home! Boy, do I have a lot of chores for YOU to do!"

I gulped all the air I could when he finally let me go. "But Kakeru, I have company today! This is Fuu!"

Kakeru looked over at Fuu and smiled, took her hand, and kissed it. "I'm Kakeru Shidou. Hikaru's brother."

Fuu smiled back sweetly. "Nice to meet you."

"So," I began, "where are the other punks?"

Kakeru let go of Fuu's hand and stood up tall. "Your BROTHERS are both out food shopping."

"When are they coming back?" I asked as Fuu and I made our way up the stairs.

"I don't know. You know how long it takes for them to shop," Kakeru complained. I laughed, and he felt he should continue. "Kakeru, should I get the smooth soap or the creamy soap?" he said, mocking his older brother.

I laughed all the way upstairs and into my room as Fuu sat on the bed beside me. She tapped my lap with her palm a few times. "Yes, Hikaru, your brother is funny, even though I don't get the joke."

I sighed and looked over at her. "My oldest brother is always looking at all the brands of items in the supermarket. He simply can't buy a bar of soap without studying the others and seeing which one has the better... texture."

Fuu nodded and chuckled a bit, but I changed the subject. "Well, this is my room!" I stood up and spun around. Teddy Bears and other plushies were crowded in the corner and some on my bed. She smiled at each one of them and walked over to the bunch. Frowning, she pulled up one and held it out to me. "This one... what is it?" I studied the teddy bear. Somehow, I don't remember ever buying it. It was snow white, with rabbit ears and a red jewel on it's forehead. "It looks... like a rabbit." She said, looked under it and around it. "It looks so real. Like a real bunny rabbit." She giggled.

"Yeah. I guess.. it is." And as I showed her around the house, the eyes of the rabbit glowed and I never saw it again.

[---]

Umi closed the door behind her and let the fuzzy animal hop across the room. It sat on the couch and looked around with a smile on it's face. As she walked over to it, she plopped her hands on her hips and frowned at it. "I have been looking everywhere for you! Why did you suddenly run away and into the city?" The animal just smiled at her and bounced in the chair. Umi groaned, fell to her knees, and looked the animal directly into it's eyes. "What am I going to do with you?"

Suddenly, the wooden floor creaked as a boy made his way over to Umi. He stood towering over her and his voice seemed fragile. "What are you doing?"

Umi looked up. "Oh. Lantis. Don't scare me like that."

Lantis didn't change expression, just narrowed his eyes and then picked up the animal. "Where did he go?"

She closed her eyes and hung her head. "Hikaru's house. From what I gathered from the beast is, that Fuu was visiting, too."

Lantis sighed, grabbed her hand, and helped her up. He held her chin to match his eyes and wiped a tear that wandered down her cheek. "I know it's hard for you, to not be able to talk to your dearest friends. But you can't crack now. We have a mission, remember?"

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes. I can... last longer."

Lantis nodded also. "I'm sorry, Umi." He grabbed his cloak from the couch, patted the animal on it's head and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Umi sat down on the couch and set the animal on her lap. "I really miss the girls. I see them everyday, and the fact they don't remember me... just rips me apart." The animal frowned and tried its best to look sad, but it never pulled off. Umi smiled and rubbed it's cheek. "Soon, we'll be reunited and fight again. Right.... Mokona?"

The animal nodded and Umi weakly smiled back.

[---]

"One bacon cheeseburger, coming right up!" I called as I twirled around and headed for the kitchen. I gave the paper to the men by the stoves and headed back out with a glass of coke and a straw. "Here you are, sir. Enjoy." I smiled with a light giggle hidden inside, and walked over to the other side of the room. "It's so hard... without Fuu."

I sighed and walked back across the room to help another customer. It wasn't long before someone tapped my shoulder and she spun around. "Hello, Hikaru!"

I smiled at the two boys and waved to the girl who stood next to Lantis. She looked rather sad and her eyes were wide as she smiled and waved back. "Right this way guys, and I'll grab you a table."

I lightly skipped ahead of them and Lantis nudged the girl lightly, then whispered in her ear. "Keep your cool, Umi. We are here to observe, so be friendly."

Umi gulped and kept her eyes on her friend as I pulled out the chairs at a table by the window. "Here you are!" I said cheerfully as I pulled my pen to her notepad. "The usual?"

Ferio nodded and pointed to Umi. "What do you want?"

"Um," she shivered as she stared at the smiling Hikaru, and Lantis coughed. "Eh, I'll take a cheeseburger and a coke."

I smiled and wrote it down. "The drinks are on their way, and the orders should be ready in ten minutes."

"Working alone today, Hikaru?" Ferio called just as I began to walk away.

"Yeah. Fuu is grounded," I said, laughing nervously.

"What happened?"

"Well," I smiled. "It was pouring two nights ago and Fuu and I had fun racing and dodging cars all evening. She got home late and was soaked, on top of that, and got grounded for two days."

Umi hung her head. "You didn't change, Hikaru..."

Ferio laughed. "I never imagined little Fuu to be grounded. Ever."

"Well, she needed an attitude adjustment, so I gave it to her," I said and turned to the kitchen.

Lantis faced Umi, who was staring at the ground with her hands tight against her jeans. "Umi, is something the matter?"

Umi looked up to the kitchen door and watched Hikaru skip across the room with the glasses on a tray. "Here you are," I said and placed the tray on the table next to Umi. "Two cokes and one water."

Lantis took the glass of water and twirled around the straw. "Thanks." Everyone else reached for their drink and nodded after taking a sip.

"I'll be back in ten minutes with the orders," I said with one last smile and walked off.

Umi watched Hikaru vanish into the kitchen and then turned to Ferio. "You didn't know Fuu was grounded?"

"How am I supposed to know? I never see Fuu, let alone talk to her in school," Ferio said.

Lantis closed his eyes and leaned his chin on his hand. "I know it's hard for you also, Ferio, to have the love of your life not even remember you; though you don't show it, I know you are sad and upset."

Ferio was silent, just took a sip from the glass and slammed the drink back down.

Something in the moment made Umi laugh. "I never would have thought Hikaru would get a job in a resturant. It's kind of funny, actually."

"Why do you say that?" Lantis asked.

"Oh, you remember, Lantis!" Umi said with sparkling eyes. "She was such a tomboy to begin with; it's hard to imagine her skipping around in a skirt shorter than a school uniform. Also, you both know how clumsy and childish she is."

Ferio leaned back in his seat with his hands behind his head. "Yeah. She does remind me somewhat of a little sister. But you both know how powerful and strong little Hikaru is. She is a powerful asset to the Magic Knights."

"Yes. She is," Lantis said, looking over to the kitchen door as she ran back out with a tray of glasses. "And such a charmer."

Ferio nudged Lantis with a wide smile. "Ohhh, developing feelings for little Hikaru, are we?"

Umi chuckled and nudged him too. "You two would make a cute couple." She held out her arms. "Childish Hikaru and Serious Lantis!"

"But Lantis would need to grow more playful and stop being such a fun-killer."

Umi laughed and clapped her hands. "This should be exciting! Lantis being fun? I gotta see this!"

Lantis listened to them go on and on, listening to them playing cupid and planning their 'future relationship'. He only grinned and watched Hikaru skip around the room with that reckless smile on her face. "Finally Umi is enjoying herself," he said, glancing over at Umi.

Then he looked back at Hikaru.