The sunlight poured softly through the blinds to cast illumination onto the room. The shadows slowly vanished as the beams of sunlight chased away the evening darkness. They crept along the floor and slowly enlightened the figures laying, intertwined on the bed.
The alarm buzzed from the nightstand. Naota groaned and reached out. He slapped his hand down onto the clock, silencing the alarm. He pulled his arm back under the covers and then lay, looking at the wall, as he slowly blinked the sleep away. Next to him, the other figure in the bed stirred.
"Hmm..." Eri sighed as she rolled over. She draped her arm over him, and Naota became reacquainted of the events of the night before. He smiled softly and kissed her hand. "Too early..." Eri muttered in his ear.
"I know, I know." He said. He rolled over and touched his face to hers. Her eyes fluttered open, still glazed with sleep. He touched his lips to hers and brought her from dreams back into the real world with their kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and savored the taste of him until he pulled away. "I'm afraid I've got to get going."
"Hm" she sighed and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. "Can't it wait?"
"If I miss anymore class, I'll flunk." He chuckled in her ear. He inhaled the scent of her hair and then kissed her cheek. "I'll be free tonight, though." She smiled softly and whispered into his ear.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Naota smiled and kissed her once again. He hummed to himself as he dressed. He turned to say something more to her, but found she had already fallen back to sleep. He smiled and left silently, leaving Eri to rouse on her-own time.
"Hey, Naota!" Mamimi shouted. She ran up to him and then walked alongside him.
"You're looking pretty satisfied." He smirked. Mamimi blushed slightly.
"I just wanted to thank you again. Those pictures you helped me take where fantastic! No one can believe I was able to get those angles. They're all asking me if I know someone who owns a helicopter."
"And what did you tell them?" he said with a smile. She winked.
"I told them to mind their own business. A photographers secret is her trade." She drew her fingers across her lips and then flicked as if tossing away a key. Naota laughed. Now her face turned a little more serious, and she leaned in closer. "You haven't heard from her, have you?"
"Nope. Not since the fight." He shrugged casually, as if the subject Mamimi was now trying to dig up mattered nothing to him.
"Do you think she's still out there?"
"Whose to say?" He smiled at her. "Hey, you shouldn't be worrying about this." He grabbed her arm. "Come on, let's celebrate!" He started to yank her down the street.
"Stop, it hurts Takun!" Mamimi giggled as she tried to keep up.
Naota stepped off the stage amidst the applause, a satisfied smile playing across his lips. A couple members of the audience rose to their feet in their enthusiasm. Even he had to admit, his performance had been one of the best he could remember giving. He made his way over to an empty table, leaning his bass against the table leg. He sat down and opened one of his textbooks to brush up while he waited for someone to take his order.
"Excuse me sir, but a woman told me to give you this." A waitress said, setting down a Chai Tea in front of Naota. He gazed at it suspiciously.
"Back to this again, huh? All right, who is it this time?" He followed her pointing finger across the room, and was relieved to see none other than Kitsurubami giving him a friendly smile. As he walked over, she stood up, revealing her new uniform. She gave him a salute, her little girl grin never faltering. He looked her over up and down. "Taking in a new wardrobe?" he joked.
"I got promoted!" she squealed, leaping out of her professional stance, throwing her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over. He regained his poise and returned the small embrace.
"Hey, that's great!" He congratulated as he sat down opposite her. He could not help but smile at her face. She was practically glowing. Her cinnamon cheeks flowed with a feint blush of excitement. Her eyes glittered with a light that they had not possessed since she had first started working for Amarao. Naota could not help but notice how this cheerful enthusiasm complimented her, making her look exceptionally pretty.
"And its all thanks to you," she continued, "Everyone at the IIB said trusting you to handle it yourself was a risk, but it paid off! I knew you had it in you."
"At least one of us did." He said, smiling. "Hey, what happened to your boss??"
"Oh, he's received a special transfer." She said with a broad smile. "To the psychiatric ward..." she muttered to herself, turning her head to the side.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing!" I'm going to be taking over all his duties in his absence."
"That's nice. I hope he's happy, wherever they send him."
"I'm sure he will be." Kitsurubami's mind conjured an image of Amarao sitting in a rubber room, his face set in a childish smile of morphine inspired bliss. She giggled to herself, and Naota cast her a skeptical look. "Anyhow, Medical Mechanica has not given us any trouble since you took care of things. There hasn't been any strange activity for a couple of weeks now. But, that could change at a moment's notice." She leaned in closer to him, and talked in a whisper. "We don't know what happened to her, Naota. She could be anywhere right now. She might drop in on you again."
"If she does, you'll be the first to know, of course." He said, finishing her statement for her. She offered him an understanding nod, and then leaned back into her seat.
"Anyway, I feel like celebrating! I've got a higher salary now, so anything you want on the menu, it's on me!" Naota smiled and rolled his eyes up, wondering how much more celebrating he could possibly do.
Ring, ring...
Naota snapped back to reality. He looked around, and found himself alone on a street corner, alone. He looked at the traffic on the street, and remembered he was waiting for the traffic light to change.
Ring, ring...
He looked around for the source of the sound, and his eyes fixed on a phone booth less than a block away. He cocked a curios eyebrow, and waited to see if it would stop.
Ring, ring...
He looked around again, and finally walked over to the glass box. He stepped into it, not bothering to pull the door closed, and picked the phone up slowly. He brought it up to his face, seeming to move in slow motion, and finally spoke into the speaker.
"Hello?"
"You looked very manly out there, Takun..." the familiar voice purred from the other end. Naota's eyes widened for a moment. He found himself slowly turning from side to side in the glass booth, anxiously glancing around the streets surrounding him, searching.
"Haruko...where are you?"
"Oh, I'm close enough Takun. Sorry for disappearing back on the bridge, but I had to get out of there till I can get my act back together. I mean, I need a new vespa, a new guitar..."
"Where are you?" he repeated. Haruko only laughed.
"Don't worry Takun, I won't be dropping in...yet. I wanna wait and see what you can do. You still have a lot to learn, Takun; I still have to teach you how to be a real man." Naota eased up slowly with each word, realizing he was not going to get any straight answers. It was still the same old Haruko. "I'll be keeping an eye on you Takun." There was a puckering sound of a kiss being blown, and then the line went dead. Naota stood, frozen for a moment, and then laughed lightly.
"Yeah...and I'll be right here waiting." He hung up the phone and stepped out of the booth, the world seeming no less bright and hopeful now. He smiled to himself, and suddenly had an idea.
He glanced down one way and then the other, making sure the coast was clear. He smirked, and tossed his bass into the air. It stopped just before it hit the ground, hovering in the air. He jumped up onto it, like a surfer mounting a wave, and took off into the blue sky. As he soared, he burst into laughter as he pondered the way the things sometimes turned out.
All around him, the possibilities were limitless.
Well true believers, that is the end our tale! I hope you have all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it! When I began, I seriously had no idea where this one was going to go, which is rare, because I usually have the endings of a story in mind when I start writing it. But this one was a challenge, and it was great to write. And it was even better to get all your friendly and positive remarks about it! I appreciate all-the accolade more than I can put to words, true believers! Keep reading, and keep-believing!
