Author's message

Ah know, ah know. I said I wouldn't update until december but I can't help it. I was I afraid I would forget my ideas by december.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Sakura Taisen series and any of the characters.

Taichou...

"R-Reni?"

Ohgami's eyes snapped open and he immediately looked to his right, towards the exit.

No one.

No one there except Maria who still slept beside him.

Strange. I swore I heard Reni.

There was something in the voice in his head that worried him.

It had sounded so sad.

Before Ohgami could ponder further, Maria stirred beside him. She yawned and stretched, making light satisfied sounds as she did so. However, as she opened her jade green eyes, they widened at the sight of Ohgami so close to her.

"T-Taichou? Why are we- Where am-"

Then the events of the last hour came back hitting her like a train. Maria's gloved hand shot to her wide-open mouth and her face was reddening furiously.

At least she got her colours back. Ohgami thought. Out loud he chuckled.

"W-what are you laughing at!" Maria cried exasperatedly, trying to cover her hot cheeks.

"Sorry," Ohgami replied, his smile still plastered onto his face. "It's a rare thing to see you blush after all."

"S-stop it!"

"And I never thought you look so cute when you are asleep."

"T-taichou!" Maria cried, sounding a lot like Iris even though she tried to keep a straight face and hiding it behind her gloves at the same time.

"Alright! Alright! I'm stopping." Ohgami said, getting up. "Come on, we have to find where everyone is. They must be wondering where we are by now."

At the mention of the rest of the Hanagumi, Maria shot up from her seat and followed Ohgami to the exit, passing him a little bit too hurriedly.

Ohgami stifled another chuckle at Maria's back but when he reached the exit, a sudden wave of sorrow passed through him.

Ohgami halted. Maria apparently didn't feel it as she was continuing walking at her hastening pace. Ohgami lingered a while, outstretching his right hand to touch the hedge walls near the exit before he left. Uneasiness filled his stomach.

Unknown to Ohgami, Reni had collapsed with grief at that very spot just a little over an hour ago.

Kaede was descending the main stairs when the Hanagumi returned.

She was rather intrigued and amused when she saw the state they had returned in was completely different from what she had expected.

Kanna's face and skin were red with claw marks and her clothing was shredded. Sumire was black and blue all over, her kimono barely intact. Both of them also looked as if they had been in a huge explosion. They were keeping a fair amount of distance between themselves, apparently having not cooled off yet.

Kaede could see that Maria was walking a tad bit far away from Ohgami and was stealing glances at him. Sakura was looking like the walking dead with Orihime supporting her and eating a piece of takoyaki Kohran was feeding her. Obviously the smell of takoyaki was killing Sakura but the two didn't notice.

Ohgami had a troubled look on his face and he walked at some distance behind the rest of the members, obviously not wanting to let them see his expression.

Iris was the only one besides Orihime and Kohran who seemed to still have a smile plastered to her face. She seemed quite pleased with herself as if she had accomplished something important.

"Kaede onechan! Kaede onechan!" Iris greeted her happily, running up the stairs and clinging onto her waist.

"Hai hai Iris-chan. Why are you so happy?" Kaede ask softly.

"Oniichan made me a temporary second today and I stopped Sumire and Kanna from fighting! Does this mean that I'm a grown-up now?"

"Yes, yes. Now go and wash and change you little grownup."

"Haaaai!" Iris replied before running off.

"Kaede-san, we'll be taking Sakura-han to the infirmary then," Kohran suggested as she took her turn supporting Sakura.

"Cherry-san is so useless," Orihime sighed, shaking her head, jamming her box of takoyaki in Sakura's face.

"Kill me..." Sakura pleaded as the smell of squid invaded her nose, making her about to empty her already empty stomach.

Kaede was watching the stumbling trio as they made their way to the infirmary when Kanna and Sumire passed her; both with their heads turned away from each other but were polite enough to mutter a low greeting to her. Maria followed them, only pausing to report that they had come back, all the while avoiding the sharp woman's questioning eyes.

It was Ohgami's turn to walk towards Kaede and she noticed that he REALLY was troubled. With the furrowed brow, an upside-down smile and all. She also noticed that one person was missing.

"Kaede-san/Ohgami-san, where's Reni?" They both asked at the same time.

They both looked at each other, shock registering on their faces.

"She wasn't home?"

"I-I don't know. I've been busy preparing reports in my room for the whole day. Didn't she go out with you?"

"She did. Then she came back to change and I haven't seen her since."

"That is unusual."

"I know. I'm gonna check her room first. Don't tell the others yet. I don't want to alarm them if it turns out to be nothing."

"Want me to follow you?"

"No. I'll check it out myself."

Kaede watched Ohgami ascending the stairs in a slight hurry. She was a bit worried but she was confident that whatever the problem is, Ohgami will solve it.

Reni sat in the corner of her dark room, hugging her legs. She had cried herself to sleep and had just woken up.

But the world she had awoken into was filled with harsh realities. The memory of her pain only served to resurface it and forced her to start sobbing again.

She buried her face into her arms, her eyes were already swollen from hours of crying but she wept anyway. She could not remember how long since she had cried this much. The Wachstum Projekt had erased most of her childhood memories but one.

She did not remember how old she was then but she now knew the reason she had cried then. It was the same as today. She had cried because of lost and loneliness.

Footsteps outside her door made her turn her head. The footsteps halted at her door and someone knocked. Reni remained silent, only wishing to be left alone.

Alone. She was always alone. Even in the company of the Hanagumi, she never did feel as a part of it.

The light knocking persisted and someone called her name.

She recognized the voice. Her heart wanted so very much to get near him but her mind forbade her. She sat there, glancing at the door, wishing he would go away even though she didn't want that.

Ohgami tried the knob but it was no use. She had locked it. She was torn between unlocking it and just staying there but the sounds outside stopped. She heard Ohgami walked away.

A deep sense of disappointment settled in but she was glad of it too.

Maria wouldn't have liked it if he came into my room. What would she think?

Then the sounds of footfall came back and this time she heard something inserted into her doorknob and the door creaked open.

In a panic, Reni did the only thing she could to prevent a confrontation. She hid her face in her arms and pretended to sleep. The familiar footsteps entered her room and the door closed behind it.

Ohgami let out his breath in relief when he saw Reni's balled-up form at the corner of the room, obviously asleep.

You sure had me worried me sick.

Ohgami approached Reni, grabbing her blanket from the only chair in the room and, carefully, wrapped it around her. He had a mind of rubbing her hair but he was afraid of waking her up so he just watched her.

Sleep tight and sweet dreams Reni.

Ohgami stood up and quietly left the room, making a mental note to ask her why she hadn't gone to the park.

After the door closed, Reni looked up. A warm feeling entered her as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. A confused mix of delight and regret was all she felt about this incident.

Then, the alarm went off.

To be continued...

Please R&R. Coming up next, a battle!