Chapter 7: A dip in moonlight

Hello! My Internet hasn't been working so sorry for the delay! Here's chapter seven! Hope you like it!

"I'm glad I came along after all!" said Hatsumi, stretching her arms and yawning. They had left the park and the sun was setting. The sky was a gorgeous orange and red colour. Utada and Hikki had already gone home earlier about a few minutes ago. When they finally arrived at Hatsumi's house, they sat down at the living room.

"Hatsumi, why are your parents never at home?" asked Max.

"Because they're often away on business trips to other cities in Japan," she replied, looking slightly distracted by something out the window.

"Well, shouldn't we get to bed?" asked Tyson, interrupting the conversation.

"So soon?" asked Ray.

"I'm tired, I'm full, and I'm ready to sleep!" yawned Tyson. Everybody rolled their eyes.

"I suppose we should get to bed," said Hatsumi, getting up from her cross-legged position on the floor. She glanced at Kai, who hadn't said a word since their little (cough) interaction. He was leaning calmly on the wall with his eyes closed, but she knew he was highly aware of his surroundings and the conversation.

They all went their separate ways into bed. (By the way, Max rooms with Tyson "Poor Maxie!" and Ray rooms with Kai.)

Half an hour later, Hatsumi squirmed around and turned from side to side in bed. [Why can't I get to sleep?] she thought. She absent-mindedly got up and rubbed her eyes. She then opened her eyes to see a radiant, glowing full moon in front of her. [It's the moon, so bright and beautiful, I've got to see it from a better view!]

She got out of bed and glanced at the clock. It said 11:00. She got dressed in a plain blue top and long flared jeans. She stepped out of the room but froze when she saw a light flickering in the kitchen.

She walked silently and cautiously towards the kitchen to see a shadow moving around. She stood and leaned on the side of the wall that Kai was leaning on earlier. [The moment that robber walks around this corner, I'll smack him one!] she thought.

The shadow slowly came around the corner and Hatsumi jumped into action. She hit a few punches to his face and kicked him in the shin.

The stranger groaned and fell to his knees. She smirked but then gasped. It was Kai!

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" she said hanging her head. "What were you doing in there?"

"Getting a drink," he replied, rubbing his back. "Why are you still up?"

"I wanted to go see the moon from a better view," said Hatsumi, pointing out the window. "You want to come?"

"I guess so. You need protection."

"Ya, right. Whatever you say."

Hatsumi and Kai walked out the door and into a trail hidden by bushes along the side of her house. The trail led to a small hill covered in lush grass.

"Where are we?" asked Kai. Hatsumi looked at him over her shoulder. His eyes darted cautiously around her.

"Geez, get a grip! I know where we're going! I've been in here a million times." she said.

They walked over the hill and down it. The only light source they had was moon, but it was extremely bright.

"We're here!" she said, pointing to a beautiful small creek with a small stream peacefully flowing through it. Hatsumi sat down and took off her boots and then her socks.

"What are you doing?" asked Kai, startled. Hatsumi walked into the stream. The water went up to her waist.

"You want to come?" she offered.

"No thank you!" he replied. "I don't like swimming in freezing water at midnight!" he said, sitting on the shore.

"It's only 11:25 and the water's not that cold!" she replied, with a shrug. "Is the mighty Kai chicken?"

"That's it! You better run!" he said, taking off his shoes and running into the water after Hatsumi. To his amazement, she dove underwater and swam around him in circles. The moment her head popped up, he pounced on her. They wrestled underwater for a while. When they finally stopped, they had been pushed back onto the shore.

Kai lay on top of Hatsumi, with a hand on her shoulder and the other holding her wrist. She was pinned down.

He whispered into her ear, "I win."

She suddenly broke free of his grasp and pushed him into the water. "No Hiwatari, I win!" She shivered, then sneezed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worry apparent in his voice.

Hatsumi opened her mouth to reply but sneezed instead. Just then, some white fabric was draped over her shoulders. It was Kai's scarf.

"You caught a cold," he said, then he too sneezed.

"Guess I'm not the only one!" she said, smiling. They walked back to the house, sneezing and shivering along the way.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" asked Utada.

"No, I want to come but I can't," replied Hatsumi. Hikki had won movie passes and they were all going to the cinema. "Besides, I want you and Hikki to have fun with the guys."

Hatsumi walked her friends to the door so she could close the door.

"How come both you and Kai have a cold at the same time?" snickered Tyson. "Is there something going on we don't know about?"

"Have you ever heard of the word 'contagious'?" she replied, glaring at him.

"Hey! Maybe it's that kiss you two had the other day!" he said.

Hatsumi screeched and slammed the door in his face. She ignored the giggling at the door and sighed when it faded away.

She walked into the kitchen and poured some hot tea. "That Tyson is plain annoying," she muttered to herself. She turned to see Kai, leaning on the doorway.

"Shouldn't you still be in bed?" he asked, teasingly. "You've got a nasty cold!"

"So do you!" she snapped back, pretending to pout. "You want some tea?"

"Sure." Replied Kai, taking the steaming cup from her hands and walking into the living room. "I'm going to change into some more comfortable clothes," said Hatsumi. "Why don't you watch some TV?" She ran into her room and closed the door. She came out a few minutes later and went into the kitchen to open the cupboard and take out some pills.

She took the pills into the living room and took a seat beside Kai on the sofa.

"Here's your medicine," said Hatsumi, shoving him the medicine.

"Oh man, that stuff tastes nasty! I'll eat it later," said Kai, shoving the medicine back to Hatsumi, who was bewildered by his childish behaviour. "Don't tell me you're afraid to eat a little medicine! I thought you were mature!"

"I am mature," snapped Kai. "I just hate how that medicine tastes!" he mumbled.

"Here. Eat." she said after swallowing her own and gulping down the last few drops of her tea.

"I'm not eating eat," he complained. "Why don't you just eat i-"she stopped abruptly when she realized how many millimeters they're faces where from each other's. Hatsumi sat backwards immediately and blushed. Kai just stared at her confused. "What's the matter?" he asked as nicely as he could.

"Nothing. Just eat your medicine." Hatsumi offered to put it in his mouth for him. But he just turned his head away playfully. Hatsumi groaned.

Ding dong

"I'll get it," she said getting up and walking towards the door. She opened the door to see her friends.

"Ohmigosh! Hatsumi, your face is all red!" said Utada, putting a hand on Hatsumi's forehead. "You must be burning up!"

Hatsumi brushed off Utada's hand and said, "I guess it's all the frustration that Kai gave me! He just won't cooperate! He's so not mature!"

"Who is it?" asked Kai, emerging from the living room.

"What have you two been doing?" asked Tyson suspiciously. "And what does Hatsumi mean by 'he won't cooperate'?" Ray and Hikki snickered in the background.

"TYSON!" screeched Hatsumi, kicking him in the shin. "OW!" screamed Tyson, rubbing his knee painfully.

"Serves you right," Kai smirked, walking up beside Hatsumi and giving her a thumbs-up.

"Well, I'm not some guy who keeps quiet but then plays around with some girl I met a week ago," Tyson stuck out his tongue.

"Playing around?" Kai asked with a hint of amusement present in his voice. Hatsumi looked at Kai with a bit of disgust and a bit of confusion. Was this guy on her side or Tyson's?

"Bet you two made out while we were gone!" laughed Tyson. Ray, Max, Hikki, and Utada burst out laughing. Hatsumi's felt her blood boiling. Who did Tyson think she was. Some sort of a slut?

"Sorry to break it to you, Tyson, but I didn't," replied Hatsumi, shaking violently with anger.

"Says who?"

"Says me!" she replied, smashing her fist into the wall. When she removed her hand, it was bleeding in the knuckles. She took a tissue and wiped the blood. Kai immediately helped her clean the wound. Hatsumi looked up at Tyson to see him dumbfounded.

Then she was Tyson's mouth move but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. It was like watching TV with the mute button on. Her knees turned to jello and she lost her balance, falling to the ground. Everybody rushed to her side. Her vision blurred and the last thing she remembered was hearing Kai yell her name before she collapsed into Kai's arms.