"Dreams"

Chapter 2

Math and boys

"Mihara-san. Mihara-san! Mihara Chiharu!!!!"

"Hai, sensei!" Chiharu said as she broke free of her dream.

"Answer the question on the board."

"Um…" Chiharu mumbled as she tried to figure out the solution in her head. Why, today of all days did she have to fall asleep? Why couldn't it have been on a day when they were doing something easy?

"Please, hurry, Mihara-san, we haven't got all day you know."

Chiharu thought as hard as she could, oh how she hated being put on the spot. Just then Takashi got an idea.

He quickly grabbed a pen, made sure Choi-sensei couldn't see him and wrote the answer on Chiharu's palm while her hands were behind her back. "What in the world did he just write on my hand," she thought as she brought her hand up to her head to rub it.

Just then she noticed that on her hand was the number "11" which…must be the answer! "It's 11."

"Aw, very good Mihara-san. I see you can even pay attention in your sleep," Choi-sensei said as the class laughed.

"Now, I want you to do pages 123-125 prob. 2-36/40-60 and I'll give you your worksheet at the end of the period."

"Can we work in partners?"

"As long as it doesn't get to rowdy."

As soon as she said that Chiharu turned her chair around to face Takashi. Who already had his book opened(as usual) and handed her a piece of notebook paper.

"Arigatou."

"Your welcome."

"Not just for the paper but for, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"And gomen for this morning I guess I was still grouchy."

"It's okay, everyone gets grouchy sometimes. Besides, I know I'm still loved."

"You're a mess, Takashi."

"Hey do you know where that saying came from?"

"Math, Takashi, Math."

"But the-"Math."

Luckily with Takashi's help she finished everything but a few problems on the last page. Leaving enough time for both of them to catch up on their sleep.(which they didn't get caught for because Sakura, knowing how they felt used Illusion so that it looked as if they were workingain't that a good friend). As soon as they fell asleep they drifted off to the kingdom of Yamazaki-san. Where Chiharu and Naoko sat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Whose turn is it?" Chiharu asked Naoko as she put on her dress. She'd been there about 3 ½ months and had now gotten use to: waking up early, Yamazaki-kun's stories, waking Yamazaki-kun up, making sure Yamazaki-kun stayed out of trouble, washing clothes and dishes, fixing dinner, going to the store, spending evenings in the field and having Yamazaki-kun braid her hair the mornings that she woke him up. It all seemed normal now, it gave her more of a purpose in life then she had before, and it felt good.

"It's your turn," Naoko said handing her a bag. "Unfortunately meaning that I have to wash the dishes tonight."

"Don't worry, Yamazaki-kun will help. Besides dealing with Yamazaki-kun's stories for most of the morning is a tiring thing also."

Naoko laughed as she pushed Chiharu out the door. "You better go."

"I'm going. I'm going," Chiharu giggled as she walked out the door towards the kingdom. Naoko was the best friend she ever had. Actually she was one of the few friends she ever had. As timid and ostracized as she was in school. But now she didn't have to think about the bad times, she could focus on the good. The good which was her new friends.

"Yamazaki-kun, Sasaki-chan, Yanagisawa-chan," she said aloud to herself as she skipped through the doors of the palace. As she skipped she ran into someone…the king.

"Sumimasen, gomen nasai," she said panicky as she bowed.

"Hmph," the king grunted as he passed her by. Though Chiharu had gotten used to everything else she still wasn't use to the coldness of the king. But still, everybody met a grouch someday.

She quickly ran up the stairs. Around, and around, and around, until finally she reached the top.

"3 doors down," she said in a sing songy voice. "Ichi…Ni…SAM!!!" she exclaimed bursting into Takashi's room and opening the window. "Wake up, sleepy head!!"

"Come on, Mihara-chan, just 5 more minutes. Only 5," he pleaded.

"NO WAY!!!! We've got a schedule to keep and according to the schedule it's time for you…TO GET UP!" she said pushing him off the bed..

"Man, I hate when you guys do that," he said as he stood up and walked to his closet.

"I know," she said sitting down in a chair facing his mirror and coming her hair. "Now hurry up and pick something to wear so you can braid my hair and we can be on with our day."

"Hai, ojosama," he said as he started to braid her hair.

"You think you're a real joker don't you?"

"Do you know where the word "joker" came from?"

"Oh no."

"A long time ago there used to be this really funny looking animal called the jok. It could fly, walk and even swim. All the rich folks wanted them for pets and meat and coats so they gave out great rewards if you could bring one back. Not many people could catch them but those who could they called "Jokers."

After many years the jok's came close to extinction, so close that there was only one left. Many tried to catch it but failed. The only person successful was a very old man. He was said to have dressed up like the jok. The man also did the dance of the jok while making the noises of it also.

After hearing this the king asked the man to show them, and so he did. The king said it was so funny that all funny doings should be named after the man. But the man said no it should be named after the Jok for it was the jok that him the idea. And so they named funny things or sayings joks but as time went by other nations started adding the "E" that's why we spell it "J-O-K-E", and that's where the word joker comes from."

"Where do all those lies come from???"

"What lies?" he said giving her the comb and making her face the mirror.

"You know, I don't know why I try," she said to him shaking her head and heading out the door. "Oh, and my hair's beautiful, as always."

Takashi quickly ran after her as they neared the stairs. "Come on," he started as usual.

"We've already been through this, no!"

"But it's fun"

"And dangerous."

"It's exciting."

"And you could slip off and fall."

"Come on just today. I'll go down first. Yamazaki-san's gone too."

Everyday he'd asked her to slide down the banister, she'd say no but today she felt like something new was about to happen so rolling her eyes she said, "Fine."

"Yeah!" he shouted in triumph. "Now I'll go down first, count to twenty and then start. Hold on to this pillow and not the banister or you'll get a bad burn. Got it."

"I got it."

Takashi started down the long twisting banister and Chiharu started to count. "Ichi…Ni…Sam…shi…go…roku…shichi…hachi…ku…ju…(I can only count to 10 in Japanese so)11…12…13…14…15…16…17…18…19…and she jumped on the banister as she yelled "20!!"

It was actually kind of fun. All the twists and turns. But the best part had to be flying off the end and being caught by Takashi. He swirled her around twice as they both laughed then they fell down on the pillow and laughed even harder.

But they soon stopped yelling when they realized that in falling Chiharu had landed on Takashi. They probably wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't put her head on his chest making them both blush.

"Um…gomen," she said quickly getting up and straightening her dress, in the 3 ½ months she'd been here this was like the thousandth thing like that to happen between her and Takashi and she was starting to believe they weren't just coincidences.

"It's all right," he said playing it off as nothing "But we better go start breakfast before Yamazaki-san return's."

They quickly walked into the kitchen where Rika and Naoko were waiting for them. Naoko pulled Chiharu to the side as Rika talked to Takashi.

"You do know I saw that," she said.

"Saw what?" Chiharu said knowing exactly what she was talking about but trying to play it off.

"Don't try that," Naoko said, "because I know that you know what I know you know.

"Nan???"

"You know that I'm talking about that little "fall" you took."

"What fall?"

"Mihara-chan, look you and I both know this isn't the first time something like this has happening, and maybe it's just me or do they seem to be happening more often," she said looking Chiharu straight in the eyes. "Why can't you admit the fact that they've all been planned by a prince who really, really likes you?"

Chiharu stared at Naoko thinking about all that she'd said. How could it be that a high, mighty prince like Takashi would like her? Impossible, or is it.

"I don't need to admit it if it's not true."

"Then what about-"Come on we have to get breakfast ready before Yamazaki-san comes back."

"I'm not finished with you yet, Mihara-chan."

"Whatever," she said, though she new Naoko was forming a plan right then and there.

"Were you ladies talking about me," Takashi said with an arrogant smile as Naoko and Chiharu finished their short talk.

"You're full of yourself, Yamazaki-kun," Rika said as she reached for the pancake mix.

"I know," he said taking out the eggs.

The three girls and Takashi worked hard preparing pancakes, eggs, toast, French toast and half of all the breakfast foods you can think off. But the only problem they had with cooking so much food(besides the fact that it's tiring) is that they didn't get to eat it. All the food they prepared was for Yamazaki-san, Takashi, the guards, and all the kings other high people. Luckily for them Takashi always made sure that they had some before it was served and after the rich people were done.

"Finally finished," Chiharu said plopping down on a chair. Then she noticed that Takashi was staring at her. "Nani?"

"Nothing," he said as walking out of the room to greet his father.

"You two would really make a great couple," Rika said as she washed her hands.

"Not you too, Sasaki-chan."

"See, I told you it was true," Naoko said.

"No it's not. You just"-Seemingly out of nowhere the king appeared by the door followed by the now unsmiling Takashi.

Chiharu stood up as all the girls bowed and said, "Ohayo Gozaimasu, Yamazaki-sama."

"Hmph," he grunted as he looked at the kitchen. "Is breakfast ready?"

"Hai, Yamazaki-sama."

"Then what are you standing around here for, bring it to the main dining room!"

"Hai, Yamazaki-sama," the girls said as they hurriedly picked up the plates and took them to the dining room. As usual when they entered a few nasty comments were made by the soldiers, the lords & nobles, and especially by the ladies of the lords and nobles who thought that they were better than any other person, except for the king. Oh how Chiharu wanted to show them what she was made of, but instead, she just put the food on the table and walked out without a smile.

"Mihara-chan," Takashi said as she got ready to leave the house, "we have to talk later, okay."

"Okay," she said forcing a smile though she had a pretty good idea what he was going to say.

The rest of the day Chiharu spent out in the fields. Picking flowers, climbing trees, anything to get her mind of him. She had to be wrong about what he was gonna say but what would happen if she wasn't? Just then she saw Takashi running towards her with sweat running down his face.

"Mihara-chan, I've been looking for you for the past 30 minutes," he said as he sat down beside her.

"Really, I've been out here the whole time."

"Well, I'm glad I finally found you so we can talk," he said catching his breath.

"About what?" she said hoping and praying she was wrong.

"Well tomorrow two of my cousins are coming and I was wondering if I could do you hair tonight because I know Yamazaki-san will have you all running all over the place meaning you might not have time."

"Sure, but when since we'll probably be getting up earlier?"

"How about now?" he said pulling a comb, brush and mirror out of his bag.

"So resourceful," she said as he unbraided her hair and started brushing it.

As he did her hair they talked. It started out about nothing in particular, the sky, the trees but then it got more into family matters.

"So what are your cousins like?"

"Um…well let me think," he said trying to think of a good way to explain it, "my cousin Meiling is pretty nice but has a mild temper so don't make her mad. Oh and her jealousy often gets the better of her. Now my cousin Syaoran is rather reserved but still quite kind he can often become over-protective of Meiling and anyone else that he loves. Somehow he always manages to come at a shocking time."

"Your family sounds nice," she said in a despondent voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just, well…When I was really young my otousan died so it was just me and my okaasan. We were barely making ends meat so…she had to give me away. A very kind nurse named Imani took care of me until I was 13. That's when I left and started looking for any job I could find. That's how I got here."

"You didn't have much of a family?"

"Nope, but that's okay. I mean you guys are my family now."

Takashi smiled at this making Chiharu smile. Soon after their little discussion Takashi finished her hair. Once he was done they laid back on the grass and looked at the setting sun.

"It's getting late, we better had back so we can fix dinner," she said standing up. "Don't Yamazaki-san yelling at us."

"Wait," he said as he stood up and grabbed her wrist.

"Nan?" she asked as he put his hand on her cheek.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he leaned in and kissed her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: sorry for not updating in awhile but school overtook my life. Anyway it's kind of a cliffy but I hope you like. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner then this one.