1I sleep most of the evening. When I do wake up though, all I see is the darkness of my apartment. I cough into my hand, and sit up.
"Hey you awake?" I look up to see Akane. She smiles at me and I see Subaru sleeping on the floor behind her.
"Ya, you guys could have just taken my bed." I yawn. She shakes her head.
"Naaa, we were going to leave when you woke up, but you didn't so here we are." She laughs. I stare at Ryoki's photo, sitting on the table.
"He's not the same without you."
"Don't give me that. He's probably made his first million by now..."
"No, in fact he works with Subaru at an Anime Shop near here. They opened it themselves."
"No way!" I say jumping up. She puts a finger to her lip to show me to calm down. I relax and take a deep breath.
"He told his Mom he didn't want to have anything to do with her. He blames her for you leaving. He moved out and he and Subaru bought a building. Even without his parent's help he made it big."
I sigh and put my knees to my chest. "Maybe he'll give up on me soon."
Suddenly my phone rings. I grab it instantly and put it to my ear. "Hello?"
"Its Reina, you alright?"
"Oh I'm fine. I'm sorry about not showing up to work..."
"Hatsumi, I was calling to tell you not to come for a few days. You work too much ya know that. I'll see you Friday night."
She hung up and I blinked. "That's four days of not working!"
Akane smiles. "Finally, I'll take you and Mizuku shopping to celebrate."
"Like I have the money to shop."
"My treat." She says smiling. "I mean I'd be a sucky aunt if I didn't take my niece shopping."
I laugh and look at her. "What would we do without you Akane?"
"Mama get up, Auntie Akane says its breakfast time!" I hear a soft voice say as my hair is pulled.
"Leave her alone Mizuku, your mom's sick!" Akane says from my kitchen. I sit up and hold Mizu to me.
"Its okay Akane, I was just exhausted. I work all the shifts I can lately."
"Mom called."
I put Mizuku down. "Go change into some nice clothes okay."
She nods and runs into her room. I stand up and walk into the kitchen. Akane hands me some rice, I put it down.
"I can't go, Mizuku and I are going to hang around the house..." I yawn.
"No way. I mean first off I approve of her not going to that 'early prep school'! I mean she's three for cris' sake. Second its about time mom found out."
"No way, I mean I'm scared." I sigh. "Mom hated me and got onto me all the time, last thing I need is for her to hate Mizu. And I don't think Mizuku likes the school either. Reina said it was a good school though. I've been thinking of pulling her out..."
I hear a small tug at my sleeve. I look back at Mizuku, her hair tied up in two pigtails, her plaid skirt, and her Sailor Moon t-shirt. I smile.
"Good job Mizuku, you want to go on a trip?" She claps her hands and nods. Akane grins at me and I quickly go to change clothes.
A few hours later I stand in front of my parent's apartment. My mother opens the door and hugs me tightly. Then she lets go, and I know what she sees.
"Whose this?" She says looking down at Mizuku. Mizuku grabs my wrist tightly and hides behind me.
"This is Mizuku Mom, we need to talk." I say calmly. She looks from Mizuku to me, and in an instant I know she knows.
"Come on in." She says smiling. Akane goes in first, then I stare at the house. When did it become so unfamiliar? I pick up Mizuku and carry her in, more to support me then her.
We all sit in the living room, Akane beside mom, Shinogu sits on the couch, staring at Mizuku. I sit farthest from mom, worried she'll say something aloud.
"Where's dad?" Akane says breaking the silence.
"He's in Osaka." Mom sighs. "I was hoping he'd get the week off, but he didn't."
"Where's Hikaru?"
"He's out with friends. He's very popular in his class." Mom smiles. Mizuku pulls at my arm, obviously uncomfortable. I smile at her and put her in my lap.
"I'm glad, lets hope he isn't out all the time like some of us." I smile at Akane. She blushes.
"I wasn't out all the time! I mean you were the one always out with..." She stops quickly and covers her mouth.
"So how have you been Hatsumi? You don't visit often." Mom says obviously covering for Akane. I sigh and shake my head.
"I'm sorry mom, I've just had lots of shifts, and...stuff." I feel stupid as I answer, but I wasn't prepared to announce that I had left pregnant when I moved away.
I sigh and stand up. Mizuku stares up at me. "I think I need some air, I'll be back in a while."
Akane put a hand out to Mizuku, offering to hold her, but no my baby won't go with her. Mizu grabs my hand and follows me outside.
"Who was that old lady?" Mizuki asks as I shut the door. I almost fall over laughing.
"She's my mama."
Mizuki looks as if she has to think about this, and I let her. I let my feet guide us to the stairs, and we go to a familiar spot. I sit down and let out a large sigh. Mizuku sits in my lap and smiles at me.
"Auntie Akane says she'll take me to buy some new stuff today."
"Ya, won't that be fun. We'll find you some new shoes, and maybe we'll buy you a new toy or two."
She claps her hands and grins wide. I laugh and stand up. "We better head back, Akane will be worried if we're gone too long."
"Mr. Tachibana, please I want to speak to you about your shop!" A woman's voice calls. I look up to see a handsome familiar face, and a woman behind him.
"We're not selling it." He orders at her. She stops immediately. My heart pounds, and I pick up Mizuku and start walking down the stairs, but I hear him calling my name.
I lose him in a crowd of housewives. They all call out about us being rude but I don't care. I have to get away from him. I manage to get in the elevator just as the doors close, and I fall onto my knees exhausted.
"Mama, is that a bad man chasing us?"
"No, just someone who I don't want to talk to." I whisper. Tears are forming in my eyes, and I can't help but sob.
"Don't cry, pwease don't." She says her own eyes forming tears as well. I wipe away my tears and plaster a smile on my face.
"I'm not crying, I'm just confused." I sigh. "Let's go get Auntie Akane. We should get going."
The doors open, and I stand up and wipe away my tears. Mizuku grabs my arm and follows me to the door. I grab the knob, ready to turn it, when in an instant I'm turned around.
"Hatsu, you ready?" Shinogu and Akane smile at me. I breath a sigh of relief.
"Sure, where's mom?"
"Hikaru called and she went to get him. He's in trouble. He wasn't with friends, he was with his girlfriend, and she took his wallet and left him. Now he's stranded." Shinogu sighs.
"Oh, poor guy. Um let's go shopping." I say instantly. I feel so jumpy just standing here. Akane nods.
"You wanna come with us Shinogu?"
"Sure." He smiles. My heart is pounding, because as we are getting in the elevator, I see him stare at her. Mizuku smiles up at him and puts her hand up to shake his.
"Hi, my name's Mizuku, what's your name?" Akane giggles and we watch the two.
"I'm Shinogu." He smiles down at her. Suddenly the elevator stops, and Mizuku puts her arms up at me.
"Carry me." She begs. I start to move my purse so I can hold her, but Shinogu picks her up instead. I smile as she thanks him, and we walk down the sidewalk together.
"Oh I left my cell phone at Mom's!" I frown biting my lip. "I'll go grab it, you three wait for me."
Akane and Shinogu nod, and Mizuku is too interested in talking to Shinogu. I run to the elevator, and just make it before the doors shut.
"That was close." I sigh. I stare down at myself. A baggy hooded sweatshirt, a pair of jeans. When we went shopping I would buy myself some new clothes. The doors open and I walk in. I grab my cell.
"I hope mom doesn't call and ask about Mizu, I've got too much in my head already." I sigh. I lock the door as I leave, and end up tripping over someone.
"Oh I'm so sorry, it was my fault!" I blush. I pick up the papers they were holding and hand them to him. I look up and meet eyes with the one and only Ryoki Tachibana.
A/N Oh my! What a cut off lol you guys are on the edge of your chair right lol