"Come on, Mamimi!"

Chapter II

"Sayonara, Naota-Kun."

That's what I said when I decided to leave Mabase. I walked out on everything I didn't have going for me - Sameji Mamimi -, I walked out on my non-existent friends, I walked out on the people who bullied me, I walked out on the parents who resented me, I walked out on the school which I despised, and I walked out on the Takkun who actually swung the bat. Sometimes I think to myself that maybe I should go back and visit when life gets rough, but then I remember the life I had there and force it out of my mind. I never want to go back to that life; after all, "Never knows best."

Everything's changed and nothing ever stays the same in my new life, but sometimes I wish they had; Sometimes.

The train rides in America always take forever, but the scenic route is always the prettiest. So I took it. I could have taken a plane and gotten to L.A. five hours ago, but I needed to clear my head and the view of the countryside kind of helped me do just that.

My job in the U.S. has been nothing, if not shear photographic bliss! But my last assignment was nothing but heartache and headache. I rhymed. Normally, I'd giggle at that, but I haven't been able to do anything like me since I took those pictures…

I work at a magazine now; it's called, "Buzz!" - One of those "hip-teen" magazines that was supposed to be really big in the U.S., but I really didn't care as long as I got paid for my pictures. I had made a few friends by then as well and one of them even let me stay with her, as long as I paid half the rent.

L.A. was really different from Mabase, nothing ever slowed down here. It was one big mouse-race after another here, but I had gotten used to it. I had just moved into a new little office thingy and was finishing putting the final "Mamimi touches" on it. I just needed a place to put the picture that had gotten me this job, the picture of Tak – Naota-kun holding Haru-san's blue guitar as he watched her leave on that day; the day I lost all my Takkuns. I put it on my desk, it just seemed right to put it there.

That's when the office door burst open and that's when my only remaining picture of Naota fell on the floor and broke. I nearly cried when it happened because I realized Takkun was in the past and always will be. It was a good thing that my boss, the "ultra-hip" – even though he really was just a balding middle-aged man with highlights – Robert Tate interrupted my thoughts.

"Samejima! I've got a new assignment for you, up for it?"

I had learned some English by then and could understand him perfectly. I nodded. I didn't dare speak because my accent sticks out like a sore thumb and makes me look dumb. At least, I think it does. I guess it's kind of silly, but America's made me a bit self-conscious. It's probably just the L.A. atmosphere or something.

"Good! We need you to take some pictures of a famous Baseball star and his new family over in New York. Here are your tickets, you leave tomorrow, and here's the guy's address. We'll have another job for you when you get back."

When he left I looked at the tickets and smiled, I had always wanted to go to New York City and this was the perfect chance! I couldn't wait until then.

That night I headed straight home from work. My roommate was busy watching some anime on her computer and whining how her boyfriend didn't appreciate how good it was. It's funny, she watches more anime than I ever did and I'm Japanese! I couldn't help but giggle a bit at the thought and that was when she finally gave notice to my existence. "Hey, Mamimi, what's the rush? Want to go out for pizza?" The offer was tempting, pizza was my new favorite food, but I needed to get ready. "No, got to pack." I replied in English, embarrassing accent and all. She used to tease me a lot about it, but eventually got over it, "Ok, got another job, I take it?" I nodded and went to my room.

I was supposed to take 5 pictures of this "famous Baseball star and his new family", including one cover shot. So I didn't pack a lot of clothes, three shirts, four pairs of jeans, and the other stuff which make up one's wardrobe. I didn't know what kind of pictures I was supposed to be taking, so I just packed my favorite camera – my Mamiya 6/6MF – and some of my favorite lenses.

I couldn't sleep that night; I had been having a weird dream:

It was back then, years ago, before I had walked out on everything I once knew and I was sitting on Canti-Sama's shoulders. I was praising and welcoming the Lord of Terror. Then, I saw a red light on the iron, it was Takkun and Haru-san, she was doing something to him and I couldn't help but blush when it was over. She had pulled something from his head, a really cool guitar, and had left him alone. A big ball thing was coming straight at him and he was alone, holding the guitar like a bat. Was he going to swing? The sky was turning into a pretty rainbow of trippy colors and the ball was coming right at him. He didn't swing. There was an explosion…then nothing…nothing at all.

On the plane to New York I couldn't wait to get a couple of shots, for myself, of the skyscrapers. I had been to Tokyo once and the giant buildings there were amazing but it was too crowded for tourism. Plus, my parents didn't want me wasting film on "stupid buildings". So finally Mamimi is getting her chance to take pictures of those "stupid buildings" she always wanted to take pictures of! After she gets her job done, that is.

The plane ride to New York had been pleasant enough, kind of boring though and there was no in-flight movie so I had to entertain myself. When we finally arrived at the airport, I couldn't pronounce its name; I made sure I was the first one off the plane. I was in New York City, one of the biggest and best cities in the world, I couldn't wait to get finished with my assignment and have some "Mamimi time."

There was a guy at the Airport's exit holding up a sign that said "Samejima" who immediately went to my side and helped with my bag. He reminded me a bit of Takkun, appearance-wise; I wondered if that's how he looked like now?

"Um, Ms. Samejima, I'm Jesse Evers, you can call me Jesse. I was told to take you to your hotel, so please get it."

He opened the door to a black convertible and I got in, "Thanks." I said and that was the end of whatever conversation I would have had with this guy. I took out my pack of cigarettes and knocked on the glass window separating the passenger and driver. He looked back and nodded, so I lit up a smoke. I still hadn't gotten over the habit of marking my cigs and this one said, "Never knew best." I had tried to quit smoking a while back – everyone kept telling me it was just giving me a slow death – but I couldn't stop, old habits die hard, y'know?

We arrived at the hotel – which was apparently in the middle of the city, PERFECT! – And the guy…Jesse told me that this famous Baseball guy lived in a loft a few blocks from the hotel. I figured I might as well get it over with later tonight. I thanked the guy and went up to my room. It was…but way too big for my tastes, but it was only temporary and I guess even Mamimi needs to treat herself to something nice sometimes too.

I got my stuff ready and went outside. New York City was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but I found the building just find. This guy was on the last floor, so the elevator ride took a while, but it was fun. The elevator was see-through so I took some pictures of the buildings as I went up; they even played some cute elevator music.

I finally got to the place and knocked on the door, a pretty blonde lady answered it, "Hello! How may I help you?" I showed her my camera and a knowing look came on her face, "Oooh! You must be from BuZz! Please, come in, my husband will be here shortly." The place was huge! The walls were lined with tasteful paintings, the furniture looked brand new, and the TV was huge! Not only that, but there was a bunch of manga stacked next to it which was almost the size, I didn't take the blonde gal to be much of a manga-fan, so I guess it was the husbands. That made me laugh, was this famous baseball hero some sort of fan-boy or something? I couldn't wait to see who this guy was. I now regret thinking that.

"Honey, she's in here, the photographer from "BuZz!" is here I'll bring the baby, okay?"

"Okay, sure, babe."

I stood up and was ready to shake this guy's hand, "Hi. My name is Samejima Mamimi, pleased to meet you, Mr…" It was him, my not-so-ex ex, the guy who I yelled to save me, but never came. "Tasuku-Sempai!" His face looked nervous and confused; I think he was trying to think of what to say. There was an awkward silence between us that was broken by a babies' cry. "Ooh, you've met, great! I don't think we've had the pleasure of a formal introduction though, my name's Rachel, Rachel Nandaba. This here is little Kamon." She pointed to the baby, "And your name is…?"

"Mamimi…" Tasuku-Sempai said before I could answer.

She looked a bit confused at this…and a bit worried, "Do you two know each other?" I didn't want her to be uncomfortable so I answered by saying, "We are old friends." This relaxed her a little bit, I guess because that worried look just disappeared from her face completely. "Really, that's great! This should make everyone a bit more comfortable then, huh?" She didn't know how wrong she was.

I had already taken the first two shots by the time dinner rolled around; I thought they had come out alright, considering how uncomfortable Tasuku-Sempai looked. The baby started crying and Rachel excused herself to change the baby. That was when the most uncomfortable conversation I've ever had started:

"'Hey, Mamimi, how've you been?'"

"'Fine.'"

"'How long have you been in the U.S.?'"

"'A few years now, I'm living in Los Angeles.'"

"'Really, sounds like fun…'"

"'It is.'"

"'How's Naota? Keeping in touch?'"

"'Not recently.'"

"'Oh.'"

"'Look, Mamimi, I'm sorry about what happened between us. I didn't mean to just run off and leave you there with Naota. I told him to take care of you, did he?'"

"'Yeah, he took care of Mamimi just fine.'"

"'That's good to hear.'"

"'You're married now, huh? Kids, too.'"

"'Yeah…'"

"'Wouldn't it have been easier to dump me to my face then to just let me find out own, huh, Sempai?'"

"'Look I'm sorry that happened, I didn't mean to hurt you…'"

"'You didn't, you just never rescued me.'"

"'What?'"

That was that. Before I could tell him about how everything went downhill for me a few years ago, his wife was back, carrying their baby. This baby was the only thing preventing me from ever getting back together with Tasuku-Sempai. They had invited me to dinner, but I refused, saying that I had already eaten. When they finished I took the remaining shots and left. The last thing I said to Tasuku-Sempai was " 'Have a nice life.' " And that was that.

I decided I couldn't stay in New York City anymore and took the first train back to L.A.

When I got back to L.A. two days later I couldn't help but go straight to the office for my next assignment. I needed to clear my head and forget this experience.

When I arrived at the office I went straight to my boss and asked for my next assignment. "Finished already? You work quick, Samejima, I'll give you that. Let's just hope your shots aren't sloppy or someone else will have to go over and retake those shots." I handed over my camera to him and he smiled, taking out another pair of plane tickets. "We're doing a full article on Tasuku Nandaba and his life, so we need some shots of the place he grew up in. We're sending you to Japan, if I'm not mistaken your hometown, Mabase, Japan. You leave again tomorrow; we need these pictures by next Thursday. Ok?"

I grabbed the tickets and ran out of the room and burst into my office. The picture was still on the floor, the last picture of Takkun I ever took. No, not Takkun, Naota-kun…I'd finally be able to see him again after all these years. I'd finally have to go back, Mamimi's new life was making her go.

Disclaimer: Still don't own the rights to FLCL, Gainax's security is tight.

A/N: I'll never get Mamimi's personality right, sue me. D: