Disclaimer: I don't own Furuba.

The boar might as well have been lost in a jungle.

The museum was swarming with children, adults, and employers. Chaos worked its magic over the chilled atmosphere. Parents tried to calm their children down, chastising them for touching a rare artifact or climbing on a statue of an austere looking man and hanging from its limbs. Kids in perfect lines were being led by teachers. Though many stopped to look at the exhibits, there wasn't a shortage of people in motion.

It was scary to Kagura.

If she were under different circumstances, she might've enjoyed it. But the eleven-year-old was unaccompanied by a trusted adult. She was supposed to be with her class, but Kagura was lured away by the smell of dim sum served at the museum's restaurant. Before the young girl could blink, her classmates and instructor vanished.

Now the grey-eyed girl was wandering around, trying to retrace her footsteps.

They were behind me, I swear. I only strayed for an instant. Well, they couldn't have gone very far, she rationalized. I'll just walk around and see if I can find them.

But with the lengthy amount of minutes that transpired, the young boar was becoming more and more discouraged and less and less hopeful. Kagura slumped to the tiled floor after walking the perimeter of the museum.

"I'm doomed. Doomed. I won't find them." Visions of her classmates boarding the bus and leaving her behind made Kagura whimper. She tried hard not to cry, telling herself that she was too old to indulge in such a useless, immature action. But sadness, desperation, dwindles hopes, and tears didn't discriminate. Anyone could cry, no matter how mature or old they were.

"Are you lost?"

Her eyes glided up the outstretched arm that appeared in her peripheral vision. Under the wild mess of white and black hair was a round, smiling face. The boy wasn't taunting her. On the contrary, he was concerned. His smile was warm and friendly while his irises were laden with solicitude.

"Hatsuharu!" Kagura sniffed before throwing herself into his embrace. He was slightly flustered, but consoled the Sohma by stroking her hair.

"I was with my classmates on a trip, but I was hungry and I lost them."

"Okay. Which way did you see them go?" Hatsuharu inquired as he gave her half of the cookie he had in his left hand.

"I don't know," she moaned between bites. "Thank you for the cookie."

Once she disentangled herself from his arms, the young cow took her hand. "Let's find them."

The children visited the mummy exhibit. Many students from various schools were occupying that room, but Kagura didn'tsee any of her classmates.

"They aren't here," she told Hatsuharu.

"Then let's get out of here."

Hatsuharu and Kagura briefly inspected every exhibit, but they seemed to get even more lost. The museum became a labrinyth, the corridors darkening.

She was aware of Hatsuharu's poor sense of direction, but didn't berate him. It was better being lost with a person at her side than by herself.

When it seemed hopeless and even Hatsuharu was growing discouraged, her grey eyes caught sight of her friend.

"There they are!" Kagura announced as she pointed at the throng of students. "Sae! Over here!"

The tawny-haired girl turned her sky blue eyes on Kagura and ran over to her. "Sensei! Kagura-chan's over here!"

Her teacher threw her a disapproving look but smiled as Kagura was dragged over to the entrance by her friend.

"Hatsu--" But he vanished, as if Hatsuharu was an apparition.

Oh well. I'll thank him later. His kindness will never be forgotten. Hatsuharu tried to help me even though he couldn't. I'm just glad he cared.

Unsuspecting Kagura would find out later in her life that Kyo was never going to love her the same way she did him. But that wouldn't matter.

This incident further cemented the fact that her love for Kyo would be lost, but her affection for Hatsuharu would be found.

Lost and found. Two sides of the same coin.

Love means helping another person, even if you can't do so effectively.