Chapter Seven

After dragging Kino all over hell and creation, Shiro and Freeda eventually decided on a small bar right in the center of New Osaka. It was unsurprisingly busy as the three girls walked in. Loud music blared through speakers set up in several different locations, and a TV sat at one end with a few couches. The bar was littered with people, a few couples, and the dance floor was packed. Aside from the bar, a few booths as well as tables lined the walls for places to sit.

Kino was quickly ushered over to the bar, where Shiro managed to come up with three seats. Each of the girls ordered a drink; Kino's being the lightest. The music wasn't bad, and every so often some random guy would come up and ask one of the girls to dance. Kino refused all offers. For the most part, Freeda and Shiro were enjoying the free drinks they were receiving from every guy in the bar.

After they're third dance, Shiro and Freeda came and sat on both sides of Kino.

"Girl, what are you doing over here?" Shiro demanded, taking Kino's drink, which she had been sipping quietly, away and setting it on the counter.

"Yeah, the music's great and I've caught at least five guys who've been checking you out. Go dance a little!" Freeda said with a laugh.

Kino shook her head and leaned over so she didn't have to shout to be heard. "Nah. Don't feel like dancing with a stranger."

"I bet she'd dance if it was with Hayami!" Shiro stated, laughing with Freeda as Kino's face turned to a deep crimson. Kino stuttered out in protest, but Freeda quickly silenced her by the placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, if you won't dance with a stranger, dance with us."

Before she could protest, Shiro and Freeda had pulled her onto the dance floor. Kino surprisingly had a bit of fun. It was nice being able to dance with her friends without a care. Every so often a song they knew would come on, and they would sing along, laughing together as they got a few strange looks.

Hayami sighed, quite bored. He had given up trying to sleep a while earlier, as his thoughts were continually straying to Kino. He missed her company. And he wondered what she was doing. Probably enjoying herself with Shiro and Freeda…

He was bored, again. He hated not having something to do, even if it was working on the Grampus…

Now there was an idea! Jumping off of Kino's bed and quickly changing into his jumpsuit, he left the room and headed towards where the Granpus was stationed.

It didn't take long to get there. Only a few minutes, actually. Taking a seat, he pulled out a few tools and began to work. It required most of his attention, which meant that there was little to no room for Kino to push her way into his thoughts. It took less than four seconds before he was back to being the man that had been dragged onto Blue Six.

He had changed. He knew he had changed. He blamed most of it on that damn stubborn redhead that had captured his mind. He was much different than before. He actually gave a damn about humanity, for one thing. Or at least for a few choice humans. And for another, he felt a hell of a lot saner than when he had started out. Before, many things had clouded his mind. The majority of those things being a mixture of drugs and alcohol.

It shouldn't have been so easy to quit either. But he had never been dependent on them… It had taken him a week, at most, to work the stuff out of his system. One week of torture and strange urges (the sudden craving for a fish and peanut butter sandwich at two in the morning really worried him,), but one week non the less. The only thing he could think of as to why it hadn't taken long was because most of it had been psychological.

He had felt like he had nothing left to lose, and so had let himself fall deeper and deeper.

Kino had been the one to start his attempt at salvaging any part of his health still remaining. When she had come asking for help, and finally left, he had begun to think. In truth, at that point he hadn't had much left to loose. But he didn't want to die as some drug addict that didn't do anything worth remembering. That had been when he had started recovering. He had left everything behind when had gone to help Kino: the drugs, the alcohol, everything.

Now, he was particularly happy he had left it behind. Now, he felt like he had a place to belong. While he hadn't been welcomed back with open arms, the people on the boat had eventually gotten accustomed to his presence. Now, when he walked down the halls, people waved and said hello, used to him wandering the corridors. It felt nice to have people expect something from him, even if it was only a simple hello.

And of course, Kino was a reason all her own. If there was one person on this boat he wanted to see him like he was now, a man at the peak of his life living a second chance, and not some jerk who had given up, it was her. And Howan, as well. For some reason, he wanted the little girl to be able to feel as safe as possible around him. It was probably because the girl had been the first to trust him unconditionally.

Even Kino, in the beginning, had only trusted him because he was expected to help save the world. Howan hadn't thought about that. What she had seen was someone who she could trust, even if he didn't save the world, and had followed her childish instincts.

He tugged at a few wires. Damn, who had been the last person to do repairs on this thing? Oh, right… that new mechanic that Iga had hired. Hayami would have to have a talk with him about how to take care of his Granpus. Well, his and Kino's. He grumbled, and lay down on his back. He was going to have to get under the control panel to fix the current issue. Taking out his flashlight, he clicked it on and began to reassemble everything.

"Hey Hayami!" Hayami jumped up in surprise and clonked his head against the hard metal. He groaned in pain and slid out, ready to tear the head off of whoever had tried such a stupid stunt.

Alessandro laughed as Haymai rubbed the sore spot on his forehead, glaring.

"What do you want?"

Alessandro motioned towards Shirdora, who was standing behind the annoying man. "We want to talk to you."

Hayami sighed and turned off his flashlight, sitting up, still holding a hand to his throbbing head. "What?"

"Well, the girl's have all gone out, and we're bored."

Hayami nodded, half-listening as he checked his hand for blood. None… good. That meant he didn't have to go deal with the crazy nurses at the infirmary.

"So," Alessandro continued. "We were wondering if you wanted to join us for a few drinks?"

Hayami thought about it. He would normally decline, but he really did feel like he could use a drink. While had had stopped drinking in access, he did occasionally have a drink. The more he thought about it, the more he began to feel he did need something. He shrugged.

"Sure, why not?"

Kino was annoyed. Really annoyed. This guy didn't know when to quit. It had started simple enough; the guy had come up and hit on her. She had let him down easy, not in the mood the flirt or even have a conversation. He had been persistent, buying her a drink and obviously not getting the idea. After a point, she had literally spelled it out for him. He had gotten angry.

He was standing over her now, having knocked her out of her stool with a quick push. Freeda had tried to go over to help, trying to break through the ring of people that was beginning to form around them, but to no avail. In the corner of her eye, she saw Shiro reaching into her bag, fumbling for the gun she kept there just in case.

Kino was a bit scared. Not only was this man an angry drunk, he was much stronger than he looked. She could take him, no doubt, but not without taking some damage. And in her current outfit, it would prove difficult. People were beginning to talk amongst themselves, murmuring over and over.

"Stupid goddamn whore…" the man growled out, and Kino was able to smell the alcohol on his breath, even from her distance. The man suddenly struck out, tossing Kino a few inches away. Her cheek burned from where he had hit her, and as she lay on her stomach, having rolled when she hit the floor again, she saw Shiro begin to pull out the gun. She quickly motioned for her friend to calm down.

She didn't have much time, however, as the man had come over, intent on continuing his parade. She knew what was coming. She had learned it when she had been training for the Blue Fleet. When he brought his back to kick her, she blocked it and pulled his legs out from under him.

He was seething now; his mind and judgment clouded from one too many drinks.

Kino pushed herself up using her knuckles, determined not to let this man hit her again. The man was already on his feet again and coming towards her. He stood over her again, but this time he staggered, a bit dizzy from the sudden fall.

He recovered quickly. The people around them seemed too absorbed in watching to actually think to help the girl. Freeda had yet to find an opening in the crowd.

He shouted at her. "You goddamn bitch!" He continued rambling obscenities at her. She took them without flinching, knowing that as long as he wasn't acting physically, she could form a plan of some sort.

As it turned out, she didn't have to. The man suddenly stopped rambling and was crying out in pain. Kino's eyes were blurred a bit, and while she could make out shapes, it was hard to see details. She saw a familiar shape behind the man. A voice that sent shivers down her spine slid out, moving over the murmur of the crowd gracefully.

"I suggest you take that back."

Kino realized what the shape was doing as her vision began to clear. The man's arm was being held behind his back; so far it must have been on the verge of dislocation. The man immediately stuttered out an apology and scrambled away as soon as Hayami released him. As the crowd began to move back to their own lives, he knelt down in front of her.

"You okay?"

She nodded, though she could feel the bruise beginning to form on her cheek, her usually soft skin turning a brownish purple.

He pulled her to her feet, carefully. His fingers lingered on her arms briefly, before releasing her as Freeda and Shiro came to her side. Each one came up beside her, supporting her with their weight. She was feeling a bit lightheaded, she noticed. They quickly moved her to the bar, sitting her down and ordering some water to calm her down. After she relaxed a bit in the familiar company, she turned to Hayami.

"What are you doing here?"

He motioned to the two men sitting to his right. Alessandro and Shidora waved, and she smiled openly at them. She understood, knowing that the guys had dragged him out in much the same way her friends had dragged her. Alessandro had moved to talk with Freeda, while Shiro and Shidora had struck up a conversation almost instantly.

Hayami and Kino sat in comfortable silence, listening as Alessandro attempted to "woo" Freeda without success.

Finally, Alessandro grew tired. He had been trying for weeks to get some kind of a reaction out of Freeda, never once getting more than a simple glare. He figured that since he had struck out in every other way, he might as well try the direct approach.

"Freeda…" he started, looking at her intently. Everyone in the group almost immediately leaned a little closer to hear what he was saying. He sighed. "Would you please grace me with your presence on a date?"

Freeda's eyes widened. She had never expected him to actually be so forward. For the most part, she had figured after a point he would give up and leave her be. She had never actually thought she would have to actually say "No,". She didn't want to hurt him, but she wasn't sure about a date…

She looked towards Kino and Shiro. Both girls were staring intently at her. They motioned at her, pretending to "push" her towards, while mouthing out, "Go!".

She bit the inside of her cheek, and sighed. What did she have to lose?

"Alright."

If a person could explode from happiness, Kino was sure Alessandro would have. He immediately let out a whoop of joy, jumping up happily. Calming down after a moment, his smile never once dimming down, he offered his arm to Freeda, who hesitantly took it. He pulled her towards the door, leaving their friends grinning like idiots behind them.

"Use a condom!" Shiro called after them, laughing as Kino gave her a playful shove and Freeda turned back to glare.

After all the excitement, Kino felt herself being pulled into Shiro's enthusiasm as the girl began to ramble on about how amazing it was that Freeda and Alessandro were finally going on a date. While Kino would occasionally nod and say something, she really wasn't too involved in the rather one-sided conversation. Shidora took pity on her after a moment, and grabbed Shiro by the arm, dragging her out towards the dance floor. Shiro was only too happy comply.

Once they were gone, and she was alone with Hayami, she allowed herself a breath of relief, and leaned over, resting her head against his shoulder. He smiled down at her, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back.

"Thank you…" she murmured, smiling contently. While her cheek was a bit sore, she would live, and the bruise would heal. Hayami was thinking, and while he did so, Kino let herself be submerged into him. His scent, his feel, him.

He was warm, and held her gently. He was worried, she knew, that if he held too tight, she would shatter. He had lost too much in his life to be careless now. And, for her, he held an air of comfort, of protection. He was safe. She liked safe. She liked it when she felt secure. It had been so long since she had felt like that. And now, she had the ability to feel that way every night.

"It's loud in here." Hayami stated, turning his head to look at one of the speakers. "Want to get something to eat?"

She looked up at him, blinking innocently. "What- like a date?"

He shrugged. "Like food."

She laughed, and nodded, standing up and smiling. The two headed towards the door, stopping briefly to let Shiro and Shidora, who were latched onto each other, know they were heading out.

Kino let Hayami decide where they would eat. She didn't mind when he chose a simple burger joint. It was filled with a few teenagers, a family here or there, and a few lonesome ones. Nearly every man in the place, with someone or not, stopping what they were doing to stare at Kino. She flushed, embarrassed at the attention. Hayami had a sudden urge of possessiveness, and brought his arm up and around Kino's shoulders, clearly marking his territory.

Kino liked the fact that Hayami wasn't afraid to say that she was his girl. In fact, it made her happy that he thought of her like that. She didn't mind that he was possessive, because he did give her space. He obviously just shared her disliking for having people stare at her like that.

They took a booth seat, sitting in front of each other. A waitress with an impossibly small waist and straight blonde hair sauntered over, swinging her hips and cracking her bubblegum as she walked. She stopped in front of their table and waited, not even bothering to ask them for their orders. The blonde stared Hayami up and down hungrily, giving him a seductive smile. He hardly looked up.

"Coffee, black, and a hamburger." He stated, staring intently at Kino. The waitress made a "hmph" noise and scribbled down his order, obviously not liking the fact that she was being ignored. Kino laughed in her mind, smiling smugly to herself as the woman turned and glared at her.

"I'll have a coke and a cheeseburger. No onions."

The waitress stomped off, snapping the order at the freckle-faced cook. Kino laughed out loud, unable to suppress it any longer. Hayami chuckled at her behavior. She smiled at him happily and leaned forward so they could talk while they waited.

"That was too perfect." She stated, smirking.

"I don't think she's used to getting the cold shoulder."

Kino laughed. Sobering up, she smiled at him gratefully. "This is nice."

He nodded. "Better than Chinese food…"

Kino smirked. They fell into a comfortable silence, relaxing in each other's company. An actual date. This was nice. She hadn't expected him to actually bother with going on a date, as they were already together. It was good that they could skip the whole "first date" scenario. She would have been a nervous wreck.

"So," she said, cocking her head to the side slightly, which Hayami couldn't help but think was rather attractive. "Are going to play out the first date like we're supposed to?"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She only chuckled.

"Stuttering, awkwardness, random blushing at remarks that aren't in the least suggestive," she explained, ticking off each one on her fingers. Hayami only laughed and shook his head.

"You really are something, you know that?" he said, smiling at her. It was quite a complement coming from him. Their eyes met at that moment, and they were suddenly absorbed into each other. Lost in each other's eyes, neither wanted to break the moment.

Hayami was watching her contently. She was beautiful, and he felt truly lucky to have her. He loved every bit of her, he knew. He was completely immersed in her, and he would never get out. He wondered if she knew the extent of his feelings for her. If she understood that this was more than just a simple coupling. He needed her to know…

Gingerly, he reached out and brushed her bruised cheek with his fingers, the rough skin of his hand touching her soft, sore skin. He didn't understand what possessed him to say it, but he did. "You're beautiful…"

Kino was a bit taken back when he said this. Hayami wasn't the type of person to show open affection. It was one thing to put his arm around her shoulders, it was another to be so forward about something. The words flew out of her mouth before she even thought of it. "Careful, you sound like you're falling in love."

It was meant as a joke. Both knew this. Neither expected Hayami to ever actually commit to something. Saying the L-word was the ultimate commitment. It bound them, maybe not as indefinitely as marriage, but enough that they were stuck with each other. But what neither counted on was the fact that the L-word had already, albeit silently, bound them together.

He murmured it out to her so softly, she felt like she had almost dreamed it. "I already have…"

He pulled away suddenly. Their food had arrived.

Author's Notes: Wow! So much happened in this chapter! And lots more Kino/Hayami stuff! Yay!

By the way, for those of you who like the idea of Alessandro and Freeda together, I've got a nice surprise for you in the next chapter!

Anywho, Please Review! It's a good way to convince me to write!

Graywords-girl♥