"((Ahh! So wet!)) " Kimiko said to herself as she ran out of the rain and into her apartment.
Outside the water was pouring down from dark clouds over Tokyo that were almost black. It was only 6 o'clock but the city looked like it was the middle of the night. The overcast clouds just kept dumping water down on the city, causing people to run for cover or cling to umbrellas. Kimiko was one of these people; she had gotten off the train and made her way through the rain to get home. Kimiko sighed as she shook her head, trying to get some of the water to drip off her hair. She pulled the door shut behind her as she entered, leaving the rain behind.
"((That storm is huge,))" She muttered quietly as she closed her umbrella.
"((I'm home Erika-chan!))" Kimiko called out.
Another clap of thunder sounded outside and made Kimiko jump. The walls even shook with the force of the sound. Kimiko slid her wet shoes off with a squishing sound. She set her shoes beside the wall and walked into the apartment further.
She was still soaked from head to toe. Her "Sight" T-shirt was clinging to her body. Kimiko was happy that it was black and not a see through color. That would have been embarrassing to try and hide. Kimiko looked down at the pink skirt she had been wearing; it was dripping with water and drooping.
"((That umbrella wasn't very helpful…))" Kimiko said and she threw her keys down on a small table that was near the door. The small white table had a red ceramic bowl on it that was normally used for keys or anything small. She carefully set her semi-wet purse on the floor under the table. She opened the purse and pulled out a pile of soppy mail. She put it next to her keys.
"((I got the mail Erika-chan!))" She called again. It was then that Kimiko noticed that the apartment seemed rather quiet, even with the sound of rain pounding against the windows things were still virtually silent.
"((Erika…?))" Kimiko poked her head in the kitchen and looked around for her friend. Everything seemed dark.
"((Where is she?))" Kimiko's wet socks hit the floor with a squish as she walked around looking for her roommate. Kimiko looked in Erika's room, her own room, and she checked the entire apartment for Erika.
"((This is odd… maybe she left a message…))" Kimiko thought out loud. She finally ripped off her wet socks and threw them aside for the moment. She let the black shocks tumble on the hard tile floor. Kimiko felt a shiver run up her spine as her cold wet skin touched the even colder black tile. She felt goose bumps spring up on her arms and legs.
"((Aiie!))" Kimiko said rubbing her arms madly trying to make herself warmer. Kimiko flipped on a light in the living room as she walked back toward her purse. She picked up her mostly dry light pink purse and made her way toward the living room. Her damp feet made small pounding sounds on the hard tile. It was when her feet touched the carpet of their living room that the thumping of her footsteps stopped. Kimiko dug her toes into the warmer carpet in hopes to stop her goose bumps. She pulled out her call phone which was luckily dry. She opened her voice mail.
"((Three new messages…))"
"((He…hello Kimiko-chan. It's Piro... um... I hope I'm not annoying you with this message! I'm so sorry if you're doing something… I'm not trying to be a problem… I was just calling to wonder if you... umm… wanted to get some dinner tonight. We don't have to go out if you're tired… or if you have other plans… it's up to you. Haysaka-san can come too! We don't have to… If… if you get a chance… call me back.))"
Kimiko smiled as she listened to Piro's message. He always sounded scared to death when he asked her to go out. He was always so polite when he tried to ask her to go to dinner or a movie. Kimiko used to ask Erika to come with them, but Erika was blunt with her and told her that Piro mentioned her name so that he wouldn't scare Kimiko off.
Kimiko hoped one day he would get enough courage just to call it a date when they were together. She knew she couldn't ask him out, not without fainting. He might have still been nervous around her, but she was only a little better. Yet besides Erika, Kimiko considered Piro to be the closest person to her. She really needed him with all the attention she was getting from fans.
"((Next message…. Hey Kimiko, it's just me. I'm working late today; I could use the extra cash. I'll be home around 9:30, 10. Did Piro finally call you? I thought he was never going to dial your number. Have a good time.))" Kimiko smiled as she heard Erika's message.
"Next message… Oh… oh man! Is this really Kimiko Nanasawa's number! Dude! You're the best! You're sooo hot! Lets make love, hot stuff!" Kimiko blinked a few times as she listened to the message in English. She couldn't understand most of it, just a few works like "hot" and "love". She erased her messages and set her cell phone down. She'd call Piro back as soon as she got out of her still wet clothes; she was starting to shiver again.
There was a flash of blue light outside and a large crash. She ignored the sounds of screaming; even the cataclysm division has to work in the rain.
(I wonder why Erika is taking over time… she hasn't done that in a long time. It's unlike her…) Kimiko thought absently.
She walked into her room and took off her wet clothes quickly. She watched the water run down her bedroom window as she changed into a pair of shorts she normally slept in. She also put on a baggy gray T-shirt and sighed.
(I wonder who was calling me and speaking in English… maybe they had a wrong number? They said my name though…) Kimiko thought as she picked up her soggy clothes from the floor.
She walked down the hall from her room and threw her wet clothes in the bathroom sink; she would give them some time to dry before she put them in with the rest of the wash.
"((I have to call Piro-san back…))" Kimiko said as she picked up her cell phone again and plopped herself down on the light blue futon. She crossed her legs and started to dial his cell phone number. She made herself comfortable on the fluffy futon, Kimiko felt herself sink into the soft cushions.
Kimiko was about to push the send button on her cell phone when she heard the main line phone ring.
"((Eh?))" Kimiko said glancing at the phone that was on the coffee table in the apartment. Without hesitation she picked it up.
"((Hello!))" She said cheerfully. As she picked up the phone the street lamps outside finally came alive.
"((Kimiko-chan, is that really you!))" The voice on the other end of the line said happily.
Kimiko blinked a few times, "((Who is this…?))" She asked politely.
"((It's Tomoe, Kimiko-chan! Remember, we went to high school together!))" The female voice squeaked.
"((Tomoe-chan! It's been so long!))" Kimiko said laughing a little.
"((Oh Kimiko-chan, congratulations on your success with Sight! You've been in the news so much and I was listening to you on the radio too. I'm so happy you've done so well with voice acting!))"
"((Thank you Tomoe-chan. What have you been doing since high school?))" Kimiko asked.
"((Me? Well I went to college to try and become a chemist. Then I thought maybe I'd like to work more with people. I know it's nothing glamorous like what you're doing, but I enjoy being a nurse,))" Tomoe answered sweetly.
"((Nursing, that's great Tomoe-chan!))" Kimiko said striating herself on the futon.
"((Thank you Kimiko-chan… It's wonderful to talk to you, but I think I have the wrong number,))" Tomoe said as her thoughts became side tracked.
"((Wrong number… oh, are you trying to reach Erika-chan?))" She said.
"((Ah! Yes, I was supposed to talk with Hayasaka Erika,))" Responded Tomoe.
" Ah, well Erika and I live together. She's at work at the moment, " Kimiko said while trying to reach for the TV remote.
"((Oh, I didn't know that you lived together! Could you give her a message from Dr. Yamakagi?))" Tomoe said.
Kimiko blinked a few times as she stopped looking for the remote.
"((A message, sure that's not a problem,))" Kimiko said listening more closely now. She didn't think Erika had been looking sick. There had been no change in her roommate, everything was normal. Kimiko felt a worrying feeling starting to creep up in her.
"((Alright the message is that she should expect the baby around April 1st. Doctor Yamakagi is also performing the delivery,))" Tomoe said calmly.
Kimiko's eyes wide and her jaw hung open.
"((E…excuse me… Tomoe-chan…? What… Who's baby!))" Kimiko stumbled to speak. Another thunder clap outside didn't even make her twitch as she sat dumbfounded.
"((Eh? Didn't you know Kimiko-chan…? According to her file Hayasaka-san is almost four months pregnant,))" Tomoe said.
Kimiko felt her hands go weak as she almost dropped the phone. Her mind was numb and she felt her stomach do a flip.
"((I… didn't know Tomoe-chan… Are you sure it's really Erika-chan that is… that is…?))" Kimiko again felt words escape her.
"((Yes Kimiko-chan, I'm sure Hayasaka-san is pregnant. She had an appointment with doctor Yamakagi just yesterday,))" Tomoe answered Kimiko's question as best as she could.
"((Oh… I'll give her the message Tomoe-chan,))" Kimiko muttered.
"((Thank you so much Kimiko-chan! I have to make some other calls but, maybe we can talk later. We should have lunch together sometime, get caught up,))"
"((Yes… lunch sounds good,))" Kimiko said softly.
"((Bye Kimiko-chan!))" Tomoe chimed.
"((Bye... Tomoe-chan…))" Kimiko said and pressed the off button the on phone.
She leaned her head back on the futon and just stared strait forward at nothing. Her eyes studied nothing but the wall in her sights.
(Erika-chan is… pregnant? How did this happen to her! Why didn't she tell me! Why…! Who did Erika…!) Kimiko was swimming in thoughts now. She didn't know what to do, or who to talk to. Erika wasn't going to be home till 9, Kimiko wasn't sure if she could wait that long to talk to her. This time a huge bolt of lightening cut through the sky and thunder shook the walls again.
Kimiko glanced down at her cell-phone. The bright screen glowed brightly and reflected in her eyes. Across the screen was Piro's phone number. She took a deep breath, picked up the cell phone, and pressed the send button. She held the phone up to her ear and listened to the quiet almost soothing ring.
"((Hello?))"
"((Piro-san… it's Kimiko. I need to talk to someone. What time can we go to dinner tonight?))" She asked calmly.
"((Whenever you want Kimiko-chan… I was just about to get off work,))" Piro answered.
"((I'll be ready if you want to come over soon,))" Kimiko said. She was still trying to calm her stomach which was still twisting into knots.
"((Sounds… good, see you soon then…,))" Kimiko could hear Piro's voice starting to waver a little.
"((Bye Piro-san…,))" Kimiko hung up the phone and let her lands fall into her lap holding her phone. She looked down and sighed again.
(Erika-chan… why are you hiding things from me again? I… really want to help you if something is wrong. I hate worrying again.) Kimiko thought quietly. She closed her eyes as a few tears slid down her cheeks.