Memo: I am so sorry people for the late updates! I feel so bad leaving you guys hanging here. My stupid computer hates me, school's been piling me up with homework, friends are kind of falling apart, avoiding my ex, crushes, and the usual stress of an everyday schoolgirl. Argh! Anyway, hope you guys can please forgive me! I'm also playing in drama and choir, so yeah. Plus, people in Quizilla are starting to hate me for leaving them hanging. If you guys want to check out my quizzes, please go to Story starts!

ChapterSeven: Busted

Today's the big day. The day of the huge festival at school. The one where anyone who's anyone has gotta be there. The same festival that most people look forward to each year. And the same festival where everyone is counting on me to show up.

And guess what?

I'M FRIGGIN' LATE!

The biggest thing in this damn school that's at least a little entertaining; the one thing where, as the teachers state, 'an opportunity to meet new people and hang out with your friends', and I'm late!

I knew that I shouldn't have played that damn video game since two in the morning last night! I thought as I quickly got out from the shower, pulled on my clothes and cologne, and ran to the door carefully.

You see, I never really told Kaoru about the festival because, knowing her, she'd probably try to do whatever she can to help...Even cook...

Last year, Kaoru put up a stand for her 'delicious' cooking. But there were also quite a few other people that were giving out food and they all had plenty more customers than she did. So she got so jealous and was beginning to get desperate. Then, all of a sudden, there was this little girl who tried out one of her store-bought cookies.

It wasn't pretty.

The little girl cried to her mommy from the bad taste, a very angry Kaoru got kicked out of business, and I learned to NEVER let Kaoru work at the school festivals AGAIN!

Anyway, I was so close to the door and I was feeling pretty accomplished for sneaking out...Again... (Trust me; sneaking out is like a cinch if Kenshin isn't around).

I double-checked to make sure that they were too busy to notice. Kaoru was washing the dishes in the kitchen and Kenshin was playing with Kenji in the living room.

Perfect!

I looked at my wrist watch and saw that I only had two minutes to meet the guys. Maybe if I ran there as fast as I can, I'll be able to meet them with only a few seconds to spare.

"Wow Yahiko. You look ready for the big festival, that you are."

"K-Kenshin!" I whirled around and saw Kenshin standing directly behind me with Kenji safely in his arms. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Busted!" Kenji teased with a mischievous smirk placed on his lips. "Yahiko was trying to sneak out again so he can see his girlfriend!"

If looks could kill, Kenji probably would've dropped down dead at that moment as he continued laughing his head off and pointing, obviously ignoring my hateful glare. I sent Kenshin a quick warning glance and he immediately understood and told Kenji to quiet down.

"Arigatou Kenshin. I'll be off now. And remember, don't tell Kaoru about the festival yet. You know what happened last time..."

"What happened last time?" Kaoru asked as she appeared at the hallway where us guys were standing, while wiping her hands with a rag towel and walked to her husband's side.

"None of your business Ugly!" I snapped.

"Hey! That's no way to speak to a lady Yahiko!"

"Really? Where...?"

"Grr...Why you little ungrateful..." Kaoru reached out her hands to grab me by the neck, but at the last moment, Kenshin held her back with one arm and held a cheering Kenji with the other.

"You shouldn't worry about him Kaoru. He's a grown man now and he doesn't need us following him and onhis caseevery time he goes out of the dojo..." he said reasonably as I beamed brightly at him. Kenshin really does have a way with words.

"Yeah...But he sure doesn't act like one. He still acts like a little kid..." Kaoru said, sticking out her tongue as I shot another hateful glaretowards her and Kenji, who was stilllaughing, amused at the scene before him. "And besides, I heard that he's seeing someone. That waitress at the Akeobecko. Kenji told me that you went in her apartment a couple of times. Oh, if only I could remember her name…"

"And how would Kenji know something likethat..." I narrowed my eyes directly at him as he put his hands behind his back and tried whistling an innocent tune. Too bad he doesn't know how to whistle in the first place...

"That's interesting...You never told me that you were interested in girls, Yahiko," Kenshin said as I felt a blush creep up my cheek.

"I'm not. She's just part of the play at school. We're just friends, that's all..." I said assuringly. I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they didn't believe me.

Luckily for me, they decided to let it go.

"So...Where ARE you going anyway? I mean, are you going to a party or something?" Kaoru asked.

"If you must know, I'm going to the school festival. Now can I go? I'm gonna be late!" I said, looking at my watch again. Eight minutes passed. Time runs really quickly around here when Kaoru keeps blabbing on and on.

"The festival? Yahiko...You never told me that there was a festival! I could've volunteered-" Kaoru started, but I didn't give her a chance tofinish as I opened the door in the middle of her sentence andjumped out to the porch.

"Look...I really gotta go. Talk to you later!"

And with that, I slammed the door to the dojoshut and ran off, past the gate andtowards the school.

Tsubame's Point of View

"He's late..." Riku simply stated sourly as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited impatiently for his little friend (Evil Shorty: Ha ha. I'm sorry. I couldn't resist!).

"Chill out, man. He'll be here..." Sora said bluntly as he tried to keep a random feather in the air as Misako and Keiko watched amusedly. Tidus sweatdropped and shook his head as Yumi let out an exasperated sigh. How childish.

I smiled slightly as I stared out back at the entrance. A lot of people already arrived and many shops were opened, ready to sell studentstheir souvenirs and little gifts. Markets of delicious smelling food filled the air every time someone passes by and many games were held full of children trying to win prizes. There were also manyrides like roller-coasters, ferris wheels, and a bunch of things to make it look as if it was an amusement park.To be honest, I think that this year's festival is more successful and crowded than last year's festival.

Suddenly, we all spotted a familiar figure running towards us, just a few feet away. He stopped as soon as he reached the group and knelt down slightly with his hands on his knees and his head bowed down low to cover his tired face as he gasped for air.

"About time you got here Yahiko...You're ten minutes late…" Riku said, raising an eyebrow at him as if mentally asking him what kept him so long at the Kamiya Dojo.

"Yeah man! We were getting worried about ya!" Tidus said, nudging me on the shoulder and winking. My cheeks instantlyturned intoa red color as I avoided all of their playful eyes. By 'we' he meant 'me' (Evil Shorty: Pronouns!).

"I'm...Here...Aren't I...?" he panted, raising his head to give a playful glare at his friends. We all laughed at this. Then, his eyes laid directly at me as he stood up and walked towards me.

Before I had the chance to react, he leaned his face close to mine and murmured in a low voice that only I could hear in my ear, "I'm sorry I'm late Tsubame..."

"That's okay Yahiko-chan..." I whispered back with a smile. I waved my hand as if trying to say 'forget about it' as I closed my eyes and rubbed the back of my neck. When I opened them again, he flashed a smile back and I noticed that his eyes instantly lit up. He didn't seem to notice that I just called him 'Little Yahiko'.

He looked as if he had more to say, but then Sora wrapped his arm around Yahiko's neck, pulling him away from me, and gave him a noogie.Yahiko threw his arms everywhere, shouting to be released and not to mess up his hair. Everyone laughed at this.

"Tell me, buddy. What kept you?" Sora asked, his arms still locked around Yahiko's head as Yahiko made a fakechoking sound.

"Kaoru. Now let me go!" he shouted angrily. Sora did what he was toldas Yahiko rubbed his neck, sending his friend an angry glare. Sora raised his hands in defeat while putting an innocent smile across his face. Everyone else laughed.

"So what did she do this time? Make you clean up the dojo again? Practice? Cook food..?" Tidus said the last sentence with a face asYahiko laughed at thatand shook his head.

"No. It's nothing like that. She found out about the festival and ranted on about how she wanted to volunteer and stuff..." he started. Suddenly,we all did a gasp as he blinked in confusion for a few seconds before realizing what the others were all thinking. "Oh, no! She's not here. I ran and ditched them before they had a chance to stop me. So she's not cooking..."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Glances were exchanged and we all burst out laughing again, picturing the Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin with an empty stand full of burned food.

"Well, I'm kinda tired of just hanging around and talking. So, if you guys don't mind...I'm gonna go and have some fun..." Riku stretched his arms and yawned. He walked a little ahead of us all as we watched his every move and exchanged glances again. Soon enough, Sora and Tidus ran after their friend, who was already a distance away with his back turned towards us,and the other girls ran off to make sure the guys won't ditch them. Knowing Misako, Keiko, and Yumi, they'd strangle the poor guys before they have a chance to desert them.

Yahiko was about to run after them too and stopped a couple of feet away and started walking back towards me.

"Hey, are you coming Tsubame?" he asked as I blinked at him, reality washing over me.

I can't believe that I just spaced out. What timing!

"Yeah! What are we waiting for? Let's go!" I smiled and before I knew it, I took a hold of his hand and ran off with him through the crowded festival hand-in-hand.