Chapter 3

Nuriko's PoV

The next day, Reishin, Hotohori, and I piled into our car and set off for the beach. It would be a semi-long drive, the beach was about two hours away... We gave Reishin music, and a few toys to keep her entertained.

(About an hour later)

"Are we there yet?" Reishin whined.

"Not yet." Hotohori replied before I could.

"How much longer?" Reishin asked.

"About another hour." I told her, smiling as Hotohori was about to open his mouth.

"But Nuriko..." Reishin whined, squirming in her seat.

"Yes...?" I asked, looking back at her.

"I have to go potty..." She told me, her face scrunched up in some weird shape.

"Hotohori..." I called, letting out a sigh.

"I heard..." He replied simply.

"You finding a place to stop?" I asked him.

"Yup." Hotohori replied with a small smile.

What a day this would turn out to be... With Reishin, it seemed like the day would get to be so much fun. Almost every time we had to baby-sit Hikari, we would either go to the park or the beach. It was so much fun. Then there were the evenings Hotohori and I would go to a romantic setting just because we could. We would call up Miaka and Taka and laugh at them for not being able to have romantic evenings anymore, because they had a child.

(Half an hour and two stops later...)

"Nuriko..." Reishin whined again.

"...Yes...?" I hissed, getting agitated after taking her to two restrooms and buying her a drink.

"Are we there yet?" She whined again.

"Very soon, I promise." I replied with a sigh.

"How soon?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

She was getting on my nerves. Smiling, I turned around and jokingly told her that if she wouldn't be quite, I'd throw her into the ocean. She squeaked and went back to playing a game I had gotten for her. Hotohori chuckled at my job of keeping Reishin quite.

"Alright! We're here!" Reishin exclaimed, getting out of the car on her own and running out onto the sand. Running after her, I turned around quickly and said, "Hotohori, I'll help you in a moment, just let me get Reishin to get her stuff, okay?" Hotohori nodded and I resumed my chase.

"Got'cha!" I said as I picked up Reishin. She squealed and laughed as I picked her up.

"Come on, we gotta help Hotohori get all the stuff out, then we can play. Okay?"

"Fine." She stated stubbornly.

It was a nice day, and Reishin was in a small summer dress while I was in swim shorts and a tanktop while Hotohori wore a t-shirt and shorts to swim in. I figured I wouldn't get anything but my feet wet.

I was wrong.

I ended up changing into a t-shirt Hotohori had brought so I could go swimming with Reishin while he cooked hot dogs. When we came back about an hour later, the hot dogs were ready and Hotohori was waiting patiently for us to go change into dry clothes.

"Reishin will be here in a moment, she's just going to the bathroom..." I told him, slightly out of breath as I leaned against him on the picnic bench.

"Just keep an eye on the bathroom... We don't need her getting lost or taken." He told me simply.

"I know that! I'm not dumb, or anything..." I growled, getting up and instead leaning against the fence that led to the beach.

"I know, I'm just saying, watch out." He repeated, not looking up from making the food for us.

We've had small fights a lot recently. But I didn't want to mention anything, I was worried we would get into a fight about how we didn't fight...

'Are Hotohori and I drifting apart?' I wondered, hoping it wasn't true... I sat back, that couldn't be true. But as I thought back to the past few weeks, I realized I never saw Hotohori anymore-except on his days off. He was always working or busy doing something. I sighed sadly, turning away from Hotohori and concentrating all my mind on waiting for Reishin to come out of the bathroom. Hotohori looked at me, puzzled, but I just smiled and looked back as Reishin started to walk up... Well, more like bounce.

"I called the school, they're closed for today, but I left a message and they should call back tomorrow." I told Hotohori after Reishin had gone to sleep.

"Alright." Hotohori replied lightly

"Hotohori?" I choked back tears.

"Yes?" He answered simply

"Why-" I started, but then Hotohori stood up and went in front of me.

"Nuriko... I wasn't sure how to tell you this, but I got an offer to go work in Washington for a few months... I wanted to know if you were okay with me going. It'll offer better pay, so we won't have to worry about rent as much." He explained.

I felt my heart sink as I forced a smile, and even a laugh. "Yeah, sure... More money... Go ahead." I told him. I thought it sounded amazingly fake, but Hotohori bought it. Smiling, he said, "Good, I'm glad you agree. You're okay with taking care of Reishin for that long, then?"

I looked up, then replied, "Of course, don't worry, I'll be fine. Just-uh, leave the car here..." He nodded and resumed his reading.

That night, when Hotohori and Reishin were sleeping. I called Miaka's house.

After a bit of ringing, Taka picked up. "Hello?"

I was bit surprised as I asked, "Taka? Is Miaka sleeping already?" I could almost see Taka nod before replying, "Yeah. Something wrong Nuriko? You sound sad..."

"Listen, can I meet you at the coffee shop downtown? I really someone to talk to..." I told him quickly.

"Yeah sure. But what about your daughter?" I could see another nod come from him again.

"Hotohori's with her-They're both sleeping anyway." I explained to him.

"Alright, just lemme leave Miaka a note." He told me before hanging up.

"Okay." I replied long after the line started telling to hang up.

Narrator's PoV

"Nuriko? What's wrong?" Taka had noticed Nuriko sitting in the corner of the coffee shop at a two person table. Sitting down, he looked worriedly at his seemingly older... sibling. Nuriko explained to Taka that it seemed like he and Hotohori were getting further apart, and that now Hotohori was going to work in Washington for a few months, leaving him and Reishin all alone for a few months. Taka just listened as Nuriko explained how he felt Hotohori was slipping away from him.

Taka listened to everything Nuriko had to say and then ask, "Have you told him all you just told me?"

Nuriko flushed slightly as he shook his head, "Well, no... I don't want to sound selfish though..."

Taka patted the other man's shoulder, smiling. "You can't sound selfish while you're speaking your mind. You worried you two are going to break up, right?" Nuriko nodded.

Taka continued, "Then tell him that! You two had trouble even getting together last time, and you're worried that you're going to end up having to just watch him from afar again."

Nuriko's PoV

"You know...You're right." I said finally, as we were walking through a park to go home. Taka just mumbled an "uh-huh" as we continued walking.

"You're not, cold, are you Taka?" I asked, wrapping his jacket tighter around me. He shook his head, then replied, "I'm fine." I smiled at him.

"I'm so glad I could get to know you." I laughed, then added, "Imagine where'd we be now if my attitude never changed from when we first met?" Taka smiled, then responded, "I'd still be hiding from you..."

"Bondage is always fun." I teased as Taka tensed up and scooted away from me. Waving my wand to show I was only kidding, we walked up to his porch. I hugged him, just a brotherly-friendship kind of hug.

"Thank you Taka. I'm so glad I can always talk to you..." Just as a joke, I gave him a kiss on the cheek, then winked at him as I walked back home. He laughed nervously and waved goodbye.

"Oh wait! Taka!" I called as I put my hands into pockets. He turned around and I added, "I'll give back the jacket later, okay?" He nodded and said goodbye again, then walked into the house.

"So, Hotohori, when are you leaving?" I asked him the next morning. He responded with a simple "tomorrow" then went on making breakfast. Choking back on tears, I suddenly asked him, "Why don't we ever talk anymore?" Hotohori turned around.

"We talk." I shook my head.

"No we don't. We're either arguing or I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall... I thought you said you always wanted to be with me..." I cried, no tears more painful than them falling, my arms around my waist in some sort of self comfort.

"I do. But I'm taking this job for the family. So we can get more money." I went over and embraced him, then said, "But we don't need anymore money..." I didn't want to let go, I didn't want to lose him...