I slowly woke up from my slumber. I looked at the clock and got out of bed. Lifting myself up, I peeked at the top bunk. Tai was still sleeping. Slowly, I shook him. He flinched and rolled over to look at me. Opening his eyes, he smiled.
"Hey…How did you sleep?" Tai questioned.
I looked away. "Better than I thought I would."
Tai jumped out of bed and down the ladder to the floor. He turned to me. "I heard you crying last night…It kind of made me scared. Kari…I was wondering…Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Uh, Tai, we better get ready for school," I grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt. I walked to the bathroom to change.
I quickly changed. I walked out of the bathroom and put on my shoes. Without going back into my bedroom and without seeing Tai, I grabbed my backpack that was by the couch and left the house. I walked to school from there.
Most of the day was normal. I planned on telling Davis what happened after school. After lunch, we had to read our poems.
"Ok, Davis, you have the honor of going first," Mrs. Shing smiled.
Davis slowly walked up to the front of the class room. I softly smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled back and showed me a peace sign.
"Go ahead Davis," Mrs. Shing told him.
"My Love," Davis began. "You're my shining star at night. The thing that makes me who I am. My saviour. My light. The hope I hold inside. Without you I'd die. To see you hurt makes me cry. I'm here for you, just like you are the same. I'm your healer. I'm your pain. But you said you wouldn't want it any other way. My love. My life. Without you there isn't a me. I'll be your knight in shining armor. I'll be what ever you wish. As long as I get to taste your sweet kiss. I wouldn't want my life to change. I'd want it to be forever the same. You see, I love you. I never want to hurt you. I'll never keep secrets from you. Please don't ever leave me. I would never be the same. You're my princess. My greatest wish. A glowing smile. Wonderous eyes. Full of light, right inside. Never change my love. I only want the person I met. Kiss me softly. Lets never let this night come to an end. Forever and always, we'll forever be true. It will always be just me and you."
"Very nice Davis. Please take a seat, Kari…It's your turn," Mrs. Shing said.
"Moved Away," I started. "You moved away. Left me in misery. Lost all my hope. I wanted you to come home. You were the only person that could understand the things I said; the things I did. I never got my way. I was lost in a darkness so great. I felt alone. I would cry myself to sleep. If only I got one wish, one thing to come true. I wanted you back; I needed you. A friendship could last. Even with this great distance. I wouldn't let it pass. I would never let myself lose such a person with greatness that you have. I wouldn't do any such thing. I would never forget the things we did; the friendship we had. One day we'll be brought together. Once again, we'll have the things we used to have. The friendship that was lasting so long. Good things happen. I would never let myself lose you. Not now, not my best friend."
"Wonderful!"
Student after student read there poem. Soon, the bell rang and school was over. I met up with Yolei and Davis afterwards.
"Ok, I know this is short notice, but we have to leave tonight. The only tickets I could get were for tonight at 4PM…We'd arrive in America around 8PM," Yolei explained.
"That's fine. The sooner the better," Davis smiled.
"Right. I just have to tell my mom that I'm spending a few night at the flower shop for a project. I'll have to stop at my house to get the bag I already packed," I agreed.
"Yeah, I'll do the same," Yolei nodded.
"I better get home myself. I'll see you girls at the airport," Davis left us.
I quickly ran home and met up with Tai.
"Where's Mom?" I asked him.
"Kitchen," Tai pointed.
"Mom!" I walked in.
"Yeah?" my mom wondered.
"I have this school project. I was wondering if I could spend a few days at Sora's flower shop. I know it's during the school week, but it's for school," I explained.
"That's fine…Is it ok with Sora's mom?"
"Yes."
"When are you leaving?"
"I just have to grab my bag and I'll be leaving after that," I said as I walked into my bedroom.
Tai was in there.
"Kari, I want you to be very careful. Don't talk to anyone you don't know. Get T.K. and get back as fast as you can," Tai told me.
"I know Tai, I'm not stupid," I smiled.
"Come here," he motioned me to move towards him.
"Yeah?" I slowly walked over to him.
Tai rapped his arms around me. "Just because you're not stupid doesn't mean you won't do something stupid."
"Right, I know. Don't worry," I hugged him back.
"I just care about you, but I'm guessing your flight will be here soon. I can't come, but you call Davis right when you get to America and right when you get back. He'll tell me everything."
"Ok Tai, but I do have to go," I said as I left the room.
I ran all the way to the airport.
"Davis, we're going to call you when we land. You have to call Tai and tell him that we've landed. Once we get back, I'll call you again. You must call Tai and tell him that too," I explained to Davis.
"Don't worry! We'll talk right when you get back," Davis kissed me on the cheek.
"Ok, come on Kari, we have to go get T.K. back!" Yolei smiled as she pulled me to the airplane.
Davis waved to us as the plane left.
"This is so scary," I told Yolei.
"The plane? Come on, you were fine when we went on one to see Willis," Yolei smirked.
"Not that! The thought of just going to T.K.'s house without anyone knowing."
"Oh, duh! I'm stupid. It will be fine."
Yolei and I talked for hours.
"Please buckle up, we're going to land," the announcer said.
"Landing?" I questioned.
"We're in America…Oklahoma, America," Yolei smiled.
As we landed, our excitement grew. Finally, we were let out and we grabbed our stuff. We ran to the bus station. After placing in our money, we went as far as we could go. After getting off the bus, we still had a couple of blocks to go. Our luck was pretty good up until that point. It started to pour rain. Yolei and I didn't think about packing umbrellas, so we ran as fast as we could. Finally, we were soaked, but we made it to T.K.'s house.
Yolei shivered as I rang the doorbell. A tall man answered the door. I guessed that it was T.K.'s pretend dad.
"Hello girls, what are you doing out in the rain?" the man wondered.
"Um…By any chance, does Takeru Takaishi live here?" I asked.
"T.K.? Yeah, he's in his room. It the only closed door upstairs. You girls just go right up there," he let us in the house.
Yolei and I hurried up the stairs. We looked down the hall and found the only closed door. Yolei knocked on it.
"C-come it!" a voice said.
I opened the door.
"T.K.? We came for you," I softly said.
T.K. was laying on his bed looking at a photo book. He slowly put the book down to look at us. A shocked look formed on his face.
"I know we should have told you that we were coming, but you would have said it was pointless because of our reason," I frowned.
He got off the bed and walked up to Yolei. He quickly kissed her nearly making her fall backwards. T.K. pulled away. "I missed the sweetness of your lips."
Yolei began to blush. I could tell that she was speechless.
"T.K., here, this will explain why we're here," I handed him a video tape.
"Ok," T.K. walked over to his TV and put it in. The tape began to play.
"T.K., we need you back in Japan. I know you didn't believe when I told you the truth, but you must. The man you're living with isn't your father," I was saying on the screen.
"She's telling the truth. You're not a half brother, you're a full brother," Matt joined in.
"I know it hurts to know that your mom lied to you, but wouldn't you rather be here with your friends?" Yolei wondered.
"T.K., I thought you already knew this. I'm your father. Your mother has been lying to you. She told me she told you, but she was lying then too," Mr. Ishida explained.
Tears were falling from my eyes in the video. "You have to believe us. We need you here…I need you here. We miss you T.K."
The video shut off.
T.K. hugged us. "I didn't want to believe you because Mom was so happy here. I could tell that Shawn, that's the man downstairs, wasn't my real father. We look nothing alike. I'm sorry that I yelled at you Kari…I've been under a lot of stress."
"Where's your mom? Kari and I are going to have a little talk with her," Yolei said.
"Come with me," T.K. smiled as he brought us downstairs.
"Kari, Yolei!" Mrs. Takaishi gasped.
"Oh, you already know T.K.'s friends?" Shawn wondered.
"How? Why? What are you girls doing here?"
"Came to get T.K. back. Sorry, he was in better hands in Japan," Yolei said.
"No he isn't. He's better here with his mother and father."
"Liar! His father is in Japan. T.K.'s father is Mr. Ishida. You both know it…We all know it! No more holding your secrets Mrs. Takaishi. Like it or not, T.K.'s coming back with us…We already got his ticket," I yelled.
"Wait, he thought I was his father?" Shawn questioned.
"You didn't even tell this guy about your lying plan?" Yolei demanded.
"Uh, uh…No…" she looked away.
"Mom, I'm going back to Japan with Kari. You have the choice of coming back with me…We still have the apartment," T.K. frowned.
"If you don't, Mr. Ishida is more than happy to have you stay with him," I looked at T.K.
"Fine, I'll come back to Japan. We'll go back to the way things were like before," Mrs. Takaishi decided as she stood up. "Now, we'll get me a plane ticket in the morning. All three of you can sleep down here in the living room. Did you girls bring clothes to where to bed?"
"Yep, we came ready!" Yolei laughed.
T.K. smiled at Yolei then looked at his mom. "Thanks for finally understanding Mom."
"Get them some towels to dry off with. Then, set up down here," his mom smiled.
We quickly dried off and got ready for bed. T.K. set up blankets downstairs for everyone.
"It feels weird sleeping over at your house," Yolei smiled.
"I think Yolei should be put in a different room…Does your mom even know you two are going out?" I wondered.
"Of course she does…I think?" T.K. laughed.
"T.K.! Does she?"
"I've told her…I'm not that sure if she heard me, but I did tell her."
Yolei began to giggle. "She knows…I've talk to her about it."
"You talked to my mom?" he demanded.
"Yeah! And there were baby pictures and the funniest stories I've ever heard!"
"Did she tell you about the one when he was five?" I jumped in.
"What? You're joking…Right?" T.K. asked.
"Of course, can't we joke around once in a while?"
"T.K.! Time to get to bed, I don't want to hear anymore talking!" T.K.'s mom told us.
"Ok!" we yelled back.
"Good night Kari, good night T.K.," Yolei whispered.
"Night Yolei, night Kari," T.K. softly said.
"Night T.K., good night Yolei," I giggled as we fell asleep.
After hours of sleep, I woke up from remembering something. Sweat was dripping down my face and tears flowed from my eyes. My weeping was loud; Yolei and T.K. woke up.
"Kari, what's wrong?" they asked.
Without saying a word, I got up and walked to the nearest door. I was lucky that it was the bathroom. I sat myself on the floor and let more tears come.
