Erm, Kuki? I know you… love this guy, but… there's something… you need to know!

Yes, numbuh Four?

I, erm, I-I think… I think- -

"Kuki?" Mushi's sweet, round face comes into view.

"Mhhh…"

It was still dark.

"Kuki!" Kuki opened her eyes again. "It's 4 o'clock…"

Four? …Numbuh Four? Kuki's dream still floated around in her head. She groaned, and pulled the covers over her head.

Waaaiiit a second… Kuki sat up in her bed, conking her head against her sister's. "Owwww… sorry Mushi."

"It's ok!" Mushi giggled, rubbing her forehead. "We're going today, remember?"

"Huh? What? Going where?"

"Toooo… Cleveland!" Mushi twirled in circles until she fell down on Kuki's carpet. Kuki brightened.

"Yess!" She shouted, and quickly pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and her favourite sweater, a purple one with lavender edges and bell sleeves. She threw her long pj's into her suitcase and slammed it shut again.

She and her sister walked down the hall singing a goofy Christmas song. After all, it was already December.

"Mommy and Daddy are waiting in the car, I guess." Mushi said when the two Japanese sisters didn't find their parents in the apartment.

"Yeah." Kuki responded, "It says on this note: Kuki-Chan and Mushi-Chan, we are loading the car. Bring your baggage downstairs and check your rooms for anything you forgot."

"Did you take your orange rainbow monkey, Kuki?"

Kuki covered her mouth. "Ooooh, I think I forgot it! Be right back!" She ran down the hallway and found her rainbow monkey on her bookshelf. "Hmmm…" Kuki hugged it. "Wally, I almost forgot you! I've got to take better care of you. Don't worry, though- -"

"Ku-u-ki!" She heard from the hallway. "Did you find it?"

"Yeah, don't worry!" She cast a quick glance around her room, and finding that there was nothing more she still needed, headed for the door. "Bye, room!" She whispered, and closed the loud door one last time.

"Hey Mushi, coming?" Kuki peeked around the corner into her little sister's room.

"Yeah, I guess. Let's go!" Mushi smiled. They headed out of the door and left the keys in the landlord's mailbox.

"Goodbye, Tokyo apartment! Off to greener pastures!" Both the girls shouted out loud, something they had made up the day they had heard they were moving. They giggled and chatted on the way down the stairs, their voices echoing up and down the entire apartment building.

When they reached the entrance, Kuki felt wonderful. The sky was a velvety dark blue, and the sounds of the city were hushed and sounded tired.

They all got in the car, and drove away, quietly. Kuki sat at the window, streetlights going by, streaking her face with yellow lights. Her body felt tired but warm, as if she was still in bed. She hugged her rainbow monkey tightly, and smelled it. It was old, but it smelled good. Not clean, like laundry detergent. Not anything like laundry detergent. It smelled warm and comfortable. It smelled happy and… far away. It seemed as though there was something in it, something that always helped her remember the best time of her life.

Flashback

"Leave yo' team behind, o' we'll put yo' behind in the school yearbook."

Wh-what does that mean?

I don' kno- - awww… is that…?

What?

Is that Nigel's heinie!

What! Lemme see! … Whoa, that is one big butt!

Oh! Ohohohohohoh! Give it! Whoa! Whoaaaa!

Hehehe… How'd they get a camera big enough to fit that butt!

Aww, c'mon… guys… GUYS, we gotta do somethin'!

You're right, numbuh five… we gotta get to the BOTTOM of this!

Y'know, if I were numbuh one, I'd just turn the other cheek! BWAHAHAHAAA!

That is NOT gonna fit in the yearbook!

… Unless they put a BIG section in the rear!

Kuki smiled. Who was she talking to? Who was making all those jokes? Who was numbuh One? Who was numbuh Five? She hugged her teddy tighter and pushed the questions away from her mind.

She looked over at Mushi. She was asleep. She was leaning against the backpacks, which separated her and her sister, snoring quietly.

Kuki smiled and pushed a strand of hair away from Mushi's face. Her sister was so sweet. Then she snuggled down in her long, black jacket, and let her mind wander.

Flashback

Erm, numbuh Three? I know this moight be the end, so… I wonted to tell you… that…

Oh, it's ok numbuh Four! I always knew you liked rainbow monkeys!

No! No, it-it's not that- -

"Kuki-Chan! Mushi-Chan! We're here!"

"Huh?" Kuki looked around, the cold air blowing in her open car door. Mushi was rubbing her eyes. "Yayy! C'mon, Mushi, we're at the airport!" Kuki slung her bright green backpack over her shoulder, and handed Mushi her yellow one as she got out.

"Thanks!" Mushi said cheerily, as if she wasn't woken from her beauty sleep a moment ago.

The airport was big and crowded. The Japanese family walked through the big glass doors, leaving Japan for a long time.

"We have arrived safely at Cleveland airport, please wait until the aircraft has completely stopped before taking off your seatbelts." The pilot said over the speakers.

Kuki poked her sister awake. "Mushi, we're here!" Kuki and Mushi both squealed with delight, much to the embarrassment of their parents.

They walked out of the big airplane, carrying their backpacks, and made their way to their baggage.

They sang along to the Christmas carols that played on the speakers, and when they got their baggage, piled into their new car.

"So, girls, what do you think?" Their father asked, as he started the engine.

"It's great! I can't believe we're actually here!" Kuki exclaimed.

"And… it's snowing!" Mushi pointed outside, the white snowflakes dancing against the whiter landscape.

"Honey, would you mind stopping at the supermarket? I would like to make…" Genkei leaned in towards her husband and whispered something. "… When we get there."

Immediately her two daughters started nagging her to tell them what she was going to make. They couldn't get a word out of her, though.

"Mom, is the house we're going to live in already furnished?" Kuki asked, after they had gone by the supermarket.

"Well, I think you're about to find out…" Genkei pointed at a big, pretty suburban house, covered in snow.

The two youngest girls of the family started screaming.

They were still shouting as they ran down the walkway, to the porch, dragging their parents to it.

"Open it! Openitopenitopenitopenit! Ooooopen iiiiit!" Mushi screamed, but her parents didn't listen to her pleas immediately.

Sloooowly their father took the keys from his pocket.

Sloooowly he picked the one for the door.

Sloooowly he brought it to the keyhole…

Click.

"Oops, I seem to have chosen the wrong key…" Their father smirked.

Two certain Japanese girls threatened to scream until the neighbours called the police.

It was dark in the house. The shutters were closed, and it was cold.

Mushi opened the shutters.

Kuki turned up the heat.

Genkei escaped to the kitchen to make the Mystery Treat.

Kani called the former owners of the house that they had arrived.

While the house was still warming up downstairs, Mushi and Kuki raced upstairs to claim rooms.

"Ahhh… this room has 'Kuki' written all over it!" Kuki jumped on the springy bed and dumped her backpack on the floor.

"Come and see my room, sissy!" Mushi shouted from across the hall. Kuki poked her head into Mushi's purple and yellow room. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"You know," Kuki said, inviting herself to sit on Mushi's bed, "This is really weird. Both of our rooms look like they were made for us!"

"That's because we've lived here before, silly!"

"Really? Hey, yeah! I kinda remember this place!"

"Kuki-Chan! Mushi-Chan! There's a surprise for you!" Their mother's voice came from downstairs. The two sisters jumped up and shouted that they were coming.

"Yayy! Hot chocolate!" They shouted. Their father shook his head and mumbled something about them shouting too much.

"Well," Kuki stated, burning her tongue on the hot chocolate, "Now that we don't live in an apartment where if we raise our voices just above the tiniest whisper our neighbours would pound on the walls telling us to shut up or they'll call the police, we just want to take advantage of it."

"Yes, well, if you don't stop shouting all the time, I'll call the police!" Kani complained, covering his ears, making the rest of his family laugh.

"It's a pity we can't be with our family through December," Genkei sighed. "Especially for you, Kuki. Yes, Takaya was so fond of you."

Kuki started feeling uncomfortable. Takaya was a friend of theirs, and whenever he saw Kuki, he flirted with her even when she told him to get lost. She had met him on the airport when she arrived in Japan from Cleveland, and the minute she saw him she knew he was no good. For some reason. She shook her head and tried to change the subject.

"I'm excited to be celebrating Christmas here. Can we do it with Christmas trees, presents, and- - oh, can we have a nativity scene? Pleeeeaaaase?"

"Yeah, can we have presents?" Mushi joined in.

"Pleeeaaaaaaaase?" They pleaded together.

"Of course. Now go unpack your bags, you are going to your new school tomorrow." Kani reminded them, and his children ran upstairs.

"Hehe… works every time!" Kuki smiled at her sister, and they parted, each going to their own rooms. It didn't take long for them to unpack their backpacks, but Kuki went on to make her bed with bright green sheets and an old pillowcase with orange flowers on it. It matched her old rainbow monkey perfectly, and she sat it up on her pillow.

"Hey sissy?" Mushi poked her head into Kuki's room. "Daddy says we should- -" Her eyes widened. "Oh sissy, your room looks so pretty!" She squealed and came into Kuki's room. "Can I help?"

"No thanks Mushi. I just need to hang up this skirt and… voila!" Kuki closed her suitcase and slid it under her full-sized bed. "There! Done!" She put her hands on her hips and inspected her room. The carpeting was purple and very soft, and the walls were extremely light pink. Most of her furniture was light honey-coloured wood, and her desk was pushed against the window, having a perfect view of the backyard. Kuki walked towards the window and traced a long-nailed finger along it.

"It's so pretty outside."

"Yeah… oh, Kuki! Daddy said we should go outside and ring doorbells, so that we get to meet some of our old friends!"

"Our friends lived here in the street?" Kuki asked. "Well come on, Mushi! Let's go meet them!" She shouted, and pulled her little sister along after her. They pulled on their coats, Kuki a long black one that reached her mid-calf, and Mushi wearing Kuki's old rainbow monkeys coat, pink with rainbows at the hood and cuffs. As soon as they stepped out, Mushi rushed forward and pelted her sister with snowballs.

"Ahh! Hey!" Kuki exclaimed. She grabbed a handful of snow herself and threw it at her sis, who dodged it. It didn't continue like that, though, and soon both the girls were covered in equally as much snow.

They finally called a truce, and got to ringing doorbells.

First house:

"Well now, isn't that sweet? Carol singers!"

"Uhm, excuse me, we're not carol singers."

"WELL THEN GET LOST!"

Slam!

"… ooookayyy…"

Second house:

"Hi, we're Kuki and Mushi Sanban and we- -"

"Are you gonna take off your coat?" The little girl interrupted.

"What! Of course not!" Mushi cleared her throat and continued from where her sister left off. "We just moved here and- -"

"Gimme your coat!" the girl jumped on Mushi, tried to steal the pretty coat and screamed a huge battle cry.

The girl's mother rushed out and took her child in her arms. "How dare you attack my baby!"

"But, miss, we were just- -"

"Stay away from her, you hear?"

Slam!

"…ooookayyy…"

Third house:

"We're Kuki and Mushi Sanban- -"

"Eh? What? Well get lost, ya see? We don't want any advertisers here, ya got that?" said an old woman with a hunchback and an ugly yellow pair of glasses.

Slam!

From behind the door they heard, "Grandma, what did mom say about shooing visitors away?"

A tall, thin boy not much older than Kuki opened the door. "Sorry about my grandma. She's… she's a pain." The boy smiled apologetically. "Hey… do I know you?"

Flashback

Hey numbuh Two, look what I found!

Not now, numbuh Three, I'm busy.

But I found something! Please? Please please please pleeeaase?"

All right, all right, I'm coming!

Over here!

What is it- - …It's a baby!

"So, do you want to come in? Can I take your coats?" He asked.

"Uhh… sure! Thanks!" Kuki smiled. She had been getting the idea that this neighbourhood was filled with psychologically challenged people, but this boy sure did change her mind.

"I haven't seen you around here- -" The boy started, but Mushi interrupted him.

"We just moved here from Japan!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must miss your home." The boy said sympathetically. "I'm Hoagie, by the way."

Kuki smiled even wider. "I'm Kuki, and this is my little sister, Mushi. I don't miss Japan that much, actually. We bought a house here, and we actually used to live in it, and now we're back."

"Oh, well, welcome back then. You want something to eat?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Kuki replied politely. Mushi scowled up at her sister. She sure wanted something to eat! This house smelled of chocolate chip cookies, and she was hungry for some of that.

"Are you sure? We have cookies."

Kuki hesitated a little too long, and Hoagie left to get some.

"Why do you always have to refuse, Kuki?"

"Well, we get cookies anyway, don't we? Besides, it was polite."

Hoagie came back, his mother and a younger boy following.

"Why, hello there! Isn't it nice of you to stop by?" The mother asked. Kuki instantly liked her. "I'm Hoagie's mom, Mrs. Gilligan. Come in the living room, it's so cold out here!"

So the girls took off their coats and the other boy took them. He looked around 12.

"HI! I'm Mushi. Who are you?" Mushi asked the boy.

"I'm Tommy. Come on, let's go to the living room!" He said, and they followed him.

"Wow…" Mushi whispered in Japanese. "Their living room is like a museum." Kuki giggled.

Mushi was right. The room was covered in pictures; all of the walls had at least fifteen photos of people, in all shapes and sizes. There were even some in black and white.

Mrs. Gilligan invited them to sit down on the soft couches. They got cold milk and chocolate chip cookies. It was delicious.

"Hey Mushi, wanna come upstairs?" Tommy asked.

"Sure!"

"Come on then."

"So, were are you going to school?" Hoagie asked.

"Ah, it's… Cleveland high?" Kuki said sheepishly. She wasn't quite sure.

"Yeah, I go there too." Hoagie replied.

Mrs. Gilligan got up. "I'm sorry um, Kuki? I've got to check how my pot roast is doing. I'll be right back!" Kuki smiled and nodded.

"I like your mom." Kuki started.

"Thanks."

Kuki got up and studied one picture. It was a pilot, she could tell. "Who's this?"

"It… was… my dad…"

It was? "Ohhh… I'm sorry Hoagie."

"No… it's…"

"I'm sure you miss him."

"Yeah. Well, he died when I was very little. I never knew him."

"Oh… "

"I was named after him."

"Oh…"

… silence…

Kuki looked on. She came to an archway and looked in.

It was a big dining room. There was a long table, and a lot of chairs. There was something weird about the table. Kuki's eyes widened when suddenly she saw that the dining room was filled with people. She recognized all of them. Her whole family was there, at least three or four years younger. Hoagie's whole family was there, too.

Would you two stop bickering! She recognized her father's voice. It sounded different, though. Not only younger, but also far away. It felt as though mist had come in the house, all the things she saw were unclear and looked fogged over.

I hear voices… as if someone's putting a hundred tapes on rewind… I can't understand any of them… The world felt like it was spinning. Kuki wanted to throw up.

I never had any dolls… "Mom?" Kuki asked. Hadn't her mom just said that? She heard someone calling her. It grabbed onto her shoulders tightly, shaking her.

I can give it to you after dinner… Kuki heard a cheerful, high-pitched voice say. Wait… is that me? She saw a happy girl in a green sweater, hugging a rainbow monkey in a suit.

What's happening to me? Where am I? What's wrong with me?

Then… darkness.