Hiya, i'm back with another chapter today!
DO NOT worry, i'm not going to repeat the events of the blood drive chapter since it's really sad so yeah. Plus i feel like i've grown attached to Hinoe since she's a character in this story and i don't want to kill her. Or Ayumi. And i really don't want to kill Yoshiki...
Anyway enjoy this new chapter! See ya tomorrow!
Chapter 18: Breaks
It was bright Saturday morning, a couple of weeks after the problem had been resolved, and everyone was generally on good terms with eachother. The four friends were planning a day out, a pinic in the park just down the road from their school. Ayumi would of liked to of gone to her special park, but it was in school and obviously it was shut for the weekend so she couldn't go. This park was bigger though, so it was a better place for them all to gather. There was a large childrens playground in the right hand corner, as well as a vast garden with colourful blooms and a large green maze. Satoshi had been there many times with Yuka and his family, so he knew what things to pack and had taken the responsability to choose what things to take for lunch for the other things. He hoped that the day wouldn't end as drastically as the last time they had spent a whole day together, when Ayumi had passed out and Yoshiki had rushed home with the girl slung on his shoulder. Satoshi sometimes found himself wishing he could do all that heroic stuff for Naomi, instead of being the whimpy one all the time. He hoped that factor of him wouldn't put her off.
"Onii-chan!" cried Yuka, leaping into the room with a large smile. Satoshi admired his sister for being such an optimist especially after what happend, nothing like that should over ever happened to the small and innocent girl. In her hands was a large woven picnic basket, with a soft checkered, cotton blanket hanging out from the corner of it.
"Hiya Yuka, your awake finally!" laughed Satoshi, taking the basket gratefully out of his sisters hands. He quickly picked up the tin foil wrapped sandwiches his kind mother had prepared for him earlier and stashed them away for later. Other things he packed were: crisps, nuts, fizzy drinks and a few other assorted snacks.
"Will that be enough for you, Naomi and the others?" asked his mother considerably from the kitchen.
"Yup, that'll be fine. I'll bring money in case theres an ice cream van in the park!"
Satoshi headed for the door, not aware that Yuka was trailing beind him with a rather pained look on her face. In fact, Yuka had been feeling quite lonely recently, what with Satoshi going to hospital; Satoshi spending so much time with that pretty girl, and Satsuki watching that non-stop TV series, Yuka didn't really have anyone to spend time with. She had overhead her brother with Naomi again the night before, and she had heard her giggling, and Satoshi seemed to be extra nice to her for somereason. Yuka had been even more shocked when she had peeped through the crack in the door to see them both blushing, their faces close together. Satoshi couldn't possibly have a girlfriend, could he? It made her angry just thinking that someone else was stealing her beloved onii-chan's affections away from her direction! Yuka was desperate to find out. Silently she followed Satoshi outside the house, alerting him by pulling on his left leg tightly, forcing him to stop moving.
"Yuka?! Eh, get off my leg!" he yelled, springing away from her.
"Sorry, but Yuka needs to ask a really, really important question to her Onii-chan!" lisped Yuka, her eyes shining with tears.
"Uh, go ahead...?!"
"Yuka wants you to stop playing with Naomi-chan so much pweeease!"
"That wasn't a question Yuka, you should know that by now, your almost 15!"
His statement was very true. Although Yuka may of looked extremely young, her birthday was coming around the corner and she would be 15 years old. It was great that it was her birthday of course, she got showered in gifts and attention from Satoshi and her parents, however it also meant she got a year older; a year further away from being the little child she loved to be. It was her biggest fear that her parents would stop favouring her, or Satoshi would no longer look out for her and no longer spend so much with her. She was dreading it...
"Oh. Is Naomi-chan your girlfriend?"
"Uh...Maybe!" came Satoshi's embaressed reply, making Yuka frown with jelousy. "What about that boy you said you liked?"
"I can't...he's got a girlfriend already!"
"Oh, thats just too bad Yuka!"
Satoshi turned the corner, waving dismissively as he left. Yuka fled back into the house, her face now streaming with silent tears.
The night before the friends went out, it had been one of the rare occasions that Ayumi had had a sleepover at Naomi's house. They didn't do this often, since Ayumi spent so much time at Yoshiki's these day's, and Naomi avoided it because it reminded her of the many times she had had slumper parties with Seiko. Her mother often asked her why she never did this with her friends, and it pained Naomi greatly when she talked to her about that. It was so sad that her mother couldn't remember how many times Seiko slept over; it had been an awful lot. But now Seiko was gone and she didn't need a thousand threapy sessions to tell her that. Even though Ayumi could never replace Naomi's best friend, she was still a good friend and comfort.
"I'm so excited for today," giggled Ayumi, sitting infront of Naomi's make up mirror, perched on the chair. "This will be the first day we can actually, officially have a double date!"
Naomi nodded, pulling a brush through Ayumi's shiny blue-black hair. Naomi had a secret knack for style an fashion, although she didn't show it in person. Her hair was short, mousey brown and coarse, and she wasn't the type to wear make-up, but she liked to do it on other people. Ayumi liked to be fussed over, so they worked in sync perfectly. Naomi's nimble hands brushed through her hair, quickly braiding it to the side, picking up strands of hair with every section. In the end, it turned out to be a pretty french plait to the side, with a stylish ribbion weaved in at the end. It suited Ayumi's small heart shaped face perfectly, and her make-up went with the pretty autumnal dress she had paired with beige leggins.
"You look gorgous!" smiled Naomi, holding a mirror up so Ayumi could see the back "Yoshiki will practically faint when he sees you later!"
Ayumi blushed pink, giggling as she got up. She took pride in her appearence, and often wondered why Naomi didn't bother with hers. But they didn't have much longer to talk as Satoshi and Yoshiki were already waiting at the door.
"Giiiiirls!" called Naomi's mother from downstairs. The two girls rushed downstairs, Ayumi running foward, and Naomi staying behind for a few seconds to bid goodbye to her mother. Her mothers concern for her had grown greatly since the therapist incident, so she didn't let Naomi out very often.
"Bye.." Naomi said as she closed the door.
"Bye sweetheart. Call me if anything happens!"
Naomi ran outside to greet her friends, who were alreday chatting rapidally to Ayumi. They all looked so happy and casual, as if nothing had had happened over the last couple of months. It finally felt normal.
Yoshiki's eyes latched onto Ayumi, taking in her beautiful appearence. He was love struck by her bright face and lushious hair, and couldn't help it but walking over to her and stroking her delicate cheek. She blushed as he traced her made up face, savouring the moment as it came like it would never happen again. Satoshi stared at them, wondering how they could be so public with their relationship. As the other two kissed, Naomi drew closer to Satoshi, wondering whether she should do the same. Satoshi was thinking the same thing, but the tension was broken when Yoshiki broke away and called the others. Joining hands, Satoshi and Naomi followed the other couple, both satisfied with the small act of romance. They walked down the winding pavements, past their to school and into the park gates. Satoshi spread out the picnic blanket quickly, laying out the various food items he had packed for lunch. Sure enough it time for lunch, and everyones stomach was rumbling considerably loudy, especially Naomi's, since she didn't generally eat breakfast. Satoshi's mother knew his friends well and had packed sandwiches with fillings that everyone liked.
"Peanut butter and Jam?" commented Ayumi, glancing at Yoshiki's sandwich, "That's so unhealthy you know!"
"Tsk," came his reply "At least i'm not a health freak like you, there are like, 5 vegatables in yours!"
Satoshi and Naomi laughed, enjoying their particular sandwiches. The three began to chat with each other, but Ayumi's line of vision was elsewhere, She had spotted a little blonde girl by the large playground, seemingly lost in the crowd with a worried look on her face. People just walked by, ignoring her pleas for help, and that made Ayumi angry. Eventually the girl walked over and sat on a bench by their picnic spot, hugging her knees.
"Yosh..." Ayumi said, tugging on his collar "Look at that girl, I think she's been seperated from her family!"
"Uh...I can't see how I can help." he replied, biting into another piece of his sandwich. Ayumi rolled her eyes; sometimes her boyfriend could be so insensitive.
"Well, I think we should help her!"
"Ayuuuuumi! You know i'm not good with kids!"
But Ayumi had already gotten up, and was in the process of pulling Yoshiki up. Yoshiki tutted, putting his hands carelessly in his pockets, but not resisting to Ayumi's demand. She approched the child, bending down so she wouldn't scare it.
"Hello, are you lost?" Ayumi asked, with a smlie. The blonde girl nodded, letting a small tear fall from her glassy blue eyes. "What's your name? My name's Ayumi Shinozaki, and this is my boyfriend, Yoshiki Kishinuma!"
Yoshiki grinned at the girl, thinking that she oddly resembled Ayumi due to their similar sapphire eyes. The little girl smiled back, though still biting her lip nervously.
"My name is Ume Mikuni..." she replied getting up from the bench. "I was here with my mother and baby sister, and I was playing in the playground,. Mummy said she'd wait for me, but when I went back to the bench she was sitting on before, she was gone!"
"Its okay, don't cry, we'll find your family!" assured Ayumi, taking the little girls hand. She glanced at Yoshiki, who was looking slightly bored.
"Are we?" questioned Yoshiki, following Ayumi. Ayumi galred at him, still holding the girls hand. "Fine."
Satoshi looked on, noting how the three looked like a young family. The little girl had cute blonde bunches and bright blue eyes, resembling the couple quite a lot. Naomi didn't see this, but she did see how Ayumi looked so motherlike, like herself really. Naomi loved children, however, decided not to help, since she was now alone with Satoshi and was secretly quite pleased.
"I wonder if that's what Yoshiki and Ayumi's kids will look liked..." mused Satoshi, squinting at the little girl.
"God Satoshi, what makes you think that they will ever have kids?"
"Its entirely possible though. I mean they have slept together..."
"Eh! What..How would you know?"
"He boasted about it all the way to your house! Don't think i'm a freak, Naomi."
"I'd never think that..." she whispered with a slight smile.
Meanwhile, Ayumi was having no luck finding the girls family, and Yoshiki was getting impatient. She left the group to talk to a few people, glancing at Ume and pointing at her, asking if they had seen a tall blonde woman pushing a sunny yellow pram with a baby girl inside. Ume, now a bit more comfortable with Yoshiki's presence, looked up to him with a smile.
"Miss Shinozaki is very pretty isn't she, Mr..."
"Yoshiki. Just Yoshiki."
"Sorry..."
"Ayumi is the prettiest girl i've ever seen. But's that not why I love her though."
"Huh? But i though the prince always falls in love with the princess for her beauty!"
"Life isn't a fairytale," he replied bluntly "Things don't work out. Looks aren't everything. It's what's inside that counts."
"But Mr...Yoshiki, that doesn't make sense!"
"Ayumi!" he called, not wanting to speak to the girl anymore. "Let's get moving."
Satoshi lay on the picnic blanket beside Naomi, soaking up the sun whilst it lasted. They chatted sweetly together, like the good old times with a little bit of romance thrown in. Naomi was glad she was achiving her goal of distracting Satoshi from his worries. Satoshi on the other hand, was just glad that he had her undivided company. He felt himself drifting off when a familiar voice awoke him.
"Arghh!" Tsukasa yelled "Where have they gone?
A/N: That cliffhanger though
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