July 26, 2009

Last night I had a strange dream. But I couldn't remember it when I woke up.

"Kuri!" yelled Maia.

"Huh?" I said. I said, suddenly realizing that I was standing in the doorway.

"You were sleep-walking," replied Maia. "I woke up and you were standing in the doorway. Pretty creepy."

I laughed tiredly. "Ugh…I slept all night…and I'm still tired."

I yawned and slipped on a robe sleepily and went out to get the mail…and saw Daisuke across the street.

Daisuke locked eyes with the girl. It was the girl from the store. She was really pretty. If Dark was still inside him, he would've transformed by now.

This is really weird, he thought. I haven't even been able to look at a girl since the Harada twins moved away…

The girl suddenly broke her gaze, as if she had just realized where she was, and she flushed red and ran inside.

Daisuke went inside, and found his mom with tears in her eyes.

"Mom! What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm worried about you!" she exclaimed, hugging him.

"Someone broke into the museum last night," said Daisuke's grandpa. "They were in the same area that the Black Wings is kept in."

"And I've been looking into the disturbance that you told us about yesterday," said his father. "It turns out that there was a massive blackout around the same time you woke up."

The doorbell rang. Daisuke went and got the door. "Hiwatari!"

"You know about it, don't you?" Satoshi replied, stepping inside. "I traced the blackout to the house across the street, which was vacant until two nights ago, precisely the same time as the blackout."

He sat down on the couch.

"It just seems too…coincidental," Satoshi said. "Someone new moves in, and then someone breaks into the museum…it all seems…"

"Hiwatari, I don't think we should blame this on them until we've met them," replied Daisuke suddenly, thinking of the girl.

"All right then, it's settled," Daisuke's mom said. "I'm going over there to invite the new family over for dinner."

"I'm sorry my parents couldn't come, but…they have a class tonight," I smiled. "I'm sure they would've loved to meet you."

"So why did you move in so late?" Daisuke's mom asked. "At night, I mean."

I noticed Daisuke eyeing his mom.

"We…had to rush things a bit," Amber answered for me. "You see, we're getting ready to go to college, and Mom wanted to get out of our old house in a hurry…"

We were pretending to be sisters.

"Um…Daisuke?" I asked across the table.

"Huh?" He had been looking down, but now he looked up and locked eyes with me. "What is it?"

I blushed. "I need to use the bathroom. Can you show me where it is?"

Daisuke immediately got up. "Sure."

I followed him down the hallway. "Um…thanks."

He turned, but I caught his arm. My voice was shaking. "Hey."

He turned around. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I…um…I'm sorry, okay!" I exclaimed. "If…if I did anything…that hurt you…or if I'm going to…it's the last thing I want; if you only knew, you'd—"

I released him, and went in the bathroom, locking the door, breathing hard in the darkness. I had almost confessed my love for him, right then and there.

Daisuke stood at the door, confused for a moment. For a second there, Kuri had reminded him of Satoshi, the way he used to say things like that. Like how Satoshi used to say he was only going to hurt Daisuke, and things like that.

Daisuke turned and went back to the dining room.

"Daisuke, honey, why don't you show our guest your room?" his mom said.

Daisuke sighed. "All right, Mom."

Maia followed Daisuke to his room.

Kuri suddenly came in. "Daisuke?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"Um…we need to get home," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"Miss Vaste, did I…say something wrong?" Daisuke asked.

Kuri flinched. "Call us by our first names, okay? W-We're American. Anyway, it's not you, you just remind me of someone I used to know…can you walk us home?"

"Sure," Daisuke replied.

Maia and Kuri exchanged looks. Maia whispered something to Kuri. Kuri whispered something back.

"Wait a second," Kuri said to him. "Your window is open."

Kuri went to his window.

"No! Don't, Miss Kuri!" Daisuke exclaimed, pulling her away from the window. There was a trap set on the window. He deactivated it.

"Thanks for that," she said softly.

"Well, goodbye then, Daisuke," I said quietly.

"Wrap it up, we have a busy day tomorrow," Maia said to me.

"I'll see you," Daisuke said, and he turned and went back to his house.