Author thingy : uhhhhh, another chapter i guess... =D still trying to figure out things...
Chapter 2
Amagi Inn | Morning | Year 2012
"Welcome!"greet a few lobby attendants wearing the same kimono to the group who just came inside. The group bow their head to greet back. Nanako still doesn't let go of Yu's hand while bowing. "Yuki-chan's expected group, am I correct?"says one of the attendants.
"Yup."Chie answers.
"Then this way, please."the attendant goes inside to lead the group wherever the reservated room for them is while they walk following her from behind. The other attendants stand there and bowing their head as the group one by one goes inside. Yosuke walks forward to Yu's side, leaving Chie and Rise at the back.
"Yu,". Yu tilts his head to face Yosuke who's now beside him. "As fellow guy, I want to tell you something to be considered as...a pre-caution."Yosuke says near whispering.
"Hm?"
"It DID happen to me, so I figured it'll have more effect on YOU."
"What about?"Yu asks, getting a bit more serious.
"Actually, I-"Yosuke glances behind him, tilting his head carefully. In an instant his eyes met two pair of eyes glaring at him, two pair of piercing stare from the two female. "They heard!"he thought shivering. He swallows his throat and decided to end the conversation he was hanging. It seems Yu is still waiting for the continuation.
"Actually what?"Yu asks, noticing Yosuke seems to have closed his mouth.
"N-never mind."Yosuke puts his hands on his pant's pockets. "But you might want to brace yourself, just in case.". Yu sighs. Behind the two boys, two girls are sighing in relief.
"And here I thought he can keep quiet about it."Chie says.
"Yeah, that was close. Good thing he looked at us before he says it."Rise adds with a slight grin. Chie too grins, celebrating their proud 'accomplishment' in preventing something to be revealed. Well, it is to be revealed, soon. The group turns left to a wide corridor. There are about two to three wood Japanes style sliding doors on the left wall and one larger door on the right. They can hear groups of people talking, laughing from beyond either of the doors on the left. The group stops walking as the attendant opens the largest door on the right wall.
"Here is your room."the attendant smiles while sliding the door partway. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
"Thank y-"Yu's gratitude then interrupted by another voice coming from inside.
"Senpai!"a bold and rough voice.
"Senseeeeeei!"a strange crispy voice.
"Hello, Senpai."a low masculine-ish feminime-ish voice. Yu is a bit surprised. He sees three teenager inside greeting him with such enthusiasm. Two male teen, and one female small teen. He can't help but smile.
"Hey Kanji, Teddie, Naoto."Yu answers them one by one. Nanako lets go of her hand and runs toward the blonde-haired teen boy whose voice is strange crispy.
"Teddie!"Nanako says happily. "Did you finish your work?"
"I will inform Yuki-chan of your arrival. Please excuse me."the attendant bows and closes the door from outside.
"Well, I've been thinking bear-y hard in choosing what to do best. So, I decided to leave it bear-hind for a while."the blonde-haired teen named Teddie answers with a smile.
"You what!? What did you say?"Yosuke shouts suddenly.
"Uh, uh..."Teddie stutters.
"Actually, Yosuke-senpai-"the small blue-haired female teen named Naoto tries to say.
"D-don't worry, I already 'set' it up!"
"What do you mean?"Yosuke asks getting upset.
"We already tried scolding him, Yosuke-senpai, trust me."the tall male teen named Kanji says.
"Don't tell me you just...LEAVE them! Dad will be furious!"
"Ugh, let's just sit down."Chie says looking for a nice spot to sit on. There are a few sofas in the room, two coffee tables, and a carpet under those furnitures. The others follow by scanning throughout the room. It is quiet spacious, decorated with all-Japanese original ornaments. On the other side of the wall, it is all glass window, providing a good outdoor view, with small plants and bushes, small fountain, and a Koi fish pool. In short, if this room is to be reservated, it will cost a bit much. When Yu finds a spot he fancies, he puts his bag on the table and bring himself to the comfy for-one-person sofa. He exhales enjoying the view outside the window. They all converse over random things, joke about Yu, teasing whatever there is to tease. Suddenly the door slides, everyone in the room looks at whoever opens the door.
"May I interrupt?"a black-haired female teen appear. She is wearing a soft red dress, and a silver cardigan. Yu stands without himself noticing. Admiring her appearance. Not exactly what he has expected for her to wear, the usual pink kimono. She looks different, at least to him. Everyone in the room don't say anything in purpose. Their attention to Yu. Yosuke is grinning, expecting his partner to act somewhat...strange upon seeing the female teen. It is happening to Yu. He can't move, he can't even say a word. Just looking at her head to toe, astounded.
"Y-Yu-kun?"the black-haired teen says nervously.
"It's working."Chie whispers to Rise who is beside her.
"It's definitely working."Rise adds. They both chuckle. Only when the black-haired teen closes the door Yu is back to his senses.
"Welcome back."the black-haired teen pushes her nervousness and puts a smile.
"Y-yeah..."it takes a few seconds for Yu to put a smile on his face.
"What's wrong, partner?"Yosuke asks teasingly. Yu only glances at Yosuke with a bit of pink shade on his cheeks and then back to the female in front of him. "Told ya."
"It seems even Senpai is an ordinary guy."Naoto says with a smirk.
"Of course. Aside from 'one hell of a guy'."Kanji adds.
"Mission success, right Yukiko?"Chie says to the female teen.
"Chie..."the teen named Yukiko says embarassed.
"Yukiko-nee chan, you're very pretty!"Nanako says cheerfully. Yukiko smiles.
"Well,"she walks closer to Yu. "Long time no see."
Narukami Residence | Evening | Year 2024
Yu is sitting reading a newspaper in the living room. He doesn't have enough time to do it in the morning as he must go to work very early that day. He just got home an hour ago and took a shower. His grey hair is still wet. Yukiko walks in to the living room carrying a tray with a small white cup on it. She stops just beside where Yu is sitting and puts the cup on the glass table.
"Here."Yukiko says softly. Yu lifts his head up to look at Yukiko's face and then down at the cup. He smiles and takes the cup to his lips.
"Thank you."
"Be caref-". Yu's tongue is being burnt by the warm, hot liquid of the tea. He almost throw the cup away when he felt it. Opening his mouth, he huffs his tongue. "...It's still hot."Yukiko completes her sentence.
"...Hoof hoof. I know."he puts back the cup to where it is supposed to be, and makes a mental note not to touch it, yet, and gets back to reading an article he left on.
"Nothing interesting, huh?"Yukiko puts down the tray and sits beside Yu.
"...So far.". Yukiko wanders her eyes to the photos hanging on the wall in front of them. Some frames are showing many people, and some show a child. The frames are lined up in a pattern that looks like an irregular rectangle. Below those is a table about a meter high, made of glass and aluminium. Overall the interior of the house is mostly white and wood brown. She athen averts her ayes down, and stops straing at the cup, which seems to intact a particular idea to her.
"...Snrk."Yukiko suddenly chuckles. Yu looks to her. Curious of what makes her chuckle seems to be getting louder.
"What is it?"Yu asks confused.
"Heheh, no, just, hahah!"
"Is something funny?"
"Y-yeah, you let your guard down, pfffft, hahah!"
"...Huh?"
"Y-you let your guard down, pffffttt, and the tea initiates an all-out, snrk, attack! Ahahahahahah!"her laugh is now uncontrollable. Yu swetadrops.
"What kind of humour taste do you have, Yukiko?"Yu thought silently. Known each other for about 13 years, married for 5 years, yet he still can't figure out how she sees things as 'funny' when the other normal people doesn't see that way, and at the time she claims a certain thing to be funny, we think it is too weird and awkward to be a laughing matter. A vibration suddenly heard coming from the glass table. A black touchscreen phone belongs to Yu lets out a casual ringtone. He flips the newspaper, adn reaches for his phone.
"It's from Yosuke."he says reading the caller name.
"Snrk, oh...? Is he here yet?"Yukiko manages to slowly breathe. Yu slides the green button on the screen.
"Hello."
"{Hey, partner,}"a man's voice is heard.
"Where are you?"
"{Uhhhh, well, that's the problem, heheheh,}"the man named Yosuke answers with a shaky voice.
"..."Yu exhales knowing what Yosuke actually means. "How far are you from the station?"
"{About...10 minutes?}"
"Did you find the bus sign?"
"{...Nope.}". Yu exhales once again. "{Dude, it's been years since I've been here!}"Yosuke heard Yu's sigh. "{Can't you show some hospitality to a guest who's willing to visit your house in a busy moment like this?}"
"What? But you were the one who insists on staying at my place during your hunting."
"{Okay, fine, gimme a break. Now, to the essential matter please.}"
"So, where are you?"
"{I told you I don't know.}"
"No, I mean like, what building can you see from your position, or a monument,"
"{Oh, uhhh...}"a few seconds pause. "{Well, no monument-like in sight, but right beside me looks like an electronic store...named Yruyatronic, or something.}"
"Yrutron..."Yu mumbles.
"Yrutron? How did he get there? ...Snrk."another funny thing to Yukiko.
"Yosuke,"
"{What?}"
"You are going to the exact opposite way where the bus sign is."
"{Huh? Really? Oh man, I really am hopeless!}"
"Alright, just stay there, I'll pick you up."
"{Ok, thanks, partner.}"and the conversation ends. Yu puts his phone to his pocket.
"If he were going to keep walking, he'll end up somewhere even we don't know, ahahahah!". Smiling is the only thing Yu can do seeing Yukiko's 'laughing fit' going a bit haywire. Yu leans closer to her and holds her head. Yukiko a bit surprised at the sudden contact looks directly at Yu's grey eyes which is a few centimeters distance. Yu brings Yukiko close to him and takes her lips on his. Yukiko puts her eyelids to a close, and enjoy the soft and warm lips of her husband. Both tilting heads to the other side, tasting each's bottom and upper lip.
City Street
A brown-haired man has just finished talking on the phone. He flips close it and puts it back in his shirt pocket. A yellowish white bag is resting at his feet. It looks like a traveler kind of bag. He looks at his right, where there is a very large glass window showing a store selling various type of electronic gadgets. Right behind the window stand three wide flatscreen TVs. It is being turned off at the moment, while it is usually turned on to show the 'plus' on its appearance, a clear and sharp color and reception.
"Guess I'll have to stay put for a few minutes."the man thought rubbing neck. He picks his travelling bag and walks toward the glass window. The glass is practically thick to holdstand some pressure. He decided to rest his back on it. After putting back his bag down to rest at his feet again, he clunches both his hands in his pants' pockets. His eyes wanders taking the neght view of the street in front of him. It is a quiet crowd street, many street lamps are on, vehicles running left and right, and some people walking on the pedestrian. The other people walking pass the brown-haired man may think that he is a currently-dumped from his job or a lonely-man staring at the sky. Though the man is not botherd by it, their staring eyes. He knows what might be on their mind looking at him right now, but he doesn't give any thought to it. He sets his mind on one thing only, a pick up by his best friend, his partner, whom he has come to know years ago.
"No wonder I'm lost,"he chuckles to himself. "It's so different from what I remember."
"Is it so?". The man's suddenly startles.
"Huh...?"he thought. He looks left and right. No one is there. "...I must be tired."
"It will do you no good.". Then it does him. He can't keep his back resting on the glass anymore. He stands in alert letting out his hands from the pocket.
"What was...wait, that doesn't sound like a person's voice..."he thought cautiously. "Maybe it comes out from a speaker...?"he looks around left, right and above to locate a certain shape that looks like a speaker. None found. "Is it only in my head?". Getting more anxious he waits for another 'voice' to better understand what it is. A few seconds passes, the voice seems to fade. "...Weird."
"Excuse me,". A clear voice comes from his left side. He practically throws his head surprised in the direction, also surprising a male teenager.
"Uhh, did I bother you?"the teen asks, a bit frightened. The man sighs a relief, and gets back his normal composure.
"Oh, n-no, sorry about that."
"Um, can I ask you something?"the teen shows a paper to the man. A paper of a map. "Do you know how to get here?"he points at a small picture of the map.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, I just got in the city, so I don't know much."the man says laughing a bit. "...Lame."he thought silently upon his embarrassment.
"I see, I'm sorry."the teen bows his head. "Please excuse me."the teen starts walking away.
"Nah, me too."he says. When the teen is about 5 metres from him, he can see him approaches few people walking. While talking to them he raises the same paper he showed the man. "Wow, I guess he's lost too."he mumbles feeling bad. "Good luck to you, young man."he silently prays for him from his head. He takes a few breaths and closes his eyes. The strange event earlier sritkes itself in his mind. Opening his eyes, he gives it some thought. "...What the hell was that? It could be just my imagination, but, what's this uneasy feeling...?"he rubs his forehead lightly. "Should I tell him...?".
Author thingy : do~ne... My Mind Is (still) On Fi~re!