Chapter Eight
"Yume…"
The little girl looks up from packing her dance bag and smiles. "Hello Ms. Okumura."
Haru's shoulders relax and she smiles back. "How are you?"
"Good." Yume zips up her bag and shoulders it. She can see the older girl's mirth; the bag looks twice as big as the tiny girl when it's stuffed. "How was it in the larger studio?"
The larger studio is where the older kids are supposed to practice. Haru's group was moved in there for the week while Makoto and Miwa's group came back to help the younger girls with their forms again. It is likely the older and experienced will go back to practicing there until closer to the recital. When the time draws closer, the three groups will rotate turns in the room.
"Lots of fun," Haru whispers, ducking her head to hide the wide smile. "They have us practising promenades for part of the recital dance."
"That sounds like fun," Yume coos. "We're still doing stretches and demi plie positions."
"I remember that," Haru says, eyes trailing over Yume's shoulder. "It's better to get them right now, rather than have bad habits."
"That sounds like something they say," Yume says, subtly pointing to the instructors.
Haru giggles and turns her eyes back to the girl. "We had an instructor last year who used to say that all the time. She teaches the high school girls now, so be thankful you don't have to hear that every minute!"
Yume giggles, pausing when she hears some raise voices behind her. She – and every other girl – turn to see two girls in Haru's group bickering. And instructor eventually goes over and breaks them up, saying something about it being 'a mistake', and 'bound to happen to friends every now and then'. When Yume looks back at Haru, there's an irate look in the older girl's eyes.
"Is that them?" Yume hisses seriously. She takes another, long look at the girls while she pretends to adjust her bag.
"Yes," Haru says sadly. That look is still in her eyes, but shifts towards thoughtful when she looks at Yume. "Would you… would you mind waiting with me outside? Just until I get picked up?"
"I would love too!" Yume chirps, shifting closer to the older girl. Her bag makes a good blockade for Haru and her. "Lead the way!"
Haru smiles and does so. Yume waves at Miwa, who smiles and waves back.
The little girl doesn't comment when Haru tenses at the doorway; eyes of the instructors on the two girls as they leave. The other girl doesn't comment when Yume lifts her bag impossibly higher, shifting just that bit closer, blocking the door for a second so Haru can disappear from view and no one knows which way to follow her.
Haru isn't much taller than Yume, but both can round the corner fast enough to lose whoever wished to trail them.
"…Can I try to spit ball them?" Yume breaks the silence.
Haru turns to her, eyes wide and face worried. But that thoughtful, pleased glint is there. "I don't think that would be a good idea. I don't want anyone to get in trouble with the teachers."
Yume smiles innocently. There's a good pang in her chest, knowing that Haru cares. "Alright."
Haru wraps an arm through the younger girl's free one. She tows Yume to the front of the building, and then down the streets. They stop at a corner, Haru turning her head all around to look for something.
"Do you normally wait here for someone?" Yume asks, looking around the semi-busy intersection.
"Yes," Haru says quietly, frowning. "They are normally late, thought."
"Oh," Yume says, hugging the arm Haru holds to her chest. "Well, can I keep you company until they come all the time?"
Haru goes stiff, turning to look wide eyed at the girl. Yume still hugs the arm to her chest. The older girl leans in and hugs her with her free arm. "I would love that."
"Yay!" Yume cheers against Haru's chest. When the older finally let's go, Yume keeps a grip on her arm. "I'm usually alone to go home too."
"Do you need a ride?" Haru says, apprehension flashing on her face.
Yume quickly shakes her head, and Haru looks relieved. "I live around here, but thank you. It will be nice having someone to talk to after lessons."
No matter that this is two blocks further from the little girl's home. Haru looks happy, and that's all that matters.
Before than can talk further, a horn blares and the girls startle towards it. A black limousine slowly pulls up. Once stopped, someone runs out to open the door, greeting, "Ms. Okumura."
Internally, Yume whistles. Now those girls being forced to be Haru's friends make sense. Her parents must be loaded, and prissy controlling parents do sometimes flock their children together. She makes a note to look up the last name later. Sure, Okumura sounds familiar, but Yume thought it was probably one of those common names. Apparently, she was wrong. Rich person name. Good to know.
Outwardly, Yume asks the very innocent question any four year old who never had any rich expenses should ask. "Is that some kind of car?"
The person at the door chokes while Haru shrugs and answers. "I think so."
"It's a really long car," Yume states the obvious. She bends down, carefully using her bag not to over balance. "Does it have eight wheels like the big cars?"
"No," deadpans the person at the door. Haru tenses and moves quickly towards the door person. "Which family do you hail from?"
Yume has to secretly pinch herself to not laugh. Who even says it like that? "I'm Yume!"
"She's my friend," Haru says, shaking as she meets the door person's eyes.
Yume feels her face split into a wide smile.
The person hums and nods. "Does your father know about Yume?"
"No," Haru says, slowly edging towards the door.
The person hums again. "Does Yume need a ride?"
"Iie!" Yume shakes her head. Then she does a quick bow. "Thank you for the offer! Have a great day, Haru!"
"Bye, Yume," the girl says quietly, her look conveying relief.
The door person with their eyebrows raised looks between the girls, but says nothing else. Once Haru is in, they return to the seat beside the driver. Yume waves at the tinted windows until the limo is out of sight.
"Okumura," Yume mutters, walking towards the dance studio. "O-ku-mur-a." She shakes her head frowning. "Nothing."
It's one of her biggest problems. Yume has never been an auditory learner. Kinesthetic and visual learning, absolutely. She likes to do. She likes to see. It's interesting, since she can hear and differentiate sounds easily in a chaotic room. But hearing sound and processing sound are a lot different. She can hear a word over and over without it sticking unless she's deemed it deathly important. Writing out her words or thoughts leaves an imprint in her mind, so she knows the knowledge is there.
Visual cues are the winner. Yume doesn't forget a face. If she sees a word, she'll recognize it as important, familiar, or can visualize the object. It was something she trained, back in her last life. Key words, distinguishing angles, habits; things that kept her afloat in the world's underlife. Working for the police for a decade only fostered those skills.
The names Okumura and Niijima trigger something in her mind, but she can't remember and hasn't bothered to look up why just yet.
And speaking of Niijima…
"What are you doing here?" Makoto says from her seat on the stairs.
"Walking home," Yume says, head tilting to give the utter look of innocence. "Are you waiting for someone, Ms. Niijima?"
Makoto's shoulders curl a bit and she looks at the busy road. "Yes. My father and sister."
Yume nods, shifting her big bag. "Are they coming sometime soon?"
The older girl's eyes dart to the sidewalk in front of her, fists clenching. "They will be late today."
Yume wants to know why this type of thing happened twice today. Haru said her driver was always late; Ms. Niijima too? "Would you be alright if I sit with you until they come?"
Makoto looks up sharply, eyes filled with surprise. "No. Not at all."
"Thank you," Yume says, letting her bag drop with an over exaggerated 'ooh'. Makoto looks on, worried. Yume sits down beside the girl, giving the –surprisingly – shy girl a smile. "I'm Yume!"
"Niijima Makoto," the older girl introduces, belatedly sticking out a hand. Yume shakes it, slightly surprised. "Ms. Takado helps you, doesn't she?"
"Ee!" Yume nods. "Miwa is really nice and very helpful! She is a good instructor!"
Makoto looks slightly confused when Yume uses 'instructor' instead of 'teacher' or 'mentor'. The older girl looks back at the sidewalk again. "I'm glad to hear that."
"You are a good instructor, too," Yume says earnestly. Even though she hasn't seen Makoto teach, that many tiny ballerinas following her lead mean she can't be bad. "Lots of my group love you."
Makoto gets a small smile on her face, letting her hair drop forward to cover it. "Thank you. You don't have to stay here, Yume. My father and sister won't be here for another hour."
Hold up, what?
"Then let's get ice cream!" Yume cheers, springing to her feet. She pretends she isn't pissed off at the thought of Makoto doing this every day. Does the older girl do this every day? "Or cake! I've got treat money, and sweets are better with others!"
Makoto actually looks pained at the thought. "It's almost dinner…"
"If you don't like sweets, we can get some healthy stuff," Yume offers a little less enthusiastic. "There's a market to blocks away. We can buy some oranges and bring them back here."
The older girl looks so excited, before her gaze nervously turns to the road. "I don't know if I should leave…"
"Then I'll grab some for you," Yume insists. "Aren't you hungry?"
Makoto smiles a little. "You don't have to do that."
"I want to," Yume says quietly, grabbing her large bag. "If you agree, I will buy two oranges. If you aren't here when I come back, I get both. If you are here, we split them."
Makoto looks hesitantly relieved. "I don't have anything to pay you back."
Yume shakes her head. "Iie! They are my treats to buy, so I decide who eats them!" She starts jogging backwards before the older girl can protest. "I'll be back! Ten minutes!"
The vendor she buys from is someone who knows she dances through the week. They make sure she has a good grip on the plastic bag - saying the dance bag would squish them – before sending her off with a few kind words. Makoto almost looks shocked when the younger girl comes; whether from the speedy return or her returning at all, Yume doesn't know.
"These are good," Yume says after her first piece of orange. Makoto, already through half of hers, agrees with a hum. "Do you normally wait out here after lessons, Ms. Niijima?"
"Yes, but it's not usually this long," Makoto admits. "My sister has a kickboxing tournament coming this weekend and my birthday's this week. Father is taking extra shifts to be able to take those days off."
"When's your birthday?" Yume asks around an orange slice.
"April 23," Makoto says proudly. Yume calculates as she swallows. It's this Friday. "I will be six."
"Congratulations," Yume cheers. "Are you excited to start school next year?"
"Yes," Makoto says. "My sister says it is a lot of fun. I am excited to start learning."
"Will you continue dancing?" Yume asks, curious.
Makoto looks at her orange peel, almost embarrassed. "I don't think so. I want to start Aikido this summer. The teacher my dad wants me to have only takes those six or older."
Yume 'ahh's in understanding. "Good luck. That sounds really cool!"
Makoto nods, finishing her orange. Yume places the peels in a pile, assuring the older girl that she can handle throwing them away. They talk more about Makoto's upcoming birthday. The younger girl gets a couple, simple gift ideas to give the older girl. If all else fails, Yume will just get her some healthy snacks.
"When is your birthday?" Makoto asks, chin lightly resting on hand.
Yume's answer is cut off by a horn honking, startling the girls. Makoto quickly leaps to her feet when she recognizes the car. "I'm so sorry, Yume, but I have to go."
"It's alright," Yume waves her off, standing up and helping the older girl when Makoto's bag strap gets tangled and won't slip on. "Have a great day, Ms. Niijima!"
"Bye!" Makoto waves, hurrying to the car. She scrambles in, and the car takes off as soon as her door closes.
"Huh," Yume states, watching the police cruiser go out of sight. "I should really look up her last name."
Because befriending Sojiro was one thing. Befriending a cop's daughter is a whole 'nother story.