''Yumi?'' Ami asked as she walked into my room. ''You've been in here for a while...is everything okay?''

''Hm? Oh,yeah,sure. '' I told her. ''I was just...hanging out.''

''Kaz said that we could go out shopping or something around here if we wanted to.''

I thought about it. I needed something to take my mind off of my troubles.

''Yeah,we might as well.'' I got up off of the bed and we left.

''So...are you glad to be back?'' Ami asked me at the resturaunt.

I told you all before I wasn't happy about being back at all. But I didn't want Ami to know that so I said ''Yes.'' But I guess she didn't believe me. ''You sure don't look happy.''

''What difference does that make?'' I said angrily. Ami hunched up her shoulders slightly.

''Geez,you haven't changed a bit.'' Someone said. I turned around. A boy with blue hair,a red shirt,an orange jacket,blue jeans,and band-aids on his cheeks was standing next to me.

''What,you don't recognize me?'' He said.

I looked at him closely. ''Buyo?'' I asked.

''Yep!''

''BUYO!'' I shouted happily,hugging him.

''You two know each other?'' Ami asked.

''Buyo is my little brother.'' I told her.

''Oh,well...nice to meet you.'' She shook Buyo's hand.

''You must be Ami.'' Buyo said.

''Uh-huh.''

Buyo looked over at me. ''Uh,sis?''

''What?''

''Do you have any free time?''

''I sure do. We're on vacation here. Why do you ask?''

''I just thought maybe after you and Ami were done in here,you might want to hang out with me. I haven't seen you in like,forever,you know.''

''Hmm...what do you think,Ami?''

''Uhh...sure.'' Ami said. ''Buyo's probably missed you a lot.''

''Okay then.'' I told Buyo. ''I'll see you after we're done.''

About an hour later,Ami and I left the resturaunt. I thought Buyo was outside waiting for me but I didn't see him.

''Ami,'' I said. ''You go back to the bus. I need to go find Buyo.'' Ami nodded and left.

I walked down the streets looking for him. All the streetlamps and windows were lit,adding a kind of glow to the otherwise unintresting street. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going because the next thing I knew I was in a deserted alleyway.

''Buyo?'' I called out. ''Are you anywhere around here? Buyo? B-u-u-u-u-y-o-o-o-o!''

I held Mother's hand nervously as we walked down the streets of Tokyo. I had been playing with a peppy little pink-haired girl about an hour eairler.

A butterfly flew past me. Something in me made me let go of Mother's hand and chase after it. My mind was so fixed on running after the little bug I didn't notice where I was going.

I finally grabbed the butterfly in my hands but then it flew out. I looked behind me,thinking Mother was still with me. She wasn't there.

''Mother?'' I called out. ''Mother?'' I listened for her voice calling me,but all I could hear were cars going and people talking.

''Mother!'' I listened for her once again. ''Mother!'' I started to cry.

''Little girl...'' Someone said. I looked and saw a man with greyish-white hair that was so long it covered up half of his face. He was wearing all grey and seemed a bit creepy. ''Are you lost?'' He asked me.

''Y-y-yes.'' I said.

He grinned slyly. ''Well then,would you like for me to help you?''

''I guess so...''

''Well,then,come with me.''

All of a sudden I remembered Mother's warning about going places with strangers. ''No.'' I told him.

''Listen,do you want to go home or not?'' He shouted angrily. That made me forget all about the warning.

''Okay...I'll g-go with you.''

''Very well,then. What is your name?''

''Y-Yumi,sir.''

''Well then,Yumi,let's go.''

He led me down the alleyway. We soon reached a dead end.

''L-L-Let's turn around.'' I started to leave.

''No.'' He said,grabbing me by my shirt collar. ''We're not going anywhere.'' He pulled a knife out of his pocket. I gasped.

''Oh,this?'' He said. ''Oh,this won't hurt...much!'' He raised the knife and just as he was about to stab me,I ran.

I looked behind me and saw that he was running after me. I spotted a trash can and hid behind it. He stopped and looked around for me. He knocked over the trash can. I ran as fast as I could,but I tripped over something and fell down. As I tried to get up,he grabbed me.

This is it,I thought,I'm going to die. But before he could stab me,a shot rang out and he fell over and let go of me. I looked around and saw a group of policemen shooting him. Terrified,I ran away.

I bumped into Mother. She turned and looked at me. She apparently hadn't noticed that I was gone. I got up and hugged her as hard as I could.

''What happened,Yumi-chan?''

''I... I...was...lost and...'' I was so terrified I could barely speak. Mother took me by the hand and we left.

''Yumi?'' I looked and saw Buyo standing behind me. ''Where have you been?'' He asked.

''I've been looking for you.'' I said.

''Well,I got tried of standing in front of the resturaunt and left. I came back but you weren't there anymore. Then I was walking down this way trying to find your bus and then I found you here.''

''Oh. I'll show you where the bus is.'' It wasn't very far from the alleyway.

''So,Buyo,where do you want to go hang out?'' I asked.

He shrugged. ''Nothing really,we've just got a lot of catching up to do.''

''Okay then. Oh,here's the bus.''

Buyo looked at it. ''Nice. I'll remember where this is.'' He started to walk away.

''Hey! Where are you going?''

He turned and looked at me. ''You coming?''

''So...that's how you and Ami met,huh?'' Buyo asked as we sat at the table of a run-down cafe. ''You,know,sis,sometimes I wish I could come on tour with you two.''

''Well,that's something to consider. I wouldn't mind;I'd just have to ask Ami and Kaz.''

Buyo took a sip of his soda,then laid back in his chair glancing around the cafe. ''Sis?'' He asked.

''Yeah?''

''Have you been getting homesick the whole time you've been out with Ami?''

I sighed. ''Sometimes,but that doesn't neccesairly mean I'm glad to be here.''

Buyo arched an eybrow. ''What do you mean?''

''Well...I...umm...''

''What?''

''You...you wouldn't understand.'' I looked at my watch. ''It's getting late. I need to get back to the bus.'' I got up from the table. ''It was nice to see you again,Buyo.''

''Same here.'' Buyo said.

I left.