I walked back into the bus. I went into the livingroom,thinking Ami was waiting for me there. She wasn't. I looked in her room. She wasn't there either.

But then I went into my room and found her sitting on my bed cuddling my son,Koja,who seemed to be crying. Sakura,Ami's daughter,was sitting on the bed with her.

''Ami,'' I asked, ''what's the matter with Koja?''

Ami looked up at me. ''Huh? Oh,he's just been missing you.''

I had almost forgotten about poor little Koja the whole time I was with Buyo! ''Here,Ami,give him to me.'' She handed Koja to me. Koja smiled and snuggled up against me. ''I'm sorry I was away for so long.'' I told him. Ami picked Sakura up and went into her room. I sat down on the bed and cuddled Koja.

Sure,maybe I had upset Koja by being out with Buyo for such a long time,but I could have done worse...

The sounds of birds woke me up. I yawned and streched and looked around the yard. It was full of weeds. Then I remembered: Father had told me to pull the weeds out,but I fell asleep under the big tree in our yard before I could. If he had nearly broken my ribs for not cleaning my room,there was no telling what he'd do to me now. I started to pull the weeds when all of a sudden...

''YUMI YOSHIMURA!''

I looked behind me.

''Father!'' I didn't even realize that I had shouted. He slapped me. ''I told you to clean up the yard!''

''I know,'' I said tearfully, ''I just---''

''Silence!'' He shouted.

''But I---''

He grabbed me by my shirt collar. '' I said SILENCE!'' He shouted,slamming me up against the tree,then he threw me to the ground. As I got up,he punched me in the stomach. ''Now get to work!''

''Y-y-yes,sir.''

''And Buddah forbid I should come out here and you're not done!'' He slapped me again. ''Understand?''

''Yes,sir.''

He left. I started to pull the weeds.

I was only five;how could he possibly find it in his heart to treat me like this?

About an hour later I pulled out the last weed and sighed in relief. I looked and saw Father coming outside.

''I'm finis--'' I began.

''Hold your tounge!'' He shouted,then looked around the yard and saw that I was telling the truth.

''Well done.'' He said,then went back inside. I followed him. I laid down on the couch and fell asleep. At last I was safe...for now.

''Umm...Yumi?'' I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Ami.

''What is it?'' I asked.

''It's getting pretty late...you ought to put Koja in bed.''

I looked the clock on the wall. ''Oh,yeah,you're right.'' I carried Koja to his room and put him in his bed. I stood and watched him,still stinging from the memory of what Father had done.

I was so glad that Koja didn't have to deal with that sort of thing. Heck,poor Koja doesn't even HAVE a father...my husband,Yukio,divorced me while I was pregnant with Koja. I haven't told Koja about this yet;he's too young to understand. Maybe when he's older,perhaps.

''Yumi?'' Ami asked. ''What's been taking you so long?''

''Hm?'' I said. ''Oh...I was just...thinking.''

''Well,it's 2:00 in the morning...aren't you getting tired?''

As I was thinking this over I yawned. ''Yeah...I guess I am.''

''Me too.''

And with that Ami and I both went to bed.

A/N: Well,what do you think? I know things don't seem very exciting now,but just you wait...anyways,reviews,ideas,and constructive criticism are welcomed;flame me and you're as dead as a doorknob.