Now,I was understandbly a bit uncomfortable with heading out back to my old neighborhood again,and if you don't know why you haven't been paying attention...shame on you. But peaceful familiarty settled my doubts completely,as it would yours if you had any.

It really was a pleasant place. I was surprised by how much had stayed intact: an old sushi shop that had been around as long as I could remember;the old dance hall where that old Summer Festival had taken place;even those little vending carts were as I left them.

But some changes had come,however;for instance,in one of the easternmost corners of the place,there was an old shed where,during a game of Truth or Dare,I had climbed on top of its roof but soon fell and broke my left arm in two places. Now in the shed's place was a Pink Palace...and anyone who knows me well knows I go crazy for their cheeseburgers...just ask Ami and Kaz.

Anyway, as I was standing on the street corner and surveying this out-of-the-way corner of Osaka I once called home,a voice from somewhere behind me called out: ''Little Yoshimura! Is that you?''

I turned around. It was one of the octopus dumpling vendors who always sold his goods near the old shrine. Whenever Mother and I would visit the shrine,this fellow (who I eventually learned,was named Gurepu) would always be heckling someone into buying his stuff. Mother and I bought octopus dumplings from him so often we were almost friends of sorts,and he soon began calling the two of us ''Big Yoshimura'' and ''Little Yoshimura,'' and it's easy to guess who was who. I got so annoyed with him that I hated when anyone called me by my last name,and I still hate it to this day.

''Hmmm you're part of that whole Puffy thing these days aren't you?'' Gurepu said once he finally realized who I was.

''Yes,I am,'' I told him.

He looked me over. ''Not so little now,are you?''

''Obviously!'' I said with a laugh.

''I listen to your music often,'' Gurepu said, ''but until now I didn't know if it was really you or not.''

''Well...heh,you sure as heck know now!'' I said exultingly,nudging him with my elbow.

''Well,then,'' He went on, ''since we've known each other for so long,how's about a free gift?'' He handed me an octopus dumpling. ''Take it,Little...erm...Not-So-Little Yoshimura...it's free!''

''Uhm...arigato,'' I said,taking it from his hand.

''No problem,'' He said with a grin.

''Well,I have to be going now...it was nice to see another familar face around here.'' I said,then walked off.

''Sayonara,Little Yoshimura!''

I stopped dead in my tracks. ''What was that?'' I asked angrily.

''Nothing!''

As I walked on,I stopped in front of one of the old resturants. Its lighted sign above the door was cracked and had a hole or two,and I doubted that it worked at all.

But either way,the octopus dumpling Gurepu had given me wasn't very filling,so I decided I'd give this place a try. Actually,that's not quite the right word: I had been here several times before.

That old place,like all the ones I used to love going to,was warm and quiet and smelled of good things like noodles and green tea and sushi (which I craved),and it was overall quite relaxing. As I sat down,I realized that I wanted this sort of serene feeling more than anything else...except,perhaps,a big plate of sushi and maybe a bit of rice too.

That's what I told the waitress after she gave me a warm towel to wipe my hands with,but before she could do anything else: ''Yumi Yoshimura...?''

''Yes,it's me,'' I explained.

For a moment she seemed rather surprised. ''Well,well,well,you're all grown up...and famous,too!''

Here,it seemed,I was two people: innocent ''Little Yoshimura'' and...well,who I am nowadays. An odd feeling,isn't it?

''I remember when you and your mother used to come here on the weekends,'' She said.

''I remember as well,'' I said with a smile.

''Well...oh,my,I forgot what I wanted to say...oh,well,maybe when I come back I'll remember what it was.'' And with that she left.

She soon returned with my sushi,rice,and green tea,and as she sat those things down at the table I asked, ''Do you remember what you were going to tell me?''

''Oh,yes,what was it...oh! I wanted to say that you are a great singer.''

''You really think so?'' I asked eargerly.

''Yes,I do. And you look wonderful,too...you're as lovely as your mother.''

''Really?''

''Really. It astounds me,really...I remember when you and your mother used to come here when you were in Kindergarten,and...I can hardly beleive you're the same person...you were such a scraggly little thing then.''

I dropped my chopsticks upon hearing her last sentence.

''Well,enjoy!'' She said,then walked off again. Good riddance.

I don't like to be reminded of Kindergarten. I had such a rough time of it then. My first day there I was as nervous as a cat (no offense,Jang Keng) and couldn't focus on anything. But my fright soon passed,and it wasn't long before I was known as the best runner in class. Every race we had at school,I would always finish first place with the best time. Whenever Mr. Takamoto blew his whistle,I was off like a shot almost instinctively. I couldn't help it;I guess I was born that way. Anyway,in spite of my success I was despised a good deal.

Have I mentioned The Demon Boys before? Well,they drove me away whenever they saw me,and usually said something rather rude to me too. Without Seicha I wouldn't have made it through at all,but after I met her she protected me whenever and however she could,and I admired her for her bravery. When she wasn't there I usually just wandered the school alone and in a rather dismal frame of mind.

I think I mentioned Jimu before. If you don't remember,he was a most adorable little boy whom Seicha and I were good friends with. He also had been tormented by The Demon Boys,thus I felt great sympathy for him.

But there was another reason for our friendship. Whenever I saw Jimu,a wave of absolute tingling and longing flowed through me,and if he was near I immediately ran to him as if I were a dog following his master. If you've figured it out already,yes,I had my first crush when I was only four.

But there came many a time when Jimu was out of sight before I could reach him,and often in those situations I'd run into The Demon Boys,who pulled my hair and threw rocks at me and shamefully chased me away.

No,that was not a happy time. And now that imbecile of a waitress blithely mentioned it. In my absolute anger I furiously crammed the sushi and rice into my mouth,and washed it down with a huge gulp of tea. Having decided I simply could not stand this any longer,I left the resturant.

I stood near the now-lighted streetlamp,rather depressed and angry. Being back here didn't help anything. I still burned within the way I had for the past several days in Osaka.

I still had one last option,though: I could talk to Mother about it,as I had been planning to do so.

But before I could go something on the other side of the street caught my eye. A man about my age was wandering about in the same sort of mood as I was.

I stood there as though chained to the spot. It was Jimu.

I was surprised my how different he was nowadays. Gone,presumably forever,was the charming boy I used to know and in his place was someone no different than any of the other men wandering the streets. He looked like his father now.

I wanted to run to him,but something in me made me stay put. As he stood there in such a dreary mood,somehow he noticed me.

For a long while the two of us stood stock-still in anstonishment. I was afraid to even blink,I was so shocked. Then Jimu turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.

I stood there watching him go. Once he was out of sight,I suddenly wanted so badly to run to him and talk about our youth and all the things that had happened to us. But it was too late now.

Rather down in the mouth,I continued my walk home.

A/N: Boy my chappies can be sooo long sometimes...but I like 'em like that.

Well,unless my plans change,the next chapter will be the last. Geez,I've been working on this story since March. I guess stories like this take a long time. Plus,I lost intrest in this one until recently,and stuff like that can really do harm when it comes to progress.

Well,I guess I should stop ranting for now. Until next time,review me;flamers will be shot...twice. (And if anyone has any ideas on what Mama Yumi should say about Yumi's problems,don't hesitate to tell me...I've been getting rather stuck there.)

---Shaddie-chan