Hmmm... TT Here's chapter 16. I enjoyed writing this one, and i hope you would review it. There's not much for me to say except my updates will be slower now with exams coming up. So here's the 1st of maybe 2 more updates coming and maybe a new story too. So, enjoy and again, please review.

" "- Dialouge

' '- Thoughts

Flashback

OoOoO- Scene Change

Chapter 16

"Ehh That was a long exam time," whined Luffy as he stretched his body out after the long testing period. Terin sat where she was as Luffy got up to join her. "What'd you think of it?" he asked, sitting on one of the desks beside her.

"There's not much to say about it. I'm just glad that after the bell rings, we don't come back for a while," she sighed. Luffy couldn't agree more. Golden Week was upon them and they all waited for the cursed bell to ring, releasing them from their confinded prison.

"Hey!" greeted Nami, Sanji and Usopp. They had finished their testing from another room and returned for their things. They all took a seat while Sanji stood. Robin later joined them after turning in her test to the front desk.

"So, what do we have planned for this summer?" asked Terin, who received a begging glance from Luffy.

"You said we could go to that festival, remember?" he asked, prodding his face near hers. She playfully pushed it away, sending him falling over the desk, right at the feet of Zoro.

"Hey, Zoro!" he cried. "What do you think of the exams?" Zoro grunted and leaned against a nearby wall. He muttered, "It was ok." Sanji sauntered over and glared at him with a smirk.

"You know it was hard for you, and I bet you failed miserbly," he said. Zoro gritted his teeth and glared back with menacing eyes. Terin stood up and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Now, now. No need to fight since this was a test of wits, which I do believe you both failed," she commented. They glared at her, but the rest were laughing. She did have a point. Sanji had been sitting next to Nami, so how could he have possibly concentrated? Zoro hadn't studied a day in his life… until that night where he tried to cram everything before the next day. "How about we all go to the festival then?" she proposed. Everyone made a sound of agreement just as the bell rang.

"Ya-hoo! School's over!" he yelled while jumping into the air. Terin made her way towards Robin and asked, "When was the festival?"

"Tonight, actually," she answered. Terin hadn't realized it was that soon, and quickly made an announcement.

"Does everyone have a yukata for the festival, which is tonight I might add?" she asked. Everyone nodded except for Luffy. They looked at him and Nami proposed that they all go out and find one for him. Luffy was quite pleasured by the idea, but glanced at Terin first.

"If Nami pays for it with her own money," she answered. Nami nearly blew her stack and stomped over to Terin. But she waved it away, saying she was only kidding. They all stopped at Terin's house first to drop off all their backpacks before heading out to the department store.

OoOoOoOoOoO

They all entered the store with all the traditional japanese clothing. Terin wanted to stay outside for reasons unknown to them, and even Luffy couldn't budge her. So, they all left her outside as they went around looking.

'What is this feeling? It's like something tearing a hole into me…' she thought to herself as she watched the passing groups.

"It's called anxiety, my dear sister," said a voice from behind her. She turned around slightly to see Seirou. He was in human clothes to fit with his surroundings. He walked up to her and smiled, but got a surprised look in return.

"How'd you know what I was thinking? Who are you?" she asked , finally turning around. He just continued smiling and sat down on a bench nearby. Her brother sat back, relaxed, and heaved a sigh.

"It's much better in this world than the one we're from. It's hectic whenever I'm near our eldest brother," he commented. Terin glared at him and demanded, "Answer my questions and one more: Who is this eldest brother?" Seirou looked at her now, and shruged his shoulders.

"It won't do any harm, I guess, if I tell you since you don't remember a thing from that day. I'm Seirou, your older brother. Our eldest is Arui. How I knew what you were thinking? It's our natural born mental linking. We can hear what others think. But you were never taught that," he explained. Terin stood, perplexed for she knew the names he just mentioned, but she didn't know how. To her memory, she was an only child.

"All you remember is that you were one child with two parents," he said. Terin looked up as he continued, "You also had a traumatic past, one that kept you distant from other people. You did remember for a while, but lately, you've been more open to others. You-"

"Be quiet," she interrupted. "You've no idea how that went. Don't bother explaining what you don't understand." Seirou watched her with painful eyes, different from what his expression was before. He stood up and whispered in her ear, "I'll let you have this night, then I apologize for what comes afterwards." With that he disappeared before Terin could say a word.

'Damn it. How does he know all this?' she thought just as her name was called. She turned to the store all her friends were in and reluctently went inside. She was dragged in by Sanji, which made her a little nervous since he's always been messing with her and Luffy. When he finally stopped, she saw Luffy standing in his yukata.

"Isn't it great?" he asked, holding up his hands to show her. Terin narrowed her eyes in a content manner and nodded. But her thoughts were still on what had happened before. They paid for the yukata and began to leave the store. Luffy stuck close to Terin because she began to worry him.

'He's so worried. I can see it in his eyes. I should just… calm down and enjoy tonight… for his sake,' she thought as she lightly smiled at him.

OoOAt the FestivalOoO

The night air was full of noise and music as they entered the festival grounds. Some ground fireworks were set off by kids, crakling and popping loudly. The group split up; Nami with Usopp and Sanji, Robin with Zoro, and Terin with Luffy.

"Come on, come on Terin!" yelled Luffy exitedly as he dragged her along by the arm. Her short hair brushed along her face as she went along with him. He dragged her to every food stand he could find, and he ate a lot of anything and everything. Eventually, he was holding so much stuff, they begged him to stop. They sat down on the grass outside the festival grounds so Luffy could finish eating. Terin say quietly as he ate.

"Would you like some?" he offered, his mouth full of whatever they bought. She took one dango, looked at it, and took a bite. She found it rather delicious and finished it quickly. Luffy gave her the rest as he continued eating what he had.

Luffy laid down as Terin continued to eat her dango, which she was enjoying as well. He thought a while, and felt bad for being so selfish and dragging her everywhere. Even though she had a smile on her face, he knew she just wanted to make him happy.

"I'll be right back," he noted and ran back into the festival. She looked back for a while, and stared forward again. She thought, 'He's probably just getting more food. He can eat to much yet stay so small…' She finished her dango and crushed up the small foldable plate that held it.

'He… he's been quite selfish of himself today. After all I've done for him. I can't believe I thought what I did,' she said to herself angrily. She noticed him sit right back next to her without any food and a big smile on his face. She laughed at his ridiculous face and asked him where he went.

"I got this for you," he said smiling as he pulled out a stuffed reindeer. It had a little pink hat and it's horns came out from the sides of it. Her eyes widened in surprised as she took it from him.

'Oh who am I kidding? He… is what I thought… and wished.'

Weird ending to those who haven't read my story and to those who've forgotten what happened a little earlier in the story pertaining to this ending, and the stuffed animal reindeer was because i felt bad for leaving out chopper. So there he is!

Review please or i'll die a bad writer... XX