Disclaimer: I'm sick of disclaimers. No more disclaimers on this story. Just know that what I've said in each one to this point still holds true.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this up. sweatdrop I haven't even been horribly busy or anything, just lazy. Sorry. Hope joo like it. And yeah, the title really has nothing to do with the chapter. Oh, and I just recently got my hands on Hana-Kimi volume 17... I LOVED THE ENDING! IT WAS SO CUTE! Of course, I'm an avid SanoxMizuki shipper, but it was still sooooo cute. Sorry this chapter's so short, too... ENJOY!

Chapter Six—California Sun

Mizuki,

COME HOME! It's an emergency! Ticket enclosed.

Love,

Your brother,
Shizuki

"What the hell is this supposed to be, Shizuki?!" Mizuki yelled.

"What's it say?" Sano hadn't been planning to ask, but Mizuki's reaction somehow told him too. Plus he was curious whether he'd been planning to ask or not.

Mizuki reread it, aloud this time, and shuffled the papers in her hand to look at the plane ticket. "And the ticket's for a flight at noon tomorrow!" Then the sentence It's an emergency! and the fact that Shizuki knew full-well that he'd be pulling her out of school registered. "But—Sano, it says it's an emergency..."

"Well," Sano said, calmly logical as usual, "The United States is—California is sixteen hours behind us, so it's... well it's about six here... so in Berkley it's... about... two in the morning. Better not call... I guess you'd better pack, then. I'll—uh, I'll take this to Nanba, if you don't mind, and explain. I'll bring you some food, too, then I'll help you pack."

Sano left, not waiting for Mizuki's answer. Crouching on the floor staring after Sano, Mizuki whispered, "Kami... I hope they're all okay..." Then she hoisted herself up and walked over to the closet to get her suitcase.

oOo

"He didn't say why?" The R.A. of Dorm 2 raked his hand through his hair and furrowed his brow. This was certainly an unusual situation. Most families called in true emergencies, and told the emergency. What's more, most of the students wouldn't be going all the way to America to visit their family for an emergency.

"No—here, I've got the letter here if you want to read it. It doesn't give much away, though." Sano fished the note from his back pocket and handed it to Minami.

After quickly scanning the few sentences, Nanba handed the note back. "Shouldn't we call his family and see what's up?" he proposed. His hair had fallen back in his gorgeous face, and he swiped it away, all business. "I mean, we can't exactly let him fly off to the other side of the world right in the middle of the week, I'm sure you agree... especially when he doesn't know why."

"Ano... it's two A.M. in Berkley—that's where he... his family lives."

"...Oh." Minami seemed slightly dejected. "Well,' he said, getting his groove back, "I'm sure you can call in the morning. If it's about two now... actually, probably closer to 2:30... let's see, that'd make it about 5 P.M. at 9-ish tomorrow morning. And Mizuki's flight leaves...?"

"Noon."

"Hmmm." This really was tricky. The timing was all wrong, damn it! Finally, Minami sighed and said, "I'll get him excused, but if you hear from him while he's gone, make sure you let me know when he'll be back."

"No problem."

"Now go get dinner."

Sano excused himself and walked down to the cafeteria, stuffing the note back in his pocket. A slight panic was rising up in his chest. It seemed that the fact that there was an emergency in Mizuki's family and that she'd be going to America and leaving him alone for God-knows-how-long had just sunk in. "Fuck," he said quietly.

Down in the cafeteria, he picked up a beef bowl for himself and one for Mizuki. She probably wouldn't want an extremely extravegant meal while she was trying to pack.

"SANO! OVER HERE!" Sano instinctively whipped his head around, although he already recognized the loud, brazen voice as Nakatsu's. Sure enough, the aforementioned blonde was waving him over to the table where he and his friends sat. Deciding it would be rude to ignore him, Sano lugged the two beef bowls over to the table.

Nakatsu scooted over and patted the seat next to him. "Have a seat, Sano, where's Mizuki? Why isn't he with you and why d'you have two beef bowls and can I have one?" He said in one breath. Nakatsu was always hyper right after soccer practice.

"Sorry, Nakatsu. Can't. Have to take one of these up to Mizuki and help him pack."

"Pack? Where's he going? Should I help?"

"Yes, pack. He's going to Berkley to visit his family. There's an emergency of some sort, but I don't know what. And you can finish eating down here, then if it's not too ltate, feel free to come help." Sano headed off further questioning by adding a quick, "G'bye" and walking away.

oOo

At the table in the cafeteria, Nakatsu stared after Sano with his mouth hanging wide open, looking incredibly stupid. He had never thought he'd ask Kayashima this, but he was worried about his love Mizuki, so...

"Kayashima... what was Sano's aura like?"

oOo

"Okay... so Nanba's excusing me no matter what? I mean, with the airport security and all, I don't know if I'd have time to call..." Mizuki checked as she shoved some of her textbooks in her suitcase so she could keep up with her studies overseas.

"Yeah. He just said to let him know if I hear when you'll be back."

"Oh... okay, well as soon as I can, I promise I'll call you and let you know what's going down and when I'll be home, right?" Mizuki blushed slightly at her calling the school "home" and continued, "And please keep what I tell you a secret apart from when I'll be back?"

Sano nodded. "Check your suitcase—is that everything?"

Mizuki sifted through the cse, checking for the essentials she'd need in America. It wasn't much, as she had a lot of what she'd need already at home. "I think so," she pronounced after everything was back in place.

There was an awkward silence before Sano abruptly got up and grabbed his jacket. He said, "Well, I'm going to go walk Yujiro. You should go to bed early—you have a long day ahead of you, I'd bet."

As he walked out of the door, Sano glanced back over his shoulder. Mizuki looked so vulnerable kneeling on the floor by her suitcase, staring worriedly into space...

Watching Sano's back as he shut the door, Mizuki had a sudden flashback of the night he came back...

"Daisuki..."

oOo

The next morning, pretty early, Mizuki got up and slid on a pair of jeans and a thin sweater, then joined the boys of 2-C at breakfast.

"Mizuki!" called Noe, "How's your dad? Has he woken up yet?"

"Huh?" Mizuki answered.

"Noe, stupid, her DAD'S fine—her mom's the dying one!"

"WHAT?!" Mizuki shrieked. Mom's dying? How? And how do they know before I do?

Sano shut everybody up and turned to Ashiya. "Don't worry about it, it's just rumors. I told Nakatsu you had to go home for a family emergency and... well, you know... rumor mill. I'm sure if your dad were in a come or your mom was dying, Shizuki would have told you so you didn't find out from someone else. Guys," he added, turning to the rest of the table, "those aren't true. Stop trying to upset Mizuki—all anybody knows is what Shizuki told us, which is that it's an emergency."

After a short, chastised pause, Sekime spoke up. "Say, Mizuki, if it's an emergency, why'd your brother airmail you? Why didn't he call?"

Mizuki replied that she didn't know, but she looked hopeful.

oOo

A few hours later, Mizuki sat in a cramped seat on the small plane taking her home. Her forehead was pressed against the tiny, cold window. What happened? What's the emergency? The same thoughts had been running through her head nonstop for hours.

The seatbelt light went on. Fastening her seatbelt, Mizuki realized that she was landing in California and hadn't even noticed it.

oOo

After grabbing her luggage, Mizuki found her brother, looking weary with bloodshot eyes and messy hair, leaning against a pole.

Running to him, she folded into his arms in a bear hug. Then she pulled back, suddenly remembering the nature of her visit.

"Shizuki, what's the emergency?"

"Mizuki... Mom's dead."