salut et quoi de neuf (hi and what's new)! here's ch. 6, and i feel bad that i didn't write much about Meroko in this chapter...oh well. hmm, i like this chapter, but i think ch. 4 and 5 are tied for my favorite. anyways, i'll be working back and forth between this story and All The Wrong Notes, so i'll try to finish this one first (désolé, it's somewhat close to the end). merci beaucoup to everyone who favorited/alerted this story. read, review, and enjoy Like Snow ch. 6, s'il vous plait.
disclaimer: i do not own full moon wo sagashite, but all new songs mitsuki writes are mine
I dream about your long hand
The small hand overlaps to deepen the love
Wow, I can't believe that this is Eichi's school! Mitsuki gazed in excitement up at the large building, amazed at how wonderful it appeared.
"It's impressive, isn't it?" Meroko asked as they waited by the school gates. After the rehearsal, they had tracked down where they believed Eichi attended school. Takuto wasn't with them - he said that he had something important to do - so it was just Mitsuki, Meroko, and Ooshige-san. "I like America - there are so many unique things here!" She pulled out a digital camera and began photographing just about anything in front of the lens.
"Yes," Mitsuki agreed with a hopeful sparkle in her eyes. The bell rang to dismiss the students, and she eagerly scanned through the students, trying as hard as she could to locate him. "Meroko, could you fly over there and look for him?"
"Uh, of course…but I don't know what he looks like," Meroko said, about to take off.
"Wait! Here's a picture of him; it's a bit old, but it will still work." Mitsuki cautiously gave Meroko one of her very few pictures of Eichi. At first, she was afraid that she was about to lose a piece of him, but then she realized that if Meroko found him, she would have many new photos with him after they were together again.
"Mitsuki," Ooshige-san started, somewhat nervous about the large number of students. "Are you sure we'll be able to find him here?"
"He has to be here…" she replied, watching the endless sea of people pass by her in a blur. They were all different, and it seemed like it would be difficult to find him. Once all of the kids had left, she peeked back inside the gates, praying that he would be coming. Meroko came back to tell her that her search was unsuccessful, and the look on Mitsuki's face almost made Meroko burst into tears.
"I'm…sorry, Mitsuki. I tried…" Meroko's voice was shaking, and she felt like she had failed Mitsuki.
"No, it's okay. We'll just have to look for him again tomorrow," Mitsuki wiped her watering eyes with a tissue, and followed Ooshige-san to the car. But will I find him tomorrow either? She added in her head, the doubtful thoughts beginning to settle in.
"Wait! Mitsuki-chan? Are you Mitsuki-chan?"
Mitsuki spun around, finding a girl with honey-blonde hair calling to her in what little Japanese she knew. "Who…are…you?" she asked carefully in English, not entirely sure that she was pronouncing the words correctly.
"Mitsuki, I know Eichi," she told her kindly. Mitsuki immediately felt her mood lift once Eichi's name was mentioned. "I'm Amy, Eichi's friend. He's told me about you."
"Where…is he?" Mitsuki continued to struggle with the English, but Amy nodded, signaling that she understood the question.
"He's at ski club."
"Ski club?" Mitsuki had heard of skiing before and thought that it was something related to astronomy.
"Mitsuki, are we going somewhere else to look for him?" Ooshige-san asked, walking around to the other side of the car.
"Can you take me there?"
"Sure, Mitsuki-chan. I can give you directions!" Amy cheerfully smiled at Mitsuki and they climbed into the car.
"Thank you very much!" Mitsuki was relieved. Finally, meeting Eichi was a reality - only a little while away. She gazed out the window and found that it wasn't snowing. I hope Takuto was right, she thought as Ooshige-san began drive to the ski slopes.
Smile smile
Watch me always, watch me forever whenever
Smile smile
Want to believe, want to feel it forever
Smile smile
Being able to understand happy mornings and sad nights
I won't forget to smile
I cannot live without you forever
"Why aren't things making any damn sense?" Takuto questioned the sky as he stood on top of a ski lift pole. The air was fresh and clear, and a few skiers had been zooming down the runs with the bright sun gradually melting the snow. It's strange - I don't even know how to ski, and yet I'm here. A snowboarder right below him hit a jump with the wrong timing and landed with a face full of snow. Oh well, at least it's funny, he thought as he laughed at the snowboarder's surprised expression.
"Boo…" Izumi said behind Takuto, making him jump even higher into the air. "Hmm, so he is a fraidy-cat…interesting." Izumi took the post that Takuto was on, gracefully landing on one foot.
"What the hell are you here for?" Takuto interrogated him, still floating by the ski lift. "If you want Mitsuki's life, forget it-"
"Nope, I'm not here for that," Izumi interrupted simply, and observed the skiers and the slick snow, which was proving to be a larger problem as the sun became hotter.
"Then, what are you doing bothering me?" Takuto asked, distracted by a flash of sunlight reflecting off of a gold chain bracelet on Izumi's left arm. "Where'd you get that?" he added suspiciously.
"This," Izumi lifted his arm up and pointed to the bracelet, "is none of your business. As for why I'm bothering you, I need to pass the time." He smirked as he watched Takuto's attitude growing annoyed. He'll never know…it'll be our little secret.
"Until when?"
"Exactly 9:00, and then you will be left alone until the next time we meet."
"Fine," Takuto gave up talking to Izumi - some days it was just too exhausting. Unfortunately, Izumi wasn't done with him yet.
"Hey, why aren't you with them?" He watched Takuto's reaction out of the corner of his eye.
"That's for me to know and for you go away and come back a thousand years later when you find out," Takuto answered, hoping that his long answer would shut Izumi up. Once again, it did not work.
"I bet you came here to work on a way to confess your love to Miki," he teased in a singsong voice that made Takuto shudder.
"No, I'm not." Takuto's voice was calm and distant, thinking about what he had read in Mitsuki's notebook last night. I can't see her today…she wanted to see him so much, and I would be a horrible person if I ruined their reunion…
"You want to know who I'm going to retrieve?" Izumi's question was suddenly random.
"I don't care," Takuto replied, ready to fly off to a new peaceful place.
"Oh, I think you should," Izumi implied in a smooth voice. "Miki would most likely want you to find out."
Takuto tightened his fists, absolutely loathing Izumi's tricky attitude. "Don't follow me!" he ordered as he heatedly took-off from the pole.
"I won't," Izumi said to himself, plainly amused. "But you'll be in for a very pleasant surprise tonight."
Smile smile
Watch me always, watch me forever whenever
Smile smile
Want to believe, want to feel it forever
Smile smile
Being able to understand happy mornings and sad nights
I won't forget to smile
I cannot live without you forever
"You seem awfully quiet - but I bet that you're a sweet person, just like Eichi has told me." Amy smiled warmly, making Mitsuki feel a little jealous.
What if he loves her? Can I really destroy that? The questions began to pile up in Mitsuki's brain as she studied Amy. Her bright blue eyes twinkled from the sun's light, and she seemed like an angel - graceful and delicate. Mitsuki examined her own appearance in the driver's mirror. Her hair was the typical brown and her eyes were a dim gray - the light only making them seem dull silver. She guessed that they were dating after comparing how they looked one more time. Once again, she could feel the tears longing to trickle down her cheeks - but as long as Amy was in the car, Mitsuki tried her hardest to hold them back. Meroko, who was napping as a bunny in her arms, helped her control her emotions.
"Ah, Mitsuki," Amy said after pointing out a turn to Ooshige-san. "Have you heard of an artist named Full Moon?"
"Yes!" Excitement of her stage name being mentioned, Mitsuki's attitude brightened, almost forgetting all of the depressing thoughts she had before. "She's extremely popular in Japan!"
"Eichi and I have been listening to her and are going to the concert tomorrow." She watched Mitsuki's rapture from the information rising. "I'm sorry, I wish I knew you were coming so I could order an extra ticket-"
"No, it's fine," Ooshige-san interrupted, winking in the mirror. "Mitsuki is Full Moon's biggest fan, so we thought a trip to America for her concert was something she couldn't miss!"
"Oh." Amy's voice hinted disappointment.
"I'm sorry, did we say something wrong?" Mitsuki was worried that maybe Amy didn't want her at the concert at all. Technically, she wouldn't be attending the concert, but performing the concert. Still, she wondered why Amy's attitude had changed so suddenly.
"No, it was a theory I had - guess it was incorrect." Amy attempted to give a grin, but Mitsuki knew that she was covering up the truth. "Hmm, maybe it won't snow today after all." She gazed up at the clouds as she changed the topic.
Their discussion about the weather was fairly short. Tired of a silent car ride, Ooshige-san popped in one of Full Moon's CDs.
"I feel you in me. I don't know where, but I feel you. The cold comes over me, but you are warming my heart. Why do you have such a strong effect on me? How do you do it so easily?" Mitsuki sang along softly with the CD, working hard not to strain her voice.
"You're a talented singer, Mitsuki," Amy complemented. "Eichi was right - you should be a superstar by now."
Hehe…I already am. Mitsuki was proud of her accomplishments in the past few months.
"We're almost there," Amy added, and the sky was darker now. "Eichi loves to ski at night. He says that he feels closer to the moon and the stars at that time."
"Sounds exactly like the Eichi I know," Mitsuki said faintly, her heart beating faster, and the butterflies tumbling around inside of her.
When they arrived, Ooshige-san dropped them off at the main lodge and went to park the car.
"Okay…it's 8:55," Amy announced after checking her watch. "Eichi should be down in a few minutes, so why don't we greet him at the bottom of the run?"
Mitsuki agreed and they made their way outside by the entrance to the sky lift, the sky a mystical dark gray. As she admired the stars and waited for the snow, someone caught her eye. It was Takuto, floating around above her.
"Takuto!" she hissed in a loud whisper, waving to the sky. He caught her signal and came down to her as Amy had a confused look on her face. "I'm calling…to my favorite star!" she lied, and moved a few inches away from Amy to talk to Takuto.
"Mitsuki, have you…met Eichi yet?" he said, struggling to keep the pain out of his voice.
"No, he's coming down to meet us. It's almost nine, right?"
"Yes, and it's not snowing, huh?"
"No…" Mitsuki's eyes glimmered with possible tears.
"No problem," Takuto completed her sentence and snapped his fingers. The snow drifted down gracefully, and his heart warmed up when he saw her joyful expression. "You look better smiling, than in tears," he commented, giving her a quick hug, hoping it wouldn't feel strange to her.
"Thank you…Takuto," she said with deep gratitude, and he felt her pulse calming down. He pulled away and looked at the main clock displayed on the outside of the lodge. It was almost 9:00 - with only thirty more seconds.
"Look!" Amy pointed out a figure skiing incredibly but skillfully quick down the mountain. "It's Eichi!"
Takuto couldn't watch Eichi - his eyes were focused on Mitsuki and all of the emotions showing plainly on her face. He was ready to brace for the impact of them reuniting and the thoughts of losing her to Eichi were flowing through his mind. But he was surprised, when he saw Mitsuki's eyes wide in horror and mouth open in shock.
"EICHI?!" she cried out in shock, her heart shattering.
random babble...ooh, what's gonna happen next? anyways, i was confused by what color Mitsuki's eyes should be - in the anime, they look brown or gray and on the manga cover, they're golden or blue. what's up with that? well, i hope improvising and picking a color didn't make anyone mad. i just make things up as i go along. a bientôt et au revoir (see you soon and good-bye)!