Was three a cliffhanger? I hope so!

Credit goes to Natsumi Matsumoto!

I don't know what to do, should I slowly back away or move on ahead and pretend I didn't see anything? Kami-chan, she said she was adopted but did she really feel something more for her brother? On the other hand, they're not related so it's not technically wrong, but seeing them as a family legally is just...

I decided to just slowly back away quietly but of course, something had to go wrong. After taking a few steps back, I guess I stepped on someone's foot because they cried out when I bumped into them from behind.

"Easy now," the masculine sounding voice said. "Watch where you're going."

His voice sounded a bit arrogant but concerned. The boy I ran into was only a few inches taller than me. His skin was a little bit darker and his dark scraggy hair matched well with his olive colored eyes. My hand immediately went inside my bag for my sketchbook but I pulled it out seconds later.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I tried not to be so loud but there was no point in trying.

The boy held up his hand. "It's fine, no worries. But are you okay? You're face is red."

"N-no! I mean, yes I'm fine but, my face is always red. My cheeks have always been a rosy color since I was born." Gosh this was so embarrassing. First I witness Kami-chan and her brother, I bump into a stranger, and now I was stuttering and my cheeks were beet red once again. Can I go crawl in a hole now?

When I looked at him again, I could faintly see the tips of his cheekbones turning red. He coughed out a laugh. "I see."

"Oi!"

I turned around and saw Tachibana and Kami-chan standing apart form each other. Tachibana's face went from expressionless to irritation and Kami-chan had a normal look on her face, bright smile and gleaming eyes. As if nothing happened just now between them.

"You," Tachibana said bitterly towards me. "What are you doing here?"

I was too shocked to say anything. Apparently this guy was nothing like his name at all. Kami-chan stepped in front of her brother, trying to block him from me and the boy next to me. "Kn-" she hesitated. "Mamoru, it's fine! She's my roommate! She's probably heading to the dining hall right now like we were, right Najika-san?"

"I, uh- yeah. I guess."

"Oh the dining hall," the boy next to me said. "Is just to the right at the end of the hall. Najika is it? I'm Yoshirou Daichi." He turned his attention to the two siblings in front of us. "Since we're all headed to the same place, why don't we go together?"

Tachibana fixed his hair so that a chunk of it fell over his right eye, gold blending into gold. "Thanks but no thanks."

As he walked away, Kami-chan went back from looking at us to her brother. "Wait, big brother- ah!" She came towards us, violet eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry. My brother is not really friendly towards strangers."

"Clearly," Yoshirou-kun mumbled. "So you're his sister?"

Kami-chan smiled. "Sort of. I'm his adopted sister. I'm Tachibana Kami. That was my brother Tachibana Mamoru. It's nice to meet you Yoshirou-san!"

The boy grinned in response. "So why don't we head over to the dining hall? I'm starving!

~xXx~

It was more packed than I expected. There were students on their way to get food and there were students coming from the kitchen with their food. Tachibana was already halfway through the line of the students getting their food. I held my bag tighter as I looked around. Where's Yume when you need her? Apparently, I didn't occur to me to look near the corner of the hall for my sister and her friends. It took me a few minutes until I finally found them. The three of us went in line to get our food. When we did, Kami-chan went off the other direction. I noticed that her tray wasn't that full, just few apple slices and a bottle of water. "I'm going to go eat with my brother. I'm sorry. I'll see you in our room Najika-san!"

I sighed and I turned to Yoshirou-kun. "Um, I'm going to sit with my sister and her friends. I don't know if you wanna...?"

He shook his head. "It's fine. Don't take this the wrong way but as long as I can sit down and eat that's all that matters to me!"

I smiled. "Okay then, lets go!" We walked over to Yume's table and saw that it had two vacant seats. I guess she really did want us with her, but it seemed that they didn't notice us until we got there. "Hey sis," I said as the both of us sat down. Yume looked up from her plate and her eyes widened. Oh crap. I forgot. When it comes to me with boys...

Lighting fast, Yume stood and grabbed Yoshirou-kun, who had a sandwich hanging out of his mouth, by the collar, pulling him towards her. Kiyomi-chan, Anika-chan, and Hajime-kun tsighed simultaneously.

"Alright you little punk," she hissed, her face inches away from his. "Who the hell do you think you are following my sister around like a damn creep?"

"Huh?"

"Yume, stop! He didn't do anything to me, seriously I just met him. He's harmless."

She searched my face to see if I wasn't lying -she can easily read the people she's close with- and shot Yoshirou-kun one last threatening look before letting him go.

"I'm sorry about that," I said to Yoshirou-kun

He laughed nervously. "It's alright, I was just caught off guard." He turned back to my sister. "I'm Yoshirou Daichi, a middle school first year student."

Yume didn't look up from her glass of water. "Kashino Yume, high school third year."

Yoshirou-kun froze, looking from Yume to me. "What?" He turned to the others at the table. "So does that mean you guys are...?

Kiyomi-chan set down her fork. "Hanabusa Kiyomi." Then she pointed to the twins. "Andou Hajime and Anika."

Yoshirou-kun turned his attention back to me, looking like he won the lottery (which now I think about it, is a bad sign). "I never knew I befriended a celebrity!"

I nearly choked on my food. "Let's not go there," I pleated. "Anything but that."

"I'll try to hold myself back," he said and winked at me.

I heard Kiyomi-chan try to subside her laugh as a cough but it didn't work. I felt sis draw her foot back from under the table and I mentally pleated to her, "NO!" For the rest of the evening, I started to get to know Yoshirou-kun a little bit more. Apparently he was born in Okinawa, but since his family moved to Tokyo when he was five, they've only been going back during the Summer. "It's sucks though," he said. "I can't practice on chocolate that much when I'm in Okinawa."

"So you forte in chocolate?" Hajime-kun laughed. "Najika-chan, I think your prince is closer than you think!"

"HAJI!" Yume cried in horror.

Before I could respond, the way Anika-chan's voice caught my attention. "Hold on, this cake, it tastes strange." I looked over at her dessert plate and saw that it was a slice of chocolate cake. Just a regular chocolate sponge cake with what appears to be ganache as a topping. It was so... boring.

"Let me try," Yoshirou-kun and I said simultaneously, and my heart kicked a little. I tried to get a little bit of everything when I cut myself a little piece. As soon as it hit my mouth, I noticed the problem. "It's very dry."

"And the texture of the ganache," Yoshirou-kun observed. "Is so rough. If who ever made this hoped that the ganache would somehow moisten the cake, it clearly didn't work. Seriously, if you're going to be at a prestigious school like this, the least you could do is a decent job. I'm surprised they even served this crap."

Out of no where, it got quiet for a split second. I wanted to break the silence, but a soft voice coming from behind me seemed to do so. How interesting, Najika. I honestly never noticed it.

I blinked and scanned the area around me. "Did you guys hear that?"

My sister looked at me. "Hear what?

"That voice- that..." I shook my head. The day has been too long, I should probably just retire for the day and start off fresh. "I think... I'm going back to my dorm."

"Do you want me to walk you there?" Yoshirou-kun asked.

Yume glared at him. "Boys are not allowed in the girl's dorm, Yoshirou-san."

I looked at Anika-chan and Kiyomi-chan, who seemed like they were going to offer themselves as an escort but I quickly spoke, "No, it's fine- really. I can find my way back on my own." I stood from my seat with my tray. "I'll see you all tomorrow, okay?"

As I walked away from the table to put away my dishes, I searched the dining hall for Tachibana and Kami-chan, but there was no sign of them at all.

~xXx~

It's beautiful here at night. The sky was clear and the stars glistened high above me. Although despite it being late spring, I should have brought a cardigan for it was starting to get slightly chilly. I pulled my bag closer to me and breathed in the cool, crisp fresh air.

I know I said to my friends that I could fine my way back on my own, but considering that I was peacefully walking though the campus enjoying the scenery and weather, I now found myself lost. All I could see was trees. Now that I think about it, how did I end up in a place like this? I could always retrace my steps, but it was already dark I could hardly see anything. I stared farther into the distance, hoping to catch some light from the buildings. I did, a small faint glow between the trees, but it literally lasted for about two seconds. Then it happened again, faint glow and then darkness again. Next thing I knew, there were more of them. Doubling by the second. I was amazed. I forgot that the fireflies were starting to come out. Back at home, they usually appear mid June, but I guess since this place is more private and full of nature, they come earlier.

As more and more appear, they stretch out farther into the opposite direction, as if they were leading me somewhere. I know I was trying to head back to the dorms, but this seems really exciting. I followed them past a few trees and cutting through a couple of bushes. I felt my breath getting knocked out of my lungs. A lake with the moon shining brightly on the water, creating a mirror, a doorway to another world. It was quiet, with a few crickets chirping here and there. Sure it got a little more chilly, but the scenery made me forget all of that. More and more fireflies appeared one by one. I have never seen anything so breathtaking in my life.

I couldn't help it, I got down on my knees from where I stood, taking out my sketchbooks and pencils and immediately started sketching out the scenery. I was so excited on how it will turn out. I thought about making a copy of it and sending it to Lia when I write to her tonight. As I continued to sketch, I looked up every once in a while to see if I needed more shading on a certain area when I felt my body go numb. Was I this distracted by drawing that I didn't notice the figure standing by the dock looking out at the water?

The figure turned to me, the moonlight illuminating his blonde hair and jewel like eyes. And to my surprise, he looked more stunned than I did. Even though I didn't get a very good impression on him earlier, I wondered what was going though Tachibana Mamoru's mind right now.

I'm getting excited to write more! Leave your thoughts and comments in the reviews!

Thanks a lot guys!