Here we go, the Miyagi chapter, which gave me such grief, is finally complete. Thanks to everyone for reviewing.

We will smile

- Miyagi -

XX

I sit at my desk trying to do the rest of my paperwork whilst I effectively shut thoughts of Kamijou and Shinobu from my mind.

My relationship with Kamijou is long over, I know that, and I don't have any regrets. It's a huge relief that we're still on good terms. Despite everything, I still like Kamijou a lot, though I'll probably lay off the hugging and poking for a while.

No, it's Shinobu that's bothering me. The unanswered question; when did we ever meet? keeps popping up in my mind.

The first time we met was surely in that alleyway off of the main street outside that bookshop. I never saw him once before that. No, the first time was definitely outside that -

Ah, I think I know.

No, I don't. No, it's all really fuzzy to me. I never concentrate on anything other than the book I'm reading when I'm in that place. I can't be sure but, maybe, possibly, I think I remember seeing the same blue school uniform that Shinobu used to wear in that place. That's not unusual, school kids pass through there all the time. Could one them have been Shinobu?

But, even so, we never spoke. I didn't even notice him! You can't call something like that -

The phone rings, interrupting my grand train of thoughts. Ah, it's only the Dean calling to check on things.

"Ah, Miyagi, you're at the university are you?" he sounds surprised to hear me.

"Yes, I have to work today," I reply, slightly puzzled. He should know my schedule off by heart. He was the one who planned it at the beginning of the year.

"Oh, I thought you would have asked Kamijou to fill in for you. In fact, I thought you would be at the airport."

"Kamijou? Airport?" I echo back, confused.

When the Dean speaks he sounds just as confused as I am. "Didn't Shinobu tell you? He's going back to Australia. His flight leaves from Narita airport in a few hours."

Before he can say any more, I slam the phone back down. Shinobu's going to Australia? Why? He never said a thing to me? I feel slightly upset that, even though he always wanted to know what I was doing, he never told me about such an important thing.

Then it hits me. It hits me like a number 64 bus. Maybe he didn't tell because it's so important. Maybe he couldn't bear to see me.

Was it really that painful? Was he really so serious about me that he thought he couldn't face me again?

Ah, what am I doing just sitting around? I have to go! I have to go now!

I call up Kamijou quickly as I rush about. I don't even know what I'm saying to him as he picks up, I'm too flustered and in too much of a hurry to pay attention to what I'm saying.

Fortunately, he's close by so I don't have to wait long before he arrives. Without giving him an explanation, I dump the materials for the next class in his arms and race away. I notice that guy – Kamijou's old lover? – also rushing through the halls but, whatever, I don't have time for him.

It takes ages to get to Narita. It's a long drive and the traffic certainly doesn't help. I drive like a madman, fearing that the police might pull me over at any second but unwilling to stop. I don't understand why I'm rushing. What for? It's just a brat going back to some country, yet I know that if I let him go I'll probably end up regretting it for the rest of my life.

Finally, arriving at the airport, I rush in. People look at me as if I'm crazy - which I probably am - and someone even yells at me to slow down but I ignore them.

"Shinobu? Shinobu!"

I run to the waiting area where everyone should going to Australia should be seated. My eyes rake over the seats but there's only families and business men and smart looking women who could be C-list celebrities sitting around.

They're all of typically Japanese appearance. In fact, the only one with eyes remotely like Shinobu's is some guy in a smart suit and waistcoat who looks absolutely bored as he writes something down on a pad. He looks familiar though, but that's not important right now. I turn away and try searching the same crowd again.

"Usagi-san, sorry for the wait, I - Miyagi-sensei?"

It's a surprise to see one of my students at the airport. Well, he's one of Kamijou's students actually but he studies literature and I am the head of literature so I know who he is at least.

"Takahashi? Why are you here?" I ask, bewildered. No, that's not the question I should be asking. In fact, I probably shouldn't be asking anything when I could be looking for that kid.

"My lessons are over," he says as if I'm accusing him of skipping classes. "Usagi- I mean Usami-san and I were saying goodbye to a friend."

Usami-san? Now that I think about it, he does look like the novelist. Had this been any other time or place I would be excited but, right now I can only say; "Oh, I see" and glance around, not really listening.

Takahashi's a sharp kid though. Well, he's sharp when it comes to people anyway; he quickly picks upon my distraction and asks; "Are you looking for someone?"

"The Dean's son. He's going to Australia and he should be here but…"

"That's funny. My friend's also going to Australia," he comments. Again, I'm not really listening.

"Ah, where did that guy go? Oi, Shinobu, if you're hiding it's not funny!" Loads of people stare at me, but no Shinobu, not even a glimpse.

"Shinobu-kun?" Takahashi finally says something that catches my attention.

"You know him?" I turn to him. The guy behind him is scribbling something in a notebook like mad.

Something terrible must be dawning on Takahashi because his eyes grow wide and he points a finger over his shoulder. "H - he just got on the plane."

"What?" He winces as I snap. The guy, who had been writing rapidly suddenly looks up and glowers at me for it.

"It's already taken off," he looks at me guiltily, as though he himself is personally responsible for the flight schedule.

I don't care if he is or not. The fact is that Shinobu's gone and I feel terrible. What the hell is up with that? This should be the best day of my life! The little terrorist is gone and no one will bother me anymore, so why do I feel the need to sit down, bury my head in my hands, and groan?

XX

Someone up there doesn't like me.

Someone up there really doesn't like me.

For all the times I made fun of Shinobu-chin for believing in Fate and junk like that, I think that Fate has decided to use this precise moment to come back and bite me in the butt.

"E - excuse me?" is all I can stutter as I stand before the Dean's desk, utterly stupefied.

He claps his hands together in front of his face in an apologetic gesture and bows his head. "I'm very sorry!" he cries. "I know how unprofessional it is for me to ask you this, to mix private life with profession work, but I have no one else I can rely on! Risako and her mother are in Paris and I have to go to another very important conference in Munich. There's absolutely no one else and of course I will pay for your flight and all travel expenses!"

This is a joke, isn't it? I can hardly believe it.

Wait, let me go over it again. Shinobu left for Australia yesterday and somehow, somehow, ended up in America?! At least he managed to get in contact with his father otherwise he might have been stuck there for ages but, even so, America?!

"W - well, I don't mind but wouldn't it be cheaper for you to forward a plane ticket to Australia directly to Shinobu?" I stutter. Stupid, I should be leaping at this chance. It's America! And Shinobu's there anyway.

"I don't want him to go to Australia," the Dean shakes his head.

Poor guy, the worries of fatherhood have definitely taken its toll on him.

"Not yet, anyhow. He's always been a secretive type but he's also very level headed and intelligent. For something like this to happen makes me feel as if there's something wrong that he's not telling me about. No, I want you to bring him back to Japan so I can talk to him face to face when I get back," he orders.

"Then wouldn't it be fine to send him a ticket to Japan?" I kick myself for asking. Just take the ticket!

The Dean begins pacing up and down as he shakes his head. "After what happened, I would feel better if he had a responsible adult like you to look after him."

A nervous smile spreads across my face. Responsible adult, huh? I'm glad Kamijou isn't here to tell him about my breaks spent whizzing around the office on the wheeled chairs.

"Okay then, I understand," I accept and he looks as though I've told him I would gladly bear him children.

...I really should work on those comparisons.

XX

Thus, the next morning, I take the first flight to America, happy in the knowledge that everything I do is being covered for me.

It's a grueling fourteen hours spent watching the same reruns of old films over and over, reading and eating the most expensive meal on the menu. By the time I can finally set my feet down on land, it's only mid-afternoon and it feels as if I've travelled back in time.

As I walk out of the checkpoint into the arrivals area my eyes catch a glimpse of a familiar figure leaning against the wall.

"Shinobu!" I wave him over.

"M - Miyagi?" his eyes widen as he approaches.

"Your father told you over the phone, didn't he?" I nod and reach out to ruffle his hair. "Are you okay? It must have been scary suddenly ending up in a strange country."

His blush makes me pull back. Suddenly, everything feels really awkward to me. He looks away, at the ground, at the wall, I don't really know since I'm not looking at him either.

"Ah…It's okay. I had enough money to book a hotel room and I can speak English so…" he trails away, shrugging as if it's nothing. .

Ah, this is no good! What am I doing? I'm an adult and yet I'm getting flustered in front of a kid! An adult should definitely be more cool and composed. They should take charge of the situation!

"It's okay. Hey, if it was me I would probably be in tears!" I look at him again, forcing a wobbly smile on to my face.

His glumness makes me nervous; I would feel so much more at ease if he would smile. I wish he would smile.

"America, huh? Whilst we're here why don't we do some shopping and sight-seeing? Your father's paying for everything after all."

He shakes his head glumly. "I just want to get back."

So, there goes my chance to see more of America than just the airport. I sigh, but there's not much time until our plane departs anyway. I wonder whether the Dean was just so worried that he wanted Shinobu back as soon as possible or if he was being sly and made sure that, the moment I landed, there would only be an hour or so before I would have to board again.

We take a seat in one of the waiting areas whilst we glance at the flight numbers flashing on an overhead board. He only has his hand luggage with him when we get ready to board. Myself? I didn't bring more than a bag since I knew this would be an in and out job.

"Is that all?" I point at the grey bag slung over his shoulder. "Where's the rest of your luggage?"

"In Australia."

"Ah."

"I'm sorry about this," he suddenly murmurs. Even though he says it so softly, I can hear him loud and clear.

"About what?" I ask.

"Making you come all this way just to escort me back. You probably think it's a bother."

"Of course not!" I scoff. "I get to see America, well the airport at least, and I can eat as much as I want without worrying about the money, which reminds me…are you hungry?"

"You don't have to do this," he mutters. "Being so cheerful. If it annoys you, just say so."

This response only makes me sigh. I think Kamijou said something similar to me once. What was it? Don't be so affectionate when you're not really in the mood. I know, I'm a frivolous liar just like Kamijou calls me and I play around, but I've learnt from my experience that, sometimes, being playful is just a way of avoiding the issue.

This is a time for seriousness. I'm not going to evade the important issues the way I did with Kamijou.

"Don't be stupid," I rap my knuckles against his forehead. Lightly, I might add. The Dean would kill me if he wasn't in one piece. "I don't mind. In fact, I even went to the airport to see you, but you had already gone. I thought I'd probably never see you again."

Shinobu suddenly looks up at me. "You went to the airport? Why?"

"To stop you," I reply, totally serious.

"To stop me?" he echoes back.

"Don't ask me! I don't know why I did it, a spur of the moment thing, I guess!" I cry, buckling under the terrible pressure of that intense gaze. Does he even know that he's doing it when he looks at you?

Obviously not, for he just manages a short; "Oh," and glances at the ground.

Except, his eyes stay rooted to the ground. His head remains bowed for such a long time that I glance at his face and suddenly pull back as I catch a tear slipping down.

This kid is seriously going to give me a heart attack.

"Sh - Shinobu? Hey, come on, don't start crying on me! Come on, people will think I'm a bad man that's harassing you and the police will come to take me away and…"

My voice trails away. What do I do? How do I deal with crying kids? I can't even deal with crying women but, as always, I turn into such a sucker when I see someone's tears.

One of the workers at the airport passes with a trolley of goods; food, drink, perfume, souvenirs, the usual stuff. Something catches my eye when I glance at her and I fling an arm out to stop her.

"Excuse me, I'll take one of those," I quickly pay her before turning back to Shinobu. "Shinobu-chin, here!" I shove it into his arms as if I'm giving him the Nobel prize.

"W - what's this?" he straightens, rubbing his eyes.

"It's a cabbage shaped lollipop!"

"It looks like a flower," he says dryly as he wipes away his tears.

"It's a cabbage," I insist. What kind of flower look like that anyway?

"It's red!"

"You can get red cabbage!"

To my utmost relief, a small smile worms its way on to his face. He's so cute and honest and open in that moment that I can't help myself when I put a hand on the side of his head and slowly pull him towards me, his head lying gently against my shoulder.

I feel his breath hitch but I don't look at him, only at the space between my feet at our reflection in the polished floor.

"Shinobu, don't go to Australia. You should stay in Japan."

He's surprised. I don't even have to look at him to know that he's surprised. Maybe he's a little embarrassed too. I know I am. An old guy like me can't say these kind of things easily; it always comes out so uncool.

Even so, I'll stake my pride and say these uncool things to stop him crying. No, not just to stop him crying. Because, deep down, this kid that talks about Fate this and that and always does his best to put on a brave face is letting me see the crying face he probably hasn't even shown his own parents since he was seven.

Because, as stupid as this Fate stuff that he keeps going on about really is, I would like to try it too.

That's probably why I keep a hold of him until our plane arrives. That's probably why I say to him; "Stay in Japan. I'll stay with you too."

Though it isn't exactly the most unambiguous thing I could possibly say, I think he understands what I mean.

Our first kiss is a tentative and shy one, thousands of feet in the air, in the cramped and polished compartment of an airplane toilet.

Next up: The last chapter. Please look forward to it.