/Euca: Omo… (Sighed helplessly) I got it! So, that's why she had cried that much, eh? (Turned to Kazumi) I think she's fine now. (Kazumi began to cry again) Ah… I think she's not.

/Kazu: Shouku-chan… (Sniffled, biting down the pen on her hand)

/Euca: (Set out a wry smile) Ah… Heheh I-I guess… I'll do the honor again. Minna, here's Chapter Three: Saying Goodbye! Oww… By the way, I like the thought of having the caterpillar a heart attack! (Laughs hard, lights fade)

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Chapter Three

Saying Goodbye

"Truth hurts but it cures…"

"Cringg... Cringg… Cringg!" the resounding of her alarm clock had wakened her sleepy eyes. She cautiously turned it off and hurriedly rolled over to fix her bed. It was a few minutes past four in the morning. She should be out before everyone wakes. She was already on her clothes just before she sleep the night before. She wore tight jeans just by her knees with a comfortable shirt on top. It would be a waste of time if she'll change on that very moment. Looking outside her window, she saw no sign of any movements. The lights were still off on their neighborhood even on theirs. It's the best time to sneak out and escape away. She shut her window.

Kazumi looked around her room, it was cleaner than usual. On her desk was her school bag, instead of its usual contents it had clothes in it, the one that she had packed last night. With a sigh, she got her bag, walking soundlessly across her room. She was a few steps from the door when she bumped the table by her bed. Something dropped causing a little sound of noise. She turned on her lampshade, looking at the fallen object. She gasped as she saw the music box on the floor. Her mother had given it on her when she was a little girl. Due to its old age, some of its elements had been run out. It doesn't play any melody unlike it was before. It stops playing right on her seventeenth birthday if she wasn't mistaken. It was just a little awkward. There's nothing, even a scratch on the box. Something glistened and caught her eyes. It was the necklace that her mom had also given her along with the box. She carefully raised it just by her eyes. She had almost forgotten how it looks like. Hanging freely from a slender gold chain was a tear-shaped pendant studded with the precious sapphire stone but of a different variety, might be mixed up with the so called lapis lazuli that could clearly be seen by its color making it more exquisite. Entwined on it was a rose vine that seemed to be protecting the gem. Jeez… she doesn't know why her mother brought weird things like that for her. She planned on selling it but her mother got maddened about it without any valid reason. She never knew why and they don't even tell her. Kazumi gently grabbed the little box and put the jewel on it. She was about to go when another thing caught her sight again. She looked under the table and frowned seeing something beneath. Drawing a closer look, she saw a bracelet, one that seems familiar to her.

"What are you doing there, huh?" she whispered, reaching for it. Suddenly, the thing glowed causing her to fall back in fright. She rubbed her eyes and it went back to normal.

Not again. It shouldn't be… She touched her forehead nervously. Weird things began to happen again. She thought she had broken out upon those things but it just keeps on happening again and again. She shouldn't accept this thing from that girl that she had met two years ago. It only brings her a lot misfortune. What was her name? Himiko? Yes. She finally remembered.

Kazumi reached again for the bracelet with curiosity, staring at it without even a blink. She waited up for something that could happen when she touched it. It failed her. Not a single glow issue happened. She sighed. Maybe it's just her imagination again. What is this thing doing under the table by the way? She examined it and set a wry smile after. Yeah. The box accidentally fell. It might have rolled on that place. There's no magic or enchantment thing. Science had denied it. She learned it when she entered the university. Kazumi shook her head, thinking that she was still dreaming. She put it back to the box along with the necklace and gently shoved it into her bag with her other things in haste.

She looked back at the clock, wondering how much time she had been wasted. Panicked draws over her face. Darn! It was already half an hour before it strikes five. She needs to hurry. Grabbing the doorknob, she took a final glance over her room. She will definitely missed staying on that little room of hers. Kazumi silently tracked her way down the stairs to the huge living room where she left her letter on the table where it could easily be noticed before exiting down the entry of the hall and down to the front gate. She got the keys and went out in great silence, throwing the keys back after. She doesn't need those anymore. She had no plan of going back. No matter where this might lead her.

Kazumi took a cab to her friend's place. She planned on dropping by at Shouku's house before continuing on her journey, telling it to her personally. She got half an hour to spend. She stopped in front of a huge house just before the street. The lights were still off. She sighed. Of course her friend was still sleeping by this hour. There's no way that she will see her. She bit her lips and turned to go.

"Kazumi?" the voice from somewhere called. She turned around but sees no one. She had surveyed all directions but found not a single person.

"Ya! Up here!" she same voice instructed. She looked above and saw her friend Shouku smiling at her, standing by the opened window of its room, waving a hand on her.

She smiled and waved back. Her friend signed her to wait and she nodded in agreement. She waited for her friend. She was glad to see her again after two years. It's just kind of annoying, she had seen her to bid farewell.

"Ne! What are you doing here on this kind of hour?" a girl with a dazzling ebony black hair perfectly flowing above its waist on the back and partly shorter on the front, shaping its beautiful face along with its pretty plum colored eyes asked, opening the gate for her.

Kazumi just smiled and hugged Shouku. Her friend in surprised, hugged her back. "Eeh? What's up with you?" Glancing at the bag she was carrying by her shoulders, Shouku asked, "What's that for? Are you going somewhere?"

She nodded. "Actually..."

"Before you explained things up. Why don't we go inside? I was the only one left. Mou… it was so lonely being alone. Everyone was out for business…" her friend snapped, grabbing her hands. She suddenly pulled it back and shook her head. Shouku frowned, turning to her with puzzling eyes.

"I just came here to say goodbye…" Kazumi started, turning her look on the other side. She doesn't want to see her friend's stare. Especially at this point, Shouku was also alone like her. She knew how it feels. It breaks her apart. Saying goodbye is such a hard thing.

"Nani?" her friend asked, tears nearly shaping its eyelids. "You just came here to tell me that? I want to know why you decided to leave…!"

She related the whole story to Shouku, who was already in tears, even the crashing of her birthday present just to buy a plane ticket to Tokyo. She hopes that her friend would understand her. Shouku had been her bestfriend. They've been together for about fifteen years until she moved to her Aunt's place. Shouku had lost also her mother and her two younger siblings in arson two years ago who had also took away both of Kazumi's parents just in a moment. Now, Shouku was living with her grandmother while his father was in an archaeological excavation trip in Egypt.

"Truth hurts but it cures," Shouku said with a comforting smile, cheering her friend up. It might be really hard for Kazumi, seems like losing its parents twice. She pitied her friend, wiping gently the tears on its cheek. "Don't cry now, Kazu-chan… I am with you. Ya, never mind about the coin bank, I can buy you another one, 'kay?"

Kazumi silently laughed. Shouku really knows how to make her smile. She nodded, holding back her tears. She felt a lot better now. Talking with her friend had made her such relief. "Arigato, Shouku-chan…"

Her friend draws a radiant smile over its face. "Na…! You're always welcome! You don't have to mention it," Shouku said, patting her head tenderly. "Kazu-chan, wait for me here, ne?" Her friend's eye glistened animatedly. She wonders what flashes into its keen mind.

She nodded. Shouku ran towards their house and came back with something that her friend hides upon its back. Kazumi frowned. Her friend suddenly grabbed her hand, handling a small, white envelope to her. "S-Shouku-chan, kore wa…?"

Shouku smiled but didn't answer. She wants to help Kazumi out even just by her little deed. It was a little thing compared to what this girl had done for her. Kazumi had changed her life to something that she never expects it to be. There is no gloomy time when she was with her. It just saddened her, thinking that this might be the last time she would see the cheerful Kazumi she knew.

Her eyes widened upon opening the envelope. "Uh-uh. Listen to me first," Shouku told her eagerly, putting its fingers over her wondering lips before she could breathe a word of refusal. "I just want to help you. If only Grandma was here then… na! I'm really sorry… that's all I had now," Shouku blurted out.

"Iie!" Kazumi snapped. "This is too much. You've done too much for me Shouku," she finished with a smile.

Her friend sighed. That's the only help she could do for Kazumi yet her friend appreciated it with whole gratitude. "Ne, Kazu-chan… whatever road you're planning to take, I am still here for you always, whenever you need me. Remember that, ne?" Shouku looked up at the distant sky, now turning lighter. "You should go now before they found out that you're gone."

Kazumi hugged her friend tightly, considering that it might be the last time. The future is uncertain and vague. No one could predict if she would still come back or if fate allows her to. She bid Shouku farewell and continued on her way with a heavy heart. It's hard for her, leaving the person that had shaped her life for years.

She was a few paces away when Shouku called her back, "Kazu-chan! I will miss you!" Kazumi hold her tears back, hearing her friend's voice makes her want to stay. But she can't. She stopped for a moment and waved back a hand at her friend. Shouku was crying awfully with its hand over its lips, trying to withhold the grief she felt seeing Kazumi walked away.

"Kazu-chan…" Shouku whispered silently. There's a smoldering hope inside her heart and it will never fade, she knew they'll see each other again. She would certainly miss her friend without a single doubt… that radiant smile which cheers her up when she was down and those wonderful eyes that always say… never give up.

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Terminology Keys:

*Lapis lazuli – A blue stone made from volatile substance.

*Nani? – What?

*Kore wa… – This is…

*Iie. – No.