A/N: I had some major issues with this chapter and I still don't love it. But I'm pretty sure this is as good as it's going to get. Part III should be better hopefully or at least a little more interesting. And now I present the conclusion of Part II!

Chapter 3

His house was in the middle of some sort of factory. Kuki had looked up the directions on the internet, but once she started walking, her feet seemed to carry her there. As if they had walked this path so many times that it became a second nature.

This was a drastic measure, coming to his house. But Kuki had always had a flair for the dramatic. And something told her she and this boy were supposed to be friends. With a fist, she knocked on the door. A middle-aged woman in an apron opened it. A look of surprise passed over her freckled face. "Well, hello, Kuki dear! I can't seem to remember the last time I saw you here!"

Wally's mom knew her. Why did Wally's mom know her?

"Wallabee's just in his room. You remember which one it is right?"

Kuki didn't remember. She'd never been here in her life. But she nodded her dark haired head anyway and headed down the hallway. This whole situation was making her stomach do back flips. One of the doors had loud music playing from it. She knocked.

Wally opened the door and froze for a few seconds. His devastatingly handsome face showed shock, then confusion, then something that looked a little like anger. Wally opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, "Why does your mom know me?"

Kuki had never in her life met someone that liked to stare at their feet so much. "I dunno," Wally mumbled.

"Yes. You. Do. Stop lying to me!" She was suddenly angry at this boy. He proved to her that first day in class that he was haunted by the same things she was. Knowing things you didn't know. Kuki could feel her pale cheeks reddening; two fists were clenched at her sides. She was tired of these constant lies he gave her. Why didn't Wally want to tell her what he knew?

He didn't say anything back to her. He just sat down on his bed. Kuki followed his gaze over to the window. Taped to the wall there was a picture. It was old, the edges were curled. She walked over and ran her fingers over the crayoned form of a little girl. A little girl with a too big green shirt and long dark hair. "This is me," she whispered.

"Most probably," said an embarrassed voice behind her. "I don't remember drawing it. But I couldn't ever throw it away."

Kuki smiled, her anger sudden vanished. "We were friends."

Wally shrugged. "Guess so," he replied. "Like I said, I can't remember. My mom used to ask about you though. And some other kids. Why you weren't around anymore. I never knew what to tell her. And then when I saw you in class, I thought I was losing it or something. I knew right away you had to be the girl in the picture. I've been a jerk. And I-I-I'm sorry."

Kuki couldn't remember ever being so happy. She'd found an answer. And this single answer, Wally and her had been friends, was enough to make up for the heaps of questions she still had. She couldn't stop smiling. Without a second thought, she approached the blonde boy and wrapped her thin arms around his middle.

Wally didn't like to be hugged as a general rule, but he found his arms circling around Kuki's shoulders. Kuki sighed and wondered how she had ever felt safe without this in her life. "It's not like anything else," Wally said.

Kuki pulled back and looked into his blue eyes. "What are you talking about silly?" she giggled.

"The tree house."

Light eyes suddenly filled with interest. "Will you draw it for me, pretty please?"

He nodded his head. "OK."