The building was vastly filled with large aquatic tanks in every direction I looked. I couldn't help but notice Yui's eyes widening with wonder.

"They're so beautiful."

I followed her gaze across the room to the tank in the back and wheeled her closer. Inside there were three gray sea lions gliding among the crystal blue water, swimming and occasionally coming up for breath. Two of them seemed to love the water and the other looked like it perfered sitting on the rock.

"What do you like so much about them?"

Her mouth was slightly open as she continued to watch them. "They're so... free and happy. Like they have no fears in the world."

I knew what she meant as I watched them swimming cheerfully. They could have swam for hours and hours and never have gotten bored of it. Although I agreed with Yui, I imagined there was more to it than that.

"Any other reasons?"

She paused. "The way they move is just so... artistic and smooth like glass."

At that moment I realized Yui was one of those people who paid attention to every single little detail of something, admiring the smallest things about it. I was never one of those people. I'm not observant or open minded like she was.

"The way his nose points up when he swims to the surface to get air is so cute," she squealed.

"How the hell do you even pay attention to things like that?"

"I don't know," she didn't take her eyes off the glass. "I just do."

We stayed there for what seemed like forever, when in reality it was only minutes; and she still didn't look tired of it. Yui would have loved to stay there all day but I told her we should go and look at some other animals. She blinked. "Oh... Yeah. Right."

"Say bye to your friends," I said, not actually being serious but she did it anyway.

"Bye bye sea lions!" She grinned, then turned. "Wave to them for me."

"Ugh fine," I waved stupidly at them and I don't think they even saw me. Studying the map again, I suggested we should see the macaws that she liked so much since the bird exibit was close by anyway.

Outside it began to get warmer, so I put Yui's blanket in the side compartment of her wheelchair. It felt nice and comefortable, surprisingly.

We passed a handful of other animals on the way to the bird building. There was a panda roaming outside in its habitat, and I had assumed it was a new addition because I never recalled there being a panda at this zoo. Neither of us had seen a panda in real life before, the closest we'd ever come to one was on television. It twitched its black ears a few times, and just seated itself down and stared back at us.

"Neat, huh?"

But Yui wasn't paying attention. I followed her eyes and spotted a young boy who couldn't have been older than five, and a man who I assumed was his father. The man looked tired and worn out, like he didn't want to be there at all. He noticed his son was far behind him, stopping to look at some flowers and the elder sighed. "Kyoya!" He yelled at the boy. "Keep up with me or we'll go straight home!"

I was surprised at how angry the man sounded. Didn't he know that young boys get curious sometimes? He didn't have to be so stern.

Kyoya looked like he didn't care about his father's orders, but he ran to catch up. "I was just looking Papa."

"I know that. But you need to quit stopping to look at everything you see."

Once they were out of sight, I turned back to Yui. She had a blank look on her face. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Not really."

I wasn't convinced. "Come on, you can tell me."

She hesitated. "I think I know them."

"Really?" I questioned, starting to push her wheelchair again as she talked.

"Yeah. That little boy is my cousin on my Dad's side, so I haven't seen him since he was a baby. I thought the man looked firmilliar... No wonder. I haven't seen my uncle in so long."

"Do you know why he was so angry?"

"My uncle has a big addiction with alcohol which causes him to have a short temper. I feel horrible for poor Kyoya. It's amazing how he keeps himself so positive and happy all the time, even with an father like that."

"Yeah. I suppose so," I said, sitting down on at the end of a wooden bench and parking Yui's wheelchair beside it. I didn't want to pressure her, but my curiosity got the best of me. "What happened to your father?"

Yui shivered in the wind. Her expression wasn't angry like I might have expected, but more sad. "I've never really talked about him to anyone but my mom."

"I mean..." I trailed off. "If you don't want to talk about him you don't have to."

Sighing, she responded. "No it's fine."

"I honestly don't even know that much about what happened, because my mother only tells me bits and pieces of it so I still don't know everything."

I nodded, putting my hands in my pockets.

"Apparently he ran away when I was about a year old. When I was born, the doctors knew about my condition shortly after, so of course they had to break it to my parents dispite how much they didn't want to. Both of them were devistated to hear that I wasn't completely healthy and wouldn't be able to move from my neck down, but I think my father was just so overwhelmed by it. I like to imagine that he was looking forward to having a nice healthy baby with my mom, but once he realized how limited I was he didn't want to deal with that sort of thing. He just couldn't."

"Wow," I breathed. "But he's your dad right? He should be caring for you, no matter what happens. He just let your mom do all the work?"

"I guess. I have a feeling it was the money most of all."

"The money?"

She nodded. "My parents aren't wealthy so I think he didn't want to pay for all my tretment and medical bills and having to deal with constant payments. But I won't ever know for sure."

I wasn't sure why I was lectering her about what good fathers should be like, since my own was not the best either. "Do you remember him?"

"No, not at all. He ran away when I was only one, so the closest I have is pictures. But my mom got rid of most of them and only gave me one photo to keep."

I don't think there was much I could have said. Thoughts ran though my mind of all the things I could have said to comfort her, but I just couldn't say any of them. Luckily she spoke again.

"When my parents found out about my condition, I think for awhile they thought putting me to rest was better than letting me live with such limitations. I mean... All my life I would do nothing but sit in bed and watch kids do everything I couldn't. My dad would have wanted it, but my mom was different. She couldn't bear to see her daughters life end so soon. She just couldn't."

Her story made it seem like everything I ever worry about is so stupid and unthankful. How she told me all of this without crying; I have no idea. If I was in her position I'd cry just thinking about it. "Wow, that's just... terrible."

She laughed softly. "I know it is, but I'm not telling you this for your sympathy. I'm sure you've had your own share of hardships."

"Yeah, I have." I decided to tell her about my dad since she basically just spilled out her whole life story. "My dad... he could care less about me. I mean, he's alright sometimes but it just feels like he wishes I wasn't there. He just expects me to do everything on my own and deal with everything myself, and it makes me feel like I have nobody to go to when I need help. My mom travels for her job so I can't go to her most of the time, and when I can, it's impossible to bring up."

"Why?" She looked at me curiously. "Why is it so hard to talk to her?"

I shrugged, leaning back against the bench. "I think it's because I haven't ever had someone to talk about problems to before. I'm just inexperienced so perhaps that's why."

"You don't seem to have trouble talking to me," she said quietly.

I looked up at the blue sky. "True, but I honestly have no idea why. I guess you're just easy to talk to."

She smiled at my comment. "You are too, Hinata. I've never told anyone my story about my dad before. I'm surprised I trust you enough."

"Well it's nice to know that I mean something to someone," I said out of nowhere, and slowly stood up. "Come on, let's go look at those birds you wanted to see."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Once again, Yui was facinated by all the animals around her, demanding me to stop her wheelchair at every exibit we passed. She would have stayed for an hour if I hadn't moved us along. The day moved on and on, and I had to admit I was enjoying myself. It wasn't a chore to take Yui around the zoo; it was a lot of fun and I don't remember the last time I smiled so much.

Soon the sun began to lower down into the sky, and I suggested we headed back.

"But I don't want to leave just yet," Yui complained and I rolled my eyes.

"Why? You've seen every animal here, Yui. There's nothing more to look at."

"Yes there is!" She grinned. "The gift shop!"

"But it's all just crappy souviners in there-"

"They aren't crappy!" She cut me off. "They're cute!"

"Guess we have different tastes then," I mumbled as I wheeled her into the tiny shop. She directed me towards the stuffed animal section, and I stared at all the colorful stuffed toys sitting along the entire back wall.

"If you want one I'll buy it for you."

She turned her head. "No, Hinata... You've paid for everything today... the bus ride, the zoo tickets-"

"Yeah, and I don't mind at all. It's no big deal- it's the least I could do. I'm being serious, pick one out!"

She hesitated, but figured that she'd lose the argument anyway. As soon as I saw it, I knew that'd be the one she wanted.

"THE SEA LION!"

I picked it off the shelf. "How did I know that's the one you were going to choose?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

By the time the bus came by it was around dinner time, and both of us were starving. I suggested we get something to eat quick before we went home, so we got dropped off at the downtown area. The only place I had been to before was a café on the corner of the street. Tables were set up outside, and I pushed Yui's chair up to one and I sat myself down.

I opened the menu for her. "Tell me when to flip the page for you."

She nodded and I looked down at my own. I hadn't had anything to eat since this morning, so my stomach felt like it was eating it's insides. Everything sounded so good.

We soon gave our order to the waitress, the air becoming quiet again as we waited.

"So," I began, trying to make a conversation. "What kind of stuff do you watch on TV since I know you watch it all the time?." It was a pretty lame topic but I couldn't think of anything.

"All kinds of stuff. Sometimes I ask my mom to turn something on, and she leaves to do work things so I'm stuck on the same channel for a few hours."

"That must suck."

"Not really," Yui laughed her wind-chime laugh. "It's actually a really good way to find awesome shows that you normally wouldn't watch yourself. You don't have much of a choice but to watch it when you can't change the channel."

"I guess so," I laughed along with her. "I wish I had as much free time to watch-"

"Hinata?"

I spun my head around. My breath sucked in my chest.

Okito was standing on the sidewalk looking at us, his mouth hung slightly open. I felt my face go white, and I knew instantly I was in big trouble.

"Didn't your mom call coach today and tell him you were sick?"

Once again, I'm sorry for the slow updates! School has taken over almost all my free time, so thanks for being patient; I promise not to abandon the story. I'm determined to fininsh this one :) also thanks for all the nice reviews!