Umi loved shopping with Hikaru and Fuu. Really, she loved doing anything with Hikaru and Fuu. They were both unlike the friends that she had had before, and so unlike her that she wasn't sure she would've ever been friends with them under normal circumstances. That humbled her, scared her even, that she could've led a life without being friends with either of them, and it probably would've been her fault.
"Look, doesn't this remind you of Mokona?" said Hikaru, holding up a huge marshmallow shaped pillow at the bedding store they had wandered into, "You always said he was filled with marshmallows Umi!"
"Yeah, it does Hikaru!" replied Umi. Her voice was peppy but inside she felt the strange dichotomy that hit her whenever someone mentioned Cephiro. On the one hand she fondly thought of happy memories with Mokona, but on the other she wished that Hikaru had not mentioned him at all.
"Hey, this makes me hungry! We've been shopping for a while, do you guys want to go get dessert somewhere?"
"Yes, that sounds good, Miss Hikaru, if it is alright with Miss Umi."
"Fuu, when are you going to quit with the "miss" stuff, you sound like a stuffy butler in an old movie. Yeah, Hikaru that sounds great!"
"How about we try that place that just opened? I hear they have brownies and cheesecake and stuff!"
"Do you know where it is?" asked Umi.
"Sure, I can find it."
"Well, let's go then!"
*
Hikaru had steered them to the restaurant without hesitation. Fuu respected the single mindedness with which Hikaru did everything. She did everything boldly and with all her heart, even something as mundane as finding a restaurant.
"Here it is!" said Hikaru cheerfully.
They stepped inside.
"This place looks good." said Umi, it was a large café like place, with different coffees and fancy desserts.
"Indeed it does." Said Fuu.
"I think I'll get the turtle cheesecake," said Hikaru taking a large stride forward, but her legs buckled underneath her and she collapsed.