A/N: Do star fruits grow naturally in Japan? Let's assume they do, eh? And you guys owe Hana Yori Dango and the fantastic Oguri Shun for this update – they inspired me greatly. xD
Also, forgive me if some details in this fanfic clash with what I had previously written. I haven't been writing for quite a while, and I kind of have forgotten my own plot, LOL.
Happy reading!
7. The Annual Sports Day Part III
"Okay, all right – are we going to send the same people off for this year's scavenger hunt?"
Hikari was sitting on the grass with the rest of her teammates, discussing the strategy for the final game. The parents had started to look tired, and the younger children were restless.
"Same people – hey, that's us, Hika-chan!" Taichi exclaimed, bobbing up and down. "We're pretty good at it, eh? Eh?"
"Yes, you guys definitely are," agreed Mr. Shiho, grinning. "You guys finished first two years ago, right? Too bad we were five points behind the Matsudas back then..."
"Well," said Hikari, "we can kick their butts this year, if you want us to."
"Yeah, we can totally do that!" Taichi piped in.
"Right then," said Mr. Shiho, "you're up next!"
-X-
"All righty, people! The Three-legged scavenger hunt is about to take place!" said Mr. Yamada. "I know the parents are getting tired, so we'll just let the kids handle this final event. In this game, you and your partner will have your legs tied to one another's, and you'll have to figure out the riddles! You've gotten your riddle, yes? Yes? Good! Now remember, we have people standing guard around the village so don't think about cheating! Also, you'll have to solve that riddle before you can get the next one – there are four riddles in total. So if you're stuck, think fast – or you'll fall behind!
"Remember, each riddle will lead you to a checkpoint and an object – bring these objects as proof that you have solved the clues, okay? Okay! Right, I know everyone's excited, so let's start this thing!"
This little speech was greeted with a loud cheer from the participants – and Hikari's had felt a weird sinking feeling when she saw that Team 3 had sent forth Miyako and Yamato to represent their team. She did a quick scan and saw Takeru sitting on the grass with the rest of his team. His attention, however, was not directed at Mr. Yamada, but at his mobile phone in his hand. He had a rather serious expression on his face as he texted away on his cell.
They had not shared a glance ever since the Balloon Wars took place...
"Okay, everyone over at the starting point!" Mr. Yamada instructed.
"Ready to kick some butt, Hika-chan?" Taichi asked as Mr. Yamada began to distribute the ropes to tie their legs together.
"You betcha," she replied, grinning. She knew that the two of them would argue a lot along the way, but that's just the way it works – they would still manage to complete the hunt earlier than most of the other teams.
"I'll be checking those knots, so there's no point in trying to cheat!" said the host as he paced down the line to check on the pairs of contestants one by one. From the corners of her eyes, Hikari could see Takeru standing up and making his way towards the 'Food & Drinks' tent with Hiroki-kun close by. She observed them as they each got a cup of orange juice.
"Okay there, Taichi-kun? Hikari-chan?" came Mr. Yamada's voice, making her jump.
"Yep!" she said, quickly averting her gaze from the tent. "Getting excited here!"
"Do your best – the riddle's kinda difficult this year, I tell you," said Mr. Yamada as he checked on the knot that Taichi had made.
"Any – ehem – 'special hints' for us, Mr. Yamada, sir?" Taichi had cheekily asked.
"Oh, I can't do that, Taichi-kun, you know that!" said the older man, laughing. "Besides, you guys are one of the best hunters around – you'll be fine."
It took Mr. Yamada a few minutes to check on the rest of the hunters, and then the event was starting. He distributed the papers with the riddle written on them to the participants.
"Do not unfold the papers until I blow my whistle! Right... On your mark!"
Hikari stole a quick glance at the tent – he was watching...
"Get set!"
Well, so what if he's watching? Everyone else is watching, too.
Mr. Yamada blew his whistle. "GO!"
She was aware of Taichi unfolding the piece of paper, so she quickly directed her attention to it, too. Focus, Hikari, focus.
"Let's see what it says here – hey! Hey watch it, don't push –!"
In the midst of all the excitement, another team had accidentally shoved them from behind. Hikari managed to regain her balance, but Taichi had tripped and fallen hard to the ground. Since their legs were tied together, she was forced into a sitting position next to Taichi.
"Whoa, whoa – hold it everybody!" Mr. Yamada then blew his whistle; a long, shrill sound invaded the field. He then quickly rushed to the Yagamis, shouting for a first-aid kit.
"Ow, ow, owwww!"
"Oniichan – is it bad? Where are you hurt?"
"Owww – I think my knee is bl – OUCH! Darn it, my ankle!"
"Is it twisted?" Mr. Yamada asked, kneeling next to Taichi. "Let me see –"
"AAARGH!"
"Yep, it's twisted," Hikari confirmed. Someone came running with the first-aid kit and handed it to Mr. Yamada.
"Here, you do it, Hikari-chan – I'm bad at these things," confessed the older man. "Come now, don't crowd around us – give him some air! No, no – he's fine, just a twisted ankle – we might need a stretcher here!"
"This is embarrassing!" Taichi moaned. "Ow, ow, ow! Careful...!"
"Oh, stop it, it's just a small cut," Hikari said, reaching for the things necessary to clean up her brother's wound on the knee. She was aware of the villagers around them – their father and Aoi-chan had immediately made their way towards them when they saw that Taichi had fallen – but it was then that Hikari had noticed that Takeru was one of the on-lookers. In fact, he was standing really close to them.
She had not realised that it was Takeru who had handed the first-aid kit to Mr. Yamada.
"Is everything okay, Hika-chan?" came Miyako's voice, and pretty soon, she and Yamato Ishida managed to make their way towards them (their legs were still tied to one another).
"Can you stand up, bro?" came Willis' voice – he was paired with one of Mr. Hokama's sons for the hunt.
"He's gonna be fine," Hikari said. "It's just the ankle I'm worried about – but he's fine."
"Yeah, I'm fine," said a rather embarrassed Taichi. "I'm fine, people!"
"He's fine, people!" Mr. Yamada repeated. "Would everyone please take your positions at the starting line again? Thank you! Please hold on a moment, the hunt will continue soon – thank you!"
The hunters began to march away to their original positions, leaving those who were not participating to crowd around Taichi and Hikari.
"Can you stand up, oniichan?" Hikari asked once she had untied the rope that was binding their legs together. She stood up and helped Taichi as he tried to get to his feet – but apparently he had twisted his ankle quite badly, for Taichi then sunk again to the ground. Quickly, someone nearby grabbed Taichi's other arm and helped him to straighten up.
"Darn it, darn it, darn it! Mou, I wanna go scavenger hunting!"
"You sound like a five-year-old, niichan," Hikari chided, but she was grinning. "Can you take a few steps forward?"
Taichi tried, he really did, but Hikari could see that he was in pain each time he tried to move forward. In the end, he shook his head.
"It's no use," Taichi groaned. "I can't go on like this."
"Well," said Mr. Yamada, "we'll just have to find someone else to replace you then... Takeru-kun, my boy – thank you for the first-aid, son."
Hikari heard Takeru utter a small, "No prob," but she did not care to meet his eyes. She saw, out of the corners of her eyes, Takeru making his way back to the tent.
Hikari then looked around at the spot where her team was resting a moment ago – to her dismay, most of them had dispersed, some resting under the tent, unaware of the accident, and some had even head back home, for this hunt was the final event, after all.
"Shiho-san!" Hikari called, waving her hand at Mrs. Shiho who was under the 'Food & Drinks' tent. Perhaps she could find someone who could replace Taichi... But the older woman did not hear her calling. "Aoi-chan, could you please run to Mrs. Shiho and –?"
"We haven't got much time," Mr. Yamada interrupted, looking at the thinning crowd around him. "Takeru-kun – son! Hold up!"
Hikari had never seen Mr. Yamada move so fast before: he sprinted across the field towards Takeru (the nearest youngster he could spot), grabbed him by the shoulders ("What the heck–?" she heard a startled Takeru say), took the first-aid kit from the younger man's hand before shoving him towards Hikari and Taichi.
"Now, now, I know you're from Team 3, but we're rather desperate now, really," Mr. Yamada said. Shock was written all over Takeru's face as he finally understood what Mr. Yamada was saying.
"Wait – waitwaitwaitwait – you want me to–?"
"Yes, yes – could you please be a gentleman and pair up with Hikari-chan for the hunt?"
"I – wait – wait, what?" Takeru all but sputtered as they finally reached Hikari and Taichi. Mr. Yamada did a quick job at tying his left leg to Hikari's right one, and gave them a big, big grin.
"Wait – don't you think his team might disagree to this?" Hikari quickly protested, feeling herself going red.
"Nonsense!" said a happy Mr. Yamada (somehow, Hikari had the feeling that Mr. Yamada was taking his responsibility as the Sports Day host too seriously at the moment). "Remember three years ago when one of the Inoues passed out from dehydration? Team 1 and Team 6 joined hands and everything went well!"
"But – but...!"
"Now – that's settled! Right, to the starting point, you two – come on, we're wasting time!" He then proceeded to shove Hikari and Takeru towards the starting line ("Good luck, Hika-chan! Do your best!" Taichi managed to say).
"Mr. Yamada," Hikari began again, "I really think this isn't a –"
"Couldn't you just –?" Takeru was saying, but then Mr. Yamada was speaking loudly to the participants now, completely ignoring their protests.
"Right, sorry for the delay, people! One your mark! Get set! Aaaaaaaaaaand –"
The sound of the whistle echoed in the sky once more.
"GOOOO!"
In the midst of the whole confusion, Hikari could only watch as the other hunters moved forward, determined to get a head-start over one another. She gave a frustrated groan – she wanted to win this event so bad...!
"W-well," she said, swallowing as she glanced at Takeru, "well – well, let's go, then!"
-X-
For a pair that was so awkward with each other, Hikari thought that they were amazing at synchronizing their steps.
Everyone was scattered here and there as they tried to figure out the riddle – it had only been about three minutes after Mr. Yamada had started the hunt, but it felt like an hour to her. They had not said a word to each other since they walked off the field. She was instead trying to busy herself with the riddle given – but she couldn't really think straight, because 1) the riddle was harder than the previous ones and 2) Takeru was leaning a tiny wee bit towards her in order to read the writings on the piece of paper in her hands, and that was enough to make her brains stop functioning. Hikari could swear that she had never paid so much attention to a piece of paper before – if she could shoot lasers out of her eyes just by staring hard at something, she would have burned a hole in the paper already.
After a moment, she decided that the tension was too much. She had to put a stop to it.
"W-well, uhm," she began, trying and failing to look at his face, "what d'you think of the riddle?"
"Hm," was all he had said, but he was staring at the piece of paper, clearly in a deep thought. This was what it said:
Empty the vessels as fast as you can,
North of the Darkness, in the Fairest Land.
Quite honestly, Hikari could not figure out the riddle. She was completely clueless at the moment.
Silence took over them once more as they walked on aimlessly, with Takeru's head bowed. One look was enough to tell Hikari that he was thinking hard – she remembered that look, somehow... Ah, yes...she had seen it oh so many times back when they were doing that little history project together. He had always been silent, but the way his eyes shone whenever he was in a deep thought would always make his silence seem more intense (did that even make sense?).
"Hmm," he said again after a while, bringing Hikari back to reality. He had his arms folded as he looked up at the skies, perhaps still thinking about the riddle. "Say," said he, "Yuki's Workshop – d'you know how to get there quickly?"
"Eh? Yuki's... Yuki's Workshop?"
He merely nodded. "Mm-hmm."
She was now curious – had he solved the first riddle? With all the embarrassment forgotten, she managed to ask, in a low voice in case any other hunters were nearby, "Why? Have you figured it out?"
Now there was a hint of a smile at the corners of his lips – had she behaved in a childish way? Hikari immediately became aware of how she had leaned in towards him conspiringly as she questioned him about the riddle. She quickly straightened up, avoiding his eyes.
"All the shops are located at the north of this village, yes?" Takeru asked in an equally quiet voice, watching Team 2's hunters carefully as they passed by.
"Yeah..."
"Kuro means black, right?" he went on.
"Right – oh! North of the Darkness – north of this village...I see!"
Takeru merely nodded, now smiling one of his small smiles.
"Yeah, I know how to get there quickly. But why Yuki's Workshop?" Hikari whispered as she directed their steps towards carefully towards the end of Edelweiss Lane.
"I was doing a short tour of the village the other day," he said, "and the workshop's the only place that has the work Yuki in the name. Yuki is snow. Snow is is white – and fair, I suppose. The workshop is the 'fairest land,' in a way."
Hikari was impressed - she would never be able to figure that out so quickly. Only then did she remember a rather long-forgotten fact: that Takeru was, after all, kind of a genius. How could she have forgotten that?
"And – and the vessels? What's that about?" she asked, but this time around, he didn't have the answer.
"No idea," he said, shrugging. "Perhaps we'll find out once we're there."
"Yeah...yeah, perhaps," she agreed, nodding. They were silent once more, marching forth steadily with his leg bound to hers. Before long, she began to accept the fact that she was going to spend the rest of the scavenger hunt event in this awkward manner. "Oh dear Lord, please have mercy on me," she found herself thinking over and over again. "Please let this be over soon..."
Takeru, meanwhile, seemed to be doing just fine – he had managed to hold his composure better than Hikari, and he seemed content with the silence between them at the moment.
Hikari inhaled deeply before sighing, bowing her head as she did so. One moment, everything was going smoothly, and then Taichi had to trip and twist his ankles – and now, she was in the most uncomfortable, most awkward situation ever... To be stuck with Takeru like this...
"Ano sa," Takeru suddenly began, "do you like Kurokuro?"
She looked up at him. "Eh?"
Takeru didn't meet her eyes – he was busy looking at the green trees that lined the street. His blue eyes seemed really, really calm...
"It's peaceful here, that's all," he said. "Very different from Tokyo."
Ah, he's trying to come up with something to talk about...
Hikari nodded and smiled as she, too, began to look at the trees. "Yeah, it's pretty awesome here," she agreed. "But it rains a lot."
"Hm," he simply said, stretching his long arms above his head before taking a deep breath. "It's a nice place, nonetheless."
Then there was a pause – should she start another topic now? He was kind enough to invite her to talk, so now she must return the favour, somehow...
"So why not ask him about France?" asked a small voice in her head. She once more grew tense at this thought – did she have enough courage to bring up such a delicate topic? The topic that she had been trying to forget all these years...?
No, no. She wasn't ready for that...not yet.
"Err – how come – how come Hiroki-kun's with you?" Hikari asked slowly. "Is he here visiting?"
"Why would a visiting cousin enrol in school, though?" the small voice inquired. Hikari immediately regretted asking him that question afterwards – his calm expression disappeared, and for a fleeting moment, something flashed across his face...what was it?
Was it sadness? Sorrow?
"Ah...no, he's not here visiting," Takeru said, "we, uh – we lost Aunt Yukiko three years ago in a plane crash."
"Oh... I – I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."
He shook his head, closing his eyes. "Nah. S'okay."
"Way to go, Hikari," said the small voice, "you just made the atmosphere worse – congratulations."
"She was in a flight from France to Japan," Takeru went on, "with Obachan."
Hikari's heart skipped a beat. The image of Takeru's grandmother crossed her mind at that moment – she could see the basketball court of her old high school...she could feel the stinging pain on her cheek – the embarrassment... She remembered how angry Takeru was back then when his grandmother had slapped Hikari across the face in front of the whole school.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memories. But Takeru went on, adding a final small detail:
"There were no survivors."
It took her quite a while to process this little detail. When she managed to do that, she finally understood something.
The old woman was dead. Gone. Takeru's grandmother, the one who had insisted upon the engagement, had died.
Which means...
"Ah," Takeru said, suddenly stopping. "This is it, right?"
Hikari looked up to see that they had arrived at Yuki's Workshop. She had unconsciously led them to their destination. She quickly nodded. "Y-yeah – this is it."
-X-
"Yo."
"Ah, Taichi-san. How's the Sports Day going?"
"Meh, it went well – but I just had to sprain my ankle before the scavenger hunt began. Darn it!"
"I'm sorry to hear that... Well, have you met Yamato? What d'you think?"
"I think he might have a point. The kid acts the same way Hikari-chan does. You know. Spacing out every now and then and stuff."
"Did the two of you have a good talk, though? About your younger siblings?"
"Yeah, yeah, we did. I still kinda disagree with this whole thing, Koushiro... My sister's been suffering for five years, for heaven's sake! But I'm giving it a chance. Let's just see what happens, eh?"
"Yes, I guess so. Is Yamato-san around?"
"No – he went scavenger-hunting...and I'm just here waiting for them to return. This sucks!"
"Take it easy, Taichi-san. Listen, I gotta go. Keep me posted?"
"Yeah, yeah..."
"Get well soon. Bye then."
"Bye."
-X-
"Welcome to my humble workshop!" said a very happy-looking Mr. Yuki as he beckoned the two of them to enter. "You're the first to arrive – how did you figure out the riddle, eh, Hikari-chan? And who's this? I've never – ah! You must be one of the Ishida boys, eh? How d'you like this place? It's charming isn't it? Listen, if your car breaks down or anything –"
"Mr. Yuki," Hikari interrupted politely, "we're kinda in a hurry –"
"Ah! Yes! Of course!" The mechanic then produced two mineral water bottles. "To get the next riddle, you just have to finish these."
"Empty the vessels as fast as you can," Hikari heard Takeru mumble. "Right..."
"You're smart enough to guess the riddle. Now, have a drink – and do it quick! Sooner or later the others will catch up."
He handed them two water bottles, still grinning. Takeru said thanks and began to drink.
"What happens if the other hunters just buy a bottle of water at Mr. Hokama's and drink it up?" Hikari asked as she took a short break from the drinking task. Takeru was already half-way done. "Can they still proceed?"
"Nope. Only I have the next riddle," said the mechanic with a wink.
"Come on, drink up," Takeru urged her in a calm voice as he glanced out the workshop. Hikari could see none of the other hunters as she went on drinking, but then she saw a glimpse of Miyako. "Oh, shoot – come on, quickly, quickly!" Takeru said. "My brother will see me soon and-"
He didn't finish his sentence: Yamato Ishida was approaching the workshop now, grinning, followed closely by Miyako. Hikari drank on.
"I told you we should've kept an eye of Takeru!" said Yamato to Miyako. "He's smart, this one."
"Congratulations, you two," said Mechanic Yuki to the newcomers. "Here, drink up. Hurry!"
With one final gulp, Hikari wiped her mouth, grinning triumphantly at Miyako. "Done! C'mon, let's go!" She took the empty water bottle with her as proof that they had passed this checkpoint.
"Here's your next riddle – good luck!" said the mechanic, handing her a roll of paper. Hikari saw Takeru stuck out his tongue at his brother (who flipped the middle finger in return) before the two of them headed out of the workshop.
"What does it say?" Takeru asked as they tried to walk as fast as their bounded legs would allow them.
"It says – it says:
In the black night sky do they shine,
Harvest these and you'll be fine.
"What the heck? Any ideas?"
Takeru was frowning slightly now, thinking hard, perhaps, at this clue. Before Hikari could suggest anything, he quickly said, "I've got it – but let's get out of here first. My brother could simply tail us to the next checkpoint. C'mon!"
"Where are we going, exactly?" Hikari asked, trying her best to keep up with his pace.
"Where's the nearest starfruit tree?"
"Star – what the...? So we're looking for stars? Starfruits?" she asked, and he merely nodded.
"Well, let me see –" Hikari wrecked her brain for the correct location, feeling rather amazed at the speed at which Takeru had managed to figure out the riddle. She then found herself giving instructions to Takeru to take the shortcut to the woodcutter's house.
"That's where the nearest tree is?"
"I think it's the only starfruit tree around."
"Okay. Okay, let's go," Takeru said, glancing back at the workshop. Miyako and Yamato had not emerged from the workshop, so the two of them quickened their pace.
-X-
Their paced had slowed down once more, and silence was with them again. It was like a game, really – he had asked her about Kurokuro, she had asked him about Hiroki-kun in return, and then he had presented her with a truth that was kind of difficult for her to deal with at the moment. Questions upon questions now popped into her head – was he still engaged to Catherine Leroy? Had he been in France all this while...?
Hikari sighed silently as they kept on walking. Mr. Sawamoto's house was on top of a small hill – the most secluded area in the whole of Kurokuro – so it would take them a while to get there...
Suddenly, Takeru's finger brushed against hers – his long fingers had touched her arm for the briefest moment, and then it was gone. It wasn't the first time that had happened, with them having to stand quite close to each other due to their tied legs, but it made her blush all the same. She withdrew her hand and clasped them tightly in front of her.
It was not a good time to sneak a glance at him, but she did so anyway. She lifted her eyes carefully to study his profile: Takeru was still as calm as he was before...and this was the first time that she actually got to stare at him up-close. His features were as she had remembered them – his nose, his mouth...his eyes... Hikari bowed her head, finally looking away.
She remembered how once upon a time, she would not have felt so uncomfortable with Takeru's silence – how she had understood that this was the kind of person Takeru was. Once upon a time, she could understand what his silence meant; she could even make him talk about his troubles... But now, his silence was a torture, a strain.
"Oh, come on. Don't make me laugh," said the small voice in her head. "That was five years ago, dear. You've been trying to forget him all this while, remember? Why should you be bothered by his silence now? Who is he to you, anyway?"
Who was she to him now?
"Why don't you find out?"
Hikari cleared her throat, testing the waters before she went on. She looked sideways at Takeru, who had turned his attention to her.
"Uhm... Mr. Sawamoto's house is just up that hill," she said, pointing. He followed her pointing finger and nodded, showing that he understood. "He's a rather odd person..."
Here, she managed to get another glimpse at that smile of his. "Yeah, I've been told. Predicts the weather and stuff, huh?"
She grinned. "Yeah – it's pretty accurate, really, his predictions."
"Hm."
She took a deep breath before continuing: "So..."
"So..."
She turned to look at him. He was smiling a little as he observed her. It was as if he had wanted her to go on – it was as if he, too, was uncomfortable with the silence between them. So Hikari pressed on.
"So...what d'you think of the villagers here?"
He seemed content with this new topic, so he pursued it. "They're friendly. It's rare to find people like that in the city...so we're very thankful."
Hikari contemplated something for a while, and then, without thinking much, she asked: "...Are people friendly to you back in France?"
Oh, this question had caught him off guard, all right. Takeru had quickly turned to look at her, and his gaze lingered on her for a moment or two. It took every ounce of her courage to return his gaze – after a while, his blue orbs started to become a tad bit overwhelming for her to handle, but she refused to look away.
In the end, it was he who broke the eye contact. Looking away at the trees, he said, "They weren't as friendly."
Hikari nodded silently, and they pressed on quietly for a moment.
"...How – how was France?" she had afterwards asked in a small voice, twisting her fingers together and keeping her eyes glued to the ground. She had hated herself for sounding so meek when she asked the question – couldn't she have just make it sound casual and cool? Darn it, Hikari...!
"All right, I suppose," came the reply.
"Ah. I see."
Suddenly things had become a thousand times more awkward between them – she wouldn't look at him, and he wouldn't look at her. So she had finally asked him The Question, and he had replied rather calmly. He had been in France all this while, then... Did he spend his time with – with Catherine? Had the two of them become close friends?
Had they become a 'proper' engaged couple...?
They marched on silently, now hiking the little hill towards Mr. Sawamoto's house. Before long, the wood-cutter's house came into view.
"Well, well well!" came a thunderous voice, and Hikari looked up. Beneath the starfruit tree was Mr. Sawamoto, his arms spread open as if welcoming the two of them. "Well done. You are the first ones to arrive."
"Thank you," Hikari managed to say as they moved towards the wood-cutter.
"The riddle, please?" Mr. Sawamoto said, stretching a hand towards them. Hikari quickly pulled out the riddle they had received from Mr. Yuki, and the wood-cutter began to examine it before handing it back to her. "Thank you – that is indeed the correct riddle. Now..." He gestured at his starfruit tree. "Go on ahead. Pluck a star, then you may be on your way."
Takeru and Hikari both thanked the man before making their way to the tree. Takeru, being the taller of the two, reached out a hand to touch one of the fruits.
"Is this one okay?" he had asked. Hikari looked: well, the fruit seemed all right.
"Yeah. Yeah, sure." And thus, he plucked the yellow starfruit from the tree. They went back to Mr. Sawamoto.
"Here is the next riddle," he said, handing Takeru a roll of paper. "Remember – while victory is important, teamwork is even more so. Therefore it is also important that you communicate well with each other." Here, the wood-cutter paused, and fixed a steady gaze at Takeru, and then at Hikari. "Hold nothing back. Trust one another. Only then shall you be able to proceed smoothly."
They were silent for a moment or two.
"Err – t-thank you, Mr. Sawamoto, sir," Hikari said, bowing a deep bow. Takeru followed suit. "Thank you."
The wood-cutter bowed back before gesturing them to the path that led away from his little house. "Good luck, then, to the both of you."
-X-
"Sing me a song, for this is the place,
Now strike me a Dm7, and I'll quicken your pace."
Once he had read the riddle aloud, Takeru looked up to the sky. "This should be simple enough."
"Yeah – it's the bar, I think. They have a karaoke set. That's gotta be the only place you can sing and – and strike this Dm7 thingy... It's a chord, right? Dm7?"
Takeru had smiled a big smile when Hikari had said, "this Dm7 thingy." She felt herself going red. "D minor seven – yes, it's a chord. Where exactly is the bar, though?"
"At the other end of the village. It's quite a long walk from here to there, so..."
There was a short pause where he seemed to be thinking of something. "Are you tired?"
Truthfully, her legs had begun to ache a while ago, but she did not want to stop for a rest – other hunters might catch up with them if they did stop, so she shook her head. "No, no – let's just go on with this."
Hikari had made the correct decision to carry on with the hunt, because twenty minutes later, they came face-to-face with Willis and his hunting partner, Susumu Hokama. Willis was talking in an animated way before he realised that Hikari and Takeru were approaching him. His facial expressions had quickly changed when he saw them, but he raised an arm and waved at her all the same.
"Hey, Hikari-chan!"
She grinned and waved back. "Hello, Willis!" She then saw Willis' eyes moved to look at Takeru, so she did the same thing. Takeru was in his Calm Mode, and was meeting Willis' gaze steadily with an unfathomable expression on his face. The distance between the four of them began to decrease as they walked towards each other, and finally, they were face to face with one another.
"All right there?" Willis asked, grinning at her.
"Fine, thanks," she replied, feeling rather uncomfortable yet glad with this small meeting of theirs – uncomfortable because Takeru was there and was watching everything in a very calm manner; glad because Willis had always managed to make her feel happy inside whenever she saw him. "Doing okay with your riddles?"
"We're right behind you, so watch out," Willis said as he stared at Takeru. The last part of the sentence sounded more like a threat to Takeru than anything else, but Hikari's hunting partner had merely arched his eyebrows as he heard it.
"Better get a move on if you wanna catch up, then," Takeru said calmly. The atmosphere was beginning to turn ugly...
"Err – see you later then, Willis – Susumu," Hikari quickly interrupted, moving forward so that Takeru had to follow her as well – their legs were tied to one other's, after all.
"Yeah. See you," Willis muttered before walking away with his hunting partner. Things were dead quiet between Hikari and Takeru afterwards, but when she looked at him, she actually saw him smiling.
"What? What's so funny?" she asked. Takeru's smile widened; he gave a very small laughter before looking away.
"Hm? No, nothing's funny. Why?"
"You're laughing. That's why."
Takeru merely pulled an 'I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about' face, and did not bother to provide her with a reply. Now she felt as if she had to defend Willis: he was her friend, after all. She felt as if Takeru was silently jeering at Willis' words – did he find the threat childish?
"Willis is just a tad bit competitive, that's all," Hikari said, trying to sound casual.
"Oh, I can see that," he said in return, but the way he had said it had implied that he did not want to pursue this topic anymore.
"He's a great friend," Hikari went on. She just wanted to put that out there – she wanted Takeru to know that Willis had been really kind to her. "Or are you just trying to make him jealous?" the small voice in her head commented. Well, why should Takeru be jealous of Willis? Who was he to judge Willis, anyway?
Takeru had given no reply to her last comment, but had instead stopped in his tracks. "This is the bar, right?"
Sure enough, they had arrived at the bar. "Yeah," she said, feeling oddly annoyed now, "this is it."
-X-
"Oh, I've been waiting forever for you scavenger hunters to show up!" said the bartender, Mr. Takama. "What took you so long?"
"We're from Mr. Sawamoto's hut," Hikari replied, "and that's quite far away from this bar, don't you think?"
"Oh yes, very," said the bartender, nodding. "Now then, perhaps you would like something to drink first? You're almost done with the hunt, anyway."
"Plain water, please," Takeru said. Mr. Takama nodded and turned his attention to Hikari.
"Same, please."
Mr. Takama did a quick job at fetching their drinks, and then he began to explain what they needed to do to proceed with the hunt while they drank the icy cold water. "Just sing this song for me, would you?" he said, approaching the karaoke set and playing the song.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Hikari said, giggling as she heard the oh-so-familiar opening theme of Doraemon.
"Nope, I'm dead serious, Hika-chan," said Mr. Takama, also grinning. "If you want that final riddle, you guys have to sing me this song!"
"And the Dm7 chord?" Takeru inquired.
"That's after you sing this whole song."
Hikari saw Takeru shaking his head, but he was smiling also. "Very well then."
The two of them approached the karaoke set, with Mr. Takama standing close by. "Ready?" the bartender asked.
"Yeah, I guess!"
"And...go!"
Hikari felt silly, but she started to sing along to the song all the same:
Konna koto ii na
Dekitara ii na
Anna yume konna yume ippai aru kedo
Minna minna minna
Kanaete kureru
Fushigina POKKE de kanaete kureru
Sora wo jiyuu ni tobitai na
(hai! takekoputaa!)
AN AN AN
Tottemo daisuki
DORAE ~ MON~
Mr. Takama was shaking with laughter as the two of them finished the song. "Gosh, you guys sure do look silly! Ha ha!"
"Very funny, Takama-san," said Hikari. "Now can we just please get on with the chord?"
"Oh – oh yes, certainly. This way!" The bartender then led them to the little stage where people usually perform songs. There was a drum set, several microphone stands, and an electric keyboard. "D'you know what's the Dm7 chord, Hikari-chan?"
She shook her head and replied the negative, so Mr. Takama turned his attention to Takeru instead.
"And you, Will – holy crap...!" The bartender stood back and gave Takeru a once-over. "I thought you were Willis!"
"Well, I'm not," Takeru had simply said. He was smiling as he said this.
"Then – then who the heck are you?"
"Ishida Takeru," said he, bowing politely. Mr. Takama did the same as he introduced himself.
"Ah...! You're the one who just moved in, huh? Well, I'll be damned! I really thought you were Willis – thought something was odd, though. You're taller! Ha ha! Well then – do you know the Dm7 chord, Takeru-kun?"
Silently, Takeru moved forth towards the keyboard, then his long fingers were on the keys and he proceeded to strike a bunch of keys together. The musical sound filled the empty bar.
"Very good," said Mr. Takama, nodding as he fished out a roll of paper from his pocket. "Here you go, then! And take this as well, as your proof."
Takeru took the roll of paper and a small piece of card that had a Doraemon sticker on it. The said thanks, and then the two of them headed out of the bar.
"Well, what does it say?" Hikari asked once they were outside. Takeru carefully unrolled the paper, and read out:
"Up is down and down is up,
Soon is victory, don't give up."
"...Hmmmmm."
"Tricky," Takeru commented silently, but he was already in his Thinking Mode. They walked on aimlessly as they tried to figure out the last riddle.
"There are no hints of a location or anything in this one," Hikari said after a while. "What d'you suppose it means?"
Takeru thought for a while, and then, stopping he said, "You've told him, haven't you?"
"Uh. Uh, what?"
"Willis, I mean," he carried on, now rereading the riddle as if trying to appear nonchalant. "You've told him?"
"About what?" Hikari asked, her frown deepening.
"No – never mind, forget it," he said, dismissing the matter quickly. "Can I have the rest of the previous riddles, please?"
"No, you can't," she replied firmly, "not until you've explained yourself. Have I told Willis about what?"
Takeru now looked as if he'd wished he hadn't spoken up in the first place. Looking around him, he said, "C'mon, we don't have time – the others might catch up with us. Gimme the riddles—"
"You mean, have I told Willis about – about what happened five years ago, don't you?" Hikari cut across him, her temper suddenly rising. "Well – well, so what if I have? What's it to you?"
His silence was driving her mad now – what was the point in asking a question if you weren't going to listen to the answer? And why was he suddenly so interested in what she had told Willis? The way he had phrased his question – you've told him, haven't you? – sounded as if he was trying to accuse Hikari of something. It was as if he did not approve of Hikari's friendship with Willis. It was as if he did not approve of her telling Willis about what had happened five years ago.
"Can I just please have the riddles, Hikari?" he said, calmly still, now holding out a hand.
"No – no you can't!" she said, her voice trembling, the volume of her voice rising. He sighed in a resigned manner, his jaw clenched. "So what if I've told Willis about us, huh? He was – he has been kind to me!"
"Well, it's good to know, then," came his cold reply.
"He has!" Hikari insisted, now blinking back the stupid tears that were threatening to fall. "I wouldn't have been – it was you—! None of this – none of it – would've happened if you hadn't just suddenly decided to run off to France!"
"I didn't run off," Takeru said firmly. "You didn't give me the chance to explain back then—"
Here, she gave a fake laughter. "Explain? Explain what? That you were getting married to dear Miss Leroy and that I was gonna be nothing but that stupid girl who thought she had a chance?"
"Hikari, would you just please listen—?"
"How is she, anyway?" Hikari curt across him loudly. "How is dear Catherine?"
"If you really wanna know, she's doing great," Takeru snapped. "Thank you for asking!"
"Well, the pleasure's all mine!" she hissed. Deciding that she had had enough, Hikari turned away, and forgetting that their legs were still bound together, she tried to walk off – she managed to lose her balance, and then she was falling to the ground, pulling Takeru along with her.
She fell hard on her knees with a loud, "Ouch!", but Takeru had managed to fall into a kneeling position next to her.
"Are you all right?" Takeru asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't touch me!"
"Hikari, you're bleeding. Let me see –"
It was true: one of her knees was stinging with pain, and her palms were bleeding a little. She wiped away the tears that had started to fall, and shrugged away his hand. "Just leave me alone," she mumbled, now trying to untie the knot that was binding their legs together. But her hands were trembling so much that it was impossible to finish the task. Takeru had fallen silent and was looking around him.
"Come on," he said, standing up, "let's go to the kindergarten. It's close by, right?"
Hikari kept her hands busy with the knot. "Leave me alone," she repeated.
"You," Takeru said, grabbing one of her arms and pulling her up to a standing position, "are hurt – and we're heading to the kindergarten, now."
He then proceeded to drag her along towards the kindergarten despite her protests, and before she knew it, they were standing in front of Mrs. Kim's Sunshine Kindergarten.
-X-
"Are you all right, Hikari-chan?"
Mrs. Kim's voice managed to pull her back to reality. The older woman had been kind enough to take a look at her wounds, and she had made them both some tea. Hikari was sitting in Mrs. Kim's office at the moment, sipping her tea silently. Takeru had remained outside in the hallway – she didn't know if he was still there or if he had gone off.
"I'm fine," Hikari mumbled.
"I know you and your brother are good at this scavenger hunt event," said Mrs. Kim as she settled down next to Hikari, "but you don't see happy right now. You guys are the first to reach this final checkpoint – aren't you glad?"
"What checkpoint?" Hikari asked stupidly, looking at the kindergarten teacher with a slight frown.
"Well – this kindergarten is the final checkpoint!" said Mrs. Kim, laughing a little. "How did you figure it out?"
"I – I didn't," Hikari admitted. "We were close by and – and, well, I've tripped, and this is the closest place we thought of to get help from..."
Mrs. Kim nodded silently, observing Hikari as she did so. She then glanced outside her office. "You didn't pair up with your brother this year?"
"Oniichan managed to trip, too," Hikari said. Mrs. Kim chuckled at this. "We're incredibly clumsy this year."
"So you paired up with Takeru-kun instead, eh?"
"It was Mr. Yamada's idea."
"Ah, I see..."
Right then, Takeru's tall figure appeared at the door. He knocked twice to get Mrs. Kim's attention.
"Oh, hello. Would you like some more tea, Takeru-kun?"
The blonde politely refused. "Uh – I was wondering...if we'd be disqualified for untying the rope. I mean... Mr. Yamada isn't here to judge, so..."
"Ah, no, no, it's all right to untie the ropes once you've reached the final checkpoint," said Mrs. Kim, smiling. "So, you knew this is the final checkpoint, right, Takeru-kun?"
Takeru merely nodded, and Hikari's confusion grew – hadn't Takeru brought her here because this was the closest place to get help?
"Well, then – I'm just...gonna go and wait outside," Takeru said before bowing and leaving the office.
"Wait a minute," Hikari said once she was sure Takeru had gone off and was out of earshot, "the last riddle didn't say anything about a location – how is this the last checkpoint again?"
"Do you have the riddles with you right now, Hikari-chan?" Mrs. Kim asked, smiling. Hikari quickly took out all the pieces of paper, and Mrs. Kim began to arrange them on the table. "Look closely. Can you see the word sunshine anywhere?" Sunshine Kindergarten was the name of the school.
Hikari leaned closer to the table, and frowned at the riddles:
Empty the vessels as fast as you can,
North of the Darkness, in the Fairest Land.
In the black night sky do they shine,
Harvest these and you'll be fine.
Sing me a song, for this is the place,
Now strike me a Dm7, and I'll quicken your pace.
Up is down and down is up,
Soon is victory, don't give up.
"Well...no, not really," she confessed. "Where is it?"
"Here's a hint – read the final riddle."
Up is down and down is up,
Soon is victory, don't give up.
"Sorry – still nothing," Hikari admitted, feeling rather foolish now.
"It's okay," said Mrs. Kim, "it is very tricky – I'm surprised Takeru-kun managed to figure this out so quickly." She then proceeded to underline the first letters of each line.
Empty the vessels as fast as you can,
North of the Darkness, in the Fairest Land.
In the black night sky do they shine,
Harvest these and you'll be fine.
Sing me a song, for this is the place,
Now strike me a Dm7, and I'll quicken your pace.
Up is down and down is up,
Soon is victory, don't give up.
"Now read the final riddle again, with these letters in mind. Can you see it now?"
"Up is down and down is up," Hikari mumbled, thinking quickly. "Up is down...?" She tried to read the riddles in the opposite way – from the bottom – and then she finally saw it.
Soon
Up
Now
Sing
Harvest
In
North
Empty
S – U – N – S – H – I – N – E
Despite her earlier outburst of emotions, she managed to crack a smile. "That is pretty neat," she admitted. "Who came up with this?"
"I have no idea," said Mrs. Kim, "but it's fantastic, isn't it?"
"Yeah," she said, grinning. Before she knew it, she was glancing out the office door, trying to catch a glimpse of Takeru. "Yeah. It's fantastic."
A/N: Sorry if my riddles sucked. I tried my best. (OTL)
Also, sorry if some parts of this chapter seemed rush – I just haven't been writing a long time, and I had to finish this now while I have the time. I've got two quizzes next week – chemistry and maths – and I can guarantee you that I won't be able to finish the chapter had I left it until next week.
So, what do you think? :D Koushiro's been introduced to the story, yeay!