I - Welcome

Welcome back, Sana-chan.

Was this really her? There was something – off – about this whole situation. Her voice seemed similar, her appearance was somewhat familiar, but there was the matter of – that.

"Is it really you?" Sana asked. "Aoi… san?"

"Aoi-chan", she corrected. "Gees, it's been too long. You know that you can call me Aoi-chan. For a moment there, I thought you didn't recognize me."

Well, there was that

"Ah, it must be the glasses. I got them a year ago – the doctor said I was reading too many books in the dark." She took them off and asked, "How about now?"

How should he put it? She looked, acted, and talked like Aoi-chan, if it weren't for that

"Are you sure you're Aoi-chan?"

She crossed her arms. "I am me! Come on, you should recognize your own cousin."

Yes, it was all coming back now. The same expression of mock indignance. Her energetic speeches. The same cute face and and friendly demeanor. And that was when he realized what that was. Too similar. It was too similar. Shouldn't she be seventeen by now? This girl can't be that old – why does she look like she's barely aged since the last time we met?

"Sorry, Aoi-chan, it's been a while – but it feels good to be back."

And it was – even as he started the tedious task of unpacking and moving into his apartment. Aoi-chan was the same as always, cheerful and helpful – if a bit on the talkative side. She helped him unpack, and even carried the heavy boxes, while informing him of the rules. He would be given a monthly allowance, of which most of it would go towards rent and bills, while the rest could be used as he pleased. Ah. Meals. Wake-up time was 6:30, while breakfast was served at 7:00. Dinnertime would be around 6:00, though this was subject to change; they would text him during the day if there was a change in plans. However, he was welcome to cook on his own, as his apartment did have a kitchen – an offer that was quickly declined. Lights out by 11:00PM. All noise-making devices – including I-pods, MP3 players, and the television – were to be turned off. And no, wearing headphones wasn't good enough – all devices off. Computer privileges. He would be allowed to use the Oribe family (that is, Aoi and her mother) computer to pay his bills online, and for school assignments. He was allowed to use the computer for recreation, but only if no one in the family was using the computer, and only while a member of the family was home. And anyone in Oribe family had first priority for computer use, and could kick him off at any time, for any reason. List of chores. He was to keep his apartment reasonably neat. No dirty laundry or trash on the ground. He would vacuum and sweep the floor at least once a week. Bathrooms were to be cleaned at least once a month. And yes, all of these things (among others) were written down in a packet she was now giving him, so there would be no excuse for forgetting them.

Ah, the joys of freedom.

Then again, he was just glad he was able to come back to Sakuranomori; convincing his mother had been a miracle in itself. Especially considering just how adamant his mother had been in moving away from this town, and destroying all traces of their past. The picture album. A good luck charm from the twins, Shuusuke and Shuri. A toy necklace from Aoi. The old family phonebook. Letters from Nanaka he received in their secret mailbox. His old piano books, and the blue first place ribbon he had received for winning his first piano competition. And come to think of it, perhaps the lure and gloves – his farewell gifts from the twins – hadn't been "lost" after all.

But now he had been given another chance – to not only relive his memories, but create new ones as well – with Aoi, Shuusuke, Shuri, and Nanaka by his side. And Aoi was more than willing to get it started – first by reminding him of happier times from their past while unpacking, then by showing him around town. And my, how things had changed from the past. Several shops had expanded; others had closed up shop and were replaced; and still others had closed and remained boarded up. But at least the bookstore was still there – Aoi's favorite place to visit – complete with magazines, trading cards and other collectibles, latest manga and light novels, to go along with the usual staples. Aoi was energetic as always, all too eager to tell him about her current favorite light novel series. This one, it seemed, was about a team of magical girls trying to prevent their queen from being marrying an evil prince – while defending their country from the prince's schemes and defending themselves from his robot henchmen. This was about all he could catch, as Aoi's speech grew faster and faster until it literally seemed as if she was on fast forward – complete with the high-pitched squeals and exaggerated motions.

In the meantime he found himself browsing magazines with some scantily clad models, which earned him an immediate slap on the wrist.

"No ecchi!" she barked. Ah, the telltale furl in her brow – she meant business.

"Ah, come on." After all, didn't it just mean that he was a normal healthy teenager?

She raised her index finger. "It's an Oribe family rule. No ecchi allowed in the house."

In more ways than one, Sana grumbled to himself. Ever since his parents got divorced, there were dramatic changes in the house rules. And every time he complained to his mother, he would get the same line: "Those were the Hidaka rules. Now we have the Oribe rules." He remembered the last time he had been caught with a magazine of that sort – and the consequences still made him shudder.

So that little incident ended their journey to the bookstore (Aoi had to grab him by the sleeve to prevent him from getting another eyeful), and it was off to their next destination, the local shrine. But strangely enough, Aoi didn't seem to be interested in doing anything there, as she passed on offering a prayer or buying charms from the gift shop. Instead, it seemed as if she was looking for something –

"Did you lose anything?" Sana finally asked.

"No, it's not that; it's just that… oh, never mind. Let's go."

Now that was strange. Not as strange as the long-haired stalker who appeared in his field of vision for a split-second and disappeared soon thereafter, but it was definitely strange.

An uncomfortable silence followed, before Aoi broke the ice: "Is there any other place you want to visit? After this, we have to go to the grocery store. We have to get home by 6:00, so we have a little time."

So many places. The cave. The grass hills, and the secret mailbox. The giant sakura tree. The local park, and the playground he used to play in. Speaking of parks, there was that place –

"How about Nature Park?"

Aoi shook her head. "That's too far. And it's closed anyway."

"Closed?"

She looked a little sad. "Yes. They haven't maintained it for years, and it's become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And now they're talking about getting rid of it."

Oh. That was too bad. Shuri would be especially upset; it had been her favorite place to visit. She always used to drag the rest of the gang there on weekends, where they would go on hikes, have a picnic, go on boat rides at the lake… and finally, lay around until sunset, exchanging stories and enjoying the scenery. Ah, those carefree and relaxing days…

But the reality was that he found himself carrying several bags of groceries; they had gone straight to the grocery store. Thankfully, Aoi insisted on carrying "her fair share" instead of burdening him with the majority – although, considering the number and weight of the bags she was carrying, Sana was starting wonder whether Aoi could use a little more help. But surprisingly, she didn't seem to be having much trouble – where did she find such strength in that tiny body of hers? Come to think of it, it was like that with the boxes as well.

But perhaps she had been strong all along, and he simply had taken it for granted. And a lot of other talents he hadn't noticed. Plaques, ribbons, and other awards from various essay contests – clearly, she did more than just read. A cup-sized trophy for achieving one of the highest marks in middle school. And a single red ribbon next to the piano for finishing second in a piano competition; the memory made him smile – it was one of the few times he had beaten Aoi.

And most importantly (at least for now), her talents included cooking. Mmm. And he wasn't talking about the cake she had baked for his farewell party, though that had been one of her typical flawless efforts (even so, she had insisted she had made a mistake while applying the icing – though the so-called mistake was visible only to her). No, it was the unmistakable scent of tempura, yakisoba noodles, and miso soup – how she managed to cook all three simultaneously and finished all of them just as the rice starting to get nice and fluffy was a mystery known only to her. And (not so) coincidentally, that was when his aunt, Miss Oribe, walked through the door – just as he had finished cleaning the floor and setting the table.

Dinner was mostly an enjoyable affair. The food was great, and his cousin and aunt had no shortage of interesting stories to tell. Little incidents with their tenants. One of them had received a water bill for 50,000 yen, only to find that the water meter was installed wrong by the water company. Mishaps during their summer vacation. Aoi and Miss Oribe had missed one of their connecting trains, and were forced to find a place to stay for the night – only to find that the inn they were staying in doubled as a love motel. Visits to a nearby water park and aquarium with her friends – no, not with Shuusuke, Shuri, and Nanaka; Aoi had a different set of friends now. But the topic would soon turn to the one Sana dreaded – the call from his mother, and the terms of his stay.

A reminder. Yes, even if their personalities were on opposing poles, his mother and aunt were indeed related. Perhaps Miss Oribe was just a bit nicer and gentler – but the rules were still the same. Chores. Curfews. Actually, if anything, the list had only grown. And Aoi seemed all too eager to add to his responsibilities – gees, at this rate, would he ever have any free time?

But his aunt and cousin seemed to ignore the sharp glances, and prattled on. "Sana," Miss Oribe suggested, "Would you be interested in having a job? If you want, we can find things for you to do around the apartment."

"That would be great!" Aoi jumped in. "We could use a lot more help. Just a few hours a week would help."

"I'll pay you 700 yen an hour, for 10 hours a week. And you can do most of the work during weekends."

"Please, Sana-chan? Mom is swamped at the office and I can't do everything by myself. And we can't afford to hire anyone full-time."

Ah, the classic 'offer you can't refuse' – he wasn't exactly given a choice, was he?

Miss Oribe seemed pleased by his response. "You know, Aoi-chan, it would be like having a son around the house. Maybe we should give my sister a call and let her know we're adopting him?"

"Hmm…"

"You would have your own otouto-kun."

"Otouto-kun? Does it mean he should start calling me onee-san?"

Sana shot her a look – which bounced right off of her radiant face, as usual.

"Otouto-kun, could you put away the dishes?"

"Yes – imouto-chan," Sana replied, while patting Aoi on the top of her head.

"Hey! Don't forget that I'm older than you, otouto-kun."

"I won't, obaa-san."

OK, so maybe the last line was pushing things a bit far. After putting away the dishes, he was asked to wrap and put away the leftovers, wipe the table, sweep the floor, mop the floor, and vacuum the living room – and Aoi relished in calling him 'otouto-kun' at every opportunity. But at least she couldn't get him to call her 'onee-san' – there was no way he was going to do that.

Fortunately his aunt put an end to the punishment (Sana was sure that's what it was) by asking him to play the piano. Aoi had quite a collection of sheet music from the old days – a collection of piano sonatas from Mozart. The "Wanderer Fantasy" by Schubert. Ah, a collection of nocturnes and sonatas from Chopin. Could that piece in there – yes, there it was. The Fantasy Impromptu, the last piece he was working on before the move to Sakuranomori. He must've had a copy of the sheet music somewhere in one of those drawers – but it was always nice to have an extra copy handy. Although it would've been nice to have a loose-leaf copy, as the book kept folding shut.

Finally Sana bent the binding to keep it open, and started to play. A tough piece, it was – one that hit you right off the bat with a blindingly fast section with some nasty runs, combined with contrasting rhythms with the right and left hands. Followed by a slow, yet deceptive middle section – playing the notes was simple enough, but it required some sophisticated pedal work and subtle touches to really make the music come alive. The final section was mostly a repeat of the first section, and practically invited one to just plow through it and get to the finish – which is just what Sana did. Which was followed by a round of applause – even as Sana fought the queasy feeling, that he had done something desperately wrong. 'Dang, I need to work on this piece,' Sana promised himself. Now only if he could find the time…

The time. Oh, yes. It was nearly 9:00PM, which was to be his curfew. Not 11:00PM; that's when he had to turn off all devices. He was to be in his room by 9:00PM. No exceptions. That meant no going to parties, not even during weekends, but perhaps that was the point. His mother would be calling him at that time to check up on him – and if he failed to answer, punishment would be upcoming. And his aunt had already promised his mother to enforce any and every punishment she came up with – or even add to them, if warranted.

Such threatening words from such a kind face. Yup, they were sisters, after all.

So Sana found himself sitting on his bed with his arms crossed, staring at the alarm clock with one eye and the phone with the other. The clock made it all the way to 9:02 before the dreaded sound arrived – the harbinger of doom.

"Sana."

"Yes, mother."

"Did you get the list of rules from your aunt?"

Boy, she didn't waste any time.

"I want you to listen to your aunt and cousin. You're not on vacation, Sana. Just remember why you're there. Or do you need a reminder?"

An involuntary shiver. All of a sudden, it was very… cold…

"I know that things haven't always gone well. And both of us have made mistakes. But we can't take back what happened – "

"You're right about that," Sana interrupted.

"Sana," she warned – and Sana gulped in response. It was his first and last warning.

"Sana. Do you believe in redemption?"

What a strange thing to say, especially coming from someone who had humbled him all throughout his life.

"Redemption?"

"Only if you're willing to work for it. It will be a long road, Sana. Your aunt and cousin will do their best to help you, and I promise to do what I can. But this is something that could take years. Your aunt and I already talked about it, and agreed to let you stay there at least until the end of high school."

Sana wasn't sure whether this was good news or bad news.

"That would be nice," was Sana's tentative reply. "Maybe I can meet my old friends again – "

"About that," his mother cut in rather sharply. "I've talked to Aoi about them, and I don't like what I'm hearing. I won't tell you not to see them or hang around them, because that didn't work last time. But you better be careful. Don't go in too deep, or else you'll fall into a pit and no one will be able to pull you out. Do you understand?"

Sana nodded promptly, then remembered he was talking on the phone.

"I see."

"Good. I'll call you tomorrow at 9:00PM. Make sure you're in your room by then."

"Yes, mother."

A click soon followed, and Sana could breathe once again. Oh, the irony – after all, wasn't it just a short phone conversation with his own mother?

* * *

Compared to his previous ordeal, speaking in a room full of strangers was a piece of cake. It didn't hurt that his homeroom teacher, Yuzuki Fujimura, was a young beauty; his favorite type. So it was no surprise that Sana aced his introduction and got off on the right foot with everyone in the class. Especially with a boy with light brown hair who seemed vaguely familiar, and stood up from his seat –

"Sana? Hey, it's been a while."

"Shuu – suke?" Sana ventured. A girl with the same hair color gave a friendly wave, which meant she was –

"Shuri?"

"Do you know the Wakatsuki twins?" Yuzuki-sensei asked.

"We were buddies for a long time, before he moved away," Shuusuke explained. "Man, it's really nice to see you again. I had no idea you were coming."

That meant Aoi didn't tell him?

"It's nice that he's back, but why would he come back all of a sudden?" Shuri questioned, not really expecting an answer.

"Let's not worry about that. Sana, want to hang out after school? We can go to the new karaoke place."

"Well, about that – "

He never got to finish the sentence, because Yuzuki-sensei clapped her hands and started the class. First order of business. Electing a class representative. Not surprisingly, Shuusuke was the first one nominated; he had always been on the popular side and had served as a class representative in the past. Unfortunately Shuusuke took the opportunity to push the duties unto him – and earned a nasty glare as a result, which was gleefully ignored. Next up, the weekly schedule. There were no less than ten different subjects scattered throughout the week; some were covered every day, while others were taught once a week. Yuzuki-sensei herself was a science teacher, and taught physics and chemistry – which meant they would see her twice a week, in addition to the homeroom at the start and at the end of classes. Third, the school calendar. Filled with the usual "special" dates: holidays, the sports field day, the school festival, and of course, everyone's favorite – the exam period. And finally (!) the (tentative) list of clubs, complete with meeting times and locations – and unfortunately, the only ones he was interested in were the ones his mother wouldn't let him join. And Sana seriously doubted that he would have any better luck convincing his aunt – or his cousin, for that matter. After all, it was an Oribe family rule.

The rest of the morning was filled with a never-ending rush of teachers, as they introduced themselves and gave an outline of their subjects. Some of them attempted a mini-lecture, but were promptly cut off by the bell – which only added to the hectic atmosphere. Thankfully the stampede of teachers was mercifully put to an end by the lunch bell, which was followed by a mad dash to the cafeteria. Which reminded him. Dang, he should've brought something to eat; it surely beat having to wait in line –

"Sana!" Ah, the familiar high-pitched yell.

"Aoi-chan?" The reply was not from him, but from Shuri.

"I forgot to give this to you this morning, otouto-kun. I hope you'll like it."

Sana opened the bento and examined the contents – simple, but edible. And an "A" for presentation, but he expected nothing less.

"If you want, I can make lunch for you every day. It's not a big deal."

Well, being related would have something to do with that.

"I have to go now. See you after school!"

Wait a minute.

"Yes?"

"Could you join us for lunch?"

Aoi seemed just a bit uncertain.

"Ple-ease?"

She was sufficiently amused by his puppy dog eyes, and gave in. So she quickly texted her friends to let them know she wouldn't be joining them, and the twins led them to their eating spot – under a tree on top of a grassy hill, not far from the cafeteria. And as it turned out, inviting Aoi had been a good idea, since the ground was still a bit wet – only to see Aoi pull out a tarp from inside her bag, and unroll a mat on top of it. She even had an apron that she put on before eating. No question, she came prepared.

The four had barely started eating before they were joined by a fifth – and seeing her brought an immediate smile to Sana's face. Oh yes, she had aged quite nicely. Sure, her hair had turned a little lighter and she tied much of it behind her head instead of letting it all down. But he would always remember her gentle expression, friendly nature, and her sweet demeanor – and that violin was a dead giveaway. Welcome back.

"Nanaka?"

Silence.

The girl bowed her head slightly. "Hi, my name is Hoshino Asami."

Asami?! Was this some kind of a joke? But based on the glares Shuri was giving him, he guessed it wasn't.

"I'm Hidaka Sana. I'm sorry about that – you look just like someone I used to know. Do you know Yatsushiro Nanaka?"

Asami looked dumbfounded – didn't he read or watch the news?

"I've heard about her."

"She was an old friend of ours," Sana explained. "She also played the violin, and she was really good at it. I remember, she won a violin competition a while back, and we played a duet at the honors recital. I was hoping to see her again – does anyone know where she is?"

Between the sweatdrop on Aoi's forehead, a wacky expression from Shuu, utter bewilderment from Asami, and threatening gestures from Shuri – he could see her teeth – Sana figured he was treading on dangerous ground.

Thankfully Aoi steered the conversation in another direction, with a voice that was a few pitches higher than usual, if such a thing were possible. The topic quickly switched to club activities. Aoi wouldn't join any clubs because she had to help her mother after school. Shuu was a member of the soccer team, and Shuri was a phenomenal tennis player – she had played in the national tournament the year before, though she had suffered a first-round loss. And Asami? Violin took up most of her free time; she would have joined a music club if the school had one. Actually, it would be nice just to have an accompanist she could play with on a regular basis – and Sana was only too happy to oblige. It was much too good an opportunity to pass up.

Lunch hour passed by quickly, and it was soon time to get back to class. And a tortuous march it was, for everyone knew what was coming next – the infamous cleaning duties. Only afterwards would the students be allowed to take part in the club fair; the only ones exempt from cleaning duties were those who needed to set up tables and makeshift booths for their clubs. Oh, and one more thing – right after cleaning duties, there would be a short introductory meeting for class representatives at the conference room; the school principal would be addressing them. As the club fair figured to last an hour or two, it would still leave plenty of time for class representatives to check out the clubs. Which left just one problem – Sana didn't know where the conference room was, but Yuzuki-sensei assured him that she arranged for a fellow class representative to show him the way.

The fifteen minutes of agony were soon up and most of the class rushed to the club fair, while Sana was left to wait for his guide. And it looked like his luck was holding so far, as his guide was a real keeper; complete with long, jet-black, flowing hair, a well-proportioned body, a chin that was held high, and a slightly distant gaze – the hallmarks of a classic beauty. There was no way he was going to blow this introduction. Unless –

"Excuse me, are you Hidaka Sana?"

"Yes," he said simply, and offered a friendly handshake. She raised her hand all right, but took a couple of steps back, before springing forward, then –

– SLAP –

Sana staggered backward from the sheer force and nearly fell. "What the?!" It was then that he noticed the girl's wrist. That flower bracelet; it looked familiar, somehow –

"Na – Nanaka?! Eh?"

It was then that his knees failed him, and he sank to the ground – and everything turned red.