Chapter 18:

Kami glanced over at her calendar as she cooked some dinner. It's golden week starting tomorrow… I wonder what I'm going to do. She sighed and took out a plate to eat her dinner on. "I guess I can always spend it unpacking." She looked over at the boxes sitting around the kitchen with all the kitchen stuff. Before Kami could start eating the phone rang. "Hmm?" She glanced over and picked it up. "Hello, Kami Kibaru speaking."

"Hi Kami." It was Tohru.

"Oh hey Tohru, what do you need?" Kami leaned up against the wall and smiled. Maybe I can hang out with Tohru.

"Shigure, Kyo, Yuki, and I are going to a lake house tomorrow for Golden week; Shigure said it might be fun to invite you guys to come as well. So I called to check."

Kami paused. "A lake house… Let me get back to you on that okay? I have to check." Kami said thinking of Yukio. It was highly unlikely he'd let them go.

"Okay. Just call me back later and I'll let Shigure know."

Kami hung up after saying goodbye. Now to go see what Yukio says… Kami turned and headed towards the main house, which was right next door. Kami took the path she knew well and spotted Yukio sitting in his room wrapped up in a large blanket. He glanced up and smiled. "Yukio may I speak with you?" Kami asked standing at the doorway shifting slightly.

"Of course. Come in." He nodded.

Kami walked in and sat down in one of the chairs. Yukio's room was bare for the most part. There was his bed, where Yukio was sitting, and three chairs pushed up against the wall. There was a closet and dresser, but besides that it was empty. "Yukio…. It's golden week tomorrow…" Kami started. "We don't have any plans, and a friend of mine had invited some of the others and me to come hang out for golden week… Her family is going to a lake house."

Yukio frowned and looked up. "What are you asking Kami?"

"I would like to go… along with Aki, Natsuki, and Miyako… We are all friends with Tohru and it would be nice to be able to spend some time with them again. Since I've moved classes I haven't been able to spend as much time with them."

Yukio frowned as he looked at her. "That is dangerous."

"I can look after everyone." Kami said quickly. "And if we feel the need to change we can run into the trees until we turn back. If the four of us go we can cover for each other and take care of one another."

Yukio frowned and eyed her. "….Fine… But if anything happens it will be your fault."

Kami nodded. "Thank you Yukio. We will be careful." She got up and walked towards the door.

"Kami." Yukio called. She turned and looked at him. "I want you to call me every night and let me know if there are any problems."

"Yes Yukio." Kami nodded. She turned and headed out, smiling. Now to go find those three!

"Wow, this place is pretty cool." Natsuki looked around the lake house. "I'm amazed." She glanced over at Kami. "This will be tons of fun."

"Wow there's a lake!" Tohru called looking out a window. "It's very beautiful. It's very big."

"Let me see!" Aki rushed over. "Oh wow! Miyako come look how big it is!"

Miyako rushed over and stared out the window. "Amazing! I've never seen such a big amount of water!"

Kami walked over. "It's beautiful, the way the light hits it…"

Hatori walked up behind them to look out the window as well. Yuki walked up next to Tohru as well. "So what if there's a lake? What's so fascinating?" Hatori asked.

"It is! That's because it's the first time I've seen a real lake!" Tohru smiled.

"It is beautiful as well." Miyako grinned. "Look at it!"

"It's great." Kami nodded. "I haven't seen something like this in a long time."

Shigure laughed. "Hehehe!... I wonder if Jason will be winging by the villa." Kyo looked off confused. "Kyo, you are too innocent! Jason is a new type of bear."

"What?!" Miyako blinked confused. "A bear?"

"AH! How would anyone know these kinds of things?!" Kyo gasped.

"No…" Hatori sighed.

"Are there bears abroad?" Tohru asked confused. Hatori sighed and put a hand on his forehead shocked by how dumb the kids could be and how easily they fell for Shigure's prank.

Kami shook her head as well and sighed. "You guys."

"Shigure… Why did you suddenly want to come here?" Kyo asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Ah ha?" Shigure waved a fan in front of his face as he chuckled.

"…That was going to be my question!" Yuki frowned. "What plot do you have planned?"

"You guys are really misjudging my good intentions." Shigure said seriously. "I only wanted honestly to come on vacation with you guys, and having the Kibaru girls as well is great… I can't believe you guys are suspicious of me! If you guys have time to talk about other people's problems, then you might as well take Tohru for a walk around the lake! Yuki, Kyo! The other girls can join you as well." His comment was followed by silence. "Huh? You two… what are you looking so down for?"

"I think going for a walk sounds fun." Miyako nodded.

"Hmm… Your moods are so down.. You can definitely use the presence of an optimistic person." Shigure picked up the phone smiling. "That's right! We should call Ayame over!"

Kyo and Yuki both suddenly went dark and glared down at Shigure. "IF YOU CALL HIM OVER, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU…" They said together.

"Let's go." Aki said heading out. Miyako followed her along with Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru.

"Kami, Natsuki are you going?" Shigure asked.

"No." Kami said heading towards the kitchen. "I'm going to make dinner l, Natsuki why don't you come join me?"

"Sure." She smiled.

Shigure chuckled. "They should have agreed to take a walk earlier… Those two have been looking depressed since yesterday…"

"Shigure…" Hatori said calmly. "About the reason why you suddenly wanted to come out. Could it be again…. To play a prank on your editor?"

"I'm not playing a prank on her! It's just that I like joking with her…"

Kyo, Yuki, Tohru, Miyako, and Aki walked silently along the path. Both the boys looked upset and dark. "Ah… I'm… really sorry…" Tohru bowed.

"Huh?" All the others blinked and turned around to look at her. Aki and Miyako stood in the front and looked back.

"I'm a really slow person, so I haven't noticed… if… if… if I do anything that upsets you, then can you please tell me? Next time, I'll definitely change, definitely change!" Tohru shifted. "So…"

"Miss Honda… wait…wait." Yuki gasped.

"What are you talking about?" Kyo asked. "I really don't understand what you are saying…" Kyo took a step forward and slipped. "AHH!"

"KYO?!" Tohru, and Miyako gasped. "KYO, ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"

"What's with this trail?" Kyo complained. He looked down at the footprint in the ground. "It's Jason's!"

"JASON!" Tohru gasped.

"Jason?" Aki blinked looking at Kyo like he was an idiot.

"What are we going to do?!" Tohru gasped, starting to freak out.

"Let's just stay calm…." Miyako said nervously.

"Dangerous! Too dangerous! You guys quickly go back!" Tohru waved her arms around worriedly.

"Miss Honda!" Yuki gasped as Tohru suddenly was falling backwards.

"Ahh…" She gasped. Kyo and Yuki jumped after her. Aki and Miyako watched shocked.

"That's right, that's right. No problem! I've finished the final draft, I was only joking with you. That's right! That's right! Okay okay! Bye." Kami walked in to see Shigure hanging up the phone. "I automatically reported to the editor now…" He was dramatically crying.

"Of course you have to. Stop crying." Hatori sighed.

"Do either of you want a snack?" Kami asked, holding up a bag of chips and a bowl of dip.

"No thank you." Hatori said calmly.

"This is so boring, so boring, so boooring…" Shigure whined.

"I'm very bored too." Hatori sighed.

"If you guys are that bored you can come join me in the kitchen." Kami chuckled.

"I'm okay." Shigure chuckled. He turned back to Hatori. "Hatori why would you be bored? He sounded surprised. "I brought lots of good books for you to read!"

"Ah?" Hatori blinked looking over at the pile of books Shigure had brought.

"Oh?" Kami blinked looking over at the books interested.

"You haven't read any good books in ages, enjoy yourself!"

"Shigure…." Hatori blinked. He paused noticing Kami picking up one of the books. He walked over and picked one up as well. "It's been a long time since I've been able to read a book peacefully."

"Can I borrow one of these?" Kami asked holding up the book.

"Sure." Shigure smiled.

"Are you guys okay?!" Miyako called down the hill as her and Aki looked down.

"I'm really sorry… I'm really sorry… I'm really sorry…" Tohru was saying as she leaned up against a tree. Kyo was next to her, as a cat, and Yuki was lying on the tree as a rat. The tree was tilted slightly.

"Miss Honda, you're not hurt, are you?!" Yuki asked.

"It's… I'm really sorry…" Tohru said weakly.

"We're going to find a safer way down!" Aki called and the two cousins started moving. "Do you think they will be okay? What if a bear comes by?" Miyako said worriedly.

"I'm sure those two can take care of themselves." Aki said as they moved down the path, looking for a spot to get down safely. "It's Tohru we'd have to worry about, but I'm sure Kyo can take down a bear if he's angry."

"I guess…" Miyako looked down. "Oh look here's a path." The two girls headed towards the others quickly.

"Actually, nothing has changed much!" Yuki's voice came.

"Only I'm hating this guy more and more!" Aki and Miyako walked up to see Kyo and Yuki pointing at each other.

"AH?! You!" Yuki frowned.

"You beast!" Kyo yelled.

"I will hate you forever! I hate you until you die!"

"That's great! This is the first time I agree with you!" Kyo growled. Both boys were back in their usual human form.

Tohru laughed slightly. "Hey guys." Aki waved as they walked up. "We found you."

"Let's head back." Miyako smiled. "Kami has probably finished up most of dinner."

Kami looked over as the younger ones returned. "We've come back!" Tohru smiled. "Tomorrow… we'll go to the lake!" She smiled.

"That sounds fun." Kami smiled. "I'd like to join."

"That's great!" Shigure smiled.

"Dinner is ready." Kami smiled. "Come on in. Natsuki and I just finished setting the table… Kyo and Yuki you two on cleanup duty."

"WHY?!" Kyo growled.

"Because Natsuki and I cooked. Plus the two of you look like you'll cause trouble if I don't put you to work." She smiled.

Hatori looked up from his book, A Sigh in Summer Color, Kami noticed. "Is it funny?" Shigure asked. Kami was heading to her room.

"This makes people feel bad!" Hatori frowned.

"You should try this one next then." Kami said holding up the book she had been reading most of the evening while the younger ones played card games.

"That one?" Shigure asked looking over. "How far are you in it?"

"Almost done. I'll give it to you tomorrow, Hatori." Kami smiled. "Good night."

"…Night." Hatori nodded. She smiled as she headed to her room, having a hard time stopping.