After everyone had finished eating Hotaru rushed off somewhere, saying she needed to get something.
"Thanks for having me over Michiru…I know it must be odd for you to have me over." I stated, rubbing the back of my neck, not really knowing what to say.
"How is it odd? You're just like everyone else." She answered, surprising me just as Hotaru rushed back into the room, almost falling in the process.
"Slow down. You don't want to get hurt." Michiru chided the child though her voice was kind.
"Yes ma'am." The dark haired child stated with an embarrassed smile as she presented me with a small necklace that consisted of a black cord with a golden cross handing from it.
"She insisted that she get it for you when she saw it." Michiru stated with a smile and I glanced down at the girl, whose hopeful eyes shone into my soul.
"Do you like it?" she asked and I nodded, afraid to speak for my voice would betray my emotions as flashbacks swirled through my mind.
I stood above the opening in the ground, the silver necklace hanging from my hand as tears blinded me.
"Mama… papa… forgive me." I whispered as I let the chain slip from my fist and land between the two caskets that rested deep in the darkness.
"I wanted to thank you for being my friend." She whispered as she handed it to me and with shaky hands I accepted the small gift, though I felt warmth gather behind my eyes.
"Thank you Hime-chan, it's beautiful." I replied honestly as I put the necklace over my head, having a sense of déjà vu at the coldness that seemed to burn through the thin cotton of my shirt and into my chest.
"You didn't have to get me anything." I added, forcing my voice to even out as not to betray the fact that I was close to crying.
"But I wanted to!" the child argued and I laughed, pulling her into a hug.
"I know kitten, I just don't want you to feel like you have to repay me for anything." I retorted and she smiled up at me, her face glowing with delight.
"Why don't we go to the park? You were complaining about being bored." Michiru suggested, causing Hotaru to blush and glance down at the tiled floor.
"You might make some friends to." I added, hoping to encourage her and she looked up, seeming to become excited at the thought.
"Will you come?" she questioned and I smiled however before I could answer Michiru retorted
"Of course she is, she promised to play with you today."
Hotaru looks at me, hopefully and I nodded my agreement. I couldn't let the girl down.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, hugging me once more and I laughed.
"No need to thank me Hotaru, a promise is a promise." I retorted and she smiled at me before pulling away.
"No one's ever kept a promise to me before." Hotaru stated and Michiru smiled.
"Well we're not like everyone else Hime-chan." The aqua haired goddess stated, stealing my nickname for the girl.
The walk to the park was uneventful though Hotaru kept telling me how much fun she had with Michiru the previous night and how they had managed to make a large mess while baking the cake. However as soon as we got to the park Hotaru froze, turning shy suddenly.
"What do you want to do first?" I asked and she shrugged
However just as she did a Frisbee came out of the middle of nowhere and hit me in the side.
"I'm sorry sir…I should really be more careful." A girl with pink hair, pulled up into rabbit ear like buns stated as she bowed low.
"It's okay." I stated, trying to keep from laughing at the look on her face as she realized that I was a girl.
"Don't worry, people mistake me as a guy a lot." I stated as she tried to stammer out an apology.
I saw Hotaru blush beside of me and I smiled slightly and nudged her.
"You look like a boy." Hotaru stated and I shrugged.
"Oh well." I retorted, causing both of the kids to smile.
"Do you want to go play?" the pink haired kid asked Hotaru who looked up at Michiru and myself for permission.
"Can I?" she whispered and I nodded just as Michiru replied
"Just stay where we can see you."
After the kids had gone some ways to where the monkey bars were Michiru turned to me and smiled.
"You know there's a rumor going around the school about you today."
I inwardly groaned at this and sighed "what is it?"
Michiru chuckled lightly and retorted "that Taison found what you wrote in a journal."
I felt heat rush to my face as I prepared for what she was an out to say
"And it was about your crush on me."