14.

The bell rings, mercifully ending the teacher's half-hearted lecture on quadratic equations. At this late stage of the school year, he knows no-one's listening anyway. Masa's eyes, in particular, have been glazing over since the start of the period - he forgot to bring a manga to hide in his textbook.

"Phew, I can't wait until we put all of this - and old Nagata-sensei - behind us!" Masa puffs as he catches up with me and Tomoki in the hallway.

"Yeah, I saw you mummifying during the class," I tell him. "It was like one of those ancient history textbooks."

"History! Jeez!" Masa snorts. "Hey, what did you put for question 7 on the test? Or was it 6? The approximate start date of the Meiji Restoration?"

"1866," Tomoki says, without skipping a beat. He's busy digging in his satchel for something, and I have to steer him out of the way of oncoming students.

"Eighteen sixty-wha?" Masa gapes. "I said the mid 1970s!"

Tomoki pauses and turns to look at Masa, pushing his thick glasses up on his nose. "What exactly do you think the Meiji Restoration is, Masa?"

"Um..." Masa scratches his unruly brown hair. "Weren't they a funk band from Kyoto?"

Tomoki doesn't even dignify that with a response, and I can't help laughing as we start meandering down the hall again. Ikuro, who ended up in a different class when we all moved to high school, is walking down the hall towards us.

"Whoa, Masa!" he laughs, looking at Masa's disgruntled expression. "Who died?"

"The thing about history," Masa grumbles, "is that there's too damn much of it."

Ikuro grins. "No arguments here. So, Taka," he continues, falling in step with the three of us, "whatcha doing after school today? Masa and I thought we'd head into town and hit the arcades, maybe catch a movie. You know, the Big Four, end of an era, all that."

"We'll be right back here again a few weeks from now, Ikuro," I remind him.

"Sure." Ikuro shrugs. "Doesn't mean we can't go out and have fun."

It does sound like fun. But...

"I can't," I say, reluctantly. "I need to do some shopping after school. I still haven't found a birthday present for Kana."

"Hey, why don't we come with you?" Masa butts in. "Afterwards, we could all go visit Kana together!"

"Not likely!" I snort. "Look, guys, it's not just that. I also have to think of a good place to take--"

I pause. We've reached the cafeteria, which is filled with students milling around and trying to buy their lunch. Amidst the sea of orange blazers, a head of dark blonde hair suddenly catches my eye.

Her.

I turn away.

Nice instalment, Ko-chan. =)

Ooooh, I've so got a good one brewing!

15.

I sighed, looking down at the lunch I had recieved in the line. It was ok, nothing great as per usual. I hated school lunch, just time to mill about and chat with friends sure...My eyes traveled up to see the stiff back of him.

His words from yesterday...so cold.

"Yumi...YUMI!" I snap out of my thoughts, looking up with bemused smile.

"Mmm?"

Rei and Kisumi giggled, rolling their eyes. "You're staring again, Yumi." Despite remembering his cold features and those harsh words. Had...had I really wronged him so?

"Wh-What?" I feigned as much ignorance as I could, to no avail.

"Please, you're staring at Takamishi again."

"Can we not talk about it today?" That caught them off guard. They both stared at me for a long moment.

"Oh...um, ok, Yumi." The lunch period was quite then. The girls really didn't seem to know what to make of my words. Then again, neither did I. I could usually put up a good front for these things.

"So...so how was class today?" Rei tried to pry.

"Fine, but math is always rather dull. I hate it. Yokiko and Mei were getting giggly in the back with gossip, so Miss Toturi made us do a pop quiz." She smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. They were worried about me...But I had to get this off my chest.

"I...I have to go guys...I'll call you both later..."

I took a gulp of air and pulled on every reserve of strength I have in me. I stood, ignoring the others and walked straight toward him. This...this probably wouldn't end well, but I wanted to at least try...

I could at least apologize, no? Maybe...maybe he was in a better mood. I could say sorry for ruining his day...

I know it sucks, but I lost my other post ; . ;

16.

"Ne Taka? Doushita?" Ikuro asks.

"Iie...nantomonai." I reply "Here."

I hand Ikuro some money.

"Buy me whatever and a soda please."

"Ano, sure..." Ikuro says taking my money.

"I'll be outside in the quad."

With that I leave the cafeteria and head towards the quad.

I find a table bench and sit down. It's not that cold today...at least, not to me. The weather looks a little gloomy but not threatening.

What should I get Kana...

I breath in deeply in as I ponder the thought. I search for my memories of Kana in hopes to find an answer.

I remember...

I remember Kana reading. Kana enjoys to read. It's not like she has much choice being in the hospital all the time.

The summer festival. Kana really enjoyed the fireworks. And we had lots of fun at the shops too.

Kana also enjoyed the park. She was with me, Ikuro, Masa and Tomoki as well.

Even as far back when she was only 8. Kana was playing with her bags of seeds. Juggling them in the air.

"Hmm..." I say to myself. "Well...I think I should get something Kana can do at the hospital. Kana does like to try things. She's just never has had the opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?"

"Huh?"

I look over my shoulder at Ikuro holding my lunch.

"Ah! Arigato." I say grabbing the food. "Where are the others?"

"Over there." Ikuro points to Masa and Tomoki standing off to the side.

I stand up we walk to where they were. Then as the Big Four we head back to the classroom.

"So Taka...what is this talk about opportunity?" Ikuro asks again.

"Ooohhhhh..." Masa teases. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

"Oh! I was thinking about what to get Kana." I say ignoring Masa. "You just caught me talking to myself."

"Ah...naruhoto." Ikuro says.

"And what are you going to do on her birthday?" Tomoki asks.

Masa continues. "Who is she? Is she pretty? Come on Taka."

"I still haven't figured that out yet." I say.

"So...have you seen her panties Taka."

That's it.

*Bam!!!*

I body check Masa into the lockers. The three of us continue as usual.

"Well...I'm sure whatever you come up with she'll be happy." Tomoki says.

"Yea...I think you're right." I say smiling

Masa catches up with us.

"We'll help you any way we can. I'd be glad to lend a hand." Masa says with a grin.

"That's what I'm worried about." I say as we walk into the classroom and eat our lunch.

...


...


...

"Taka..." I say to myself.

"His imouto's birthday?"

"I-Is that why?"

I watch Taka going into class. I just seem to stare at the door.

... ... ...

"Yumi!"

I turn around quickly.

Awwww....crap XD

oro?

I'll erase mine...

There, I'll write another one sometime.

I don't think they clash. Yumi walked towards Taka, who was already walking away. So instead of talking to him, she followed him and overheard what he was saying to his friends.

Sideris: Taka's full name is actually Takamichi, not Takamishi. The English script consistently calls him 'Taka', which is why I only use that shortened version (even if it's technically incorrect).

Oh, and the lunch period should be 'quiet', not 'quite'.

I deleted it *shrug* it doesn't matter now. I'll make another, another time.

17.

It's Rei. She stares at me with her head tilted slightly to one side, her pigtails slightly askew.

"Oh, um... Rei-chan..." I mumble. "Is something... wrong?"

"Yes - you," she says. Rei's never been one to dance around an issue. "What's with you, Yumi-chan?"

"'With me'?" I repeat, blankly. I can still hear his voice from the classroom behind me. I can't hear what he's saying, but he sounds different now. He's back to having fun with his friends.

I haven't heard his voice in ages.

Rei gestures dismissively at the doorway behind me. "You're not dying, are you? A doctor didn't tell you you've got a terminal disease or something?"

"Eh... Huh?" I blink, Rei's strange words bringing me out of my trance. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Todo-kun," Rei says. "As long as I've known you, you've always stared at him from a distance, but you've never had the guts to make a move on him. But now, all of a sudden, you're doing the whole lurking thing. What is it about him anyway? He's not that good looking."

"Some eyes see differently," I mutter, pushing myself off the wall and striding down the corridor. Away from the sound of his contented voice. The same voice that's always so harsh when it speaks to me. I... I haven't had a kind word from him in... in...

No. No, don't you dare...!

But it's too late. I pick up my pace, running for the girls' toilets, hoping not to let Rei - or anyone else - see the tears.

Nice.

18.

"So what's up for the day?"

"Hmm, oh, not too much really. Kana later, like I said." I wrote down a few notes, giving a sardonic laugh to some offhand joke. "Anyone know what's up today in here?"

"Please, Mr. Yamamoto never writes anything for the first twenty minutes. He'll just ramble like usual."

"Alright. On that note, I'm gonna run to the bathroom real quick." They mumbled a 'see you in a few' and went back to discussing the newest edition of Tekken. Oy...my friends...

The halls were thining quick, bell would ring in seven minutes. Plenty of time for sure. What was that odd look for from Miss Pigtails there? Hmm, kinda familiar...oh well.

Suppose Kana will like whatever I get...but what?

As I opened the door to the bathroom, I swore I heard something, odd as it may sound in a hall of noisy kids. Sounded like...sobbing...

Miss Pigtails again...rushing into the girl's...Sobs got louder. I walked in to not look like some perv trying to catch something in the girl's bathroom. Where have I seen her?

...Reika...no, Ranma, no...Rei! Rei Kusaragi...Yumi's best friend?

Two clicks placked in my head and I got a good idea of whom was sobbing...I finished my business, and looked in the mirror as I washed my hands. An odd feeling of guilt barely peaking inside myself. I could hear muffled talking and a few sobs again.

Was...was Yumi crying because of me?

I dried my hands, "Nah, I'm thinkin' crazy..."

I exited to see a shaking, red eyed Yumi come walking out ofthe girl's with Rei. And I swore I felt my stomach wrench at the look in her eyes. Especially when she saw me...