Yuki’s POV:

“I can’t believe you did that,” Gumi said between her teeth. “Not only do you make me sleep next to you – you also fall asleep on my shoulder! We are never riding in the same car on a long trip ever again.”

We were back at Gumi’s house; she was unpacking while I floated next to her. She was mad at me. Apparently, last night I’d fallen asleep without letting her go, and hadn’t woken up no matter what, so she’d been forced to sleep next to me. Then, on the car ride back, I’d fallen asleep on her, and yet again refused to wake up.

“What’s the big deal?” I shrugged, yawning. “Kaito fell asleep on your other side. We woke up early this morning.”

“Yes, but Kaito is Kaito! He’s different!”

“How?” My ears pricked up and my eyebrows came together. “Are you saying that we’re not as close?”

“No! Well ... we’re close, but not really ...” she stopped folding clothes and stared at a wall. “Our relationship is complicated.”

“So where are we?” I angrily asked.

“Please,” she giggled, sounding slightly nervous. “You sound like an upset boyfriend.”

I prepared to say something along the lines of, ‘So what?’

But Gumi quickly slammed her drawer and declared, “Done! Now I’ll go visit Rin and Len!”

I was distracted. “You’re going to see them already? But we just got back.”

“I promised to play with them when I got back. Do you want to come?”

Sulkily, I replied, “No. Go yourself.”

“But they like you so much now!”

“They like you more. And I never promised anything to them.”

“Fine. If you’re going to act like a child, I can’t do anything.”

“You’re the childish one,” I shot back, almost immediately regretting those words. Why did I say that?

“Why have you been so rude lately?”

“Because you’re annoying me more.”

“Maybe it wouldn’t be annoying if you’d loosen up.”

“And maybe it would be.”

She glared at me. I glared back, my mind seething with frustration and disappointment, at myself.

Why was I saying these things? I didn’t mean them.

I was so ... so sick of keeping all my feelings locked away inside. I wanted to tell her how I felt.

But I was a coward. I couldn’t do it. So instead, I lashed out at her, just like those pitiful characters in dramas.

“Just leave,” I said, pointing at the door. “I can’t talk to you right now.”

“You know, I was about to say the same thing,” she frostily replied. “But you can’t kick me out of my own room. So you leave.”

“Fine!” I whisked out of the housing, passing through her bedroom wall into the open air. “I don’t need you!” I shouted at her closed window. Then I flew away.

That was wrong. I did need her. I needed her very badly.

Something inside of me had woken up, and suddenly I was filled with yearning. I wanted to protect and to cherish Gumi.

But, again, it scared me. This time, I ran away.

---

Megumi’s POV:

Abruptly, he was gone. I shook with anger.

What right did he have to suddenly start acting so selfishly? None!

And what right did he have to order me out of my own room? None!

I felt my body go limp, and I collapsed onto my bed.

What right did he have to make me feel so weak? None. So why did he have to affect me like this?  

Shaking off my confusion, I stood up. I’d promised Rin and Len that I’d spend time with them the same day I came back. If I waited any longer, there wouldn’t any time left to spend.

My feet guided me to the school while my mind remained blank. I wanted to think of something, anything besides Yuki. But my thoughts kept veering back to him. So I preferred to not think at all.

They were waiting on top of the fence, perched like little birds. It was just like the first time I’d met them.

That’s right. The first time I’d met them, I’d been upset because of Yuki.

“Gumi!” the twins happily exclaimed.

I growled and unhappily banged my forehead against my hand.

“What’s wrong?” Rin asked, concerned.

“What?” Len emphasized.

“I’m trying to get rid of bad thoughts,” I muttered.

“Gumi isn’t giving up again, is she?”

“Because nobody -”

“- likes a giver-upper.”

“Right?”

I raised my head and stared at their grinning faces. Then a smile slowly spread across my face.

“Come down here,” I said.

They complied. I threw my arms around them, gathering them in a group hug.

“You guys are the best!” I squealed. “I’d have given up so many times already if it weren’t for you two!”

“Gumi ...”

Wiping tears of relief from my eyes, I let them go and firmly stated, “You’re right. Nobody likes a giver-upper.”

“We’re like -”

“- your therapists.”

They chuckled.

“How come two thirteen-year-olds are smarter than me?”

“Because Gumi -”

“- is like a little kid.”

We laughed, and I ruffled their hair. “You’ll see, someday. I can be mature too.”

“Right.” Rin rolled her eyes.

“Sure.” Len rolled his eyes.

I gasped in mock astonishment. “Since when did you guys learn about sarcasm?!”

“Since we -”

“- were born.”

They giggled. My eyes narrowed, and I suspiciously asked, “Did Yuki teach that to you?”

Rin nodded while Len shook his head. Then Rin shook her head while Len nodded.

“Stop! You’re confusing me!” I shook my head like a dog that had just gotten wet.

Our laughter was loud and clear. I really had missed them.

“I missed you guys,” I said, ruffling their hair again.

“Ah. Where’s Yuki?” Rin anxiously questioned, as if just realizing that he wasn’t here.

“Did he come with Gumi?”

“No ... that is ...” I uneasily looked away.

“We understand.”

“Will he come see us -”

“- when you two are together again?”

I nodded and smiled encouragingly. “Yep! Don’t worry about it.”

“Then let’s go in!” Rin grabbed one hand and opened the gate.

“Papa and Suzuki-kun are here!” Len grabbed my other hand, and they dragged me inside.

“Suzuki-kun?” I squeaked, slamming the gate shut as they pulled me forward.

“Yep!”

“He came today!”

“He wanted to see us!”

“Isn’t it a coincidence -”

“- that you came on the same day?”

I wordlessly nodded as we entered the underground chamber.

It really was an amazing coincidence.

---

“Gumi, how was your vacation?” Headmaster Kagamine greeted me.

“Great, thanks. How were the kids?”

“They wouldn’t stop talking about you. Maybe you could take them along next time.”

I laughed, “Agreed. I missed them too. I’m too used to seeing them every weekend, and missing just one day is a strain.”

Someone poked my shoulder. I looked down and gulped.

It was Suzuki-kun.

“Onee-chan,” he began, and my eyes widened with surprise. He was different. His voice wasn’t as cold and unnatural as before. He sounded ... almost sad, or wistful. Or had I imagined the coldness? “Why are you here?”

I blinked in surprise. “Um ... I’m here to see Rin and Len. Aren’t you here for the same reason?”

He slowly shook his head and asked, again, “Why are you here? Why can’t you be somewhere else?”

“Because I just got here, silly!” I ruffled his hair, and then remembered that Rin and Len got jealous when I did that to anyone else. But they continued to play with the German Shepherds, apparently oblivious.

I felt much more at ease with Suzuki-kun now, when he wasn’t so distant. But he sounded very sad, which bothered me, even as my apprehension disappeared.

“I’m going to take them out,” I told him. “Do you want to come?”

He hesitated, and his head slowly moved sideways. Then he nodded, quickly and jerkily, like something had forced him to agree.

“They will be so happy!” the headmaster exclaimed. He smiled fondly at his children.

“Then should we go now?” I asked.

“Yes, feel free! You’re so formal, even after so long,” he chuckled.

We called Rin and Len over, and the four of us set out.

---

Rin and Len took up their customary positions at my sides, while Suzuki-kun brought up the rear. After awhile, Rin agreed to let Suzuki-kun hold onto her other hand. Our human chain made its way to the nearest park, where I’d taken the twins on our second outing.

They two of them automatically ran towards the swings, and I was obliged to push them. Suzuki-kun awkwardly stood to one side and watched us, his face a blank slate.

“Can’t you do it yourselves?” I grumbled, running to Len and pushing him again.

“But we -”

“- like it -”

I ran to Rin.

“- when Gumi -”

“- pushes us.”

“Well, Gumi isn’t so thrilled. You can’t use your small physique as an excuse! You’re already thirteen. You should try pushing each other, so I can push Suzuki-kun.”

They seemed to remember that their friend was by himself, and readily agreed to push each other while I played with him.

Suzuki-kun shook his head and backed away.

“Come on,” I encouraged. “It’ll be fun.”

“I-I ...” His face was white.

“Suzuki-kun, you must have ridden a swing before!”

He slowly shook his head again.

“You’ve never ridden a swing before?!”  

“No,” he whispered.

I nodded firmly, strode over to him, and lifted him by the waist, carrying him over to the swings as he remained as still as a wooden block.

“You’re so light! Anyways, you’re doing it. You can’t enjoy your childhood without being on a swing! Hold on tight!”

Without waiting for a response, I plopped him into the seat and pushed him up. He swung up, wobbled a little, and came back down. His face lit up.

“Again!”

After another round, he repeated, “Again!”

I watched as his face began to glow, his voice lightened, and his mouth opened into a smile. I watched expectantly, waiting until his emotions finally broke free.  

Finally, he laughed. It was a wonderful, carefree laugh that rang through the park and scared a nearby bird. Rin froze. Len swung back and forth, gradually slowing to a halt, his mouth open.

“Suzuki-kun has never -”

“- laughed before.”

“Really?!” I asked, looking at Suzuki-kun, who was now doubled over with laughter, clutching his sides as tears ran down his face.

“Nope.”

“He has smiled -”

“- and told jokes -”

“- and thought that our jokes were funny.”

“But he -”

“- has never -”

“- laughed.”

I proudly lifted my chin. “I must be a miracle worker!”

They giggled and said, “Gumi’s getting a big head.”

“Maybe I am! But you have to admit, I was pretty amazing.”

“Swings are fun!” Suzuki-kun suddenly exclaimed, sitting up and looking straight at my face. His smile disappeared, and he said very seriously, “Thank you, onee-chan, for showing me.”

“Don’t be so serious!” I ruffled his hair. Rin and Len gasped. “Oh, I forgot! Sorry, I won’t do it again!” I theatrically bowed to them. 

“No, it’s okay,” Rin said.

“Suzuki-kun is special.” 

“So it’s okay.”

This time, I was the one who gasped. “Suzuki-kun, you’re amazing too! They’re usually so strict with me!”

He hesitantly laughed, as if unsure of how to smile. Then he stammered, “Eeto, onee-chan ...”

“Yeah?”

“C-Can you push me again?”

I agreed, and after a few more rounds he laughed again. I realized, then and there, that Suzuki-kun had the most beautiful laugh I’d ever heard, like a pearl that had been suppressed for so long and had finally revealed its splendor to the world.

“You should do this more,” I said, as we walked back to the school.

“What?” Suzuki-kun asked, absentmindedly kicking at a rock on the sidewalk.

“Laugh.”

He glanced up at me. Rin and Len squeezed my hands and whispered, “He looks angry.”

Suzuki-kun rapidly shook his head and protested, “I’m not angry. It’s just that onee-chan is a much better person than I thought she’d be.”

“Who told you I was a bad person?” I asked, half-joking.

“Someone bad,” he whispered, glowering at the ground.

“Then why are you still with that person?”

“Our relationship is complicated. But we will stay together, I think.”

Our relationship is complicated. My own words echoed in my ears.

“Why?”

“Because we care about each other,” he said, as if it were obvious.

“Yep,” the twins agreed.

“Just like Len -”

“- and Rin -”

“- will always be -”

“- together.” They smiled knowingly at each other.

“Thirteen-year-olds are very wise,” I commented. “At least, I think so.”

“No. It’s just because –” Rin began.

“- Gumi is still -” Len continued.

“- growing up,” Suzuki-kun concluded.

I stared at them.

“Is he your long-lost triplet?”

---

When we arrived at the school, we were still laughing. Headmaster Kagamine thanked me fervently for my services, and I waved him off.

“It was m-my p-pleasure,” I hiccupped.

They told me that Kiyoteru-sensei would be coming by to pick up Suzuki-kun. I left them, skipping with light feet. They were right. Just because things were complicated, I couldn’t give up. In the end, we’d be together, and that was all that matter.

I started humming “World is Mine.” I really did feel at the top of the world, so it was fitting.

I was giggling, amazed by the coincidence, when someone tripped me and a voice snarled, “Nakajima Megumi. Prepare for a world of pain.” 

 

. . . Seven months. It has been seven whole months since I last updated. 

I only have Chihiro-chan and Kagumin, and they probably have other stories to read, but I still feel guilty. >.< SORRY!!!!

You see, I was putting off updating (I don't even know why - everything's already written out), and then I left AFF for a month or two, and somehow seven months have passed. This time, I WILL update regularly. I want to finish this before school starts. 

My laziness is becoming a problem. -_- I predict that I will have a breakdown sometime during the school year. 

@ Chihiro-chan: You're right. Something is happening. *evil smirk*

Anyways, hope you enjoyed! <(.^o^.)>