“How much longer?” Junno whined as he bounced around in the back seat of the van.

“Just relax,” Maru yawned as he pulled his hat over his eyes and slumped down into his chair, still tired from the late night and the excitement.

You stared in awe at Junno, “How is he always so energetic?” you asked, leaning over to Kame.

Kame laughed and looked over the top of his glasses, “Didn’t you know?”

You tilted your head with confusion, “Know what?”

“That he has an endless supply of energy. He is like a hybrid,” Kame smiled, leaning back so his glasses fell into place again.

You rolled your eyes, “That was a lame joke.” Kame let out a wholehearted laugh and you looked back out the window as all the trees passed and slowly faded into buildings. You were sitting in between Ueda, who you hadn’t become any closer with, and Kame. Maru and Koki sat in the back and were trying to with strain Junno from jumping out of the car. Jin sat in the front seat and seemed to have something on his mind, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. You had all gotten dressed and headed out to go shopping in a local market, which made you think that for being guys, they liked to shop a lot. Once the car stopped and the door open, even though Junno was in the back seat, he managed to get out first. Within a blink of an eye, Junno was out of sight and into a store. The rest of you unloaded slowly and stated where each person was going.

“We,” Maru laughed, pointing from himself to Koki. “Are going to go to the comic book store!” They high fived each other and then were off. Ueda slouched over, making the hood of his sweatshirt fall over his face, and walked off with out a word. You glanced and Kame and Jin leaning against the car and then at Ueda and then back at Kame and Jin.

“I am going to go with him,” you smiled, pointing over your shoulder at Ueda, and sprinted off before they could say anything. Once you caught up to Ueda, you fell into step next to him remaining silent. He glanced at you with recognition, but seemed to not mind the company. You walked for a while, not seeming to be heading anywhere, until Ueda stopped at a small shop that had large windows, practically covering the front of the store, which were filled with brightly painted pots of every shape and size. You glanced over at Ueda and noticed a small smile cross his lips. He walked into the store with you close behind. An old lady stood behind the counter and was messing with some paintbrushes and cleaning the table. She looked like a little old lady who would be living in some small white house on a hillside making cookies.

When Ueda walked up to the counter the old lady looked up, “Hello, how may I help you?” she said softly with a sweet grandmotherly grin.

“What pot would you suggest?” Ueda said, stuffing his hands into his sweatshirt’s pocket as he looked into some of the glass cases at a few pots.

The lady smiled, “Well, it depends what you like.”

Ueda glanced over a few more and then back at the lady, “Please pick which ever is your favorite,” he said with a small bow.

“Okay sweetie,” she smiled, “And what about your friend?” She looked to you.

“Um… me… I…” you stuttered caught off guard by her sudden question.

“He will do this one,” Ueda muttered, pointing at a pot that was made of coils.

“Okay.” The old lady nodded and ran off to grab paint, paintbrushes and the pots. Ueda walked over to one of the tables and sat down. You sat down across from him and waited in silence until the lady brought the pots out and set them down in front of you. After saying thank you, Ueda began to paint his instantly not even giving you a second look. You stared at him for a moment and gave up on him saying anything else to you. You let out a long sigh and then dipped your brush into some paint and began to paint your pot also.

After several minutes of the silence you couldn’t take it any longer, “So is this what you always do when we all come out shopping?” Ueda paused and looked up from his pot, giving you a blank stare. You raked your mind for something else to say but couldn’t find a single thing.

“Yeah,” Ueda muttered. You looked up at him, stunned that he had spoken to you.

“Why?” you tried to keep the topic alive.

Ueda shrugged and stared at his pot with a strange admiration, “It’s calming,” he whispered. You were surprised by Ueda’s new expression. “There’s something about you…” he added, beginning to paint again.

“What about me?” you asked.

“Why do you always act so happy even though your family is thousands of miles away and you are in probably the worst possible situation?” he gave you a quick look.

“I… I don’t know,” you looked down at your pot. “I just…” you breathed. “I don’t want to be the girl, who suddenly came into all of your lives and didn’t stop whining,” you finished.

“If anyone has earned the right to complain, it would be you,” Ueda pointed at you with his brush.

You chuckled at his expression, “Why are you worried about me so much? I thought you didn’t like me?”

Ueda stopped painting and looked up at you with a confused expression, “Why do you say that?”

It was your turn to explain, “You never talk to me, and if you do it’s usually only a word.” Ueda spun his pot around in little circles with his thumb.

“I don’t know what to say to you. You’re girl, yet you are boy right now... But I understand what it’s like,” he sighed.

“What it’s like?” you questioned.

“To be far away from everything comfortable and familiar,” Ueda sighed. You looked away, because those words still hit a nerve even though you knew they were true. “My family,” he continued, “I don’t get to see them a lot ever since KAT-TUN started, but when I was younger my mom owned a pottery shop and I would always come and watch her take something that was nothing and make it into something beautiful.” Ueda smiled softly down at his pot.

“That’s why you always come here,” you said gently, “You are homesick.” Ueda looked off to the side and didn’t say anything, yet his facial expression said that you were right on. Even though you were not true best friends with Ueda, it pained you to see that expression on his face. “Well, as long as I am here I will come here with you! This will be our order from the doctor,” you smiled at your joke, but Ueda didn’t seem to get it. “The doctor’s orders to get rid of homesickness,” you leaned forward, hoping he would get it.

Ueda gave you his first true smile, “You are so weird.”

You laughed, “Yep, but that’s why you should keep me around.” Ueda breathed out a chuckle and then went back to painting his pot. You looked down and continued to painting yours, yet you couldn’t stop smiling, knowing that Ueda and you had become a lot closer just with that simple talk.

Yippie! Long Chapter! Isn’t Ueda cute! This chapter wasn’t originally here just like the last one. I seem to be adding chapters a lot, but that is good for all of you. Means longer story :) I hope you look forward to the next chapter. PLEASE COMMENT!