I drag my feet across the sidewalk. Are we done yet? Can we be? We’ve been walking for…forever. I look at Hikato who is giving me the full tour. “Matsumoto-san…can we take a break?” I huff trying not to let the heat get to me any more than it already has. “Tokyo looks just as wild as it was the last time I was here.”

He chuckles at me and looks at his phone. “Ah….shimatta*~ I totally let the time slip by.” He looks at me and then to Yukiko swaying under her parasol. “I’ve got to go meet Yumi-chan at the gallery. I promised I would help her.” He looks at me once again then adds, “Hikato…it’s better if you call me that.”

**crap

“Hikato-san, don’t keep Unni waiting.”

He furrows his eyebrows and then realizes the meaning of Unni. “Yukiko-chan, please take over for me.”

She nods and he runs down the street and into a sea of people.

“Please…no more dry touristy type of things,” I sigh.

“We’ll be going to the Sado residence, but most everyone is in Osaka for the next few days.” She smiles at me and takes my hand, forcing me under her parasol. “Nami-chan, I’ve been wanting to ask you…have you found him yet? By the way you keep looking at your pinky and tugging at the string, I’d say you have.”

My face goes red and I play with my fingers. “Really, you want to know?”

“Un, I would love to know.”

“Well,” I start folding my fingers together. “He’s waiting for me in Korea now. If you ever visit, I’ll introduce you.”

Her face lights up and I can tell she still has the heart of a child. “Really? I get to meet your soulmate? I get to see a true set of fated?”

I giggle at her. She’s too cute. “Un, and what about you?”

He demeanor changes and I remember that Hikato is her fated. “You know the answer already.”

I can’t look at her. It was too insensitive of me to even think about, but I can’t keep my mouth shut. “But you two are soul-mates…that must mean something.”

Yukiko parts her lips softly and begins to walk at a slower pace. “Nami-chan, you feel the connection of the thread when you’re close to him right? It’s been called a ‘heat-wave’ before, but it’s more subtle than that. It’s more like a tingly warmth.”

I nod.

“I have that when I’m with him…when we’re in the same room, or in the apartment together, even if Yumi-chan is there.” She looks forward with her head held high. “I don’t think that the red threads do much more than this. They are like a guideline to finding your life partner, but not a guarantee.”

“But Yukiko-chan-”

“Nami-chan, sometimes loving someone is knowing what is best for them. Letting them go smoothly can ease the heartache. I am lucky to not know this heartache. I’m choosing to let him go before I even had him. It’s really what’s best.”

“But-”

“I don’t think you fully understand the threads. Your mother and father were not connected, yet they had two children and for a time were in love, right? Love is not bound by the threads. It happens in the strangest of places for the simplest of reasons.”

It’s here where I realize what is going on. Yukiko is no lecturing me, but herself. It sounds almost scripted, or rehearsed. She’s said it so many times to ease her pain that it’s more of a chant than words of wisdom.

I wrap an arm around her shoulder and bump my head to hers. “Yukiko-chan, one day you’ll fall in love. He’ll be perfect for you.”

I feel a tear slid down her cheek pressed to mine.

“Hai, you’re right…and I will. He’ll be greater that Hikato-kun.”



“Nami-chan?” a voice asks me behind the screen door.

The majority of my family is actually in Osaka right now for the holidays. The fact that someone is calling out to me is startling. “Un?” A small woman slides open the screen door and looks at me. “Oba!**” I throw my arms around her.  

 *this means aunt

“Nami-chan, you’re as friendly as ever. How are you?”

“Good, how are you?”

“Well, I’m well. Glad I stayed back to see you.”

I smile softly. Oba is Oka-san’s younger sister. I don’t get to see her often, but when I do we always talk for hours because we both have the gift.

“Did Yukiko-chan tell you yet?” she asks showing me to the living room.

“She did.” Yukiko should be here too, but mid-way she started to feel unwell. Since I’m not completely unsure of my surroundings, she drew me a map and returned to the apartment.

Oba takes a seat across from me pouring two cups of tea. “It’s a shame isn’t it? this whole time you two were the same and never knew.”

—Oba is talking about how both Nami and Yukiko have the ability to see threads—

I take the cup she gives me let it warm my hands. “Yeah, it’s a bit weird. I always thought it was just you and me.”

“I’m really concerned. Nami-chan, do you think you could keep a close eye on her while you’re both in Korea?”

“I didn’t realize she was coming back with me.”

“Yes, her and that boyfriend of Yumi-chan’s.”

I choke on my tea. She sees as clearly as I do. Yumi and Hikato are not fated and Yukiko, Oba’s only granddaughter, is connected to him. I can see the pain in her eyes. “Yukiko-chan has given up,” she murmurs. “The two of them were never dating, but she knew Hikato-kun before Yumi-chan. Actually, I think she introduced them to each other.”

My heart sinks. She must have some feelings for him. Thinking that they were going to be together before they actually were…. “Oba-san, what can I do to help? Is there anything I can do?”

She smiles sadly at me. “Yukiko-chan only told me about her gift when I asked a few months ago. I fear that if she’s been able to hide her gift all her life, then she’ll also ignore her fate.” She takes my hands in hers and I notice what’s left of her thread. The short bit of red is all that remains of the tie to her late husband. He left her a few years ago and when he did, she held his hand until the thread broke. “I just want my girl to be happy.”

Tears slowly streamed from her eyes. “She mustn’t give up.”

I bow my head as a sign of respect and to hold my promise. “I will do all that I can. I cannot ethically split my sister and him apart, but I’ve seen her much happier than this before. She needs that back in her life and Yukiko needs her own.”

A/N: asdfghjkl; Zelo is now sixteen /cries

Anyways...Happy Birthday baby Jello ^^ sorry I'm a little late >< (it's the thought that counts...right?) Anyways~ This is like a "filler" chapter....I'm sooooooorry! And you don't get to see much of Yukiko... OTL I don't think I accomplished anything in this chapter. The whole idea was for you guys to see just how alike Nami and Yukiko are (Nami was going to sacrifice her souldmate, who she believed was HimChan, for her bestfriend...see the parallels?! :D)

I said happy birthday to Zelo, but he wasn't in the chapter! /sobbingbuckets

I'm writing chapter *checks* 28 and so far he's in chapter 26 and 27...I think. And I'm having sooooo much fun with him >v< I missed having a character to pick on! :D sorry Zelo...you're still a baby to me ^3^ (--nuna by a few years--)

And I've been away from AFF a lot lately. this arrow thing, I assume it's good? thank you for the 1 uuuuppp, whoever you are! BABYz Love you guys! (WE have a great fandom...But our boys need a serious break ಠ-ಠ like now. Kcon is NOT a break. Sidenote/random note...anyone else think that they shot their new video in the states? I think HimChan changed hairstyles while he was here, and they all looked really good, like their hair especially. I didn't see ANY roots.)

THANK YOU FOR READING, SUBBING, COMMENTING . . . or just stopping by ^^ (my apologies. I'm a bit hyper right now)

-Love Meng

我们(BABYz)是太好了!!

...Let me know if my Chinese is wrong/bad...I'm pretty much trying to use it where and when I can. ^^v

@icecubeeater: I swear, he's becoming derpier and derpier as they continue with their careers. o - o but I seriously L O V E it. ^^ chu~ :D

@ieatrice: Another problem you say....bwhahaha --laughing evilly because of what I've done to...asdfghjkl; I CAN'T TELL YOU! OTL I almost did /dies It's like a bunch of little problems all cause by TaeHoon and wrapped up in maybe two chapters...maybe more...asdfghjkl; I can't explain but my favorite line asdfgjkl; If you can fangirl over a fictional character...asdfghjkl;asdfghjkl;  ; - ; I'm so sorry. I'm going to stop, and just finish my replies, then go back to writing before I sleep. ieatrice I'm sorry OTL

@pyjamagirl: ;_; you are always so kind. I hope you're getting a break with your studies too. I'm glad you're interested in Yukiko. She's minor, but I feel that her and Nami are very similar. She's a bit quieter and a bit sweeter, but I think the both of them are basically identical when it comes to their morals. Hope you're nearing the end (if you haven't already) of your (this word should not be spoken of, so I'll type it in white. If want to read it, you need to highlight it) thesis.

@Eunhwa86:  I'm sorry I missed them ;n; and...you're dizzy?! *grabs shoulders* stop spinning! lol, was I unclear on something? I don't want to confuse anyone ><

@Riine-Pryde: Awwwwww~ thank you so much! I'm hoping to update this weekend as well :D "hoping" being the key word OTL

Quick question...would you guys rather me leave you notes at the end of the chapter, or reply to the comments? >< I don't want you guys to lose out on Karma points cause I know they're nice ^^