sarugaki & hanagaki || runaway and stowaway

(March 10, 1998: Original Timeline)

Hiyori didn't have anyone to play with up until she was seven years old. She remembered seeing her aunt and uncle at the door with a kid that was probably around four or five. His mop of black hair hid his face, though Hiyori could see the tears dripping down his face.

She remembered her mom and dad disagreeing to take the kid in while her aunt and uncle were going away for business. That's when Hiyori knew that the kid was his cousin; Hanagaki Takemitchi.

Hiyori felt bad for him, but at the same time... she didn't feel like Takemitchi was family.

He was there, but it felt like he wasn't. Sure, Takemitchi would be present whenever they'd eat dinner or brush their teeth, but sometimes he felt like a ghost that appeared out of nowhere and disappeared without a trace.

Not to mention that he kept crying a lot.

They weren't loud cries. Oftentimes, Hiyori would see him crying in the spare room her mom and dad prepared (albeit, begrudgingly), hugging his knees close to his chest. His sobs would be muffled, or sometimes he'd just sit in bed with tears streaming down his face.

Hiyori wouldn't really know how to comfort him. She was an only child, after all. Aside from that, she didn't... have any friends. Or rather, she chose not to have any friends her age. Hiyori was fine with the group she joined in; She could be herself around them.

She couldn't really have any, not with her parents. Hiyori loved them, really. Her mom and dad provided her with food, clothes, and other stuff here and there. But they were also busy.

Too busy.

Hiyori argued with them on a daily basis because of it. It was a cycle; They'd scold her, they'd argue, she'd run away, and then come back after three or four days. Her parents stopped trying to find her after the third time, so Hiyori would just relish in it.

At the time, Hirako Shinji (who was three years older than him), wouldn't question her for staying. He didn't question why she'd come to his house at ungodly hours (because that's where their base was before deciding to move into a rundown apartment) and he tried comforting her.

But Hiyori wouldn't let her anger cool down.

Muguruma Kensei described her once as an open flame. Hiyori didn't get offended by it; In fact, she secretly kept pride whenever Kensei would say it.

Sarugaki Hiyori was an open flame that kept growing and growing.

(May 3rd, 1999: Original Timeline)

"Kid," Shinji looks at Hiyori with a raised brow. "I don't mean to freak you out, but who's that other kid with you?"

"Wha?" Hiyori turned around to see her little cousin standing right behind her. Takemitchi was just standing there in the open, not caring if the rain was going to make him sick or worse. "What the—Mitchi!" Hiyori takes off her jacket and puts it around him. "Ya can't just go and follow me! I keep telling you to stay put and—!"

"You're mad at me." Takemitchi mumbled quietly. "That's why you keep leaving, isn't it?"

Hiyori widened her eyes. "Mitchi... no, you're not the cause of me running away! Who's been tellin' you that?!"

Takemitchi sniffled. "Auntie and Uncle did."

Shinji let out a low whistle. "Right. Get him in before he gets sick."

Hiyori ushered Takemitchi inside and Shinji closes the door. "You know where the bathroom is. I'll see if anyone has children's clothes or something." He says before heading upstairs. Hiyori had to dry him off before they stepped foot in the floor (because she knows that Lisa would practically kill her if there was even a drop of rain on the floor) and they headed towards the bathroom near the kitchen.

"Why'd you even follow me?" Hiyori lets out an exasperated sigh as she handed him a towel. She didn't even have the heart to scold him since he looked like any loud noise could make him burst into tears. "When I tell you to stay put, mean it."

Takemitchi sniffled as he tries to dry off his hair. He obviously couldn't answer her question now, and Hiyori decided to drop it for the time being. "You're not the cause of me running away from home, just so you know." She kneels down to his level, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I run away because I get all angry when my Ma and Pa decide to get pissed at me."

Takemitchi just nodded, though he was confused. "Why are they mad at you?"

"Eh." Hiyori just shrugs. "A bunch of reasons, really. Can't tell ya even if I tried."

Takemitchi handed the towel back to her. "So... you're not mad at me?"

"Takemitchi," Hiyori places both hands on his shoulders now. "I could never get mad at you. Not even in a million years."

The raven-haired boy just hugged Hiyori, despite being a little wet. She was surprised, since she never really seen Takemitchi hugging anyone except for his mom when he was first dropped off at her house. But the gesture wasn't unwelcomed, and Hiyori hugged him back. "If you want, you can come here with me if you can't handle stuff back at home."

"Okay," Takemitchi lets go of the hug. "Are they nice?" He asks, probably referring to Shinji and maybe the other people in the house.

Hiyori thought about it; Ever since she met Shinji and the rest of his other friends, she had noticed that... they weren't really mean to her. At most, they'd scold her and get slightly disappointed, but after change and a few apologies, they'd make up and act like they were a family of some sorts.

But maybe "nice" was a better way to describe them.

Hiyori nodded. "Yeah. They can be pretty annoying at times, but they're nice."

"Hiyori, I got the clothes." Shinji knocks on the door before handing it to her. "Hachi had some spares. He usually makes some for his friend's kids."

The clothes that Shinji gave was just a pair of shorts and a shirt that says, "I Love Movies" in big bold letters. Hiyori grimaced. "Ya could've picked a better shirt?" She asks while giving him a disgusted look.

Shinji knew that look of judgement. "It was either that shirt, or the other shirt."

Hiyori shuddered. "Ya know what, I don't even wanna get angry."

Takemitchi was looking at the shirt in Hiyori's hands. He had seen that shirt a couple of times before whenever he was with his aunt. "Can I wear it?"

"All yours, kid." Shinji ruffles his hair. "You should thank Hachi later when he gets down to prepare dinner."

Takemitchi looked at Hiyori with a curious expression, and she shook his head. "Hachi's a nickname. Like how I call you 'Mitchi'."

Shinji could see that Hiyori had calmed down a little as she was helping Takemitchi change into the shirt and shorts. "The kid can come at any time." He says before leaving. "Though he's sharing the room with you and Mashiro!"

"Ya don't have to remind me, baldy!" Hiyori shouts back and for the first time, Takemitchi laughs. She had never heard him laugh ever since he was dropped off, and it was a good thing.

Hiyori and Takemitchi were going to stay like this for a while.