Chapter 51

Gumi.

I couldn't believe it. Yuma had found me. I gaped at him, still on my knees and hands, wordlessly looking at him, almost frozen.

He stood a few feet away from me, his hair hanging low over his eyes and a concerned, serious frown on his face. His fingers were wrapped around the handles of white plastic bags. They looked rather heavy.

"Y-Yuma, I...," I began, not really sure of what to say. He dropped the groceries and ran up to me, taking me in his arms and pressing me tightly against his figure. I winced.

"It...hurts...," I groaned. He relaxed his grip slightly.

"You're hurt badly, aren't you?" He whispered over the sound of raindrops crashing against the pavement and mud, like beads of broken bracelets and shattering glass.

"How did you find me?" I asked as he lifted me to my feet. He slung one of my arms over his shoulder and led me over to his groceries.

"After I got the groceries, I dropped by your house, but your mom said that you didn't come home after your morning run," Yuma whispered, "She was worried, and the weather was starting to get really bad."

I felt a growing pain in my chest. Guilt, I figured.

"So I went looking for you in the park," Yuma continued, "But you weren't there, and by then, the rain was really coming down. Then I came here."

I sniffed. He bent down slowly, still supporting me, and picked up his grocery bags with his free hand.

"I'm glad I found you, Gumi," he said.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Yuma, I'm so sorry, I just..."

"Shh," with some difficulty, he raised the arm that carried the weight of the groceries and pressed a finger against my bloody lips, "We'll talk once we get home. Don't waste your energy, alright?"

I exhaled slowly, still feeling absolutely horrible. "I love you," I whispered.

"Shh. I love you, too."

Miku.

"Okay, I'm done," Kaito said, and I moved my hands off of my eyes.

"Wow," I grinned, trying not to laugh, "It really doesn't fit anymore, does it?"

Kaito sat down beside me. "It's fine," he said, "Thanks, princess."

"You can call me by my name, you know!" I pouted, "What, you don't like my name or something?"

Kaito shook his head furiously. "I love your name!" He replied, "And you're my princess, so...that's why I call you that...Miku."

"Is it all the ice cream you eat, Kaito?" I found myself blushing as I said that.

"Huh?"

"All that sweetness," I mumbled and then looked up at him, "You're...actually very sweet, I mean."

Kaito scratched the back of his neck. "T-Thanks, Miku," his face was red, "Say, do you want to eat something?"

"Like what?" I asked.

Kaito shrugged, "I can make tacos."

Luka.

I stepped out of the house with Gakupo and opened my umbrella. It was raining cats and dogs, and maybe even hamsters.

"I know what you're thinking," Gakupo said flatly, looking at me, "But it's not raining kittens, and it's definitely not raining Meringues."

"Oh. Yeah, no, I know," I frowned, thinking about how much easier it would be if Gakupo's kitty just fell from the sky, "So, where should we start looking?"

He furrowed his brow for a moment, and then said, "Maybe we should try the area around my house. Meringue might have come back."

I nodded. We walked out into the rain, my boots and his shoes making large, wide splashes as we crossed streets and puddles.

"You don't live too far from here, do you?" I asked.

Gakupo shook his head. "There isn't a subway station between our houses," he frowned, "And my cat's actually frightened of the subway."

"Do you have a picture?"

Gakupo nodded and pulled out his phone. He showed me a photograph of the most adorable little tabby cat I had ever seen. I almost let my irrational cat-lover side loose that moment, right there on the rainy streets.

Instead, I kept it cool. "She's cute," I smiled. He smiled back, but it was more of a sad smile.

"She means a lot to me," he said, "Here, this is the way to my house."

We crossed a few more streets and a small park, as well. Mud sloshed and coated my boots, but Gakupo looked much, much worse. He was getting down on his knees and elbows, stopping every few seconds to look in every nook and cranny, under every rock and bush and bench.

"Don't worry," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "We'll find her."

He smiled weakly. "Yeah," he whispered, "I hope."

Rin.

Len and I headed upstairs to dry off, and we were making a big, wet mess all over the floor and stairs.

"Is all that okay?" Len asked me, gesturing towards the droplets of water that were all over the stairs, a result of our sopping wet hair.

I nodded. "Doris will clean it. She works here. I think I mentioned her before."

Len nodded. "Yeah," he said.

I led him to a large room filled with closets. Those closets were, in turn, filled with clothes.

"Wow!" Len's eyes sparkled as he looked around, "This is amazing!"

I grinned. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"There's so many clothes...," Len's voice trailed off as he stumbled across the room, looking this way and that, totally awestruck.

"Just pick out anything you like," I followed him around as he picked out a long black shirt and some black jeans.

I giggled. "What, are you dressing up as a ninja?"

Len frowned, dropping the clothes and crossing his arms, then suddenly struck a pose, looking like a ninja from the movies. I burst out laughing, arms wrapped around my stomach. Len grinned.

"So where do I change?" He asked. I thought about it for a second, and then led him to my room.

"You can change in the bathroom," I said, pushing him in, "I'm changing out here, so tell me before you open the door!"

Len went inside and shut the door, and I pulled open my closet and picked out a short black and yellow dress. I put it on just as Len knocked on the bathroom door from the inside.

"I'm done!" He called.

"Okay!" I said as he opened the door. He held his wet clothes in his hands, all jumbled up and in a huge ball. We were grinning at each other for what felt like hours.

"Just toss them outside the door, Doris will understand," I finally said. Len nodded and put his clothes outside. I put my wet outfit in a pile next to his.

"Even your room is amazing," Len mused, heading back in. I chuckled, blushing as he took my hand.

"Let me show you around," I said.

*puts finger to lips* I'll be quiet this time. ^^