Beautiful Stranger

"…Have you ever loved somebody so much it makes yooouuu cry… have you ever needed something so bad you can't… sleep at night…" Hitomi hummed on aimlessly, as she twisted the phone cord round her index finger.

"Come on, Yukari, pick up…" she groaned, eyeing her watch. Only 4:15; she had two more hours to go and Hitomi had quite run out of work to do hours before. While listening to the endless ringing on the other end of the line she organized her desk for what seemed the billionth time. She really had to stop finishing her work so quickly.

Suddenly, the other receiver picked up and after a few odd rustling noises, Yukari finally came on the other end, panting to catch her breath.

"Oh, Hitomi its you," she huffed, taking a glance at her call display. "Are you already off work?"

Hitomi swished her head back and forth (forgetting she was on the phone and Yukari couldn't even see her),"Nah.. I just finished typing in all these transcripts already, and I've just started printing out these shipping schedules.. which is actually tomorrow's work…."

"Oh really," Yukari, having relaxed a bit, flopped on her couch with the cordless phone. "I just got home from Center Mall, there's like, this massive sidewalk sale! It's madness!!"

"Sidewalk sale on a Monday?"

"Yeah… I know, but its jam packed; the prices are unbelievable….you really should check it out. But anyway, I have this good feeling you weren't calling to discuss my shopping issues now were you?" Yukari cradled the phone on her shoulder, knowing it wasn't very often when Hitomi would risk calling her during work hours.

Hitomi smiled, and sipped on her coffee. "Yukari! Quit thinking I'm gonna get fired just for calling you! I'll have you know that I've got 10 more minutes of break time to go."

"Oooooh," She sighed with relief. "That's good. So what's up with you? All I've been doing lately is studying for that exam at Warden; the whole shopping thing was just kind of a break."

"Aaah, lucky you…" Hitomi moaned, stretching her neck back, sensing her eyes were strained from the computer monitor. "I've been here toooo long."

"Hey, you're still getting paid at least," Yukari tore open a box of cookies, resting her head on a pillow. 'Poor Hitomi,' she thought. 'Typing away while I'm here lounging pretending to be studying'.

"Anyway," Hitomi sighed. "I just wanted to ask you something." She eased back on her computer chair gawking upwards at the buzzing fluorescent lights up above.

"Yeaah…. Shoot Hitomi…." Yukari mumbled, mouth full of sugar-bread cookies.

"I've just been thinking. You're right you know, maybe I did dismiss that whole reading a little too early yesterday. God knows the last thing I want is to be anything like my mom…. So tell me, can you remember anything about * ahem * you know…"

Yukari's eyebrows furrowed with curiosity. "Uh… no I don't know…. At least I don't think I know…."

"Ooooh YES YOU KNOW!" Hitomi nearly yelled into the receiver, 'gosh, Yukari could be so slow'.

"Are you referring to all that happened… like decades agooo? The whole 'disappearance' and everything?" She raised an eyebrow, still spitting crumbs in every direction, figuring this was the only topic where Hitomi would refuse just to say it aloud.

"Well… not DECADES ago…. Like a few years…."

"Oh Hitomi…" Yukari sighed. "I thought you were already over all this….." Yukari lazily eyed a chocolate covered biscuit wondering why on earth Hitomi would bring up this topic. For YEARS she had tried to get Hitomi to talk about it, but noooo the girl would never mention a word, or at least claimed that she 'forgot'. To be honest, Hitomi had been quite, well let's just put it, 'odd' when she had first returned. It was like she didn't even trust Yukari. Like they were never even friends. In the end she had given up. Yukari had just went along with Hitomi's mother's theory. Mrs. Kanzaki's theory that stated that Hitomi had been kidnapped, yes kidnapped, for that entire period of four months. Kidnapped by some ballistic psycho, with such disturbing experiences it left Hitomi in such an utter state of paranoia when she returned. Thus Hitomi made up many wild claims, implausible claims; maybe because she was afraid… afraid of telling anything about her kidnapper in worries that he or she would track her down.

"Why would you want to talk about this? It's never been any of my business." Yukari closed up the box of cookies, sitting up straight on her couch.

"Well, its not like we ever really talked about it… but Yukari, do you remember anything that I told you after I returned?"

"Yeah… a bit of stuff here and there, but it was like six years ago."

"Five… but anyway, what kind of things did I tell you?"

"Well," Yukari wasn't so sure how to respond. She could barely recall exactly what Hitomi had 'claimed' had happened, but she did remember that whatever it was, it was absolutely mind-boggling. The kind of stuff you see on sci-fi shows or something.

"You said a lot of things about…"

"About??" Hitomi looked worriedly at the clock stationed above her. Only five more minutes to go of her break.

"Hitomi, I'll be honest with you. WEIRD THINGS. You said a lot about these weird, I don't know, just crazy things! I can only remember you told me once about some wild story and when I refused to believe you, you were mad at me for like three weeks!"

Hitomi's face grew bright red. She remembered that too. She did remember being a little, 'extreme' back then. But there was something about that 'time' that had done that to her. Something about it that was so real, and when everyone dismissed her as insane, well of course she'd grow upset, it was only natural.

"Girl, don't worry. You know I'm not like that anymore. I'm not going to start up on any fairy tale, but I do need you to help me remember just what had happened. Whatever it is I told you then, please tell me now."

She suddenly looked up to see Eric, peering above her cubicle walls. She smiled faintly, as he tapped his watch and signaled to the clock above. He walked in, binders and piles of paper on hand.

She softly placed her hand on the mouth piece. "Hey, what's going on?" Hitomi gradually noticed that many of her office mates were making their way out of the building.

"Didn't you hear the announcement?" Eric pointed to the speaker of p.a. system in her cubicle.

Hitomi bit her lip. She must've been too busy talking to Yukari to have noticed any sort of announcement.

"No.. why?"

"Well, we're going home an hour early on Monday's now… due to the rescheduling this month."

"Omigosh, that's right. I forgot entirely." Hitomi held onto the phone, not wishing to cut Yukari off so soon.

"Damn, Yukari, I have to go. Looks like I'm heading home already."

"Already?" Yukari looked over at her kitchen clock. Hitomi usually had about 45 minutes more to go.

"Yep, I guess I'll talk to you later."

"Wait Hitomi," Yukari stood, serious tone in her voice. "I know its not healthy for you to go about remembering that time, and I may regret this later, but still… if you really need it, all you have to do is go to your psychiatrist's office and ask for your session tapes. He'll have them."

Hitomi flashed a giant grin. "Yukari! What a brilliant idea!! Thanks!!!" Her face lit with glee. Literally.

"Cya." Yukari smiled momentarily, turning off her cordless and softly brushing back her maroon accented bangs, quietly hoping she wasn't influencing Hitomi in any way to start up anything odd.

Hitomi hung the phone back on the cradle, happy to have such an ingenious friend like Yukari. The session tapes, of course! Why hadn't she thought of it herself? All those interviews with Dr. Teroka had all been recorded on tape. She couldn't forget eyeing that tape recorder in the middle of the table at each appointment feeling horribly intimidated. She was sure she could find easy access to them.

"What's with the great news?" Eric kindly helped Hitomi with her thick winter coat, seeing as she was too overwhelmed with her discovery. "You look like you won the lotto or something."

"I wish.. its just some little thing," 'some little thing my foot' Hitomi snickered in her mind "Anyway, I heard you're going to Africa for a few weeks right?"

"Um hum! Gonna use up most of my spring holidays on it, but oh well…" Shutting off the lights in her small cubicle; they made their way down the hallways.

Hitomi gave him a curious look, "You are going to make it back in time for my wedding now aren't you?"

"Hitomi, its only going to be two weeks! Any longer and my mom will have a heart-attack. She's been going on and on about how my grandmother will force me to stay there or something." His mother. It was her idea to send him back home to visit his relatives and now she was getting all possessive on making sure he was 'just visiting'.

"Well I would be glad to, your escaping the cold." They stepped onto the elevator, Hitomi pressing onto the ground floor button.

"Yeah, that I won't mind. I'll bring you back something Egyptian for your wedding." He nudged her slightly, knowing exactly how she'd react.

"YOUR GOING TO EGYPT???" Hitomi exclaimed wildly and tugged at his coat sleeve, like a little child wanting to come along.

"Just for a bit, but my family lives in South Africa you know… but hey, why not drop by the Sphinx while I'm in the same continent and all." He grinned, looking down at her excited glooming eyes.

"Aah, Egypt. What a mythical place," she dazed. Hitomi had always had an interest in anthropology. She had wanted to learn about the cultures of the Egyptian people; it always amazed her on how they could direct their fates by the power of the stars, the belief in the unknown.

"I hope you have a great trip," Hitomi happily smiled as they stepped off the elevator, ground floor at last.

"Same here! Well, I'll see you tomorrow eh Tomi?" Eric gave her a last smile, digging for his car keys in his attaché case.

"Sure thing," Hitomi waved off as he made his way to the basement parking lot. She stood in the lobby of her office building, buttoning up her coat, looking out at the blistering cold. Already the sky had taken a night glow; dark and mysterious. The sun seemed to disappear more and more these days.

"Well, Dr. Teroka's office isn't far from here, I might as well walk," she thought to herself, pushing open the main doors. The heavy things seemed to weigh back at her, as the wind continued to push forwards from the outside.

"Blast it!!" The cold seemed horribly frigid today, biting at her skin, making the hair rise on her arms. Just so cold; too cold!. Her teeth chattered hard against her jaw, and she dug her hands far into her jacket pockets, concealed from icy snow droplets that pelted across her face. Almost instantly her earlobes and nose seemed to freeze right over with numbness, and she only longed to run right back into the office.

Well, it was worth all of these winter miseries if she could only get her hands on those session tapes. She wasn't really all too sure what she wanted to find in them. Maybe she'd have a better clue if she knew why on earth she needed them in the first place. But Hitomi…. Well… she just wasn't sure of herself anymore. Unsure of any decision she had to make; not trusting herself. Maybe, just maybe this wedding did need thinking over after all. Too soon? Maybe it was too soon. Maybe this was what all these signs were telling her. Adding together to form this sort of subliminal message informing her to think things twice. But what she couldn't quite figure out was, how would the session tapes help her think things over? Bottom line- It wouldn't. She wanted those tapes for some other reason, another reason she was yet to find out.

The cold was really starting to get to her, and her raggedy scarf was a poor excuse of protection for her face. And now, she wasn't even certain whether her earlobes were still attached to her body or not. Shivering and chattering, feeling downright frozen, she quickly cut across the busy streets, figuring a quick shortcut through Gore Park wouldn't hurt.

She quickly huffed through the twining brick paths, careful of any black ice on the way. Ugh, the last thing she needed was an embarrassing public collision with the ground. She couldn't trust her shoes. They went this way and that and she knew in any second they were bound to give way. Half her senses inclined that she maybe should keep a hand on the little fence surrounding the path but the other half commanded her to keep her hands fixed over her ears to keep them free from frostbite.

"Grrrr……" her teeth continued to clatter, and after a few steps Hitomi finally came to notice the dark skies, her dark surroundings. She could barely see! Well that made her situation sooo much better. Icy path in the dark. 'I swear,' she muttered. 'Someone's out to get me.' Sighing miserably she relieved her balance issues by holding desperately on the rail but forcing her ears to endure the -20 gazillion temperatures.

Blink.

Blink, in just a second's time what was like a miracle at the moment occurred. It lit up. The park that is. It literally lit in second's time, millions and millions of lights coated each and every branch of each and every tree. Hitomi stopped. She just had to stop. She was absolutely breathless.

It was just STUNNING.

Stunning. There wasn't much else you could say to describe it. The scene was so divine, she couldn't think of anything that could come close to matching such an array of beauty. The lights, the hundreds of thousands of lights, twinkled softly into the night, glowing like miniature candles illuminating the dark skies, shining like the sparkling stars. Their friendly glow cast many rays of light throughout the entire park. You could see it all, end to end, Gore Park being one of the largest parks in the city. Even weeks later, Christmas garlands still enwrapped the rails of the gateways, red ribbons on every post. It all added quite nicely to the spirit of things. The lights glimmered an interesting pattern scattered on the white snow, happily reflecting the beams which shone upon it, helping make the park glow with soul.

Hitomi smiled end to end, feeling on top of a cloud. Sure it was cold, sure she was tired, and so what if it was only five and it was already pitch black; this one little park could easily take that all far, far away. She strolled onwards not too concerned about ice, or pelting snow, it all seemed to calm as if on signal, the second the lights came on. Now she breathed in the fresh, aspen air, watching as the lazy snowflakes drizzled on from a sky like dark satin.

And wasn't it marvelous…Gore Park that is. This place always seemed to draw her breath away no matter what time of what season. In the fall, she would always take her autumn strolls, clinging onto Amano's arm, laying her head gently on his shoulder. They would sit by the park bench admiring the ever changing colours that spread amongst the trees; the rippling of the stream below the wooden bridge, or the dapples of sunlight that warmed their skin. In the summer they would enjoy the longest picnics from noon till sunset, and an occasional game of badminton in the Spring. And even in the midst of winter, this one little paradise seemed to be everything that could matter. Hitomi, still smiling ear to ear, shut her eyes and pictured all the things that were going right in her life. The wedding. The wedding as white as the snow that surrounded her; filled with love and happiness and everything she could possibly dream of… love forever…. What could possibly be better than that?

"Um, excuse me?"

Hitomi spun around quickly, taken aback by the voice. A voice. She had almost forgotten she wasn't alone in the park. As a matter of fact, she had been almost certain her mind had been lost in a world of it's own. Blushing slightly, she turned to see who was speaking to her…

"Oh…" Her voice trailed. Just trailed onto another universe or something; for at the moment she knew she couldn't speak. She was still trying her best to think straight! That may be because her mind had just frozen over…. Simply froze right over at the sight of him.

Him, as in the guy that stood directly in front of her and had asked for her attention. The guy that stood directly in front of her at that very moment that made her heart leap in sudden surprise, her eyes glow with curiosity. There he stood, almost covered in the shade of the trees, face shadowed with mystery. Hitomi didn't know what to think. It must've been a minute now that her brain had gone bye-bye.

The shoes.

Let's start with the shoes. Afraid to look him in the eye for some intimidating reason, she just stared blankly at his shoes he wore upon his feet. Yes, his shoes. They were shoes, not boots even with this snow, but then again, it's not like guys like him went around in rubber boots with Velcro tie-ups or anything. What was she thinking? Those shoes, shiny they were, professional looking, giving off a glow from the street lamps above. They were… well she couldn't tell the colour, too dim for that, but she was quite certain they were a polished black.

He wore a trench coat. A long one. It stretched on down to his knees, and he was quite tall, looming over Hitomi by a few inches. And she was quite tall too. His trench coat, black as ash, was kind of fuzzy, probably soft, with large round buttons tying the coat together. His body was thin, built just the way she liked 'em, tall and slender, the intriguing yet strong type.

Suddenly, Hitomi jerked her head up, not wanting to put up with the suspense, and then she came close to fainting at the sight of his face. What was wrong with her? He was just some stranger in the midst of a park stroll… maybe even a homicidal maniac for all she cared and here she was adoring him? Well, then again, you haven't seen his face. So what if it was half covered in the darkness? She probably would have fainted if she were to see him in broad daylight! Oh it was wondrous! He was wondrous! So beautiful it made the park look pretty lame and ugly, that's how impressive his image was. She had seen her fair share of handsome lads in her life, but there was just something, something incredible about this one. He stood, a comforting smile on his face, reassuring her; he looked pretty sane, and holding something towards her.

She just noticed.

"I found this, it was just lying back there in the snow …" oh that voice. Incredibly familiar. So compelling! It went so very well with his deeply intriguing face, the jet black bangs hiding his eyes. What was he saying? Oh right, something he had found. He held it towards her.

"Oh…" pretty much all Hitomi had managed to say since the second he had tapped her on the shoulder. Her eyes were fixed on his hand taking the longest time to notice what lay within it. A necklace. Her necklace. The one with the pendant, from her grandmother.

"How did that ever…" she looked at him curiously in the eye, slowly extending her hand to retrieve it. "Oh my, thank you! This thing is really special to me… wow… most people would have just kept it."

Smiling now, a wonderful smile, "It was no problem, I had a good feeling something as rare as that was bound to have a fair share of sentimental value." Stepping a bit into the dim light radiating from the lamp he gladly dropped it into her hands.

She looked it over, still gleaming as it usually did, but differently. She couldn't quite make it out so well in the nightlight, but it almost… almost glowed. Well, something like that, she couldn't explain it. It seemed to give off its own light, shining all by itself.. reacting to something…but how?

She looked up to check if he could see it too, but the handsome stranger had his deep dark eyes locked onto his surroundings, also admiring the beauty of the park they stood in. His eyes twinkled with the reflection of the lights around them, snow sparkling in his smooth jet black hair, dotting his darkish gray coat.

Hitomi still stared curiously, then blushed horribly as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, noticing his little spectator. But he just smiled, warming his hands in his pockets.

"This is a wonderful place isn't it?" Hitomi awkwardly tried to make conversation, seeing as none of them were moving anywhere.

"Tell me about it," he agreed, turning to face her, a friendly look on his face. Why was she trusting him? Why did he seem so trustworthy? Why on earth did she feel so shy?

"I think its gorgeous, and I'm not even big on mushy stuff like that."

She grinned facing him. She could tell. He didn't look like the emotional sensitive type, though she guessed the park must've been an exception.

"Well, you don't have to be to admire a creation like this."

"I know…." He nodded. "Its so… its just like the most…."

"The most romantic thing you've ever seen?" Hitomi filled in, smiling, looking at him. "It sure is in my case. These kind of things look like they came straight out of a chick flick."

"Oh ha…. I guess so. Thisis amazing, but definitely not the most romantic thing I've ever seen." He looked over again at the park, him looking shrouded with mystery.

"Its not??? What could be much more romantic or beautiful than this?"

He then smiled, as he did always, and looked lost adrift in thought. "The one thing that could answer that question is this one girl."

"Oh really…" Hitomi sounded a little disappointed. Wait a minute. Why is she disappointed again? So what if the guy was hooked up already? So was she dammit!

"I don't mean to pry," Hitomi tucked her hands feverishly in her pockets, almost nervously.

"Its no bother, really. My friend, he had this amazing girl to call his own… they didn't really know it or show it for that matter, but anyone could tell it was love, ever since the day they met."

Hitomi studied him, listened intently.

"Anyway, there was this one day, when she got upset at him, and she threatened to leave and that's just what she did. She left, and he tried to cover up, pretend as if he couldn't care."

Hitomi looked on sympathetically. The way this guy went about speaking of it, she had a pretty swell feeling that "his friend" was basically an alias for himself.

"She was gone to her own home; and even if he never said a word, anyone could read him like a book. He was just depressed, he had lost her, and he couldn't say if he'd ever see her again. He took her for granted."

"Well, I'm sure he truly did love her inside, while she was there," Hitomi input thoughtfully, worried about all the emotions she could sense from him.

"I guess he did, but this kid obviously didn't make a deal of it while she was around. But his best friend easily figured him out, and had offered him the advice to go after her…. To not let go of love."

"What a nice friend," Hitomi nodded, looking on aimlessly thinking things. Wow, wasn't that always the story nowadays. Guy falls in love and ends up losing her anyway. She sighed looking downwards, how sad. And yet it always seemed to happen.

"Yeah, good friends are worth every second your with them. His friend helped him move forwards to find her, and that he did."

"Really? Where was she?"

"Very far away. Almost worlds away you could say. But he would search the universe if he had to. That was how strong it was. And when, well, when he finally did find her… she was running, towards him. All I really remember is that he held out his hand and like many times before she took it, but at that time, he promised he would never let her go. And to his surprise, she held on right back."

Hitomi felt a tingle run up her spine. Oh it was those kind of stories that always made her feel so funny inside. Just so happy it sent goosebumps over her skin. She smiled again end to end, looking on at him.

"Aah, that is a rather romantic story. Its good to see that you-uh-your friend could truly experience what love is all about."

"Um hum," the friendly stranger looked onwards up to the stars still shining in the sky. Again, he looked as if dazed in his own little world, a world of sadness? She wasn't sure, but Hitomi could feel something of the sort.

"I would've wished for that, but it didn't turn out that way."

"Huh?" Hitomi questioned. What did he mean by that?

"They never did stay together. Eventually this girl had to return home, and you know the saying, when you love something, you gotta let it go."

"Oh…." Hitomi didn't know what to say. How so very depressing! Poor guy had fallen head over heels only to trip backwards! She didn't want to imagine the heartbreak. Some kid, missing a very special girl, wow, that story was very familiar after all.

"Better to have love and lost, then to have never loved at all," Hitomi gave a sympathetic smile.

"Really? Try it."

She stood still for the moment, watching the dark figure before her through the drifting snowflakes. He was quiet now, digging his foot into the snow bank, looking on down at the white fluff below.

"I'm sorry, its kind of obvious isn't it?"

"Obvious?"

"Yeah, that I'm 'the friend'?"

Hitomi closed her eyes grinning. "Hey, I understand. I am just some stranger after all. Truly, I do feel for you, I do. As long as she's still here with us, there's got to be a part of her that feels the same way."

He turned, smiling back, looking a little better. "Hey thanks, I'd hope so, but its been… well years…"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder…" Hitomi added, looking the fellow deep in the eyes. "I can't quite recall your name, probably because I've never introduced myself…."

"Oh," he replied sheepishly. "And here I went telling you my life story without even bothering with a name."

"Don't worry," Hitomi laughed. "I do that all the time. Hi, my name's Hitomi Kanzaki…" she stretched out her hand happy to finally get acquainted with the guy.

"H-h-itomi????"

"Yes…." She glanced at him wonderingly. He looked… shocked almost. He just stood there speechless, not even bothering to take her hand, looking to stunned to even think.

He backed up a few steps, looking overwhelmed at the moment. What was wrong? What did she say?

"I-I've got to go now…I just have to…" without another word, he quickly spun around and briskly walked the other way. Hitomi just stood there, now being the one unable to move, arm still extended. What had happened? What was so wrong with her name? Why had he been so surprised? She stood under the dim light, eyes still focused on the disappearing figure walking amongst the shadows. His swift movements guided him through the twinkling park, further past her reach.

A sad feeling took over her, and she stood waiting, looking onwards as the beautiful stranger made off. She stood and waited until she could no longer see his smiling face, slick black hair, tall lean figure. She stood until she was certain he had left beyond her grasp, a mystery in himself.

"Don't go Van…. Please don't go," she softly whispered, moist clouds billowing from her mouth. Well, it was no wonder he had never introduced himself, she had known his name all along.

*~ *~ *

Amano tapped his chin lazily. He was totally absorbed in his new leather recliner… sucked into it's soft depth and seemingly leaving him paralyzed and glued to this moment of eternal relaxation. He lay so far back he could barely make out the television through his feet protruding into view. Oh well…. It was just so comfy and snug…..

He gawked at the cell phone he held in his right hand. Oh that thing. He had been staring at it pointlessly for over an hour now. Well not just staring at it of course.. that would just be weird… he had been playing that blasted 'snake game'. Stupid snake game. He had thought Tetris was the most addictive simple computer game there was… but boy was he mistaken. He finally has a few care-free hours left to himself and 70% of it is gone trying to get a frickin line to catch up with all the little dots that always appeared in the most inconvenient places. Seriously, what a wonderful waste of time. Yet… he still did it. Every time he lost it was 'new game' all over again. One time his phone even died of batteries because of his horrible addiction. And now, here he lay, refusing to ever part from his newfound piece of furniture with that cursed phone and its cursed game.

He sighed exhausted, eyes strained. That stupid line.. or "the snake".. must've been like five centimeters long by now…. which was a good thing when determining points.. but also a bad thing because too much length could kill him… such a hard concept to grasp for such a basic game. He had gotten over his attachment to solitaire, and even minesweeper, and finally puts away that blasted Tetris, when woah be gone another stress-increasing 2-dimensional game comes into play.

This was pathetic. He knew why he was really doing this. He was putting off something else by doing this. Putting off something he did not want to do where instead he preferred to waste hours of his life catching dots. But that was the way it was.. and he did not plan to do what he had originally planned to do.

"Stop before you confuse yourself," he muttered, figuring it was a little too late for that. His mind again started to debate the issue at hand, what he "had to do". He shut off the game finally contented with it (and partly because his snake had stupidly crashed into itself) and scanned through his list of phone numbers. He gave a quick glance on the dozens of people he had.. skimming right down the alphabet... but looking only for …

Yukari.

There she was. Ha, like he didn't already know her whole number off by heart. It wasn't that hard to stuff seven digits in his mind. He glanced at the teeny screen half inclined to press the call button, half thinking to continue his sort-of-winning streak and kick some snake ass. He narrowed his eyebrows, understanding what he really should do.

"Amano, hi…" Yukari smiled softly, balancing the receiver on her shoulder, glancing at the glowing screen of the call display. "Funny, I've been trying to call you for hours!"

"Ah, you shouldn't have bothered; my computer's been online all day downloading all sorts of medical programs and boring things like that…"

"So I see you're using your cell huh…. tell me, have you finally beat my wonderful record of 720 on that-"

"DON'T EVEN GO THERE…."

"Hahaha.. . what did I tell you about me being invincible?" She tweaked the phone cord around the pencil in her hand, looking around every so often for her cordless. "So, Hitomi's called you yet? She was out early today…"

"She was? No, I haven't spoken to her really…."

"Oh…. I think she went to pick up something…" She bit her lip, figuring it wasn't necessary to tell him Hitomi had paid a visit to her shrink for a few session tapes… Amano would freak if he knew it had been Yukari's idea to drive Hitomi back to that odd mental place.

"Yukari, what am I to do with her?? She's been acting so different lately!" Amano watched the light of the chandelier above him flicker constantly, groaning at the thought of going up there to replace whichever bulb it was.

"Different? Come on Amano, give her a break, its not her fault about the visions…"

"Oh no, it's the not the visions that's bugging me." Amano flipped the recliner back in its straight position sitting properly. "Its just the way she's been acting. Its all too familiar to be comfortable with. Yukari, seriously, she nearly killed me with shock after that whole dream… what kind of dream knocks a person unconscious anyway?"

"Oh Amano," Yukari supported her chin in her hand, thinking over the situation. "I don't know.. I think she's kind of reconnecting with her spiritual sense you know…"

"And that's supposed to be a good thing?! Uh hello? Remember when she used to be a little too superstitious for our liking back then?"

"Superstitious? Amano! She had been through a traumatic time! I think being abducted or kidnapped or whatever from May to the end of August is a little bit overwhelming don't you think?"

"SOOO? Yukari, the girl was like a lunatic back then!!! She scared me! What if that happens again? Why do I have the feeling it probably will? She's been acting that way… you said so yourself."

"Amano.. so what?? Maybe she's a little a quiet now, maybe sometimes a little eccentric.. but-"

"Did you hear that?"

"Huh?" Yukari brushed a bang of reddish hair behind her ear not so adoring being interrupted. "Hear what?"

"Something picked up… like three minutes ago…" Amano listened closely, did he hear that or was it yet another figment of his imagination?

"What? Then why didn't you say anything three minutes ago?? Aren't you on your cell phone? I only have two phones and I'm here by myself…."

"Whatever, same here. Anyway….oh yes.. and Catherine, you know Hitomi's new roommate, showed me Hitomi's old taro cards… I know for a fact you had those… Mrs. Kanzaki had told you to keep them away from her."

"Please! Hitomi's a grown woman," Yukari argued defensively. "She can figure out what she wants to do with them herself!" She picked endlessly at a chipping nail on her left hand, leaning back on her oak desk chair.

"Yukari…. tell me she didn't do a reading."

"What's so wrong with a reading?"

"YUKARI!"

"What?!" She rolled her eyes sticking out her tongue at no one in particular, sort of imagining that Amano was standing right there in front of her.

"Omigosh, I can't believe you made her do a reading. You told her to didn't you?!"

"Well, I thought it might help clear up some of Hitomi's problems okay?? Excuse me for trying to help my best friend unlike some people…."

"Hey I want the best for her too," Amano sighed. "Lord knows I don't need her going psycho again okay? It took her nearly two or three years to fully recover from that experience before and I have been with her through all of it. I don't want to go through that again!"

Yukari closed her eyes momentarily. There was something wrong with Amano's tone. He just wasn't understanding.

"Amano dear.. don't you get it? That's what marriage is all about you know. In sickness and in health…. You should be there for her."

He cringed suddenly, flooded with guilt. He rubbed a finger over the sleek gold of his engagement ring, pitying himself for being so impatient with the girl he cared for.

"Ugh.. I hate it when you're right… I really don't know what's been eating at me lately…" He slicked back his birch brown hair, leaning forwards, holding onto a small silver frame he had picked up off his wall unit. He studied the picture carefully, how he held on to his little Hitomi….. how he embraced her slender arms, rested his chin on her soft amber hair… how he tucked her hands by his…. And yet.. how his eyes kept looking in another direction, that direction a little to the left… his eyes.. so focused on…..

"Oh guy, don't worry bout it so much. Hito will be fine… anywaze…what have you been up to lately? Still studying to be Mr. Doctor right?"

"Um hum…" Amano smiled nodding aimlessly. He continued to pry away at the latches at the back of the frame, earnestly digging in his fingernails tugging to get the backing out. Carefully he dumped out the contents on the seat of the couch next to him, sliding the old photo cautiously off the glass.

"Yukari…." He softly whispered. 'Well I'll be, it was her after all.'

"Yeah?"

"Huh?" Amano jerked his head up suddenly.. remembering the phone cradled by his ear. A rush of pink ran to his cheeks, and he almost instantly flipped the picture over as if hiding a secret he knew he couldn't reveal.

"Uh…….. um…. Look… I think I may need to talk to you Yukari… alone."

"Really?" Yukari sat up, listening. She had been wondering if he would say that… now that he did, she almost felt kind of relieved. "Sure…. I guess I can see you maybe tomorrow. I'll call you… is it about Hito?"

Amano sighed glancing at the picture, "I guess you could say so."

"Huh? What was that? Are you watching a movie Amano?? I can hear trains or something… but I can barely hear you!"

"Trains? I thought that was coming from your place…" Amano furrowed his eyebrows curiously.

"Nooo…. I'm just sitting here.. nothing's on. Are you sure no one's on the other line or something…."

"As a matter of fact…oh shit… now I remember.. I share my cell line wi-"

CLICK.

*~*~*

Hitomi nearly thrust the phone across the seats next to her. If she did that she'd probably end up hitting that funny looking bearded man sitting there. Her mind was dazed with thought.. and filled with embarrassment and regret.

She sat feeling guilty, anxious, horrible whatever it may be. In one hand she grasped her purse tightly, the purse that contained a whole bunch of little knick knacks including three session tapes she had finally hunted down a few hours earlier…and in the other she gripped her cell tightly, finger still clearly on the call button. What had she done?

Eavesdropper - that's what she was. A dirty old sneaking eavesdropper. Why hadn't she just hung up anyway….. why did she just stupidly sit there stupidly eavesdropping stupidly listening on to a private conversation she wasn't a part of. Well… she was sort of a part of it… but still.. that gave her no right.

Her hand continued to tremble, and she instantly buried the phone deep into her jacket pocket, not wishing to see it again, looking outwards at the crowds of people around her… some giving her funny looks.. other's practically asleep in their own drool.

'Well, they're the ones talking about me behind my back!' Hitomi snapped bitterly in her mind thinking of Amano and Yukari. No, she wasn't very proud of herself at the moment, but fact had they were talking about her… saying things she'd rather not have heard. She was angry, but she really didn't know with who. At herself or at them? How could Amano have said those things? She sat huddled in her cold metal seat, blinking away at her watery eyes. Lunatic? Lunatic? Did he really used to think she was crazy?? Did he really hate her mental problems that much?? She cringed suddenly as one salty tear made its way down her dry, cold cheek, and images of Amano flooded her mind. It wasn't like she could help the way she was! She couldn't help it dammit!! Sniffling, she turned sideways leaning her forehead on the cool plastic glass next to her. What was going wrong now?

That was it. All she had innocently done was try to call Catherine to tell her she'd be late on the way home. That was it. She hadn't meant to intrude on Amano's life. She wouldn't dare do a thing like that. But then… why did she? Well, it wasn't her idea to share phone lines anyway!! It's not like she had planned any of this! Why would he be talking bad about her to her own best friend anyway?!

Confused. Very confused. She would've never guessed that they would even be talking to each other. She had never figured Amano and Yukari were that close. No, not with the history those two had together. She figured they only got along through her. Apparently not. Apparently Yukari was also the person that Amano confided in. Told all his secret feelings towards Hitomi to. But why?? Why her? Why did he tell her???

She fidgeted uneasily in her seat, dying of wonder and feeling horribly upset. How? How could they do this to her? It wasn't fair! If she sat here for millenniums on end she could never find one fault with Amano. Never in her life. She could sit and daze for hours to weeks to months and yet she could still find him as perfectly sweet as ever. Perfect like a flower in a meadow, a flower that had bad-talked her behind her back. Obviously she was still upset about that. Maybe that was his one fault after all. Back-stabber. Dazed in her clouded mind it took her awhile to notice she had finally reached her stop. The train wheels screeched against the track as it slowed down to a pause. The rusting doors quickly slid open. She balanced herself up from the support poles and stepped on out to the dreary Greenwood platform. Noises floated through her mind and she walked inanely through the dim station, people brushing past caught up in their own world of rush hour. Home. Where was her home anyway… just who could she turn to. Who could she trust? Who? Amano, who held secret feelings against Hitomi? Yukari, who confided against her as well? Cathy, whom she could barely remember her last name? Her mother… who figured Hitomi had lost her mind a few years ago? Or maybe she should just run off with that astounding guy she had delightfully run into…. At this time… she could only wonder who cared for her at all.