Tokyo ; Japan

Hotaru Quo

"An order.~"

Damn. Did I made her happy with it? He sighed. No, that wasn't the case. She was just happy all the time, and just god knows because of what. But it kinda amused him how she joked with him, although the didn't know each other well, not as they were children and nor as they are now.

He already regreted first: To make her know that he still remembered her and second: Not calling out for her last name. As she called him as 'Hotaru', he just went through along with it. He hoped that even though he made some couples of mistakes, she didn't asked him about the reason why he kind of kept it a secret that they know each other from long ago.

As she widened her eyes, Hotaru could just think about the worst. "You remember my name, Hotaru-chan!~"

"Y- Yeah..." Hotaru avoided her eyes and looked a bit embarassed as she grabbed onto his hand. It was very different from the touch he accepted from the girls in his age in the party of his parents. They were already somekind of 'woman' who knows her place and act like it, formal, elegant and not too... friendly. Formalities kept them having a distance. Not like the touch from this girl...

"It's really good to see you again, Hotaru-chan."

His embarassed face reached to the climax. "No, please, no adding -chan! It sound kind of too... cute for a guy." Slightly red on his face, he started to mess around with her hair and smiled gently, giving up admiting defeat to that girl. "I'll gladly accept your invintation to go somewhere with you... you mind going with me through the park?" That girl was tougher then he thought. It was interesting... he looked forward to seeing all of her different faces. She amused him, kind of.

Suki watched him as he heard her name. Maybe she would notice something in his reaction to if he remembered her or not. She saw something, if only for a brief second the thought she saw something in the style of surprise. She tilted her head lightly.
'I wonder if it rings a bell...'

As she thought this, a hand was offered. "Nice to meet you, Nakamura-san ; Naota."
This time she showed surprise. She recognised the name but from where she was not entirely sure. Her thoughts wandered for a few seconds and she remembered hearing his name on the radio but there were several Naotas and she didn't even know this one's last name, but that didn't seem like the right answer.

Maybe that's where she heard the name. She took his hand and as she did she remembered something. 'I remember now, Naota-san.' "It's n-nice to meet y-you too, N-naota-san. Your s-singing is a-amazing, by the way."
As she let go of his hand she smiled genuinely. "You know, I-I had a c-classmate once named Naota."
She looked at him. Yes, he looked very much like the Naota from when she was little. It made her smile wider. She started remembering her old friends and it would be great if she actually met them again some day, she thought.

Mika Walker

After she seemed to have murmured something, perhaps it was a name, or a location, or a date, she didn't know, Zane became red all of a sudden and she wondered why, 'But... what did I say that struck a nerve? I can't remember though... Maybe I should ask? I'm blunt like that but- Ah! Mika, idiot, that'd sound weird! You're making yourself look stranger in front of people now!" She sighed at her miniature internal conflicts with herself, but brushed it off later.

"No... I don't think you said anything anyway..."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too!" She said, though she knew she said something, but couldn't lay her finger on it, sort of like a dream you had but didn't remember after waking up, 'How odd... my memory isn't the best, but it's never been this bad before... Strange... Ah well! Must be normal! Might as well just ignore it in the mean time!"

"Yeah well... it was what anybody would've done... or more what they should've done. I'm not heartless after all..."

Mika, after hearing that, let out a small sigh a second time as the smile on her face seemed to fade as she turned to glance at the orphanage children, "I really wish that was the case... But there are many people out there who are just too selfish or care for themselves... Sometimes they have a reason, but most times... they're just plain greedy. Still, that's why I'm here to save them from that sin!" It probably sounded really corny, the way she said it, but what she said was what she thought, and it was true because she even took pity on people like that because she believed that a 'hero' shouldn't hate on anyone and instead, try to save them from their conflicts to make them into a better person.

While she was staring at the orphanage, she also heard Zane say, "I suppose I shouldn't have been so surprised to meet you here of all people... stupid hero. Well then, a question for a question eh? Both of our curiosities sated. In that case, I think we're even and I'll take my leave. So long, Mika."

She was spacing out at that moment, not really paying attention to what he said until a minute later when he was already paces ahead of her. All her thoughts occurred in a mere moment as she began to wonder, 'Huh? Stupid... hero...? How did he know? We just met, didn't we? No one else calls me that but those few people I used to know in elementary and Jr. High... Though... the name Zane does ring a faint bell... B-but that's probably just a coincidence!'

Mika raised her hand to wave good bye as she would to anyone she met, even though it may have only been a mere minute or two until she recognized something, 'My part time job...' She thought before realizing something quite important and running to catch up with him, "H-Hey! I've got one more question to-"

And just as usual, she fell down from the weakness in her legs. It was nothing deadly, or at least to her, it wasn't, but it did affect her running abilities. But, just as usual as well, she got up, dusted the dirt off her legs and hands before saying loud enough to hear, "Neh! I have one more thing to ask!" She pointed to a piece of paper in her hands with what appeared to be directions, "Where is this place? It's an elementary school, and I have a job there, but I never came there beforehand. Do you recon knowing the location and just pointing out the way to me before we part?"

---

---

Naota Suzumi

After introducing himself, he noticed that Suki, the girl in front of him, also seemed to show a great amount of surprise as seen by her reaction to his first name, 'D-don't tell me she figured out that I was that singer they've been putting up everywhere...' He gulped, hoping that wasn't the case, at the very most since that'd be horrible. All he wanted was a normal day, nothing more, and this was exactly what he was looking for, if only it wouldn't fall apart just yet.

"It's n-nice to meet y-you too, N-naota-san. Your s-singing is a-amazing, by the way."

"Ah, you really think so...?" A slight expression appeared onto his face again, also a bit surprised. Yeah, he did hear it often from crazy fans or just people walking by, but she just said it short and simple, just like that. It made him a bit glad really, because he always felt that a short, straight to the point answer was always the best, no matter what the situation was, "Thanks... I suppose... But they're all just work in progress songs. I doubt they'll ever even be published. Feel lucky you hear it because you won't be hearing it again-" He judged noticed that he pointed out, almost literally, that he was the songwriter, and the singer that was on his rise to popularity in the city. Naota was just begging on the inside that she wouldn't find out or at least pay any attention to it.

"You know, I-I had a c-classmate once named Naota."

"You... Did...?" Naota asked, wondering if she was actually that one person he remembered in his class as well. It was such a long time ago, and that girl he knew who went by Suki, probably could have changed immensely, perhaps she wasn't even the same person from back then either and it was just a strange occurrence that the two had classmates with the same name as the both of them, but for some reason, Naota highly doubted that.

Since she began to bring it up, he scratched the back of his neck, his eyes darting around, but avoiding her as he was perhaps embarrassed to say, "O-odd... I had a classmate back in elementary who also had the exact name as you... Suki, Nakamura... And not to mention she looked completely like you and even had the same personality, and the problem with stuttering..."

He may have been a bit embarrassed because, well, if he got the wrong person, it'd be a little awkward, wouldn't it? And the normal conversation he was hoping to have suddenly, and most likely, would have just disappeared into the distance, but he had a strong feeling about this, and decided to take the high risk anyways.

Then, Naota noticed he didn't tell Suki his last name as she seemed to have been wondering about it. There was a reason why he didn't want her to know, two actually; One being that his last name sounded kinda girly, and he was made fun of it sometimes in childhood, and two, he could just mistake her for a fan he saw in a last live show he did, which was actually just the week before. But still, as put, Naota had his hopes that the girl standing in front of him was the one from his childhood and took the risk, "Susumi; my last name is Suzumi. Suzumi Naota."

Hotaru Quo

Kisa laughed at how embarrassed her looked and right at Hotaru. "But you are cute.~" Kisa teased as she tightened her grip on Hotaru's hand, only slightly.

"I am not-" He wasn't finished as she sighed and shrugged.

"Alright then, Hotaru-kun." Kisa poked Hotaru's cheek with her free hand.

Poke. Again. She sure loves to poke somebody. Does it means she messes around with him, plays with him or just teasing him? Nonetheless he was a bit embarassed by it. "W- well, -kun is okay I guess.."

"But that's all you're getting." Kisa seemed a little shocked when her ruffled her hair and smiled.

Kisa's expression went from surprised to super happy, in seconds. "Kay!~"

He wasn't a really social guy so he didn't really knows how to deal with people that are normal. In the normal life he meant. He always meet up with people who have a bussiness with him. Formal way to meet. But such as meeting up with friends... he was new in that kind of things and was a bit puzzled how to react well in that situation.

Kisa pulled on Hotaru's cheek with her soft hands and smirked. "We are going to be buddies from now on, kay? So you won't back away from me, right?"

What did you let youself into, Hotaru?, he asked himself. "Ouch Ouch ouch. Let go! Alright, okay!", he said then rubbed his cheek and then he pulled on her hand along through the stright way through the park.

Then he spotted a tree. A sakura tree and smiled to himself. That sakura tree had bloomed beautifully. That tree was already there when he was a kid. He just loved that tree. "Good morning Andromeda..." Then he realised that he said it a bit too loud and looked embarassed at Kisa.

He just knows, that she will call him weird. Definitly. Giving names to a tree, wasn't that weird?

"You... Did...?"
Suki nodded. He said it in a way that gave Suki, well, hope. She pretty much knew who he was, she just needed a little bit more verification. Like his last name. What made her almost certain was the way he looked and behaved. He seemed to have remained the Naota she used to know which made her relieved, change sometimes scared her.

"O-odd... I had a classmate back in elementary who also had the exact name as you... Suki, Nakamura... And not to mention she looked completely like you and even had the same personality, and the problem with stuttering..."
She knew about her stuttering and him bringing it up as a resemblance was not surprising, but the stuttering in particular makes her very self conscious. This time she brought her hand to the back of her neck, blushing lightly.
"N-not alot of ppeople have this p-problem I g-guess..."

"Suzumi; my last name is Suzumi. Suzumi Naota."
There it was. The confirmation she needed. She looked back up at him with another look of surprise, but her face of surprise soon turned to a gentle smile. It was Naota she once knew. Everything fell into place.
"So it is you, N-naota-kun."
She suddenly felt more relaxed, she actually giggled as she said this.
"It s-sure has been a w-while."

Hotaru Quo

Kisa gasped and let go. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?!"

The sorry from her wasn't really convincing because her laugh after wards, but Hotaru just sighed knowing she didn't want to hurt him and tried again, a smile. "Yes. I guess you did." He said trying to do a joke. A joke. He never done that before, even himself was surprised as he said that. "Okay okay, you don't need to laugh that much." Hotaru remarked seeing her still laugh until her tears coming out. But still, he never guessed that he could make someone laugh so much. He didn't even know WHAT he did that made her laugh?

Hotaru could feel her gaze at him and was even more embarassed. "S- sorry, that tree is very meaningful to me..." Oh no. Now she would say something like cute or even weird. His head was red as Kisa said:

"What should we name that one?" And pointed on another sakura tree.

Hotaru must laugh a bit. "I just named 'her' because she is meaningful to me... but hmm." Thinking for a quite while staring at the sakura tree, he gazed at the pink newly blossom and the huge brown root. It was quite a beautiful sight. "I don't know. Mr. Andromeda?" He was serious as he said that. Although it would sound like a joke that moment. But the beauty was like from another universe. Like from the 'Andromeda' Universe. And plus, he was out of names.

OOC: I apologize for the shortness of this post. I don't really know what else I should say. >o<
And I'm sick and gross. -_-"

Hotaru Quo

"You don't have to apologize. I understand."

Sighing relieve he smiled and looked up to the sakura tree that was still standing after so many years passed. He remembered how it was back then. It was always his place to observe. He doesn't let anyone near him even though they didn't do anything bad. He just doesn't want to socialisize, still doesn't want to socialisize. He wondered why he even let her near him. He even laughed...

"Um, if you don't mind me asking..." Kisa gazed at the beautiful sakura tree in front of them. "Why is this sakura tree so dear to you?"

Hotaru flinched a bit. He couldn't answer that question. That would really hurt his proud. So he just stared at the tree for awhile, like asking it: Should I tell her or not? He wasn't ready to reveal himself to others. Hell, he hasn't done it before! Why should he begin it after so long? And now, even reveal for this girl that he just met? He doesn't add in his thought that they met before as childs, because they weren't near at all. He was very unsocial that time too, so he really wondered how she even could recognize him again. He sighed after that long silence and pulled Kisa along the way. Then after a damn long while, he finally said: "Do you have a secret? For me, my secret would be with that sakura tree. I know it sounds childish, but I am sorry, I can't tell you about it."

He felt bad not telling her. Why? He didn't know. Maybe because it was an act that shows he doesn't recognize her as a friend? He doesn't want her to be hurt because of him. He doesn't want her to suffer because he is a friend of his, so he then said to her while avoiding her eyes: "Maybe it would be better if you don't befriend with me. I am not as social as you and I don't think you will feel happy around me. It's better you go to better friends, don't you think so?" He still avoided her eyes and with that he let go of her hand.

He was in the conviction, it was the right thing. He guessed so.

OOC: I gotta apologize not giving you much room to answer... and you are not gross o-o