Twinkle Twinkle a Azumanga Daioh fanfiction by Cyberano Kaorin hurried past the students. She didn't want to be late for astronomy club, and embarass herself in front of Nozomi-sensei. The last incident etched painfully in her mind as she remembered herself stumbling into the dark mini planetarium, causing a nearby pedestal to fall and ... * WHUMP * Kaorin doubled over slightly as she wondered whether she had bumped into some furniture again. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see a dazed Chiyo-chan peeking out from a pile of paper. "Chiyo-chan, are you ok?" Kaorin reached out and held Chiyo-chan to her feet. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." Kaorin felt her face redden with embarassment. (Why am I such a klutz?) "Umm, I'm ok, Kaorin-chan." Chiyo replied as she rubbed her bruised behind. Her eyes fell to the floor. "The surveys!" She frantically gathered the scattered papers around her. Kaorin reddened some more when she realizes that she might be the cause of Chiyo's frantic state. "Here, let me help." She started picking up the scattered papers. While handing them to Chiyo, she read the words "Future Career Choices" near the top of the paper. Smiling to herself, she remembered how indecisive she felt while filling out the form in homeroom. She had started to write "Astronaut", but later erased it. (I wonder what Sakaki-san wrote down?) Kaorin handed some sheets to Chiyo and picked up some more. While picking one up, she spotted the name "Sakaki". Kaorin swallowed hard and feigned to pick up more papers as her eyes hurriedly flew across Sakaki's survey. Choice 1: Veterinarian Choice 2: Florist Choice 3: Stuffed Animal Shop Owner She read it again. "I think this is all of it. Thank you so much for helping Kaorin-chan." Chiyo beamed her girly smile and her pigtails bobbed as she tilted her head. Reluctantly, Kaorin handed her the papers she picked up. "I didn't see you Chiyo-chan, so it's really my fault." Chiyo shook her head and her pigtails swayed in the air. "Um, no, I wasn't paying attention, so don't worry about it." She stood up and clutched the papers tightly. "I have to go. Sensei is waiting for me. Ja ne!" "Take care Chiyo-chan!" Kaorin waved a farewell. She watched her go for a few moments. Then she whipped out her notebook. Hastily she wrote, "Sakaki - Vete ... Pet doctor, Florist, ..." (Ano, what was the third one?) She scratched her head. (Ah!) "Stuffed toy seller". She carefully tucked her notebook away and skipped to Astronomy club. ------------------------------------------------------------ Later that evening, Kaorin's mother was surprised to see Kaorin with her head carelessly craddled in her arms, apparently napping on the living room tablae. Around her were piles of books. Her mother glanced at some of the covers: Ikebana, The Ancient Art of Flower Arrangement Dr. Misuno's Guide to Animal Biology Build A Bear Idiot's Guide to Doll Making Flora and Fauna Common Pet Ailments and Home Remedies (Hmmm. She must have a book report due. But it's no good for her to sleep here.) She leaned toward Kaori's ear, and took a deep breath. "Kaori!!!" ------------------------------------------------------------ Later that week, Kaorin doodled absentmindedly in the cafeteria. (What to do, what to do...) "Arrgh!" She crumples the paper into a ball. (Now that I have all this information, what do I do with it?) She tosses the the paper towards the waste bin, but it bounces off Osaka instead. Osaka picked up the paper and began to unfold it. (Eeee!) Kaorin scrambled from her seat and rushed over. Osaka read, If only I could show you ... How do I count the ways? How will you know? Kaorin grabbed the paper. "Gomen, Osaka-san, I was aiming for the trash can." "It's nothing. Besides, I like reading poetry." (What?) "Umm, what do you mean?" sweatdropped Kaorin. Osaka pointed to the crumpled paper. "Weren't you trying to write some haiku?" "Uh, yeah, I guess so." (I better just go along with her.) "So, why did you write it?" "Eh?" "Weren't you inspired to write it? I read that a lot of poets write from inspiration." "Umm, it just came up, and it didn't sound so good, so I decided to just throw it away." "So, it came from nothing?" "Well, not exactly." "So where did it come from?" Frustrated, Kaorin blurted out, "I was just trying to figure out how to tell someone I like them!" "Oh, so why didn't you say so?" Chiyo came up to them and handed a small book to Osaka. "My favorite book of impromptu haikus. I hope you enjoy it." "Thank you Chiyo-chan." "So what are you talking about?" "Oh we were just talking trash." replied Osaka casually. "Yeah, just trash. Er, I have to go now. Bye." Kaorin quickly exited the cafeteria. Chiyo-chan watched Kaorin leave. Intrigued, she asked Osaka, "How did your conversation with Kaorin start?" "With trash." "Umm, could you be more specific?" "Well you know how you want to say something, but don't know how to say it?" "Uh-huh." "Because you don't know how to say it, you try to say it anyway, but it doesn't make sense. So to make sense, you write it like poetry, so it looks better. But it doesn't sound better, so you don't want to say it. Since you don't want to say it anyway, you just throw it away." Chiyo just nodded her head throughout Osaka's explanation. Her pigtails pumped the convoluted information into her brain. "What did she want to say but couldn't?" "How much she likes someone." "Ah! She was asking you for advice!" "No, she threw poetry at me." "Eh?" Then the bell rang. "We got to get back to class, Osaka-chan!" "Okay." ------------------------------------------------------------ Later that afternoon, the girls were talking during PE. Chiyo had been mulling over what Osaka said. Her preadolescent brain could not fathom why it would be such a problem to tell someone that he/she was liked. She was so engrossed on the problem that she didn't notice Tomo and Yomi. "Hey Chiyo-chan." Tomo lightly tapped her on the arm. "Chiyo-chan!" "Eh? Oh, hi Tomo. Hi Yomi." "What's got you spaced out?" "I was just wondering how you would tell someone you liked them." Tomo and Yomi looked at each other and grinned. Tomo beamed a smile. "Well, Chiyo-chan. If it were me, I'd go right up to them and say it." Yomi snorted. "Yeah, right. I remember the last time you tried to do that. You went up to him and couldn't say a thing. Then ... mmmphf!" Tomo had cupped her hand over Yomi's mouth. "Ahem, so how about a letter?" Yomi yanked Tomo's hand away. "Ha! I remember the last time you tried to do that! You couldn't even sp... mmmphf!" Tomo had cupped her hand over Yomi's mouth. "Err, so how about a gift?" "A gift?" Yomi yanked Tomo's hand away. "A cute gift with a little note attached to it." "That sounds like a good idea! But what kind of gift would you give?" Tomo and Yomi looked thoughtful. "I dunno." "How about cookies?" suggested Yomi. "Cookies would be good. Anything else?" "Hell, why not octopus puffs? They're real yummy. But it has to be hot." "Baka, it has to be something better than that." "So what's good enough to be a gift?" Chiyo asked. "Hmmm." Both girls fell silent as they tried to think of something. Just then Kurosawa-sensei blew the whistle. "Prrrtttt!!! Time to hit the showers! Everyone get in line!" "We'll have to get back to you about this Chiyo-chan. Don't worry about it too much, ok?" Yomi gave Chiyo a wink. "Yeah, we'll be back so you can tell us your first crush and... mmmphf!" Yomi had cupped her hand over Tomo's mouth. "Let's get going before sensei yells at us." Chiyo watched as Yomi dragged Tomo away. (She's stronger than she looks.) thought Chiyo as she got up and made her way to the line. ------------------------------------------------------------ Tomo and Yomi sat in homeroom. Chiyo's question lingered in their minds. "Any ideas?" asked Yomi. "I dunno," shrugged Tomo. Just then, Sakaki entered and sat at her desk. "Let's go ask Sakaki." "Hey, Sakaki." Sakaki looked away from the window and stared at Tomo and Yomi. "What kind of gift would you give to someone you like?" Yomi asked. Sakaki crossed her arms in front of her and stared at her desk. She sat like that while Tomo and Yomi stood patiently. "It's the thought that counts." Sakaki said after some thought. She looked at Tomo and Yomi who both wore confused looks on their faces. Her eyes softened as she explained, "The value of the gift shouldn't matter as much as the effort put into giving the gift." The girls stared back. "Tomo, what is it you like most?" Sakaki asked. Tomo's face brightened into a smile. "I like to run! And be the best that I can be! Just watch me!" That said, Tomo starts running around the classroom. "How about you Yomi?" "I like books." Yomi noticed a pencil on the floor to her left and picked it up. "And I like looking after people I care about." Suddenly Tomo skidded to a halt to Yomi's left. "How was that huh?" She waved a thumbs up at Sakaki. "I won't lose to you next time!" "Calm down Tomo, it was just a race." Yomi chided. "No, it's a challenge!" responded Tomo. "If you don't calm down, Sakaki-san won't give us her answer." "Aww, alright. So, whaddya mean about the thought stuff?" "Well Tomo, if a friend gave you 2 tickets to a race, would you be happy?" "Hell yeah." "Even if the seats were far away?" "It doesn't matter! It's a race!" "And Yomi, if you received two books as gifts, one really expensive book of a dry subject and the other is one you really liked, which book would make you happier?" "The one I like, of course." Yomi replied. "Why?" "Because it seems like my friend really thought about me." Then the idea hit Yomi in the head like a stack of books. She blushed slightly at the idea. "Oh." She whisphered. "I still don't get it." Tomo rubbed the back of her head absentmindedly. "Maybe if you gave some examples." "I think I understand." Turning to Tomo, Yomi said, "Don't worry, I'll explain it to you." "Ok. So what do you like Sakaki-san?" The question came so sudden that Sakaki flinched. "What do I like?" The two girls stared at her like dogs waiting for scraps. "Umm, I like animals and flowers. I like stuffed animals too." She blushed. "Oh, really, I'd have never thought." said Tomo. Sakaki looked up with pleading eyes. "Please don't tell anyone." Yomi was silently surprised at Sakaki. (There's more to her than meets the eye.) "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone. We're sorry to bother you. And thanks for the advice." "Mm-hm. It's alright. See you later." "Later!" Tomo and Yomi waved a curt farewell. Sakaki watched them as they walked away. (And I wish I had someone to care about too.) Wistfully, she stared out the window. ------------------------------------------------------------ Later, that day Chiyo and Osaka were discussing a haiku from Chiyo's book of poetry when Tomo and Yomi came up to them. "Oy, I have an answer to your question Chiyo-chan." Tomo beamed a wide smile. "Eh? About what?" "You know, about how you would tell someone you liked them." "Oh, yeah. So what do you do?" "All you have to do is think about it. It's the thought that counts." Tomo smiled proudly while Yomi face-faulted. Chiyo-chan wore a confused expression on her face. "That's not how it is!" Yomi scolded Tomo. "Let me start from the very beginning. You may give any gift you want, but the gift has to come from the heart. However, the gift can be more meaningful if it is something that the receiver values highly. The gift is an expression of your thoughts, and your innermost feelings. So with any gift, it's the thought that counts." "Ooh..." Tomo, Osaka and Chiyo-chan's faces wore impressed looks as they digested Yomi wisdom. ------------------------------------------------------------ The next day, Kaorin was finishing up her bowl of curry noddles, when Osaka stood by her table. "May I sit here?" asked Osaka. "Please do, there's no need to ask." Kaorin replied. "Let me move this first." Kaorin moved a pile of notes and books to make room for Osaka. Osaka puts her tray down and sits. Her wandering eye glanced over some of Kaorin's notes. My dreams are restless Soft lips whispering my name Mother is calling "Ah! You're still writing poetry!" Kaorin turns a shade of red. "It's nothing really! Just doodles! I was about to throw it away." She absentmindedly flips the sheet over, revealing another doodle. Beauty in motion Protect me from enemies Joy on a white horse "Wow, that's pretty deep, Kaorin. I wish I was as inspired as you." (Ergh.. I better change the subject.) "Osaka-san, do you write poetry too?" "I tried, but it hurts my nose." "Eh?" "Sometimes I fall asleep and I hit my nose on the kotatsu." A sweatdrop formed on Kaorin's temple. "Did you ever manage to finish one?" "No, it's too warm under the kotatsu." Osaka replied sadly. "That's why I like reading poetry." Kaorin stared at her, confused. Then Osaka's face lit up. "Ah! I have an answer for you." "You do?" "A gift to the one you like. A gift which carries the weight of your thoughts and feelings. A gift of your heart. That's the way to do it." Kaorin stared again, this time in awe. "So that's it." she whisphered. The rest of the converation with Osaka seemed like a silent movie as Kaorin's thoughts glossed over this awe inspiring bit of Osakan wisdom. ------------------------------------------------------------ A week of so later... Classes were over for the day, so Sakaki headed over to the shoe room to change her shoes. She put her bag down and took out a small platic bag. She inserted the rim of the bag beneath the door of the shoe tray. Then she opened the door. A small stream of letters and notes poured out. Sakaki sighed as she tied up the bag, and then reached in to get her shoes. He hand felt the shape of something like a box. Curious, she looked in and saw a small box wrapped in pink with a bow. Her neck, then her cheeks started to feel hot, so Sakaki quickly stashed the box in her bag. She put on her shoes and calmly walked out of the school yard. At the nearest public trash can, she deposited the plastic bag. When Sasaki reached home, she went to her room and took the contents of her schhol bag and placed them on her desk. When she picked up the box, she examined it for a note and finding none, proceeded to unwrap it. Inside was a cute pink box. She flipped the lid and gasped. Her cheeks burned. "It's... it's so cute." she whisphered. Inside the pink box was a Nekoconeko necklace. The image of Nekoconeko was embossed on a plate of gold. She lifted it up gently and examined it. She noticed a small latch, which she gently pressed. The image of Nekoconeko flipped up to reveal a small frame in which a small photo might be inserted. The frame was empty. "Oh... how wonderful!" she finally blurted out. She played around with the locket. The radio played songs in the background as she traced the outlines of the locket. Why is my heart waiting so much for that tender-hearted someone? Tell me a wonderful future MOONLIGHT,MOONLIGHT SLEEPIN' (I wonder when I would meet someone like that?) My heart is always honest, a quiet greeting of sleep Because it is a secret wish HOLLY,HOLLY WHISPER (I wish I knew who gave this.) The song soon faded in the distance as she fondled the locket. Sakaki was so engrossed with the locket that she didn't notice the time pass until she felt a slight grumble from her stomach. She looked up and noticed the sunset and smiled. (The sunset is nice today.) She undid the clasp on the locket and wore it around her neck. Then, like a giddy schoolgirl, she skipped to the kitchen to make some dinner. ------------------------------------------------------------ A week or so later... "Camping?" "Hai. My aunts have offered to take me and my friends camping this spring break. Do you want to come, Kaorin?" "I'd love to, but the Astronomy club has a star viewing trip." "Oh. Ok. Maybe next time." Chiyo took out a pad. "Let's see, so I have ... " Kaorin stepped away and slowly closed the door to the classroom. "Yomi, Tomo, Kagura, Sakaki, Os-" Suddenly, the door opened, and Kaorin leaned towards Chiyo's face. "Sakaki is going?!" Her voice pitched to a slight shrill. "Uh, yes." "Can I come?" "But I thought you already had plans." Kaorin sweatdropped. "Um, I just remembered the trip might be the weekend after." "So you can come?" "Hai, please count me in." (Oh please do.) "Ok." Chiyo wrote on her pad. "That makes 7 of us! It'll be so much fun! We're meeting at my house tomorrow morning at 7 am." Chiyo scribbles quickly on her pad, and tears off the top sheet. "Here's my address and number." "Thanks, Chiyo-chan! I'll see you there!" ------------------------------------------------------------ She survived the ride, the trek up to the remote camp and the insufferable Tomo who ruined her panoramic shots. The birds were chattering in the the trees, and Kaorin resigned any attempt to sleep further, so she wriggled out of her sleeping bag. She got out of her tent and wandered aimlessly around the camp. She massaged her sore muscles. (I wish I had done more sports at school.) As she rounded a bush, she noticed Chiyo-chan and Osaka by a makeshift table in a small clearing. "Hey Chiyo-chan, Osaka!" she called as she approached them. "What are you up to?" "Ah, Kaorin! Maybe you can help." replied Osaka. "Eh?" "Osaka-chan gave me my first friendship bracelet. But it got caught on a branch and the clasp broke." Chiyo-chan eyed the broken bracelet sadly. "We've been trying to reattach the clasp for the past 20 minutes." "Oh, may I see?" Chiyo-chan placed the bacelet on her palm and held it up to Kaorin. Kaorin looks at the clasp and the torn threads near it. "Ah, this should be simple to fix. Can you come over to my tent? I will need to use my tweezers to fix it." So the girls went to Kaorin's tent. Kaorin fished out a small pair of scissors and tweezers from her first aid kit. Chiyo-chan gently laid the bracelet on a book on the sleeping bag. Kaorin bent her skill onto the bracelet, and presented her work to Chiyo-chan. "Wow, that's awesome!" exclaimed Chiyo-chan as she examined the repaired clasp. "Look, Osaka-chan!" Chiyo-chan held up the bracelet for Osaka to see. "It looks nice Kaorin. How can you make knots like that? It looks realy fancy." "Erm, just practice, I guess." "Thanks so much, Kaorin!" Chiyo-chan put the bracelet on. "You're welcome, Chiyo-chan." "Osaka and I are going to get some flowers to press. Would you like to come?" "Sorry, I was thinking of reading my book on the hammock. I haven't had a chance to try it yet." "Well, go for it then, before Tomo wakes up." "Yes, I will! Have fun!" Kaorin waved to Chiyo-chan and Osaka as they left. Then she quickly pulled out her book and pillow. As she crawled out of her tent, she heard a rustling noise and then Tomo's loud voice. "Ho! The hammock's empty!" "Noooo!" Even as Kaorin rushed to the hammock, she knew it was useless. ------------------------------------------------------------ The night seemed to last forever as Kaorin listened to the incessant chirping of crickets. Her sleeping bag wasn't very comfortable, and her left leg seemed to be getting numb. Aching and restless, Kaorin crept out of her tent. She stretched her leg and noticed that Sakaki's tent flap was open. Cautiously, she peeped into Sakaki's tent and saw that the sleeping bag was empty. Kaorin gulped at the thought of finding Sakaki alone tonight, and her body trembled as she grabbed her flashlight from her tent. Kaorin wandered about and saw Sakaki sitting by the pond near the campsite. Sakaki was sitting on a bench and looking up at the starry sky. Kaorin walked over to her. "Sa-sakaki... -san..." she called out. Sakaki sat a little upright. She wasn't expecting anyone so late at night. She turned towards the voice and saw Kaorin. "Kaorin-san." She looked at her carefully. "Ummm, I wasn't sleepy, so I... ummm... what are you doing up? It's late." Sakaki looked up at the sky. "I didn't know stars could be this bright." "That's because the lights for the city make it hard to see the really faint ones." "Oh. I didn't know that." "To see the faint ones, you need to use a really good telescope. But here, there's no city lights, so everything is easier to see." "You seem to know a lot about stars." "Oh no, not really! I'm a member of the astronomy club, so I learn a little bit about stars there. For example, that big bright one over there? That's the North star. And if you connect the North star with that star and that star, and that... erm, wait a minute... let me draw it." Kaorin grabbed a nearby twig and knelt in the sand in front of Sakaki. She started doodling in the sand with the twig. "So here's the North star, and here are the stars around it. When you connect these together..." Kaorin traced the twig in the sand. "It looks like a dipper. This set of stars is called the Big Dipper." Kaorin looked up to see if Sakaki was listening and was surprised to see Sakaki's face about six inches away. She was absorbed in her explaination that she didn't notice Sakaki move from the bench and kneel next to her. She averted her eyes and stared at the rough sketch in the sand. Sakaki watched Kaorin sketch out the dipper. She noted the position of the adjacent stars. After a few moments, she looked up into the sky and traced the dipper. "Thank you, I can see it now." "Really?" "Mm." Sakaki noded. "Your drawing really helps." "I'm glad it did!" Kaorin rubbed the back of her head in embarassment. Sakaki looked up in the sky again. Kaorin looked up with her. For a while, they stood there looking at the stars. Finally, Sakaki spoke. "That one." She pointed at a part of the sky. "That looks like a cat." Kaorin blinked and scrutinized the stars that Sakaki pointed to. "Those could be the ears, those the legs. The tail is over there." Kaorin followed her gestures and traced the pattern in the sky. "Oh, so it is!" she exclaimed. "Do you know if it has a name?" Kaorin paused thoughtfully. "I don't think so. At least I don't remember seeing one like it." "Neko-no-ten." Sakaki smiled to herself. "How about 'Neko-no-ten'?" "Neko-no-ten?" repeated Kaorin. "Ah! Cat of Heaven! It's a cool name, Sakaki-san." "Really?" "Really." Kaorin turned to look at Sakaki and became even more concious of the fact that Sakaki was kneeling next to her and even looking at her. Or the fact that Sakaki's eyes seem to sparkle under the pale moonlight. (Oh, I could die right now, and not care.) "Are there any more animals in the sky?" Kaorin couldn't break away from those eyes even if she wanted to. And she didn't want to. Sakaki was still looking at her! (Eee, she's waiting for my answer!) "Well, in Chinese astrology, there are constellations for each of the animals in the zodiac. I could show you where they are if you like." "Mm." Sakaki nodded. "Please do." (Kami-sama! Thank you! Thank you!) Then Sakaki stood up. "Is it okay if we sit on the bench?" "Sure." Kaorin tried to stand, and her numb leg folded under her. "Ah!" She reached forward with her hands and braced herself for a fall. A fall which didn't come as Sakaki deftly caught her. Instinctively, Kaorin clutched Sakaki and attempted to balance herself. Concerned that she might fall again, Sakaki held Kaorin closer. Kaorin blushed at being so close to Sakaki and leaned slightly against her. (Kami-sama, Kami-sama, Kami-sama, Kami-sama, she smells so nice...) "Are you alright?" Sakaki looked down at Kaorin. "I... I think my leg fell asleep. I'm sorry." "Uh-uh. You were telling me about the stars. Can you walk to the bench?" "Yes." So Sakaki helped Kaorin walk to the bench. Kaorin sighed as she sat down. "Are you hurt?" "No." Kaorin shook her head. "My leg falls asleep from time to time." Kaorin extended her leg slowly and rubbed her thigh. "I just need to stretch more often." Sakaki sat down next to her. Kaorin blushed some more, and kept her attention on her leg. She was all too aware that Sakaki was watching her. (What should I do now?) Kaorin kept rubbing her leg and slowly stretching it. Sakaki watched Kaorin in silence. (Her pajamas are so cute.) Sakaki watched the little multicolored stars and rainbows on Kaorin's pajamas. (It fits her so nicely. I wish I had a cute, small body like hers.) Sakaki felt her cheeks warm up, so she turned away slightly to look at the horizon. Finally, Kaorin felt her leg warm up and tingle. She stopped rubbing and sat up. Then she snuck a glance at Sakaki, who still seemed to be looking at her. She sat there and endured the silence until she eventually blurted out, "My leg is fine, now." "Mm. That's good." "Umm, if you want, I can tell you about the stars now." "Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you." "It's no trouble at all. I'm happy to tell you about the stars!" (Eee, maybe I said too much.) Kaorin looked for one of the constellations and began to describe its pattern in the sky. Sakaki listened intently. (I didn't know there were animals in the sky!) Sakaki asked a few questions and Kaorin always seemed to have an interesting answer. (She's like an expert.) Sakaki marveled at how Kaorin described one constellation after another. (Cons-tel-la-tion. She uses such complex words.) Sakaki was about to ask why the Cat constellation wasn't in the original zodiac when she felt a slight shower of raindrops on her bare skin. Kaorin seemed to notice it too, since she paused for a moment. Then Sakaki noticed the tiny ripples in the water. Sakaki held her palm up. "It looks like it might rain." "Seems like it." "Maybe we should head back." "We should get some sleep anyway." "Mm. Can you walk now?" Sakaki got up first. Kaorin gingerly stood up. "I'm fine. See." She held her arms out to her sides to prove it. "Then let's go." Sakaki lead the way. "Thank you for telling me about the stars." "Oh, it's nothing. I always like to talk about the stars." "Mm. Is it alright if..." "If?" "If we talk some more tomorrow?" "Of... Of course!" "How about some time after dinner?" "Sure!" They walked to their tents in silence. Before going in, Sakaki turned to Kaorin. "Good night, Kaorin-san." "Just Kaorin is fine." "Mm." "Good night, Sakaki-san. Sleep well." "You too Kaorin." Sakaki ducked into her tent and pulled the flap closed. (She called me Kaorin!) Kaorin floated into the tent. She closed her flap and snuggled into her sleeping bag. (Thank you Kami-sama!) Then she replayed the night's conversation until she fell into a deep sleep. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the next two days, Kaorin breezed through the day and spent the night talking about the stars with Sakaki. That night, they saw a shooting star. They both stared in awe for a fe moments. Then Kaorin spoke up. "Did you see that?" "Mm." Sakaki nodded. "So what did you wish for?" "Ummm... I wished that your wish would come true." "You gave up a wish for me?" Kaorin's gaze locked on the stars as she rubbed the back of her head absentmindedly. "Ah-ha-ha-ha, I'm such a ditz! I didn't know what to wish for, so I just wished for that. So what did you wish for, Sakaki-san?" Despite pretending to watch the stars, she watched Sakaki from the corner of her eye. "I wish I knew who had given me this gift." She pulled out the NekocoNeko locket from underneath her shirt and held it in her palm. Kaorin stiffened slightly. "Umm, Why?" "So I can at least say thank you. And..." "And?" "And, I would really like to meet him. His gift is very thoughtful, it's as if he knew what I liked and took the time to pick out this gift." Sakaki blushed a bit. "If I meet him, he might be someone I would really like." "Oh, I understand." Kaorin bit her lip. (She thinks it's from a guy. What should I do?) "Umm, I'm sure you'll meet him someday. I'm sure of it." "Mm. I'm sure I will." She nodded her head and smiled to herself. She admired the locket in her palm. Its little eyes seem to sparkle in the moonlight. Kaorin was at a loss on what to say next. There was a tightness in her heart. She simply stared into the sky and clasped her hands on her lap. Sakaki sighed and slipped the locket in her shirt. She looked at Kaorin who seemed to be watching something. "So, what's up?" she asked. It was a feeble attempt at a pun. Kaorin was jolted from her thoughts. "Err, I was just thinking what a nice night it is." "Mm. Yes it is." Sakaki waited for Kaorin to respond. She waited for a bit. Kaorin seemed absorbed in the stars. Sakaki scanned the skies. She pointed her finger at a bunch of stars and said, "That one looks like a rabbit." Kaorin looked at to where Sakaki was pointing and stared at stars. "Hmm, yeah, it does." Sakaki lowered her hand. "Kaorin, is something bothering you?" "Eh? Oh, no. I'm not bothered at all." "But the Rabbit constellation is over there. You told me yesterday." Kaorin's cheeks flushed. "Well, it sort of looked like a rabbit." Sakaki looked at the stars she first pointed to. "Kaorin, I'm not good at making friends, but if there's something that's bothering you, or if there's something you want to talk about, you can come to me, and I will listen." Kaorin's heart wrung like a wet towel. (Sa-sa-kaki-san! You are too kind!) "Thank you, Sakaki-san." "And you don't have to call me Sakaki-san all the time. Sakaki is fine too." "Sakaki... (I said it, oh Kami-sama!) A lot of people like you. Is there someone you like?" Sakaki's right hand unconciously went to feel the locket under her shirt. "No, not really." "What kind of qualities do you like in a person?" "..." Sasaki's cheeks flushed. She didn't know how to answer these sort of questions. She bowed her head, and thought really hard. She realized that during all those times she wished for someone to care about, she never really imagined what she wanted them to be like. (Perhaps that's it. Perhaps they don't have to be anything.) Kaorin was embarassed to have asked the question. Furthermore, she was embarassed to have asked Sakaki at all. (I hope she's not mad at me.) "I'm sorry. I asked something too personal. I'm really sorry." Sakaki looked up and gently held Kaorin's gaze with her serious eyes. "Don't be sorry. It's an honest question. It deserves an honest answer." She sighed. "The truth is, I've never thought too much about that. There are people I like and people I don't like. And there are people I like more than others. I like my friends, for instance. You, Chiyo-chan, Osaka, Tomo, Yomi and Kagura... I like you all. My friends are who they are, and I like them the way they are." Kaorin hoped that she would say more. (I want to know what you want Sakaki. Won't you tell me?) "I like you too, Sakaki. And I like being your friend." (I have to try!) "But I wonder, what sort of person would make you fall in love?" "In love?" "Yes... but it's okay if you don't want to tell me. It's okay." Sakaki's fingers gently traced the locket underneath her shirt. "I don't know. I don't like any of the boys in school." Kaorin's heart quickened. "You don't like boys?" "I mean, the boys in class are just classmates, and some are just friends. But I don't think I really like them the way that girls do in manga or movies." Kaorin sighed. (Maybe I have a chance.) "But sometimes, I wish I could meet a prince." Kaorin felt her heart stop. "He would say, 'You are my true love, for thou wearest the sign of the cat'. And he would point to my locket. Then he would sweep me in his arms and take me to his castle." Kaorin twitched. "And he and I would save all the homeless cats in the world." Kaorin sweatdropped. "Then we would live happily ever after." Kaorin felt her world swirling around her. (She likes boys...) Sakaki sighed. "How about you?" Kaorin suddenly stood up. "I... I feel a little chilly. I'm going back to camp." Kaorin started a dead run. "Good night!" she yelled. "Kaorin!" Sakaki stood up and took a few steps after her. "Was it something I said?" she whisphered. Sakaki walked hurriedly to camp. She knelt by Kaorin's tent and whisphered. "Kaorin." She listened for a response. "Kaorin, If it was something I said to upset you, I'm sorry. If it was, tell me and I will make it right." She listened again. "Good night, Kaorin." Sakaki went to her tent. Kaorin huddled in her sleeping bag. When she heard Sakaki's footsteps fade away, her heart burst and tears filled her eyes. (Would you like me better if I were a boy?) She wept into her pillow and suppressed the sobs that rattled her frame. Kaorin didn't sleep well that night. ------------------------------------------------------------ Sakaki was confused. Not only was Kaorin not paying attention to their activities all day, she also seemed to avoid her. Whenever she tried to start a conversation with her, she gave short responses or made some excuse. (I shouldn't press her.) Sakaki stopped after the eleventh time. She tried to immerse herself in the hike and the canoeing, but her thoughts strayed to Kaorin's behavior. It bothered her that she might have done something wrong. Later, after dinner, Sakaki wanted to ask Kaorin to go star gazing, but Kaorin announced that she was tired and was going to sleep early. Despite that, Sakaki went to the bench by the pond anyway and sat there. This time, she felt an emptiness around her. She closed her eyes. (Now, I think I know how the Cat felt when he was left out.) Sakaki lost track of how long she sat there, until she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She opened her eyes and turned around. "Kaorin?" "Good evening, Sakaki-san!" greeted Chiyo-chan. "So this is where you are!" Chiyo-chan carried a bright lantern with her. "Mm. You're still up?" "Yeah." Chiyo-chan sat down next to her. "I haven't had a chance to explore at night, so Kagura-san lent me this lantern." "It's really bright." "Yes, I like it. I'll save my allowance so I can have one for myself." "Mm. That's good." "What are you doing up, Sakaki-san?" "Stargazing." Chiyo-chan looked up. "Wow! The stars are bright tonight!" Sakaki noticed a bracelet on Chiyo-chan's wrist. It had small caricatures of cats and dogs. The cats looked like Nekoconeko or Otou-san. "What a cute bracelet!" Sakaki exclaimed. "Oh this?" Chiyo-chan lifted her wrist to Sakaki. "Osaka-chan gave it to me. Isn't it neat?" Chiyo-chan undid the clasp. "Here." "Mm." Sakaki examined the bracelet. (I want one too.) And then she noticed something familiar. "The knots near the clasps don't match." "That's because it got caught on a branch and one of the knots broke. Luckily, Kaorin was able to fix it." "Kaorin?" "Yes. I think she knows how to make things like these because she mentioned having a lot of experience fixing them." Sakaki took off her locket and compared the knots near the clasps. Chiyo-chan watched her with curiousity for a few moments. "Sakaki-san?" Sakaki turned to Chiyo-chan. "I would like to show you something. It's not as fancy as yours, though." "Oh, how cute." "Is it?" "Yes, it really is. Where did you get it." "I don't know. But I will find out." "Eh?" "Someone left it in my shoe locker." "Wow! But why was it left there?" "I don't know. That's why I want to find out." "Hmm... a mystery, it's just like a mystery. And Sakaki-san is the detective." Sakaki returned the bracelet to Chiyo-chan. "Thank you for letting me see this. It's very nice." "You're welcome!" Chiyo-chan slipped the bracelet on. They sat there for a moment and looked at the stars. Sakaki pointed to a constellation. "That one looks like a cat." "Yeah, that's the cat constellation from the Chinese zodiac." "Oh, you know about stars too?" "We have a telescope at home, and my father tells me where the constellations are." "Your father?" "Yeah. He even got me several books and a mini planetarium projector." "That's so cool!" In her mind, Sakaki could just imagine Chiyo-chan's father. His big grin and slitted eyes dominated her vision. "Chiyooo-chan", he slurred. He stood near a telescope. "Yes, Otou-san!" "Lets look at the staaars." "Yay!" He scooped Chiyo-chan in his string like arms and let her peep through the telescope. "Otou-san! The stars look like you!" "That's riiight!" "Uh, Sakaki-san, are you alright?" "Eh? Mm. I was just thinking how knowledgeable your father is." "He is. He's taught me a lot of things." Chiyo-chan looked up and pointed at the sky. "For instance, he showed me that this constellation is called Orion. It looks like a man with a bow" "The Mythic Hunter." "Oh, you know about it?" "Yes. Kaorin told me. She knows a lot about stars too." "I know she's in the astronomy club. She must study stars a lot. She's also in theatre and band." "Really?" "As class respresentative, I sometimes hear about what activites our classmates are involved in. Kaorin isn't in any sports, but she has a lot of after school activities." (And I just go home.) Sakaki sighed. "It must keep her busy." "She has activities almost everyday, and sometimes on weekends." "Which days?" "She has band on Monday, Astronomy on Wednesday, Theatre on Thursday and Art on Fridays." "What does she do in band?" "She plays the flute." "In theatre?" "She helps with special effects." "What about Art?" "All sorts of stuff. Sometimes they paint. Other times they do pottery or costume jewelry." Chiyo-chan paused. "Hey, maybe that's where she learned how to fix my bracelet." "Mm. You're probably right." Then Chiyo-chan yawned. "I guess I must be tired. oh, and thanks again for carrying some of my stuff." "No problem. It was a long hike." "It sure was!" Chiyo-chan stood up and picked up her lantern. "Good night, Sakaki-san!" "Good night." Sakaki watched Chiyo-chan leave. Then she turned her attention to the stars. (I hope it's not too late to be friends with her again.) She sat there for a few minutes. (I guess she's not coming tonight.) Sakaki stood up and went back to camp. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the rest of the trip, Sakaki did not get a chance to speak with Kaorin alone. Kaorin seemed distant. She resolved to understand why. When school resumed next week, Sakaki spent some time observing her. When Kaorin caught her gaze, she would look away. When Sakaki tried to find her alone, she always seemed to be meeting someone or is in a hurry to get somewhere. After a week of this, Sakaki decided she needed a little help. "Chihiro-san." Sakaki sat down at a desk near Chihiro. "Ah, Sakaki-san. How is it going?" "I'm doing well, thank you. And you." "I'm doing fine too." "Chihiro, I came to ask you a favor." "Sure, if I can be of any help. What is it?" "I would like to talk to Kaorin." "She should be in homeroom right now. We can go there if you like." "Well, if possible, I would like to talk to her alone." "Oh." Chihiro looked thoughtful. "Hmm. In that case, meet her after theatre. She's with the props crew, and they usually leave last because they have to put things away." "That's Thursday, right?" "Right. And if I were you, I would wait by the east gate around 6 pm. You must meet her before she passes the gate." "Okay. Thanks, Chihiro-san." Sakaki stood to leave. "And Sakaki-san," Chihiro held her thumb up. "good luck!" "Er, thanks." mumbled Sakaki. (Good luck? For what?) ------------------------------------------------------------ Sakaki stood behind the bushes near the gate. It was a little after 6 pm and the it was a clear night. Quite a few theatre members had already left, and she still had not seen Kaorin. (I hope she didn't leave early.) At last, her patience was rewarded when she saw Kaorin. She was carrying what appeared to be props and a bag of clothes. Sakaki stepped in front of her. "Kaorin. Do you need any help?" "Sa-sakaki." Kaorin looked left and right. The path to the east gate was hemmed with bushes and trees. The only way out was to go back. Sakaki stepped forward and took hold of the bag's handles. "Let me help you with that." Their hands touched. Kaorin's hear speeded up at Sakaki's touch and felt her will to run fade. She let go of the bag and hung her head. "Thanks." "Kaorin, if it's not too much to ask, can we talk?" "Well, my mother is waiting for me." "Please, only for a few minutes." "Well, alright. But only for a few minutes." "Thanks." Sakaki smiled. "Why don't we set these down first. There's a bench over there." Sakaki led Kaorin to a bench under a cherry blossom tree. She put the bag down and bade Kaorin to sit. Kaorin put the props down on the bench. And sat on the bench at an arms length from Sakaki. "So what did you want to talk about?" Kaorin steeled herself. (Sakaki just wants to be friends. We should just be friends.) Sakaki took a deep breath. (Here goes. Heaven help me if I'm wrong.) Sakaki faced Kaorin fully. "My wish came true Kaorin. And I have you to thank. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you." "What... what wish?" Sakaki took out the locket. "This locket lead me to you." "..." (How did she figure it out?) "I've been watching you, Kaorin. I realized that it might be you when Chiyo-chan showed me the bracelet she fixed. I went to the Art room and asked about your recent works. I even found the mold for the necklace. It had to be you." Kaorin sighed. "Yes, it was me." Kaorin stood up. "You're welcome then. I hope you like it. I think I have to go now." She bent to pick up her props. Sakaki stood up. "Wait, Kaorin." She put a hand on the props. "I also realized one more thing." "What?" "I realized that you love me." Sakaki's words rang in her ears. Her heart pounded in her chest. "What do you mean?" "Again, the locket lead me to you. While I was examining it, I removed the frame by accident. There was something etched under the frame. It read 'I love you, Sakaki-san.' You made this locket, and you wrote those words." Kaorin spoke slowly. "Sakaki-san, you told me that you were waiting for a prince." "No, Kaorin. I was waiting for you." (How do you mean it, Sakaki?) Kaorin felt her knees buckle, and she tottered to the side. Sakaki reached out and steadied her. Kaorin looked up and swallowed hard. "How do you mean it, Sakaki-san?" "I don't know how to say this, Kaorin. But I do know that have wished to meet the one who gave me this locket, because it might be someone I might like. That has come true, and I realized that I do like you, Kaorin. I may not like you as much as you like me, but I do like you. All I can ask is for a chance... to get to know you more... to be with you." Sakaki held Kaorin's gaze. "Will you give me that chance?" Kaorin was speechless. Then tears sprang from her eyes. She nodded slightly. "Is that a yes?" "... yes!" croaked Kaorin. "Then why are you crying?" "Because I'm so happy!" Kaorin had involuntarily stepped toward Sakaki. Her arms were in the position of hugging her, but she stopped. However, Sakaki noticed this, and smiled. She took Kaorin into her arms and held her close. Then in a soft voice she sang. Don't cry any more GOOD BYE SADNESS The words on the mysterious door read Soramimi cake WONDERLAND! Welcomes you FAIRYLAND! It's the magic of love LOVE'S ALL THE WAY! Every day, the temptations of wheat, so fluffy CAKE FOR YOU! Eat, for tonight is TEA FOR YOU! A tea-party in the constellations The chorus of angels at the window is to you, just your ear playing tricks? The voice saying "I love you, I love you" Sakaki held the trembling Kaorin for a few moments. (She's so small. But she's cute like that.) Then there was a rustle in the bushes. Sakaki turned and was blinded by a flash of light. As she blinked the flash away, Kaorin broke slightly from her embrace. "Chihiro! How long were you there?" "You can thank me later, Kaorin." Chihiro grinned widely. She pocketed her camera. "Gotta go. As for you two, get a room!" Then Chihiro broke into a run and left by the east gate. Kaorin sweatdropped. "I wonder what she meant by that." Sasaki's voice sounded so soft near her ears. "Oh it's nothing! Don't worry about it. I'll get even with her tomorrow." "Mm. Are you feeling better now?" "Yes, much better." "That's good." Sakaki picked up the bag. "I'll help you with these." "Thanks, Sakaki-san." Kaorin picked up the props. "I'm ready." "Let's go." ------------------------------------------------------------ Sasaki looked out the window of her new apartment. She sighed. (Only a few more days before class starts at the veterinary college.) She glanced over to Maya who had made herself a bed among a pile of pillows and stuffed animals. Sasaki smiled and stepped out to the small balcony. Then she took out her locket and clicked it open. She looked at the picture inside. A familiar voice called from below the balcony. "I'm home." Sasaki lifted her eyes which softened in greeting. "Welcome back." "Are you looking at that again?" "Mm. It's your fault for giving me such a nice picture." "You're embarassing me on purpose, Sakaki." "You're so fun to tease, Kaorin." Kaorin glanced at Sasaki and the sky that framed her outline. "The stars are bright tonight." "Want to join me?" "I thought you'd never ask." Kaorin entered the apartment and Sasaki came back inside. The lights in the apartment dimmed, and the stars winked brightly in the sky. ------------------------------------------------------------------------