Just Smile Forever~A Mikaze Ai Fan-Fiction

Midnight Lullaby

"Wow, I can't believe this trip is ending so soon....." Reiji mumbled in disappointment.

We were sitting around the campfire again. It was already starting to get dark by the time we came back from the beach, and we had hastily set up the campfire, and ate our dinner.

"We have to go back tomorrow because we have work to do," Camus reminded Reiji strictly.

"I know~but it's so nice to have some free time for once, you know what I mean? This has been too short!" he explained.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get to do this again soon," I replied reassuringly.

"Really?" Reiji asked doubtfully.

"Yeah. Someday," I added with a light laugh.

"Yeah....." he muttered.

"But hey, you get to spend every day with your friends, right?" I said, not used to seeing Reiji sad like this.

He smiled, and nodded, "you're right! I shouldn't be this down."

"So just enjoy the campfire right now, and stop worrying about tomorrow," Ranmaru grumbled.

"Alright~" Reiji sang, smiling again.

"Do you want to tell stories?" I suggested.

"Stories?" Ai echoed, looking confused.

"Yeah. Like scary stories," I explained.

"I don't want to get nightmares though," Reiji muttered, already sounding scared.

I laughed, "alright, then how about just normal stories?"

"Yes, that's better!" Reiji brightened."

"I don't know any stories," Ranmaru spoke up.

"I only know of the rule book from my country. Would you like to hear it?" Camus grandly offered.

"Um.....maybe next time," I smiled nervously, hoping he was joking. He looked quite serious though.

"How about you tell a story to us, Akiko?" Reiji suggested, "since none of us seem to know any."

"A short story eh....." I mumbled thoughtfully.

I had a huge love of reading, and so I knew a lot of stories. Going through the short stories I had already read, I don't exactly know which one to tell.

"Pick one that's meaningful," Ai suddenly suggested.

"Meaningful?" I echoed, confused.

"Yes. A story that has a good theme that you think we should learn," Ai explained.

I looked at him, suddenly remembering a story that I had read quite a while ago. It had been a story that I didn't really think was particularly memorable at that time, but I somehow still remembered it.

"I have one...." I started.

Everyone else involuntarily leaned forward.

"What's it about?" Reiji asked excitedly.

"It's about happiness," I explained, smiling slightly. How come I had thought this wasn't a memorable story? Now that I think back to it, it was one of those stories that had a strange charm to it....a theme that was unique and unexpected, yet so true.

"Happiness?" Reiji asked.

I nodded, and took a deep breath.

"Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each one a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room," I slowly began.