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32: Pretty City, Pretty Girl

I'm publishing this sooner than I had planned because the last one was (relatively) short and maybe I should have glued this chapter into chapter 31. (I think I've just spoiled you all with longer chapters, though.)

Anyways, this is also short. But hey...I updated pretty quickly...

Also, next chapter will be longer. 

When I opened my eyes, people were getting out of the bus. I stood up and walked out, working my way through crowds of people coming and going. It was packed, but that was pretty normal, especially at this time.

The sky was a dark blue, and the subway station hummed with bright white lights. All the walking and talking going on made for a continuous din. I headed down the stairs, underground. Yuma was a few steps ahead of me. His flower crown seemed to bounce up and down as he walked. It was very eye-catching.

"Say, d'you want this?" He said once we were both at the platform, offering his spare flower crown to me. I shook my head.

"I probably throw it out or lose it," I said.

"Where'd your other one go?" He asked. "The one I gave to you this morning."

"I lost it," I said. I think I had forgotten it somewhere, in one of my classes or something.

"It was special," he made sad eyes at me.

"You have one," I said. "Well, actually, two."

"But you lost yours," he said, looking down at the one in his hands. He looked like a little boy, looking down at his broken toy airplane or something. Or like he had drawn a picture and all the kids were making fun of it or something.

"Yeah..." I couldn't handle how sad he looked. Maybe it was all a ruse, to see how I'd react. "I'm sorry."

He looked up at me. "It's alright," he said, not really smiling but not so sad anymore, either. "They were all special. The flowers were special."

"They were Oliver's flowers, right?"

"Mm." He nodded.

The train came screaming into the tunnel, screeching against the track. It blew our hair all over the place. Yuma's crown flew off. I managed to grab it. I gave it back to him as the train stopped. He grinned.

"Thanks, pumpkin," he said. We got into the train.

"Why do you call me that?"

"You mean Pumpkin?"

"Mhmm." I sat down. Yuma leaned on the sliding glass doors as they closed. There was a warning sticker on the glass explicitly stating not to do that, but I guess people did it all the time.

"I dunno," he said, looking at me thoughtfully. "You remind me of a pumpkin."

"...I'm not sure how to take that."

He laughed and set his crown back on his head. "I'm not sure how I'd want anyone to take it, either."

"Hmm."

He was quiet after that, as the train erupted from the darkness of the tunnel and started rolling past houses and parking lots. In the distance, I could see the city skyline. Downtown. The lights were like stars on earth, but nowhere near as pretty. Stars are more of an earthy sort of beautiful, I think. These city lights were still precious to me, in a more industrial way. This was my home. It wasn't perfect, but it warmed my insides, seeing the light and all the life buzzing behind it, far away, behind the flicker of the countless specks of brightness.

A couple stations down the line, a familiar girl stepped into our train car. I couldn't remember who she was, exactly, at first sight, but I knew I had seen her in school.

She met my eyes and smiled, waving. I awkwardly waved back. She remembered me too, I guessed. And here I was, trying to remember her.

"Oh, hey you," Yuma looked at her, which wasn't too surprising, I guess. "I remember you!"

I remembered her now, too. She waved to him.

"Hi," she smiled brightly at both of us. "Gumi, right? And...I forget your name...actually, I don't think you've ever told me..."

"Yeah, Gumi," I said, nodding. "IA, isn't it?"

"Mhmm," she said.

"I'm Yuma!" Yuma walked over to her and they shook hands. "Do you want this flower crown? It's my last one."

She said okay and he put it on her head gingerly. She laughed and patted it.

"It's very pretty," she said.

"Thank you," Yuma said, turning to look at me. "Some people just don't appreciate these sorts of things."

"Oh, that's horrible..." IA whispered. I glared at Yuma. He wasn't even paying attention.

"Anyways, isn't it a little late to be out?" He asked.

"Well, I had to get something for my mom," IA motioned towards her purse.

"It can get dangerous out here. I mean, it's not even that late, but you never know," Yuma said. "Especially someone with a face as perfect as yours...it hurts to even think of something happening to you, IA."

I just stared at him. This was ridiculous. How long had they known each other for, again?

"Oh..." IA was blushing. A lot. "Thank you for caring. I get scared sometimes, to be honest...my family used to live out in the countryside but then we moved here just last year. I don't think I can ever get used to all these people."

"Well, I'm here for you," Yuma smiled at her. "Just shoot me a text or give me a call whenever you're scared, alright? I'm always around."

"Mhmm!" She grinned. The train started to slow as the brakes screamed. She stood up and held onto a metal pipe for support. "Thank you, Yuma, I'll be sure to do that. My stop's here..."

"Oh, cool, you're getting off here?" He looked out at the station.

"Yeah."

"I like the area. Nice choice."

She laughed. "It's not like I chose to live here!"

"Well then, its fate. A pretty girl in a pretty part of the city." His words made her giggle. "Actually, you know what, I think I'll come along. Nice scenery is nice."

IA giggled again. They kept talking as they walked out, their footsteps slow. IA turned and waved to me as they left, the doors about to close.

"See ya, pumpkin!" Yuma yelled. I made a face at him but he wasn't looking. He was ridiculous.

I sat around, thinking about Kaito and his hair and eyes, and how he spoke so softly, but firmly, when he had to.

Then I'd tell myself to snap out of it and I'd try to think about other things. Like how heavy my backpack was because of that damned tutoring package.

I was in the bus when my phone buzzed.

Bzzz.

I was half expecting it to be Naoki. I hadn't gotten around to changing his name; heck, I had only known him for about a week and a half now. Like, the actual him. Not that he was very different from his spammer persona from the summer.

Neru: Gumi, we need to talk. It's important!

Before I could reply, my phone buzzed again.

Neru: early morning tomorrow, before school. At my locker.

I didn't bother asking her what was up; I found myself craving a bit of suspense.

Gumi: alrighty. :)