If We Were Still... [K Project]

Yata - Restoring

"Ah... I lost..." I said, chuckling a little while Dewa slapped my back.

"That's okay. Why don't you head back? I'm gonna go pull Chitose away before we have another...Maria Yubikiri*..." Dewa waved good-bye and took off in the opposite direction of the bar. I watched him leave before taking off myself.

I sighed and turned, walking silently back home. I scratched my head, wondering why the heck I suddenly felt so alone. Usually, I didn't care if I was alone or not. As long as I was with Homra, I was okay. But, maybe it was because Mikoto-san and Totsuka weren't here anymore. I mean, Homra was still Homra. We have everyone still, except for a few...

I shook my head. 'Misaki, you're fine! Everything is fine! You're Homra's vanguard.' I scolded myself. I kept on walking, hoping walking would ease my troubling thoughts.

Before I turned the final corner, I stopped. I had the strangest feeling, like I shouldn't go back home. I peered my head over the corner, and my heart literally fell to the floor.

There was Saru, standing there in front of the bar with a somewhat relaxed expression on his face. 'What's this traitor doing here?!' I shrieked in my head. That was the last thing I wanted. For Saru to come when I didn't want him there...

I watched him stand there for a few minutes. It was strange to not see him say, "Mi~sa~ki~," out loud sadistically, or to not scratch his chest like some perverted weirdo. He was just standing there, staring blankly at the 'Homra' sign, holding a gray box-looking thing in his hand. Saru was also wearing sandals, which was, yet again, unusual for an cranky monkey like him.

Saru sighed and looked down. He was like that for another minute before entering the bar. I jumped. "That damn monkey... What does he want?" I said aloud. I quickly followed him inside.

I carefully pushed open the door, so the bell wouldn't acknowledge my presence. Kusanagi-san was casually talking to Saru. Saru was nodding his head, giving no explanation on why he was there. I crept along the wall's shadow, trying to get a clue myself.

And, to my "greatest" surprise, Kusanagi-san waved at me. "Oooh! Yata-chan, Fushimi-san's here to see you." He smiled sadistically at me before leaving down the hall.

I plopped myself into a seat away from Saru. Saru looked down and sighed. There was an awkward silence that lasted for an eternity. Finally, Saru turned to look at me.

"Misaki?" he said, not chopping it up with mocking syllables. I didn't bother to look at him.

"What do you want, Saru?" I mumbled. Saru grabbed my hand.

"Take me to your bedroom."
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Although I had a bad feeling about this, I was curious enough to lead him to my room. I opened the door when Saru gasped. "What? Surprised to see it tidy?" I asked, chuckling. Saru hurriedly rushed to my desk and grabbed the little video game disc case.

"You still have this?" he asked quietly. He flipped it over multiple times, examining each part of the thin box.

"Yeah. So?" Saru looked up at me and tossed me that rectangular box he was holding earlier. I, then, realized that this was an old video game console that I used to play in middle school. "Why do you have this?" I asked him.

Saru smiled and sat on my bed. "Misaki, I missed hanging out like this. When we were in middle school, I liked hanging out with you so much. Playing video games and living together. I mean, even if I was really a pain in the ass, I still enjoyed your company." I looked at him, puzzled.

"I really want us to be friends again. And, I'm really glad you still had this! It's not opened or anything, but still... If we were still friends, maybe we could have bonded more without this clansmen rivalry... I'm really sorry."

I clicked my tongue. "Saru! You're not the kind of person to apologize! Sorry for what!? Who said we weren't friends?" I asked. Saru's eyes darted at me.

"Excuse me?"

I placed my hands on my hips and nodded. "You heard me! I never said we weren't friends. Yeah, we have a rivalry, but that's normal, right?" I sat down next to him. "Saru, I don't hate you. If we were still friends, we probably would never get to fight like we do today. And, I like that as much as you do."

Saru smiled for the first time in a long time and chuckled softly. "Yeah... It was just bothering me these last couple days, seeing Munakata try to bond everyone in Scepter 4... I didn't want to bond with them because I knew I would rather bond with you." he said.

I smiled, too, and wrapped an arm over his shoulders. "So, are we friends now?" I asked.

Saru punched my shoulder. "You just said we were always friends." He laughed and began to open the video game. "Here. Pop that in." He tossed me a small cartridge, which I took and stuck in the console.

I pressed the Power button, but it didn't turn on. I tried it again several times, but it wouldn't start. After a few minutes, Saru gasped. "Oh, yeah... Misaki, I forgot this thing didn't work anymore... Ha ha..." He rubbed at his neck.

I hit him on the head. "You won't eat vegetables, forgot your shoes, and didn't realize this console didn't work! What are you going to do with your life if you forget things like this!"

Saru smiled creepily. "Mi~sa~ki~, I'll just depend on you~."

I ran out of the room with Saru chasing me. If we were still apart, what would become of us?

~Final End: Yata - Restoring~

*This is the end of "If We Were Still..."! I hope you enjoy this story. I personally wish they become friends in the end of "K" (or get married at least)...