A Firefly's Glow

Chapter Nine: Part One

My footsteps echoed against the sidewalk’s concrete.

“Amanatsu!”

The silhouette whipped its gaze towards me and a familiar voice called, “Hotaru?”

“Amanatsu!” I dashed towards him, a grin spreading across my face.

“Hotaru!” He welcomingly opened his arms.

“Amanatsu!”

“Hotaru!”

“Amanatsu!”

“Mikan!” A girl stepped out of the restaurant. She chuckled as she chimed her own name, shaking her head. “You guys sound like Jack and Rose from the Titanic. What’s going on here?”

“Mikan!” I squealed, changing my course from Amanatsu to his bemused sister. She stumbled backwards as I lugged the biggest bear hug I could muster.

“Whoa!” Mikan managed to catch her balance on time. “Kiddo, you’re heavy!”

I jumped a few steps backward in excitement.

“Oh, I have to thank Hinata!” I whipped my gaze towards the path I had ran through. “Hina—“

Although what responded to my call was a silent breeze that blew against my face. There was no one else in sight.

“You came here with someone else?” Mikan questioned, folding the rag she clutched through her fingers. “That explains how you managed to find us.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growled, defensively holding up a fist.

Mikan whipped open the front door. “Hey, we just got some new customers. It would really be convenient if you take their orders, Hotaru.”

“That’s Mikan-lingo for “Please help us take our customers’ orders”.” Amanatsu pleasantly informed, catching the door before it slid back into place.

Mikan, who had already stepped back indoors, shot Amanatsu a sharp glare.

“If I want people to know what I mean, I’ll say it myself!”

“But that’s why I’m doing you a favor. This way, you can save your voice for all the screeching in people’s faces that you’ll be spending later.”

“Don’t’ start with me, dear brother! I happen to be the older sibling!”

They immediately began to roar. Their screeches overlapped each other so what sounded through the restaurant was pure gibberish.

I nervously laughed as I stepped behind Amanatsu into the restaurant.

Once I stepped foot through the doors, an eager voice cheered throughout the room.

“Hotaru!”

Before I could infer who the voice had belonged to, a mess of dirty blonde curls attacked my face.

“Whoa!” I squeaked, feeling firm arms tighten around my shoulders. “Sora! You’re—suffocating—me—“

The grip around my neck was released.

“It’s about time you came back, you traitor!” Sora scolded, thrusting a wagging finger towards my face. She softened her remark with a smile. “Welcome back!”

The grin I had pinned onto my face began to ache, but even if I tried, I couldn’t release it.

I snapped back onto earth. “Sora! How did school go?”

“Huh?”

“With Prince Bleached-Hair!”

“Oh!” Sora’s memories seemed to dawn back in thought as she swung herself backwards on her heels. In less than a second afterwards, her vice-like grip locked around my wrist and I was dragged across the restaurant.

It was peculiar how even though Mikan and Amanatsu were bickering like squirrels and Sora was lugging me loudly towards the counter, the customers that sat throughout the restaurant were perfectly relaxed. Most of them didn’t even bother to lift their heads.

“You better hurry, Hotaru!” Mikan’s voice ushered from the outlines of the kitchen. “Time is money!”

“Um!” was what I managed to squeak as the corners of the kitchen bent out of view.