A Firefly's Glow

Chapter Ten: Part Three

“Kiddo, are you sure that you don’t want a ride home?” Mikan called through the door as I was changing back into my blank T-shirt. I heard a loud cluster of jingling sounds that sounded a lot like keys jangling together. “I can drive, you know!”

“It’s not guaranteed that you’ll arrive home alive or in one piece!” Amanatsu’s sarcastic voice faintly chimed from a different room.

“Be quiet!” I could tell that Mikan had to tilt her head away from the door to screech at Amanatsu. Her voice returned to clarity when she began to repeatedly jingle her keys. “I’ll take you home! I have no idea how to get to Hanabusa’s place, but you should know, right?”

I stood directly in front of the door of the miscellaneous room. It was locked, so I wasn’t afraid of Mikan ramming through the door and bursting it open so it could fling me against the wall. I was finished with changing out of my uniform, so it was safe for me to step out of the room, but something made me hesitate.

“No, its okay,” I answered. “I can walk back through the beltway.”

“Beltway?! What if you get run over?!”

“I won’t.”

“How do you know that?! There could be some evil, crazy, reckless drivers that could run you over!”

“Mikan, you’re one to talk. You can be classified as one of those people!” Amanatsu’s voice called.

“I thought I ordered you to be quiet!”

Nothing responded to Mikan’s hissing, so she calmly returned to our conversation.

“Wait a minute,” she murmured. “I saw Hanabusa just a little bit ago. Isn’t he taking you home? He’s waiting outside, right?”

“No, I think he went home.”

“He’s allowing you to walk home alone?”

“I guess. I really don’t mind.”

“Knowing Hanabusa, I think he scheduled for you to be picked up by one of his limousines.”

I quickly yanked open the door, popping the lock open and holding a fist in front of my face.

“He has more than one?!” I roared, feeling my teeth grit. If I ever had a chance to have a limousine, I’d only ever need one. How exaggerated it was to have more than one limousine.

“I-I dunno!” Mikan held her hands in front of her face for defense. “That’s what I think he would do. I don’t think he’d let you wander about by yourself. What if you were planning to run away?”

“I promised him I wouldn’t!”

I took a long sigh before I stepped out of the room and into the hallway. “He left already, anyway.”

“So do you want me to take you home?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Is this because you believe what Amanatsu says about my driving?! He knows nothing, Hotaru! He can’t even drive himself!”

“N-No, that’s not what I mean.” I began to saunter down the hallway. “I can just walk home alone.”

Mikan narrowed her eyes. “You know, I’m only letting you step outside of the restaurant alone because I’m positive that Hanabusa is picking you up.”

I didn’t respond to Mikan. If I said anything otherwise, she’d never let me leave the restaurant.

“Okay,” I responded, walking around the corners of the counter. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”