Where the Paths Take Me [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23 ~ Lost ~

"Oh, no!" Momoi exclaimed to herself when they got back to the inn.

The team turned their heads towards her curiously. Question marks appeared on top of their heads as Momoi checked her bag in panic. She flinged everything in it everywhere but, somehow it was all aimed at Aomine.

"What is it, Momoi-san?" Kuroko was the first to ask.

"I forgot my clipboard on the mountain!" Momoi said with her lips forming a frown and her eyebrows contorting in worry. She gripped the hem of her skirt in defeat.

"Oh, my.. That is a problem there," Hokuto said, crossing her arms on her chest.

"The papers on it are the training data," Momoi stated in a low voice. "I'll have to go get it."

"But, it's going to get dark soon," Kise commented, Megumi standing right next to him.

"I can show you the way up. There's a shortcut.." Megumi stepped forward.

"The fuck?! So we were taking the long way all this time?!" Aomine yelled, receiving a punch on the head by an older raven head.

"Mind your language, young man," Noriko pulled on his ear. Aomine protested on it but, he shut up as soon as he saw the glare on Noriko's face. And he always thought him mom was scary! "And, Micchan. You stay here and rest. I heard that you look rather ill earlier."

"Alright. Sorry, Satsuki-san.." Megumi gave an apologetic smile at her pink haired friend.

"It's okay." Momoi mirrored her smile.

"It would be dangerous for Momoi to go up there alone though," Akashi pointed out. It's true. If there's a wolf like San up there then who knows what other wild creatures are up there. Besides, the dark brings out the scarier side of the forest.

"I'll go with Momoi-san," Kuroko offered.

"Tetsu-kun~" Momoi clung onto his neck excitedly. She almost forgot about her guilty conscience about the training data just now.

"I'll have one of the kids to guide you then. Gin!" Noriko called. The sliding door behind her opened to reveal a raven haired boy with gray eyes standing behind it. He looks around twelve, judging from his height and physical features.

"Yes, Aunt Noriko.." He said in an cheerful tone.

"Guide these youngers up to the training ground from earlier today. Take the shortcut. Be back before dark," Noriko fired the instructions. Any other kid would have felt offended by the commanding tone in her voice. The way she said could beat a commander of an army at it.

Surprisingly, Gin saluted and jogged over to the duo.

"Let's go!" Gin put his hands on his hip and beamed a huge grin at them. "I'm Mirai Gin. Nice to meet you!"

"Lead the way, Gin-kun.." Kuroko smiled.

"We'll be off then.." Momoi waved as Gin went ahead to the back door.

The team waved back at them.

_______

About 15 minutes after they went off, a little girl with the signature Mirai raven hair entered the dining room. Her ember eyes were teary as her lips quivered. She seemed to have been holding in her tears for quite a while now.

"Wahhh! Where's Onii-chan?" she bursted into tears, bawling her eyes out. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands but, her tears never stopped.

Her sobs woke the whole team up. Aomine woke up first, making the porn mag he was reading on the floor. It was covering his face when he was sleeping.