Yuru Yuri: A Kiss from You

Chapter 3: Missing

As much as she hated to admit it, the walk home was lonely without Sakurako. There were so many random conversations that weren't being had, so much noise that wasn't being made, like giggles, bickering, and chiding. Himawari acknowledged that silence was good every now and then, but without Sakurako, the afternoon just wasn't the same. She couldn't enjoy the pretty colors of the trees or the cool wind that rustled down each street.

When she finally made it home, her sister met her at the door with a hug, then scurried back to the TV, where Mirakurun was on screen. Himawari greeted her parents and made her way upstairs quietly, where she entered her bedroom and started doing homework.

I wonder what Sakurako's doing right now, she thought. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not homework. She'll probably want to copy mine in the morning, like usual.

Sitting at her desk, she set her elbow on its surface and rested her cheek on her fist.

Well I'm not letting her. She has to do things by herself sometimes, otherwise she'll never even graduate.

Without thinking, her hands gravitated to the cellphone placed next to her and checked for messages, but there was nothing. No 'hey jerkface' or 'bring me food'. No stupid pictures. The lock screen was totally empty and it aggravated so bad she wanted to smack Sakurako through the wall.

"What's going on with her?" Himawari groused.

Soon, night cast the outside world in mysterious grays and eerie blacks, and she made up her mind. She would text Sakurako, but only to see if she made it home safely. She didn't care if there was any conversation beyond that.

She typed: Hey. Dirtbag. You didn't get lost on your way home, did you?

And then she waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

After fifteen minutes had passed without a reply, Himawari decided to go to Sakurako's house herself and scold her for ignoring the text. She didn't appreciate being disregarded. And as her annoyance carried her onward, she grabbed a coat and exited her home, breathed puffs of mist in the cold night air, and walked across the lonely street to Sakurako's front door, where she knocked. It was Nadeshiko, the eldest sister, who answered.

"Hi, I'm sorry just showing up like this," she greeted. "May I come in? Sakurako needs help with her homework again."

But Nadeshiko looked surprised, like she was staring at a ghost. "You mean she's not with you?"

"I'm not sure I understand..."

"I mean Sakurako hasn't come home yet. She hasn't been responding to our texts or anything, so we thought she was hiding at your place to avoid making dinner."

Himawari felt her heart jump. "But I haven't seen her since our last class together...she isn't responding to my texts either."

The idea that nobody knew where Sakurako was caused a tremor to ripple through Himawari's skeleton. What if something bad happened? What if she got lost and was halfway across the city? Or worse, what if she bumped into the wrong people at the wrong time? Just thinking about the possibilities made her stomach ache.

"I'll text my friends and see if they know where she is," Himawari stated.

"Good. Do that." Nadeshiko turned around and shouted for her youngest sister, saying they need to leave immediately. "We're gonna go look for her, okay? You should come with us."

And with trembling hands, Himawari nodded her head and sent out a group text to everyone, asking if they knew where Sakurako might be. Someone had to know. They just had to.