The Dream Shifter

Chapter 26

He leaned back a little confused by Saki's response, who was normally more than willing to talk to him, even if it was during class. The fact that she was late when she had come with him seemed a little strange, but he knew that she had gotten dragged away by someone that she knew. 'Guess I'll wait then…'

The lunch period came for everyone, a normal one this time (relatively, of course). Yuki and his friends walked up to the roof of the school that was being shared by a couple other groups when they arrived. The warm air and cool breeze made it enjoying to be outside, while eating something, freeing after being in class all morning. They still had time before they could change to their summer uniforms as well, so it made things more bearable as well.

Yuki unbuttoned the top of his collar and pulling at his dress shirt's collar underneath. Hiroshi sat down next to Yuki undoing all of the buttons on his coat and placed his lunch in his lap looking eager. On his other side the other two friends that followed around with Hiroshi more often sat down. They were Kazuhiro Nanase and Tatsuya Mori.

Kazuhiro sat next to Yuki opposite Hiroshi sitting down slowly with Tatsuya following up behind him forming a semi-circle now. They both knew Yuki through Hiroshi and in part became like friends. However, their first obligations were towards Hiroshi since they were not certain about Yuki. They had known Hiroshi from middle school and Yuki was someone new to them. It had left them a little puzzled how quickly Hiroshi had become friends with Yuki. Hiroshi was always looking for the next exciting thing to do and quick to act for a joke. While Yuki was reserved most times, except when he was acting out in class he usually played the fool for his odd manner and constant dreaming. The two personalities did not end up being as far apart as they would have thought.

Opposite of them was the girls this time it was only Saki and Ayumi. Yuki had invited Ayumi to the group and Saki did not object like Hiroshi was expecting her to do. Since there were not arguments about the addition lunch began, though in an uneasy mood. The previous day was not easily forgotten.

Yuki slowly ate through his lunch before looking up at Ayumi and then to Saki. He remembered then that he had wanted to talk to her about in the morning. "Hey, Saki! You said that you would explain why you were late this morning to homeroom."

"Oh, yeah that was unusual for you since you're usually attached so closely to Yuki," Hiroshi said with a mischievous grin that looked like he was asking for trouble.

Saki nearly choked on her lunch pounding on her chest to get the food down. She grabbed a sip of her juice to push down the rest of way. The look from Hiroshi knowing that he hit a nerve on her made her cross her brow. "I was helping out someone from track. I ended up losing track of time." She went back to eating leaving her explanation to go no further.

"Oh I see. Makes sense." Yuki continued to eat his meal as well watching Ayumi sitting quietly minding her own business looking innocent and lost. 'I guess for being a foreigner she knows Japanese culture pretty well. The food all looks pretty normal. Though I don't know what I was expecting to see.' The thought of having lunch with her made him think if he was going to regret doing it. She was new and it could be blamed on her being a foreigner and transfer student, but the whole thing still made him worry. However, as lunch passed he came to the realization that he was probably worrying unnecessarily since she seemed to have a grasp of everything.

When the end of school came for them Saki was pulled away by Hitomi leaving Yuki to watch her leave. He had not planned on walking with her anyway, since Saki had practice. It just made him wonder further about what was going on that she was being pulled away. Saki was something that he could not concentrate on now with Ayumi in front of him. He had questions for her. "We need to talk," he said to Ayumi before leaving the classroom without her.

He did not know what he was expecting or why he had even said it to her like that and left, but he was walking away. When he came to a stop he was in the middle of the school grounds with the noise of the track members practicing at his back. He sat down in the grass leaving his school bag at his side separated. And he waited.

"You know telling people where to meet you is important." When he looked up it was Ayumi standing over him with her hands on her hips looking a little bothered by the situation.

Yuki stared up at her with the shade of the building blocking out the sun behind her. "What you can't find me by sensing my power?"

"You read too much of that stuff you call 'Manga'. It doesn't work the same way in the real world."

"…real world…"

Saki had thought that she was going to be going to practice, but that seemed not to be the case today. Hitomi dragged her in front of the coach and beg for them to get the day off. She explained to him that she wanted to deliver Takako's assignments to her immediately before it was night and she would be out too late. The coach was not nearly as understanding as Mr. Akutagawa was about her concerns, but he ended up giving in eventually.

That was how Saki found herself being dragged along with Hitomi to another part of the city to find Takako's house. The city was not unfamiliar to her, but it was still unsettling traveling on the train to someone's house that she barely knew. Hitomi seemed to have gained her strength back, though her face was still thick with worry. It was no longer slowing her down from doing what she wanted.

"You sure it is this way? These houses are pretty expensive looking. I don't think she lives here." Saki was feeling even more out of place in this neighbor knowing that there were gates and large lawns of grass before even the house. She did not know if Takako was rich, but it never seemed to come up.

Hitomi was not listening very well to Saki marching on looking at the paper that showed the address. "This way." She disappeared around the corner leaving Saki to catch up quickly before she lost sight of her. When Saki was behind Hitomi she had already stopped staring up at the gate before them. "This must be her house."

"You haven't been here before. Did you know she lived her?"

"Takako never mentioned it before, but she was usually pretty quiet about her family. I'm going to ring the bell." Hitomi leaned in pushing the button on the panel that was built into the brick wall that fenced off their property. An annoying buzz came from the button that sounded off until Hitomi released it.

A minute later of waiting a reply over the speaker came. "Yes? We aren't interested in anything you're selling." The voice was deep and old with a little c***k in the speech. It made the two girls step back expecting that they would see someone rather than a voice.

"U-Uh…I'm sorry," Hitomi said finding the courage to speak while Saki kept a placid face trying to look like she belonged. "We aren't selling anything. We're classmates of Takako."

"I see. Well Miss Takako is not here currently."

Hitomi looked back at Saki as though she was expecting an answer to explain what she was just told. It was plainly clear to her that the instant glance at Saki told her that she had no answers. She turned back to the speaker. "What? But we were told that she was sick. We have her assignments for her."

"You may leave her things in the box. I'll inform her of your visit. Thank you." The voice ended and a clicking sound that seemed to tell them silently to leave.

"What does this mean? The school says she's sick and her family says she's out." Hitomi looked back at Saki wanting something from her this time. She was at a loss as to what was going on, but there was something being hidden by someone.

Saki had no more of a clue to what was going on than Hitomi, but it had been made clear to them that someone was lying. She did not know why they were doing it, but this was not going to be as simple as she thought anymore. 'What's going on?'