[auntslappy282]

I was awoken by a slight warmth on my body. I looked up sleepily and laid my head back down, seeing it was just Karin. I was really tired, probably from my adventures in the night. I yawned a rather large yawn and then looked lazily over at the clock. It was almost 8, and I wasn't about to be getting up this early.

I laid my head back down on the bed and closed my eyes, dozing off a little more. It would be a long day today, especially if we go to the beach today which really wouldn't surprise me. I was tired from socializing so much, and I would be even more tonight.

[Atoli01]

I opened my eyes again and smiled a little at him, wrapping my arm around his waist. It was honestly just really comfortable, despite the fact that there were two other people in the house.  After what must have been a good twenty minutes, I slipped out of bed, hoping that I wouldn't wake Neku back up. I imagine that he would be tired too, especially considering that he met Maki and grandma on top of everything else.

I quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind me, and walking over to Maki's room. I leaned closer to the door and knocked a couple times. "Maki, you awake?" Within just a few seconds, the door came flying open and Maki came walking out. "I didn't know anyone else was awake. I figured you and Neku would still be asleep. Speaking of which..." she said, her eyes wandering towards my pajamas. I blushed slightly and took a step back. "I-its none of your business! And he isn't awake yet."

Maki laughed just a bit and nodded. "Where's my thank you? Well anyways, why don't we go get something to eat. There isn't all that much food in the fridge, but I'm sure we can find something to eat." I nodded at her happily. She started walking towards the kitchen, and I went ahead and followed her. Once we got in the kitchen, I poked my head in the fridge, looking for something. Like she said, there was barely anything. Just some eggs, milk, juice, some fruit, bread, sandwich meat, mayonnaise, and what looked like leftovers from some restaurant. I really had no clue what to eat.

[auntslappy282]

I awoke, and I stretched. I turned my head, and didn't see Karin. I looked at my hand and realized my sub conscious must have made me turn into a human. I looked at the clock and saw it was already nine. I stretched and sat up. I rubbed my eyes, still ridiculously tired. I managed to get out of the bed with somewhat ease. I stretched and grabbed my phone and iPod and turned some music on.

I opened the door rather tiredly and walked out into the hallway. I walked into the kitchen, more awake. "Well good morning," I said, stretching. My back popped a few times and then looked back over to the girls. "So whats for breakfast?" I asked.

[Atoli01]

"Karin, how about cereal?" I poked my head out of the refrigerator to look at Maki, who had a box of cheerios in her hand. "That sounds good. And this way, we don't have to cook eggs or anything," I replied with a nod. I grabbed the milk out from the fridge before closing it and walking over to the kitchen. Maki placed the box of cereal in front of me and went to grab two bowls and spoons from in the cabinet.

I went and opened the cereal and filled my bowl up around half way. I like, loved this stuff. I filled the rest of the bowl with some milk and then passed both to Maki. She took a seat on the counter and followed suit. "You know there's chairs, right?" I said, looking over at the chairs and laughing a little. She just nodded and kept eating. I sighed and put the stuff back and went to seat on one of the chairs.

By the time Neku came over, Maki was already done with hers, and I was just drinking the rest of the milk that was in the bowl. No use letting it go to waste. "Mornin'," I said happily, smiling a little at him before finishing off the rest of the milk. "We just got done with cereal. You want any? There's also fruit, or eggs or sandwich stuff, if you feel like making anything."

[auntslappy282]

I stretched again and then shook my head. "Nah I'm fine," I said. I walked over to where Karin was sitting and sat down in on of the chairs next to her. I sat back, not really hungry at all. I sighed and then looked around. Nothing much here. I smiled slightly, and then decided to ask the question that was on my mind for some time now.

"So what do you guys wanna do today?" I asked. I still had the information I found last night on my mind. I wanted to tell them, and yet I didn't want to worry Karin. I would not tell them yet. I didn't want to worry her. She was already worried enough. I would handle the slayer and her pets.

[Atoli01]

I smiled a little and nodded at Neku's reply. I personally found it hard to function in the mornings without breakfast, but hey, that may have just been me. And it wasn't like I was going to force him to eat breakfast or anything. That cereal was good, though. I looked over at Neku when he asked about today. What were we going to be doing today anyways?

"How about going to the beach? Karin, you still haven't been to the beach since I last saw you, right?" Maki said with a large smile. The beach would definitely be a fun place to go to. "Oh, well, yeah. I've never been to the beach yet, haha. Well, other than yesterday, but I don't really think that counts any." I had only been swimming once or twice in my life, and that wasn't even in the ocean.

[auntslappy282]

I nodded at Maki's suggestion. It was what I was thinking anyways. Plus, we had already gotten swim suits back in Alderect so we were ready to go. "Sounds like a plan to me," I said with a  nod. "We got swimsuits so we are pretty much ready to go." I stretched again and closed my eyes, listening to music.

I wouldn't be surprised if we ran into the girls and the man on the beach. Since, well, they were stalking us. I sighed at that thought though. I mean, I was okay with fighting and all, but I would traumatize Karin and I really didn't want that. I thought about my options, and decided that just doing it myself would be best.

[Atoli01]

Both me and Maki nodded. Maki jumped off the counter and took my bowl and dropped both of them in the sink. "I'll take care of them later," she muttered as she grabbed the gallon of milk out of the refrigerator. She poured herself a cup and put the milk back in the refrigerator before coming back and sitting in the chair next to me.

"Oh yeah. I guess I kind of forgot to mention it. Like, completely, no bluff, don't be shocked if there's random people running up and asking for my autograph or something. Karin, remember how I always used to say I wanted to be a singer when I got older?" Maki grinned a little and pulled a picture out from her pocket, putting it right in front of me and Neku. I really was amazed, but it was a picture of Maki and two other girls up on stage.

"So... you're serious?!" I smiled and jumped up from my seat to hug her. "I never knew! I actually never thought it would happen, to be honest. With your parents and all." She smiled a little bit and nodded. "Well, I ran away from home two years after I left Terrace, and ended up here, with Hibiki, Ami, and Mami. That's Mami right there, but they're twins, so they switch places a lot, and that's Hibiki. And if you guys don't believe me, I'm willing to sing for you two!" Maki pointed to the two other girls in the picture, and winked at the end. "Although, you wouldn't understand the lyrics, Neku. Karin would, though."

{{Just some random pic from them preforming this song. X3 Yeah, that's right. I totally copied the IM@S idea. XDDD}}

[auntslappy282]

I opened my eyes slightly when Maki came over and sat down. When she started talking about people asking for her autograph, I couldn't help but scoff. "Pfft. Wow. I practically saved the world..." I muttered the whole thing though, so no one could hear it. I mean seriously. I'm practically a super hero. I lived through the Shinigami's game, and made it out alive. I practically SAVED THE WORLD. All you did was sing? I think I win lady.

When she went on about me not understanding the language, I laughed. I had to admit, women thought that men just never knew Japanese. "Let me guess. You sing Japanese right? I practically know that language like that back of my hand." I felt like I was getting smart. I don't know, something about Maki just rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn't quite sure what it was though.

[Atoli01]

I heard Neku mutter something but I couldn't quite understand it. I was a little curious as to what he had said, but I was pretty sure that if he wanted the two of us to hear it, he would've clearly told us. I sighed a little and glanced over at Maki, and then back down at the photo she laid down on the table. I was still shocked that she actually did become a singer.

When Neku started talking though, both me and Maki's eyes widened a little. "You know Japanese?" And this just proved how little I actually knew about him. But day by day, I was learning more about him, and even getting closer to him, I think. "Both of us do too, haha. Vampires originated in Japan and Europe, but all of our old books are written in Japanese. So we're usually taught Japanese when we're little kids," I told him, smiling a little. Maki on the other hand, was sitting there glaring at him.

"Oh, just wipe that smug grin off your face! I wanna know what you've done! Or even see how well you can sing, for that matter." She jumped up out of her seat and kept glaring at Neku. "M-maki! Just chill, okay?! I want you two to be able to get along!" I said to her, waving my hands in front of her face. Gosh, so now my best friend and boyfriend were arguing. Just great.

[auntslappy282]

I followed suit when Maki jumped out of her seat. I ripped out a pin from my pocket, the flame one to be exact and pushed it in her face. "You see this? I practically SAVED THE WORLD with this! I bet you can't beat that. And I can sing perfectly fine! And dance as well!" I said, a little angry. She was just trying to one up me wasn't she. And then dawned on me.

I had just basically told Karin, AND Maki a littly bit of my history I'd rather forget. I wasn't going to back down now though. I didn't want to share that much, but I did. I put the pen back in my pocket and sat back down, looking rather successful, but int he inside, I felt a little stupid. I did stupid things to prove I was better than other people.

[Atoli01]

I jumped a little when Neku stood up and started yelling at Maki. I... I had only seen him lose him temper like that once, and that was back in Terrace. An argument that I would rather forget, mind you. I slid down off the chair and under the counter. I curled up in a ball under the counter, not bothering to look at either of the two. I hated the argument, but what did Neku mean by saving the world?

"Oh, quit-" "Maki, Neku! Please... please just stop arguing!" I told both of them, biting my lip. A single tear rolled down my cheek, and I tightened my grip around my knees. Why couldn't they just get along?! And why did I have to be such a cry baby, on top of it? Was it really too much to ask for them to get along? I knew Maki was a lot more of a tomboy, and a heck of a lot noisier than I was, but still! "I'm sorry, Karin..." Maki was still my best friend, but she had changed a lot. It was almost... scary.

[auntslappy282]

When Karin told us to stop, full on guilt engulfed me. What kind of person was I? Oh right. A monster. Thats what I told her that day when we first met. It was cruel and sickening how true that statement was. I looked down from where Karin was, and kneeled down next to her. A soft smile played it's self on my lips. I wiped the one tear off of her  and then leaned over and kissed her on the cheek softly.

"Sorry... This happened before, I didn't think it would get out of hand. Sorry," I said, looking at her with concern. I gave a hand out to her to get her off the floor and up out of her chair. I smiled a little bit at how innocent and fragile she was. Just like that flower I picked. "Lets go ahead and head for the beach why don't we?" I said with a soft smile.

[Atoli01]

I looked up a little when I felt Neku's hand against my cheek, blushing a little. I was such a cry baby, and he always had to look after me! I sometimes hated how dependent on him I was becoming. Maybe it was because I actually had someone to rely on? Maki was always there for me when I was younger, but I just couldn't completely rely on her. My heart skipped a beat when Neku kissed me, just like always. I wonder if I would be like this for the rest of... well, his life.

I smiled a little at him and took his hand, just happy that we was back to the same Neku I loved. I just hated it when he was yelling. It just didn't feel... right. Once I stood up, I nodded at Neku's suggestion. "I'll go change in my room, then. Neku, there's a bathroom across the hall from out bedrooms, so if you want to change in there~ Oh, and... I'm sorry again Karin. I really mean it," she seemed pretty cheerful until the last part, where a sad look came across her face. "Well, um, I'll go change in the bedroom, then."

[auntslappy282]

I nodded at Maki, heading towards the bedroom and grabbed the swimsuit. I would go ahead and leave my shirt on till we actually got to the beach, because of the fact I felt rather awkward with out a shirt on. Probably because of the fact I was so ridiculously skinny. I emptied my pockets of my other shorts and put the stuff in them into my swim trunks.

Luckily, they were water proof, so I could keep my iPod, phone and pins in them with little damage. And my headphones were wireless, so that was also pretty helpful. I walked out of the bathroom, my shorts in a  neat folded pile under my arm,and my shirt still on. I waited till Karin was done, so I could throw my shorts in the room.