After having that intense conversation with her brother, Meako rushed over to her bedroom, picked up her phone, and called Hikari.

Hikari: Meako, I was just about to call you.

Meako bluntly replies: I saw what happened at the vending machine today.

Hikari: What do you mean?

Meako: Don't be that way, I saw somebody kiss you.

Hikari: Ahh, you saw that.

Meako: Why didn't you say anything?

Hikari: It just happened, and for some reason I just froze up, and then you guys came, and while I needed time to process what had happened…

Meako, annoyed but understanding, said: Okay, you have a point, but still, you should have said something.

Hikari: I'm sorry. I didn't think that it would have made you so upset. I am happy, though, that you didn't say anything after seeing what happened. Now that I think about it, why did you not say anything? It's not like you to keep such things to yourself.

Meako: I'm not sure if I should feel offended by what you said or not, but the only reason I didn't say anything was because I thought you might be going out with that person.

Hikari replied: I guess it could have seemed so. It's not like normal people go around kissing complete strangers.

Meako: And this may come as a shock to you, but the person who kissed you was… Ahh, my "brother."

Hikari, with a blank face, replies: Your brother?

Meako: Yes, I know. Out of all the people in the world, it had to be him. I'm so sorry. I don't even want to tell you the reason behind why he did it.

Meako: It's not like it would make you feel any better.

Hikari: Whatever the reason, I don't want to know.

Meako: Just say the word, and I will make him beg you for forgiveness.

Hikari, chuckled and said: Thank you. I will think about it. Before you told me about this, I was content with the idea of not ever seeing that person again, now more so after finding out that he's your brother.

Meako: You're right. You should just forget about this and think of it all as if it were a bad dream.

Hikari: Meako, before you go, what did your parents say about this when you told them?

Meako: You don't have to worry. I didn't tell them; I don't want my parents to start worrying again about him. They already have a lot on their plate at work. It would just make things worse for them if they knew. Also, if I told my parents about it, then they probably would have told your mother, and then it would have never gone away.

Meako: But if I find out he caused any more trouble, then I’ll have no choice but to tell them.

Hikari: Thank you for not saying anything. Now I can just relax and forget about everything.

Meako: I think we should end it here. I almost forgot that we have school tomorrow.

Hikari: You're right. Okay then, good night.

Meako said, reluctantly: Good night.

Meako, now looking across from her room into her brother's room, sees his school uniform and says to herself:

Meako: I wonder if I should have said something. (She hesitated before picking up the phone again.) No, if I did, Hikari might not fall asleep.

Now back at Hikari's place, she lays settled into her bed and says:

Hikari: Just forget about it, Hikari.

She says to herself as she figurously slaps her two cheeks, red from remembering the incident at the vending machine, and calmly says to herself:I wonder what the weather is gonna be like tomorrow.

Then, as the moonlight enters her bedroom window, tiredness falls upon her as she gently drifts off to sleep.

The next day, Hikari walked to school as usual, excited for her senior year. While walking, she spotted Kinko across the pedestrian crossing with a boy wearing the school's uniform standing next to her, Kinko's arms locked in his. Hikari quickly crossed the road, excited to see who it was. Kinko readily exclaimed and said:

Kinko: Hikari, this is Saburo, my boyfriend. Saburo, this is Hikari.

Now Hikari, extending her hand, greeted and said to Saburo: It's nice to finally meet you.

Saburo smiled, but behind Hikari, he noticed someone across the road. With a big smile, he yelled out and waved:

Saburo: Over here!

Hikari looked to see who it was, and her face went pale. It was Kurai. Kurai, now also seeing Hikari in sight, actually had a shocked look on his face.

Saburo: Hikari, this is my best friend Kurai.

Kurai extended his hand while looking at Hikari. Hikari, now her face fixed on the ground, took his hand. When Hikari's hand touched Kurai's, he felt the blood drain from his hand from the intense force of her grip. At that moment, she looked up, and to his surprise, she gave the most angelic smile he had ever seen in his life. At that moment, he knew his school year would never be the same again.

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