I, Tomoe and Nanami were all sitting down on the Ferris wheel, all feeling pretty tired and annoyed.
"Okay, serious question Brooke."
I turned to Nanami and gulped. "Go on."
"Did it ever occur to you that I...man I just can't believe it. I mean out of everyone..."
"What? What did it ever occur to me?" I urged impatiently. I just wanted her to get it out already! The guilt was suffocating me slowly.
"...you seriously believe that I would call you'bestie'???"
What.
"I mean sure, I would understand 'friend' and 'homie' but 'bestie'? Do you seriously think that low of me?"
I was shocked. "I didn't know?" I felt like that was more of a question more of a reply.
"Seriously? Since when did I ever call you 'bestie', huh?"
"Erm...never?"
"EXACTLY! URGH! YOU'VE ANNOYED ME BROOKLYN!" She exclaimed whilst wagging her finger at me. Her facial expressions quickly softened after her 'rant' and she joined me on my side of the cart.
"But it's not your fault. It's those ugly yokais who tricked you, you must have been pretty freaked out."
"That's an understatement to the very least."
She wrapped her arms around me and started to pat my head. I was freaked out at first, but I found it somewhat relaxing.
"You know what, there has been something that has made my day."
"Which is?" Spoke Tomoe.
I looked up at Nanami and gave her a cheesy grin. She understood what I meant and like that started to grin as well.
We looked at Tomoe and said simultaneously:
"Just be careful from now on!"
-
"Brooke, how would you feel about the beach?"
I then pretended to be ill and cough loudly, sneeze, choke, the whole being ill-and-trying-to-miss-school act you give to your parents. "I could have literally died and you just sat there."
"You're funny Brooke," giggled Nanami as she flipped through the pages of the magazine she was reading. "But wouldn't you like to go to the beach? Get a tan? Go in the sea? Make sandcastles?"
I snapped open my book. "Basically would I want to get a sunburn, see if Jaws is looking for a meal, and get sand in my costume, hair, body, and possibly soul? Yeah, no thanks."
Nanami then grabbed my shoulders and started to shake me violently.
"Oh pleaaaase Brooke, pleaaaaaase with a cherry on the top?"
"What kind of cherry are we talking about here?"
"One that is on the top of a cupcake with butter cream icing and sprinkles?"
I shut my book and took my headphone out my one ear. "Yeah, that ain't going to do it."
I started to leave when all of a sudden Nanami grabbed my two feet making me fall to the ground like the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk.
"DUDE!?" I shouted trying to wriggle myself from her grasp.
"Pweeeeassseee Bwookie, pweeeease! Ami and Kei suggested it and it would be good for you!"
"I said no!" Did she just call me Bwookie?
"What if I make you sasamochi for the next whole week?" Tempting.
"NO!"
"Next whole month?" Quite tempting.
"DUDE I SERIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO GO!"
"Next whole year? I'll add more red bean paste into your sasamochi!"
I laid on my back and sighed. The girl wasn't going to give up, was she?
"I hate you so much."
"Does that translate into 'Yes yes yes yes yes!'?"
"You better not forget how to cook sasamochi any time soon."
She squealed and pounced on me, hugging me very tightly. Well it was more my organs than me.
This wasn't a good idea. At all.
-
He was looking at me as if I was a mad woman, which I was, but I wasn't this time. At least.
"I should really come with you and Nanami," insisted Tomoe as he drank his tea.
Ever since those yokai's caught me, me and Tomoe have been spending a lot of time together. He's been teaching me how to use my fox-fire and many times I have failed, and sure he'll rant at me but I know that he's only saying that stuff to help me.
However, Nanami and Tomoe are just as close.
So it doesn't mean anything...right?
"Nanami doesn't know but I know about you and Dragon King and we both know how it ends if we go. I just think it's best if you don't come."
"So you expect me, your's and Nanami's familiar, to abandon you both in a time where yokai are looking for you and Nanami? I wouldn't chance it."
"Don't be a dad," I complained at him, "me and Nanami will be in capable hands after all!" I continued to mess with the talismans and made them into origami, which I was proud of.
Well until Tomoe gave me the glare. I dropped it and put my hands up in fake-surrender.
"Anyway, who is more capable than I am?"
The shutters slid open with a gust of wind and blossom leaves. "Surprise there, old friends!"
I jumped up from my seat and ran over to Mizuki who was standing beside the shutter-door. My arms engulfed him into a hug. He responded to my actions by hugging my waist and I was pretty sure he was making faces at Tomoe.
I could literally feel Tomoe's dark presence from here.
"Brooklyn," Mizuki whispered into my ear, "you're in danger."
-
Tomoe disliked the thought of Mizuki whispering things into my ear, and pulled me away from him, covering up with that he wanted a quick word with me.
And here we are now in his room. We were now currently arguing over Mizuki coming with me and Nanami to the beach.
Tomoe thinks that Mizuki will try something on me, but I keep reassuring him I'm a big girl and I don't like Mizuki, he just reminds me of an old friend.
But no.
"Uuuugh Tomoe, we've been over this for the billionth time already," I groaned whilst pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Okay, so Mizuki isn't going then?"
I was about to say something back until I realised what we were doing. It was silly, wasn't it?
A small smile started to spread across my face. I then cupped my hands over my mouth to control myself from giggling.
Tomoe raised an eyebrow. "Why are you laughing?"
"He...hehe...HAHAHA OH GOD!"
"What's so funny?"
"This!"
"What?"
"This arguement! It's pointless, isn't it?"
Tomoe then scratched the back of his head and gave a little smirk. "Yeah, it's pretty silly."
I grabbed Tomoe's hand and brought it to my chest. "Look, Tomoe, I know you care. Nanami is your master after all too!"
I then pulled his arm lightly over my shoulder and grabbed onto Tomoe's neck with my arms, bringing my lips up to his ear.
"But if you dare think about saving anyone in the water, I will go all Jaws on you."
-
"The blue sky and the white sand," awed Nanami, "oh I'm sure I can calm down my heart here!"
Ami giggled in delight and started kicking the sand in a child-like way. The smile on her face was as bright as the sun. Maybe it was the sun. Who knows.
It looked just like the beach I met Mikage in a dream once. It was calm. Nice. Beautiful. Basically all the nicest adjectives in the dictionary.
Nanami grabbed a hold of my arm and linked it with hers. "I barely remember coming to the sea. I think the last time I swam at the sea was when I was 6...maybe 7."
I chuckled at Nanami's anecdote and we continued to stroll until a pair of hands took me and Nanami back with surprise.
"Well that's lovely and all but I don't care about that." Kei snapped. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU BRING THOSE TWO?!"
Me and Nanami looked at one another with confusion, but then it clicked.
Behind us was Mizuki and Tomoe.
Kei glared at the both of them, until Tomoe rolled his eyes and huffed. Very loudly, may I add.
And in that moment was when Tomoe realised he screwed up.
Kei stormed over to him and continued to insult him on his clothes (she did have a point though, I mean who would wear not only one but two t-shirts to the beach...the dude even had a fricking scarf for crying out loud!).
"Don't worry about her, guys," assured Ami cheerfully as she walked up to us, "she's just upset because she broke up with her boyfriend yesterday!"
I looked over to Tomoe and Mizuki who were just taking in Kei's ranting. Let's be honest, we all knew Tomoe was coming with me and Nanami.
But I couldn't help but feel like I could have prevented it somehow.
Maybe I could have put him in a cage or messed up the house, I don't know, but I did do a poor excuse of a job of not letting Tomoe come with us.
"Hey Nanami," I asked quietly as we continued to walk in front of the chaos of Kei and Tomoe.
"Yeah?"
Nah, I couldn't tell Nanami about Tomoe and Dragon King. She already knows too much as it is. I sighed.
"Which boyfriend left Kei again?"
-
I couldn't help but not relax.
I'm pretty sure Nanami felt the same way after all, I mean there's things out there that could not only potentially hurt us but now our friends too.
But that's not the reason why I couldn't relax.
"Kei please don't let us do this!" I cried from the changing room.
"Kei this swimsuit is cute and all," Nanami said, "and thank you for letting me borrow this but this is my first time wearing a swimsuit and-..."
"ARE YOU GUYS COMING OUT OR NOT?" Kei yelled banging on both of our changing room doors.
I gave a little scream, but quickly recovered and grabbed onto the door-handle.
Oh god what was I doing? What was I wearing?
Main question: Why?
When Tomoe sees me he'll probably throw holy water at me and want me to beg for my sins of looking 'non-child-friendly' like and for being 'exposed'.
Did I want him to notice me though?
I wrapped my hand around the door-handle and twisted it.
A creepy Kei was right outside my door with an evil smile on her face.
"Yes..." she mumbled.
"What?" Nanami asked as she closed her door.
"Yes..." she mumbled again but louder.
I looked at Nanami, then at Kei. "I don't understand..."
"YES, YES, YES, YES, AND YES!" She yelled as she started to dance around me and Nanami.
"What?" Said me and Nanami simultaneously.
"YOU BOTH LOOK CUTE!" She screamed from the top of her lungs. I'm pretty sure she was having a nose bleed.
Ami waddled over towards us with her ring around her waist and paused for a moment to gush at both me and Nanami.
"Erm, thank you Kei," spoke Nanami awkwardly.
Nanami was wearing a two piece swimsuit which had colourful polka dots on both bikini and skirt. It ranged from a variety of warm colours. It matched her personality in one way. She was colourful and warm.
However, I was as dark and demonic as you would ever get. I had a black bikini top to much with the black bikini skirt. I also had a black kaftan on me so I wouldn't get cold, and obviously the black beach hat was coming along with me too.
"Yeah," I said, "thanks Kei!"
"Don't mention it guys," she said whilst folding her arms, "I mean I don't want to be swimming with people wearing T-shirts in the sea!"
Wow, she just couldn't be more blunt, could she?
"Hey, I've got an idea!" Declared Kei suddenly. "Why don't you guys go over there and show it off to your guys, huh?"
I bit my bottom lip. "Erm, I don't think it would be..."
"I mean at least you have someone to show it off to after all. Someone that won't break your heart. You know...I would just like to see that again, you know?" Sniffled Kei, wiping a fake tear from her eye.
Well I guess. Damn Kei and her break-up. "O-okay then, we'll go over!"
"GREAT! GO GET EM'!" Kei pushed me and Nanami, causing us both to tumble into the sand. Nanami was more luckier than me, after all, she didn't look like an ostrich.
I landed face first into the sand.
Go. Me.
I groaned and literally stayed in the position I was in for a few seconds. It was quite comfortable for some time.
But then Mr. Sea decided to come and attack me.
And oh boy, was he cold.
"AHHHH!" I screamed, running and tumbling away from it. I ran towards the chairs Tomoe and Mizuki were in.
More like the empty chair next to Mizuki and the chair Mizuki was in.
"Where's Tomoe?" I asked while jogging towards Mizuki.
"Why Brooklyn, I'm flattered that you worry so much for me it really does make me a happy man!"
I rolled my eyes and sat on Tomoe's chair.
"Okay, so about yesterday...why am I in danger?" I asked whilst I tried to shake the sand out of my hair.
"You're always in danger, am I not wrong?"
"You're such a smartass Mizuki, literally all that comes from your mouth is smartass comments."
"Obviously you would want to know about my mouth," Mizuki teased while propping his face onto his hand.
"Mr. Smooth has entered the building, I repeat."
Mizuki chuckled, but then all of a sudden he went all serious on me.
"Brooklyn, I'm being serious. Lately, you've been in trouble. Too much trouble. Rumour says it that the end is coming."
"And you're believing rumours?" I snorted, standing up from the chair.
"Yes, especially when you're believed to be the one that ends it."
I spun around and faced Mizuki with worry written all over my face. Is that why people are hunting me? People think I'm the one in control of this books future? Oh god, oh god, oh god.
Mizuki took a long glance at me, and then smiled. He laid down on his back and started to close his eyes.
"But don't worry, I don't believe them of course. You're too stupid, obviously."
"HEY!" I shouted, "THAT'S OFFENSIVE, YOU SNAKE!"
He didn't move at all and said nothing. I sighed and started to walk off when all of a sudden Mizuki shouted something to me.
"Go look by the rocks up ahead, Tomoe is bound to be there."
A/N
This was more of a filler so I'm sorry if it's not the most lively chapter...how are you?
Anyway, sorry for the late update! I have a new after-school club and yep, completely forgot.
sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry.
Thank you so, SO MUCH for the votes, the comments, the reading lists. You guys rock.
Keep on reading, voting, and commenting and I shall see you next Tuesday (NOT FORGETTING NOT FORGETTING!)!
AU REVOIR! ✨