After a few endless minutes, the kids seemed to calm down, letting Fujimoto seat in front of the fire and breath again. One of the children was next to her, looking at the scratch that had left the edge of Yossi’s sword.

“It hurts?”

Miki denied with her head and smiled at the kid.

“Not at all”

While she was trying to convince her little demons that it was already time to go to bed, Fujimoto saw someone standing behind her. After what happened, the last thing she wasn’t expecting is that Matsuura wanted to talk with her.

“How’s your leg?” asked the older, standing from her seat and walking towards Aya.

“Better”

End of conversation. None of the girls knew what to say and that lead to an awkward silence. They just stayed there, staring, waiting for the other to say the first word. Luckily for them, someone interrupted their ‘moment’ pulling from Miki’s trousers.

“She’s Mikitan’s girlfriend?”

The question came from below, from a tiny voice which belonged to a little girl, no more than five or six years, big eyes, messy hair, puffy cheeks and an innocent smile, that was waiting for an answer.

Aya’d frozen for a moment, but Miki just smiled and kneeled to be at the same level as the child.

“Nah…, she hates me. Besides…” she said pinching the kid’s right cheek “I only have eyes for you”

The little girl was pleased enough with the answer and left with a wide smile in her face. Fujimoto looked at her walking happily and then stood up again, just to find Matsuura staring at her with a weird mocking face, trying to hold her laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“Miki… tan?”

“You have a problem with that?” asked Fujimoto a bit angry.

“No… no, it’s just that… you know… isn't too cute for you?”

“Because I’m a scarred face monster who likes to seduce helpless girls?”

“Sort of”

“You know… I’m a nice girl…” said Miki taking a step towards Aya.

“Let me doubt that”

“…and you’ve begun to like me…”

“Keep dreaming” Matsuura crossed her arms as trying to avoid any contact.

“…as much as I’ve begun to like you”

“You’re sure you didn’t hit your head in that fight?”

“Yeah, pretty sure” smiled Fujimoto, who was enjoying her little game “If you don’t like me then tell me, why are you talking to me right now?”

“I was… bored” answered the younger.

Of course, it was a lame excuse that Miki didn’t believe. The older smirked at Aya’s reaction and walked a bit closer to her, leaving just a breath between their bodies.

“Then…” began to say Miki with a playful voice “…we could repeat what we did hours ago to keep you entertained…”

“No, thanks”

“Why not? You had fun…”

Aya blushed just remembering what happened, but she tried to not show it to the other girl.

“No, I didn’t”

“Yes, you did” insisted Miki

Fujimoto surrounded Aya’s waist with her arms and leant dangerously to reach the younger’s lips. Miki had prepared herself for any kick or punch or whatever kind of attack that Matsuura could burst in, but it never happened. Aya just stayed there, as trying to show that she was strong enough to hold any attempt that the older could make to seduce her.

“Don’t even try it…”

“Stop me” said Miki with a sexy voice, not scared of Matsuura’s threatening look.

And someone stopped her. Not Aya, though.

Still with the younger in her arms, Miki bowed her head and saw the kid from minutes ago pulling again from her trousers.

“The elders are bothering me~” said the kid with her eyes red from crying.

Miki looked at the kid and then at Aya again. Such a bad moment to interrupt.

“Come on, Tan” said the younger with a mocking tone in her voice “A helpless lady needs you”

And that’s how Fujimoto Miki had to give up this time at her attempt to win another heart. She took the kid in her arms and looked at Aya one last time before leaving, just to make the younger know that the game hadn’t finished yet.

When Miki was far enough, Matsuura sighed and her heart began to beat again at its normal pace.

Something’s really wrong with me today…

***

“So, when’s going to come back her friend?”

“Maki?” asked Yuko looking at her friend “I told her to wait a few days”

“Why?”

“I want to have Aya here alone. She needs to get out of that little world where she lives and begin to communicate with people”

Kaori stared at Matsuura, who was standing a few meters ago, near to the bonfire, still at the same place where Miki had left her.

“Why do you care so much about that girl? I know you always liked challenges but yet…”

“I was there the day Yoshizawa found her” answered Yuko.

“Really?”

Nakazawa nodded.

“My father was Yoshizawa’s superior and I was with him all the time. One day, being on patrol, we found the remains of a community which had been just attacked. There were only two survivors; Aya and her mother, but the woman’s wounds where too serious and she didn’t survive. Before she died, we promised her to take care of the kid and that’s what I’m doing”

“Who’d gonna say it…”

“What?”

“That a rebel like you could be such a responsible mom”

Yuko glared at her friend as if she was offended, punched Kaori on the shoulder and then both laughed.

To be continued...

Labels: Traveler