A loud gasp escapes my mouth as I suddenly awaken in my bed. That was by far the longest and most detailed dream I’ve ever had in my life!! Only, it didn’t feel like it was just a mere dream…long lost memories were brought to light. I clamber out from underneath my blankets and enter the bathroom down the hall. After taking my anti-nausea medication, I squint into the mirror dazedly. I need to know how accurate the memories in my dream were. I’ve always had an active imagination, so some of them might be greatly exaggerated. I sigh and massage my face with my fingertips. “I need to talk to Aunt Katie.” I mutter to myself. My feet shuffle softly across the wooden floor as I approach my aunts bedroom. She hears me knocking and opens the door a little bit, peering at me with narrowed eyes. “Kiara honey, what’s the matter?” I open my mouth to answer, but for some reason I can’t get any words out. “I-I-I just had a w-w-weird d-d-d-dream…” My voice cuts off, and Aunt Katie gives me a pitying look. “Come with me to the kitchen sweetheart.” She puts on her blue bathrobe, and I do as she said.
When both of us are seated at the table with hot drinks in front of us, my aunt clears her throat and makes full eye contact with me. “Now, you can tell me about your dream if you want.” I do my best to regain my composure, then proceed to tell her my ENTIRE dream from the beginning to the very end. Once I finish, Aunt Katie simply stares at me speechlessly. “What do you think? How much of it was real?” I ask, desperate to know if my mind was playing tricks on me. She swallows hard and takes a deep long breath. “Kiara, I’m not really sure what to say. Chino and I wondered when you would remember, but I never thought it would be like this..” My eyes widen. “What do you mean by remember? Surely you don’t mean that-” I pause as I think everything through. If my dream was really a flashback from my childhood, then I knew a boy named Takashi when I was six years old. His fathers name was Lord Fomiku, and his mothers name was Lady- “Chino!” I exclaim. “His mother was Lady Chino Matsuya!! Oh Auntie, how could I have forgotten him??!!” I burst into tears and lay my head down on the table. I feel my aunt start stroking my arm in an attempt to comfort me, but I’m too distraught to do anything but cry. “He was my best friend…and I forgot about him…what’s wrong with me??”
Aunt Katie shushes me softly. “It’s not your fault. Your therapist advised you to leave your past behind, as it was too painful and traumatic for you. Takashi was a part of your childhood, so naturally your mind abandoned your memory of him as well. The important thing is that you’re here, and now you know he is too. Don’t you think it’s time for a reunion?” I lift my head up and nod, sniffling. At that moment, we hear a loud crash from my bedroom, followed by a yowl from Luna. Both of us jump, and I rush back down the hall. Throwing my door open, I scream again at the sight before me. Luna is perched on top of my dresser with her back arched, and on the floor in front of my now open window is none other than Takashi! He moans and looks up at me with a stupid grin. “Hey Kiara. What’s up?” I struggle to find something to say for a couple minutes. “Kiara!! Is everything okay?!” Aunt Katie calls out. Takashi gives me an almost puppy eyed look, begging me to not say anything. I make a split second decision to give in. “Yeah everything’s fine!! My cat just knocked something onto the ground.” Luna hisses, and I give her an apologetic look. “Oh, alright then!!”
As soon as I’m sure my aunt is no longer paying attention, I turn back to my unexpected visitor. “Now, what on earth are you doing here? How did you even GET here?!” I inquire. He chuckles. “Well, remember when we ate all of those pastries from Starbucks last night? I got home and threw up most of them, and now Mom thinks I have the stomach flu. Sure, the extra attention doesn’t hurt, but I really didn’t need her smothering me anymore.” I laugh and shake my head. “As for how I got here, I hitched a ride.” I raise an eyebrow. “With who?” He gets up, sticks his head out the window, and whistles. A second later Lance whinnies and trots up to the window. Takashi pets his muzzle affectionately. “You never cease to amaze me.” I tell him. He smirks at me. “Is that so? I seem to have that effect on a lot of women.” I smirk right back. “Really? Can you give me an example of one of them?”
He walks over and sits down on my bed. “As a matter of fact I can. When I was a kid, my best friend was a girl named Selene. She came with her family from America to visit her aunt, who happens to be your boss. We bonded really well during the time that she was here, and we had some pretty crazy adventures together along with her sisters. We played with each other as often as we could during the two vacations her family spent here. She was the only real friend I had…She was in absolute awe of me, and the truth is, I adored her just as much. I still miss her to this day.” I can’t help but smile knowing how much he cares about me. “That’s really sweet Takashi. Can I tell you something interesting?” “Of course.” He replies. I take a step closer to him and prepare myself for his response, whatever it may be. “The thing is I actually know Selene.” He immediately jumps up from my bed in excitement. “You do?! Where is she now?! How is she doing?!” I giggle. “She’s doing really well, and she’s very glad to see you again.” He tilts his head inquisitively, and I get even closer to him. “I’m glad you waited for me, Prince.”
Takashi stands before me completely frozen, as if what I just revealed to him was more than his entire body could process. The room is silent for what seems like an eternity, then the young man grins more widely than ever. I can clearly see the pure joy in his bright green eyes. “Selene? Princess?” I grin back at him. “Yes, it’s me. I know I have a lot to explain, but-” Before I can utter another word, my childhood friend leaps forward and gives me a giant hug. I decide to forget about saying anything else for the time being and just enjoy this moment to the fullest. I return his embrace with an equal amount of emotion, and we stay that way for several minutes. When we finally break apart, both of us have tears streaming down our cheeks. “I should have known…no normal assistant lives with his or her boss. Oh Selene, I’m so sorry I was such a jerk to you when we met each other again. I was too wrapped up in my own mind to recognize you.” I chuckle. “Don’t worry, I had the same problem. I didn’t realize who you were until I had a dream about my family’s first trip here..” His eyes widen. “Oh yeah, I was only seven years old when we met! Dang, that was a long time ago.” I nod. “Almost ten years to be exact. A lot has changed since then, but you, Takashi Sasuke Matsuya, have changed more than anything else.” Takashi raises an eyebrow at me. “What do you mean?” I sigh and look him straight in the eye. “The Takashi I knew as a kid wouldn’t hide his real personality behind an arrogant and mean facade.” His green eyes shine with intensity, and for a moment I’m afraid that I angered him. Then he turns away and closes his eyes. “It doesn’t matter Selene…Really, I would rather not talk about it.”
I feel the urge to push the subject, but I suppress it because I don’t want to start an argument. “Well, I’m just glad to finally be with you again.” My arm wraps around him again, and his face noticeably softens. “Yeah, same with you. Now that my best friend is back, I can go back to torturing her.” I playfully slap him, and he lets out an obnoxious laugh. A deep redness spreads across my face…It’s truly amazing how he still has such an impact on me, even after all these years. No one has ever made me feel so happy, not even my parents. Could it be that God wanted us to meet again? Are we being given a chance to regain the relationship we used to have? I desperately hope so. “I am concerned about one thing though…why did you change your name to Kiara? I know you loved the Disney character Kiara as a kid, but I always thought your original name was beautiful.” Takashi’s question dampens my jovial mood. I sigh and move to sit down on my bed. “Well, do you remember when “Kiara” told you what happened to her and her family? Kiaras past is the same as mine, I didn’t make any of it up. My parents are dead, my shoulder is permanently damaged, and I have suffered from PTSD since the night everything went down. Annie, Sabrina, and I all changed our names for safety reasons. We had to do everything we could to avoid another encounter with the gang who ruined our childhoods. Thanks to those monsters, my name is now Kiara Anne Bakerson. Selene died along with Mom and Dad.” The young models body is rigid, and I can feel the awful shock and sorrow emanating from his heart. Not wishing to overwhelm him anymore, I fall silent. A few minutes later, Takashi sits down beside me and carefully touches my back. I find myself leaning into him without thinking twice about it, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Instead he pulls me in a bit tighter with both arms, and I cuddle my head into his neck. For the first time in a very long time, I feel completely and totally safe.
“Oh my word, Chino!! They’ve finally figured it out!! Our babies are officially reunited!!” We both snap our heads toward the doorway of my bedroom, and Aunt Katie is standing there holding a cell phone against her ear. “Aunt Katie, what are you doing?” I inquire, my voice laced with embarrassment. “Oh, nothing. Aside from sharing this precious moment with my best friend, who now owes me money.” Takashi and I look at each other in bewilderment. Aunt Katie takes notice of our confusion and is quick to explain herself. “You see, Kiara, since the two of you met again Lady Chino and I have been betting on when you will recognize each other. She bet that your relationship would be rekindled after two months, but I bet on one month. Since its only been a few weeks, I think we all know who the winner is.” “Oh please, Katie!! You may have won this time, but don’t forget our other, MORE IMPORTANT wager.” Lady Chino scoffs through the phone speaker. Aunt Katie frowns. “Oh, don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten. And I’m positive that I will win that one as well.” I narrow my eyes in curiosity. “What are you two talking about? And more importantly, were you spying on us this whole time?” Aunt Katie chuckles nervously. “Trust me, Kiara, it isn’t a big deal. Just a friendly game between two experienced women. And you ask if I was spying on you? Maybe, maybe not.” Then, before I can continue my interrogation, my crazy guardian takes off down the hallway. Takashi and I remain speechless for only a second before we burst out laughing like maniacs. “W-we must have the most quirky relatives ever!! Are they really putting bets on us?!!” Takashi cracks up. “I-I think they are!! And to think that they pour all their time into watching us!! I wonder what the heck they’re betting on!!” Our laughter cuts off, and we take deep breaths to regain our composure.
“I don’t know what they’re betting on, but I’m sure it’s something ridiculous.” The Japanese star remarks. “But, on a different note, I was wondering if you wanted to go to Arakawa Yuen with me sometime soon, maybe next month after my next modeling session is finished? I don’t know if you’ve been there, but it’s a pretty cool amusement park with animals and a Ferris wheel amongst other fun things. I was actually going to ask you sooner, but I didn’t get a chance to.” I squeal in excitement. “Oh my gosh, yes! I would love to!” Takashi grins. “Great! We will have to plan it out then.” I nod and open my mouth to speak, but I’m interrupted by an even louder squeal from the hallway. “Chino, they’re planning to go to Arakawa Yuen next month!” I giggle, too delighted to be annoyed with my aunt. I actually have a big event to look forward to this summer, and I can already tell that everything is going to change for the better from here on out.
The rest of the month flies by, and before I know it Takashi and I are getting ready to go to Arakawa Yuen. My heart leaps at the thought of spending an entire day with my best friend. I never thought I would get to hang out with him again, not in a million years. Our lives have taken such different turns, so different that our reunion has to be a work of God. I miss my parents very much, and I wish that I could be with them, as well as the rest of my family, more than anything. However, this has to be the best thing to happen to me since they died. I wonder what they would say if they were here right now…I shake my head and return to packing things into my purse. It’s pointless to think about what-ifs. Suddenly my aunt calls to me from down the hall. “Kiara, your ride is here!!”
I quickly zip up the bright pink bag and put on my pink cowgirl hat that my dad bought for me years ago. Aunt Katie is waiting for me at the front door, and I give her a hug goodbye before rushing to the limo parked in front of the porch. Takashi is leaning against one of the multiple passenger doors, smiling. He is wearing a white shirt and a jet black jacket. I run to him and give him a giant hug as well. “Are you ready to go?” He asks. “I’m more than ready!” I exclaim. He chuckles and opens the door to let me climb inside, then shuts it again once we are both settled in our seats. Lady Chino turns to us from the front seat with a look of pure excitement on her face. “Hello Kiara dear, how are you doing today?” “I’m doing great ma’am, how about you?” I reply politely. The enormous grin on her face widens even more. “I’m elated, positively elated.” Her excited gaze turns to Takashi, and she immediately becomes very serious. “Now son, remember everything we discussed. Did you put on enough deodorant? Do you have enough money to pay for everything you’ll need?” Takashi sighs. “Yes, Mother. I have enough money for food, games, and rides for BOTH of us.” My eyes widen. “Oh no, you really didn’t have to do that. I have more than enough for my things.” The green-eyed boy just laughs dismissively. “Nonsense, my dear Kiara. I am paying for EVERYTHING, and you can’t stop me. So don’t bother trying to change my mind.” He then turns back to Lady Chino. “And yes, I DID put on plenty of deodorant today. I even put on Dads old cologne.” She nods in approval. “Very good.” I giggle to myself.
We drive for a solid hour before arriving at Minowabashi Station. Takashi and I climb out of the limo and wave goodbye to his mother and the old driver. “You show Kiara a good time, understand?!” Lady Chino calls out as the car disappears around the other side of the ticket registration building. Takashi groans as soon as he’s certain that she’s gone. “I swear, that crazy woman doesn’t have any censorship. I’m sorry you had to hear all that.” I chuckle in response. “Don’t worry about it, your mom just loves you. I would give anything to have my mother fuss over me one more time.” His annoyed face immediately softens. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories.” I quickly shake my head. “No, no, you’re fine. Anyway, shouldn’t we go check in and get our tickets?” Takashi snaps his fingers. “That’s right! The streetcar to Arakawa Yuen should be pulling up any minute.” He takes my hand and pulls me up to the ticket counter. “We would like two tickets to go on the Arakawa tour, please.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “The Arakawa Tour? I thought we were just going to an amusement park.” My best friend smiles broadly. “Oh, there’s much more to Arakawa than just the amusement park. I paid for a full day of exploring everything the tour has available.” Once I see the spark in Takashi’s beautiful-I mean, bright-eyes, it doesn’t take long for his excitement to pass to me. “Alright, that sounds great! Thank you so much Takashi.”
The handsome model scratches the back of his head, redness stretching across his face. “You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy it.” We approach the boarding area as a huge streetcar pulls in. “All aboard for the Arakawa Tour!!” The conductor shouts as the doors slide open. There must have been at least one hundred people on board, because it takes a little while before the crowd dissipates. Takashi and I find window seats in the back. The car fills up pretty quickly, and before I know it we are on the way to our first destination. “So do I get a hint about what the first stop is?” I ask curiously. “Nope. I want every place we visit today to be a complete surprise.” I frown, and Takashi laughs. “Don’t worry, you’ll see what it is soon.” We ride in amicable silence for about fifteen minutes before I feel the streetcars brakes activate. Looking out the window, I see a plantation filled with fenced enclosures. Miniature horses, cows, and pigs are roaming around inside them. The doors open, and everyone disembarks onto the station platform. “Welcome to the Arakawa Nature Park.” The conductor announces through a megaphone. Takashi motions to the enclosures with one hand. “After you.”
I let out an excited squeak and grab him, dragging him after me as I head straight to the miniature horses. “Aww, they’re so cute!!” I exclaim as I place my hand inside a gap in the fence so I can pet the nearest one. “Are there rules about touching the animals?” Takashi shakes his head. “There aren’t any restrictions on it. They even have carrots and other treats you can give them. Basically, you can do anything with them. But you do it at your own risk. Animals will still bite or kick if they feel like it.” I nod to show I understand, then go back to petting the horse. It raises its head and shifts closer, apparently enjoying the gentle strokes I’m giving it. All of a sudden we hear a loud bellowing snort from one of the other pens nearby. We turn our heads and see a giant brown bull. It makes eye contact with us, and my heart skips a beat. This animals posture demands respect. “Look at him…he almost seems invincible.” I mutter quietly. “Yes, he is incredible to behold. But bulls do have one weakness.” Takashi responds. I return my attention to him. “What’s that?” He smirks at me, and for some reason I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Their lack of intelligence.”
Before I can say another word, Takashi climbs over the fence and enters the enclosure. “What are you doing?!” I scream. He winks at me. “Don’t worry, I grew up on a farm. I have experience with large animals. I’ll show you.” The model turns to the bull and puts his arms out. “Steady, steady. I’m not going to hurt you.” The bull eyes him warily as he approaches, and the two begin to slowly circle each other. Then, in one swift movement, Takashi strips off his black jacket and holds it out to the side. He shakes it around rather violently, and the bull lets out a deafening bellow before charging at it. I cry out to him in desperation, but he doesn’t respond. Instead, he drops the jacket as soon as the bull reaches it. Within seconds, the enormous creature is completely blinded by the dark piece of clothing due to it getting caught on its horns. Takashi takes the opportunity to jump onto the bulls back and wrap his arms around its neck. The bull continues to bellow in fury, charging around the pen and bashing it’s great body against the wooden rails.
By now, a crowd has gathered around the pen. I see a nature park officer watching the spectacle with a surprisingly calm expression. No one makes a move to stop Takashi or the bull. They just stare as if they’re watching a television show. Finally, I reach the point where I can’t stand it anymore. “Takashi, please get out of there!!” He smiles at me as the bull begins to slow down. “Just one more minute.” Shock completely envelopes me. Takashi talks to the bull gently, and it responds by relaxing. It gradually shifts from galloping, to trotting, to walking steadily around the perimeter of its enclosure. Everyone gasps as Takashi brings the bull to a complete stop moments later. He takes his jacket off of its head, and it peers at him wonderingly. Takashi pats its neck and dismounts, his feet hitting the ground in a fairly soft way. I can’t stop staring…Takashi Sasuke Matsuya just tamed a bull within only ten minutes. I have no clue why he was willing to risk his life just to show me a “farm trick”, and that upsets me, but at the same time I can’t help but be proud of him.
The moment Takashi makes his way out of the bull pen and stops next to me, I draw my arm back and punch him in the shoulder. He yelps and takes a step backward. “What the heck were you thinking?! You could have been seriously hurt, maybe even killed!” He hisses and looks at me dejectedly. “I’m sorry I scared you, I just…I just…” I signal for him to continue. “I wanted to impress you..” I sigh as he hangs his head. Clearly he didn’t expect me to react in anger. “It’s okay, I just want you to know that you don’t have to do anything stupid in order to make me like you. I already do. I’m proud that you’re my best friend.” He smiles at me, but there’s something off about it. It seems almost sad for some reason…
“Anyway, is there anything else we should do or see while we’re here?” He opens his mouth to reply, but the bell from the streetcar interrupts him. “We are now leaving for our next destination on the tour!! All passengers who want to move on, please board now!” The conductor shouts from his place on the railway vehicle. Takashi turns his gaze back to me after listening to the announcement. “It’s up to you. Do you want to see the next stop?” I nod, and he takes my arm. We take our seats once again, and most of the other passengers follow us. I touch his shoulder kindly as the car shifts back into motion. “I’m glad you’re okay Takashi. I’m sorry I hit you, I was just really scared that you were going to get hurt.” The young mans eyes meet mine, and I’m relieved to see that he isn’t disheartened anymore. “You don’t need to apologize, I deserved that punch. I’m still sorry for stressing you out…but you have to admit, taming a bull without any past experience is pretty impressive.” My eyes widen. “You mean you DON’T have any past experience with them?!” He chuckles. “I have worked with horses of course, but bulls? Never, not until today.” I am left completely speechless at Takashi’s complete disregard for his own safety. I really don’t know what to say…”Are you okay?” He asks, and I give him a harsh glare. “I don’t regret hitting you AT ALL.” To my dismay, he starts laughing. I growl as his laughter becomes so intense that he has to lean completely backward in his seat. “What is so funny?! You shouldn’t risk your life just to impress me!” He regains his composure after a moment, but his face still holds a gleeful expression. “I really am sorry for everything, Selene-chan, but, your angry face is too adorable!” My frustrated growls are replaced by embarrassed groans. He really is such a dork…and the worst part is that no matter how stupid he acts, I can’t stay mad at him.
We arrive at the theme park after a little while, and my heart pounds with excitement when I see all of the food stands, games, and rides. I almost drag Takashi out of the car, which amuses him to no end. Neither of us are able to contain our smiles as we rush around trying to decide what to do first. “Oh my gosh, there’s a Koi-Fish Catching Stand, a Target-Shooting Stand, even a Photo Booth!!” I cry. “What should we do?” Takashi walks over to the Koi-Fish Stand and picks up a net. I join him, and together we try to catch the fish by scooping them up. They are extremely quick and agile, especially the pink one that I am determined to take home with me. I fight with it for twenty minutes before pouting and giving up. I look over and Takashi has managed to collect THREE koi fish. He chuckles and takes my spot. “Let me guess, the pink one bested you?” I lower my head in defeat. I can feel him smirking at me. “Come here, I’ll show you how to get it.” I lean in to watch, and he begins demonstrating how to properly corner and trap fish without hurting them. After a few minutes of intense concentration he manages to get the pink koi into the net. He takes a moment to wink at me, but the second he does, the fish leaps into the air and smacks him right in the face!
I completely fall down laughing, and as soon as Takashi finishes glaring at the fish he laughs as well. “I really wish I could have caught that on video! You are NOT living this down!” By now I’m curled up on the ground gasping. “I will say that’s never happened to me before..” He replies. “I should tell your mother what happened!” Takashi gives me a horrified expression, which only intensifies my already cramp-inducing laughter. “Don’t worry, I won’t if you don’t want me to.” He sighs in relief. “That woman already has too much blackmail material when it comes to me.” I snort. “I bet she does!” Time passes as we enter a couple more stands. Takashi, admittedly, beats me at the shooting range game too. Really, is there nothing this rich handsome model can’t do? There must be something…a broad grin appears on my face as we approach the Photo Booth. “Hey Takashi, do you wanna bet something?” He raises an eyebrow at me. “What would we bet on?” Now I’m the one doing the smirking. “How about we take turns in the photo booth to get pictures taken, but you have to handle the camera when I’m in there, and I have to handle the camera when you’re in there. We’ll have someone judge between the pictures we take, and whoever is deemed to have the lower quality set has to buy the other person lunch.” He wrings his hands thoughtfully. “My mom would kill me if I didn’t pay for your lunch…but this shouldn’t be too hard. Alright, I’ll take you up on it.”
We take turns posing in front of the camera, and both of us do our very best to capture good images. Once we finish, we have a random person judge between our work. To Takashi’s relief, I am deemed the winner. “Looks like you finally beat me at something. Good job Selene-chan.” He yanks the brim of my hat playfully, and we laugh. A few minutes later the two of us get in line for the Ferris Wheel, which will be our last ride/activity before we go to our next stop on the tour. Takashi and I chat with each other while waiting our turn, and I peer lovingly at the pink koi fish that my best friend did, in fact, catch for me on his second try. All of a sudden Takashi’s slender body stiffens, and he appears ready to run. “Hey, what’s wro-” My inquiry is interrupted by the model grabbing my arm tightly and yanking me to the front of the line. Other people yell in protest as Takashi throws a fifty dollar bill at the ride-attendant and shoves me into the Ferris Wheel compartment. It’s a completely closed-in cart with two bench seats across from each other and a large window on the opposite side from the door.
Takashi franticly sits down beside me and opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by a young Japanese woman climbing in to sit across from us. Her red-dyed hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a yellow dress with red flowers and red stockings. I’m so taken aback that I lose the ability to speak. Takashi’s body stiffens even more, and he growls something nasty in Japanese. The strange woman leans over and wraps her arms around him tightly. “Oh Kashi-kun, I’ve missed you so much!! I thought you were lost to me forever!!” He growls again and shoves her away roughly. I stare at him in shock; I’ve never seen him act this way toward anyone before…”Who is this Kashi-kun? Why did you bring a farmhand to a theme park like this?” The woman asks snobbishly, motioning toward my hat. My cheeks redden in anger, but before I can retort, Takashi snatches her arm and glares directly at her. “If you talk about her that way again, I won’t hesitate to throw you out of this compartment. I’m a Matsuya, I can cover up a murder as easily as writing a check.” My blood runs cold. Who on earth is this woman? And why does Takashi hate her so much?! “What’s going on?” I ask. Takashi releases the woman’s arm and sighs deeply. “Kiara, this is my-” “Girlfriend! I’m his GIRLFRIEND!!” The red-haired girl screams. “What I want to know is, who are YOU?!!”
Bethany Anne Productions 