Picture of a Sleeping Angel

I pulled my hair into a ponytail, brushing my bangs to the front. Scrutinizing the mirror in front of me, I put on a white blouse. The blouse was fitting, and I actually filled it in. Three months of barely using muscles made me gain some weight. It felt good to not be wearing a hospital gown or a school uniform. Spending another couple of hours at the mirror, I wondered when Kyoshi would call.

"Message for you! Message fo-" I grabbed my cellphone at once.

"H-hello?" I spoke eagerly into the phone, holding it with both hands.

"Get you own copy of VAMPS album before-" I shut my cellphone and sighed.

Then, my doorbell rang. My heart sped up and I rushed to the window. There he was, standing in front of my house. He looked up and grinned at me. Kyoshi pointed to the camera hanging around his neck. Of course I would bring my camera, when did I not have it?

"Shizuka-chan, there's a boy standing outside," dad gaped at through the window blinds as I came down the stairs.

"It's just Kyoshi-kun," I smiled to myself. We both knew that he wasn't just a boy but telling dad that made him a bit more at ease, I would think. "I'm going out, otou-san.** I'll see you soon."

I placed a kiss on my dad's cheek and took one last look at him. He looked older than I had last seen him. His eyes seemed sunken in his face, skin barely clinging to his skull. Dad's eyes seemed worried.

"Shizuka, I need to talk to you first," he shook his head.

"Can't it wait for an hour?" I pleaded as the doorbell rang for the second time. My body was shaking with excitement. I wanted to see him. "Kyoshi-kun's waiting."

Sighing, dad made his way to the door. He opened the door. "I suppose you're Kyoshi-kun."

"Yes," Kyoshi's boyish face suddenly turned serious. He bowed his head. "I'm Oshiri Kyoshi, 2nd year. I go to Shizuka's high school. Please let me take your daughter out."

Dad hovered over the door and looked at Kyoshi's bowed head. His eyes did not sparkle. "Do you... Know the circumstances?"

I saw Kyoshi tuck his lower lip in. "Y-yes, I do," he finally answered. "I'll take care of Shizuka-chan. I'll take responsibility." His fists by his side trembled.

My dad spent a few painful seconds looking at Kyoshi. He looked up at me then back at him. "Get up. Bring her back before six."

Kyoshi lifted his head and breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Tamaki-san," his eyes glowed.

Then dad did something unusual. He stuck out his hand. "Have fun," he growled. The two males looked each other in the eye. I had never seen dad so remorse. "Please, take care of her."

He turned to me. "Have fun," he smiled.

I kissed him on the cheek again. "Thank you, otou-san." Leaving him alone in the house was the least of my worries. It should have been.

"Shizuka-chan, looks cute," Kyoshi grinned as the door closed behind us. I blushed and walked down the path. He looked more lively than yesterday. His skin was glowing, eyes a warm clear brown. "I'll help you get on my bike."

I sat on the seat and clung onto his shirt. Kyoshi laughed, "You'll fall off if you just hold on like that." Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around his stomach and rested my head against his back. He radiated warmth. I heard his heart resonate with every pump and felt the bike shake and bump under us. I closed my eyes and didn't want to let go.

"Alright sleepy head, we're here," his voice softly whispered. I opened my eyes and hopped off the bike. We were in the municipal park. The trees were large and green with leaves, the sun shone down on the shimmering river. It was a nice day.

"Um... " Kyoshi walked with his bike in hand. He looked "Let's find a place to sit and eat lunch. How about by those trees over there?"

I nodded and looked over. The large oak shaded the grass. I remembered that spot from my first year in high school. Kyoshi found me there taking pictures of the tree. It was there that we made the pact to join the photography club together.

"Kyoshi-kun, why did you talk to me that day?" I asked, setting the bike against the tree.

He pulled his backpack out of the wire basket. Carefully he laid out a picnic blanket across the grass. His eyes seemed thoughtful. "Well... You were taking so many pictures," he said slowly, placing the bento boxes on the blanket. "You seemed so interested in it. I wanted to be interested as well. Is that... Bad?" He looked at me for reassurance.

"No," I shook my head. "I'm glad I met Kyoshi-kun."

The corner of his lip curved upwards slightly. His eyebrows furrowed. "Same here. Eh, let's eat!"

We sat down and opened up the bento boxes. He had made onigri and sushi. It wasn't the most original bento ever, but it made me happy that he tried his best to cook for me. After we ate, ms and Kyoshi laid down and took pictures of the clouds.

I stared up at the blue sky. The clouds looked like perfect fluffs of cotton balls. Somehow, the blue blended into the leaves of the trees. I tried to lift my camera to take a picture.

"Shizuka-chan," Kyoshi breathed. He turned his head to look at me. His eyes were wide, lips curled in to a tender smile. "I really like you."

"I like you too," I breathed, turning red. My heart wasn't pounding, but rather relaxed. It beat slowly and steady. I looked up at the sky and smiled. Kyoshi's fingers found mine and we clasped hands. His skin was so soft. It was when he pressed his lips against my cheek, that the the beating stopped, and the world faded into nothingness.

Ka-chk!