Reincarnated ~ NighT

Tenth~NighT

"Haha, took you long enough, Aiko-chan!" Sirius laughed, as he pushed himself off the swing set he was leaning on.

"Sorry, I forgot to open it, Raf-kun." Aiko rubbed the back of her neck bashfully as she approached her "cousin".

"Don't worry about it! I had a feeling you'll forget, so I came here a few minutes ago!" Sirius told her, as he brought out a paper bag, containing rice balls.

"Let's snack on these while we chat, shall we?" He suggested.

Aiko made a sound of affirmation as she dug in and took a rice ball out, immediately stuffing it in her mouth.

"So, what shall we talk about?" Aiko asked with her mouth full.

Sirius sighed, placing his rice ball on his lap. "It's about your new friends."

Aiko tilted her head. "Hm? What about them?"

"I don't trust them." He told her with a wince, expecting her displeased response.

Aiko pouted, stomping her foot. "What?! Why? I promise they're not bad!"

"They appear like that to you, but they feel fishy..." Sirius grabbed her shoulders and looked around in caution.

Aiko tilted her head. "They don't smell like fish though."

Sirius gaped at her incredously, before throwing his hands up in defeat. "You know what? Just take this letter and don't open it until the summer festival."

"Why the summer festival specifically?" Aiko asked as she took the letter and stuffed it in her bag.

"Just because." Sirius shrugged, to Aiko's bewilderment.

"Okay...?" She trailed off. "Is that all?"

"Yep!" Sirius chirped, waving as he walked away. "Have a good night, dear cousin!"

"Good night!" Aiko called, as she also started to jog back to her house.

As she reached her house, she quietly turned the doorknob, and locked the door, tip-toeing back to her room.

"Where did you go?" A voice spoke.

Aiko jumped, as she turned to the kitchen, where Geordo was leaning on the counter, stirring hot chocolate.

"Gerald! You scared me!" Aiko slumped on the wall. "How did you know I went out?"

"I wasn't able to sleep, and then I heard footsteps going to the front door. I was able to see you just as you shut the door of the house." He explained as he approached Aiko's sheepish form.

"So? Where did you go?"

Aiko sweated, as she desperately tried to think of an excuse, without breaking her promise to her cousin about them meeting up.

".....I- uh.... was sleepwalking...?" Aiko hesitantly spoke.

"I doubt you would take yourself outside if you had truly been sleepwalking." Geordo deadpanned, raising a brow.

Aiko flinched. "Well! I woke up when I hit my head on the door and felt hungry!"

Geordo pointed at the fridge and pantry. "It's full."

"We forgot to buy it!"

"Couldn't it wait 'till morning?"

"I was craving it really bad, though!"

Geordo sighed in defeat, realizing Katari- Aiko wouldn't budge.

"Fine." He spoke. "I won't press if you don't want to speak."

Aiko sighed in relief, but promptly straightened up when Geordo spoke again.

"However! Please, tell us if there's anything troubling you." Geordo told her, concern in his eyes.

Aiko blinked, before softly smiling. "I will. Thanks, Gerald."

~~~~~

"Woah! What's this place?" Alan shouted, pointing at the sign.

Aiko laughed. "Well, since today is a holiday, and there are no classes in holidays, I decided that we should have some fun!"

"This is similar to the video games I showed you guys a few days ago." Sophia whispered to them from the back of the group.

"Ohh..." The group (except Aiko) collectively whispered.

"Hey! What are you guys mumbling about over there! Let me innnn!" Aiko shouted.

"Haha! Atsuko was just informing us about something!" Mary laughed. "It's nothing you don't know!"

"Okay!" Aiko put a thumb up.

Alan then led the group in, opening the door as the group marveled at the colorful lights of the arcade.

"It's way more flashy than the time we played video games!" Alan gaped.

"Of course it's gonna be flashier!" Mary told him. "Last time was simply Aiko-san's house! A house can't be flashing with many lights, you know? That's just a headache!"

"True..."

"What are you all standing in the entrance for?" Aiko jogged to the front of the group. "We have games to play!"

The group then spent the day playing countless games on the arcade and generally had fun.

Until, the ground had started shaking.

"W-wha?! What's happening?? A magic attack?" Maria asked as the others had also panicked.

"What? No, it's an earthquake. It's normal here." Aiko replied with a completely calm face, almost like she was used to it. But then she did a double-take. "Wait, magic attack??"

"This strong is normal?!" Geordo asked, ignoring her question.

"Well, it's a bit stronger than normal, but we get these types once a while. Just go duck under a fishing game." She calmly pointed to said game, where a few people were also huddling in.

"Ohh. Alright." Nicol said as he and the group sighed in relief, glad that it is nothing to be afraid of.

But then a game stand started creaking and leaning over, right on top of Aiko's head.

"AIKO!"