The Dream Shifter

Chapter 65

Yuki tried to relax sitting on the bench by the school that over looked the track behind the school. From the distance he could see Saki working hard with the other team mates for the upcoming meet that they had. The watching that he had to do was not helping his waiting-until-she-was-done decision. It only made him more impatient for what was going to happen next.

He had already failed once to try to speak with Saki and the idea of having another chance did not make him feel like he had any better odds of changing his failure. However, he had decided what he was going to do and he had to try to be a man and keep to his promise even if he wanted to run away.

He had been pretty good about not leaving for a while, but the built stress had become too much for him to deal with.

'Can't stand it anymore. I need to do something.'

Yuki stood up with Ayumi quickly looking up at him questioningly. She was quick to her feet not giving him any ground to avoid her. It only took him a few second to realize that she was behind him making him jump backwards as he turned around to confirm.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"That's what I want to know."

"Huh?"

Yuki pulled himself back in and straightened up to look at her. He did not like that she was not leaving him alone when he needed the time.

"Where are you going?" she said lowering her hands to her hips leaning in on him.

Yuki pulled back feeling a little blue in the face from seeing the look that was on Ayumi. He could tell that she knew that he was trying to leave without her and that she was going to be insistent about staying at his side. It was not something that he was feeling good about all of sudden, but he had to stand on his feet.

"I'm going for a walk, alone."

"No, you aren't."

"U-Uh…"

The footing that he had before was starting to become lose under him as he stared at the full intention of Ayumi. His quivering lips were not certain if they wanted to go head to head with her. However, Yuki knew that he had to take a stand against her or he would be forever afraid.

"Can't you let me be for just a minute? If something happens I'll run back, okay?"

Ayumi was not about to let Yuki leave not caring about his own self declared need to be alone. It was far too risky for him to be alone even here. When she went to grab him as he tried to leave again he slapped her hand away giving her a narrowed serious expression that made her second guess herself. It was enough of a pause for him Yuki to run away from her.

"…Hmm…"

She was going to let him go on his own this time.

"She might be a skilled fighter, but she's got a lot to learn about people's emotions."

Yuki came to a stop around the school out of sight of Ayumi still a little surprised that he was able to get away from her. He took a moment to breathe before he started to move again not feeling satisfied until he was further away from her.

'She's probably going to come after me and I need time…'

Even though he had been focused on getting away from Ayumi, his mind was brought back to the worries that he had before when he looked back from where he came. The field where Saki was practicing was down the hill out of his sight, but he knew she was there. It came rushing back to him in an instant bringing his legs to a halt for a moment.

'No, I've got to keep moving…'

He began pushing at his legs to get him moving forward once more as he felt the almost encouraging feeling that told him to flee. Yuki escaped to the other side of the school feeling his breath become shallow, but not from fatigue or exhaustion. There was something else that was pulling at his chest that choked him even when he ran away. It seemed to wrap around him tighter the further that he went causing even further pain to him.

'I…I…can't…Saki…'

Even him slowing down did not stop his running until he knocked into someone falling backwards to the ground confused.

"Huh?" he said looking up to find what he had bumped into.

His eyes were still partially closed as he rubbed his head trying to clear out the daze that he was in.

"What the—"

When he was finally able to see clearly in front of him he fled back a few steps not realizing who he had bumped into completely unintentionally.

"…Fumiko…"

The upperclassmen had been hardly affected by Yuki's run in with her. Her height ended up giving her the needed resistance to only be knocked a step back to keep her balance. She was a little surprised and taken back by the reaction that came from Yuki.

"You're first year Hayashi, right?"

Fumiko stepped forward to him offering a hand to stand up on.

"Wha-huh? U-Uh…yes!"

Yuki was not certain why he was acting so off set by her. The feeling pervaded his body making him shake while he took the extended hand.

"Thank you…"

He tried to collect himself in front of Fumiko smoothing out his uniform when he saw much lower next to her was a little girl hanging on tightly to the edge of her skirt like a cub.

"Who's this?"

The girl hid behind Fumiko the moment that Yuki mentioned her. Fumiko turned her head quickly when she felt the change from the girl and then back to Yuki. She smiled to Yuki trying to cover up for the girl's shyness.

"I found her lost out front of the school. She said that she was looking for her older sister who goes to our school. She couldn't find her so I'm helping her."

"Oh. Well I don't want to keep you."

Yuki started to turn away and leave, but Fumiko called out to him making him stop and turn back.

"Her sister's Ayumi Nishimura."

'What?!'

Yuki's had eyes widened in shock and surprise as he looked down at the little girl. A thousand questions ran through his mind that instant with none of them being certain.

'Sister? Is that possible? Is she really her sister? Ayumi never mentioned a sister. Would she have? It wouldn't have served a purpose to her to tell me. But wouldn't she just wait for her at her house? Is this an assassin? Could someone so small? Fumiko's in danger! What do I do?'

Sweat began to form along his face and hands as he tried to quickly figure out what the situation was for them. The panic of this being another assassin made his hands shake not knowing. There was certainty in his mind that there was something off.

'What should I do? I have to get her away from Fumiko! But how? Can I be certain?'

While Yuki became frozen before Fumiko she tried to keep the conversation going a little confused by his strange reaction to her announcement.

"You know Nishimura, right? You're friends with her."

Yuki snapped out of his panic, but still sweating from the thoughts that he was trying to hold back.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah! I am!"

He bit himself back realizing how silly and embarrassing he was acting all of a sudden making him only seem suspicious. It was not clear to him one way or another if the girl was Ayumi's sister or just an assassin out for him, but he knew only one thing.

'I have to get her away from Fumiko regardless of which it is. This is not something she needs to be involved in any further.'

Yuki wiped away the sweat that had built up. He cleared up his mind putting it to a focus point that was at the heart of the matter that he had to deal with immediately.

"I'm sorry that she caused you so much trouble. I'll take her the rest of the way to her sister."

Yuki stepped forward reaching out a hand to the girl trying to look friendly while still be cautious.

The girl was still acting nervous with Yuki and Fumiko watched him come closer. She stepped in between them putting herself directly in front of Yuki becoming a wall.

"It's alright. I offered, it's no problem. She's a little shy. If you can show me to her sister that would be fine."

'She needs to leave…'

Yuki twitched as he back up seeing that Fumiko was not going to let him just take the girl so easily. The uncertainty of danger lingered in his mind fearing for Fumiko's safety.

"No, that's alright. You must be tired from class. I'm waiting for someone anyway, so it wouldn't be any trouble for me to take her."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

"I wouldn't want to make you late getting home."

"I don't mind."