(Private) The girl beneath her skin. The guy beneath his mind.

Sayuri is alarmed as Satoshu slumps unconscious to the floor. She immediately wheels herself over to his side. "Veach-san? Are you okay? Veach-san?"

I can't bend down and reach him to check if he's still breathing, or if he has a pulse. I can't really...do anything to help him. Damn it. Do I just...sit here until he wakes up? Argh, I hate feeling this powerless!

A half hour goes by.

My eyes flutter open and I slowly wake.

...to find Sayuri near me, watching somewhere off in the distance.

Mumbling, I let myself be noticed.

"You look bored...what happened?"

This is the 3rd time I've woken up to someone watching over me. I hate being a burden upon others. Did I faint again? I-. I can't remember.

Sayuri realizes Satoshi is awake and immediately wheels herself back to his side.

"Oh, you're finally awake. You just sort of...passed out. I was worried it might be serious, after you walked into that pole, but then I remembered you said you have narcolepsy..." Sayuri was unsure what else to say and cut herself off.

Pole!

Now I remember what happened.

"That wasn't narcolepsy. That was my vasovagal syncope. It makes me lose conciousness for a bit."

"However, sometimes it sort of works hand-in-hand with my narcolepsy and I can be out of it for hours."

I should take this opportunity to make sure she knows what that thing is.

"It's basically the disability which makes you faint. I just seem have a worse case of it than normal."

I sit up kind of quick then slow down.

Woah there. Don't forget that that can put you right back where you started.

"I'm...sorry you had to see me in that way."

My facial expression turns dark with frustraition and sadness. I can't look directly at her.

So that's what that vasovagal thing is. It's basically just the same as narcolepsy, only without the snoring. And is he...apologizing?

"Don't be. We can't help having these...problems. You've seen the effects of mine every time you've looked at me..." Sayuri again looked down in contempt at her crippled legs. "...you should be thankful yours isn't always so visible. So...permanent."

This statement is a judgmental tease to me. Almost an insult.

My voice is quiet. "You want to know exactly what I see here?"

A pointed finger appears directly infront of Sayuri. Aimed directly at her face.

"I only see you when I look your way. Not some chair."

I find my voice becoming more tense. More emphasis upon sertain words in each statement.

"I'm thankful mine doesn't really effect me as much all the time but it is permanent."

An American accent begins to lightly show itself behind a wall of trees that is my words I speak.

"I am still not as restricted by the things I am not allowed to do as you are but I still am effected."

I stand. Arched back once again. Looking down at the girl.

"I may be hindered by something and it may not be a wheel chair but it will not keep the world from hearing my voice."

One more thing I've been waiting to catipult through my vocal cords finally does so.

"You may look at yourself as a girl who's taped to a chair on wheels but you should keep in mind that not everyone thinks so."

"For god's sake it's because of that illusion you have that every time I try to talk to you I find myself trying harder not to piss you off instead of actually talk to you."

Everything finally laid out on the table, I drill my eyes towards Sayuri's face. Waiting for a responce.

Sayuri looks on in astonishment for a moment. Then she merely hangs her head, defeated.

"Then tell me...if I'm not a girl taped to a chair with wheels...then what am I?"

My voice becomes softer but still shows a hint of frustration.

"A chair is a chair. A girl is a girl. Neither connect in any way."

I pause a little before speaking again.

"I'm...I'm not going to treat you any different from how I'd treat someone else just because you're in one."

"Right here lays someone with needs and feelings. Someone of importance to others."

I pause before scratching the back of my head and averting my eyes again.

"...someone of importance to me."

Sayuri slowly raises her head again. So he really does see me as just a normal girl, not some pathetic cripple. Sayuri cannot help smiling. But...what was that last sentence?

"I'm...important to you?"

"Of course you are."

My answer shows no uncertainty. I've always been that type.

Tellin' it how it is.

"That's how I see you anyway. I'm sorry I got frustrated."

-But damn. When someone thinks like a guy as much as I do (excluding any of the 'special' stereotype ways) talks to a girl who's just as complicated, if not more complicated, than a stereotypical girl when it comes to thought process, it can get a little frustrating.

Sayuri shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. We all get frustrated sometimes."

Sometimes might be an umderstatement.

I find myself wondering if she even wants to continue with the walk after being out for a half hour and then my sudden outburst.

"You still want to continue with hanging out today?"

I'll probably still keep my word choice monitored but I hope Sayuri wont get all offended if I slip up a little after this.

"Okay. Just for a little longer, it's starting to get dark."

"Hm."

The fact that she actually wants to see me still brings up my grin.

It may be nearing sunset but it is still fairly warm and comfortable. The only thing absent is the sun shining directly on us.

Soon we come across an icecream vendor trying to earn some money through this weather and I buy us some. Not really in a date way but out of consideration.

I kind of also been craving it a lot too, so that played into factor.

Sayuri thanks Satoshi for the ice cream as he hands it to her. As Sayuri requires both hands to move her wheelchair, she is forced to remain in position while she eats her ice cream, so the pair remain where they are for the time being.

Sayuri concentrates on neatly licking her ice cream, eyes firmly locked on the cone in her hand. Fortunately, with it being cold, I don't have to worry about it melting or dripping or whatever. I can just take my time eating it.

Throughout the time I'm eatting mine I am either tapping a foot or hand against my leg. Sometimes humming quietly through it.

It's normal for me but come to think of it, have I ever been at ease around Sayuri enough to do it?

Oh well, if she's one of those that's easily bothered by noise like that she'll tell me.

I quickly finish my large cone of icecream like a food eating contest champ, wipe my mouth, and throw the napkin away.

"Ready?"

No, she seems kind of far behind. I've always been a huge, quick eater. If it weren't for my metabolism being an A-hole, I'd actually not look as weak and skinny as I do. Give it to some girl somewhere in the world, I'm pretty sure she'd love it.

Sayuri seems surprised. "You finished your ice cream already? That was fast." She looks at her half-finished ice cream. Mind you, I could have just lost track of time again... "Or maybe I'm just being slow." She resumes eating her ice cream.

"It's possible."

I chuckle.

The Italian in me smacks the back of my head so that I remember I haven't thanked Sayuri properly.

"This is for watching over me while I was out. You have my gratitude for that. Motozaki-san."

"You are most welcome, Veach-san."

Eventually Sayuri finishes her ice-cream. She does not eat the cone, instead merely throwing it away. "We should probably head back to Yamaku now. The sun is starting to set."

"Yeah, definitely."

We're nearly back before curiosity strikes me in the mind.

"Hey, Motozaki...What kind of family do you come from?"

"My family are quite rich, with a good heritage. My father runs a big publishing company, while my mother generally stays at home and looks after-" Sayuri hesitates to use the phrase "looks after me". She has, in a way, but if I say that it'll come out in a certain way...

"...things."

I suppose it's only sensible to ask in return. "What about you?"

She seems to have a normal family. That's good.

"I myself come from a family of 6 including me. three older brothers. We're not rich, but we're well off because of my father's career as an iron worker foreman. My mother is stay at home but she finds work somewhere if we're having any financial issues."

My heart warms at the thought of my family.

"We're all kind of momma's boys too."

Unable to settle on a vocal response, Sayuri simply nods as Satoshi finishes his tale. Must be nice having siblings...except you'd probably have to vye for attention. Coming as she did from a wealthy family, the part about his family's financial security caught Sayuri's attention, but she paid it no further heed as they continued on towards Yamaku.

The walk back to the dorms is fairly quiet save for a percussionist doing what percussionists do and tap on something all the time.

Instead of seperating at the fork in the dorms I walk with Sayuri to the door.

"I hope you had a good time."

A lightly mooded statement strikes my mind.

"You and I are doing this again some time. Just letting you know that because you don't have a choice."

My reasurring smile lets on to a hint that I'd feel too bad to enforce that but would like to see my new friend soon. It kind of feels like she's his friend now at least.

Sayuri scowls at the "you don't have a choice" part, although she would happily go on another walk with Satoshi. "I see. Well, in that case, I'll see you later, Veach-san."