FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

STL

Chapter 1: Moving

Honolulu: March 31st (US), 2015

Makoto stared at the picture frame that he held in his left paw, his eyes focused on the group of five furs posing. There were smiles all around, including his own. In the background, a beautiful ocean could be seen with various furs having fun splashing around in the water or surfing. Some were even relaxing around on the sand, sunbathing.

A small sigh escaped the shiba inu once again for the tenth time today. He was really going to miss his friends here in Honolulu and wished with all of his might that he could stay. But reality was unforgiving. His mother, who is a professional cardiologist, received an offer at Osaka while his father, an excellent teacher, was offered a teaching position in Shirominato, the place they were moving to. Needless to say, they took this opportunity to leave a sixty day notice and begin packing at once.

He couldn't blame them. They've occasionally talked about wanting a change in scenery for quite a while, and this was the perfect moment for it. But having to move away from the place he truly loved hit him hard.

"Makoto?" A soft, familiar voice spoke, bringing him out of his funk to turn around and see a female shiba inu standing in the doorway. It was his sister, Kimiko; a very pretty young woman who was really popular at school and a year older than him. Her long, straight hair was the color of light orange, a lighter shade than his own. She came inside and got close enough to see the distraught look on his face. A sigh was let out and ever so gently did she hug him. "I knew you would do this the moment our parents announced it. I know it's upsetting, but try and cheer up, okay? Besides, this is a chance to make new friends."

Another sigh fell from Makoto's lips as he finally put the frame down and returned the hug. He trembled slightly and Kimiko held onto him tighter. He was trying hard not to cry, but when he looked around his bedroom and saw boxes everywhere, the reality of it all struck at him again, twice as much and tears began to flow, streaking his cheeks. "I know, but...the friends I've made here and the memories and experiences...they'll be gone. I don't want that to happen."

Kimiko simply held on to the young boy, tears beginning to stream down her face as well. "Trust me, that will never happen." She pulled away, wiping her cheeks and eyes clean before putting on a smile. "And you wanna know why? Because you've taken a lot of pictures, which will last for a good, long time. Heh, and you know what they say..."

"Take a picture, it'll last longer?" Makoto broke in and smiled himself before the two of them started laughing. He loved his sister because she knew just what to do whenever he was feeling down. And he always did the same, for the two of them vowed to have each other's backs. "Thanks Kimiko. I feel better now."

"Great! But I just have one question..."

"What?"

"Are you up for taking one more trip to Waikiki with me?" Kimiko asked and waited patiently for an answer, although the look on her face said that she already knew what it was going to be.

Makoto gasped and nodded his head vigorously. "Of course! I love going over there!" He suddenly whipped out his phone and began texting in rapid speed, his fingers in a wild blur. "Just gonna text everyone where we'll be so we can meet up."

Kimo shook her head and began walking out of the room. "Alright, I'll start up the car. Don't take too long!"

With that said, Makoto was left alone in his room, tapping a few more times before hitting send, then turned the screen off. Not being one who likes to make people wait, he quickly grabbed his necessary items and began walking out of the house. "Later mom and dad! Me and Kimiko are going to Waikiki! We won't be long!"

"Okay sweetie, have fun!" Miyuki said as she packed up some plates with Naoki helping her, the two of them waving goodbye.

Seeing this made the young shiba's usual happy attitude slip slightly, but with a shake of his head, his spirits came back up and left the house. Outside, he saw his sibling waiting like she said she would and got inside the car with her. "I'm ready now. Let's go!"

Kimiko simply nodded, then turned on the vehicle before pulling out and drove down the road. "This is going to be a great day!" She shouted with a beaming smile.

Makoto shared her enthusiasm as he gazed out of the open window, simply in awe at how beautiful the whole island was with its tall palm trees, the fresh air, the people and the whole atmosphere. Everything about Honolulu he loved with all of his heart. "I really am going to miss it here..." he mumbled, hoping his sister didn't catch what he had said. He didn't want for her to worry about him the whole day.

"What was that?" Kimiko inquired over the sound of rushing wind.

"It's nothing! I'm just really looking forward to this is all!" Makoto replied, having to raise his voice a little.

It didn't take long for them to reach Waikiki since it was literally on the island and that it was an eighteen minute drive. Upon arriving, the shiba could already spot his friends' vehicles, which meant they were around. Earlier than he had expected, but he didn't care as long as he got to see them one last time.

After turning off the engine and getting out, Makoto readily walked off towards the beach (thankfully having on beachwear for this occasion) and looked around. For a moment, he didn't see anyone he recognized until he spotted a familiar golden tan furred lion in a t-shirt and swimming trunks, holding a surfboard under one of his arms. "Keywon! Hey!"

Keywon's ears flicked and swiveled before turning around to see who was calling him. At the sight of the shiba, he waved. "Makoto!"

Makoto watched the lion run up to him and as he came into close proximity, he gave Keywon a tight hug. "Hey! It's so good to see you!" He said, then let go and looked around again. "By the way, where is everyone?"

The lion hiked a thumb behind him where various species of furs were surfing a magnificent wave. "Having a blast as soon as they got the text from you. So, what's on the agenda?"

Before Makoto could answer, Kimiko came up beside him and gave the lion a hug. "Hello, my beautiful angel!."

"And hello to you too, my darling queen. You look dashing today!" Keywon complemented, making the girl laugh.

"Oh, stop. This is just something I threw on real quick to relax and enjoy the day." Kimiko replied, trying to be humble about the praise but a paw was on her hip and she struck a pose. However, that didn't last long for she saw a concession stand a few feet away selling ice cream. "Ice cream! You two want some?" She asked, her body already turned to go. After hearing both boys voice their agreement, she ran off.

With Kimiko gone for the moment, Keywon focused his attention on Makoto after placing his surfboard in the sand, a sad smile on his face. "You know we're going to miss you, right? Things won't be the same without the two of you around." He chuckled then and sighed. "Although that's ironic of me to say since I don't see you two in school at all anymore."

Makoto was silent for a moment as he lost his smile now and simply gazed at the ocean, his mind covered in a deep fog. His mind wandered, flashing back to january; the month he got pulled out of the classroom and was told by his parents that both he and his sister would be moving in April and that they would be homeschooled from now on.

Naturally the siblings were highly upset at this announcement and rightfully so. They were confused more than anything, but despite their pleading and begging, their parents didn't change their minds at all on the decision they made. And from that point on, all the way to march, the two have been taught on the japanese dialect, customs, culture and history. It took awhile for them to learn everything but they picked it up fairly quickly.

It was hard to tell his friends a week prior that he was moving away and it took everything within him to not cry right there in front of them, but once the lion hugged him along with everyone else, the tears and uncontrollable sobbing came. For a long while it didn't stop and he knew that everyone was upset about the news as well. He would never forget that day.

A few more minutes passed before the shiba shook his head to clear away the depression and sadness before speaking. "Yeah...it was really sudden. But we'll miss you all too...and believe me, I know that things will change once we part ways but we'll all still be friends. And if anything, I can always keep in contact."

Keywon nodded, his somber mood quickly turning to a cheerful one as he closed the gap and hugged the other boy. "You better tell me everything, or I'll give you a beating you'll never forget!"

"Okay, okay! I will!" Makoto laughed, enjoying Keywon's warm company, chatting with him about anything and nothing in particular until his sister came back with the frozen desserts and they all enjoyed the treat under the sun. "Man, I'm going to miss the beach..."

Kimiko was about to respond to that before looking out of the corner of her eye and noticing the rest of the gang coming to shore. "Hey, guys! Had a good time splashing around?"

Natanel, a golden capped fruit bat answered with a sly smirk. "You wanna find out?" He snickered and lightly got punched on the arm by Rian. "Hey, I was just joking...sheesh! Chill..."

The border collie huffed in annoyance with a glare at the bat until turning to Kimiko with a bright smile. "As usual, he's a hopeless flirt. But hey, girl! Glad to see you two made it here. I'd hug ya, but...ya know..." He spread his arms and looked down at his bare chested body.

Kimiko rolled her eyes and embraced Rian, not at all caring about her clothes getting soaked. "Hun, we're at a beach. And the sun is blazing. Do you really think I'm gonna be the type of woman that'll complain?"

"She has a point," Cho spoke up, a siberian roe deer who's toned body glistened in the sunlight. He was a sight to behold and he knew it.

"True..." Rian chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "But I'm just that type of guy ya know? Can't help it."

Koyanagi snorted, the tanuki rolling his eyes at the display. "The two of you fawning over the girl...pathetic." He turned his attention to Makoto. A devilish smirk split his lips. "But I know just the person who wouldn't mind getting wet and then some...heheh..."

Keywon groaned and facepawed, shaking his head in disgust. "You're doing this again? Really?"

The shiba's cheeks flushed in an instant and his paws came up, flailing. "I've told you already Koyanagi, t-that's not appropriate to say in public..." He told the tanuki, today marking the thirty sixth time that he has warned him of his behavior.

Again, Koyanagi snorted, seemingly defiant and bold. "So what if people hear?" He got up close to the shiba (which was almost comical, considering he was short and only reached up to his middle torso) and grinned. "I don't care. You're sexy, and if I had my way, I'd have you in my bedroom in no time."

"Uhh Koyanagi? Sweetie? Sorry to burst your bubble, but you don't have the physique to do anything with my little brother." Kimiko barged in, staring daggers at the tanuki who was glaring right back. "And I'd be damned if I would let you try to spirit him away."

Makoto opened his mouth to defend the tanuki, but Keywon cut him off. "Count me in, Kimiko. We'll protect our precious flower."

Natanel and Cho blinked in surprise, then looked at each other with a confused expression on their faces. Both shrugging off what was said, they stayed quiet and turned back to what was going on.

Rian raised his paws up and slowly stepped in with a shaky smile. "Whoa now, Kimiko...no need to get hostile."

"I'm not, I'm just--" Kimiko begam, but stopped after hearing her little brother speak.

"Guys, stop!" Makoto shouted, making everyone pause and gaze at him. Now having everyone's attention, he let out a sigh and spoke. "We're here to have fun today and make memories. It's why I told you all to come here...to relax and enjoy the time we do have. I love and cherish each and every one of you, so please...no fighting on this going away party, okay?"

For a long moment, there was silence among the group, occasionally being broken by the sound of waves crashing against the shore and cacophony of furs enjoying the beach.

Eventually Koyanagi spoke up. "Sorry about that. I got carried away." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and turned to Kimiko, apologizing to her as well.

Naturally the girl waved it off with a kind hearted smile and bent down a little to hug the tanuki. "Apology accepted ya big perv. I can't stay mad at you."

"I can," Keywon said with a huff before a grin broke through and join on the hugging. "Just kidding! I can't with a cute face like that."

"Anyway," Cho piped up after clearing his throat to catch everyone's attention, "can we get on with this thing already? I wanna surf some more."

With that said, the group hit the waves once more, save for Makoto who wasn't too interested in that sort of activity. And despite having been taught lessons before from just about everyone, he was simply a disaster. So he stayed in the sand and took pictures while his sister had the time of her life with Natanel and Rian close by her side.

He wasn't alone however, for Keywon was by his side after surfing for about forty-five minutes. The two of them talked about where he was moving and how many friends he'd make. And although this would have made Makoto sad again, this time it didn't. He had to thank the lion for being such good company.

After the sun had begun to sink just below the horizon, coloring the vast sky above a beautiful orange hue, did everyone start to come back on shore.

"Hey, Keywon?" Makoto swiveled his head to the right where his friend sat beside him with a slight tilt of his head.

"Yeah?" Keywon answered, his own head tilting a little.

"What did you mean earlier when you said that I was both you and my sister's 'precious flower?'" He asked and became surprised to see the reaction he was getting out of the question.

The lion's eyes became wide and his paws shot up before waving them back and forth frantically. "Oh, that! Well, you see...it's just...ya know..." he stammered, fumbling over his words to explain the situation, but failing horribly.

"Is it because I'm nice?"

"What? No! Well, actually...yeah, that's part of the reason..."

"Am I fragile looking?"

"Pffft! As if!"

Makoto cupped his chin and hummed to himself, thinking critically. What reason could there be to have him be called a precious flower? This stayed on his mind as he focused on the sand, not even noticing Keywon's panic. "I think I got it!" He said and turned to the lion, a bright smile on his face. "Is it because I'm beautiful?"

Just as soon as those words left his mouth, the lion had his mouth slightly agape, simply staring at Makoto as if in disbelief. For a long moment he was like this until soft laughter came. "I have to say, you're really good at guessing. But no, not even close."

"Damn. I was hoping my good looks were a good enough answer." The shiba inu said and sighed with a shrug. "Oh well. So what's the reason?"

Keywon rolled his eyes, but replied anyway. "Well you got the first one, which is you being nice because it's true. And you have a pure, gentle soul about you and you care deeply about your friends and family. Most people on this earth aren't like that."

Makoto simply nodded, listening and hanging on to each and every word. He couldn't deny himself or what his friend was saying. His personality was the kind and caring type. For as long as he could remember, he had always looked out for the people he cared about, even complete and total strangers.

Noticing that the shiba inu was silent, Keywon continued. "So really, you're a precious flower to both me and your sister because we don't want to ever see you sad or hurt. We want to protect you the best way we can."

"Yup! Couldn't have said it better myself!" Kimiko said, startling both of the boys enough to look up and see her standing there in front of them with the rest of the gang beside her.

"Wha-? When did you get here?" Makoto asked incredulously, his eyes looking over everyone, the expression on his face a mixture of anger and surprise. "I just saw you coming up to shore! There's no way you could have gotten to us that fast!"

"Maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings, dude!" Rian laughed, earning a sharp glare from Keywon that made him shut up in an instant.

"Whoa, who or what ruffled you fur?" Koyanagi teased and seemed to instantly regretted it as he got the same response. "Dang, chill...was just a joke."

Keywon seemed about ready to go off at any moment until he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's just...enjoy today like Makoto asked us to do. But before that, I need a moment so excuse me." He said and walked off to a nearby clothing store before anyone could stop him.

With no hesitation, Kimiko went after the lion in a heartbeat, her steps quick. "I'll be back!" She hollered out, then went inside.

Natanel sighed, catching the attention of Makoto. "Just when we were having a good flow too..."

In that moment, the atmosphere was starting to turn into a sour note and the shiba inu was desperately trying to think of something to cheer everyone up. Added on top of this, the day was almost over.

"Dammit, what do I do...?" Makoto mumbled, his focus drawn to the ground beneath him until he heard Cho calling him and looked up to see a piece of paper being offered to him. "What's this?" He gently took the piece of parchment and read through the contents. There was going to be a luau at Kahanamoku Beach, starting at 8pm and ending at 11pm. "Oh, this is great! And we're at the location where it's going to take place! But...where did you find it?"

"Came across it earlier when I was heading to the beach. You mind if I use your camera though?" Cho asked, a quiet yet smooth chuckle escaping him at the hesitation and worry showing across Makoto's face. "I'll give it back, I promise. It'll be quick."

"Okay..." Makoto sighed and relinquished the object, putting it delicately into the deer's paws. "Be sure to bring it back to me."

The deer nodded and told Makoto to stay right where he was before walking way to his vehicle with the camera in his paws.

As the shiba inu waited, Koyanagi and the rest of the guys came up to gather around him, each with confused looks on their faces. Without hesitation, Makoto held up the piece of paper for all of them to see and read over before rolling it up and stashing it in one of his pockets. "So what do you all think?"

The tanuki grinned and stroked his chin, staring at Makoto with what appeared to be new found lust. "It sounds great! And if I get to see you dance, it'll be even better...hehe."

Natanel facpawed and groaned before rolling his eyes. "And you call us pathetic...anyway, I'm down for that! Been awhile since we had a party going!"

"I don't see any reason to not go," Rian said and smirked as soon as his eyes caught sight of Kimiko walking out of the store with Keywon by her side, "and besides, this gives me a chance to show off my moves."

"Well...good luck on that Rian." Makoto said, giving a thumbs up to the border collie and wishing him the best because his sister is very picky about her men. "And as for me dancing...haha...I don't really do that."

"Bullcrap!" Kimiko shouted as she and Keywon came up to everyone, her paws on her hips, looking ready to chew out an unlucky passerby. "The two of us have danced ever since we were little! Don't be embarrassed just because there will be people watching."

"B-but--" Makoto started, trying to give any excuse but to no avail.

"But nothing! You're gonna dance and enjoy it!" The female shiba inu retorted, standing her ground. Soon enough, her sibling folded and gave in, muttering. "Good. Now why are we talking about dancing in the first place?" She asked and was quickly informed. "Oh, that sounds fun!"

Keywon smiled. "Yeah it does. I can't wait to dig in on the food."

"Oh, hey!" Natanel gave a small wave to the lion who nodded in response. "You alright man?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just needed to get some peace of mind, ya know?" He said, his smile never leaving.

Natanel simply gave a thumbs up, then moved himself to stand beside Kimiko, which Rian apparently didn't like for he glared daggers at the fruit bat.

Everyone began to chat after that, talking about the upcoming party and just life in general. Meanwhile, Makoto took out his phone to check the time, which showed that it was 7pm; an hour before the event started.

While he was somewhat distracted, Cho came up behind him and poked his shoulder, fully grabbing his attention. "Huh? Oh, are you done?" He asked and the camera was placed in his paws.

"Thanks," was all the deer responded with as he turned around and headed toward his car.

"Wait, where are you going?" The shiba inu called out, confused by his friend's sudden action.

Cho raised a paw in the air, giving a small wave. "I'll be back! Enjoy yourselves!" He said and got into the vehicle, started the engine, then drove off.

Everyone started after him with eyebrows raised, wondering where the deer could have went off to.

Kimiko tilted her head in confusion. "Okay...that was a bit weird. But he did say he'll be back so..." she began and shrugged her shoulders.

Koyanagi blinked a few times before looking up at Makoto. "You know where he's going?"

"No idea," the shiba inu replied with a shake of his head, then brought out his phone again to note the time, "but we have about an hour until the luau starts so we'll need to kill some time."

"Well there's a lot of convenience around us so we can just browse some places." Kimiko suggested, already beginning to walk off to another store while having Keywon tag along with her. "Are you guys coming or what?"

All of the guys looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged. It was a unanimous decision. And really, there wasn't anything else left for them to do at the beach.

So they followed the two at the shopping district, wandering around and browsing whatever merchandise that was available or appealed to anyone's eye. Most of the time it was spent in a clothing store since both Kimiko and Keywon loved fashion.

Eventually time did come for the luau to begin and everyone quickly went back to Kahanamoku Beach just in time to see everything set up and a fair amount of people stopping by to eat and have fun.

"Looks like the fun's just getting started! Whoo!" Koyanagi raised both paws in the air, then suddenly grabbed Makoto's right paw, pulling him. "Come on, let's dance!"

"W-what? W-wait! It's just starting! Wait!" Makoto exclaimed, looking back at his sister to see if she would get him out of this, only to see her smiling and the lion next to her staring hard at the tanuki before coming over to grab his other paw. "Oh, no..."

"Alright shortstack, I've been nice the whole entire day. He's going to dance with me so back off." Keywon snarled, pulling on the canine's arm a little.

Koyanagi saw this and snarled as well, yanking back twice as hard, ignoring the pained expression on the shiba inu's face. "I'll only have him for a few minutes sweetheart, so chill!"

Makoto could only groan; not only because of the pressure he was feeling from both limbs, but it was from the extreme competition and pettiness his two friends were showing on who could get his attention.

Natanel looked at Koyanagi, then Keywon and then back again with a sigh and a shake of his head. "Guys," he began as he walked up to the crossfire, only to have four pairs of eyes quickly pinning him down with a fierce glare. It was enough to have his muzzle stay shut and retreat.

As soon as the fruit bat came back, Rian gave a sympathetic pat on the back, although both his eyes and mouth said that he enjoyed what he witnessed. "I was going to--"

"Zip it." Natanel said and folded his arms over his chest.

Kimiko sighed, clearly having had enough of the nonsense that was going on and stepped forward. "Alright look," she grabbed both of the boy's wrists and squeezed hard, forcing them to let go of her brother in a heartbeat, "this whole thing really needs to stop. My little brother is only one person and like he said earlier, we're here to have fun. So quit acting like a bunch of children."

Soon after their wrists were free, both tanuki and lion looked down in shame. The two voiced their apologies to her, to each other and finally to Makoto.

The shiba inu rubbed the back of his head, wearing a smile despite having been in pain just a few moments ago. "No worries! I was going to suggest that all of us dance together anyways so no one feels left out or anything." He said, then immediately got his body turned around and was being pushed by his sister.

"We're burning time here! Move it!" She ordered, not at all stopping what she was doing and soon enough, the rest of the group followed without a word until they reached the place.

After arriving, everyone dispersed. Keywon and Kimiko were sitting at a nearby table, chatting amongst themselves while Rian and Natanel packed food onto their plates. Koyanagi was already hitting the dance floor and once again to Makoto's surprise, he was showing off some pretty sweet moves for someone as short as he was.

Meanwhile, the shiba inu was trying to figure out just what to do with himself. Should he party hard, eat something to settle his stomach or join his sister and the lion on whatever conversation they were having? He didn't know and none of the options that were available didn't appeal to him at the moment so his feet carried him to the sand and he sat down before closing his eyes, listening to the soothing sounds of the waves crashing against the shore.

The sounds of the party going on were almost drowned out, but he could still hear the cheers and mild cacophony of voices. With a sigh, he opened his eyes and started off into the darkness. He was really going to miss this place.

"Couldn't decide what to do, huh?" Cho's voice rang out from behind Makoto, startling him enough to quickly turn around. Unphased and chuckling a little, the deer walks up to him and hands over a light blue box with a tied up ribbon matching the same color. "Here."

Still taken aback by being thrown off guard, Makoto stares at the box with a skeptic look before gently taking it from his friend's paws. "Thanks...but what is it?" He asked, his eyes gazing up at the other boy.

Cho shrugged nonchalantly. "Open it and find out." His expression was hard to read in the semi darkness.

With no hesitation (mostly because he loved receiving gifts), Makoto unwrapped the gift box and opened it. Inside was what appeared to be a photo frame, though he couldn't exactly tell because it was so dark. But as he opened his mouth to voice this, one of his wrists were gently grasped and was pulled back to the party but only far enough to shed some light.

"So you can see," was all the deer said and stayed silent, his eyes prompting the dog to look at what was in his paws.

Nodding and giving thanks, Makoto looked down only to gas a second later. "You..." he croaked, his vision beginning to blur from the tears that were beginning to well within his eyes.

"Something to remember us by." Cho said with a smirk and a playful wink at the shiba inu.

"Thank you...thank you so much for this. I'll cherish it." Makoto took the frame out of the box and held it tight to his chest, as if afraid he might lose it forever if he didn't. The remains of the box were thrown away in a recycling bin. "Is that why you wanted my camera? And why you left?" He got a nod of confirmation.

"Yeah, pretty much. What are you doing out here all alone anyway?"

"Oh, I was just thinking..."

"About everyone again?"

A wince fell from Makoto's mouth. "Jeez, am I that predictable?" He laughed, idly scratching the back of his head.

Cho smirked and rubbed the top of the shiba inu's head. "Yeah, you are. But that's what makes you adorable."

For a long moment Makoto's mouth hung open, his eyes wide in both surprise and confusion. It was rare for the deer to give out compliments like that to anyone, even himself. He was so touched that his cheeks began to burn. "A-ah...umm..."

A smirk ran across the deer's features, clearly amused by the sight of his flustered friend. "Put that in a safe place, then come back and have fun." He suggested and walked off into the crowd without ever looking back.

"Man, he's so cool..." whispered the shiba inu as he stared after Cho for a while longer before shaking his head and coming up to his sister who was just now beginning to sit down. "Hey, you mind unlocking the car for me real quick?"

Panting from having worked up a sweat to dancing, Kimiko simply dug out the car keys from her purse and handed them to him, then rested her head on the table.

Giving his sibling a hug, Makoto grabbed the keys and unlocked the passenger side door before coming up to the vehicle to stash his gift inside. Once that was done, he locked it back up and gave the item to his sister.

As he did that, Keywon was by his side, smiling bright, his eyes sparkling. "Where'd you go?"

"At the beach. Wanted to think and listen to the waves is all. What's up?" Makoto inquired, then looked over the lion's shoulder to see Koyanagi coming up to stand right beside him. "Ummm..."

"Chill, we're good now." The tanuki looked up at Keywon with a grin, getting the same in return before turning their focus on the shiba. "I asked him to look for you."

"Oh, that's great! Glad to see you two getting along now. So what do you need?" He waited for an answer from either of them. But instead of saying anything, both of his paws were grasped. "Again?! I thought you said..."

Keywon pushed a finger to the boy's lips. "It's okay, hun. Just dance with us and have a good time. Besides," he pointed toward a group of people forming a ring around Natanel, Rian and Cho, everyone clapping and cheering them on as they danced.

Koyanagi chuckled, his eyes glued to the dance floor. "Let's shake our tails off!"

Wearing his usual smile, Makoto made his way through, then danced the night away. There was no telling how long he was at it, but tonight was the most fun he was ever experiencing and was glad his sister had thought about taking him here.

Seconds turned into minutes, then minutes into hours. Everyone was having a great time. Smiles and joyous laughter was shared all around until finally it was time to go home for the night.

Just as the crowd started to disperse and the crew began to clean up and pack their things, Makoto and the gang stayed behind for a little while.

"This was a blast!" Rian said in excitement, having tossed his shirt earlier. He wasn't the only one however, for Cho, Natanel and Koyanagi were in the same state.

"Yeah. Didn't think you were that good with rhythm there though." The fruit bat responded, half joking and half serious. For once, the collie didn't glare.

Koyanagi yawned. "Well I'm gonna head home and hit the bed. My feet are killin' me right now. See you all later and what not! And try to visit us, alright? I'll be sad if I can't see my cutie every now and then." He snickered at the sheer anger that was coming from Keywon before getting inside his car and driving off.

Soon enough, Natanel, Rian and Cho said their farewells as well, then left the area. Now it was just Makoto, Kimiko and Keywon left.

A small sigh escaped Keywon as he looked up at the stars above before coming back down to gaze at the shiba inu. "It feels like you're not actually leaving...but you are. I'm going to miss you...a lot."

Makoto instantly reacted and hugged the lion into a warm embrace. As soon as he did this, he could feel him trembling, more than likely trying to cry. "We're gonna miss you too."

"Aww, don't leave me out." Kimiko piped up and came over to join in on the hug fest.

Keywon stood still for a moment, his eyes tearing up even more before finally breaking down to uncontrollable sobs. Ever so gently did his back get rubbed by the two shiba inus comforting him.

A few minutes passed until the lion finally did stop and let go, sniffling every now and then, but otherwise he was okay. At least, that's what Makoto hoped for as he gazed at him with a sad smile. "Like I promised earlier, I'll text you. Well," he turned to his sister who was smiling and gave a nod, then turned back, "the both of us will."

"Okay..." Keywon sighed deeply and swiveled around to walk to his car. After reaching it, he tilted his head back. "I hope you make some good friends, fluff butt," he said and entered the vehicle, started up the engine and then drove off into the night.

"Well, it's about time for us to head home too. It's fifteen minutes past midnight." Kimiko stated after looking at her wrist watch and headed to the car with her brother by her side, his expression filled with sadness. "Don't worry, we'll see them again."

All Makoto could do was nod, not at all willing to speak as they got inside and drove home.

The ride back was quiet; both siblings not knowing what to say in the situation, for they knew the inevitable. They were moving, leaving the life they grew up in behind and into somewhere completely different.

Suddenly remembering his gift, the shiba inu picked up the photo frame from off his lap and turned on one of the lights. He smiled at the picture. Everyone was in good spirits and posing for the camera in front of Waikiki Beach. It was taken on the day that he was going to learn to surf.

"Oh, that's a nice photo!" Kimiko said after taking a few glances over to look at what was in her brother's paws. Who gave that to you?"

"Cho." Makoto replied and held the frame close to his chest as tight as he could. He would cherish this gift until the day he comes back to Honolulu.

Osaka: April 2nd, 2015

It was four in the morning by the time they arrived in Osaka, the flight having taken nine hours to arrive after departure. And although Makoto had slept during that time, (as well as his family since they arrived at the airport in Honolulu at midnight and they were all tired) his mind and body were still sluggish.

"How are you still tired?" Kimiko said, bringing the shiba inu from his thoughts and giggled. "I mean, we're all wide awake here."

Makoto slowly blinked and looked from his sister over to his parents that was across from the two, everyone having sat down to wait for the grandparents to arrive at the airport to pick them all up. And the realization that Kimiko was right made him somewhat alert, but not enough to really stir any movement.

"Your brother here is experiencing jet-lag, which would have been avoided if he hadn't stayed at that party." Naoki said, chastising his son for his behavior and then gazed at the other sibling with a tilt of his head. "But I'm more surprised at you."

Kimiko shrugged. "I'm just used to being up at night," she answered and got a hard frown from both parents. "What? A girl's gotta have her fun every once in awhile. Even at night."

Miyuki sighed, putting a paw to her forehead and shaking her head. "I raised you better than this, Kimiko...then again, I was the same way when I was young." She smiled and gazed at her husband with a loving look in her eyes.

Naoki caught the look and gave a knowing smile in return. A low chuckle came. "And you were quite the damsel."

Makoto inwardly groaned, knowing fully well what was getting ready to happen. Despite the jetlag, he acted fast and stood up. "When are grandpa and grandma getting here again?"

In an instant, the two paused what they were doing and soon, Naoki was checking his phone. "In just a few more minutes," he placed the phone back in his pocket, then stood up after grabbing his suitcase.

With that said, everyone got up and followed him towards the entrance of the airport where other families were gathering. It was only about five to ten minutes of waiting that their grandparents arrived, both looking rather tired.

Upon seeing them, Makoto smiled. But that was all he could do since his body was still sluggish and the fact that it was really late. The excitement in seeing his relatives would have to wait until after he got some much needed rest. "Good morning, grandpa, grandma." He greeted with a bow, automatically switching his language to Japanese in order to address them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kimiko and his parents do the same before standing upright. In turn, they received the same greeting.

"It is good to see you again Makoto and Kimiko," Ichiro began with a smile, then nodded over to Naoki, "and to you as well, my son." He gazed at Miyuki. "Good to see you, daughter in law."

"Oh my, you two have grown so much over the years!" Misa said with a paw to her cheek, looking the siblings over. Both siblings blushed in embarrassment.

Naoki nodded, a proud smile showing at the praise of his children. "They have been growing up fast," he said and looked over to his wife, "right before our very eyes."

Miyuki let out a small bit of laughter before composing herself and turned her attention to the grandparents. "Yes, and as much as I would like us to reminisce, it is rather late..."

At the mere mention of time, the elderly couple nodded, quickly shut their muzzles and proceeded to head outside. With the rest of the family following close by, they were out of the building and got inside their van in a matter of minutes.

With everyone seated (Makoto and Kimiko in the very back, their parents in the middle and grandparents in the front), they got out of the parking lot and drove down the road.

Makoto looked out his window, excitement bursting out. He could see tall, bright buildings everywhere, most of them shops displaying some sort of new item on a huge screen overhead while various furs milled about. And from the distance, he could even spot Osaka Castle, lights from all around the building shining on it to give it a beautiful glow.

"Amazing..." Kimiko said, her own eyes glued to the magnificence of the city, not even once taking her eyes away, as if afraid of missing a single thing happening.

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet, save for the occasional hum of the engine. Everyone wanted to sleep. However, it didn't take long for the house to show up in the near distance. It was nice looking; a fresh cut lawn, a gate with a mailbox to the side and the home itself was truly a delight to look at. After getting near enough to park in the driveway, everyone quickly got out, then headed on inside.

Upon entering, Makoto took off his shoes and slipped on a pair of slippers that were nearby the entrance, then moved forward inside. "So glad to be home..." He yawned, eyes roving around the home a little, noticing how spotless everything was. To his right was significantly the dining room with a table large enough to accommodate six people or more. On one side of the room stood a cabinet with two picture frames of his grandparents when they were young while the other had a window that looked out over the town. And adjoined to this area was the kitchen, the place having to have been thoroughly cleaned recently. "I forget how clean and organized you two are..."

"Indeed," Ichiro agreed and walked past the young shiba down the hall to turn left around a corner. "Come, come," he softly called out and everyone followed after him into a corridor with two doors open on either side.

"Your rooms." Misa announced as she came over to her husband to stand beside him, a warm smile on her lips.

Makoto quickly chose his room after thanking his grandparents and shut the door, giving him complete privacy to strip down and slip into the futan. It wasn't long before he fell asleep, his dreams being of the area he was moving to and what sort of friends he would make.

~ ~ ~

After a yawn and some much needed stretching, the shiba had awoken to a beautiful sunny day. However, there was no time to appreciate the weather as a knock came to his door.

"Good morning! Are you awake?" Naoki called out, waiting for a response.

Still getting the sleep out of his eyes and body, Makoto yawned. "Yes! I'll be out in a moment after I get dressed!" He looked over at the clothes that were neatly folded next to his bed, apparently fresh and clean. He figured one of his parents or grandparents had done this and would thank them.

"Okay, we'll be leaving soon after breakfast." Naoki replied and soon, the sound of his footsteps were retreating.

Now up and out of bed, he quickly slipped on his clothes and left his bedroom to join the rest of the family in the dining room. "Good morning!" He greeted before sitting down at a vacant spot between his grandad and father.

Everyone returned the greeting, though Kimiko seemed to be really impatient but was trying hard to control herself since the food was right there in her face. The practice of waiting for everyone to sit in order to eat was something the both of them would have to get used to.

"Yay! Makoto's here! Let's eat!" She quickly picked up her chopsticks and dug into her food like a ravenous wolf that hadn't eaten in years.

"My, such an appetite for a young lady..." Misa commented, making the girl pause with the chopsticks barely an inch from her mouth, rice stuck between the wooden sticks. "Oh, don't mind my prattling. You just remind me of the time when I was young."

Ichiro reached across the table and grabbed hold of Misa's paw, a beaming smile showing. "And you're still beautiful to this day."

"Awww..." Cooed everyone around the table, causing the two elderly lovebirds to smile even more until finally getting back to their meal and finishing up.

It wasn't long before Makoto and the rest to finish as well, and once they were done, they all hopped in the van. Only the grandparents stayed behind since they had a vehicle of their own and Ichiro decided to let Naoki have ownership since they were going to be living near Osaka anyway.

Once they were all inside, Naoki quickly pulled out and drove down the road towards Shirominato, their destination. Luckily it was just a straight shot towards the area, just over a bridge.

"I'm surprised and glad that your father decided to give you his second vehicle. This truly helped us on having to buy one ourselves." Miyuki commented, switching her language back to english and looking back to smile at her children. "Are you two excited?"

"I guess..." Makoto responded with an idle rub to his left arm. He was still missing Honolulu and his friends, and wasn't sure if he would like his new home or not.

His sister on the other hand was enthusiastic. All smiles and giggles which pleased their mother greatly as she smiled and the two of them conversated about what the house would look like and how the general area is.

He didn't join in and simply stared out the window, watching the ocean's waves and the sky above. A small part of him was curious however about the locals and what events were held.

The rest of the ride was relatively quiet, everyone more than likely wondering how Shirominato looked. Eventually they arrived and from the looks of things, it was a port town; a thriving one as well. Various furs wandered about, many shops and antique stores were all around and the atmosphere was quite lovely.

"Oh, my...this is quite a beautiful area." Miyuki commented, an expression of awe showing on her face as her eyes roamed around the area.

"Isn't it? This is where I grew up. Welcome to my hometown" Naoki said as he slowly drove up to their new home, his own eyes doing the same, his excitement clearly showing by the wag of his tail and the happy expression on his features. "I'm glad that the principal asked me to teach here, although I'm sort of sad that the previous teacher retired."

Miyuki gazed at her husband and placed a loving paw on his arm. "It is saddening but a great opportunity as well. You're back with your friends."

Makoto looked around in surprise; he never expected the place to be this outstanding. "Whoa...I wonder what our house looks like."

"Well," Kimiko began with a turn of her head as she focused on her brother, a smile on her lips, "since our grandparents are renting this property out to us, I'm sure it'll look fantastic! I mean, we've seen their home so this one has to be just as good." She stated and he could do nothing more than nod, for she wasn't wrong.

Soon the house came into view and Naoki parked in the driveway before turning off the engine and climbing out along with everyone else.

As they all climbed up the steps and went inside, numerous gasps of awe and excitement filled the area. The inside was large, larger than the house they moved from and it had more storage space. Naturally there was a dining room, kitchen area and living room. And there were stairs leading up to the bedrooms. The very walls were painted peach, giving it a relaxing and comfy feeling.

"This is wonderful!" Miyuki shouted out and hugged her husband who returned the embrace. "I already love it!"

"Yeah, this is great!" Kimiko said, agreeing with her mother and came up to the two parents with a pleading look in her eyes. "Hey, do you mind if the two of us walk around a bit so we can get familiar with the area?"

Naoki opened his mouth to speak, but Miyuki took over and shook her head, the beginnings of what appeared to be a cruel grin. "I don't think so. The two of you have been going out a little too much don't you think? Besides, we have to unpack. Now, so chop chop!" She caid and clapped her paws.

Both siblings visibly winced, then sighed in defeat, their heads hung low. "Yes, ma'am..." they replied in unison and got to work.

For the remainder of the day, it was spent on unpacking and deciding rooms until night time came and went.

Shirominato: April 3rd, 2015

"So...where are we going again? Some cafe, right?" Makoto inquired as he and Naoki walked around the port town. A small yawn rippled through, causing him to cover his mouth. It was 8am and he was dead beat tired.

His father was all smiles however, humming a tune that only he knew. "Yes, and before we enter, you're forgetting something..."

An eyebrow was raised in confusion for a long moment before sudden realization slapped Makoto across the face. "Oh, right! Sorry..." He said, quickly changing his language to Japanese.

Naoki nodded in response, then suddenly stopped in front of a wooden building with a sign on top, reading: Nichibotsu-minato Sakaki Kazoku Shokudo. "This is the place," he walked on and swiveled his head back, motioning to his son, "come on!"

Makoto hesitated, wondering what was inside until finally shrugging and heading inside as well. He was soon greeted by an older yet burly red dragon in a chef's apron and hat, serving other customers. "Wow...this is amazing!"

"Hey, Takeshi." The older shiba inu called out, fully getting the dragon's attention after sitting down at a vacant seat. "It's been a long time, my friend."

"Naoki?! Is that you?" Takeshi greeted with booming laughter, his whole body shaking from the action and came over to where the two canines sat. "It's so nice to see you again! Oh, is this your son here?" He asked, giving the young shiba inu a nod and a kind smile.

Naoki nodded, his own grin coming back in full force. "Yes, this is my son, Makoto Masaki. He will be attending school here as of tomorrow, including myself as a teacher."

This announcement made Takeshi's eyes widen in shock. "Really? You're living here now? That's wonderful news! Welcome home! So h--" He began, then got cut off as a customer was calling on him and a soft groan escaped. "We'll continue this when there aren't as many people here, alright?"

Both dogs simply nodded and chatted amongst themselves for awhile until business started to come down to a slow crawl and it was just the two of them left.

"This is such a lovely cafe..." Makoto murmured to himself as he looked around the nicely decorated and spacious area that was once filled with various furs.

"That it is!" Takeshi replied as he brought out two steaming plates of udon, then sat them down in front of the dogs. "There you go...ah, I forgot the drinks! What would you like?"

"Water." They answered in unison and the dragon gave a quick nod before disappearing into the back only to reappear a few seconds later.

With a relieved sigh and some stretching, the dragon hung up his uniform and brought over a nearby chair to seat himself with. "Ahh, there we go...relaxation. Now that everything is out of the way, how did you get the job?"

"I saw a position online about the high school here needing a new english teacher, so I applied, got approved and...well, here I am!" Naoki replied and continued eating his meal. "What's been happening here while I was in america?" He asked, then tilted his head, a brow raised in inquiry. "And where's your son? I haven't seen him all day..."

Takeshi gave a soft chuckle. "He's out with his friends at Osaka to celebrate Katsuya-san's birthday today. They'll be back tomorrow. Ah, and speaking of my child...how old are you, Makoto?"

"Sixteen." Makoto answered after gulping down some water. "Is your son the same age?"

"Yes, actually! The two of you should be classmates. I'll make sure to mention you when he comes home." He turned his attention back to Naoki. "And as for what's been going on, Shoma finally confessed his feelings and married his high school lover."

The older shiba inu brightened up at this. "Is that so? Well I'm happy for him! I'll be sure to give my congratulations when we see each other."

Takeshi couldn't keep the smile from his face as he let out another chuckle. "Be sure that you do, and Satomi as well. They also have a child that is your son's age. Ah, and Midori's son is living here in Shirominato now."

"Wow...a lot has happened..." Naoki's expression seemed to be that of awe and pure shock, though with the news, who could blame him?

Makoto just listened as they carried on their conversation, giving a nod or two and a few answers whenever it was his turn to speak. Eventually, night followed and they had to leave for the day. After saying their farewells, they left the cafe, heading home to prepare for school.

Shirominato: April 4th, 2015

A loud beeping sound assaulted the shiba's ears, dragging him away from sleep and into the waking world with a groan. He was definitely going to have to get used to waking up early again. With a yawn and a stretch of his body (his curly tail doing the same), he got up out of bed.

Not wasting any time, he started the daily morning routine in the restroom, then quickly dressed himself in his uniform which consisted of a black blazer, slacks and casual shoes. Now prepared, he came to the kitchen table where breakfast was already served. His whole family was there, waiting on him. "Good morning!" He greeted and sat down, then smiled at his sister after noticing her clothes. "You look good in that."

Kimiko tilted her head in the typical canine fashion, confused for a quick second before looking down at herself. "Oh, this? Thanks! I like the way it looks on me too." She was wearing the same blazer, but instead of slacks she wore a plaid skirt, the emblem of their school on her left breast.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Miyuki inquired, her gentle and kind smile bringing a ray of sunshine to everyone around the table like always.

"Better question is if he's ready for school." Kimiko smiled, her attention on her little brother. "Are you?"

"Somewhat. I'm a little nervous but I'll be alright. Can we eat now?" He asked, his mouth on the verge of drooling.

After Miyuki gave her confirmation, everyone dug into their food, the siblings being the fastest. This worried their mother a little but after noticing that both of her children were fine, she sighed softly with relief.

Soon breakfast was finished and after the table was cleaned up and the dishes were spotless, did the family get inside the van, Miyuki being the driver this time since she her job as a cardiologist was in Osaka.

It didn't take very long for the school building to be seen, and as they approached the entrance, everyone climbed out and said their farewells. After doing so did their mother drive away to start her career.

"Well, this is it! Shirohiroba High School!" Kimiko sounded excited, a little too much for her brother's taste but she was happy nonetheless. "Oh, that's right! Clubs...hmm...what should I pick..."

"I wouldn't worry about that right now, for that is on the twentieth," Naoki said as he caught up with the siblings and walked beside them. "So you have plenty of time beforehand to choose."

"Oh, okay! I won't worry about it then." Kimiko said with a bounce to her step.

As the three of them entered the building, Makoto was immediately in awe at the cultural difference he was being witnessed to. Students were switching taking off their casual footwear and putting them into their personal lockers and switching them out for what appeared to be standard uniform shoes.

He understood why they did this, but it was still a little bizarre to him. However, that didn't last long for he realized that the area was quickly thinning out, so he quickly went to his assigned locker and switched before being joined up by his sister and father.

Kimiko already started going in the opposite direction, giving a small wave as she went. "I'll be going to class now. See you later!"

"Looks like it's our turn now." Naoki gazed at his son, a gentle expression on his features. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Makoto felt confident enough since someone he knew was nearby at all times, and with this surge, he hurried to the homeroom, his father right beside him. After quickly reaching their destination, the two of them went inside and was met with stares. "Uh..."

"Good morning!" Naoki greeted the class, already heading to the very front of the room to begin with today's lesson, but not before laying eyes on his son for a quick second. After doing so, his attention returned to the rest of the students who were already seated. "I am your new homeroom and English teacher, Naoki Masaki." He turned around to the chalkboard and wrote his name, then motioned with a paw for Makoto to come over and stand by him.

For a moment, the shiba inu stood there, frozen in fear and embarrassment until he shook those fears away and walked over, planting himself beside his father to face the classroom. "M-My name is Makoto Masaki. It's nice to meet you all." He gave a somewhat stiff bow and made his way over to his assigned seat that Naoki directed him to.

It was a vacant seat that sat between a red akita with light brown hair to his left and a blonde haired cat to his right, whose breed was hard to decipher for his fur color was ash grey. As he sat himself down, the feeling of being watched immediately crawled up his spine, almost making him visibly shudder. Turning to his right, Makoto noticed the cat was simply reading a book. As for what it was, he couldn't tell, but it wasn't him. Then after turning to the other side, he knew right then and there...it was the akita.

"Don't stare like that Shinji, you'll scare him away," The cat said (who, at a closer glance looked like a middle schooler given how he was sitting in his seat), giving the canine a sharp look out of the corner of his eyes, "like you always do."

"No I won't!" Shinji protested, clearly not amused by this fact, his attention diverted for only a moment before coming right back to the shiba. "You're not scared, right? Right?" He inquired, his body leaning slightly close.

"Uhh..." Makoto simply leaned back, not sure at all on what to answer with. Admittedly, he was a bit surprised by the unusual greeting and creeped out, but he could tell that the other boy really meant no harm in it. "Y-yeah, I'm fine."

Hearing this, the akita's face lit up and suddenly got up out of his seat with a cheer, causing everyone in the room to stare in confusion. "U-uh..." he stammered, blushing in embarrassment for what he had caused.

"Is something wrong, Matsumara-san?" Naoki asked, giving his student a concerned look.

"N-no, Mr. Masaki! Forgive me..." Shinji quickly bowed and sat back down, his head hanging low and eyes focused on the desk in front of him.

"It's alright. Just don't let it happen again." With that said, the english lesson continued until homeroom finally ended.

After that, the other teachers came and went, each of them with their own subjects to teach to the whole class. It lasted until it was time to leave. All of the students left the room to go to their lockers, all save for Toshiki (he knew that name after roll call) and Shinji.

"Masaki!" Naoki called out to his son, who looked over with surprise before getting up and coming over. "How do you like the school so far on your first day?" He whispered.

"I like it so far! Haven't really made any friends yet...but I will!" Makoto said with a beaming smile before tilting his head in confusion as his father's eyes were elsewhere. "What's wrong?"

The older shiba inu shook his head. "Nothing. But I think you've already made some."

Even more confused, Makoto looked back over his left shoulder to see both of the boys watching, but it seemed to be that they were waiting as well. "It seems that way...I guess I'll see you later at home, okay?"

There was a nod and Naoki left the classroom, leaving the three of them alone.

"So, why a--" Makoto began and was immediately cut off.

"Is that your dad? Are you new here? When did you arrive in Shirominato?" Shinji asked with a bombardment of questions, and to make things worse, he was again really close to the shiba.

Toshiki sighed and came up beside the canine, the expression on his face showing that he was both bored and agitated. "Forgive him...he gets easily excited when it comes to transfer students and doesn't know when to pace himself." He said, ignoring the hard stare he was receiving.

Makoto could only nod slowly, not even willing to open his mouth to answer because what he was going to say would be really rude. "It's fine, really...yes, he is my dad. I am new here and we arrived here yesterday."

"Oh, that's nice! Hope you like it here...oh, yeah!" Shinji's face suddenly brightened up, his curled tail wagging at furious speed. "We have to introduce you to everyone!"

"I do not think that is wise..." Toshiki protested, but his warning rang to deaf ears as his friend wasn't paying attention at all. He sighed in defeat. "Why do I continue to associate with you,,,?"

Just as the cat facepawed himself, a tall, burly white bengal tiger stepped into the room. Accompanying him were two slim otters, a skinny fox and a chubby red panda. As they entered, all five looked at Makoto with curiosity.

One of the otters spoke first. "Oh, so you're the new transfer student we all kept hearing about!" He walked up Makoto but kept his distance and gave a bow. "I'm Haruki Watanabe and the one who looks similar to me is my twin brother Tomoki Watanabe," he motioned to the otter with a bored expression on his face, "and Katsuya Maruki," then the tiger respectively.

"Jun Fukagawa." The red panda introduced himself with a bow and a smile. I'm in your class."

The fox raised his paw. "Kazuki Aragaki. Welcome, I guess...whatever."

Makoto was so fascinated by the introduction and the formalness that he almost forgot to do the same. Quickly realizing this, he apologized and introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you all! Shinji was just telling me about how I should see everyone."

"Hehe..." Shinji chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, but there's only one person left you haven't seen."

"Sakaki-san left early to work at the local cafe." Katsuya informed, making the akita sigh in frustration. He raised a brow, but didn't say anything.

Haruki rolled his eyes with a smile. "Why are you getting all huffy? It's not like the day is over yet. Makoto can just come with us and hang out over there," he said, letting his eyes rest on the shiba, a knowing smirk on his lips, "unless you have to be elsewhere."

Suddenly, at that moment, Makoto became excited. He wanted to meet this other member and become fast friends. But then he remembered what he had to do after school was over. "Oh, I do actually! I have chores and I have to familiarize myself with the town tomorrow."

"Oh, that's no problem!" Shinji put on a bright smile and pulled Toshiki into a one armed hug. "Me and Shiki here can be your tour guides!" He gave a thumbs up for emphasis in the declaration.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden..." Makoto murmured, but as he became reassured, he decided to let it be. "Alright. I'll see you all tomorrow! Bye!" He began to leave the classroom, then stopped halfway to swivel himself slightly and wave. After doing so did he leave the school grounds to head home, his mind wondering how the other person would be like.

Shirominato, April 5th 2015

"This here is the shopping district, where most of the population goes to." Shinji informed with a flourish of his paws as if he were revealing some sort of extravagant prize. "And just a few more blocks over after turning right around a corner, we'll see the local park!"

"How did I get dragged into this...?" Toshiki groaned, his agitated expression growing more and more as the tour went on. Despite his protests yesterday and earlier, the akita got him to come along.

Makoto realized quick that Shinji was very persistent, just like Koyanagi but in a different way. He was enjoying the tour however, although he wished everyone else had participated too. He remembered asking Toshiki why no one was coming along and was told that they were all going to be busy today.

"And here's our last destination, the park!" Shinji announced, both paws on his hips in a dramatic fashion. He turned to the shiba, a proud grin on his muzzle. "So? What did you think of my skills?"

"Terrible." Toshiki answered in a deadpan tone, receiving a glare that he ignored.

"Oh, It was great! Thank you both for doing this." Makoto bowed his head in gratitude to the two and smiled.

With a satisfied nod, the akita gave another thumbs up. "No problem!" He said and looked up at the sky, noticing the orange hue before looking back at Makoto and Toshiki. "I think it's about time for you to be introduced to the last member of our group."

Toshiki nodded, a small smile on his thin lips. "He's pretty big, so watch yourself." He warned, making the shiba tilt his head in confusion. "You'll see when we get there."

Shrugging to himself, Makoto followed the two and reached the cafe that Katsuya mentioned yesterday. Upon arriving, recognition quickly entered his mind. It was the same place he and his father came to on the first day.

Shinji noticed this and one of his brows raised. "Have you been here before?" He asked, stopping just shy of the entrance to Nichibotsu.

Makoto nodded. "I have with my father. He told me and my sister before coming here that he used to live in this town." He gazed at the building with wonder. "I'll have to ask him for photos when I get home..."

"Umm, not to be rude or anything..." Toshiki began after clearing his throat to get the shiba's attention, "but we are wasting time here. We should head inside." He gave a nod, then went into the building with Shinji following right behind him.

Shaking his head, Makoto went inside as well and looked around for a moment to see where everyone would be sitting. To the left side of the entrance at a corner, he spotted them and quickly walked over. However, as he got closer, it was obvious that there wasn't enough room but there was one spot left and it was next to the cat.

Toshiki looked at the shiba curiously, then down at his seat and back again. It was somewhat of a small space and it was going to be a tight squeeze for sure. His cheeks grew hot in an instant and focused on the table and menu. "If you really need to...you can sit next to me..."

"T-thank you..." Makoto mumbled and quickly sat down, making sure not to hit the small cat in any way or make him feel uncomfortable. "I'm sorry for this."

"It's fine...I'm just not used to such physical contact like this. Just try not to move around too much, if you can." Toshiki explained, eyes still focused on what was in front of him.

It was obvious to Makoto that Toshiki was out of his comfort zone, but he was handling himself pretty well despite the circumstances. With that in mind, he picked up the menu and looked it over.

After everyone decided what they wanted to eat, a scalie waiter in a chef's outfit came by and the shiba was slack jawed (and terrified) at what he was seeing. It was a red and yellow dragon that was tall, (even taller than Katsuya) and a bit more burly than the last one he saw in this cafe. However, this one seemed younger.

"Oh, hey everyone! What brings you all here?" The dragon greeted, then eyed the shiba who gave a small yet nervous wave. "And who is this fresh face?"

"Ryutaro, meet Makoto Masaki. Makoto, meet Ryutaro Sakaki. Heh, the two of you have similar first and last names!" Shinji said with a chuckle.

Ryutaro gave a small nod. "I heard from my father yesterday that someone of my age group would be going to our school. It's nice to finally meet you in person. As much as I would like to talk, I'm working at the moment."

Hearing that, everyone gave their orders, one fur at a time. After getting the last one written down did Ryutaro say he would be back and walked away. As he did, the chatter began until their food arrived.

Makoto simply listened and gave some input here and there whenever he was put on the spotlight. He was having a great time on his second day of school, despite the cultural differences. Even so far as enjoying it.

Eventually Ryutaro joined in after all of the customers left and it was close to closing up shop. Despite his size, he was purely a gentle giant at heart. Something that was truly rare to see.

"Alright, it's getting late," Makoto stood up and stretched with a yawn, "so I should head home." He noticed Toshiki frowning, with an expression of flustered and aggravation. "Umm...are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Like I said, I'm not used to such contact. In any case, I hope you sleep well." Toshiki turned away from the shiba and mumbled something under his breath that he couldn't quite hear.

"If you say so...goodbye and goodnight, everyone!" He gave a wave of farewell and left the cafe in high spirits. He met wonderful people on his first and second day of school. He wondered where all of this would lead down the road to come.