New oneshot! Enjoy

Summary: Set out on a hunt for clues, Hiyono reminisces on the most important events of her life. When she finally finds the person that matters the most, she's in for a big surpise.. "You got me a stick?"

Disclaimer - Don't own Spiral (either one)

Memory Hunt

A young woman about the age of twenty-one walked down the street to the café happily, humming her favorite song. Her sack was slung over her back, and her hands were gripped to the straps. Her long auburn hair cascaded behind her. Her cell phone rang; she hastily propped it against her ear. "Moshi, moshi. Yuizaki desu."

"Yuizaki?" a familiar voice answered.

"Ah! Madoka onee-san! Hai?" she asked as she pushed some strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Have you seen Ayumu?"

"I'm about to in a minute."

"Can you tell him that the station wants him?"

"Of course. Ja ne."

"Arigato. Ja ne."

She came to an abrupt stop. She glanced up at the café called Kibou in front of her and giggled. "Okay!"

-X-

A young man of the age twenty sighed his typical sigh. An annoyed, frustrated, exasperated sigh. He held his notepad in one hand and a pen in the other. He repeated, "What would you like to drink with that?"

"Oh, but you never answered our question," a girl with blonde hair in two pigtails drawled. She twirled her hair with her fingers diligently.

"Yeah," another girl chirped. She had curly red hair that hung over her shoulders. She blinked – as to flirt – continuously at him. He thought she looked like an idiot. "What's your name?"

"Seriously, you guys," a girl with straight, black hair interrupted her. "Can't you see his like, name tag? His name is like, Narumi. So, Narumi-san, do you like, have a girlfriend? Because if you don't, I am like, totally available."

"Geez, Yuuki. Don't hog him all to yourself. I'm the one who saw him first." The blonde glared at her.

"Whatever," she waved her off. "It all depends on who he likes, duh."

"Or what type," the red-haired girl piped up.

A girl with short, choppy, brown hair uttered softly, "Um, you guys… He's asking.. Ano, Narumi-san… I'll take some green tea."

He noted that down in his notebook. He watched as the other girls continued to bicker; Ayumu muttered a curse under his breath. He gritted through his teeth, "What would you like to drink?"

The door to the café burst open. A foot came in first as if it had just kicked the door. "Ayumu!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Ayumu twitched. "Did you have to kick the door?"

"Of course!" Hiyono skipped up to him. "I have to have that dramatic entering!"

The girl with the black hair, Yuuki, nudged her blonde-headed friend. "Kikyo, who's that?" she asked in disgust, pointing her fork towards Hiyono.

She shrugged, her smirk turning into a frown. "I don't know. Look at how she's hanging all over him like that."

Hiyono smiled a bright smile at them. "Ohayo, Yuuki-san, Kikyo-san, Ayame-san, and Sakuno-san! How are you?"

"Eh?" Kikyo asked in surprise. "How do you know our names!"

"Trade secret," Hiyono and Ayumu answered in unison. Hiyono beamed at him.

Ayumu paid no heed to this and muttered, "What are you doing here?"

Hiyono left his question unanswered and instead asked, "Why are you waiting tables? You own the café! You're not supposed to wait tables, Ayumu! You're supposed to cook! Everyone needs to try your delicious food!"

"We ran out of waiters."

"That's why you have me!" She pulled her apron out of her bag that contained the store's insignia on it. "I'll be a waitress for today!"

"I'd rather you not."

Hiyono pouted, clutching her apron to her chest. "What? Why not?"

Ayumu ignored her as he stuck the pen and notepad into his apron's pocket. "Let me ask you again. Why are you here?"

"Oh! Madoka onee-san called me to tell you that the station wants you!"

"Now?" Ayumu glanced at the clock on the wall. It stated that it was three fifteen.

"Hai! Do you want me to take over?"

"No."

"You're horrible, Ayumu! I can do this!" Hiyono pulled a dress shirt and dress pants out of her bag and thrust it towards him. "Here. Go change."

"Arigato." Ayumu took off his apron and handed it to her. "I'll be right back."

"Mm." Hiyono nodded as she took his apron in her hands.

Yuuki grunted as she tapped her spoon against her empty teacup. "Excuse me." Hiyono turned around as she tied on her apron. "What's your relationship with Narumi-san?"

"That's personal." She smiled at her cheerfully.

"Hmph." Yuuki frowned. So did the rest of the girls on her table – except for Sakuno (the short-haired girl).

"Ah!" Hearing a pair of footsteps behind her, Hiyono turned towards Ayumu. His dress shirt was unbuttoned at the top and was untucked. "You're done! Wow, you're fast."

"Hn."

"Did you get your suitcase? And your coat?" Hiyono inquired.

"Ah."

"Don't get back too late," she instructed him.

"Why? So you won't be alone?"

She blinked at him in surprise. "Don't you know what today is?"

"Maybe."

Hiyono glared at him. Her hands were placed at her hips. "That's not an answer, Ayumu! You forgot, didn't you! Hidoi!"

"Ngh."

Rio sat down at one of the tables, smirking. Her chin rested on the palm of her hand. Her hair was let down, flowing over her apron. "You know, Otouto-san, you should just tell her you remember. That way, she'll get off your back."

Hiyono threw a glare towards Rio. "Urusen! This doesn't involve you!" Hiyono pouted. "I can't believe you don't remember, Ayumu! You're so mean! Hidoi! Hidoi, hidoi, hidoi!"

"Urusen," he grunted, shrugging. He slung his coat over his right shoulder.

Hiyono's lips trembled. She glowered at him and shouted, "Mou, Ayumu! I hate you!"

"Urusen. You're attracting everyone's attention."

"I don't care!" Tears started to fall from her eyes (of course, they're fake. Aren't they always fake?) "You're so mean, Ayumu! You're horrible!"

"Do you have to cry to attract their attention even more?"

She glared, knowing her tears failed. "Yes! You're supposed to say that you remember! Today is an important day!"

"Are you done now? I have to go to work."

"Mou, Ayumu!" She pouted. "Can't you at least say you remember?"

"Today's Wednesday. Happy?"

"No!" She glanced at the clock on the wall, and her cell phone started to ring again. "Moshi, moshi. Yuizaki desu," she grunted. "Hai. Hai. Wakarimashita." She shut her cell phone and tucked it back into her bag.

Her eyes held disappointment as she glanced at the floor. I guess he did forget after all. She let a small sigh escape her lips and then smiled. "Ayumu, they really need you right now. I guess you should go."

"Ah." He walked over to her and ruffled her hair. He smiled at her. "I'll see you later tonight, okay? Don't get so bothered by my actions; you know me best after all. I have plans, so don't worry."

She smiled gently. "I know. I love you."

"Hn."

He started to walk away before Hiyono let out a gasp. "Oh! Matte, Ayumu! You forgot your tie." She pulled the tie out of her bag and tossed it to him.

He caught it in his hand. "Arigato."

Hiyono smiled, watching him walk out of the café. "Yuizaki, huh? You seem to be close to Narumi-san," Yuuki growled.

Hiyono beamed at her. "Of course." Rio called Hiyono over to get table two's order, so she left.

"Yuuki, you don't know who she is?" Sakuno inquired. She had been to the café many times before and had seen there was a romantic relationship between the two.

"Why should I?"

"She's Narumi-san's girlfriend."

-X-

Hiyono glanced at the clock for the tenth time that day and let out another frustrated sigh. She had just finished all of her homework and was now tapping her pencil continuously against the table. She bit her lip and stole another glance at the door. He still isn't here. She took another look at the clock that hung on the wall. 11:02 P.M.

She let her head relax on her arms resting on the table. "Mou… Ayumu, where are you?" she let out a frustrated whisper. Her cell phone rang, causing her to jump ever so slightly. She glanced at the caller ID and noticed that it was Ayumu's number from work. She hastily pushed the on button and placed it against her ear. "Ayumu?" she called out faintly.

"Hiyono." She raised her eyebrows a little. He usually never called her by her name unless something serious was going on. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" she asked in surprise. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He chuckled. "You would've have already started to yell at me for being so late."

"Hmph," she pouted. "About that…"

"I'm sorry," he cut her off.

"You're not coming, are you?" Hiyono asked, biting her lip.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "The case was harder than I thought."

"It's okay," she stated, but she was trembling inside. She had to keep it in. It wasn't like her to cry.

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay? I promise." There was some commotion in the background, and he paused for a minute. He came back on, saying, "I got to go. Ja."

"Yeah…"

Ayumu hung up the phone and glanced at his watch. One minute too early.

Hiyono stared at her cell for a moment, replaying the words in her head. I'm sorry. The case was harder than I thought. The case was harder than he thought? There was something seriously wrong with that sentence. With haste, she wiped her tears away and furrowed her eyebrows. The case was harder than I thought. It wasn't a normal sentence coming from Ayumu. With just a glance at a case, he could figure a situation out easily. He wouldn't have a mistaken reading if he thought it was hard or not.

She stood up from her seat and grabbed a light jacket and put it on. She was about to open the door when she spotted a bag lying on the table. That's right. I put the gift there, so I wouldn't forget. She grabbed the gift and left the house.

-X-

She came upon the station, noticing that the lights were still on. Opening the door, she spotted Madoka and Kiyotaka leaving the building. Madoka looked at her in surprise. "Yuizaki-san? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, er… is Ayumu still here?"

"No," she stated, looking confused. "He left some time ago. I thought he would've been with you. Isn't today-"

"Hai," she sighed miserably. "But he called earlier – about seven minutes ago – saying that the case he was working on was harder than he thought, and he couldn't make it."

"That's strange coming from Ayumu."

Kiyotaka stood there next to Madoka, smiling like he knew exactly what was going on. "Oh, Yuizaki-san. Here," he said, tossing her an envelope.

Hiyono blinked at the envelope in her hand in surprise. "Eh? What's this?"

"It's from Ayumu." He linked his arm with Madoka, and they began to walk out. "Ja ne, Yuizaki-san."

"Oh, uh, ja!" she called out. She looked at the envelope carefully; her name was scripted on the front in his slim, angled handwriting. She warily opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.

Hey. This is the first note of many that you will receive today. Follow my orders, and you should be where you need to be by midnight. Anyway, here's the first one.

On the first night when purple was to bloom, there lie white birds. A place it was to be; a place special to you and me.

-Ayumu

She reread the note, confused. What? What's this supposed to mean? She tried to figure out the riddle, but it was too perplexing. On the first night when purple was to bloom, there lie white birds. A place it was to be; a place special to you and me. The first night? For what? Purple blooms? I don't understand riddles!

She glanced at her watch. It read 11:10. Oh no! I only have forty minutes! How am I supposed to figure it out by midnight? She took a deep breath and let it out. Okay! Ayumu had taught her a lot about reading riddles and dissecting every word to figure out its meaning. She could do this!

Okay, let's start first with the first night. The first night for what? Something about blooming purples… and white birds… Ah! Pigeons, maybe? Pigeons plus purple plus special plus first day equals… Um…A special place… Purple could mean lilacs… But I don't recall seeing lilacs at night… Oh! Maybe irises!

She glanced at the note again, rereading it with the words she had found. On the first night when irises bloom, there lay pigeons. A place it was to be; a place special to you and me. Irises… bloom in the spring… so the night was in spring. What happened in spring? Well, it's a special day. Ayumu and I… hmmm… at night… "Oh!" she let out a small gasp. AH! Shirasagi Park! The place he confessed to me!

-X-

She panted slightly upon entering the park. Glancing at her watch, she noted that seven minutes had passed since she had last checked. 11:17. She glanced around quickly. Trying to refresh her memories, she started to ponder.

Hmm… It was secluded, and there was a bench and… ah! She cautiously went towards a certain tall tree. Wasn't there an opening somewhere near here? She carefully went around the tree and there was a narrow path. Hiyono followed the path, which led her to an encircling of trees near a bench and surely, tucked in a bush near the bench was an envelope.

Success, she thought in glee. She vigilantly pulled the envelope from the bush, making sure that the branches didn't scratch it. Her name was scripted on the front of the envelope. She opened the envelope and pulled the note out; she read it.

That should've taken you a full nine minutes, knowing how your mind thinks. She growled. It should now be eleven twenty. She checked her watch. It was eleven nineteen; one second later, it was eleven twenty. Why was he always correct? Glad you could remember that I confessed to you here – although you forgot for a moment. My teachings of scrutinizing the words from riddles helped you in the future after all. I'm glad. Here's the next riddle:

Over the dark, red tree, we had the first of many. Heat of the day, and fuming over the blue at me, we were there.

-Ayumu

Hiyono stared at the notes. EH? Dark, red trees? We stood on trees? Since when? Okay… so it was daytime. Fumes over blue… the water. What are fumes again? Isn't that vapor? So… water vapor? Like rain? Eh? Oh, wait. Hold on. It wasn't fumes. It was fuming. Doesn't that mean to be furious? Okay so, over dark, red trees, we had the first of many. During the hot day, and I was furious at Ayumu, we were there.

Why does he have to give me these kinds of things? Trees… could mean wood! So… what's made of wood that could be red that we could walk – stand – on? Ooh! Like a bridge! We stood on a red bridge during the day. I was mad at him, and than we had the first of many. Her eyes widened. Ooohh. I had my first kiss over a red bridge. Er… what bridge was that again? Oh, that doesn't matter. I know where it's located.

-X-

Hiyono sighed blissfully at the bridge. She remembered this day clearly. She had been furious - and yes, furious was correct – that all of her friends (and when he asked if she even had any other friends, she declared that Rio and Rutherford had kissed, and so had Kousuke and Ryouko) that had been going out had already had their first kiss together. She clarified to him that they were the only couple of the group that hadn't kissed yet.

However, he ignored her, so she stormed off only to be gripped by him at the wrist. She turned around and got swept into a kiss. He had asked her if she was happy, and she exclaimed that she was magnificently happy.

She broke her train of thoughts and glanced around the bridge. She then glanced at the tree next to her. Pierced through a branch was the envelope. She reached towards it, grabbed it, and pulled it towards her. She tore open the envelope and read the contents of the note.

That shouldn't have taken you long. It should be eleven twenty-seven now. Hiyono checked her watch and surely, it was eleven twenty-seven. One more to go after this.

Bright lights glitter in the sky, and you ask me for my yearnings. Something blinks by; you wish for something aloud. Two things in the valley of the spring.

-Ayumu

Hiyono smiled triumphantly. Okay. This one is a whole lot easier. Lights plus sky equals stars! Yearnings equal wishing. A shooting star. Wait. Hold up. Valley of the spring? That… isn't so easy. Wait… no… I got it! It's that really pretty prairie-like valley! Near that cute park!

I remember now. That's when I asked if I could move in with him. Then I started to get annoyed that he was (or when he did) calling me Hiyono, and I only got to call him Narumi-san, so I asked - okay, maybe I demanded – if I could call him Ayumu. Memories are coming back! I'm getting the hang of this, Ayumu.

-X-

"Aha!" she exclaimed aloud. "There it is!" She stood on her tiptoes to grab the envelope that was tied onto the cherry-blossom tree's branch. Hiyono flipped the flap of the envelope open and pulled the letter out.

The scent of cherry-blossoms filled her nose. She dumped the envelope upside down to observe many cherry-blossom petals fall out. She let her lips curl into a smirk as she said, "Hn. Never knew Ayumu had a romantic side to him. I should get him to bring it out more."

She unfolded the letter.

Hey. This is your last destination.

Nowhere important, not until now. But this place was special to me, someway, somehow. It almost became like a habit, but, somehow… different. Up high in the sky, find it.

-Ayumu

"What time is it?" she asked aloud as she glanced at her watch. "Eleven… forty-three. Oh, shoot. I don't get this one at all…"

She let out a wistful sigh. "I didn't know… Ayumu had a special place besides his café…" What was a special place to him that acted like a habit? That was placed up high? Ooohhh… Hiyono stole a glance at the sky and the objects that looked like they were reaching out to attain it. "The school! On the roof! Way to go, Hiyono!"

-X-

The door was already opened when Hiyono came to pull it. She stepped inside quietly, hoping no one could hear her. Inside, the floor was replaced with marble and the lighting was brighter. The lockers were repainted a glossy black.

"Woow," she sighed blissfully. "The school… our high school… It's changed so much. It's so pretty in here!" Hiyono took a glance at her watch. "AHHH! Shit! It's 11:58! I only have two minutes to get to the roof!"

-X-

Hiyono panted and then sniffed the air. She let out a deep breath and inhaled the scent once more. "Why… does it smell so strong?" Hiyono opened the door. To her surprise, there were flowers everywhere. There were pots and buckets of flowers aligned near the railing. The fence was also repainted a nice, new black.

There were poles with hanging pots of flowers. Irises to sakuras to apple blossoms. They were everywhere. "Suteki," Hiyono said breathlessly.

"It looks different, doesn't it?" a voice interrupted her gaping.

She quickly turned on her heel to see Ayumu standing there. He checked his watch. "Exactly on time."

"Ayumu," Hiyono smiled brightly. "You didn't forget after all."

"I told you I made plans."

"Usually, plans do not include me running around trying to find clues."

"Well, my plans do."

She ignored him and gazed at the many flowers on the roof. "It looks really pretty now. Not like back then. Back then, it was just the roof… and you." She tugged on the bag on her arm and slid it off of her arm. She handed the small, little bag tied with a bow to him. "Happy anniversary!"

He graciously took the bag from her and untied the ribbon.

"Hurry up already! If it were me, the bag would've been torn already."

"That's why I'm not you." Ayumu opened the bag and pulled out a bronze-colored cell phone.

"I know you dropped yours in the lake from some case back then," she said, "so I bought you a new one."

He let out a small smile. "Thanks. But I have one question. Why'd you pick bronze?"

"To match my eyes!" she exclaimed giddily.

"And why would I want my phone to match your eyes?"

"Well, why would you want it to match your eyes? Don't you see your eyes everyday? Now when you use the phone, and I'm not there, you'll remember me!"

"Great," he grunted.

She grinned and lightly punched him. "So mean, Ayumu!"

"Catch," he said, tossing her a box wrapped in blue paper.

Hiyono looked at the box curiously and tore the blue paper off. She opened the box, excited… until she reached its contents. She picked up the long thing with a ribbon and scrunched her face up. "You got me a… stick? And after all the trouble I went through to get you a new cell phone, you got me a stick. A stick! Of all the things you could've gotten me, you got me a stick! Hido-"

"Look closer," he commanded her.

She did. She peered in closer, and she saw something flicker. Beam. Whatever you like to call it, but it was there. She fingered the copper ribbon that she had noticed earlier, thinking it was apart of the gift. And then she was something glimmer again. And she gasped. It was a ring.

A ring.

It wasn't just any kind of ring either. It was an engagement ring. With its pearly diamond resting on top of its gold band, it gleamed again. "It's an engagement ring!"

"I know. Happy anniversary."

There was a pause of silence before Hiyono said, "Well?"

"Well what?" he asked as he walked towards the railing, resting his arms on top of it.

She put her hands on her hips. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"You're supposed to kneel down on one knee, hold the ring out, and say, 'Hiyono, my dear, I love you so much. You're the reason the sun rises everyday. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?' " she sighed blissfully.

"There is no way I'll ever say something as cheesy and sappy as that," he growled. "Besides, if you know what I'm supposed to say, then why should I say it?"

"Well, a girl feels insecure," she huffed. "You've got to say it, or I won't believe you."

"Hn."

Her face fell. "You're not going to say it, are you?"

"… "

"Fine," she pouted, walking next to him. She shook his arm, making him glare at her. "Then at least put the ring on my finger."

Ayumu let out a sigh and grabbed the ring that Hiyono held out for him. He gently slid the ring on her ring finger. "There. Happy?"

"Mmmm…" she made out, staring at the ring on her finger. "One more thing."

"What now?" he grunted, clearly annoyed. He had only planned to give her the ring and get it over with.

Before he could say anything else (not like he meant to anyway), her hands had cupped his face and pulled him down to her height, bringing him in closer for a kiss. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She let go of his face and brought them around his neck. When they broke off, she smiled at him. "That's it."

Ayumu turned his gaze from her to the city, once again resting his arms on the railing. Hiyono stood beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Ne, Ayumu, you really do have a romantic side, huh? How… romantic," she sighed, smiling.

He grunted. "It's called hormones."

Hiyono paused, letting the wind brush against her face without protest. "…I'm cold."

"Here," he said, taking his jacket off and dropping it over her shoulder.

Hiyono let out a small giggle. "See? You do have a romantic side! That was not part of your hormones."

He turned away from her. "If any girl said they were cold, I'd probably do the same thing."

"It's still romantic," she giggled. She hugged him from the side, let go, and let her head relax on him once more. "Mou, Ayumu, don't be so mad."

"I'm not."

"I love you."

"I know."

-Owari

I'm so into proposals for Spiral… I don't know why… I didn't mean to make it a proposal story, it just happened… Ah, anyways, hope you liked it!

Xoxo MimiMichie