My Personal Baggage:

We�re out on the water again. Sappoto-san kept frowning at me. I gave her a puzzled look.

�What is it?� I asked.

�We should�ve told her family sooner,� she said.

�Why?� I asked.

�They were doing wrong.�

�But they were young and in love.�

�It still doesn�t matter!�

I frowned at her. �How can you say that? Weren�t you and Atticus like that when you young?� Sappoto-san scoffed at that notion.

�Not the same thing!� she said. I raised an eyebrow at her.

�How?� I asked. Sappoto-san shrugged at me.

�It just isn�t,� she said. I just lost all words from there. Why bother arguing with this lady? She won�t listen at all. I flopped back onto the deck. I can�t remember the last time I saw this many stars in the sky. City lights just drown them out. Out here on the ocean, the darkness lets the stars show off their natural beauty. I heard my dear baggage friend lying down next to me.

�Wow!� she whispered. I nodded to myself.

�Yeah,� I said. �Magnificent, isn�t it?�

�Yes,� Sappoto-san said nodding.

�Damn,� I said as I realized something. �I haven�t seen the stars alone in forever�� I mumbled. Sappoto-san looked up at me.

�Hm?� she asked. I shook my head.

�Nothing,� I brushed off. �Just thinking out loud.�

�Oh,� Sappoto-san said.

�Think we�ll fine your family soon?� I asked. She gave me a sharp nod.

�Yes!� she said. �I know I will!� I glanced over at her.

�But you don�t even know where to begin, do you?� I asked.

�Nope!� she cheered. I gave her a strange face.

�So, how will you find them?� I asked.

�I just will!� she said aloud. I laughed and shook my head. That was just Sappoto-san all over. She doesn�t really think things through, but she just goes for it anyway. Speaking of which, the summer will be over soon. That means will have to go back to Tokyo soon. I shut my eyes for a moment. That�s means I�ll have to deal with my sister living in my apartment again. Damn it!

�Something wrong?� I heard my baggage friend ask. I glanced over at her. Her eyes looked rather worried at me. I gently patted her on the head.

�No,� I said. �I�m fine.� Then, an idea came into my head. �Say,� I said to her. �How do you feel about going to Thailand?� Sappoto-san looked at me rather puzzled.

�I�ve never been there,� she said. I smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

�Okay then!� I said aloud. �To Thailand it is!� Sappoto-san�s eyes lit up in excitement as I stood up to change course to our final new destination for this summer runaway trip.