Needy:

By afternoon, I came back to my room to check on Sappoto-san. I knocked on the door.

�Who is it?� a muzzled voice asked on the other side.

�It�s only me,� I said. �Are you okay?�

�Yes,� she said.

�May I come in?� I asked.

�Okay,� she replied. I twisted the door open and went inside. I found the room pitch black inside. The curtains weren�t even drawn open. I squinted to look for her.

�Sappoto-san?� I whispered. I reached over to flip on the light switch.

�Don�t!� she said quickly. �It gives me comfort this way.� I paused and blinked at her.

�Okay�� I said. �Why is that?�

�Just don�t,� she said. I lowered my hand.

�Thank you,� Sappoto-san murmured. I turned and found her sitting on the bed just before me.

�Hey, is something wrong?� I asked. She trembled for a bit. I had a good idea about what this was about.

�If it�s about your family, we�ll find them soon, I promise,� I said assured. She shook her head at me.

�It�s not just that,� she said. I raised an eyebrow at her before I came over to her side.

�Do you want to talk about it?� I asked. Sappoto-san didn�t speak; instead, she moved her knees to her chest. I rubbed her on the back.

�Take your time if you need to,� I whispered to her. She pressed her lips together and nodded.

�Come here,� I told her. I pulled that big sap in closer to me for a hug. She broke down crying in my arms.

�Now tell me,� I said. �What are you crying about now?� Sappoto-san looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

�I can�t stand this anymore,� she complained. �I want to go home!� I stared her deep in the eye.

�Did one of those creeps say anything to upset you?� I asked. Sappoto-san shook her head at me.

�Then what�s the matter?� I asked. She choked back another sob. I frowned at her.

�You confuse me sometimes, you know that?� I asked. Sappoto-san just looked up at me with those big teary eyes of hers. I patted her on the head.

�But seriously,� I said. �What are you crying for? How can help you out when you won�t talk to me, huh? So please, say something.� Sappoto-san laid her head up against my chest.

�I just want to go home,� she whimpered. I nodded at her.

�Yes, I got that part,� I said. �But why?�

�I just want to see my husband and children again,� she said. That woman broke down into sobbing again. I patted her on the shoulder.

�Shhh,� I whispered. �After we save these people from being ripped off, we�ll go home, okay?� Sappoto-san looked up at me with those big eyes of hers.

�You promise?� she asked.

�Yes, yes,� I insisted. �We just need to help this family not get scammed by those creeps that dragged us into this.� Sappoto-san shuffled at me.

�How?� she asked. I pressed my lips together at her.

�I will work that out,� I said. We both stayed silent for a long moment. Sappoto-san broke down crying once again. I sighed aloud.

�What are you crying about now?� I asked. She squeezed me tight in her arms.

�Come on,� I said. �Toughen up, you big sap!�

�I�ve never had a good friend until I met you!� she wailed. I looked down at her, stunned.

�What?� I asked. She grabbed at my shirt as tightly as she could.

�Miho-chan, you are my best friend!� she wailed. The deep stare in her eyes almost made me fill uncomfortable. �Please stay with me until we find my family!� she pleaded. �Please say that you will!� I looked at her while I searched for something to say. Her grip grew tighter on my shirt.

�Please?� she begged me. I made myself smile as I patted her on the head.

�Okay,� I said. �I won�t leave you!� She looked up at me with happy gasp.

�Thanks!� Sappoto-san said as she hugged me. �You�re the best friend I could ever have!�

�Uh� thank you?� I asked. Somehow, I don�t really mind it this time. Despite how awkward that all came out, it was rather sweet. I can be a best friend to Sappoto-san until she gets her family back. I can live with that and smile.

But first, we have to deal with the �king� and the �duke.� Little did we know, that that problem was going to resolved without much of my help.