Chapter Text
Shizuku had to hold Kasumi's hand whenever they go out. Not because it's romantic (or because Kasumi's hand is tender and warm) but she didn't want Kasumi to get lost again. The gremlin always taunted Karin about her being bad with directions, but Kasumi herself needed a leash for her short attention span.
"I'm not a kid, Shizuko. I can walk on my own." Kasumi said that but she wasn't fighting Shizuku's grip. The amusement park had a sea of people. The fact that they lost the others in the club and cellphone reception was poor here made it easier for anyone, especially Karin or Kasumi, to wander off not knowing where they're going. If only the cellphone signal was strong here so they could simply text the others where they were. That way, they didn't have to go through all this trouble. No free Wifi either.
"When you get lost," Shizuku continued dragging Kasumi along. "Can you go to the lost and found so I can find you?"
"I'm not an item, Shizuko, geez."
"Relax! I'm only saying it for safe measure."
"So you weren't joking? And what do you mean by 'WHEN I get lost?' Don't you mean if?"
"Not at all!"
Shizuku could tell Kasumi was getting grumpy, (the way she pouts like a child was cute), but she still followed her like a sheep to a shepherd.
"Shizuko, didn't we pass by this clown just a minute ago?" Kasumi said.
"It's rude to refer to a stranger like that."
"No, Shizuko, he's a clown in the most basic sense of the word. Funny make up, red nose, honk, honk, juggling, laughing like a— Are you even paying attention to where we're going?"
Kasumi alongside her, Shizuku stopped in her tracks. The man in make up wryly glances to their direction but continued juggling soft bowling pins for the kids.
"Sorry, Kasumi. I was too busy daydreaming that I wasn't focused on reuniting with the others at all." Shizuku giggled. Kasumi's frown stated 'This isn't the time to be giggling!'
"Let's ask the clown for directions."
"I told you to not call him that, that's rude."
Kasumi approached the man with a polite smile and her iconic pointing at her cheeks pose.
"Hey clown, have you seen a group of cute girls as cute as me?"
"Who you calling clown?!"
The man's voice was so deep and loud that it sent Kasumi and the other children watching to shiver and cower. Shizuku had to butt in to calm everyone down, including the funny man who is definitely not a clown. It took a minute before the disappointed parents took their children while the man and Shizuku apologized to them. Meanwhile, Kasumi was still rattled, hiding behind Shizuku and trembling like a newborn fawn.
"I, again, apologize for my friend's behavior. She's grumpy because we don't know where the lost and found is." Shizuku said to the friendly (just easily-rattled) man. Not a clown.
"Oh, the lost and found? Why, it's over there, missy." The kind man honked his red nose and pointed a bowling pin at the tent on a far corner. Shizuku thanked the kind man and followed his directions, hauling the grumbling Kasumi with her.
To their surprise, they stumbled upon Karin standing cooly inside the tent's shade.
"Karin-senpai?!" Kasumi jerked back, somewhat theatrically. "What are you doing here?"
With a wavering smile, Karin chuckled, scratching a finger behind her ear. She didn't want to admit it, but she's lost too.
Perhaps Shizuku was right all along. She was right about not calling that man a clown, and she also might be right about going to the lost and found when you're lost. Kasumi only saw one clown that day, and it was when she looked at the reflection of her phone's blank screen. No funny makeup needed.
A tap, and the screen lit up. The cellphone reception came back.