Chapter 11:

Everyone's back from Okinawa, and it's s new term, everyone is in 2^nd year now. Fuuko is ecstatic because she used her summer job pay to buy a cell phone. She catches sight of Natsuki and Yumi, walking and holding hands, and hits Natsuki on the head, saying just because they got into the same class, acting all lovey-dovey like that is too annoying. Natsuki tells her she's just jealous. Ruka asks them how their power is, and Natsuki says it's getting bad, they had a hard time coming up to the roof (where they are now). Fuuko is surprised that Natsuki's is fading as well, and he adds that it has been since Okinawa. Yumi declares that today is the last time she'll come to the roof. Fuuko is dismayed, thinking that the power really does disappear, and Natsuki confesses that he's a bit sad to lose such an interesting power, but right now he's extremely happy so it's okay. He jumps down holding Yumi, announcing that from now on, he and Yumi will eat lunch separately. Fuuko, after hitting him with her shoe, wonders if that means her and Ruka's power will disappear as well. Ruka interrupts her thought, saying that the pictures from Okinawa have been developed, and Fuuko wonders if he doesn't care, or maybe because he's the source of the power he's different.

After school at Ruka's, Fuuko is impressed with how well even the underwater photos turned out, and asks if Ruka developed them himself. He says yes, he borrowed Occhan's dark room, and promises to let Fuuko use the underwater camera next time as well. Fuuko excitedly asks if he'll bring her diving again, and smiling, Ruka says sure, they can easily go diving in the sea nearby. Fuuko suggests that from now on, Ruka can show Natsuki the scenes he can't experience anymore through photos, and Ruka at first looks surprised, then smiles and agrees. Fuuko looks at the beach pictures, and complains that her hair looks even worse than usual. She muses that maybe she should buy a good hairdryer with the rest of her money, and Ruka tells her not to worry about her wayward hair. He picks up a lock and tells her he likes it, it seems suitable for her, and Fuuko blushes. Ruka doesn't know what to do, and into the awkward silence bursts Occhan, demanding of Ruka where his mountaineering backpack is. Then he notices Fuuko and says hello, and Ruka tells him he should take care of his stuff himself, and asks if he's doing a shoot in the mountains again. Fuuko is a bit agitated, and thinks that Ruka shouldn't do stuff like that to 'just a friend'. She thinks gloomily that she's probably the only one feeling anything anyway, but Ruka, as he's looking for the backpack, thinks that he shouldn't have touched a girl's hair so casually. Then he thinks of Fuuko's declaration of liking him.

Fuuko is talking with Occhan, and he's surprised to hear about Natsuki and Yumi's power disppearing. Fuuko asks if he's not knowledgeable about the power, and says no, too bad. He tells her that his grandfather was supposed to have it, but only Ruka seems to have inherited it. Fuuko exclaims in displeasure, asking why it has to disappear, and Occhan reminds her that it's not exactly a natural power to begin with, and because of having it, Ruka always stuck out within his family and at school, and got into the bad habit of escaping by himself. Then Occhan tells Fuuko to hold tight to Ruka, because he won't always be able to stay with Ruka. Fuuko stops for a moment, then thinks resignedly that her feelings are obvious. Ruka comes in saying he found it, and Occhan sets off, saying he'll be gone for a while and telling Ruka to be good. Ruka protests, saying he's gone to Sabaketake before, why can't he come along? but Occhan vetoes the idea, saying he has school and the mountains in spring are dangerous for amateurs. As she watches, Fuuko smiles, thinking that with Occhan, Ruka really seems like a kid, then thinks back to Occhan's comment and reflects that though she totally wants to hang on to Ruka, the problem is the wishes of Ruka himself...

At school, Natsuki has come to talk to Ruka alone, and says he wants to have a man-to-man talk with him. Then he announces that he knows Fuuko kissed Ruka, and that Ruka denied her, and as Ruka collapses to the ground, tells him not to pretend sleep. Natsuki says he doesn't want to pry into their relationship but....Ruka reveals that the reason is that after becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, if things go bad, they might turn out like Fuuko and Shiozaki, an awkward situation where they gradually grow apart. So Ruka thought it would be better if they just stayed friends, then they can stay close. Natsuki, surprised, asks if then Ruka said no to Fuuko because he doesn't want to be apart from her. Ruka doesn't reply, his head buried in his arms, and Fuuko appears, calling Ruka to come with her for an experiment, then noticing Natsuki. Natsuki says he's going now, and Fuuko tells him Yumi's in the classroom. He gets up, and as he passes Fuuko moving toward Ruka, hits her on the behind and tells her to keep trying.

Fuuko brings Ruka on her bike and sets out, complaining about Natsuki, asking what that 'yellow-haired depraved idiot could be thinking. Ruka asks what the experiment is, and Fuuko laughs, saying if this power is going to disappear, she should try all the things she wants to do with it now. Ruka smiles and thinks that she's a positive thinker. They stop before a bridge, and when Ruka asks, Fuuko says that she's going to try the Anti-Gravity Steel Bridge Crossing Bike Version'. Ruka yells to stop, but she says it's too late, and asks Ruka to help if it turns out to be too hard for her. Ruka pleads with her to give him a break, but Fuuko just tells him to look. Ruka falls silent as Fuuko says it's like they're flying, a bit different feeling from being on a balloon. After a moment of looking, Ruka laughs and hugs Fuuko, telling her she's awesome. Fuuko loses her concentration and the bike wobbles, then goes off the steel bar (they've been riding on one of the top side bars). For a second they're in mid-air, doing the 'Anti-Gravity Make Believe E.T.', then they touch down on the other side in grass, and crash the bike. They (holding hands!^_^) both break out in laughter, and Fuuko remarks how lucky they were to be across the river already. Fuuko pronounces the experiment a success, then is quiet as they face each other, very close in the grass. Ruka starts to say something when his cell phone rings. While Fuuko tries to recover her composure, wondering what Ruka was about to say, Ruka confirms that the call is from Occhan's office, then asks them to repeat something. He suddenly shouts that Occhan has had an accident in the mountains. The caller continues, explaining that while climbing the mountain, Occhan fell off a cliff, and because of the deep fog, the team with him returned without being able to find him. Apparently the weather has turned bad as well, so it's unsure when the search can continue. Ruka slowly lowers the phone, and Fuuko says it must be alright, even though an accident happened it's not like it's a snow-covered mountain, and Ruka tells her right now it probably does still have snow. Then he states that he's going to help him. Fuuko holds him back, saying even though he does have the power, still....and Ruka retorts that he's climbed mountains before with Occhan, and Occhan might be hurt, what if something happens before the search continues? Fuuko falters, then decisively says she's going too. Ruka says no way, that would realle be crazy, but Fuuko says she's going, and if he doesn't let her then she won't let him go. Fuuko wins with willpower, and Ruka says okay, they'll go home to get ready, then meet at the station.

At home, Fuuko is talking to Natsuki and Yumi on the phone, and when Natsuki tells her she's crazy, she says it's alright, this time she's going to stop Ruka. She thinks that when things get serious, it's Ruka who really does crazy things, like when they were saving Choro. At the station, Fuuko is waiting where they agreed, but thinks that Ruka is late, the train they're supposed to take is about to go. Occhan's voice comes to her, mentioning Ruka's bad habit of escaping alone at serious moments. She runs along the wall as fast as she can as the speaker announces that the train is leaving, and gets to the platform just in time to see Ruka about to get on. She calls out to him and he turns, but then steps on the train and the door closes behind him. Fuuko runs futilely along the platform...