(based on light novels and outside input; for obvious reasons, stories stop at DDD)
Chapter 1: Forbidden
It was the last week of summer vacation. School children played in the streets regardless of whether or not they had finished their summer assignments (odds were they hadn't). Relena showed off her high school uniform to her kohai friends, who consisted of Lea, Isa, Myde, Sayuri, Miku, and Anetka. "Wow, that looks really great on you," said Anetka.
"We'll study hard so we can get into the same school as you," Sayuri added.
"What a girly thing to get excited about," Myde scoffed.
"If you're not interested then why did you bother coming over?" Relena snapped.
"I need some help with my summer homework and I knew everybody would be here."
"You'd better not be waiting until the last minute again or else your mom's gonna ground you," Miku warned. "We have to practice for choir and for that we need you."
"I've already finished mine," Relena said. "I had to start early because they give you more in high school. If you still need to do yours, then go home."
"But senpai-" Myde complained.
"Out!"
Disappointed, Myde left. "It's your own fault for shooting your mouth off," Lea shouted after him.
"We'd better go help him," Isa said dutifully. "I know you haven't done yours either."
"Okay, but let's get ice cream first."
With that, only the four girls remained in the room. "I still can't believe you're in high school already," Sayuri sighed. "Time flies."
"We should do something fun this week, since we haven't done anything together in a while," Miku suggested.
"Like what?" Anetka asked.
"Explore the town, maybe hide-and-seek?"
"Those are kids games," Relena scoffed.
"Not if we go to places like the outer gardens and the caverns below the castle," Miku said mischievously.
"No one's allowed in the caverns. It's too dangerous," Sayuri pointed out.
"I don't feel like getting into trouble," Anetka chimed in.
"You guys are a couple of wussies," Relena taunted.
"We can still go to the gardens tomorrow," Miku conceded. "If we don't get caught, then maybe we can try the caverns the day after that."
"I like the way you think," Relena said.
Anetka and Sayuri exchanged uneasy looks. They didn't want to get in trouble with the people in the castle, and they certainly didn't want to get in trouble with their families. "Should we invite the boys to come too?" Sayuri asked.
"Why do we need them to come along?" Relena asked. "They'll just spoil it."
The next day, Relena, Anetka, and Sayuri went to the outer gardens; while they waited for Miku to arrive, they ate the cookies that Anetka had baked. "I guess Miku doesn't get any," Relena said, eating the last one. "These are really good."
They waited another hour for Miku to arrive, but she never did. "It isn't like her to be this late. I'm getting worried," Sayuri murmured.
"I'm bored, so I'm gonna go home" Relena complained, getting up.
"What about Miku?" Anetka asked.
"I'll look for her on my way back. This turned into hide-and-seek after all."
Anetka and Sayuri remained behind, wondering what could have happened to their friend and what they should do. "You don't think she went to the caverns, do you?" Sayuri whispered.
"If she did, we can't go down after her," Anetka said. "We'll look everywhere else, and if we don't find her, we have to tell someone."
They left the outer gardens and searched the surrounding area near the castle. "Miku-chaaaaan!" they shouted every thirty seconds.
Their voices carried well enough for anyone in the area to hear them, including those in the castle. Even came out to yell at them. "Children! Cease with your noise. You should not be playing out here."
"Please excuse us. We can't find our friend Miku," Sayuri said desperately.
"I gathered that." Still, Even could see that the two girls were worried about their friend, who could actually be missing. "What does she look like?"
"She's about our height with short black hair and brown eyes," Anetka answered.
"I will ask the guards to keep a lookout for her. Go home and wait."
"Thank you!" The two bowed before running off.
Meanwhile, the boys were taking a study break and buying sea salt ice cream. "I just don't see the point in writing an essay about what I did during summer break until the very end of summer break," Myde reasoned.
"That's fine if you've been keeping track this whole time," Isa replied.
"It would help if you had actually done something memorable," Lea added. He saw the two girls running toward them without their raven-haired companion. Ice cream in hand, he waved at the blonde and brunette, not realizing anything was wrong until he could see the panicked looks on their faces. "What happened? Did Miku ditch you guys to hang out with senpai?"
"All three of us waited for Miku in the outer gardens but she never showed up," Sayuri explained, out of breath.
"Maybe she had something else to do," Isa said calmly.
"Yesterday she talked about going to the caverns," Anetka added. Isa stopped eating his ice cream mid-lick.
"That's bad!" Myde exclaimed fearfully, almost dropping his.
"No way. She wouldn't have gone there alone," Lea determined.
"Not unless she was trying to impress senpai," Isa murmured.
However, their fears were soon put to rest when Braig walked up to them with Miku in tow. "Lose something?" he asked, letting go of her arm. She looked more embarrassed than angry.
"Where were you?" Sayuri asked hysterically.
"I thought it would be fun to cut through the hedge maze on my way over...but I got lost," Miku replied sheepishly. "The pink-haired guy tending it found me and walked me out, but by the time I got to the outer gardens, you had already left."
"Not five minutes after Even gave me her description, there she was," Braig added. "Stay out of trouble, okay? That's all I'm saying."
There was a brief silence after Braig left. "Sorry I made you guys worry. Was senpai angry?" Miku asked.
"She got bored and left, but she said she'd look for you on her way home. We'd better let her know you're all right," Anetka explained.
"Don't scare us like that again," Sayuri said. "We thought you'd decided to go to the caverns by yourself."
"What? I'd never do that. I'm not that crazy," Miku insisted. "Come on, let's go find senpai. Later, boys."
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