This Story No Title
A School Rumble Fanfic 

Chapter 21: Money, Money, Money!

By John Biles

****************

	Harima sat nervously next to Yakumo and Imadori, 
while Eri sat next to her parents on the other side of the 
table.  He picked nervously at his food, while Yakumo ate 
quietly and Imadori ate loudly.

	"The first round victory goes to Harima, because he 
did a good job of making contacts with various of our 
family members and allies, although we almost threw him 
out of the contest because of his invasion of Kyousuke-
kun's party," Henry said.

	"But...," Harima began to protest.

	"Don't bury yourself.  We would have given the win to 
Tsukamoto, who gave the best party, but many of our 
guests got the idea she was a hired entertainer and she 
didn't make the kind of contacts that Harima did," Henry 
continued.

	Yakumo carefully watched her food.  

	"She's kind of shy," Harima said.  "She..."

	"Yes, which is not ideal for the life we lead," Henry 
said.  "Kyousuke-kun, you refrained from wrecking 
anyone's party, but much as you and my wife and your 
friends enjoyed it, most of the guests were either confused 
or not particularly pleased or thought it was childish."

	"I liked it," Ami said.

	"Yes, I noted that, dear," Henry said.

	Imadori nodded.  "I just went with what I know."

	"You'll have to do better in the next round," Henry 
said.

	"What is the next round?" Harima asked.

	"Each of you will be setting up and running a business 
for a month," Ami said.  "You'll get to choose what it is and 
be given a financial advisor, since none of you have proper 
business training yet," she said.

	"You'd better keep Akira out of it, or her team will 
win," Imadori said.

	"Hey, no one said you couldn't have your Douji-
buddies help you with your Dodgeballion or what it's 
called," Harima said.

	I should try and get sempai to help me this time, 
Yakumo thought.

	"We'll think on it.  We'll need time to set things up, so 
come up with your concept, and the contest will begin once 
you return to school," Ami said.

	"Won't that make doing our homework difficult?" 
Yakumo asked.

	"You will act as top management; staff provided by us 
will run the store when you're busy with school, homework, 
etc," Ami said.  "We understand you are still in school."

	Harima looked over at Eri, who looked very carefully 
blank.  "Will Eri-san be helping each of us in turn, or is she 
largely out of this?"

	"Eri will monitor the projects in our absence and 
report to us, as we'll be in and out of Japan over the next 
month," Ami said.  "Try and come up with your concept 
over the next few days and let us know."

	"Okay," Imadori said.  "What kind of budget are we 
talking?"

	"Enough for a shop or a nightclub or a restaurant or 
something like that, not enough to make your own car 
company," Ami said.

	Imadori nodded. "Alright.  I can work with that."  I 
can fulfill my dream of owning a bunny bar!  YES!

	Maybe a nice restaurant of some kind, Yakumo 
thought.

	Fuck, Harima thought.  I don't know jack about 
business.  Maybe I can teach people to ride motorcycles or 
something...  

	This would take some thought.  

**************

	"You flatter me," Miki said to Mrs. Sawachika a little 
later.

	"Seriously, I've looked at your grades," Mrs. 
Sawachika began.

	"How did you get to see my grades?" Miki asked in a 
sudden panic.

	"Your parents were very cooperative," Mrs. 
Sawachika said.

	"..."

	"Anyway, I think this opportunity would look good on 
your resume in the future," Mrs. Sawachika said.  "And we 
will pay you, of course."

	"I would rather be able to back up Harima-san, 
though, or Yakumo-san," Miki said.  

	"Harima-san has Takano-san backing him, which is 
why we need you in the first place.  Though if you think 
you can't outwit a high school student...," Ami began.

	That stung Miki's pride.  "I'm not afraid of Takano's 
brain," Miki said firmly.  "But it seems pretty clear to me 
that your daughter doesn't want to marry Imadori, so much 
as I appreciate your offer, I can't see my way clear to this.  
Much as I could use the money."  Though I could take the 
offer, then give him all bad advice, she thought.

	No, that would be unethical and if anyone figured it 
out, it would hurt her in the future.  "If you can use me in 
some other capacity...," she said hopefully.

	Mrs. Sawachika looked over at Mr. Sawachika.  

	He said, "Yes, actually.  This is what we need you to 
do..."

	It was, as it turned out, something she felt she could 
agree to.

**************

	Eri heard a knock on her door as she was busy 
hugging a stuffed cat-thing-doll and moping.  "Who is it?"

	"Mikoto," was the reply.

	"Come in."

	Mikoto came in, closing the door behind her.  "Hey, 
how are you feeling?"

	"Exhausted.  Kind of burnt out," Eri said, slumping 
over the rather large doll, resting her chin on its head.

	Mikoto picked up another stuffed doll; this one was a 
sort of large blue rabbit.  It had seen better days, being 
rather battered and having odd purple areas on its fur.  She 
then sat down by Eri, hugging it.  "Want to talk about it?"

	"You ever think of running away, Mikoto-chan?," Eri 
asked.

	"Yeah, sometimes," Mikoto said.  "Gonna elope with 
Kenji, hmm?"

	"I wish," Eri said softly.  "This stupid engagement is 
messing everything up.  I don't want to be a prize."

	"Yeah, I can't blame you.  But I expect your parents 
are probably trying to teach you a lesson," Mikoto said.

	Eri grimaced, squeezing her cat-thing-doll.  "All I'm 
learning is that I'd rather die than marry Imadori.  And I 
think Yakumo is hot for me now."

	"..."

	"I mean, I can see how my sweet kisses are 
irresistable, but I was insane AND male at the time," Eri 
said, rambling on, loosening her grip on the doll.  "Or 
possibly Tenma's convinced Yakumo she's a were-lesbian 
now."

	Mikoto rolled her eyes.  "That's our Tenma."

	"Exactly.  But once she gets an idea in her head...," Eri 
began.

	"I know," Mikoto said, hugging her blue rabbit a little 
tighter.  "Miki filled her head with this completely insane 
stuff about college students, though I think she's forgotten 
it in favor of were-lesbianism."

	"What kind of stuff?" Eri asked curiously.

	"About how all college students have foursomes 
and...it's best we not even think about it," Mikoto said, 
shaking her head.

	Eri grinned a little.  "Not going to give away your 
secrets?"

	"Yeah...no!," Mikoto said.  "Look, with Akira backing 
him, I doubt Harima can lose, so long as your parents don't 
decide on...a smiling contest."

	Eri laughed, feeling better.  "That's true.  But Imadori's 
protesting that, so they may try to neutralize her somehow."  
She frowned at that.

	Mikoto cocked her head slightly.  "So did you end up 
confessing without us being there to witness, or did you 
wuss out?"

	"I didn't wuss out!  I just didn't have a good chance to 
get him alone.  And I fear I won't now that the parties are 
over."  She sighed.  "I just...I can't talk about things like 
that with security over my head."

	"It may be a long time before you can without security 
over your head," Mikoto said, shaking her head.

	Eri flopped back on the bed, ponytails akimbo, staring 
at the ceiling with the cat-thing-doll on her chest.  "I know, 
I know," she said.  "I still think if he doesn't know, he's a 
complete idiot."

	"You can't leave any wiggle room," Mikoto said.  
"Hanai is mine, all mine, because I left no wiggle room in 
front of witnesses."

	"You certainly did some wiggling in front of those 
witnesses," Eri said, then laughed softly, sitting back up.

	Mikoto turned red.  "That's another story," she 
mumbled.  "So what makes you think Yakumo is hot for 
you now?"

	"Well, when I nearly kissed her, she was ready to be 
kissed," Eri began.

	Mikoto raised an eyebrow.  "So who is hot for who?"

	"I didn't...we didn't...I'm not a man right now, 
dammit!" Eri said.

	"Picked up Kenji's cursing, I see," Mikoto said, 
grinning.  

	"I really need to not do that or Mother will have my 
mouth washed out again," Eri said, making a face.  
"Anyway, I am not hot for Yakumo.  I'd go insane dealing 
with Little Miss Perfect all the time."  She moved into a 
more normal frown.

	"She doesn't go around being snooty," Makoto said.  
"She seems pretty nice to me."

	"She's just in this to keep Kenji away from me," Eri 
said dolefully.

	Probably true, Mikoto thought.  "Well, I'll be backing 
you in this, and I know you love Kenji, even if you can't 
admit it."

	Eri buried her face in the cat-doll-thing and said 
something incoherent through it.

	Mikoto smiled a little.  "Akira and I will make sure 
you get to be happy, Eri."

	"Thank you," she said softly.

	"So don't worry about Imadori or Yakumo.  It's going 
to be okay," Mikoto said.  "I'm sure there won't be any 
more trouble."

************

	Yuri and Tae's father were locked in a stalemated 
game of chess; each of them was just good enough to hold 
off the other without coming to a win.  Tae had passed out 
on the nearby couch, and Tani was reading a book; distant 
typing echoed down from above, as Tae's mother tapped 
away at the keys.

	Yuri's phone rang and she answered it.  "Hello?"

	"Hello.  Are you Moteuchi Yuri?" the woman on the 
other end asked.

	"Yes, I am," she said.  "May I ask who you are?"

	"I am Sawachika Ami, Eri's mother."

	Yuri smiled.  "Your daughter is very nice," she said.

	"I'm glad you like her.  I understand you have some 
experience running your own business," Mrs. Sawachika 
said.

	"Yes," Yuri said.  

	"Good.  I have an offer to make you..."

************	

	"So, are we ready to strike?" Satsuki's father asked the 
others.

	"We will need more work, but I think you will need to 
return to avoid losing your job," Mr. Hanai said.  "And my 
students need me.  We will feign forgiveness and finish 
your training in secret, then strike when they are most 
vulnerable."

	"And I...," Mr. Gonzales asked a little nervously.

	"I'd like you to continue teaching at my Dojo.  My boy 
can always use a few more beatings," Mr. Hanai said.

	"Amen to that," Mr. Gonzales said.  "He will rue the 
day he broke my little Lala's heart!"

**************

	Hanai, Miki, Masahiro, Jenny, and Keiichi were out 
on the slopes, enjoying them while they still could.  
However, as they cruised down the hill, Hanai sneezed 
violently, causing him to lose balance and crash into a tree.

	"Haruki-kun!," Miki yelled, pulling up short to see if 
he was okay.

	Keiichi looked back, laughing, and crashed into a tree 
himself.  Jenny laughed at that, only to also crash.

	Masahiro shook his head and came over to them, 
helping them up.

	"Masahiro-kun, are you...whew," Miki said, afraid 
he'd crashed too.  "Someone must be thinking of you," Miki 
said, helping Hanai up.

	"They picked a lousy time to do it," Hanai mumbled. 

	But soon, they were all back in motion.

*************

	Tougo answered the phone.  "Hello, this is Tougo 
Masakazu."

	"Hey, cousin," a female voice said.  "How's it going?"

	"Stage one reached," he said.  "Tentatively heading 
into stage two.  Tell Mom I can see why it took her so long 
to find a husband."

	"She'll beat my ass," his cousin said.

	"Yes, instead of me."  He laughed.

	"So how are things with you two?" his cousin asked 
curiously.

	"Very well.  She's a wonderful girlfriend.  Not always 
easy to deal with, but I don't want a weakling," Tougo said.

	"Me neither," his cousin said.

	"Everyone you've ever dated has been a complete 
doormat, so you could get them to give you presents," 
Tougo said, amused.

	"Yes, but I'm too young to settle down.  So for 
now...presents," his cousin said.  "You found those manga 
for me yet?"

	"Still looking," Tougo said.  "I'll make another run of 
conventions and shops once things get moving back in 
Japan."

	"Well, good luck in school, then," his cousin said.  
"Hmm, I'm surprised the reception is this good."

	"Things work better when you get permission instead 
of stealing them," Tougo said.  "Not that I know anyone 
who ever stole anything important."

	"Hey!  I had no choice," his cousin protested.  

	"Of course.  Anyway, Mai's almost here and we're 
going out, so bye for now.  Take care," Tougo said.

	"You too," she said, then hung up.

	Mai now came in.  "Ready to go?"

	"I'm always ready for you, my dear love.  Seeing you 
like this reminds me of my trip to Greece..."  Actually, 
Tougo had never been to Greece, but he bluffs well.

*************

	"Good day, Sawachika-san, Sawachika-sama," Mrs. 
Takano said to Henry and Ami Sawachika respectively.  
"What did you wish to talk to me about?"

	"We have a business proposition for you.  Tarakawa-
san recommended you," Henry said.  He passed a small 
plate with cookies and tea over to Mrs. Takano.

	"Thank you," Mrs. Takano said, sipping the tea. Arya 
Ruby Darjeeling, First Flush.  Exactly the sort of high-class 
tea she would expect of a wealthy family.  She could see a 
nearby basket which contained Singbulli Darjeeling, 
Makaibari Silver Tip Darjeeling, and Choka Blue 
Darjeeling, all First Flush as well.  Definitely trying to 
butter me up, as I'm sure they know I'll recognize it, she 
thought.  "I assume this relates to the upcoming contest of 
businesses and your desire to ensure my daughter does not 
turn it into a massacre."

	Henry stared at her, jaw slightly open.

	Ami smiled.  "I see you are very intelligent.  This is 
what we would ask of you..."

	Mrs. Takano listened, and decided it would indeed be 
agreeable to her, especially as she felt the need to further 
test that boy herself, before Akira could do anything 
foolish.  

	The dangerous ones are so attractive, she thought.  But 
they'll only hurt you in the end.  

	She knew that from experience.

*************

	"Did Eri actually kiss you or not?" Tenma asked 
Yakumo as they sat in the lodge having hot chocolate.

	"Not," Yakumo mumbled.  "She got mad at me when 
we went to take her clothing off.  But I think...she almost 
did."

	"Almost is a good start," Tenma said.  "Maybe I need 
to bite her to help things along."

	"I don't think that would help," Yakumo said.  She 
paused.  "You don't think I'm perfect, do you?"

	Tenma paused, put down her coffee, then came over 
and very gently noogied Yakumo.  "Don't be vain, little 
sis."

	"I'm not...she just...she thinks I am and hates it," 
Yakumo said, staring down at her sister's feet.

	Tenma hugged Yakumo.  "You're very wonderful.  I'm 
sure she was stressed out from too much partying and being 
kidnapped," Tenma said.  "No one could not love you."

	"I...oneechan, do you know where you're going for 
college?  Or what you're going to do for a living?" she 
asked Tenma.

	"I'm going to be a famous Samurai show actor," 
Tenma said.  "Or maybe I'll write like our parents.  Or 
maybe I'll be one of those adventuring archaeologists.  I 
look good in a fedora, right?"

	"You look fine in anything," Yakumo said.  "You'd 
make a good actor.  You should join the Drama Club."

	Tenma looked thoughtful.  "That would be kind of 
logical for an acting career.  But really, I'm too busy with 
school and Karasuma and my friends and you to think 
about the future too much."

	"I...how are you going to eat?" Yakumo asked.

	Tenma blinked. "With chopsticks and my mouth, 
right?"

	"..."

	They stared mindlessly at each other for a few 
seconds.  Yakumo then said, "Oneechan, I mean, when you 
go off to college, you will need to know how to cook."

	"I know how to cook," Tenma said.  "Though you're 
better."

	Yakumo struggled to find a polite, loving way to say 
'YOU ENTIRELY SUCK AND WILL KILL EVEN 
YOURSELF'.  But there really wasn't one.  "Well..."

	"Are you feeling overstretched, Yakumo?" Tenma 
asked kindly.  "I can start cooking more if you need more 
time for your manga."

	"I could use more free time for that," Yakumo said, 
hesitantly.  

	"Don't worry, Yakumo; I've been watching you all 
these years.  I'll happily do more of the chores, so you can 
have more time to spend with Eri and Kenji and working 
on your manga and everything," Tenma said.  "Because it's 
my duty as your big sister to take care of you."

	After such a kind gesture, how could Yakumo criticize 
Tenma's skills at all those chores?  She didn't know how to 
do it without sounding ungrateful.  But it had been Tenma's 
general level of incompetence which had helped to lead to 
Yakumo doing most of the work so it would be done right.

	Still, it was a start.  Practice makes perfect, right?

	"I'll start by making everyone dinner tonight.  When 
Karasuma and I throw wild victory parties in the future, I'll 
need to be able to cook for so many people at once," Tenma 
said.  "Hmm.  You ever made clam chowder, Yakumo?"

	"Papa didn't like clams, so Mother didn't pass me any 
recipes for that," Yakumo said.

	"This will be an ADVENTURE, then," Tenma said.

	Oh dear, Yakumo thought.

**************

	"Umino-san, I must regretfully ask a large favor of 
you," Ami Sawachika said to Umino.

	"You want me to keep Yukari away from Imadori-
san?", he asked.

	"..."

	Umino laughed.  "I'd keep her away from me if I 
could, but she must have some hidden good feature which 
keeps Nyamo-san from killing her.  And since Nyamo-san 
won't toss her out on her well-padded ass..."

	"Language," Ami Sawachika said firmly.

	"On her well padded posterior region," Umino said, 
looking amused and carefully articulating it all.  "Anyway," 
he said, leaning back in his chair a little.  "I'd be tempted to 
test the smothering with bread machine on her, but she'd 
probably like it," he said.

	"Umm, what?" Ami asked in confusion.

	"Forget I said that.  There's not a prototype yet, 
anyway.  So, she's trying to seduce the boy?" he asked, 
knowing full well she'd succeeded, but not wanting to give 
up that he knew more than he let on.  

	"She is too old for him, and he is at the age where men 
are easily influenced.  Furthermore, if anyone notices, it 
will be a major trouble source," Ami said.

	Umino nodded.  "I will do what I can, but once the 
holidays are over and I go back to work, I will have less 
power to do so."

	"I understand," she said.  "Just do your best."

	"Of course I will," he said.  

	"Thank you."

*************

	"She's put that Umino fellow as a watchdog on you," 
Buddha said to Imadori.

	"I know," Imadori said.  "It's to be expected.  But I 
think Yukari-chan will be hung over a few days, anyway."

	"True," Buddha said.  It was strange; he'd seen many 
such relationships in his videos and they usually excited 
him, but seeing Yukari with Kyousuke made him very 
nervous instead.  He had a feeling this would all end badly, 
possibly with Karen, Lala, and Mrs. Sawachika all beating 
Imadori to death.  

	I hope my videos are alright, he thought.  Mother 
always loses everything if she tries to clean with me absent.  
Though at least she knew how to take care of videos better 
than most people.

	It'll be fine, he thought.  It's a good thing I don't have 
any vengeful relatives staying at my house or anything.  
Not this year, anyway.

**************

	Mrs. Sagano was happy that Tomo had been willing to 
take over the duties of watching her little sister since her 
return.  It was less trouble for everyone.  But it also made 
her suspicious, as Tomo normally hated the kid and tried to 
avoid her.

	She stuck her head into Tomo's room (really Megumi's 
room, but Megumi was still gone), and found Tomo 
playing with the baby.  "Dear, she is likely to sick up if you 
keep spinning her over your head."

	"I think she's run out of stuff to throw up by now, but I 
thought it best to make sure she's cleaned out, just in case 
it's food poisoning," Tomo said.

	"..."

	"But if you want to take her..."

	"No, that's fine," Mrs. Sagano said, quickly closing the 
door.  

	Once she was gone, Tomo resumed the spinning until 
she heard the kid making the noises she knew meant that 
vomiting was imminent.  Then she opened the closet and 
let her little sister hose down another one of Megumi's 
boxes of porn.  

	Best vengeance ever, Tomo thought.

**************

	Sagano suddenly paused right as she, Karen, Harry, 
Lala, Fuyuki, and Yuuki were about to go skiing down the 
slope.  She got a glazed look and everyone turned and 
stared at her.

	"I heard it," she mumbled.

	"Heard what?" Harry asked.  

 	"As if millions of pieces of porn suddenly cried out in 
agony and were silenced," Sagano said somberly.  

	Yuuki walked over, pulled off Sagano's helmet, and 
gently noogied her.  "Don't be ridiculous."

	Lala rolled her eyes.

	Fuyuki, on the other hand, frowned a little.  

	"No matter how much coffee you drink, you still can't 
use the Force, Megumi-chan," Yuuki said.

	"Tenma can," Sagano said.  "I envy her that."

	"Tenma does not use the Force," Yuuki said.

	"She can move things with her mind," Sagano said.  
"That's the Force all over."

	"Okay, we're going to have to settle this," Yuuki said.  
"Or you'll probably kill yourself trying to levitate down the 
mountain.  Come on."

**************

	"Yakumo-san, can you come help me?" Harima asked.  
"I'm working on the manga."

	"Nee-chan is trying to cook," Yakumo said.  "I'm 
trying to help her."

	Distantly, he heard Tenma say, "Don't worry, 
Yakumo, I can handle it!  You can go play!"

	She's so kind and giving, Harima thought.  "See, your 
sister says it's okay."

	"Well...okay," Yakumo said.  "If you need me."

	"I definitely need you," he said.

	He could almost hear her smile.  "I'll be there soon, 
then!"

	"Thank you," he said, and went back to work.

***************
	
	Yuuki paused after opening the door as the smell hit 
her.  "What is that?"

	Everyone sniffed the air.  Lala finally said, hesitantly, 
"Clams?"

	Sagano cocked her head.  "I hear a million clams..."

	Fuyuki gave her the noogie this time.

	They pressed on as other smells, like garlic, cinnamon, 
and sugar filled the air as well.  Inside the kitchen, they 
found Tenma wearing a chef's hat and trying to carefully 
shake garlic powder into a small measuring spoon.  A lot of 
it fell to the sides, wasted, so she would scoop it up and put 
it back in the cannister, then try again.

	Karen asked, hesitantly, "What are you making?"

	"Clam chowder," Tenma said.  "I couldn't find any 
raw chowder, though, so I'm improvising."

	Hesitantly, Karen said, "I don't think there's anything 
called chowder in clam chowder."

	Tenma blinked.  "What?"

	"It's just called that," Karen said.

	"So...trying to improvise only with ingredients 
available to the Chou dynasty was a mistake," Tenma said 
hesitantly.

	"..."

	"Well, it smells good to me, so we'll just have to see.  
Everyone likes vegetables and clams, anyway.  Carrots, 
celery, cabbage, melons, all good."

	"Melon?" Fuyuki asked in confusion.

	"Melon," Tenma said firmly.

	So glad we're eating at the other house, Fuyuki 
thought.  SO GLAD.

	 "Would you like some help?" Yuuki asked hesitantly.  
She couldn't let everyone over here die, not being class 
president now.  "I am class president, so I should help."

	Tenma smiled and took her hands.  "You're just like 
Hanai now!  You'll make a great class president!"

	"..."

	Sagano laughed.  "I'll help too."

	"I know all about cooking," Lala said.  "We can all 
make something and see whose is best!  Competition 
makes us strong!"

	"Ooooh," Tenma said.  "Yeah!  Everyone make 
something!  It'll be a SUPER FEAST!  Even if I'll win 
easily."

	"Easily?" Sagano asked.  "I'll show YOU easily."

	Tenma smiled confidently.  "Bring it on!"

	Fuyuki looked over at Harry.  "Want to go ski while 
they cook?"

	"You can't leave," Sagano said.  "You have to judge 
who is best."

	"Right," Harry said.  He knew when to defy and when 
not to.  "We can play chess while we wait, then."

	"Great," Sagano said.  "ENTERTAIN US."

	Fuyuki had a feeling his imminent defeat would 
probably amuse Harry, anyway.

****************
	
	There was a knock on Eri's door.

	"Who is it?" she shouted.  She and Mikoto had 
decided to spend the day together; they'd gotten out Life--
Grand Theft Auto edition to play.  It was ludicrous, but she 
could use some laughs.

	"It's me, Akira, and Kentaro.  Mind if we come in?"

	"This is a girls' only refuge," Eri said.  "I want to 
forget men exist for a little while."

	There was whispering, and then Akira came in alone.  
"Ahh, that's a good game."

	"You're welcome to play with us," Eri said.

	Akira came over and sat down.  "Shouldn't we call 
Tenma?"

	"She said she's in a cooking contest and can't come," 
Eri said.

	"Mind if I eat over here tonight?" Akira asked.

	Mikoto laughed.

	"I'm sorry about Nara," Eri began.  

	"Oh, it's okay," Akira said.  "After all your problems, I 
can understand the desire to forget all about romantic 
things and just be with your friends," she said.  "I was so 
busy with Kenji's party, I hardly got to spend any time with 
anyone at any of them."

	"You really did a great job managing Kenji's party," 
Eri said to Akira.  "You could probably...well, I'm not sure 
if people could make a living from that, but if they can, 
you'd make a great party manager."

	"Yeah, except for Lupin III, the whole thing went 
really smoothly," Mikoto said, now setting up the board 
and handing everyone a little car and a little pink stick to 
stand in for themselves.

	"And I had a good time, too," Eri said, setting her car 
on the track.  "You're going into business in college, right, 
Akira?"

	"My goal is to own my own bookstore," Akira said.  
"So I can read and make money at the same time."

	Mikoto laughed.  "That's so you.  Spin for who goes 
first?"

	They all spun.  Mikoto got a 7, Eri got a 9, and Akira 
got a 4.  

	"And you, Mikoto?" Akira asked.

	"I expect that Hanai and I will take over his family's 
dojo when the time comes.  Dad is kind of waffling on the 
future of our family business, though," Mikoto said, 
frowning.

	"He doesn't think a woman can handle it?" Akira 
asked cooly, while Eri spun the wheel again and moved her 
car.  

 	"Hmm, I found 20,000 abandoned after a crack deal.  
Useful," Eri said, getting the money.

	Mikoto reached over to spin again, but paused.  
"Actually, I'm completely inept at everything you need to 
be an engineer, and the manager needs at least some skill at 
that.  But I think now he's wanting to push me to pick up 
the business skills needed, as I could hire an engineering 
intermediary if I had to."  

	"Do you want to run it?" Akira asked.

	Mikoto spun the wheel.  She got a four and her tire 
blew out, causing her to lose a turn.  "I don't know.  I like 
martial arts better, but I'd hate to see the business go out of 
the family."

	Eri looked at Mikoto thoughtfully.  "I know the 
feeling.  If I don't take up the mantle of inheritance..."  She 
sighed.

	"Your turn," Mikoto said softly.

	"But let's not think about that right now," Eri said.  "I 
want to focus on raising a pack of children to be car thieves 
and assassins."  She spun the wheel.  "Lucky eleven!"

	She moved her car.  "You steal a baby from a rich 
family, along with its expensive toys.  Add a child of your 
gender choice to your car and 15,000 dollars to your 
wealth."  She smiled, taking a little pink piece.  "Yeah!  
Come on, let's get it on!"

	Mikoto grinned.  "That's the spirit.  Let's play!  We 
can be old worrywarts tomorrow!"

	Akira shook her head, but put her worries aside for 
now.

**************

	Harima looked up from his work, over at Yakumo, 
who was busy inking.  She's such a hard worker, he 
thought.  Which was good, as it inspired him to work hard 
too.  But she seemed to almost have a black cloud hovering 
over her.

	He frowned at that.  She'd probably want to talk about 
it.  Or maybe not.  Yakumo tended to be the silent type.  
Which did make her easy to get along with.

	He decided it best not to pry and went back to 
working.  After he'd been working a while, he noticed she 
was wearing the pendant he'd given her.  Good.  He'd wear 
the shirt she'd made him, but it was in the wash.  But 
maybe it would help her if he wore it anyway.

	"I'll be right back," he said.

	"Okay," she said.

	He went and found it; the laundry was waiting to be 
done.  He wondered, suddenly, who had been doing the 
laundry all this time.  Surely Yakumo hadn't been doing it 
for everyone.  

	He called Miki, who answered.  "Hello?"

	"Who's been doing the laundry?" he asked.

	"It...I think Yakumo has," Miki said.  "Actually, I 
hadn't thought about it."

	He suddenly felt rather guilty.  He always had to do 
his own laundry at home, as Itoko refused to do it for him.  
But he'd generally let Yakumo do all that sort of thing at 
her house.  He'd help if asked or if he noticed, but she 
usually just took care of everything invisibly.

	But now the laundry was piling up because no one was 
thinking about it but her, and she was probably tired of 
doing laundry for everyone.  He knew he would be.

	His conscience and his fundamental laziness began 
knifing each other; laziness might have won, but then he 
remembered how gloomy she'd looked.  Surely taking this 
burden off her would cheer her up.  More than him wearing 
a wrinkly shirt that needed cleaning would.

	Even if he needed to be working on his manga.

	Now his job warred with his conscience.  The eye, the 
staring eye...

	He was about to leave, when he remembered he'd been 
working a good while without Yakumo, so she really 
needed some time to catch up to him.  So it wouldn't really 
delay things.

	Though he didn't want to do so much laundry.

	His mind then hit upon the perfect compromise.  He 
could do his own laundry and Yakumo's.  Everyone else 
could do their own damn laundry.  

	That hit the perfect sweet spot of conscience, 
practicality, and time.  After all, he didn't owe any of the 
others anything.  Well, he had gotten some of them to help 
with the party...

	But it would just take way too long.  Though maybe 
he could do Miki's, as it was her family's lodge.  Alright, 
he'd throw hers in too.  Everyone else could do it 
themselves, and he'd tell Yakumo to not do it for everyone.  
They needed to focus on the manga, anyway.

	He began sorting the laundry into lights, darks, and 
whites.  He was in the middle of studying a set of panties, 
trying to determine whose it was, when Tenma walked in, 
holding a ladle and wearing a chef's hat.  "Is someone in..."  
Her eyes widened.

	He dropped the panties hastily.  "I was just trying to 
figure out whose it was!"

	She turned red.  "How long have you been doing 
this?"

	"Just a few minutes!" he protested.

	"You don't wear it, do you?  Did you get affected that 
much in the other world?" Tenma asked in shock.

	"No!  I'm just trying to do the laundry!" he said.

	"You're fondling women's underwear!" Tenma said.

	"It's kind of hard to wash it without touching it!" 
Harima fired back.

	Sagano ambled in, holding a butcher knife.  "What's 
this about underwear stealing?"

	"I am not trying to steal underwear!  I'm trying to 
figure out what belongs to who," Harima said.

	"But you haven't washed it yet, so it doesn't matter!" 
Tenma said.

	"You'd better not be trying to find Yakumo's 
underwear to sniff it," Sagano said, pointing with her knife 
for emphasis.

	He was screwed, and with Akira gone, there was no 
one to understand the situation at a glance and get him out 
of the accusations.  No one to advise him, no one...but her.

	I give up, he said.  TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

	I'm not all knowing, you know, Onna-Harima said.  
This isn't love-love, it's your basic 'guy looks like a perv' 
unfairly scenario, which is just part of a woman's job to 
make men's lives difficult.  Just like not listening when 
women talk is part of how men make women's lives 
difficult.

	"Kenji-kun, are you even listening to me?" Tenma 
said.

	Case in point, Onna-Harima said.

	Fuck.  One more stab at the truth.  "I'm trying to do 
the laundry so Yakumo doesn't have to keep cleaning 
everyone's clothing when she's already been keeping us fed 
and clean this whole trip!" he bellowed.

	Sagano stepped back, almost blown back.

	Tenma looked guilty for a moment, then said, "Oh."  
She stared at the floor, then said, "See, you don't sort it by 
person first.  You have to do it by lights, darks, and whites, 
then you separate it out afterwards.  Otherwise, you have to 
do three runs per person and then the soap floods the 
washing room even more times than usual and it gets 
messy."

	She turned to Sagano.  "Can you help Kenji?  I expect 
he's never done this before."

	"Sure, I can teach him," Sagano said.  "But you're 
gonna have to get someone to watch over my salads."

	"Are they going to do something if they're not 
watched?  It looked like you were nearly done," Tenma 
said.

	"Well, uh...you never know, they can get tricky," 
Sagano mumbled.

	"I'll have Harry keep an eye on them," Tenma said, 
patting her shoulder.  "Have fun, Kenji-kun!"

	Sagano now began teaching Harima stuff he already 
knew.  He feigned ignorance, however, as it would keep 
him out of trouble.  Even if it meant ten times as much 
work.

	Ugh. 

************
	
	"Thinking about your old boyfriend?" Tani asked Tae 
as she stood on the balcony, looking out at the sea.

	"Trying to forget all that," she said, sighing.

	"You must have loved him a lot," Tani said softly.

	"I changed everything I was for him and in the end, he 
loved someone else," she said softly.

	He winced at that.  But he wanted to know more.  He 
had to, if she wasn't going to end up periodically going all 
broody for the rest of their lives.  "Did he tell you he loved 
you, then left you for someone else?" he asked softly, 
laying his hands on hers.

	She twined her fingers with his.  "No, I just...I just 
believed I could make him mine.  If I did the right things 
and turned into the right person...we could be together 
forever."

	He leaned down and kissed her cheek.  "Nothing is 
forever," he said.  "But you have to let go of the past," he 
said softly.

	"I wish I had a nice past like you and Yurippe," she 
said very, very softly.

	"I wish I had a nice family like yours.  They're so 
relaxing to be around," Tani said.

	"I used to think they were totally boring and square, 
which is part of why I was such a wretched teenager," Tae 
said, sighing.  "But I guess everyone goes a little wild in 
those years."

	"For me, going a little wild meant I didn't always tuck 
in my shirt," Tani mumbled.

	"Did you tell your mother there were fairies in the 
garden when you and Yurippe needed to sneak out to go 
have ice cream together even though it would spoil your 
dinner?" Tae teased.

	"After all I've seen, I'm starting to wonder if maybe 
she DID find fairies there some time," Tani said, shaking 
his head.  "Anyway, if you ever feel bad, you don't have to 
run from us.  We're here for you," he said.

	"Everyone needs solitude sometimes," Tae said, then 
turned and kissed him softly.  "And sometimes I just..."  
She couldn't bring herself to say it.

	"You're never in the way," Tani said firmly.  "Also, 
I'm hoping we can trade in Yurippe's parents for a copy of 
yours."

	Tae laughed, then said, "But it would make our love 
incest."

	Tani made a face.  "Okay, you win this round, Tae-
chin."  Kiss.  "Feeling better?"

	"Yes," she said.  "Let's go see if we can further 
bankrupt my brother-in-law."

	"It is nice having someone worse at poker than me," 
Tani said, taking her by the arm and leading her inside.  
"Just be gentle with me."

	"I'll spend all my winnings off you on prettying you 
up," Tae said, grinning.  "I can feel the ideas flooding my 
mind already."

	Note to self, lose to Yurippe if possible, Tani thought. 

************

	After a while, Yakumo began to worry.  Kenji had just 
mysteriously vanished.  She still had pages to ink, but 
surely the bathroom or wherever he went, he shouldn't have 
been gone so long.

	So she got up and went looking for him.  Eventually, 
she ended up in the kitchen, where many crowded projects 
were going at once.  They had enough food for several 
meals now.  If Tenma's didn't kill them all, anyway.  Was 
Clam Chowder supposed to smell so sweet?

	She came over and looked; a lot of the food looked 
pretty good.  But why was Harry intently watching a huge 
bowl of salad and several smaller ones?

	"We should get Yakumo to judge; she's the master 
chef," Tenma said.

	"Good point," Yuuki said, working on frying 
vegetables in a wok.

	"Has anyone seen Kenji-san?" Yakumo asked.

	"He's doing the laundry," Tenma said.  "Isn't he such a 
good boyfriend?"

	Yakumo blinked.  "He is?"  Why didn't he tell me?

	"We're still cooking, if you want to go see him," 
Tenma said.

	Yakumo nodded and went to the laundry room, where 
for some reason, Sagano was standing on the lid of the 
washing machine, which was working away.  Harima was 
carefully going through piles of clothing, holding a spray 
bottle of spot remover.

	"Hi," Yakumo said softly.

	"Hi," Harima said to her.  "Did you finish everything?  
This is taking longer than I thought."

	"No, not everything," she said softly, looking around.  
"You're going to do it all?"

	"Yeah, so you don't have to," Harima said.

	Yakumo smiled a little.  "That's nice of you."

	"Well, you are my girlfriend," Harima said.  "And you 
work so hard for me as my assistant too." 

	She could tell he wasn't enthusiastic about doing the 
laundry, but most people never were.  But it made her 
happy that he would do this for her without even being 
asked.  And he seemed to be doing a good job, 
although...why was Sagano standing on the washing 
machine?

	He seemed to lighten up as she came over to him and 
hugged him.  "Thank you," she said.  "And thank you too, 
sempai."

	"Gotta encourage guys to learn this stuff as I know I'm 
not gonna be a good little domestic housewife," Sagano 
said.  "Hmm, I should train Fuyuki some time."

	"Sempai, why are you standing on the washing 
machine?" Yakumo asked softly.

	"Doesn't everyone?" she asked.

	Yakumo didn't know how to respond to that, so she 
leaned against Harima.  "I guess I'll go judge the cooking 
contest, then."

	"Let us know when it's time to eat," Harima said.  "All 
this work makes me hungry."

	Yakumo gave him a final squeeze, then nodded.  "I 
will."  She then headed back to wait for the food to be 
ready.

***************
	
	Mikoto paused to take a call, then asked, "Hey, does 
anyone remember the name of that guy?"

	"Uh, what guy?" Eri asked.  She was studying the 
board, trying to decide if she would want to buy insurance 
on her fourth Porsche or not.  The kids needed their own 
cars, really...

	"Uh, that guy, you know," Mikoto said quickly, then 
whispered into her phone.  "With the nose."

	"It has to be said that, in fact, every man in our class 
has a nose," Akira said.  She was contemplating whether to 
arm her son with an uzi or twin pistols.  Or maybe twin 
MAC-10s...yes, that was best. 

	"Tanaka-san's friend," Mikoto said.  "He's in the 
Video Club too, I think."
	
	"Oh, the guy with the big nose," Eri said.  "Bishimaya, 
right?"

	"Could be," Mikoto said, passing it on.  "You want to 
venture a guess, Akira?"

	"Tell her to call me if that doesn't work," Akira said.  

	Mikoto passed it on, chatted briefly, then hung up.  
"That was Nagayama."

	"Isn't she dating Tanaka?  I'd think she'd see 
Bishimaya all the time," Eri said.

	"Hmm...true," Mikoto said.  "Well, not our problem.  
Akira, your turn."

	"I'm still parsing gun capabilities.  I'll take a pass so I 
can still buy arms on my next turn," Akira said.

	"Can you pass?" Eri asked.

	"Why not?," Mikoto said.  "Game on!"

***************

	Ishiyama sat in the lounge with Tanaka, waiting for 
the girls.  He was going to try and show off on the slopes, 
try to impress her.  He had a good feeling about this.

	Then he heard whispering behind him.  "What's his 
name again?"  It was Rinko, whispering to Nagayama.

	Ishiyama ground his teeth as Nagayama whispered 
back, "Bishimaya."

	"Bishimaya-san, I hope you feel better," Rinko asked, 
worried.  

	Ishiyama decided it wasn't worth fighting over and he 
made himself smile.  "I'm okay.  I hope I didn't scare you 
too much."

	"No, I'm fine...Bishimaya-san," she said.  "Do you 
mind if I call you Bishi?  It's hard for me to remember your 
whole name," Rinko said.

	Nagayama smiled benevolently in the background.

	Tanaka started to speak, but Ishiyama said, "That's 
fine."  It wasn't his name, but having a cute nickname was a 
good step towards a relationship, right?  If nothing else, at 
least it was better than being 'the other guy' or 'that guy 
over there' or 'Tanaka's friend with the nose'.  

	"You sure?" Tanaka asked.  

	"It's fine with me," Ishiyama said.

	"Okay, Bishi-san.  Let's ski!", Nagayama said 
excitedly.

	Well, it would be okay if it was just cute girls doing it.

	"Yeah, Bishi-san, let's rumble," Tanaka said, grinning 
a little.

	Or maybe I'm completely doomed, Ishiyama thought.

*************

	Hanai walked into the lodge.  "What's that?"

	"I smell a lot of food," Keiichi said.

	"Must be dinner; it's about time," Kasumi said.  "Let's 
eat."

	They headed to the kitchen and dining room and found 
the cooking contest in progress with Harry, Nara, and 
Yakumo testing out food items.

	"Is this all for dinner?" Hanai asked in surprise.

	"Yeah, we'll have lots of leftovers," Tenma said.

	Harry sipped Tenma's clam chowder and his eyes 
crossed.  "What the...this tastes like candy."

	"Well, 'white pepper' and 'sugar' are the same thing, 
right?" Tenma asked.

	"..."

	Nara sweatdropped.

	"I like candy," Miki said, taking a sip.  Her eyes 
crossed.  "But maybe not that much."

	"Onee-chan, they're not the same at all," Yakumo said.

	Tenma deflated a bit.  

	"I need to teach you about spices," Yakumo said, 
moving on to test the salad; she nodded approvingly.

	"Anyone seen Mikoto?" Hanai asked.

	"I think she's going to eat over at Eri's," Tenma said.

	"Okay," he said, then sat down to wait for a winner.

	After much sampling, the judges conferred.  Harry 
now pronounced the awards.  "Best dessert to Tenma, best 
salad to Sagano, best vegetables to Yuuki, least 
recognizable thing to Lala..."

	"Clam chowder is not a dessert!," Tenma protested.

	"BURRITOS!" Lala bellowed crankily.

	"And best meat to Karen," Harry finished.

	"Burritos have meat in them," Lala grumbled.

	"Maybe by some definitions of meat," Harry said.

	"I defy you to do better!" Lala said, pointing at Harry.

	"I'd rather leave the cooking to my cute girlfriend," 
Harry said.

	Karen smiled a little, while Lala scowled.  "So you're 
too stupid to cook, that's what you're saying."

	"I am not too stupid to cook," Harry said, frowning.

	"Cook something!  Anything!"

	Harry started forward.  "Fine, I will."

	"And microwaved ramen doesn't count," Lala said.

	Harry paused and Fuyuki snickered.

	"I bet you can't cook!" Harry said, pointing at Fuyuki.

	"I can cook better than you!" Fuyuki said.

	"Prove it!"

	Soon, all the men were at work.  Yakumo prayed 
everything would keep, as they were likely about to end up 
cooking every ingredient in the house.

*************

	The day had gone well for Ishimaya, even if he hadn't 
actually achieved his goal of romance.  But at least Rinko 
didn't forget his incorrect name all day long.  
Consistency...memory...that was something, right?

	It was only as they were having shrimp and trout and 
noodles and fried vegetables for dinner that something hit 
him.  When Rinko and Nagayama went to the bathroom, he 
said to Tanaka.  "Umm...what's her family name?"

	"Isn't Rinko her family name?" Tanaka asked.

	"It's a girl's name.  You can't have a family name that 
ends with '-ko', can you?" Ishiyama asked.

	"Well...but everyone calls her Rinko," Tanaka said.  
"Isn't that...Well, maybe everyone's being overfamiliar."  
He frowned, confused.  "But I don't know how to bring it 
up without maybe embarrassing her."

	"Well, there has to be some way to find out," Ishiyama 
said.  "But I guess she is happy to be called Rinko, so no 
big rush."

	"Or is too polite to say anything," Tanaka said.  
"That's our national pasttime, I think."

	Ishiyama frowned, worried now.  "Hmm."  Well, this 
would require some thinking to find a clever way to learn 
the rest of her name...

	But for now, he'd just enjoy being around her.  

*************

	Eri dug into her bowl of beef ramen.  It wasn't fancy, 
but it was tasty.  They'd finished Grand Theft Life, and now 
were going to play Trivial Pursuit.  Once they ate, anyway.  

	"You cook well," Akira said to Mikoto.

	"Thanks," she said.  "It's nothing fancy."

	"After all the fancy food of the last few days, I'm fine 
with this," Eri said.  "I just wish Tenma was here."

	"We can have a sleepover with everyone tomorrow, 
maybe," Mikoto said.  "But she's busy with that contest 
they're having over at the other lodge."

	Akira ate slowly and quietly, watching the other two 
talk, letting her mind drift.

	Eri twirled her bracelets around her wrist thoughtfully; 
they were the ones Harima had given her.  "I suppose it's 
obligatory for us to argue now about whose boyfriend is 
best looking."

	Mikoto grinned.  "Haruki, of course.  He makes even 
glasses look good.  And his body is so well developed."

	"Well, my Kenji is even STRONGER than Haruki, 
and I've seen how well muscled he is all over," Eri said 
braggingly.  

	"Saw it by accident," Akira pointed out.

	Eri grumbled into her food.

	"I don't like facial hair.  He'd go up a few notches if 
he'd stay clean shaven," Mikoto said.

	"I think it adds character," Akira said.  "However, my 
boyfriend is clearly the most handsome."

	"Oh come on," Mikoto said.  "Nara's a nice guy, but 
he's the living incarnation of physical blandness."

	Well, this should set off amusing fireworks, Otoko-Eri 
said to her.

	I don't want fireworks!  Well, not too bad of 
fireworks, Eri told him.  

	"He's very handsome," Akira said firmly, as if 
correcting a confused child.

	"He's got less muscles than you," Mikoto said.

	"Strength is not everything.  You can't hurt what you 
can't hit," Akira said a little stiffly.

	Eri said hastily, "Well, really, we all think our 
boyfriend is the best, so arguing this is probably a waste of 
time."

	"You started it," Mikoto said, pouting a little.

	"You are wise," Akira said to Eri.  "Now if you could 
only just say to Kenji you're his girlfriend when anyone is 
watching..."

	"I...he knows," Eri said stubbornly.

	"Which is, of course, why Yakumo is in his bed every 
night," Akira said.  "Acting as your deputy, no doubt."

	Eri winced.  "They aren't...you know."  Right?  Right?

	I think if he slept with her, he'd either break up with 
you or do his best to balance it between you, probably 
following some arcane formula Tenma created, Otoko-Eri 
said.  

	"I know," Akira said.  "Neither of them is bold enough 
to start anything.  Yakumo lets others take the initiative and 
Kenji is much better at fantasizing than at taking the 
romantic initiative."

	"Well, I'm not going to pretend I understand his 
romantic thinking at all," Mikoto said.  

	"Or Tenma's," Eri said.

	"We really need to do something about this were-
lesbian delusion of hers," Mikoto said.  "Before it gets her 
in trouble."

	"I have no idea what to do," Eri said.

	Akira opened her mouth.

	"And pretending we're all were-lesbians is right out," 
Eri said.

	Akira shut her mouth.

	"So...when are you going to confess properly?" 
Mikoto asked Eri.

	"New topic," Eri said firmly.

	"When we trick her into it," Akira said.

	"Oooh, got an idea?"

	"GUYS!!!"  Eri said.

	"Gals, technically," Akira said.

	"You know what I mean," Eri grumbled.

	"Well, that's enough teasing to last us a few minutes.  
We should get started on Trivial Pursuit," Akira said.

	They got out the game and started it.

***********
	
	Yuuki and Sagano lay on the floor of the dining room 
with a lot of the others, too bloated to move.  "Too much 
good food," Yuuki mumbled.

	"Fuyuki, you have to drag me and Harima back to the 
laundry room to finish," Sagano said, staring at the ceiling 
as her boyfriend lay next to her.

	He said, "How do I keep Harima from killing me?"

	"He's too full to kill anyone."

	They now could hear Harima snoring.

	"See?" Sagano said.

	Fuyuki began dragging the two of them to the laundry 
room as Harima slept.  He seemed awfully heavy.

	Then Fuyuki saw this was because he had Yakumo 
asleep on him, angled across his body.  He tried to pry her 
loose and Harima's arm came around and whacked him 
back.

	The things I do for love, Fuyuki grumbled to himself.  
"Yuuki, I need your help."

	"Can't...move...," Yuuki moaned.

	"Talking like Shatner won't save you," Fuyuki said.

	Yuuki finally got up, stumbled over, and began 
dragging Sagano, letting Fuyuki focus on Harima.  They 
finally dumped the three in the laundry room, then 
stumbled off to sit down in a corner of the dining room; 
Yuuki planted herself in his lap.

	"People may notice," he whispered.

	"They're too wasted to notice," Yuuki whispered.  
"And I can always pretend I mistook you for Hanai."

	He gave up and put his arms around her.  I seem to 
end up with all the stubborn women, he thought.  But he 
smiled as she leaned back against him.  "So did you like my 
hamburgers?" he asked.

	"Yes," she said softly.  "Can you cook anything else?"

	"Do sandwiches and riceballs count?  Not much else," 
he said softly.

	"Well, you'll have to learn," Yuuki said.  "I don't think 
Sagano or I wants to be a housewife."

	"I hadn't thought that far ahead," he mumbled.  "Also, 
has Sagano picked any career beyond rock star?"

	"With the contract we're getting, maybe none of us 
will need to," Yuuki said.  "But we can't count on it.  Most 
bands only last one or two albums, then their heads get so 
big they can't all fit in the same room."  She sighed.  "I 
hope that doesn't happen to us."

	"Well, Megumi's the one I'd worry the most about 
there," he said, sighing.  "I love her, but she's SO flakey."

	"Yeah," Yuuki said.  "Only my mother thinks she's 
sensible."

	"She thinks Megumi is SENSIBLE?", Fuyuki asked.

	"It scares me too," Yuuki said.  "Mother doesn't trust 
you.  I'm sure she'll come around, though."

	"Well, I'm not always the most trustworthy," he said, 
sighing.  "Though I'm trying to clean up my act," he 
continued.  "I hope you and Hanai working together isn't 
going to be too messy."

	"I'm over him now," Yuuki said.  "And I think he'll be 
relieved by that.  So we'll be fine.  I'm way more worried 
about my parents crucifying us all than that.  And maybe a 
little worried Mai will go crazy again.  Especially with 
Tougo influencing her."

	"Yeah, from what Tanaka told me, Mai went 
completely nuts while we were gone," Fuyuki said.  "I kind 
of envy that they got to go to Hawaii, though.  They must 
be having a grand time."

	"Yeah, I'm kind of envious too," Yuuki said.  "But this 
has been fun, right?"

	"It's been awesome," Fuyuki said.  "I don't know how 
we'll top it next year."

	Yuuki yawned and began to drowse.  "We'll think of 
something."

	"I hope so," he said, and drifted off to sleep as well.

**************

	Ishiyama studied his hand.  Three spades (Jack high), 
five hearts, two diamonds, four clubs.  He'd managed to get 
Tanaka to rig the random partner selection so he could be 
Rinko's partner.  That way Tanaka wouldn't show his 
annoying tendency to throw card games if his girlfriend 
wasn't his partner (in order to avoid making his girlfriend 
lose) and he'd get to partner with Rinko, hopefully showing 
off his mad skills at cards to her.  

	It seemed to be going well so far; he and Rinko had 
won three games in a row which clearly pleased her.  Even 
with Tanaka playing at full skill.  Nagayama looked a little 
frustrated.

	Tanaka said, "Toki-san, I'm going to get us some 
snacks and desserts.  Can you help me with it?"

	She blinked.  "Okay, Kazuya-san."  She waggled a 
finger at the other two.  "Don't cheat while we're gone!"  
She was clearly just teasing, though.

	Rinko watched them go, then said quietly, "I'm so 
jealous."

	"You don't...I mean...," Ishiyama tried to figure out 
how to say it.

	"Oh, no, not like that.  Just a kind of general envy of 
them being such a cute couple," Rinko said, sighing.  
"There's this guy I like, but I can't figure out how to get his 
attention."

	Ishiyama felt his skin crawl.  This could be her way of 
sort of hinting she liked him, but probably meant that she 
was about to confess that she was in love with someone 
else.  NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	
	"I probably shouldn't tell you, Bishi-san, but you're so 
easy to talk to.  I just kind of freeze up with most guys."  
She looked up at him and smiled a winning smile that made 
his heart jump, even as part of it prepared to slam into a 
wall.

	"You see, I just can't get Yoshiyadama out of my 
head," she said.  

	"Yoshidayama," he mumbled, trying to stave off the 
giant gaping pit of despair opening before him.

	"Yosh...Yoshidayama?" she asked.

	"Yes," he mumbled.  "If you mean the guy with the 
big hair in our class."  He stared into his mostly empty 
glass of tea; it gazed back with the coldness of the Abyss.

	"He's just so cool," she said, eyes sparkling.  "And I 
love his hair."

	Ishiyama toppled on the verge of the pit, trying to find 
something, some reason not to just plunge into 
hopelessness.  Anyone obsessed with Yoshidayama could 
never like him.  

	"I know you and he are in the Video Club together.  
He's not seeing anyone, is he?"  Rinko asked hopefully.

	Ishiyama teetered, then thought about what he'd seen 
Yoshidayama doing.  "He seems to have a thing for this 
American college student; the big busty type, you know."  
He could have tried to put it more gently, but this was his 
best hope for diverting her from that fool who would only 
treat her badly anyway.  

	Now he could see he'd plunged her into the pit of 
despair, and he felt terrible about it.  He struggled to find 
something to say to cheer her up.  

	But then her head came up with a light in her eyes.  
"They're not official, are they?"

	"No," he said.

	"Then I still have a chance!  Where there is life, there 
is hope!" she proclaimed.

	Her enthusiasm filled him, as he realized HE still had 
a chance too.  After all, just because she had a fascination 
with Yoshidayama...surely once she got to know him 
better, he'd turn her off him.  The man had an impressive 
mastery of porn lore, but was otherwise useless.

	I shouldn't give up!  That's why I never get a 
girlfriend!  I will fight to the last ditch!  Thank you, Rinko, 
he thought.

	"Do you think...could you help me with this, please?  I 
know I'm asking a big favor, and we hardly know each 
other, but you're such a nice guy and it's just...I can hardly 
believe I've told you all this.  I haven't even told 
Nagayama-san, yet."  She looked a little embarrassed.

	He held out a hand.  "Of course I'll help you.  We're 
friends, right?"

	She took it, smiling shyly.  "Thank you, Bishi-san."  

	They smiled brightly at each other.

	Around the corner, Nagayama and Tanaka peeked into 
the room, spying on them.  "Holy...they're holding 
hands...oop, let go.  But look at those goofy smiles.  I think 
we hit paydirt," Tanaka whispered.

	"I knew she had a thing for some guy, but I see you 
guessed right," Nagayama said to Tanaka, taking his hand 
and squeezing it.  "But is it really necessary to throw the 
games for their sake?"

	"Working as a team builds a bond," Tanaka 
whispered.  "I don't like throwing games, but this is about 
helping them.  We can crush them later, once they're solid."

	"We should press them harder, next game.  Just to 
help them build that bond of joint struggle," Nagayama 
whispered.

	"Okay, I'll lower my overbidding some, then," he said.  
"We'd better come back now or they'll worry.  You've got 
the donuts, right?"
	
	"Armed and ready," she said.

	He smiled.  "Good."  Everything was going according 
to plan.  
	
**************

	Sagano shook Harima awake.  "Rise, rise, oh form of 
man!  Become the laundryman!"

	Harima groaned and sat up.  "What the hell?"

	Yakumo slid down his body and woke up.  "Urghle," 
she mumbled.

	"Yakumo, you can go nap," Sagano said. "Team 
Laundry will be taking off at the speed of light!"

	"You...you're firing the laundry into space?" Yakumo 
asked in confusion.

	"..."

	Harima helped Yakumo up.  "You can go do whatever 
you want.  We'll take care of it."

	"The kitchen needs cleaning...," Yakumo said.

	"Let the cooks clean it," Harima said.  "You can go 
enjoy yourself."

	Yakumo said, "Thank you," and hugged Harima 
silently, then went out, picking her way through the strewn 
bodies, carefully tugging everyone into positions where 
they wouldn't strain something in their sleep.  

	But what to do...well, I should catch up on the manga, 
she thought.  That would keep her busy.  So she went to 
work.

**************

	Akira crushed everyone at Trivial Pursuit, as they 
really should have expected.  So they all started getting 
ready for bed.  Mikoto and Akira were trying to untangle 
Eri's hair, which had gotten all messy from her rolling 
about on it during the games.

	"Oww!" Eri yelped.

	"Sorry," Mikoto said.  "So what's next in the Fiancee 
competition?  How can we help you?"

	"You can help me by helping Kenji.  He means well, 
but he knows NOTHING about business," Eri said, 
grimacing again as Akira tugged a lock.  "Though I think 
Mom may be hiring some people to try and balance things 
out."

	"Hmm, professionals.  A good test of my skills," Akira 
said.  

	"I know you two won't fail me," Eri said.  "And if you 
do...I will kill you."

	Mikoto laughed.  "Good luck on that.  You couldn't 
take either of us if we closed our eyes."

	"Hey, I've studied martial arts too," Eri said.  "I can so 
kick your ass if I have to."

	Mikoto began to laugh.

	"She even sounds like Harima," Akira said dryly.

	"I do not," Eri said.

	"You just swear like him," Mikoto said.

	"He really doesn't swear that much," Eri protested.  
"Even if he does talk too much like a thug.  His mentor has 
really clean language, too."

	"Mentor?" Mikoto asked.

	"I met his delinquency mentor, Haruka," Eri said.  
"He's pretty damn cool."  She put a hand over her mouth.

	"Let it all out," Mikoto said.  "You must be exhausted 
from having to be so proper."  She grinned a little.

	"Yes," Eri said.  "I am utterly worn out from it all."  
She gave a tired sigh.

	Mikoto stretched.  "Well, we'll sleep soundly tonight."

	"The sleep of the just," Akira said.

	Eri smiled, only in part because they finally finished 
with her hair so it no longer hurt.  But mainly because it felt 
so good to be alone with her close friends and nothing to 
worry about for a little while.  

	She soon slept a deep and peaceful sleep.

****************

	Yakumo finished the last page which Kenji had 
scripted, carefully filling in the dialogue once it was inked.  
But now what?

	It was too late for skiing, everyone had eaten too much 
and passed out, Sara-chan was probably in bed...

	She sighed.  Maybe her sister would be up...or 
something.  

	Wandering the halls produced a large amount of 
finding people asleep; she took some time throwing 
blankets over those passed out in the main lodge room and 
stoking up the fire.  Then she headed to the laundry room.  

	She could hear them talking as she approached.  "It's 
got to be reciprocal," Sagano said.  "Lots of stuff may not 
be fun for you, but will be fun for her.  And vice versa.  I'm 
still training Fuyuki on some of that.  And vice versa, I 
guess."  She sounded a little embarrassed.

	Yakumo told herself not to spy, even as she put her ear 
to the door.

	"I've tried to be fair, but it's not easy," Harima said to 
Sagano.

	"Best things in life never are," Sagano said.  "I know I 
screw up all the time, but I just kind of fumble along, and 
they know I mean well."

	"They?" Harima asked.

	"I...uh...I meant...we.  He and I...us...err...ahahaha," 
she laughed nervously.

	Yakumo glanced back at Fuyuki and Yuuki, clonked 
out next to each other and her brain clicked for a moment.

	"I'm still confused," Harima confessed.

	"Don't worry about it," Sagano said.  "You can make 
love to me up here on the washing machine to make up for 
it."

	Yakumo froze up and her head bumped against the 
door.

	"I thought so!  There's a spy!  Hello, spy, want to 
come in and say hello?" Sagano asked.

	"You..." Harima said nervously.

	"Oh, I just said that to make our spy expose him or 
herself," Sagano said.  "I'm faithful to my boyfriend!  
Hello, spy, come on in!"

	Yakumo fled in a panic, once more resolving that she 
REALLY should never spy again.

**************	

	Finally, the laundry was done.  Harima delivered it to 
all the mostly empty rooms, then stumbled off to his 
bedroom.  He found Yakumo already asleep.  

	That was fine with him; he tumbled into bed and 
passed out.

***************

	Mikoto was blissfully dreaming about being in the 
final match of a national martial arts tournament, when 
suddenly, a huge hippo fell from the sky and crushed her.

	She woke up to find Eri had fallen off her bed onto 
Mikoto's futon, and now was cuddling up to her.  "Oh, 
Kenji, kiss me again," she said breathlessly in her sleep.

	Mikoto attempted to pry her loose, but Eri began 
clinging tighter.  "Stop it, Imadori-san, you idiot," she 
mumbled.

	Mikoto tried to avoid thrashing too much, for fear of 
waking up Akira.  So prying Eri off herself was rather like 
prying off a snake.  

	She'd managed to get Eri's legs loose, if not the arms 
and was all twisted around, when the flash went off.

	Akira was not just awake, but taking pictures.  

	"No pictures!" Mikoto said frantically.

	"Mmm, Kenji, your hands feel so nice," Eri mumbled 
in her sleep, then began stroking Mikoto's back with her 
own.

	Mikoto was ready to vibrate through the wall as if she 
was the Flash.  "Akira, help me get her off," she said.

	Akira put her hand over her mouth, muffling some sort 
of noise.

	"That's not what I meant!"

	"But Kenji, it's much softer on the bed," Eri mumbled.

	Mikoto finally, desperate, gave Eri a quick thwack to 
the butt with the flat of her hand.

	Eri jolted, then suddenly woke up, face to face with 
Mikoto, tangled around her.

	"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Eri yelled in a 
panic.  She flailed, and they crashed into Akira, who 
dropped her camera.

	Soon, the door flew open; Eri's parents, several 
security men, Imadori, Lala, Karen, and Harry were all 
there, staring at the three tangled together.

	"There's a simple logical explanation for this," Eri 
mumbled.

	"The curse of were-lesbianism," Akira said, then 
immediately regretted it as her brain tried to kick in.  
Practical joke instincts are not easily overcome, however.

	"Akira!!!!!"

	"Well, I see," Eri's mother said.  "You're all 
'girlfriends'."  If Eri had been less tired, she would have 
probably noticed the lightness of her mother's tone.

	"I...no!  I'm not...we're not...Mikoto-chan, tell them 
we're not like that!"  Eri turned and stared intently at 
Mikoto.

	"It would probably be more convincing if you weren't 
all over me," Mikoto mumbled.

	"Well, I don't mind," Imadori said.  "The intimacy of a 
fiancee's friendships must be respected."

	"You're very cosmopolitan," Mrs. Sawachika said to 
him approvingly.

	Henry held a hand over his mouth for some reason.

	Karen mumbled something incoherent, possibly 
involving Lala.

	Lala mumbled as well.

	"Hot," Harry said, then got accidentally squeezed by 
Karen to the point of inability to further speak.  Then she 
accidentally put him in a sleeper hold.  He accidentally 
passed out.

	"It's not...I'm not...," Eri babbled.

	"Still crushing me," Mikoto pointed out.

	Eri sprang up onto the bed.  "I'm not doing anything!  
I'm just...I just fell on Mikoto in my sleep!"

	"Just don't accidentally fall on Harima or Tsukamoto 
in your sleep," her mother said, yawning.  "Though I 
suppose if you fell on Kyousuke too, it would be fair."

	"You may fall out of bed onto me any time," Imadori 
said graciously.

	Harry tried to speak and Karen finished him off.

	"I...forget it," Eri said.  "I'm sorry I woke everyone 
up."

	"We're leaving in the morning," Mrs. Sawachika said.  
"See you at breakfast first, dear."

	Then everyone left.

	Eri collapsed on her bed.  "I'm really sorry, Mikoto.  I 
thought..."

	"You were with Kenji," Mikoto said.  "I know.  Akira-
chan, you didn't get hurt, did you?"

	"No, I'm fine," Akira said.  "The pictures were worth 
it."

	"I hope everyone doesn't...get crazy ideas," Eri said 
nervously.  

	"They're just joking," Mikoto said.  She hoped.

	"It's the curse of were-lesbianism, clearly," Akira said.

	"Even if there was such a thing, and there is NOT," 
Eri said firmly, "Neither Tenma nor Yakumo ever bit me."

	"Kissing could also exchange the fluids for infection, 
and you kissed Yakumo a lot, as a boy," Akira pointed out.

	"There is no such thing as were-lesbianism," Eri 
muttered.  "That was just because I was a boy and that's 
all."

	She was very kissable, Otoko-Eri pointed out.  Eri 
ignored him studiously.

	"Exactly," Mikoto said.  "Or I'd be kissing Miki."

	Akira and Eri looked at her curiously.

	"And I'm not!  Or Masahiro-kun!  Or anyone but 
Haruki-kun!" Mikoto said hastily.

	"Were-lesbianism, it's everywhere," Akira said sagely.

	Mikoto flopped down on her futon.  "I'm going to 
sleep."

	"C'mon, after you all teased me," Eri began.

	"Just try to not fall on me again," Mikoto mumbled.

	"If you have trouble sleeping," Akira said, "I 
recommend counting penguins.  It's very soothing."

	"Penguins," Eri said thoughtfully.  "Sure, why not."

	She laid back and imagined herself and Akira in 
penguin costumes, leading a flock of penguins across the 
Antarctic.  One penguin, two penguins, three penguins, four 
penguins...

	The march of the penguins gradually soothed Eri back 
to sleep.  

*****************
	
	Karen woke up, hearing Lala mumbling to herself in 
Spanish next to her.  

	"Can't sleep?" she asked softly.

	"Trying to decide how crazy I am," Lala said softly.

	"Not that crazy," Karen said.

	"You don't even know what I'm thinking of," Lala said 
firmly.

	"You're thinking about the offer from Nara's parents," 
Karen said.

	"...," Lala stared in shock.

	"It was that or you trying to break in and steal Hanai 
and take him to Mexico with you," Karen said, staring at 
the ceiling.

	"..."

	Karen giggled slightly.  

"I really shouldn't put myself in the middle of another 
mess," Lala said.

 	"It really wouldn't be wise, no," Karen said.

	Lala sighed. "I need a normal boyfriend."

	"Well, there's lots of guys in your class and mine 
who...," Karen began.

	"The only good ones are taken," Lala mumbled.

	"I'm sorry," Karen said softly.

	"Much better you date Harry than that wretch, 
Imadori," Lala said firmly.

	"I wish I could help you," Karen said, sighing.

	"Well, I have to decide this for myself," Lala said.  
"Though you can keep an eye open for any nice guys."

	"Okay," Karen said.  "Have you heard from your 
dad?"

	"No," she said.  "But he's with Hanai's father, who 
while he is evil, it will amuse him to keep my father alive 
to make trouble for Haruki."  Lala grimaced.  "And despite 
being evil, he is a good influence on my father, somehow."

	"That's strange," Karen said.

	"I know, but at least Papa seems happier than I've seen 
him be in quite a while."  She sighed.  "Well, I should 
sleep."

	Karen nodded.  "Goodnight, Lala."

	"Goodnight, Karen."

	And they drifted off to sleep.

*****************

	Harima woke up with Yakumo laying awake next to 
him, her head on his chest.  "Kenji," she said softly.

	"Uh huh?  What gets you up early?" he asked.  

	The sun was shining in the window, which he'd 
forgotten to draw the curtains shut to block.  

	"You're going to art school, right?"

	"That's the plan," he said, stroking her hair slowly.

	She smiled a little, then said, "Maybe I should too, so I 
can be a better assistant."

	"That's up to you," he said.  "You could do something 
else and also take some art classes, if there's something else 
you want to do too."

	"I want to help you," she said, idly tugging the sheets 
about with one hand.  "But Sara and I want to go to college 
together too."

	"That's fine with me," Harima said.  "Just pick one 
near where I go to school.  They tend to clump together, 
right?"

	She wasn't sure.  "And I'm worried about nee-chan."

	"She didn't food-poison herself, did she?" Harima 
asked, worried.

	"No, I mean, out on her own.  She..."  Yakumo 
couldn't bring herself to criticize her big sister.  Not openly.  
Inside her head, she could see the problems.

	"She'll have Karasuma to take care of her," Harima 
said, somewhat grudgingly.  "Assuming he doesn't trade 
her for curry."

	"Can he cook?" Yakumo asked hesitantly.

	"Probably just curry.  They'll alternate between curry 
and her cooking, maybe," Harima said.  Which might well 
kill Tenma after a few months.  That wouldn't work!

	"And...you both graduate ahead of Sara and 
Tawaraya-san and I," Yakumo said.

	"Well, I'll need your help to keep up on the manga, so 
I'll need a school close enough to commute from home," 
Harima said.  "There's lots of schools around here."

	"Lots of art schools?" Yakumo asked, fretting.

	"I don't know."  He twined a lock of her hair around 
one finger.  "You worried about everyone scattering once 
we all start graduating?"

	"I...yes," she said softly.

	"I hadn't even thought about it," he said.  "I've spent 
most of my life more or less on my own...I hardly had 
anyone to be separated from," Harima said thoughtfully.  
"I'd hate to have to move away from you and Tenma-chan, 
though."

	Yakumo said, "Me too," hugging him tightly.

	He hugged her gently.  It was true, he had to think 
about the future.  Like his MASSIVE debt.  Ugh, how 
would he pay for college with all that?  Though there was 
his pay from his manga, which would help some, especially 
once it got merchandized.  Which reminded him, he needed 
to get Akira to talk to Dankosha about it.  She and Yakumo 
working together could probably get a really sweet deal.

	"I'm sure we'll work things out.  What are Tenma's 
plans?"

	"I don't know," Yakumo said.  "Hopefully not being a 
housewife, or it'll be a disaster."  Her eyes widened and she 
put a hand over her mouth.  

	Harima stared at her, then sighed.  "You're right."

	"I didn't mean...I'm sure she'll be a very kind and 
loving wife and...," Yakumo felt terribly guilty about bad-
mouthing her sister.

	"Tenma-chan is full of love, enough for a dozen 
husbands, if she wanted that many," Harima said softly.  
"But we both know she isn't good at domestic things."

	"Oh, thank you for doing the laundry," Yakumo said, 
smiling a little.  "It's so much more than I'm used to."

	"It's not your job to do the other people's laundry," 
Harima said.  "But I was glad to help you."

	There was a knock on the door.  "You all getting up 
for breakfast?" Kasumi asked.

	"Is there anything left to eat?" Harima asked.

	"It's leftover breakfast day," Kasumi said.

	"Yeah, I'm hungry," Kenji said, sitting up.

	Yakumo didn't want to get up now, but she couldn't 
delay any longer.  It was just nice being there with just the 
two of them and no pressures.  She decided she'd go talk to 
Karasuma about his plans today.

**************
	
	Time was a wastin' for Yoshidayama's plans to win 
Jenny for himself.  Not that he had quite figured out what 
they were.  

	Also, he was feeling groggy from sleeping poorly; 
he'd had nightmares of some woman trying to steal his hair 
while some guy attacked him with desks.  It made no sense 
at all, which annoyed him.  If you have to get groggy from 
dreams, they should at least be prophetic.

	Of course, everyone DID envy his fine head of hair.  
And it was probably Keiichi with the desks...

	Okay, ensure Jenny sees my hair and Keiichi has no 
desks, Yoshidayama thought.  I can handle that.

**************

	Akira and Mikoto walked together, heading back to 
get Tenma and to go take showers and change clothing.  
Then the four of them would spend the rest of the day 
together (the fourth being Eri, of course, once she finished 
saying goodbye to her parents, who were taking off again).  

	Mikoto could tell Akira wanted to talk about 
something from the way Akira kept opening her mouth, 
making a little noise, then shutting it.  But she didn't pry, 
though she was feeling rising curiosity.

	Finally, as they headed up a slope, Akira stopped, 
leaned against a tree, and asked, "You're pretty emotional, 
right?"

	Mikoto blinked.  "I suppose so, though I'm not as 
spastic about it as some people.  I think I have a fairly even 
keel, most of the time, if not as much as you."

	"When you fight, how do you keep your emotions 
from getting in the way?" Akira asked, staring up at the 
sky.

	Mikoto leaned against another tree, facing Akira.  
"Well, sometimes it makes me stronger and sometimes 
not," she said to Akira.  She thought about fighting the 
Monks of the White Lotus, then explained that whole fight.

	"So there, emotion got in my way.  But at the same 
time, emotion gives you more power.  You fight harder 
when your heart is in it.  Spirit won't win a fight by itself, 
but the combination of spirit and skill is very powerful," 
Mikoto said.

	"Unless it leads you to...mmm."  Akira continued to 
watch the clouds. 

	"Yeah," Mikoto said.  "Exactly.  So why do you ask?"

	"Just thinking," Akira said.  She looked at Mikoto 
again, then said, "We should head to the house before we 
get too cold."

	"Yeah," Mikoto said thoughtfully.  

	So they headed off to the house.

************
	
	Yakumo eventually tracked down Karasuma as he was 
about to head out to do some skiing while Tenma was off to 
Eri's lodge.  "Karasuma-san," she said.

	"Tsukamoto-san," he said.  

	They stood there and stared at each other in silence as 
Yakumo tried to gather her thoughts.  His mind was 
strange, like many tracks running in parallel, some full of 
very different thoughts, like the one where he was thinking 
about being a dog about to chase down an owl for his 
master.

	It was a little discombobulating.  But she eventually 
found her center and asked, "Sempai, do you have plans for 
the future?"

	"I'm going to ski a while, then perhaps work on our 
vacation homework," he said.

	"..."  Not quite what she meant.

	She focused herself again.  "I mean, with oneechan.  
College and...things."

	His face darkened a little, then he said, "I am not sure.  
I may be leaving the country at the end of this school year."

	Yakumo darkened a little.  "But what about 
oneechan?"

	"Maybe...she may be ready to go with me," he said.  
"But I am not sure yet."

	That's so soon, Yakumo thought nervously.  "But 
that's only a few months," she said.

	"I know," he said softly, staring off at the ground.

	"When will you know?" Yakumo asked.

	"I don't know," he said, continuing to inspect the floor.  
"Some of it is up to my parents."

	Yakumo nodded.  "I guess...I would be on my own, if 
oneechan goes with you."

	He looked up.  "You won't be alone.  Harima-san and 
Sara-san will stand by you."

	That made her feel a little better.  "Thank you," she 
said.

	Then Harima came up.  "Karasuma, our editor wants 
us to do that cover for him.  We...should...do..."  Each word 
came out slower than before.  

	"Oh," Karasuma said.  "If you are ready."

	"Yes," Harima said.  "I'm ready."

	"Do you need my help?" Yakumo asked softly.

	"Umm...I dunno.  Sure," Harima said.  Better her than 
Karasuma, she read from him.

	Yakumo smiled a little as she went with them.

***********

	"I'm ready!" Tenma said as Mikoto came up to her.  
She had a suitcase ready and everything; Mikoto was 
surprised by her efficiency.  

	"We're gonna have a TON of fun," Mikoto said.

	"Can I...," Tenma began.

	"No Karasuma," Mikoto said firmly.  "Just the four of 
us.  The guys can have their own party if they want to."

	Tenma looked off across the lodge thoughtfully.  "Do 
you want to invite Miki-san?" she asked thoughtfully.

	"What?" Mikoto said.  

	"I mean, you and she..."  Tenma laughed a little 
nervously.

	"Oh, we've seen each other all the time here, but the 
four of us haven't," Mikoto said.  

	"Okay," Tenma said, nodding.  "Let's go, then."

	They soon hooked up with Akira and headed back.

**************

	Miki came out of the bathroom, head very wet, but 
otherwise dressed.  

	Masahiro blinked. "Honey, why do you keep dousing 
your head in the sink?"

	"No reason," she said.  "Let's go ski!"

	"Are you sure...," he began.  

	"Skiing time," she said, taking him by the hand.  

	"But your head...," he said.

	"It will be fine," she said.

	"Okay," he said, but he had a very bad feeling about 
this.  He'd never been good at getting her to turn aside from 
bad choices, though.

*************

	Imadori was lazing about with Buddha and some of 
the other club members, watching Doujibirion Season 4, 
Episode 5, "Attack of Evil Science Ninja Team 
Gotmilkman".  It was not one of the better episodes, but 
you had to watch it in order to understand the origins of 
ESNT Gotmilkman.  

	The door opened and Mrs. Takano strode in.  "Ahh, 
excellent.  Time for us to get down to work, Imadori-san."

	"You're not here to shoot us again, are you?" Buddha 
asked warily.

	"No," Mrs. Takano said.  "Not unless you deserve it."

	Many of the club members looked nervous.

	"I'm on vacation," Imadori said. 

	"Do you wish to be crushed again by my daughter and 
Harima because they're already working on a clever plan 
and you are not?", Mrs. Takano asked, hands on her hips.

	"Also, I'd like an advisor with bigger breasts," Imadori 
said.  A second later, he realized this was really a hideously 
unwise thing to say.

	"Ahh, yes, time for some operant conditioning," Mrs. 
Takano said.  "I'm afraid I'm going to have to train you to 
never remark disparagingly about small breasts ever again."  
She drew one of her pistols.

	"AAAHHH!!!!!"  Imadori began running with her in 
pursuit.  

	Buddha got out a notebook and wrote 'avoid breast 
jokes for foreseeable future.'  This stood next to such 
notations as 'don't play poker with Tsukamoto Yakumo' and 
'avoid dating teachers despite what porn says'.

	Ishiyama now walked in with...a girl?  That stunned 
everyone enough that half of them couldn't even remember 
she was from their class.  "Is Yoshidayama here?"

	"He's gone looking for the blonde American girl, 
Harry's sister," Buddha said.  "I think."

	"Come on, Rinko, we'll resume the hunt elsewhere."

	She nodded.  "Okay, Bishi-san."

	Once they left, everyone said in unison, "Bishi-
san????"

	Then they went back to watching Doujibirion.

*************

	"I still say an action pose of them facing off is a good 
idea," Harima said.  "It's dynamic."  He wasn't entirely sure 
what that meant, but the assistant editor loved to say it.

	Yakumo nodded.

	"But they're tiny snow fairies who bring joy to little 
children," Karasuma pointed out.  "Tiny Snow Fairy Joy 
and Tiny Snow Fairy Prudence are not scrappers."

	"What does this have to do with blankets?" Harima 
asked.

	A three way round of silent staring at each other 
followed which would have killed a lesser man than 
Harima.  Instead, it simply brought him to the verge of 
sleep.

	There was a knock at the door.  

	Harima snapped awake.  "Who is it?"

	"Hanai and Nara," Hanai said.

	"Come in, I guess," Harima said.

	Hanai and Nara came in.  "I thought we should 
organize a man party, since the girls are having an all-girl 
party," Hanai said.

	"Well, we have to draw a cover before we can party," 
Harima said.

	"Have two lovers kissing," Nara suggested.

	"I'm thinking two people facing off, ready to battle, is 
best," Hanai said.

	"Hah!  I was right!," Harima said.

	"Kenji-kun," Yakumo said softly.

	Karasuma looked at her curiously.

	"See, we pose them like this...," Harima said, posing 
in front of Hanai, who got in a fighting stance.

	"And then the one guy punches like this," Hanai said, 
aiming a punch at Harima's head, trying to stop it just short.

	But at the same time, Harima was saying, "And the 
hero fairy aims a mighty punch at..."

	"They're both women," Karasuma pointed out.

	"Say what?" Harima said.  This threw him off and he 
ended up moving into Hanai's blow while he smacked 
Hanai in the head.

	"Sucker punch me will you?" Harima said.  "I'll show 
you that was a mistake!"  He leaped at Hanai.

	"No, wait...," Yakumo said weakly, flailing at them 
impotently.

	"Oh, you want some?  I'll show you which one of us is 
best!" Hanai proclaimed and leaped at Harima.

	Nara dove under the bed.

	As the two men beat each other up, Karasuma moved 
to one wall with his pad, pulling Yakumo over.  He had her 
begin sketching poses while he did likewise.  As the fight 
progressed, they soon had many different angled shots and 
poses of the two battlers.

	"Sempai, neither of them look like Tiny Snow Fairies, 
though," Yakumo pointed out as Harima kicked Hanai in 
the shoulder and got tossed.

	"Add wings," Karasuma said.

	This went on for quite some time.  

****************

	"Let's ski!" Miki said to her friends cheerfully.

	"Your head is wet and there's frost forming on you," 
Jenny said.  "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

	"Oh, I'm just...JENNY!"

	Jenny tucked Miki under one arm and dragged her 
towards the lodge.  "We'll be back soon, guys, ski without 
us."

	"Okay," Keiichi said.  "Be gentle, Jenny."

	"I am the very essence of gentle," Jenny said, 
squeezing Miki a bit more.

	She finally got Miki inside and took her to the 
bathroom, then got a towel and began drying her head.  
"Are you insane?  What the hell are you doing?"

	"Distracting myself," Miki mumbled.

	Jenny sighed.  "You gonna tell me from what?"  
Scrub, scrub, scrub.

	"I'd have to think about it," Miki said.

	You're crazier than me, Jenny thought and began 
blowdrying Miki's hair.  "Fine, but find a safer way," she 
said.

	"Yes, ma'am," Miki mumbled.

	"I'm not your mother," Jenny said.

	"Yes, ma'am," Miki mumbled again.

	This is gonna be one of those days, Jenny thought.

*************

	"We should have a contest," Tenma said to her friends 
as they got ready to ski.

	"A race in which we all wear penguin suits," Akira 
said.

	"We don't have enough penguin suits," Eri said.

	"I can change that," Akira said confidently.

	"We'll look silly," Eri protested.

	"Oooh, sounds fun to me," Tenma said.

	"Hell, why not," Mikoto said.  "It'll be interesting."  
Best to indulge Akira in something harmless now to 
prevent her looking for an even more 'interesting' way to 
spice things up, really.

	"I...but...fine, penguin suits it is," Eri mumbled.

	"Alright, give me a minute to call Mother," Akira said.  
"We can make a practice run while we wait."

	At least she can't race and film this, Eri thought, 
forgetting Akira's mother also had cameras.

***************
	
	Keiichi, Shinichi, Kasumi, and Masahiro were at the 
top of the slope, getting ready for another run, when 
Yoshidayama ambled up.  "Yo, where's Jenny?" he asked.

	"She's...," Kasumi began.

	"She went over to Sawachika's lodge," Keiichi said 
quickly.

	"Yeah," Shinichi said quickly.  "Something about 
visiting her brother, I think."

	"Oh," Yoshidayama said.  "Well, I'll go find her 
there," he said, then ambled off.

	Kasumi said, once he was gone, "It isn't nice to lie to 
people."

	"Not in the mood for that little shit today," Keiichi 
said angrily.  "With any luck, he'll get crushed flat by 
Harry."

**************

	"No, I haven't seen her," Harry said.  He and Karen 
were playing cards with Sagano and Yuuki.  

	Yoshidayama frowned.  "She didn't get lost, did she?"

	"I'll call her."

	She didn't answer.

	Harry frowned.  "Well, she may have had other things 
to do too.  Why don't you join us and we can call her again 
later?"

	That was reasonable, so Yoshidayama joined them, 
only worrying a little.

*************

	Jenny and Miki rejoined their friends.  Jenny peered 
across the valley to the opposite slopes.  "What the hell is 
going down those slopes?"  She pointed to four huge black 
ovalish things skiing.

	Keiichi peered intently.  "Giant penguins?"

	"..."  Miki stared mindlessly.

	"Best we pretend we see nothing before they somehow 
notice us and decide to take us to help them rule Antarctica 
or something," Masahiro mumbled.

	"Err..what the hell?" Jenny said to him.

	"Best we just ski and not think ever again," Miki said.  
"GO!"  She started down the slopes, and the others 
followed.

************

	WHAM, double knockout.  Harima and Hanai fell to 
the ground, unconscious.

	"Kenji!" Yakumo said, dropping her pad and hurrying 
over to him.

	Nara took his time crawling out to check on Hanai.

	They were both fine, so the two of them propped the 
two men up in chairs and came to check out Karasuma's 
drawing, which turned out to show Fairy Joy and Fairy 
Prudence jumping up and down on an unconscious Harima 
and Hanai.  

	"Wow, it's so real looking," Nara said, impressed.

	Yakumo nodded.  "But isn't Kenji supposed to draw 
part of it too?"

	Karasuma cocked his head, then studied it.  "Hmm, he 
can put some characters from his manga around the fringes, 
maybe?"

	Yakumo began sketching some suggestions.  

	"How about if I find us a fourth person for cards?" 
Nara suggested.  

	Karasuma nodded, so Nara went to find someone.

*************

	Jenny's phone rang again.  However, it was hanging 
out in her bedroom, so no one heard it.

	Out on the slopes, as she came back up, she found 
herself face to face with two teenagers she didn't know.  
Though the guy looked vaguely familar...had he been at the 
parties?

	Keiichi asked, "Are you looking for Hanai-san or 
Suou-san?"

	"No, we're looking for Yoshidayama-san," Ishiyama 
said.  "He's our classmate."

	"I think he went back to the other lodge," Shinichi 
said.  

	"Oh dear.  If we go back and he's come here again...," 
Rinko said fretfully.  "I'm not sure what to do, Bishi-san."  
She paused.  "Oh, I'm Rinko and this is Bishi-san."

	"Nice to meet you," Jenny said.  "You classmates of 
Yoshi-san?"

	"Yes," Ishiyama said.

	"Well, why don't you stay here and ski with us a 
while?," Kasumi asked.  "He's sure to come back 
eventually and have another pointless fight with Keiichi-
san."

	Keiichi grumbled.

	Rinko blinked.

	Ishiyama laughed.  "Sounds good to me.  You up for 
it, Rinko?"

	"You really think he'll come back?" she asked 
Kasumi.

	"I wouldn't swear by it, but he usually comes to hit on 
Jenny at least once a day," Kasumi said.  

	Rinko looked at Jenny thoughtfully.

	Jenny said, "He's a good kid, but too young for me."  
She glanced nervously at Keiichi.

	"Are you Jenny-san's boyfriend?" Rinko asked 
Keiichi.

	"Hell yes.  If that damn brat comes around here to hit 
on her again, I will bust his miserable ass," Keiichi said 
sourly.

	Rinko frowned, then smiled, then frowned, then 
smiled again.  It was a little wrenching to watch.  Finally, 
she said, "Sure, we can ski with you.  It'll be fun."

	"Alright," Jenny said.  "Let's go!"

************

	"Okay," Akira said, clad in a nice warm, clumsy 
penguin suit.  "We finished the practice run.  Everyone 
ready?"

	Eri laughed nervously.

	"I WILL BE THE KINGPIN!" Tenma shouted 
enthusiastically.

	"Ready as ever," Mikoto said.

	Mrs. Takano fired a shot into the air and they were off.

	Mikoto took an early lead with Tenma close behind 
her.  Akira ambled along in third, while a cautious Eri was 
frustrated in fourth.

	As Akira anticipated, however, when Mikoto hit a 
bump, she toppled over and began to roll, wiping out 
Tenma in a collision.

	Akira zipped around them and took the lead, while Eri 
now tried to catch up to her.

	For a while, they were neck and neck, roaring down 
the mountain between trees.

	Then Akira said, "Hey, Kenji came to watch."

	"Hey...WHAT?"  Eri panicked, looking around, then 
whacked her huge left flipper into a tree, spun off at an 
angle, and went flying over a small rise to then tumble 
down the mountain in her giant penguin costume.

	She could beat them at her own game, at least, which 
made Akira feel better as she reached the finish line with 
people tumbling down the mountain behind her.  But you 
didn't always get to pick the game.

	Emotion...

	She watched them all yell and flail wildly as they 
rolled down the mountain, and she envied them a little.  
Her friends were brave enough to show their emotions.  
And usually good enough not to lose control to them 
completely.  Why couldn't she be?  She wanted to know.

*************

	Yoshidayama suspected he'd been tricked somehow.  
Or else Jenny had run off to another planet.  But he didn't 
want to tromp around in the snow forever.  At least his card 
luck was good; he'd won six times in a row.  "I AM THE 
KING!," he crowed.

	"There you are," Imadori said.  "Come with me, 
Yoshidayama-san.  I need you."

	"Ooooh, yaoi," Sagano said, grinning.

	Imadori's eyes crossed, while Yoshidayama made 
gurgling noises.  "Do I have to?"

	"Come," Imadori said.  "It is time to begin planning 
the future.  Unless you like rubber bullets."  He rubbed his 
butt ruefully.

	"Fine, whatever," Yoshidayama grumbled.  "See ya, 
ladies."

	"Bye!" Sagano said cheerfully as Yoshidayama was 
dragged off.

************

	Hanai and Harima finally peeled themselves off the 
floor.  "Did someone suckerpunch us?" Harima asked.

	"Obviously," Hanai said.  

	"Here is the picture," Karasuma said.  It showed a line 
of characters from Harima's manga doing a conga line in 
the background of Fairy Joy and Fairy Prudence jumping 
up and down on an unconscious Harima and Hanai.  "How 
is this for the cover?"

	Harima stared.  How dare he make fun of me like this?  
IT IS UNFORGIVABLE!

	Hanai said, "We got suckerpunched by fairies?"

	"Oh, I think I know who is to blame!," Harima 
shouted, then charged at Karasuma, who tossed the picture 
to Yakumo.  Yakumo joined Nara under the bed while 
Harima and Karasuma went at it.

	"So where did these fairies come from?" Hanai asked 
Yakumo, kneeling down next to the bed.

	"The magical land of sugar and spice," Yakumo said.  
"I think."

	"Did they run away after defeating us?" Hanai asked.

	Nara felt an Akira-esque urge.  "They said you must 
train and grow stronger before you will be ready to face 
them."

	Yakumo blinked.  "But..."

	"They will return in the spring," Nara said.

	"Hmm, that gives us time to prepare," Hanai said 
thoughtfully.

	He sat down next to the bed, watching Karasuma parry 
and dodge Harima's blows.  "He's fast."

	"Yes," Yakumo mumbled.  It was strange, she could 
just barely feel his mind now, and what she did pick up was 
his interest in the fight and thoughts about how it would 
end.  Not that she minded him moving on from her.  
"Sempai, do you think you and Suou-sempai will be 
together forever?"

	"I hope so," Hanai said.  "I think we were made for 
each other."

	"You used to think that about me," Yakumo said, then 
put a hand over her mouth.  She'd meant to be less harsh.

	He winced.  "I know.  But I didn't even really know 
you.  I was just infatuated with your beauty and grace," 
Hanai said, watching Karasuma leap over one of Harima's 
punches to kick him in the face.  As he staggered, Harima 
grabbed Karasuma's foot and swung him into a wall.  

	"But you know Suou-sempai?" Yakumo asked.  

	"Better than I know myself," Hanai said confidently.

	"I have to envy you that," Nara said softly.  "I only 
met Akira this year."

	Hanai twitched.  "Just keep...just good luck.  And you 
too, Yakumo.  Harima's not very smart, but he..."

	"Not very smart?" Harima said.  "I'll show you smart!"  
He grabbed Hanai and threw him into Karasuma, who 
parried with a chair.  

	Now the brawl went three-ways.

	"Are all men's parties like this?," Yakumo asked Nara.

	"I fear for our lives when the drinking starts," he 
replied.

**************

	"Well, I could loan you the money at a modest rate of 
15 percent," Akira said to Mikoto.

	Why did I ever think playing Monopoly with Akira 
would be a good idea, Mikoto asked herself.  "Fine," she 
mumbled.

	"Here you go," Akira said, advancing the money.  
"And here's your payment schedule."  She slid over a 
notecard with neat columns and rows full of beautiful (to 
Akira) numbers.

	Eri laughed.  "That's gonna hurt."  She rolled the dice.  
"Ack!"  Her top hat now rounded GO and landed on Baltic 
Avenue; Tenma had carefully purchased the whole first 
bloc of properties and built up houses and hotels on them.  
Hundreds of dollars drained out of Eri's funds into Tenma's.

	"Woo!  Can I use this to put a ram on the front of my 
car so I can eliminate my foes by running them over?" 
Tenma asked Akira.

	Akira stared at Tenma.

	"No violence," Mikoto said.  Though it would make 
her life easier.

	"Yes, as she said," Akira said.  

	"Aww."  Tenma rolled the dice.  "Free parking!  
Awesome!"

	Mikoto tried to decide whether trying to have an 
intervention over werelesbianism with Tenma would help 
or just make things messier.  Akira was supposed to open 
the topic, but she seemed to have lost herself in becoming a 
slum lord.

	"So, how did things go with you and Yakumo, hmm?" 
Tenma asked Eri.

	"I...what?" Eri asked, flustered.

	"You looked so cute, dancing together," Tenma said 
cheerfully.

	"That's true," Mikoto had to admit.

	"We're not...I don't know what she thinks she's doing, 
but I can't marry her.  And don't throw silly things at me 
about making Sagano the Pope or whatever!," Eri said 
frantically, taking the dice.

	"My turn," Akira said, taking the dice.  They did not 
cooperate and she landed on the Electric company.  "Your 
rent," she said quickly, passing it to Mikoto.

	"Not Sagano.  SARA.  Sagano's not even catholic," 
Tenma said.  "I think she's Buddhist."

	"I think she worships herself, or possibly a god of 
crazy ideas," Mikoto said, carefully shaking the dice in her 
hands and whispering to them.  This was crucial to break 
Akira's power over them.

	"Momma needs a six," Mikoto said, then rolled.  Nine.  
"No, not PARK PLACE!!!"

	Akira began writing out another loan deal.

	"You look so romantic together," Tenma said.

	"Kenji is going to win and that's that.  He's who I want 
to win.  Can't you cheer for me, Tenma?" Eri asked, 
frustrated and not wanting to think about little miss perfect 
Yakumo, however pretty and graceful she might be.  That 
just made her WORSE.

	Stupid little miss perfect.

	"Of course I will," Tenma said.  "But it all has to 
balance out, you see.  A bird needs two wings, you know."  
Her voice was oddly serene.

	Eri took the dice.  She rolled them grimly, then gave a 
sigh of relief.  Just visiting at the jail.  

	"Look, Tenma," Mikoto began.

	"I'm just disappointed you don't come after me more 
often when the moon is full," Akira said to Tenma with her 
usual calm voice.

	Tenma suddenly looked guilty.  "Well, I only came to 
understand all this recently.  Have I been neglecting you, 
Akira?"

	Mikoto tried to figure out if Akira was...surely this 
was intended to bring Tenma around to some kind 
of...understanding of something.  Right?

	Eri passed the dice to Tenma, who ignored them, 
looking guilty.

	"You always kept creeping in with Eri and Yakumo 
and Kenji, but not me," Akira said, looking almost sad.

	"I was trying to keep them from doing anything 
stupid!," Tenma protested, then dropped the dice and came 
over and hugged Akira.  "I'm sorry.  I'll come chase you 
next full moon, okay?"

	"Okay," Akira said.  "And you can't neglect Mikoto, 
either."

	"Miko-chin!"  Tenma ran over to her next and gave 
her a big hug.

	"You going to play or what?" Eri asked a little 
crankily.

	"I pass, Akira can take my turn," Tenma said.  "I have 
to cuddle Mikoto."

	Mikoto laughed a little as Tenma hugged her.  "It's 
okay, I have my boyfriend."

	"And your other boyfriend and your girlfriend," 
Tenma said.

	"And my...no, it's not like that!," Mikoto protested.

	"It's not easy juggling so many lovers, is it?" Akira 
asked softly.

	Eri pouted.

	"I...no," Tenma said.  "I should spend more time with 
you guys.  Not just my boyfriend and my sister and her 
boyfriend.  Though once Eri starts being with them all the 
time..."

	"Let's not think about all that, okay?" Eri pleaded.  "I 
just want to bankrupt everyone."

	"Okay," Tenma said, now hugging Eri.  "Whose turn 
is it?"

	Eri vibrated gently.

	"Yours," Mikoto said.

	"Wait, didn't I pass?"

	"There is no passing in Monopoly.  You must keep 
moving so you can pay me rent," Akira said.

	Some things never change, Mikoto thought.

**************

	Yakumo finished going through a tea ceremony with 
Nara while Hanai, Harima, and Karasuma lay unconscious 
on the floor.  Yakumo had carefully thrown a blanket over 
them.  

	Nara sipped his last bit of tea.  "Thank you, 
Tsukamoto-san.  That was very nice."
	
	She smiled a tiny bit.  "You're welcome.  You...should 
practice more with Akira, though.  She's..."

	"Very insistent on avoiding sloppiness like mine," 
Nara said.  "I know."  He sighed.  

	"Well, you'll learn," Yakumo said.  

	"Hmm.  Want to play cards?" Nara asked.

	"Sure.  Should we try to wake them up?" she asked.

	"Let them rest," Nara said.  "They'll probably just find 
another excuse to hit each other if we wake them."

	That was true, Yakumo thought.  And the cover was 
done.  She could just ink it later.  "Okay, I'll go get a deck 
and we can play."

***************
	
	The ladies had changed into their pajamas and gotten 
ready for bed.  But they'd decided to have one game of 
spades before sleeping.  In hopes of breaking Akira's string 
of victories, not that anyone said that out loud.

	They were in the middle of Eri and Mikoto beating 
Tenma and Akira (as Akira could only do much to help 
Tenma) when Akira said, "Can you smile, Mikoto?"

	Mikoto blinked, then smiled.  "What, like that?"

	Akira studied her intently.

	"Don't tell me you don't know how to smile," Eri said.  
"We've all seen you smile at Nara."  She struck a kind of 
star-struck awe smile.  "Like that."

	"Mikoto smiles so naturally," Akira said softly.

	Mikoto blushed a little.

	"And that too," Akira said.  "I don't even know how to 
fake blushing."

	"It just happens," Eri said.  "Like breathing."

	Tenma smiled.  "Your smile is very beautiful," she 
said to Akira.  "But I'm sure Mikoto can help you."

	Mikoto laughed nervously.  "Well, umm...okay.  I'll do 
my best!"  She took Akira's hands.  "We can do it 
together!"

	Akira made a clumsy face thing which somewhat 
resembled a smile.

	"Just think about something you like," Mikoto said.

	Akira thought about Nara and got the goofy smile.

	"Besides Nara," Mikoto said.

	Akira tried thinking about her mother, but she could 
feel her face looked calm as usual.  Even thinking about tea 
didn't seem to help.

	Tenma tried to help.  She whispered into Akira's ear.  
"Candy, candy, candy...."

	Akira felt lightly amused, but her face didn't change.  

	Mikoto thought.  "Maybe a real nice cup of tea..."

	"Not this late; I already drank up my decaffinated," 
Akira said regretfully. 

	Mikoto moved around behind Eri, grabbed her 
ponytails, and began making them dance.  "How about 
this?"

	"Hey!," Eri said.

	Tenma began to giggle.  

	Akira definitely felt amused but her face wasn't 
changing.  

	"Look, trying to make her laugh isn't the key...it's not 
natural if you force it," Eri said.  "But if you stick around 
Mikoto some, maybe you'll pick it up faster, right?  
Observe and learn?"

	It made sense.  Akira nodded.  "That makes sense."

	"Okay, you sleep next to me in case I smile in my 
sleep," Mikoto said, trying to not laugh.

	"And I'll whisper Hanai's name in her ear all night so 
she smiles," Tenma said.  "And Masahiro and Miki and..."

	"Tenma!"  It was time to give Tenma a tickle-beating, 
clearly.

	Akira winced, but only on the inside.  Hanai...best not 
to think about him.  How he was probably in his pajamas, 
surrounded by other manly men in their pajamas... Nara... 
Harima... even Karasuma...  Akira shook her head.  Don't 
think about that.  Whatever sexy things the men might be 
doing...no, just focus on her friends.  And smiling.

	Tenma laughed loudly enough for six people, and 
Akira finally cracked a tiny smile.  Unfortunately, no one, 
not even she, actually noticed it over the noise.

**************

	Yakumo had carefully rolled out a futon, dragged the 
unconscious men onto it, taken off their shoes, then thrown 
sheets over them and pillows under their heads.  Nara had 
helped her, then gotten them some of the left-over desserts 
from the kitchen, so they were having cake and ice cream 
and soda while they played cards.  Yakumo expected they 
would probably gain three million pounds, but it was a 
party after all.  

	A man party.

	Which she'd somehow imagined would have less of 
unconscious men in it.

	There was a knock on the door.  "Come in quietly," 
Yakumo said softly.

	Asou and Suga came in.  "We heard there was a guy 
party?" Suga asked.

	"It sort of turned into a slumber party," Nara said, 
laughing a little.

	"Geez," Suga said.  "Oooh, cards.  Hey, wait, why is 
Tsukamoto-san here?"

	"Honorary guy, since she's trying to get Eri's hand in 
marriage," Nara said quickly.

	Yakumo said, "..."

	"Oh, cool," Suga said.  "That makes sense."

	"Not really," Asou said.  "But I don't care one way or 
another.  And Tsukamoto-san is good company.  Let's play 
before it gets too late."

	There was another knock at the door.  It was Miki and 
Masahiro.  "Is Haruki-san here?" Masahiro asked.

	"Yes," Yakumo said, pointing.

	"Oh, he's already sleeping here," Miki said, sounding 
disappointed.  "I guess we shouldn't disturb him."

	Masahiro nodded.  "See you all tomorrow, then!"  
They took off.

	"Now, time to bankrupt you all," Suga said, rubbing 
his hands eagerly.

	"We'll see about that," Asou said confidently.  "I feel 
lucky tonight."

*************

	Later, Yakumo woke up with cards all over her.  
Sitting up, she saw Nara, Asou, and Suga all clonked out 
with cards all over them.  It looked like she'd won a lot of 
money, though she didn't remember winning it.  Suga had 
most of the rest.  

	Carefully, she dragged the other guys onto the futon 
and tucked them in, then tried to go sleep.  Instead, she fell 
asleep again and fell down, mostly on Harima, but her legs 
trailing onto Asou's chest.  

**************

	The rest of the vacation went by without serious 
incident.  All too soon it was over, time to return home to 
Sukuran and experience the revenge of school--the winter 
trimester, the last one of the school year.  

	Some would have a happy homecoming.

***************
	
 		
	Yuuki hauled her luggage up the stairs, then pushed 
the front door open.  "Mom, I'm..."

	Flashes went off in her face and confetti flew.  The 
living room of her family's small house was crammed full 
of family friends and relatives, along with a handful of her 
friends from school.  "Congratulations on your record 
contract!," her mother said.  "And on becoming class 
president!  Why didn't you tell me?"

	I did tell you, but you didn't seem to notice, Yuuki 
thought.  But she smiled, looking embarrassed.

	"Speech, speech!" Sagano shouted as Yuuki wondered 
how she'd gotten there ahead of her.  

	Yuuki gulped.  "I...um....four score and seven years 
ago...no, wrong speech..."

	There was much laughter, and she finally managed to 
babble something only slightly inane and in the end, she 
had a good time.

*************

	And others would have a less happy homecoming.

*************

	"I have bad news for you," Sagano's mother said to 
her.

	"Did Tomo get expelled and forced to move to 
Siberia?," Sagano asked hopefully.

	"BAD news," her mother said firmly.

	"Well, I was hoping it was 'bad' from your view and 
'good' from mine," Sagano said nervously.  "This isn't about 
all those dead orcs, right?"

	"What?" her mother asked.

	"Nothing," Sagano mumbled.

	"I'm afraid we had to throw out some of your manga 
because it got covered with stink-spewing vomit," her 
mother said.  "Fortunately for you, it was Tomo's fault, so 
she got the bill for the hazardous waste disposal unit's call."

	"..."

	"I never realized you saved so much.  But it was so 
trashed that I couldn't even tell what company made it," her 
mother said.

	"My...manga...," Sagano said.  MY PORN!!!!!

	"Anyway, the Christmas presents we got you also had 
to be burned..."

	"..."

	"So here's a check for 75,000 yen."  Her mother 
passed her the check.  "Your father got a big bonus this 
year and he felt bad for you, losing all that stuff to your 
cousin being an idiot.  You can replace your manga or buy 
yourself some presents or whatever."  She sighed.

	Nothing could replace Sagano's precious babies, her 
porn.  But this would make a good start.

	One thing was clear however.

	Her vengeance on Tomo would have to be more 
horrible than can possibly be imagined.

****************

	Yukari stumbled in the doorway.  "I'm home!"

	Her parents were waiting in the living room with a 
look she hadn't seen on them since the time she'd 
accidentally left shoes in the oven at 350 degrees for a day.  
The smell...it still haunted her dreams.

	"Please tell me I didn't leave something in the oven," 
she mumbled.

	"No, dear, that would be less bad," her mother said.

	"I'm afraid we're grounding you for the next two 
years," her father said.

	"You can't ground me!  I'm an adult!," Yukari said.

	"You've been seducing a teenager, and we can't allow 
that," her father said.  "So from here on out, until he's old 
enough to be legal, you're going to come straight home 
from work and you're going to stay home, unless one of us 
is with you."

	"But...I'm too old for this!  I'll move out!," Yukari 
said.

	"Don't make empty threats, dear.  We know you can't 
manage your money well enough to make a rent payment.  
You make a little over 4 million yen a year, but you have 
less than 5000 yen in the bank most of the time," her father 
said.  "So you're grounded until you either find the money 
to move out or until the boy turns 18."

	"But the age of majority in Japan is only...," Yukari 
began.

	"You're still going to be seen as raiding the 
kindergarden," her mother said.  "We don't mind if you 
have adult boyfriends, but you need to learn not to raid the 
student body.  You're a teacher!"

	"He's not one of MY students," Yukari said.

	"Too bad.  You're grounded and that's that," her 
mother said.

	"Who told you about this?" Yukari demanded angrily.

	"A good journalist doesn't give up her sources," 
Yukari's mother said.

	It's probably that bastard Umino, Yukari thought.  He 
wants Nyamo all to himself.  Grounding me, an adult.  He 
will PAY!

***************

	Akira was rather surprised to see her mother making 
breakfast the next morning.  This was because she and Nara 
were at their house.  She hadn't even realized her mother 
had a key.

	"I picked the lock, let myself in, thought I'd make you 
breakfast," Akira's mother said.

	"Out of food at home?" Akira asked.

	Her mother smiled a little.  "Yes.  I'll go shop later 
today.  Also, had to come by to warn you that the 
Sawachika family hired me to help balance the contest out 
by advising Imadori."

	"..."  Akira stared at her mother.

	"I have to give him some credit for knowing to play to 
his strengths in this," Akira's mother said, beginning to mix 
batter.  "Pancakes okay?"

	"Fine," Akira mumbled.

	"So with you and I neutralizing each other, this will be 
a test of your other boyfriend's real mettle," Akira's mother 
said.

	"Kenji-san is not my boyfriend!," Akira said firmly.

	"Mmm, how thin do you want your fried cinnamon 
apples?" her mother asked.

	Akira stalked over.  "Mother, Kenji is not my 
boyfriend.  I'm not crazy enough to get into the middle of 
that and I already have a boyfriend."

	Her mother passed her the batter.  "You stir, I'll cut 
apples.  We should probably wake Nara-san up and put him 
to work."

	"Not until you stop calling Kenji my boyfriend.  He's 
just a friend," Akira said, starting to stir.  "I am absolutely 
faithful to my boyfriend."

	"Except when you lust after Harima-san and Hanai-
san," her mother said.  

	"I'm not lusting after anyone but my totally sexy 
boyfriend who is all I could ever need or want," Akira said 
very, very firmly, stirring the batter faster than a blender on 
puree.  Some of it splashed on her, but she didn't care.

	"Okay, I think you've defeated the batter," her mother 
said, beginning to fairly thinly slice an apple.  "We'll need 
coffee, sausage, bacon...would some orange and melon 
slices be overkill for just three of us?"

	"If you really want to cook a lot, I can call some 
friends to eat the extra," Akira said.  "So long as you don't 
call Kenji-san my boyfriend in front of anyone."

	"Everyone has crushes at your age," her mother began.

	"Don't patronize me," Akira said, getting out bacon 
and readying it for cooking.  "My heart is all focused on 
one person."  The bacon went into the frying pan and began 
to sizzle.  "And Kenji-san is going to crush Imadori-san."

	Her mother smiled a small smile.  "It's good to support 
one's boyfriends."

	"Mother," Akira said warningly, forcing herself to 
calm down; she let the sizzling of the bacon burn her anger.  
Calm, calm.  Save the emotions for when they're useful.  
"You're going to cause me trouble with Kentaro if you keep 
saying that.  It's not true, but I don't want it to haunt him," 
Akira continued.  She flipped the bacon over.

	Akira's mother tried to decide if she should flip the 
first set of pancakes or go back to fruit prep.  "Fine," she 
said.  "Just be careful of what you do, or he might get the 
wrong idea anyway."

	Akira frowned, but stayed silent as she finished off the 
bacon, then went to make some calls for more eaters.

***************

	Tani-sensei sat nervously with Tae and the other 
teachers in the auditorium; they had 'in-service' days before 
the semester started, which usually was a mixture of 
teacher training, time to prep for the trimester, and the 
Principal's latest insane schemes.

	Aino-Sensei stepped up to the podium, reading the 
announcement the board had made her Vice-Principal to 
replace the old one and then various pieces of news not 
relevant to this narrative.  She concluded by calling Youko-
sensei up and then stepping down.

	"Hello, everyone," Youko-sensei said, smiling.  "I've 
been chosen to develop this semester's 'teacher unity' 
project."  Few words spread more horror at Sukuran than 
'teacher unity'.  Past teacher unity days had featured such 
things as crossing live minefields, trying to hunt snarks in 
the forest, and swimming across Tokyo Bay.  In winter.

	Surely this couldn't be too bad.

	She unrolled a poster showing herself, Itoko, and the 
Principal standing in bold, heroic poses saluting the school 
flag against a stylized backdrop of the school and students 
saluting it.  Everyone looked slightly, but only slightly 
abstracted; the Principal looked ready to benchpress 
tractors.  "We will divide into teams of three and cover the 
school with forthright art to build school spirit and advance 
the worker's paradise!"  She had to fight back a giggle, but 
the Principal looked pleased.

	Tani-sensei gave a sigh of relief.  Not half as bad as 
some days.

	"I have randomly selected teams," Youko-sensei said.  
She began reading them off; Tani noted Youko got teamed 
with Itoko-sensei and...Tae.  He frowned at that, as he'd 
hoped to have her on his team.

	"Also, Coach-san, Kaitou-sensei, and Tani-sensei," 
Youko read off.

	"But...you can't team me with the thug and the 
moron!," Kaitou-sensei protested.

	"I am not a thug, but I will beat you down for that!" 
Coach-san said.

	AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, 
Tani said inside his head.  This was going to be a long day.

************

	Yakumo was grateful that the house couldn't get too 
messy all on its own.  And Kenji had done most of the 
laundry, which took a big burden off her.  So she, Sara, and 
Satsuki were going to go off and do some shopping and 
relax before school started again soon.

	There was a knock at the door, so she answered it, as 
Tenma was still asleep and so was Kenji.  She'd made them 
breakfast which could be warmed up and left it out for 
them.  

	To her surprise, it was Yuri at the door.  "Yuri-sensei," 
she said.  "Come in."

	Yuri came in.  "Hi, Mrs. Sawachika asked me to be 
your business advisor for the contest.  Do you have time to 
talk about it?"

	"A little," Yakumo said.  "I'm going out with some 
friends."

	"Do you have an idea for a business?  We'll have to 
decide soon so that the Sawachikas can obtain one for us."

	"I'm thinking maybe a restaurant or a bakery, since I'm 
good at cooking and waitressing," Yakumo said.

	Yuri nodded approvingly.  "So am I.  Let's try a 
restaurant; I've been running a bakery for years, and I'm 
ready for something new."

	Yakumo nodded.  "Why don't you come in and have 
some tea while I wait for my friends?"

	"Alright, let's do that," Yuri said, following her in.

************

	Nothing had quite gone right trying to catch 
Yoshidayama at the ski lodges, but Rinko was determined 
she'd catch him this time.  It was quite lucky, really, that 
Bishimaya-san knew where Yoshidayama lived.  She just 
hoped that showing up unannounced would work out right.

	But Bishi-san seemed confident it would, and she 
trusted him.

	So here they were, about to knock on the door.

	Like they had been twenty minutes ago, when they'd 
arrived.

	She just couldn't quite get her fist to make the final 
step.  

	Finally, Bishi-san stepped up and knocked on the door 
for her.  She smiled gratefully at him.

	A baby began screaming, and then another, and then a 
third and a fourth.  There was much rushing about and 
hushing noises and sounds like young girls telling babies to 
be quiet.

	Finally, a middle aged woman with VERY YELLOW 
hair done in cornrows opened the door.  She had deeply 
tanned skin and wore a NWA T-shirt and torn jeans which 
looked like she'd mugged a teenager and taken the kid's 
clothing.  There were some seven babies to be seen in the 
living room beyond, some in cribs, several in small 
swinging cribs.  The musical stylings of Snoop Dogg 
attempted unsuccessfully to lure the babies to sleep.

	Rinko stared mindlessly, unable to understand what 
was going on.  This was Yoshi-san's mother?  How many 
babies could one woman her age have???

	Bishi-san said, "Hi, Yoshidayama-san.  We're looking 
for your son."

	She peered at Rinko.  "You don't look American."

	"I...I'm not," Rinko said, now even more confused.

	"Though you do look like a cracker, but you dress 
Japanese," Yoshidayama's mother said.

	"..."  Rinko looked at herself.  Since when did I look 
edible?  

	"We're two of his classmates, not...whoever you are 
thinking of," Bishi-san said nervously.

	"I expect he'd kick your ass too," Yoshidayama's 
mother said.  Three young girls in the twelve to eight range 
swarmed around behind her, seeing to the needs of the 
babies.

	"Are those yours?" Rinko asked nervously.

	"I gotta stay home to watch my own kids, so I'm 
taking care of various' friends' babies while they work," 
Yoshidayama's mother said.  "Pays better than my old 
secretarial job."

	Rinko tried to imagine her showing up for secretary 
work like this.  

	"Do you know where he is?" Bishi-san asked.

	"STICKING IT TO THE MAN, I hope," 
Yoshidayama's mother said.  "Can't you just call him?"

	Rinko felt embarrassed.  Yes, what a radical idea.  
"We'll do that."

	"Good.  I have to give the babies their formula, which 
means it's time to switch over to Pink.  Have fun getting in 
trouble, kids."  Yoshidayama's mother waved and closed 
the door. 

	"My goodness," Rinko said.

	"Yeah, his mother's not the most impressive person in 
the world," Bishi-san said.  "But you have to see past 
appearances when you're in love, right?"

	"Right," Rinko said, taking his hand and squeezing it.  
"You understand me so well."  She smiled.

	He laughed nervously.  "I try," he mumbled.

	"Let's go call him and find him, then," Rinko said, 
leading Bishi-san off.

***************

	"You must operate as a smoothly functioning 
machine, or else you will be crushed," Mrs. Takano said to 
the assembled Video Club members.  "Our project is 
ambitious, but ambition is good.  It's what separates the 
winners from the losers."

	"Isn't winning what separates them?" Yoshidayama 
asked.

	"Yes, but the unambitious do not win," Mrs. Takano 
said.

	They were in a backroom at Buddha's family's shop 
for the meeting.  Most of them were hoping to get past the 
boring stuff quickly so they could watch some videos.

	"But what if both sides are ambitious?" Yoshidayama 
asked.

	"Then it comes down to skill," Mrs. Takano said.  "I 
am made of pure skill.  And I will make you all better than 
you were before.  Or kill you in the attempt."

	Most of them shivered at that, remembering rubber 
bullets.

	"We're going to open a hobby, comic, and video 
store," Imadori said.

	Everyone cheered.

	"I expect together, we can make it a huge success and 
crush Harima-san," Imadori said.

	"If anyone pilfers any merchandise..."  Mrs. Takano 
made a gun with her fingers and then said, "BANG."

	Everyone jumped.  Honesty was the best survival 
policy here.  Definitely.

**************** 

	Akira stood on Harima's bed, trying to pry his arms 
loose.  Mikoto took one arm, she took the other, but he was 
clinging to it desperately and mumbling.

	"No...don't pull arm...going off road..." he mumbled.

	Mikoto sighed.  "Now what?"

	Akira assessed the situation.  She said, "Well, I guess 
we can't tell Kenji he's turned into a woman again."

	"AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"  Harima vaulted off 
the bed, bounced off the wall, checked his chest, then said, 
"Dammit, you tricked me!"

	"Time to get up.  We have to figure out your business 
soon," she said.

	Harima got up.  "Does it have to be an actual store or 
can it be a business venture?"

	"Hmm, I'm not sure.  Pitch me the idea," Akira said.  

	Mikoto leaned against the wall, listening.

	"The two things I could do well.  Motorcycle lessons 
or art lessons," Harima said.  "Though I guess I could do 
motorcycle repair or run a motorcycle shop too."

	"Hmm.  We're going to need something that can be 
open other than just when we're available, though...so a 
Motorcycle shop with lessons on the side might be good," 
Akira said.  "Especially since I know a fair amount about 
motorcycles."

	"You can teach me," Mikoto said.  "It'd be cool to be 
able to ride a cycle."

	"There we go, a customer already," Akira said.  "Also, 
we can add the Motorcycle Taxi Service you already owe 
Mihama-san and her friends into it," she continued.

	Harima winced.  "Man, this is going to start a lot of 
stupid rumors."

	"It's much easier to pay your debt this way than to earn 
the money for it.  And we can credit it as really high 
payments..., yes, yes, this will help," Akira said 
thoughtfully.

	"I should call Haruka.  I bet he'd love running a cycle 
shop," Harima said.

	"That's a good idea," Akira said.  "And I'm curious to 
meet him."

	"Me too," Mikoto said.  "You always speak so highly 
of him."

	"He taught me a lot about what it means to be a man," 
Harima said.  And maybe he can teach me more about 
dealing with women, he thought.  He could use some 
advice.

***************

	Yuuki licked her lips nervously.  Was she ready for 
this?  What should she say?  What could she say?

	And were Sagano and Fuyuki going to mess 
everything up by spying on her when they thought she 
couldn't see them, but where anyone who wasn't an idiot 
would notice them?

	Maybe the ice cream store wasn't ideal for this.

	Hanai ambled in, reading a book, which he now 
tucked under one arm as he went and ordered some ice 
cream, then came over to join her.  "Hi, what's up?" he 
asked.

	Sagano made giant 'you can do it' gestures from across 
the room, then realized she WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE 
THERE and dropped down out of sight.  Hanai turned and 
looked where she had been, blinked, then turned back to 
Yuuki as he sat down.

	"Hanai-san," she said softly.  "We're going to be 
working together this semester.  Maybe even next year if 
we end up in the same class.  I know there's been...we've..."

	He reached over and patted her hand for a moment, 
then withdrew his.  "I understand.  I'll do my best to be 
professional."

	She felt a tremendous relief.  Of course he would.  He 
wasn't the sort of person to be petty and hold a grudge.  

	Unlike, say, herself.

	"Thank you.  I just want this to be good for both of 
us," Yuuki said, now eating a spoonful of her strawberry 
and lemon mix ice cream.

	"Just remember, Mai used to scream a lot, but it never 
seemed to do much good.  Also, Tougo will try to steal all 
your best lines," Hanai said.

	Yuuki said, "Well, Tougo is also in the doghouse.  
We'll need to learn more about the new president of 2-D, so 
they can't get up on us."

	"Our strength will beat theirs if we stand together," 
Hanai said, then chomped on his chocolate swirl ice cream.  

	They began making plans; it was strange for Yuuki; 
she actually felt closer to him like this than she ever had 
managed when she was chasing him.  

	Even with Sagano and Fuyuki peeking at them the 
whole time.

	Towards the end of the meeting, Hanai said softly, "I 
don't know if you noticed, but Fuyuki and Sagano are 
spying on us."

	Do not ever use them for espionage, Yuuki told 
herself.  "So, you have evidence that Brad Pitt damaged 
Sagano's porn collection?" Yuuki asked Hanai loudly.

	He blinked, then said, "He's always been jealous of her 
relationship with Fuyuki, but it looks like he's finally 
snapped."

	"HEY!" Sagano said, springing up as Fuyuki tried to 
pull her down.  "Tomo's working with Brad Pitt?  
DAMMIT!"

	Sorry, lover, Yuuki thought.  This is for your own 
good.  "That's a class secret.  TOP secret."  She waggled a 
finger at Sagano.

	"But...fine, I'll tickle it out of you, later," Sagano said.

	"You know, you need to pick a lieutenant now," Hanai 
said to Yuuki.  "Perhaps someone who could stand to have 
a more productive outlet for her energy."

	Yuuki said, "I think I will appoint two flunkies, so as 
to off-load more of my work onto them.  Megumi-san, 
Takeichi-san, I hereby appoint you Vice Presidents of the 
Class.  Megumi, you're in charge of the women; Fuyuki, 
you're in charge of the men."

	"Yes!  My boyfriend now has the power to get me a 
harem of handsome men!," Sagano said.

	"But no incentive," Fuyuki pointed out.

	"Dammit," Sagano mumbled.

	"Very good, Ms. President.  Now, I need to get back 
home so I can teach students tonight," Hanai said.

	"We should come with you.  We all need to build our 
fighting skills," Yuuki said.  "I expect there's more 
weirdness to come."

	"Good," Hanai said.  "Let's go, then."

	And they headed out.

******************* 
	
	"I still think a bunny bar," Imadori began.

	"No," Mrs. Takano said.

	"But we...," he tried to continue.

	"You couldn't even legally enter it, let alone run it.  
You want to win, don't you?" she asked him.

	"We can hire cute women and put them in bunny 
outfits to run the shop when we're in school," Buddha 
pointed out.

	"Oooh, I didn't think of that," Imadori said.

	Mrs. Takano began to say something, then said, 
"Hmm, mascots can be useful."

	They brainstormed a while longer, then Mrs. Takano 
let most of them go except for Buddha and Imadori.  
"We're going to have to screen the staff carefully to avoid 
my daughter infiltrating any agents."

	"Does she really have that kind of resources?" Buddha 
asked.

	"She'll find a way.  We have to presume that if it's 
possible, she can and will do it."

	"What about Yakumo?" Imadori asked.

	"I'm not worried about Yakumo.  She's too quiet and 
polite to try to sabotage the other players, but my daughter 
has the brains and Harima-san has the attitude.  Also, 
you're going to have to make sure none of your club 
harrasses any female employees or everything will go to 
hell and I will have to crush you all for wasting my time."  
She said this very calmly.  "Also, you'd best keep your 
mistress away from this, unless you want it to go to hell," 
she said to Imadori.

	"I don't have a mistress," Imadori protested.

	Buddha made noises.

	"You know what I mean.  Lots of wealthy degenerates 
have mistresses, but I'm not going to let you put a mark on 
my record," Mrs. Takano said.  "If you don't learn some 
discretion, you'll be eaten alive in the waters you're 
swimming in."  

	Imadori nodded; she wondered if he was paying 
attention at all.  

	"Alright.  I'm counting on you two to keep your club 
in line.  Do your best."

	"Of course," Buddha said.

	"We'll need some way to keep Lala from levelling my 
shop," Imadori pointed out.

	"I will find a way," Mrs. Takano said.  "Alright, I'll 
tell the Sawachikas our plan and we'll see how it goes."

	She headed out, leaving Imadori and Buddha to stand 
on the balcony at Imadori's family's apartment and stare out 
across the city.

	Buddha finally said, "She's going to own us by the 
time this ends."

	"I can stand a little slavery for victory," Imadori said.

	"Yukari-san will take this badly," Buddha said.

	"I can sweet-talk her," Imadori said.  "This will work 
out just fine."

	Buddha wasn't so sure about that.

***************

	Akira blinked in surprise as Haruka kissed her hand; 
she felt a little flattered, as no one had done that before for 
her except Nara.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, fair lady," 
Haruka said.

	"Traded up to a newer model?" Haruka asked Harima.

	"I am not Kenji-san's girlfriend," Akira said firmly.  

	Haruka looked amused by that.

	"What gives you that idea?" Harima asked.  "I have a 
girlfriend already!"

	"Two," Akira said.

	"She...we...it's complicated," Harima mumbled.

	They were meeting at a quiet cafe; all three of their 
cycles were parked nearby in the parking lot.  

	"I am Kenji's friend and business manager," Akira 
said.  "I will try to explain the whole situation."

	"Don't mention the freaky bits," Harima mumbled.

	"Can't be avoided, really," Akira said.  

	Harima grumbled into his coffee.  "But he'll think 
we're crazy."

	"I've seen some crazy stuff.  Try me," Haruka said.

	Akira explained everything as best she could while 
Harima twitched, talked to his coffee, ate danishes and 
generally had a mild conniption fit.

	"Damn, you turned into a woman and I never got to 
see it!" Haruka said, sounding disappointed.

	"..."  Harima stared.

	"Was he hot?" Haruka asked Akira.

	"Smoking hot," Akira said.  "Not that I noticed, since I 
have a very handsome boyfriend and were-lesbianism only 
exists in Tenma's head."  She quickly ate a danish herself.

	Haruka idly fiddled thoughtfully with a donut.  "So no 
chance of it happening again."

	"NO," Harima said.

	Not until the next time Eri gets really mad at you, 
anyway, Onna-Harima said.

	NO NO NO.

	"That's too bad.  And no pictures?"

	"Fuyuki might have some," Akira said.

	"Noooo!!!!!!!!!!"

	"Hmm, sure, I'd be glad to help out.  Though I'd say 
Kenji's heading for disaster, trying to court two women at 
once."

	"It's a mess," Harima mumbled into his coffee.

	"But if you pull it off, I'll definitely admire you," 
Haruka said.  "Though I'd admire you more if..."

	"NO," Harima said.  "Don't even tease me about it."  
He finished off his coffee and flagged a waitress for more.

	"I have to say, I never expected to see you end up like 
this, but I'm glad for you.  Finding a good woman really 
can change your life," Haruka said.  

	"You have a girlfriend now?" Harima asked.

	"Something...it's complicated," Haruka said.

	Harima grinned.  "Oh, now it's your turn to spill the 
beans."

	"I...well, we're living together," Haruka said.  "But 
there's a lot of stuff I can't talk about.  But she's a good 
woman."

	"Never thought I'd see you settle down with one 
woman; you flirted with everything female in sight," 
Harima said.  "Hell, I'd almost think you were flirting with 
me at times and I wasn't a woman."

	"Yet," Haruka said, grinning.

	"Dammit, that's never happening again!," Harima said.

	"Saying that probably damns you to suffer it again," 
Akira said.

	Haruka looked thoughtful a moment.  "You and your 
boyfriend both got switched along with all those others 
briefly, right?," he asked Akira.

	Akira froze up, suddenly on the spot.  "Yes," she said 
into her coffee cup.

	Harima grinned; it was time to escape his worries in 
the suffering of others.  Always better when the shoe was 
on someone else's foot.

	"How did he take it?"

	"Much better than Kenji," Akira said, relaxing a little.

	"Well, he looks kinda girly anyway," Harima said.  
"Hell, put him in a dress and he looks pretty feminine," he 
continued.

	Akira glared at him.

	"Oh come on, you know it's true," Harima said.  

	Akira was not mollified.  "I seem to remember how 
someone at this table went to a formal party in a dress."

	"I...hey, that was your idea!," Harima protested, now 
on the defensive.

	"Crossdressing can be fun," Haruka teased.

	"You...you don't...do you?" Harima asked Haruka.

	"Sometimes," Haruka said.  "Don't let society chain 
you down with its stereotypes.  A man is a man because of 
what's on the inside, right?  And the same for a woman?"

	"Yeah," Harima said.  "But it's just...it's not..."

	"I just wish I could have seen you as a woman."  
Haruka sighed.  "Anyway, enough teasing.  Let's talk about 
our cycle shop."

	"YES," Harima said.

	So they got down to the nitty-gritty of it.

***************

	Rinko could feel her brain fritzing out.  She'd come all 
this way to finally meet with Yoshidayama, only to be 
struck paralyzed, unable to speak coherently as she and 
Y