Hiroshi "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask Imite, and she lets go of my wrist to smirk at me. "Of course it is. I -- oomph." A slender dark haired girl pushes her way between us, muttering an excuse as she does. I blink, realising it's the Tamamushi city gym-leader. "Oh, frell," Imite groans, as Erika heads into the ladies room. "I'll follow her. Stay here incase she tries to get out." I blink, and Imite darts into the ladies room, and I'm left there alone. Oh great. This is just wonderful. I rock back on my heels and sigh. I wish they'd hurry up... I mean, it's gotta look weird for me to be standing here and just waiting and not actually doing anything. Oh, Hiroshi, you're letting yourself get paranoid. Well, there's good reason! And now you're talking to yourself. Stop it. I sigh, and decide it's good advice to take, and look back at door to the ladies room. I start to hum, and then sigh. Uh, this isn't any better. This is, if anything, just worse, and... "Hiroshi?" I blink and turn away from the bathroom. Satoshi stands there, confusion on his face in the low light. "Oh, hi Sato-chan," I murmur, and he takes my hands and looks into my eyes. "Is something wrong? I thought you were going to get us drinks..." his voice trails off. I blink. "Oh, forgot about that, didn't I?" Satoshi laughs and kisses me long and hot and passionately. "That's all right. But, are you all right?" "Uh, yeah, I'm fine." I reply, smiling. "Oh?" I nod. "And there's a reason why you're standing outside the ladies room, then?" I blink, and then cough, blushing slightly. "Yeah, there's a reason," I almost say, but shake my head. "No, no reason at all." Satoshi smiles. "Then come with me. Shigeru is trying to one-up me to Tooru so I need you there for moral support." I smile, glad to be with him. Sure that Imite can sort out the problem in the bathroom, I let him lead me across the filled room. "So, anything in particular?" I ask. "Really?" Satoshi replies. "Yeah, really." Satoshi just grins wickedly. "Actually, I just missed you. Is that okay?" I smile slightly and squeeze his hand. "Oh, it's perfectly okay." He grins and then waves. "Told you I'd find him, Shigeru." "Uh, I thought." Satoshi laughs. "I wanted both, okay?" "Uh, okay..." He lets go of my hand and Shigeru rolls his eyes. "I thought you were getting drinks." "Uh. I got distracted." I reply, and Shigeru shakes his head and turns to talking to Tooru. I try and pay attention to them. Really, I do. I just keep happening to turn and glance back in the direction of Imite and Erika, and then towards the front where Kasumi and Natsume are... uh, I knew this was a bad idea. Why, why, why did I let them talk me into this? I shouldn't have... I shouldn't... Satoshi touches my shoulder and I jump. "What is it?" Satoshi blinks. "Hiro-chan," he puts the back of his hand up against my forehead. "Are you feeling okay? You're edgy and jumpy and everyone is staring at you..." I blink, sweating, and laugh nervously. "Uh, I... I..." my gaze shifts from him to Shigeru and Tooru, who definitely *are* staring at me. "I, uh... just... gotta use the bathroom!" I blurt, and then and turn and run back across the room, pushing past people and thankfully not tripping over anything or anyone major. Uh, that wasn't good. Sighing, I glance at the door to the ladies room, and then back in Satoshi's direction. Don't, a little voice tells me, don't do it! Uh, but what else do I have to do? Gathering my courage, I step closer and closer. I gaze to check and make sure I'm not being watched, hoping that the potted plant between it and the majority of the room will help keep prying eyes away, and then nudge the door open. "Hello?" I whisper. No answer. "Imite?" "Hiro-chan?" I hear the teal-haired girl reply. "Uh, yeah," I reply, not moving in any further than I have to. I hear the click of her heels on the tile, and then she comes round the corner, her shoes muffled now by the carpet of the waiting room. There's a definite a worried look on her face. "Is something wrong?" she asks. "Well, I was worried about Erika and... you and... um... is everything all right?" Imite blinks and then smiles. "Oh, we're fine. Erika and I are talking about *everything*..." "Imite?" "Mmm, I'll be right there, Erika!" she exclaims, and then smiles, looking back at me. "See, it's all okay. You're worrying over nothing..." "Uh, okay. If you need me..." Imite laughs. "I'll call, don't worry. But really, Hiro-chan, this *is* the girls bathroom... what do you think you're doing here?" she asks, putting her hands on her hips. I laugh. "Kasumi already said it, Imite. I'm already 'one of the girls'..." She laughs and waves, shooing me away, and I close the door. Well, if Erika's okay... then Kasumi is bound to be having the same success with Natsume. I take a deep breath, and head towards the exit, only to bump into someone. By a twist of fate and coincidence, it's Kasumi. And there's such a sad look on her face... Well, that theory just got shot out the window. "I guess it didn't go well, huh?" Kasumi shakes her head. "No. Natsume's dead-set that she made a fool of herself in front of Erika and she ruined it all... so she's left for the gym and she took my car." She finishes in a low voice. I sigh. "Well, we need to do something. We can't just ruin Natsume and Erika's chance... it seems Imite and Erika are having better luck. Maybe if we could just get the two of them to talk again... and not let either of them get away." Kasumi smiles slightly. "And here I thought you were against this, Hiroshi." I shrug, grinning a flimsy grin. "We've started and if we don't finish it then it's only going to be worse. There's nothing else we can do." Kasumi nods, slowly. "Well, where are they?" "In the ladies room..." I laugh and Kasumi quirks an eyebrow at me. "I'll let you check in on them, this time." "Why don't you proffer a car for the continued existence of this mission?" I nod. "Good idea. Good luck, Kasumi." She just grins and winks. "Me? Need luck. As if." ------------------------------------------------------------ Imite Erika looks up at me and rubs the tears off of her cheeks. "Thanks for not letting him know about this," she whispers, and I nod, sitting down on the couch beside her. "It's okay. Maybe I shouldn't have barged in here after you..." She shakes her head. "No, no, I'm glad... I just... Natsume..." I put an arm around her shoulder. "What happened?" I just wish she'd tell me... I don't know how I'll help if she won't let me know. She sniffles. "I... Natsume... she..." "You can do it, Erika..." "She told me that she l-liked me. And then... she... well, I like her too." "So I thought!" I exclaim, and Erika pulls away from me wide-eyed. "Imite..." I grin. "See, I'm so completely on your side! But silly Natsume... she shouldn't have run off..." Erika blinks. "I... you mean... I'm not weird? I thought she thought I was weird and..." "Oh, no no no! You and Natsume are *meant* to be." I grab her hand and pull her to her feet. "We're going to march out there and get Natsume and I'm going to *make* her listen to you..." Erika blinks again, her features expressive. "I-I... you..." "I'm here for you, Erika. I started something and I'm going to finish it..." She smiles slowly. "Thank you. I... I *do* like her, Imite. And... I don't know why she left like she did..." Erika closes her eyes, and I hear the door opening and closing. I look up to see Kasumi come round the corner. "Is everything okay?" I grin at her, and nod. "Erika and I just finished our talk. So, were is Natsume? Outside, I hope..." Kasumi bites at her lip. "Uh, funny you should mention Natsume..." "She's here still, isn't she?" Erika asks, dread in her voice. "Um, well..." Kasumi looks flustered. "No. She went back to the gym..." I look at Erika as her eyes widen. "Oh no... I..." "Don't worry!" Kasumi exclaims. "We're going to go after her. Hiroshi's off getting us a car..." I get up, and glomp onto Kasumi, kissing her soundly on the lips. "Oh, Sumi-chan, you are just the best!" She's flustered even more as she steps back from me, laughing nervously. "Don't thank me yet. We're still going to have to get Natsume to listen to us..." I clap my hand on Erika's shoulder. "I'm sure she'll listen to Erika. I mean, we *know* she loves her! And Erika feels just the same... I mean, don't you?" I ask, gaze swinging back to her. Erika nods, her hands clenching and unclenching. "And I never thought I had a chance. She's always so busy and so am I and..." Kasumi laughs. "Erika, don't let being a gym-leader get in the way of you and your love life. Shigeru and I can do it -- even if he spends most of his time in Tokiwa, while I'm in Hanada..." she sighs. "Well, that's not the point. Your love and your work can co-exist. *That* is what counts." Erika nods. "You're right. I just... I'm afraid of rejection." "Well, there's no chance *that's* going to happen!" Kasumi exclaims. "I know for a fact that she has it for you... she's just..." Kasumi pauses, searching for the right word. "The only thing I can say is afraid... she's afraid of feeling too much, I think... but you can show her that she's not meant to be cold and unemotional all her life, Erika. I *know* you can do it..." "Like I said, you're meant for each other." Erika nods slowly, determination building in her eyes. "I can. I know I can... This isn't the first challenge, and by God I know it won't be the last!" she gets up, the determination spreading through her form. "Well, what are we waiting for?!" she demands. "Let's go!" I smile, Kasumi smiles, and then we leave the bathroom. Running right into the guys, of course... "Uh," Hiroshi laughs. "Satoshi wanted to know why I wanted the keys and then Shigeru and Tooru got interested and..." Hiroshi dangles the keys and I squeal. "Oh, Hiro-chan, you're the best!" I glomp him, and Kasumi groans. "And five minutes ago..." I shrug and kiss him on the cheek. Satoshi and Tooru are glowering at me. "Uh. I can explain this..." "Oh?" Shigeru asks, crossing his arms and quirking an eyebrow at me. "Then explain." "Yeah, explain," says Tooru. "Well," and I dance over to him, sliding my arms around him. "Natsume and Erika are in love and we've decided that we have to get them together. It's for the good of the world that these two be given the chance to share their love!" Tooru blinks. "Uh...?" "And Hiroshi's involved why?" Satoshi asks. "Yeah, I mean, you three make sense... but Hiroshi..." "Oh, Hiroshi's just --" "Say it and you'll pay, Imite!" I grin wickedly. "-- one of the girls." Hiroshi groans, and Satoshi is the first to start laughing. "Oh, Imite, I..." I slip away from Tooru, not before kissing Tooru deeply. "Come on, girls --" "Stop that!!" Hiroshi whines. "-- Operation FemGymShipping, round two!! It's only just really begun..."
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