It's not like I'd never thought about my height. What am I saying, it's all I think about? I've been done growing for a LOOOONG time, and I have two amazons after my heart (though only one of them has it...don't tell Koizumi I said that, though.)

But now that high school's over and university has started, I get to see Koizumi less and less. I think about her a lot, and I call her when I can, but it's not the same as when we were in high school and saw each other nearly every day. I can tell she's hurting from it, too. I've been planning to make a date with her for awhile, but I never can seem to find the time.

But today, classes ended early. So I guess I'll go see her now...

She's working at the same resteraunt across the street from the university prep class I took last year. As I start walking over there, I started to think about what I would even say. We hadn't seen each other in a long time...

So I stop into a music shop on the way and buy the latest Omibozu CD. There, that should do it.

I could only imagine what Nobu and Nakao would say if they knew I was resorting to Omibozu, but Koizumi is so simple. Why not use what I know is going to work?

But when I got to the resteraunt, I walked in and asked for Risa. The old bat lady told me she wasn't working. I sighed and asked if she was working anytime today.

"She clocked out about an hour ago," she said impatiently. "Now, if you're not going to buy anything, please step aside."

I rolled my eyes and left, wondering where to look first. Then something hit me. Doi. I should just call her. I flipped open my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found her, then pressed talk. It rang a couple times, then went to voicemail. A couple seconds later, I got a message from her. She was in class.

Man...

The one time I had time to spend with her, she was doing something. I messaged back asking when she'd be out. A minute later I got a reply.

"About twenty minutes. Is there something wrong?"

I told her no, but I would be waiting for her outside her school. It was about a fifteen minute walk over there, and then I sat on a bench to wait. There were students coming and going, not really paying me any attention. All of them were really well dressed, and I was wondering why when I remembered that it was a technical school for fashion related careers. Doi.

When Risa finally came out, I was surprised. She was in a mini skirt and some well fitting top, and even had makeup on. I stared for a minute, then burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Koizumi demanded, her face twisting into an angry scowl.

"You look like such a girl! It's unlike you!"

"Well is that something to say to your girlfriend?" She asked. The ugly fishface made an appearance. I stopped laughing and smiled at her.

"Do you have some time? I don't have any more classes today."

"Me neither. What were you thinking?"

"Well, I stopped by a music store and got the latest Umibozu CD."

"There's a new one! No way!"

"It was released last month..."

There was silence after that. She looked very surprised.

"I really have been busy with school...I didn't even know that Umibozu had a new CD out! Jeez...That's unlike me, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. But come on, let's get some icecream and then we can go to your place and listen to this."

"Okay!"

When we got back to Koizumi's place, I sat on her bed and licked my cone. None of the furniture had changed, but there were sketches and clothes everywhere. She obviously was stressing over school, and clothes, a lot more. She used to keep her room spotless. I did notice a new picture on her desk. It was of her and that Kohori kid in their work uniforms.

"Why've you got a picture of him?" I asked, using my best attempt at her fish face.

"Huh? Oh, we took that at work."

"I can see that."

"What, you're not jealous, are you?" She asked, giving me her pretend girly look. I rolled my eyes.

"What have I got to be jealous of?"

"Why, you're lovely girlfriend, of course!"

-silence-

"What lovely girlfriend?"

"OTANI!"

That last remark earned me a sock to the mouth, which I probably deserved, and though I dropped the thing about the picture, I kept looking over at it. Truth is, even though Koizumi and I made up, I never got over seeing that shrimp kiss her that one night. And now she has a picture of him in her bedroom? This isn't alright.

Koizumi put the CD in the player, and we laid side-by-side on her bed listening for awhile. After a couple tracks, I took her hand. A couple more, I propped myself up on my elbow and leaned over to kiss her. But aside from that, nothing really happened. Later that evening, I left the CD at her house as a gift and hopped on my bike. It was a long ways to my place.

I couldn't stop thinking about her. Well, it was differnet than I normally did. I didn't see her most of the time, and now she has pictures of some kid who told me to my face that he liked her? Man, anything could happen between them and I'd be none the wiser.

I had to talk to somebody, but it was much to late to call. I'd call Nakao in the morning. If anything went down between Risa and Kohori, she would tell Nobu. And Nobu would tell Nakao.