SCENE 6 - OYAMADA HIGH SCHOOL

(Kevin, Hitomi, Nakuro, and Shiori are in the hallway, signing each others' yearbooks. Other students are cleaning out their lockers.)

Hitomi- Just make it out to me – Taiga Hitomi!

Shiori- Gee... thanks for clearing that up.

Hitomi - You're welcome! What are you guys doing for Golden Week?

(Shiori assumes "the position"... she's obviously recited this one too many times.)

Shiori - Two internships, volunteer community service, a part-time job and, in my spare time, golf lessons.

Kevin - Wow! What about you, Nakkun*?

Nakuro- Pushing a noodle cart.

Kevin - (laughs) That's not very prestidigitatious.

Nakuro - Thanks for pointing that out.

Kevin - You're welcome.

Shiori – Nakuro-kun owes his father some money and I think it's very conscientious of him to take that job and pay him back.

Nakuro - Yeah. He gets the money, I get the humiliation.

Shiori – Nakuro-kun, it'll be fine.

Hitomi - Wait... isn't golf for old people who dress funny?

Shiori- Yeah - my parents. They're trying to get into the Tobaki** Country Club and they want me to learn how to play.

Kevin - Hey, do you get to wear one of those little hats and play the Charumera song***? (laughs) Charumera?

(Nakuro grumbles. Kevin probably doesn't know how close he came to getting flattened right on the spot. Elsewhere, the Fashion Club is strolling down another hallway, presumably looking for yearbook signers.)

Sen - So I told my parents, all right, I'll go with you on your little trip to Okinawa, but don't expect me to take part in any family luaus.

Yuiko - But isn't it Hawaii where they do luaus?

Sen - Why, Mogi, that's exactly what my mother said. Maybe you should go with them.

Satsuki - What are you doing for Golden Week, Yu-chan?

Yuiko - Oh, nothing special. See some movies, catch up on my dating... (quietly) get a tutor.

Sen - A tutor?

Satsuki - Oh, I'm so sorry, Yu-chan.

Chizuru- Really...

Yuiko- I know. It's terrible. But my mother's making me. Um, you guys will keep it to yourselves, won't you?

Satsuki- Of course.

Sen- You can trust us.

Chizuru- You have our word...

Yuiko- You guys are the best!

(And in yet another hallway, Daria and Michiko are headed for their lockers, the tension between them thicker than ever.)

Daria - I think we should talk.

Michiko- Okay. (stiffly) We are now talking.

Daria - About Tsurugi-kun.

Michiko- That I don't want to talk about.

Daria - If you're still upset about it, we should deal with it now. Especially since we won't be seeing each other for a week.

Michiko- You don't get it, do you? I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I told you, I'm not mad at you about Tsurugi-kun. Now let it freaking go, okay?

Daria - Can I at least take you out for some good luck okonomiyaki**** before you leave for your big doujin adventure?

Michiko- Daria, I said let it go.

(And Michiko leaves a dejected Daria in the dust. It's going to be a loooong week.)

SCENE 7 - THE MOGI HOUSE

(Jiro is sitting on the living room couch, reading the paper, when Erin walks into the room)

Erin - Jiro, put the paper down. That boy Daria's been dating is on his way over.

Jiro - You mean Yuiko's been dating.

Erin - No, Daria.

Jiro- Oh! Good one, honey. Mogi Jiro sure appreciates a funny joke.

Erin- Jiro, will you listen to me, please? Daria's been out with this Tsurugi-kun several times and we're finally going to meet him, and I want to make sure we have our game plan together.

Jiro- Wait, I remember now. The guy without any vocal cords.

Erin - I want you to stay cool and relaxed and not embarrass her by getting all nervous and crazy.

Jiro- (still not listening) Daria said he communicates by blinking. Now was it one blink for yes or one blink for no?

Erin- She was joking!

Jiro- I know! Ha-ha-ha-ha...! Now, what's the game plan?

Erin - The game plan is, you don't say a word.

Jiro- So he won't feel self-conscious about the vocal cords, right?

(The doorbell rings. Erin opens the door, to find Tomohiro standing on the front stoop.)

Erin - Hello! You must be Tsurugi-kun.

Tomohiro - I...

Erin- I'm Mogi Erin.

Tomohiro- Glad to...

Erin- Won't you come in?

Tomohiro - I'd...

Erin- Great!

(Tomohiro makes a dejected face - he obviously isn't used to not being able to get in a word edgewise - and follows Erin into the house.)

Erin - We've heard so much about you.

Tomohiro - Really?

Erin- Um, well, actually...

Jiro- (leaps off the couch) Hey there, young man! Mogi Jiro.

Tomohiro - (shaking Jake's hand) Hi, I'm Tsurugi Tomohiro.

Erin – Say, you're not the same Tsurugi as in the Tsurugi Zaibatsu*****?

Tomohiro - Well, that's my dad, so I guess...

Jiro– The Tsurugi Zaibatsu? Hey, sign me up for a little of that insider trading. (Erin and Tomohiro scowl at Jiro's tasteless joke as Daria descends the stairs) Ha-ha! Little joke, of course. Class firm like your father's would never, uh, mmm... (he's getting nowhere) Say, you know, my vocal cords hurt. I'd better go gargle.

(Daria and Tomohiro finally escape the house and proceed to Tomohiro's car.)

Daria - Sorry about that. They've been acting a little strange ever since, oh, I can remember.

(Tomohiro gives Daria a quick kiss, and Daria responds with a small smile.)

Tomohiro - Ramen?

Daria - Okay.

(They finally reach his car. It's not his old rustbucket. It's a new rustbucket - a Jaguar - though in obviously better condition than his old Ford Pinto.)

Daria - What's this?

Tomohiro - My new car. Well, my grandmother's old one.

Daria - Did you want this car?

Tomohiro - Well, yeah, after my parents had my old one towed away in the middle of the night. (climbs behind the wheel)

Daria - (gets into the passenger seat) Note to self: leave Yuiko out on curb tonight.

To be continued…

* Nakkun-a portmanteau of "Nakuro" and the just-acquaintaces "kun" honorific. Closest thing to "Mack Daddy" that I could think of for Japanese.

** Tobaki-written with the characters for "flying" and "tree". Nearly a full translation of the original English "Winged Tree".

*** The charumera is a reeded woodwind instrument from Japan. Typically, ramen carts play a few notes on this that have come to be known as The Charumera Song.

**** Okonomiyaki-flat Japanese cabbage pancakes, sometimes referred to as Japanese pizza. The name literally means "cooked how you like it", as they are customizable.

***** Zaibatsu-a term for large financial and business conglomerate