Authors Note: Hooray! I finished another chapter! I'm proud of myself! Once again I'd like to thank each person who reviewed or read my previous chapters. I know I make fun of Atoli and Haseo A LOT, but I really love their characters, except when they are extremely whiny...like Atoli in the whole first game. The only time I respected her was when she tried to find Azure Kite and defeat him alone. 'Course, then her Epitaph was stolen, then she was whiny again. ANYWAY! Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, and if I did..well let's just say the games would give you a "make-out" option when you target a party member.

Trying to keep her face as straight as possible, and choking down the lump in her throat, Chigusa replied. "Atoli? That's a pretty name but I don't know her." The boy seemed to be deep in thought for a moment then shrugged. "I guess you aren't her. I thought you sounded a little like her. But I must have been mistaken." Atoli gave a fake laugh, silently willing her heart to not beat so loudly. "Maybe my voice is common?" Atoli offered.
"No, not at all...It's uncommon." He said, and added, to quietly for her to hear, "and cute."

"Really? It's uncommon?" Chigusa asked.
"Hmm. That's why I thought you were Atoli, because I've never heard anyone with a voice like hers."He laughed and continued."And believe it or not, I happen to hear a bunch of people's voices by working here."

"Oh?" Chigusa decided that it would be a good time to try her nonexistent flirting skills out. She leaned over and gave him a better look at her chest, which she had forgotten was a small and flat as her character's.
"My name is Chigusa, what's yours?"She asked in what she thought was sexy voice.
"I'm Ryou, is there something stuck in your throat, you sound funny." Chigusa silently cursed and made a mental note to practice her sexy voice with her teddy bear Mr. Squishy. She gave a little cough. "I'm fine, thanks for asking. So, how long you been working here Ryou?" "

Uh, a few months." Ryou said a little stiffly. He didn't like talking about himself in reality any more than he did online.
"That's cool." Chigusa offered.
Turning the conversation back to Chigusa, Ryou asked. "So how long you been playing 'The World?'"

"A few months as well." She gave a fake little laugh at her words, hoping Ryou would laugh as well, he did. Even though it was a fake laugh, Chigusa felt her heart melting in her chest. Maybe one day..she could get him to smile and laugh sincerely with her, and then maybe, just maybe he would kiss her. Her bones felt like they would dissolve, and she gave a happy sigh.
"That will be 10,000 yen. So what's your characters name?" Ryou pulled Chigusa out of her daydream.
"It's um." She went about digging in her purse for the money as she thought. She couldn't tell him her real username, so she said the first thing that came to her mind.
"Yaoiluver69" Chigusa's dream came true, well partly. Ryou laughed sincerely. But he wasn't laughing with her, he was laughing at her. Ryou was laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes, and he had to sit down on the floor. Which embarrassed Chigusa even more then saying her name was Yaoiluver69. Then Ryou started pouncing the floor with his fists, still while laughing, and Chigusa wished she had a razorblade, so she could kill herself. At this point she'd even settle for a forkā”˜or a spoon, she was desperate. After what seemed like years to Chigusa, Ryou stood up and wiped his tears away.
"What an odd name you-HAHAHAHAH!!!!" He broke out into laughter again.
By now the normally depressed and self-loathing Chigusa, was now indignantly watching Ryou. And she wasn't happy.
"Are you done?" she growled at Ryou. She wasn't sure where she had acquired a backbone, maybe it was when Haseo had slapped her, after Sakaki infected her, she had been a little turned on by that. But, it didn't matter where she got a backbone, it did matter that she liked the way it felt.
"Please give me my groceries." She said indifferently and shoved the money at him.
"Hmm? Oh Yeah." He took the money and handed her the bags.
She turned quickly and stomped toward the door.
"Don't you want a receipt Miss Chigusa?" When he said her name, it was all over. Her anger, sorrow, indignity, it all drained away, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Nope, you can shove it." She replied and left the store. She actually wanted the receipt, but she also liked the backbone she now had. Besides, wasn't Haseo the one who told her to stand up for herself? Her mind floated to what would happen if she acted like Haseo wanted her to, maybe he'd fall in love with her! "It'd be just like a Hollywood movie." She sighed happily.
She made her way to the train station, and returned to her home, while visions of Ryou, Haseo's player danced in her head.