Chapter 3:

Taiki was walking with the group of Kampfers to Shizuku's house on the sidewalk, where they would all stay for the duration of the weekend. They had gone together as a group to get each of their things, doing his last. He had been convinced by the others to go with them, especially by Natsuru, who probably wanted another guy to mitigate the amount of fighting over him. Taiki was still thinking about the compliment he'd received from Shizuku, that he was "pretty cool".

It's been a while since I had a friend, and she stayed in America and I didn't have email then. It'd be nice to have a friend - What am I thinking? She probably just wants to make the other girls jealous or something - But why would anyone be jealous of someone having me as a boyfriend? I'm below average in everything, except maybe intelligence, but no one cares about intelligence in school. It's all about good looks and charisma, which I have neither of. She probably just wants to toy with me for her own sadistic pleasure, I've heard enough about her for that to make sense.

Why am I even going with these people that I barely know? They could rape me or something, I don't even know - But again, I have neither good looks or charisma, so I don't really have to worry about that, do I? Taiki thought bitterly, looking at his legs. He was so lost in thought that he bumped into Shizuku, almost falling.

"S-sorry! I wasn't paying attention! Sorry!" He bowed his head, looking, again, at his hairy legs as she turned around.

"It's okay, just watch where you're going next time," she told him. "By the way, were here, so you should probably look up to see where you'll be living for the next two nights at least." Taiki did so, and saw a huge, lime green three-story house in front of him.

"Wow..." he trailed off, and saw that the others were walking in the front door, so he followed. He took off his shoes and shut the door behind himself, walking into the living room after the others.

"So this is where you live, Shizuku?" Taiki heard Mikoto say, and saw Shizuku nod. "It's pretty impressive."

"When are your parents gonna be home?" Natsuru questioned Shizuku, who responded,

"Sunday evening. They're on a business trip, so they won't be back until then. I've already okayed you guys sleeping over, so don't worry about that. Natsuru, Mikoto, and Akane, your room is on this floor, first door from here on the right. Don't go on the left; that's my parents' room. The bathroom for this floor is the second door on the left and has a shower." Taiki looked at Shizuku in silent question, eyes asking where he'd be sleeping but soul pleading that this wasn't happening. Shizuku apparently didn't hear his soul, because she said, "Taiki, yours and my room is in the basement." Taiki then had an idea that he was sure Natsuru would support, and that might solve the mess he was in.

"How about the guys sleep in one room and the girls in the other?" Taiki offered. He was met with one gaze of hope and three glares of "absolutely no"s.

"Yeah, that's a great idea, guys! That makes a lot of sense -" Natsuru began, but then was subjected to the three glares of doom, and shut up. Taiki felt like he was falling, falling into an abyss from which he couldn't escape.

"No, the rooms are as I assigned them," Shizuku said sweetly, and Mikoto and Akane pulled Natsuru off towards the room they had been given while Shizuku dragged Taiki down the stairs and into a room colored with black and red. "This is my room," Shizuku told him. "Since I don't have another bed, we'll be sleeping together."

Taiki turned red, and shifted a little. Shizuku laughed, a short, medium pitched noise that made Taiki flinch.

"Don't worry, I won't fuck you... Probably." That made Taiki start to cry, and he looked down, hoping that Shizuku wouldn't see his tears. Unfortunately for him, however, he saw his legs and began to whimper quietly, but he was sure Shizuku heard him.

"Aw, what are you crying about?" Shizuku asked sarcastically, and lifted his face with her hand. "I told you I'd keep scaring you if you didn't tell me what about me scared you." Shizuku let go, and Taiki backed away slowly from Shizuku, step by step, but backed into the bed and fell down onto it. Shizuku laughed her laugh again, making Taiki flinch and close his eyes.

Why does she hate me? What did I ever do to - Shit. Shizuku advanced towards Taiki after he opened one eye, and he dreaded what could be coming. He curled up, wanting to protect himself, but Shizuku kept coming closer until she came in close and whispered in his ear,

"You're cute." She then got back up and said in her normal voice, "I'm bathing now. Care to join me?" Taiki quickly shook his head no, and she asked, again sarcastically, "When are you going to get clean then?"

"I'll - I'll go after you!" Taiki said, his face red.

"I'll leave the water for you, then," she said with a smile, and she proceeded to open drawers to get a towel, as well as nighttime clothing pieces. She looked about to leave when she opened the drawer she had gotten her towel out of and grabbed something, which turned out to be a large, fluffy, hot pink towel, that she then threw at Taiki, who caught it looking perplexed. "That's your towel. The others have theirs, but I don't think you remembered towels, did you?" Taiki, embarrassed for forgetting something so basic, shook his head and mumbled,

"No, I didn't..." Shizuku smiled and then walked out, leaving Taiki on the bed, curled in a ball. Taiki thought he smelled roses, and he realized he was. The smell came from the bed, and he basked in the lovely smell and thought about Shizuku, and what she could want.

Why is she doing this? Why is she torturing me? I probably already know the answer; she's just finding sadistic pleasure in embarrassing, hurting and making me feel weak. At this point, Taiki realized he had a boner, and wondered why. Why am I aroused? It's not like I'm attracted to her or anything. Taiki sat there, on the bed, trying to figure this mysterious person, Shizuku Sango, out.