Fish-chan:: It's getting better, and, like I promised, further chapters will have drastic increases in quality and legnth. Also, I'm hoping to update muuuch quicker!

F i v e;;


Nagihiko-kun grabbed my hand and pulled me down the street. "I know a great restaurant down this way, you'd probably like it. One of my old friends, he's in the middle school now, showed it to me a while ago."

I felt a thrill run up my spine when my skin connected with his. It was one of the best things I had ever felt- I didn't want him to let go. "Okay!"

When we reached the restaurant-I didn't catch the name of it 'cause it was written in Japanese and I didn't bother to translate it-I was overwhelmed with the delicously comforting smell of fried food. Ah, hamburgers, fries, it was heaven! I had been craving some good ol' fast food for a while, but my mom insisted on eating Japanese cuisine.

"Wow," I sighed, "it smells so good!"

"Yeah," Nagihiko-kun replied, "I figured you'd like an American restaurant. This place is really good, too." I took seat across from Nagihiko-kun at a round table covered in a red-and-white checked tablecloth, as were all the others. The walls were decorated with "Route 66" road signs and various poster from traditional American movies. There was a 60's style bar against the back wall and a man working behind it, chatting happily with customers.

After a waitress took our orders-we each ordered a cheeseburger with fries and a coke. We're so perfect together, we even have the same tastes in food!-Nagihiko-kun opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but closed and whispered, "hide!"

"Huh?" was my response. I turned around and followed his gaze to the door where Amu-chan, Yaya-chan and Rima-chan were entering. "Shoot!" I muttered. "Um . . . ." I looked around, trying to find a hiding space I could get to without the others seeing me.

I eventually ducked under the table, only seconds before they noticed him. "Hey! Nagi!" Yaya-chan called.

"Ah, everyone, hi," I heard Nagihiko-kun reply.

"Nagihiko, I didn't know you knew about this place," Amu-chan said. "Kukai showed it to Yaya, Nadeshiko, and I awhile ago. Yaya, Rima, and I were just shopping and decided to come in here. Did Nadeshiko tell you about it?"

"Um, uh, yeah. She said it was really good," Nagihiko-kun stuttered. Okay, so I wasn't crazy. Whenever the topic of Nadeshiko-san came up, he got all nervous. He was definitely hiding something. Kukai, I assumed, was the old friend in the middle school. Quickly he changed the subject. He said something I didn't quite understand. I mean, I literally didn't know what the words meant. I couldn't quite translate all of what he said. It was something like, "Hey, your Shugo Charas aren't here today." But, what is a "shugo chara" and why would it be with Amu-chan, Yaya-chan, and Rima-chan?

As soon as the words left his mouth, Nagihiko-kun froze. At least his lower body did. I couldn't see his upper body. It was subtle, I doubt the others noticed, but he definitely said something he shouldn't have. Or, rather, something I shouldn't have heard.

Amu-chan didn't notice and replied, "Yeah, apparently Kiseki was holding another one of his Shugo Chara meetings. Didn't Rhythm go?" There are those "shugo chara" words again. And who are Kiseki and Rhythm?

Nagihiko-kun froze again. "I think so. He said he had somewhere to go, but didn't say where."

"Pepe-tan went," Yaya-chan added. "Tan", as far as I could figure, was just a babyish, slang version of "chan". I had no clue who "Pepe" was, though.

"Kusukusu, too," Rima-chan piped up. With every mystery person mentioned, Nagihiko panicked more and more.

I saw his hand appear under the table and make a "come with me" motion. "Um, actually, I just remembered, I got to go. Will you exuse me?"

"See you."

"Bye-bye, Na~gi!"

"Bye!"

Nagihiko-kun got up and left. Amu-chan, Yaya-chan, and Rima-chan turned their attention away from the side of the table where he sat and I knew it was my chance. While they weren't looking, I snuck out from under the table and made a run for it. I dashed around to the other side of the restaurant and kept my back to them, so they probably wouldn't reconize me anyway. I snuck out the door to the street where Nagihiko-kun was waiting.

"Hi, Taylor-chan." he smiled that irresistable smile of his.

"Hi," I greeted him.

"That was close!"

"I'll say. I was afraid they'd see me!"

"Yeah, although, you know, you can trust everyone. All of us Guardians, we can keep your secret. I'm not saying you have to tell Amu-chan and the others, but if they found out, they probably wouldn't give you away," he told me.

"I know," I sighed, "but, I just would feel more comfortable if we kept this between us. Besides, wouldn't they be pretty creeped out?"

"I don't know," Nagihiko-kun responded, not even really talking to me anymore, almost as if it was something he had been thinking about for a while. This time he spoke directly to me. "I found out this big secret of yours, so now I need to tell you a secret of mine, so we're even. But please, don't be creeped out or think I'm some kind of pervert."

I raised my eyebrows. "How bad can it be? You're definitely not worse than I am."

"Hm. Maybe. You see, up until the end of last year, I was like you. I was pretending to be a girl."


Sorry, that was crazy short! I wouldn't be surprised if no one was actually enjoying this, I know I wouldn't be -_-