[A/N] - I think you've waited long enough. : ) A real author's note at the end of this chapter. But for now- please enjoy!


Risa blinked in the bright sun light and lifted her head. She looked up to see Otani still fast asleep, his mouth opened impossibly wide. Suddenly, his eyes opened and he looked at her curiously and they both cried out in shock and fell off the bed on either side.

"What were you doing?" They cried out in unison. They both stood up, rubbing their bodies from falling on the floor and then looked up at each other. Their faces broke out in flames as they discovered neither of them were clothed.

"My eyes!" Risa cried. Otani too was shielding his eyes.

"So incredibly pale!" he shouted, slipping on a pair of shorts.

"Look who's talking!" she retorted, pulling on a tee-shirt and sweatpants. They both avoided each others eyes and rubbed the back of their red necks.

For a moment, they just stood there. Risa glanced innocently up at the ceiling, her face pink. Otani ran a hand through his orange hair, shaking his head to remove unacceptable thoughts.

"Um..." he mumbled. "I need to get ready for work."

Risa shivered and nodded, feeling slightly jealous that he had a schedule.

"Okay. I'm going to... I'll shower when you're done."

He smiled and he turned around to see her looking at him, fumbling her hands together. He brushed past her into the bathroom.

"Koizumi."

"Hm?" she turned around and was startled when he gave her a quick peck.

"Good morning," he said and shut the door behind him.

After a moment of shock, Risa gave a big goofy grin and turned to go to the other room when she caught her reflection in the mirror.

"EEEK! Why must I look like this in the morning?" she cried, poking her red eyes and birds nest of hair. Sighing, she dragged herself to the living room and plopped herself down in front of her laptop.

Suddenly, she brightened up.

To: Idiot Koizumi.

I don't know how a gigantic nuisance like you pulled it off, but my boss is going to schedule a second interview. This time there will be a test involved. Don't screw this up!

From: Mimi-sama

Risa's hand slammed down on the kitchen table, launching her to her feet.

"O-Oh-OTANI!" She exclaimed, sprinting to the bedroom, and knocking on the bathroom door.

"What is it?" he called.

"I have a second interview with Mimi-chan's boss!"

"Good for you. Now let me shower."

"Don't be so congratulatory," she mumbled and shook away Otani's...Otaniness. She had a second interview!

While dancing around the room, Risa heard Otani's phone go off.

"Otani! Your phone is-"

Risa stopped as she picked up her boyfriend's phone.

Are you running very late? It's already seven o'clock and you usually get here around six-thirty. I bought you breakfast to hurry you up. ( : -Sakura

"What is it?" Otani asked as he opened the door of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

"Um...nothing," she mumbled as a fire lit in her eyes. "Do...do you want me to make you breakfast?"

Otani shrugged.

"No thanks, I'll get something on the way."

"It's already seven o'clock. You usually get to work around six-thirty right? If I make you breakfast, will it hurry you up?" Risa repeated angrily. Wasn't she the girlfriend of Otani?

"It's already seven?" Otani cried. He checked the clock and his face turned blue. "Wahhh! I'm late!"

Risa ran into the other room and hurriedly toasted some bread and got jelly out of their cabinet. She cracked two eggs in the frying pan and tried to cook breakfast as quickly as possible, but Otani stormed right past her.

"Eh? Otani! Wait! Your breakf-"

"Sorry, I don't have time for-"

"Take the toast at least!"

He glanced at her frantic expression and hurriedly grabbed toast that sprung out of the toaster.

"Thank you...Risa. And good luck with your second interview."

Koizumi froze as she flipped the eggs and turned around just in time to see her boyfriend leave the house. She smiled and was glad to see he had noticed her improvement.

Sakura would not take Koizumi's place. She was sure of that.

Effort one (Breakfast): Success!


"What sort of accessory would you add to this outfit, Koizumi?"

Risa stood in front of Mimi's boss and his assistant and contemplated the third mannequin she'd have to dress. The outfit consisted of a black graphic tee and a short kaki miniskirt. Then she looked down at the accessories on the table.

So far, she had been a nervous wreck and rambled constantly.

"Well, if she were going out- or- or- he," she fumbled. "But not like a guy would wear this- but I shouldn't judge! If it were a guy he could be a crossdresser, don't you think? But that would be weird wouldn't it? Eh...ehehee..."

She glanced at her interviewers and imagined their hair sticking up everywhere, sweatdrops on their faces. She shook her head and turned back to the table.

"Oh...kay...well, if this were a woman...or a crossdresser," she said, with a hopeless smile, "I'd add, this jacket-"

She picked up a navy blue band jacket with gold fastenings and dressed the mannequin.

"These shoes..."

She picked up a pair of chunky high heels that wrapped around the whole ankle and fell sideways over the outside of the foot.

"And..." she as she glanced at the jewlery, nothing necessarily popped out at her. She looked up at the interviewers and got the feeling she had blown it again. She sighed. "And I wouldn't add any jewlery."

"Why is that?" the assistant asked and her boss stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Risa glanced at her model who she had just dressed.

"I don't feel like it would add anything extra to the outfit. It looks complete as is."

"If you had to add one piece of jewlery, what would you add?" she asked.

Koizumi picked up a small gold braclet with a tiny lightening bolt on it and latched it to her wrist, rolling up the band jacket's sleeves.

"I think this would be fine as well."

The assistant wrote something down in her notes and they both stood.

"Koizumi Risa, thank you. We will contact you in the next three to f-"

"No need. I have my answer."

Both Risa and the assistant looked at the boss in surprise and Risa braced herself for the news.

He broke out into a big smile and held out his hand.

"Congratulations, Koizumi. You're hired."

The words hit her like an oncoming train. She stood there as her soul floated upward to heaven.

"I'm sorry," she said dryly, a nervous grin on her face. "I just hallucinated. What?"

He laughed heartily and the assistant smiled politely at her.

"I wasn't so sure about you at first, Koizumi. You were too nervous and said things one normally would never dare say during an interview..."

"A-Are you serious?" Risa cried. "Are you joking with me?"

"No, of course not, I saw today real talent and a massive potential to become a fine stylist. Good work," he shook hands with Risa. "Shall I see you tomorrow at eight fifteen for orientation and training?"

"WAHHH!~" Risa cried out loudly, throwing her hands above her head and shook her new boss's hand with both of hers exuberantly.

"THANK YOU!"


Risa opened the door of Otani's classroom with gusto.

"-though if you do it like this, it will save you time and extra..."

Otani stood at the front of the classroom, chalk in hand, as he turned to his students that were all focused on the totem pole in the doorway. He turned and he looked shocked.

"K-Koizumi?" he asked, lowering his hand from the board. "What're you doing here?"

She stared at him, a trace of a former smile on her lips, and tears formed in her eyes. He noticed this and turned to Sakura who was watching angrily from her desk.

"Take over for me for a second, please. I'll be right back."

She stood and picked up the chalk he had dropped on the tray.

"Well, before we were just interrupted-" she began as Otani closed the door behind him.

"What's the matter with you?" he asked, turning his attention to her. "Why'd you burst into my class? I could get in serious trouble you know-"

The tears leaked down her face miserably.

"I got it," she said breathlessly, emotion choking her. "I got the job!"

"Eh, you did?"

She broke down in tears and whined up at the sky.

"I have a jooooob," she moaned, her arms hanging limply by her side.

"That's a good thing isn't it?" Otani said exasperadly. "Don't mix up emotions!"

"I was so scared!" she cried, rubbing her wet cheeks and hiccuped. "I thought you'd hate me soon..."

Otani looked up in surprise at his girlfriend.

"Congratulations."

She opened her eyes to see him looking serious.

He rubbed the back of his neck and avoided her eyes.

"I didn't hate that you didn't have a job, but..." he admitted lowly. "I was really scared that you were losing everything about you. You lost your fire," he mumbled.

A moment of silence went by and Otani started sweating. He glared up at her.

"What kinds of things are you making me say? Get out of my head!"

She broke out into a wide grin.

"I love you the most, Otani!" she cried and grabbed him tightly, squeezing him.

"I'm dying!" he croaked, kicking his feet out wildly. "She's gonna kill me!"

All of the sudden, the door opened quickly, revealing a livid Sakura.

"Koizumi, stop it," she reprimanded. "We have a class going on inside!"

Risa's eyes widened. Since when had Sakura become so aggressive?

"A love triangle?" a passerby whispered to his friend.

"Those sort of things only happen in mangas, idiot."

"Yes, you're right..."

"Go to class!" Otani shouted at them and they sped off down the hall. Sakura glared at him.

"Would you like to get back to work or continue to get distracted by someone who has no idea what responsibility means?"

A blackish cloud slowly emerged over Risa's head and Otani took a step back. She reached out and grabbed the back of Sakura's hair.

"What did you saaayyy?" Risa moaned with an eerie ghostlike grin on her face. "Repeat the things you've said..."

"Sakura, Koizumi just got hired as a stylist," Otani defended. "And that's no way to talk to her."

Risa's eyes widened and Sakura's narrowed.

"We have a class," she hissed. "Let's go!"

Determined not to be defeated once again by her opponent, she grabbed the back of jacket, pulled him to her and gave him a long kiss. He pushed away and took a step back.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?"

"See you tonight!" She cried and skipped down the hallway. She turned around slightly to see Otani walking into the classroom, rubbing the back of his red neck and Sakura was glaring her way.

Risa grinned an all-teeth grin and waved at her. Sakura shook her head and slammed the classroom door shut.

Koizumi's smile slipped off quickly and turned back to the door leading outside.

"...distracted by someone who has no idea what responsibility means..."

Risa knew about responsibility. She always took upon the responsibility to cheer up a friend when he or she was down, when there was a rival for Otani's heart, when she'd goof up..."

Maybe they weren't the biggest responsibilities, but she knew what responsibility meant.

Risa shook her head.

"Don't let comments get to you; you aren't that Risa anymore. You're confident! And Otani stuck up for you!"

"I wonder if she's getting fired up about something," the passerby murmured to his friend, pointing out Risa's raised fist and determined expression.

"You need to lay off the manga."

"Perhaps..."

"Get to class!" Koizumi yelled and they scampered off.

She smiled and looked up at the door at the end of the hallway. It was a bright and sunny day outside.

She skipped down the hall.

Otani stuck up for me!


[A/N] - I'm sorry for the delay. For the first time, in a long time, I got writers block. I forgot how awful it is! But I hope this chapter didn't show it. By the way, thank you so much for all the encouragement and lovely reviews I've received in the past month. They are so helpful and very very much appreciated! *blows kisses!* ; D

I'm working hard on the next chapter!