The next day Souda prepared for his last meeting with Koizumi. He showered, wore a clean jumpsuit, and even brought a small bag with him when he arrived at Koizumi's at seven. He knocked on the door as usual.

"Come in!"

Souda opened the door and walked inside, closing it behind himself. He set his bag down and looked around. Koizumi was nowhere in sight, but the lights were dimmed, and her table was set up to look nice and fancy, much like their dinner from a few days ago.

"Huh, wonder why everything is all set up?" Thought Souda.

He shrugged it off and looked at Koizumi's picture board.

"She hasn't updated this in awhile." Muttered Souda. "But then again she hasn't really had a camera since hers broke..."

Just then he heard a door slide open followed by footsteps. Souda slowly turned around and was stunned by the sight before him.

Sonia stood before him dressed in a simple green dress.

"S-Sonia?"

"Salutations Kazuichi." Said Sonia.

"Is that really you?" Asked Souda. "You sound kind of...different."

Sonia groaned and glared at him.

"Of course its not Sonia! Its me! Koizumi!"

"Wha?! K-Koizumi?!" Exclaimed Souda. "Why are you dressed like that?!"

"Its your final exam." Said Koizumi. "You are going to have a romantic dinner date with 'Sonia'."

Mahiru added air quotes with her fingers when mentioning Sonia's name.

"If you can do that, then you are truly ready to ask her out."

Souda raised an eyebrow.

"I'm liking this plan and all, but I want to know where you got the wig." Said Souda. "It looks pretty convincing."

"Thats a secret." Replied Koizumi.

She stepped into the bathroom and returned with two covered trays, setting them both on the table.

"Why do you keep storing food in the bathroom?" Asked Souda.

"Say what you will, but the dryer does a great job at keeping food warm."

Souda shrugged and allowed Koizumi to lead him to the table, where they both seated themselves.

"So what are we having Koizu-I mean Sonia?"

Koizumi smiled.

"Chicken soup."

Koizumi removed the covers, revealing two bowls of soup.

"I figured I'd do something simple."

"Works for me." Said Souda.

The mechanic grabbed his soup spoon and ate a spoonful of soup.

"Ahem.. So Kazuichi." Said Koizumi in her best Novaselic accent . "How was your day?"

"It was alright." Replied Souda. "I spent most of it fixing Akane's AC unit. But how was your day?"

"Well it was splendid." Said Koizumi. "Gundam showed me a trick his hamsters just learned."

Souda tightened his grip on the spoon and hid his agitation.

"Is that...so?"

Koizumi could tell Souda was uncomfortable at the mention of the ultimate breeder.

"Too much." Thought Koizumi.

She took a sip of her soup before changing the subject.

"I heard a rumor that Mikan likes Komaeda."

"Really?" Asked Souda "I never thought she'd like a guy like him."

They continued to talk as they ate.


"And then Hinata spilt orange juice all over Komaeda's hair." Said Souda.

Souda just finished telling Koizumi a funny story.

"Good one." Said Koizumi.

Souda noticed that he had finished his soup.

"Huh, all done."

Koizumi noticed that she only had a small bit of soup left.

"I guess it is."

Koizumi smiled and stood up.

"Congratulations." Said Koizumi.

She took off her blonde wig and set it on the table.

"You did it." Said Koizumi "You are ready."

"R-Really?!"

Koizumi nodded.

"Wow thanks Koizumi!" Said Souda.

"No problem..."

"Oh right!"

Souda got up and grabbed his bag.

"I got something for you." Said Souda. "Ya know, for helping me out all this time."

"For me?"

Souda reached into his bag and produced a black camera.

"A new camera?!" Asked Koizumi.

"Sorta." Said Souda. "I just fixed up your old one."

"You...fixed it?"

"Yeah." Said Souda. "Its the least I could do."

He handed Koizumi the camera with a big smile on his face.

"I'm gunna ask her out tomorrow!" Said Souda happily. "Good night! And thanks for everything!"

Souda walked out of the cottage with a spring in his step, while Koizumi stood in place looking at her camera.

"He went through the trouble of fixing my camera... All for me." Muttered Koizumi.

Koizumi grabbed a memory card from her desk and stuck it into the camera, then she held it up to her face and snapped a picture of her bed. She looked over the picture intently.

"It really works..." Said Koizumi. "Too bad Souda left before I had the chance to thank him. Oh well, I'll tell him next time I see him."

"But I dont want to just see him."

Koizumi froze up.

"I want to spend time with Souda." Thought Koizumi. "Like at the beach...and the amusement park... I want... I... Want..."

Koizumi removed her memory card from the camera and grabbed another, sticking it in her camera and flipping through the pictures she had saved on it until she had found the one she wanted. It was a picture of Souda she had taken durring one of Togami's parties, he was smiling and looking at something to his left. Koizumi walked over to her bed and sat down on it, her eyes never leaving the camera's screen.

"I want to be with him."

Koizumi didn't realize until now what she thought of Souda. She respected that he was willing to change himself for someone he cared about, she was happy that he confided in her, she was amazed at his manners, she grew to care about the person Souda truly was.

She fell in love with him.

"I...I...I..."

She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She let her tears drip onto the screen of her camera and allowed herself to sob.

"I w-want to...b-be...w-with..."

There was a knock on the door.

"Mahiru?" Called Saonji's voice on the other side of the door. "Are you there?...I wanted to talk to you!"

Koizumi set her camera on the bed and buried her face into her hands, ignoring Saonji's concerned voice.

"Mahiru?... Mahiru?"