"I wish I could have spent more time with you today, Nagi," I pout as we find a bench to sit on, "And I can't believe you forgot your birthday, too."

Nagi sighs, "I'm sorry, Rima," he still sounds raspy, despite not posing as Nadeshiko, "I wish I didn't have to perform all day. I'm tired."

"Are you feeling okay?" I press a hand to his forehead. He doesn't have a fever, but his rasp is only getting worse.

"Besides being tired? I just have a sore throat from having to act like Nadeshiko all day." Nagi frowns. "I don't think I'll be able to pose as Nadeshiko anymore."

I don't know why the thought that he can't be Nadeshiko makes me angry. I don't understand. "Why not?"

Nagi looks me in the eyes, almost angrily, and says, "Look at me, Rima. I'm five-foot-nine and still growing. The average woman is five-foot-five and stops growing before they're sixteen. I weigh 150 pounds, while the average, five-five woman weighs 120. If the average woman was five-nine, they'd probably weigh around 130. My shoulders are too wide for me to pass as a woman. My voice is too deep, and it hurts to do the Nadeshiko voice," Nagi looks back down at his shoes. "I only barely pass as Nadeshiko if you squint and are legally blind."

I'm taken aback by his speech. I didn't know that he'd doubted his Nadeshiko act. "What are you going to do, then?"

"I'm just going to not be Nadeshiko anymore."

Why am I upset by that? I clutch the hem of my skirt and bite my lip. It's not rational to be upset over this. Why do I feel like I'm going to cry? "Goodbye, Nadeshiko," I whisper.

Nagi gently holds my left hand with both of his. "Rima, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset," he says softly.

I sniff. "I just feel like I've lost my best friend, and I didn't get to say goodbye to her."

Nagi suddenly stands, pulling me up with him. He grabs my shoulders and meets my eyes again. "Rima," he pauses, "just what am I to you? And what was Nadeshiko to you?"

I'm surprised by his sudden intensity. "Well, Nadeshiko's my best friend," I hesitate, "And you're my boyfriend." I realize that I've never said that he's my boyfriend, and he's never said that I'm his girlfriend. He's always called me his Queen, and I skirt around any nicknames.

He blushes a little, but continues, "Why can't I be both? I'm Nadeshiko, after all. Everything you've told her, you told me at the same time. Every feeling you expressed to me, you also expressed to her. Why do you separate me and Nadeshiko?"

I shift my eyes to the side. Nagi's gaze is too intense for me right now. "I really don't know. You act completely differently as Nadeshiko, I guess, so I thought of you as a different person."

"Why can't I be both, Rima?" He asks again.

I don't know.

"Why can't I be both?" He repeats, softer this time.

I step closer to him and rest my head on his chest. He tightens his hold on me, embracing me. "I don't know, Nagi," I whisper.

Nagi strokes my hair, as he usually does when he's holding me, and asks, "Can I try to be both?"

I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his waist loosely. He's shaking, but I imagine that I am too. This is the closest we've been to a fight, and I'm glad it's over. "Yeah, you can," I murmur, holding him tighter. His warmth is comforting, his scent relaxing.

"Thank you, Rima, for the chance to make you happy."

I struggle to hold back tears. I'm still going to miss Nadeshiko.

AN: I know, I know. I never write these. Also, I've been gone forever.

I'm really, really sorry about that. When I started writing this story, I was so hyped to write it that I forgot that I had important stuff coming up and would need to set up stuff to upload so I'd have more time to write the next chapters.

In other words, I got my ass kicked by life.

I started searching for a second job because I wasn't making enough to pay my bills at my first one after getting my hours cut. I started school and drove myself broke with too many classes and books. On top of that, there's been legal shit with my dad, homework, night classes, weird work schedules, a clingy ex-boyfriend, etc.

Again, I'm sorry I haven't updated. I'm really going to try to do better. I can spend time to write on Thursdays and Fridays for now, so hopefully I can get through this.

Thank you so much for sticking with me after this unexpected hiatus! With your continued support, it'll be even easier for me to continue writing. I'm not going to beg for reviews, but they do help a lot.

And thank you, specifically, to Randombore. I looked through our messages again and that's what's gotten me to write again. Even if I'm a little out of touch with Shugo Chara now (mostly because I watched Party! and was disappointed), I can continue this story because of you.

There are only a couple of installments left, so I hope you all enjoy them! See you in the next chapter!