When I see her just sitting there alone at her table, fiddling with chess pieces, I rush to hug her before she can spot me, taking her little form in my arms and squeezing the love out of it

"Akira! It's so good to see you!"

"Gack! Konata! Hurting! Ribs! Broken!"

I set her down, and she gasps and wheezes, "Still keeping at it with the chess thing, eh?"

"It's my quirk, gotta stay consistent"

"Is your theme also gothic Lolita? Why are you wearing that anyway?"

"Had some business to take care of." She sizes me up for a few seconds, turning her face bashfully to the side and mumbling something.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said it's good to see you too"

"Hya! You're so adorable Akira!"

"Argh! Let go of me!"

When I finally set her down, she shows me to her room, and it occurs to me that in all my time at the hospital I had never been in here. It's pretty much a mirror image of what my own room used to be, only her bed has straps on it. I wonder if they have to restrain her often, but I don't comment.

"So, how've you been?"

"That some kind of joke? I'm still in the hospital, and my Mom still doesn't visit me. How do you think I've been?"

Guilt is a wound best assuaged by apology, "I'm sorry I haven't come to visit you yet, I had a lot on my mind"

Her anger deflates, "Don't worry about it, I'm glad you came at all. Better late than never"

"Where's Minami? I thought I would have seen her by now." Akira laughs, long and hard, banging her fist on the table and uprooting some chess pieces. "What? What's so funny?"

"It's just funny you should ask." Akira slides her cellphone over to me, opened on her text messages, of which there are a lot. I pick it up and scroll through them.

"Holy shit, is any of this true?"

"All of it is true. Give them a read." I move my chair beside her so we can read them together.

What happened to Minami:

A cellphone starts ringing in the midst of a room full of artists, disturbing their work.

"Is someone going to get that?" Demands the head artist, not looking up from her laptop. The ringing continues and a vein pops in her forehead, "Whose phone is that!? Who keeps the stupid default ringtone anyway?!"

The other artists begin to shift nervously in their seats. It is not their phone, but they do not want to risk going and turning the offending device off for fear of catching their employer's considerable ire.

"Ayano! Could you find that stupid thing and throw it out the window?"

"You get it!"

"Ayano, so help me god, I will vomit blood on you"

Ayano sighs, shoving down a draft and shuffling over to the couch and rifling through the cushions. It isn't in there. She eventually follows the noise to a leather jacket slung haphazardly over the television. Her eyes widen and she fishes out the phone from one of the pockets.

"Well!? Turn it off!"

"It's Nanako's phone"

Hiyori pauses, removing her glasses as she looks up, "Answer it"

Ayano wouldn't usually, but she too is curious. She presses the answer button and holds the phone against her ear. "Hello?"

After a little discussion Hiyori shouts, "Is it her agency?"

Ayano holds the receiver against her hand so the person on the other end can't hear. "No," she says dazedly, "It's a girl asking Nanako out on a date"

Hiyori leaps from her desk, clearing the desks of two of her assistants before sprinting over and snatching the phone from Ayano's hand.

"Hello! Hello! Is it true!? Who am I talking to?!" Several minutes of involved discussion ensue in which Hiyori steps all over her bodyguard's privacy and free-will. Ayano half-heartedly tries to stop her, but is halted by the revelation that Nanako has a love life.

Minutes later Nanako emerges from the bathroom to find Hiyori manically grinning up at her. Ayano sort of sidles in the background, trying to look like she isn't interested.

"Hey guys, what's going on?"

"You have a date, darling!"

"Huh?"

"You have a date! A girl called and asked you out!"

"What!? You answered my phone? Hiyori-!"

"Who is she!? Where'd you meet her? Ooh, I'm so excited for you!"

"Ayano, what is going on!?"

"I'm sorry! Your phone was ringing and we had to pick it up, and then Hiyori just came out of nowhere and answered-"

"Never mind the details!" Hiyori interrupts. The assistants just shake their heads and keep working, keeping one ear perked to eavesdrop on the unfolding drama. They too, are very curious about Nanako's love life. "You have a date with a Minami Iwasaki tonight! We have to get you ready!"

"Who!? Konata's nurse? I gave her my number weeks ago but- wait hold on, tonight!?"

"Indeed! I've taken the liberty of drawing some sketches of things you could wear!"

"Wait a minute! I don't know if I can do this! It's such short notice!"

Hiyori looks up at her grumpily, "What were you going to do tonight anyway that isn't better than going out with a beautiful young woman?"

"You have no idea what she looks like! And need I remind you that I was going to do my job and protect you?"

"Details, " Hiyori dismisses, "I'm just going to be here anyway, and this hotel is impenetrable. And don't pretend like you're hard at work here. You were probably going to stay up and play one of your MMOs, and if you would rather do that then have a chance at getting laid then I feel sorry for you!"

"Hiyori I'm rusty and nervous okay? I don't think I can do this"

Hiyori stamps her foot. Her strategy of guilting Nanako into it didn't work, so…that just leads Plan B. Hiyori falls to her knees.

"Please, please, please, please, please, please do this! I get so crazy in here! And all that gets me by is my work, and living vicariously through you, and your life is almost as boring as mine!"

"Hey!"

"And come on, you know you want to right? What's the harm?" Cue the puppy dog pout.

Nanako looks at it for five seconds before pushing it away with her palm, "Argh! Fine, I'll do it! But if I crash and burn then it's all your fault"

"Yay!"

Nanako tugs nervously at the hem of her dress. Too short, too much skin on display. She feel's overexposed and countless hours of wearing a jacket and pants have made her sensitive to even slight breezes. She shivers a little at her table, the seat opposite her still empty.

"Wow, it really has been a while since I've been out." She struggles with her nerves, bringing the glass of water to her lips and spilling a little on herself. "Crap." When she finishes wiping it down, she glances around for the umpteenth time and struggles not to pull her PSP out of her purse and start playing it.

Being caught playing video games while waiting for a date would be the height of uncool. So then why did she bring it in the first place? Urgh, I feel naked without my sunglasses. Why did I ask Konata to give her my card? Why do I have to make stupid decisions when I'm high!?

"Hello?" asks a gentle voice, Nanako turns and recoils at the cool beauty standing at the other end of the table, bedecked in form-fitting slacks and one of those elegant off-shoulder ponchos.

So coooooool….thinks Nanako, before snapping to her sense, "You must be Minami, uh, we've met at the hospital, I don't know if you remember"

"I remember"

"Oh, good. That's good," she notices that Minami is still standing and her heartbeat quickens in nervous confusion. Is she waiting for an invitation? Is that a thing? "Uh, won't you take a seat?"

Minami nods and pulls out the chair, sitting atop it elegantly, in an elegant position while prostrating her napkin on her lap in a show of supreme elegance. Not once does her expression change. Oh man, this girl is way out of my league. Who am I kidding over here with this stupid dress? I probably look like a giraffe in a sack!

"You look beautiful in that dress." And just like that, Minami Iwasaki, whether she knew it or not, snagged Nanako Kuroi's heart and began to reel her slowly, inevitably, in.

Nanako blushes furiously, feeling more like a giggling schoolgirl than when she actually was a giggling schoolgirl. "Oh this old thing?! I just threw it on! Thanks though! Hahahaha," inner Nanako is bashing her head against a wall.

What am I saying!?

Minami simply nods and accepts a menu proffered by one of the waiters. Lost in Minami's eyes, Nanako doesn't notice the waiter waiting for her to accept the other menu, so he simply shrugs and leaves it in front of her. She eventually snaps out of her reverie, hoping that Minami hadn't spotted her staring. She snatches her menus and raises it over her face, pretending to peruse.

It takes a few minutes for her to realize that Minami isn't saying anything. They are sitting in silence that, to Nanako at least, is becoming more and more uncomfortable and it is driving her nervousness to ever-increasing levels.

"Er, have you decided what you want to get?"

"No, not yet"

"A-ah," Nanako retreats behind her menu, "Um, Minami, tell me about yourself, what kind of things do you like to do?"

"Hmm, maybe we should wait until after we've both ordered to get to know each other?" The question is delivered with such a lack of malice that Nanako is certain that it isn't meant rudely. Still, it feels like she's been punched in the gut with a hefty dose of awkward.

"O-okay"

This date is stalling, need to regroup!

As soon as they have both ordered Minami looks at her with that blank coolness that has Nanako's mind drawing a blank. Need. To say. Something….!

"So, Minami…"

"Yes?"

"Er….uh…I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back!"

Minami follows her with her eyes as Nanako dashes away.

As soon as she gets there Nanako starts panting. She hadn't realized that amid the tension back at the table she had forgotten to breathe. What is wrong with me!? I haven't been this uncool on a date since…ever!

She shoves open a stall door, takes a seat, and looks through her contact list. Someone on that list is about to give her some advice, and they better hope that it's good.

Hiyori? No fucking way.

Ayano? Don't know her well enough.

Konata? She probably knows even less than I do!

Mom? God no!

Finally the scroller highlights a name that gives her pause. Hmmm, we aren't very close friends, but she'll do.

She presses the call button, waiting through a few rings before the person on the other line picks up.

"Sensei? What's up?" Miyuki had never stopped calling her that, even years after graduation.

"Miyuki are you busy right now?"

"No, not really"

"Great! I need some advice"

"Uh, okay, what is it?"

"Right, I know we haven't spoken very much recently, so, uh, sorry if this is awkward"

"Nanako you can ask me anything"

"Really? Awesome. Okay, I'm on a date right now-"

"You are? You?"

"The hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, sorry. I guess…well, you used to be my teacher so you'll forgive me if I never saw you in any kind of relationship ever"

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence, really, you just helped me out so much right there"

"No need to be sarcastic. I already said I apologized"

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out, I am bombing on this date"

"I'm sure you aren't doing that bad. Is that what you needed advice on?"

"Yeah"

"Well, okay. I guess the key here is just to calm down. Studies show that when you're around people you find attractive, your cognitive processes disrupt somewhat. So you just have to calm down and think about your feelings rationally"

"What kind of advice is that?"

"*Sigh* okay, what's the name of the guy you're with?"

"It's a girl"

"…"

"Hello?"

"Sorry. I was just surprised. I'm learning all kinds of things about you tonight. We really should hang out more. Like without Konata or Sebastian"

Nanako considers this, "Yeah we should actually"

"Okay, cool. Now what's this girl's name?"

"Er, Minami. Minami Iwasaki"

"…I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Minami Iwasaki"

"…"

"Miyuki?"

"Is she tall? Indigo hair? Doesn't really talk much?"

Nanako pulls the phone away from her ear and looks at it with one eyebrow raised, "Uh, yeah. How…how do you know that?"

"Minami Iwasaki graduated from high school with me. Nanako, she used to be in your class"

"….."

"Nanako?"

"…"

"Nanako," sound comes from the speaker indicating Miyuki is literally tapping on her cellphone, "Nanako are you there?"

"I'll call you back," Nanako breathes.

It is with new eyes that Nanako returns to the dinner table, eyes unmisted by Miyuki's revelation. She now sees it, she totally sees it. This is the girl who all the students always admired; the one the students said was perfect. She had good grades, if Nanako recalls correctly.

It isn't nervousness that plagues the former teacher now, it is…well, she doesn't know what it is, but it's seriously giving her pause.

"Ms. Kuroi," Why is she calling me that!?Is it because she remembers when I was her teacher? "Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh, yeah, yes I am. Just had to, uh," Nanako catches herself before she can say anything embarrassing, "poop?"

What did I just say!? AAAAAAAAAH!

Minami seems unfazed by this, "Understandable. You can't underestimate the importance of a solid bowel movement"

"S-sure"

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Nanako is confused. She knows, unequivocally, that this girl was in her class. "I'm a bodyguard, though I used to be a high school teacher," Nanako watches for a reaction.

Minami's expression doesn't change. "That's very interesting, I don't know many people who would go through such a drastic career change"

"Yeah, it was a weird transition, but I'm happier now"

"What sort of things do you do for fun?"

Is it safe to say that I laze around playing video games? "I, uh, I work out when I can. To help me with my job, practice my martial arts and sharpshooting," oh screw it, "and I play video games. A lot"

"Oh? What kind of games do you play?"

A tricky question for gamers to answer. If they explain their particular interests to a non-gamer, then all that person hears is a bunch of nerdy nonsense that serves no real conversational purpose. In this instance, Nanako decides to avoid such awkwardness, "Um, it's pretty boring stuff really, I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in that"

The girl who used to be her student smiles, probably the first time Nanako had ever seen her do so. It is breathtakingly gentle, and beautiful, and Nanako is embarrassed to be find herself even further enamored. "I'm very interested in you; I don't think you're boring at all"

The two of them have an uneventful dinner in which Nanako feels she stammers too much and Minami talks too little. After she was graced by the smile she was completely off her guard. The dinner felt really short, and there wasn't a whole lot of talking. Nanako suspects that Minami cut it short out of disinterest.

These feelings are banished however as Minami suggests they go to a dance club.

"Huh?"

"I know a good one that's really close. If you want to go, that is"

Desperate to keep the date going, Nanako agrees, and before long they are ushered into the bass-ridden interior of the Lalonde Lounge (security had waved the both of them right on through). Immediately Minami takes Nanako's hand and pulls her into the crowd, dancing close enough that the other dancers cannot mistake that the older woman is very much with her.

Minami dances slow for the quick rhythm of the music, but the movements are sensuous, and resonate with the beat in a way that has Nanako standing stock still for a few seconds. Then Minami smiles at her again, brushing her hand along Nanako's waist, and Nanako starts dancing too.

She would be the first to admit that she isn't a spectacular dancer, but she is one of those bad dancers that doesn't really care that they can't dance. Not that it would matter anyway. She is lost in Minami's eyes. As the beat gets quicker, Minami's movements quicken to match, and soon she is all but pressing against her former teacher, caressing her with her body in a way Nanako hasn't experienced in a long time.

Visited upon by arousal and dizziness, Nanako isn't sure how to react. Her hand move to meet the girl's hips when they are interrupted by a sudden change in music. They both stop dancing.

"I'll go get us some drinks," Minami says into her ear, the only way to be heard over the blare. Nanako numbly nods. This date is going places she did not anticipate at all.

She's pretty excited.

Drinks are brought, drinks are drunk. More dancing ensues. They don't talk very much at all, but Nanako has more fun that she has had in a very long time. The smiles Minami sends her way every now and then are intoxicating, and sometimes when she spins or raises her arms above her head, the poncho rides up a bit to reveal a sliver of tantalizingly creamy waist.

Nanako stares, trying to catch another glimpse of Minami's skin. Her waist, her arms, her neck; it is all very beckoning.

Minami catches her eyes, and Nanako knows she's been caught. She tries to parse it off by looking elsewhere, closing her eyes and pretending that she's lost in the music. She feels two hands cup her cheeks, and before she can open her eyes Minami is kissing her with some urgency, firmly, pushing them towards the wall where Nanako's back connects with a soft thud.

The other dancers pay them no attention and Minami presses herself flush against the older woman as her kissing intensifies. Nanako's hands wander under the poncho, exploring the surprisingly cool skin of her bare torso. She gropes for a bra, but does not find one.

Minami draws back a bit and the two of them look into each other's eyes. Is this where we are going? Are we really doing this?

"Sensei…"

"What did you-"

Whatever fateful discussion they were about to have is interrupted by the sound of several people shrieking in surprised horror. A young man, as it turns out, is having a seizure in middle of the dance floor, and the other club-goers make the counterproductive decision of congregating around him like a macabre audience, while also trying to give him space; an undulating throng doing absolutely nothing to help the convulsing man at its epicenter.

Finally someone has the sense to shout for a doctor, while a few like-minded people frantically type 911 into their cellphones.

Minami shoves her way through the crowd, shouting "I'm a doctor!" to get people to back the fuck off ("doctor" sounds more authoritative that "nurse," unfortunately). Nanako is at first unsure of what to do, but snaps out of it, and assists by bodily throwing some people out of Minami's way. No-one seems to mind, caught up by the pandemonium and sudden collective concern for the young man.

Minami conscripts some club-goers into holding him still, securing a jacket from the owner and making sure the young man's head is resting on it. She checks for a medical bracelet; there is none. Someone tries to put their wallet in his mouth, and she snaps at them (as the fact that it is a good idea is a fallacy).

Eventually the paramedics arrive, and since no-one apparently was with him, Nanako and Minami ride with the poor loner in the ambulance.

The two of them find themselves sitting awkwardly in a hospital waiting room.

After giving her account of what happened to the doctor, Minami turns to Nanako. "I apologize, it seems I've ruined our date"

"Don't be silly, you didn't ruin anything"

"Nevertheless…"

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Minami's apologetic face is too cute. "But before the whole episode happened, when we were, uh-"

"Kissing? You were fondling me if I recall"

"Yeah, that. You called me sensei"

"Is that strange? You were once my teacher, I suppose I lapsed for a moment there"

Nanako stares at her incredulously, "You remembered? I barely remembered! Wait, nevermind. That's not what I wanted to ask. Just…you don't think there's anything wrong with this?"

Minami cocks her head to the side, "Should I?"

"No! I…guess not. But…I mean we were about to," Nanako considers, "Uh, y'know"

"I was expecting you to ask me to go your place"

"Really? I had no idea, I mean, I don't usually move that fast. Would you have said yes?"

Another confused head-cock, "Of course"

"A-ah. So this was one of those kinds of dates," all of a sudden it makes sense why Minami abruptly took her to the dance club. "Oh." That's pretty cool, I guess. But Nanako was feeling like they had some serious non-verbal chemistry going. This, coupled with the confusion as to what to do about their former student-teacher relationship made her even more confused and, ultimately, somewhat dejected, though she still isn't entirely sure why.

"You misunderstand sensei"

"Eh?"

"I want to have sex with you. This does not mean I do not want a relationship with you"

"It doesn't?"

"I apologize. I am…pushy when it comes to these things. I feel as if I have been making you uncomfortable the whole night"

You knew!? "Er…"

"Please excuse my reticence. I was surprised when I saw you at the restaurant. It wasn't until then that I remembered who you were. Your usual attire is…not very feminine." Minami remembers the jacket and sunglasses very vividly, as its factor of intimidation was quite striking, if not somewhat intriguing.

"You're pretty direct, huh?"

"I am sorry. Am I offending you?"

"No, don't worry about it. Even if you were I'm pretty thick-skinned"

"Very well," Minami collects herself, "I wasn't sure how to react when I realized who you were. I even texted a friend for advice while you were in the bathroom. But somehow, when you came back…the realization made me…erhm. Sorry, this is difficult for me to admit"

"You are so cute and confusing. I'm just going to put that out there. Like how can you be up front about wanting to have sex with me and then get all shy about something like this?"

"Erhm"

"Sorry, please go on"

"…When I remembered that you were my teacher, that same authoritative woman who presided over homeroom…it made me…flustered"

"Flustered?"

"I felt…hot…and bothered"

"Oh…OH!"

"This is why I was so forward with you. As I'm talking I'm actually very worried that you think less of me because of this. Perhaps because I moved too fast, or because of my uncouth rambling which I am perpetuating right now." Minami sort of blushes. 'Blush' isn't the right word for what Minami is doing, though whatever it is, it is a recognizable sign of embarrassment and it makes Nanako's gaze soften considerably.

"Soooo…you do like me right? You want to go on more dates and stuff"

"Yes. Very much so"

"And the fact that I used to be your teacher makes it…better?"

"Almost alarmingly so. Could I…do you mind if I call you sensei?"

The taller girl is almost too adorable when she gets like that. "Sure, you can call me sensei as much as you want"

And the two of them share one of those magical glances that seem to convey the oodles of understanding that long drawn-out conversations only barely scratch the surface of. Promised in this particular glance is a second date, and the guarantee of eventual sex. But they can wait a while longer.

The atmosphere is ruined (perhaps fortuitously, as only silence could have followed a glance as meaningful as that) by Ayano running panic-stricken into the room.

"I got here as fast as I could! Where is he!?"

Minami points her in the right direction, and barely receives a nod of gratitude before she is off to the young man's hospital room. Nanako just sort of stares after her in surprise.

When she emerges, thirty minutes later, it is with a red face fresh from crying and rage. Instinctually Nanako goes to comfort her, though the tentative hug is awkward because the two of them are really only work friends and do not know much about each other's personal lives.

"Are you okay?"

"No. Stupid bastard still has me down as his emergency contact," Ayano sniffs, "that doofus. He's just like his sister"

Not knowing what any of this really means, Nanako just pats Ayano on the back.

"Thanks for being there for him, even though I'm sure you had no idea who he is. He's my roommate's brother, my ex"

"A-ah"

"Ah jeez, you probably don't even care. You look fantastic by the way. I take it this is your date? Hi I'm Ayano Minegishi, pleased to meet you"

"Minami Iwasaki, a pleasure"

"Will you be okay?"

Another sniffle. "Good question. I will and I won't. I will because he's alright now, I won't because he's back in my life and this just complicates things." She wipes away the last of her tears, "But what about you though? The hotel's pretty far from this hospital, will you be okay getting a ride there? I can drive you"

"Can you maybe drive Minami as well?"

"Sure, where does she live?"

Minami tells her

"Whoa, that's pretty far too, in the opposite direction." Ayano thinks about it for a while, "Why don't you guys just spend the night at my place. Please, I insist. It's the least I could do. Tomorrow's Saturday so I don't think it should be too much trouble"

After a few seconds of nervous yet (insincerely) noncommittal shrugging, the three of them slip into Ayano's car and drive back to her apartment. The couch area, having plenty of cushions and (duh) couches, has enough room for Nanako and Minami to get comfortable. With the blankets ad pajamas Ayano provided them (because who can really go to sleep in a formal dress, unless drunk?), they assume sleeping positions awkwardly apart from each other.

"Sensei?" Minami whispers

"Yeah?"

"Can I sleep with you?" She probably means it literally, Nanako sighs, conciliatory. She might not ever figure out this stoic little (tall, really) goofball. But that's alright, she supposes, and she holds open her blanket for Minami to come in and snuggle.

Nanako briefly wonders again if this could be considered moving too fast, but as she lets Minami settle in next to her, spoons her and marvels at how cool her skin somehow manages to be, she can only fall blissfully asleep.

"She texted all of this to you?"

"Yeah, she's pretty weird huh?"

I look out the window, "I guess Kagami's in for a confusing morning"