"…Oh."
Dororo looked around anxiously before biting his lip down at the yellow scientist.
"U-um… yo?" Dororo tried weakly.
"I know it's you, Lance Corporal. Ku-ku-ku-ku."
Dororo's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I know." He glanced around again before he waved his hand toward himself. "Come in, I guess." He pushed the door wider and let Kururu inside, pulling it back closed after another quick look out. He sighed and turned toward him, arms resting against each other. "Okay. Not to be rude or anything, but what do you want? I know you didn't just come over for tea."
"Curry would be appreciated, ku," Kururu quipped. He gazed off to the side. "But otherwise, I came for the gun."
"Oh!" Dororo blushed. "Right. Sorry." He walked to the corner of his hut and pulled the Animal Animalizer out of Koyuki's bag. As he handed it back to the Keronian, a thought struck him. "…Hey. Kururu? Can I ask you a question?"
"It depends, ku-ku-ku."
Dororo rubbed his neck. "Why are you here? I mean… wouldn't you typically ask someone else to do something like this?"
"Normally, yes," Kururu shrugged. "However, I would have to go to the trouble of explaining why exactly the gun is here, and-"
"I-I understand," Dororo interrupted, his face turning even redder. "Th-thank you."
Kururu shrugged. "Ku. Don't mention it." His glasses gleamed as he gazed up at Dororo. "It's just fun imagining you and Koyuki… ku-ku-ku."
Dororo tilted his head slightly at this, and then burst into yet a darker shade of crimson. "I DON'T LIKE HER LIKE THAT!"
"Ku-ku, fine." Kururu held the big gun with two arms. He sighed and shook his head. "Ku-ku-ku-ku. Honestly, Devonte. It's unbelievable how horrible at lying you are."
"I-I'm not… lying?"
"Mmhm. Well. I'll see you later, maybe. Ku-ku."
"Wait," Dororo said, just before Kururu walked fully out the door. "…Um. Sorry. Uh… do the others know?"
"Ku? Know what?"
"Um…" Dororo looked down at his body uncertainly. "You know…"
"Oh, that? Ku. No. Only Garuru."
"Garuru," The ninja repeated. "Garuru. Garuru?! W-what is he doing here?!"
"You barely noticed?" Kururu perked a brow. "He was there at the battle scene with all those fish-Pekoponian thingies. Ku-ku."
"O-oh, really?" Dororo barely noticed, what with Koyuki being his main priority. U-uh. Koyuki and Giroro. And Natsumi, too. Right.
"Yes. And unfortunately, he isn't too pleased with Giroro's predicament, ku."
"Oh. Oh dear," Dororo murmured, running his fingers through his pink hair. "I can only imagine…" He gazed at the Animalizer in Kururu's hands. "…Are you going to try and reverse the gun?"
"Yes," Kururu looked down at the weapon that started all this ka-hookey. "Although, it will prove to be extremely difficult."
Dororo laughed weakly. "No kidding."
Kururu gave him a knowing look. "…ku-ku. I should be on my way, then. Do you have any other interrupting questions before I continue my way out the door?"
"N-no. That's all."
"Good." Kururu paused briefly. "And Dororo?"
The ninja blinked at him. "Yeah?"
"Good look with Koyuki. Ku-ku-ku-ku!"
"T… Kururu you're so mean!"
Giroro collapsed on the now all too familiar bed and sighed into the pillows.
The trip back was exhausting, and not to mention… awkward.
Awkward awkwardness. I called it!
…Anyway, back to useless French titles…
….
Narrator. Give me back my script.
Told you I called it.
Giroro grumbled about something totally irreverent but was still unable to get Natsumi out of his mind. All in all, she seemed normal. She was the same. But there were instances when he would throw a subtle glance at her and she would contain this passive, thoughtful, brooding look. Her eyes would be hard on the ground, her eyebrows furrowed in, her lips a small, straight line, and her fists clenched at her knees.
Once Giroro touched her while she was in this dazed reverie, and she slightly winced away, startling him.
Oh, she knows.
Giroro swallowed, wrapping his arms around the pillow and squeezing it. I know she knows. And now she probably knows that I know that she knows. Urgh, my head… He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the sleeplessness of the night before begin to weigh down on him. He gave another sigh as his muscles relaxed. …Too tired to think… really… He began to lose consciousness… and prayed that a nightmare wouldn't haunt his dreams yet again…
"Wait. Where's Garuru?"
"He went on a walk," Kururu answered Keroro, reclining back in his spinning chair. "He just wanted to relax before we began."
"I guess it is nice outside," Keroro nodded. "…Wait. He went outside?! What if he blows something up?!"
"He'll be fine, captain. Ku-ku-ku." Kururu gave him a side glance. "Though, perhaps you should be less concerned for the safety of a random Pekoponian's life and start worrying about your own."
Keroro's eyes widened. "W…what do you mean by that?"
"I just mean be cautious… I didn't mean anything else by that. Ku-ku-ku-ku!"
His laughter was just so comforting to the leader of the Armpit Platoon that Keroro had to go skip over to the little frog's oval office and sob out what he felt might be his last moments of life.
Any second now…
Natsumi felt like a total stalker.
As soon as they got off the bus, Natsumi said goodbye to 'Rio' and headed toward her house. Unbeknownst to Rio, she immediately dropped his bag with Fuyuki, turned around and followed him.
He walked a long distance, sluggishly trailing behind another familiar good-looking boy… Saburo.
Oh, sweet, beautiful Saburo… Natsumi thought dreamily. Wait. No! Concentrate.
She thought it was just a coincidence that it seemed that Rio was following him; perhaps he lived near Saburo? To her surprise, they lived in the same house.
Since when did that happen? Natsumi pondered. Did Rio ever mention having a roommate…? Well, it's not like I ever asked, but still…
She watched the metallic blonde gently pump a fist against Rio's shoulder with a grin as he waited by the door, and the latter grunted halfheartedly, following him in.
No. Maybe Giroro's just visiting? Natsumi mused, and then stopped, and turned pale when she realized what she had just mentally said. Rio. Rio. Not Giroro. Definitely not Giroro.
Before she knew it, she was rapping her knuckles against the door.
…What am I thinking. What am I thinking?! Natsumi took a small step away from it. What the crap am I supposed to say?! Maybe I could just get away from here, and pretend I was just walking by or something! I could blame it on those guys that like to knock on doors and run away! Yeah! I could just-
"Natsumi?" Saburo asked pleasantly, though his eyebrows rose up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Note to self, Natsumi: less thinking, more action! "U-uh! H-hi, Saburo!"
Saburo gently leaned against the doorpost and gave her a lax smile. "Yo. Did you… uh, need something?"
"N-nothing in particular," Natsumi said a tad too quickly, her cheeks turning rosier and rosier by the second. "Y-yeah, I just… um… wanted to drop by?"
"To see Rio?"
Natsumi stiffened. "…What?"
"Aren't you and Rio dating?" Saburo asked, perking a brow. When Natsumi looked down, he chuckled. "Nothing to be ashamed about. Come on in. I'll show you to his room."
I wonder if he's jealous. Natsumi took off her shoes and went inside, putting them off in the corner before setting her feet on the carpeted floor.
Saburo pointed up the stairs. "Rio's room is the third to the left. I don't think he'll mind you dropping by." With a charming wink, he disappeared to the kitchen.
…Now didn't that sound like jealousy. She was filled with disappointment for a very brief second, but she got over it and decided to, what the heck, check up on Rio.
"Rio…?" Natsumi said softly, gently pushing the door open. "Rio-?" She gasped quietly.
He was on the bed, sleeping belly-side on the bed, his cheek resting on the pillow, his face toward her. She meekly tiptoed toward him. When she was close to him, she sat down and gazed in marvel at his resting form. It was a little embarrassing to do this, had she thought hard enough about it, but something told her she didn't really care about that. All she wanted to do was look at his face.
Giroro- switching back to his real name for audience's sake- looked so peaceful. His skin was a little on the pink side, not that there was anything wrong. Just made him look a little… fragile. She smiled at the thought. That definitely doesn't sound like Giroro. She couldn't help but… reach for him. Stupid and cliché as it may sound, but yes, she did. Her fingertips graced his smooth skin, and then traveled over his hair. SO soft… She pulled back. Strands of blond hair gracelessly fell over the front of his face, casting thin shadows on his pale cheeks. And his mouth… pretty mouth, slightly parted, casting relaxed, simple breaths from his lips.
Natsumi blushed.
No… this can't be Giroro, she decided, refusing to believe it, even though she absolutely knew all the facts assembled so perfectly.
"Natsumi…"
Natsumi started. Did he just say my…?
Giroro's features quickly faded into one of momentary distress, his dark eyebrows slanted upwards in opposite directions, his lips curling, his teeth visibly grinding each other, his large, powerful hands clenching the blankets. Droplets of sweat began to form on his forehead and cheeks.
"…Rio…?"
"No…" Giroro murmured, burying his face into the pillow. "No…"
Natsumi quickly stood up. "I should leave now…" She murmured to no one in particular.
Giroro suddenly gasped and pulled himself up, coughing and sputtering in violent fits.
"Rio!" Natsumi called out despite herself. She ran to his side and patted his back. "Are you alright?"
"I'm- I'm fine, D-…" Giroro's blue eyes widened when he saw who was really consoling him. "N…Natsumi?"
"Do you need some water?" Natsumi asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"U-uh…" Giroro's cheeks turned redder. "N-no. I-I mean- no on the drink. A-and yes… yes I'm fine."
"What happened?" Natsumi inquired, taking a seat next to him. "Of course, if you, you know, don't mind asking…"
Giroro shook his head a bit, tendrils of hair matted against his face throughout the frightening experience of a dream he obviously didn't feel like sharing. Natsumi brought her wrists nervously to her knees.
"O-okay." She stood up and delicately swatted the bottom of her shirt. "So do you, uh… do you want to go outside?"
"Outside?"
"Y-yeah. Just for a walk in the park. To unwind a little."
Giroro hesitated. "…Alright."
"Great. Let's go."
Had he been a sane, straight man with a real smart brain, he would have instantly said no and seen the potential flaws to this that could ultimately ruin him.
But he was not a sane, straight man.
He was Giroro.
Giroro just wanted to punch himself for allowing this to happen. If anything at all, he needed to gradually distance himself from Natsumi, or at least until he was able to get back to normal. However, being as madly in love with Natsumi as he already was, it was useless to refuse. Absolutely useless.
Giroro slid his hands in the pockets of his jacket, fingers gliding over the jagged teeth of the keys Saburo drew for him (he said he was going to be out, and doubted that he'd come back when Giroro did. Just in case) and rolled his head in a small circle, cracking his neck, shifting his shoulders around. Hey, he just woke up after all.
"It's nice outside, isn't it?" Natsumi asked after a moment of silence.
"It is," Giroro agreed dully.
The two lapsed into another uncomfortable absence of sound.
Sigh.
It was okay. The sky wasn't cloudy or anything, and the sun wasn't beating at them too hard. If anything, the air was more on the chilly side, tingling their naked faces and sweeping their bangs to the side in an annoying fashion.
Giroro looked about, eyeing the people they were either passing or behind of. A little brown-headed girl playing on the tricycle. A black-haired boy playing with what Giroro assumed was his father. Two lovebirds conspicuously making out behind a tree. A young sandy-haired man calmly walking in front of them.
"Want some ice cream?" Natsumi pointed at the little man wheeling a cart away from a group of satisfied leaving children.
"Why not?" Giroro asked, shrugging.
"Can I get two chocolate flavored ice cream cones please?" Natsumi asked the older man, reaching for her purse.
Giroro quickly blushed and held out his hand. "N-no. I got it." He checked his pockets, but to his embarrassment, he realized he left his wallet of yen at home. He cursed his forgetfulness and shook his head. "It's fine. I don't want one."
"Still two," Natsumi said, surprising the Keronian-turned-Pekoponian. "I'm buying it for him."
Giroro closed his eyes and groaned. "Natsumi…"
"Like I said, it's fine," Natsumi smiled, taking the cones from the older man, exchanging them for the coins. "Thank you!"
"Natsumi…"
"Shut up and eat your ice cream."
Giroro twitched and stared at her. …When as she ever talked to me like that before…?
Natsumi reddened. "I-I'm sorry! I-it just… it just slipped out, you know?" She licked her ice cream, desperate for a distraction.
Giroro looked down at his frozen treat and mirrored her action, his eyes down on the creamy goodness that he almost claimed was too sweet for him.
"Is that good?"
Natsumi gazed up at the source of the voice, and her cheeks grew even redder.
There sure is an awful lot of blushing in this chapter… just thought I should point it out.
The young man that was, just a few moments ago, walking in front of them seemingly without a care in the world was facing them now, his attention to their ice cream.
"Y-yeah! I-it's really good!" Natsumi bit down half of her cold dairy sugar, and regretted it immensely. I'm such a DORK. Whoa… brain freeze. BRAINFREEZE.
"It's good," Giroro repeated, cocking a brow at the man. Sure sounds familiar…
He had black sunglasses with a slightly tanned skin tone; dark brown hair that fell in wisps against his shades. He carried himself with a confident air, his shoulders back, spine erect.
He reminded Giroro of those business Pekoponian men… what were they called again…?
Mosquitoes?
Giroro couldn't remember. But he couldn't help but feel this nostalgic voice… it made him shiver.
"Do you mind if I take a bite, Rio?"
To Natsumi's absolute shock, the man gently pulled Giroro's occupied hand up toward his own mouth and took a bit off the top. He made a bit of a face but retained that cool demeanor after fully swallowing the ice cream. He cleared his throat as his slid his fingers against his mouth.
"…D-d-d-d… do you know him?" Natsumi finally sputtered out, her pupils dilated.
"I…I-I…." Giroro was equally appalled. Who the frog was this guy?!
"Did you really forget me already?" The man gave something of a small toothy smirk.
Small toothy smirk.
That looks like Rio's fangy smile…
Natsumi thought, incredulous. She gazed up at him in surprise. "Are you Rio's brother?"
"Yes." Garuru pulled off the sunglasses, revealing dark, intense brown eyes. "I am."
Giroro's mouth fell to the floor with an audibly loud thud. GARURU?!
To anyone else, Garuru's deadpanned glance would be unsettling and vague. To someone who has lived with him his whole life (AKA Giroro), Garuru's simple glance would be more than unsettling and vague; it was smug and taunting and UGH SO FREAKING ANNOYING.
Giroro was biting his finger so hard there was a very good chance he could break through the bone. WHAT THE FROG IS HE DOING HERE…. LIKE THAT?!
"It's so great to see you!" Natsumi beamed, bowing eagerly. "Rio's told me so much about you!"
"Has he now?" Garuru asked coolly, gazing over at Giroro.
The younger brother feigned a smile. "Classy."
"What brings you here to Japan?" Natsumi questioned, turning back to Garuru. With her attention somewhere else, Giroro took this opportunity to ram his head into a tree several times, painfully, while frogging BEGGING anyone out there that this was a horrible, horrible nightmare that he could be blissfully awaken from.
It wasn't.
That only made him bash his head even harder against the bark, if that was at all possible.
I think I'm actually even more sorry for the tree...
"I just wanted to see my brother," Garuru responded truthfully, his eyes gliding back over to his suicidal sibling. "I was hoping I would bump into him here."
"Oh!" Natsumi clapped her hands together delightedly. "That's great! I should let you guys go now, to talk."
"I would appreciate it, thank you."
The girl waved over at Giroro, who had fallen to his knees while repeatedly hitting his head against the tree. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Giroro mumbled something about dying in the pits of the everlasting horrors of daisies.
She assumed it was a goodbye and went off on her way.
Garuru walked over to him and planted his hands into his pockets. "…Why are you doing that? …Corporal?"
"What are you doing?" Giroro asked, his voice muffled from his face being glued to the bark.
Giroro was probably moping because his potential significant other had left. Young love.
"I would be glad to explain it to you if you would kindly get up."
Giroro grunted and arose from the grass, his hands feebly against the large plant. He sighed. "Fine." He shot a disdainful look at him. "Now please. Clarify."
Garuru tilted his chin toward the pathway in the park, and Giroro grudgingly followed.
They walked quietly for a minute or two. It was such a pleasant afternoon; too bad Giroro was impatient.
"Okay, seriously!" Giroro snapped. "Why are you like…" Giroro waved his hands crazily in his brother's direction. "That?!"
"Jealous?" Garuru smirked a little.
Giroro fumed. "AS IF!" He ran in front of his older brother and stopped, forcing him to reflect the same action. "Tell me now. You know I don't like games!"
Garuru folded his arms out against his chest, his somewhat playful face receding to a more serious one. "You need to get back to normal."
"Pfft. Yeah. That tells me a lot."
"Giroro."
With one look Giroro dismissed the fact that this Pekoponian form matched his sibling in anyway; however, taking a longer, more absorbing perception changed that assumption immediately.
Garuru's dark eyes flared slightly, the ring around the black iris spiking an almost rich, red color.
Red color. Red eyes.
"What?" Giroro finally snapped, glaring at his brother.
Garuru's lips curled to a displeased frown. "…Sergeant Major Kururu is having trouble finding out the solution."
"Solution?"
"To turn you back."
Giroro rose both eyebrows.
STOP WIGGLING YOUR EYEBROWS AROUND! And I'm talking about everybody! Seriously, people! This is an anime, not a Dreamworks animation film!
"...Mmhm. And…?"
Garuru closed his eyes, furrowing his own brows (someone kill me now). "He needs someone to test it on."
His brother's mouth fell again. "….You've got to be kidding me."
The nerve of that guy! …Seriously. Whoever thought of that stupid idea better hide. Garuru's not that good at letting go of grudges…
Garuru shook his head. "Believe me. I almost wish I was."
"So…" Giroro ran his fingers against his blond locks, letting them slip through and fall back down. "…Kururu's going to test all his experiments on… you?"
"That was the point of turning into a Keronian, yes."
"Bro- aren't you afraid that he's going to ki…. What's with the face-? Oh. I said it again, didn't I-? Y-you know what? Shoe it. Aren't you afraid that Kururu's going to kill you or something?"
Garuru, his expression so clearly amused by Giroro's slip-of-the-tongue moment, replied, "I have confidence in his abilities." He gazed up at the sky. "I have confidence in your whole platoon's abilities. I just wish you would learn to apply it well so I didn't have to help you all the time."
Tell that to Keroro, Giroro thought soberly, rolling his eyes. Getting lectured by his older brother for something his idiotic superior typically did… real ego bruiser.
"Just make it clear that you're not the new comic relief, okay? Giroro poked at his brother's chest. "Seriously. Because Kururu is… I don't know what the frog he is. But he can and probably will do some really… uh… interesting things to you if you don't make your position clear."
"…Comic relief-?"
"Please don't make me explain it. I might break the fourth wall-... well, worse...- and it's been damaged more than enough by now..."
"Fourth wall?" Garuru sounded genuinely surprised. "We still have one of those?"
Why do I have to dream about that?
Dororo weakly looked up at Koyuki, who was cheerfully biting into her rice ball, bits of rice sticking to her cheek. The male ninja shuffled nervously in his seat, looking at his plate of perfect onigiri, completely untouched.
One of his series of dreams (yes, there were more than one) involved bravely reaching out and licking the strand piece of rice from her face, daringly close to her mouth, fingering her rich, smooth cheek-
STOP.
"Dororo!" Koyuki hid a cattish smile behind her ball of rice. "You put them in your mouth, silly! You don't plant your forehead against them! How are you going to eat it?"
"Y-yeah…" Dororo slurred, yanking his plastered head from the table, chunks of white rice mashed against his forehead. "You're right."
"Let me clean it up for you," Koyuki dabbed her napkin against her tongue and held her hand out, cleaning his face.
Dororo blushed heavily. "K-Koyuki…"
"Just one more spot," Koyuki promised, flicking off the remaining rice. "There! Nice and clean!"
"Heh… th-thanks…" Dororo rubbed the back of his neck, flickering his eyes down to his sad excuse of onigiri that remained on his plate.
"No problem!" Koyuki chirped. She continued her meal, taking her time chewing the food, sipping the warm cup of tea prepared by her platter.
Dororo was fidgeting with his fingers.
"Giroro, I love Koyuki."
The ninja rubbed the sides of his temples. It was easier to say it to Giroro. Why does this stupid, ugly fate continue to torture me…?
"Hey, D? You alright?"
"…Eh? O-oh. Yeah. Definitely fine."
"You haven't really touched your food," Koyuki said, gesturing to his plate. "Well, I meant, you know." She giggled. "Properly."
Dororo smiled at the irony of that statement, but immediately frowned when he found her cuteness so appealing…
This whole stupid mess of stupid stupidness of a life was beginning to tighten and ravel into a futile crux. Or it already was one, and it was just beginning to grow more and more difficult.
He might as well just…
He breathed in and out, closing his eyes for a moment's worth of calm, rejuvenating meditation...
Just let it go...
"Koyuki? …I… I have something to tell you."
Koyuki's eyes widened, and then softened to something comforting, and gentle. "Yeah, D?"
"…I really like you."
"You do?"
"Y-yeah… y-yeah I do."
He has never remembered having to release such courage before. Or, at least, at the time... The unicorns don't count.
Koyuki's lips stretched to a grin. "Is that all, D?"
"Yeah." He bit the bottom of his mouth anxiously and awaited her answer.
"Is that what you were worried about?"
"Y-yes."
"You're silly!" Koyuki shook her head and smiled, as if she was trying to respond to a child who had claimed that the answer to four plus five equaled puppies. She locked eyes with him and said, "I like you too."
His heart raced. "Y-you do?! Seriously?!"
Wow… is… is the author actually being… romantic?!
"Yeah, D!" Koyuki leaned back and supported herself with her arms outstretched behind her. "I've always liked you. I could never ask for a better friend!"
Dororo sagged his shoulders. "Oh."
Aaaaand he lost it.
"Let's get to bed, D," Koyuki said sweetly, pulling herself off the ground.
In French, Courage means the equivalent of 'hang in there!'.
Dororo just wanted to let go and fall. He sighed and shook his head, smiling wryly.
Why is life so stupid and unfair?
And the cow went over the moon, and the pigs sang a little song to the big bad wolf, and… wait. Wait, wait, wait.
….
NARRATOR!
Hahaha! Last time, I promise!
Commercial Break~
I don't return for the longest of time, and I'm really sorry. This story has been getting harder to write, what being close to the climax and all… I don't know.
I hope this chapter was in-character. I don't know