I'm alive… sigh I want to strangle myself. Really I do. If only it was physically possible, I probably would.

Mina: It's called exaggeration. It's supposed to look overdone. It's a well-known and well-used form for writing, you see. And the gynecologist was actually supposed to be a cameo from the shounen manga Pretty Face, so he really IS like that. I already mentioned I didn't own him in the previous chapter.

Dragging story. Hm. I didn't expect to see that. Is it? Well, I'm mainly showing Omi trying to cope with what's happening to him/her. I admit, I'm a slow writer in terms of plot movement, but because I hate making things abrupt and unclear. When events move too fast, I feel like things were left unexplained, or something of that sort. I like to develop the way things are going slowly, because I feel it's more real that way, and it gets you deeper into the story, as if you're actually watching what's happening.

Anyway, I should really stop blabbing about things that people probably don't care about, and move on to the chapter.

And again, so many sorries for the delay (I suck I suck I suck I suck). Blame school, lack of communication, other new obsessions, etc. I need ideas, so I'll try to hop to it ASAP.

Chapter 10

The atmosphere in the Koneko no Sumu Ie that afternoon was very tense. The tension was so thick, Aya wanted to grab the nearby blade and hack at the air. She was absolutely certain that she'd see the slash marks.

Beside her, Sakura frowned, leaning to whisper to her. "Are they fighting again?"

"I don't know," Aya shrugged. "I thought I heard Omi-nii's voice in Ken-nii's room last night, so I thought they made up already."

"Then, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. If I did, I'd tell you." Aya narrowed her eyes, "What are you worried about? You're winning then, aren't you? I only have two weeks left!"

"But what if it never happens, who does the money go to, then?"

"I…… Well I don't know that!"

While the two girls argued, the other two occupants of the Koneko no Sumu Ie that day were on opposite sides of the shop. Ken glanced every now and then over his shoulder, in the direction that Omi was standing. Omi, however, didn't even look his way. She seemed perfectly intent on keeping him as far away as possible.

It made Ken upset, that was true. No matter the circumstances, Omi was still his friend. Even if Omi was a girl, even if Omi thought he was cute, and even if Ken thought she was fucking ho-.

Ken hit the side of his head with the heel of his hand a few times. No, he wouldn't think like that. Not now, not ever. After all…It's wrong to want your best friend, he grumbled in his head. Especially when that best friend is actually a guy.

A little voice floated around, But is it wrong when she wants you too?

Shut up. Just because he said I'm attractive, doesn't mean that he's automatically in love with me or anything.

Give up! And Omi's a she now. SHE.

Suffice to say, Ken was getting a major headache. He buried his face in his arms with a groan, right as Yohji arrived downstairs, fashionably late.

Yohji raised an eyebrow at him, then at the two girls arguing, then finally at their sexually complicated co-worker. There was something he was still contemplating, and thus, he approached the other, retrieving something from a side table on the way.

Omi had been looking over some plants when it happened. She felt the presence come closer, and a sense of foreboding overwhelmed her. She turned at the last second, right before the blades of a large pair of garden shears touched her head. Yohji's eyes widened, his hand freezing in their act.

Omi backed away quickly. "Y-yohji-kun! Wh-what are you doing!?!"

Yohji blinked innocently, and hid the instrument behind his back. "Oh.. Nothing in particular."

"Yohji-kun!! You had a pair of shears near my head!!"

"Eh? I did?"

"Yohji-kun, I am not blind!! I can see them right behind you!"

"What's wrong?"

It had taken Ken that long to muster the courage to check on them. Not much good that it did him because as soon as he had arrived, Omi shrank back away from him and let out another yell of anguish. Before either of them could react, she had hid behind Yohji, on the side away from Ken.

Both of them stared. Or rather, Yohji tried to, if only his shoulder wasn't in the way.

"Om-……Kasumi-chan?"

Omi suddenly started patting at Yohji's arm, brushing at it with a look of alarm on her face.

"Yohji-kun! I think you got some soil on your sleeve! I'll take it off for you…" She suddenly gasped, glancing at the clock in obviously faked surprise. "Oh! I have to check on something in the greenhouse! See you guys!"

And she quickly disappeared from their sight.

Yohji looked at Ken. "… Trouble?"

"Don't ask." Ken muttered, moving back to his spot to continue moping.

Yohji shook his head disapprovingly. He wondered how long it had been like this, because he remembered quite well that he'd heard Omi leave the adjoining apartment the previous night, obviously on the way up to do the Ken rant he (or she rather) oh so loved. He turned back to Aya and Sakura, who were obviously arguing over their bet. He made a mental note to consult them on the day's events after he fulfilled his mission.

He glanced towards the greenhouse and followed in the direction that Omi fled.

When he arrived, the teenager was watering some of the orchids. He quietly crept up behind the girl, preparing the new (and less dangerous looking) scissors, yet making sure he was not in any awkward or suspicious position.

He began shifting his hand closer…

Just a little bit more…

"Yohji-kun?" Omi turned his way. Yohji quickly moved his hand to the plant behind her.

"Yes, Omi?" he asked, gingerly snipping at a dying stem on his chosen alibi.

"Eh… Why are you… But we don't need to trim yet… Oh never mind," Omi shook her head. "Do you know where the spare watering can is?"

"Probably where it usually is," the older blonde frowned, wondering when he could get an opening. He glanced her way again as she turned her head toward the shelves thoughtfully. There… maybe if he just tilted his hand up behind Omi's back…

"Okay." Omi moved back to the front of the shop, leaving Yohji in a fit of inaudible curses. He quickly moved to catch up to her, readying his weapon again… when Omi suddenly shifted direction and walked all too hurriedly to the other side of the shop, effectively putting a crowd of girls between herself and…

"Ken…" Yohji groaned. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ken had a look of utter distress on his face. "I wanted to talk to Omi."

"Well, it looks like she doesn't want to talk to you!" Yohji hissed. Honestly, he hadn't meant for it to come out that way, but he was upset about Ken losing him two opportunities.

Ken sulked even further and turned away. Yohji couldn't help thinking that he looked like a sad puppy. He moved in the direction Omi went, and found her bent over, taking something from a cabinet.

Maybe if he moved fast enough, Omi wouldn't notice.

Yohji slunk over like a cat, and…

"Yohji-kun, could you hold this please?"

He was so taken aback, he almost dropped the scissors. "Uh… Of course."

"Thanks!" Omi straightened, carrying the watering can. "Could you put that back in please?"

"… Right." Yohji muttered to himself as he replaced the pots Omi had given him.

The girl seemed satisfied, and walked away to fill the can. She even hummed to herself as she did so, then glanced to the side, frowning at one of the plants.

As soon as the watering can was filled, she turned, just in time to find Ken behind her. "… Omi, I…"

"Oh dear!" Omi exclaimed. She took the plant she'd been looking at and shoved it into Ken's arms. "I think this needs repotting, it's too big for its container. Could you do that please, Ken-kun? I haven't finished watering."

And she ran off, leaving her work behind.

Yohji closed the cabinet doors, and cursed softly as he realized that Omi had disappeared from sight again. One more try, he promised himself. Patience was important here. This time, he would wait for Omi to return rather than chase after her.

It had taken half an hour. Aya and Sakura had finally stopped arguing, though now, it seemed like they weren't speaking. Ken was outside, talking to some of the customers there. Finally, Omi finished her work, letting out a deep sigh as she lowered the watering can onto the table.

Yohji watched her take a seat. He stepped up behind her and pointed to the watering can.

"I'll put this away, nee, Kasumi?"

"Un," Omi waved her hand at him in reply.

He nodded back, leaning over her to retrieve it. The watering can now in hand, he judged the length of Omi's hair and quietly retrieved…

"Kasu-…"

"Ah!" Omi suddenly stood up and the chair backed into Yohji. The older blonde let out a startled noise and winced as the scissors fell from his hand, hitting the floor with a noisy clatter.

Ken, at first, had looked worried, then upset. But before he was able to make any sort of comment, Omi had scooted away from him again, successfully putting the chair between her and Ken.

"A-ah! S-sorry, minna! There was a sound, and it-…"

Omi trailed off as realization hit. She blankly stared at the pair of scissors by Yohji's feet. Yohji swore under his breath.

"Yohji-kun! I've had enough!!"

Eyes flared, Omi grabbed Yohji's sleeve and dragged him to the backroom, despite Ken's very blatant protests, and the strange looks that they were receiving from their lady customers.

As soon as the door was closed, Omi let go, turned on her heel, and put her hands on her hips, glaring angrily. Yohji suddenly felt as if he was being scrutinized, not by Omi, his dear friend and adopted brother (or sister, if he wanted to look at it that way), but by Omi, tyrant-boss and flower-slavedriver.

"Kudoh Yohji, explain yourself. I am giving you five minutes."

"But…"

"NOW, Kudoh!!"

Yohji sighed. There was no use arguing with Omi when he (she) was in this form. He raised a hand to gesture at her head. "I just need some of your hair, Omittchi."

Omi's mind blanked a little. She raised an eyebrow at him, "My hair?"

"Yes, goddammit!" He scratched the back of his head with another sigh. "I'm not too happy with that doctor that checked on you."

"Well, neither am I!! But I was the one that had to deal with him, and did anyone care? No!"

Yohji made a face. "I meant-…"

"See?! You don't care!"

Yohji was starting to wonder when Omi started complaining about things like this. He (she) wasn't normally a whiner. "Omi, I do care and I swear to you that you will never have to see that doctor again. In fact, if it makes you feel better, I'll complain and get him fired."

"Serves him right, that damned per-…"

She was quickly cut off. "But right now, I'm worried."

"Worried?" Omi asked, her hands moving down from her hips.

"I feel like… that Manabe person might not have checked you properly. And even if he did, I thought that maybe we should get a few more things checked."

"… Why so?"

"Think about it, Omi. You may be physically female, but how much did it change? Did your body just change or…"

Omi was putting the pieces together. She snapped her fingers, "Or does the change go deeper than that? You're right! What if my genes say that I'm a girl even in that way?"

"Right," Yohji felt triumphant that she saw what he was seeing.

"… I never thought of that, that it could be that extensive!" She frowned. "And if it is, then it's worse than we believed."

"Exactly why I need your hair for those tests. Or a skin sample, but I figured that hair is much easier to retrieve. I guess I may have been wrong."

"Yohji-kun!" Omi stamped a foot. "Why didn't you just say so, you big idiot?!"

Yohji blinked a little as Omi took a pair of scissors and snipped off some of her own hair herself. "There. That should be enough. Could we get back to the customers now?"

"… Uh…… sure." The blonde man gave her a blank look. He hadn't expected her to be so very willing. He took out a small plastic bag. "Here."

Omi gently dropped the strands into the plastic and zip locked it. "Done?"

"Done. Thanks, Omittchi."

Omi nodded and left…

… and almost rammed into Ken.

"Omi… I need to…"

"Oh! A customer!" Omi yelped and very suddenly disappeared.

Yohji frowned, though this time, it was more because of that look Omi got on her face every time she even saw the brunette. He sighed, combing a hand through his hair, "Ken! Would you stop chasing Omi away?"

Ken had had a brooding look on his face before his expression darkened, "I'm chasing her away?! You're the one trying to attack her, and you were alone with her back there!"

"I just needed to see something you imbecile, I'm done with that, and did you just call Omi a 'her'?"

"…Fucking shit!" Ken swore, kicking hard into the wall. "Damn…" kick. "mind…" kick. "Omi's a GUY!!" Kick kick kick.

"Okaay. As much as the sight is amusing me, come back here before I send you to a mental institution."

Ken nodded and returned to his position in front of the taller man. Yohji immediately thought of the sad puppy again. "What the hell is going on with you two?"

"……………"

"Ken, answer now."

Ken sniffled and muttered. "milaime."

"Me lie me? What? Quit mumbling."

"… Omi likes me."

"…… Yes, Ken. It's clear now. I see exactly why he's running away from you."

"I mean… Omi likes me. Or…… that's what… it was a little implied."

"… Oh………… What's new?"

Ken resisted to urge to bring his knee into Yohji's crotch. "It's wrong! And I want to tell her that I think that too! I mean… she's my best friend… and a guy. Oh hell… he… HE HE HE!"

"Okay, okay, I get it, you're straight. Or something like that. Even though Omi's a girl right now."

"He's a guy!" Ken half-yelled at him. Yohji was thankful there was noone in the shop, and Omi had gone outside for some time.

"It still doesn't explain why Omi's running away."

"…… Because…… he's a guy?"

Yohji knocked on Ken's head a little. "Ken. Talk to me here, in a language I can understand."

Ken swatted his hand away then took a deep breath, "Omi likes me. But… It's not right. Because we're both guys. Or we're supposed to be both guys. And right now, even though he's not… We… Eventually, we're going to get Omi to turn back… so wouldn't that be weird, then?"

"…… So you don't want to take a chance?"

"But… it's…"

"I mean… Even for just a while, if you think it would be better…?"

Ken seemed torn. Yohji sighed and patted him on the head, "Ken, maybe it would be better if you don't think about this too much." He checked his watch, then pat his new acquisition. "I've got to see someone right now, pretty important, you guys are okay alone right?"

"Alone?" Ken echoed, but Yohji had already gone. He glanced around the shop and realized that indeed, Sakura had disappeared, and Aya looked like she was leaving with an irritated look on her face.

Minus the small group of girls that still lingered, he and Omi were the ones left manning the shop.

He went over Yohji's words again. He almost wished Yohji didn't say them. He was left all the more confused. What if Yohji was right? What if he was just scared to make a blind leap, despite the fact that he felt… No, he can't think like that yet. He wasn't even sure what Omi felt… or what he felt for that matter.

The fact remained that he needed to talk to Omi. He couldn't stand it that his friend was avoiding him.

Ken took a deep breath. He recognized those girls to be ones who never bought anything, and there was a free path between him and Omi. Her back was turned to him, so she couldn't run before he was before her. Aside from that, Omi can't possibly come up with anything else. He needed to talk to her now.

He wanted her to understand, even if he understood very little, himself.

Firming his resolve, he took those steps across the shop. He stood behind her, certain that nothing could go wrong this time.

"… Omi," he said softly.

The obvious flinch felt like a stab into Ken's chest. "A-ah! Ken-kun, you…"

"You already watered everything, noone wants to buy anything, all the plants are fine."

"Eh?! But the shop needs cleaning!" Omi tried to hurry away, looking like she wanted to run in the direction of the brooms.

Ken grabbed her arm. "But-…"

"Ken-kun!"

"Would you please listen?!"

"Ken-kun, I need to go!"

"Just for a sec-…"

"Get away!!"

With that last shriek, Omi grabbed the nearest object and flung it at Ken's head. That object happened to be a plastic flower pot. And Omi happened to have trained for many years to acquire an impeccable aim.

Ken fell to the floor with an awkward thud, banging his head

Many of the girls gasped. Some of them shrieked. Others sent horrid glares toward Omi.

"Ken-san!!"

"Hidoi, Kasumi-chan!!"

"What did you do?!"

"Is Ken-kun all right?!"

"Kasumi, how could you!!"

Omi was speechless, mostly from confusion. Then it suddenly occurred to her what she had just done. She gasped. "Oh my god!! Ken-kun!!"

Ignoring the cries and angry protests, Omi knelt by Ken, feeling his head for any injuries. He seemed fine, but he was still unconscious. "Ken-kun, you baka," Omi whispered, worriedly. "Wake up!"

Ken continued to lay there, unmoving. Omi could hear one of the girls wailing. She bit her lip, slapping at Ken's cheeks a little. "I didn't hit you that hard, did I?"

Someone gasped. The voice sounded a lot like that girl that Omi didn't like. "He's moving! Look, his hand! Kasumi didn't kill him after all!"

Omi scowled, but still, was very relieved to see that, indeed, Ken's fingers were moving. Soon after, he stirred even more, and finally his eyes slowly opened.

"Ken-kun…"

Ken seemed to show no response at first. His head moved a little, as if trying to understand his surroundings.

"Ken-kun… I'm so sorry. I've been such an idiot this whole day… Are you okay?"

Ken blinked, glanced at her and suddenly grinned widely.

"Oomii!"

Omi froze. Around them, the girls made hushed whispers. However, Omi was able to let out her breath when one of them called out. "Ken-san! They look alike, but that's Kasumi-chan! Not Omi-kun!"

Ken blinked, but still was still grinning like an idiot. "Ka su mi!!"

Omi winced at the remarkably giddy voice Ken was using to say her alias. And she froze again, as Ken suddenly spoke again, but in English.

"Another day is goin' by… I'm thinkin' about you, all the time…"

Some of the girls, mostly those that understood, gasped again. Omi gaped, horrified, as she realized that Ken was singing. Not only singing, but slightly off-key due to a possible concussion…

"But you're out there… and I'm here waiting!"

… Not to mention that Ken's Japanese accent fumbling over English words sounded horrible!!

"And wrote this letter in my head! Cause so many things were left unsaid!"

Omi felt humiliated, willing for Ken to keep quiet. And suddenly Ken started to sit up, still looking at Omi with that terrifying goofy grin.

"But now you're gone and I cant think straight!"

That was when Omi felt all the more mortified at what was happening.

Ken was singing to HER!! He smiled at her, looking straight into her eyes as he sang, "This could be the one last chance to make you understand!"

Omi was embarrassed. Beyond embarrassed. She felt as if she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. She looked around at all of the other girls, some staring at them in horror, some squealing with delight, and the few who glared at her darkly. Those who didn't understand the words seemed to know what was going on from the reactions of the others, and were also giggling.

"I'd do anything just to hold you in my arms!"

But it was true that Ken had a pretty good singing voice. Underneath the shame, Omi found herself strangely endeared by the song.

"To try to make you laugh…" And Ken made a gesture that made Omi yelp with surprise then giggle. "Somehow I can't put you in the past…"

The humiliation started to fade. It was just her, and Ken being an imbecile, but she was starting to realize that she didn't care. It was Ken's antics that made him 'endearing' to her in the first place.

"I'd do anything just to fall asleep with you…"

His voice was starting to fade, and Omi just smiled at him. What had she been thinking? She was being an idiot for running away the whole afternoon.

"Will you remember me?"

After all… Ken was her best friend. Stupid things like what she'd said, or what he may have said shouldn't matter, because he cared about her, just like she cared about him.

Ken-kun's really a very sweet guy…

"Cuz I know… I won't forget you…"

Omi looked up, realizing that Ken had trailed off. There was silence in the shop. She gazed into his face as his eyes never left hers.

She felt his hand on her face and she didn't mind. In fact, it made her smile all the more as the distance between them grew smaller. She felt her eyes close as she felt her breath mingle with his.

"-…mi…"

"Ken-k-…"

Omi suddenly pulled back, eyes wide, hand over her mouth.

Wh-what am I doing??

With a pained cry, she grabbed the pot that had landed on the floor by Ken and swung it at him blindly. Ken promptly passed out again as she got up and fled.

"A-ah!!"

"Kasumi-chan!!"

"Hidoi yo!!"

"Ken-san!!"

Omi ran and didn't look back. Even as she bumped past Ran who was on his way down, and as Aya called her from further up the stairs, she didn't stop until she was safe inside her room.

She shut the door and put on the lock, then leaned her back against it to catch her breath. She buried her face in her hands as her knees gave and she sank to the floor.

The scene replayed in her head, as well as her thoughts… the ones that she believed in before the whole accident, the ones she'd been reminded of, and the ones she knew were true even now.

There was a warm glow in her chest as she thought of him, of what had almost happened. And knowing that the glow was there made her stomach turn.

……… What's wrong with me?

----------

Don't own I'll Do Anything by Simple Plan… Actually I'm not sure if that's the name.

Seriously. Ken has an AWFUL accent when he's speaking English still giggles madly over Side B

Ken: Ai bekku yua paadon??!! (I beg your pardon)

Yeah… Whatever,