Hey there. I want to say that for once it was not 1:00 A.M. when I was writing. That's what makes it so odd. It was quite early, yet I was literally falling asleep at the keyboard in the middle of writing last chapter. Anyway, time to get this next chapter up.

---Kouji Tamino

Love Hina Next: Second Phase

Week 2, Day 8: The Girls Get a Job!

And so, another scorcher of a day arrived. The girls all lounged sat around in the living room in nothing but their underwear do to the extreme heat and lack of Summer clothing. Naoko blushed as she looked around at all of the developed women around her. Megumi groaned and stretched, her barely covered breasts sticking in the air. Shinichi just happened to walk in at this moment. "Hey, is it safe to come in yet?" He took one look at Megumi and quickly covered his nose. "Guess not…" he muttered, walking out of the room.

Junko growled. "This heat in unbearable!! Why don't these people have any air conditioning? They have more than enough money!"

Ami glared. "You people are cheap, you know that? Shinichi is letting us all live here for free, but you have the gall to complain! It's a shame that Shinichi has to put up with such freeloaders!"

Megumi nodded. "You know, she's right…" She stood up. "That's why I'm going to get a job!"

Ami smiled. "You know, that's a good idea! We should all get jobs!"

Junko shook her head. "Me, get a job? After all the people I've conned? Doubt that I'll be able to get one…" She looked over to her sister. "Junko might not have a problem, I actually pulled off most of my jobs without her…"

Ami grinned. "I know two people that can help you with that problem…"

-----

Kanako and Rikina crossed their arms, rubbing their chins. They studied Junko up and down, then looked to each other and nodded. Junko, blushing slightly, glared at them. "H-hey! What's with the strange looks you're giving me?"

Kanako sighed. "This… may be a problem…"

Rikina gasped. "Kanako-sama!! You mean, this is even a challenge for you?!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Junko yelled.

Rikina frowned. "You see, after some studying, we've deduced that you are a tom-boy, right? Well, we had a perfect disguise planned out, but now that we know more about you, you might not like the results…"

Junko smirked, crossing her arms. "Try me…"

-----

"… I hate it…" Junko muttered. She had long red hair in a braid, blue eyes, and freckles. She was wearing a red shirt, small pink jacket red skirt, red high heels, and giant round glasses.

Shinichi chuckled, now back in the room since everyone had gotten dressed. "I dunno, I think it's kind of cute… What's wrong with it?"

Junko glared. "For one thing, this dress is way too feminine for my style! I hate pink, long skirts, high heel shoes, and having long hair! Secondly, there's way too much clothing for such a hot day!"

Rikina glared, raising an eyebrow. "Then take off a few items of clothing… No one said that you had to wear everything, just the disguise… The clothes are artistic license…"

Kanako shook her head. "I swear, some people are just so picky…"

Junko growled, stomping her foot. "Fine! I'll wear the whole damn dress!! Now I'm leaving to go find a job!!" She was almost out the door when she was grabbed by the collar. "Ack?!"

"Now just wait a second…" Kanko muttered. "You'll need this…" He gave her small device. "Now your voice will sound different. Your real voice would never work with that disguise…"

"What's wrong with my real voice?!" Junko asked angrily, in a high pitched voice. Her eyes widened as she quickly covered her mouth. "Oh god, I sound like a little girl!!"

Ami squealed. "Oh, you sound so cute, Junko!!"

Junko sighed. "Okay, I'm off to go find a job…" She turned back around face Kanako and Rikina. "Thanks, I guess…"

Rikina, not liking Junko's attitude, glared. "Um, you're welcome…"

Kanako smiled. "Well, we're off… See you all later."

"By the way, Ami, everyone at Hinata House really misses you." Rikina added. "They'd like to see you again sometime before the wedding…"

Ami smiled. "All right! I'll make sure I visit soon! Maybe Shinichi and the others could come too, and meet everyone there?"

Rikina nodded. "Maybe…" She waved once, then turned around and left.

Junko sighed. "Well, we'd all better get going, too…"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Wait, why are you all trying to get jobs anyway?"

Sakura grinned. "Well, Shinichi-dono, we just thought it would be a good idea to start pulling our weight around here!"

Shinichi smiled, embarrassed. "No, you don't have to do that…"

"But we want to, Shi-sama…" Naoko said softly, blushing.

-----

Naoko, walking down the street, passed a nearby beef bowl. She walked up to the window and read the 'help-wanted sign'. She smiled, then walked in. She walked up to a man that seemed to be the owner of the place. She cleared her throat and smiled. "Excuse me mister, do you own this place?"

The man looked down at Naoko and gave her his won smile. "Well aren't you a cute little girl! How can I help you, miss?"

Naoko bit her lip nervously, hands together in front of her, looking down to the ground. "Um, I read your sign outside and I was just wondering if I could get a job here?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "You look a little young to be working… I don't know…"

Naoko's eyes became wide, shiny, and began to glimmer. She clasped her hands together and her lip began to quiver. "P-please?… I really really need this job, mister…"

The man shook his head. "Oooh, no. That trick won't work on me this ti--" He sweat dropped as Naoko began to snuggle against him. He started to blush and sweat heavily. "Um…"

"Pwease, mista?…" Naoko cooed softly, hugging his leg. "I really need this job…"

The man sighed in defeat, finally giving in. "All right… But I can't give you a real job… I'll tell you what I'll do, though… You stand outside and use that cuteness that you give out to get more people to come here, and I'll give you a 10% for every person that mentions you, okay?"

Naoko nodded. "Okay!"

The man smiled. "All right, then… By the way, my name is Mr. Tarafuku…"

"I'm Naoko!"

-----

Later, outside, Naoko was charming potential customers. A man shook his head. "Sorry, not hungry…" He gulped as Naoko started to get a 'I'll cry if you don't look'. "Um…" He suddenly smiled. "Wow, isn't that strange? All of a sudden, I've gotten a huge appetite! In fact, I'm going to eat at this place every day from now on!"

Naoko smiled brightly. It looks like her job is going well so far…

-----

Meanwhile, Megumi and Sakura had found a job at a local 'American fast food' restaurant. They had quickly settled into their jobs and had found a rival in each other, both with their goals set on becoming 'Employee of the Month" in order to impress Shinichi. Megumi grinned from her spot at the register. "So, how's it feel to be stuck in that smelly kitchen?"

Sakura stuck her tongue out, currently checking the fries. "Laugh it up, half-breed… A real worker knows that when it comes to fast-food, the kitchen is the place to be!"

Megumi laughed annoyingly. "Oh ho ho ho ho! Well, let's see how much Shinichi likes a women that smells like grease and meat!"

Sakura growled. "We'll see who gets the last laugh, you harpy!"

And so, they began a frenzy of cooking the most food/ serving the most people. A man walked in, wondering which register to go to. "Right here! Pick me!!" Megumi screamed, jumping up and down and waving her arms.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but I think I'll go to this other one…"

Megumi quickly pushed the woman working at the other register out of the way. "Sorry, she's on break!" She smiled. "So, what would you like?"

The man coughed, staring at her for a moment. "Um, I'd just like some coffee… strong, black."

Megumi nodded. "Okay!" She yelled over to Sakura. "One coffee!! Strong and black!"

"I'm right here you idiot…" Sakura muttered, then prepared the coffee. She then caught sight of a dead spider in the corner. "Ewww… Hasn't a health inspector checked this place out, yet?" Suddenly she got an evil idea. "Hmmm…" Checking to see if anyone was watching, she dropped the spider in the cup and quickly gave it to Megumi. "Here you go!"

Megumi took it and put it in front of the man. "That'll be 110¥, please!"

The man nodded. "Excuse me, I have to tie my shoes…" He bent down to do so, then stood up, put the money down, and picked up his cup coffee. Suddenly, a spider popped up. He screamed, dropping the cup on the ground. "What the hell is the meaning of this?!"

Megumi frowned, pointing to her self and pouting. "Sir, you don't think it was me, do you?"

"Normally I wouldn't… But since I saw you knock that girl down, I don't know what to believe…"

Megumi whined. "I'm sorry, sir… I didn't do it, but I'll gladly get you another cup of coffee…" She glared at Sakura. "Spider-free, hopefully…"

The man blinked. "All right, since you put it so nicely…"

-----

Later, at their lunch break, Megumi sat in front of Sakura and glared. "What the hell were you thinking?! You could have gotten me fired!"

Sakura stared. "So?…"

Megumi suddenly snapped, screaming. "That's it!!" She jumped toward Sakura and smacked her in the face. She then quickly grabbed her by the collar and dragged them down to the floor.

"Let me go!!" Sakura yelled, grabbing a bit of Megumi's hair.

"Why should I?!" Megumi screamed. "You know, I never liked you!! You're such a spoiled, stuck-up bitch! Just like a rich girl!!"

"Well you're a slut!!" Sakura screamed. "Always hanging on Shinichi like that! And I'm a bitch?! I'm just a bit unstable, that's all!! At least I don't pick on Ami for no reason!!"

Megumi tucked harder, making Sakura scream. "Grah, just shut up!! I'm pissed!!" The woman rolled on the floor, beating at each other and tearing their clothes. A crowd began to surround them, horny guys 'whooting' and cheering.

When the manager finally broke up the fight, their clothes were hanging loosely off their shoulders, showing off more skin than appropriate in a public restaurant. He glared at them. "Ladies, I'm afraid that I'll have to fire you…" He huffed, crossing his arms. 'As arousing as that little display was…'

The woman sighed sadly, then glared at each other. "This is all your fault!!" They screamed, in unison.

-----

Elsewhere, Ami was working in a shop of glass things. She was happily sweeping the floors, humming a tune. "La la la da da…" Suddenly, some dust gathered up and came in contact with her nose. She involuntarily sniffed a bunch of it up. She sniffled once, then twice. "Uh oh… Please, no!" She stopped sniffing, then sighed in relief. "Whew… That would have been ugly…" She looked around and sighed. "Why oh why did I have to get a job here? It's so ahh… ahh…" Her eyes widened, then she took a deep breath and… sneezed, shattering absolutely every item in the store. "Oh damn it, why me?…" Just then, the female, purple wearing owner of the shop walked in. She looked around, screamed in shock, then fainted. Ami sweat dropped and began to cry out. "I'm in sooo much trouble…"

-----

At a department store, Junko had gotten a job in the perfume section. She made a face as she got a good whiff of someone spraying some of the stuff. "God I hate perfume…" She muttered, in her still high pitched voice.

"What was that, dear?" a nosy customer said, spraying more of the perfume she was trying out and making Junko even more nauseous.

Junko sighed. "Oh, nothing…"

"So… which of these do you think I should get?" the customer asked, holding up two bottles. "This?" She sprayed the right bottle once. "Or this?" She then sprayed the left bottle.

The combination of the two sickeningly strong scents was too much for Junko. "Excuse me…" She quickly ran to the nearest restroom and commenced puking. After a minute of emptying her stomach, she walked over to a mirror, wiped her mouth and stared at her reflection. Still in her disguise, she groaned. "I hate this job…"

-----

At the end of the day, the girls all slumped into their seats. Shinichi walked in. "Hey, girls! You're back! How did the job hunts go?"

"I found a job…" Sakura said, rubbing her still hurting head. She glared at Megumi. "But she got us fired by starting a fight…"

Megumi stood up and pointed at her, screaming. "But you initiated it with that dead-spider-in-the-coffee crap!!"

Ami sighed. "I found a job, but my powers screwed it up…" She laughed nervously. "So, um… if you get a bill for an entire collection of expensive glass statues, um… you'll know why… sorry…"

Shinichi sweat dropped. "Terrific…" he muttered sarcastically, his voice cracking as he said it. He sighed and looked to Junko and Naoko, the former having taken off her disguise. "And what about you two? Fired also?"

Junko shook her head. "Nah, that job made me sick… Literally… Sorry, Shinichi… Me and perfume, we don't get along…"

Naoko smiled. "I did so well, the manager of the beef bowl wants me to come over and help his business whenever I can!" She held up several yen. "Look, I made 5500¥!!"

All the girls except for Ami growled at Naoko, who was completely oblivious.

Ami sighed. "I'm so sorry, Shinichi… We all tried our best to--"

"No, no…" Shinichi interrupted. "That's all right! You girls are my guests here, and I'm glad to have you all here. I wouldn't charge you, and you don't have to feel like you have to pay…"

Ami smiled slightly. "Thank you, Shinichi…"

He smiled. "You're welcome!" He sweat dropped as he watched the other girls grab various objects to annihilate Naoko. "Um, g-girls… Please calm down…"

End of Day 8

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Whew, got this chapter done! But the days until school starts keep counting down…

--- Kouji Tamino