Nothing exciting ever happens here.
Naota Nandaba and his friend, Eri Ninamori, walked to town together. Naota only considered Ninamori his friend in the strictest sense. She was stuck up and thought quite a lot of herself. But Naota was bored and tired, and he was trying to stay away from his brother's "girlfriend" Mamimi.
"Naota," Eri said quietly. He turned and looked at her, slightly startled.
"Yes, Ninamori?"
Eri smiled mischievously. "You look like your thinking about something."
"Not on purpose."
"What about?"
"I'm thinking of ways to get out of this stupid school play."
"You're thinking about that girl, aren't you? That high schooler? What was it she calls you? Ta-kun?"
Naota blushed.
"Well, Ta-kun, I'm afraid she's too old for you."
"Thank God."
Eri laughed. "She is cute, though."
Naota looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you crazy?" he asked her.
"Not as crazy as Miya-Jun."
Naota wasn't convinced.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"I'm going home," replied Naota.
"Of course you are." Eri said, and then she turned abruptly and grabbed Naota's hand. "You're coming home. With me."
"Wha-!"
Eri ran down the road, dragging Naota behind her.
"What are you doing!" he shouted to her.
"I'm amusing myself!" she called back.
As Naota struggled to keep up, he saw a pair of eyes watching him.
"Haruko…?" he whispered. The eyes vanished.
After a few minutes, Naota found himself panting outside what had to be the largest building he ever saw in his life; a building surrounded by hundreds of people. In front of him, he saw Ninamori, and she looked shocked beyond all possible belief.
"…Ninamori?"
Ninamori turned around and grabbed him.
"Better plan," she said, walking away, "we'll go to your house."
"What!" Naota screamed. "No, you can't – "
"Come on!"
Of course, Naota wasn't sure he could take this much storming around. What was Ninamori doing? And how come she could move that fast?
Naota stumbled into his grandfather's bakery behind Ninamori. He passed the copy of his father's trash magazine and then collided with Ninamori.
"Ah," he said, "you've stopped."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because. This is your house."
"That hasn't stopped you yet."
"It has now. I don't know where to go."
Naota turned her around.
"How about this way?"
They stumbled outside.
"What is going on, Ninamori?" asked Naota, "You drag me around, first to your house, now to my own, what is the deal?"
"I just…didn't feel like going home, that's all. It's kind of lonely at home." Eri replied, smiling at him.
Suddenly, Naota heard a distinctive noise in the distance. It sounded like some animal dying. He walked down the road a little and saw a small, yellow Vespa sitting with an incredibly strange girl on top.
"Haruko, what are you doing?"
"I'm just checkin' my stuff. Ooh…who's she?" asked Haruko, a long finger extended in the direction of Ninamori.
"She's a friend of mine," said Naota. Eri noticed he was blushing.
"Ah, a friend, I – whoops!" she said as the Vespa took off without her. "Duck!"
"Nandaba!" Eri cried.
"Ninamori!"
Naota thought his father, Kamon, was most definitely the most perverted man in the world.
"So, Haruko ran you over this nice little girl?" he asked in his greasy voice. Haruko smiled.
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
"You really must let us take care of you for a while!"
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
"Oh, but I insist. We wouldn't mind if the mayor's daughter stayed with us tonight, if, of course, you thought going home might be too much."
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
"Well, really, we don't mind. Why don't you stay?"
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
"How about it? I'll call your parents right away."
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
"Why don't you have some water? Naota, get Miss Ninamori some water."
"Why don't you have Haruko do it?" Naota protested, "That's her job!"
"Go, Naota."
"I really don't think it's a problem." Eri Ninamori said quietly.
He really has a nice room. And this cat is really soft. I'd have never expected it to be so clean, too…
The door opened and closed. Eri Ninamori looked over at it.
"Hello, Ta-kun."
"So you really are spending the night, then?"
She nodded. He tossed her a package of Vitamin In, which opened. Naota drank some of his. "And you're sleeping here?" he said.
"Yes."
"And I have to be the damn cat?"
"Of course."
Naota grunted angrily. He walked to his bunk bed and sat down on the lower bunk. Ninamori walked over and sat next to him. He let his head sink into her shoulder.
Then, he thought better of it and screamed like a girl.
"Naota! Are you alright?"
That didn't happen. I didn't do that. Naota blushed a furious shade of red.
"Naota…"
"I didn't do that."
"Naota…"
"I didn't do that."
"It's okay, Naota!"
He buried his face in the mattress.
"If you're trying to suffocate yourself in order to get out of the play, it won't work."
"It should." he muttered. He sat up. "Why do I have to be in the stupid play?"
"Because we voted. And you got the role of the cat. What kind of play is Puss and Boots without that cat?"
"We voted. Right. They voted for me to be a stupid cat."
"Well, actually…"
Naota looked at her.
"Actually what, Ninamori?"
Eri blushed. Then she smiled at him.
"I rigged the voting!"
"What!" he cried. "You rigged it so I would be the cat!"
"And so I could have the lead."
"How could you?" Naota said, "how could you do that?"
"Because I wanted the lead. And…because I like you, Naota?"
Naota tilted his head. Then, he sat next to Ninamori.
"You…like me, Ninamori?"
"Eri."
"…Eri. You like me?"
"Yes, Naota."
Naota smiled and rested his head sink on her shoulder again.
"I…didn't know that."
Then, he thought better of it and screamed like a girl.
"Wait! No! You can't! You're the class president! And the mayor's daughter! And really stuck up!"
An upside-down head appeared in front of them.
"Now, Naota, that's not what you say to a girl."
Naota screamed like a girl. Again.
"Haruko! How long have you been there?"
Haruko jumped off the top bunk with her guitar and sat in Naota's chair.
"The whole time."
Eri was frightened.
"You heard everything?" she cried.
"Yep."
Eri fell down on the bed.
"Ninamori…" Naota began, but then he stopped and rounded on Haruko instead. "You know what, Haruko? You're always messing things up! Why can't you just leave me alone?
"Because…" Haruko smiled evilly, "I told you. I found you first."
She played a few notes on her guitar.
"You guys have school tomorrow. Go to sleep." she said, playing a particularly low note.
The lights went out. Ninamori whimpered.
"Naota," she whispered.
"Yes?"
Naota felt something wet press against his cheek.
He woke up a few hours later.