"Uh, erm... Hello?" Tenchi was nervous at the solid look on everyone's face.
"Hi Tenchi." said Mihoshi. Kiyone nudged her slightly.
"Well, eh, anyone hungry?" he asked.
No one answered. They all turned their heads toward Ryoko.
"Well? What are you all starin' at?" Ryoko turned to Tenchi. She grinned, and then turned back.
Everything was quiet for a moment until Sasami spoke.
"You all are very rude! Tenchi just took precious time out of his day to look for Washu! And you all are ungreatful for it! You should be ashamed to stare at Tenchi and not say anything! A thank you would be nice, but you all have to sit there and scold him like a ghost." Tenchi looked at Sasami with awe.
Kiyone and Ryoko continued to ignore Tenchi. Ayeka and Mihoshi stood up and wrapped their arms around the unsuspecting Tenchi.
"We saw you crying earlier. We all did. Only some of us are woman enough to ask why." Ayeka signaled Tenchi to reveal his secret.
"We're sorry Tenchi. We all love you and only wanna' know why you're sad..." Mihoshi smiled and rested her head on Tenchi's chest.
Tenchi was confused, but couldn't stay silent any longer.
"I can't tell you why I was crying. But I really appreciate that you all care about me. Listen, why don't Ayeka, Mihoshi and I go fetch some vegetables for dinner. Ryoko and Kiyone, you help Sasami with making dinner. We'll have a nice dinner together." Tenchi smiled as he, Ayeka, and Mihoshi walked out the door.
Kiyone and Ryoko stared at Sasami.
"Well! Aren't you gonna' help with dinner!" Sasami asked.
"Hmm, sounds good to me." Kiyone smiled.
"Ryoko?"
"Yeah?"
"Are ya' gonna' help with dinner?"
"Maybe."
"Yes or no."
"Okay, no."
"Alright, why don't you fetch me a bucket of warm water."
Ryoko mimicked Sasami as she exited, on her way to the hot-water well.
"Tenchi... Why were you crying earlier?" asked Ayeka.
"I already said that I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"Because its not something I go around telling just anybody."
"Okay. Can you just tell me? I want to help."
"Washu asked me a very personal question, and I couldn't bear to answer it." Tenchi lied.
"Speaking of Washu, did you ever find her?"
"No, I wonder where she could be..."
Suddenly, out of the trees, Washu darted across the field with a letter in her hand, but tripped across Ayeka's shoe.
"Ma - Ma - Ma - MISS WASHU! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" yelled a furious Ayeka.
Washu rose up from the ground covered in dirt, "Um, I, erm, da - da, ehh, nothing."
"What is it?"
"Its a birthday present for Ryoko. From Tenchi."
Tenchi looked up, frozen in one spot. Washu was up to something, and he had to stop it.
