A/N: Time for some more tasty development on the Saki/Sakura front! This chapter was directly inspired by the madness of last chapter, though it's a lot more subdued lmao.


Chapter 4: Whisper of the Heart


Sitting on her knees on the living room floor, Sakura stares at me with all the gravitas of a school principal.

"Now say it back to me one more time."

I take a deep breath, "Fuck."

"Yes."

"Shit…"

"Yes, yes!"

"Ass?"

"That's it!"

"Uhh…" I hold my chin in my hands, "I suppose… piss?"

"Yes!"

"How about pussy?"

"Definitely."

"Alright, okay."

Her smile is so incredibly sweet and innocent. I don't wanna let her down.

I continue, "Dick? And cock as well."

"Ohhhh I didn't think of dick."

"You can't forget dick."

"I've made a note of it."

Searching my brain, I sigh as I come up with another answer, "Tits."

"Correct."

"I wish I wasn't."

"I believe in you, Saki-chan."

"How about boobs?"

"Hmm…"

"C'mon, you can't seriously-"

"It's on the list."

I kiss my teeth, "God damn it. How many left?"

"Just one."

"Thank god."

"You're so close!"

"Fucking hell."

"No, that's not it."

"That wasn't a guess, Egghead."

She laughs sheepishly, "Sorry, I got ahead of myself."

Man she's adorable.

Even her 'I LOVE YOU' t-shirt is cute — and very her. Only Sakura could pull off something like that. Sakura and Lily.

I take my final guess, "Crap?"

"Oh… I didn't have that one either."

"God damn it! What is up with this shit?"

"The answer was sex."

My jaw hits the floor, "Sex? I can't say sex on the radio?"

"You have to keep it family friendly, Saki-chan."

"It's a late night show!"

"I'm only thinking of you! After what happened last time-"

"That fucking cleaning lady can shove her mop up her gash for all I care."

"Saki-chan please!"

I flop back onto the hard floor, hurting my head in the process, "I'm not sure I can do this, Sakura."

She leans over me, "Yes you can! You need to, to keep your radio job!"

I think of White Ryu, the living legend, my childhood crush. He entrusted me with the radio show. Entrusted me with all of Saga.

I look Sakura in the eyes, "Man… why couldn't White Ryu have been a courtesan instead?"

"…what?"


With Sakura's list of banned words swimming through my head, I get on with the show.

"Good evening! Welcome to So Saga Can Be Saga with me your host, Number 2, and my buddies Number 6 and Zero. Like the weather lady just said, it's gonna be a wet and wild one this weekend. The perfect opportunity for some Gatalympics action! Now I know what you're thinking: 'Number 2, we already had the Gatalympics this month.' Well why not get some more? Over in Ogi City they got this mud flat by the Ariake Sea. They've built a park round it, all about getting down and dirty. It's called Fureai Sea Games Park, and you know what fureai means: mutual touching."

Lily quirks an eyebrow at me, "They're talking about the mudskippers. You can get super close to them there."

I grin, "You can become a mudskipper too. That's their catchphrase: 'Why not become a human mudskipper?'"

"I'll stick to hanging out with the normal mudskippers, thanks."

"What about the toilets?"

I can practically feel the anxiety coming off of the guys in the control room when I say the word 'toilets'.

Lily screws her face up in disgust, "What is it with you and toilets?"

"No I'm being serious, don't they have toilets shaped like mudskippers?"

"Gross! I don't wanna pee in a mudskipper!"

"No not the actual toilets you f-" I stop myself, "-you ninnyhammer. I'm talking about the buildings."

Lily gives me a concerned look, "Well if it's just the buildings that'd be okay."

"I've got a picture here somewhere."

I fumble around on my phone. These fucking things are a nightmare. Where are the buttons? Why the fuck is it all just one big screen? Twice in a row I accidentally take a snapshot of myself, then finally I find the photo.

Lily takes the phone from my hands and examines the toilet design, "I'm not sure what I was expecting."

'I'd piss in them,' is what I want to say, but instead I clamp my lips together and strain my face as if I were ejecting a particularly difficult fart. Lily starts to look genuinely worried.

"Number 2?"

"Ungh!" I grunt, prompting a copycat grunt from Tae.

Keep it together Saki. You can't swear on air. Can't let Sakura down.

Resisting the urge to scream 'PISS' into the mic just for the hell of it, I say, "Anyway, I only mentioned it cos I was gonna say I could do with a visit there myself. Turn up in a swimsuit, get covered in mud. We could all go together. Franchouchou mud fight."

Bet Sakura would look good covered in mud. That girl's got some major 'assets'.

Lily crosses her arms in an 'X' sign, "No way. Never."

"Suit yourself, Shrimpy."

"There are a million places I'd rather go."

"Such as?"

"Sanrio Puroland."

"What the hell is that?"

She smiles dreamily, "It's a Hello Kitty paradise."

"Oh, the cat."

Lily glares at me, "She's not just some cat."

"Nothing wrong with cats, Shrimpy."

"No, I meant-"

"Where even is that? Fukuoka?"

"…Tokyo."

I tut, "This show ain't called So Tokyo Can Be Tokyo, you know?"

Tae mimics me again, perfectly matching my intonation with a series of elaborate grunts. I give her some headpats and then pull out one of the many letters people have sent to the show.

"Alright, letter time I think. This one's from…" I check the name, "The president of the Unofficial Number 6 Fanclub. Hehe, this should be good."

Lily leans forward, curious.

I clear my throat, "Number 6, how do you put up with Number 2 all day?" I scowl, "The h-" I think of Sakura listening back home and take a deep breath, "heck is this guy's problem?"

"Is that all?"

"I wish. Ahem… How do you put up with Number 2 all day? She's loud, obnoxious, and rude, and doesn't seem to care about the fallout of her reckless behaviour… jeez, dude, you make it sound like I'm Satan… Here at the Unofficial Number 6 Fanclub we believe you'd be better off kicking Number 2 out of Franchouchou and-" I grit my teeth, "This cocky son of a-"

Fucking goddamn it can't fucking swear.

Lily watches me intently, "Should I answer now, or do you wanna finish the letter first?"

"I ain't finishing this pile of sh-" I clench my jaw, "-garbage. Go ahead, answer this-" cocksucking shit-eating motherfucking "-idiot now."

Lily stares at the mic, her face uncharacteristically serious, "You're right, Fanclub President-san, Number 2 is obnoxious, and rude, and she doesn't really care what people think of her."

Hearing her say it so deadpan cuts me deeper than I expect, but I keep my mouth shut.

"She's always doing stupid things. Although I'm the youngest, I'm a million times more mature than her, at least. Maybe ten times that."

Alright Shrimpy, no need to overdo it.

Then she pauses, "But…"

I hold my breath.

"But, she's not this self-centered person you think she is. She's very very annoying, but Franchouchou is better because of her. Whenever someone really needs her, she's there. She never says anything bad about anyone, even though her jokes suck."

My jokes do not suck.

"And she's good at making quick decisions, too. There are seven of us, and the producer isn't always there to keep things running smoothly. If anything our producer makes things worse…"

I don't know if she's allowed to say that but I'm totally gonna rub it in Shades's face when I get back.

"She encouraged me when I was writing 'To My Dearest' and she was the one who invited me to do this radio show with her every night. Number 2 is an idiot, but she's a good person, and she's my friend. I wouldn't trade her for anyone, not even Hello Kitty. Well, maybe Hello Kitty just a little bit, but not for anyone else!"

It's only when I feel a wet streak running down my cheek that I realise I'm crying.

"Damn, Shrimpy."

"Saki-cha- uh, Number 2!?"

"That was fucking beautiful. Shit, I swore. Fuck. Fuck it."

Ah shit.

Lily hops off of her chair and dashes round to give me a hug, just in time to be absorbed in the massive hug Tae gives both of us.

"Thanks you guys," I blubber, "You're the best. Shit, I think we need to do a song."

I look at the list. None of them fit my mood.

"Fuck it," I say, "the next song is Do You Hate Windy Days by White Ryu. Make it happen guys, or I'll kill ya."


Sakura greets me with a warm smile, "You did it! Mostly!"

"Blame the squirt for my slip-up."

Lily prods my arm, "Not my fault you're a crybaby."

"Yeah, yeah."

She wanders off with Kotaro and Tae, leaving me and Sakura alone in the hall. Sakura watches me like she's expecting something.

"Thanks," I say, "I wouldn't have been able to keep it clean for as long as I did without you."

She seems surprised to be thanked, which surprises me cos I figured that's what she was waiting for. She waves her hands, "It really wasn't a big deal. You're a good student."

I chuckle, "We both know that's a lie, Egghead. Still, I appreciate it. You're a good teacher."

She blushes, "W-Well I-"

I clap her on the arm, "Yes you are! You gotta learn to take a compliment, girl! If there's anything I learned today it's that you gotta be open with your feelings. It just ain't in me to not swear."

She laughs, "Haha, yes, it's good to be open. Maybe swearing less would be good too, though…"

"You don't like it?"

Her eyes widen, "No! No no that's not it, not at all! I… I love it!"

I smirk, "You love it, huh?"

"Yes!" she instantly replies, looking thoroughly scrambled.

Honestly, what is up with this girl? She's always nervous. Wish I could make her see how much I appreciate her.

Acting on the spur of the moment I wrap her in a tight hug. I try to think of something cool to say, but my brain is even more zombified than my undead corpse.

"Never change, Sakura."

"Uh, of course! I mean, it's like Junko-chan says."

"Hah! We're already dead. True that. Well, I'm gonna hit the showers now. G'night!"

"Goodnight, Saki."

Behind me I hear the bedroom door slide open, and then closed.