Me: Sigh… I can't think of anything to write for August 4th through August 6th… Might as well skip to the seventh, right?

Kouya: That's a little wrong, but hey, I don't care.

Me: 0.0 YOU CAME BACK!(gets held back by everyone else)

Kouya: Thanks, guys…

Hiroyuki: No problem! Due the disclaimer, Reader! Or we will tickle you!

Lee: C-Can I do it? (glances at Kouya, blushes, and sighs) Reader does not own Morenatsu. I don't know exactly what he would do if he did… Probably would try and enter the game for real…

Me: WHO TOLD YOU MY SECRET!?

Lee: You'd actually do that?

August 7, part 1

Getting to Know Kouya

To be honest, I have no idea how time has flown by so fast. Really, everything that has happened has been a soccer game with Shin, Kyouji, Soutaro, and Kounosuke; Meeting the families of Tatsuki and Shun, to my still bewildered embarrassment; and lastly, a rather, um, unique, jog I had after practicing some kendo yesterday. All I can say is, I care not to recall any details, out of the disturbing details and the drunken acts of Tatsuki.

Right now, I'm waiting by the bus stop, wearing my sandals with a pair of large swim trunks and goggles in my arms. Yup, I'm going swimming with everyone this time. But, I have no idea where. Juuichi is the one who gave me the materials I hold, minus the towel that is wrapped around my neck; Kounosuke gave me that. He was actually the very first person to be here with Juuichi. Torahiko and Hiroyuki dragged me here about ten minutes ago, so I'm still in pajamas. Pretty embarrassing when everyone is staring at your mother's old pink and red heart footies…

"Are you trying to start a fashion trend or something," Shun asks innocently, running up with Shin at his heels, gasping for breath. His asthma must be going insane right now, seeing how spunky the wolf is. I blush lightly, but I can't help but laugh. Shun can make any moment nice.

"No, I just never got to change this morning, thanks to a certain couple." Torahiko snickers, receiving a playful flick to his ear from Hiro. "I'm just glad I didn't decide to sleep naked from the heat."

"Who's sleeping naked?" Tatsuki lets loose his booming laugh, Kouya eyeing me at his side. "I'm interested in joining."

All of us wince at the smell of sake. It's only seven thirty in the morning, and the dragon is already drunk. I shift a little, moving behind Juuichi. Thank the gods he's bigger than me… The bus can be heard approaching, so everyone begins to make sure they have everything quickly.

The bus is in front of us in a minute so luckily, we're all set. I climb on, averting my gaze as the driver eyes my pajamas, but he doesn't say anything. I move to take one of the seats in the far back, wanting to stay alone since, even after almost a week, I'm still an outsider to this group.

I let out a sigh, feeling my heart grow heavy. I never thought I'd feel like an outsider when I came to Japan at long last, but here, it's like I shouldn't have ever come. I know I was invited over for the summer, but I feel homesick. They are all so close, I can't enter their circle of friends.

Weight adds on to the seat as someone sits directly next to me, moments before the bus starts to move. I wait a little bit before twisting my neck enough to see who is beside me. My face must be priceless as Kouya smirks, looking straight at me. I turn away quickly, cheeks flushing.

"You are one shy kid," he chuckles, resting his arms behind his head as he leans back. "Really, you've been very quiet since you arrived."

"W-Well, I've always been like this."

"I know that isn't true." I turn an even darker red, the color carrying to my ears. "We've read entire speeches you've made in the newspaper, Lee. You can open up to us."

I stay silent, mentally slapping myself. It's true I've made speeches. I make them at every kendo tournament I enter. And since those are how I'm known, of course the guys would have read or heard about the speeches.

"Fine," I mumble. "Did you want to talk about something?"

The chatter of the others, including Tatsuki's snores, sound around the bus, but the husky seems to be ignorant of everything outside of this seat. His gaze stays on me, stern and hard, but still warm and welcoming. It's an expression that works perfectly for him.

"I was just wanting to learn more about you. You keep to yourself so often, none of us know much about you. Besides the fact that you can't swim still."

"Don't remind me. And I don't know much about all of you either, though." He nods, shutting his eyes. I almost expect him to fall asleep, but he opens his eyes with a deep breath, turning his gaze back to me.

"If you don't mind, we can ask each other questions. Take turns at it, you know." I shrug, since it's really the only thing we can do to get any answers. Kouya smiles a little, a question visible in his eyes. "Tell me then. Do you have anyone you care for back in America?"

I take a few seconds to answer. "Well, I have my mom, but that's really all. And my friend CJ, I guess I can say I care for him. But, other than them, no, I have no one. What about you? Do you have anyone?"

The husky flinches, the bus hitting a rather large bump. I guess he wasn't expecting me to ask the same question. "Well," he mutters, blushing visibly. I have to hide a smile, since it makes him look cute. "I've been in a few relationships, but none of them have lasted more than a couple weeks. Just how being guitarist is, I guess."

I raise an eyebrow, but I don't ask about the issue. His next question comes within a few seconds. "So who exactly is CJ? I've heard him mentioned a few times, but not much."

Okay, this is a question I don't really mind answering. "CJ is someone I met as a sophomore in my high school. He was looking for someone to do translations, so I helped him out. Turns out, he needed someone to sing popular songs in Japanese. We became friends soon after we got the first cover done, and we made a few more over the years."

For the next hour, we talk with each other. For some strange reason, I feel I can open up to this beastman. I guess that I do have a chance of entering the circle. Perhaps Kouya is my way of getting into this group.

Me: Um, sorry about this chapter, everyone. Eh heh… Good gods, I stink at transition chapters… I want to involve major events, though, so I need these. Curse it. Any who, next chapter should be very funny! Enjoy it when it comes!