-looks at last time this story was updated- DECEMBER? That can't be right. I'm the worst. I'm so sorry everyone! I left the last chapter off on such a cliffhanger too. This one is a little short, but it'll hold you guys. I really wanna write the next chapter fast...because I don't really know what's going to be in it. I'll work hard, promise! Fighting~ and I'm very very sorry!

FULL SUMMARY:
Because of certain circumstances, Fuyumi Chika moves to Japan and enrolls in Fumizuki Academy. It's always been her dream to come to Japan because of her otaku obsession, but she recently had other motivations to go to the foreign land. Once successfully in her class, she runs into strange persons, easily gains friendship, and even has her eye on a certain boy. These things, however, are the least of the complications going to come her way.

RATED T FOR:
Language
Suggestive Themes

Waking up is proving itself to be a trying matter. For some reason, today I have been snoozing off a lot in class. I mean, duh I know why. I'm an emotional wreck from all of the havoc last night. Most of it is smoothed over now, but all of my other friends are very suspicious of Hideyoshi and me. Mostly Akihisa. But we all know he's just thinking something dirty. Same with Kouta. In some aspects, I can understand their thoughts on the matter, but at the same time I just want them to chill their tits and shut up about it. I cannot even explain how many times I've been asked about it today. Especially by people I don't know. Like, what. Who are you. Go home.

Really, the truth is nothing happened. I know, strange, but it's true. After I sobbed my life away into Hideyoshi's arms and officially ruined his shirt forever with my pounds of makeup—and one fake eyelash stuck on there too—he promised me a few things. Promise number one: "I'll never let anyone hurt you." Promise number two: "I'll never judge you or assume anything." Promise number three: "I'll always believe in you and never lie to you." Final promise: "I'll never leave you and always care for you." Yes, craftily snuck in there was a confession. He cared about me. Not just some regular, lame, "I'll be your friend," but care. I almost started crying again when he told me, but the way he pushed me back to look in my eyes and ran his warm touch through my hair melted me. In response, I mumbled out some sounds that tried really hard to be words, but couldn't get passed level three and stayed as the strange vowels and consonants they were born as. He chuckled and rubbed some of the makeup off below my left eye. I smelled his thumb. It was like day-old cologne and dryer sheets, mixed with flowery hand soap—the kind in public bathrooms. I closed my eyes and reveled in the scent as if I could recognize it from my childhood. No, it was unique and lovely. A small smile of pleasure showed on my lips and Hideyoshi kissed my cheek in response. "Let's get you cleaned up," he said, pulling me off to the dressing room for a quick fixer-upper.

When intermission was over, I definitely looked better than I had in Act I. Hideyoshi proved himself to be a god with makeup. He also threw on an overcoat to cover up the mess I made on his shoulder. I asked him why he didn't just clean it up with his magic, but he replied that it would take a little bit more than three minutes to clean. I apologized. He kissed my head and laughed that it was okay. I like it when he kisses me. In that very moment, though embarrassed I am to admit it, I started to think of ways I could make it look like he "accidentally" kissed my lips. Like, if he leaned towards my cheek and "someone pushed me" and I turned my head and our lips touched…oh man. Wow I sound like a fangirl. This is a tad disturbing.

Then the show ended. For curtain call, the crowd roared, cheering me on. I bowed, embarrassed out of my mind, considering that this was definitely my worst performance ever. I mean c'mon, I was a wreck. But they still loved me. Just as it should be. Back in the dressing room, all of our friends were waiting there for us with so many flowers it smelt like a green house. I was honored, yes, but sneezed up quite a storm as well. I finally understood what is meant when people say, "it's the thought that counts." Because otherwise I would have hated them for the assault on my nose. Anyway, while giving me their gifts and crowding me with sentiments, I looked at the doorway and behind a small crowd, I saw my mother again. My hand flew to Hideyoshi, grabbing onto his shirt. I balled up all that silky white fabric into my fist as I tried to control my breathing. Mind racing, I started to see spots. I heard Hideyoshi calling my name, and I tried my hardest to focus only on his voice, but I couldn't pry my eyes off my mother's image. All I could see was her tall figure, looming in the doorway, her short blond locks falling across her disapproving expression. "Who is that?" I heard my friends asking.

"I-I don't k-know that women," I said.

Then she left. Even after she was gone, I couldn't stop looking at the doorway.

"You sure don't look like you don't know her," Sakamoto-san replied.

In my peripheral vision, I could see the others eyes all fixed on me intently with worry. It was understandable; I was worried about myself then too. Hideyoshi pried my hand from his shirt and entwined his fingers through mine. His gentle touch tried to sooth my feels, but I just started to tremble and shake even more. I could just barely process anything going on around me.

"I think she's just had a really long day," Hideyoshi said. "You guys go back to the festival and enjoy the rest of your night. I'll take her home."

"Are you sure, Hideyoshi?" Akihisa asked.

I think he nodded, because the next words I heard were Himeji saying, "Okay, then we'll all see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

With everyone gone, Hideyoshi moved to stand in my line of sight. All I could see was his face and upper torso. The tears started to well up in my eyes. I felt like my mission had failed; my mission to run away and start anew. My past was chasing me and I couldn't run fast enough to make it over the hurdle.

"I'm sorry," I said to him as the tears started rolling.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for."

"No, there is. You shouldn't have to take care of me.

He sighed and let out a small chuckle. "Don't you remember what I promised you?"

I stared at him in silence, sniffling when my nose threatened to drip. "Can I go home now?"

Hideyoshi placed a soft hand on my cheek, using his thumb to wipe a tear off my face as the other one rolled into my mouth, making me taste the unpleasant salt of it. "Then change back into your clothes and we'll get going."

He disappeared through the doorway as I suppressed the want to yell at him to stay. I had to repeatedly remind myself that he was coming back and had no intentions of leaving me by myself. Breathing deeply, I collected myself and changed, hanging up all the costumes and leaving a small note of thanks for letting me perform with them all on the vanity.

It was just after dinner when Hideyoshi and I got to my house, but the moment we got to my doorstep things got awkward. Like the two of us had just been on a really romantic first date and we didn't know whether or not to kiss goodbye or if I should invite him in. But none of those things happened, so I don't know what was wrong with me then. Of course he had to smile at me sweetly as we waited on my doorstep for me to do something. Any plan I had been making to create a less awkward situation melted away. So my throat just spat out words. Now that I think back on it, it actually made a little sense. No, a lot of sense. I'm proud of myself.

"So, uh, how did you get into my house the other day?" I asked.

Hideyoshi chuckled and bent over towards the welcome rug. "When you keep a spare key where the rest of world does, it's not that hard." And he stood up with the key in his hand. He unlocked the door and let me in. To my own home.

"Damn, I thought that was just something Americans did."

I was serious. But it's okay, because Hideyoshi laughed as if it was a joke. Even though it wasn't.

We walked into my living room and placed all of my flowers—at least the ones we could carry—onto the floor in the hallway neat the entrance. Feeling particularly tired and lazy, I shuffled over to the couch and laid down, face-first into the pillows. When I sensed that Hideyoshi was standing over me, I rolled over and saw him leaning over me. He looked as if he were about to kiss me, but I totally ruined that moment. Four for you, Fuyumi. Instead, like in any good story, our eyes met, locked, and we noticed the sparkle in each other's eyes and all that gooey stuff. To my surprise, my thoughts transitioned quickly from about him to about myself. I decided that I might as well just say out loud what I was thinking.

"I've been thinking a lot about myself, lately."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, I understand, Chika," Hideyoshi said.

"No," I sat up, "I know now that this is something I have to talk about. I've been having too much trouble trying to figure it out myself."

Hideyoshi nodded and sat down next to me, folding his hands and watching me patiently as I collected what I wanted to say.

"When I came here, it was because I wanted to change everything. I hate myself, and I want more than anything to start new, but for some reason, that was harder to do than I thought. Starting school with all of you, I just automatically acted as the bitch I was at home. Maybe it was because it was the only thing I knew? I don't know. I just don't know what's right anymore." I could feel the lump growing in my throat as I started to reach the more emotional topic. "But then I saw my mom." My eyes erupted, tears exploding from their ducts. With a deep inhale I tried to calm myself. Hideyoshi rubbed soothing circles on my back to help. "She's caused me so much pain, Hideyoshi. That's why I fainted the other day—because I saw her at school."

"Is that who the woman was at the festival?" he inquired, scooting closer to me.

I nodded. "And then there's you. You're so nice to me. You're such a good friend." Speaking was getting progressively harder through the crying. I started hiccupping every now and then. "And I really like you, Kinoshita-san." A smile poked through my despair and he pulled me in for a hug, squeezing me tightly. I buried my face in his shoulder again, letting myself cry out everything I was feeling. I didn't want the moment to end, but when I stopped hiccupping and it seemed like I had run out of tears he pulled back and placed his hands in the crooks of my neck.

"I made a promise to you, Chika, and I won't break it."

"That's not all there is to my story, Hideyoshi," I admitted.

"No, don't tell me."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you don't need to, I can see it in your eyes. You just want to keep talking so that I don't leave."

"Wow, I'm that see-through?"

Like really, how could he tell? This kid is a serious magician.

"I can stay over, if you want."

I blushed a little, embarrassed that it was what I wanted. "Wouldn't that be a little inappropriate?"

Hideyoshi pulled out his phone, opening a text message to his sister. He punched in some letters, hit "send," and replied, "It's done. I'm staying over." Turning off his phone, he threw it on the coffee table in front of the sofa we were sitting on.

I smiled nervously. No matter how whore-y I was back in my American days, I had never had a guy, or girl for that matter, stay over my house while I was alone. Just us two. Me and Hideyoshi. Alone. Anything could happen. I mean, I didn't know the situations we could have ended up in. Even if I told myself right at that moment that I wouldn't let anything happen, moments are moments, and they just, ya' know. Happen. Like boom. Just like that. I watched him as thoughts sped through my head like bullets. Hideyoshi rose from his seat, "Why don't you get into more comfortable clothes," he said. "You look tired."

"Yeah," I responded, barely processing what life was.

Entering my room alone, I hesitantly stripped, jumping at every little bump and creek in the house, thinking it was Hideyoshi entering my room to see me in the nude. Eventually, I did end up in my pajamas—tiny shorts and a baggy, long sleeved shirt—but it did take a while with all the neurosis. I had to physically calm myself before being able to leave my room and go back to where Hideyoshi was. After what felt like thirty minutes, I finally made my way back to the living room and I saw him standing there, leaning over the couch, laying out a blanket and pillow for himself.

"Ya' know," I began, crossing my arms and collecting my usual joking self, "it pulls out into a bed."

"W-what?" he exclaimed, baffled, feeling around the sofa in an attempt to find the source of the fairy dust.

"Yeah, silly," I chuckled, walking over to him. "Help me move the table and I'll show you."

He did as I asked, both of us successful in the mission. Then I told him to stand aside and watch me work my magic. I threw everything that was on the couch onto the floor and pulled a handle, letting the bed unfold onto the floor into a two person mattress.

"You've seriously never seen one of these before?" I asked him, noticing his astonished expression. It was cute really. I just wanted to pinch his beautiful, smooth, feminine cheeks. "Dude, it came with the house. It's not even an American thing."

"I guess I just, don't pay attention to my own culture," he said. "Can I sit on it?"

I rolled onto it, lying down and letting my muscles relax. "If I can, you can."

Then it happened. He walked towards the bed, but since he was so busy looking at me, he rammed his toes into a foot of the bed, causing him to fall. Yes, he fell, just like I had pictured in my fangirling fantasies, onto my lips. And kissed me. In my mind, it was a cute thing. In reality, it hurt. His face actually bashed into mine, and I felt all of his teeth, through his lips and mine, hit my teeth. If he had tripped with any more momentum, he would have knocked out a couple of them.

Both our eyes wide open in shock, the kiss sustained, slowly becoming less painful and more sentimental. His eyes slowly closed pushing into the kiss. Mine eventually drifted shut as well, leaning towards him. I wanted him to feel what I was feeling. I wrapped my arms around his neck, waiting for him to do something fancy with this kiss, but instead he ended it, pulling away and apologizing.

"It's okay," I tried to calm him, he seemed a little frantic.

"No, it's not," he replied lying down next to me in defeat. "You're emotionally unstable, I just shouldn't."

"Hideyoshi, emotionally unstable or not, I still like you. I kissed you back, okay? So just chill out."

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing! Or else I'll punch you in the knubs."

"Knubs? I have knubs?" Hideyoshi asked, laughing out loud in that cute laugh of his.

"Yes, you do," I replied matter-of-factly.

"Alright then."

Our conversation from there on out turned to simple chatter between two friends. We didn't flirt, we didn't get into anything serious, we just talked and joked until we passed out on my couch bed together in the wee hours of the night. When I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock going off in my bedroom, I felt indescribably warm. Yes, the two of us were cuddling underneath a thin blanket. His arms were wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly against his chest. My eyes threatened to close again and pull me to sleep, but I knew the two of us had to go to school or else the whole situation would be incredibly suspicious instead of only slightly suspicious.

"Hey," I said, poking his hands and arms repeatedly, "Hideyoshi we have to wake up now."

"I know," he replies, not sounding drowsy in one bit, "I've been awake for a while now."

"Really? You could have woken me up."

"But this is so comfortable."

In all honesty, I wanted to stay like that with him forever. Never moving, never needing anything else. But I knew the reality of it all, and I'm sure he did too. He just wasn't wasting a second of that moment and let it last for as long as he knew it could.

I chuckled at his comment and leaned my head back into his neck. "That doesn't change the fact that we have to go to school."

"All right, all right," he said, rolling away from me and climbing off the bed. I sat up and stretched my arms out as Hideyoshi did the same. "I'll make breakfast," he announced.

"You don't have to—"

"I'm sure there are a lot of things you have to do to get ready, so I'll prepare food. I'll make us some lunch too. There's nothing really else for me to do anyway."

So I left to take a shower, fix my hair, apply makeup, get dressed, and when I returned to the kitchen, he had made two plates of food and packed both of our lunches. I brushed his hair for him and then we ate, packed our bags, and left for school.

That was all that happened. In a way, I was a little sad that nothing completely thrilling went on, but I knew that there was a time and a place for that, and it wasn't last night at my house.

"Fuyumi-san, are you sure you're alright?" Himeji asks me for about the hundredth time as we all eat lunch.

"Oh my god," I sigh in English, "Yes, you guys, I'm seriously okay. I'm just tired. Last night was really rough," I finish in Japanese.

"It was rough? I see, I see," Akihisa comments, winking at Hideyoshi who is sitting as far away from me as he possibly could in our little circle.

"Wow, I think I'm actually going to punch you in the face," I reply, sending the dirty little hobo a glare.

"Eek!"

I get up, tired of people talking to me—also just tired in general—and move over to the corner of the roof. "I'm going to sleep. Right here. In this cold corner," I announce, trying to make myself comfortable.

"Fuyumi," Sakamoto begins, "why don't you just go home?"

"Just let me sleep…" I whine, closing my eyes.

Actually, the rock hard, cold, rough, stone roof is comfortable. Maybe that's just my fatigue talking. I need to sleep more in the future. I function can't sleep without words English I don't speak.

Just as I'm about to pass out, I hear Shimada ask Hideyoshi for the truth. He basically tells them every detail, minus anything personal. He leaves out my uncontrollable sobbing, the half-truth about my life, the kiss, and, most importantly, the sleeping together. But the way he tells the story sounds seamless. To the others, it probably sounds like there isn't a moment missing when really a majority of the night is left out. Hideyoshi, however, doesn't make up any lies to fill in the voids. He just doesn't mention them. I must learn this craft of his.

When it finally sounds like he's hit everything and the story is ending, he says, "But I am a little worried."

"Worried about what?" Kirishima-san inquires.

"When I made food, there wasn't a lot of anything. I had to think for a while what to feed us because there weren't many options."

"That may just be because her food shopping day is soon," Himeji suggests.

Not true.

"Maybe, but when I was done cooking and started looking around, I noticed her spending habits. There were a lot of recently dated receipts and piles of unopened books and video games."

"Hideyoshi, do you think she's been recklessly buying things?" Shimada says.

I wouldn't say reckless…just more than usual. Buying things I love and then not using them. Doesn't everybody do that?

"I feel bad for her parents if they're giving their kids all this money and she's just blowing it on junk she's not even using."

Whoa, low blow there, Shimada. No need to get sassy with me. Even though they all think I'm over in this corner. Sleeping. In a corner. By myself. Maybe I should seek help. Or sleep. What is sleep?

"Wait, here's a crazy idea!" Akihisa exclaims, sounding extremely excited. "Let's cut school tomorrow and go get her a job!"

"I don't know how that's supposed to sound," Hideyoshi commented, "good or bad."

"That sounds like a good idea, Aki-kun!" Shimada called. "Especially if she's with all of us! We can encourage her and give her peer pressure at the same time!"

Wow thanks, ponytail. This just keeps getting better.

"But, let's have it be a surprise."

Surprise officially ruined. I guess I'll act, just to make them feel good.

"Yeah! We'll show up at her house tomorrow morning and kidnap her!"

I don't even care who's talking anymore. This is sounding less and less like a good thing for me. Reason number one: the last thing I want on this planet is a job. Reason number two: just no.

But it all happens anyway. I'm standing in my kitchen over the stove, wearing my school uniform and a pink apron with hearts, preparing my lunch, when a crowd of reckless teenagers break into my home—and it's the whole crew. Akihisa, Sakamoto, Kirishima, Shimada, Himeji, and Hideyoshi are all here. "I really gotta move that key," I say out loud.

"Oooooh~ What are you making, Fuyumi-chan?" Himeji asks, appearing next to me and looking over my shoulder.

"Just trying to figure out a way to keep soba—no wait stop. What are you people doing in my house?"

"Surprise, Chika-chan!" Akihisa yells.

"I already don't like this."

"Just hear us out, Fuyumi," Hideyoshi says.

Well, since he said it, I have to.

I sigh in defeat, and say, "Okay, kids. Go for it."

Akihisa bounces up in front of me and pulls me over to my couch. I look over longingly at my stove, and notice Hideyoshi taking over cooking it for me. That's all that matters. That my noodles don't suffer. I really love me some noodles.

He explains to me his plan, mentioning that it isn't fair to my parents to keep spending their money when I can be making my own. The kid's putting a lot of effort into it all, I'll give him that.

"I like the way cutting school sounds, but not the rest of it," I admit.

"Aw, c'mon, Chika!" he begs.

"We're doing this for you!" Shimada calls. I think she's actually getting angry. Her face is turning a little red.

Hey Fuyumi, remember why you're here? Turning over a new leaf? This is your chance. These people are just trying to be nice! Let them into your heart! Getting a job would be good for you! Okay, okay, stop nagging me. Why don't people question my mental health?

"Okay, alright, whatever, I'll do it," I say, putting my hands up in surrender.

A small celebration erupts in my house as they cheer each other on for their success. It, however, was only the beginning of the mission. They tell me to take off my uniform and put on normal clothes that aren't revealing. Oh how they ruin all my fun.

Hideyoshi packaged up my noodles and put them in the fridge, telling me that I could reheat them and eat them later. This gave me small joy. The thought of coming home to cold noodles was not as thrilling as being able to eat the noodles when I wanted.

Sporting shorts and a three-quarter length shirt, me and the gang heads off on our adventure. We make our way towards, what I call, town square, congregating at a large fountain. "So, where to?" I ask, slightly dreading the answer. Sakamoto mentions that he wants to check out all of the waitressing jobs first, just because I'm so very sociable. I don't agree with him, but I guess it would be a step in the right direction. I only think this because when Sakamoto-san said it, I looked over at Hideyoshi, pouting, and he smiled and nodded. Code, waitressing would be a good idea. I'm trying my best not to dread it.

So that's what we do, but for some reason, I'm not getting a job anywhere.

"This isn't any good," Shimada sighs, sitting down on the ground. "No one wants her."

"Yeah, I don't get it," Kouta adds.

Everyone jumps. "What? Kouta? Where did you come from?" Akihisa asks.

"That's for me to know, and you to never know."

"So back to me," I say, trying not to hurt my brain on pondering his mysterious ways.

Everyone is silent for a moment, trying to figure out why I keep getting rejected. We had all agreed that a foreigner would bring in business, mostly because the Japanese are fascinated with foreigners. At least that's what I hope. What other reason would there be for random people in the streets touching my blonde hair and petting my arms? So, what then? I was a tad insulted.

"Maybe it's the way she looks," Kirishima-san suggests.

"That's a little rude, don't you think?" Sakamoto responds, trying to tighten the hold on his women. He'll never understand that she's a free woman who speaks her mind.

"No, no I think she's right," Himeji agrees.

"You guys are cruel."

"No, Yuuji, she doesn't mean her appearance, but her appearance," Shimada tries to explain.

"I think you people are actually making less and less sense," I remark.

"Fuyumi-san, you're dark eyes, strange hairstyle—it's just not very appealing to businesses. They want to employ someone who won't scare away their customers," Kirishima states in her usual monotone.

"I'm actually a little flattered."

"So what do we do?" Shimada asks.

All of the girls—and Akihisa—look at each other and a small smirk spreads across their lips. "Makeover," they say in unison.

And they all start walking towards me, encircling me, trapping me. "What? No! You can't!" I yell, but to no avail. They all grab me and drag me off to a salon. Against my will.

When I come out of that hell hole, I feel like a pampered poodle. The nice lady doing my hair and makeup scrubbed my flesh within an inch of its life, trying to get off every spot and fleck of black makeup on my eyelids. She then coated my face in what she called, BBcream, slapped some pink on my cheeks, a light shimmer on my thin lips, navy blue eyeliner on only the top of my eyelids to bring out the brown hues in my red eyes and a ton of black mascara, only to make my eyelashes look as long as possible. But the worst part of it all was what she did to my hair. S-she…cut it. It used to come down to my waist in its gentle waves… but now it's ends are curled to right above my boob. They brushed the top….curled the tips…and cut it. I think I almost cried when it was happening. Everyone's telling me how pretty I look, especially Hideyoshi, but it's too drastic a change. I need time.

With my new hair and face, the gang brings me to the restaurant they want me to work at the most. The best part was that the employer didn't recognize me. The second best part was that he hired me immediately. What does this say about the world? What a wretched message portrayed. It's not true, by the way. I see scary people getting jobs all over the place. It's personality that counts. Really. The Japanese just don't like me for some reason.

I leave the restaurant and look at all of my friends. They all look so genuine. Smiles and faces of anticipation for what I have to say to them. I can really tell how much all of these people care about me. I feel like my heart is opening up for once, just like they have all opened up their hearts for me. They may all be idiots of every flavor—except for Himeji and Kirishima—but they're my idiots. I wouldn't give them up for anything. These people, they're my new family.

Tears are starting to well up in my eyes from my realization, and I tell them, "I got the job," with a big, stupid smile on my face.

They all stampede towards me, pulling me in for one big group hug. As the hug dissipates, all that is left is me and Hideyoshi, and he's holding me closer and tighter than he ever has. "I'm proud of you," he whispers in my ear.

"I think I'm starting to get it," I tell him after I pull away from the embrace.

From the audience erupts "oohs" and "awes" and I swear I want to punch them all in the face. But afterwards I'll hug them.

"So what do we do now?" I ask. "Mission accomplished, right?"

"I think this is the right time," Kouta announces. We all turn and look at him.

"Right time for what?" Shimada asks.

"I have a surprise for Chika."