As school finished, Ryuunosuke, Lum and Shinobu quickly decided to head out of school before any new chaos could come up. Already the effects of the remote had taken hold, with several guys either sitting in a more feminine manner than usual, or mooning after other guys. Plus, Kumiko and Momoe had both attempted to ask Ryuunosuke on a date, resulting in a vicious catfight.

Ryuunosuke supposed that it was fate that led her back to the nurse's room, and Sakura-sensei. Probably to answer for the crimes that she committed thanks to that damn remote, Ryuunosuke thought to herself.

Shinobu knocked on the door. After a pause, it opened just enough so a single baleful eye could peer through.

"Shinobu? Lum? Ryuunosuke?"

Ryuunosuke swallowed hard, before executing a ninety-degree bow. "Hello, Sakura-sensei. Please don't kill me."

There was a pause before the door opened the rest of the way. "Thank heavens you're back to normal." She looked over at Lum curiously. "You, on the other hand..."

Lum scowled at Sakura. "What's wrong with wearing the boys' uniform?"

"You're a girl!" Sakura said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lum floated past Sakura as indignantly as she can manage.

Shinobu and Ryuunosuke followed Lum inside, Sakura quickly shutting the door behind them. As Ryuunosuke sat in a chair, Sakura subjected her and Lum to a battery of questions, including on if she felt the urge to drink beer, peep at girls, or bully weaker kids.

After several questions, Sakura sat back, crossing her legs. "It seems that Ryuunosuke's fully free of the Sexuality Remote's control. Her desire to be more feminine must have fought off the Frat Boy setting quicker than I thought. And thankfully, Lum doesn't seem to have been hit with the same setting, so she's safe."

"Then Ryuunosuke's all better?" Shinobu asked. "Thank goodness!"

Sakura nodded, crossing her arms in an authoritarian fashion.. "You really can't tell with the Sexuality Remote. It isn't just a warper of minds, but a key to unlock secret desires. The effects of the remote can bring to the surface things that not even the victim can be aware of." She turned her head to look at Ryuunosuke. "On the other hand, I should find it very unlikely that Ryuunosuke could desire to be even more butch than she already is."

"That's a real pity," Mr. Fujinami said from atop one of the examination beds, pushing aside the concealing curtain. Everyone else jumped back in shock. If nothing else, it had to be admitted that Mr. Fujinami had a talent for making a surprising entrance.

"I would have thought the Sexuality Remote would have cured my idiot son's delusions." He continued, pulling the remote from the waistband of his pants. "Looks like some more extensive treatment is in order!"

"Ryuunosuke doesn't need any more treatment from you!" Sakura shouted. "You can't force your daughter into something she's not, or doesn't even WANT to be!"

Another red flash, and Sakura fell hard to the floor.

"Why don't you see for yourself, sensei?" Mr. Fujinami said. "I bet you'd be better off as a lesb..."

His quip was interrupted, however, when Ryuunosuke's fist slammed into his jaw at an exceptionally high speed. Like Sakura, he toppled to the floor, blood dripping from his mouth. The Sexuality Remote slid from his limp hand to land hard on the floor, breaking in half.

The second Mr. Fujinami hit the floor Lum was on him, tying his arms behind his back with a length of rope and his legs with some spare bandages.

Ryuunosuke rubbed her aching knuckles as Mr. Fujinami was secured. "That's what you get, asshole. You get knocked out."

"But so's the remote..." Shinobu said, gazing at the sparking pieces of circuits and plastic. "At least the effects wear off. We'd better get Sakura safe and comfortable for now."

She turned to glare at Mr. Fujinami's unconscious body. "Then we can both take out the trash."

Megane followed behind Mendou to the school entrance, wiping his glasses with a cloth. "Shutarou-san… This temporary malady… Surely you could just endure it for as long as it takes before it wears off?"

Shutarou looked pained, in the sort of poetic way that he was known for. "I wish I could, Satoshi-kun… But I feel so much like a stranger in my own skin right now. I feel like I can't deny my urges any longer." He turned to Megane fully, a glint in his eye. "I simply must find a dress!"

Megane put his glasses back on. "Is that so?"

Shutarou nodded. "A pretty one. Preferably in white, with a modest hem. Nothing gaudy or too frilly."

Megane mulled it over for a moment. "I suppose we have no choice then. We're going to have to take drastic measure." He looked up at Shutarou again, his glasses shining in the late afternoon light. "We're going to have to speak with Shiowatari-san."

Nagisa wandered across the school grounds, a spring in his step, carrying a bag with four bottles of barley tea inside. Already a sense of anticipation was bubbling up inside of him. Today was going to be a very good day indeed.

Not only did Nagisa find himself with his first project ever since he joined the Tomobiki High Crossdressing Club (as an advisor, as he wasn't formally a student at the school), but it was also just in time for the big Rainbow Pride rock concert being put on at Club Kitty, one of Tomobiki's most well-known nightspots.

Nagisa felt giddy as he imagined bringing Ataru out in front of a crowd like that: the so-called Cancer of Tomobiki High, turned into the most beautiful of maidens. It made him feel lighter than air.

It wasn't long before Nagisa arrived at his destination: a small storage shed behind one of the school gymnasiums, painted a light yellow. Some time ago, it was an storage shed and practice area for the Boxing Club, but that club since moved to a different place. Now it was the base of operations for the Crossdressing Club, an enigmatic institution indeed, mostly because nobody really wanted to know what they got up to. However, the Crossdressing Club was often on the lips of various students and teachers, and rare was the student who had no idea the club existed.

Nagisa smiled as he spotted a lone figure leaning against the wall, next to the door. A young man, tall and stout and rather strong looking, with close-cropped black hair. He would have been at home at the Boxing club, if they haven't had to disband due to a lack of new members coming in. At the boy's feet was a large box of black lacquer, decorated with gold leaves.

Nagisa skipped up to the boy, a grin spreading across his girlish face. "Kenpii! You're here already!"

Ogami Kenta, alias Kenpii, looked at Nagisa a moment before looking away, his brows creasing.

Nagisa tilted his head, frowning at Kenta. "Don't be so shy, Kenpii. You know the club accepts you as a member, don't you?"

Kenta didn't look at Nagisa. "I'm here to do my thing. What's been asked of me. Nothing more."

Nagisa sighed. He knew Ogami was tough to get through in most circumstances. It seemed that he was going to have to resort to drastic measures.

He stepped closer to Kenta, and put on his sweetest voice. "What's wrong, Kenpii? You're usually such a good boy for me." He stepped closer to run his hand through Kenta's short hair. "Won't you be good for me today?"

Like electric, Kenta jumped back, his face turning the most pleasing shade of red, a hand moving up automatically to try and cover it. "What do you think you're trying to pull?!" He glared at Nagisa. "I'm here, aren't I?!"

Nagisa only smiled innocently. "I just wanted to make sure you were going to be a good boy. Nothing's too good for what I've got in store for you." He stepped past Kenta, pulling the storage shed key from the pocket of his apron. "With your help, I'm sure it'll be a success. I'll make sure of that myself."

Kenta scowled. "Yeah, well you're going to have to convince Natsuki-senpai of that." He hefted up the big black lacquer box. "He's the one running the club."

Nagisa only smiled as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Come on, Kenpii. Since when have I led you wrong?"

Kenta had no answer. He knew he had no good answer.

The silence was interrupted by a new voice: "Shiowatari-san? Could we have a minute with you?"

Nagisa and Kenta turned to see Megane approaching, Mendou following behind him. Mendou hid himself slightly behind Megane, embarrassed by the new eyes that fell on him.

Nagisa smiled warmly. "Of course, Megane. What do you want with little ol' me?"

Ryuunosuke flung her father's unconscious body into the small storage shed that she called home, making sure he made a satisfying thud as he landed inside. "That takes care of him." Thanks to Lum's work with the rope and bandages, Mr. Fujinami was completely immobile. Even his mouth and eyes were covered in a layer of gauze.

Shinobu watched Ryuunosuke as she shut the door of the shed. "Do you think he'll be alright in there?"

Ryuunosuke shrugged. "He's gotten out of worse. Let's get out of here. Nagisa's gone out, said something to do with that club he's in. He won't be coming back for a while."

As the two set off across the school grounds, Ryuunosuke gazed silently over at Shinobu. Quietly, she hoped that the whole thing with the Sexuality Remote would be water under the bridge, but she knew Shinobu held grudges for far less. Well, maybe not towards her, but she didn't want to risk it.

Shinobu turned her head towards Ryuunosuke. Ryuunosuke quickly turned away, trying not to meet Shinobu's gaze.

"What's wrong?" Shinobu asked.

Ryuunosuke sweated for a moment. Was Shinobu still looking at her?

"Is it about this morning?" Shinobu asked, more insistently.

Ryuunosuke swallowed hard. "What d'ya mean?" She tried her best to avoid looking at her.

"You know what I mean," Shinobu said. "Are you still worried about what Sakura-sensei said?"

Ryuunosuke stopped still. This was the question that she hoped and prayed that Shinobu wouldn't be asking her.

Shinobu moved in front of Ryuunosuke, trying to look in her eyes. "Ryuunosuke-kun, it's okay now. The remote's broken and..."

Ryuunosuke's brows furrowed. "You might say it's okay, but I don't feel any damn better!" She looked away angrily. "After that thing hit me I was chasing skirts and acting sleazy like I didn't know any better! You think I can just go back to being the same again after that?"

Shinobu shook her head. "I don't know. Do you think that maybe it wasn't just the remote talking when you were charming those girls?"

Ryuunosuke blinked, her face turning a deep crimson. She was terribly silent for a moment, because she knew that Shinobu scored a direct hit on her. And of all the people in the school it had to be, it had to be Shinobu...

"You know, once I wished you were really a boy, back during that date we had..."

Ryuunosuke turned back to look at Shinobu, her brow furrowed.

"I know it sounds unfair for you, doesn't it?" Shinobu continued. "But I really wished it were true. Because then maybe, I wouldn't have had to keep these feelings locked away."

Ryuunosuke stared at Shinobu silently. Her mind filled with all the possible things she could say in response to Shinobu's words, but they all jammed up in her head, unable to get out. Instead, she reached out silently, and placed a hand on Shinobu's shoulder.

"Do you really think so?" She asked finally, turning Shinobu gently to face her. "Do you still like me that way? Even as a girl?"

Shinobu looked at Ryuunosuke for a moment, before breaking into a giggle. "Ryuunosuke, you really have changed."

Ryuunosuke said nothing. She just gazed at Shinobu, a meaningful glance shared between them, as the wind stirred the grass around them.

"Are you guys gonna stand there, or are you finally gonna kiss?"

Both eyes turned towards Lum, in her boys' uniform, hovering in front of them curiously. Now aware of an audience, both of their faces started to turn a bright red.

"Uh, we weren't g-gonna..." Ryuunosuke said. "Well, m-m-maybe we could, but…"

"I mean, we could, I guess…" Shinobu said. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that!"

Ryuunosuke and Shinobu stopped and exchanged glances. Then they burst out laughing.

Lum hovered there, confused and slightly indignant. "When you're done laughing your asses off, maybe you can tell me where Darlin' is?"

"Oh no, she even says 'Darling' like a boy would!" Shinobu squeaked in between giggles. "I can't breathe!"

It took a short while for Ataru to find the small storage shed behind the gymnasium, mostly as he had thought from Nagisa's description that he meant the storage shed the Fujinamis called home. As he noticed Nagisa, as well as the three other men surrounding him, Ataru started to feel the urge to flee the scene. It took all of his nerve to stay there and call out to Nagisa.

"Nagisa-chan! I'm here now!"

Megane and Mendou turned to see Ataru running up to them. "Wait, you mean your project is Moroboshi?" Megane said, somewhat taken aback.

Mendou waved slightly. "I don't mind if Ataru-chan joins us. If he wants to be beautiful as well, he has every right to be here as I do."

Nagisa nodded, his chest swelling with pride. "That's a fine way of putting it, Shu-chan. Now let's get inside. The others will be coming soon, and we've got to get everything prepared, alright?"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

All heads turned to see Lum swooping over the small storage shed, Shinobu and Ryuunosuke rushing in after them. She landed with a thump in front of Nagisa, her eyes flashing.

"Whaddya think yer doin' with my Darlin'?"

Ataru waved hesitantly. "It's okay, Lum! Nagisa-senpai's going to make me and Shuu-chan beautiful!"

Lum blinked, her expression of anger quickly falling from her face. "Beautiful?"

Nagisa nodded, a smile on his face. "Of course, dear. Tacchan and Shu-chan had come here asking for my help, and I would disgrace my good reputation with the Tomobiki High Crossdressing Club if I didn't provide any help."

Lum turned to look at Ataru, but all she got from him was just a shy look. She looked back at Nagisa. "No funny stuff, okay?" She floated up to Nagisa, a scowl still on her face. "I'll be watching you."

Nagisa beamed back at Lum. "I do love an audience!" she looked over towards Ryuunosuke and Shinobu. "I suppose you two would like to join her?"

Ryuunosuke simply shrugged. "Got nothin' better to do."

Nagisa opened the door, and everyone quickly stepped inside, Kenta with his massive black box bringing up the rear. As he stepped inside, Nagisa turned the wicker bamboo shade covering the window of the door, from an unpainted side to one inked with a pattern of red roses in full bloom. To the other club members, that was the signal that a meeting was in progress.

"Sakura-sensei?"

Sakura stirred slightly, as a sweet, unfamiliar voice floated through the fog of unconsciousness. As she came back into consciousness, the memory of the red flash of light from the Sexuality Remote came back like a haze.

"Sakura-sensei!"

Sakura opened her eyes with a snap, and turned to see a woman there. She looked familiar, a woman who had certainly dropped over the precipice of middle-age, but at least didn't seem to have been damaged too much from the fall. As their eyes met, the woman's face went from a frown of consternation to a smile of relief.

"You're awake. Finally, I was wondering what my idiot son had done to have you napping on one of the sick beds like this…"

As she smiled, Sakura finally twigged on the woman. "You're Ataru's mother, aren't you?" She raised herself to a sitting position. "What are you doing here?"

Mrs. Moroboshi had returned to an expression of consternation. "Well, I heard from the principal that Ataru had been attacked by the father of that Fujinami kid. I'm surprised that such a sweet young woman could have been raised by such a violent man." She frowned slightly at that. "But he said I should come and speak with you."

Sakura groaned. "Yes, of course. Mr. Fujinami has always been irrational. This is just him taking it too far."

Mrs. Moroboshi said something in response, but Sakura didn't notice. The light of twilight coming in through the window had caught the gloss on her lips, making them sparkle as she spoke. Sakura couldn't help but stare at those pink glossy lips. It certainly made her marvel at how a woman who had dealt with such a daily stressful situation as being the mother of Ataru Moroboshi could still stay so beautiful…

"Sakura-sensei? Are you alright?"

Sakura snapped back to reality. "What? Oh, I didn't quite catch that."

"I was asking why that brute had attacked my son. Did he try and harass his daughter?" Mrs. Moroboshi. "Honestly, you look like you're somewhere else."

"I was just looking at your lips, that's all!" Sakura bit back. "They just look so pretty, I couldn't..." She blinked, realising the words that were coming out of her mouth. "I couldn't stop… looking."

Sakura sweated under Mrs. Moroboshi's gaze. Now she was certain that she was affected by the Remote. And she just had to find out in the most embarrassing fashion, too.

"I'm sorry, I'm having a very strange day today. Maybe you should ask someone else about where your son is?" Sakura pasted on a smile as she moved to rise from the bed. She didn't expect Mrs. Moroboshi to have a dreamy look on her face and flushed cheeks.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." She cooed. "I never thought somebody like you would think I'm pretty!"

"Really?" Sakura squeaked, before recollecting herself. "Er, I mean, it's just a passing fancy…"

Mrs. Moroboshi smiled and sat herself on the bed, next to Sakura. "Why are you denying it? I'd sure like to hear more about what you think about me." She smiled and batted her eyelashes at Sakura.

Sakura swallowed hard. It occurred to her at that moment that Ataru might not have inherited his tendency toward deviance from his father, like she originally thought. "What I'm trying to say is that this is only temporary. That is, I'm not myself right now."

"Then should we waste our time talking about these ephemeral things?" Mrs. Moroboshi asked. "Can't I enjoy your company for now, even if it supposedly will only last for a short while?

Sakura blinked. "Are you asking me on a date?"

Mrs. Moroboshi smiled. "No, but now that you've made the suggestion…"

"I didn't suggest anything!" Sakura said. "I only asked a question!"

"I'd like to go out with you, then." Mrs. Mooboshi said smugly. "Give me an hour and I'll be at Cafe Pigmon. You'll be welcome to come, of course!" She rose from the bed, skipping towards the door. As she opened it, she turned back to smile at Sakura. "I'd love to see you there, though!"

Sakura stared after the closing door. All was silent for a moment, but for the sound of the summer wind through the trees outside.

Then Sakura swore to herself, and got up to get changed for her date.