A/N: Soo... hi again! Here's another chapter!

Chapter 2

Akira's POV

Lesson: When sharing opinions on people, you never know how the person you're talking to feels about the person you're talking about

Thanks for ruining my day, you bastard.

I unlock the door to my small apartment and let myself in. Putting my groceries away in the fridge, I suddenly remember the fact that I have to meet Kagura for lunch. Shit, shit, shit. Who else did she say was coming? Was it Kintoki? No, no, it was Gintoki. Oh yeah, and some other kid.

Deciding to get ready to meet Gin-chan, as Kagura called him, and the other kid (what was his name again?), I hop in the shower. Looking at the conveniently placed clock on the bathroom wall near the sink, I notice that it's only 10:30 AM. Sighing, I relax. Just for the sake of the audience (and Author-sama), I think about the time Kagura and I first met.

Author-sama side note: Oi, Akira, stop breaking the fourth wall!

Akira: It's not my fault, you're the one who couldn't find any other way to weave this in!

Author-sama: Oh, yeah.. hehe... *sweat drops*

It was a sunny afternoon and I had decided to go for a walk to Oedo park. Seeing as it was a really pretty day, I sat down on a bench and began sketching.

Suddenly, the blue sky I was looking up at turned black.

And I felt blood roll down the side of my face.

"Sadaharu, down!" I hear a feminine voice call.

The black lifted and the sky was blue again.

I saw a girl with orange hair, the person who the voice belonged to.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," she replied, hopping onto the bench, right next to me. Her dog crouched on the ground beside her. "Watcha drawing?"

"Nothing much," I replied.

"Lemme see."

"I'm more of a painter than a drawer, you know, my drawings are kinda embarrassing."

"If you won't show me your drawings, then show me your paintings."

"Fair 'nough."

At my house, she studied the many abstract paintings I'd done. After asking question after question about my profession (an artist), she decided to paint something herself. Soon enough, it was dark. She used my phone to make a call to someone (Gin-chan, she said), and spent the night at my place. After a meal of egg over rice (her choice), she asked to sleep in a closet (god knows why), her monstrous dog right outside the closet door. By the time I woke up in the morning (or afternoon, it was already lunchtime), she was gone, a phone number in her place.

We spoke on the phone about twice a week, sometimes meeting in the park. The last time she called she said that Gintoki, who I think is her guardian, and some other kid wanted to meet me. Hence, this whole lunch thing happened.

Lost in thought thanks to Author-sama, I turned to the clock again. It read 11:30. I've been in here for an hour! And I'm gonna be late! I jump out of the warm, inviting shower and quickly get dressed. Locking my apartment, I grab my bicycle and begin biking towards the restaurant Kagura said we'd meet at.

About half the way there I realize that I own a motor scooter. Well, there's no turning back now, I sigh to myself.

-at the restaurant-

I park my bike and attempt to calm my beating heart. I check my watch and notice that, even with all the effort I put into biking as fast as I could, I'm 5 minutes late. Sighing, I enter the restaurant. I hear loud voices from one of the booths. One of them is Kagura's.

"Yes, Gin-chan, I'm sure I told her the right restaurant name."

"Gin-san, I'm sure she's just late. Don't worry." A boyish voice says.

"Who says I'm worried, Patsuan? I just can't order my parfait until she gets here! Hurry up, damnit!"

"Hey guys!" I say, trying to ignore the comments of who I assumed was Gintoki.

"Hi Akira-chan!" Kagura says.

"Hey," I say again, sitting down.

I notice that there are already four people in the booth. Gintoki (the guy with silver hair, I assume), the other kid (he has glasses, but what's his name?), Kagura, and a woman with a brown ponytail.

"Hello, Akira-san," the brown haired lady says with a smile on her face.

"Sup," Who I assume is Gintoki says.

"Hello, Akira-san," The boy with glasses says, mimicking his sister.

"Sorry for being late, you guys," I say.

"Oi, Otae, can I order my parfait now?" Gintoki asks, ignoring me.

"Yeah, sure, Gintoki-san," I answer for her. "It's on me."

His bored demeanor immediately lifts.

"Wait, seriously?" He says to me. I nod. "Waiter, 5 strawberry parfaits with extra chocolate sauce!" He calls.

The glasses boy gives him a look.

I laugh, patting his shoulder.

"Kagura-chan, what would you like?" I ask, leaning over to look at the menu she was holding.

"I've made up my mind," she says. "I want egg over rice!"

"How about you guys?" I ask.

The glasses boy - Shinpachi, as I learned his name was - and Otae choose their dishes while I choose mine. Waving the waiter over, everyone tells him their order (except Gintoki of course, he already ordered his parfaits).

Our food arrives.

Everyone starts eating, Gintoki especially fast.

"To be honest, I can't see how you keep in shape if you eat this much sweet food."

"Yeah," he replies, mouth full, "according to the doctor, I'm pre-diabetic."

I laugh. "No surprise."

He nods and takes another bite. "It must be the gorilla drawing this. Even if I really should be fat in real life, no manga or anime wants a fat main character."

Author-sama curses Gintoki for breaking the fourth wall.

"Waiter, I want another bowl!" Kagura shouts.

The waiter takes her bowl and brings it back to her. Once again she asks for a refill. And a third time, and a fourth time.

Gintoki, having finished his parfaits, asks me,

"So... you're the one who Kagura spent the night with that one time, right?"

I nod.

"Can she stay over more often? The brat's really getting tangled in my hair these days." *

I laugh. "Sure, why not?"

Just as we're finishing up, Otae pulls out a package.

"Is anyone still hungry? I brought something extra, just in case." She says, untying the cloth on the package. "Hope you don't mind, it's tamagoyaki." [1]

What she shows to us is nothing like tamagoyaki, though. What I saw in her box was a substance only definable by one term - dark matter.

Everyone simultaneously mumbles how very, very full they are.

Otae frowns.

"Aww, this is going to go to waste! Is everyone sure they're still not hungry?"

Vigorous head shakes answer her question.

"I'll eat your food, Otae-san!" A manly voice called from under the table. "I'll eat your delicious cooking till the day I die!" Someone, presumably the owner of the voice, leaped out from under the cloth onto Otae's lap.

I gasp. Everyone else sighs.

[1] tamagoyaki - "Tamagoyaki 卵焼き is a type of Japanese omelette, which is made by rolling together several layers of cooked egg." - Google

*gets tangled in my hair- a play on the term get (it) out of your hair

A/N: So... yeah, there's your second chapter.