A/N: For not complaining about lack of updates, I reward you with another update! Hooray!

-=+=-

A timid knocking on the door made Karin spin her desk chair to look at Janae's bed. "Look, can't we just give them their stuff so they'll leave? I thought you were going to leave their stuff out in the hall for them. It's the nice thing to do."

Janae's muffled voice rose from the piled-up bed sheets. "NO."

Karin crossed her arms. "Why are you being like this? You shouldn't take out your anger on them because of something that stupid Austin did to you."

"Don't wanna talk about it."

"You can't avoid life forever, Janae."

"Says who?"

Knock, knock. Karin sighed. "Either I give them their things, OR I'll just let them in to get it themselves. Your choice."

Silence, then Janae groaned. "Give them their stuff and then make them leave."

"Good girl." There was another quiet knock on the door as Karin picked up the twin's bags. "Your kindness will be rewarded in the Afterlife."

"Bite the Afterlife, Karin."

Karin clicked the lock, and eased the door open. "Here, you can have your stuff, but Janae said she doesn't want to…oh."

Jake stood rather awkwardly in the hall. "Um, so should I leave or something?"

"Hey Jake." Karin leaned into the room. "It's not the twins, it's Jake."

Janae groaned louder. "Even worse. Tell him to leave."

Karin frowned. "Sorry, Janae's not feeling well, Jake. Can I take a message?"

Jake shifted from one foot to the next. "I was wondering if she'd like to go down the mountain to get some Taco Bell or something?"

"Like a date?" Janae mumbled from the pile of blankets.

"Sure, if you want to think of it like that."

Her answer was loud and clear. "NO. The male race can go to hell, for all I care."

Karin rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Jake. I'll go with, if you want."

Jake shrugged it off. "Sounds fine. I'll wait for you in Old Scot parking lot, okay?"

"Sounds alright. Be right out." Karin shut the door and stomped over to Janae's bed. Throwing off the covers, she fixed Janae with her angriest face. "You're acting like a BABY. You aren't even DATING Austin, you shouldn't care THIS much. And you were a total jerk to Jake. Stop acting like this, RIGHT NOW."

Janae remained unfazed. "Firstly, I have every right to act like a jerk because I AM one. Secondly, you weren't the one who saw YOUR dream man GRINDING on Ms. Skankity Slutslut. Thirdly, I don't give an At's rass about Jake. Now leave me alone."

Karin sighed. "Janae, I like you, but you are impossible to deal with." She crossed the room, grabbed her purse, and walked to the door. "I'm going to enjoy a delicious BlackJack taco with a cute guy and YOU'RE buried under your covers moping about a stupid boy who never even SAID he liked you as more than a friend, and whom you never told you actually liked. Now, who's going to have a better night?"

Karin slammed the door, leaving Janae alone in the quiet room. For a moment, she lay on her back and contemplated the many ways she knew she could kill herself.

"Why does my life insist on sucking so bad?"

-=+=-

In the morning, however, I began to understand why I've been so miserable.

"Oh, boy. That time of the month, huh?" I sigh. "Sometimes being a girl is tough."

Karin looks over from her desk. "Good morning, sleepy."

"Karin," I say before she can continue, "I'm sorry I was so rude to you and Jake last night. Okay?"

She blinks at me like a stunned goldfish. "Well, I wasn't expecting an apology this early, but yeah, we're cool."

Grabbing the still-forgotten backpacks from the floor, I head over to the closet to throw something on. "I'm gonna go talk to the twins and Jake before class. See you in a few."

Karin stares after me. "What's gotten into you? You're so…CIVIL."

Leaving the room and walking over to the all-male section of the building, I wonder to myself: Am I really as bad as everyone says I am?

As if to answer my question, a guy walking through the commons coming towards me looks up, panics, and crosses to the opposite side of the room, giving me a scared look.

Whatever.

Upon reaching West North, (yes, that's the real name of their hall) I stood outside, suddenly feeling reluctant to go in.

I pull out my trusty cell phone and text Kaoru, "I'm outside your hall, I've got your stuff. Janae."

Five seconds after I press "send", the phone rings. "Ohayo, Janae-tan! Please come in; everyone's dressed."

"Great." I swipe my campus card and enter their commons. "So male nudity won't be on my confession list this week."

A guy rooting around in the fridge gives me a funny look. "I can fix that for you, Sugartits."

"Shove it, dickweed." I stop, and turn to face him. "Men don't hold a position as far as things I like right now, and I'm not afraid to go back to prison." I smile at him. "Get the picture?"

He shuts up.

I walk up to their door. Knock once. Knock twice.

The door opens, and I am attacked by two highly excited Japanese redheads.

"Janae, this is the first time you've ever visited our room!"

"We're so exited, Janae! Come in!"

They clutch me like a rag doll, rubbing their heads against my shoulders. It's so affectionate I could barf.

"Okay, I'll come in. Just get off me."

I enter their room. Nothing remarkable, it's a little cleaner than what I expected. It smells like green tea. Their beds are shoved together to make a king-size, which I think is a little odd, but who am I to judge?

"Looks good." I drop their bags on the floor. "Sorry about your stuff."

Immediately, one of them drops onto one knee, zips open one of the pockets, and produces a key. "There, see Kaoru? I TOLD you it was in the front pocket."

Hang on a sec. "How did you get in here without your room key?"

Hikaru waves me off. "We picked the lock; no big deal."

They PICKED the LOCK? What kind of evil masterminds ARE these guys?

"Sorry, I didn't know you'd left your key behind." I scuff the ground with my toe. "I woulda given you your stuff back sooner…if I'd known…"

Hikaru claps me on the shoulder. "Apology accepted, Janae," he grins at me. "Let's go get breakfast."

"Wait, I'm not done." I push away his hand. "Listen, about last night…well, I'm sorry I ran off. Okay?"

Kaoru shrugs. "Don't worry about it, Janae. You've been forgiven. Now it's time for breakfast."

In spite of myself, I smile. "I'm not going soft or anything, okay? I've just been more of a jerk than usual, so I wanted to make sure you guys weren't heartbroken or anything."

They laugh. "We'll try to control our emotions for you, Janae."

Damn, they're getting too smart for their own good.

-=+=-

Even walking to breakfast, however, proved an emotional roller-coaster that morning. As the twins laughed noisily at something Hikaru had said, Janae suddenly snapped to attention. "Hey, Austin!"

Walking toward them, Austin's face split in an over-the-top smile. "Hey, Nae, what's up?"

Austin nodded vaguely at the twins. "'Sup, Japan," he said as an afterthought to both of them, and neither of them.

Janae smiled brightly and pushed her chest out slightly. "Guess what? I finally found my mailbox key! Can you believe it?"

"No way! It's been, like, a week, right? Where did you find it?"

"I found it in my Tupperware of popcorn kernels."

Austin paused, then grabbed his stomach and roared with laughter. "How do you think…no, I don't want to ruin it by asking!"

Janae giggled. "I have absolutely no idea how, either!"

As the two shared a laugh, the Hitachiin twins observed, unamused, from the sideline.

"Who the hell," remarked Hikaru, "does Griffiths think he is?"

"He is far too friendly," continued Kaoru, "with our dear Janae-tan."

They held up their pointer fingers together and declared aloud, "His intentions are obviously not pure!"

As Janae wiped tears of laughter from her cheeks, she was shocked to find herself hefted up between the twins.

"Onegai, we're sorry, but Janae-tan must go now," they intoned together. "Please leave her alone."

Austin looked surprised, then confused. "Uh, what's going on, Nae?"

Janae was red with embarrassment and fury. "Kao-baka, Hika-baka, put me DOWN!"

The twins smiled pleasantly at Austin. "See you at Host Club later, and remember this: Never talk to Janae-tan again. Arigatou!"

As the twins slid away, holding the angry, flailing, cursing Janae between them, Austin gave her a half-hearted wave. "So, uh, see you later?"

"Not likely!" shouted Hikaru over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Grif."

"Sorry about this, Austin!" Janae managed to call. "We'll hang at the Host Club!"

"Not," said Kaoru, "If WE have anything to say about it."

"You DON'T, because I don't WANT you to. And PUT ME DOWN."

They dropped her in an ungainly heap on the ground outside the cafeteria door. "Fine, then."

"What's the deal, you two?" Janae fumed. "We were just talking."

Hikaru looked at Kaoru. "Can I tell her, or should you?"

Kaoru patted him on the arm. "Go ahead."

"Did you already forget about last night?" Hikaru tapped her on the forehead. "Austin is a…" he faltered. "What's the word, Kaoru?"

"I think the term is "playa", Hikaru."

"Austin is a playa, Janae. Do you want to be played?" He shook his head. "I don't think you do."

Linking elbows, the brothers continued up to the cafeteria.

Janae's face was distraught. "But…but maybe I DO want to be played. Just a little," she whispered to herself.

-=+=-

Classical music. The clink of teacups. The rustle of nice clothing. The excited high chatter of female voices, the gentle drone of lower male voices.

Host club is fully underway.

Jake, however, has not showed up. I didn't see him all day at class either.

Jeez, how am I supposed to apologize to him if I never see him? First I can't get rid of him, now that I want him I can't find him.

Men.

Oh, and Austin? Yeah, screw him. He's been ignoring me the whole time we've been here.

Stupid twins meddling in my business, chasing him off.

Interrupting the clamor of voices, Kaoru stands up and claps his hands. "May I please have your attention? I just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow the host club is meeting at Cool Beans for coffee and poetry. Also, don't forget the Sadie Hawkins Dance is coming up; if you want to ask a host, I suggest you do it now."

He sits down next to Hikaru, and immediately three girls swarm around them. "Hikaru, Kaoru, would you like to come with us to the Sadie Hawkins dance?"

Hikaru holds up a hand. "Sorry, ladies, but we're already being escorted."

Immediately their faces drop. "Oh, well." said one. "There's always next year."

Alright, I'll admit I'm a little jealous. Who's the quick chick who asked them already?

My attention, however, is drawn to Austin standing up, stretching (and flexing a little…yum) and excusing himself from the room.

Now's my chance. I can't live like this; I have to know for sure. I'm going to ask him if he…well…

Jeez, I feel like I'm in middle school.

Whatever. I get up and run out the door to catch him in the hall. "Austin, wait!"

He turns. "Hm? Whutup, Nae?"

I look him square in the eye. "Austin, tell me the truth. Is there any future for…well, for an "us?"

He stares at me in an awkward way. "Uh, what?"

God, men are clueless. "You and me, Austin. I mean, are you at all interested in being friends with benefits?"

His face clears. "Oh."

Oh? Oh? What in the hell does THAT mean?

He clears his throat. "Okay, Janae, here's the deal…"

My heart is in my throat. What is it? What is it?

-=+=-

A/N: CLIIIIIIIFF-HANGER! HANGING FROM A CLIFF! AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED CLIFFHANGER!

Tee hee. Hope you're enjoying the slight, slight development in the story. Could Austin come back into the picture romantically? Who is the mystery girl escorting Hikaru and Kaoru to the SH Dance? Where could Jake be during this period of tension? Just how much DO clothes shrink if you tumble-dry them the whole way?

These questions and more will be answered in the next installment of OCH. Tune in Saturday for the semi-exciting mini-arch conclusion!

And, for real, I love you all for your reviews and so-forth. (Hershey) Kisses for all!