(Updated to prove I'm not dead. Slow chapter ahoy~)

You waited to hear something back from the hospital. Saturday trudged along with nothing particularly interesting happening, but you received a call on Sunday.

"Hello, is this Souji?" a woman asked over the phone. After you answered, she continued. "Yes, well, we could offer you a part-time job as a janitor. What day could we schedule an interview?"

Smiling, you told her you were available at the beginning of the week, and then you agreed to meet her on Tuesday evening at 4:00. You thanked her for the offer and hung up.

Then you realized you had no idea where the hospital was.

But lucky for you, you had Zero's number. He was also the only member of the DDR group that had given you his number... you made a note to ask the others. You had two options... you could call Zero and find out where the hospital was, or you could wait until the following day and ask Emi. You didn't want to bother Zero because he didn't seem like the kind of guy who wanted to talk.

But... why would he have given you his number if you weren't going to be able to call it? Curiously, you took a chance and called him. The phone rang about three times.

"Yes?" he said on the other end.

You apologized for bothering him, and then you asked where the hospital was.

"Oh. If you start from the arcade, you travel up the street, then..."

He plainly directed you to it. He paused a few times, as if second guessing himself, but you managed to draw a map on scrap paper. You told him thanks for the help.

"Don't mention it."

In an attempt to be friendly, you said you'd see him around, as opposed to-

"Goodbye." He hung up. Well, at least he wasn't angry about it. If anything... you suspected he was less bitter than when he first met you. Nevertheless, your life progressed with sleep and schoolwork until...

-.

Tuesday, after school, you made your way to the hospital. You first found the arcade, then tried to follow the directions Zero gave you. You immediately learned it was a long walk, and you were glad you left school rather early.

On your way there, you ran into Alice, who seemed to be going the opposite direction.

"Hi, Souji," she mumbled.

You greeted her. You wondered if she knew where the hospital was, so you decided to ask her if you were heading in the right direction.

"Oh, I know where it's at," she said. "Do you want me to show you?"

You made sure she wasn't going out of her way or anything, but she insisted upon going with you.

"If it'll help, I'd be glad to," she offered.

She was so cute... you stopped trying to say "no" to her and asked her to lead the way. The two of you walked down the street. She seemed like she didn't want to take the lead; you walked close to her side. You asked where she was originally going before she ran into you.

"I was thinking about going to the arcade," she responded. "There aren't a lot of people on weekdays, so it's good for practice."

You agreed with her. After all, that's when you went to practice. You were familiar with her dancing on Fridays, though. She seemed about as good as Emi... sometimes Alice would try a song that she wouldn't pass, but other times, she would pass new songs. She wasn't at the same level as Rage, but you told her that she was already good at DDR.

She blushed. "Oh, not really," she told you. "I want to get better at passing harder songs, but I'm not really serious about it."

She was a modest girl. You wanted to get to know her more, so you continued to ask about her.

"Um... well, I'm from Hong Kong. Right now, I'm a singer and dancer, but I always try to have Fridays off. My other days off just come whenever I can get them, like today... I um, I like to write letters... it's kind of old-fashioned, but I think it's more of a surprise to get a letter in front of you than an e-mail," she smiled to herself, "maybe that makes me kind of sentimental. It's weird, huh?"

You told her it was a good thing to be a little sentimental.

She giggled a little. "If you say so." You were looking at the side of her head. She looked at the ground, shyly. "You're nice to talk to, Souji."

The two of you were crossing a street when...

...!

You were able to form a link with Alice at that moment. Time froze as her sincere words echoed before finding a place in your heart. You were happy, then, to befriend the sweet girl named Alice.

-.

"Here it is," she said when you were before the doors of the hospital. "Good luck on your job!" She bowed and waved to you. You waved back and left her standing outside the door.

You found your way to a specific room. The woman on the phone told you to take the south elevator to the third floor, where a secretary would direct you to the office. You followed her instructions with the use of a map, and you successfully found a woman working at a desk a few feet away. You inquired her about your interview.

"Oh, you're Mr. Seta?" she asked. "Yes, someone will be ready for you in a bit. Please wait here."

You waited in that room. You had prepared a brief resume beforehand, and you reviewed it, having nothing better to do besides read an old magazine.

"Mr. Seta?" a new male voice called. You looked his direction. He was a tall man in a white coat with glasses. "Please come this way."

You rose from your seat and followed him into an office. You were a bit nervous, but you took the brief time spent walking to calm yourself. It was only a janitor job... but you were just worried about the lack of positions available.

You sat down in front of the man's desk and he sat behind it.

"Well, Mr. Seta," he began, "it seems you were recommended by a staff member here. From what we've heard, we think we can open up a part time job for you."

Your face lit up a little. From what he heard...? What did he hear, anyway? You didn't want to let him know you were barely acquainted with Zero... you expressed your surprise in a few words.

"Well, to be honest, all we needed was to know you were willing to work," he said. "But we heard about how you had previous experience, and we were told you were willing to put effort in whatever you wanted to do. So, Mr. Seta, if you want the job, it's yours."

Wow... Zero had apparently been generous. You eagerly agreed to work, and the two of you discussed your schedule.

From then on, your shifts were on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. The days fit into your school schedule and didn't interfere with the Fridays at the arcade, so you were pleased. You planned to go back on Thursday to begin your training.