CH 17: The Many POVs

A/N: This chapter is more like a product of my random thoughts—meaning, there's no plot. :P Three more chapters and this story will conclude.

POV 1: Usada & Youko

Youko was having her usual "sweet time" at the nook. And by the very definition of a "sweet time", it's her spontaneous eating of her favorite snacks that help increase her inner battery. Usada's homemade flavored jelly buns were no less excluded from an array of sweets to choose from her basket. The other snacks take account of gobuster wafers and choco(s). She could eat at least five snacks in a single meal.

Usada her buddyroid appeared with an irksome expression in his face…White warm fumes bulleted from his ears.

"Youko!" He called, "what's the meaning of this? Why would you excuse from cram school today?" The kind of cram school that Usada mentioned was the tutorial between him and Youko. Cram school was to prepare Youko for her national tests and college entrance tests.

"Mou, let me rest Usada" she replied. Her morphin brace rang and she thought of only one person who would call her this time.

"Youko, Nick and I will be arriving soon." It was Hiromu. He was calling from the teleportation facility at the Dainan District. Youko couldn't help grinning from hearing his voice.

"Yokaii, Hiromu" she replied, trying to contain herself from smiling excessively.

"Speaking of which, have of you eaten your choco?"

"I know that already!"

"Just checking. Alright, I'll see you later. Take care, okay?"

Youko's cheeks reddened. "Hiromu! Usada's here! Stop being..being.." She can't muster the right words to say.

"being what? Sweet? Aren't you having your sweet time right now?" He was chuckling at the end of the line.

"Fine, fine! Just go home already!" she retorted.

"Yokaii".

"Don't say something baka, statements like you love me or something"

"Huh? But you forced me to repeat that many times yesterday—"

She dropped the call immediately and buried her face on her basket of sweets. Usada knew clearly what's going on. He knew that she liked that siscon eversince. But he wanted her to prioritize her studies more than everything else. "Youko, about your cram school—"

Youko showed a mock national test result to Usada straight away. The grade was above satisfactory. "You and siscon are both obstinate about my studies."

Usada's fumes were gone instantaneously. For once, he thought Hiromu's tactics were likeable.

POV 2: Ryuuji & Hiromu / Ryuuji & Commander Kuroki

Hiromu appeared from the 01 shooter hatch of the Command Center. Ryuuji was there for the nth time, with his arms crossed. He had an unsmiling expression, which surprised Hiromu. But what Hiromu didn't know was Ryuuji was just making that facial expression up.

"Ryuu-san" Hiromu began, his tone just as humorless.

"Your weakpoint will be tested before sunset, at the rooftop" Ryuuji replied. Hiromu wondered the logic behind the weakpoint as his golden ticket to date Youko. As if Ryuuji heard his thoughts, he answered, "Overcoming your weakpoint is a sign that you love Youko."

Masaka—I would be really facing them this time! Hiromu thought.

"Ryuu-san, things like overcoming a weakpoint don't happen overnight" He commented, his eyebrows furrowed. "Besides, it's a side effect of our vaccine program."

He got me there, Ryuuji thought. It took him a while to refute what Hiromu said. He got an idea.

"In love, Hiromu, nothing is impossible" Ryuuji said, the lower end of his lip twitching as if signaling mischief. "Since you are a genius, things like this are just easy for you."

And that ended their conversation.

Hiromu bowed politely and exited the Command Center. Commander Kuroki went inside from a different entrance. He caught Ryuuji laughing hard at himself.

"Ryuuji, what's the matter?"

"It's Hiromu. He's asking permission to take Youko out—"

"WHAT?!"

Uzo, I forgot that he had no idea. Ryuuji thought. He stammered for the right words to say at Commander Kuroki, who had been Youko's father figure eversince. But it seemed that Commander Kuroki considered Youko's well being seriously. He figured that there were a lot of times when Youko showed her 'special' concern for Hiromu. Besides, Hiromu was not a bad choice either. He was after all the son of two great scientists that he respected so much.

"She's in the right age at least" He said, putting a hand under his chin. "So what are you jesting about?"

"I said that before he takes Youko out, he has to perform a test for me. I told him that I'll be testing his weakpoint at the rooftop before sunset. It's just a prank."

The older one was taken aback. "And Hiromu didn't sense through that suspicion with his good judgment?."

Ryuuji shook his head.

"Hmm. So that shows how special Youko is to him." Commander Kuroki said. Ryuuji smiled and nodded approvingly.

POV 3: Nick & Usada / Hiromu, Ryuuji & Youko

At the rooftop laid a large-scale cage that was covered in a black cloth. No one can peek through the inside, only Ryuuji can. Ryuuji emerged from the tent, looking amused at himself. Hiromu and Youko came into view together, the former nervous while the latter looking resolved. Usada and Nick followed and they stayed at the rear end of the rooftop where no one could hear them.

"So we'll be in-laws then" Nick said, to Usada's surprise.

"What are you talking about? No marriage for Youko until she finishes college!" Usada retorted.

Nick imagined being under one roof with Usada:

Usada: Youko, your snacks are ready.

Youko: gomen Usada, Nick made choco for me.

Usada: *gasped* but I'm the one preparing snacks for you!

Youko: *chuckled* Don't be mad Usada. Hiromu asked him to do so.

*Usada's fumes bulleted from his ears.

Nick brushed away his bubble thoughts literally by swapping them in the mid-air. Usada thought how dense the buddyroid could be. Whatever Nick's thoughts were, Usada wouldn't dare to ask.

Meanwhile, Ryuuji confronted Hiromu and Youko with what the former would be facing.

"that's—a cage" Youko said, nervousness building up in her heart. "Ryuu-san, you don't mean this, do you?"

Ryuuji didn't pay attention to what she said. "You're ready, Hiromu?" he asked.

"Yokaii" Hiromu replied, looking resolved.

Ryuuji led him to the cage covered with black cloth. Hiromu advanced inside.

Hiromu entered the cage. It completely dark.

A light flickered in the middle and Hiromu could see a figure wrapped in a black cloth as well. It was moving leisurely, producing sounds of cluck, cluck, cluck. He closed his eyes as the sound grew louder. He thought that the sound appeared weird though.

Then…

The clothed figure materialized. It was J! in a chicken suit (A/N: This chicken suit was worn by Jin Masato in one of the episodes of Gobusters). Hiromu hesitated to open his eyes but he sensed that it was not a real chicken. He opened his eyes and he saw that it was J. The chicken costume made him froze a bit though.

"J! You—" Hiromu couldn't finish his words. His whole demeanor remained stationary. He thought of Youko and he closed his eyes forcefully. J was doing the chicken dance around him for five minutes. At the expiration of the frozen period, Hiromu removed J's costume without looking. He took the black cloth and covered the costume wholly.

"Quite a prank we have here!"Hiromu exclaimed, his reason fading out.

He and J exited the cage. Youko came in a hurry towards him.

"Hiromu, daijobou?" Youko asked. Hiromu smiled at her and nodded.

"Let me show you my pet" J said. He took a small box with holes as small as three centimeters. He opened the box and out came a chick. The chick flew and dropped on Hiromu's hand. Upon seeing this, Hiromu froze and collapsed on the spot. The chick flew away to J.

"J! Seriously?!" Ryuuji said. Even he couldn't believe that the buddyroid had Jin Masato's character in him. As far as he's concerned, he didn't ask J to bring a baby chick. But maybe, just maybe, the buddyroid got fond of the creature when Ryuuji asked him to observe chickens.

Youko carried Hiromu using one arm. She shot a glare at Ryuuji and J before heading to the infirmary.

POV 4: Hiromu & Youko

Hiromu fractured his arm back there—because the way he collapsed was painful. Youko remained faithful to his side at the infirmary bed. She never let go of his free hand. Hiromu appreciated the gesture. It was as if the whole prank thing was a blessing.

"Ryuu-san apologizes for the prank," Youko said, "What J did was not from the plan."

"Does that mean he approves of our relationship?" He asked.

"He sensed it through you when you thought I dated someone from the amusement park" She replied, smiling.

Hiromu remembered that (A/N: Ch: 9, White Day). Then Commander Kuroki and Usada's faces came into his mind. "How about Commander Kuroki and Usada?"

"Usada's fine with it as long as I finish college. With Commander Kuroki, I'm not sure—although Ryuu-san tells it's okay." Hiromu let out a sigh of relief. With three of Youko's guardians approving of their relationship, he thought things between him and Youko will go smoothly.

"Uzo, I have to finish my homework." Youko said, removing her hand from his, abruptly.

Hiromu leaped from the bed and grabbed her hand. "Let me help." He said, smiling.

A/N: A preview.

She grabbed his collar and said, "it's not funny Hiromu."

Her face was only a few inches away from his. He leaned more, trying to close the gap in between them. But he gave her a chance to pull away.

She tried to back off for just a few centimeters.

Then she saw that he was smiling widely. Or was he grinning?

"Say it Youko. Say that you love me."

Without thinking or hesitation in her part, she closed the gap between them by placing her mouth on his.