Author's Note: The farther I get in this story, the more convinced I'll disappoint you guys. If the characters seem OOC to you, I dreadfully apologize... still, I hope you enjoy.

"I wanna be, the very best, that no one ever was~"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TAMAMA?" Keroro snatched the iPod away from him. "This is Copyright Infringement! Are you TRYING to get us sued?"

"But the song is so catchy!" Tamama whined.

"So is the Ribbit March!"

"Yeah, but I've listened to it too many times…"

"Well, I happen to appreciate that Funimation got the rights to this anime besides 4Children-"

"Okay, I agree on that. Did you see the video on Youtube-?"

Uh, guys? Not that this isn't interesting and all, but weren't we about to watch a kissing scene?

"Oh, right." Keroro grabbed his binoculars.

Tamama stared up at the sky. "Sarge, don't you think it's strange that even though we've been here for a few hours, the sun is already going down?"|

"Ehh, the episode will probably explain it later. Right now we're focused on Giroro and Natsumi. That's it, lover boy… come on… come on…"

The camera is still focused on you two.

"Well, I am the sta-"

Spicy honey.

Her face was speckled with salt water, dribbling down her cheeks. The color of her irises practically glowed against what was left of the descending sunlight, capturing the brown and altering it into a warm golden hue. He stared at them a bit longer, holding her steady gaze. Her eyes reminded him of spicy honey. Sweet and zesty, a daring innocence.

Please, kiss me.

Giroro drew a breath and turned away for a brief moment. How long have they been here? Had they really been there so long that the sun was beginning to set? He concentrated on his skin. No tingle.

"Rio?"

"Yeah?"

Their voices were so quiet, like watching the day's end was some sort of sacred, solemn ritual that neither wanted to disrupt.

Whatever Natsumi wanted to say, she lost her nerve. "Never mind."

She looked down at their hands that were held so tightly, so close together. And then her eyes were drawn to his shorts.

"Rio? Your belt."

"What?"

"Your belt." She giggled and poked at it. Her tone was still gentle and soft. "Why are you wearing your belt over your trunks?"

Giroro shrugged, embarrassed. "They're too big on me."

Is that belt blue or black? Under the dimming light, she couldn't tell. If she didn't know any better, she would say it looked like Giroro's. But how was she supposed to tell? Giroro's was large and bulky, wrapped around the shoulder across the belly. Rio's was, perhaps, a bit thinner- held properly against the hips. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.

It doesn't matter anyway. She rested her cheek on his cold, wet shoulder.

Her tiny, warm body made him shiver. "Natsumi… do you think we should be getting back…?"

Natsumi sighed quietly. "Let's wait just a little longer."

Keroro, if he had been watching and listening, was silent. Nothing came from Giroro's choker. Maybe, just maybe, they were alone at last. If this was the case, he could not miss this opportunity.

Finally bracing himself, he gently picked up Natsumi's chin with one hand, tilting her face toward him. He was careful not to hurt or scare her- and, thankfully, the look on her face expressed neither.

Even though this wasn't exactly his first kiss, he could definitely feel it's magical effect that he had heard from others. He stared at her mouth anxiously, like he was beginning to forget what he was supposed to do. The two blinked at each other.

"Rio…?"

"S-sorry," Giroro stammered, releasing his grip. Natsumi smiled, took his hands, squeezed them gently. Made him hold on to her face again.

"Sorry for what?"

Giroro could feel his heart in his brain, the familiar beatings of the drum: BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM.

Was it too late to back out now?

No. Giroro neared her face again, their noses touching, their mouths just one space apart. To fill it, to connect- that was the most difficult element…

"Sis!"

"Natsumi!"

Giroro and Natsumi gasped and quickly separated, their faces flushed of color.

"It's so dark!" Fuyuki called out, waving his arms up in the air. "Get over here! Mom says that we need to stay together!"

"I also wanted to say," Koyuki piped up, sitting between Giroro and Natsumi.

Natsumi let out a tiny scream of surprise. "K-Koyuki? What are you doing here?" So fast, too?

"Isn't it strange?" Koyuki mused. "Look! It's already night time, and we've been here only a few hours. I just thought I should tell you."

Why couldn't this have waited until after I kissed her? Giroro licked his lips. So close, but so far away. He could almost taste her lips against his… why couldn't I just do it?

"Yeah, now that you mention it…" Natsumi gazed upwards toward the sky. "What time is it?"

"Normally I would be able to tell just by looking up, but…"

"Y-your mom's right; we should stick together." Giroro rose from his knees, wiping off excess sand and water. He held out his hands to the girls. "Come."

"DARN YOU GIRORO!" Keroro was gnawing at the remote control, gnashing it against his teeth, threatening to break it apart. "YOU WERE SO CLOSE. SO FROGGING CLOSE!"

"Distractions," Kururu grinned. He laughed. "Maybe this romance wasn't meant to be."

"Oh, I'LL say when it is or isn't meant to be!" Keroro muttered. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's look at the bright side. We're still on the island- there's no reason to give up hope just yet…"

I smell determination.

"Whatever it is you're smelling I swear it wasn't me."

Food was splayed all over the table, and candles sparked light in every direction, their little orange flames dancing vigorously. Flowers were the centerpieces- yellow ones, blue ones, green ones. A variety of pitchers with a variety of drinks circled a variety of colorful and exotic dishes. Pig, chicken, turkey (Tamama pleaded with Momoka not to serve frog legs at the dinner…. She had replied by giving him an odd look), salads, pastries. The feast was so enormous the group wondered what the young rich girl was trying to accomplish.

I think it was just to show off her money.

Bingo!

"It looks delicious," Dororo told her politely, sitting in the far corner.

"Thank you," Momoka said softly. She turned to Fuyuki and awaited his reaction, but he was just bubbling with curiosity, babbling about how it could possibly be a supernatural phenomenon that the sun had set so early. Momoka sighed, exaggerated.

She had asked Paul to make a sunset imitation in hopes of making a romantic atmosphere… but Fuyuki wasn't interested in a romantic atmosphere. He was fascinated at the earliness of the situation. Because it didn't work, Momoka would have to ask that the sun come back up so that they could continue their day. Maybe, just maybe, it would work the second time around…

"Oh, and the food's good, Momoka," Fuyuki said.

"Wh-what? I missed that?" His friend turned to him again, but he was already chatting about his latest discovery that he had read from one of his books. She ate her honey-dribbled roast pig in silence.

"What are you doing all the way over here, D?" Koyuki demanded playfully, planting her hands on her hips.

"Eating. In peace."

She laughed gently and pulled him on his arm. "C'mon! I really want to go and sit next to Natsumi." Dororo saw the couple sitting quietly, who were poking at their foods and not speaking, contrasting the hungry and talkative air around them. Whatever happened earlier, it was obviously awkward and tense- the two didn't even look at each other.

Dororo picked up a banana and began to peel it.

"C'mon!" Koyuki yanked him, making him drop the said banana peel.

"Is that…. What I think it is?" Keroro's eyes sparkled. "Comedy Central here I-!"

"Oh, wait," Dororo picked up the banana peel and threw it away in the garbage can. "There. Can't litter our beautiful planet, now, can we?"

Keroro shrunk back into his seat. "Talk about killing the clown…"

"Hi, guys!" Koyuki cried out cheerfully, dragging Dororo next to her. Giroro and Natsumi both glanced up at them at the same time.

"Hi," They said in unison.

"Mind if we sit next to you?" Koyuki took a seat next to Natsumi without waiting for a reply. Dororo took this as a cue to sit beside her. "So, what's going on?"

Giroro huffed quietly. "I'm going to get some punch. Does anyone want some?"

"No, it's fine," Dororo said serenely.

"Sure," Koyuki grinned. "Are you gonna get the pink stuff? Cuz it's really good!"

"Yeah. I'll do that. Are you sure you don't want anything… err, Derik, was it?"

"Devon. Um, whatever you'll get, sure…"

Giroro shrugged. "Alright." He coughed slightly, turned to Natsumi. "And you?"

"I'm good." She kicked her seat with the back of her shoe.

"Alright…" He walked off hurriedly, anxious to get out of the tight atmosphere.

"What's going on?" Koyuki whispered, leaning toward her friend.

"Nothing's wrong," Natsumi said a little too quickly. She moved her food with her fork.

"Sure-?"

"Tell me about your friend!" Natsumi cast immediate attention on the pink-haired boy, much to Dororo's chagrin. "Why haven't you told me about him, Koyuki?"

"Well," Koyuki began, not at all deterred. "For the past week, I've been feeling kinda lonely, so… I hung out with him."

Dororo smiled, as this wasn't entirely false. Although truthfully it did make him feel awkward at first, he decided that being Koyuki's friend should come first- even if he was horrified to death at the thought of being a possible romantic interest.

"Devon, right?" Natsumi nodded. "Where are you from? Why haven't I seen you before?"

"Uh-uh…"

"I knew him from way back!" Koyuki cut in, laughing nervously.

"Then why haven't you told me about him?"

"You never asked!"

Dororo was lucky she was such a good liar. Most of the time, anyway. He shuffled slightly in his seat, wondering what to do next.

"Eat something, D," Koyuki handed him an empty plate. "I don't want you to go hungry."

"'D'?" Natsumi repeated. "That sounds like what you call Dororo."

"O-oh! I got the nickname from him," Koyuki stammered, pointing at Dororo. "And then when Dororo's name started with a 'd', it just kinda stuck."

"Makes sense, I guess.."

"Here's the punch," Giroro said, putting a glass next to Dororo's empty plate. "I just got you what I got."

"Thank you."

"And the pink lemonade for you." Giroro handed the drink to Koyuki.

"That's what it's called?" Her eyes widened as she took it. "Wow! I didn't know they had pink lemons!"

Dororo winced after taking a sip. "Um, it's a bit strong."

"Yeah," Giroro agreed, gazing at it. "I just figured that's the taste of the punch. I don't mind, though."

"Wasn't the sunset beautiful?" Koyuki asked, closing her eyes, reliving the memory.

"Yeah, it was," Natsumi mumbled, glancing briefly at Giroro, who blushed heavily.

She was beautiful, Giroro thought, embarrassed. He wondered if she was mad at him. He took a huge gulp from his glass and grimaced right after, then wondering what the heck was in this punch.

"The cups are really big," Koyuki said to no one in particular, marveling at the size. "And they're shaped weird! What's it supposed to be?"

"A tiki man, right?" Natsumi picked up her glass. She never really noticed the beautiful complex designs that were made up to make a figure. "Momoka probably had them made to impress Fuyuki-"

"Hic!" Dororo turned red, covering his mouth. "S-sorry."

"Aww!" Koyuki giggled. "That sounded so cute!"

Dororo hiccupped again.

"So, what are you two exactly?" Natsumi questioned, curious. "Like, friends, or…? What?" She grinned at Koyuki.

Dororo speedily drank his punch, not wanting to answer the inquiry. He didn't want Koyuki to answer either, but he couldn't control her, even though just this once he wouldn't mind doing so.

Ugh. If only this drink wasn't so strong…

"You're drinking that a little fast, don't you think, D?" Koyuki asked, expressing a bit concern.

"Fine," Dororo choked out. "It tastes… fine."

"Geez, you boys," Natsumi shook her head. "You don't have to drink all of that."

"I-I have the hiccups, remember?" Dororo said, rubbing his tongue along the corners of his mouth. Intense, but strangely addicting. He looked down at his nearly empty glass, then downed the rest of the mysterious liquid down his throat.

"Devon?" Giroro perked a brow. "Are you okay?"

"Hic!" Dororo jumped slightly at this, his face turning a light shade of red. "Ssssssuper….!" He flattened his face against the table, his eyes slanted like he was making an incredibly silly grin. "Never fffffelt… ssssuper!"

Giroro stared at him, and then gazed down at his own cup. He pushed it away from him.

"Devon?" Koyuki blinked at him.

"KOYUKI~!" Dororo suddenly said out loud, throwing his arms in the air. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOUUUUU….!"

"…What?"

"IIIIIIIIIII….. forgot." Dororo giggled. "But you can't blame meeeee…. 'cuz I'm always forgotten! Ha! Get it?" He laughed hysterically, then stopped to hiccup. "For-got-ten." His eyes began to water. "Always forgotten! I bet no one realized I-"

"I think we should go, D," Koyuki said quickly, picking him up.

"Nooooo, I think you all shou- Okay!" Dororo stood up and leaned against her.

Giroro and Natsumi watched as they walked away (Koyuki balancing with Dororo's weight, Dororo singing a tune about peanuts and nail clippers), their eyes wide with absolute wonder. After the strange couple were gone from sight, Natsumi and Giroro looked at each other, were silent for a brief moment, and then burst out in childish peals of laughter.

"What was that about?" Natsumi said, struggling to breathe.

"I'm guessing it had something to do with the drink," Giroro smirked, pushing his glass even further away.

"Didn't you have the same thing he did?"

"Yeah. But I didn't down the whole thing."

"Well, aren't we glad that you didn't?"

"Twinkle, twinkle little *hic* star…."

Dororo rested his head against Koyuki's shoulder, still wearing that silly grin (or seemingly, anyway). They sat close together on a tree, watching the night sky, legs dangling over a tremendous height. The crickets sang, the animals rustled in their sleep, the nocturnal creatures mewed and growled.

"Dororo? I think-"

"SHH!" Dororo put a finger on her lips. "The stars!" He flung his arm out toward the winking specks of light.

Koyuki smiled. "What about them, D?"

"They talk." Dororo closed his eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You just have to… listen!"

Koyuki looked at him worriedly. She wondered if the drink or anything in the drink might have caused him to act like this. She didn't want to be so high up, but he insisted. She reasoned that he'll be okay- hopefully.

"Can you hear them? It's like they're telling you… whispering you… their secrets."

"I don't hear anything, Dororo…"

"You hear, but you don't listen." Dororo's pale eyes opened, sparkled against the bright white of the moon. "Stars, they're really quiet. When you *hic* don't pay attention, they just look pretty. Buuuut, I assure you *hic* Ms. Koyuki, that they're more than that. Waaaay more…. *hic*." He tapped his finger against her nose, and she wrinkled it in surprise.

"What are they saying?"

"Mmmm…" Dororo sat straight and leaned back. Koyuki immediately prepared to catch lest he'd fall, but he balanced himself without even realizing he was in danger. "Every star has it's own *hic* life, Koyuki. It's own story, it's own song. *hic* Happy ones, funny ones. Sometimes *hic*- sometimes they make me cry. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I know that *hic* they'll be there when I'm all alone…" Dororo tried to stand up, but Koyuki gently kept him down. "And when I sssee them, I'm never alone..."

"I think you need some sleep…"

"You don't believe me?"

"I do," Koyuki giggled. "I do. But I think now you need some sleep."

"But I don- okay."

Koyuki held on to Dororo as they both carefully climbed down the tree, jumping on shaky branches, curving around curled wooden knobs, hugging the trunk as they swiftly slid downwards. The sun was beginning to rise when Koyuki headed back, Dororo returning to his small size.

The tingle.

Giroro rose, eyeing Natsumi, eyeing the guests.

Thankfully she was preoccupied- telling her mom about something concerning circus elephants and cupcakes.

Or were they muffins?

Ugh! It doesn't matter now. He first inched his way away from her sight, and then quickly ran to Keroro. How much time was left now? Three minutes? Two? "Keroro," Giroro whispered.

"Mm?" Keroro looked over to Giroro, and then frowned. "Gosh, corporal. Your complexion is getting awfully red. May I suggest some lotio-?"

"I'm turning back, you idiot!" Giroro seethed quietly. He felt the stares of a thousand eyes, although there was no one paying attention to him. The air seemed colder, brutal. His dreams were coming true.

"Sheesh, no need to be so touchy."

"Keroro. Please. Work with me here!"

"Okay, okay, fine." Keroro nodded toward Kururu, who responded by jumping off his seat. "Wait for us at one of the stalls. We'll meet you there with the gun."

Giroro ran toward the dressing rooms with such stress and vigor that it made Natsumi rise from her chair.

"What the…?"

The corporal's skin began to burn.

This has never happened before…

When has transforming ever been so painful? Giroro closed the door behind him and struggled to lock it. The salt water tickled his nose, his vision began to blur.

"Rio? What's going on?"

Natsumi! Giroro's fingers trembled as they played with the lock. FROG IT! This lock…? It's broken?

"Rio?" Natsumi walked down the empty corridors, her hands gently sliding against the walls. "Rio? Is everything alright…?"

The burning… the burning…

Giroro bit back a cry and clawed at his arms, folding them across his chest at a desperate attempt to keep back the pain.

Why is it taking so long…?

Finally, he began to shrink. He never, ever, felt anything so excruiatingly painful in his life... never.

"Rio? Are you in there?"

Sometimes she was relieved, happy even. She said "I do" anyway.

But other times, she cried, sobbed her disappointment. She turned mute in anger and refused to look at him the same again.

My dreams...

"Rio?"

Natsumi opened the door.

Commercial Break~!