The bus bounced lightly as it drove over the bumpy black road.

Giroro found he couldn't lean too close to the window or he would bump his head against the glass, or bang the metal choker with a loud clang. Both occurrences happened one time too many; his head was beginning to ache and his neck was beginning to turn red with irritation. Worst of all, he had no medicine for his throbbing brain and he couldn't take the stupid accessory off.

But even through his pain, he knew it was all worth it; the tiny body of warmth beside him was all that was needed to make him happy.

"Thanks again for coming to this trip," Natsumi said cheerfully, smiling brightly at him. "I'm glad the principal accepted your permission slip!"

Giroro grunted a little, thinking it best to nottell her that Kururu had mind controlled the principal and the teachers into giving him permission to even go. "Yeah. What were the odds?"

Natsumi cast a quick glance at the seat beside them- Koyuki and her friend David. Or was it Dimitri? Donny? Atticus? She couldn't remember. But at least the ninja girl looked occupied.

Giroro was thinking the same thing as Natsumi: ever since this mysterious "boyfriend" appeared, Koyuki had left the two alone. It was a bit strange, but it was lucky, so Giroro decided not to question it.

"We're going to get a whole bunch of souvenirs!" Koyuki told the couple suddenly, pumping her fist midway in the air. "Aren't we?"

"Yeah, let's make it the best trip ever, okay, Rio?"

"R-right," Giroro stammered quietly, shifting a bit nervously in his seat.

His calendar read, like the beach trip before, "GOAL: KISS" in bright red letters, under each date that was dedicated to the field trip. This time, he didn't bother covering it up with the pencil. Oh, no. Instead, he shredded it with a cheese grater that he had found conveniently lying under Saburo's table. It was conveniently placed, so again, he didn't bother questioning it. Hey, he had to improvise somehow since his guns were currently unavailable to him.

But somehow, Keroro had gotten a hold of the Kamakura legend and had pressed, quite violently, into his mind that he had to at least fulfill that prophecy. Giroro didn't agree, nor possibly refuse that course of action. After all, his brother was there, to make things worse.

Speaking of, where was his brother? Traveling alongside the bus, somewhere, although more discretely and possibly more comfortable than Giroro was at the moment. When Garuru made a promise, he kept it to the end. If he said he was going to devote himself to the mission until Giroro was capable of turning back into a Keronian again, he would. Even though everyone truly involved in the operation, including his younger brother, would rather him go home.

The corporal sighed, leaning against his chair, exhausted.

There had been a series of experiments that tested whether or not specific maneuvers could change him back the night before. Obviously, it was an arduous all-nighter, and, even more obviously, it was all in vain- nothing Kururu did seemed to help any.

If anything, Kururu had added, half teasing, half worried, he had made Giroro's situation just a teeny tiny more permanent.

In which Garuru and Giroro exploded (because of their exhaustion and exasperation, which is never, ever a good combo for two very violent space soldiers) and Keroro had to intercede, reminding them (gutlessly) that Kururu was Giroro's only hope for revival. So as much as they wanted to bash the yellow Keronian's head in through the wall, or use his face for target practice, or slaughter him in the most unimaginative way possible, they couldn't.
They were forced to be content with giving the Keronian the cold shoulder, to which the said Keronian ignored, unbothered, as he typed away at his keyboard in search for what exactly went wrong….

"Geez, you look tired," Natsumi pointed out, snapping Giroro from his twenty second nap.

"Mm, I am," He muttered.

Natsumi grinned. "Staying up watching TV?"

I wish. "Err… homework," Giroro said, his eyes sliding down to his hands.

"Hey, D," Koyuki gently leaned against him, bumping his shoulder playfully with her own. "You okay?"

"Fine," Dororo mumbled.

"D, you can tell me. I won't judge you."

Dororo pulled his gaze away from the window to look into her eyes, the ones that were so deep and caring. And how exactly would I start? He thought miserably. Koyuki, I just found out that I'm love with you? The kind of love that would drive a guy crazy because no matter how hard he tries to tell her he ends up coming out as an idiot and never actually winning the girl anyway? It made him dizzy even thinking about it, especially since he so happened to know someone under that current, unnerving, probably even painful situation.

"I'm good," Dororo said finally, satisfied for the moment in keeping his newfound emotions a secret just a little bit longer.

The teacher yapped on history lesson after history lesson as he pointed out the different shrines present in Kamakura.

Giroro was afraid he would collapse- he was too tired to stand, much less listen to what he believed was boring and useless information. He wanted to sleep in the bus, but he felt somewhat embarrassed to sleep next to Natsumi. What if he accidentally rested his head against her shoulder, or drooled on her shirt? He shuddered. Don't even go there.

"….So without further ado," The teacher had continued, catching Giroro's attention only briefly, "I'll let you enjoy yourselves. Don't forget curfew is 7:00 pm! If you don't want to buy your meal, dinner is at 6:00 pm. A warning for you all: if we catch you outside wandering around at night, we will catch you and send you home early- no exceptions! So come in like you're supposed to and you won't get in trouble. Got it? Good. You are released."

The children scattered willingly, meeting up with their friends and bunching up into little clusters. Before Natsumi could even suggest their first destination, Koyuki bounded over with that one pink haired guy that no one remembers until he shows up.

"Hi, Natsumi!" She said sweetly. "Why don't we all go together? The more the happier, right?"

"Um, Koyuki?" Dororo reminded her, "The more the merrier."

"Isn't that what I said?"

"Okay," Natsumi said with a smile. "We'll have fun with everyone together, right, Rio?"

"Yeah, definitely."

Even though it would have been nice to just be alone… Giroro tried not to show the lack of enthusiasm in his voice or stature. He slouched a little, but tried to seem natural, like the fact that there were four people instead of two didn't bother him. Ah, well. We'll find a way to ditch them the first chance we get.

"Geez, Giroro's such an idiot sometimes," Keroro muttered, bringing down his binoculars. "Why would he just get in a group? I thought he wanted Natsumi to fall in love with him!"

"Giroro is an expert strategist," Garuru said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

"Knows what he's doing my foot… He hasn't even kissed her yet."

Garuru gave him a raised brow. "Is that… required?"

"Well yeah. Didn't you ever have a girlfriend?"

Garuru glowered at him. "No."

"Really? Cuz I could've sworn I remembered-"

The nozzle of a extremely deadly barrel gun found it's way to Keroro's face. "I. Never. Had. A girlfriend."

"Okay, okay, you never had a girlfriend!" Keroro shoved the weapon away, shuddering involuntarily at the near-death experience. "Sheesh." He paused for a moment, considering a thought. "…What about your relationship with Pururu?"

"Chief Medic Pururu?"

Keroro nodded.

"What about her?"

"You know…"

Garuru looked truly irritated. "No, I don't know."

"Oh." Keroro shrugged. "Welllll…. Giroro has to kiss Natsumi. End of story. It's crucial to the invasion."

"Crucial, mm? …You're the captain. I suppose you know what's best."

Sweet, sweet irony.

"Look!" Natsumi pointed at one of the older buildings. "Let's go in there!"

Giroro scrutinized the sign, and then the glass windows that provided examples of their work. Well captured, well toned black and white photos sat on top of little black stands, boasting the quality of the man or woman who so professionally seized the moment with a camera. Some pictures were plain, with a child or some other smiling sweetly. Others were a tad more dramatic, with poses that somewhat defined their character. A few of the pictures stood out, however, with the people gaudily dressed up- wedding gowns, fishing gear, Feudal Japan. Some of the props were weird too. In some pictures they sat on reindeer, toadstools, and toilets. Giroro grinned wryly at them as Natsumi pulled him inside the shop, luring Koyuki and Dororo close behind them.

"It's not that expensive," Natsumi said, after studying the prices on the wall. "We should take our picture!"

"I like that idea!" Koyuki agreed.

"I-I don't know…" Dororo said cautiously, reflecting Giroro's reluctant thoughts.

"Please, D?" Koyuki looked up at him pleadingly. He gave in all too easily, nodding rather reluctantly while a pink blush spread at his cheeks.

GAH. Even I wouldn't have been able to resist that! Giroro shuddered. And then he looked at Natsumi, who delivered him a similar cute look. …..Frog.

Natsumi admired the photos, pulling them into the light to inspect them better.

"Thanks, Rio," She said, slipping them back into the manila folders that she was given earlier. "The pictures turned out great."

Giroro smiled at her warmly. Anything for you…

"Koyuki!" Natsumi turned her attentions to her ninja friend. "Let me see your photos!"

"How was it?" Giroro asked Dororo, who more or less sulked his way toward him.

"Great," He replied weakly. He slid his palms into his pockets was he shifted his feet uncomfortably.

Giroro perked a brow. "Something wrong?"

"Ah… no. I'm fine."

"You sure-?"

"Let's get to a café!" Koyuki suggested. "I bet there's a whole bunch of yummy stuff there!"

"I don't know…" Giroro said slowly. The collar was saying his words for him again… "I was hoping on maybe going to the beach with Natsumi…"

Natsumi blushed, to the surprise of the two ninjas.

"Do you have some sort of prearrangement?" Dororo asked curiously.

"Well… sort of…" Natsumi gazed at Giroro with a wide-eyed expression. "Um… uh…"

"A date," Giroro told him, bluntly. His face reddened. Stupid, frogging collar…

"Oh," Koyuki said. She blinked up at Dororo, and then smiled widely before turning back to the couple. "Of course! Have fun you guys!"

"W-we will," Natsumi stammered, following after Giroro to wherever the beach was.

That leaves us alone now. Dororo bit his finger.

"So! What do you wanna do, D?"

"I-I don't know…" Dororo muttered.

"Let's go to the café!" Koyuki ventured, through her sweet, innocent grin. "I was really looking forward to tasting some of the yummy cakes, anyway!"

"U-uh, s-sure…"

"It could be kinda like our own date."

"….Um… o-okay."

Startled, Koyuki looked at Dororo. There was something… wrong about this, though she couldn't put her exact finger on it. After a moment, that brief state of shock passed and she took his hand enthusiastically, pulling him into the café. "Come on! We can get some of that hot chocolate drink too!"

Dororo laughed. "A-alright, slow down, Ms. Koyuki!"

"Wow~! It's so beautiful here!"

Giroro was a bit disappointed at the amount of people there; the sand was practically covered in swarms of bodies and colorful towels and umbrellas and bags. Children squealed as they flung wet mud and salty water at each other, and their parents watched from the sidelines, chatting happily to their neighbor. Dogs roamed the shore, running after Frisbees or bugging the old people tanning on their towels.

"It's fine!" Natsumi said, reading his expression. She planted her hands on her hips and gave him a determined face. "Sure there's lots of people here, but we aren't going to let it bug us, okay? Come on! Let's hunt for sea shells or something. I'll make you a bracelet this time."

"I appreciate it," Giroro said with a small, shy smile, feeling the usual heat against his cheeks. Only way this could possibly be any better was if she was wearing a swimsuit…

"ICE CREAM!" A little boy shrieked, directing the couple's and the children's attention to the man with the small, portable ice cream trunk, it's pictures of vibrant cold treats bright and tempting.

"Want some?" Giroro offered, pointing at the small mob of kids.

"Sure. I'll start looking for some seashells, so I'll be over there if you want me."

Giroro's gaze lingered on her dainty walk for a while, but he forced himself to turn to get the desired sweets. He stood behind the small stretch of children that hopped excitedly and shoved one another playfully. He studied the photos of the potential ice cream as he waited, wondering if there was a flavor that didn't promise a sickeningly sweet taste, like some of the other foods he had to endure eating.

"Hi there!"

Giroro turned to the side, noticing an extremely attractive woman standing beside him. Obviously, she was one of the surfer girls, her well toned body wet and sporting an appealing red and black striped swimsuit. "Doesn't ice cream sound good about now?"

He perked an inquiring eyebrow at her. "Uh, yeah, I guess…"

"I mean, it's so hot, don't you think so?"

"Mmhmm…?" Why are you talking to me?

The girl's face suddenly drooped slightly as she glanced at the portable ice cream box. She pushed her hair behind her ears, pouting sympathetically, "Too bad I forgot my wallet."

Giroro gave her an odd look, then rubbing the back of his neck as he returned his gaze back to the ice cream man. Why not? "Um… I guess I'll buy your ice cream for you…?"

"Oh, I wouldn't let you do that…" Her eyes shown a bit too much to be telling the truth, however. "Would you really?"

"Sure… I don't really mind…."

"Thank you!" The girl stood with an air of pride. "I'm Hikari. I'm a local. Are you here as a tourist?"

"Uh… I'm actually on a school trip…"

"Oh! That's cool!" She nodded. "What's your name?"

Giroro frowned slightly, unsure how to end this undesirable conversation. "Rio."

"Rio, huh? You from Tokyo?"

"Brazil."

"Brazil? No kidding! How is it like up there?"

"The animals are nice."

"Really." The girl moved closer to him, making him inch just little farther. "Tell me all about them!"

Oh, boy. "Uh… they're… big… and Brazilian."

"You're funny!" She giggled. "We should hang out!"

"Um, no thanks." Why won't this stupid line go any faster?!

Now it was the girl's turn to frown slightly. "Why not?"

"I'm already here with someone else."

The girl was taken aback by this, but she regained her composure quickly, folding her arms stubbornly. "I don't see her."

"Well, that's because-"

"Rio!" The young, pink-haired man ran up to them, panting. He was holding a white bag, a mysterious, unseeable item in it. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"I was just right here. Geez, you act like we're committed or something."

Dororo looked offended. "I don't mean to. It's just…" He suddenly realized the girl, standing in between them, watching them a bit too closely. "Who's this?"

"Oh. Uh-"

"You aren't being unfaithful, are you?" Dororo asked suspiciously.

"W-what?! No, no! I'm not!"

Dororo indeed looked sorrowful as he shook his head. "How could you! And here I thought-"

"I-I'm so sorry," Hikari interrupted, blushing fervently. The two young men turned to her, surprised by her outburst. "I-I didn't know! I'm sorry! I-I didn't think he was dating you!"

Dororo and Giroro stared at her.

…..WHAAAAT?!

She bowed apologetically, over and over again. "I-I'll just go now, and leave you guys on your date. Again, I'm so sorry!"

"N-no, it's that-"

"But we're not-"

She ran off as soon as she could before either of the two could provide a reasonable explanation.

The two stood there, in absolute shock.

The man rang his bell as the last children in front of them skipped off, impatiently waiting from behind the portable ice cream booth. "NEXT!"

"Here," Giroro mumbled, handing Natsumi the strawberry ice cream cone.

"Mm, thanks!" Natsumi took it gratefully, digging in with splendor. She noticed his mood, and tilted her head slightly. "Something wrong?"

"What? No." Except for the tiny part where someone actually mistook me for being GAY. Thank you very much!

No problem!

After awkwardly buying the two ice cream cones that had got them into that situation in the first place, Dororo and Giroro took their leave, content in just silently regarding each other.

Whatever happened to bromance? Needless to say, at least Keroro and Garuru enjoyed that little spectacle.

Giroro cringed so crazily Natsumi had to ask him, again, if there was something wrong with him.

"I'm fine…." After a long pause, and another dubious glance from Natsumi, he added, "Really." Before she could pursue the subject, he gestured to the shells at her hand. "You need help putting them together?"

"H-huh? Oh, yeah. I'd appreciate it, thanks."

Natsumi turned to her little purse, a different one this time, but with the same skull pin, again, stuck on it.

Giroro's heart pounded.

"Found it!" Natsumi said, pulling out a piece of wire with a needle attached to the end. "Now…" She blushed a bit. "Give me your hand. I-I need to measure your wrist."

He nodded, doing so, and he let her examine his large hands, wrapping the wire to approximate the exact size of the bracelet.

"I think this'll do," She confirmed, snipping it with some scissors that she was also able to find inside the bag. "There. All I have to do is find all the sea shells I need."

Sea shells. Giroro wondered if she had been also searching for the pair that could be used to carry out the legend of never ending happiness. He bit his lower lip, feeling the words wanting to burst out.

"I'll help you find some," Giroro said quickly, changing the subject to hopefully save whatever's left of his dignity.

If there is any left.

"What time is it?"

Giroro checked his watch. "About 5:00 pm."

"Geez, time passes so quickly. Oh, well. At least we still have a day tomorrow."

"Yeah. Uh, how many seashells do you need?"

"Maybe ten more. Come on… I think there's more over there, near the shore."

"Sounds good."

"D!" Koyuki cried out, waving her hand. "I'm over here!" When he was closer, she ran to his side, looking up at him curiously. "Did you give Giroro and Natsumi their cake?"

Dororo was, frankly, too embarrassed to say whether or not he found the person he was looking for. Instead, he changed the subject, hoping to save whatever's left of his dignity. "What do you want to do next?"

Koyuki noticed the bag still in his possession but decided not to question it. "I don't know. Look at the shops? Hmm, it looks like they're closing about now, though. Why don't we just walk down the beach?"

Dororo nodded timidly. "S-sure. Um. Okay."

"It around 5:00," Koyuki noted, pointing at the sky. "So we should start heading back in an hour. Alright?"

"Y-yeah, I can agree with that…"

"It's so pretty here," Koyuki said. She laughed at the children chasing each other down the sand. "Look at all the happy people!"

"They certainly look… happy."

"Yup!"

The two strode in uncomfortable silence; Koyuki unaware of the awkwardness while she people-watched, and Dororo fretting about the situation.

"D?"

"Y-yes?"

"Do you think the teachers will mind if we stay and watch the sun set? I mean, we could get back to the hotel pretty fast, so I don't think it'll be too much of a problem, right?"

Dororo simply nodded, still unsure of what to say.

"I mean, the sunset was so pretty at the other beach!" Koyuki smiled at the memory. "I wonder if it'll be any different here."

"I-I don't mind seeing the sunset with you."

"Thanks, D."

"There!" Natsumi admired the bracelet that dangled freely from Giroro's wrist. "Wow! It really fits you!"

"Thank you," Giroro said, touching it. He didn't have the same feelings as he did before when she had given him the first seashell bracelet- when she had given Giroro the seashell bracelet, but he was still touched that she would want to make something for him anyway.

"Maybe you can thank her properly with a kiss~"

Giroro slapped his hand ontop of his choker, startling Natsumi.

"Something the matter-?"

"No," Giroro said tightly, grinning insincerely. "Nothing's the matter."

Natsumi gave him another look. "You've been acting very funny on this trip, Rio…"

"Ah, it's nothing. I'm just enjoying this trip… enjoying being with you." Frog it. I let those last words slip…

"I enjoyed being with you too," Natsumi told him honestly. She stood up, wiping the wet sand from her legs. "I think it's about time to start heading back. I don't want to get in trouble."

Giroro nodded, accepting Natsumi's hand to help him up when she offered it.

By this time the large crowd of people had already left, no doubt gone home or to the hotel that they had checked in. The remaining drowsy group of individuals herded their children and packed away their belongings, reveling just for a little moment longer in the warm heat and the scent of the sweet, salty water.

Giroro and Natsumi held hands, squeezing them gently as they climbed a slope that ended the sand and welcomed the sidewalk, the pathway to the hotel the students were required to go at the designated time.

He was disappointed. He had been, secretly, searching for the perfect pair of seashells for the legend but was unable to find any. There's always tomorrow, but…

"Oh! Let's go there!" Natsumi pointed at a shrine. "We still have enough time!"

"What is it?" Giroro asked.

"You draw fortunes!" She explained cheerfully. "It'll tell you whether or not you're lucky. It's applied for life, and, ah, ahem… love… but mostly for life," she added quickly, her face rosy. "Let's go! I want to see my fortune!"

"Okay."

Natsumi closed her eyes, and pulled out a sheet of paper. She gasped, delighted. It read, "Big Serendipity". "I'm lucky! Go ahead, Rio! What does your fortune say?"
Giroro drew it. "….It's blank."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

He felt a strange foreboding sense in this fortune. His heart sank slightly as he stared at it intently.

Just what exactly is this paper predicting…?

The sun sank, not unlike a brilliant golden jewel, into the trail of white, misty clouds, sinking, below, to the ocean that now reflected the amazing glow of the sun. The sky was a fiery orange, not even close to the darkness that would so soon envelope the beach. The crashing waves seemed to hush, or the display of the setting gem was too gorgeous to even give attention to the sounds of the sea, much less anyone around them.

Dororo had found a new thing to pick on- his mask. First it was his hair, then his shirt, and his fingers somehow managed upon his mask.

A boy and a girl in this romantic atmosphere…

He shuddered involuntarily.

"It's so beautiful," Koyuki breathed, taking in the splendor of nature.

"It is," Dororo agreed. Even though his habit didn't cease, he did ease himself upon the beautiful scene of the sun's descent into the ocean, it's final goodbye to the day. It had such a calming affect… how can he not be entranced by it?

The gulls sang, looming over them, retreating from the ocean to their nesting grounds. The last remains of people walked by, carrying with them the remnants of a long, exhausting day at the beach: tired children, sand-covered towels, salty beach balls.

"Dororo."

"What?"

"Your mask. It fell off!"

"What?"

He didn't even notice. He felt his bare lips and blushed, feeling naked. He covered his mouth with his hands. "Uh-uh-uh…!"

Although I can't really tell you how it looks like. The camera is in a position that won't let us see his mouth. Stupid anime!

Koyuki giggled. "I'll get it." She bent down and picked it up, shaking the sand from it.

When she looked up at him, her eyes caught the light, turning them slightly golden. The shadows seemed to highlight her face, making her look… beautiful, as if the animation crew truly outdid themselves to make this scene look… amazing.

His heart pounded, his hands shook, his eyes drifted down to her own mouth that moved so freely, so fluidly, so prettily.

"Here, let me help you put it-"

Her lips were sealed with a kiss.

Commercial Break~

Author's Note: Oh, Frog, what have I done?! XD Sorry, I was way too tempted. I hope you enjoyed it even if it did seem a bit OOC for this to EVER happen. (Seriously, how many kissing scenes are in Sgt Frog? I can only count maybe two, and I don't think they count XD)
I don't think it'll be too bad, right? If it seems too way out there, please tell me, and I'll remove it. I've already gone past my "3,000" word mark.