Nagihiko went to school the next Day as he usually did. As he walked through the halls kids fawned over Nadeshiko as usual. He went into his class room and slipped in his usual seat next to Tadase. The whole day he couldn't focus and copied all his answers off Tadase to avoid getting behind. When school was over he and Tadase walked out of the classroom together.

Nagihiko could hear Tadase talking but he didn't listen. Not even Tadase knew about Rima, even though Tadase was the only friend he had who knew he was a boy. All the kids watched the most dynamic pair of 4th graders ever to walk the halls of Seiyo. Everyone thought Nadeshiko and Tadase should be together but it just made Nagihiko feel uncomfortable. That day it was especially agitating and Naghiko couldn't stand it.

"I have to go." He mumbled to Tadase in his Nadeshiko voice. Then he walked down the halls and away from the kids as fast as he could. He might as well have ran home he got there so fast. Once he was inside Nagihiko ripped the ribbon from his hair and pulled off the painful girl boots he had to wear. He stormed up to his room and changed. He crumpled up the Seiyo skirt in his hands and stuffed it into a drawer.

It was about 3:30, the time Rima always arrived home. Should he still go and see her? It was Wednesday of the last school week, so close to summer. Rima was so excited for summer it would have crushed her if he never showed up all summer. He could lie and say they were leaving early for a summer trip. No, then he wouldn't have the heart to stay home. Knowing Rima was all alone with a baby sitter while he stayed here like a lump.

Maybe he could just not go today. Yeah, practice all afternoon, then go tell her the next day that his Mom had been really strict. He could live with that because it wouldn't be a lie. Nagihiko marched downstairs and asked his mother if they could start practice. It wasn't a lie, it was true.

That day Rima waited all afternoon for Nagihiko to show up at her window like some kind of Romeo. She waited for him the next day too. Then the day after that she waited. It was Friday, Friday before the weekend. The Friday before summer. Saturday came and Rima woke up to something unexpected.

Nagihiko was sitting at his place by her bed side. He wasn't reading or writing, he had nothing to keep busy with while waiting. He was just waiting. Rima didn't lift her head from her pillow.

"Where have you been?" She asked quietly. Nagihiko flinched at the sound of her voice. He had planned to say the practicing excuse, because it was true. When he really wanted to tell her his secret. That's when he ended up saying anything but the truth.

"I got a bad cold." He said. "My Mom kept me from school and wouldn't let me leave my room until I got better. Even if she had let me leave I didn't want to get you sick."

Those words that spilled from his mouth made him wish he was sick. Not just sick with a cold but punished with cancer or hypothermia.

"Oh." Rima said. His words made her feel a whole lot better, it meant he didn't want to be away from her any more then she wanted to be away from him. Rima always wanted to be with him. She rolled over to the edge of her bed and put her arms around Nagihiko.

"I'm glad your better." She said. "My parents might be coming to wake me up soon. They said the babysitter would be starting today as a test run."

"Okay. I have to go right now, but I'll meet her tomorrow. I promise." Nagihiko said. He intended to keep that promise, but if he stayed here with Rima for another second her felt like he would die of guilt.

"Do you have to?" She asked sitting up. "I haven't seen you for days!"

Nagihiko nodded. "I barely got my Mom to let me come now. Maybe I can come back later. At the usual time." He suggested. No no no! Nagihiko couldn't believe he had just said that. What was he doing?

Rima hopped out of bed and gave him a hug. "You promise?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said pulling her arms from around his stomach. Then he climbed out the window and ran through her yard back home. Rima watched him sadly. What was up with him lately?