All right, this next chapter is a montage of all Steve and Akiko moments before the big night of Halloween! And yes, I'll see if I can get the Steve x Akiko big moment before or after Halloween this year, but no promises! Until then, enjoy what you can!

Dear Journal…

Sooooooo… this is kinda silly in and of itself, and I doubt ANYBODY is going to be reading this anytime soon… and it probably won't matter if it does get read, since I may be going away to find another girl anyway… BUT Roger did say that writing in a journal would keep my mind thinking, so… there you go, I guess.

Anyway, it had been about a couple months since my date with Akiko went well. As a matter of fact, the more we hang around each other, the more I slowly, but surely, got her WELL acquainted into my little friend group, much to Toshi's… well, I want to say delight, but Akiko always told me it was disdain. Ugh, oh well, at least it was a little something we worked on overtime. But this isn't about me and Toshi, it's about me and my time with Akiko.

Of course, now that my entire focus was on Akiko, I knew that I couldn't just focus on other girls… I wanted to make sure Akiko was special, because… well, she IS special to me. Of course, this meant that I had to avoid the whole drinking beer scenario that got me in trouble… and ugh, having to make out with Lindsay Coolidge's best friend Jewel… ugh… hmm… Lindsay Coolidge… another girl to think about for later…

Anyway, since I wasn't interested in the party, this gave me more time to pursue Akiko and get her to know her more, like I managed to get her interests… like, she's a geek in many ways as well, though Mrs. Yoshida is helping her focus more on being Little Miss Perfect. Still, I think Akiko's having more fun with me around rather than wanting to be her mother's clone.

Although speaking of Mrs. Yoshida, lately, she's seem to be a little… well, nicer to me than normal. I don't know why, though, but she has that stare on her face… hmmm… Hiko Yoshida… again, another one to think about.

Speaking of parents that want their child to understand the importance of what they like, unfortunately, this meant I had to relive the whole Vietnam War reenactment all over again… sheesh, even the trauma I had to endure STILL haunts my memories… maybe after a lot more time traveling, that'll grow numb, but for now… sheesh…

Still, having Akiko be a part of the friend group I have… it really EXPANDED quite a lot, and although Snot, Barry and Toshi can't talk about what we normally talk about in front of Akiko, I think she got the general gist. Heck, even though I DID know about the drone in Dad's study, I knew that Snot, Barry and Toshi didn't, and it wasn't easy to convince the three, BUT thanks to my lovely Japanese beauty, I think I managed to sway them away…

"Steve's right, boys." Akiko shook her head as she pulled Snot away from the briefcase. "There are some things that we're allowed to do while Steve's parents and sister are away, BUT we're already risking it enough by Steve letting us in."

"Aw, come on, I just want to know what's in the briefcase, that's all." Snot said as he tried to reach for the briefcase, only for Akiko to frown as she slapped his hands away.

"I'll save you a little explanation. It's actually controls to a military drone, and if Dad realizes we touched that thing… he'll go ballistic… mainly on me!" Steve frowned. "So I think it's best we leave… all right?"

"Steve's right, you know." Akiko frowned as Toshi looked up at his sister and frowned.

"Come on now, Akiko. Flying a military drone sounds tempting!" Toshi argued.

"Toshi, no! Come on, all of you, let's break it up and get out of this room." Akiko offered, causing Steve to give out a small sigh of relief.

"Awww… well, I suppose you can't win them all… so… anybody just want to order pizza?" Snot offered the idea.

"I can go for a slice…" Barry said in interest.

Steve paused nervously as he looked at his watch. He knew that in about an hour or so from now, his father was about to come home. "I don't know if we'll have time. Besides, Snot, didn't you have that thing you have to do?"

"Thing?" Snot asked, looking rather confused.

"You know, the thing… at home… with… you know…?" Steve grinned nervously as he gave a shrug.

Snot glared at his friend suspiciously… before his eyes widened. "Oh, wait a minute! You're right! I did promise Mom I'd help out later this afternoon! What time is- oh geez, I'm already late! Well, I'd love to talk some more, Steve, but I gotta go!"

Toshi frowned in suspicion as he turned to Steve, as if to ask in Japanese, "What is goin-"

"Toshi!" Akiko spoke in her own Japanese dialect, noting her friend's nervousness. "It is clear that Steve has something big planned, and he might need to be home alone for it. Besides, we have to go anyway. Mom would be disappointed if we didn't show up for lessons, right?"

Toshi paused as Snot started to run off, with Barry curiously following, somehow getting the hint that he had to leave. Toshi paused, before giving a sigh. "Fine. But this is not the end!"

With that, Toshi turned around and left as Steve gave a small sigh of relief. Steve then noted Akiko still standing as she turned to him. "You just had that… feeling, didn't you, that one of your family members is not going on their planned trip?"

Steve gave a nervous chuckle. "I'm not really sure, but it's just a… well, hunch."

Akiko giggled as she leaned over towards Steve. "Oh well. I suppose it cannot be helped. Thank you for letting me hang out with you today, Steve… Toshi may have to get used to it, but you and your friends are really quite fun to hang out with."

Steve laughed as he leaned over. "Hey, it's no trouble. I'm just happy having fun with-"

But Steve's sentence died midway through as Akiko planted a quick kiss on the lips, causing the bespectacled boy's eyes to widen in surprise. As soon as Akiko pulled away, she giggled before walking off. "See you later, Steve."

"Y-yeah…" Steve stammered a bit as he watched Akiko go off, though he couldn't help but notice the way she was swaying her hips intentionally… as if she was inviting him to follow… Steve even took a few steps as he gave a grin.

Akiko then turned her eyes to see Steve's lecherous grin… before giving a small smile to herself. She bent over to 'adjust' her sock, intentionally giving Steve a good show.

This caused Steve's senses to go wild before leaning over the wall, giving a happy sigh. Akiko laughed, before hearing the sounds of an impatient Toshi calling her name out. Akiko sighed, before turning her head and waving to Steve sweetly before rushing off. Steve just sighed happily as his heart began to beat faster.

I had no idea whether or not Akiko was tempting me, but I certainly KNEW that when a girl swings her hips in front of you, that means they take particular interest in you. Either way, as we continued on more dates, I tried my best to live out my life, while trying to make sure I didn't ruin it…

For one thing, even when summer came along and we had to go to a camp, thanks to the note I wrote myself mentally to not buy ANY culottes… because the man who sold them to us last time turned out to be a scammer… THAT, and we were utterly humiliated when those men brought us to the girls's cabin. Still, it didn't matter to me whether or not I was bullied at camp or not. I already had ONE girl I had an interest in anyway… at least, in THIS timeline…

Still, the next time I saw Akiko, it was at my… fourteenth… birthday party? Huh. Weird. It always seems like I turn 14 each year. Maybe it's a CIA device my dad has that prevents us from agin- no, no, I can't think about that. Anyway, at least we had a Moonbounce out of it.

"What is wrong with your father, anyway?" Akiko asked as she and Steve were sitting down outside in the patio, drinking some punch. "It's like, even after he went into the moonbounce, he just… felt something he never had before."

"Oh, it's just Dad. He's had a bit of a rough childhood." Steve sighed as he took a sip of soda from his red plastic cup. "It's a bit of a long story, involving his father leaving him and Grandma at a young age, how he had to be the man of the house… it's complicated to explain."

"It is, but I think I understand what you are trying to convey…" Akiko sighed as she looked back at the moonbounce, seeing Stan Smith being the only one inside, sniffling and jumping the whole time. "Is he… going to be coming out of there anytime soon?"

"Ye- no. I say he's going to be in there for at least a couple days at most. I say we just ignore him for now…" Steve groaned as he held his head. "Ugh, but if Dad DOES find his youth, I'll have to suffer his responsibilities again…"

"Again?" Akiko asked, looking confused.

Steve yelped, realizing he let out a small detail to Akiko about his true self. He couldn't let anybody find out he was from the future. "Uh, I mean, not again, per se, but… sometimes I get worried that dad might be pushing a lot of responsibilities onto me… and well, I'm afraid I might age by the day… metaphorically and literally."

The bespectacled boy shuddered as he took another long drink. Akiko couldn't help but note the boy's nervousness, before putting a hand on his shoulder and lightly massaged it, causing Steve to look surprised by the sudden touch of affection.

"You are worried about growing up too fast. I understand that. Whenever my mother puts me through rigorous practice sections most of the week, sometimes, I feel like I grow up too fast too." Akiko smiled. "So, I suppose, in a way, we're both growing up too fast."

Steve chuckled nervously as he blushed. "How fast are we talking, Akiko?"

Akiko paused as she noted everyone else being preoccupied. She motioned Steve to go over to the corner as she got up. Steve followed her path until they reached a dark corner as Akiko turned with a small smile.

"I think we're growing up so fast that… well… I think about boys… in a different manner." Akiko smiled.

Steve raised an eyebrow. "What type of boys… uh, like dancing boys or ones that-"

The young Japanese girl put a finger on his lips, shushing him. Akiko then giggled as she continued, "Yes, I like boys that dance… but I also love boys with very good singing voices… and I've heard you sing, Steve… you're a lovely singer."

"Shucks, I… I don't mean to brag…" Steve chuckled nervously before he noted Akiko going up on her tippy toes and leaning over to kiss his lips.

After being taken in by the kiss, Akiko and Steve separated as a blush overtook Steve's face. Akiko could only smirk as she giggled. "Just a little gift to consider… seeing as how I know you have an interest in me… well… I have a VERY nice interest in you… happy birthday, Steve."

With that, she turned around and walked off to catch up with Toshi, who was busy talking with Snot and Barry. Steve touched his lips in awe, as he gave a small grin. "Looks like I'm one step closer…"

All of a sudden, the urge to go to the restroom overtook the young teenage boy as he rushed inside. Although little did he realize was that when he went to the bathroom, he didn't leave the door closed all the way. The good news is, there weren't a lot of people upstairs anyway, so nobody had noticed. However, unknown to Steve, ONE particular person had happened to take a peek inside the restroom and noted something interesting about Steve.

Hiko's mouth dropped in awe as she gave a slick grin to herself…

I tell you, Akiko was quite the girl, not only in easing me into when the whole 'growing up too fast' ordeal, BUT also in helping me and Hayley check on the portrait Toshi painted for Mom and Dad's vow renewals… it was NOT easy to convince Toshi to NOT burn it so that Valik… well, ROGER… wouldn't try to kill us, BUT Akiko was quite the angel…

Still, things have been going good with me and Akiko, and the more Toshi tolerated her in our friend group, the more he realized that I treated Akiko with respect and caring… I guess I tolerated myself to him in a way. Which is ALL according to the plan… heck, thanks to Akiko convincing the boys that day about the sex doll we almost took for the mannequin, I managed to convince Roger to do the whole 'remake Goonies' bit again, only I had to specify to him that it's not acting and it's a movie we were filming. And why did I want that? Simple…

"Brad? Brad?" Akiko called out as she was standing in a dark corner of a sewer, dressed up in adventure-like clothes.

Toshi and Barry, also dressed in Goonies-like outfits, were busy digging for something as Snot rolled his eyes before turning to Steve, who had opted to take the role of Mikey for this section. "Go see what she wants will you?"

Steve gave a small grin to himself before going deep to the darkest parts of the cave as Steve gave a chuckle to himself.

"Brad? Brad, I'm over here! With my eyes closed!" Akiko called out as she gave a giggle, hiding close in the darkness, the light illuminating the creative waterfall Roger set up. Steve walked by the waterfall, acting as he looked around confused, before Akiko pulled him over and kissed him. Steve eagerly kissed back as he fell down on her, the two making out compassionately.

"Annnnnnnd… cut!" Roger, dressed in his director's outfit, gave a smile as he nodded. "All right, that's good enough, kids. Now, let's try and focus on getting that trea-" Roger paused as he looked down. "Steve? Akiko? I said, cut!"

But Steve and Akiko were having the time of their lives, kissing and making out with each other as Toshi turned with a slight frown and a shake of his head as he said in his dialect, "Sometimes, I wonder with those two…"

Okay, SOOOOO Akiko and I got carried away, but only a little bit. Either way, Akiko and I were even more closer than before, and I think it was safe to say that she was slowly, but surely falling in love with me, as I am for her…

And boy, as I learned a little later, she can be quite fierce in protecting her man… like when dad tried to do the whole 'bully' thing on me, trying to fit in as a bully to 'toughen me up'... I don't think he realized Akiko knew the art of ball-busting…

"AHHHH!" Stan yelled as he fell down, holding his knads as he fell down, Akiko glaring at him as she gave a growl. "Sheesh, what is your problem?"

"My problem, Mr. Smith, is that you are bullying your OWN son! That is not okay, and would be grounds to call child services!" Akiko growled in anger.

"Mr. Who?" Stan grunted as he tried to lie. "I'm… I'm, uh… dang it, I didn't think of a name for this persona…"

Akiko then grabbed Stan by one of his fingers and flipped him over, surprising the CIA agent as he got flipped right on the ground. Stan gave a slight groan as Steve gave a small sigh. "Dad… really? I know you're doing this to prove a point… and I get the whole 'bully' aspect… and you want me to stand up for myself, that's noble… but you also realize I'm going out with a girl that could potentially kick YOUR ass, right?"

Stan coughed as he looked up. "You are a lucky son of a gun… fine… but this isn't the end…"

With that, Stan slowly got up as he started to limp away, giving a slight groan as Akiko crossed her arms in anger.

"You think you're so good, picking on your own son? You should really consider getting help!" Akiko shouted before turning to Steve in concern. "Are you okay, Steve?"

"Ehhhh… even if I wasn't, Dad DID tell me an interesting story about how he had a bully himself… which I'm thinking if he tries doing this again, I'll talk to him to teach him a lesson…" Steve chuckled to himself.

"Still, I am getting quite worried for you." Akiko said in concern. "Did he hurt you? I want to make you feel better, Steve…"

Steve smiled a bit as he put his arm around Akiko. "Hey, listen, don't worry about me, okay? I'm doing just fine. Now, come on. Why don't we pick up our last game at the arcade? I REALLY want to perfect my Ryu!"

Akiko giggled as she put her hand on Steve's. "It would be my pleasure…"

Steve chuckled as he and Akiko continued on their way, staring at each other's eyes as both of them were blushing happily…

I will admit, it wasn't easy, BUT with some time, I think I FINALLY reached the point of Halloween, and although last time I wore an Optimus outfit, while Akiko wore her beautiful Chun-Li outfit… I think I want to get the theming right, as since I KNOW she's going to be Chun-Li… the best outfit to try on would be Ryu's.

And thanks to me studying Ryu's character model from the arcade, memorizing it, and even getting Roger to help out with the costume, I think it's finally time for me to score… Akiko and I have hung around each other for the past few months, and we've shared plenty of kisses… and Toshi is actually trusting me with her… and if I play my cards right…

After all this time, I'll be finally losing my virginity, and I'll confess my love to Akiko! Hopefully… and that's a big hope, she'll fall in love right back.

Anyway, gotta go. Just got to look at myself in the mirror to see if the costume is perfect. Talk to you soon!

Steve Smith

With that, Steve finished writing in his journal and put it away under his bed, before getting up and going to the mirror. He turned his body and gave a chuckle as he examined himself. Steve was wearing a white karate gi with the sleeves torn off, white pants, a long red headband, a black martial arts belt, and no shoes on his feet. He examined himself in the mirror before adjusting his glasses.

"Perfect… Chun-Li, be prepared for a good blasting by Ryu…"

And with that, this chapter is complete, AND everything is all set up for Steve and Akiko's big moment! Next time, the time for love is about to commence!

And if you have suggestions with Steve and other girls for this fanfiction, please leave a review or a comment!