Right into the sequel

"Wait, are we joking or not?" Daichi stared at Sumiye and force a smile.

"Is this for real? Is this for real? Why did I say 'yes'?!" Sumiye smiled awkwardly at Daichi.

"Huh" Umiko looked at Sumiye: "Mom..." and then at Daichi: "... and dad?"

“What is going on? Are we witnessing something beautiful?” Etsuko whispered to Hayami (they were still undercover).

“I don’t know… Let's not divert from our mission. We should keep following them. Especially that boy and Koike!”

“Why is that?” Etsuko glanced at the said boys.

“I heard that boy saying something like ‘I can star a Yaoi story with Koshiro.’ since they’re best friends and whatnot.”

“Hayamichi, you shouldn’t be prying so much into their love life!” Etsuko rebuked her, “Besides…” she started to blush, and fiddle with her fingers, “Does this mean we could be in a Yuri?”

“Hey! If Koike isn’t a pervert I should look into this to see if my opinion of him improves!” Hayami justified, “And it’s obvious that we couldn’t be in a Yuri!”

Etsuko started to cry, “Is it because we’re not actually best friends? Because I was starting to have dou…”

“Of course not. you idiot! It’s because you’re not my type?”

“Not your type?” she tilted her head.

“Yes, you’re too cute.”

“Oooh, Hayamichi!” Etsuko jumped on her BFF and started to rub her face against hers.

“Ugh. If you keep doing this you’ll be promoted to ‘acquaintance.’”

“Ok, I’m sorry.” the girl promptly stopped.

“Those two fishy guys sure talk a lot.” Koshiro looked at them, he had the impression he had seen them before, “Well, it’s none of my business. The real problem is that Daichi and Sumiye are staring at each other with weird smiles until now…”

Just to contradict the boy, Daichi opened his mouth... “Ohoho! The weather is so good today, right?!” and started to blather.

“You’re right Daichi! It is!” and Sumiye kept it up.

“Oh! And that new mode of Predator Legends is tons of fun, right??! I played it today!"

"Ohoho! I still haven't played it!"

"You definitely should!"

"Well, if that's the case…”

“Nyoko-chan thinks that today isn’t the day…” Nyoko seemed crestfallen while observing the two.

“You’re right… tonight we’ll be wrecked again…” Nobu looked down.

“Huh?” Koshiro realized something. The most crestfallen of all wasn't Nyoko or Nobu, it was Umiko Sawada. The boy approached his Senpai and whispered: "Hey, are you alright?"

"..." the girl was no longer holding hands with the adults. She was only wandering while staring at the ground,

"Hey!"

"..."

"Hey, Umiko!"

"Huh?" the girl raised her head and looked at Koshiro.

“Don’t make that face. Staying with me and Scar-chan is that bad, Umiko?”

“It isn’t really.” the girl murmured.

"Hmm..." Koshiro observed her face, she was still a little downcast. "Hey." he rummaged his pockets, “It’s the only thing I managed to get at the arcade, but you can have it if you don’t act like that the rest of the day.”

“Huh?” Umiko tilted her head and looked at what the boy was handing her: a small cellphone.

“Take it.” Koshiro put the little thing on one of her hands.

"Oh!" the girl observed the present with curiosity and cracked a tiny smile, “Thank you…” 

***

“How did we end up here?” Hayami asked Etsuko. They were now playing a drinking game at the Suto household.

“Yo, ain’t it obvious, babe?” Etsuko was forcing a deep voice, “Suto-Sensei saw both of us following their group, yo, and recognized you instantly, yo, she said ‘If it isn’t Takayama-san! Is this boy your boyfriend? I thought you spent your days deceiving various guys!’ yo.” without makeup now, and covered by the souvenirs from their trip (especially the big shirt, hat, and sunglasses) Etsuko could be confounded as a boy, “And then that Daichi man, he said to Koike-kun ‘Too bad she’s already taken, brother!’ yo, and then we came here, babe!”

“This part I know! it doesn’t make sense how we arrived here! We jammed seven people on a car?!”

“Yo, just like a clown car, babe!”

“Ugh.” Hayami sighed, “Let’s get this over with.” she turned her attention to the drinking game: everyone was playing (But Suto-Sensei was the only one to drink something alcoholic): Suto-san was drinking tea; Scar, milk; Nyoko-chan and Sawada, milkshake; "Daichi man", alcohol-free beer; Nobu, soda; Etsuko coffee; Hayami, orange juice; And Koike, “IT’S NOT IMPORTANT, SCREW HIM.” (Yes, most of that party time was spent with catering).

The game was pretty simple, one of them would spin a pencil, and then, the chosen person would ask a question that could be answered with a “Yes” (sipping) or a “No” (not sipping). The questions were varied. It began with simple stuff like: “Do you like dogs?” “Do you like cats?” “Have you ever eaten dog meat?” “What about cat meat?” passing through Sawada’s bombings: “Can we go to the amusement park again tomorrow??!” “What about the Aquarium?” "Why no?!" “Why are you so boring, Sumiye?”

“YOUR QUESTIONS MUST BE ONES THAT CAN BE ANSWERED WITH A YES OR NO!” Suto-Sensei screamed at her.

Finally arriving at the good part (when Sumiye was basically drunk) where the love came into play:

“Do you love someone? Love in that way?! Maybe someone in this room?!” this one was from Nobu, who smiled and looked at Daichi man and Suto-Sensei. He, Nyoko, Scar, and Suto-san didn’t drink. Sawada justified it by saying “A princess should love everyone!” (I don’t think she understood the question).

“Is Koike going to drink looking at me??” Hayami looked at the boy.

“Is Takayama going to drink looking at me???” the boy looked at her, “No, she has her boyfriend, so I’m safe.” Koshiro didn’t drink

“C’mon, babe, yo.” Etsuko drank and looked at Hayami.

“Okay.” Hayami drank and then murmured: “But you know for who this is, right?”

“Yo, yeah, babe! Probably! Maybe! Yo, I have no idea...”

Suto-Sensei and Daichi man hesitantly drank, and their faces flushed (for Suto-Sensei it wasn’t just because of embarrassment). After this, the game continued:

“When will you get married, daughter?” Suto-san asked.

“Mom!” Sumiye glanced at Daichi man and blushed.

“Oh! I’m sorry! Do you plan on getting married soon? I forgot it must be a yes or no!” Suto-san didn’t even move her tea, and so did most of the people (except Sawada that drank right away saying “A princess requires a prince!”), but Daichi man and Suto-Sensei stared at each other and at their drinks, shaking them, not sure of what they should do.

“Ugh, it’s my turn now.” Hayami hit the pencil, and it stopped on the delinquent version of Etsuko.

“Yo, man, it’s my turn now, yo.” Etsuko pulled Hayami closer to her, “Yo my question is, yo, are you a virgin, yo?” she didn’t drink and prevented Hayami from doing so as well murmuring: “We have to show ‘em who’s boss, you know babe?” the girl then looked at the others, Daichi man and Suto-san were the only ones to not drink…

“DAICHI?!” Nyoko, Nobu, Suto-Sensei, Koike, Suto-san, and Scar exclaimed at the same time.

“Yo, you’re not gonna be surprised that I and my beautiful girl right here have done it? Yo?” Etsuko looked at the others.

“You just look like a couple who would do that sort of thing!” Nobu looked at Etsuko, “You have an aura that likes to curse and screw people!”

“That’s not true!” the deep voice vanished for a moment, “I’m perfectly girly… I mean yo, man, yo, I’m a reasonable guy, you know, yo?”

“Sumi, are you a virgin?” Daichi man tilted his head towards the woman.

“WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK IT IS?!” she yelled back

“Wait, but…”

“Hey! Why don’t we eat some cake?!” Nobu interrupted him.

“Daichi!! hic.” the drunk teacher shouted and ignored Nobu, “H-How could you?! hic.”

“What?! Takayama-san’s boyfriend is talking about kissing, right?” Daichi man looked at Etsuko.

“Huh?!” Etsuko stared at the man, “Yo… yeah… sure...” (after this Nobu and Koike glanced at each other and didn’t drink, raising suspicion and a scowling face from Nyoko-chan).

“See?” Daichi man looked at Sumiye, “So you should put your glass down.”

“Hmmm…” Suto-Sensei trembled, then swilled her beer.

“What do you mean Sumiye? We…”

“LET’S EAT CAKE!!” the woman cried out and headed to the kitchen.

“Huh?” while everyone accompanied Suto-Sensei Hayami noticed something odd. The man named Daichi was hitting his head and mouthing something like “‘I know that we did it… but when was it?’”

***

The rest of the party was they eating the cake (with Umiko blowing the “25” birthday candles) and the opening of the presents: Suto-san said that giving her daughter a roof and love was enough (even though Sumiye was the one taking care of her now); Umiko and Kuma-chan gave her a drawing of her yelling at them (something that happened right after); Scar’s gift was her “cuteness”; Takayama and her boyfriend reluctantly gave her one of the prizes from the arcade (a small stuffed cat); Nobu gave her a personalized controller (that had “D & S” written on it); Koshiro gave her…

“Cat pajamas?” Sumiye looked at the thing.

“That’s right Sumi-nee!”

“Nyoko-chan thinks this will be very cute on Sumiyechi!”

“Okay… I just think it might be too childish…”

“I want the pajamas!” Umiko tried to steal it but was denied by Sumiye.

“Anyway, the next is from Nyoko-chan…” Sumiye reached for the present.

“It’s not childish at all!” Nyoko warned.

“Okay… Wait, is this a...” the woman peered into the bag. “Nyoko-chan?”

“What?”

“Stick to childish stuff next time, okay?”

“Okay.”

"Hey, what is in the bag?" Daichi asked, "Nobu told me I should see it."

"Which bag?!" Sumiye threw it out of the window, "I don't know what are you talking about!"

"But..."

“I guess that’s it, right?!” Sumiye looked at the others.

“Actually, my parents sent something.” Daichi rummaged his pockets and handed something to her.

“Huh?” it was an envelope.

"I haven't read it." the man affirmed, "You don't have to worry."

"Hmm..." Sumiye started to open it. She was expecting money, but it was "A marriage certificate?"

“So? What is it?” Daichi looked curious.

“Hmm…” Sumiye read the paper, the only thing missing was her signature. She glanced at Daichi and then rummaged her pockets, picking a pen. “Hmmmmmmmmmm…” she was about to sign…

“Sumi?” Daichi called.

“Aaah!” she jumped back, her face burning red, she then torn the paper and shouted: “It was just a bunch of cash! No big deal!”

“Oh! You probably shouldn’t have torn that… Well, I can lend you some money if you need it!”

***

When Sumiye returned to her usual self and collapsed like a normal drunkard, everyone darted out of the house to leave her and Daichi alone (even Suto-san asked to be taken to the garden, leaving the house to the two). So, while the man was carrying the woman to her bedroom, the others went to the train station, where Takayama and her boyfriend went to one side and Umiko, Nobu, Koshiro, Scar, Kuma-chan, and Nyoko went to the other.

“It’s kind of weird that Takayama's house is to that side… This means she lives really far from school...” Koshiro was absorbed in thought. They had just reached the intersection in which the Furukawas would part ways with them.

“Hey, Koshiro-kun!” Nyoko called him.

“Huh?”

“Will you play with us tonight?” Nobu asked him.

“Hmm…” the boy pondered for a moment, “I don’t think so… I might have an idea to write… I have to work on it.”

“Do you want to play in his place, Sawada-chan?”

“Yes!”

“Is THAT easy to replace me??!” Koshiro complained.

“What is your idea, Koshiro-kun?” Nyoko ignored the complaint.

“Hmm… it’s an idea that's popping into my mind recently...  Seeing Takayama today made me think more about it..."

"Spit it out! Nyoko-chan wants to know what it is!"

"Well... it's... a romance."

“Oh! Looks who fell in love!” Nobu poked him with his elbow, “But I’m afraid she has a boyfriend, my friend.”

“Yes! That’s why I’m thinking about writing a romance without romance!”

“Hahahahahahahahahaha!” the others started to laugh.

Koshiro frowned at them.

 “Wait, are you serious?”

“Uhum!” Koshiro looked serious, “Maybe we have the protagonist and the heroine hate each other at first, but then…”

“They fall in love, right?!” Nyoko chimed in, “That’s the only thing that can happen!”

“No! They…”

“Have casual sex? That’s the only other way I see…” Nobu held his chin.

“Of course not! I won’t write por…”

“So they have a perverted relation!” Umiko was the one interrupting now.

“How is that any different from what he just said??!” Koshiro turned to the girl.

“It’s more hardcore!”

“Aaagh!” Koshiro sighed, "What are they teaching this kid?" “Anyway, my idea is: they could become great friends!”

“Great... friends?” the others tilted their heads.

“Yes.”

“Hmm…” Nobu pondered.

“What do you think?”

“Maybe you should stick to porn.”

“Aargh, the contest doesn’t even allow it…”

“Well, if that’s the case… go with your idea…”

“So, you think this could work?” Koshiro looked hopefully at Nobu.

"Hmm... you don't want to write a romance, right?"

"What? I just said I want to do exactly that!"

"No! As your best friend I can read your mind. What you really want to write about isn't romance. It's 'love' without 'love'."

"Well... maybe?" Koshiro wasn't getting confused himself. "Yeah... you could say that. What do you think then?"

“Hmm… I have to think a bit… I’ll answer you tonight.” Nobu waved at Koshiro: “Bye for now.”

"Aah." Koshiro sighed. “Okay then. Bye for you two!”

“Nyoko-chan says bye!”

“See you Nobu-kun, Nyoko-chan!” Umiko waved at them.

After waving goodbye, Koshiro called the girl beside him: “Let’s go, Umiko.” 

“Hey, brother.” Nyoko whispered and poked Nobu. “Look over there!” she pointed at the backs of Umiko and Koshiro.

“Huh?” Nobu looked at where she was pointing, the two were finally walking side by side (and without screaming at each other), “Oh, yeah… a story can be about love without that ‘love.’” he turned to his sister, “Right Nyoko?”

“Nyoko-chan thinks so, brother!” Nyoko smiled at Nobu.

Nobu smiled back at Nyoko, and, as the two brothers started to head to their home, the older one picked his phone and made sure to text his friend right away:

Nobu: I think that a story of love without that love might work.

Nobu: Just please don’t put anything incestuous on it.

Nobu: Even though it would make it sell more...

Nobu: Much more, actually

Nobu: Seriously, you'd probably get rich if you did that!

Nobu: But please, don't

***

“Umiko.” Koshiro called her name after a few minutes of walking.

“What?” she tilted her head and looked at him.

“Where is the little cellphone I gave you today?”

“Huh?” the girl tilted her head, “Oh! I lost it.”

“Ugh.” Koshiro smacked his head, “I guess there’s no helping it, I’ll have to buy a real one.” he turned to Umiko, “Is that okay?”

“Yes! That was actually my plan all along!”

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"Oh, okay then." the boy smiled “Yes… I haven’t started writing yet, but that might just be because… I’m having so much fun with my own story. Now I have to make my way to the seq…” “Ouch!” he hit a street light post and fell to the ground.

“Oh?” Umiko tilted her head and looked at the boy lying on the floor, “Are you alright, Koshiro?”

“Aargh.” Koshiro rubbed his head and slowly stood up, “What are you doing here?!!” he rebuked the post with an angry face.

“He’s probably just making sure this doesn’t end with something generic like a monologue!” Umiko explained.

“He?”

“Of course! Post-kun deserves respect!” she sulked.

“Hmm... Whatever.” Koshiro sighed, “Let’s go home.” he passed by Post-kun.

“Okay!” Umiko followed the boy then turned around to wave: “Bye, Post-kun! Come on Koshiro! Say bye!”

“Why not?” Koshiro turned around and waved: “Bye!”

That night was finally the night Koshiro didn’t miss the trash can on his first try (although he stayed very close to it to do the throwing) and, after retiring the pencils and pens, he finally sat in front of his computer with a serious face.

“That’s it! Now it’s finally time to begin!!” was the last thing Koshiro Koike exclaimed before he stretched and started to type.