“Oh I’m sure you were worried…not like you were too busy doing things with- Shun-chan! Where did you come from?” Mao burst out randomly seeing him creep up on her. The unknown boy burst out laughing at the name. To most people Shun would seem intimidating, well intimidating enough not to call him Shun-chan, because of his body build but Mao had known him when he was labeled as scrawny knees in his neighborhood.

“Teasing her already I see?” He said and Mao nodded sheepishly. Maki grinned and nodded as she latched herself onto a particularly comfortable spot and Shun sat down beside her and it seemed like the couch was simply made for the two of them and no one else…and obviously because of that no one else sat beside them.

Megumi decided to sit down in between ‘Yama-chan’ and Toma-kun. Mao sat beside Toma and Erika sat beside her.

“So you are the infamous Yama-chan Erika has been wailing about…” Megumi started

“I WAS NOT-“ Realizing her voice was loud Erika lowered it to a mumble to finish her sentence; alas no one could hear the end.

“Yamapi for short.” He said staring at her and Megumi grinned in response to his stare

“Yamapi-kun?”

“No…just Yamapi.” He said grinning at her and Megumi gave the slightest hint of a blush and Mao poked Toma.

“Look Look!” However Yamapi had noticed her loud voice and soon she was in his eye and he looked straight at her.

“Mao-chan?”

“EH? How did you know?” She was famous for her EH? Really it went all around Eitoku the first time she’d said it.

“Toma wouldn’t shut up about it for ages. Kept saying...Mao this…Mao that…Mao’s super poor you know, and she’s still so popular, god Mao’s so cool.” Toma looked like he was about ready to lunge at Yamapi. She realized then that Toma had not said a word to her, or really anyone, since she’d showed up here with Megumi.

She blushed slightly and nodded. “How was your holiday Toma-kun?”

For the first time she really stared at him and noticed the subtle changes, his cheekbones seemed more pronounced, he seemed more mature… and he was far more attractive now than ever before if possible. For a second the image of the curly haired man popped back into her head but she shook it out but it popped back in, and it seemed that Toma resembled him slightly.

“It was good Mao-chan. I missed you and your antics,” He said and Mao’s heart immediately jumped into . He’d missed her?!

Maki, who was not paying attention to what was happening on the other side of the room, on the other hand was heatedly arguing with Shun ending the argument she turned and looked for a second away from Shun at the edge of the tiny couch and so did Shun so Erika looked shocked at there having been a fight between the ‘most-likely to get married couple’.

“-and the others of course. I was in Italy the same time as Erika though.” Toma-kun said finishing up the story of his summer.

That was right she remembered now. Toma and Erika had been acquaintances for a long time now as Erika had also been saved from bullying thanks to him. Toma really did go around saving people. However ever since then they’ve really just been meeting through family relations and weren’t at all close friends, though Mao noticed as Erika simply blushed quietly and looked down, Italy might have changed that, she thought rather jealously but she was also slightly relieved. This was really nothing new and it might have been mean of Mao to think so but she really wished Erika would stop being such a baby and just grow up and have some fun, flirty feelings, even if they were with her best friend’s, coughherselfcough going-to-be boyfriend.

“How was it? Italy I mean. I’ve always wanted to go. Did you go to Venice? Rome? Florence?” The places spilled out of and she couldn’t help herself. Toma shot her a smile and nodded. “I went to almost all those places, except for Rome. Erika insisted that the whole crew couldn’t go to Rome because she couldn’t.” Erika’s head looked like it was about to jerk up to protest but instead stayed down. Megumi sighed away from her conversation with Yamapi to look at Erika and sighed.

“So has she been like this since we came in or was it before?” She asked a small sliver of hope remaining and Yamapi shook his head.

“Since before.” He said and looked at Megumi again and slowly the skin of her upper arm softly. Megumi’s eyes widened and she was absolutely sure she was imagining things but then she caught the smirk on his face and offered him one back. Ah yes they were playing a game of who would give in first.

If she turned around she would have seen Toma giving Yamapi a warning look. It was almost like Yamapi was a fox in hiding Maki noticed as she stared away from Shun’s face oddly attracted to scene playing out in front of her with Megumi and Yamapi.

“I’m glad I’m out of that whole mess called dating Shun.” She said as if trying to prove something, turning back to him their previous argument slowly fading away into memory his cheek affectionately as he reciprocated. Maki had loved spending time with him these five days. They’d done so much and yet so little. They hadn’t done ‘it’ of course. Maki had prohibited that, but they had come so close to it. She remembered and shuddered at the thought.

She’d promised herself that she would never be one of those girls, girls like Megumi, whom she loved but to a certain degree disrespected.

“Oh really? What are we then? We’re not a dating couple?” He said amused staring at her with amused eyes and she shook her head happily almost ready to speak off her amusing answer.

“We’re this messed up form of a long lasting couple. We’re almost like a married couple except for the fact that we never ever fight but we’re like new couples who can’t keep their hands off each other and well…let’s just say Shun you are the perfect man for me and I hope I never ever lose you.” She said wrapping her arms around his waist and settling into his lap.

“Of course not.” He said kissing the top of her head softly and letting her relax in his arms.

Erika watched on the scene jealously. There really was no point of being jealous but she couldn’t help it. She’d always been jealous of Maki who was exactly who Erika wished she could be. Maki was old money, classy, glamorous, and graceful. Erika on the other hand was new money, shy, plain, and clumsy. She gripped the cloth-like material of her trench coat in her hands feeling her nails poking through the flimsy threads. She wished she could leave these people here for a little while and she could just go out far away maybe she’d ride horses and boss around Shota-kun, the stable boy or not talk to Kamenashi-sama but stare at his ever gorgeous face.

At one time Erika had thought she was a lesbian. After all it was the only explanation for her immense shyness wasn’t it? Then she’d realized that there were guys who had made her heart beat faster than a race car on a race track, there was Brad Pitt, Toma-kun when he kept his mouth shut and just gave her a smoldering gaze, and lastly Kamenashi-sama. Kamenashi-sama, she wondered idly what he would be doing right now. Possibly putting on his leather jacket walking the streets of Tokyo with a scowl decorating his gorgeous face. He was the total opposite of anything Erika would like on a normal basis, he was sulky, and quiet and mysterious, people who acted like this she usually mocked, and yet here she was completely enamored with him.

If only the feeling was mutual, then again it was probably a good thing the feeling wasn’t mutual now that she thought about it.

She was quite sure she’d run away wetting her pants or something if it was.

Mao randomly looked at Erika who was obviously left out and growled at herself, if only she was used to being mean and leaving people out like Maki and Megumi she’d be able to stand it but seeing Erika like that she wordlessly glared at her and questioned her bitingly. “Erika…what was your take on your holiday in Italy?”

Erika looked up and smiled childishly like she often did. “I loved it! The artistic influence can be sensed the moment you set step in the airport and of course...it’s a very…passionate country.”

And with that Erika and Toma both grinned at each other like Cheshire cats in a rare occurrence displaying an almost closeness. Mao looked from one to the other. “And we’re all smiles about this why?”

Toma grinned. “It was just extremely…friendly the airport. As we stepped off to meet the people who would take us to the hotel the woman lunged at me for a hug,” Mao instantly narrowed her eyes slightly and looked to Erika who was fighting back giggles. Mao noticed suddenly that everyone else had stopped having private conversations and were looking at them.

“Then what?” Maki asked interested just as Toma was about to open his mouth to continue.

Yamapi shot her a glance and rolled his eyes. “God if you’d shut up we’d know wouldn’t we?” Though it seemed he already knew this story by the looks of it, he stopped talking only because Megumi seemed genuinely interested in what Toma and Erika were talking about. Maki seemed on the verge of saying something but she shut up promptly with a look from Shun saying that she should just let it pass.

“Erika why don’t you continue?” Toma said obviously unwilling to continue, Mao looked and she was quite sure she caught the smallest hint of a blush forming on his cheeks!

“SHE KISSED YOU?” Mao guessed bursting into cackles and clutching at her sides. Megumi and Maki burst into laughter as well. Yamapi overacted and fell on the floor sarcastically laughing and Shun gave his cute boy laugh. Erika looked up from her clothes and nodded enthusiastically.

“That’s funny Toma-kun. Just to think your first kiss…an Italian woman at an airport.” Maki said and suddenly Toma seemed even more flustered.

“That wasn’t my first kiss!” He insisted.

“Please if that was his first kiss I’d be disappointed in having a friend like him,” Yamapi said now cool and composed and obviously no longer rolling on the floor laughing. Megumi turned and looked at him curiously.

“Oh think you’re ever the playboy do you?” Megumi said teasingly and Mao practically threw up in . Moments ago this was the girl who was yelling about their lesbian relationship to some stranger? She could hardly believe that, spastic to seductive in a flash. She should offer some lessons to Erika.

About five bus stops away Jun entered his new home wet. That was the problem with forgetting umbrellas when the forecast read cloudy. You got wet. He paused to examine his new residence in Japan; it was lavish but casual, as was to be expected. His sister had lived here before she got married to that ert who lived in Berlin so it wasn’t surprising to see pictures of the two of them adorning the walls.

There was a problem with living in a house alone though. It wouldn’t help him in understanding girls better.

Oh normally Jun would have said he understood girl’s needs and he would have been correct. He was swanky and charming and extremely deceptive, he often molded his personality after seeing a girl and what she would want in her ‘perfect’ guy. This was his super formula for getting lots of make out sessions with hot chicks!

This was different. His mom had told him that if he didn’t complete this yearlong ‘assignment’ he could kiss inheriting the corporation goodbye.

That was obviously not something he was willing to do. He sat and thought. Okay, so he was here in Japan where no one recognized him and he was as free to make a fool of himself as possible. Now he had to go shopping...HELL HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO SHOPPING! It when he was a guy and he didn't doubt that it would when he was a girl.

He was knocked out of his reverie by a knock on the door. He went towards it and growled who could it be? As he opened the door he felt small arms wrap around his neck and immediately coughed. “Aya?” He said and looked at the girl who decidedly looked not quite like a girl, with her short hair, baggy clothes that were gangster-like, 500K bling wrapped around her neck and too-big-for-her-tiny-feet-but-won't-listen-to-Jun men’s sneakers.

“I cannot believe you left the U.S. and didn’t tell me homie! You’re mah best friend from ages ago and beyond. What’s up with that bro?” That was how she referred to him, he was bro. He shook his head and let her in. He cringed multiple times. What on earth had happened to his debutante wanna be? He remembered when Aya had been all about the pink and the girly dresses and manicures.

“You really wanna hear?”

“Why my best friend just up and left his home of sixteen years hell yeah! I was counting on you keeping me company at Blair Waldorf’s crazy party last night but to my displeasure I found out you were in Nihon yo! Yeah by da way I went to the party anyways to hook up with that new actor guy who was there but he decidedly brushed me off… much eh? Anyways enough about my life what the hell are you doing here?” She said and looked around examining the place nodding in approval as she scanned the place. Spotting a black beanbag in between two tropical green plants she flopped down there. “Spill it to me like imma bartender and you been dumped.”

Jun looked at her and sighed. He should have known she would have tracked him down. Aya Ueto, the richest Japanese girl in New York. She was arrogant, boyish, and far too much fun for any guy. She was wild spirited and free and anything that wasn’t stifling or boring. She tended to try anything once…literally everything. Though after the once she tended to discard them easily into the trash if she didn’t like them. Sadly enough Jun had always had to look after her and make sure that she didn’t try anything stupid like drugs.

Oh and had he mentioned she was a racer?…For fun. A personal note from Jun's thoughts: WHAT GIRL WAS A RACER FOR FUN ON THE SIDE? She earned lots of money that way though so Jun didn't complain, unless there was that rare occurrence when she lost and then she just went and banged up half of the Bronx with her temper, sadly Jun was often in the car with her when she did this screaming for his life.

He sat down on a white armchair across the beanbag and sighed and shook his head. “You know how I’m supposed to be inheriting the company?” Aya nodded as if this was old news and it was.

“Well…I’m not anymore.” Aya’s eyes widened for a second but then they went back to normal.

“Your retaliation to this announcement is Tokyo? That’s one ed up answer bro…she’s letting you go away from the head office to make you what? Even more dependent on her?” Jun glared at her for a second and then shook his head. Aya was right, he was a dependent he never did anything that remotely resembled leadership. He couldn’t blame his mother for wanting him to not take over the company.

“Nah that was my answer to her condition. I get to still keep running the company if and only if I am able to earn a massive respect for women. Obviously I am far too prideful to just pretend like any normal son would.”

“Still don’t see where Japan comes into this picture…” She said idly fixing her shoelaces. Aya was bored and Jun could tell by the glazed off look in her eyes, he hit her head.

This caused the glaze to go away from Aya’s eyes and a distinct want to murder him take its place instead.

“I’m probably going to embarrass myself lots and if I have to do that I don’t want to do it in New York where I know people and I will never ever get to forget it, courtesy of yours truly.” He said and then Aya immediately perked up.

“Now I see where this is going! Though Junny-bunny,” This was another of his nicknames. Ah how he hated her, he really did...one day he'd probably end up choking her in her sleep.

“Where are you going to get help from? Let’s face it your knowledge of women stops exactly at the point where you stop getting any from them, my knowledge of women might just be worse if you don’t count anatomy.” She said looking at herself in the mirror and nodding. “Yeah I’m hot, anyways yeah…it seems hopeless for you here. Even with the ever-so-hot me.”

“Gee…thanks Aya no really. It’s put everything into perspective your ideas and thoughts. When she first told me I was thinking for a second that maybe I could start this whole respect thing with going to like lesbian friendly groups or something.” He remembered the two girls one of them had been unable to admit to the relationship in public and the other had been boisterous and loud. Perhaps it was just a joke between the two of them. For some reason he could distinctly remember ones face and the other's was a complete mystery to him still.

“On the right track but I doubt its going to help you either ways. Lesbian women are mostly masculine …not feminine and your mom is looking for respect for the feminine female race isn’t she?” She said smartly picking up a vase and examining it. “African,” She said after a moment and plopped back down on the beanbag happily.

“You Aya, you just dashed my very last hope of even coming close to a quick getaway...actually no my mom already had another plan before I even proposed this one.”

“Yeah I love you too. What's her plan? Oh hold.” She said shortly pulling out her cell phone as it rang from inside her pocket. Jun glanced at her and shook his head. Four hours in the country and she has a new cell phone and contacts.

“Kamenashi-kun! No of course oh sure I'll meet you there laterz no I’m not busy right now. Jun” She gave him a nod that apparently he was supposed to understand but of course Jun understood nothing and sat there staring at Aya, she was such a mystery. Well actually no she was just a boy stuck in a woman’s body.

She was a boy stuck in a woman’s body.

Something clicked inside Jun’s head at that moment and Aya glanced at him concerned at the maniac glint that seemed to be adorning his face as he stood up suddenly almost letting a gush of wind through his palms as he stood up.

"NOOOOOOOOOO" He started imagining himself in Aya's position except instead of being a tomboy he was a sallygirl? IS THAT EVEN A WORD? But he couldn't think of anything there was to describe the opposite of tomboy. He hated his mother, he really did and to add insult to the injury the company would go to Yuuta if he didn't complete his 'mission.

Needless to say for the first time Aya feared for the sanity of the not so sane Jun. “I’ll call you back Kame-kun.” She said and hung up and patted Jun on the shoulder.

“Are you okay Jun?” She asked and slapped him on his cheeks a little from side to side and he ended up center in front of her face and she looked at him closely as he still had the weird glint in his eyes as he spoke.

“YOU ARE A BOY!” He said depressed and Aya grinned at him as if she was about to murder him. She may act like a boy but she was extremely into the fact that she was a girl. “Gee, never thought you’d get drunk without alcohol Jun but you’ve proved me wrong again. Come on off to bed with you before you say anything else.” She said and was stopped by his hands grasping her shoulders tightly.

“Okay enough of the crap Jun what’s up?” She said sounding quite pissed off, and to her credit she should have been she had no idea why Jun was acting this way.

“My mom...okaa-san...no she doesn't deserve to be called that..that woman is making me-” He said and Aya folded her arms across her chest waiting for him to continue looking quite pissed at his proclamation.

“SHE'S MAKING ME BECOME A GIRL!” He yelled out his voice even cracking a little.

Aya fainted.
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Hiii I'd love it if you guys commented some more..cause that way cause otherwise I lose motivation and even an update soon is good enough ^.^

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