����� Hello once again people!� Man, I'm really on a roll... I haven't
been able to stop writing yet, I wonder why?� But I bet you're all
enjoying yourselves out there, reading my rants and stuff.� I do
sincerely hope you guys like what I've been writing so far.� If you want
to comment, well, you can e-mail me care of the NFT Zu.
����� Copyrights for the anime series mentioned here belong to the proper
people --- Sunrise (Shin Kidou Senki Gundam Wing), Takahashi Rumiko
(Ranma 1/2), Studio Clamp (Magic Knighblasted as I was last night."� He shook his head in astonishment for the
way the others had out-drunk him so casually.

����� Presently the girl stirred, and then Kage smiled sleepily up at
him, almost making him catch his breath.� "Morning, PJ.� Sleep well?"
She looked at how they were arranged and then, to his surprise, blushed.
"Oh.� Stupid question... sorry 'bout this, man."

����� "It's all right," he replied, amazed that his voice wasn't cracking
under that sudden strained feeling in the pit of his stomach.� "One thing
I do know for sure, my head hurts like hell and my guts are in major
upheaval.� I swear, I'm never going to drink with those guys ever again!"

����� At his words, Kage pushed herself easily off him and went into the
kitchen.� "Wait there a minute, 'kay?"� After about ten minutes she came
back laden with two steaming mugs and a tray of bread.� "Best way to get
rid of a hangover, my friends always told me: get something nice and easy
into your stomach as soon as you're able to.� Settles you down right
quick, and gets rid of the bad breath, too.� It's worked for me every
single time I went out with my girl friends, believe me.� You may think
everyone else here drinks like horses, and so does Keren's class, but
those girls do 'em all one better."

����� "Anything else you didn't forget, Kage?"� PJ leaned back easily
into the cushions, toasting her with his mug.

����� She blushed again and suddenly found her coffee more interesting
than him, the fingers of her free hand worrying at a small chunk of
bread.� "Um, about last night?� I wasn't as drunk as you thought, I heard
and remembered everything we all said...."

����� PJ lifted an inquisitive eyebrow.� "And?"

����� "You don't remember anything from last night?� None at all, are you
sure?� Good," and the girl turned away without waiting for an answer.
What looked to be a long-held pain aged her features in the space of a
heartbeat.� "You'd best not remember."� With that she swept up her
makeshift breakfast and left the room, leaving a very confused PJ in her
wake.

����� "Now what the heck did I do to her now?"� He scratched absently at
his scalp and then cleared up his own breakfast things, wondering what
he'd said to set her off so badly.

*****

����� It was a long and strange Saturday for PJ; as he was clearing up he
found no less than four notes on the kitchenette, propped up between the
breakfast dishes.� Keren had left to meet some classmates; Amaia had been
called to the hospital by one of her wards.� His sister had gone shopping
with some friends; Mara had answered yet another casting call.� Kage
didn't go out of her room for the rest of the day and that left him to
his own devices.

����� Again and again he replayed his memories of the previous night,
fighting to recall what he'd said during the long and seemingly endless
rounds of "React" questions.� "I reacted twice, to Keren's first question
and then to Mara when she told me my fly was unzipped.� Kage asked me
somewhere in the middle if I'd ever cheated on any of my exams, and then
I didn't react for about seven questions.� Shit, this is harder than I
thought."

����� He glanced for a long moment at the locked door that stood between
the two of them and wondered just exactly what she was doing.

����� "Chicken," Kage muttered angrily at herself, the sound muffled by
the pillow that she'd buried her face in.� "I'm a harpy and a fool and a
big yellow spring chicken!� But I can't tell PJ what he told me last
night.� I can't!� I can't do it... I can't lose him, not like this, not
this way, I'm too scared!

����� "You've always been the brother I never had, PJ," she said out
loud, testing the words against the previous night's truths.� "I thought
you were so nice and everything, seeing as I was a whole lot closer to
Pam... but who invited me here?� You introduced me to Mara Jade and you
made me feel right at home as soon as I came.� Sure, you did the same for
Amaia when she and Keren moved in but that's because you were raised that
way!

����� "Then you stole my heart away and I hated you and me for it --- you
for being what you were and me for being so blasted romantic!� I told you
I loved you last night but you never heard a thing, and now I'm in too
deep, way worse than head over heels...."

����� PJ caught his breath as he stood there outside her door, one hand
poised to knock.� Slowly, he dropped his arm and then staggered back
against the wall, bracing himself in the corner.� "I didn't know, Kage, I
swear I didn't know... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

����� Inside Kage's room, his litany of apologies was really little more
than a persistent, low-pitched susurration.� Some time later, the girl
was prompted to go out and find out what --- or who --- was effectively
joining her in her crying fit; she cracked the door open and then drew in
her breath quickly.

����� A welter of flowers bloomed riotously outside her door, shades of
yellow and blue predominating to nod gaily at her.� Assorted ferns and
grasses swayed gracefully alongside the blooms, giving the impression of
a wildflower-filled meadow.� The folded paper propped up against one
particularly large sunflower was directed to her, and she picked it open
with trembling fingers.

Kage, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.� I should have told you this a long time
ago, but I couldn't say a word before because you were only someone I
knew as Pam's best friend, someone who helped us adjust to life away from
home.� You'd lived in the city for practically your whole life and we
relied so heavily on you while we were still getting used to things.

So when did I fall for you?� I think it was during that couple of weeks
when both Pam and Mara were out of the city, business and theater work
things, shortly before Amaia and Keren moved in.� I finally found out why
my sister loved you so much, almost as much as she loved me.� I finally
got to see firsthand why she always spoke of you in glowing terms --- and
you know that sometimes she's just so hard to please!

Could you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for what I've put you
through without even noticing?� I should have paid more attention to what
was going on around me.� But if there's any way I can make it up to you,
please let me know, and I swear I'll do everything in my power to fulfill
it.

I don't know if you still want to know this, but I do love you, Kage.� I
always have and I always will.

Autumn flowers will always remind of you.� PJ

*****

����� "Now what?" Mara Jade asked as Pam steered her car, a battered but
serviceable royal-blue sedan, into the apartment complex's parking lot.
"I don't really think coming home this early is such a good idea.� What
rights have we to barge in on PJ and Kage?� You never know, they might
still be talking things out and when we come in... do you have any idea
of how awkward that's going to be?"

����� "Iya, watashi wa soo omowanai.� That's exactly why we're doing
this."� Beside her, Amaia fiddled with the cuffs on her powder-blue
shirtwaist and nodded.� "Actually, if it were up to me, we'd have been
home hours ago.� We've got to help those two straighten things out.� I
won't have anyone crying tonight, ne?"

����� "I still say we should leave the two of them alone.� I've been
around both of them long enough to have a good idea of what should be
done."� Pam killed the engine and then crossed her arms over her chest,
frowning at the two girls in the backseat.� "We shouldn't be here yet!"

����� "Well, we're home already," Keren said from the shotgun seat.� He
adjusted his glasses and then opened his door, going around to help his
cousin with her bag.� "It wouldn't make sense for us to go out and take a
drive.� Besides, I think Mara's right, Amaia."

����� The four of them took the stairs at a snail's pace, and stood
together on the third floor landing, seemingly rooted in place.� Finally,
Amaia shook her head, walked forward and resolutely grasped the doorknob.

����� "That you, sis?� We were starting to wonder where you guys had gone
off to," and PJ looked up at them with a grin.� The newspapers were
spread out around him on the floor, where he was leaning against one of
their armchairs.

����� Kage was draped side-wise across that same armchair, her chin
resting on one arm and her free hand resting casually on PJ's shoulder.
As soon as she saw them there she sprang to her feet and headed for the
kitchen.� "Do you guys want anything?"

����� Pam's face broke into a big grin and she playfully punched Keren in
the chest.� "I told you guys everything was going to be all right!
Damn," she laughed as she went to her room to change, "I should've made a
bet with you guys!"

����� PJ watched her go, one fine eyebrow turned upwards.� "Is my sister
all right, Mara?� Oh, wait, maybe I should be asking you that question,
too."

����� Mara Jade threw up her hands.� "I'll never figure you guys out!"
she yelled over her shoulder just before her door banged shut.

����� "I agree with her again," Keren chuckled as he accepted a tall,
frosty glass of iced tea from Kage, then retreated into their little den.

����� "Hai, soo da ne."� Amaia re-tied her hair into place and went to
take her usual place in the kitchen.

����� Once they were alone again, Kage and PJ exchanged smiles.� "I'll
never understand the rest of them either," he said as he drew her close,
"but you and I are going to be a different story altogether, okay?"

����� "Whatever you say, PJ," and Kage reached up to kiss him.

Owari
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