Yuki shuffled along the street as she hummed Tobuko's theme song 
from Doki Doki Kokoro.  Her wooden sandals made a loud clopping noise 
whenever one of her feet landed, but it went nicely with the song she 
was humming, so she didn't mind.  It was a beautiful day; the sun was 
shining brightly in the clear blue sky, and the warm weather was 
tempered by a cool breeze that occasionally floated past.

	Turning a corner, she spotted the Shangri-la.  Gai had to be in 
there!  Yuki had spent a good two hours after school adjusting her 
appearance and waiting by the door, but he never showed.  So she 
decided to head over to his place and surprise him.  The look on his 
face should be priceless...

	Stifling a giggle, Yuki stepped into the restaurant, listening to 
the little bell over the door jingle.  Blushing slightly as she noticed 
all the patrons' eyes on her, thanks to the kimono, she hurried over to 
the counter, where Gina was putting some money in the cash register.

	"Welcome to Shangri-la, how can I help- Yuki!"  Gina smiled.  
"What's going on?  Why aren't you at the festival?"

	"I was waiting for Gai.  Is he here?"  Yuki stood on her toes in 
an attempt to look into the small window on the kitchen door.

	Gina shook her head.  "He left a couple hours ago.  I thought he 
was going to get you."

	The heels of Yuki's sandals hit the floor with an exceptionally 
loud thunk.

* * * * *

                            Heart Heart High
                            Created by NeoPuu

      Episode 48: Hot Hot Night!  Showdown at the School Festival!
                               By Ardweden

* * * * *

	"You... you mean..."  Yuki bit her lip.  "He forgot about me?"

	"Come on, Yuki.  It's okay."  Gina took her friend's trembling 
hands.  "Did he ever say you guys were going together?"

	Yuki shook her head.  "No, but I thought, maybe, he'd surprise 
me..."

	"Well, see?  He probably just didn't think of surprising you like 
that.  Guys are stupid that way.  Especially my brother."  Gina grinned 
as Yumi giggled despite herself.  "'Sides, I don't think it's that he 
doesn't like you or anything."  Her eyes twinkled.

	Yuki fiddled with the glossy material of her kimono.  "Are you 
sure?"

	Gina laughed.  "Never been more sure of anything in my life.  He 
talks about you constantly.  Now cheer up."  Yuki smiled shakily, and 
Gina nodded.  "That's better."

	"Thanks Gina," Yuki said, giving her friend a spontaneous hug 
over the counter.  She blinked as a thought occurred to her.  "Why 
aren't you at the festival?"

	Gina shrugged.  "Maman needs *someone* to help out around here, 
even if it is a slow day.  And everyone else is at the festival."  At 
her friend's guilty look, Gina smiled.  "Don't worry about it.  I get 
paid extra for this."  She winked.

	"Your mom pays you?"  Yuki blinked.

	"Yep," Gina replied with a nod.  "It's only fair, after all.  
Have to treat all employees equally."  She grinned.  "Now get going.  
Maybe you'll catch Gai at the festival."

	"Hey... yeah, that's right!"  Yuki brightened.  "Thanks, Gina!" 
she called as she headed out the door.

	Waving, Gina turned to the disgruntled patron that was waiting 
behind Yuki.  "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked with an 
embarrassed smile.

* * * * *

	Yuki made her way to the festival, but she wasn't humming this 
time.  She hoped Gina was right, that she could find Gai at the 
festival.  The night was supposed to be for them to spend together.  
She quickened her pace.  Maybe she could reach him before it started 
turning dark, so they could watch the sunset together.  She smiled 
wistfully.  That would be nice.

	Her eyes widened as she spotted the school.  There it was!  Now, 
if she could just-  She winced as she fell, landing on the sidewalk.

	"I'm sorry, miss," a strangely familiar voice apologized.  "I 
guess I should have been looking where I was going."  A hand grasped 
Yuki's arm and helped her up.  The hand's owner adjusted his glasses 
and peered at her.  "I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before..."

	Yuki blinked, then her expression darkened.  "Thanks for your 
help, Takeshi, but I've gotta get going."  Yuki pushed the smaller boy 
aside and started towards the festival.  The less time she spent around 
him, the better.

	"Wait!"

	Yuki turned and glared at the boy.  "What?"

	"Yuki... yeah, I recognize you now."  He set about gathering the 
books that were strewn along the sidewalk.  Yuki stepped forward to 
help him, then stopped herself.  The little pervert could pick up his 
own reading material.

	She rubbed her arms.  The sun was beginning to sink below the 
horizon, and Gai wasn't there with her, but she did promise him that 
she'd hear Takeshi out.  "What is it?" she snapped.  Gai could be 
leaving at any time.

	"I just... don't understand."  Takeshi swallowed nervously.  "I 
mean, I- I don't know what I did, Yuki, but all of a sudden you started 
avoiding me and being so cold, and... I don't know."

	Yuki blinked.  "Takeshi, I-"

	"I don't know why!" the mecha geek screamed at her.  "It makes no 
sense!  You drop out of our English project together, just when we were 
having fun, and then you start ignoring me completely!  And any time I 
*did* see you, you just glared at me!  This is the first time I could 
even *talk* to you, and I don't know if you're listening!  What is it?  
Am I too geeky for you?  Too much of a nerd?  Do you think I'll ruin 
your reputation?"  Takeshi held his head in his hands.
 
	The kimono'd girl bit her lip.  Takeshi looked so sad... then she 
got angry.  "No, I don't think you'll ruin my reputation," Yuki 
scowled.  "Since when did I care?  It has nothing to do with *any* of 
things.  How could you insult me like that?"

	"Then why?"

	"Because you're a pervert!"  Yuki pointed at Takeshi in righteous 
accusation.  "You're a mean mean nasty pervert that was just pretending 
to be my friend!  You went through my things and had ecchi pictures 
drawn of me, and everything!"

	"I... what?  I never did any of those things!"  Takeshi stared at 
Yuki in shock.

	"Yes, you did!  I found a note from Gai to me in your room, and 
the Doki Doki Kokoro tickets!  And on your computer, I found that ecchi 
picture of me.  Don't try to deny it.  It's your computer."

	Takeshi blinked.  "But- but Gai told me to give those tickets and 
the note to you!  And I was going to, but then you left so soon...  And 
the pictures were for a video game."

	"A hentai game," Yuki snorted.

	"No, not a hentai one!  A fighting game!  I programmed it 
myself," Takeshi said proudly, despite himself.  "And I had an artist 
friend draw the fighters.  Your skirt's kinda short, yeah, but that's 
pretty normal for those kinds of things..."

	"A... fighting game?"

	Takeshi nodded glumly.  "I've been working on it all year."

	"Oh, Takeshi.  Why didn't you *tell* me?" Yuki asked.

	"You never asked.  Besides," Takeshi continued, "I wanted to show 
it to everyone at the end of the year, as a surprise.  If you don't 
want to be in it, that's okay.  I can just program you out.  I mean, it 
probably wasn't a good idea to use people as characters without their 
permission, anyway..."

	"No!  No, that's okay."  Yuki laughed nervously.  "I guess I 
jumped to conclusions.  I'm sorry."  She chewed her lower lip, then 
stuck out her hand, American style.  "Friends?"

	Takeshi stared at the proffered hand.  "How do I know you won't 
do that to me again?"

	Yuki fidgeted.  "I guess you don't.  But... I'll try not to do 
that again.  I promise."

	With a nod, Takeshi shook it.  "Yeah, okay."  He finished 
gathering his books in the fading daylight.  "I guess I'd better go.  
You're probably gonna meet Gai at the festival or something."

	Yuki sighed as she watched Takeshi stand.  She felt awful, not 
putting enough trust in him.  There had to be something she could do...  
"Ne, Takeshi?  Did you go to the festival?"

	He shook his head.  "Nah, no time.  I stayed late at school 
instead.  Had some stuff to catch up on, since I spent so much time on 
the skit."  He smiled wryly.

	"Then come with me," Yuki suggested.

	Takeshi looked from her to his books.  "I dunno...  I'm not 
exactly ready for it."

	"Come on," Yuki coaxed.  "Your books can come with, too."  She 
giggled  "Besides, it's not safe for a girl to be out in the dark 
alone."

	"O- okay."  His renewed friend grinned and took half the books 
from him, and he smiled.  He had missed her even more than he realized.

	Yuki smiled back.  She didn't get to see the sunset with Gai, but 
in some ways, this was even better.

* * * * *

	The festival was busy.  Little colored lamps hung from wires 
between the booths, lighting the area, while students pushed their way 
through the small crowds, yelling for their friends, while students and 
teachers running the booths yelled into the crowd.  Yuki's eyes were 
wide.  "Wow.  All this for the end of the year."

	Next to her, Takeshi nodded.  "Are we going to look for Gai?" he 
asked.

	"Mmm hmm.  But I don't know how we'll find him with all these 
people."  Yuki stood on her toes in an attempt to see over the crowd 
and spotted Moemi standing by a booth.  "Come on, there's Moemi-chan!" 
she cried with delight.  "Let's go!"

	Takeshi grinned.  "Okay."  And he followed her into the crowd.

	"Moemi-chan!" Yuki waved as soon as they were near.

	"Yuki!  Takeshi!" Moemi greeted with a grin.  "I thought you'd 
never show."

	The other girl shrugged.  "I was waiting for Gai.  But Gina told 
me he came here.  Is anyone with you?"

	Moemi nodded.  "Yeah, I came with Shiro.  But it looks like he 
disappeared again."  She blinked.  "Why are you guys carrying 
textbooks?"

	Takeshi laughed, putting a hand behind his head.  "I stayed after 
school.  I wasn't going to go to the festival, but Yuki made me."

	"Yeah, I sorta ran into him on my way here."  Yuki giggled.  "So 
you came here with Shiro?  That's great!  Have you kissed yet?"  Yuki 
peered at Moemi, who blushed furiously.

	"Well, um..."

	"It's not any of your business," Shiro interrupted.

	Yuki squawked as she staggered from Shiro's gaze.  When had he 
shown up?  "Um... okay.  Did you guys see Gai?"

	Shiro grunted and shrugged.

	"Yes or no!" Yuki demanded.

	"Yeah," he muttered under his breath.

	"Great," she grinned.  "Where?"

	Shiro jerked his thumb to his right.

	"Thanks," Yuki said with an uneasy smile.

	Nodding, Shiro turned to Moemi.  "They went this way," he said.  
"Follow me."  And he started walking the direction from which Yuki and 
Takeshi came.  Moemi shrugged helplessly at them, then followed.

	Yuki and Takeshi stared.  "That was really weird," the mecha geek 
stated.

	"Yeah."  Yuki blinked.  "Oh well.  Let's go get Gai!"  And with 
that, she tugged Takeshi through the crowd.  "You look at the booths on 
the right, and I'll get the ones on the left, okay?"

	Takeshi nodded.  "Okay."  He started scanning them.  Charms, 
trinkets, kabobs... students were crowded around every one, jostling 
for position.  Sighing, he wondered how he'd ever find him... until he 
spotted Gai, standing in front of a goldfish bobbing booth.  He grinned 
and tugged on Yuki's arm, then blinked.  There was a red-haired girl 
with him... Reina?  She triumphantly held a bag with a goldfish 
swimming in it before the colored lamps, and Gai laughed.

	"Did you find him?" Yuki asked eagerly.

	"Uh... no!  No, false alarm."  Takeshi put a hand behind his head 
and laughed as Yuki eyed him suspiciously.

	"Well, you saw something," she decided as she tried to look 
around him.

	Takeshi shifted to block her view.  "No I didn't.  Really.  Um... 
maybe Shiro was lying!  Let's look in the other way, okay?"

	But Yuki would have none of it.  While Takeshi was babbling, she 
gently pushed him aside, and watched with wide eyes as Reina smiled and 
handed the goldfish to Gai.

	"Yuki?  Yuki?"  Takeshi blinked, then looked back at the pair.  
Uh oh.  Yuki was already making her way to them, so he followed.

	"Didn't you know that I'm supposed to catch the fish for you?" 
Yuki heard him ask the red-haired girl.

	She laughed.  "I can't help it if I'm better at this than you 
are."

	Stopping before them, Yuki looked from one to the other, but it 
didn't look like they were going to notice her any time soon.  She took 
a deep breath.  "Gai?"

	The boy in question stopped peering at the goldfish, and looked 
to Yuki.  His eyes widened in recognition.  "Yuki!  When did you get 
here?"

	"Just now."  Yuki wobbled a bit.  What was going on?  "I waited a 
few hours for you."

	"You... waited?  But I thought I'd see you here!"

	"Yeah," she replied absently.  "What's she doing with you?"

	Gai hesitated.  "Well, she- I-"

	"Hi Gai, Reina," Takeshi greeted as he walked up behind Yuki.

	"Hey Takeshi," Gai grinned, obviously relieved.  Reina nodded in 
his direction.

	The silence was almost painful.  "So what's going on?" Takeshi 
asked.

	"Nothing much.  Just trying to catch goldfish," Gai answered a 
little too quickly.

	Reina nodded.  "Yes, we've been having so much fun!"  She smiled 
proudly.  "I caught Gai's goldfish myself."

	"You still haven't answered my question," Yuki said.  "What is 
she doing here?"

	Gai opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Reina.  "What 
do you think I'm doing here?" she asked Yuki.  "I'm having fun."

	"This isn't your school," Yuki replied.

	"No, it's not."  Reina tapped her cheek with a perfectly 
manicured fingernail.  "Gai invited me."

	"He... he invited you?" Yuki sputtered.

	"Come on, girls," Gai pleaded.

	"Yeah, he did."  The red-haired girl affirmed, ignoring Gai.  
"After all, he's going to go to Hawaii with me."

	"Ha- Ha-"  Yuki whirled to face Gai.  "Is that true?"

	Gai rubbed the back of his head.  "Well, yeah.  But it's with the 
rest-"

	"How could you *do* this to me?"  She turned to Reina.  "How 
could you do this to Takeshi?"

	"Takeshi?  What about him?"  Reina blinked.

	"What, are you trying to date both Gai and Takeshi now?" Yuki 
snapped.

	Reina laughed.  "Oh, no!  I was never dating Takeshi."  She 
looked over at the boy in question.  "No offense."

	"Reina's just a friend of mine, Yuki," Gai said, putting a hand 
on Yuki's shoulder.

	"Yeah, just a friend you're going to Hawaii with.  Just some 
pretty girl you invited to the festival instead of me.  I bet you're 
even going to name that fish after her!"

	"Actually, I was thinking of naming it after you," Gai said.  
"It's so spunky and energetic, like you."

	"Calm down, Yuki.  It's not as bad as you're making it," Takeshi 
tried to assure her.

	"Whatever," Yuki choked out as she wiped at her eyes.  "I- I 
don't care anymore!  You have fun with your girlfriend."  She shrugged 
Gai's hand off her shoulder and blindly stumbled into the crowd.  
Takeshi glanced at the pair, then went after her.

	"Wait, Yuki!" Gai began, when Reina put a finger before his lips.

	"Don't worry about it," she suggested, taking her hand away.  
"She's just overreacting a little.  Give her some time and she'll come 
around, you'll see."

	Gai nodded, still looking into the crowd.  The goldfish bag hung 
heavily in his left hand.

* * * * *

Author's Notes 48: Rushed Rushed Chapter!  Ardweden Falls Over 
Twitching.

O-kay, this part hit me in the middle of writer's block and a string of 
really nasty essays from school.  In short, I couldn't find any time to 
write it 'till the last day of my extension.  Apologies for the 
shortness and lack of a teaser.  Couldn't think of anything.  Still, I 
had fun, even if it was awfully last minute.  Hope you enjoyed it. ^_^

Thankee to Cham, Phoebe, Mechalink, Marcus, Damien, and Ravi for 
prereading at various stages.  Also thanks to Ravi and Phoebe for 
suggestions.

Now, onto Slayers Glorious!  And more essays.

Thanks for reading.  Please directs comments and stuff to the message 
board or arwen@ardweden.com ^_^

Ardweden