Walking across from the river, Naota brooded about his life, but more exactly the girl in his life. Haruko was a walking disaster. He expected to wake up every day, ether being cuddled or punched by the unsystematic alien. She brought excitement in to his life, but she also brought five different kinds of hurt. The funniest thing of all was that no matter how much she made him miserable, his heart would seize up at the thought of her leaving. However, Naota never dwelled on that too much. His walk was cut short, by the arrival of another girl that confused him.

“Hi, Naota.” Hearing the voice behind him, he turned around to face his purple haired classmate.

“Hi Ninamori,” Naota sighed; here was another girl that baffled him. She could be so friendly sometimes, but others she was a completely aloof person. He didn’t know if they were acquaintances or friends or dating, the girl was too standoffish to tell. The only good thing about her was that she was much less violent then Haruko.

“What’cha doing out here. Your pink haired girlfriend kick you out for hogging the covers.” Naota snorted and started to walk away, he didn’t have to deal with this abuse.

“Hey, wait up!” She cried out while running up to Naota.

“No more jokes about Haruko, deal?” Naota thought about it and nodded, a conversation that was not about that nutcase was just what the doctor ordered. Maybe if he ignored the problem, it would go away; that was how all the adults handled their problems.

“I wanted to talk to you about something. You remember when you let me stay at your house when that whole thing with my dad and the security started?” Ninamori asked, displaying an unusual amount of anxiety in her voice.

“I remember,” Naota answered. He let her stay at his place that one time that her father, the mayor of Mabase, had gotten caught up in a scandal that he was having sexual affairs with his secretary. Ninamori had been right in the middle of the whole affair and Naota had helped her b offering her sanctuary at his house. After that night, an unsaid familiarity had formed between the two.

“Well, my parents are out of town on vacation, something about renewing their marriage vows in Hawaii and since I hate being alone in my big, dark house, I was wondering if you wanted to spend the night at my place? You know, to make up for my stay at your home a while ago.”

“I don’t know,” Naota mumbled, did he really want to spend the night at Ninamori’s? He liked her as a friend, but could they really keep it civil with them alone in that house. He hated thinking like a pervert, but Naota couldn’t escape the image of what could go on behind closed door with Ninamori. Pushing those thoughts aside he imagined going home to Haruko or as he was now forced to call her, mommy. A night away from the crazy woman would be good for his sanity. It seemed that he had to choice between a crazy woman or a snobbish classmate.