“Molly, chill already.  You're starting to make me dizzy.”
 
Molly pays no heed to Ikuno's request.  “I pace when I'm nervous, ok?  I'm allowed to pace.”
 
“Not for ten minutes straight.  God, Hisao, say something to her, would you?”
 
The three of us are outside the front gate this afternoon.  It's pleasant outside—a condition that seems to never be in short supply around here.  Ikuno and I are sitting down on a bench while Molly paces in circles.  Every now and then she'll pause to look into the distance, as though she can see past the hills and buildings.  Her expression constantly shifts from ecstatic to worried to impatient, and I'm finding it kind of cute.  
 
“Molly, you know it's not going to take that much longer.  Just relax a bit.”  Molly looks at me, smiles a bit, then returns to her circles.  Ikuno groans and leans back against the wall.
 
About a week ago, Molly's desk, under the combined weight of a miniature fridge, a computer, a stack of schoolbooks, a small TV, and Ikuno, collapsed.  The good news was that the light bulb Ikuno was trying to reach was succesfully swapped out before the metal legs of the desk bent.  The bad news, of course, was the broken desk needed to be replaced.  A call to Molly's father later, and now we find ourselves sitting and waiting for him.  I'm keen on meeting him, but I'm a bit worried as to what kind of a person he'll be.
 
“Seriously, you're gonna wear out your shoes by the time he's here.  Then the pavement.”  Ikuno giggles at her own joke, and I barely manage to hide a smirk before Molly's glare finds me.
 
“You know this is important, Ikuno.  I haven't seen him in two months!”  Molly highlights the last word by throwing her hands up, then as she continues, crosses them in front of her chest.  “And anyways, you didn't HAVE to be here, if it bothers you so much”
 
“As if I would miss seeing Papa K.  We're pen pals, you know.”  Molly raises a brow at this.
 
“Oh?  And what do you two write about?”
 
“About how he wishes you were half as cool as I am.”  Molly looks like she's thinking up a response, but stops.
 
She suddenly turns towards the road again, a surprised look on her face.  She cups a hand to her ear, and suddenly brightens up.  At first, I'm a little confused, but then I hear it.  A motor... but not like I've ever heard before.  Big, throaty, yet not even close to what a sports car or a truck would sound like.  It must have reached the hill by now, because it definitely sounds like it's in its lower gears.
 
“He's here!”  Molly runs over to me and grabs my arm, pulling me up.  “He's here, he's here, he's here!”  Ikuno is already standing up, on the other side of Molly, and she's observing her friend with a humorous look.  Molly's shifting her weight from one foot to the other, still holding on to my sleeve.  I don't think she's going to let go just yet.
 
From the roads edge, the engine grows louder. In the distance, I see something rise up from the crest of the hill.  At first, I can't tell what it is, but as it draws closer, I have to admit, I'm a little surprised—whether at the machine or the rider, I'm not sure.
 
The vehicle fast approaching is a motorcycle, but unlike any I've ever seen.  It's a long, spindly and stretched looking affair, red paint glistening like so many rubies, chrome shining like the purest silver.   As it comes closer, I see the heart of the beast, clad in more shimmering chrome, pumping that alien sound out two pipes, swept up and ending in fishtail caps.  It doesn't have a passenger seat, or a bar for someone to hold on to, and only has one brown saddlebag.  The handlebars are almost as short as the kinds on racing bikes, and the stretched front end makes it look like it belongs on some sort of drag racing track.  The gas tank is ridiculously small for such a big motor.
 
As for the rider, he looks somewhat out of place on such a lean, skinny piece of equipment.  Clad in black leather and blue jeans, he looks like a stunted giant, with a thick set of legs and arms connected to what may as well be a tree trunk for a body.  A full beard is poking out from a helmet that covers his entire face, whipping in every which way.  He leans over the controls for his machine, somehow managing to look ridiculous and tough all in the same go.
 
At this point, Molly is almost bouncing from foot to foot, moving me with her.  As the rider brings his bike up to the curb, she can't hold it any more, and lets go of me, running towards the curb.  As the rider parks, the bike spits out a quick burst of flame as it backfires loudly. Me and Ikuno jump, but Molly pays no heed.
 
“Papa!” Molly cries, and catches the rider with her outstretched arms.  From under the helmet the man chuckles.  “Pitaji, Mahem tu yad kia~!”  I don't recognize what she said, but I assume it's Hindi.  She's told me that's her first language before, and I've heard her sometimes using it in school—mostly to swear without getting into trouble.
 
“Kabhi nahim badala, Molly.”  His voice is rich and deep, and holds nothing but warmth for  his daughter.  She lets go of him for a moment so he can shut off his machine and put it on its stand.  Getting off, he takes off his helmet, revealing a sharp, handsome face.  His hair and beard are jet black, run through with gray, and his face holds plenty of laugh lines.  He fixes his dark eyes on Ikuno while Molly holds on to his sleeve.
 
“Ikuno, did my daughter drag you out here to wait?  On a day as nice as this?  Molly, I thought you were nice to your friends.”  Ikuno laughs and puts her hands on her hips.
 
“Well, Papa K, I had to see your latest creation.  Molly wouldn't stop yapping about it for a whole week straight when you told her about it.”  She gives the bike an appraising look.  “I never knew you were into the American style.  How did you find the time to do this?”
 
“Idle hands are unhappy hands, Ikuno.  Besides, I always have time for the two lights of my life.”  He looks down at Molly when he says this, and she blushes, looking away.
 
“Papa~, you're so embarassing.”  He claps her on the shoulder with one of his giant hands, chuckling.
 
“Oha, what's this?  Since when did I embarrass you?  This isn't on account of the boy, is it?”  As Molly stutters out a response, he looks at me.  “You must be the Nakai kid.  My lovely daughter speaks of you often.”  Now she looks really flustered, and I'm starting to fight the warm sensation in my cheeks.
 
“Papa, you jerk!  I don't talk about him like that!”  His deep laughter causes her to look away, pouting.  
 
“You can never take a joke, dear.  Lighten up, a good sense of humor leads to a longer, healthier life.  It's scientifically proven.  I would know.”  He offers a hand to shake, and mine dissapears into his as soon as I offer it.  Strong, but not callused or rough.  Odd.  “Ajit Kapur, or as my second daughter calls me, Papa K.”
 
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Kapur.”  He lets go of my hand and looks me over.  
 
“You think you're strong enough to move this desk?  I've been told it's somewhat heavy.”
 
“I think so.  I moved the other one without too much trouble.”
 
Ikuno straightens up a bit.  “Pfft, Hisao, you had to rely on my manly strength to manipulate that beast.”  She leans in conspiratorially towards Ajit.  “But don't let his wimpy looks fool you, Papa K.  He's a real lady killer.  Better lock up your daughter, 'cause the master of romance ain't stoppin' for nothin'!”  Now it's my turn to be flustered.
 
I guess I shouldn't be.  Although I haven't worked up the nerve, I think by now it's obvious to Ikuno that I like Molly.  Quite a bit, really.  Ever since festival, things have been... well, I don't know how to describe it.
 
>>>
 
That day, Molly had found me walking around aimlessly, and dragged me towards her group.  Takashi, Lezard and I all played the goldfish game, but somehow, I was the only one who managed to win a fish.  I'd given it to Molly then, and I guess from there.. well, I'm not entirely sure, but when a girl wraps her arm around yours and drags you from game to game, I guess you could reasonably suspect she appreciated the fish.  Or she was milking me for more prizes.  Either way, she got her wish, as I later won her a small stuffed tiger from some game; I can't really remember which.
 
As the day dwindled down:  Lezard and Takashi went their ways, as Molly, Ikuno, Misaki and I found
ourselves in a relatively quiet spot on the school grounds, near the garden.  We were all telling stories about past pets (the goldfish had since found a new home in a large Styrofoam cup) when the first firework went off.
 
“You two should have a picture taken!”  Misaki's outburst tore our gaze away from the display.
 
“Who, me?”  Molly and I looked at each other, our simultaneous response surprising each other.  Ikuno giggled.
 
“Well, you don't have to be so awkward about it.  Here, set it up, we'll all get in.”
 
Misaki apparently carried a full camera setup everywhere, as in less than a minute, a somewhat professional looking Nikon was siting on a tripod in front of us.  Behind us, the fireworks continued on, starting to die down just a bit.  Noticing, Misaki hurried and attached a cable to the camera, which terminated in a hand held switch.
 
“Hurry, get into position.  Hisao, a little to the left...” Misaki ushered us into position, with me and Molly side by side, and Ikuno by Molly.  As soon as we were done, Misaki took her place by Ikuno, who wrapped her arms around her and Molly's shoulders.  
 
“Crap, they're probably over by now.”  Ikuno shook her head at my statement.
 
“Grand Finale, Hisao.  Ever heard of it?”
 
Suddenly, I felt an arm wrap around mine.  I looked down at Molly, who smiled at me.
 
“Thanks, Hisao.”  Her smile was warm, and her eyes... twinkled?  Is that it?  Whatever it was, she seemed happy beyond belief.
 
“For what?”
 
“Today.  I really had fun.”
 
And soon, I felt a smile slowly take over my face as well.  “Well... you know, it's wha--”
 
“Alright, shutup guys, and smile!”  Ikuno's loud interruption is something of a godsend.  I was worried I'd say something wrong.  Misaki holds up the little switch in her hands.
 
“Smile on three, ok guys?  One... Two... THREE!”
 
The camera went off, and in almost perfect unison, the grand finale began.  The glow from behind us made me and Molly turn around to see two giant balls of fire, one green, one red.  Soon, others began to take over the space as the two faded out, and for that moment... I can honestly say, everything was OK.  I'd found friends.  Maybe I'd found something more.  And hell, now I had the picture to prove it.
 
“Really Hisao... Thank you.”  Her voice, softened, had taken me away from the display.  Her arm was still around mine.  “Today was great.”
 
“Thank you, too, Molly.  I can honestly say the same.”  She smiles back at me, but the moment is lost as Ikuno and Misaki come on either side of us, camera between their hands.
 
“Oh man, that came out perfect, Misaki!”  Ikuno seems geniunly surprised and happy at this.  Misaki manages a cool air.
 
“It's practice, Ikuno dear.  I just wish Lezard had stuck around... “ she trails off a bit, then snaps back.  “But hey, it came out perfect, I'd say.”
 
Yeah, I'd say.
 
>>>
 
And two weeks later, I found myself meeting her father.  Ikuno has run back to the dorms to get something, leaving me with Molly and Ajit.  The two are talking in Hindi again, rather quickly, and I find myself just observing.
 
In school, Molly is always fairly happy, but now she seems to almost be spouting good feelings like a broken fire hydrant.  It's as though she transformed from highschooler to little girl instantly.  She's never this open, bouncy, or affectionate around anyone else.  Well, maybe not... I mean, she has been happier with me lately...
 
I push that thought aside.  No need to imagine those sorts of things, especially with her father nearby.  I'm only here to help her get a desk.  Speaking of which...  How the hell are we supposed to be doing this again?  
 
“Hisao!”  Molly brings me back to earth.  “So, you, me, and Ikuno are taking a cab, and Pa—my dad is going to follow.”
 
“Alright.  How much is cab fare?”  I reach for my wallet, but Ajit stops me with a raised hand.
 
“There is no need, Nakai.  What kind of father wouldn't bring his daughters friends along?”  He looks down at Molly with a warm smile.
 
“Are you sure?  I mean, I can just stay back and help unload it when you're done.”  Molly pouts a bit at my suggestion.
 
“But you have to help me pick one out, Hisao.  I mean, what if I get one and it doesn't pass your stylistic evaluation?”  
 
“You're talking about a guy that keeps sweater vests in his closet.”  I turn to see who spoke, and feel my jaw slacken.
 
Ikuno has returned, but has changed her outfit.  Leather chaps, blue jeans, engineer boots, and an old-fashioned black biker jacket have taken the place of her previous, normal ensemble.  A half-shell helmet is tucked under her arm.  The jacket is unzipped, showing off a white tank top with a logo that's familiar but not entirely recognizable to me; a face with a long train of feathers behind it, with the name of the manufacturer done in some fancy English script.  The entire thing seems to sum up her personality rather neatly—stylish, bold, and kickass.
 
“Seriously, I wouldn't trust him to evaluate my fish tank.”  Molly giggles at this, and Ajit turns to me.
 
“You like sweater vests?”  His inquisitve look puts me off, somehow, making me a bit flustered.
 
“I only have one, Ikuno.  And it was a gift from my father.  AND I rather like it.  What's with your getup, anyways?”
 
“Papa K here promised me a ride next time he showed up at Yamaku with a bike.”  At this, Ajit seems to suddenly realize something.
 
“Aha, I knew there was a reason I brought this.”  He walks over to the bike, allowing me to see the back of his jacket, which bears a more familiar orange-and-black logo.  Opening the saddle bag, he pulls out what looks like a small pillow with suction cups on the bottom, which he attaches to the bikes rear fender.
 
“Ikuno, you keep that stuff in your dorm?”  Molly's flat disbelief is met with a smirk by Ikuno.
 
“Why wouldn't I?  Don't like the outfit, O boring and quiet one?”  Molly gives her a “hmph,” perhaps reflecting on her own conservative clothing—black tights under a black skirt, with a brown blouse and her trademark braids.  
 
It's always like this between the two, leaving me to wonder just how they got to being friends.  The constant ribbing from Ikuno is certainly entertaining, I'll grant her that, and I suppose Molly's patience often finds a way to laugh along with Ikuno.
 
“You don't like my wild and untamed ways?  For shame, Molly.  I thought we understood one another.”
 
“You're not wild and untamed, you just always have to act so embarrassingly.”
 
“You're in for a rough ride.  This one's done with a hard tail.”  Ajit cuts into the two's conversation, smirking a bit.  I guess he enjoys their little exchanges as much as everyone else.
 
“Bah, I got enough cushion to take it.”  Ikuno slaps her behind to exaggerate this point, and I feel a twinge of embarrassment.  Molly merely rolls her eyes.
 
“I can't believe you sometimes, Ikuno.  Anyways, Papa, do you want me to call the cab now?”
 
Ajit pulls out his phone from a breast pocket.  “I'll handle it.”  
 
As he talks on the phone, the three of us take to conversing about my fashion shortcomings.  I still don't get what the deal is with my sweater vests, but both Ikuno and Molly agree that I should ditch the look.  I silently promise to buy 6 more, so I have one for every day of the week.
 
When the cab finally, mercifully arrives, Ajit hops on his bike, kicking it to life, and Ikuno jumps on after him, helmet and goggles on.  Molly and I are taking the lead in the cab, with the other two following, seeing as Ajit really doesn't know his way around town.  Before we get in the cab, Ajit sends a terrifying look at me.
 
“You two, behave.”  Then, in a flash, the smiling face is back.  “Not that I suspect anything of you two.  Especially my dear daughter.”
 
Molly gives him an exasperated look.  “Pitaji...”  He merely chuckles at this, and revs his bike.
 
“C'mon, you two, we're waitin'.”  Ikuno seems impatient to get going.
 
We climb in the cab and set towards the city.  For the first few minutes, there isn't much conversation, as molly is looking at a catalog and occasionally pointing a desk or chair out to me.  It all looks pretty businesslike, but there are a few that would look more at home in a schoolgirl's dorm.
 
“It's nice of your dad to come out here.  If something like this happened to me, my parents would probably just send money and tell me to get it myself.”
 
Molly giggles at this.  “My father spoils me, but I try to keep it under control.  Seriously, once I told him that I was always losing my pencils, and he sent me a gross of them..”
 
“A gross?”  I've never heard the term.
 
“About a hundred and fifty.”  She giggles a little.  “A hundred and fifty freakin' mechanical pencils.”  We both laugh at this.
 
“A hundred and fifty pencils?  Because you kept losing them?  That's... that's a little overboard, yeah?”
 
Still giggling, she said, “And you know what the worst part is?”
 
“Oh man, what?” I say, already starting to laugh again.
 
“I haven't lost a single one since.  I've had a box full of pencils sitting in my closet, and I've been using the same one here for about 2 months now.”  Both of us are laughing at this now, as she holds up a red and green pencil.
 
Still laughing, I say, “Man, your mom would probably chew him out if she found out.”  Molly's laughter dies down rather quickly.
 
Seeing the look on her face, I realize that her mother must be a bit of a tender subject.  “I'm sorry... was that--”
 
“Don't apologize, Hisao.”  Her smile seems a little strained, but not because she's angry at me.  A silence starts to grow, then she says, “I just don't get along with my mom.”  For a second, I was worried that it was something far worse.
 
“Oh... I didn't know.”  I feel like apologizing again, but hold back.
 
“It's nothing to worry about,” says Molly, seeming to want to bring closure to it.  “I haven't even seen her since I was si—a long time ago.”  She stops herself from saying the age with almost a sense of alarm, as if saying it will bring some unspeakable punishment.  I want to know more, but then... Well, it's not worth worrying over.
 
Still, I have to break the silence somehow.  It's starting to get a little—actually, quite a bit awkward.  
 
“So... I think I liked the one on page 3 the most.”  I pick up the catalog sitting between us, and flip to a desk circled in red.  
 
“I dunno if I could use that much space, though.  This one here comes with a power strip, though, what do you think about that?”  Almost as if it had never happened, I suppose.  I'm just glad to see her with a more natural look on her face.
 
The rest of the ride is uneventful, and we arrive at the small furniture outlet a few minutes later.  Molly pays the driver from a small paper-clipped stash her father gave her, and I decided that the least I could do was tip the driver from my pocket.  A moment later, the red and chrome chopper pulled in the spot vacated by the cab.
 
As her father began the process of shutting down his machine, Molly looked at me.  
 
“Hey, Hisao... I'm sorry about that.”  She looks away from me after saying it, clearly embarrassed.
 
“You don't need to apologize, Molly.  Don't worry about it.”  I give her a playful elbow to the arm, and she smiles, returning the gesture with a light punch to the shoulder.
 
“Aww, look, their first fight.  Gosh, they grow up fast.”  Ikuno, as she's slowly impressing upon me, is no stranger to breaking up slightly awkward situations by creating an even bigger one.  
 
As Molly and I stutter out our protests, Ajit walks over, jacket over his shoulder.  I have to admit, he's quite a strong looking guy—maybe getting involved with Molly would be a bad thing.
 
“My lovely daughter has more sense than to pick fights in public, Ikuno.  I entrusted you to watch her in my absence, and this is what I find?  You, lacking the knowledge of her respectful nature?  For shame.”  It seems as though he's OK with making a few jokes, too.  I relax a little.
 
“Papa K, you are clearly deluded by your daughter's girlish charm.  She's a regular brawler, you know.”  Ikuno throws an arm around Molly's shoulders.  “I mean, look at her.  Look at that chiseled jaw, that angry glint in her eyes.  She's a regular Indian warrior.”
 
“Ikuno, why do you always say that sort of stuff...” Molly looks at her with a somewhat forced smile.  
 
“Ah, quitcher whining.  You know it's cause I love you so, Molly dear.”  Ikuno kisses her finger and puts it on Molly's cheek, which Molly laughs at.
 
“Stop tha~t.”  The two of them get along in the strangest ways.
 
“I believe we're here to get a desk?”  Ajit's interruption gets Ikuno to let go of Molly, and we all head inside.
 
>>>
 
The trip through the outlet has been, so far, uneventful.  We've been around the store twice, slowly crossing desks off until they've come to the final three.
 
“I think you should go for the corner desk.  I mean, you're always complaining that you need a better lamp, right?”  Ikuno and Molly have been at it for about ten minutes now, debating about the desks, whilst Ajit and I watch, slightly amused.
 
“Yeah, but it's a monster.  I mean, I'd have to move my bed and everything.  The little white one over there is about the right size.”  Molly gestures over a ways to a small white desk with brass trim.
 
“That one's too short though.  You can't even get your computer in that little space," Ikuno counters.
 
“So I'll take that shelf out, it'll fit.”
 
“Why would you even buy something with a shelf if you're not gonna use it?”
 
“It doesn't have to be perfect, Ikuno.”  Now Molly is growing a little impatient.  Ikuno may mean well, but every now and then...
 
“So get that pink desk.  It'll fit the PC, and it comes with a free desk lamp too.”
 
“I am NOT getting that in pink.”   Molly crosses her arms to accent this point.
 
“Then wait for them to get the black one in stock again.”
 
“My dad can't always come out her for desks, Ikuno.  Besides, I'm fine with the white one.”
 
“Hisao, can you please help me out here?  This one's driving me insane.”  I chuckle a bit.
 
“I dunno, I like the white one just fine," I offer.  Molly looks at me appreciatively.
 
“THANK you, Hisao.”
 
“... But I still say pink is your color."  There go all my brownie points with her.
 
Molly pouts a little.  “You offend me.”
 
“Pink is the color of femininity, you know.  I'd say you're pretty girlish.”
 
“HA!!  Toldja, Molly dear.”  Ikuno leans towards molly, hands behind her back.
 
“Papa~, these two are picking on me.”
 
“Come now, children.  We still have to get lunch, and it's not advisable to keep a large man waiting.”  He pats his belly to emphasize the point.  He then turns his head to his left, where some other high schoolers—not from Yamaku, but from the school in the city, and I'm pretty sure a year or two behind us—are fooling around, somewhat loudly.  “And I don't know how much more of that I can take.”  He's been eying them since they started getting louder, and for some reason, they're really annoying him.
 
Molly sighs.  “Ok... we'll flip a coin.  Heads, white; tails...pink.”  She says the word with a roll of the eyes.
 
I reach into my pocket for a coin.  “Alright, guys.”  I pop the coin up with my hand, but never get the chance to catch it.
 
From behind me, I hear a loud whooping, and a voice calling, “look out!”  Something hard hits me square in the back.  A table that was near me strikes me in the side as I go down, face first into the linoleum.   Somewhere behind me, I hear a voice roaring in Hindi, and some voices I don't recognize saying things like “hey, calm down pal,” and “it was an accident, ok?  ACCIDENT.”  I feel a pair of hands on my shoulders, and recognize Molly's voice in my ear, trying to get a response out of me.  And then I realize, my hand is practically tearing my shirt off, gripping my chest like a harpoon.
 
The pain is like a spear, going through my heart.  Breathe.  Breathe.  Breathe, dammit.  I can't.  I have to.  I canNOT BREATHE.  You need to.  Damnit, what happened??  Doesn't matter, Hisao.  Just breathe, and it'll be ok.  It should be, anyways.
 
Molly's voice has gone from worried to borderline hysteric.  Ikuno's taken a knee in front of me, trying to talk to me.  For some reason, the yelling has continued, and is now weaving in between Japanese and Hindi.
 
“Tuma bevakupha kamabakhta baccom!  Are you stupid to a fault, or do you practice?  Damned idiots!”  He's obviously been upset with them since coming here, for some reason or another, and this has just set him over the edge.
 
“Pitaji, miri madad karo!”  Now she's angry, albiet with that hysteric tinge.  I can tell it's taking everything to keep herself calm.
 
Slowly, ever so slowly, the pain ebbs away.  I try to put myself on one arm, but a set of hands pushes Molly's away and helps me up, with equal measures of strength and experience care.  
 
“Nakai, tell me what hurts.”  Ajit's voice has changed drastically, sounding like the number of nameless nurses and doctors from the hospital.  I find myself on my feet, with him supporting me, and then I'm in an office chair I don't remember being behind me before.  So that's what happened.  The kids fooling around behind me must have taken one of the wheeled chairs for a spin, no pun intended, and smashed into me on accident.
 
“It's... just a flutter.  I should be ok.”  My voice is strained, and now I see Ajit's face:  no real emotions in it, all business now.
 
“What is your condition?  You have a heart condition, yes?”  How did he know so quickly?  I guess grabbing my chest was a pretty obvious sign, actually.
 
“Yes... uh, I have a heart condition.”  I pause, and see he's looking at me expectantly.  “Arrythmia.”
 
“Look, man, it was an accident, ok?  We didn't know anyth--”  The new voice is cut off by Ikuno.
 
“Fuck off.  If you don't want me to kick your nutsack out your asshole, you'll leave right now.”  A chorus of shuffling feet fades away behind me, making me assume the whole group has now departed.  “Assholes,” Ikuno mutters under her breath.  “Seriously, who spends their time screwing around in a furniture store?”
 
Molly catches none of this.  She's looking me in the eyes, suddenly angry.  “Why did you never tell me this, Hisao?!  You could have really been hurt there!  God, Hisao, why?”  Her hands have found my shoulders again, and I feel embarrassed all the sudden.
 
“I just didn't think... well...”  She doesn't give me the chance to finish.
 
“No, Hisao, you didn't think.  That kind of thing isn't something you should keep a secret!”  She's slowly regaining control over herself, but she's clearly still angry.  “That could have gone so much worse, and we wouldn't know what to do!”
 
“Molly, dear.  Not everyone is comfortable with their conditions.  Nakai, I want you to just sit and relax for a bit, alright?  I'll be right back.”  He starts in the direction of the door, making me wonder if he's going out to give those other kids another talking to.
 
Molly closes her eyes and sighs, taking a knee in front of me so we're eye-to-eye.  She takes a minute to get her thoughts in order, and continues.  “Look, Hisao, we're your friends.  You should tell us these things, alright?  You never know when something bad is gonna happen, and we'd never know what to do if it DID happen.”
 
“Molly...”  I'm not sure what to say, but all at once I feel like a complete jerk.  She's right, after all.  I'm not at Yamaku by choice; it's my damn weak heart.  I know I can't just go around with a sign on my neck, but at the same time.. she's right.  Holding back things only makes it worse.
 
“I'm sorry.  I'm just... I don't know...”  I look away from her.
 
“Hisao, do you think I'm bothered by my condition?  Or embarrassed?”  She stands up, and gestures to her legs.  The two prosthesis shine faintly through her tights.  “It's what makes us who we are, Hisao.  Pretending it doesn't exist only makes it harder to live with.”  Now she smiles a bit.  “Like how I just stood up, because it was really uncomfortable with these things on.”  Ikuno and I manage a chuckle at that.
 
“So, Hisao, do you promise to tell me everything I need to know?”  I smile and nod.
 
“There isn't much more to know, I'm afraid.  I just have to avoid stress and getting hit.  And chairs, apparently.”  Molly looks a little put off by this, but eventually smiles again.
 
“Thanks, Hisao.  Just don't go getting killed when I'm around, OK?  Or.... Ever, for that matter.”  I nod in response, and see Ajit out of the corner of my eye, approaching with an instrument I've seen far too often these days.
 
“Papa, you carry that around?”  Molly is somewhat surprised.
 
“It is a doctors duty to care for all, dearest.  Now why don't you and Ikuno go ahead and wait over there, yes?”  He grabs the back of the chair and wheels me towards a section with filing cabinets and book cases, surprising me a bit.  I hear Ikuno laugh a bit as I dissapear behind the corner.
 
“You're a doctor?”  I ask, as he put the stethoscope to his ears.  He pulls the earpieces out for a moment to answer.
 
“A surgeon, if you'll believe it.  Now unbutton your shirt, please.”  I oblige, a little hesitantly, and he goes through the process of checking my heart.  When he's finished, I put the shirt on hurridly, for fear of being seen by someone.  The store is fairly empty, but I still don't think I want someone seeing me shirtless, especially with...
 
Ajit looks at me with a measure of concern.  “That scar is pretty rough.  I imagine you must have been in the hospital for a while.”  He's looped the stethoscope around his neck now.
 
“About 4 months... it felt like forever.”  He nods with a “hmm,” arms crossed.
 
“It's good that your parents put you in Yamaku, Nakai.  The medical staff is very well-suited, you know.  I had that nurse in my hospital once.”  I'm a little surprised.
 
“You know the nurse?”  He chuckles.
 
“Yes.  A good man, although his joking sometimes was a bother.  We shouldn't keep the other two waiting.”  I get up and grab the back of the chair, intent on returning it to its home.
 
As we round the corner, we see Molly and Ikuno standing close to each other, talking softly.  Although the moment has passed, I see that they're both still a little shaken by what happened.  As soon as they see me, though, they smile.  Then start giggling into their hands.
 
“What?”  I'm a little confused.
 
“Hisao... Your shirt.”  Molly keeps giggling, pointing at my chest.  I look down, and realize I'm two buttons off.  I look ridiculous.  Cheeks going rosy, I turn quickly and start buttoning.  The two now laugh loudly.
 
“Other than his buttoning skills, your friend is just fine.”  Ajit's voice is tinged with humor.
 
“You guys...” I say, but Molly comes over and grabs my arm.  
 
“I'm just glad you're ok, Hisao.  Now lets get this desk, alright?”  Which reminds me.
 
“Where'd that coin land?”  I look around, and spy it in the middle of the walkway.  I pick it up, and find myself with a devious smile on my lips.
 
“Wait... That doesn't count,” Molly says, still holding my arm.  I've held it up so she can see.  Ikuno comes over, and starts laughing.
 
“Pink it is, Molly dear!”
 
“I want a re-toss!  That's totally not fair!”  Molly's protesting is actually kind of cute, how she pouts.
 
I throw my arm around her shoulder.  “Too bad, Molls.  You're getting' pink for christmas.”  I take my arm off of her to gesture to the desk.  She sighs.
 
“You two...”  Nevertheless, she walks over and picks a ticket out of the pouch attached to the desk.
 
“I'm totally getting you back for this.  Just you wait.”  
 
“We're quakin' with fear, Molly dear.”
 
“Is lunch at the Millennium alright with you, Molly?  I've been wondering about their cuisine for a while now...”
 
As we make our way to the checkout counter, I wonder again how we're getting this thing out of here...
 
>>>
 
The rest of the trip, fortunately, was uneventful.  My worst fears were realized when the desk was bought and we realized we needed to get a cab to take it back to school—the good news being it was somehow packed into a box just big enough for the trunk.  I guess desk-origami is a national sport in Sweden.  The manager, luckily, said that they'd hold the desk for an hour or two while we got lunch, which Ajit, of course, insisted on treating us all too.  I guess surgeons make a fairly good amount of money.
 
The restaurant we went to was some western affair, with prices that somehow hovered just out of my normal spending range, but were slightly below  “rich only need apply” figures.  Not wanting to take advantage of Ajit's kindness, I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu—a plate of lasagna—and drank water.  Ikuno followed my lead, although she first asked the waiter for the nutrition information on the food.  Meanwhile, Molly and Ajit had both ordered some chicken dish.  Lunch was spent listening to Ikuno and Ajit talking about motorcycles, with a lot of shovelhead this and twin-cam that, and then, of course, the round-the-table ribbing between us all.  Not a bad way to end a day out.
 
After that, it was back to Yamaku, again with Molly and I in the cab and Ikuno and Ajit on the bike, although this time Ajit decided to take a detour and blast up the scenic route to the school.  As the chopper flew past us, Ikuno flashed a peace sign, and Ajit hammered down on the throttle so hard, that for a second it looked like the front wheel was going to lift off the ground.
 
Molly sighed.  “Papa is such a showoff.”  She seemed more comfortable saying “papa” in front of me now, something I took to be a good sign.  “Not that Ikuno helps that matter.  I'm glad she's my friend, though,” she adds, smiling.
 
“How did you two meet up, anyways?  You two act like sisters, but you're so...”
 
“Different?”  Molly giggles a bit.  “Yeah, that's kind of a funny story.”  She takes a moment to get the memory in her head.  “My first two weeks here, there was a project in one of our geography classes, and we were learning about India, and for some reason—I really don't know why, still—nobody partnered up with me.  And I guess Misaki had already paired up with someone, because Ikuno was leaning on my desk, asking to be my partner.”
 
“And things kind of picked up from there?”  Molly looks away, a guilty look on her face
 
“Well... not... really.  You ever notice my accent, Hisao?”  Now that I thought of it, she really doesn't have one, unless she's really excited, or talking fast.  I shake my head.
 
“Well, I was fluent in Japanese, it's just that I had that really horrible accent...”  She starts giggling.   “Half the time, we had to talk on a notepad.  And back then, I sat next to Hakamichi... it was kind of bad because Misha was always right there saying things like, 'quit making fun of shichan!' because she thought we were mocking her with that stupid piece of paper.  And then I'd try to talk, and it always...”  She's been steadily laughing harder the entire time, and I find it hard not to follow suit.  
 
Taking a giant breath, she tries to calm herself, and pushes on.  “And then, I'd always be trying to understand her, and I'd try to answer, but my accent was so damn thick...”  she straightens up her face, and looks straight ahead.  “Excuse me, but what are you saying?  Can you repeat that?  I do not understand.”  Her pronunciation is perfectly off, and I can't hold it anymore.  I just start laughing with her, and for a moment we can't even talk for our laughter.  She puts a hand on my shoulder to steady herself, a few tears working their way down her face from all the laughter.  I look in the rear view mirror to see the cabbie barely holding a laugh himself.  The man deserves a medal for his poker face.
 
Eventually, we settle down.  “So, how did Ikuno handle your accent?”  Molly wipes her eye and continues her story.
 
“Well... to be honest, Ikuno actually helped me with it a lot.  Like, after school, she'd try to help me speak like everyone else.  It was kind of hard at first, but by the end of that year I was pretty much where I am now.”  She looks ahead happily.  “I'm really glad I met her.  I'd have never gotten past that speech block if she didn't sit down and work with me.  I mean, I must have driven her nuts trying to speak like her, but she never really... you know... showed it.”  She looks out the window wistfully.  “And every time Misha got on my case, she'd always be the one to send her packing, you know?  And afterwards... well, she'd always know what to say to make me happy again.  We traded emails and just stayed in touch, and that was that, I guess.”
 
“So I guess she introduced you to the everyone, huh?”  At this, she puts a hand to her chin, recollecting.  
 
“Well... she and Misaki were dorm mates—first years have to share a dorm, by the way—so we met through her, and then Lezard and Misaki used to be in photography club together, so that's how I met him.”
 
“How did you meet Takashi?”  At this, her face twitches into a bit of a confused look, as if she's not sure how to answer this one.
 
“Takashi and I...”  She pauses, trying to figure out how best to say it.  “It's... complicated, I guess.  We just kind of met, you know?  Artistic passions and whatnot.  I was practicing in the art room one day, and he must have been in the next room, because he just burst in yelling to 'keep that damn noise down.'  Not the best way to meet your future... Friend.”  She hangs on the word “friend,” as if she's not sure how to phrase it.
 
“Don't you two get along?”
 
She holds up her hands defensively.  “Oh, we get along, don't worry.  It's just that we... I don't know how to put it.”  Something in the back of my mind ticks, but I ignore it.  It's nothing I should ask about, anyways.  “We've had a very strange past, I guess.”
 
“Ah.  I think he's an alright guy, personally.  He's kind of abrasive, though.”  Molly smirks a bit at this.
 
“'Abrasive,' hm?  I think that's a good word for it.”  
 
“So that's how the whole gang got together, eh?”
 
“Yeah.  We used to be friends with Miki and Suzu, but we haven't spoken to them in a while.  It's kind of hard when we get Miki and Ikuno together, since they're always trying to outdo each other.  It's funny up until one of them falls out of a tree.  And then Suzu...”  Again, with the trailing off.  She seems to have a lot of those moments, where she says something, then reconsiders mid-sentence.  “Suzu's just kind of fallen out of touch with us.  I kind of wish the group was bigger again, but...”  She shakes her head.  “Anyways, that's the brief history of Molly and Yamaku.  What about you?”
 
“What about me?”
 
“Well, I mean... what've you been doing the past two years?  I mean... why haven't you been here?”  I ponder on how to answer this best.  
 
“Well... I only found out about my condition a few months ago.  I was in a regular school and all, and then I ended up in the hospital for a while.  I actually really didn't want to come here at first... I guess facing my condition hasn't been easy.”  
 
“It never is at first.  Trust me, nobody at Yamaku who isn't born with their condition can accept it easily.  I mean, there's no nice way for this stuff to happen, you know?”
 
“Well... I mean, I'm kind of embarrassed at how it happened...”  
 
“Oh?  It wasn't too bad, was it?”  Her expectant face urges me, so I press on.  
 
“So there was a girl...”
 
Curiosity and concern give way to amused shock.  “Oh no. Ohhh no no no no, it wasn't bad or anything, was it?”
 
I laugh a bit.  “Oh far from it.  She actually only got as far as confessing to me, and I had a heart attack in front of her.”  Molly puts her hands up to her face.
 
“Hisao, I'm so sorry that happened.  Really, that's horrible!”
 
“Tell me about it.  I mean, it was really crappy timing.”
 
“So I guess you two aren't going out anymore," she asks evenly.
 
“No... not really.  She stopped visiting when I was in the hospital.  I guess I was always so moody, it got to be too much.”  
 
Molly offers me a sad smile. “That's really, really sad Hisao.  A real girl would've helped you through that, you know.”
 
“I guess... but really, I should have tried to make an effort to be more upbeat.  I mean, it's hard when you learn your heart is a ticking time bomb, but I still kind of acted like an ass.”
 
“It's hard when things aren't going your way.  I would know.  It's when we've hit rock bottom that we have to make the hardest choice; either to wallow in our sorrow at the bottom, or fight and climb back to the top.  I think you've climbed quite a ways just from before festival.”
 
I'm a bit surprised.  “Was I different back then?”  Molly fidgets a little uncomfortably.  “Please, you can tell me.”
 
“Well... it really seemed like you were just trying to look happy, you know?  Like you had a lot on your mind, but you just wanted to try figuring out what to make of things before you actually tried to be happy.”  The cab goes silent for a moment, and she presses on.  “But Hisao, you pushed, you know?  Straight from the bottom to here.  Your eyes... they're not so distant anymore.”  She gives me a sweet smile.  “I think you're a fine person, myself.”
 
“Really?”  I'm taken a little off guard by this.
 
“Yeah.  I kind of wish that girl confessed to you earlier.” She smirks a little at this, then continues.  “It would've been nice knowing you all this time.”  I'm taken aback by her earnestness, and I'm not too sure how to answer.
 
“Honestly... I kind of... I kind of wish I was here too,” I finally manage.  At this, her smile brightens.
 
“Well, we've got plenty of time to make up for that.  Wouldn't you say?”  The cab has reached the school by now, and I see the other two standing by the chromed out beast, talking amongst themselves.  I look back at Molly and return her smile.
 
“Yeah.  We should do that.”
____
 
* Papa, I've missed you
**You never change, Molly
***Stupid fucking children!
****Papa, come help my friend!