The Miyabi Chronicles

Summary: The web becomes even more entangled as they go along.

A/n: Selective distortion is a psychological term that means that a person will hear only what they want to hear, and ignore everything else.

Miyabi found herself doing better in school thanks to studying with Ken and Hiroshi. She went from low C's and D's to low B's and C's. Goda, Ken and Hiroshi saw their grades go up as well. This didn't amuse Karina, however. She wanted to reinforce the idea that Miyabi was stupid. Karina set up a number of instances where Miyabi would trip, slip or otherwise look bad. Jaguro and Doroteo merely ignored them, as they were too blinded by the desire to have a domestic diva as their wife. Miyabi, of course, was too scared to confront them about this, and the fights continued. Goda continued her interest in Hiroshi.
One day after school, Goda was with Hiroshi by themselves. They had gone ahead to the train, as Ken and Miyabi had to clean the school afterwards.
"Hiroshi-kun, you rarely say anything to me or women for that matter. Why?" Goda asked.
"Erm... Well..." Hiroshi stammered. Goda took his hand and held it. Hiroshi sweatdropped.
"Just why are you nervous? I won't hurt you." Goda said.
"..." was all Hiroshi could say. He was scared shitless.
"Did something happen to you?" Goda asked. Hiroshi was sweating bullets at this point. He was scared that touching her would cause her to pull out her mallet, and letting go would be worse. The train arrived and they entered it together.
"Please..." Hiroshi said. It was the first word he said to a girl outside of his teachers and family since he was three. He was afraid of how Goda would react.
She responded by letting his hand go.
"I want to help you, Hiroshi-kun. Whatever happened to you to make you scared of women, I want to help you overcome." Goda said. Hiroshi merely ran like a scared rabbit to the opposite side of the car. Goda came up to him and put an arm around him as he cowered in fear.
"You have nothing to fear, Hiroshi-kun, absolutely nothing." Goda said soothingly. These words only served to make him more nervous. Hiroshi went into mental overload and passed out, falling on the ground. Goda was downhearted but left him alone. At the stop, Goda pulled him out of the train. A porter saw her and asked what was wrong.
"Erm... He just had a hard day." Goda replied. At that moment, Hiroshi woke up and saw he was arm in arm with Goda. He immediately pulled away and cowered in a corner.
"OHGODPLEASEDON'TUSEYOURMALLETONMEIDIDN'TMEANTOI'MSOSORRY!!" Hiroshi said in rapid-fire succession.
"Why do you think I'm going to use my mallet on you?" Goda asked. "Hiroshi-kun, I like you. I don't want to hurt you." The porter merely stared at Goda in disbelief. He had never seen anything like this before.
"Just what exactly is going on here?" The porter demanded.
"Hiroshi is afraid of women. I'm trying to find out why and help him overcome this phobia." Goda replied.
"Good luck. He looks like a lost cause." The porter replied. The porter then left. Hiroshi then climbed onto the next train bound for his home. Goda was left by herself.
After a while, Miyabi came to her apartment. She asked how things were going.
"Hiroshi-kun made a big scene at the train station and left me. I think he may not want to overcome this phobia of his." Goda said.
"Most people like that don't. They want to be comfortable with the way they are." Miyabi said.
"Yea. Unfortunately, you can't get to the top of the hill without climbing it." Goda said.
Ken and Hiroshi rode the train to school the next morning.
"So how far did you get with Goda-san?" Ken asked Hiroshi.
"She's crazy. She wanted me to touch her so she could use her mallet ion me." Hiroshi replied.
"She won't use her mallet on you. Not unless you grope her inappropriately." Ken replied.
"I'm not so sure." Hiroshi replied.
"I tell you what: try holding her hand and if she tries using her mallet, I'll get in the way and take the blow." Ken said.
Miyabi and Goda were walking to the station. A new sports car drove up to them. Driving it was Jaguro.
"Hey babe, let me drive you wild with desire while I drive you to school." Jaguro said in a suave voice.
You're driving me crazy, Miyabi thought. She couldn't bring herself to voice this opinion.
"We'd rather walk." Goda said.
"I don't want you, bitch. Just the babe." Jaguro said. At that point, Doroteo came in driving a car of his own. Miyabi's heart sank, as she knew another fight would ensue.
"Mujer! Come with me, babe!" Doroteo said.
"Hey, I was here first! Miyabi-chan is mine!" Jaguro said.
"No way! She wants to go with me!" Doroteo replied. Goda took Miyabi by the hand and led her away from this. Miyabi was still unable to tell them that she loved neither of them.
"Miyabi-chan, you really need to tell those two that you don't love them." Goda said.
"I don't think they'd listen." Miyabi said. "I'm stuck."
"You'll never know until you try." Goda said. Miyabi could only respond with silence.
After school, Miyabi and Goda met up with Ken and Hiroshi. They said hello and entered the train.
"Go on, tell her." Ken said to Hiroshi.
Hiroshi sweatdropped. "I... Erm..." was all he could manage to say.
"Yes?" Goda asked.
"I... appreciate..." Hiroshi was sweating bullets here.
"Appreciate what?" Goda asked, urging him on.
"What... you're..." Hiroshi stopped and ran into a corner crying.
"This is definitely a problem." Ken said. Goda approached him. She then turned Hiroshi around and put her arms around him.
"It's only when the touching is uninvited that a woman will use her mallet. I want you to hold me." Goda said soothingly into Hiroshi's ear. He nervously turned around and looked her in the eye.
"You... don't... mind...?" Hiroshi asked.
"Not at all. Hold me, Hiroshi-kun." Goda said. Hiroshi nervously put his arms around her nervously. He then realized that she wasn't going to hit him with her mallet, and it actually felt good to hold her close. He stopped sweating bullets.
"Forgive me, Goda-san..." Hiroshi said.
"I understand, Hiroshi-kun..." Goda said as the train stopped at their stop.
"I am proud of you, Hiroshi-kun." Ken said. They exited the train and went to Miyabi's home. There they studied until dinnertime. Miyabi and Goda went into the kitchen together. Miyabi's extent of making the meal was slicing the vegetables. She just couldn't cook them properly, nor could she make the rice balls either. She did cut her fingers several times, and had several band-aids on her fingers as she came out with Goda. They came out with a nice meal together and served it up.
"Well, now we get to find out just how well you cook, Miyabi-chan." Ken said. Miyabi gave a nervous smile.
"Eat all you want, guys." Miyabi said.
After the meal, Hiroshi noted how much the meal tasted like the ones Goda made.
"Well... We share recipes. They come from our families' best." Miyabi replied.
"We are very fortunate to have two wonderful young women who can cook." Ken said.
"Uh... Right." Goda said.
Afterwards, Ken and Hiroshi went home. Goda looked at Miyabi.
"We can't keep this up forever, you know." Goda said.
"Yea, still... I think I like Ken." Miyabi replied. "I want him to be happy with me."
"If he truly likes you, he'll understand." Goda replied.
On the train, Hiroshi and Ken talked.
"Well, you made a big leap today, Hiroshi. You are much closer to being a man." Ken said.
"Miyabi's hiding something." Hiroshi replied.
"Why would you say that?" Ken asked.
"I just feel like she is hiding something about her cooking. If she were great at cooking, why did she cut herself several times?" Hiroshi asked.
"It doesn't matter to me. I love her for her, not because she's supposed to be a domestic diva." Ken said.
Goda and Miyabi went online and searched for a bunch of simple recipes. They hunted around for things that were so simple that it would really take an idiot to screw them up. They found a site with several simple recipes designed for young children and printed them out. Then they went into the kitchen and tried to get them ready.
Unfortunately, fools are very ingenious in ruining foolproof things. Miyabi couldn't even boil the water properly. She would put the water in a plastic dish and set that over the fire. Goda's timely intervention prevented a meltdown. Goda showed Miyabi how to do it right. However, Miyabi was too nervous to learn anything.
"Hasn't anyone tried to teach you this stuff before?" Goda asked.
"Well, mom tried but she presumed that I would have inherited her talent and that I would know instinctively how to do this stuff. When it became clear that I didn't, she disowned me and threw me out." Miyabi replied.
"Hmm... Well, this may take a while, but I hope I can at least get you able to make rice balls." Goda said. Well, Miyabi ended up breaking the rice ball cooker.
"How the hell did you do that, Miyabi-chan!? The directions are simple enough for a chimp to do! You just pour the water and rice into it, set the timer and then leave it!" Goda said with anger.
"Well, it just started shooting sparks when I set the timer. I don't know what I did wrong." Miyabi said.
"You know, you just might be cursed." Goda said. Goda gave up, as did Miyabi. Miyabi cried for a bit while Goda comforted her.
Well, that Monday after school, Ken and Hiroshi waited for the train with Goda and Miyabi. Hiroshi had an arm around Goda and vice versa.
"You know Miyabi-chan, I would love you even if you couldn’t cook or clean. It's your character and your personality I love." Ken said.
"You know, don't you?" Miyabi asked.
"I suspected it, but you just confirmed it. Don't worry, Miyabi-chan. I still love you for you." Ken said. Miyabi put her arms around Ken and pulled him close.
"Thank you for understanding, Ken. I feel very relieved at this." Miyabi replied.
Ken returned her embrace and smiled. "It's what's inside a woman that's important." Ken said. They parted to board the train. On the way to the girl's apartment, they studied their homework. The two couples held hands and were able to connect on a spiritual level. That day, all four of them decided to try to make it work with his or her respective partner, no matter what it took.
After studying, Miyabi and Ken sat next to each other under the kotatsu. They had an arm around each other and smiled. They stared into each other's eyes for a bit. Then Ken went in for a kiss. Miyabi felt her heart race as their lips touched. Ken felt an excitement as they kissed as well. When they parted lips, they stared into each other's eyes some more.
"I can't thank you enough for that." Ken said. Miyabi merely went in for a second kiss. They connected again, feeling a tender passion. When they parted lips again, it was time to go.
The next week was Valentine's Day, and Miyabi and Goda were giving chocolate to Ken and Hiroshi, respectively. Miyabi actually poured the chocolate into the mold the night before. That morning, Jaguro and Doroteo were waiting for her to show up.
"I just know that she'll give me her chocolate!" Jaguro said.
"No way! She's going to give the chocolate to me! She would never give you the chocolate, pendejo!" Doroteo replied. They argued for a bit, and then Miyabi entered. She had the chocolate heart with her.
"Ah, Miyabi-chan, you've come with *my* chocolate heart!" Doroteo said.
"No way! That chocolate heart is mine!" Jaguro said.
"Erm... Well..." Miyabi stammered. Doroteo and Jaguro seized it at the same time and began struggling over it.
"Get your filthy paws off my chocolate, gaijin!" Jaguro said.
"You are an idiota! This chocolate is definitely for me!" Doroteo said with anger.
"Please don't fight." Miyabi said meekly and in vain. Jaguro and Doroteo resorted to fists again, and the chocolate was smashed in the process. Miyabi began to cry.
"Aho gaijin!" Jaguro shouted as he landed a punch on Doroteo's chest.
"Tienes mierda in tu cabeza, pendejo!" Doroteo shouted back.
"That - that was for Ken!" Miyabi shouted in tears. Doroteo and Jaguro stopped fighting each other.
"Ken? I am Doroteo, senorita." Doroteo said. Miyabi merely continued to cry.
"My name is Jaguro, Miyabi-chan. You obviously meant me." Jaguro said.
"No way! She meant me!" Doroteo snapped back.
"I mean Ken!" Miyabi shouted. She then ran out of the room crying.
"This is all your fault, bastardo! She doesn't know my name because of you!" Doroteo shouted at Jaguro. They resumed their fighting again...
Miyabi was curled up in a corner crying as Goda came up to her.
"Miyabi-chan, what happened?" Goda asked.
"Those guys... They destroyed my chocolate!" Miyabi sobbed.
"Don't worry; they'll get their just deserts." Goda replied.
Later on, Ken met up with Miyabi.
"I... wanted to give you chocolate... but those guys destroyed it." Miyabi said.
"Don't worry, Miyabi. I thought something like that would happen." Ken said. Goda gave Hiroshi her chocolate heart, and he sweatdropped.
"Uh... I'm very grateful to receive your chocolate, Goda-chan..." Hiroshi started.
"Well, go ahead, have at it." Goda said.
"Erm... Well... I kinda sorta... forgot to tell you this..." Hiroshi stammered.
"Forgot what?" Goda asked.
"Well... I'm sorta... allergic to chocolate..." Hiroshi said as he flinched. Goda facepalmed.
"O.k., I guess I should have seen this coming." Goda replied.
"I know you put in a lot of effort into it, and I really appreciate it." Hiroshi said.
"Why don't you give it to Miyabi so she can give it to me?" Ken asked.
"That sounds good." Hiroshi agreed. Goda stared at Miyabi for a bit, and then gave her the chocolate. Miyabi gave that chocolate to Ken and then Doroteo and Jaguro entered immediately afterward.
"So! You forced *my* Miyabi to give her the chocolate she obviously made for me! I will not tolerate it!" Jaguro said.
"Oh God, here we go again." Goda said. Miyabi was scared shitless as Jaguro and Doroteo confronted Ken.
"Fork it over, pendejo! I know she made that for *me.*" Doroteo said.
"You are a fucking idiot! It's obvious that she made it for me!" Jaguro said.
"Actually, she made it for me. I am her real boyfriend." Ken said.
"Bullshit! There's no way she could ever love an asshole like you!" Jaguro retorted. Scared, Miyabi put an arm around Ken.
"ThisisKenandIlovehimyoutwoarejuststupidandIdon'twanteitherofyou!" Miyabi fired off very nervously. Unfortunately, selective distortion took over the ears of Jaguro and Doroteo. All they heard was "I love you."
"Well, she has spoken. She doesn't love you two." Ken said.
"You're lying! I heard her clearly say she loved me!" Jaguro said.
"You are very much mistaken because she said she loved me!" Doroteo retorted. Ken and Miyabi looked downhearted.
"I hate Doroteo and Jaguro! Is that clear enough!?" Miyabi said in sheer frustration. Sadly, selective distortion took over again.
"Well, she just said that she hates you, pendejo! Therefore Miyabi must love *me.*" Doroteo said.
"You are baka because she said she hated you! She obviously loves *me!*" Jaguro replied. Doroteo and Jaguro went back to beating on each other again.
"Let's get out of here." Ken said.
"Please." Miyabi replied. Ironically, Ken left with the chocolate Goda had made.
Well, White day was coming soon, and Hiroshi planned something, but needed Ken's help.
"Ken-kun, I have an idea for White Day, but I need your help." Hiroshi said.
"What is it?" Ken asked.
"I have a two-for-one coupon at a health and beauty spa. I want to get Goda-chan a beauty package, but I don't have enough money. It's 18,100 for a beauty treatment. I've only got ¥ 9,000." Hiroshi said.
"I think I can manage the remaining ¥ 9,100." Ken replied. "Miyabi-chan should like being pampered too." Ken replied.
Two days before White day, Jaguro cornered Miyabi.
"Hey babe, I got me tickets to some great stuff. It's Dorifitazu no Minawa in concert." Jaguro said. "I'll pick you up at 6." Miyabi, of course, hated that band. The singer didn't sing, he screamed and they always sounded terrible to her.
"I have a date with Ken on White Day. I'd never go out with a creep like you." Miyabi said.
"Great. I'll see you then." Jagro replied. It never occurred to him that she wasn't interested in him. Just after he left, Doroteo came in.
"Hey chica. I got two tickets to Real Madrid vs. Tokyo for White Day. I'll pick you up at 6." Doroteo said.
"I have a date with Ken." Miyabi protested in vain.
"I'll see you then, chica." Doroteo replied as he walked away.
"I won't go with you." Miyabi replied in vain.
Miyabi knew that telling them off wouldn't work. There had to be something to get rid of them once and for all....
-To be continued-