Disclaimer: I don't own Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!

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WcDonalds. She was again, back at WcDonalds. This brought back two kinds of memories - the first memory of this being the worst time in her life, as she was ridiculed for being ugly and alone. The second time she came here, it was quite the opposite - she was a year older, maturer and certainly not alone. Third times the charm, as the western saying goes - and this time, she wasn't alone again here.

A figure walked side-by-side with her, yet that didn't bother her anymore or make her nervous. As they waited in the line together, they didn't seem out-of-place, they seemed 'normal'. As they approached the cashier and ordered, it was simple; she didn't stutter anymore, cause he was with her.

"Hey! Lets eat upstairs!" proposed Tomoko, or rather half-ordered as she pulled him up. Him just shrugging in indifference and following after her.

However, a familiar group was eating and chatting upstairs as well - one group, that Tomoko had the unfortune to meet or rather rushly pass-by here, when she came here the first time, a year ago; they even sat in the same place, how ironic.

'Not my problem,' thought Tomoko proudly, as she simply walked next to him and passed the chatter-group, without a care in the world.

"Who were they?"

"Some couple, I believe they go in the same class as Ayumi."

"He looked cute."

"What!?"

"Well it wouldn't hurt for you to exercise more, Yako."

Tomoko silently giggled at the chattering happening behind her, some of the things those groups 'discussed' made even her mind run-in-circles. And they call me weird.

'No matter. I got what I want,' thought Tomoko, as she sat down in one of the empty tables, with Alex sitting opposite of her; the food-tray between them.

"I could've paid...I-I mean...I'm not broke...or nono-"

"-relax. You overthink," chuckled Alex at her nervous chattery. Tomoko sighed and breathed deeply, to calm her twitchy nerve - which worked. "And I wanted to. What kind of guy am I, if I don't treat a girl?"

"Nevermind," she replied, shaking her head. He seemed to follow some weird code of honor, like some ancient samurai - noble, kind and mysterious.

"So, what you planning?" asked Alex, biting into his hamburger.

"Planning what?" replied Tomoko confused, while she started to eat her own burger - it still tasted like the greatest food in Japan, in her opinion.

"After school," he added, cleaning his mouth with a napkin.

"I...am not sure," she replied, honestly unsure. "Liberal arts, I had thought."

"Sure still?"

"I don't know," replied Tomoko, munching on her food. "You?"

"Still, marine biologist," said Alex, drinking some ice-cola. "Not first choice, though."

"Oh? What else was there?" asked Tomoko.

"Promise, don't laugh?" he requested.

"Okay."

"Cosmonaut," sighed Alex, awaiting the response.

"Who?" asked Tomoko, confused.

"Cosmonaut, space-man, moon-walker, astronaut," he mentioned, trying to explain.

"Oh! Seemed reasonable," replied Tomoko honestly.

"It was a five-year old dream. Every kid, wanted to be astronaut, when they little or a super-hero," said Alex, shaking his head at the childish dream.

"Well...mine was a bit more...c-crazier," spoke Tomoko shyly.

"Can't be worse than me," replied Alex.

"I-...I...w-wanted to b-become an...dealer! An arms dealer!" spat out Tomoko, hiding her face then.

"Not be insulting or unrespectful, but...that sounded...kinda hot," smirked Alex, chewing on a french fry.

"Ahha, uh-oh, really?" asked Tomoko, blushing a bit.

"I'm a guy, I like extreme stuff: sport, games, cars...guns..." counted Alex, then chuckled at his monologue. "...but anywho. May I offer advice?"

"Uh, sure."

"Why not try computing, IT, you know. Work with computers," proposed Alex.

"Really?" asked Tomoko, suprised and thinking it through.

"Why not? Lots of young people, try it nowaday. It has many choices - be a technician, or accountant, programer and so on," explained Alex. "Anything that requires computer use, could be a future job."

"Its...interesting..." said Tomoko, thinking and imagining her future. A formal-wearing accountant, who worked 24/7 one the same job; a greasy engineer, who'd fix and install cables and equipment; a tech-wiz programmer, who could write new games and songs; and finally, she imagined being that cute girl in those game-tournaments. "...but thanks for the advice anyway."

"Anytime," replied Alex, drinking his cola.

"And you?"

"Still marine-biologist, as always," said Alex.

"Why? I-It c-could be dangerous, out on the sea," replied Tomoko, worried a bit for his safety. As well recalling a near-death experience of her own.

"I'm not always at sea, I also would study in labs," explained Alex, stroking her hand to ease the tension. "No worry."

'Still...' thought Tomoko. "So...worried about exams?"

"Not much."

"Not even a little bit?" repeated Tomoko.

"Maybe practice my Japanese, the teacher mention I have bad dialect still," said Alex.

"Doesn't that bother you?" asked Tomoko

"I got good tutor," replied Alex, causing Tomoko to blush at the compliment.

"Uh-oh. Well, you still speak weirdly," added Tomoko, rubbing her hands.

"You try speaking in one language, then translate into another. I got some words, that your language has no translate for."

"Like?" asked Tomoko.

"Many, mostly swears and curses..." chuckled Alex. "Nah, just messing. Most are words, that sound repetitive, but have a deeper feeling to us. They say 'lost in translation' - some things, you can only speak in one way."

"Oh? Really?"

"Tomoko - Мне нравится ваш застенчивость, и любите свою решимость."

"What did that mean?"

"I said - I like your shyness, and love your determination." spoke Alex, as Tomoko went red in her cheeks.

"Y-y-you-" started Tomoko, but got caught in her words, as Alex took ahold of her hands.

"I wanna say, your are my longest friend, whom I have been with. And only girl, whom I actually have a deep...damn...what's the word...conne-ction to? Yes, that's it," spoke Alex, still holding her hands between his own. "I...hope...we can be...together...for a long time."

Tomoko didn't how to react, to this kind of confession - he still spoke in that weird dialect, yet she understood it perfectly. It brought a couple of tears to the young girl, they weren't tears of sadness or sorrow, but tears of joy. Because Alex had asked her, the shy and akward girl of sixteen, the chance to further their relationship and maybe go beyond the boyfriend-girlfriend status.

"I would like that," wept Tomoko, not missing a single letter.

#

"Mrs. Kuroki."

"Mrs. Kuroki!"

Tomoko felt somebody slowly shaking her, gently but enough to awake her snoozing form. A slight yawn escaped her lips, as she pushed-up from her small desk in the cubicle. The person who had awoken her was Jin, her co-worker.

"Oh, I apologize. I must've fallen asleep," said the young woman, rubbing her eyes.

"Nothing to worry, lunch-time was almost about to end. I decided, to awake you, so you wouldn't have to deal with any 'unnecessary' problems," explained Jin. "Also Mr. Yamashi wanted the city reports over-checked and the Magatshi report re-done as well - since Lee had screwed up the report, so you unfortunately have to fix up his mistakes."

"Understood, albeit Lee is known to do things halfway...and Jin..." spoke up Tomoko, before her co-worker could leave. "...thanks for the wake-up."

"Anytime, I know the burden of being a mother," replied Jin to which Tomoko unknowningly glanced at her wallet, in a drawer. "May I ask?"

"Well...they say its a boy, I hope too," said Tomoko after a thought, consciously touching her stomach. "Reika could use a little brother."

"I barely could notice the difference, if I didn't know," added Jin, complementing on her unknown ability to bear a child and keep her figure.

"Lucky I guess," shrugged Tomoko, nodding a farewell as she got to work. Lucky? Or as Alex had once said, in a colorful tone: 'the universe can't keep screwing you all the time'.

It turned out to be mostly true - the twenty-four year old, young woman was completly different from her young and shy self. Although she was still young-ish by her looks and spoke only with her parents, one or two of her co-workers, a few friends from her highschool days and with her child and husband. So, mostly the same Tomoko as ever.

She worked in a small firm as an accountant, so much for dreams of being a famous gamer or a loved gamer-host. She sighed at the thought, as she continued the work - it was repetitive and demanding, of remembering so many numbers and information. But there were also some good things - the pay was good and so were the benefits, namely maternal-leave and holiday-bonuses. Mr. Yamashi, her boss, was demanding, but also understanding and kind when need be - so it wasn't all bad.

Her report and documents were finished in good-time and speed - she was getting better at this everyday. Now she could go home, as her work was done.

As she grabbed her brown-jacket and headed out, Tomoko couldn't contain the smile upon seeing their car waiting on the side. Seemed her husband had gotten off early as well.

"Hey, I didn't expect you to get off this early," said Tomoko, as she got inside their hybrid-car and gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I got lucky, since most were busy with their 'hobbies' or too bored to listen," replied her husband, as he drove them home. "I picked up Reika on the way."

Tomoko glanced behind and saw her little five-year old girl, sleeping soundly in the back, using her backpack as a pillow. She looked so much like her, except for her eyes, that she had inherited from her father.

Reika had been, as she was forced to admit, an accident, one caused entirely by her. Once she had turned nineteen, Tomoko wanted to get more eager with boys, namely on the intimacy part - and she gotten one chance, when the guy who was driving and is her husband got drunk at one party. Nameless to say, so did she - it was the only party, beside her birthdays that she decided do go to. But she wasn't as nearly as drunk as him, but still - she had 'lead' them into a room and got 'eager'.

The aftermath was horrible, a nasty headache and the feel of betraying somebody. The worse came several weeks later, when a sudden stomach-sickness confirmed her fears. Her parents were shocked, her brother...furious. More so was the shock, when she had confessed of being responsible for the deed and not him - her father nor brother didn't say much to her, after that night. Her mother, fortunately, comforted her during that turbulent time and suggested Tomoko come clean to her child' father.

It was stressful and difficult, but one night she gathered her courage and blurted it out to him - awaiting the anger, fury and hate to come. It was to a degree, but less than she expected - he was annoyed, slightly pissed that she hadn't told him, but he wasn't angry. It was the most teary-filled moment in her life - he promised to stay with her, help her and be there for her.

Her family was a little more adamant against her, but once Reika was born - her parents were overjoyed to see their granddaughter and forgot their hate, even her brother looked more accepting, becoming an uncle at such an age - he didn't manage to say a single word, once he saw Reika.

Now, five years later, everything was calm and fixed - and she was expecting another child, one she wanted.

"You okay? You had that look again."

"Oh, I'm fine, just...fine," explained Tomoko. "Its fine."

"Don't tell me, that my speaking is boring you too?" he teased.

"Well, if you didn't speak of fish all day Alexander, then you wouldn't be so boring," replied Tomoko, a grin on her face.

"Whatever the country, women remain the same," sighed Alex - looking the same as he did eight years ago, albeit with a slight stubble. "And atleast, I stay away from the sea, deary. But nobody listens to what I speak or teach, except when I cut open the fish, for practical show"

"You wanted to be a biologist, Alex - so here is your reward," replied Tomoko.

"When will you grow-up, Mrs. Tomoko Kuroki?" he asked, in mock humour.

"Only when you do that, Mr. Alexander Ikovich-Kuroki," she replied.

"Women..." muttered Alex, rolling his eyes.

"Who women?"

Alex looked into the mirror, sighing as the form of her daughter, Reika, woke from her slumber.

"Nothing, your mom and dad were just talking," replied Alex.

"About?" asked Reika with the curiosity of a five-year old.

"Well-" started Tomoko.

"-you're getting a baby-brother," replied Alex, shocking Tomoko and suprising Reika - they hadn't told her yet. 'Payback is sweet.'

"A bro-ther?! Will he be like me? Will he play with me? Will he..." continued Reika, letting her inagination fly.

"Now you did it," grumbled Tomoko.

"Don't be so gloomy, doesn't suit you. And I know, you had been wanting to tell her eventually," replied Alex.

"Yeah, yeah..." sighed Tomoko.

"So no harm," added Alex, rubbing her wife' stomach. "Your a pretty good mother..."

"...I guess," admitted Tomoko.

"...just rein in her hyper-active personality, I can't handle a hyper-active teen in any circumstance..." started Alex and it got into a chat-match from there.

Namely what school, life, job and friends she should interact with - it was in good humour and joy, as both parents loved each other and their child, and unborn child to come.

It was the same every day, they were the same - her day would begin again in the morning, his too, they would go to work and return to eachother later.

Their home was where the order collapsed - each day was a new experience there, a new moment, with themselves and their children, their parents and siblings. He cooked, she cleaned; he fixed, she handled the baby; he watched, she washed; he drove, she spoke. And on some nights, they'd get 'eager' in their own bed - where the world stopped around them, while both loved eachother.

...and if all that required, was a usual day, same as the other everyday - from morning to work to back, then Tomoko would accept it in a heartbeat.

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A/N: Fin. Done and good-bye.

Please review, before you go.