1Heh. For all of you fans of the struggle of Hinagiku, here's a story about her and the feelings she has for Hayate.

Heh. For all of you fans of the struggle of Ayumu, here's a story about her and the feelings she has for Hayate.

Wait.....

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Episode 1: A love triangle. Well, counting all the others, its more of a weird looking polygon. At least it's not as crazy in the one in N-gima. Everyone for whatever reason has a shota complex. Which I do not take offence to.

Hinagiku was still worried. She loved Hayate. A feeling she repressed due to her fear of abandonment and that Hayate may abandon her. She faces it now, knowing the consequence.

She was already supporting her friend, Ayumu Nishizawa in her pursuit of love towards Hayate! The insert of Hayate into her life has muddled her way of regular thinking, and has had an enormous impact on her life (and just about everyone else's.) Hayate is the only person (aside from Miki) who can fluster her, and she thinks she likes it. He's the most kind person she's met, but that only makes it harder for her to decide between friendship, and betrayal.

"My God... dreaming about him every night doesn't help." She was troubled. "My friend... or a boy... why do I have to choose?"

Hey, everyone in a romantic-comedy needs to choose. If you both choose to go after him, then it'll be a fight to the death.

"Don't say such ominous things!!!"

She threw a rock up at the sky. Heh, you almost hit me. Almost.

"Whatever."

Let's move over to Nishizawa's side. I mean, a perfect-in-every-conceivable-way person like Hinagiku is interesting, but so is a completely normal (minus experiences with Hayate) person, like Nishizawa.

Nishizawa thought about him every day. She truly loved Ayasaki Hayate. But because Hayate went to THAT school, she couldn't think of him without thinking of the student body president. Katsura Hinagiku. Hakuou Gakuin's picture of perfection (for the girls at least. Which reminds me, who is the top male student of Hakuou? It's not Hayate, he only barely passed the final exam.) 'What if Hina-san loves Hayate-kun? I would be really sad for myself, but really happy for them... I don't know why. But I wouldn't want my presence to get in the way of their happiness.'

So she would be happy for the two of them if they got together, but would also look down upon herself. She needs to choose what she feels stronger about if that were to happen, happy for them or sad for herself. The choice she makes will reflect how she feels about herself as a person.

But most importantly, she needs to stop thinking "what if". If she doesn't want the "what if" to happen, she needs to act on how she feels for Hayate.

"It's not that easy! I don't want to break up a potential relationship!"

You would be whether Hinagiku liked him or not. A lot of people like him.

Anyways, since this is mainly about classmates, the Sanzenin Manor will not be the main setting. It will be out in the city and Hakuou.

Hinagiku was walking her usual route home, on a sunny day. She had to make a quick stop at the detention center. "Sigh, it's a beautiful day, and onee-chan picks today to get caught for not paying her taxes? Geez..."

Nishizawa was on her way to cram school at the same time. She had stopped on her way to buy some dumplings. "Today's my first day at cram school! I only barely managed to pass the final exams... and I only passed because Hina-san helped me study. I can't let it come down to a one point difference again!" She said as she put a dumpling in her mouth.

So, Hinagiku was walking to the detention center to pick up Yukiji, and Nishizawa was walking to cram school. Did I mention that the two are only a building away from each other?

Nishizawa stopped in front of the cram school. Hinagiku stopped outside the detention center. "Hina-san? What are you doing here?" "I was about to ask you the same thing, Ayumu."

They ended up going to a coffee shop. "You know, come to think of it Hina-san, I've never met your onee-chan." Hinagiku laughed. "You wouldn't want to meet her, trust me. The first thing she says to a new person is, 'Can I borrow some money?'" What a pathetic older sister.

Well, it was bound to come to this. Since he was their connection, the two girls couldn't help but think about Ayasaki Hayate. They each tried to find a witty topic that had nothing at all to do with Hayate.

Hinagiku's side.

'Crap! If I mention Ayasaki-kun here, she's bound to think that I'm trying to pry into her thoughts of him! For information! Or to push her further! Either of which I don't want happening! Although I did promise to back you up... I also want Ayasaki!'

Ayumu's side.

'Oh no! If I mention Hayate-kun, then we'll be drawn out into an embarrassing discussion about my relationship with him! And I have a sinking feeling also about how Hina-san feels about him...'

The more they thought about avoiding the subject, the more they ended up actually thinking about the subject in question. Hayate.

Just when they thought they had banished him from their thoughts, the very thought of banishing him from their thoughts brought him up in their thoughts. They just couldn't stop. They each tried to find out what to say in a situation in which they can't stop thinking of the man they love. So they each said something unexpected... at the same time.

"A punch line has come and ruined the moment!"

"Why must every of my friends act so strange in their own special way?"

.... You know, if I had statements that had something to with each other, it would've had way less impact than it did. If it did. At all.

They looked at each other. "Ayumu, were you by any chance..."

"... thinking of Hayate-kun right now?"

At that moment, they each knew what the other one was thinking. Not exactly, but a general idea. Don't even ask how they suddenly knew the true topic of discussion.

Well, lets just see how this goes.

"Hina-san, I just want you to know.."

"Ayumu, don't worry. I will continue to support your growing relationship with him..."

"... That's not what I was afraid of. Hina-san."

That statement took her by surprise. "So you're not afraid I'll abandon you?"

No, that's your fear.

"Hina-san... I just wanted to tell you. It's.... okay if you like Hayate-kun too."

Now that statement took her by an even bigger surprise.

"What?! I wouldn't be mrrmphlblzs-"

"No, It's okay. You don't have to say anything."

"..... Ayumu. If I love him or if I don't doesn't matter. I'll continue to support you."

Nishizawa smiled. But Hinagiku could still see a tinge of fear in her eyes. Nishizawa was still afraid of something.

"But Hina-san, you DO love Hayate-kun, right?"

The answer didn't come. Hinagiku opened her mouth, but no words came out. She wanted a clean and simple "no" to come out, but for some reason, her conscious didn't let her. 'I can't very well continue to lie to her... why am I telling myself this? I don't want to hurt her chances at a relationship...' Hayate's face came into mind. 'He wouldn't lie about a thing like this...'

When Hayate came up with the excuse for not really loving Hinagiku, just "finding her attractive", you wouldn't technically call this a lie. When he looks at women, because he thinks of his situation, and figures even if he did love the women in question, they wouldn't like him back, and even if they did, he wouldn't be a suitable boyfriend, because he isn't financially responsible enough. So his subconscious automatically drops the subject of being in love with anybody. The only reason he still likes Maria-san is because he fell in love with her before his status changed to "butler-in-debt". He's still thinking about it.

"....... Okay. It's true."

"Hina-san, you do?"

"I... I l-love the man H... H...... Hayate Ayasaki."

"..... I knew it."

Hinagiku saw that the fear in her eyes turned to relief. She thought to herself, 'why would she be relieved that I love him?'

"I knew since the day you brought me home with you. But I never really accepted it until Hayate-kun was brought up, and I saw your face turn red."

Hinagiku took out a hand mirror. She was blushing! She hadn't even noticed herself...

"But Hina-san, I was only afraid that you were betraying your own feelings when you thought of me, and in that way, you would lie to me. In turn, by lying, if it turns out that you got together with him without ever telling me you liked him, you would betray me. But I was more thinking..."

"It's okay. I understand. We can't really see each other if my love of the boy you love hurts you..."

Tears ran down Hinagiku's eyes.

"But can't this work out Ayumu? I... I-I mean, your one of the best friends I've had! Sure, not every day is an incredible adventure involving politics teasing or jokes..."

Picture the student council trio.

Miki: Politics.

Risa: Jokes.

Izumi: Teasing.

"Hey! I was hoping you'd forget that! Awwaah..."

Back to Hinagiku.

"But you're one of the few nicest people I've ever met!"

Nicest people she's ever met: Her foster parents, Nishizawa, Hayate.

Nishizawa opened her mouth to speak, which was Hinagiku's cue to stop. Although it was hard, 'cause she was at the point of sobbing. Poor thing.

"Hina-san, I was going to say, I was more thinking.... of you betraying yourself."

"...eh?"

"Well, if you continue to lie to me, you also lie to yourself. And if you continued to support me, I would end up with Hayate-kun, leaving you without a chance!"

"Well..."

"I'd prefer that we each have an equal chance. It doesn't matter that it's the same boy. If we know we're after him, it'll be like friendly competition! And if one of us loses, it doesn't matter! The feelings remain the same between us. We will remain as friends no matter what."

"Ayumu..."

Hinagiku grabbed Ayumu and buried her face into her collar.

"Thank you!"

".... Hina-san.... um..."

"Yes?"

"You're kinda making a scene in public."

Everybody at the coffee shop was staring.

"Oh! Um.... awaaahh!"

In front of the coffee shop. The sun is setting.

Hinagiku looks at Nizhizawa. "Thank you."

Nishizawa smiles at Hinagiku. "Anytime."

They both say "Good luck!"

Hinagiku's room. "Ahh, after an exhausting day, it's time to go to bed.... hm? I feel like I'm forgetting something."

Detention Center. Yukiji Katsura's cell. "Helllooooo? Hinaaaaa! You were supposed to pay my bail! Or get Naruh-do here!"

Meanwhile, our hero...

"Eh? I feel like I was brought up in a serious conversation!"

And...

Tachibana Video Rentals.

"Waka, what's wrong?"

"Saki, don't be alarmed, but.... my fool senses are tingling! A fool just made smart conversation!"

".... um, who?"

"Ayumu Nishizawa."

"Of course..."

When comforting another, even fools can sound smart.

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Hah! The struggles of both! I'm currently working on Wasuremasu right now, so I just barely had the time to come up with this. I'm pleasing all the fans of Maria-san right now with that one, but I figured I can't ignore all the fans of Hinagiku-san and Nishizawa-san! (Sorry Nishizawa, but Hinagiku may or may not have a larger fan base...) And rest assured, I'll get to you Sonia fans as well.

Well, I got a ton else to work on, so bye bye!