Oogami decided that no matter what he did or said, someone would still be hurt. So, he might as well go at it and say whatever he wanted.
"The truth is I can't decide."
"NEEE?????!!!!!!"
"No matter how hard I try, my feelings for all of you are the same. You're all great girls, however, I don't feel that anyone in particular here is the kind of woman I am looking for."
"What kind of a woman are you looking for, Taichou?" Reni asked.
"Well...a mature woman, who's full of mystery and excitement. I don't know, that's all I can come up with just now..."
Sakura said sadly, "I see...I'm just some simple country girl to you...You had me fooled. You fooled everyone. I cannot forgive you for playing with our hearts!"
Maria said, "I agree. "Taichou, you took advantage of all of us. This kind of behavior is reckless and intolerable. I cannot forgive you either."
Oogami waved his hands frantically. "Gomen, gomen! I like you all a lot and you're all fun to be around with, but I just don't love any of you like that..."
"Onii-chan hates Airisu!!" Airisu screamed, crying.
Kanna patted her on the head. "Now, look what you did." she said, "I even feel like crying."
Sumire crossed her arms. "What did I tell you? Shou'i is a woman addict. He doesn't care who you are, he'll go at you just because you're female. Ahem...the shower incident."
"Shower incident?" Orihime asked.
Oogami cried, "T-that was an accident!!"
"Yeah right." Sumire said, "According to the recent gossip, you like to peek in when someone is bathing or changing."
Everyone gasped. "W-what?!"
Reni noted, "Come to think of it, there was a time when Taichou came in the bath while I was still there."
"Eh?!" Sakura cried, "Reni-san, were you okay???"
"Oh, I did not mind. After all there isn't much difference between males and females except for the fact that...."
Sakura blushed. "Uh, uh, you don't have to explain. (Heheh.)"
Kanna exclaimed, "Taichou, what kind of a sicko are you?!"
Airisu pointed at him. "Onii-chan is a HENTAI!"
Kohran muttered, "Is that why whenever I ask him to 'have a little fun in my room,' he seems to be thinking of something other than Hanafuda...."
"Hanafuda? Is that what the two of you have been doing all this time?" Maria asked.
"HAI, HAI, HAI! THAT'S IT YA!"
"Come on everyone!" Orihime said, "It's obvious he's not worth to waste your feelings on."
"Wait!" Oogami called after all of them, "I'm really sorry...! Dammit, I really messed up."
* * *
Much later, Oogami went into Kaede's room for advice on what had happened. After listening to his story, she nodded quietly to herself.
"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked.
"Well, the girls have a point. You are very careless in the way that you deal with them. I know it's fun to flirt, but it can bring some heart-ache and confusion later."
"Yeah, that's very true..." he replied, nodding, "Na, Kaede-san, I recall that your sister said something similar to me once. What was it again? It was something that went with "rabbits....'"
She laughed. "Aa, yes! Nee-san always said, "The one who chases two rabbits won't find even one." Or in this case, don't go chasing after eight rabbits...that's just plain idiotic."
"R-right."
"Oogami-kun, hang in there."
He blushed. "H-hai, Kaede-san!"
She gave him a firm look. "Oogami-kun, what did we just talk about?"
"Oh, right."
"Good. Now, put it into practice and don't go getting any wrong ideas."
"H-hai. (Man, this is going to be difficult...)"
* * *
Oogami left Kaede's room and decided to go for a walk around the Teigeki. It was time for his night-watch anyway. He went downstairs and heard a large crashing noise coming from the kitchen. He went in only to find that Yoneda had fallen off a chair.
"Chief! Are you okay?"
"Oogami....what're you *hic* doing here?"
"Chief, you're drunk again?" he sighed, helping him back up.
"I woke up suddenly in my office and found that I had no more drink in there, so I came to raid my secret stash. Have some sake with me *hic*."
"I'm feeling horrible, so I could sure use one." Oogami said, sitting down.
Yoneda poured him a glass. "You should not be feeling that way. I mean, hey, you're better off than me. Man, I wish I was like you....young and handsome, a hit with the ladies. I used to be, ya know! I had tons of girlfriends!"
He fell silent all of a sudden. Oogami looked over to him. "Chief...?"
"But now....look at me. Old and alone...I haven't had a date in years! *sniff, sniff*"
"Wai, C-Chief....!" Oogami exclaimed as Yoneda started crying onto his shoulder, "Get a hold of yourself!"
Yoneda pulled himself together. "You're right! What's done is done!" He then had a serious look. "Listen, Oogami. Don't make my mistakes. Find someone, find someone quick....before you end like me, a drunken old man in the military, who has nobody to hold at night except a bottle of sake."
"H-hai." he replied, looking into his glass. It was already empty.
* * *
Oogami left the kitchen, feeling a bit dizzy. His thoughts were messed up too. He kept picturing himself Yoneda's age (whatever that may be) lying somewhere passed out drunk.
"Nooooo! I won't let that happen!" he cried, holding his head.
"Are you all right, Oogami-san?"
He turned around to see Sakura at the staircase. "Sakura-kun...Sakura-kun!" he exclaimed, running to her.
She turned away. "I still cannot forgive you. But, whatever is wrong with you I hope that it isn't anything serious. Good night."
"Wait, Sakura-kun!" he cried, grabbing onto her sleeve, "Don't leave....don't leave me alone!"
"O-Oogami-san? What's with you?"
"I don't want to be alone! I don't want to be a drunken old man!"
"Nani? What are you talking about?"
"Sakura-kun, please stay...stay with me..."
Sakura slapped him. "You're drunk. You don't know what you're saying. I-I....I'm going now!" she said and ran up the stairs.
"Wait...stay....don't leave me alone..." Oogami uttered. All of a sudden everything went blurry and then blank.
* * *
"Aaaah....that feels nice." Oogami uttered in his sleep. He was lying outside in the garden. Shirou was licking his neck. "Mmm....oh, yeah...."
"Oogami-han?"
"Hm?" He opened his eyes to see Kohran standing over him. "K-Kohran? S-Shirou?! Stop it!"
"Heeheehee, Oogami-han, it seems that you're attracted to dogs as well ya."
"Haha, nice joke." he muttered, "I guess I must have wandered out here and passed out."
"Ya, according to Sakura-han, you were really drunk last night."
"Oh, right. I should really apologize to her. My actions were irrational."
"Hm? What actions?"
"Uh, it was nothing!"
Kohran pointed at him. "Oogami-han, you know it will be hard for me to forgive you. I don't think we'll be playing Hanafuda for a while. A long while ya."
"Yes, I know. Gomen, I mean to make amends."
"Ho? How?"
"W-well, I'm not sure yet."
"Hmm...when you figure it out, come talk to me. I don't feel like talking with someone I cannot forgive." she replied and walked away.
"Wait, Kohran!" he cried, "Dammit, everyone is mad at me. And I'm covered with dog slobber...That stuff that Yoneda said, what if it comes true....What am I going to do now?"
AIRISU: Onii-chan is a big idiot, isn't he, Jean-Paul? How could he not be satisfied with Kawaii Airisu. Let's teach him a lesson so he won't be floating.
RENI: But, what if the Taichou won't accept the lesson?
MARIA: The Beginings of Revenge, next time on Sakura Taisen!
AIRISU & RENI: A storm of Romance in Taishou cherry blossoms!
MARIA: Until he understands my feelings.....
