I don't know why I am here; it has been months since I've bothered to come around.

"I haven't seen you around lately. Thought I'd lost my best friend," Motoki, who runs this local college club, tries to hide a serious question in a joke, never being one for directness, we are different in many ways and that is one of them.

"Sorry, my work has just taken off so fast so sudden, being part of a private practice now on top of my work at the hospital," I frown when I should be happy with my own success. "My body needed to get used to the change, I guess." He gives me a look with his green eyes knowing I could go days without sleep and the only negative effect would be my short temper with him. I sigh, "It's true," I defend throwing my hands up, "I'm not as young as I use to be," then add nonchalantly, "and it took my mind adjusting to all this new responsibility for my patients." I frown deeper at his knowing smile. "At the hospital I would most likely never see them again but now I have recurring patients with recurring feelings... of mostly overwhelming joy." I fail to hold back my shutter. He shakes head jostling his blond hair in the process.

"It must be odd caring for someone other than yourself. Maybe you'll learn to let your bestfriend know you're alive every once in awhile?" We give each other doubtful looks. "And you're as young as I am, twenty-seven is not old!" I smirk at him.

He has a point though, I've been on my own since I was eight and along the way, I grew a bit selfish. I started to realize it when I was still a doctor's assistant at the hospital though it still kind of hit hard becoming a fully fledged doctor. It started by intensified loneliness then moved into a heavy duty wall, but now I feel I'm back to myself again and thus on my old routine: A stiff drink at Crown College Club when I'm not working, and by stiff I mean black coffee from the back. Motoki's been supplying me since his father gave him this job right before we started college. I've just never been much of a drinker of alcohol, in part to my hating to lose self-control in the slightest.

Motoki got a bachelor in business he fell in love with this place so much, and it's only helped for the better. From the looks of things, it's going even stronger than the few of months ago I was last here, though nothing seems to have changed much.

Each table has a different color neon lamp over them; the walls are a soft dark fabric that looks like there are big paint batches of different colors that were thrown all over them. The dance floor is fun lit with good music that was perfectly loud on it but quiet enough you didn't have to yell when you were off; though they don't start the that up until eight p.m. every day but Friday and Saturday to which the DJ starts at seven. The best part that won over all the local students is that a good section on the other side of the building is dedicated to arcade games. He even has buy-in competitions bi-weekly with a cash prize, that makes Crown 'the place to be' on those nights, which of course means I stay clear.

"...but I don't mind it helps me miss Reika less," oops I missed some of that. Ask to repeat or play it off? Play it off.

"How is Reika doing?" What did you expect? Anyway, Reika is Motoki's girlfriend that is currently out of the country.

"She's having fun, but she can't wait to come back next month!" His smile widens at the thought. Reika teaches elementary school in Africa and next month starts summer break which she always comes back for. That equals the loss of my only friend for two mouths, that will teach me to stay away for so long... for awhile.

"Have you ever thought of moving out there with her?" I ask for some unknown reason, must be the new job. Motoki is usually the one that asks all the prying questions.

"Yes, but she says to just wait for her here," his face saddens a little. "What do you think that means?"

"Oh no, I don't even try to pretend I know how the woman's mind works. You know what happens when I do," He gave me that 'like you don't like it look.' "Hey! The female sex is an enigma that I may never come to understand." I seem to be overly defensive this day.

"That's almost ironic of you to say." My overly judgmental friend starts to shake his head when a group of customers step up to my right. I turn a glance in their direction noting they are a little on the high pitched side. My quick peer earns me a site of a few college age females, all good looking but a bit too young for me.

"Motoki! How are you this evening?" says an overly eager blond.

"I'm very well, Minako. Here to train again?" Train? What do you train for at a club? Holding down your liquor? Dancing the night away?

Motoki sees my puzzled look and explains, "These ladies are top champions at our game nights!"

I look more at them. The long hair blue eyed blond was who just spoke. She was kind of too revealing for my tastes, definitely good looking but altogether too easy and eager, not to mention, a happy bubble ready to burst.

"Aino, Minako!" She bows respectfully but her eyes trail my body. Apparently, women can't resist the Japanese looks I get from my father mixed with the blue eyes I get from my mother.

"Hino, Rei." Bows a lovely figured, long black haired girl that holds herself high demanding respect. She didn't seem nearly as bubbly and rather intelligent, she gets a few points for that. But she also isn't doing a good job of holding back a drool.

"Mizuno, Ami." Now, this last lady in the group definitely gave off intelligence and the only one not eyeing me like candy. Her name sounds familiar but she didn't look it. She has very short hair, blue glasses and is dressed in a business suit. Which is odd for a college club, and I thought I was the only one to do it.

"Don't mind her, she always dresses like that. Says, 'You never know when business becomes a personal opportunity to pass up.' Or something like that." The blond says as Ami's face turns bright red.

"No… no! That's not it! You never want to pass up a business opportunity even in your personal life!" She is obviously shy. I nod my understanding to help her calm down, though can't help but smirk.

"That's a good motto to live by," I say, truly meaning it.

"Mamoru, here, also wears suits most the time. He even accidentally comes in with his white coat on."

"That was once, Motoki," I glare at him.

"So your names Mamoru?" Rei asks guilefully. Darn! I don't want them thinking they can get to know me. I'll just stick to my last name, keep it formal.

"Dr. Chiba. Nice to meet you," I give my respects in a bow, their mouths all agape learning of my doctor status, I presume.

"Ami is also going to school to be a doctor," Motoki relays.

"You have a step ahead already," I reassure. That's why I know the name! "I see, who I presume to be, your mother sometimes at the hospital. She is a very respected doctor and wonderful at her work."

"Thank you, I am very proud of her, myself," she blushes.

"As I'm sure she is with you." Why am I talking to these girls again?

"What field do you wor…" Rei starts but then there's an extremely high pitched wail drowning out any sound in this building and maybe the ones next to us. I cover my ears from the unbearable noise. As the seconds pass that feel like an eternity of pain I come to the conclusion that this sound is actually coming from a person. The banshee wail slowly starts to fade as it starts to mingle with a whimper.

"U-SA-GI! Tone it down!" Thank you Rei, from the look of everyone I was not the only one to hear it, but at first I thought I had gone crazy.

We look over to see an extremely long blond haired female lying on the ground with an overweight oversized man collapsed on top of her legs. Okay, that should cause a sound of pain, but I think she went overboard, way overboard. The bouncer rushes over and starts helping escort the drunken man out as the girls I just met all rush over to the sobbing girl. Rarely does anything like this happen here, and I can't help but start laughing hysterically even though it causes great pain to my newly damaged ears.

"What the heck are you laughing at?!" I strangely am able to hear the girl that the others are now trying to move to a booth. "Owwe! It hurts, it hurts! Ami is it broken? Tell me I can take it!"

I continue to laugh at her "big girl" attitude. This is the most entertainment I've had in awhile. I'm suddenly glad I came today and that that girl walked in when she did even with my broken ear drums.

"Usagi this gentleman's a doctor, why don't you have him look at it." Rei says sweetly but I could see through her act. Women, they're all alike; now this noise machine is going fall for my doctor title. My happy mood starts to fade.

"I don't want that jerk near me! I'd sooner go to a hospital!" There is disdain in her voice. She is such a kid, hating hospitals; I continue laughing.

"Stop laughing at me this instant you... hyena!" But her death stare only made me double over.

"If I'm a hyena, then you're a screeching pig; I can't believe that guy's ears aren't bleeding!" Her face turns dark red with rage, quite a contrast with her light hair, and for that second I'm glad she can't use her legs.

"Who is this jerk?! And who let him out of his cage?!" She looks at Motoki pointedly while waving a hand toward my direction.

"Usagi! Be nice!" Says Minako, I thought blondes stuck together? I must be better looking than I imagine.

"Usagi? I thought rabbits are supposed to be lucky? Boy did your parents name you wrong," I sure know how to hit them when their down, that was rather mean even for me.

Motoki looks at me distastefully, undoubtedly wondering why I'm acting out like this. In truth, I'm wondering myself but that doesn't keep me from realizing, I was enjoying it.

"Usagi," Ami calls in a genital voice luckily bringing her attention, and heated gaze away from me, "Let me know when it hurts, okay?" Usagi in an instant losses all her red and turns stark white as she snaps her head to see Ami start to rotate her leg one section at a time. I pale and look away almost having been flashed for she's wearing a skirt. What a minute, I looked away?

Suddenly my phone is ringing, darn it. I pull it out from my jacket pocket to look at the screen. 'Hospital' which means work; I sigh walking to the back to take the call. So much for my good time, though I can't stop smiling.

"I think this leg may be broken," is the last I hear of them.