Hoshi hadn't meant to start this game, but she wasn't going to give up now. "What's her- her favorite holiday?"
"Christmas."
"What's her favorite video game?"
Tenshi was confused. "She plays video games?" she inquired after the trick question.
"Her favorite song?"
"'Lost Paradise.'"
"No, it's-"
"'Todokanu Omoi,' I know. It used to be, but she changed it. Hoshi-san, Koneko's changed a lot in the six months since she came to Earth. You can't expect her to always stay the same as she was."
"Iie. She hasn't changed that much. What's her- what's her blood type?"
Tenshi lowered her eyes in defeat. Not because she didn't know the answer, but because she couldn't talk Hoshi out of this contest they seemed to be having. "AB negative."
Hoshi looked at her in shock. "You don't know that."
Tenshi nodded. She had learned when Neko was in the hospital last month. Tenshi had been pouncing on every doctor that came out from Neko's room to find out everything she could about her condition.
"What's her favorite jewelry?"
"Well, that's easy. It's the heart necklace you gave her for Christmas."
"No, it's- it is?" Hoshi had actually thought that it was the earrings that matched. But she had expected Tenshi to say that it was the ring that Neko had said Tenshi had given to her.
"Hai, she never takes it off." Tenshi smiled hopefully at Hoshi. Perhaps, they could still work this out.
But that just gave Hoshi new purpose. She began to ask different types of questions, ones she didn't think anybody but a close friend would know about. "When did she stop wearing her hair up all the time?"
"Sometime in junior high."
"When she was 12." Hoshi clarified. "Where does she want to get married?"
"At the palace on the moon."
"Who gave her her first kiss?"
Caught up in the rhythm, Tenshi just barely caught herself before she answered "me." Truth was, Neko had never mentioned being kissed before. "I- I don't know."
"It was Tome Kaido. But he did it without her permission, and then- and then when she rejected him, he� attacked her. And I think she's never trusted any other guy who's liked her since. So now, when she knows one's attracted to her, she won't even hardly look at him. She's barely dated, and even when she does, she's reluctant to get close to the guy. All because of one stupid jerk."
"That explains�," Tenshi's voice trailed off. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "I didn't know."
Hoshi looked up at Tenshi. She did look upset, but not about not knowing the answer. She was clearly bothered by what Kaido had done to Neko. For a fleeting moment, Hoshi regretted this attempt to show Tenshi up. She couldn't be expected to know everything about Neko. What did this really prove? Tenshi really did seem to care about Neko. Maybe she was just a little bit worthy of being Neko's best friend. Wondering about her own motives behind the challenge she had issued, Hoshi had to admit that Tenshi did seem more worried about Neko than about what Hoshi thought about her. Maybe, even though she hadn't known her as long and didn't know everything about her, Tenshi really was a better friend than Hoshi.
"No! I was their best friend for ten years. Ten years! I was there for almost every important event in their lives up until six months ago. And you come waltzing in and just expect to take Neko-chan away from me after six- no, after two months. I know things about her that you'll probably never know. I know things that Chibi and Kimahou-chan don't know. And you can't take that away from me. So don't think for a second, Tenshi-san, that you are worthy of being her best friend!" Hoshi yelled at Tenshi.
"You think I'm trying to take her away from you?" Tenshi asked quietly. Then this was about jealousy, not about Neko and Tenshi being in love. Hoshi didn't know. She just wanted Neko to stay her best friend. "Hoshi-san, I wouldn't even consider trying to replace you! I mean, how could I? You're right, you have ten years of history with the twins, and I can't ever compete with that."
Hoshi looked at her in disbelief. What kind of trick was Tenshi trying?
Tenshi continued. "There's no reason for you to be jealous. Koneko loves both of us for different reasons. So there's no way I could ever replace you in her heart. You'll always be there."
Hoshi began to cry softly. "Yamate! You're just trying to make me like you, but it won't work."
But Tenshi just shook her head. "Iie. I mean, I do want you to like me, but for Koneko's sake, not mine. It's not fair to her for us to compete like this. And it's futile anyway, because neither of us is really her best friend. That spot's reserved for Mi-chan. I believe that she'll always love her more than anyone else. So please can't we get enough along so that Koneko doesn't have to worry anymore while you're here?" Her eyes shone with hope. "Onegai?"
"No! Shut up!" Hoshi cried out desperately. Tenshi had just made her feel worse. Though part of her truly was trying to protect Neko from someone she didn't think deserved her, she knew part of her had just hated Tenshi out of jealousy. What kind of friend did that make her?! Hoshi hung her head in defeat. "I hate you," she whispered, her heart not really in the words.
"I'm sorry," Tenshi sincerely answered.
"I- I already lost them to Earth. I just didn't want to lose them further."
"I know."
Hoshi looked up at Tenshi, unsure of whether to resent or accept her. "You really care about Neko-chan?"
Tenshi nodded. "I would do anything to make sure that she is never hurt again."
Hoshi sighed. After a few seconds she said, "Then go back to the ballroom and talk to her. I won't get in your way."
"Hoshi-san, I don't want-"
"Just go," Hoshi brushed her off. Tenshi looked at her uncertainly before heading out of the courtyard. Hoshi
looked up to the sky and complained, "I wanted her to find a nice guy who'd say things like that, not a new best
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