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Chapter Text

She was so stupid sometimes. Why did she have to leave her umbrella at home today, when she carried it around the whole week!

That's how karma works, Retsuko thought, sighing and starting to run faster. Even if she uses her bag as a shield, she was still completely wet, from top to bottom.

Until finally the red panda could see the building, and Retsuko was trying to get there, hoping she won't trip and fall into a puddle. Unfortunately, today was apparently not her lucky day, because as soon as she thought that, the red panda fell on her face, right in a really big puddle and for couple of seconds, just couldn't get up. Standing up, was no easy feat, but Retsuko succeeded and limped until she reached the building.

Getting in the lift, Retsuko sighed and slapped her face with her hand. "What am I going to do now? I can't let them see me like this! But I am already pretty late! What do I do?", Retsuko thought desperately trying to think of something, but nothing came to her mind.

When she opened the door, she tried to walk as fast as she could, hoping some of the people will miss her. A couple of them raised curious glances at her, but no one said anything, they just went back to work. Retsuko arrived to her table and sat, feeling the suit attach to her body. She shivered, but ignored the feeling and got immediately into work, typing numbers and writing names on her computer.

Only after 15 minutes later, did she hear Fenneko's voice calling to her. Retsuko turned toward Fenneko and gave her a questioning look. "What the hell happened to you? You look like a wet mop!", Fenneko exclaimed.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just forgot to bring my umbrella and I also fell into a puddle. Don't worry, as soon as I am dry enough, I will be alright", the red panda answered, waving her hand in acknowledgment and focusing back to work. Fenneko looked worried, but shrugged it off and continued.

Haida strolled in their direction, humming some tune happily, until he saw Retsuko.

"Retsuko, are you alright? Why do you look like that? Is everything okay? Do you need help?", he almost jumped at her, shaking her wildly and almost shouting at her worriedly. He looked totally lost and unsure of what to do.

She put her hand on his shoulder and patted, showing him a fake smile: "Don't worry, Haida. I am all right. I just got soaked with rain, because I didn't bring an umbrella". The hyena didn't look convinced, but when he became aware of the distance between them, he quickly pulled away from her and blushed, not saying anything else.

Retsuko thought she could finally get back to work, when Komiya out of nowhere just appeared beside her and shouted into her ear, like she was deaf:" Director Ton, is calling for you!". He waited a couple of minutes to see if she got the message, and when he was sure she did, he scampered away in a hurry, disappearing like a shadow.

Retsuko sighed again and looked down, cursing herself and the rain. She took a deep breath and rose from her seat, going in the direction of his office. Retsuko felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around, her eyes meeting with Haida's.

" Will you be alright? Do you want me to come with you?", he asked with surprising confidence, like he could protect her from Director Ton. Retsuko decided to refuse, but she still felt gratitude toward him and promised herself she will return the favor.

" No, I don't want to get you in trouble too. I will survive it, you just do what you have to do", the small panda said, giving him a weak smile and slowly walking away from her desk and her friends. Fenneko was looking over Haida's shoulder at Retsuko, but yet again she didn't say anything, she just sighed and got back to work. It was going to be a long day, Retsuko thought with sadness.

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Haida was casting glances in the direction of the Director Ton's office, hoping to see Retsuko going out of it, and preparing in his head, what to say to her to make her feel better. When he finally saw her, she looked beat up and even worse than when she came into the place.

That is what shouting, cursing and swearing does to you, especially if it is from Director Ton he thought feeling compassion for Retsuko and anger towards Director Ton. When she sits down and finishes something, I will nonchalantly come and offer her words of understanding and encouragement, that was Haida's plan and he was going to make it into an reality.

Just as Retsuko was coming to her desk, and as she was going to sit down, a voice rumbled through the office. " REETSUKOO! Come here this instant", Tsubone could be heard and what could poor Retsuko do but obey. Not even getting to sit on her chair for even one second, Retsuko jumped and limped in the direction of the voice.

She was really having a bad day, Haida thought and felt helpless for not being able to do anything for her." Can't they let her off the hook, for just one day? She is not a machine, for Christ sake!", Haida yelled in his head and angrily set off about his way.

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"Do you want me to help her or are you going to do it?", Fenneko asked Haida, surprising him yet again with the forwardness of her question. He thought about it and decide that it was a time to strike.

Everyone had already gone home, only the three of them had stayed behind to finish their work. " I am going to do it", his voice trembled a little, but Fenneko acted like she didn't hear it and flashed him a smile. " Good luck", she said waving him goodbye and putting her hood on.

Haida was now left alone with Retsuko in the empty office. When the idea sunk in, he needed more time to collect himself than he wanted to. But when he did, Haida bravely set out to find Retsuko, not stopping to think what to say to her.

He found her in the kitchen( where she made tea for Director Ton), shivering and holding herself with both of her hands. She really looked pathetic, just a pale image compared to what she usually looks like. He froze for a moment, his thought flying in a hundred directions. How can he begin this conversation.

Having left with nothing better he just called her out and said: " Hey......".

She needed a couple of minutes to get back into reality and when she did, she answered him with: "Hi.....".

Between them an awkward silence lasted for ten minutes, until Haida blurted out suddenly: You know.... I have a.... towel for..... I mean I just have this towel and I thought you could use it....... to you know.... dry yourself or warm yourself up", he scratched his head and blushed.

"Thank you", was all she said and she reached out with her hand. He put a towel into her hand and waited for her to brush herself with it. She did it awfully slow, but Haida didn't mind.

Realization dawning upon her she looked at him with muddled eyes and asked:" Where did you get a towel?". Haida blushed even more and averted his gaze, suddenly finding the wall very interesting: " Ah, that..... I bought it in a store, that was near here, during break, because I thought you maybe needed it. But because you were running around everywhere I didn't get to give it to you..."

Retsuko just nodded and mumbled something unrecognizable. Haida leaned on the wall and looked at the ceiling, silence descending on both of them again. But it didn't fell as awkward now. Retsuko was now brushing her head, and yawning a lot.

"You don't have to stay here with me, go do your work, I am going to join you in a minute", Retsuko stated silently, while she warmed her hands.

" Oh, no it's alright I have already finished....", Haida cut himself of cursing under his breath, while Retsuko looked up at him. Her eyes widened in surprise, while her mind caught up with what Haida said.

"Then why did you stay, if you didn't have to?", Retsuko asked, looking intently at Haida and making him extremely nervous. "Ah, it's just.....erm.....it's because of you", he said in one breath, and before Retsuko could ask more questions he added: " It's because you looked like you needed someone to be there for you. You are usually so strong, but today you didn't really have much energy and nothing worked out for you, so I just decided to be here for you, to support you, to be you're shoulder to cry upon and stuff", he answered, blushing even harder.

Retsuko just stared at him for a long time, until she smiled. The first genuine smile she had today.

She even started to cry a little, but brushed her tears of quickly and smiled again.

When he saw her cry, Haida wanted to hug her, but decided against it, because he thought it would make it unpleasant. They weren't even at that stage, where contact between them was normal, so he didn't want to make things harder.

What she needed now was a friend not a lover, he decided and Retsuko suppressed her tears.

" Thank you, Haida. Thank you so much. This really means a lot to me".

" Of course. This is the least I could do", Haida smiled and she returned the smile, and then she blew her nose.

" You know I think it is best we go home. I don't think it's possible for me to work on anything productive now, so it is best I go home and rest"

" Yes, I agree. Would it be alright if I follow you to the station?", Haida bit his lip, hoping he didn't go to far. "Will she think badly of me because of what I asked?", Haida wondered, praying she doesn't ask him why would he follow her if he goes in a different direction, because she knows he does.

But she doesn't say anything like that, she just agrees and nods: "Yes, I would love that. I think I need some company now".

Haida blushes even more and scratches his head, while she is looks at him with gratitude.

"Well, shall we go?", Haida asks and opens the door for her. Retsuko chuckles and answers with a smile: " Yes, we shall".

Chapter Text

Haida and Retsuko, were coming back from a night out. They all went together: Fenneko, Haida and Retsuko. All of them had a lot of fun.

But unfortunately they had to separate, and Fenneko went in a different direction, while Retsuko and Haida wanted to go to the same bus stop.

The rain soon started and Retsuko opened her umbrella, while Haida put a hood on. They were silently going down the road, trying to avoid the biggest puddles and a lot of mud.

The bus stop was not far, and they soon found themselves standing under it. The raindrops drizzled and you could hear them fall on the floor.

Haida was secretly looking at Retsuko writing a message on her phone, and was thinking about how cute she looks. Suddenly Retsuko looked up at him, and Haida was caught off guard, so he blushed hard.

Retsuko giggled and asked him jokingly:" Were you looking at me just now?". Haida hadn't said anything, but it was obvious he did and both of them knew it.

Then without warning Retsuko became serious and her smile disappeared from her face. " Haida, what should we do now?", she asked, but Haida wasn't sure what she had meant, so he returned the question:" What do you mean?".

" What do you want to do now that we are in an relationship?", Haida was not prepared for this. Retsuko asked him out of the blue, and he surely didn't have answers she was looking for.

He blushed even harder and asked:" Are we in an relationship, though?", Retsuko was silent for a moment until she said:" Maybe, depends on your answer".

Haida was now even more scared, and his brain just shut down right then and there. But because he didn't want to leave Retsuko without an answer (any answer!), he just started to ramble on:

"Well, I was thinking we should first go to some places like: the cafe, the beach,  the park, to the cinema. Then maybe we can continue with holding hands and kissing and at the end..... you know". He was not sure how he even succeeded in creating one normal sentence, but he somehow did and Retsuko looked satisfied.

Then she peered at him and asked again:" And at the end, we do what?"

"You know..... sex", Haida mumbled now not even knowing what they were talking about.

Retsuko just nodded and didn't say anything anymore.

Haida soon composed himself enough to ask one last time, hoping now to get a definite answer. He gulped and asked again:" Are we in a relationship? Like boyfriend and girlfriend thing?".

" We first have to go on a date, don't we?", she asked giving him a sly smile and quirking her eyebrow up.

Haida didn't get to answer that, because Retsuko's bus came, and she entered it. Before the door closed, she turned around and gave him an air kiss. " Bye Haida!", was all she said and  waved at him.

He waved her back and just stood there on the bus station not knowing what to do. To say he was stunned, is not describing how he was feeling in that moment.

His bus arrived shortly after, and he just entered it not looking back.

Chapter Text

He is going on a date with Retsuko. He Is Going On A Date With Retsuko. HE IS GOING ON A DATE WITH RETSUKO.

No matter how many times he repeats it, he still can't believe it. That he is actually going on a date with Retsuko, not like friends but like boyfriend and girlfriend. Alone. Yes, they will be alone, just the two of them going on a date. Why is he so nervous about it? He should relax a little bit, or he won't survive the whole date. He looked himself over in the mirror for the tenth time and again affirmed that he looked alright.

When Retsuko and he agreed on this date, his heart could have burst out of his chest. But now couple of days later, he wasn't so sure. There were so many things he had to do, so many things that could go wrong. Not to mention the clothes. He had been standing before his wardrobe for two hours, and only now did he finally decide what to wear. He wore his best pair of trousers, a white shirt and black shoes.

Nothing too fancy, but still better than normal clothing. They decided they will go to a nice cafe Retsuko knows, and then maybe just walk around the neighborhood or something. Haida didn't really care much about the place, more about the person he was going with: Retsuko. He hoped he would leave a nice impression ( even though they knew each other before).

He sighed and looked at the watch on his hand. He should go soon, if he wants to come on time. "It's now or never", he declared and with newfound strength set off.

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It was a sunny summer day. However luckily it wasn't too hot and Haida was rather enjoying the day so far. Even if she doesn't come in the end, at least he had a nice walk. The trail of his thought were soon broken apart, when he finally spotted her in the crowd.

She wore a black shirt, a red skirt and carried a small bag. When she spotted him she waved and he returned the wave. She came over to him, smiled and asked: " So shall we go?". Haida just nodded and followed along.

The cafe was not far from the place they were meeting and they soon found themselves siting on the table for two, both of them drinking coffee in silence. Haida was now becoming extremely nervous and didn't know what they could be talking about. Work was out of the question, and he didn't know what was she interested in. Clothes, plants, films, music, maybe?

His brain just didn't offer any smart ideas, so the only thing he could come up with was: " Well, the weather is nice today, isn't it?", he asked looking over at Retsuko and seeing her eyes on him. He froze and gulped, starting to worry even more. "Was she watching me, what for, what did I do, was it something bad?", that and many other questions appeared in his head and he didn't know what to do with them.

He looked over at Retsuko again and she was still watching, now with more worry on her face. " Oh my God, Haida looks like he could just start crying right in front of me", thought Retsuko and she sighed. And before Haida could interpret her sigh, as she being bored of him, she touched his hand slowly.

" Haida, please relax. You don't have to worry so much. If I didn't want to go out with you I wouldn't. You don't have to rack your head for things we can talk about. It will come to us naturally, and even if it doesn't, sometimes silence can be pleasant", Retsuko said, and looked at Haida with fondness.

Haida finally relaxed and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and nodded. They sat there in silence for some time, and now that Haida relaxed he did find it pleasant. " Thank you, Retsuko", said Haida and smiled at her. Retsuko blushed a little and said:" Don't worry about it. I know that you become a nervous wreck, when you are near me, so I tried to loosen you up, so we could have a better date".

Haida nodded and drank his coffee. " So what do you want to do after this?", he asked, looking out of the window and sipping his drink. " I was thinking we could go to the movies, or maybe to the park, we can discuss it and see what is better for both of us".

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After that the date went smoothly. They went to the movies and then walked in the park, giggling and laughing at the jokes they told. They were making fun of the movie, of their colleagues, of their surroundings. Soon they both started to cry from laughing and just couldn't stop.

Until suddenly Haida felt a raindrop on his face. He looked up and saw that the clouds had already assembled on the sky, and there was no doubt it was soon going to rain. " Oh, no Retsuko! It's going to rain! What are we going to do? Until we come to our houses we are both going to be wet to the bone", he looked at Retsuko, but instead of worry he saw her mouth quirking into a smile.

She put her hand into her purse, and took out an umbrella. Haida rolled his eyes and said: " Yeah, maybe you have an umbrella but what about me?", he asked putting his hands on his hips, pretending to be angry. But he really wasn't, he was at least glad she was not going to get soaked.

Now her smile turned into a smirk, as she took out another umbrella from her purse, and his eyes widened in surprise. " I knew you were going to be so lost, that you would forget to look at the weather forecast and after the incident, I now carry an umbrella with me almost always. So here you go", she extended her hand, and he took the umbrella, not believing she actually brought him an umbrella.

" Well, thank you. I don't know what I would do without you", Haida said, still looking at the umbrella in his hand, and Retsuko laughed, cheeks coloring a little, and answered: " You're welcome. And yes, you would be pretty helpless without me. But I can say the same to you".

Haida looked up at her, and saw she was already going forward. " Wait, Retsuko! Can you repeat that again! I haven't really heard!", he ran after her, and she just turned around, smiled at him and shouted:" Nope! I am not going to repeat myself!".

Haida grunted and cursed himself, while Retsuko's laugh echoed all around and the rain started to fall even harder.

Chapter Text

Haida was standing by the window and wondering if it will rain. He forgot his umbrella on purpose, and his plan was to ask Retsuko that they both go home together, because he knew she had surely brought her umbrella.

And if that part of the plan worked, he is going to advance to the second phase. But step by step, he corrected himself, and walked in the direction of the vending machines, hoping he will find Retsuko there.

He was right, because he found her exactly there, sighing and hitting the ground with her foot. " Hey, Retsuko!", he called her out, she jolted and turned, sighing in relief. " Haida! Don't scare me like that! What is it?", she asked, giving him a small tired smile.

Haida gathered all his courage and asked her: " I forgot my umbrella today, so if it rains can we go together?". She eyed him with suspicion, while he looked at her expectantly. " You, sure forget your umbrella a lot, don't you Haida?", she asked, and he scratched his head and said: " Yes, I sure do. But I don't do it on purpose, really!".

He really didn't do it on purpose, only today. She didn't seem to buy it and he started to worry, if she will refuse. But after a couple of seconds passed, she smiled at him and nodded: " All right Haida, we can go together, but you own me dinner".

" Ok, that's a fair deal. See you later then!", he said and turned around, as she waved at him and continued in a different direction. It was a beginning, Haida thought and reminded himself that he was strong enough to do it, and that he will do it. He already knew Retsuko liked him as he liked her, and now it was time to progress their relationship further.

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When Haida came down and was near the exit, Retsuko was already waiting for him, her umbrella in her right hand. He was surprised, because she rarely finished as early as she now did. Getting a text, from her telling him she was finished, didn't only surprise him, but also worried him a little. He hoped she didn't get into trouble for it, or that she will have to redo the work again because of him.

He stood next to her, and asked her worriedly: " Are you alright, Retsuko? You didn't get into some kind of trouble, right?". Retsuko jumped from surprise, and like she now noticed him, looked up at him and sighed again. " Ah, sorry Haida, had a rough day. What did you ask me?", she answered, while clutching her umbrella tighter.

He repeated the question now even more worried, and starting to doubt and wonder if he should do his plan. " Yeah, I am ok..... Don't worry, it's nothing important", she answered and exited the building. Haida followed and said: " You know, if you have any problems, you can always tell me. I don't know if I will be able to help you with everything, but I will at least listen".

She smiled weakly and answered:" I know, don't worry. Just being near you, helps me feel better". Retsuko opened her umbrella and turned around to see if Haida got under it. He was standing behind her and blushed even harder, when he caught her staring at him.

After a moment, she said: " You know, now that I think about it, you better carry the umbrella. You are taller and it will be easier for you", she shoved her umbrella in his hand, and moved beside him. He finally started walking and she followed him, trying to match his footsteps and not really succeeding at it.

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The bus stop was now in their view, and they were slowly walking toward it. Haida was now glad he asked Retsuko to go with him, because it was raining cats and dogs, and he didn't want to imagine, how he would look like if he went outside without an umbrella.

Haida was getting more anxious, because he decided he should still try to do what he wanted. He opened his mouth to ask Retsuko, but he heard her gasp and she shouted pointing in the direction of the bus station. " My bus is going away? What should I do Haida?", she asked him, and was deciding if she should run for it or not.

But before she decided, the bus was already gone, and she couldn't do anything about it. Her shoulders fell and she looked like she was going to cry. Haida immediately, patted her head and said: " Don't worry, you can go with me in my bus, and then get out on the station you need".

Retsuko composed herself and nodded, going with Haida in a different direction. " She looks so tired and sad, should I maybe not do it?", Haida asked himself, now totally not knowing what to do.

But in the end, he decided that he should try it, and if she doesn't like it, that he will apologize and hope she will forgive him. " Retsuko, can I ask you something?".

She didn't even look at him, she just nodded. " So I was wondering...... if I could hold your hand?", he gulped and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She tensed and her eyes looked up at him with shock and confusion.

Right when Haida thought to pull away and apologize, her face softened, she relaxed and a smile started to appear on her face. She suddenly started to laugh, and she couldn't stop, for a long time. Haida was dumb-struck and he didn't know what to make of her reaction.

After Retsuko finished laughing, he looked at her confused and she explained:" I never though, one day you are going to take the first step. Especially not now. But I am glad and the answer is of course!". Haida couldn't believe, she could really surprise him sometimes, but he felt glad when he saw her blush and avert her gaze, stepping closer to him.

He reached out with his hand and took a hold of her hand. The difference in size, made him smile, but what made the butterflies flutter in his stomach, was when Retsuko's cheeks took a much redder color and when she clenched his hand tighter.

He giggled and looked up at the sky, thanking the heaven's for giving him this opportunity. All the way to the bus station they passed, holding hands. The wind started to blow stronger, and it was getting colder, however the rain became weaker.

But nothing like that mattered to Retsuko at this moment, and even though she felt cold just seconds ago, now she thought she felt warmer than ever before. " His hand feels nice and warm", she thought and hoped he never let's her go.

They soon came to the bus station, and after standing under it, Haida let her hand go and closed the umbrella. Retsuko thought he will take her hand again, but he didn't. She started to worry:" Did he not like it? But then why ask to do it? Maybe to make me happier?", many reasons came to her mind, and she was so occupied with them that she didn't even hear when Haida asked her something.

When she realized it, she apologized and asked of him to repeat it. He now looked completely relaxed and proud, and she wondered if she ever saw him being so sure of himself. " Can I maybe kiss you?", was his question, and Retsuko needed a moment to process it.

Her brain shut down, and she just blinked at Haida, losing her voice and any reasonable thoughts at the same time. She doesn't remember ever feeling so lost in her life, like she did now. And while she battled to keep some composure, Haida started to get closer, and closer.

Retsuko became terrified, and she wanted to run away, but at the same time, she also wanted to see how does the kiss feel like. And even before she succeeded to come to any decision, Haida was now extremely close to her and he cupped her head with his hands and touched her lips.

Everything became much easier and better, when he kissed her, and she reprimanded herself for losing her cool. It was Haida, she shouldn't have worried so much. She returned his kiss and he started to kiss her even stronger.

Retsuko put her tongue in his mouth, and he got confused for a moment and then got right back into it. They soon parted and caught their breaths, while smiling at one another. " Well, that was something", said Retsuko and Haida's smile became wider, he raised his eyebrow and added:" Yeah, it sure was, want to do it again?".

Retsuko let out a breath of relief and answered:" Not right now, you sure took me by surprise there. Next time, it won't be so easy!". He grinned and teased her:" Who was panicking now, ha?".

"Yes, well it happens to everyone. Every person has it's moments", Retsuko declared, pouting at him and hitting him in the shoulder. He returned the punch and came closer. The bus came and they both entered, and sat next to one another.

"Want to go somewhere together?", she asked and Haida smiled and nodded. " Off to an adventure then", Retsuko added and leaned on Haida's shoulder, while he blushed remembering the kiss.

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The door closed after them and Retsuko turned her gaze at Haida and saw him looking at her. "Are you alright?", he asked.

" Of course, after what you did how could I not be?", she answered and waved her hand, showing him to come closer. He did and she waved again, asking him to come even closer. And she continued waving, until he was practically towering above her.

Retsuko climbed on her toes and kissed him on the nose, before she scattered of and left Haida standing there frozen. " Come on! Let's go!", she called him over and he ran after her shouting: " You couldn't let me win for just one day could you?".

" No, I couldn't", she answered and ran even faster so he doesn't reach her that easily. The rain had already stopped falling and now they were only big puddles on the road, but it is not like they would have notice that.

Chapter Text

"Hey Haida, are you doing something important on Sunday?", asked Retsuko over the phone, and Haida answered:" No, not really why?".
"Well, would you like to come to my house and watch movies?", was her next question and Haida quickly answered:" Sure, count me in".

"All right, then see you on Sunday at seven, I will send you directions, or a map if you need help", Retsuko concluded and he answered:" Sure, see you then", then he canceled her phone call.
Then suddenly it struck him like a lightning bolt." Oh, no what if she wants to do that?", he started to lose breath and was on a verge of screaming, but composed himself fast.

" Haida you are a grown man. Act like one! If you don't have much experience or information about something, the best thing to do is to research it. Which means go to your computer and search through the web", Haida concluded, got up and found his computer, and started the extensive search of every information regarding that.

After three hours, he couldn't do it anymore, and decided that he had found everything important about sex ( now he could say it!). Nothing will happen anyway, he was just being to imaginative. So, feeling dead tired he just put on his pajama and went to bed.

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Sunday was just around the corner, and when the sun rose on that faithful day, Haida was feeling sleepy. He didn't get enough sleep last night and hoped Retsuko wouldn't notice. When he looked at his phone he saw she still hadn't sent him anything and he sighed in relief. Maybe she forgot, or she had something more important to do. He never thought a day would come, when he didn't want to do things with Retsuko, but well it came. Today was that day.

It's not like Haida didn't want to do those things with Retsuko it's more like he isn't prepared. At all. Mentally, physically or any other way a person can be prepared for that. He wasn't sure if Retsuko thought the same, but he hoped she had the same thoughts as him. Apparently he was wrong.

She was probably better prepared for it than him and he could see her knowing more stuff about it than him. Well maybe not, he did an extensive search of it on the internet and you can always find many things on the internet. Haida shrugged and got out of bed, put on his clothes, washed his teeth and did all those other important stuff.

Then he heard his phone ping, and he knew what that meant. He took it in his hand and read the message. Unfortunately Retsuko didn't forget and had sent him directions and even a map, explaining in detail how to come to her house. He smiled at how much work, Retsuko put in it, and was glad it was all for him. That's one of the things he likes most about her.

Then the thought of sex, popped in his head again and he scoffed. " Why do you have to ruin everything, brain I was having a moment I was appreciating my girlfriend, couldn't you at least respect that", but it didn't seem to help, as it was still floating around his head and he couldn't erase it." Damn, it I hate this", he said to himself and decided to look into his wardrobe to see what to wear.

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He was moving along slowly, looking at the map and checking the directions Retsuko gave him, while he tried to find her house. On the way he entered a store, and bought a couple of condoms just to be sure, hoping he won't have to use them.

Turning a corner he saw Retsuko in the distance. He called her out and waved, and she waved him back. Haida got closer and greeted her. She was soon taking him along, and talking all the time about something, but Haida wasn't really paying much attention.

"Hey, Haida are you alright?", she asked looking at him warily. " Ah, what.... yes, I am all right. Just couldn't get much sleep last night you know....", was what he answered and Retsuko peered at him, like she thought it would be written on his forehead. Without warning she grabbed his hand and nudged him a little faster. He blushed at the sudden contact, but it snapped him back to reality and he relaxed.

Haida was glad Retsuko did that, because all thoughts of sex, just vanished from his head and he knew now, he could really relax and spend this time with Retsuko properly.

When they entered the apartment, Haida noted everything was neat and proper. Clean and organized. It was what he had expected. He soon found his eyes trail off to a microphone on the table and he smiled remembering the day Retsuko brought him over to the karaoke. It was one of his most cherished memories and he was glad, she was prepared to share this secret with him.

The most surprising thing was that she was actually, extremely good at singing death metal, and after the karaoke night he found himself seeking out some death metal singers and songs, and found some that he liked. Their talks about music, were the ones that Haida liked best, and he always enjoyed sharing his opinion with her.

Retsuko broke his train of thought as she entered the room again and brought popcorn. " So, what shall we watch?", she asked looking over at him and waiting for his reply. " Maybe some action, adventure movie or some comedy?", said Haida and shrugged. He didn't really care what they watch as long as he was watching something with her.

She scrolled around the sites and decided at last, choosing some comedy that she heard about, from her friend. He wondered if it was from Fenneko, and hoped that it wasn't, because she had a really weird sense of humor, that he couldn't really get behind or understand. But he waved his thought away and started watching a movie with Retsuko.....

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"It was a nice night. We could repeat it again", said Haida and hoped Retsuko agreed. " Indeed, are you maybe free next Sunday?", she asked looking hopeful." Yeah I think I am", he said, smiling at her. She chuckled and said:" It's a deal then, same place same time", Haida just nodded at that and they soon parted ways.

Haida was walking to his bus station, feeling happy and humming some tune, he heard in a movie. He wondered why was he in such a foul mood, at the beginning of the day. " What did upset me so much? I don't even remember, well probably nothing important", he thought, as he jumped over a puddle that was before him.

"Strange, was it raining while I was at Retsuko's place?  Well who knows, as long as it doesn't rain now", he concluded, looking at his watch and already feeling excited for  next Sunday.