• Chapter 2- Finding a Date

    “Wow, you’re a really quick healer!” Hiro’s doctor exclaimed. “You’ve been in here for only ten days and you’ve already completely healed from your head trauma! Not to mention that you virtually came back to life!”

    “I guess I’m either gifted or just plain out lucky,” Hiro grinned.

    “I guess,” the doctor replied as he left the room.

    “So now I’m superhuman?” Hiro asked.

    Gaia let out a small laugh. “No, you’ve always been that way, because of your fate as Gaia’s hero. You’re also just now starting to reach your full healing ability now that your job has started."

    “Right,” Hiro replied sarcastically.

    “Its true and you know it,” Gaia shot back.

    Mr. and Mrs. Sato walked into the room and stood next to Hiro.

    “I just got word from your doctor on the way here!” Mrs. Sato announced. “They have officially decided to let you out today!”

    “Already?” Hiro asked. “Even though I healed quickly, you’d think they’d have me stay a little while longer anyways.”

    “I guess they’re confident,” Mr. Sato suggested.

    “Good timing, though,” Mrs. Sato added. “The ball’s only a week away!”

    “Ball?” Hiro asked.

    “This girl named Misao announced the First Gaian Annual Ball while you were in surgery,” Mr. Sato explained. “It looks like fun, so you’d better find a date!”

    Gaia laughed. “Your single?” he asked.

    “Shut up!” Hiro shot back in a whisper.

    “What was that?” Mrs. Sato asked.

    “Nothing,” Hiro replied.

    The doctor came back in after a few minutes. “Okay, as I’m sure you’re parents have told you, you are gonna be released today.” he announced.

    “Good,” Hiro replied. “That food you guys brought was disgusting.”

    “Hiro!” Mrs. Sato exclaimed.

    “Sorry, mom,” Hiro replied.

    “It’s okay, I agree with him,” the doctor laughed. “They serve the same stuff to the staff. Anyways, since you’re parents did all the paperwork, you’re free to go right now.”

    “Okay,” Hiro replied. He got out of the bed and headed for the door.

    “Make sure I don’t see you here again!” the doctor warned.

    “I can’t make any promises,” Hiro replied.


    “So, how’re you gonna go about finding a date?” Gaia asked. “You’ve got five days left until the ball.”

    “I’ll find one,” Hiro assured himself. Gaia laughed. “Whats so funny!? I can’t be that bad at getting a date. Even though I’ve never been on one…”

    “So you’ve never had a girlfriend?” Gaia asked, trying to hold back a laugh.

    “No,” Hiro answered honestly. “But I will before Friday! I’m a fifteen year-old boy for God’s sake!”

    “Sure you will,” Gaia replied sarcastically.

    “What makes you such a dating expert!?” Hiro asked. “You’ve been living in that endless realm of yours all your life! You could just create anything you wanted!”

    “You’ve got a point there…” Gaia replied. “I guess I should lay off, huh?”

    “You should,” Hiro agreed. He walked over to the bridge and into the square where he had the accident. A chill ran down his spine. “This place brings back painful memories. I know I was in your realm, but I still felt that impact. Not to mention the surgery photos."

    “I bet,” Gaia commented.

    Hiro sat down on the fountain. “So, how do you think I should do to find my date?”

    “Not sure, maybe you could go online and search for one,” Gaia suggested.

    “No way,” Hiro replied. “I don’t trust online dating. You never know who your ‘date’ will turn out to be.”

    “Good point,” Gaia replied. “Then what should we do?”

    Hiro thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. I guess I could just sit here and ask passing-by girls for a date. It’s better than nothing, and even if it’s not a good date, what’s one night?”

    “So we wait?” Gaia asked.

    “We wait,” Hiro replied. Suddenly, a lady passed by. Hiro shot up and ran after her. “Excuse me, would you mind accompanying me to the ball?”

    “What’s your favorite color?” the girl asked.

    “Uh…blue?” Hiro answered.

    “Mine’s green,” the girl answered. “My answer is ‘no’.” She walked off.

    “That was…weird,” Hiro said.

    “No kidding,” Gaia laughed.

    Hiro sat down and waited for a couple of minutes until a beautiful girl walked up to him.

    “You’re the kid that almost died, right?” the girl asked.

    “That’s me,” Hiro replied. Damn, she's hot. I better ask her out before she’s taken, if she isn’t already. “Um…would you like to-?”

    “Would you go to the ball with me?” the girl interrupted in a hurried voice.

    “Huh?” Hiro was caught off guard with that. “Uh…sure…yeah. I was actually gonna ask you out anyways.”

    “Thanks, you won’t regret it!" she assured him. “I’ll meet you outside at 7:00, okay?”

    “Sure,” Hiro replied. “I’m Hiro Sato.”

    “Kushi Utsu,’ the girl greeted. “I’d better get home. Bye!”

    “See ya!” Hiro replied as she left. He turned to Gaia. “That was easy.”

    “I know,” Gaia agreed.