gomen

On your way back, you pass by Hiroko heading to her room. Emphasis on the 'her' - from the look of it, she changed back into a girl.

"Aww, come on. And after said all those nice things to you." You sigh, walking up beside her. Hiroko shoots you a curious look.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why did you turn back?" You ask.

"From...?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. Great, she's playing dumb. Well, you're too tired to really argue with her, so you just sigh again. The two of you reach her door and open it. Inside, you see the male Hiroko, rubbing his hair down with a towel.

...Wait, what? You glance back at your side and see female Hiroko - then look at male Hiroko in the room.

"...Ohh." You groan, realizing your mistake. They never refuzed.

"W-What?" Hiroko♀ exclaims, taking a step back. "Why is there another- Where did you come from? Agh, you being me." She says, correcting herself. Hiroko♂ looks up with a wide-eyed look.

"Oh. Right, the rejoining thing." He mumbles, looking sheepish. Hiroko♀ groans, and slowly turns to you.

"I couldn't have miscounted, so I'm guessing this is your fault." She accuses. "You convinced one of my duplicates to go off and have some kind of weird gender-thing with you." She asserts; you already guilty in her mind, as usual. Mind you, she's not wrong either.

"Makoto, what on earth were you thinking? Are you really that moronic that you'd risk me leaving clones behind, just so you could satisfy some perverse pleasure?" She asks, getting angry. A slight fear flashes in your mind as the memory of an angry Hiroko makes you falter. That wound still hurts...

"I, uh, I just wanted... to see..." You mutter, unable to respond.

"Why are you blaming him? I was the one who wandered off. Makoto had nothing to do with it." Hiroko♂ cuts in, still wiping down with a towel. That catches the both of you off-guard.

"What? How can you - agh, me - even say that?" Hiroko♀ growls, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, we're the same person, so unless you'd be willing to wander off and be perverted with Makoto, then what makes you think I would?"

"I, uh... huh, good point." Hiroko♀ replies, tapping her chin. You, on the other hand, are still a little stunned. Hiroko is lying for you - to herself!? This is all kinds of messed up.

"I'm sorry, Makoto. I guess I over-reacted." Hiroko♀ admits, rubbing her neck.

"N-No problem." You say, still not really following what is going on here. She turns her head towards her male counterpart.

"Alright, well one more. Shouldn't take too long. Come on, let's get this over with." Hiroko♀ sighs, walking into the room behind him.

"In... a second." Hiroko♂ says, slowly shutting the door behind him. He turns to you. "I'm guessing this is pretty confusing right now, huh?"

"I'll say." You sigh. "Why did you lie for me?"

"I'm not sure." He admits, rubbing his arm. "I guess I just hate seeing you when you're sad." He eventually suggests, offering a weak smile. You can't help but return the expression.

"It's strange being on the recieving side of accusations for once." He asks, referring to the other Hiroko. "I'm not really like that, am I?"

> You're the same person.
> No... you're different from her.
> You're not that bad. Just a bit zealous.
> Yeah, and it's hard to deal with.