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Gino couldn't believe what had happened this past year. Was that really all him until the last month or so? Did he really have feelings for Sasha? Did he even like guys like Sweaty Man-Thong? Or was that really his father's side showing through?

He knew that he was still kind, generous, and above all, a soft-spoken gentleman. And he had nothing against Ian what-so-ever. In fact, Gino was very tempted to let the poor shopkeeper have Sasha's hand and be done with that particular problem.

The young Gambino needed to talk with someone...but who? If he went to anyone within the Harem, word would spread within a day's time--even if he spoke to one of the older, more motherly members...chances are, some of the others would find a way to listen in on the conversation. Thus, going to his loyal "Haremites" was out of the question. The blonde needed a true friend, one who would gladly help him sort out his problems with good advice and sound reasoning, with a dash of common sense on the side. He needed someone who he could trust with all his heart to keep their talks a secret. He needed--

Gino needed Jasette.

Jasette...my bestest friend, the young man pondered as he wondered towards her neighborhood. How could I have forgotten about you all these months? If I had remembered you before I had gone and challenge Ian--I mean... Gino sighed. "Oh, boy...this is going to take a while..."

Finally, young Gambino reached a certain house, and knocked upon a sky-blue door. "Jas? Jasette, it's me...Gino. I mean, it's really me and not Father--"

The door quickly opened to reveal a young woman with a slight scar across her face and a ninja headband covering one eye. As usual, she had her trademark bow in her navy-blue hair. "Gino? Is that...you? I mean, REALLY you?"

Gino smiled sheepishly. "I don't feel like laughing the way Father does, if that's what you mean..."

"OMG, IT IS YOU!!!" Jasette glomped her old friend, not noticed Gino blushing from the fact that she was only wearing black underclothes and a pair of blue-n-white, candy-striped stockings. "Come in; come in!" She led him inside and close the front door as he continued to babble. "My God, it's been ages since I've last seen you in person! I'm so glad you pulled through alright! You're not suffering any side-effects from that blast or the merging, are you?"

"Physically, no. I seem to be fine--except for, well...my reputation." Gino's blush deepened as he remembered how he only ended up with only his shirt on immediately after the blast--and how Cindy and her camera man caught it all on film, for all of Gaia to see.

"Yeah, that was rather embarrassing, wasn't it?"

"Embarrassing? I've been shamed in front of all Gaia! It'll be weeks before I can even set foot anywhere near the Harem without being buried by rabid fangi--I mean, fans." He remembered at the last moment that some of his "Haremites" were male--and, thankfully, not all of them were gay. He then sighed deeply.

"Something wrong?"

"It's...it's Sasha."

Jasette immediately led the young blonde to her table and brought out the tea she was brewing when he showed up on her doorstep. As she poured their cups, she gently inquired, "Are you worried about what she might think of you going after Ian?"

"Not really; that was cleared up immediately. Ian understood that it was Father and not me, so he was able to forgive me. I even made sure he got back to his home safely, so that we didn't have a repeat of the--the Sniper," Gino added hesitantly, sadly. Even though his father had returned, those fateful memories of last April still pained him a bit.

"Good; a lot of people were really worried about him. Poor guy...first he gets tried, then shot, and then get involved in a fight with--" The young woman stopped as she noticed the somber look on her friend's face. "Er, sorry if I'm touching any sore spots."

"It's alright. Ian forgave me, and thus Sasha and Moira did, too. Sasha..." He sighed again. "I'm starting to wonder, though, why I seemed to...really, really like her." He then blushed yet again as he added, shyly, "I...I still can't believe I actually kissed her in front of everyone!"

"I know; it's not like you to be so bold--at least, in the past..."

"That's my problem, though; I don't know if that really was me wanting Sasha...or Father... I'm so confused..." He put his head into his hands. "I know she's sweet and pretty and helpful, but...but..."

"She's not that bright, huh?"

"Sometimes, I wonder how she manages her shop without going broke, being the way she is," Gino confessed, already feeling a little better just talking about it to his dearest friend.

The young "bluenette" giggled. "Yeah...half of Gaia wonders about that, too, so you're not alone on that score." She sipped her tea thoughtfully. "Hmmmm...does she remind you of anybody you know? Anyone who's that caring and helpful? If that's so, that might explain why you think you love her; you're associating her with that person very deeply."

"Well, in that case..." Gino ran through the list of people that were really close to him--it was rather short--and he stopped as he quietly thought aloud, "She has a very kind heart...understanding...sympathetic...willing to help...willing to be there for me--to wait for me...loyal...loving..."

Magneta eyes slowly met blue-gray eyes. How could he be so blind to the truth? The one girl who could truly capture his heart--who truly had it all this time--was right in front of him the entire time, sipping tea and being her open-minded, supportive...loving self.

"Jas...I think I know why I thought I loved Sasha."

"Oh?" Jas was wondering why Gino was looking at her that way...

The young man slowly moved over till he was next to his hostess. "Because she reminded me of you--because all this time, I had no idea how important you truly are to me. Without you, I'd feel alone, trapped by all that Father expected out of me. It was not Sasha's heart that calls to mine...it--" He swallowed as he gently took her hand in his. "I-It is...yours..."

Now, it was Jas' turn to blush.

"Jasette, I...I now know that I thought I loved Sasha...because I associated her kindness with yours; her sympathy for your open-mindedness and endless support. Because of your friendship...and more. Much, much more. I now know that it's not Sasha I truly love." He looked her straight into the eye, took a deep breath, and boldly stated:

"It is you. Jas...I...I love you."

A teacup fell to the table, tumbling onto its side and spilling the green tea it once held. The young lady could not believe what she just heard. Gino in love with someone in general, she was prepared to deal with. In fact, she was willing to cheer him on.

And yet...strangely, the idea of Gino being with anyone else had pained her. At first, she thought it was just Sasha; she was definitely better off with Ian, but as time flew by...the young woman began to wonder if she herself had feelings for her bestest friend.

"I..." Jas closed her eyes and searched her heart. Did she really feel the same for Gino?

Eyes the color of storm clouds opened back up, softened by her answer. "Gino...I kept quiet about Sasha, because I truly thought you were happy with her. But your relationship with her...made me realize that maybe, just maybe...we were more than bestest friends."

Bested Friends. A term that Jas herself came up with to define their very-close relationship. Up until Halloween 2k4, she and Gino knew each other so well that, once in a while, one would finish the other's sentence. It was like there was a deep bond between them.

A bond...that Jasette now saw to be deeper than either of them had originally realized.

"Gino...I...I do love you as my bestest friend...and yet more. Much more than that... I...I truly love you...with all my heart." There; she said it. The "bluenette" smiled at Gino gently...lovingly...

The blonde return the smile as he slowly leaned in...and softly placed his lips on hers.

HOWEVER....

Unknown to either of them, a window was left open...and a certain, purple-haired Michan sister bit her knuckled to prevent herself from giggling with glee, and thus giving herself away to the happy couple. OMG! Meiko is NEVER gonna believe this! Oh, I gotta tell her and the others! And with that thought, Kiyo zipped away to spread the good news.

And, unintentially, to help brew the storms on the horizon...