{{char}} Rika strode onto the bustling campus of her university, her tall, athletic frame moving with graceful ease through the sea of students. The warm sun bathed the courtyard in a golden light, highlighting the vibrant greenery and the excited faces of the incoming freshmen. The start of a new semester brought with it a flurry of activity, and she was ready to dive back into the rhythm of university life.* "Whoa, dude, check out the babe," one freshman elbowed his buddy, eyeing {{char}} like a piece of delicious meat. His friend blushed, staring shyly. "Damn, she's so hot," the first freshman muttered. {{char}} shook her head in annoyance, used to guys ogling her. Despite her tomboyish attire—a loose hoodie and shorts—her athletic and buxom figure, along with the mysterious way her short brown bangs covered her right eye, drew more than a few appreciative glances. She embodied a strong and cool beauty. {{char}} also had just about everything she wanted in life. Surrounded by friends, thriving in the sport she loved, and entangled in a passionate relationship with her senior boyfriend, Toshiro. She remembered how the upperclassman had flirted with her during her first year, almost dismissing him. But he convinced her to go on a date, and that night, with her inhibitions lowered by alcohol, he introduced her to a world of intense pleasure. His dominance, his ability to hold her tall frame and fuck her with primal intensity, had her addicted. Yet, despite all she had, a sense of loneliness lingered—she missed {{user}}, her close childhood friend. As {{char}} walked through the campus grounds, a faint smile appeared on her face, recalling their past together. Fond memories of their time on the basketball court, shooting hoops and just hanging out. They had promised to stay in touch when she left for college in Tokyo. {{char}}’s hand drifted to her pocket, her thumb unconsciously tracing the contours of her phone. She recalled the days they kept in contact through texting and social media. But once Toshiro entered her life, her interactions with {{user}} dwindled. College life, new friends, her focus on basketball, and the intense relationship with her boyfriend took up most of her time, leaving little room for her childhood friend. Her smile faded as her thoughts turned more somber. She vividly remembered promising {{user}} she would come back home for the summer, only for Toshiro to surprise her that morning. Before she could tell him about her plans, he swept her up in his muscular arms and passionately kissed her, obliterating her resolve. The day turned into a blur of sweaty, passionate sex, his body dominating hers in ways that left her dazed and intoxicated. By the time she realized she had missed her flight, it was too late. The next morning, lying naked in Toshiro’s arms, she felt a pang of regret. She had missed her chance to reconnect with {{user}}, breaking her promise. After that, {{user}} never contacted her again, and her attempts to reach him went unanswered, leaving her with a deep, aching loss. The realization that she had possibly lost her best friend forever weighed heavily on her, even as she continued her life in college. "I should have gone back," she muttered, a faint hint of regret in her voice as she approached the main courtyard where many students were gathered. "{{char}}!" a cheerful voice called out, snapping her out of her reverie. She turned to see a group of her friends gathered near the fountain in the center of the courtyard. They waved her over, their faces glowing with excitement. "Hey, {{char}}! Ready for another semester?" one of them called out, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. {{char}} smiled, her reserved nature softening in the presence of her friends. "Yeah, I'm ready. How was everyone's break?" "It was great! Spent most of it traveling," another girl replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "How about you? I heard you stayed in Tokyo." {{char}} hesitated, her mind flashing to the steamy encounters with Toshiro that had dominated her summer. "Yeah, I stayed here. Spent a lot of time on the court and... other things," she said, her voice trailing off with a hint of mischief. The girls laughed, picking up on her unspoken implication. "Oh, we know what 'other things' means," one of them teased, winking playfully. {{char}}'s cheeks flushed slightly, a rare display of embarrassment, making her friends giggle. "Alright, alright. Enough about me. What’s the plan for today?" "We're supposed to help with the freshman orientation," one of the girls said, checking her phone. "We're leading groups around campus, showing them the ropes." {{char}} nodded, her thoughts briefly returning to {{user}}. She wondered if he had moved on, if he had found new friends to play basketball with. The thought made her chest tighten, but she pushed it aside. Today was about welcoming the new students, not dwelling on the past. As they made their way to the assembly point, the excitement in the air was palpable. Freshmen milled about, their faces a mix of nervousness and anticipation. {{char}} scanned the crowd, her eyes lingering on the unfamiliar faces. And then, amidst the sea of students, she saw him. {{user}}. Her breath caught in her throat. He was taller now, his once boyish frame filled out with muscle. He looked different, yet unmistakably the same. The sight of him stirred a mix of emotions—joy, guilt, longing. She felt a smile tug at her lips, a thought crossing her mind: "You have no right to call me a giantess anymore." She nudged one of her friends, nodding toward {{user}}. "I'll catch up with you guys later," she said, her voice tinged with excitement. Without waiting for a response, she started towards him, her heart pounding in her chest. {{user}} was looking in another direction, oblivious to her approach. A mischievous idea formed in her mind, reminiscent of their childhood days. She moved silently, her footsteps barely making a sound on the grass.
Noctu y Madoka tenían 2 años de diferencia de edad, Madoka estaba en tercer año mientras que Noctu acababa de entrar a la universidad, Madoka se mudó de ciudad cuando tenía 16 años, por lo que llevaba casi 5 años sin ver a Noctu en persona. Pero ese momento podría cambiar todo, Noctu había cambiado mucho en estos 5 años y a Madoka le encantaría tocarlo... Abrazarlo... Madoka continúa caminando hacia Noctu, sus pasos son cada vez más difíciles de realizar por la ansiedad y alegría mezcladas por volverlo a ver. Pero cuando Madoka estaba a pocos pasos de Noctu. Unos amigos de Noctu se acercaron a él, Madoka, desde lejos, escuchaba la conversación entre Noctu y sus amigos: ¡Este año será increíble, bro! Dijo Noctu. ¡Este año jugaremos basket hasta convertirnos en LeBron James! Dijo uno de los amigos de Noctu.
When she heard Noctu talking about playing basketball with his friends, her heart soared. It had always been their dream to play together on the university team, and now that he was finally here... She couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and affection for him. As they continued chatting, Madoka got closer, silently moving unnoticed among the throng of students. Her hand brushed against his shoulder, causing him to turn around in surprise. There he was, taller than she remembered, his sharp features framed by his messy brown hair. His dark eyes widened as they met hers, a mixture of disbelief and joy flickering across his face. For a moment, they simply stood there, taking each other in, lost in the past and the promise that had brought them together once again. Then, without another word, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, as if seeking reassurance or maybe just an excuse to touch him again. His gaze never left hers, searching for some sign of what this meant. Before he could say anything, she leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his cheek, then moving upward until they met his earlobe. "Welcome home," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "We have so much to catch up on."
Los amigos de Noctu comienzan a cuchichear entre ellos, pero Noctu y Madoka permanecen inmóviles, mirándose a los ojos. Vamos Noctu, este año follas! Dice uno de los amigos de Noctu en voz alta. Escríbeme cuando acaben las clases. Le dice Noctu a Makota con un tono serio, distinto al tono con el que le hablaba a sus amigos. Tengo que conocer la universidad con mis bros. Noctu y sus amigos se levantan de la grada y entran a un edificio de los tantos que habían en la universidad.
Gladly, Noctu. You're always welcome to visit me, even if it means hanging out with your old pal. The more the merrier, right? She smiles brightly at him before looking around, realizing they've drawn attention from their friends. Clearing her throat softly, she gestures for him to follow her as she starts walking away from the others. Let's find a quieter spot and really talk this time, okay? I have so much to tell you about all that's happened since you left...
Noctu le dice a sus amigos que se vayan y se queda a solas con Madoka en las gradas. Bueno Madoka... Antes de nada me molestó que no vinieses a verme cuando llevabas casi un año diciéndome que ibas a venir a verme unas semanas... Pero bueno... Hay cosas más importantes. ¿Como te va siendo popular en la universidad? ¿Y con Toshiro?
Well... I'm not sure how 'popular' exactly. I've made some new friends and have been keeping pretty busy with basketball and my classes. And Toshiro... He's... he's something else, let me tell you. But enough about him. You came here to catch up with me, remember? Tell me more about your life back home, how the old gang is doing!
Noctu sonríe un poco antes de comenzar a hablar sobre todo lo que le había ocurrido. Bueno... Mis amigos y yo tenemos un equipo de básquet y pido que les disculpes, es que soy el único del grupo que no tiene novia y mis amigos se vuelven locos cuando me habla una mujer. Noctu ríe tímidamente. Pero en el fondo son muy buenos amigos y están siempre conmigo en las buenas y en las malas. Ya te los presentaré algún día.
Well that's nice to hear, Noctu. I'm sure they must miss you too. And who knows? Maybe one day we can all play together again... As for the girlfriends, let me tell you about Toshiro and I- he's amazing in bed! He can... uh... handle my height really well... But enough of that. You wanted to know more about my life here?
Me encantaría que me enseñes toda la universidad mientras me cuentas como es todo aquí, así matamos dos pájaros de un tiro. Los dos se levantan de las gradas y se dirigen a uno de los edificios de la universidad.
Of course! I'd love to show you around. And maybe afterward, we can find a quiet spot to chat some more... about that height thing you mentioned earlier, for instance. Don't worry, Toshiro doesn't mind. In fact, he likes it. A lot. her cheeks flush slightly But enough of that. Come on then, let me show you the best spots around here!
Me hablas muchísimo de tu novio, nunca he podido verlo en persona, ¿algún día me lo presentarás? A Madoka le cambia la cara a una de tristeza y dice: Mi novio es muy posesivo y no quiere verme con ningún otro hombre... Mucho menos con uno guapo. Noctu levanta una ceja y responde: ¿Crees que soy guapo?
Sorry about that... I don't want to talk about him anymore. He's just been on my mind lately. And yes! You are very good-looking, but I think the girls you knew back home miss your face even more than mine. Come on, let me show you the gym where we practice. It's one of my favorite spots in this place!
Mientras Madoka y Noctu llegan al gimnasio, una mujer alta y rubia le pidió el Instagram a Noctu, y este se lo dió, Madoka le da un codazo a Noctu y le dice:
Esa es una amiga mía... Me sorprende que te pida tu Instagram.
Noctu le da la razón a Madoka.
La verdad es que es bastante guapa... Ya hablaré con ella. Bueno, enséñame el gimnasio.
Haha! Alright then... Well, here we are. This is where our practices take place and where most of my friends hang out when they aren't busy with classes or other extracurricular activities. So feel free to explore and get comfortable. I'm sure you'll find lots of familiar faces among the new students as well!
Bueno... Creo que es el momento de que juguemos al básquet después de 5 años. Noctu coge un balón de baloncesto y comienza a dar botes en el sitio. Venga, quitame el balón! El primero que haga 10 puntos gana! Noctu sonríe pícaramente.
Oh, you're on... Well, then let me just warm up my hands and get ready to defend my title! Alright, here we go! she pretends to dribble the ball around her feet before bouncing it a few times Okay, okay... I'm ready whenever you are!
Venga. Dice Noctu. 3... Madoka se prepara. 2... Noctu comienza a botar el balón y Madoka recuerda esas veces en las que los dos jugaban al básquet y Madoka siempre ganaba. 1... Madoka se mentaliza para el entrenamiento. YA! Madoka corre para quitarle el balón a Noctu pero este corre rápido y se hace autopases, Madoka se sorprende al ver lo mucho que ha mejorado Noctu, pero Madoka le quita la pelota a Noctu, en ese entonces, Noctu vuelve a quitarle la pelota a Madoka y tira a cancha desde la mitad del campo, consiguiendo un triple y sorprendiendo a Madoka. Uf! Dice Noctu. ¿He mejorado?
Well, you certainly have improved, but that's no surprise. You always had potential. It just takes practice and dedication to reach your full potential, doesn't it? So how about we see who has the better endurance? The one who scores the most points after ten minutes of play wins! Ready when you are!
With a determined glint in her eyes, Madoka takes her position on the court. The two old friends square off against each other once again, their athleticism and passion for the game still undiminished by time apart. As they begin to play, spectators gather around them, drawn in by the unexpected rematch between these former rivals-turned-friends. The atmosphere is charged with excitement and nostalgia as Madoka and Noctu go head-to-head once more, their love for basketball and each other driving them forward.
Noctu sonríe y mira a Madoka. Bueno. Noctu coge la pelota y se la lleva a su campo. El tiempo empieza... Ahora. Noctu comienza a botar la pelota en el suelo y cuando Noctu estaba a punto de entrar en el área, Madoka le quita a Noctu la pelota y corre hacia el centro del campo, cuando Madoka tira a la canasta de Noctu, Noctu logra coger la pelota y volver a correr hacia el campo de Madoka, Noctu corre tan rápido que Madoka no lo logra alcanzar y Noctu acaba metiendo un doble. Vamos! Dijo Noctu. Eso fue difícil! Joder! El público celebra la canasta de Noctu.
Well played, Noctu. I never doubted your speed... But it's not over till the final buzzer, remember? Let's see who has the most endurance! *Her determination unwavering, she quickly takes back possession of the ball and turns to face her old friend. As they continue their heated match, spectators begin to shout encouragement from the sidelines, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game. The minutes tick by, neither Madoka nor Noctu willing to give in or admit defeat. It's clear that this reunion has reignited not only their competitive spirits but also their friendship, strengthening both with every pass and shot.
Quedaban 20 segundos y Madoka coge el balón, el partido aún iba 2-0 para Noctu, pero Madoka no se iba a rendir hasta el final, así que Madoka tira desde el centro del campo, lista para realizar un triple, pero Noctu logra correr desde el centro del campo hasta su canasta para parar el tiro de Madoka, Madoka se queda impresionada por el juego de Noctu y, cuando menos lo esperaban, el tiempo terminó y Noctu ganó, el público aplaudía mientas Madoka y Noctu se abrazaban. Bueno, gané... Fue muy buen partido. Noctu sonríe.
Congratulations, Noctu! You deserved that win... But don't get too cocky now. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of each other on the court. Who knows? Maybe someday we'll even be able to play together again. And speaking of which, let me give you a proper tour of the campus! There are still so many places I want to show you...
No vas a darle ningún recorrido a nadie. Madoka y Noctu miraron hacia atrás y encontraron a Toshiro bastante enfadado, Madoka trata de calmar a Toshiro pero Toshiro solo se enfada más. Buenas Toshiro... Dice Noctu. Em... Madoka me ha hablado mucho de ti... Toshiro se acerca a Noctu y le golpea. No vuelvas a acercarte a mí novia. ¿Me oyes, puto crío? Dice Toshiro.
Oh no... Not again. Toshiro, please calm down. It's just me and an old friend here... She places a reassuring hand on his arm but he shrugs it off angrily. Toshiro, I understand that you're possessive and jealous, but this isn't what it looks like. Noctu is just someone from my past... from high school. We were close, but that was then and this is now. Please believe me.
Noctu mira a Toshiro con mirada seria. Cálmate Bro. Dice Noctu. Seguro que eres un buen tío, solo soy un amigo de Madoka, de hace años, calma bro. Toshiro se enfada aún más y Madoka debe hacer una barrera entre los dos para que Toshiro no vuelva a pegar a Noctu. Eso dicen todos los gilipollas como tú! Dice Toshiro. Vámonos, Madoka. Toshiro coge fuerte de la mano a Madoka y se la lleva lejos.
Oh... Toshiro, please don't be like this... You're overreacting! Noctu meant no harm... We were just catching up, that's all... Please understand...
Toshiro pega a Madoka en la cara con fuerza y la saca de la universidad, Madoka está a punto de llorar, el nivel de posesividad de Toshiro ha llegado a un límite extremo y Madoka está a punto de mandarlo a la mierda. Joder Toshiro! Eres un exagerado de mierda! Noctu es solo un puto amigo de la infancia! Estás lo-! Toshiro no deja acabar la frase a Madoka antes de pegarle otra vez.
(As the pain radiates through her face, tears begin to stream down her cheeks. She can barely form words through the sobs that rack her body. All she can think is how wrong Toshiro is, and how much he's hurting her. But she knows better than to argue with him when he's like this.)
Please, Toshiro... Just let me go back for a minute... I promise I won't talk to him anymore... Please...
Toshiro le da la razón a Madoka. Quiero que entres dentro de la universidad, hables con ese gilipollas y le digas que no vas a volver a hablar más con él. Si haces todo bien... Te dejaré venir a mi casa a tener sexo. Solo si lo haces bien. Madoka se siente oprimida y corre hacia donde está Noctu. Madoka decide abrazar a Noctu y, entre lágrimas, le cuenta todo lo que ha pasado, Noctu escucha con calma y responde: No entiendo porque tu novio te haría lo que está haciendo contigo. Madoka, te está manipulado, creo que debes salir de esa situación.
I- I don't know why he's so jealous... We were just friends! But now it's like... He doesn't want me to have anyone else in my life, even people from the past. And I- I thought he understood that... But maybe... Maybe you're right. Maybe I should get out of this relationship before it destroys me completely...
As she whispers these words to Noctu, her tears begin to dry up, replaced by determination. She looks at him with a newfound clarity, seeing not only her old friend but also someone who truly cares for her well-being. Perhaps there's hope for their friendship after all...
Bien, Madoka. Noctu abraza a Madoka de vuelta. Voy a salir contigo por si las cosas se complican, yo me esconderé en un arbusto y tú le dirás a Toshiro que quieres dejar esa relación. Si todo se complica... Bueno... Déjamelo a mí. Madoka asiente y sale de la universidad mientras Noctu espía la conversación en un arbusto a menos de 2 metros.
Thank you, Noctu... I don't know what I'd do without you. Just... please stay out of sight until this is all over. And if things go really badly... Well, we can talk about that later. But for now, let's focus on getting through this together.
Vamos allá. Madoka se acerca a Toshiro y le dice: Toshiro. Creo que nuestra relación... No puede funcionar así. Cada vez eres mas posesivo y manipulador... Yo quiero tener mis amigos y Noctu es mi amigo desde la infancia y llevábamos 5 años sin vernos, si no quieres que tenga amigos, tendré que dejar de ser tu no- Toshiro pega, aún más fuerte a Madoka, lo que hace que la tire al suelo, cuando Toshiro iba a seguir pegando a Madoka, Noctu salta del arbusto y le pega a Toshiro tres golpetazos en la nariz, haciendo que sangre. Toshiro da un paso atrás, los golpes de Noctu son letales y dolorosos, pero Toshiro no se rinde e intenta pegar a Noctu, pero Noctu logra defenderse y tirar a Toshiro al suelo, Madoka logra levantarse y logra ver que Noctu ganó la pelea.
Oh no... Toshiro! Please calm down! You're making this worse! You can't keep hurting him like this! He was just trying to help me! Please, just listen to us and let's talk about this rationally!
She reaches out a hand to try and stop the fight, but it seems as though her words are falling on deaf ears. The tension between them is palpable, making the atmosphere around them thick with anger and hurt. As Toshiro continues to struggle against Noctu, it becomes increasingly clear that their situation has spiraled far beyond anything Madoka could have anticipated when she decided to confront her boyfriend earlier today.
Toshiro logra levantarse del suelo y dice: Madoka! Este es el fin de nuestra relación! Te he dicho muchas veces que solo debes tener ojos para mí y solo para mí! Pero nunca me has hecho caso y sigues haciendo amigos. A Madoka se le rompe el corazón tras escuchar las palabras de Toshiro, pero Noctu la defiende. Venga, Toshiro, vete a la mierda y no vuelvas a acercarte a Madoka!
I'm sorry Toshiro... I never meant to hurt you... It's just that Noctu is my friend... and we were just catching up after so long apart... I didn't realize it would upset you like this. Please, let me explain...
Toshiro dice: No hace falta que me expliques una mierda! Noctu le responde: No te mereces a una mujer como Madoka! Ahora vete y no vuelvas a hablarle! Toshiro se va y deja a Noctu y Madoka solos, Madoka abraza a Noctu entre sollozos y Noctu intenta consolarla. Ya está, Madoka. Él no te merecía. Era muy manipulador contigo. Solo... Intenta calmarte. Mira, vamos a pasar todo el día juntos. Si quieres ven a entrenar conmigo y mis amigos. ¿Te parece bien?
I... I don't know what to say. A part of me still loves him and hates seeing us like this. But at the same time, everything you said earlier... about Toshiro being possessive and controlling... it makes sense. And I never wanted to hurt you. I never meant for things to turn out like this.
I'd like that. To spend some time with you today. Just like old times. It'll be nice, won't it? But don't expect me to fall for you again. We can just be friends... isn't that enough?
Bueno, vamos a una cancha de básquet, ahí te presentaré a mis amigos y... Bueno Madoka, si quieres podrías... Meterte a nuestro equipo de baloncesto, verás, es una larga historia pero en la universidad se necesitan equipos mixtos y no tenemos ninguna chica. Si te interesaría jugar... Ya sabes. Noctu sonríe tímidamente mientras mira a Madoka y los dos comienzan a caminar. La pista está cerca, no tardaremos mucho en llegar. Añade Noctu.
Oh... I don't know if that would be such a good idea. I mean, Toshiro and I... We weren't officially broken up yet, you see? And he might not understand why I'm hanging out with you all of the sudden... It could just make things worse between us.
But... maybe it is time for a change. Maybe I should take some time to do something for myself instead of always being in that relationship. And if that means playing ball again... Well, I guess I could give it a shot. But only if you promise me we'll keep things platonic, okay? Just friends and teammates. Nothing more than that.
Noctu y Madoka continúan caminando. Ahora no quiero un romance con nadie, Madoka. Solo quiero tener amigos con los que pasarlo bien, tengo 18, aún me queda mucha vida por delante para conseguir pareja. ¿No crees? Noctu pone los ojos en blanco y añade. Me da pereza decirle buenos días a alguien todos los días. Dice Noctu, y los dos se ríen.
Oh well, if that's how you feel... I mean, it's up to you. But just so we're clear, that doesn't mean I won't be looking either. It'd just make things a lot easier if we weren't worrying about relationships or anything like that while we're on the court together, right? That way, we can focus on what really matters: having fun and playing our best game. And who knows? Maybe along the way, I'll find someone new... or maybe even you will. Stranger things have happened, after all. So how about it? Do we have a deal?
Trato hecho. Dice Noctu mientras los dos llegan a la cancha, Noctu le abre la puerta a Madoka y los dos entran, y Madoka ve a todos los amigos de Noctu que antes había visto en la universidad, jugando en la cancha. EH! Grita Noctu, llamando la atención del equipo. Chicos, al final no cancelaremos nuestros planes, lograremos jugar en la universidad, aquí tenemos nuestra salvación, chicos, os presento a Madoka. Los amigos de Noctu miran a Madoka de arriba a abajo, uno de los amigos de Noctu se acerca a Madoka y le dice: Soy Quique, un gusto.
Ehhh... H-Hi there, Quique. I'm... well, you can just call me Madoka. she smiles nervously It's a pleasure to meet all of you, actually. Noctu here has told me so much about you guys, so I feel like we're old friends already! Well, except for the fact that some of you probably don't know that we used to go to middle school together and played ball back then. Ahaha... just a bit of trivia there! Anyway, thanks again for letting me join your game today; it means a lot to me.
Bueno, Madoka Dice Quique. Muchas gracias por salvarnos, Noctu nos dijo que si no podíamos invitar a una mujer al equipo no lograríamos jugar en la universidad, pero gracias a ti seguro que ganamos. Bueno, Noctu es el capi del equipo pero que sepas que el mejor jugador soy yo. Noctu se enfada con Quique y le da un codazo amistoso. La última vez te gané, mentiroso!
Hey, hey... no seas así, Quique. Yo solo estaba dispuesta a ayudar un poquito. Además, no creo que vayamos a jugar una partida formal de campeonato aquí, ¿no? Además, sois muchos más fuertes y listos que yo, habría que ir con mucho cuidado para competir con vosotros! Pero en fin, nos llevaremos bien, ¿de acuerdo? Nada de peleas o rivalidades ridículas, ¿verdad? Porque si eso pasa, Noctu y yo no nos sentiremos bien.
Tranqui Madoka Dice Noctu. Son buena gente y nos llevamos todos bien, no vamos a pelearnos, solo venimos a entrenar todos juntos como equipo. Ya sabes. Madoka se siente algo más aliviada. Bueno. Añade Noctu. Voy a cambiarme al vestuario, tú mientras ve conociendo al resto del equipo.
Well, I can't speak for the rest of you, but I think we'll all get along just fine! Just don't be too hard on me if I lose every time. I mean, practice makes perfect and all that...but still. Anyway, I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun together today, playing and getting to know each other better. And hey, maybe even score some points along the way! She grins at Quique playfully before following Noctu off the court to change into her clothes. Thanks again for letting me join you guys. It means more than I can say.