This is a little story I’ve had in my head for a while. Normally, I don’t write fluff like this which is probably super apparent. I don’t plan to spend uber amounts of time on this so it was definitely just for fun since it copies a lot of animes/mangas.

So far the ideas for this story come from The Wallflower, Nana, Fruits Basket, Ouran High School Host club, and Saiyuki.

4 Boyfriend

Hi. My name is Yonai and I live with four other guys. I know what you're probably thinking... but no it's not like that. I admit that each of the four guys are unique and intriguing in their own way, but I've managed to maintain a platonic relationship with them all... for now.

You see, I'm studying to get into medical school and really have no time for dating. I would live with my mom but she lost one of her jobs and we got kicked out of our apartment. So money is tight but she refuses to let me work and whatever money she can't provide I get through scholarships.

Still, when I was at my wit's end, four wonderful guys took me into their home and let me live with them cheaply. My best friend claims I have four boyfriends but that's not true... they are all wonderful guys but I could never choose one over the other.

But for now... I just have to get into medical school...

Hi. My name is Chiyo Yonai and I live with four guys...

She shoved a spoonful of cereal in her mouth while looking over her notes. The house was silent so early in the morning and she had a test later on today. It was an excellent time to study. She absentmindedly put her spoon in her bowl to scoop out any cereal left but only managed to get some milk. A droplet spilled on her paper and she gritted her teeth and wiped it away with her thumb.

No one to bother her. An excellent time to study...

"Yoyo-chan!" A voice called from the stairwell and there stood Ranmaru in a bathrobe. He smiled and sat down across from her. Taking her hand he said, "Studying so early are you?"

"Ranmaru..." She would have blushed but she was too preoccupied trying to cram in last minute information. She pulled away. "What are you doing up so early?" It was known that he was no morning person.

"I stayed up all night." He winked. She rolled her eyes. "I knew you had to get up early so I decided to stay up and wait for you, love."

Ranmaru Miyamoto

A seductive lady killer. At first I was kind of nervous around him and his attentions. By now I'm was used to it but his attentions are still unwanted. I probably would have fallen for him if he wasn't so over bearing. But I'd never tell him that.

"Oh hi, Ranmaru. Yonai-chan." A voice called from the front door. There stood a boy who looked liked he belonged in middle school. He was in gym clothes with a towel around his neck.

He sat down next to Ranmaru and wiped his forehead with the towel.

"Stay away from me." Ranmaru said. "You're all sweaty!"

"Of course, silly." Fujita said. He set down a water bottle on the table. "That's cuz I've been running."

Fujita Nobuyoshi

Though he looks like a little kid, we're really the same age. I knew him back in elementary school but then we never saw each other after that. He's really cute and really passionate about sports and working out. I think he's played almost every sport known to man.

"Working out this early in the morning? What are you crazy?" Ranmaru sighed.

"By the way, Ranmaru. Were you ever able to beat that game last night? You should have seen him, Yonai-chan. He couldn't beat this awesome game that I beat in only two days."

"Shut up, you baby!" Ranmaru teased getting him in a head lock.

"Ow ow ow!" Fujita whined. Then he smiled. "You're probably getting sweat all on you."

"Ew! And I just took a bath." Ranmaru jerked back.

"Hey... You probably stayed up all night playing that game and you didn't even go to sleep, am I right?" Fujita teased.

"Of course I stayed up! I can't be beaten by a baby! But then I'm not as good at video games as you." He looked over at Yonai... "I mean, I was still waiting for you of course, Yoyo-chan." He said pushing Fujita behind him.

"Hah, it's probably a coincidence that you just happened to stay up so long." Fujita argued.

"Well anyway..." Yonai interrupted, getting her papers together. "I have to go to school now."

"Study hard, Yonai-chan!" Fujita cheered.

She couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Fujita-kun."

"I shall await your return, my love." Ranmaru said taking her by the hand.

"I'm not you're love Ranmaru..." She said simply.

"Just leave your dishes on the table. I'll clean them up." A voice said from the stairway. Gakuya stood there and walked to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Gakuya-kun!" Fujita said.

"Yo." Ranmaru said sighing. "Yonai is leaving and all that is left are men in the house." He sighed.

Gakuya Kaishou

He is sort of the manager of the house since he somehow bought it through the money he earned through stocks and bonds. He's the one who arranged for me to stay here and it didn't even matter that I didn't like to cook and clean. He takes care of most of the cooking and cleaning and somehow gets the others to help. It's hard to tell what he's thinking but he's always smiling and polite.

Gakuya put on an apron and then put Yonai's dish on a tray. Yonai meanwhile had gathered the rest of her school stuff and put her shoes on by the door. "Thank you, Gakuya-san." She said. "I'm off!" She said.

"Bye Yonai-chan!" Fujita said.

She walked down the steps and passed the garage where Toujiwara was doing something with his motorcycle. "Yon!" He called from the garage.

"Yes?" She peeked her head into the garage.

"You going off to school?" He said roughly.

"Um, yes."

"Fine." He said.

She blinked and then said, "I'm off. See ya, Toujiwara-san."

"Whatever." He said.

Toujiwara Toyo

He comes off as mean at first. He smokes, curses, and tends to threaten people. He used to be in a gang, so I guess that's just left over from his gangster days. He works at a motorcycle shop and is pretty obsessed about motorcycles in general. Though he acts kind of cold at times, he's never really said anything bad to me.

Yes, I live with four wonderful guys that I'm constantly learning so much about. My best friend Sakuba claims I have four boyfriends. But it's not like that at all. Though each of the four guys I live with is wonderful in his own way, I could never date any of them. It would just be too weird. Plus... I'm studying to be a doctor so school takes up most of my time.

---

Life wasn't always so easy. My dad died a year before I graduated high school. My mom worked two jobs to try to support us both but then she lost one of her jobs and our apartments kicked us out. I tried to live with Sakuba in a dormatory while in college, but we got into fights all the time... and then I discovered a wonderful place. House 4 on Midori lane...

"CHIYO!" Sakuba yelled. "I told you to do the dishes last night!"

Chiyo Yonai grimaced at her friend's yelling. "I'm sorry... I forgot."

"Likely story..." Her friend groaned. "You just didn't want to do it."

"No, that's not it!" Yonai swore. "I had to study for a test and I completely forgot about it."

"Then you should at least do them now."

"I can't. I have a study group this morning! We have a big test this week and I promised to make copies of my notes."

"Chi-yo..." Sakuba groaned. "This is getting to be too much..."

"I promise I'll make up for it tonight!"

"Until you realize you have more studying to do, right?"

"No... I..."

"I can't believe this Chiyo. We swore we would both share the cooking and chores as well as the rent. I know you hate doing chores and cooking but it's been five days since you last cooked a meal! I've had to do it instead! I know you're taking much harder classes than me but I've got to study too!"

"I'm sorry, Sakuba-chan! I promise to be better!" She said begging for forgiveness.

Izumi Sakuba turned away with her arms folded. "That's what you said last month... Chiyo..." She turned and saw the emergence of tears in her friend's eyes. "I don't know if this is gonna work out..." Her friend turned and ran out of the house...

"Sakuba..." She whispered after her.

I was feeling really bad about what happened with Sakuba this morning. She's been there for me from the beginning. Through the good times and the bad. She was there when my father died. She was there when I got into college. She was there when my mom lost her job and we got kicked out of our apartments. We even planned to live together while in college...

"Aw man, Sakuba's gonna kill me!" She said looking at her bank statement. "I'm a little short on rent and then I have to type up a lab report tonight..." She thought out loud. "Plus she’s gonna expect me to clean…”

I hate cleaning… I don’t know why. It’s just that every time I do it, I feel sad. My dad…

She looked up to see a girl taping a piece of paper to a bulletin board. “Hmm?” She read what it said.

An ad for rooming at a house on Midori Lane? That’s close to here… The rent’s not bad either. Maybe if I live there, Sakuba won’t be as frustrated…

“Um… excuse me?” She said the girl.

“Oh, hi. Are you interested in renting?” The girl said. She looked like she could still be in high school but many college freshmen looked young.

“Um… yes, I…”

“You should check it out. My brother owns it.”

“Owns it?”

“Yeah, he earned a lot of money by selling stock and decided to invest in a house. He’s only 21 too.” She said smiling.

“Wow, you’re so lucky to have such a wealthy brother.”

“I guess.” She smiled. “But you should check it out. Here’s a flyer.”

“Thank you.”

“Yep. See ya.” She winked and skipped off.

---

“Hey newborn!” Ranmaru said bursting into the dorm room.

“Don’t call me a newborn!” A younger looking boy said.

“But look.” Ranmaru said holding up a flier in front of his face.

“What’s this?”

“I’m moving out.”

“Really?”

“Yep, it’s an actual house, not a dormitory so I can have girls over at any time without any trouble.”

“Well the dorm has been trying to kick you out for a while.”

“Heh, might as well beat them to the punch. I don’t like that stuck up land lord anyway…”

“Hey it says they’re looking for more than one person. I wanna go too!”

“Don’t copy me!”

“But what if they assign some weird room mate I don’t know. What then?” He said making a cute baby face.

Ranmaru pushed him over. “Your puppy dog face won’t work on me. If you don’t want to live here, find your own place to live.”

“But… but…”

“I’m going over there right now because I can guarantee I’m moving in by tomorrow?”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Hmm?” He smiled. “I’ll charm my way in if I have too. There’s nothing my looks can’t buy.” He said flipping his hair.

Meanwhile Fujita was by the door. “I’m off!”

“Off where?”

“To look at the house silly.”

“Why you copier! Hey! Wait for me!”

But Fujita had a running start.

---

Yonai got off the bus at the edge of Midori Lane holding the flyer. “Hmm… these are actually some pretty nice houses. They seem rather new…” She walked past House 1, and then House 2, and House 3. Finally, she stopped in front of House 4.

Here it is.

Inside, Ranmaru and Fujita were already talking to the manger and buyer of the house: Gakuya.

“There’s only one room left? Then why did you advertise that you were looking for room mates as in plural instead of just one?” Ranmaru scoffed.

“Well obviously the rent would be cheaper if more than one person lived in that room.”

“All right! I’ll take it!” Fujita jumped up and down.

“You can’t just decide that, you little baby!” Ranmaru said bopping him on the head.

“Why not? I wanna live here.” Fujita whined rubbing his head.

“I’ll go get the leasing contracts then.” Gakuya smiled.

“Whoa… does he really manage this place?” Ranmaru whispered to Fujita. “Anyway, he’s not living there because I am.”

“Obviously you two would be room mates.”

“Yay!” Fujita cheered.

“What? I didn’t agree to that.”

“Then I’ll have to find someone else.” Gakuya said.

‘This guy gets straight to the point…’ Ranmaru thought. “Eh, wait!” He yelled. “Room mates with the baby, huh?”

“We were already room mates at the dorm.” Fujita pointed out.

“Yeah, but I was barely ever there. If I room with a baby, it could cramp my style. What happens if I wanna bring a girl over?” Fujita looked at him innocently, blinking.

“Gah! Fine! It’s not like it’s any different living at the dorms.”

“Read these please.” Gakuya said putting two rather large documents in front of them.

“What’s this?”

“That’s the contract and rules and policies of the neighborhood…” A knock was heard at the door.

“Excuse me.” Gakuya said going to the door. Yonai was there when he opened it.

“Um, excuse me… Sorry to bother you but um… is this the place mentioned in the flyer for rent… um…”

“Well…” Gakuya said. “Yes… but…”

“A girl!” Ranmaru said.

“Yonai? Chiyo?” Fujita said looking past Gakuya.

“Fujita?” Yonai said seeing the little boy.

“You know her?” Ranmaru said.

“We went to elementary school together. How you doing, Yonai-chan? I haven’t seen you since Elementary school!”

“Oh, well, a lot has happened since then… I’m just… um… looking for a different place to stay now.”

“Hello.” Ranmaru came up to her taking her hand. “My name is Ranmaru Miyamoto. You can room with me if you like.”

“Uh…” She blushed and stepped back.

“Eh? Fujita?” Ranmaru got his smaller friend in a head lock. “You were holding out on me? I never knew you knew such a beautiful woman.”

“Well it was in elementary school…”

“Sorry to interrupt…” Gakuya said. “But I just gave the last room away to these two and um… would you really want to live with guys anyway?”

“Well I, uh, didn’t know.” She said obviously embarrassed.

‘That guy doesn’t beat around the bush.’ Ranmaru noted.

“The person who gave me the flyer was a girl so I thought…”

“Ah, my sister. She’s a bit scatterbrained. I told her to specify male room mates.” Meanwhile, his sister Seiyo giggled in the back of his mind mischievously.

“It’s all right. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“No, not at all. I apologize for the confusion.”

“I’ll be going now.” She bowed.

Ranmaru opened the door for her and leaned towards her. “Don’t be scared to come back and visit if you like.” He said winking.

She hesitated and blushed. “Um… no, I… goodbye.” She said flushed.

“Ranmaru, do you flirt with everyone?” Fujita complained.

“Now I can’t have a potential girlfriend get away now can I?”

“Eeh? You’re such a player!”

---

“Meet me at the school cafeteria.” Sakuba had said. She was obviously still angry and did not say another word to me. As I waited, I went to a pay phone to call my mom.

“Hi mom, it’s me.” Yonai said into the phone.

“Oh, Chiyo. I feel like I haven’t talked to you in forever!” Her mom yelled into the phone. The TV could be heard in the background with kid’s voices trying to talk over it. “How’s it going? Are you and Sakuba getting along?”

“Well… no.”

“No? What’s wrong?” She yelled. “Don’t hit your sister, Ritsu-kun.” She yelled at one of the kids. “I’m sorry.” She apologized to her daughter. “But I understand how Sakuba can get too worked up over small things but you’ve been best friends now. Surely, she’ll come around.”

Yonai’s eyes began to water. “I’m just tired of being a burden on everyone. I’m thinking of finding a new place…”

“A new place?” The clanking of cups could be heard in the background. “Are you sure you can afford it? Oh honey, I wish I could help you…”

“Is that Ane-san?” A little girl’s voice said into the phone.

“Yes it is, Yaya-chan.” She cooed to the little girl. A whistling from the tea pot interrupted the conversation. “Oh, I’m sorry daughter, I have to get this tea and then make sure Ritsu and Yaya get to their playdate on time. I’ll have to talk to you later.”

“Yes, mom. Bye.” Chiyo reluctantly hung up the phone. Tears stung her eyes.

Meanwhile, as her mother prepared the tea, she blinked trying to hold back the tears.

Like mother, like daughter…

Chiyo walked away from the pay phone, her eyes watering and threatening to overflow. But a familiar figure blocked her path. She looked up to see the man from yesterday…

“Oh, it’s you… um…”

“Gakuya.” He introduced himself. He looked concerned. She probably looked disheveled.

“Gakuya-san.” She bowed but that did not hide the tears in her eyes.

“Are you ok, Yonai-san?”

“No, I mean… yes… I…”

“Let me treat you to lunch.”

“Oh no.” She said whipping away the tears. “I couldn’t possibly.”

“Are you still looking for a place to live?”

“Well…”

“Maybe I can help you.” He said. “Let’s go eat lunch and talk it over.” He said smiling and pointing toward the cafeteria. His smile seemed to fill his whole face but it put her at ease.

“Well ok.” She decided.

“Granted, it will be just cafeteria food and nothing that spectacular.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” She said.

“So are you looking for an apartment within the same price range?” He asked.

“Well uh, actually I was hoping for something cheaper?”

“Cheaper? Are you sure?”

“I don’t have a job and whatever my mom doesn’t provide me, I get from scholarships.”

“Do you live with your mom now?”

“No, I… we got kicked out of our apartments after… um…” She hesitated.

“After what?” He smiled warmly.

“After my dad died…”

“Oh… I’m sorry…”

“My mom and I could have moved into my aunt’s house but she lives too far away and then my mom moved into one of her work friends, Harada-san’s apartment. But with him and his two children, it was way too cramped…” She paused. “I tried to live in a dorm with my best friend Sakuba, but I end up just being a burden on her… that’s why I was looking for another place to live. I thought maybe I can give her some space and somehow start to make it on my own… but I just can’t afford it.”

“Yonai-san… Have you thought of finding a job?”

“My mom won’t let me get a job. Plus, studying for all my pre-med classes takes up most of my time. And sometimes I have to volunteer at the clinic…”

“Excuse me, but did you say Pre-med?”

“Yep, that’s me. I’m gonna be a doctor!” She explained cheerfully. “My mom doesn’t want a job to interfere with my school work. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor! But… it just seems like I’m always causing trouble for everyone. For my mom… for Sakuba… I’m sorry. This must sound pretty lame to you.”

“No, not at all. I am just amazed at all you are going through. Plus, studying to be a doctor? Most women it seems go into nursing.”

“Yeah, I know. But I want to go through medical school and be a doctor. I also want to study in America.”

“America?”

“It’s one of my dreams to study in America for a while.”

“I see.”

“Chiyo?” A voice said and there stood Sakuba. She looked at Gakuya from the side of her eye. “Who’s this?” She said forcing a smile.

“Oh. Um… this is Gakuya-san. Gakuya-san this is Sakuba.”

He stood up. “Nice to meet you. I was just going.” He said bowing politely. “Oh and Yonai-san. Don’t give up on your dreams.” He said mysteriously and walked away.

“So…” Sakuba teased. “Who was that?”

“Oh, um…” She looked down. “He treated me to lunch and…”

“Oh?” She said nudging Yonai playfully. “I thought as a pre-med, you didn’t have time to date…”

“He said he was gonna help me find an apartment.”

Sakuba stared at her. “An apartment?”

“Yes.”

“But why?”

“Sakuba, I know I’m just bothering you…”

“Come on! We’re best friends! This isn’t about this morning, is it? I actually came to apologize for that.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… it would be better if I moved out…” Sakuba got mad then.

“And then you could release your problems on someone else? Wouldn’t your new room mates or land lord or something want you to do the same things I want you to do? Like clean up and possibly even cook?”

“I’m sorry, Sakuba.” She said her head bowed. They walked in silence until they got to the dorm where Tomimitsu was in the hall playing marbles.

“Hi, Yuuha.” Sakuba said walking over the marbles.

“Hi, Tomimitsu…” Yonai said softly.

“Hey, Chiyo-chan?” Tomimitsu said softly back.

“Yes?”

“Are you and Izumi still fighting?”

“I guess so.”

“Oh.” Was all she said.

“What are you doing out there anyway, Yuuha?” Sakuba yelled towards her.

“Playing marbles.” She said softly as Yonai walked past her and into the door.

Will Yonai finally have a place to stay? Not if her mom has anything to say about it. Next chapter of 4 Boyfriend: the boys of House 4 try to convince Yonai to live with them. But Sakuba and Yonai’s mom object.

And now for a special which will be included at the end of each chapter.

“Yo. It’s your love. Ranmaru here. I’m here to tell you about the star of the story, the beautiful Yonai Chiyo. This lovely princess has had a hard life from the death of her father to financial troubles. That is, until her lovely savior, Prince Ranmaru showed up and saved her from despair, right?”