“Osero, Nickolas, dochirahe?” a female asked as she thrust a microphone into Nick’s face.

“Um.... huh?” Nick mumbled, able to only pick out hello and Nickolas from the words spoken.

“Yukai, miru ittou! Yukai bin?”

Nick groaned inwardly. He thought that English was a second language spoken, why was this woman insistant on speaking Japanese to him? Thinking for a moment, he remembered a phrase that had been taught to the group before they came over to Japan to please the crowds. He decided maybe the woman would leave him alone if he spoke the phrase.

“Um... Tadaima no-pan!” he pasted a smile on his face for good measurement after the comment. Instead of a pleased look from the woman for speaking to her in her native language, Nick was immediately rewarded with her face turning a shade of crimson and then she inappropriately started a belly laugh. She quickly bowed and left him alone after that.

“Nick, I think I should help you up to your room, you don’t look very well, Leighanne commented as she approached the couch that Nick had decided to semi-sit, semi-lay back on.

“I think they’ll leave me alone for the time being. See that reporter that’s over with her friends pointing at me and laughing?”

Leighanne directed her eyes towards where Nick was pointing. “Yes?”

“I told her a phrase in Japanese that we had been learning to say and she seemed to be happy I said it ‘cause she burst out laughing and she bowed over and over.”

“Okay, so why would the phrase ‘we love you’ make her laugh?” Leighanne questioned.

“I dunno, but at least she left me alone,” Nick sighed.

“Okay, now I’m curious, how did you say the phrase?”

“Oh come on, my throat hurts, you don’t need me to talk anymore than I should,” Nick begged.

“Just tell me and I’ll leave you alone.”

“I said, ‘tadaima no-pan’, alright?”

Leighanne frowned for a moment and then she busted out laughing. “Nick, you do realize what you told her don’t you?”

“Wasn’t it I love you?”

Leighanne shook her head as she continued to giggle. “Lordy no! You said, ”here I am wearing no underwear”.

“Oh shit, seriously?”

“Seriously,” Leighanne smiled. She had a minor in Japanese language so there wasn’t a language barrier for her.

“Peachy,” Nick groaned.

“Come on, let me help you to your room before you tell someone you’re pregnant or something worse,” she chuckled as she placed a hand on his arm.

“Nothing could be worse than what I just said,” Nick whispered and then swallowed, his face twisted in pain.

“Ah, see, you are hurting, come on Nick, let’s get you a saltwater gargle before you hit the bed. Let’s go, do you have your room card yet?”

Nick nodded.

“Good, come on then, let’s go.”

Nick wasn’t reluctant in her offer he decided it was a good idea as he leaned on her as they walked through the lobby towards the elevators. This was the worst he had felt in his life and now that he had made an embarrassing statement, he wished he could just stay in his hotel room until the tour was done.