Epilogue.

A few days later, Masumi was sitting at the table while Natsuki was cooking something for him. Masumi sighed as he reflected on the last few days. As much as he didn't miss being sick, he felt wistful, sad, even, that this was the end of him and Natsuki spending entire days alone in the base together. Tomorrow, it was back to work, back to giving tours in the museum and periodically retrieving another precious. At least we have today, he thought.

Natsuki presented Masumi with a steaming bowl of ramen. "Here you go, Masumi," she said cheerfully. She was happy to see Masumi felling better, not just from having recovered from his wasting illness, but from not having to carry the burden of his secret anymore.

Masumi smiled at his new girlfriend. "Thanks, Natsuki. Itadakimasu!" Masumi raised his chopsticks over the bowl, poised to take a bite. But before he could, the elevator arrived on their floor and all of the other Boukengers came out. Masumi set down his chopsticks and sighed. Already he and Natsuki's time alone together was ending.

A collective chorus of "Hi, Masumi! Hi, Nasuki!" came from the other Boukengers. Sakura was holding a small basket with a yellow ribbon on it.

"What's in the basket?" Natsuki asked.

Akashi stepped forward. "The basket is for you, from all of us. It's a reward for taking such good care of Masumi."

Masumi rolled his eyes.

Natsuki brightened at the mention of a present. She took the basket, untied the yellow ribbon, and squealed when she saw what it contained. "Candy!" she exclaimed. "Thank you!" Natsuki hugged Akashi, then immediately began eating the candy.

Souta went over to Masumi. "You didn't miss much, Masumi. It was a rough week in the museum, right Chief?"

Akashi turned away and his face reddened. "I suppose one could say that."

Masumi, of course, was intrigued. "What happened?" he asked excitedly.

Akashi sighed at the unpleasant memories from that week. "There was an overweight foreign exchange student who wouldn't leave me alone. She kept making goo-goo eyes at me and trying to hold my hand." He shuddered. "I don't even think she spoke Japanese."

Souta chuckled. "Chief, I don't even think she was a girl."

All of the Boukengers laughed, while Akashi looked more and more embarrassed. "Guys, it's not that funny . . . Masumi, you are laughing too much! Even you, Sakura! Everyone, stop laughing!" The other Boukengers, needless to say, didn't listen. Akashi let out a deflating sigh, sounding not at all unlike a punctured weather balloon.

Eventually the laughter subsided entirely apart from Akashi's cries for mercy; everyone had gotten sick of laughing at him. After a minute, Eiji stepped forward, bearing a serious expression.

"Hey, Masumi," he said.

Masumi eyed the dazzling adventure suspiciously. What did he want?

Eiji continued. "You know, what I did before . . ." he trailed off. The rest came out in a rush. "Well, maybe I shouldn't have messed with your food." He had addressed the floor, but now looked up at the black ranger.

"It's true. What you did was lame," Masumi said. "But . . . to be fair, you didn't have all the information. I guess that's how we learn." He looked at Natsuki meaningfully, and Natuski smiled brightly back at him.

Hmm? Eiji looked suspiciously between Masumi and Natsuki. He wondered what had gone on between them in the base that week. It was almost as if . . . No, it couldn't be, he told himself. Still, it was strange to see Masumi in such a forgiving mood. He decided to take advantage.

"Well, that's true," he said. "After all, how was I supposed to know? You know, the Takokas have never had any food allergies."

Masumi's eyes narrowed. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" he asked sharply.

Akashi rolled his eyes. "Guys," he said. "I thought you two had learned to agree by now."

"We learned to agree about one thing," Eiji said.

"Yeah. Neither of us is ever gonna eat Froot Loops again." Masumi smiled at Natsuki knowingly, who returned his sentiments with a guilty look.

"Amen," Eiji said. "Man, am I starving!" He went over to the fridge and started rummaging.

"Eiji, there isn't much in there because nobody has done any shopping this week." Souta said. "That was Natsuki's chore everybody knows why she couldn't accomplish it." He shot a teasing look at Eiji, but he never saw it. He had picked up a bottle of milk and was chugging like tomorrow wasn't coming.

"Nothing like a little soy milk to recharge the impervious Takoka immune system." He said.

"Eiji NO!" Sakura suddenly shouted, looking like she had witnessed the most horrible grievance.

"What's wrong?" Eiji asked, "Is it old or something?"

"Eiji that wasn't soy milk! That was my imported cow milk! I was gonna use that to make home made ice cream!" The usually serious, no-nonsense Sakura stamped her foot at the injustice.

Everyone stared at Sakura, surprised at her sudden lapse in character.

"Cows' milk- . . . oh . . ." Eiji said at the grim realization. He stared at the floor gravely, and his skin took on a sick, greenish color.

"Ei-chan? Are you okay?" Natsuki asked.

Eiji looked up, his expression one of a pained sense of purpose. "No, I just . . . uh, I'm gonna go . . ." he stammered. Eiji then dashed to the bathroom, and the pained cries of his lactose-burderned intestins made it to the rest of the Boukengers in the main room.

Souta and Akashi exchanged worried glances. Sakura's expression was one of it-serves-him-right. Only Masumi spoke upon the situation.

"Poor Eiji," he said. A slow, satisfied smile spread across the speed adventurer's face.

The others, no doubt, attributed his smile to Eiji's ironic perdiciment, but Natsuki knew the truth. Under the table, where no one else could see, the two adventurers were hand in hand; their fingers entwined. Mabye someday they'd tell the others, but for now, they were all each other needed.

THE END.