"Date?" he spluttered, staring at the girl with disbelief. Lowering her head Ringo pressed the tips of two fingers together, avoiding his eyes a brilliant blush streaking across her cheeks. Waving a hand infront of his face, in a sign of dismissal, the ebony haired male gave her a crooked smile "Sorry, You're just not my type."
Her world shook, as if an earthquake had wreaked havoc upon it before crumbling, splintered at her feet like a shattered pane of glass. "O—Oh Okay," She replied, gulping down the lump that had formed in her throat and forcing a smile. "It's no big deal." But she refused to meet the gaze of her crush, a guy she'd liked for three years now, who'd just candidly turned her down.

Turning on her heel Ringo stumbled away from him, not wanting to turn back; not wanting to see the grinning faces and the exchanged words, to see the laughter that echoed in her ears. Wandering down the street with a vacant expression, not sure what to feel or say she barely noticed her apartment complex coming into view.

"Oi! Ringo!" a voice called down to her from a top floor window. Tilting her head back, the cherry haired girl came face to face with the grinning features of her childhood friend. Before she could call back to him a plastic bag was tossed from the open window, thudding upon the ground as it landed beside her. "It's your washing! Rika told me to drop it off to you" He called from the window, giving her a charming luminous smile before vanishing from site closing the window behind him.

Itsuki Minami, he'd been her friend since they were kids and he'd been looking out for her for just as long. Helping her with things such as Laundry and cooking whilst her parents were on work out of Japan. A small yet forced smile found its way to her lips, trudging up the staircase Ringo made her way to her room. They seemed to continue forever, up and up as high as the eye could see; a never ending stair case that led to the skies above.

But then it appeared, room 17; the one she'd been renting since her parent's departure months prior. Sliding her key into the lock she gave it a few harsh tugs, forcing the door open and walking inside. Abandoning her school bag upon the kitchen floor, Ringo paused; gazing at the fridge. The delicious meal Ikki had left her that morning sat inside, ready to be heated up and to fill the void in her stomach. Yet, eating—didn't really appeal to her. Not now atleast, sighing she stepped into her bedroom. Sinking into her mattress Ringo kicked off her shoes, sliding under the sheets and tugging it to her chin. Shoving the drama of the day into the back of her mind, and allowing herself to drift into a restless sleep.

The next day ran past like any other, classes, and eating lunch in an awkward silence only to then begin the trek back home. Slipping into the park that separated the path to her apartment complex from the rest of the city Ringo sighed, disappointed at another uneventful day.
*Ring Ring Ring* A ringtone broke the ominous silence, slicing through the air like a hot dagger. Blinking a few times Ringo glanced from side to side, attempting to locate the source of the tune, finding it radiating from a small red flip-phone that'd been dropped in the middle of the path.

Leaning down she scooped it up in her hand, snapping it open and putting it up against her ear "Hello?" She called into the mobile.
"Brilliant!" A voice chimed from the other end of the line. "Someone picked it up!"
"Oh," realisation dawned upon Ringo "This is your phone."
"Right you are~" He laughed "Do you think you'd be able to meet me at the café on Sakura Avenue?"
Blinking a few times she nodded, almost to her self "Um… Sure"
"Great! I'll see you there!"
A bleeping indicated that whomever had been on the other end of the phone had ended the call. Well, what could come of it? So, against her better judgement Ringo took a separate path that lead towards the street.

A grinning male met her at the door, blonde bangs falling into his cerulean eyes "So You're my saviour then?" He mused, a grin spreading across his lips. Blushing lightly she handed the phone back to the man. "Thank you very much, is there anything I could give you in return?" he inquired, pushing himself from the wall; a single brow arched.
"Me?- No, there's nothing you could give me" She laughed nervously, waving two hands infront of her face. "Nothing at all?" he interrogated. "Not money? A new car? How about a voucher to that hotel that just opened down the street? No—" he rubbed the back of his head with a sigh. "My boss isn't going to be happy with me…"

"How about—a boyfriend" She stated out of the blue, staring at the blonde. Blinking a few times, his grin spread even wider "A boyfriend? That's all you wanted?! You should've told me sooner, here take my card," Sliding a business card into her palm he turned on his heel. Turning away he waved his hand beside his head, walking off. "I'll be seeing you again soon, Ringo" He stated, low enough for it not to reach her ears.

Peering down at the card her eyes widened "Lovers Shop?" She asked, laughing at how childish the name sounded.

And although the name had sounded stupid, and the site was incredibly shady. Ringo still found herself perched at her laptop peering at the screen curiously. The page was incredibly colourful, with huge curvy letters that leered back at her indicating that the site was indeed the "Lover's Shop". A certain piece caught her eye though, a bubble that shone from the side of the page "Try the Nightly Lover model 01" Try it free, a week before you actually buy it. For free? What could come of it?

"Well… It's just this once besides, It's not like any real guy would be like this."

Sweet, a little protective, a great cook, attractive- the list continued on and on and before she realised what she was doing Ringo had chosen around twenty options.

But at the time, how was she to know? How was anyone meant to know? That she'd end up with an actual boyfriend, one that was in no way ordinary.