She took another large sip of wine from her almost empty glass. It was her third glass that night and she was already feeling quite tipsy. But it wasn't enough! If she could still remember him, it wasn't enough! With that in mind she downed the last of the glass and poured herself some more.

As she looked over the edge of the ship, down at the dark rolling waves. She felt a stab at her heart. How could he? After all they had been through together? She respected the fact that he had tried to do it in the best way possible but when your true love falls for someone else...well, thats still heart shattering.

"Ichigo, I think..." he had begun on that chilly autumn afternoon. But he stopped and began again, "Well, we've been dating for six years now and I just don't think...gosh, I really don't know how to say this."

"Say what, Masaya-kun?" the redhead had asked as bubbly as she always was, even as a nineteen year old.

He had stopped walking and turned to her. He took her hands in his and said very slowly and quietly, "We've been dating for six years now...but I don't think we can go any further with our relationship," he paused waiting for it to sink in. She was frozen, just trying to understand what he was getting at - but she knew all too well what he was saying, "Ichigo, I never wanted to hurt you. I'm so sorry. We can still talk, you have my number if you need me and we'll always be friends."

Remembering that day brought tears to her eyes and so she attempted to down a full glass of wine this time. But she only succeeded in consuming half the drink as she had quite forcefully brought the glass to her lips effectively throwing the rest of the liquid over herself. She choked and began coughing violently as she tried to pour herself yet another glass of the stuff. But the memories kept flowing back to her.

Next she remembered arriving at the cafe a few weeks after breaking up with Masaya Aoyama. She had burst through the doors as always shouting out, "Sorry, I'm late!"

But this time instead of making a rude remark or threatening to reduce her pay Ryou simply said, "Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. Just go get changed."

"Okay?" she said as she slipped off to the changing rooms to put on her uniform.

As she approached the changing room door she had heard her name. So she stopped and listened.

"Apparently she keeps calling him," that was Mint.

"Oh, poor, Ichigo," Retasu had replied.

"Maybe we should take her out on the clubs and see if she's pulls, as the british say," Purin had cheered.

"No, we need to let her move on and she needs to do that on her own," Zakuro had pointed out but then after a moment added, "But she won't be able to if she keeps on haggling him like this. Neither will he, I suppose."

Ichigo just stood there with her back against the wall beside the door and her head down, her hair covering the top half of her face. The tears began as Keiichiro appeared beside her.

"Is everything alright, Momomiya-san?" he asked her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She enthusiastically nodded her head in an attempt to hide the tears and saddness but then stopped and said, "actually, um, I'm not feeling too well. Would it would be alright if I took the day off?"

"Well, I'm not sure how Ryou would react but don't you worry. I'll talk to him," he had smiled and waved her off, "Go home and rest."

"Thank you very much, Akasaka-san!" she cried over her shoulder as she retreated out of the cafe away from her so-called friends.

A sob escaped her throat as this next painful memory sprung up. Chucking the empty glass over board, she grabbed the bottle with her free hand and downed the rest of it contents.

Ichigo had ran all the way from the cafe to the Aoyama residence. She took a deep breath before she rang the bell. At first no answer so she rang it again...and then again. Finally after five minutes the door opened a crack, a deep sigh was heard and then the door opened fully to reveal a rather scruffy looking Masaya Aoyama.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Masaya-kun. Did I wake you?" she apologised.

"Err, yeah," he replied crossing his arms across his chest and leaning on the door frame.

"It's a bit late to be sleeping isn't it?" she had pointed out checking her watch.

"What do you want Ichigo?" he asked rather bluntly and she could hear irritation in his voice.

"I...I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out since I have the day off today?" she asked sweetly with a smile on her face and then as a last thought added, "As friends, of course!"

"Of course," he repeated and then deeply sighed, "Look, Ichigo-"

"Masaya-san!" Masaya had cringed as Ichigo jumped and her eyes flew over his shoulder to the semi-naked girl who swooped up behind him and weeved her arms around his torso from behind, "Don't you know its rude to keep a lady waiting? Especially if she's in your bed," that was when the girl noticed Ichigo standing there awkwardly and wide-eyed, "Oh, is this one of your little friends? Hi, my name's Miyama, what's yours?"

"Ichigo, this is my work colleague Miyama-chan," he began introducing them, "Miyama-chan, this is Momomiya-san an old friend from school."

"Nice to meet cha Momo-chan!" Miyama had cried out, smiling brightly.

"I see you're busy," Ichigo mumbled and turned to run away as she had at the cafe, "But it's okay, don't worry. I'll ask Miwa if she wants to hang out instead!"

"Ichigo wait!" he cried after her. But she didn't stop, she carried on running until she crashed in to her bed at home and cried herself to sleep.

An old friend from school.

The words echoed in her mind even now on this cruise ship. This cruise was meant to make her forget all the heart ache and pain she had felt in last three months. It was a sudden idea that she jumped on, deciding to just wing it for once and see if she enjoyed herself. But being aboard this ship she soon realised that she was lonely and pathetic and she could still remember everything that had happened with...what's-his-face...

Maybe, the drink was finally taking effect, her vision was shaky for a start but she could still picture him clearly in her mind. She groaned, she had had the whole bottle in less than half an hour but she needed more. More.

Thud. Thud. Thud. What was that? Was that me? She looked down at her own feet and stared at them, swaying slightly. The drink was slowing down her senses and her footsteps seemed to boom loudly in her ears. Thud. Thud. She leaned a little too far forward and lost her balance, slipping in to the bars on the side of the ship.

That was close, she thought to herself sadly, if these bars weren't here I would have...

She stared down in to the darkness, wondering what was really down there. An escape from this life? An escape from this sadness? An escape from this heart ache? Before she knew it, she was already taking a step in to the nothingness from standing on the top bar.

"Wait, Miss! No!" someone grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her back.

"No! G'off me!" she slurred struggling as she was pulled away from the edge of the ship.

"Please, Miss, thats not the answer!" the man shouted over her incoherent cries, holding on tightly to her wrists as she struggled, "I'll take you back to your room. What's your name? Miss! Miss, please! I'm trying to help you! What is your name?"

She gave up and slumped to the ground, only held up by her wrists which the man still had hold of. He gently let them go and knelt down to her level. He put an arm around her back and pulled her head gently up to rest on his shoulder as she sobbed away.

"Please, Miss, what is your name?" he asked softly.

"Momo...miya Ichig-" she hiccuped and sobbed, and then repeated, "Ichigo."

"Come," he ordered gently, coaxing her to rise from the ground, "Let's get you back to your room, Momomiya-san."