Disclaimer: Tokyo Mew Mew and their characters are not my property, sadly enough.
Chapter One: Flashback
"WHAT?!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I HAVE TO MOVE OUT?!?"
The house shook with the racket, Ichigo's parents wincing in synchronized defeat. They had dreaded this moment for days now, but what had to be done…had to be done. Gently, Sakura reached out, taking her daughters hand in her own, only to flinch as Ichigo abruptly dragged hers out.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. Your father and I need the money to pay our debts."
"WHAT DEBTS?!?"
Ichigo was furious-no, beyond furious. Her face had turned a rather distressing shade of burgundy, as if she had drunken through the night and half the day, her hair messy disarray and her clothes looked as if they'd been through the mill. Even so, she had a good reason for looking so distasteful.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DEBTS?!?" she continued, enraged, "WE PAID ALL OUR BILLS! PLUS, YOU'RE-YOU'RE SELLING ME TO THAT BASTARD PLAYBOY, KISH'S FAMILY! WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR…?!?"
Her father reached out a hand, then dropped it abruptly, feeling it would be better not to interrupt his daughter right then and there.
"Actually…no," he began apologetically, "Kish Tomoda is a respectable boy in society…and…we're selling you to him alone for one hundred and one days."
"HE'S A FRICKIN' PLAYBOY!" screeched Ichigo, before her father's words reached her. Had…he said…that…
"ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DAYS TO KISH ALONE?!?!? WHAT THE HELL??!? YOU'LL NEVER GET ME BACK ALIVE!"
"Sweetie, I-chi-go…don't you want to help your parents out?" Sakura Momoiya implored, hoping her daughter would see reason in her mother's words. She was gravely mistaken-Ichigo bellowed out her reply the very next second.
"I HAVE! I'VE DONE MY WORK AND…GOT…GOTTEN GOOD GRADES! SO WHY ARE YOU SELLING ME?!? WHY?!?"
"Your mother and I need the money to pay off our mortgage and go on a second honeymoon."
"A SECOND HONEYMOON?!? OF ALL THINGS, YOU HAVE TO SELL ME TO A RETARD SUCH AS HIM, SO YOU CAN GO AND ENJOY YOURSELVES?!?"
Ichigo was beyond control, an untamed beast. Her parents shoved the thick package into her hands, then backed out of the room, their eyes ever fixed on their moody daughter, cautiously bumping into things but never turning back, in the fear that if they did so, their daughter would be at their throats.
Ripping off the packaging furiously, Ichigo scanned the contents in disgust; a pleated school skirt, tie and blouse…several academic looking books…a cloth to cover her hair while she cleaned…a booklet…a manual….a revealing black bikini, lacy underwear, and pyjamas?!?
"WHHAAATT THEEEE HEEELLL?!?"
Birds took off from their perches in the treetops, alarmed by Ichigo's screeching, squalling voice. The girl threw the new clothes to the ground, trampling them in utter disgust; if Kish Tomoda expected her to wear those disgustingly obscene pieces of clothing while she worked, he could think again!
And she better be getting her own room, or there would be hell to pay.
Unseen to her frustrated, grey eyes, a letter, sleek and elegant slipped from the folds of the new school uniform, onto the sticky, tiled ground, as Ichigo picked at the neat hem of the skirt, eventually lifting it.
Kish had made one right choice; the new uniform was utterly adorable, as was the school itself.
"Uwaah! How kawaii!"
Ichigo lifted the dress to herself, delighted to see it fitted appropriately. It was a dark, subtle grey in color, purposefully pleated here and there to give the air of a cute, yet studious schoolgirl, its belt sliding into place with a bow at the back.
The blouse suited Ichigo perfectly, the smooth material sitting on her skin as if it was always destined to be there, the top puckering here and there at the edges to draw the material tighter around the girl and enhance her natural curves, while a flattering red ribbon sat her bust as the school tie.
A momentary thought crossed the girl's mind – what would Kish look like in the new school's male uniform? Impatiently, she shook the thought away – who cared if he was totally hideous or absolutely gorgeous? She, for one, didn't care, unlike Kish's rabid fan girls.
They don't know how absolutely disgusting he is-!!
Besides, the girl reasoned with herself, she had her one love, her one and only true love…Dreamily, the girl gazed up at her poster, tacked neatly on the kitchen cupboards, extended to its full width of three cupboard doors. Her only love would ever be the singer, 'A.L.I.E.N'
No-one actually knew Alien's true identity or where he lived, in real life, save for his producers, but the singer was so good looking! His handsome features resembled that of a true rock-star's, unlike Kish's stubborn, smug face. The thought of her classmate made Ichigo's blood curdle, and her hand curled into a fist by her side.
It was just her bad luck that she and him almost always ended up as partners, or teamed up, by some unlucky stroke of fate. Ichigo groaned inwardly; she'd had enough of him in grade school, and now, when it seemed she could finally move on to a new life and a new school, with all her good friends, Kish just had to up and buy her.
Damn that pervy hormonal teenager! Why did Mum and Dad have to sell me?
Something caught on the edge of her dress, and the girl was sent hurtling face down. She let out one involuntary squeak of surprise, before the impact crushed her chin against the cold, brittle tiles. It hurt tremendously.
This is…not my day. This is not my day at all.
She blinked the stars supposedly circling her out of sight, only to catch sight of the unblemished, white, envelope, lying side by side with her. Twitching her nose suspiciously at it, the girl made a grab for it, and sat upright, examining it.
It looked like any other ordinary letter…except the smooth, sleek quality of the envelope itself proclaimed a higher class. For a moment, the girl sat there dumbfounded, uncertain who would be sending her such a letter and trying to recall all the dozens of letters she'd sent…
No. It couldn't be.
Kyaaa! Has A.L.I.E.N finally decided to respond to all my declarations of love? Uwaaaah! I can't wait! I can't wait! He's probably waiting outside right now, to drive me away, and it's 'Goodbye, pervy Kish!' and 'Heeellooo lovelife!' Nyaa!!
The girl was lost in foolish, fan-girl fantasies.
But…wait. Shouldn't I read it first before I change and make myself up?
Eagerly, Ichigo slit the smooth texture of the envelope open, her hands shaking with anticipation. This was what she had been waiting for-this had been what she was waiting for, all her life! A simple love letter, addressed to Momoiya Ichigo…the statement that would remake the girl forever.
"Heheh…," the girl began to read, then stopped, confused. It didn't seem probable that the singer A.L.I.E.N would begin his pronouncement of love to her with the simple, snide phrase 'Heheh'… Her sense of nausea growing, the girl read on.
"Hiya, Ichigo-chan. Long time no talk, ne?" The love letter was seeming more and more unlikely, Ichigo positive that her one true life long love would address her as 'Ichigo-chan', nor use slangy talk such as 'Hiya' and 'Ne'!
"You have to come to my house tomorrow, before the new school year starts. I'll be looking forward to seeing you there!" That was…possible, Ichigo admitted grudgingly, although his proclamation of love was seeming rather plain and boring, compare to her letters with the overuse of the statement 'I love you, I love you, I love you so much!!'
"We'll be moving into the same house…how snuggly and cozy would that be? I'm sure you're looking forward to it, as am I. I've provided some things for you that will make you feel all the more comfortable." Did that mean he'd bought her some pillows or something? The girl screwed up her forehead in consternation – she couldn't remember anything coming with the letter.
Oh, well…as long as I'm with him-!!
"Heh…I know you've probably got posters of me all over your bedroom walls…" That much was right; Ichigo recalled the dozens and dozens of posters tacked all over her walls, Alien beaming down at her from every possible nook and cranny. "…But won't it be much better with the real thing?"
Kyaa…Alien-san, you're so cool! I can't believe this…I can't believe you finally replied! I'm so happy…it's so good to know that someone loves you! Uwaah…Alien, you probably receive a dozen of these love letters every day, but you chose to love me, and me alone!
Nyaa…what have I done to deserve this? I'm so blissfully happy!
"I'm afraid the new school we'll both be going to has Chinese classes down as compulsory…and I'm not too good at Chinese, not yet, anyway." New school? Ichigo was painfully aware of her thumping heart, the blood rushing to her face…she could just imagine the staring, envious faces, as she and Alien walked down the aisles, stopping every now and then to lovingly murmur in one another's ears, their hands connected. "So I'm afraid you'll have to help me on that one."
Of course…of course! Alien, I love you…I'll do anything for you!
Besides, private tuition might be fun! And for us…to be…in the same school together…Alien…you're too kind! I can't wait! I-I know all the other girls will hate me and want to kill me, but as long as you're there, Alien, and as long as we're together…and as long as you protect me…I don't care-!! I love you!
"I would love to make you my girlfriend. You know what that means-we will have to hold hands, call one another intimately, massage shoulders, and all of that jazz. I want all the world to know it."
A...Alien…HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!? How can you have loved me for so long, suffering in such silence! I-I can't bear with it! I'll never be able to bear with it! I thought I was happy, just loving you from afar…but for you…being a star…and all alone…please…DON'T MAKE ME CRY-!!
Even so, it was a hard for the girl to hold back her tears, as she read the last line aloud. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you at my house…honey. Love…Kish."
WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!?
Kish?!? Kish Tomoda!?? Whose idea of a sick joke is this?!? This is completely hurtful and deranged! I hate that pervy playboy! I'll kick his ass! I'll shove a chainsaw through his house! What does he meanmake me his girlfriend? Call him intimately? I'd rather puke on Dad's bald spot!
Aarggh! Why does this have to happen to me? Why did I fall for this?!? DAMMIT! I'm so stupid! I should've known better! How am I meant to put up with one hundred and one more days of this?
How am I supposed to live what that pathetic excuse of a human being for one hundred and one more days?
