A/N: Yes, another one of my chapter stories and it's in my favorite genre: romance!! I know I'll have fun writing this like you'll have fun reading it! ;-) And this has been written for a looooong while--I just haven't published it yet. :3
Disclaimer: I don't own any of TMM, and I NEVER will throughout this entire story or ever at all (just for future reference)...
Frozen Kisses
One: I'm Not Working Overtime!
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No overtime, overtime, overtime!
She's not working overtime, overtime, overtime!
No, Ichi's not!
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"Sigh…" Ichigo let out as she walked down the sidewalk of Tokyo. She was smiling and her heart was warm and open. Her cheeks turned a rosy red because of the chilling weather flying against them; her heart kept her whole body warm. Winter had arrived and it planned to cool the whole city of Tokyo with its blankets soon to come. Today wasn't too bad with it being the start of winter— there was a current flurry, but it wasn't cold enough for it to stick. Ichigo swayed her brown book bag around with a smile upon her face. She wore a yellow coat filled with a lot of cotton made to withstand mildly cold temperatures; underneath, she wore a pink, button-up collar t-shirt, with a yellow skirt— she had brown boots that were a shade lighter than her bag but she made it work.
Ichigo threw her head bag and inhaled some of the fresh winter air— it was cold, yet very refreshing to Ichigo; either that or she completely ignored it… maybe that was it. She had just come from her date with Masaya. He had taken her to the park and they walked together, and then he took her out to a restaurant. She had nice, warm hot chocolate and catfish. It was delicious; Ichigo still seemed to be licking her lips.
Aoyama-kun is so sweet… I just wish there was some way to thank him for all the things he's done for me… Ichigo thought while tapping her chin with her finger. Then, a kitty little smile grew upon her face; it almost looked mischievous. I know! I'll invite him over and I'll cook for him! Ichigo thought, but wait… I can't cook… Ichigo's idea got washed down the toilet of her mind as she tried to think of something else. There are just so many things out there, but why can't I think of one? Ichigo sighed of a brain overload.
"I better get home, my mom and dad are going to get worried… and my dad's already going ask enough questions…" Ichigo shook her head in disappointment, "I don't like he'll ever trust Aoyama-kun…" Ichigo continued to her home…
She soon arrived in seeing distance of her house and smiled, as she got closer. She made it up to the door and put her hand down on the knob, opening it to the inside.
"Honey, you're home!" Sakura smiled from inside the kitchen; the water was running so she must've been doing the dishes up.
"Why weren't you home already." Ichigo's father stood before her with his arms crossed and his toe tapping.
"Um…" a sweat drop went down the back of Ichigo's neck.
"Oh honey," Sakura put her hands on hi shoulders, "don't you remember our late night dates?" her father's face turned red.
"Dear! Not in front of Ichigo!" he yelled. Somehow through their arguing and such, Ichigo was able to slip upstairs peacefully. She lay down in her bed and drifted off to sleep.
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Wake up Ichigo!
Wake up Ichigo!
Ichi, Ichi up... :-)
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"Sigh…" Ryou sat on a stool in the kitchen with Keiichirou. He tapped his fingernails on the countertop, waiting for Ichigo to show up for work.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon, Ryou." Keiichirou smiled.
"Feh…" Ryou didn't believe him one bit; never count on Ichigo— time wise…
"I can't believe she's not here yet!" A throbbing vein appeared on Mint's forehead and she tapped her foot with her arms crossed, "— she's making us do all her work."
"I'm sure she'll be here." Lettuce spoke up with a broom at hand.
"Onee-chan will be here, na no da." Pudding said while balancing her tippy-toes on a large, spherical ball; it was a bright yellow with baby blue stripes. Zakuro just shined up a table and said nothing…
"I'm sorry I'm late, nya!" Ichigo busted through the front door and landed with her hands down on a table.
"It's about time." Mint snapped.
"I knew Onee-chan would be here." Pudding smiled.
"You're late." Ryou pushed open the flapping kitchen door and folded his arms while standing just feet before Ichigo. A sweat drop ran down the back of Ichigo's head. "Just get to work." Ryou stated and turned his back to her.
"Hai." Ichigo said and grabbed a rag.
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Clean Ichi, Ichi, Ichi—
Clean Ichi, Ichi, Ichi—
Clean... :-)
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"Whew…" Ichigo sat down onto a chair and wiped perspiration from her forehead. She sat down her rag on the table she had just finished cleaning. They had gotten quite a bit of customers with it being Friday and all; they always seemed to get quite a bit of populace before and during the weekend.
"There were a lot of people…" Lettuce said and sat down as well.
"Pudding's tired, na no da…" Pudding slid down in a chair with her arms just hanging there by her sides.
"It wasn't too bad." Zakuro spoke up and leaned her back against the wall with her arms crossed.
"I don't know why you're tired, Ichigo-san— especially since we had to do some of your work." Mint smirked taking a sip of tea right afterwards.
"Mint—!" Ichigo stood up with anger in her eyes.
"Is everyone finished?" Ryou stepped into the room with his casual greeting; his hands were placed smoothly into his pockets and his hair was slicked back neatly. Everyone just shook their heads. "Good." He smiled, "— Ichigo, come." He signaled Ichigo to come over to him. Ichigo looked at the others like 'why is he calling me?' and walked over to him.
"Hai, Shirogane?" Ichigo asked.
"You got here late— again." He stated firmly.
"Hai." Ichigo shook her head in agreement.
"I told you not to be late again," he continued.
"I know but I slept in late and I was busy last night!" Ichigo pleaded. He acted like her plead didn't even faze him.
"You're going to have to work overtime this week." He said. Ichigo's mouth dropped a little.
"It's not fair… I told you I was busy Shirogane!" Ichigo yelled back.
"What, were you washing dishes at home?" he asked sarcastically.
"Shiro—gane!" Ichigo's tone rose.
"I'm the boss." He stated and flicked her nose lightly. Steam came out of Ichigo's ears. Ryou simply left the room and went upstairs to his. Ichigo turned and faced the girls with her arms crossed in a stubborn manner.
"Baka Shirogane… always bossing me around… and thinking he's so great— nya!" Ichigo muttered beneath her breath.
"It's your own fault Ichigo." Mint said with a smile and grabbed her coat as she finished the last drip of her tea.
"Gomen-nasai, Ichigo-san." ("I'm sorry, Ichigo.") Lettuce blushed and grabbed her coat as well.
"Sore dewa Onee-chan!" ("Goodbye, (Informal) Ichigo!") Pudding smiled big as she exited the door with silent Zakuro. The others followed close behind and exited the building. Ichigo still stood in the middle of the room by her stubborn self.
Ichigo walked into the kitchen where Keiichirou was finishing up everything. She swung open the door and it flung against the wall and flopped a bit until it finally came to a close. Ichigo stood there before Keiichirou as he finished packaging up a leftover cake.
"Momomiya-san." Keiichirou smiled warmly, "Would you like some leftover cake to take home?"
"Iie, kere arigatou…" ("No, but thanks anyway.") Ichigo said, still not understanding why she turned down his offer; "I wanted to talk to you about working overtime…"
"Overtime? What are you talking about?" Keiichirou tapped up the bottom of the cardboard box that held the cake inside.
"Shirogane said I had to work overtime this week." Ichigo rubbed her arms, starting to get a little chilly from just standing around.
"Don't worry, Ryou might change his mind. He's probably just a little grumpy because you came in a little late today." Keiichirou smiled and sat the white cardboard box onto a high shelf near the refrigerator.
"He seemed so serious, and— he's just so frustrating!" Ichigo snubbed her nose just thinking about him. Keiichirou smiled at her silliness.
"Don't worry Ichigo, he'll come around." He assured her.
"Arigatou, Akasaka-san." Ichigo said as she opened the door to exit the kitchen.
"Of course, Ichigo." Keiichirou said as the door closed behind her.
"Bakabakashii Shirogane… he's not the boss of me… the only reason I'm here is because of the mew project!" ("Stupid/ Dumb/ Idiot Shirogane…") Ichigo mumbled, "I'm going to go and tell him I'm not working overtime! It's not fair!"
Ichigo turned and began to walk the opposite direction of the exit door and up the stairs. She continued her way up the stairs and reached the top. Her eyes searched around until she spotted the entrance door to Ryou's room. Ichigo walked up to the door and pushed it open without warning.
"Shirogane!" Ichigo yelled and then freaked out because she had lost her balance, "Whoa!" Ichigo fell and smacked against the ground— or wait, was it the ground? Ichigo blinked her eyes and opened them completely; blue eyes were staring back at her.
"Ichigo…" Ryou let out. Ichigo's hands were firmly set against the ground over Ryou. Her knees were enclosed between his legs as he lay helpless beneath her. Ichigo's face turned bright red...
Please review!! I know, I know, you can hate me— I left a cliffy. :-) You'll have to get used to it because I'll be using them a lot more now; it really catches people's interest and makes them want more. Muahaha! But, I love you, so please— don't be shy, review!! And I really hope I updat soon...