I redid this story because it was well, please enjoy it's remake!
A Lovers Rainbow
Ritsu p.o.v
I walk home in the freezing rain.
'Dam that Takano-san, He keeped me at the office all night, and it's the night before my day off too!'
I huff as I walk down the dim light street. The sun rise hadn't even started. I do my best to signal down a taxi. Nothing, they can't see me. Or they want to go home and snuggle into their nice, warm beds; I sigh, that what i should be doing. Why is life working against me? That's when I see headlights.
'Finally,'
I turn seeing a slick, black car pull up.
'O, No, no,no,no.'
Takano-san's voice purred as he spoke. That seductive tone he uses when he knows I'm close to giving in. " Want a ride? You look, well, like a drowned rat." He smirks that sly way, were his eyes start to show want and lust. I lov- hate it. I hate it.
" And it's no thanks to you, that I ended up that way. So, you know what, I refuse." I start walking off, again. Walking in the rain isn't as bad now. That's when i felt it coming.
'Shoot, if I sneeze, I'll be in the car for sure.'
I start going faster. That feeling doesn't stop, though. Takano-san was still on my tail, good.
"You're acting weird. Why?" His signature glare comes into play.
I press my lips together. Please don't sneeze, please.
" To get away from, from," The odds aren't in my favor. " Achoo!"
I'm done for. Takano-san's eyes widen.
"In the car. Now." His tone changes from one of worry. His face reminds glaring.
"No, no that's quite alright. Just a random sneeze, you know." I start babbling on and on.
"O, ya know, bet someone is talking about me. That's what my grandma said. It's probably my mom and An-chan. They still talk even if the wedding is off."
I thought about the day I met An-chan's new boyfriend. He will be good for her, I just know it.
A rich banker. The top of his field, even. She will live happy. That also happened to be the day we formally called off the engagement. Our parents didn't like that An-chan had a date, but it was done. That night was I walked home, somehow I ended up at Takano-san's. Kisa told him I left for a formal date with my "O, so cute girlfriend." He asked what happened.
"We talked."
And that's when it went down hill. I almost told him that the engagement was broken and that I love him. I didn't. I couldn't get past the fear of getting hurt again. I never did tell him. We just sat spooning. His warm arms around me. The same arms that i now realize are dragging me to the car.
"Wait! What are you doing?" I start to struggle.
"You looked like you were going to pass out. You are riding home with me, Ritsu." He whispered my name in my ear. On his tongue it sounds different, delicate and pure. So, so different from everyone else. I shiver from pure delight.
'No, bad Ritsu. You can't give in. Not yet.'
"Thank you but no thank you!" I smack my head on the top of his car as he slides me in.
"Ow, darn it."
"Wouldn't have happened if you just gave in once in while." I grimace at Takano's words.
'If I give in, I'll go all the way to saying that I've fallen in love with him.'
The drive home was quiet. There's always this stupid silence between us. And the worst part, there so many questions i want to ask.
'What's your favorite book? Best movie to watch at home? What's the most embarrassing thing you've done? Where do you want to go in the world ?'
But there also those questions. The ones burning to be asked but i can just never form the words.
'What happened after I left? Did you miss me? How did you feel when we're dating? Why didn't you give up on me? How much did you love me back then? How much do you love me now?'
I swallow hard at that last thought. Maybe one day I'll ask him. Maybe.
"You know, there's so much i want to ask you but can't. I feel ridiculous for being so shy about it." I jump as Takano answers. I thought that was in my head.
"I know. It's the same for me. I want to know everything but I just can't form the words. I just, don't know how."
He looks at me. His eyes were shining with honesty. So, we feel the same way, huh.
"Wh-what's your favorite book?" My voice is quiet, I turn my head, Takano smiles.
"A Lonely Lover's Road by Allen Laywin. Yours?"
I sigh and smile. He looks over at me again, with a raised eyebrow but still smiling.
"There so many, I don't think I could chose."
"Ooo, that's no fun. There must be one." His teasing, happy tone was such a change.
I smile even bigger and look out the window. " Two Heartbeats by Shilo Lee."
"O, that was a good one. I remember reading that."
I nod. We pull into the parking garage. We talk as we go up, finding more and more about each other. Like Takano's favorite movie is Hoilday Inn. Or that he really likes hot fudge sundaes. We both walk out of the elevators laughing at my worst moment. Back in high school, a little before I confessed I got caught on a loose nail hanging off the shelves. I was spying like normal and hadn't notice until I turned and it ripped a giant hole down my pants. To make it worse, I was boxers that had tiny kittens on them. All the girls laugh as I run to the nurse's office. It was so embarrassing that day. But now it's pretty funny.
I smile, shaking my head. That was a day. Takano must have found it pretty funny because his laugh echoed throughout the hall. I almost told him to stop, it's still really early. The sun still wasn't out. But i couldn't stop that laugh. It was big and hardy. It was wonderful to listen, too.
He smiles down at me and I return it back at him. This day is turning out better than I expected. Even with the rain still beating down. Or that is was still dark out when i came out of the office. Or that is standing Haitani outside my door.
'Wait, what?!'
I hear Takano growl at him. He seems relaxed as ever.
I try seeing what he wants. I was unlucky and ran into him after finally killing the engagement. He's been come on me to harder and harder. He's starting to come into my personal life more and more, it's getting kind of flirting to be honest.
"Haitani, is there something I can help you with?"
He looks me up and down. I shiver at the simple action alone. He stops leaning and walks up to us.
"Ya, there is. You can agree to go out with me and I'll give you everything you want."
His hand slides down my face and to my chin. The action sets off some kind of angry in me.
"Haitani, I said I couldn't the day we happened to cross path a the restaurant. I said I wasn't ready when you asked at that cafe. I said no the day you came here with bunches of roses and sweets. Now i'm telling you this : I can't go out with you because there's someone else I love."
I step forwards when Haitani glares at Takano. They look ready to fight. I put myself between them.
"Guys, wait just a-"
I get pushed away. I fall back and hit a wall hard, winding me. I fall to the ground coughing.
Takano starts to me.
"Onoder-"
"This is all your fault!" Haitani pushes Takano.
"If it wasn't for you, I'd get what I want. But no, you just have to interfere with everything. My boyfriend left me for you. When you left, the sales went down. I couldn't bring them up to the same amount. I got my head bitten off. And you-"
Haitani walks towards me. "Who's your love, huh? Takano? No, no one can love that thing. O, is it that pretty little thing. To bad she has a lover of her own." He smiles, horrible.
I try to catch my breath. "Sh-shut up. You know nothing about the situation."
I glare at him, "And you say you love me but then why did you hurt me?"
"I didn't hurt y-"
"But you did, just now. Leave, I don't want to see you again."
He narrowed his eyes. "You'll regard this, you know. You'll never find someone better."
I matched his expression. "Leave, because I already have."
Haitani huffs at me, glares at Takano, and leaves. I glare after, even after he's left.
"Good riddance, too "
Takano grabs my arm and pulls me into his apartment. And for once I don't protest. I hardly get my shoes off, when he pulls me to the living room. He pushes me softly on the couch.
He starts to peel off my coat and shirt. There's a two big bruises starting to form. One by my right rib cage and one by left my shoulder blade.
"Ritsu, I'm so sorry."
"For what, You didn't do anything." I reach out and touch his face. He looks ready to cry.
"I couldn't protect you." He pulls my hand off his face and holds it.
I take my left arm and put it on the back of his head. This whole thing just now made me realize that I want to be with Takano-san. Whether I'm still scared or not, I need to tell him that I love him.
"You goof." I pulled him to me and kiss him. I'd never actually done that before. I felt proud until Takano pulled away.
"Do that with the person you love. Your 'O, so cute girlfriend.' "
He lets some tears fall from his eyes. I feel like crying now too. He,I, well, -
"YOU IDIOT!"
He turns sharply.
"WHAT! How am I the Idiot?"
I stand and suck in so breath. I start wheezing though. Takano rolls his eyes.
"Sit back down."
I look at with fury in my eyes.
"NO! I wasn't finished. I tried to communicate my feelings for you but something always happens. I realized I want to be with you. I'm done with An-chan. She has a new boyfriend. The day I left early, we were formal calling off the engagement. I don't have someone else. I don't WANT someone else. I want you. Not An-chan, not Haitani, not even Japan's finest."
I nearly stop but I know I have to say it. It's now or never. Meaning I wouldn't lose Takano-san.
"Because i love you."
The air becomes a sticky. kind of thick. It felt like time started to slow down. That's when i start panicking.
I did it. I really confessed. Now what? I look at Takano-san. I don't know what to do. I just confessed to him, without a shirt on, bruised and beaten. With both of us now crying.
"Ha."
My eyes widen as the same sound he made the last day i saw him, before the ten years apart, is heard once more. He was just messing with me. My body flies into action as more tears fall down my face. My heart feels like it's breaking, shattering into something that can't be fixed.
'Dammit.'
I charge Takano-san, pushing him out of the way. I don't even bother to grab my shirt as I run out the door and to the stair well.
"Oy!"
"Hey!"
I run past people, just wanting to get away. I get to the lobby as the elevator dings. I run past them, not bother to look who it is.
"Ritsu!"
The people only the stairwell slowed me down. I turn left from the lobby into a dim lit street. The sun was just barely getting up. As the rain had also slowed. I keep running until i see a small break in the bushes. A clearing must be back there. I turn swiftly, avoiding the branches. I nearly collapsed at the small clearing. It was up a hill that overlooked a large lake.
It the tears stream down my face, when i see the sun bouncing off the calm waters. It's beautiful. But's killing me to think of what just happened.
"Ritsu!"
I turn as i'm end engulfed in a hug. I know the feeling, the smell, and the gentleness but firmness of it all. Why did Takano follow me?
I hiccup, in to his chest. It only sends more tears down my face. Takano pulls me back and grabs my face so i can't look away.
"Ritsu, please don't run. I know i laughed again, but i'm just so, so happy. All i ever wanted was you after you left. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I just loved you. You were my light. And now I love you even more than I ever did. I'm just so happy to know the you love me back. "
I watch his tears fall.
"Me,- Me too."
We hug again.
"Oy, look at that."
I turn and lean back into Takano-san. There in the midst of the lake, was a double rainbow. I smile.
"Masamune?"
I feel him purr happily at his name.
"Umm?"
"I, I really do, well," I squeeze my eyes close. "I really do love you."
Takano leans down, his nose in my hair.
" I do, too. And i never plan on letting you go. Not ever again."
And in that sweet moment, everything felt right for the World's greatest first love. Then came Hell week. The End.
