There's Always a Rainbow After a Rainy Day

Sakura M.: A one shot fic for Hoshiko's contest.

Background: The day was going great for Ichigo as she gathered some courage to ask Masaya to go on a date with her, but that day turned cloudly when she saw Masaya with some girl. That sunny day changed itself to its opposite; rainy.

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Footsteps continously banged on the wet cement. A young girl with red hair tied up in buns ran through the lush trees of the park. 'Why…why is this happening to me?' Ichigo thought as she replayed the event. She sat down on a bench, never caring that her clothes was getting soaked, never caring that she was late for work, never caring that she might get sick from the rain. 'Just once, I wish a piece of happiness is given to me.'

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"Where is she? Ichigo is never this late for work." Lettuce said worriedly as she looked at the clock; 3:30.

"You don't think onee-chan is hanging out with her crush?" Pudding said as she rolled around the backroom on a large ball.

"Be careful." Zakuro said seriously. Looking at the window, she noticed theheavy rain as it pounds harder as each second passed by. "I hope she's not outside."

Mint sipped her cup. "She'll be here eventually."

The other girls stared at the setting, each praying that their leader would not be outside in this weather. Moments passed as the girls did their thing in the café. A voice interrupted from their daily routine.

"Where is she?" The voice yelled. That voice belong to no other than the creator of the Mew Mew project, Ryou Shirogane.

"Ichigo hasn't come in." Lettuce said softly, holding back the increase fear of what might happen to Ichigo. "We think she still might be outside."

"What the hell is she doing outside in the rain?" Ryou yelled. Grabbing his jacket and umbrella, he opened the door. "Tell Keiichiro to look after the shop."

Running through the cascade of heavy rain, Ryou decided to head toward the park.

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Water dripped from her head. Ichigo's eyes drifted to the scenery around her. She smiled at the sight before her, though she tried her hardest to contain that cat within her. Ichigo reached out to grab the droplets, as if she was catching what remains to be her hope, her joy, her happiness. Her heart cried with the clouds.

"Ichigo!" A voice called out, shaking her from her misery.

Squinting her eyes for a closer look toward the source, Ichigo was shocked. 'What is he doing in the rain? He's not looking for me…is he?'

Finding her voice to speak, Ichigo called out. "Shirogane? Why are you here?"

His eyes softenatthe sight of her, sitting down besides her with an umbrella sheltering them from nature's tears, Ryou said to her. "We were worried at the café. Now let me ask you, what's wrong?"

Ichigo poured out her story. Clinging on to Ryou, she said to him. "My day started out fine and now look at it! Look at the weather around us."

Bringing her closer, Ryou said to her softly. "You know…after a rainy day, there's always a rainbow. See? You should take a closer look because you, little strawberry, are blind."

Sniffling, Ichigo looked around her. Like Ryou said, a rainbow appeared as the clouds drifted away from each other. Ryou smiled.

"You see? Come on, let's get you back to the café. Dishes aren't going to clean themselves you know." Ryou said as he started to walk away.

Ichigo smiled and ran up to him. "Jerk. Is that all you think about?"

He said nothing, instead Ryou just smiled at her and put his jacket on her.

The End…