Hello and welcome to my second Tokyo Mew Mew fan fiction! I never did finish the first… But that's because it was written years ago and it was garbage. I'm hoping to redeem myself with this little ditty…. Well. Enough of my talking! On with the show!

Chapter 1: Always Late

Her feet pounded against the pavement. I'll make it. I've got to make it on time, the girl thought, face flush and breath heavy. Her red hair bounced furiously as she tried to pick up her pace. It seemed like her heart was running faster than she was. It was nearly 7:25 pm and the movie started at 7:30. She could make it right?

The girl stopped a minute, trying to get a bearing on where she was. She had been running aimlessly hopping that determination to be on time for once would get her to where she needed to be. It was only now that she realized that she was slightly lost. "No…" she whispered under her breath. She was still jogging in place, as if stopping meant defeat.

She looked up to see a street sign, now realizing where she was. Not too far, but… 7:28 pm. 3 blocks. I can run 3 blocks in two minutes, right? Her pink lips smoothed into a straight line, eyes narrowing with a look of determination. She was going to make it. She promised she would. The girl took a deep breath, her delicate chest lifting and then falling. She began to sprint.

7:29 pm. It took her one minute to run half a block. The red head began to panic. She couldn't be late. She couldn't be. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears as her previous determination melted away. She never stopped though. All she could do was keep running. She had to at least try to make it.

7:31 pm. She couldn't run anymore, and her pace had slowed anyway. She was already late. She might as well walk the rest of the way and compose herself. Sweat began to drip down the girl's button nose. She sighed and reached into her tiny strawberry shaped purse, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing away the sweat on her face. She didn't want to ruin the makeup she had spent hours on.

7:38 pm. It wasn't her fault she was late right? He'd understand if she just explained. He always understood. The blonde haired devil was working her to the bone again. Ryou… She swore that man didn't want her to have a boyfriend. She was extra positive he made her work so hard to keep her away from Masaya. Like a princess in a castle… Only she was a waitress and her castle was Café Mew Mew.

7:49 pm. Shouldn't she be there by now? Did she take a wrong turn? No... No. No. No. The girl spun around, black skirt circling with her. I was supposed to make a left two blocks ago. I'm such a ditz! She dashed back the way she came.

She had finally made it! The girl looked around frantically. Where was he? She pulled her phone out of her pocket. The time was 8:01pm. One missed call. Masaya. Her cheeks flushed scarlet. How did she not notice? And it was from the most important person! There was a voicemail, but she didn't bother with it. Timidly, her pink polished finger nails dialed his number.

Masaya picked up the phone after the fourth ring. Weird, she thought. Normally he answers on the first. She sat down on one of the benches in the couple's usual movie meeting spot. He was silent for a moment, before starting. "Ichigo…" the young male on the other side of the phone said, trying not to sound frustrated, but failing. This was the third date this month she had been late to, and the thirty second in the two years they had been dating. But who was counting? He wasn't… was he?

"Ah! Masaya! Thank goodness! Umm… I know I'm a teensy bit late, but I can't seem to find you! Where are you so I can tell you what happened!" Ichigo was talking at the speed of light, trying to explain herself. It was so typical.

Masaya sighed. "I've gone home, Ichigo. I'm tired of waiting for you." He had never been so cold before. He normally tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, always listened to whatever excuse she had, but the truth was… "I'm not happy anymore, Ichigo."

The girl was stunned. He wasn't happy? But he was always smiling? He always understood right? She opened her mouth again to try to right her wrongs, to try and tell him what had happened, but she was cut off. "I don't want to hear another excuse. It's always excuses with you." He wasn't yelling at her. He was just stern. It didn't matter. It was all the same to Ichigo. Her heart that had previously been racing now felt like it stopped.

"Masaya… What are you talking about?" She couldn't seem to understand him. Sure he was being clear, but her brain was an emotional wreck right now. It was as if sirens were going off in her head that her relationship was in danger and she couldn't hear what he was saying over them.

"It's my fault for acting like everything was alright, but to be honest, Ichigo, I'm starting to get sick of this. I'm always here for you, but it doesn't feel like you're always there for me. I'm sorry it all had to come out at once. I really am sorry. I'm also sorry for doing this over the phone but-" Before he could finish she cut him off, panic setting in.

"Then don't do this! I know what you're going to say. I can feel it! But just wait! Let me explain! It won't happen again! Just let me-"

"Ichigo. This is the fifth time I've heard you say it won't happen again. But you're always late, Ichigo. And this isn't just about being late anymore. It's a lot more than that. It's almost as if everyone else in your life comes before me. You got comfortable putting me on the backburner because you always thought I'd be around. I'd asked you to come out to lunch, but you couldn't because your mother wanted you to go with her instead. I asked you out to dinner, but you're too busy cleaning up the aliens in the city with your friends. I ask you on a movie date… and you're too busy working for Ryou and Keiichiro. I've heard it all before Ichigo. Every time I ask to spend time with you, you put others first. I was okay with it in the beginning, but now it's getting old. I don't think I'll ever be number one on your list. I'm only the top of your list in thought, not in real life. Again, I'm sorry to be doing this over the phone. I had planned to tell you tomorrow, but I think…. I think we shouldn't be together anymore."

Her bottom lip quivered as she took in what he said. She sniffled, trying to stay strong and hold back her tears. "But... Masaya..." Just saying his name was hard now. "I'm… I've been trying so hard to balance everything… I've been trying so hard for us..."

"I know, but it just wasn't enough. I'm sorry. Goodbye, Ichigo."

She lost it. Hot, stinging tears ran down her face as she screamed into the phone. "MASAYA WAIT YOU CAN'T-"

"If you'd like to make a call please hang up and dial again." The metallic voice of the prerecorded message was all she heard on the other side of the line. He had hung up on her. He had really hung up on her.

"DAMNNIT! NO!" She screamed, throwing her phone to the ground. The pink plastic coating cracked and the screen shattered. Other people in the area, looked up from what they were doing to take a peek at the crying girl on the bench. No one approached her though.

She had never felt more alone in her life. She had spent about an hour on that bench hugging her knees close and crying. She began to wonder if this is how Masaya felt when she was late to their dates. Just thinking about him made her heart ache. After an hour of sulking, she knew she had to get up…. She had to leave this damn place and never come back.

As she staggered home, her sad thoughts turned to angry ones. How could he break up with her over the phone? Didn't she at least deserve more respect than that? Didn't she deserve to have it said to her face? Or was he too cowardly that he couldn't manage even that much? And she did too work hard to keep him at the top of her list! He was always in her thoughts! Her friends even complained that she talked about him too much! And even though she was late to their dates, at least she still made it eventually! And it wasn't her fault she was given these stupid powers to protect the stupid Earth and that she had to work at stupid Café Mew Mew with stupid Ryou and…. and…. The girl sighed in exasperation. These were all just excuses. Just like Masaya had said. She only ever made up excuses. The anger had melted into depression now as she shuffled through the front door of her house.

"I'm home." She said in a monotone voice.

Ichigo's mother, Sakura, poked her head from around the corner. "Oh hello dear! How was the date?" Her mother was beaming with joy as per usual. Ichigo just stared at her, expressionless, unable to comprehend her mother's joyful nature. What was joy even? It was like she couldn't remember anymore.

"I don't want to talk about it." The lifeless red head didn't say another word. She walked past her mother, up the stairs and collapsed into bed, heart heavy. Another wave of tears hit her as she closed her eyes trying to sleep. She couldn't manage it though. Her mind was too busy racing with what had just happened. And then the thought hit her.

Today was Sunday… which meant she had school tomorrow… which meant she'd have to see him. The girl sighed, grasping one of her pink frilly fringed pillows to her chest. "Tomorrow is going to be even worse than today, isn't it?" She groaned to herself. She hadn't realized how exhausted she had been from the night's events. Not only physically, but mentally.

Ichigo let the exhaustion take her, passing out still in her makeup and date outfit. She hoped she'd wake up finding that it had all been a bad dream, but somewhere, deep down, she knew that wasn't going to happen. Tomorrow was going to be horrible. Or at least, that's what the girl thought. But what she didn't know is that someone was watching out for her. Someone had always been watching out for her.