Gamagoori had always considered himself a man of great patients and care. He had always been the one to enforce the rules and make sure the lives of the students were going smoothly. So long as they were obeying the rules that were set for them he was content. But when someone broke those rules or showed blatant disregard he had no qualms about letting his rage out and showing those who dared to disobey the punishment they deserved. He knew he had a temper and he used it every chance he could. After all he had been the disciplinary chairman at Honnouji Academy and he needed to use his temper to help weed out the weak for the battle. If they couldn't handle him yelling at them then there would be no way for them to handle fighting against Ragyo. But after years of expressing himself he found it difficult to keep a calm leveled head when faced with those who still disrespect the rules. With a sharp turn of his head he looked at one of the clocks set up in the park and growled when he saw it was already twenty minutes past the time that he and Mako agreed to meet up. Yesterday after he successfully asked her out she told him that she wanted to go out with him on a date right away. So they agreed to meet up at the park at 12:30 by the fountain. He was standing in front of their meeting place, his arms cross and giving off an air of hostility that had others shying away from him as they passed by.
While he was glad that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her he was nervous about following the proper etiquettes when it came to dating. Having spent most of his teenage years acting at Satsuki's shield and preparing for war he never found felt the desire to look at other woman. He was content with following behind Satsuki Kiryuin and planned to do so until his presences was no longer needed or he perished. But then he had come to meet Mako Mankanshoku and suddenly he found his mind being filled with thoughts of the energetic girl. Now that the battle was over and they were free to live their lives how they wanted he was planning to spend most of his days as her boyfriend now that she has accepted him. There was only one problem with his plan.
He had no idea how to behave as a boyfriend.
Before his first failure of a confession he had spent days researching on all the proper mannerism that every boyfriend needed to follow. He spent countless hours on the internet, reading the latest romance novels, and even bought a few teen magazines that strangely always had columns about the perfect dream guy. After his third day of researching he had become fed up with all the useless information he and threw all of them away. He decided that he needed to gain the experience hands on and not from a trashy magazine. But that didn't mean he was going to forget all the information he looked up. He was going to kept some of what he found useful and put it into action. Like now, he had shown up on the date earlier than the set time but there was no sign of the girl. So far he's been waiting for twenty minutes and he could feel his anger boiling inside, ready to explode when he saw the girl. He tried calming himself, telling him that it was his fault and he shouldn't be angry with her. He was the one who had shown up early, to be more precise he had shown up an hour early. He had woken up that morning at the crack of dawn like he always does and began to prepare for the date. He made to take extra time in the shower to guarantee that he held no traces of body odor. The breakfast he had prepared himself was designed to keep him energized for the whole day. Most of his time was spent trying to pick out what clothes to wear, he didn't want anything that could resemble his old disciplinary clothing. He was proud of his title and style back when he was attending Honnouji Academy he didn't want her to see him as a student and superior. No he wanted to be viewed in her eyes as a man of all men so he had spent extra time to pick out his clothes until he deemed one look to be better than the rest. Finally he had chosen an outfit. A white dress shirt with a black collar and tie topped with a yellow cardigan, tan dress pants and brown shoes. He wore a watch on his right wrist and made sure to keep his whip hidden away. They may no longer be fighting an evil alien race but that didn't mean he couldn't come prepared.
With another glance at the clock on his wrist and the one on the pole in the park he growled when he saw it had now been over a half an hour since their set time. He didn't care if he had shown up an hour early, she should have come ages ago. In all the articles he looked through said that you should always show up to your date five minutes before the set time. He had done that so why hadn't she?
"Gamagoori!"
He turned his head at the sound of her voice but instead of be happy to see that she had arrived for their date he was overcome with annoyance at how happy-go-lucky she looked about being over an hour late. "Mankanshoku," he shouted at her, causing her to come to a halt in front of him. She was startled by his sudden yelling and was confused to what she had done. "Why is it that you can never show up on time? We agreed our date was for 12:30 but you are over a half hour late. Explain yourself." He stood towering over her, arms crossed behind his back as he waited for her to explain herself.
She blinked up at him, big brown eyes staring into his grey ones that were now taking in her tiny figure that had his hands twitching to hold. "Sorry, senpai, I got lost. I'm not used to traveling in other places besides the slums." She told him the truth. The rules that had been set by Satsuki were very strict and any No-Star that was seen in a district that wasn't their own would be punished. This was her first time being in another part of the city that wasn't the slums.
He felt himself freeze over by her reply. How could he have totally forgotten that this was most likely her first time visiting a park! He never felt like more than a fool than he did right now. "I apologize for my ignorance. Please forgive me!" he bowed to her, showing how sorry he was for yelling at her. He should have offered to pick her up instead. Or at the very least pick a spot that she would know how to get too. He was used to being able to drive to the different sections of the town with ease but she obviously wasn't. The date hadn't even started and he managed to mess things up again.
Mako began to laugh when she saw his bowed form. "I'm glad to see that Gamagoori-Senpai is still the same as he was in school," she patted the top part of his head, a happy grin on her face as she spoke. She did a happy spin, loving the feel of her new dress. A white puffy shirt that reached up to her elbows with a blue dress that tied into a cute bow behind her neck that reached past her thighs with four buttons going down the front. She wore white socks with blue heeled scandals that tied around her ankles with a matching pink pursue that had a rabbit face as the clutch. "It's because senpai is senpai that I like him so much." She confessed, showing him the light pink blush that was on her face.
Gamagoori stood there in awe. His own face covered by a blush as he stared at the girl that had just confessed that she liked him because he was him. She hadn't gotten mad at him for yelling or for getting angry to easily. She accepted that was who he was and she still cared for him. In that short span of time the feelings he had for her had grown.
She stretched out her hand towards him, the smile never leaving her face. "Shall we go?"
He stared at her hand for a moment. It was so small and delicate but he has seen those hands in battle and they were like the rest of her. She was strong and brave and not afraid to fight if it meant helping her friends. It was also the very same hand that he had been allowed to hold yesterday and had been hoping to hold once again. "Yes, we shall." He grabbed on, their palms touching and like yesterday felt so right. "Come along, Mankanshoku." He began to walk, leading her in the direction for their date. He stared down at her small happy form and was pleased to see her behaving so happily while with him. Clearing his throat he shifted his eyes back to the path in front of them. "You look nice today." He kept his voice clear and even, trying not to show the nerves that continued to pile on inside his stomach. He still wasn't sure how to properly behave around her in the dating aspect but he would learn fast.
"Thank you. Satsuki helped me pick it out." She told him, doing a little skip as she spoke of her shopping with her friends. In a short amount of time she had grown closer to the former president of Honnouji Academy and it wasn't unusual now for the two girls to be seen together.
Gamagoori held a proud grin on his face. "Satsuki-sama does have exquisite taste." He was pleased that the two woman in his life that he valued dearly were getting along.
"She does, she even picked me out a whole new wardrobe and paid for it." She told him, thinking of all the new clothes she had waiting at home for her. "I'm really grateful for all that she's done, but I wish there was more I could do for her," she gave a small pout, wishing she could help out the woman that was doing so much for her. Gamagoori felt his heart swell with pride at her words. "I'm glad she helped me pick out my outfit today. I wanted to look nice for our date today and Satsuki said you would like this on me. I'm glad I listened to her. I want Gamagoori-senpai to like me as much as I like him."
It felt like his legs stopped working because he felt himself fall to the ground before he could stop himself. It was only when he heard her cry of surprise did he realize what happened. He was sitting on his knees, both of them now at eye level and he had a dazed look on his red as a tomato face. With speed only someone of his size and power could possess he jumped back to his feet in a flash. The embarrassment he felt for doing such a thing couldn't compare to the mini heart attack he was having after hearing her words. He never imagined she would be so forward with her feelings for him and it caught him off guard. Not to say that he wasn't happy about hearing how much she liked him, he was ecstatic. He just wasn't used to others being so kind to him and showing him as much kindness as she does. He was used to keeping his walls up and having everyone at arms length. It's what he had grown used to but he found himself much more open with her and he wasn't sure how much his heart could take. "I must get past this. I refuse to have her thinking my feelings for her are anything less than true!" he was a warrior and he was not about to lose to the game of love because he was shy and new to dating. "I like whatever you are wearing!" he hadn't meant to shout but he found it's what he did when faced in situations like this.
Mako only giggled at his behavior. She understood more about the man more than anyone thought. Satsuki had given her a file on him before there date, courtesy of Inumuta but she hadn't read any of it. Mostly because she wasn't big on reading but because she felt she knew enough about him to be with him and what she didn't know, she wanted to learn. They began to walk again, Gamagoori trying to calm his beating heart the whole way.
She noticed this and smiled. She never imagined for him to be so shy with his feelings. She had seen his uniform and it's abilities and how open he was about being a masochist so she figured he would be more open when it came to dating. But she found it rather cute to see him behaving this way. She thought back to what Satsuki and Ryuko had told her this morning before she left for their date. Satsuki had said he was a man of honor and had a troubled past but he wanted to be shown that others care for him. She didn't want him to be nervous around her so she decided to do something that could fix their situation. She moved closer to him and began humming a soft tune as she went. She was pleased when she felt his body relax and the two walked calmly through the park, neither saying anything as she continued to hum.
They passed along a small river that was flowing through the park and she took the opportunity to stare at their reflections as they walked. She saw herself in the water and she had to admit the clothing Satsuki and Ryuko helped pick out where perfect. Yesterday after she told them of her date they had woken her up early this morning to go out shopping and get her some new clothes. Originally she had been planning on wearing a tank top and shorts with her usual purple backpack. Ryuko had deemed it acceptable but when Satsuki came by to check on her she had taken one look at her choice in clothing and dragged the two girls out to do some shopping. That had resulted in most of her old clothes getting thrown out and installing a whole new wardrobe all in the span of an hour. Both she and Ryuko are still trying to figure out how it happened.
She noticed their hands together in the reflection of the water. Her smaller hand was engulfed by his much larger one but she didn't mind. Actually she liked how it looked. They weren't your ordinary couple that you would see on the street everyday. They were different together and that's what she liked best about them. They were unique people so they shouldn't try and act the way others do. Shifting her eyes up she looked at his face in the river, it was as it always is set in a determined fashion. But she could see this one was different from his usual look. He appeared much calmer and she could see the ghost of a smile in his eyes. He was enjoying being with her. She felt her smile widen when she saw just how happy he appeared. She liked seeing him smile. It was something she wanted to continue seeing. "If only..." she let her gaze move up to the clear open sky. The sun was shining bright and a few clouds could be seen but it gave off the feel of a perfect upcoming summer day. The perfect day for a date. With a determined smile she decided that she was going to make this the best date either of them ever had!
"I have a favor to ask."
He looked down at her, surprised at her sudden request. He wondered what it was she wanted to ask. Although he had a suspicion it had something to do with food. If that was the case they weren't too far from where he wanted to take her. "What is it?" he would listen and try to do his best to make her request a reality.
She stopped walking, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. "Call me Mako." She looked up at him, big brown eyes that were always carefree and happy were now serious. She wanted him to call her by her first name.
Gamagoori felt his face flush and he started spluttering out incoherent words. He had wanted to make her favor come true but he wasn't sure if he was ready to do that. "W-We've only j-just started dating. That would be over stepping boundaries!" they had only just started out as a couple. This was only their first date. He wouldn't allow himself to overstep the boundaries set by society that could possibly ruin their chances of being together. He didn't want them to progress to fast and break up. He wanted to be with her as long as humanly possible.
She pouted, stepping closer to him. "Please, I really want to hear you say my name." she was no more than an inch away from him, her chest touching against his stomach softly. "We've known each other long enough that it doesn't matter if we've just started dating."
He felt his blood come alive when he felt her soft breasts against his body. He gulped down the desire to pull her closer and feel more. He was a man with very strong desires but he would hold himself back up they were ready to take the next step. He hadn't planned on them going past holding hands today. Not to say that he wasn't hoping for more. He was secretly hoping tonight's date could lead to a kiss. Even a kiss on the cheek would be fine. But he wouldn't push her into doing something she wasn't ready to do. "We...We shall see." He turned his head to the side, trying to push his blush down and get his body back to normal. He didn't want her to notice that her little touches were having such a strong effect on him.
She groaned in the back of her throat. She was hoping he would agree to say her name but it seems he was more reserved than she thought. Ryuko was right, all those years of him serving as Satsuki's shield really made him act like an old man. Suddenly a thought hit her and she smiled up at him. "Can I call you Ira?" if he wouldn't say her name than she should at least be allowed to say his first name.
He froze. That was the first time she had ever said his first name. She usually called him by his last name or senpai. They were the correct formal titles but somehow hearing her say his first name had a different effect. His mind decided to work on its own and began showing him images of her saying his name in different ways. The two of them going on dates as she calls to him to look at something that caught her eye. The two of them strolling the town at night, her softly whispering his name as sleep began to overcome her. Her moaning out his name as the two made love together in his bed. All he kept hearing was Ira. Ira. Ira. Ira. Ira. and her sweet voice saying it the whole time.
He fell to his knees once more.
~X~
Night had fallen and the two were driving back to her house. The date had gone off without a hitch. So long as you didn't count him falling over and screaming in embarrassment every time she said his first name. He still couldn't believe he had fallen out of his chair at the restaurant he had taken her too because she had asked him to pass the salt and called him Ira. He needed to control himself and stop the fantasies. At that time his mind just had to show him a image of the two of them, eating dinner together as husband and wife. It had happened more than once on their date but now he felt himself starting to get used to it. He was allowing her to call him Ira mostly because it made her happy and because he liked hearing her say his name. Other than those few complications he was quite proud to say their date went smoothly. He had requested a private booth in the restaurant he had taken her too. The owner of the place knew who he was and made sure to give them the best service and food they had to offer. Mako had been ecstatic and ate every single platter that had been brought out to them. Money would never be an issue when it came to making her happy. He had a good amount saved away from years ago. He never felt the need to go out to fancy places or spend money on useless objects that would only collect dust. But now he had a reason to spend the money and he found himself proud that he had saved it all.
The two of them were currently sitting in his car as he drove them down her street. Her and her family had moved out of the slums and were currently living in a nice house. Honnouji Academy is no longer needed so the entire area has been removed. Now everyone is living new lives in new homes provided by the Kiryuin family. The elite four no longer had palaces as their homes but styles much more suited for them. They all now lived in condos designed specifically for them on the top floor a=of buildings owned by the Kiryuin family. He was glad that she was living in such a nice area and not back in the slums. There were a few times when he found himself worrying for her living in such a dangerous place while he had all the luxuries fit for a king. But now things were different and they could all experience new things everyday if they liked. He snuck a sideways glance to see her bouncing happily in his car, singing a song to herself and utterly enjoying the ride home. He was glad. Even if her singing wasn't his favorite he was just pleased that she was so happy.
"Hmm?" his attention was taken off her and onto the bright lights and orange traffic cones that were blocking her street. "Road repairs?" he hadn't been informed of any road work going on today. Even if Satsuki and them weren't running the town they still were responsible for most of the rebuilding and there was nothing on the schedule that said this street was in need of work.
"Maybe a pipe burst?" she spoke up, having stopped her singing when the car came to a halt and she say a sign that said the road was closed.
He frowned, it was the logical thought but something was telling him that there was more to this. He narrowed his eyes, wondering if they were being set up for a trap. He scanned the area and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "Well, I guess I'll just get out here." His focus was abruptly brought back to Mako as she jumped out of his car and began walking towards the closed road. "Hold it!" He jumped after her, pulling at her arm before she could cross over. "Where are you going?"
She looked up at him in confusion. "Home." She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
He bite back a growl, annoyed by her answer and the events that were happening. "I'll drive you back another way." He escorted her back to his car, turned on the engine and sped off around the corner to take a different route. Only each time he did this he was stopped by a road block, saying the street was closed. He growled in frustration and anger. This was no ordinary road work. Someone was purposely setting up these road blocks. He was about to call Inumuta and see what was going on when he heard the passenger's side door open and saw Mako about to get out. He stared at her for a moment, eyes demanding that she stay where she was. With a soft squeal she closed the door and gave a nervous giggle as she sat back down in her seat. With a deep frown and a twitch of an eyebrow he dialed his friend's number and waited for him to pick up, only to denied and have his answering machine pick up instead. With yet another growl he threw his phone in the back seat of his car and gripped his steering wheel, temptation to drive through the road blocking signs and crush them began coursing through him.
"It's getting late," Mako spoke up in her seat, feeling brave enough that he wouldn't start shouting. "My curfew is for midnight." She said, glancing at the clock that read 11:45.
Gamagoori felt his blood boil over even more now. He was a man of principles and he refused to allow himself to deliver her home late, and on their first date no less. But what could he do? The road was block and the only entrance to the sidewalk was too narrow for someone of his side to walk on. He couldn't get through and even if he somehow managed to squeeze himself through he would have to be careful as he walked and that would still result in her getting home past curfew. He ground his teeth together, one hand drumming against the steering wheel as he tried to think of something that could help him. He finally thought of an idea. "Call, Matoi. Tell her to come out and meet you."
Mako jumped in her seat, eyes gleaming. "That's a great idea!" she did a small happy dance before she calmed down. "But I don't have a phone." Her family was just starting off with having money and most of it had gone to buying the furniture, food, and other items that they needed. She and Ryuko saw no need to have a phone since they were always together. Without hesitation he reached into the back of his car and handed her his cell which she took with a happy grin. She dialed the number of her home and waited as it rang. "Hi, Ryuko. Can you come meet me outside? The ends of our street is blocked off so Ira can't drop me off. I know, I called him Ira. Isn't it great!" she squealed into the phone and he blushed once more. "Ok, I'll meet you halfway. See you in a bit." With more enthusiasm than necessary she pressed the end button and handed the phone back to Gamagoori who looked at her in concern.
"Why is Matoi not coming to get you here?" he asked, annoyed that the girl would allow her friend to walk the empty streets by herself. Even if it was only halfway he was still concerned.
"Because I asked her too," she jumped out of the car and was pleased to see that he followed after her. She did a quick spin before placing her hands behind her back and smiled up at him. "I wanted to spend a few more moments with you before I had to go." She told him softly.
He was a little shocked to hear this. Usually she was always excited to be by her friend's side and didn't care if she was in the presences of others. He felt his heart swell a little knowing that she wanted to be with him a little longer. With a smile of his own he took hold of her hand again, his thumb running small circles on her smooth skin. "I want to spend more time with you too." It was true. If it was possible he would have this date continuing on till morning but there were rules he had to follow and he did not want to disrespect her family's boundaries.
"Ira," she called to him, a wide smile on her face as she gestured him to come down to her height level. He stared at her for a moment before complying and leaned down until their eyes met. With quick movements she kissed his cheek, giggling when she pulled back and saw his now glowing face. He straightened himself out instantly, one hand going to his cheek that had been kissed. He could still feel the soft touch of her lips on his skin. "I had a great time today," placing her hands behind her back once more she leaned on the back of her heels and stared up at the sky. "When I thought that you liked Ryuko I was planning to support to two because she is my best friend and I want her to be happy. And I know any girl would be happy with you. But I knew deep down in my heart that I wouldn't be able to completely support you two because I liked you too. I was worried if by feeling that way would make me a bad friend," she looked up to him, the moon above reflecting in her eyes but all he saw was the emotion she was showing him in her big brown eyes. "I'm glad that I don't have to be a bad friend and that you like me as much as I like you. It makes me really happy." She gave him the biggest smile she could muster. She wanted him to understand just how happy he made her today.
It felt like his heart was about to start. Hearing her say such things, and with such a serious tone, made him want to hold her tight in his arms and never let her go. She was so pure and innocent and kind to everyone around her. Her whole family was. Despite not having much money they took in Ryuko and always made sure she was happy and content in their home. It was a family full of love for themselves and everyone around them. It was not something he was used too. Growing up his mother was always working so his aunt and uncle helped in a lot to raise him. He had been bullied too. Despite his size he was coward back then, the other kids taking advantage of that and always reminding him that he was different. It had been his uncle who gave him the earrings he wore now that helped him find the courage to stand up to the bullies and find strength in himself. Now standing before him was a girl that has accepted him. She knows he's different and it's because he's different that she loves him. "Please wait one moment," he ran to his car and opened up the glove compartment. He pulled out the small white box that had been placed inside and stared at it for a moment before coming back over and handing the small parcel to her. "I want you to have this." He could feel his nerves acting up again but he didn't let them bother him. She had just confessed her feelings and he wanted to do the same. He wanted her to see that he cared for her just as much she cared for him.
With slow movements she took the box from his hands and held them in hers. The box was a plain white box that gave no indication of where it might have been purchased from. She opened the lid and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw a blue locket in the shape of a rabbit's head resting on cotton in the middle of the box. With great care she picked up the locket by the chain it was on and held it in the palm of her hand, her fingers running over the smooth melt.
"I have an uncle who's a metalworker. I asked him to make this for you. I was planning to give this you on your birthday but I want you to have this now." He truly hadn't been planning to give this her until it was her birthday but something in him said that she needed to have it now.
Mako didn't say anything. She wasn't too sure if she could speak at this point. She hadn't been expecting this. For him to give her a custom made locket designed specifically for her. Opening the small latch on the locket she looked inside to see there was a small clock and once she opened it a song began to play. It was an unknown melody but it made her heart swell with an emotion she wasn't used to feeling. "It's so pretty..." that was an understatement. It was beautiful and really thoughtful and all she wanted to do was throw her arms around his broad shoulders and never let go. But according to the small clock in her hand she didn't have time to do that.
"I asked my uncle to add the melody. I wasn't sure what song was your favorite so I asked my mother to pick out one that you might like." He had to admit it was a little awkward speaking to his mother with the matter of Mako. He hadn't been in contact with his family as much as he should be. When he was still preparing for the battle against Ragyo he had been fully expecting to perish and he had hoped that by separating himself from his relatives it would make it easier for them to accept that he had died. But now the war between the Life Fibers was over and he was slowly starting to speak with more with his family. The moment his mother learned he was having his uncle make a locket for a girl she bombarded him with questions. He told her everything that she wanted to know and it had been her suggestion to add music to the locket. He was grateful that he listened to her because by the look on Mako's face told him that she loved it. "If you like I can have the melody changed to something that prefer." He was starting to get a little nervous that she wasn't saying much. He was used to the girl who was always shouting out what she was thinking and feeling. So for her to suddenly get all quiet unnerved him a bit.
Mako quickly shook her head, placing the locket around her neck where it rested against her chest. "I love it," she was beaming from head to toe in happiness. "The music makes me think of two people dancing together at a wedding." She said, a dreamy look in her eyes as she imagined a bride and groom dancing together on a sparkling dance floor surrounded by dozens of tables of food. She could already feel herself drooling.
His large body stiffen when she said that. He never imagined her to bring up the subject of marriage so early in their dating. Not that he minded. It was normal for girls to think of marriage but was she implying that she wanted to marry him or was he just misinterpreting her innocent comment for something else? He couldn't be sure and he didn't want to say something that could make things awkward between them. He was sure of his feelings, he had fallen in love with Mako but he didn't know if her feelings for him extended that far. He was willing to wait. They had only just started dating and he would wait for years until she felt comfortable enough to tell him that she loved him too.
But even if he was willing to wait he wanted to do all that he could now to see her happy. He was pleased at how happy she was with his gift and he wanted to continue to be the reason for her to smile. Even now seeing how happy she was as she hummed along to the melody made him glad that he asked his family for help. She seemed to notice him staring because she took her gaze off the locket and onto him.
In that moment, silence overtook them. They just stood there, staring into the other's eyes as the full moon shined down at them. Mako stood on the top of her toes, eyes closed and lip puckered up at him. He felt his heart speed up when he saw her asking for a kiss. Swallowing his nerves he closed his own eyes and lowered his head down enough for their lips to brush against each other. It was only for a moment and they barely touched but they felt it. A spark ran through their bodies that had them wrapping their arms around each other and deepening the kiss. They kept it sweet and innocent but it was enough for them. It was only their first kiss but it held enough passion in it to last them until their next kiss. They stayed there, kissing beneath the full moon until the need for air became too great and they were forced to pull away. Both of them with a smile on their face as they pulled back, panting slightly and looking completely dazed. With one last quick kiss they parted ways. She walked behind the road blocking signs as he sat in his car, waiting until he couldn't see her anymore before driving off. The smile on his face never leaving as he thought of their first date. He realized halfway that he never asked her for a second date and felt foolish for forgetting something so important but he wouldn't let it bother him. The night was too perfect for him to get upset over a small matter. Besides he was planning on spending tomorrow with her. He was sure that he could ask her for another date after their graduation ceremony.
~X~
Mako hummed a happy tune to herself as she walked down the empty street. She felt like she was on a cloud with how giddy she felt from kissing him. She was glad with today's events and how things ended. "He didn't ask me out on a second date," She mused to herself. Ryuko nowhere in sight because she hadn't called the girl. She had dialed a fake number and pretended to hold a conversation with her best friend. "It's for the best. I don't think I could have given him a second date." She leaned against a wall of someone's home. Her body suddenly becoming heavy as tears gathered in her eyes. She was only a few feet away from her house but she knew she wouldn't be able to make it. She was losing energy, as well as her conscious, fast. She began to pant, trying to fight it but found it was pointless. Small whimpers left her as she looked on, seeing the lights on in her house and hearing the happy noises coming from inside. "Mom, Dad, Mataro, Guts, Ryuko, Ira. Thank you, for everything." Her body began to glow a bright red and the pain began overtook her body. She cried out but no sound came from her throat because her body was fading away. She was disappearing from this world and from the memories of her friends and family. The only trace of her ever being there was a blue rabbit locket that fell to the ground with a soft clink as it hit the pavement.