A/N: Yep, second chapter. A bit longer than the first. Oh the many joys. Again, reviews are appreciated, feel free to critique… So on and so forth. Enjoy. )

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"Well, actually…" Oh god, what had I done? She WAS going to confess some kind of love? This was so weird; this was so unexpected, did I feel the same way? Oh the questions I was going to have to answer…

"Actually I was just going to say that Kazu wanted to talk to you. He told me this morning, but I forgot to tell you. Sorry… He said it was kind of urgent…" Stupid Ringo. Why couldn't she have just said that straight out? No, that would have been too easy. Instead, she had to drag it on, make it seem like it was something I was going to actually have to be excited about… Wait, I would have been excited if Ringo had confessed undying love? Oh well. I wasn't going to try and comprehend that at that moment.

"Okay.. Thanks… Did he say when? Or where?" I thought I'd better ask about the details. It was a good way to distract me from the strange thoughts I'd been having a second ago, anyway.

"Umm… Around midday? At the park?" She didn't sound so sure but I was going to take her word for it. Looking to the clock on the wall, I noticed that it was already 12:15. Hopefully Kazu would still be there. Nodding to Ringo, I turned, practically running out the door. Mikan had taken my AT's (bitch) so I had to just go in sneakers. I'd really have to run. Suddenly, as I got to the door, I had a thought. Well, no, not so much a thought as… An impulse? It seemed like I was getting a few of those lately. Turning back to Ringo, I called out.

"Hey, Ringo?" She turned her head to look at me, her hair flicking around to the other side of her neck. It always amazed me how girls hair did that. How was it possible? Anyway. Not important.

"Yes?" She was pretty quick to answer.

"Come with me." I smiled hopefully, still wondering why I'd felt the need to ask. Perhaps it was because I just didn't want to walk there alone? Or maybe it was because I hadn't done anything with Ringo in a long time, and it was starting to bug me. I don't know. At any rate, she looked pretty glad to be asked, and nodded, a big smile making its way across her face. That made me feel good – I'd made someone happy.

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We didn't talk about much when we were walking. Basically I just bragged about the fact that I had so much AT talent, and she stayed pretty quiet, seemingly happy just to listen. I'll never get that. She was the one wearing the AT's, so she had every right to begin taunting me – but she didn't. Why was that? How could she be so content just to listen to me go on and on, when she should have been the one making me jealous? That's just Ringo I guess.

As we got to the park, I saw Kazu sitting on one of the benches, with Emily sitting next to him. She seemed to be sitting as close as she possibly could without looking suspicious. From the look on his face though, she was suspicious enough for him to be able to notice it. I couldn't help myself. As I walked towards them, I let a big grin cover my face.

"Hey, how are you two lovebirds going?" I'd barely finished saying it before Ringo turned around, smacking me across the shoulders. It hadn't been that bad, had it? I mean, it was kind of obvious that Emily liked Kazu, so… Oh well, the look on Ringo's face suggested that I shouldn't argue with her. I rolled my eyes, sitting down on the bench next to Kazu.

"What's up?" As I asked him, Kazu gave me a look that suggested he really wanted Emily to get the hell away. I couldn't just turn around and ask her to go, but there had to be some way to talk to him alone…

"Hey, Emily? Come over to the swings with me, I wanna tell you something." Ringo saved my life. I swear, the number of times she's done that… She flashed a huge smile at me as she walked away with Emily, who now looked really excited. Girls and their gossip…

"So, you and Ringo, eh?" Kazu, strangely enough, didn't seem that happy about what he'd just said. I mean sure, it wasn't true, but… Usually when I teased someone, I at least smiled. Maybe he wasn't teasing? Maybe he honestly thought we were going out?

"What? No! No way!" I don't know why I'd tried that hard to deny what he'd said, but… I suppose it didn't matter.

"Why?" That answer shocked me. Why wasn't I going out with Ringo? What kind of a question was that? She was Ringo! It wasn't like that!

"What do you mean why?"

"Well, what's wrong with her?" That shocked me even more. There was nothing wrong with her… In fact… Why weren't we going out? I'd never honestly thought about it. She was just… Ringo. I guess I'd always thought of her as more of a sister. A sister who had really nice… Okay, I was stopping there. It didn't matter. This was one of the weirdest conversations I'd had in awhile, and it was so unlike Kazu to start them.

"Nothing's wrong with her! She's just…"

"She's just WHAT? You're missing it Ikki! You have no idea how lucky you are!" Okay, now I was starting to get suspicious. This was a really strange thing to be talking about, and Kazu's answers to my questions were really starting to scare me. What was he, in love with her or something? And what did he mean I was lucky? Because I lived with her? Because… Really, I had no clue.

"What do you mean? Seriously – explain this!"

"She likes you." Oh. Oh de -. Hmm. I really had no response for that. So when I'd been worrying earlier about her confessing undying love, I really should have been worrying? Nah. Of course not. Kazu was kidding. But… The look on his face… And how would he know anyway?

"She wh – what?" I'd never been unsure like this. Okay, I had, but not about trivial things…

"It's obvious Ikki, it's like me and freaking Emily. I can't believe you haven't noticed it. You should just… Look, you two work really well, okay?" This was way more than I was capable of processing in one day. I would have had no clue whether or not I would consider going out with Ringo. Why did Kazu want me to do this? Why did he care? I had the feeling there was something he wasn't telling me, but I had no clue what it was. I stayed quiet for a minute, deciding that I had absolutely nothing to say. Luckily, Kazu spoke again.

"Maybe we should get our act together. Maybe AT's aren't everything, Ikki. Maybe we should actually, you know… Be grateful for what we have? I mean with Emily. And Ringo… I'm serious Ikki. You don't know lucky you are to have her."

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KAZU'S POV

"Why do you keep saying that? What do you mean I'm lucky? Why are you so… Focused on getting me and Ringo together?" Because I want her to be happy, and you're the only one that can do that. Ikki really didn't realise how lucky he was. He had this amazing girl that was pretty much in love with him, and he just discarded her. Me, on the other hand, I had Emily. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in his position. I mean sure, she was pretty and nice and all, but… Look, there's only so many times you can take being called 'sweetie' in one day.

"Because…" I couldn't tell him. Yeah, Ikki was my best friend, but I couldn't even tell him about how I honestly felt. "Don't worry." The look he gave me said that he definitely suspected something was up, but I didn't really care. He wouldn't figure it out. God, he couldn't even figure out that Ringo adored him, and she'd been making it blatantly obvious for ages.

"Okay." Suddenly, Ikki stood up. He seemed to be looking over at Emily and Ringo – what the hell was up with him?

"Err, Ikki, where are you going?"

"I'm going to ask Ringo if it's true."

"You're WHAT?" He was going to what? If he just walked up to her and asked, there could be a serious disaster. I mean, I don't understand girls or anything, but I can guess that they don't like being asked questions like that in front of a bunch of other people.

"I'm just gonna go ask her if it's true. What's the big deal?" There was no stopping him. He marched over to the swings, heading over to the side where Ringo was. Casually, he leant on one of the metal bars that were holding them up. Of course, I had to follow him.

"Hey, Ringo, can I ask you something?" Ringo seemed a little scared by this request, but there wasn't anything I could do to help her. I wanted to, but… Unfortunately, I'd have to skip out on the knight in shining armour thing this time.

"Umm… Sure Ikki, what is it?" She looked a little confused now. I'd be scared too if I was her.

"Well, Kazu reckons you've got a big crush on me. Is it true?" He grinned, obviously expecting her to say that no, it wasn't true. Ringo, on the other hand, went the brightest shade of red I've ever seen anyone go. Seriously, it looked unnatural. God I felt sorry for her.

"Oh, umm… Ikki, I…" This time it was Ikki's turn to go an unnatural colour. He, however, went the opposite to Ringo. All of the colour drained OUT of his face, making him look like some kind of deformed polar bear. On two legs, obviously.

"Oh shit." Now he realises I wasn't kidding. Funnily enough, I've never seen him run so fast in my life. He turned, quickly sprinting off into the distance. I was surprised he didn't throw up – but I knew it would only be a matter of time before he did. I kinda felt sorry for him – but it did sorta serve him right.

It was then that I realised I should probably check that Ringo was okay, considering… Well, I'm guessing that what had just happened hadn't been an ideal situation for her.

"Umm… Ringo… I… Uhh… Are you okay?" Yes, it had taken me THAT long to splutter three words. She, however, was growing slightly less beetroot-like as we spoke.

"Yeah Kazu, I'm fine… Just… Is it that obvious?"

"I hate to say it, but yeah." I almost accidentally said something about it being like Emily again, but luckily I stopped myself. Well, that could have been bad. I shrugged a little; making sure the look on my face was apologetic. Ringo smiled, but the smile seemed so forced that I really began to feel for her. I mean, I had before, but… Anyway.

"Oh well, it was bound to happen sometime, right?" She looked like she was about to cry. I nodded, looking apologetic once again as I leaned against the same place Ikki had been leaning against only moments ago.

"I think I'm gonna go home." Ringo attempted a smile once again, but it was kind of easy to see through. I nodded, waving a little bit. Oh please god, don't leave me alone with Emily. It was too late, she was already gone.

"So Kazu. I umm… Have a question for you." Now she was going bright red. What was this, a ripest tomato competition? Ringo won hands down, they should all just stop trying. At any rate, I nodded, trying to look interested.

"There's umm.. Going to be a dance at school soon. Do you want to… I mean would you… Will you go with me?" A dance? God, why would I want to go to a dance? I couldn't really say no though. I'd have to find a way to drag Ikki along with me. And maybe Ringo would come? There was a new incentive to go. I shrugged a little, managing a smile.

"Umm… Sure. Maybe Ikki and Ringo will come too?"

"I don't know, she looked pretty upset… And Ikki didn't look so good either.

"Ikki will be fine…" I sighed, leaning back against the pole as I rolled my eyes slightly. "He's always fine."

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Ahh, two chapters in two days. Not bad. On to chapter three!