Hi, all! Here's chapter two of Everybody Loves Shuichi, The Sequel!: But What About Kurama?

Anyway, this chapter is a little sadder than the others (poor Tasaka!), but hopefully everyone will enjoy it! Also, Miss Nagai, Kokoda, and Mr. Fukuda should appear in chapter three (and hopefully Kurama's parents, too!), and Yusuke definitely will be in chapter four (considering his name is in the title of the chapter, lol!). Also, chapter three will be Kurama's first mission (in which the action/adventure plot should get under way). As for this chapter, Ritsuki is back! Yay!

Well, that's it for now! R&R and thanks for reading!

Chapter Two: Ritsuki's Getting Married! An Odd and Unexpected Reunion!

"'Tall, dark, mysterious, muscular, drop-dead gorgeous with the most stunning and manly physique…'" Kaito read aloud from the magazine article from his desk at Kaito Investigations. "Hmm…it doesn't sound anything like you, Tasaka," he commented, placing down the magazine and looking over at the lean Tasaka.

Tasaka, who sat at the table with Shuichi, Maya, Hiroshi, and Kyoji, just grumbled glumly and glowered bitterly, staring down at the old ring Ritsuki had given to him when she had "proposed" to him during their high school play. He had always carried it with him, ever since she had given it to him. Meanwhile, Kaito continued on, "It says here that he's also a 'fantastic actor, who is exceptionally sophisticated, charming, and mature. Simply put, he is the epitome of masculine perfection.'" He then eyed the often brash and overly emotional Tasaka and remarked, "Definitely nothing like you at all."

Tasaka let out a frustrated sigh, but said nothing as he continued to eye the ring in disappointment and self-contempt; how could he have been so foolish as to think that Ritsuki would remember him after a whole year? She had just liked teasing him in high school, that's all - it was nothing that was supposed to be taken seriously, but, rather, something she did to pass the time. And yet he still couldn't help but feel depressed about the whole thing.

Shuichi, feeling some sympathy for the dejected Tasaka, offered, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Tasaka. High school sweethearts often drift apart…"

"Yeah, Tasaka; did you really think that a hot babe like Ritsuki was going to stay around with an average guy like you when she could have any guy she wanted?" Kyoji now spoke up and Shuichi groaned at this pathetic and thoughtless attempt of cheering up the already downtrodden Tasaka, who now appeared even more miserable.

"What Kyoji means is that…well…she had a lot of opportunities to meet other people, so it's only natural…" Shuichi trailed off, frowning, as he saw how Tasaka fervently eyed the ring that he both despised and cherished. "It has been a year, you know, Tasaka…perhaps it's best if you move on…"

"Especially seeing as she hasn't even talked to you in a whole year," Kyoji added. "Seriously, who needs her, anyway? There's no way you could compete with all those celebrity types, so why worry about it? Besides, you know what she's like - she flirts with everyone, so of course she flirted with you back in high school."

"I don't think you're helping much, Kyoji…" Shuichi told Kyoji with a frown, noticing how miserable and angry Tasaka looked.

"I wonder who she's marrying; it must be someone super famous!" Maya chirped excitedly now.

"Out of all the things that you forget, why can't this be one of them?" Tasaka at last muttered disdainfully.

Maya frowned. "Forget what?"

"Never mind, Maya," Tasaka mumbled under his breath, returning his attention to the ring.

"I'm sure you'll find someone else, Tasaka," Shuichi spoke again. "And I'm sure you and Ritsuki will still be friends."

"Just give it a rest, Minamino," Tasaka snapped, although he continued glaring down at the ring. "I don't want your pity."

Shuichi frowned, while Hiroshi said, "I'm sorry, Tasaka. I should have told you sooner."

Tasaka now lifted his head. "You mean, you knew?"

Hiroshi nodded solemnly. "Ritsu said she didn't want me to tell you. She said you'd get angry, which I guess she was right. Still, I suppose it would have been better than you finding out from a magazine article. But maybe she just wanted to tell you in person…"

Tasaka just scoffed and lowered his head with angry tears in his dark eyes. "Stupid Yamagashi…"

"Is this what that letter was all about?" the voice of Namiko came from the doorway of Kaito Investigations. The others turned to see her standing at the door, with Seita reluctantly standing behind her. "And here I was worried that something bad was going to happen to Shuichi!" She then frowned in puzzlement and furrowed her brows. "Hey, what is everybody doing here? And what's with all the sad faces?"

"Ritsuki's getting married!" Maya exclaimed.

"Huh?" Namiko asked.

Kaito then held up the magazine for her to see. "It's true."

"Oh, wow! Is she marrying someone famous?" Namiko asked giddily as she ran over to Kaito's desk and snatched the magazine from her. "Ooh! 'Tall, dark, mysterious, muscular, drop-dead gorgeous with the most stunning and manly physique…' And he's 'sophisticated' and 'charming' - he sounds just as great as Shuichi!"
Shuichi gave a modest laugh while Seita crossed his arms and grumbled irritably, "Stupid Minamino…"

"Oh, and he's an actor, too! Oh, wow!" Namiko continued to gush. "I wonder who it is! He must be someone super famous! I wonder if we'll get to meet him! Maybe I can get his autograph!" She then lifted her eyes from the magazine article and turned around to see the depressed and bitter expression on Tasaka's face. The vigor in Namiko's visage was quickl replaced with sympathy as she closed the magazine and said softly, "Oh, Tasaka…"

Seita, in the meantime, questioned, "What going on here, anyway? Is this supposed to be some sort of reunion?"

"No, it's supposed to be a business, actually," Kaito explained matter-of-factly. "Maya, Shuichi, and Hiroshi are all my employees, at the moment. Tasaka stopped by to…visit his sister, let's just say, and Kyoji came along."

"I see," Namiko replied.

"But one must wonder what the two of you are doing together," Kaito mused now. "Seeing as last time I checked, you both hated each other."

Namiko and Seita grimaced resentfully now and Namiko answered for them, "Unfortunately, it seems that Seita and I are both working on the same research project at Tokyo Museum with Miss Nagai's uncle, Dr. Kuroki…it would be a fabulous learning experience if the company was more bearable, but sometimes you have to make due…"

"Who are you calling 'unbearable company?!'" Seita shouted in defiance. "I didn't even want to come here in the first place! You're the one who dragged me here after our session with Dr. Kuroki, you know!"

"Because Shuichi could have been in danger!" Namiko argued. "Although, he could still be in danger, now that I think about it." She then sharply spun back toward Kaito. "Just how safe is this little business of yours going to be, hmm?"

Shuichi now laughed and insisted, "Don't worry, Namiko. I can handle myself just fine, I assure you…"

"Of course you can, Shuichi!" Namiko then exclaimed, her icy demeanor leaving her. "Not that I ever doubted your amazing abilities…"

"I think the real problem here is that Miss Nagai actually has relatives," Kyoji then interjected with a shudder.

"It is quite startling," Kaito agreed, pulling up his manga again and pondering lackadaisically, "Perhaps I should start charging people for loitering in my building for no apparent reason other than to bother me with their inane chit-chat, seeing as so many unauthorized personnel have been occupying it as of late…"

As those "unauthorized personnel" - specifically, Namiko, Seita, and Kyoji - scowled at Kaito, who had become consumed once more with his manga, Hiroshi cell phone began to ring. "Hmm?" Hiroshi hummed, pulling out his cell-phone from his pocket. Recognizing the name on the Caller I.D., he said in surprise, "Hey, it's Ritsuki."

The group quickly turned their attention to Hiroshi, who flipped open the phone and answered, "Hello? Ritsu?…I should tell you…yeah, everyone's already heard…even Tasa-chan…well, they're all here right now and read it in that interview…of course, he's upset. You know how he is…you want to talk to them?" Hiroshi then turned to the others and said, "Here. Ritsuki wants to talk to you." He then put his cell-phone on speaker.

"Hi, everyone!" the exuberant voice of Ritsuki came squealing through the phone. "It's so great to be talking to everyone again! Now, I know it's short notice, but I just arrived in Tokyo - it's so good to be back! - and I insist that you all come to my suite on the top floor of the Tokyo hotel this evening, six o'clock sharp! No buts about it! After all, we have so much to catch up on and it's been a whole year! I've got so very much to tell you and a big surprise - well, Hiro told me you already know, which is kind of a shame. But wait until you see who my fiancé is! You'll all be so excited! You better be, anyway, because he's really spectacular! Ooh! I can't wait! And I expect you all to be at my wedding, but we'll talk about that when you get here, of course. And I do mean everyone better come tonight - that means Shu-chan, Nami, Ma-chan, Kyo-Kyo, Sei-Sei, Yuu-chan, and Hiro! And you, too, Tasa-chan! I know you're angry with me, but it simply won't be the same if you're not there - and I just couldn't get married without you at the wedding, so you better plan to come to that, too! If you don't come, I'll have to track you down and drag you there myself!" She let out a cackling laugh which caused the others to cringe. "Anyway, that's all! See you in a few hours! Love, hugs, and kisses! Bye!" She blew a kiss on the phone before hanging up before any of them could get a word in edgewise.

"Damn woman…she's just as pushy as always," Kaito muttered in annoyance, glaring at the phone as Hiroshi flipped it closed.

"Well, I suppose she's just eager to see us all," Shuichi reasoned, frowning a bit.

And Tasaka just glanced back down at the ring with a look of defeat glistening in his somber eyes.


Knowing that they had little choice in the matter, given Ritsuki's aggressive nature, the group headed for the luxurious Tokyo Hotel. Even the reluctant Tasaka begrudgingly went along, holding tightly to the ring, although he kept both hands shoved in his coat pockets. When they arrived at the hotel, they quickly were escorted to the top floor in which a grand suite awaited them.

"This is so glamorous!" Namiko gushed excitedly as she looked around at their extravagant, slightly gaudy surroundings.

"I've stayed at a few suites like this before when I accompanied my father on some of his business trips during my internship," Shuichi noted.

"Wow, Shuichi! That's so cool!" Namiko praised, clasping her hands together and staring up at Shuichi dreamily, which caused Shuichi to smile politely.

It was then that Ritsuki appeared, dressed in a provocative, tight, and very revealing short red dress with a squeal of excitement. "You're all here!"

"Ritsu!" both Namiko and Maya cheered upon seeing their old friend while the boys, save Hiroshi, seemed less than thrilled to see the spoiled and vain woman again.

After the three girls hugged, Ritsuki said, "Sit down! Sit down!"

And so they obeyed and took their seats, Tasaka trailing behind and sitting down last, while Ritsuki quickly served them sake. She then sat herself and began quickly chatting away, telling of her year away in New York, a conversation which Namiko and Maya eagerly participated in while the others looked more or less bored by the discussion. Ritsuki then proceeded to question the others about their own lives during the last year, in which the group went through the mundane details of college life. Tasaka, however, refused to engage in the conversation, and remained ever stubborn, grimacing glumly at the wall and avoiding eye contact with Ritsuki at all costs.

"But what about you, Ritsu?" Namiko then asked. "Who is it that you're marrying? When will we get to meet him? I bet he's famous, right?"

Ritsuki laughed shrilly. "Oh, I can't wait to tell you! He's actually in the hotel already, so it should be soon! I just have to find the right moment to reveal it to you all! I mean, he's so special that's it's got to be a special introduction!"

"Oh, wow, I can't wait!" Namiko exclaimed.

"It'll be so cool to meet a real celebrity," Kyoji concurred.

"Now, look what you're doing, Ritsu," Hiroshi now said with a sly smirk. "You're building up their expectations of him. I hope he doesn't disappoint them now."

"You mean, you know who it is, too?" Kyoji asked eagerly.

"Of course I do. Ritsu tells me everything," Hiroshi answered casually.

"That's so unfair!" Namiko complained. "How could you tell Hiro and not me and Ma-chan?"

"Because I want it to be a surprise!" Ritsuki insisted. "And don't worry, Hiro! There's no way he could be a disappointment! He's just too wonderful!"

Tasaka now scoffed, having reached his breaking point. He clutched tightly onto the ring, making a fist until his knuckles were white, and snapped furiously, "Who the hell cares who this guy is? He's probably some stupid jerk, anyway."

Ritsuki then frowned. "Tasa-chan…you really shouldn't say those sort of things…"

Tasaka grunted, grinding his teeth. "Whatever; I don't really care either way what you do, Yamagashi.." He then got up off the couch and brushed past the group, marching out the terrace and sliding the glass door shut.

The others frowned in dismay and looked to Ritsuki, whose eyes lingered toward the glass door, gazing at the angry and dejected Tasaka.

"You shouldn't let Tasaka bother you," Shuichi then said to Ritsuki. "He only says those things because he still cares about you. I'm sure he won't stay angry with you for that long."

Ristuki now let out a laugh, waving her hands as if to assure the others she was okay. "Oh, I know, I know. It's still just makes me a little sad to see Tasaka so upset, that's all. But I'm sure that once the wedding is all over with, he'll really be happy with the decision."

"I agree," Shuichi answered with a smile before standing up himself. "Perhaps I'll go talk with him…"

"Oh, that would be so great, Shu-chan!" Ritsuki exclaimed. "I really don't want him to be angry with me - not tonight, when it's supposed to be so very special for me. I simply couldn't announce my fiancé in these sort of conditions!"

Shuichi gave a nod and then went onto the terrace himself, sliding the glass door behind him. Tasaka stood, shivering in the evening cold and leaning over the balcony railing and glancing down at the busy street of Tokyo below. Shuichi stepped beside him and said, "Hey, Tasaka…"

"Just leave me alone, Minamino," Tasaka muttered. "I don't want to talk to you."

"You really shouldn't be so bitter, Tasaka," Shuichi, however, persisted. "I know you're upset, but - "

"You don't know anything about me or how I feel," Tasaka cut him off angrily. "Now go away."

Shuichi let out a sigh. Perhaps it would be more difficult than he initially realized to deal with the scorned heart of a jilted lover. Still, Shuichi had never backed down from a challenge before and he certainly couldn't now, especially when it so deeply involved his friends.

However, before Shuichi had a chance to speak again, Tasaka remarked resentfully, "That Yamagashi…she never thinks about anyone else but herself. I don't really care what she does, but if I did…well, the least she could have done is talk to me first! I just can't stand her sometimes! Who would want to marry such an annoying, spoiled, selfish woman like her, anyway?!" With that, he closed his eyes tightly and thrust his arm upward, clenching tightly to the ring in his raised fist, as if ready to hurl it downward in the streets of Tokyo. Yet, as his fist hung in the air, he couldn't bring himself to let go of the ring. Instead, the anger in his expression dispersed and was replaced with a sullen regret as he lowered his hand and opened his fist. Looking down at the ring that lay in his palm, he said quietly, "Hey, Minamino, remember that race back in high school?"

Shuichi's eyes fluttered in surprise, bewildered by the sudden change in conversation. Regaining his senses after a few moments, he replied, "Yes, I remember."

"Do you remember that I told you that I thought I was in love?"

Shuichi paused for a moment before recalling the bizarre conversation that he had had with Tasaka before the race had begun, in which Tasaka had declared he had to win the race and had run faster than Shuichi thought was humanly possible. "Yes, I remember that, too," Shuichi answered, still confused as he was on that day.

"I was trying to win the race for Yamagashi," Tasaka replied quietly, before he turned to Shuichi and proclaimed loudly and with a painful regret flashing in his eyes, "I wanted to win the race for Yamagashi!"

Shuichi frowned, taken aback by this odd declaration and the visible sorrow in Tasaka's pained expression. Replaying the conversation again in his head, it at last made sense to him and Shuichi grimaced with pity for the embittered Tasaka, who now cast his eyes away from Shuichi in embarrassment. "Tasaka…"

"Never mind. Just forget it," Tasaka quickly brushed him off, shoving his hands, ring included, in his coat pockets again. He glanced down at his feet, his face now beat red. "It's just stupid high school stuff, anyway. What does it matter now?"

It was then that the glass door slid open and out popped Ritsuki's head onto the terrace. "Hey, Shu-chan…can I talk to Tasa-chan for a moment?"

Shuichi frowned, but nodded, stepping back into the hotel room as Ritsuki slipped past him and onto the terrace, sliding the door closed behind her. She slowly stepped beside Tasaka and said, "Hi, Tasa-chan. How are you?"

"Fine," he muttered flatly.

"You've hardly talked to me at all this whole evening and I've missed you so much," Ritsuki continued with a smile.

"Then why didn't you just call me while you were in New York?" Tasaka questioned, keeping his eyes diverted from hers.

"Because I was so busy!" Ritsuki insisted. "Besides, I could say the same thing about you, too."

Tasaka snorted. "Why the hell would I call you? I didn't say I missed you."

"Tasa-chan, you're always so angry," Ritsuki replied with a sigh. She then smiled and perked up, placing a hand on his arm. "Hey, Tasa-chan! You should see all the cute boys I met in America! I took tons of pictures! Some of them are really naughty!" She let out a flirtatious laugh.

"Why the hell would I want to look at that for?" Tasaka grumbled.

"Don't tell me you're acting jealous again!"

"Why would I be jealous?!" Tasaka exclaimed angrily, as if a reflex and as he often had done back in high school, and turned to face her now. However, when they're eyes met, he quickly blushed and his gaze darted away, back toward Tokyo. "I mean, I never liked you to begin with so why would I have a reason to be jealous?" he said, although there was a hint of bitterness in his voice that gave his true feeling away.

A moment of silence passed before Ritsuki said, "Tasa-chan, are you very angry with me?"

"No," Tasaka replied coarsely. "I mean, why would I care what you do?"

Ritsuki now stood up straight. "Listen, Tasa-chan. We'll always be friends - best friends, even! That's why it's important you're not angry with me. I simply couldn't live with myself, knowing my best friend was angry with me, especially on my wedding day, of all days!"

"I already said I don't care," Tasaka reiterated, growing more annoyed.

"You don't?" Ritsuki asked.

"No."

"You don't even care that I'm getting married?" Ritsuki persisted.

"Do whatever the hell you want. I just feel bad for that poor jerk who gets stuck with you for a wife."

"That's cruel!" Ritsuki whined, but smirked playfully. After a pause, she ordered, "Then promise me."

"What?" Tasaka asked in surprise, confused with her instructions, and looked to her.

"Promise me that you're not angry with me," Ritsuki clarified.

"Why do I have to promise that for?" he asked irritably.

"Because if you really don't care you'd promise."

Tasaka sighed and rolled his eyes, glaring away again. "I promise I'm not angry with you," he muttered reluctantly.

"And you promise that you don't care who I marry?"

"Yes," Tasaka replied sharply.

"And that, no matter who it is, you won't get angry, or try to stop the wedding, or try and change my mind? That you'll accept my decision whole-heartedly and let me marry whoever I want to six weeks from today?"

Tasaka sighed in frustration, growing more annoyed, and, turning back to her, hastily exclaimed in exasperation, "Yeah, yeah, I promise!"

However, as soon as these words carelessly slipped out, he realized his mistake, for Ritsuki was grinning wildly and wickedly with triumphant glee and her eyes were flashing deviously. Tasaka's mouth gaped open, but no words would come out as he slowly ran through the day's events and their conversation in his head - particularly the all-damning promise he had just made - slowly coming to the horrifying conclusion that he had been completely and utterly duped.

Ritsuki, however, was giggling fiercely now, her grin widening. Tasaka, after a few seconds of shocked revelation, snapped back to his senses, and began to protest, "Now, hold on a second!"

"A promise is a promise, Tasa-chan!" she exclaimed happily, relishing in both her victory and Tasaka's own torment as she slid open the glass door and went back into the hotel room.

"You tricked me!" Tasaka shouted out of both anger and desperation, chasing after her as the others, who sat in the hotel suite, looked at the two in bafflement.

"Don't be so bitter, Tasa-chan," Ritsuki, however, insisted lightly. "You should have been clever enough to figure it out. Besides, I think I was rather clear in what I was asking you to promise. You promised me that you'd let me marry whoever I wanted, no exceptions!"

"Yeah, but that's because you made me think…" Tasaka trailed off before letting out a low growl and shouting, "It's not fair and you know it!"

"But, Tasa-chan, I've already bought myself a wedding dress and rented out a hall here at the hotel!" Ritsuki explained, pouting. "The whole wedding's already been planned!"

"So un-plan it!"

"Um…just what is going on exactly…?" Shuichi now asked for the group, who appeared incredibly puzzled.

"Oh, Tasa-chan's just being a big baby, that's all!" Ritsuki brushed Shuichi off with a laugh. "It's really because he loves me so much, of course…"

"No, it's because you're a dirty liar!" Tasaka nearly screamed, causing the others to wince. "And I do not love you!"

"She really wasn't dishonest with you," Hiroshi now spoke up, smirking slyly. "You're the one who went jumping to all these different conclusions."

"You mean, you knew?! How could you not tell me?!" Tasaka questioned heatedly.

"I already explained that to you; Ritsu thought you'd get angry," Hiroshi explained.

"Of course I'm angry! She planned a whole wedding and she didn't even tell me!" Tasaka shouted, pointing a furious and accusing finger at Ritsuki.

"Why did she have to tell you for?" Kyoji asked in puzzlement. "I mean, sure it would have been nice if she did…"

"Because I'm the groom!"

The group gasped, stunned, before crying out, "What?!"

"But…but…" Namiko now stammered. "In the interview you said that your fiancé was 'drop-dead gorgeous,' and 'tall,' 'dark,' and 'mysterious' - the 'epitome of masculine perfection!'"

"Not to mention, 'sophisticated, charming, and mature,' all of which Tasaka is definitely not," Kaito pointed out.

"Of course my Tasa-chan is!" Ritsuki insisted, taking hold of Tasaka's arm and clinging to it tightly, causing Tasaka to glower at her with even more animosity. "And he's very handsome, in my opinion - after all, he has the number one photographed butt of all time at Mieou Academy!"

"But you said he was a 'fantastic actor,'" Shuichi noted with a frown.

"Well, I think he was just fantastic playing the prince in Cinderella, wouldn't you say, Hiro?" Ritsuki answered with a playful grin.

"Just marvelous, Ritsu," Hiroshi replied, smirking back.

"And all this time we thought it was a celebrity," Kyoji said disappointedly. "And it was only dull and boring Tasaka."

"Who are you calling 'dull and boring?!'" Tasaka exclaimed, raising his free hand, clenching it into an indignant fist. He then glared back at Ritsuki and shouted, "And we are not getting married!"

"You know, Tasa-chan, you already promised me you wouldn't get angry," Ritsuki reminded him. "Besides, it's not like I really went behind your back, considering we were already engaged."

"We were not engaged - " Tasaka began irately, but stopped as Ritsuki quickly let go of his arm and slipped her hand into his coat pocket, pulling out their engagement ring he had held from back in high school. She smiled at him knowingly, holding up the ring, as his face turned bright red with embarrassment and his eyes fell down to his feet in defeat.

"A promise is a promise, Tasa-chan," she repeated, trapping him thoroughly.

A bead of sweat dripped down Tasaka's forehead, as his cheeks became redder and his countenance filled with anxiety. Feeling the others' eyes weighing down on him and the ring already revealing the truth he had so desperately tried to keep hidden from Ritsuki, Tasaka relinquished bashfully, "Fine…I guess we'll get married…"

Ritsuki let out a cheer of excitement, wrapping her arms tightly and vigorously around his, as she cried happily, "I knew you'd say 'yes,' Tasa-chan!"

"Like I really had a choice," Tasaka muttered, face still flushed with embarrassment.

Ritsuki then turned to the others and declared, "And now I present to you my fiancé, Tasa-chan! In six weeks we're officially getting married and you're all invited!"

Tasaka gulped nervously, realizing what little time he had left as a free man while the other applauded half-heartedly, still disappointed in Ritsuki's choice for her groom as they were hoping to meet someone famous. And Shuichi smiled with some relief, knowing that for once he was not the center of attention.

Unfortunately for Shuichi, the feeling of relief would be brief, for that uncomfortable, nerve-wrecking, and distressing position would shortly fall upon him once again, much to his utter dismay.