NekoYasha101: hey yuaz ! so as always ... I don't own tokyo mew mew ... ending would sooo be different if I did ... well anyways ... hope u like this ...

Quick comment ... in this chapter ... there is a lot of changes between points of views ... specially since Ryou is suppose to show no emotions ... so I kinda have 2 do it like this ... I know it looks kinda bad with all the switches ... but I hope it turns out 2 peoples likings ...

Last Chapter:

"Why are you here?" Ryou asked softly, his voice drained completely of emotion.

"Well, its spring break, and all the girls are off doing their own thing, so I thought I'd come over here and see what you're doing. Is that so wrong?" she asked smugly. She knew that he had not meant his question like that, but for some reason she didn't want to answer his question, so she tried to avoid it completely.

"I mean why aren't you overseas with Masaya? You shouldn't be back until summer. You said so yourself before you left," he said continuing to poke at his pancake.

Ichigo felt a lump form in her throat at his question.

Chapter 4
I Suck At Lying!

(Ichigo's point of view)

What does he expect me to say? I cannot tell him. Knowing him he would laugh at me and say proudly, "I told you so!" ...I will not let him do that! He just cannot find out about this! But what am I to say to him then? He knows just as well as myself that I suck at lying...so what do I do? This is making my brain hurt! Stupid baka Ryou! He always does this to me. She sighed then. What am I going to tell him?

(Ryou's point of view)

Silence hung over them after what he last asked. He had half expected her togetmade at him and shout"it's none of his business!" But she was just sitting there, starring off into the distance, her thoughts elsewhere. Is that baka going to say anything?

He pulled his eyes away from his pancakes and looked over at her. What the? Ichigo was sitting on the other side of the table, completely consumed in her thoughts. But to him, he saw her starring off at something unknown. She was fidgeting and shifting in her chair. What is she doing?

"Ichigo..." he said her name, a slight irritation in his voice. It looked like she was avoiding his question completely. She did not answer his call. That baka! I'll give her a piece of my mind... he thought as he called her name again, louder this time. "Ichigo!"

(Ichigo's point of view)

One question hovered around in her mind as she thought. What am I going to tell Ryou? She had tried countless times already to come up with something, anything, that might pass as the truth and yet she drew a blank each time. She always came back to the same thing. She either told the truth, or lied, something she was bad enough at already without having to come up with something on the spot.

As her thoughts traveled she faintly heard her voice being called out. She turned her heard slightly, though she didn't really look at who was calling her name. Her thoughts, and total concentration was still on figuring out what she was going to say to Ryou.

(Ryou's Point of View)

Ichigo turned when he called her name the third time. But what he saw caught him off guard. Her eyes were glazed slightly, like she was deep in thought. She hadn't been avoiding his question after all. In fact, she seemed to be trying to come up with a lie to tell him. That baka. She sucks at lying. Did she really think she'd be able to lie to me? He laughed at that thought. Everyone, and by everyone he meant anyone who had ever met Ichigo could tell when she was lying."Baka strawberry..." he said to himself as he continued to watch her.

That's when her gaze shifted to stare straight back at him. For a minute she just watched him, then she shouted, almost in a panicked voice, "It's none of your business!"

Ryou burst into laughter then. He even shocked himself at what he did. Quickly, he tried to regain his composure and refrain himself from any more outbursts. But on the inside, he was still laughing. Ha! I knew she was going to do that! She couldn't even come up with a lie? She's so predictable sometimes...he thought as he finally came out of his laughing fit. "Baka strawberry..." he said, the only thing he could come up with as Ichigo starred at him in awe. Your not the only oneshocked by that Ichigo... He rolled his eyes then and prepared for the little battle that was expected to follow his usual nickname for her.

Ichigo was shaking a fist at him at those words. On the side, Ryou had laughed at what she said, something she had not expected. She tucked away the thought for later questioning, but one thing was certain, some things had changed...but not his insults. He always had said those words to her, and oh how they made her temper flare! At least he hadn't flicked her that time... "Why you ... ignor-"

She was interrupted when the café door swung open abruptly and sunlight filled the café. In came a smiling Masaya, dressed in nicely pressed black pants and blue long sleeve shirt. He looked like he had just come from work, even though he was still in school.

Ryou's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Masaya. He was perfect as Ichigo used to say. "Too perfect if you ask me," would be Ryou's whispered reply to no one at all.

He chuckled lightly when he saw what he was wearing, and the expression on his face was priceless to him. He looked aged slightly, almost like the new school had worn him out. He wore cloths that were meant for people much older then he. Overall, Ryou found his appearance rather worn and out of date, even funny, but definately not perfect. Definatelynot perfect!

"Hey Ichigo!" Masaya said, smiling at the two as he came over to stand before them. And what an annoying voice! Man I hate this guy!

Ichigo sighed then. Ryou looked over at her as she replied, "Hey Masaya." She was smiling, but unless Ryou had read the look wrong, it seemed to him like it had been forced slightly.

"Hey..." Masaya started, trailing off when he tried to think of Ryou's name. "Sorry, but what's your name again?"

Ryou huffed slightly, trying tokeep his anger down,as he gathered his plate and utensils up. "Not that its any of your business, the names Ryou" he said sharply. Then he added in a whisper to himself , with a sharp tone in his voice, "And you had best not forget it," as he walked past Masaya and into the kitchen. He didn't really care if he had heard him or not.

"Thanks for the pancakes Ichigo," Ryou muttered as he grabbed some saran-wrap and put it over the plate, then opening the fridge and placing the almost still full pancakes in the fridge. "I'll see you later," he said, his voice emotionless again.

(Ichigo's point of view)

Ichigo, seeing Ryou awkwardly move into the kitchen to be away from Masaya, grabbed the regaining pancakes and gathered up the strawberries and moved into the kitchen to help clean up. She was not surprised when his voice returned to the old emotionless, dry voice that she had listened to order her around only half a year ago. He was hiding behind that wall of his again, and it made her mad. For a just a little bit she had seen some emotion coming from him. First the laugh, and then when he saw Masaya. Even when he had asked her why she was there, he was trying to hid the emotions that had spread across his face. But now he was the same old Ryou again. It angered her slightly, though she didn't know why. And that comment he made didn't make her any happier.

Masaya called to her from the kitchen. "So Ichigo, you mom said you were here. So I came by..." he trailed off then. "...I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies when your done here?"

(Ryou's point of view)

Ryou stiffened when he heard what Masaya had asked. He was asking her out on a date! Didn't he realize that we had been hanging out ... if that's what you want to call it ... but still, he came in and acts like he's the only one that matters. His fists clenched and he tried to suppress the scowl that was leaving his lips, hoping Ichigo hadn't heard. If only Ichigo didn't like him, I would have...he let his thoughts trail as he his anger grew as the silence filled the kitchen.

(Ichigo's point of view)

Ichigo had just finished covering her plate and putting it in the fridge after Ryou. She looked over at Ryou as he put the frying pan in the sink to rinse. She could have sworn she saw him clench his fists. And had she heard a faint scowl? He really doesn't like Masaya, does he? She thought to herself, before realizing that Ryou was still standing at the sink, hiding his face, and Masaya was waiting for her answer.

Her hands quickly found the hem of her shirt, and she began fidgeting with it, twirling it and inspecting it as it way in between her fingers.A new little habit of hers.I to get Masaya away from Ryou before he snapped. I know he didn't like him, and it doesn't help that Masaya had come in here while we were hanging out ... if you can call it that ... and asked me to go out with him. Sometimes I wonder about him ... she let her thoughts trail off as she said the first thing that came to her mind, "Sorry Masaya, but I have to unpack my stuff. But if you meet me outside, you can walk with me home." Damn, why'd I have to say that? Now Ryou's going to want to know what I ment by unpacking! Way to be you baka!

Masaya nodded in understanding and left the café to wait for her outside. Ichigo let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, letting her shoulders relax. He believed me !

(Ryou's point of view)

Unpack! What was she unpacking! Had she come back to live here ! But what about Masaya ! They seemed to still be going out ... at least that's what Masaya seems to think. So what was she talking about ... unpacking! And she still hasn't answered me as to why she is back! That baka strawberry better start talking!

He looked over at Masaya as he left the café. Instantly the tension in his stomach lifted, and he let out a breath he had been unconsciously holding. He let his hands relax, his knuckles white from the hard fists he had been making.

That was when he looked over at Ichigo. She seemed slightly fragile as she let her arms hang limply by her side. He sighed when he looked over at her. She looked tired. Not too long ago though, she had had lots of energy. It was as if talk about coming back and Masaya's coming had drained a lot of energy from her. His anger and confusions washed away as he looked over at the exhausted girl.

He tried to think of something that he could say to make her a little more lively. Anything, as long as it gave her some of her unique 'Ichigo' personality.

"Yoh, strawberry..." he said, causing her to turn around and face him. Just them he got right up close to her face and said softly, "boo."

She jumped at that. Wether from the closeness, or simply from fright he could not tell, but she regained some of her cheerful self non-the-less. He watched as she jumped back, turning away from him, then spin around and shouted sharply, "Why you big jerk!"

He grinned evilly then, and once again Ichigo took note that he had let his wall slip again at that moment. "I might be a jerk," he said, leaning in close to her face again so they their noses were inches from touching, "but your still a baka strawberry." That was when he brought up his hand and flicked her on the forehead.

His grin widened as he watched her spin around and stomp out of the café, huffing and puffing as she did. After she was gone though, the emotional wall was slipped back into place and he looked blankly at the café doors, knowing all to well that she was with that kid, if he can even be called that, Masaya.

(Ichigo's point of view)

Ichigo sighed as he left the café. She saw Masaya sitting on a near by bench waiting for her. I had hoped he had gone home ... she thought to herself and let a pout spread across her face before she forced a smile in its place. Then she walked over to Masaya and they made they way back to her place.

OOOO ! whats with the forced smiles ... ? and why did she come back early ? All shall be revealed soon ! ull just have 2 wait until then ! And ... to answer anybody wondering if there is going 2 be some action (not only kissing (fluffies!) but also fighting!) ... later on i am hoping that there will ! Hope all my reviewers liked this one ! hope its not too confusing ! well anyways ... latterz ! hope u like it !