CHAPTER ELEVEN.

Friday had finally arrived and Ukyo wished she was back in Nerima again. Even Shampoo's speaking habits were more bearable than putting up with Mrs. Kanaeda's daughter.

But nope; here she was, still in Osaka, about to get dinner with a part of her worst nightmare.

This is going to be a reeeeally long night…

The fact that Ryoga had been too busy to hang out these past days didn't help her mood.

That jackass…

He'd asked her father to take him to buy his bed and then he'd busted his ass off at the restaurant to pay back the favor and the room.

She knew that, even if he didn't admit it, he was embarrassed for what he had told her, even if it didn't mean anything because they were just friends and he was in love with another girl.

However, it had made her feel so good to know he thought that about her. She had been honest when she'd said that she had been called 'cute' just once in her life, and then he goes and calls her pretty and beautiful. It had also made her feel special, since she knew Ryoga wasn't a guy that usually said things like that to girls.

She had always wondered what guys thought about her, if they found her attractive or not, if they thought she was pretty; she had always put herself down so much she'd started to believe she wasn't good-looking at all.

But Ryoga's words had encouraged her a lot, because even if he was a friend, he was still a guy, and he said it because he wanted to, she didn't even ask; so here she was, looking at herself in the mirror, wearing high-heeled boots and a tight jean and a flattering blue top, with her hair falling in silky waves at the sides of her face thanks to a bit of brushing. She had even dared to wear a bit of eyeliner! Yup, she was not going to be mocked tonight for being a boyish girl.

Tonight she was just a girl.

And she was definitely rubbing that little fact on Aisha's freckled, ugly face.

Ha!

"Ukyo, are you ready?" Her father asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes dad!" She checked herself once more before going to the door. When she opened it she couldn't help to feel a bit satisfied at the surprised gasp of her dad.

"Well?" She asked, twirling around.

"Honey, you look beautiful," her father praised her.

"Thanks, I wanted to look nice for tonight."

"You do," he said, stroking her cheek; "come on, I want to make a stop at the restaurant to check everything's fine."

"Dad," she rolled her eyes as they made their way downstairs; "the restaurant won't go out of business for just one night you're not there."

"I know, I know; I just want to make sure everything's okay. I usually count on Mrs. Kanaeda to take care of it, but seeing as she's not going to be there either, I'm a bit concerned."

"Don't you trust Mrs. Nugumi?"

"Yes, I do, but she has never been in charge of the restaurant before, and the night shift can be a bit difficult."

"She's been taking double shifts to learn, dad, and she's got three boys of her own to handle; I'm sure she's quite capable of managing a starving crowd."

"Yes, but it's usually two people behind the grill at night shifts, and now there's only one."

"Dad, stop worrying;" she commanded as she put on her coat. "Besides, isn't Ryoga there to help her?"

"You're right, I think they can manage just fine." He nodded while putting on his coat and they exited the house.

"We're still going to the restaurant first, aren't we?" She smiled knowingly.

"Yup."

"You're such a control freak."

Her dad laughed.

Ukyo hurried down the street, trying to hide her grin behind her scarf. Ryoga hadn't been on sight when they went to the restaurant, but she had noticed a few guys staring at her with interest while her dad gave instructions to Nugumi, and that had been all the encouraging she had needed. Although she would've liked to know what the fanged boy thought of her looks tonight…

Who would've thought that a pair of boots and some eyeliner would make such a difference in her looks? Maybe it was because now she wasn't trying to be something she was not, now she was just being the girl she was. And she had to admit that it wasn't too much of an effort.

They reached the house a couple of blocks later and Mr. Kuonji knocked on the door excitedly. Ukyo hid her face behind the scarf to hide her grin again; she knew what was going on: her dad and Mrs. Kanaeda had been attracted to each other forever, but none of them had the courage to make a move. Mrs. Kanaeda had widowed when she was a little girl, and her dad had been a supportive boss, and then he had turned into a good friend; but she had the slight suspicion that he wanted to be more than that.

The lady opened the door with a smile as radiant as her dad's, welcoming them into her home. She was dressed in a pink and white kimono and had her hair up in a sophisticated style; she had to admit that the woman looked gorgeous.

"Good evening, you two! Please come in!"

They left their coats and Mrs. Kanaeda led them to the dining room. Ukyo smiled, she'd spent so many afternoons hiding under that table…

"Make yourselves comfortable! Aisha will come down soon…"

"I'll help you in the kitchen," her dad offered gallantly and she was left alone.

She picked one of the seats in the middle of the table, hoping the night wouldn't get too unbearable, when Aisha came into the dining room.

She still had the same blond, curly hair and stunning light-blue eyes as well as her mother, but her eyes were now hidden behind a pair of elegant glasses and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head, leaving her beautiful, freckled face exposed.

She had kind of expected to see a devilish hot high-school queen or something along those lines, not someone smiling so nicely at her…

"Hi," the girl said sheepishly, wrinkling her freckled nose.

"Um, hi Aisha…"

"Sorry my mom dragged you here tonight; I bet you had better plans." She said nonchalantly.

Ukyo just shrugged. She was not telling the girl she'd rather be spending the evening with her best friend instead.

The blonde girl walked over to the table and took the seat in front of her.

"You look nice."

"Thanks? Uh, so do you…"

Aisha let out a short laugh, "You seem surprised."

"What happened to you?" She blurted, and when she realized what she had just said her face flamed up, "I didn't mean it like that! I mean…"

Fortunately, the girl laughed.

"I know what you meant," Aisha shrugged; "I guess I didn't grew up to be a bitch like the other girls did. That, of course, made me the new punch-bag."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. I guess someone had to replace you when you were gone."

"But you were a part of their group!"

"I was, indeed, and I can't tell you how sorry I am for the way I used to treat you. I guess you have to be at the other side to really know what you do to people…"

"So, what happened?"

"After junior high, when we started high-school; they of course became popular, but I didn't fit in their group anymore. I was too nice."

"And they just discarded you like that?"

"The worst part is that I honestly believed they were my friends, you know?"

"That sucks."

"It did, but I do have a lot of other friends, and I'm happier this way. It hurt at first, but then I realized I didn't want to turn into one of them…"

"Wow… I mean, I guess it's better this way then." She laughed, "I'm sorry, I'm just surprised."

"Well, I have to say I'm surprised as well; you've grown up quite well, Kuonji."

"Um, thank you?"

The blonde girl laughed again, shaking her head with amusement. Their parents came back with dinner then and they started eating, chatting about nonsense and catching up with their lives, and she felt strangely comfortable about it.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad night, after all.

*CRASH*

"Ryoga!" He flinched when he heard his name, "that's the fourth plate you break tonight!"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Nugumi, I guess I'm too distracted."

The woman stepped into the kitchen, shaking her head at him.

"Yes, I've noticed. Don't worry, there aren't any more costumers so I'm about to close up."

"Okay…" He nodded, and busied himself with the dishes… or so he tried.

He was drying up his hands when the woman returned to the kitchen carrying a broom and a dustpan.

"The floor is already clean, so you don't have to worry about it," she announced chirpily.

"Thank you, Mrs. Nugumi."

"You know…" she started, setting the kettle on the stove, "I've noticed you haven't eaten anything tonight."

"I wasn't hungry."

"Okay, but you can have some tea with me now. I've put away some okonomiyaki; it's a bit cold but I can heat it up."

"Please don't bother, Mrs. Nugumi, I just want to go to sleep now."

"Aw, come on, join me." She said as she put two cups on the square table Mr. Kuonji had recently purchased, since he had insisted that Ryoga kept the other one in his room. The woman then walked to the fridge and retrieved a plate with okonomiyaki which then heated up in the microwave oven.

Ryoga sat reluctantly, seeing that she had made the effort to feed him when she could have just gone home. She put the plate in front of him and served him tea. Then she sat in front of him filling her own cup.

"You have been quite distracted tonight… more than usual."

"Yeah, I guess my mind was elsewhere…" he said sheepishly, taking a bite.

"Somewhere around a brunette, perhaps?" She smiled knowingly, making him choke.

"Wh-what? I-I-I-what?"

The dark-haired woman giggled, "Right on the spot."

"I, I don't…"

"It's okay, you can tell me."

He shook his head, "There's nothing to tell, we're friends…"

"I know, but I have seen the way you looked at her tonight; maybe she didn't notice you behind the double doors, but I did."

"I was just surprised, that's all…"

"Okay, then next time, try not to be so surprised or you'll break everything in the kitchen." She finished her tea and took the empty cup to the sink. "I'm going home now, you go to sleep and give that mind of yours a bit of rest, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks for dinner."

The woman smiled, patted his head lovingly and took her things. "Good night Ryoga," she said at the door, stepping outside.

"Good night, Mrs. Nugumi." He closed the door and locked it; put the rest of his okonomiyaki back in the fridge and turned off the lights.

Once in his room, he slumped on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Mrs. Nugumi had been right, he'd been thinking about her all night. He'd been truly surprised when he saw her; mesmerized, actually. He had been about to pick up the mountain of dishes when he noticed her standing by the entrance, with her hair waving all over her shoulders and her blue eyes bright, and he couldn't help the way his heart had begun racing and his cheeks had flushed. She had been at the restaurant just for five minutes, but she had left him feeling nervous and confused and fluttering about all night. What was going on with him?

This was the reason why he had decided to put some distance between them and busy himself with work at the restaurant, aside from paying Mr. Kuonji back. Until he straightened up his mind he couldn't trust himself alone around her, he might end up embarrassing himself again.

But how much thought could he actually give the matter?

Maybe he was reading too much into it; maybe calling a friend 'beautiful' and holding hands and thinking they're amazing because they accept the worst in you is what normal friends do, and he should get a grip on himself and stop being such an obsessing idiot that pushes his only real friend away.

"I'm so stupid…" he muttered to the ceiling.

His cellphone beeped with an incoming message on the nightstand. His heart started fluttering again thinking it was probably her but he paid it no heed. These strange reactions would probably go away once he'd grow accustomed to their friendship.

He took the little device and frowned at the screen. It was just a missed call from his boss; he should call him back in the morning. He kept staring dumbly at the screen, waiting. They usually chatted a bit before going to bed every night, and he enjoyed their little exchange. He let out a sigh of defeat after a while and wrote 'How was dinner?', then hit send.

The reply took long enough to arrive.

'Pretty good. I guess you were right.'

'I'm glad… Sorry I've been so busy.' He wrote carefully. He kind of liked this way of communicating, where he could think better what to say instead of just blurting things out or getting tongue-tied.

'Where were you tonight? I passed by the restaurant and didn't see you there.'

'In the kitchen, doing dishes.'

'You missed my outfit, I wanted to know if you liked it.'

He loved it, actually, but he wasn't admitting that to her.

'Why is my opinion of any importance?'

'Because you're my friend! Just because you say something nice to me doesn't mean I'm going to confuse things, you idiot.'

No, he'd been the one confused instead; but it was relieving to know she hadn't. The last thing he wanted was to mess up their friendship.

'Should go to sleep, gotta call my boss early in the morning.'

'Got to work tomorrow?'

'I don't know yet, why?'

'I want to hang out.'

'If I'm free tomorrow I'll go.'

'Good, cause I miss you, jackass. Night!'

He kept staring at the words on the screen until his eyes couldn't keep open anymore…

I've received a lot of comments about Aisha, and I want to clarify that she won't be in between Ryoga and Ukyo; I don't like the fact of other people involved in the couple, so don't worry. n.n