I am terribly sorry for the big delay, but here's the new chapter.. I might have overdone the drama thing, eheheh ~

"I-impossible," Taiga stuttered, holding her fingers pressed towards Ryuuji's neck. She felt her head starting to spin. She refused to believe any of it.

'Not Ryuuji!'
The words raced through her head like an oncoming storm, about to ruin everything in its wake.
'Not in a million years are you allowed to take away my Ryuuji! He was meant to protect me, to take care of me.. Not die for me'!

People had started gathering around, trying to see what had happened. But everything was going so fast, and no one had even considered the possibility of death. No one had noticed Taiga straddling his hips, slapping her tiny fists on his abdomen in hope of getting him back.

Now it's said that your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but this was different. Taiga's life was flashing – every moment she'd have with Ryuuji just spinning through her head.

"This is unfair to you, and it is unfair to Minorin, but.. Ryuuji.. I don't want you to leave me. No matter who you spend your life with, I want to be able to see you, Takasu Ryuuji. I want to be able to walk by your side, even if it's too much to ask."

Her voice was shaking now, tears flooding uncontrollably. Ryuuji stared at her for a while, before he suddenly put his arms behind Taiga's back and pulled her into a gentle hug.

"You're not alone, Taiga! I told you that day, didn't I? I'm a dragon, and you are a tiger. As a dragon, I am to be your equal, and to stay by your side forever. That's how it is, right?"

Ryuuji's voice was saddened, and his vision was blurred. Taiga sat there completely still for a while, tears still flowing from her eyes. After a while, she wrapped her arms around him.

"Ryuuji!"

"Ryuuji!" She yelled again, weakly hitting her fists against his chest. Realization was starting to wash over Kitamura and the others, and they were starting to understand what had happened. Kitamura was just about to pull Taiga away so that he could attempt to do CPR, but he never had time, because something happened.

Something, well – peculiar.

"Don't you dare leave me, you stupid dog!" Taiga shouted with a teary voice as she slammed her fist into Ryuuji's chest with a force that could send a grown man flying. In unison with her fist hitting home, Ryuuji broke into a fit of violent coughing, gulping up whatever water he'd inhaled earlier.

He hurriedly sat up, shocked and confused. It was completely quiet around him, and everyone was staring. Practically everyone who'd been at the beach was gathered around him now, but he didn't really notice that. What he focused on was Taiga, in front of him. She was sitting there with wide open eyes filled with tears, and her entire body was shaking.

"Idiot!" She suddenly exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Ryuuji's neck, hugging him as if desperately looking for comfort.

"I-it hurts," Ryuuji flinched, gritting his teeth.

"I don't care!" Taiga cried, just hugging him tighter. "You almost left me, so you owe me this much!"
She managed to calm down a little, sulking quietly after a while. "You shouldn't have to get yourself hurt in order to protect me," She muttered silently, the tears falling a little slower from her eyes now.

Ryuuji started to gently stroke his hand through her wet hair, trying to comfort her. Everyone else was just staring in a mix of shock and relief.
"It's not like I could help it," he breathed with a painful smile. "When I saw that wave come towards you, my body just reacted. I couldn't do anything about."

"Idiot," Taiga murmured, still clinging to him.

"We've got to get you an ambulance," Kitamura informed, a feeling of relief having washed over him. Ryuuji shook his head a little.

"I'll be fine. I'll have someone at the hotel tend to the wound, so don't think too much about it." He replied. Kitamura glared at him for a while, knowing that it wasn't a good idea, but at the same time knowing he wouldn't be able to convince Ryuuji otherwise.

"Fine," he said, smiling comfortingly. "We were really scared there for a moment," he said as Ryuuji stood up, supporting Taiga. Ryuuji looked at him with a frown for a while, before smiling.

"'course you were," he chuckled as he gaved Kitamura a hug, and Kitamura patted his back while making sure he didn't hit the wound.

"Don't ever do that again, okay?" Kitamura said more than asked, moving back from the hug as he did. Ryuuji nodded sternly, looking back at Taiga.

"I should probably get back to the hotel.. man, I'm exhausted." He muttered. "Dying isn't fun, I'll tell you."

"You sure you don't need to go the hospital?" Kitamura asked a little worried.

"I'll be fine."

…

Ryuuji and Taiga returned to the hotel after not long, and Ryuuji got patched up by their teacher. "Thanks, Sensei," he murmured as the bandage was in place and he's stood up. They were in a little infirmary, which luckily, was inside the hotel.

"Nothing to thank me for," Yuri laughed nervously, scratching her head. "I was taught some nursing long ago, so it wasn't too hard." She said. She suddenly looked a little stern. "But really, Takasu-san.. Are you sure you shouldn't go see a doctor? What you told me sounded pretty bad." She breathed.

Ryuuji only shook his head a little. Yuri sighed again. "What about Aisaka-san? How is she?" She asked softly, and Ryuuji smiled.

"She seems fine," he replied, getting ready to leave. "Don't worry too much about it. I'll take care of her."

"I'm afraid I'll have to send you home," Yuri murmured, seeming kind of sorry about it. Ryuuji turned around to face her.

"I know. I should probably be home and rest. I practically died just an hour ago."

"Yeah.. but if you need comfort.." She murmured. "I can excuse Aisaka-san from the rest of the trip too, and you two can leave on the bus together. If she would like that, of course."

Ryuuji widened his eyes just a tiny bit. "W-why exactly her?" He stuttered, his voice a little shaky.

"Well," Yuri giggled, holding a hand in front of her mouth. "You two are obviously very lovey-dovey ~"

"H-hey.." Ryuuji blushed, looking to the side. "You don't have to put it like that, you know. Aren't teachers supposed to like, be against that kind of stuff?"

Yuri frowned a bit. "I just want to make sure you don't end up like.. you know.." She swallowed heavily, her eyes getting darker. "Like me."

"That's harsh." Ryuuji uttered. "To yourself, I mean."

".. It's the simple truth."

"Eh.."

"Never mind."

"Okay."

…

Taiga had agreed to come along, if not even begged for it. She still had a bad conscience about making Ryuuji save her like that, and so she wanted to stay by his side – though she probably would have done so either way. They were sitting on the bus, in a kind of comfortable silence that not most people are able to share.

"Ryuuji.." Taiga muttered after a while, breaking the before mentioned silence. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize anymore," Ryuuij breathed, furrowing his brows a little. "It's not like it's your fault that you were attacked by a giant wave."

"But still.." Taiga pouted, puckering her lips a little.

"It's fine," Ryuuji chuckled patting her head. Because it was fine. It really was.

…

They'd gotten back after a few hours, and Ryuuji had returned to his house. He would explain things to his mother, but she wasn't home at the moment, but he knew that that day was an early day for her, so she would be back soon. Taiga had returned to her apartment to get a couple of things and unpack her bags.

Ryuuji was resting in his room, obviously very fatigued after what had happened. He groaned lowly, rubbing his temples right before he heard a loud sound from his window – coming from Taiga's apartment. He opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the commotion, hearing Taiga shouting at someone.

Ryuuji ushered over to the balcony, opening it up. The shouting was over, and Taiga came over to the window with a grim look on her face as she opened it.

"What's going on?" He asked with a worried expression on his face, having absolutely no idea what could make Taiga react like that. Had something happened?

"My dad is selling the apartment," she muttered under her breath, looking down. "I have to move out."

Ryuuji widened his eyes a little. "W-where?"

"I guess my dad is trying to force me back home."

Again, extremely sorry for the delay. . I put in yet another piece of drama in the end here, but I just want to inform you – this story isn't a tragedy, and nothing will end badly. I think. But this probably won't. xD