Goodness, I haven't updated this story in ages. Gomen-nasai! *bows* It won't happen again, I promise! Okay, maybe I shouldn't go making promises. I think a lot of you readers know exactly what happened when I started making promises to update Change of Heart in a timely fashion. ^.^' But it won't take this long for the next chapter to come out. Hopefully.
So no one has to do any re-reading, here's the rundown of the last few chapters: Lettuce met Rei, Keiichiro's ex-girlfriend, and then again on Rei's birthday and wonders if it has anything to do with the zoned-out, cake-obsessed Keiichiro at the Cafe working on some mystery cake, only to go to the Cafe and, upon talking with Ryou, learns that Rei and Keiichiro do, in fact know each other! What drama will be unveiled from this revelation?
Chapter Twenty-Six:
Rei sat in her office, gently tapping away at the keyboard of her computer, but she really couldn't focus on her work.
Akasaka Keiichiro… Keiichiro-San…
That was a name she hadn't heard in a very long time. A face she missed.
She shook her head and dismissed thoughts of her old boyfriend. But as hard as she tried, they just kept coming back.
Just a few blocks away, Keiichiro's eyes were blank as his hands carefully guided the icing in perfect cursive on the cake. His thoughts were filled with the young butterfly-loving girl he was once deeply in love with. And, quite possibly, still was. He wasn't sure, just as Ryou wasn't sure where his feelings lay for Zakuro.
He didn't know that outside the door, his best friend and the young Mew leader were discussing him and his estranged girlfriend.
"You've met Rei?" Ryou asked softly.
Lettuce nodded, gripping the broom in her hands tightly.
"She accidentally captured me in her butterfly net by accident yesterday, and then again today," Lettuce explained. "She… seemed so sad. And lonely. And today is her birthday, and she's working, and that's not a good way for anyone to spend their birthday."
Ryou turned his blue eyes back to Keiichiro, who was blankly staring at his work.
"Keiichiro met Rei nearly four years ago, while both were university students. They were introduced by their biology professor at a conference. They were very happy and very much in love. But both were very dedicated to their studies, and both unknowingly turned the passion for each other towards their work.
"They both did a lot of lab work, and would often work late. They would make plans, but often one would be late—more than often, that one was Keiichiro. Eventually, one day, her birthday, she broke it off with him. She said that their individual studies were more important, and that she didn't want him to give up something he loved, and that she didn't want to give up something she loved." Ryou sighed softly. "Neither got a chance to say good-bye. She just left him a message over the phone, and he was late for their meeting."
"So, then, that's why—" Lettuce whispered.
"That's why he started making these cakes, designing them and decorating them. He had always liked baking, but before this it was just throw some icing on and be done with it. Now… well, you can see what has become of that." Ryou said. He averted his gaze to the inner Café. "So you see? There's nothing really we can do, they each chose their own path and that's that. It's none of our—"
But the doors were already swinging behind Lettuce and, with wide-eyes, Ryou quickly followed her in. Lettuce, white knuckles still holding the broom, blue eyes brimming with tears of passion and grief for her friends, walked in saying,
"Akasaka-San!"
Keiichiro looked at her, eyes still a bit blank.
"Oh, Lettuce-Chan?" He said, obviously still a bit in a daze. "You are still here?"
"Lettuce, no!" Ryou said, reaching out to pull Lettuce out of the room.
"What's going on?" Ichigo asked as she poked her head in, followed by the other girls, gazing at the scene with some confusion.
"Akasaka-San, you need to meet with Rei-San!" Lettuce said, her eyes not leaving Keiichiro's brown eyes.
The blankness in Keiichiro's gaze suddenly gone and replaced with surprise and confusion, as well with a little bit of anger as he looked at Ryou, the most likely culprit to have given that backstory. Ryou grinned nervously and tried—and failed—to look innocent. Lettuce ignored this and continued,
"She's so sad, and lonely, and I see that you are too! I know that she wouldn't have tried to hurt you, and that you would never have tried to hurt her, but Rei-San just wanted you to be able to study your own path.
"She wanted you to be happy, your life to be happy, even if she wasn't a part of it. So… so she only left because she loved you. I know you still love her, that's why you make the cakes. But I don't know her feelings. What I do know is that she loved you enough to set you free, just like the butterflies. She didn't want to pin you like the ones she uses to study, she wanted to see you flying on your own, to your own freedom. I know that you two owe it to each other to meet again. If both of your feelings are still the same as they once were, then maybe you can rekindle your relationship. If not, well, then," Lettuce took a deep breath. "Shouldn't you at least have a chance to say a proper good-bye?"
Ryou and Zakuro both flinched slightly and turned to each other. Their eyes said the exact same thing:
We never did that, did we? Have a proper good-bye?
"Lettuce is right, Akasaka-San!" Mint said with a grin. "You and Rei-San, you should meet again."
"Yeah!" Ichigo said with a nod. "Whether it be for the first time again, or for the last, neither of you need to be sad because you followed your dreams."
"Have her eat your cake, and then she'll surely be happy, na no da!" Pudding said with a wide grin.
Swallowing both tears and pride, Zakuro said,
"If nothing is done," She said, eyes flickering briefly towards Ryou as she spoke. "Then you both will be tied to the past forever. Lettuce is right. You both need to soar like the butterflies."
"Everyone…" Keiichiro whispered, eyes softening. Then he nodded. "You are all right. I need this… I owe it to Rei to do this…"
Lettuce smiled as she took Keiichiro's hand.
"Then, let's go!" She said.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Scene Divider)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Rei sat with a cup of tea before her, gazing sadly across from her. Once upon a time, there had been a second steaming cup placed there. Once upon a time, there was a very sweet young man who would have looked at her butterflies, staring at them in wonder.
Once upon a time, she would have told him that she felt so sorry that she had to pin them to those boards, how she lamented that there was no other way to study them otherwise, how she was so grateful that one of her colleagues would do it for her sometimes, or if there was a donation from an older collection it would go to her.
Once upon a time, that young man would have smiled at her and told her that she was very kind and gentle and sweet.
Once upon a time…
Rei jumped, the tea spilling all over the table as she got to her feet as the door suddenly slammed upon.
Standing there, silhouetted in the bright light of the fluorescents of the outer halls, were two boys. The taller one leaned against the doorframe, the smaller one seemed to be almost floating, legs crossed at the ankle and arms folded over his small chest.
"W-Who's there?" Rei said shakily, eyes wide.
They both ignored her, save for smirking at her fear.
"Now can we start, Kisshu?" The younger asked.
The older boy let out a 'heh' of laughter.
"Let the fun begin, Taruto." He said. He lifted his palm and a glowing red ball left his palm, shattering the glass of the cases and windows.
Rei shrieked as she covered her face to avoid being hit by the glass.
Rei moved her arms to see the older boy with emerald hair reach down to pick up a butterfly and her eyes widened.
"Don't touch that butterfly!" She said. "The wings are poisonous!"
The boy just looked over his shoulder, butterfly in hand as he turned to smirk at her.
"Perfect," He said, stretching out his other hand.
Rei screamed as her soul went into Kisshu's hand and both hands began to glow as he brought them together before throwing them above his head with a cry of,
"FUSION!"
"All the lights are out," Ichigo said as they entered through the fence to approach Rei's office building.
"That's odd," Lettuce said. "Rei-San said that she'd be here all night."
Suddenly, a bright yellow light shined through the windows, nearly blinding them all.
"What's going on?" Mint asked, shielding her eyes.
"Don't tell me…" Keiichiro whispered, his blood running cold.
As quickly as it began, the light disappeared.
Lettuce could hear her heartbeat in her ears. And that scared her.
All was quiet. Too quiet.
Suddenly, there was a large boom as brick and glass exploded from the side of the building, revealing a human-sized butterfly.
A Chimera Animal.
"Why would Pie make an alien here?" Ichigo asked with wide eyes.
"More importantly, where's Rei-San?" Lettuce asked. She stuck her hand into her pocket as she said, "Everyone, transform!"
"MEW MEW MINT!"
"MEW MEW ICHIGO!"
"MEW MEW PUDDING!"
"MEW MEW ZAKURO!"
"MEW MEW LETTUCE!"
"METAMORPHO-SIS!"
It was once the girls had finished transforming that the Mews, Ryou and Keiichiro saw Rei, trapped in a clear, gel-like chrysalis, seemingly unconscious but struggling to breathe.
"Rei!" Keiichiro whispered, not even feeling the cake slipping out of his hand.
Lettuce frowned.
"Alright, Pie, show yourself!" She yelled into the air. "You have a reason for every target, and I want to hear why you chose Rei!"
"Look at this, Taruto. The insects came straight to us."
"Eh? This isn't fair, Kisshu! I wanted to leave more destruction!"
It was then that they saw the two alien boys atop of the roof, one smirking as he ran his eyes up and down Ichigo's body while the other looked rather miffed and was pouting.
"And just who the heck are you?" Ichigo yelled angrily, not noticing that the older of the two seemed to be ogling her with lust.
Kish's smirk grew as he realized that fact.
The perfect advantage.
Ichigo screamed as the older boy scooped her off her feet.
"ICHIGO!" Mint screamed as she tried to grab hold of Ichigo's tail and missed.
Ichigo squirmed and writhed in the air above while Kisshu held her tight, pinning her arms to her sides with one arm and keeping one folded leg pressed against her knees, preventing her from kicking him. Even then, she noticed how high she was, and knew it would be a painful landing if she was suddenly dropped. If she lived to feel the pain at all. With that thought, she went rigidly still in his arms. He smirked slightly, glad to see that she knew that she was utterly defenseless at this moment.
"My, my, what a pretty little kitty we have here," He crooned as he held her chin in his hand.
"GET OFF OF ME YOU ALIEN FREAK!" Ichigo screamed in his face as she tried to push him off of her, fear of falling gone and replaced with anger.
"Aw, Koneko-Chan's all gwumpy?" Kish said in a baby-talk voice with a small pout before he smirked. "I like 'em feisty."
Mint snarled and lifted her bow, getting a clear aim at the alien, but Zakuro quickly grabbed her arm.
"He moves too fast, you could hit Ichigo!" She said warningly. Mint reluctantly lowered her bow.
Lettuce frowned in agreement, not liking the situation. If they attacked, they could hurt their friend. If they didn't, she was still in danger and he could use that to his advantage.
"Kisshu, quit flirting and get over here, baka!" The younger alien whined impatiently.
To Ichigo's surprise, the alien quickly kissed her nose before dropping her with a maniacal laugh. Ichigo screamed as she fell through the air.
"Pudding, make a shield now!" Lettuce yelled.
"RIBBON PUDDING RING INFERNO!" Pudding screamed as she conjured up the flan shield, which Ichigo landed on and bounced off of, landing in a crouch beside her teammates. She was a little startled and dazed, but otherwise unharmed.
"So you're Tokyo Mew Mew?" Kish said, observing the girls.
"You're the ones who have been giving Pie so much trouble?" Tart said, wrinkling his nose. "Pathetic. How the heck does he keep losing to you?"
"Remember, Taruto, girls aren't exactly Pie's strong suit." Kish said, briefly putting his hand on top of Tart's using the boy as something to lean on. "But, then again, the little vixens may just have more to them that meets the eye." His golden eyes glowed blue briefly as stood up straight again and raised a sai sword above his head. "Let's see what they can do."
He brought down his arm sharply with a cry of,
"Butterfly! Go!"
At Kish's order, the Chimera leapt into the air, flapping its wings, sending a golden, glittery powder over them.
"What is it, na no da?" Pudding asked as she watched it rain down.
"I don't know, but I think we should run!" Ryou said with wide eyes as he yanked on the back of Pudding's costume to pull her away from the powdery substance.
It did no good. The powder quickly overwhelmed them, making them hack and gasp for breath.
"Phosphorous," Keiichiro said as he coughed. "Must be highly concentrated… Very poisonous."
"At least we know what's killing us," Ichigo gasped from where she was on her hands and knees trying desperately to get the poison out of her lungs.
"Don't let the Chimera shower them too much, Kisshu," Tart said, watching with glee. "I don't wanna watch them die yet."
"Nor do I," Kish said, eyes on Ichigo with a greedy gleam. The cute kitty would make a very nice trophy from their victory over Earth. But not before he watched her struggle.
Lettuce was wheezing, but she got to her feet, her Lettustanets clutched in her hands.
"I won't…" She gasped. "Let you win!"
Her eyes then widened at seeing that her efforts to breathe weren't the only laborious ones. Rei seemed to be losing air with every second, and something was moving to cover her mouth.
"Rei-San!" Lettuce said. Suddenly, she saw a blur of black, white and brown out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see Keiichiro running towards Rei, a look of determination on his face.
"Akasaka-San!" Mint called as she got to her feet.
"You take care of the Chimera Animal! I'll help Rei!" Keiichiro yelled over his shoulder.
There was no stopping him, Ryou and the girls knew instantly.
"Fool," Kish said with a smirk. "Tart, have at it."
"Heh," Tart said, conjuring up a pair of red balls on a string that clicked together in a half-wooden, half-metallic way. He twirled them around his finger with a cry of, "Ho Rai Kyu!"
A ball of electricity was spat out, landing at Keiichiro's feet and sending him to the ground.
"Akasaka-San!" Ichigo screamed with wide-eyes.
"That bad boy is killing Keiichiro Onii-Chan, na no da!" Pudding cried with despair.
No one had a chance to check on him, though, as the Chimera began to spread the poison out again with a flap of its wings.
It was only Kish and Tart who would watch Keiichiro get to his feet and take off running towards Rei again.
"Humans, they just never learn their lesson," Kish said with a shrug, not even bothering to spare Keiichiro a second glance. Mew Ichigo was much more interesting.
"They're really stupid, aren't they?" Tart said, wrinkling his nose, feeling almost bored as he watched Keiichiro jump in to save Rei. It wasn't like the human could do anything. He would just die along with the woman.
"Akasaka-San!" Lettuce and her teammates cried out in wide-eyed surprise at Keiichiro's actions while Ryou stood stunned.
Ryou felt selfish. He couldn't stop himself from the thoughts that accompanied watching Keiichiro disappear. He knew when the thoughts entered his head that they were selfish.
But he didn't care if Rei lived. Or any of the other Mews. Not Pudding, the small child he still couldn't believe he managed to drag into this. Not Zakuro, the first girl he ever loved. Not even Lettuce, who he loved now.
He just wanted Keiichiro to come out of this one alive.
Because he'd already lost so much. And Keiichiro wasn't one of the things he could afford to lose.
But then the miracle of all miracles happened. Light emerged from the chrysalis.
And, with Rei in his arms, so did Keiichiro.
"Keiichiro!" Ryou whispered in relief.
Kish leaned forward and growled. How? How could that worthless human escape?
"Kisshu, something's wrong with the Chimera!" Tart said, eyes going wide.
Kish snarled as he looked at his Chimera, writhing in the air.
Rei's eyes fluttered open as she looked up and smiled softly.
"Keiichiro…" She whispered softly.
Keiichiro smiled down at her.
"I'm here, Rei," He whispered.
Lettuce realized what had happened by glancing back and forth between the Chimera and Rei, a hand wrapped around Keiichiro's shirt.
"The Chimera is out of control without the spirit!" She called to the other Mews. "We need to take care of it now!"
"RIBBON MINT ECHO!"
"RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!"
"RIBBON PUDDING RING INFERNO!"
"RIBBON ZAKURO SPEAR!"
"RIBBON LETTUCE RUSH!"
Lettuce felt her feet touch the ground again as she watched the parasite part with the butterfly, the latter of which fell lifelessly to the ground while Mini-Mew scooped up the former. When Lettuce looked up, the two alien boys were gone, almost as if they hadn't been there in the first place.
"One problem solved, now we just need to watch the two lovebirds," Mint said as she grabbed hands with Ichigo and Lettuce, all three excited as they watched Keiichiro set Rei on her feet. Pudding was bobbing up and down excitedly on her toes, a wide grin that was barely concealed by her hands.
"No one say a word," Zakuro said softly. Not chidingly, not warningly. "This is something they have to do. Together. Without us."
They couldn't hear every word, so they were relying on Ichigo's twitching cat ears for information. Lettuce and Mint frowned when Rei turned away from Keiichiro and then Ichigo's grin fell.
"She's saying thank you," She whispered. "And good-bye."
"But, but why, na no da?" Pudding asked, her big eyes filled with tears as Rei and Keiichiro, bowed while smiling softly at each other.
"They… they couldn't fall back in love after all?" Mint asked, also looking distressed.
"That's very sad," Ichigo said as she rubbed at her eye.
"It's depressing being an adult, na no da," Pudding said as her shoulders sagged.
"But, but I don't understand," Lettuce said, eyes still on Rei and Keiichiro. "How? How can they both just walk away again?"
"They freed each other," Zakuro whispered softly. "Before, they did so in order to pursue their own interests, without worrying about the other."
"But now," Ryou said, glancing over at Zakuro, who met his eyes, held her gaze. None of the other girls noticed or knew the feelings behind that gaze. "Now they are free to love again. There's nothing holding back their hearts. They can finally let go."
"A beautiful fresh start," Zakuro murmured. The other girls looked back and forth between Ryou and Zakuro.
"Pudding still doesn't get it, na no da," Pudding said, shaking her head.
"Don't worry," Ryou said, giving the girls a smile and ruffled Pudding's hair. "You'll get it. Maybe when you're a bit older."
"It's just sad that their love is over," Mint said with a sigh.
Lettuce turned back to Keiichiro, who was watching Rei walk away.
"I'm not sure if being able to let go of someone, freeing them like that, is a sign of finished love," Lettuce said. "Or if it's the sign of genuine love."
"I guess a bit of both," Ichigo said softly as she followed Lettuce's gaze. "I don't want to go through it. It sounds painful."
"Trust me, Ichigo," Ryou said, catching Zakuro's eyes again. "It is."
Silently, wordlessly, they agreed.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, they would say their last good-bye.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Scene Divider)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Zakuro studied Keiichiro as he opened the door to let her in.
"Good afternoon, Fujiwara-San," He said, just as cheerful as ever.
"Good afternoon," Zakuro said as she stepped inside. She hesitated, she didn't know Keiichiro all that well, but still… "Akasaka-San. Last night, are, are you alright?"
"I'm recovering," Keiichiro admitted with a sigh. He gave her a smile. "I think I'll be alright, though. Thank you for your concern."
Zakuro just nodded.
"I'm going to go get changed," She said. Keiichiro nodded.
"I'll be in here if you need anything," Keiichiro said, turning his attention to some deserts in front of him. Zakuro nodded and started down the hall. Except, she didn't go to the changing room. She went to the basement.
She needed to talk to Ryou. And the basement was the only logical place he could be, never too far from his precious work and research.
Ryou didn't even glance up from the computer screen when he heard the door open. However, he did cringe at the voice.
"We need to talk, Ryou."
Ryou sighed and turned around in his chair to face Zakuro, leaning against the doorframe, staring at him.
"I was wondering when you'd come, Zakuro," He said softly. "Come on in."
Zakuro entered the room, leaving the door open behind her. She sat down in a chair across from Ryou and crossed her legs, leaning back.
"So." She said.
"So." He repeated.
They sat in the silence, then Zakuro sighed.
"I can't stop thinking about Lettuce said last night, about needing to give a proper good-bye," She said.
"Yeah, me too," Ryou said. They were silent again, before he spoke. "Zakuro, I'm sorry for how things ended. I know I was hurt, and I hurt you—"
"I did the exact same thing," Zakuro interrupted. "And we broke it off angry with each other."
"Lots of other people do."
"We're not like lots of other people, though, we're better than that," Zakuro argued. "Or, I thought we were."
"Are we?" Ryou asked softly. "You said it yourself. I'm a horrible person for creating the Mew Project. I never thought anyone, any human, would suffer from this. And now you're one of them. I'm so sorry, Zakuro. I never meant to get you caught up in this. Never imagined."
"I forgive you," Zakuro said. "I may not like it, but I know what I have to do. I have Lettuce to thank for that."
Ryou was quiet again, then Zakuro said,
"It's okay. I know you like her. I'm not jealous. And she seems to really like you. I want you two to get together. I think you'd make each other very happy, and I know happiness isn't something you've had a lot of. I don't know if you need this or want this, but you have my blessing."
"Needing it or wanting it aside, thanks," Ryou said. Again, there was the crushing, awkward silence. "So, is this it? Is this our good-bye?"
Zakuro took a deep breath.
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is." She said. After a moment's pause, she said, "Ryou? Can, can I ask one more thing of you? Before we end it for good?"
"Of course," Ryou said with a nod.
"Then," Zakuro said, cheeks turning red as she avoided his gaze. "When I left that night, I was too angry at you to kiss you good-bye, and you were too angry at me. But now… now can we have that last, final kiss?"
Ryou responded by standing up and holding out his hand. She looked up at him and arched an eyebrow.
"I think it's fitting," He said, giving her a smile.
Zakuro gave him a small smile and stood up. She caressed his cheek with her fingers, brushing over his blond hair briefly as she stared into his eyes, one of Ryou's hands on her waist and the other on her back.
"If this is to be our last kiss, let's make it memorable," He whispered, pulling her close.
Zakuro relaxed into him, letting him press his mouth to hers, her lips parting slightly. She closed her eyes, fingers locked in his hair. She did enjoy the kiss, this last kiss, and knew Ryou felt the same.
They enjoyed it, but the only sparks that remained in their hearts were fading away.
They were ready to move on.
Suddenly, though, Zakuro felt an urgency, a warning, going throughout her body. Her inner wolf howled in alarm. She felt her ears poke out of the top of her head and they instantly began twitching for the signs of danger. She pulled away from Ryou, who gave her a look of confusion, then his brow furrowed more as he saw her face.
She turned and her eyes widened. Ryou followed her gaze and his heart sank, his stomach churning.
Because standing in the doorway, tears overflowing her eyes with hurt, was Lettuce.