Disclaimer: the following is non-profit fan-fiction. To Love-ru Motto love-ru and to love-ru darkness are all owned by Saki Hasemi, and Kentaro Yabuki. Forgive me if I am forgetting someone who owns anyone of them and I didn't mention. Please support the Official release.
chapter 37
'Love is a complicated thing that everyone has his own definition'
It's been hours since she had arrived and entered on the room, always thinking in that scene.
Flashback
"But before I disappear from your life I have a question... Do you love him? And not as a friend! I mean if you really love him." Saruyama said looking at the ground.
Her eyes widened after hearing that. She had never thought of Rito being more than a friend... But then why she didn't feel wrong to think of him more than just a friend?
"I-I do not know." She said from the first time of her life not sure about what her feelings. "I never thought like that."
"... I see..." Saruyama said. "But the way you always talk about him and how you always put him in the first place instead of me, makes me think that maybe..."
Saruyama could not finish the sentence, he felt that it was stuck on his throat. So he turned his back on Lala. "I'm leaving and I think we'll never see each other again ... But if by chance you really like him... Maybe you can bring out the best of him."
End of flashback
It was night already; still not sure of her feelings. Sure, she loves her parents and sister but never got interested in guy before. All the men that she met before were all evil and never got her attention. So feeling in love or not to someone was new for her. She began to think about the moments she spent with him and reflect on them. "When I came to Earth, I was so happy and impressed when he let me stay at his house, I was curious to know how he was. But in the short time I spent with him, I found he was kind of boring, too quiet and for a moment I thought of moving to another place. But when he protected me knowing that could cost his life and understood how I felt, I realized that perhaps I had judged him wrong and decided to continue living here with him to try to understand him. And over time I saw that despite being too quiet he always knew what to say at the right time and that his comments were always of good intentions. And one of the things I most admire about him is that doesn't want to see me sad... He even risked his life."
"But Lala-sama, a true friend would try to do the same thing? And besides, you two do not have anything in common." Peke said.
"…I know... But... I do not think it's so bad being so different from each other... He is special in different things that I never imagined." She said still in doubt.
"I know what to do!" She said getting up from her bed.
"What?" Peke asked curious.
"I will create a machine that will tell me if I'm in love or not!" Lala said with fires in her eyes thinking that she had found the answer.
A drop of cold sweat (I mean if that were even possible) ran down from Peke.
"... Lala-sama... How will you create something you do not even know how to define?"
Lala frowned and stopped instantly seeing that the robot was right.
"You are right... But then what do I do?" She asked not knowing what to do. "This never occurred to me before."
"Maybe you could talk to your friends and maybe you found out what is to feel in love." Peke suggested.
Lala thought and slowly a smile began to form on her face.
"Great idea!" Lala said cheerfully. "Okay, I'm going to sleep now because tomorrow I'll find out what love is."
Lala could barely sleep that night, too agitated from think about love.
The next day, Lala woke up in a good mood; she asked for Peke to turn into a normal clothes for earthlings for her and left the room. She left the room, went to Rito's room and saw that it was empty which made her wonder.
"Hello Lala. Good to see you." Mikan said happy to see the alien. "Are you feeling better?"
"Oh hi Mikan! I'm okay" Lala said smiling. "Tell me, where is Rito?"
"He went to train and talk with Hitoshi-sensei." Mikan said knowing he would not return to normal or at least would get better after talking with him. "Now let's go" We have many things to do!"
Lala arched an eyebrow surprised. "We have?"
"Yes! We have to choose a Yukata for you!" Mikan said to Lala.
A smile formed on her face and she hugged Mikan.
"Awesome!" Lala said as he hugged her.
"Lala ... Your hug... is too tight." Mikan said almost breathless but happy she was happy.
"Ooops my bad." Lala said releasing her immediately.
They had their breakfast, then quickly got dressed up and left home.
"So where exactly are we going?" Lala asked as they walked.
"We are going to a shop of a friend of my mother who sells Yukatas." Mikan said. "My mother said she makes the best Yukatas in Japan."
"And they are cute?" Lala asked curiously.
Mikan smiled. "You'll see!"
Lala then remembered the things of yesterday and decided to ask for Mikan.
"Mikan, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course." Mikan said, thinking it would be a question about the Yukatas.
"How do you know when you're in love with someone?" Lala asked blushing a little at the question.
Mikan widened her eyes, surprised with this question.
"Wh-Why do you want to know?" She said still surprised at the question.
Lala started to think about the best answer she could give. She did not know if it was best idea to tell Mikan that maybe she was in love with her brother, but she did not want to lie. Lala thought the best was to tell the truth but keeping the identity of Rito as a secret, at least, until she was sure how she felt.
"It's just ... I never fell in love before ... And I'm not sure if I can differentiate if I'm in love with someone or not."
Mikan accepted her answer. She puts a hand on the chin and starts thinking.
"Well... I do not really know... But I think when you are in love to someone your pulse will start racing, you will feel like your heart is being crushed, your face will turn red every time you see him, you will start sweating for no reason and you will have trouble to talk to the person." Said Mikan telling what her friends said what happens.
"Oooooh." Lala said impressed. "But Mikan..."
"Huh?" Mikan said raising an eyebrow.
"The way you described... Are you sure that you are not describe a type of sickness instead of being in love?" Lala asked innocently.
Upon hearing this comment, Mikan starts to laugh. "Hahahahahaha I guess hahaha hahaha you can say that love is almost a disease hahaha." Lala turned her head to the side not understanding.
Meanwhile, somewhere else.
"And this is what happened..." Rito said crestfallen as he sat in a chair in the boss's office.
"... I don't see any problem here except the fact that you have lost control." Kazuhira said with his arms crossed and leaning against the wall.
The Boss looks at his pupil intently, Kaz, realizing that, raises an eyebrow.
"What?" The blonde guy asked surprised. "We already have said that not professional fighters don't have any problem on defending someone else using what they have learned. Anyone would be angry if saw a friend being molested..."
"The problem is that he didn't try to defend anyone, am I right?" The boss said looking at the boy. "His mind was saying to him to hit them as hard as he could."
Rito nodded slowly.
"So all this time you have been training here was a waste of time."
Rito raises his head, shocked.
"You came here to train to become stronger both mentally and psychologically. And in those years we turned you into a lethal weapon. What is inside you will end up on killing you if you do not control... And the fists you have today will also end up hurting everyone around you."
Rito looked at his fists in fear that the next time, he could end up hurting someone important to him.
"I have an answer for that." The Boss said approaching him and looking him in his eyes. "We will now train with more intensity and you will control what is within you."
Rito closed his eyes reflecting, he would train harder and with their help he would control his anger.
"Thank you, sir." Rito said with intensity.
"Great!" The Boss shouted. "You can now start running until you puke."
"Hai!" Rito said rising fast and, without thinking twice, he started to run, leaving the two coaches alone in the room.
"You really know what to say." Kaz said smiling at his coach.
"I've had a problem with a certain someone who decided to brawl in the middle of a fight years ago." The boss said leaving the room as well.
"Yeah... Sorry about that." Kaz said bowing.
"... At least your problem was solved." The Boss said before closing the door.
A little later, in another place, Lala and Mikan were leaving the store holding two shopping bags.
"Ah! I loved my Yukata! I cannot wait to use it!" Lala said smiling at her friend.
"I knew you'd love, now we just have to wait a few hours to use." Mikan said happy that they were well treated and found a beautiful yukata for each other.
"Ooow I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself until the evening!" Lala said very excited about what would happen while hugging her shopping bag.
Mikan giggled because of her childish behavior. They continued talking and walking on that Saturday until they saw a familiar face sitting on the bench reading a book.
"Yami-chan!" Mikan said cheerfully going at her. "How are you?"
"Hello... Yuuki-san... Princess." Yami said pausing her reading and paying attention to them. "I'm fine and you?"
"We're fine!" Mikan said. "Hey listen, we are going to a festival later, it will be really fun. Why do not you come with us?"
"Well ... I don't have any plans for this evening... So I think I will." Yami said making the two girls happy.
Lala then notices the book and decides to ask. "What's that book you're reading?
"It is a book about two youngsters who fall in love, but their families are enemies. And yet they ignore their parents' order and keep seeing each other." Yami said making a summary of the book.
"Wow, Yami-chan, I never thought you liked that kind of book." Lala said surprised, already thinking about asking her about love.
"I'd say it's more like curiosity. The literature of this planet is very strange where most people act by emotions instead of reason. I would also like to understand what is meaning of the word 'love'." The most famous assassin explained.
'(Sigh) You are not the only one.' Lala thought, seeing that she was not going to get the answers from her.
They continued talking about other topics, which are not very interesting for this story, and after a while they parted soon after they settled where they were going meet.
"Okay, I think we're going, see you later." Mikan said waving at her friend.
"See you later." Yami replied before going back to read her book.
The two girls arrived home; Mikan goes straight to the kitchen while Lala goes to the living room and starts playing with Sakura.
'Wouldn't you know the answer, right?' Lala thought while playing with the cat.
After that, she hears a noise of the door closing and someone shouting "Tadaima". Rito, after taking his shoes, goes to the living room and finds Lala stroking the belly of Sakura.
"Hey look if it isn't my favorite girl?" Rito said smiling after getting into the living room.
Upon hearing this, Lala begins to blush intensely thinking it was for her that he had spoken.
'And it is even receiving a petting from Lala. Lucky girl.' He thought while petting her head. He then smiles to Lala as form of thank you for her kindness.
She suddenly takes her hand off Sakura's belly and gets up awkwardly which surprises both Rito and Sakura.
"I-I it would be better if I go to my room. I-I have to get some things for the festival!" Lala said still blushing.
"Uh... Okay, but don't you want to wait to do this after lunch?" Rito asked raising an eyebrow.
"No, thanks." She said, already leaving the living room.
"What happened?" Mikan asked who left the kitchen and entered in the living room.
"You tell me, did something happen when you went to the store? Lala looks awkward." Rito said scratching his head.
Mikan shrugged.
"Oh I got news for you. I invited Yami-chan to go to the festival." Mikan said happy.
"Great. It will be great for her to learn more about this planet and have some fun." The boy with orange hair said.
"And how was your training?" Mikan asked curiously.
"It was exhausting ... But it was great. I talked to the sensei and to the Boss; they gave me some really good advice today." He said excited.
"Yeah, I see that you are already better than yesterday." Mikan noticed smiling at his brother.
"Yes, and thank you for yesterday. I think I going to take a shower I'm stinky." He said he going to the bathroom.
"And I'll finish making the lunch." She said going to the kitchen, but not without blushing a little because of his thanks.
Later.
"Hey girls, come on! We are late." Rito said while waiting in the hall.
"We're coming don't rush us... It's not like you have to get to ready for anything." Mikan yelled from her room angry because of his impatience.
Rito sighed and leaned against the wall. After waiting another 10 minutes, he hears the noise of the ladder being trampled, he looks at it and his eyes widen.
"So? What do you think?" Mikan said as she and Lala descended the stairs.
Mikan wore a a purple yukata, with red and white flowers on it and with a red sash tied below the breast line. While Lala wore a light pink Yukata and tied with white sash. The two had their hair tied, Mikan the way she used to put and Lala in a more traditional way when you use a yukata.
"I think we're late..." Rito answered blankly.
Mikan threw the slipper that she was using at the boy, hitting in the middle of his face.
"Ow!" Rito shouted stroking with his hand where it was hit and a red scuff mark had appeared. "Why is that?"
"Idiot. I'm referring to what you think of our dresses!" Mikan shouted angry at the idiocy of the boy.
"I know... I was just kidding... I thought you two are... Beautiful." He said still covering his face only this time it was because he was blushing.
The girls were a little surprised, then they smiled, satisfied with his answer.
"Thank you!" They said together blushing a little.
They left home and went to the festival. Along the way everyone who were on the way stared at them (especially the two happy girls using Yukatas) and admired the girls. Some boys were even a little jealous that Rito was accompanied by two beautiful girls.
'Lucky bastard.' The boys thought.
They finally arrive at the festival and at the entrance they met the intergalactic assassin.
"Yami-chan!" Mikan said cheerful. "I'm glad you came!"
She welcomes everybody while Rito was surprised by something.
"Yami, how did you know that these festivals you dress with a Yukata?" He asked.
"When I arrived at the clinic, I told to Ryoko Mikado that I going to a festival and she said that it is customary to wear this type of thing in a festival." Yami said she wore a black yukata with golden butterflies on the bottom and a pink belt.
"Got it ... Just to you know... You look great." Rito said innocently.
"Stop flirting me, Yuuki Rito! You will not gain anything besides having your throat cut." She said with a treating voice.
Rito gulped 'But I am not flirting I am just saying.'
But what he did not notice was a small red spot appearing on her cheeks. Rito, Mikan and Yami were chatting while Lala watched them, she was still a little different because of her doubts.
"Gotcha!" Said a girl with blond short hair that came from behind of Lala and grabbed her breasts. "I never get tired of feeling your breasts."
"Oh Risa! You came!" Lala said happily.
"But of course! After all, I could not miss after you've invited me to your first festival." Risa said.
"Hi Lala-chi!" Mio said approaching them.
"Hi Mio!" Lala said hugging her friend.
They were wearing yukatas was wearing a green yukata with a purple belt and Risa was wearing an orange yukata and a black belt. Their attention turned to the girl who was talking to Mikan.
"And who is that girl who is chatting with Mikan-chi? Is she your friend?"
"Oh yeah that's Yami-chan!" Lala said happily pointing to the assassin. "Isn't she cute?"
The two girls after seeing the girl and even more in a Yukata, losed their control in front of Yami.
"She is very cute!" Mio said hugging Yami making her blush.
"And with this Yukata makes me want to bite her even more." Risa said also hugging Yami.
A drop of cold sweat ran from her forehead while they were hugging her. Not standing anymore she vanishes to free herself and appears a meter away.
"I hate being petted like an animal ..." Yami said quite serious for girls.
"Ah" The two girls said wide eyed and surprised because of her coldness."Yami-Yami is so cool!"
Yami rolled her eyes at the stupidity of them. She then came close to Mikan.
"I'd rather continue to see this festival without them." She whispered in Mikan' s ears.
Mikan nodded. "Hey Yami and I'll get some Taiyaki, let's meet in the main building to watch the fireworks."
"Wait, Mikan, I am coming with you!" Rito said following them, leaving the three oldest girls alone.
"... Well it looks like it just gonna be three of us." Risa stated. "Come on, let's enjoy this festival!"
The three girls entered in festival, enjoying the games and the food. After two hours, they were walking with some bags with gifts.
"Wow, we got so many prizes!" Lala said smiling.
"Yeah, but imagine if we came with David? We probably would have won all the best gifts." Risa said with an air of love.
It was then that Lala remembered that she had a friend who was in love, it was perfect for her.
"Risa, can I ask you something?" She asked smiling at her friend.
"Sure, Lala-chi!" Risa said.
"How Does It Feel To Be In Love?" Lala asked confident that she was going to have her answer.
Mio and Risa looked surprised at her, but then their surprise turned into devilish smiles.
"Oh my, oh my, Lala, I can say that whoever is swinging your heart is a lucky guy." Risa said still doing a devilish grin. "Well my dear, what I can say is that when you love someone you will have a great urge to kiss him on the mouth."
Lala's eyes widened. "But-but what's the big deal about kissing someone in the mouth?"
"Oh Lala... my innocent child." Risa said putting a hand on Lala's shoulder. "You did not know, did you? A kiss on the lips is a universal sign of love. And after kissing someone, it is said happiness is felt by them."
"Wow I never thought of that!" Lala said surprised putting a finger on chin.
And then devilish smiles of Risa and Mio began to increase.
"And then you feel a warm sensation in middle of your legs, your hearts will beat faster and you will want to do all sorts of things with his body." Risa continued with her explanation.
"... Ok..." Lala said not understanding why she would feel a warm sensation on her knee.
Soon afterwards they heard a noise, they look to the left and see a large group coming towards them. The group begins to run when they hear that the mikoshi was going to start soon and the girls are dragged by them, feeling like they were in the middle of a wave. Fortunately, Lala was able to hold herself and was not dragged.
"Phew, that was close, right?" Lala said turning her head trying to see her friends.
Unfortunately that couldn't be said to the girls that ended up being dragged by the crowd.
Lala turns to see where the crowd had gone and tries to follow. But because of the sandals she wore she could not run and eventually she lost sight of them when the group entered in a curve that she did not see.
"My goodness!" Lala said surprised. "Those people can really run fast."
Seeing that she would not find Risa and Mio anymore, she decided to go to where Rito and Mikan have decided to meet. There was just one small problem.
'Where was that they had arranged to meet?' Lala thought putting a hand on her chin.
She was so happy with the festival when they had arrived and so engrossed with the girls that she did not paid attention where they were going to meet.
"Was it a building or a stand or was at the entrance?" She asked herself.
She tries to have fun at the festival, but she didn't feel it was fun to be alone and got worse seeing people having fun in groups or as a couple. "(Sigh) Ah is not the same thing... If only I could find someone that I know."
Suddenly she feels a hand on her shoulder, which scared her for a moment.
"Lala?" A certain boy with orange hair said.
Lala turns and sees that her prayer was answered, better than she imagined.
"Rito? Where is Mikan and Yami-chan?" She asked surprised to see him alone.
"I ended up getting separated from them when a group of tourists passed by us." Rito said scratching behind the ear. "I was going to the place where we agreed to meet when I saw you alone. And why are you alone?"
"It's almost the same as me." She said surprised that the same has happened to him, it looked like that the universe wanted them to be alone.
"How strange... Anyway we should go..." Rito said already turning his back.
But after a few steps he took, he feels something holding his shirt. It was Lala.
"Wait..." She said with eyes full of hope. "Can we... if there isn't any problem, I mean... we enjoy the festival a little more? I mean I bet you're good at these games!"
He was surprised at her request; he looks at his watch and then smiles to her. "Sure, I think we have a sometime yet. But before we go, can we buy some of Takoyaki? I have not tasted any yet."
"Yes." Lala said happy that he had accepted. "I also want to taste one."
And so they went to the stand of the takoyaki. Halfway there, Lala begins to have an idea to understand how she felt: she would try to hold his hand to see if her body responded in some way. She slowly comes near him and slowly tries to reach his hand. But when he felt something touching his hand, he takes his hand sharply.
"What are you doing?" Rito asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well... The thing is... That ... Never mind." She said kind of sad that he took his hand so abruptly.
"... Ok ..." he said blankly.
They arrived at the stand and each ate 3 takoyakis.
"Um... Delicious!" Rito said after eating. "Now where do you want to go?"
"Can you get me a yoyo balloon?" Lala asked. "The one I had is with Risa."
"Okay! Let's go."
They arrive at the stand and find a well-muscled man that had reddish-orange hair.
"Hey. What can I do for you?" The man asked.
"I want to try to get a yoyo balloon." Rito said.
The game for those who do not know is simple: There are several yo-yo balloon in a basin of water the goal is to get a balloon without breaking a string.
Rito buys a hook and get the balloon on the first try.
"Wow awesome kid." Said the owner of the stand. "Usually it takes more than one try to get one."
Rito gives the yoyo to Lala. "Rito, wow, you are so good at games! I wished to be as good as you."
Rito, after hearing that, sighed and pointed Lala to her right. "Let's go." He starts walking to a place she was unaware.
"Where are you taking me?" The princess asked curious.
"You'll see." He answered.
He ends up taking her to that game called high striker. "Here we are!" He said pointing to the game. "Try this game; I am sure that you'll be fine."
Lala decided to try, everyone who saw her approaching to play the game, started give those discrete laughs thinking 'there is no one way this girl can do to get to the bell.' Jokes on them, who did not know that she was an alien who had the strength of a hundred men. And it was as you imagine, she not only managed to hit the bell but also sent it flying. Everyone had their chins on the ground except for Rito who already knew how it was going to end. Lala was super happy when she saw that she won.
"Hahahahaha I won!" Lala said cheerfully.
"See? You are great in games" He said confident.
She smiled at him. After that they enjoyed the rest of the festival playing many games having fun with each other, one thing that Mikan said was right you can't have a bad mood in a festival specially if you are with someone that you care.
"Look Rito, how many prizes we got!" Lala said happily as she saw all the prizes they had.
"See? You are good at games." Rito said. "And you are not only good on games you have other great skills."
He then looks at his watch not seeing that Lala was blushing and takes a scare.
"Gee is already so late! Lala we need to go fast."
Without thinking twice, he takes all the prizes in one hand and the other takes her hand, which surprises her. "Quick Lala! We need to go or Mikan will yell with us."
He begins to pull her as they headed to the building. Meanwhile Lala notice that she is holding his hand. She smiles feeling a good sensation on her heart. 'Maybe I do…'
Note: And so we reached the last chapter of Arc 2. Next Arc we bring new characters, more development of the secondary characters and of course many emotions will happen next. And not every emotion will be good ones. So stay tuned for what comes next.
Now first of all I'm sorry truly sorry first for my delay and second for this the chapter if it wasn't what were you expecting. Some people might say "Hey, but in the manga or in the anime she already knew that she was in love!" Yeah I know that but there's a difference here. In the manga she already saw him as lover and already thought what she about him as love in my opinion Lala doesn't know what is love in the beginning she assumed that it was love what she felt and then she fell in love. And in this story she saw him as a friend.
Miknel-san: Oh really? Wow never thought you got a depression like that. But I'm glad that you could relate yourself with Rito. Thanks for your support.
magic135: Phew... I'm glad that you liked. But you will have to wait to see Rito and Yui talking about about their feelings. Thanks for your support.
CodeDxD: About Time right? Let's see what she going to do! Thanks for your support.
darkboy18: Really? Well I'm glad that I helped you. If you want you can pm with the story that I helped to give you some ideas I will be very happy to read.
Numero Uno: Oh Thank you for your review. I hope that you liked this one and keep reading this story.
juanpablobro: I hope that I can keep doing the great work that you talk about and that you liking this story to the end. Thanks for your support.
Well... That's the end! Thank you all for your support!
Next Arc opens with a new character that everyone likes!
Until the next time!