Okay, I forgot that this is Volume 9 the last chapter. The chapter before that, chapter 48, was volume 8. I hope it doesn't get confusing but it shouldn't matter what volume it is…just read the story!


CHAPTER 50! YESSS!

It happened ten days ago. Late at night in the convenience store.

A guy with red hair bumped into Arisa with a stack of bags, her eyes widened in shock, "Oh, no…I'm sorry." he said.

Was how I met you.

"I'm fine, but that's dangerous. You should put your purchases in a basket." Arisa told him pointing to the area where the baskets were.

"A basket…ah, I would have used it if I knew about it sooner." he said, "Thank you for your advice." he tried to bow but all of the bags fell on the floor.

"UWA!" Arisa jumped back as her eyes widened.

"A-A-ah!"

Arisa looked at the scene and thought back at her memories,"…."

"I messed up again…" the man said.

"HA- HAHA HA HAHA!" Arisa laughed, "Hahaha…honestly, there are really people out there who would do the same thing as Tohru?"

I didn't really understand…why you were laughing so happily…

"Ah! Sorry, it was just to funny. Let me help you put all of tho into a basket!" Arisa said still smiling, "Come on, don't just sit there looking dazed!"

"Okay…" the man said.

But it looked like you were truly enjoying yourself.

And I thought…

How nice it could be if I could look at you like this forever...


Clack!

Saki, Sakani, and Tohru walked through the door of where Arisa worked.

"Welcome…" Arisa turned around, "Oh!"

"Uo-chan!" Tohru said happily shouted.

"Good afternoon." Sakani smiled.

"WAH! Oh it's you guys! While I'm busy here sweating here, you three are on a leisure date?" Arisa asked.

Simu popped out behind Sakani and Megumi popped out behind Saki.

"Five of us." Simu said.

"Oh! Simu and Megumi! I haven't seen you two in a while!"

"You haven't seen me much at all." Simu said.

"He's here as our body guard and Simu wanted to come with us!" Tohru said.

"There's a reason for that too…mainly because I'd be able to see Arisa-san in a mini-skirt…it really looks good on you." Megumi said.

Arisa bent down to his level a bit, " You're totally not like a Junior High student at all!" Arisa said.


"Afternoons in a coffee shop and nights at a convince store…Arisa is really the queen of part-time jobs…" Sakani said.

"Well, I have to work if I'm to have money!" Arisa said.

"I want to get another part-time job this year too…" Sakani said.

"I was thinking about that too, but there's never time to look for one!" Tohru said holding a cup of coffee and sitting down with the group.

"YOU TWO HAVE TO BE JOKING! YOU TAKE CARE OF ALL THE CHORES IN THAT BIG HOUSE, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE MEALS OF THOSE THREE GUYS!" Arisa shouted.

"Simu helps sometimes…" Sakani said, "But they really do take care of us!"

"IF YOU GET ANOTHER PART-TIME JOB YOU'LL DIE OF EXHAUSTION! SO NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Arisa shouted.

"Absolutely not allowed." Saki agreed, "Ah, speaking of which didn't we hear you mention before that you met a guy just like Tohru-kun at work? Which part-time job was it again?" she asked.

"Oh, it was at the convenience store one." Arisa said.

"Should we go stake out the convenience store then?" Megumi asked his sister.

Saki put a finger to her chin like she was thinking about it.

"DON'T YOU DARE DO IT!" Arisa yelled.

"Like I said before, he doesn't really look like Tohru, his clumsiness just reminded me of her." Arisa said.

"So he dropped a bunch of books too?" Sakani asked.

"Er, something like that." Arisa said.

"Oh my, was he that ditzy?" Saki asked.

"And besides I never saw him again after that time." Arisa said and scratched her head, "But…if it's possible…I hope to see him again…"

Tohru, Saki, and Sakani looked at Arisa with soothing eyes. Simu didn't know what they were saying and ate her food with Megumi.

"UOTANI!" a man called from the back of the store, "How long do you plan on chatting for!?"

"Ah! Uo-chan are you free this evening?" Saki asked.

"Huh? Yeah." Arisa asked.

"The six of us can have dinner together…" Saki said.

"AND HAVE A GREAT FEAST!" Arisa shouted happily holding a tray in the air.

Tohru, Saki, and Sakani clapped while Megumi finally finished his food while SImu chunked her coffee.

"Don't drink too much Simu…you'll get hyper." Sakani said, I don't think she can…

"UOTANI!" the man in the back shouted again.

Arisa walked slowly to the man.

"…really now, what do you think this job is?" the man asked.

"Yes, yes it's my fault!" Arisa admitted simply.

"Uotani!" The man yelled a bit, "You don't intend to introduce me to your lady friends?" he asked darkly.

"Not if you want there bodyguard to put a curse on you." Arisa said smirking.

Megumi's eyes fell on the man and then he looked away slowly and sipped his tea.


"I'm off to lunch!" Arisa called out as she walked out the door.

"Okay!"

Arisa stepped out into the arid air and held her wallet over her eyes to shield from the sun, It's hot as hell out here! I don't understand how Megumi and Hanajima can stand wearing black in this heat!

Just then Arisa's eyes widened as she caught a figure that looked like the man from a few weeks ago walking…

Then she started running toward him, you're joking! it can't be…

Her heels clicked on the street and then on the sidewalk, "…wait…"

She was just behind him and then she grabbed the back of his shirt jerking him back, "WAIT UP!" she shouted and the mans eyes widened.

Arisa panted as he turned around and glanced at her.

She smiled in relief, It really is him!

His eyes widened more, "Ah…"

I never imagined we'd meet again…

"From the convenience store…" the man said.

Arisa was leaning down and panted, "Right…from the convenience store….What a coincedence! I'm surprised to see you..!"

Arisa wheezed.

"Are you alright? You seem out of breath…" the man asked.

"I'm fine…I just ran a little too fast…" Arisa said, "I saw your back and didn't want to loose sight of it…"

Arisa stood up fully grinning big, "So I ran as fast I could too catch up! Hahahaha! I'm not sure what made me do that either!" Arisa laughed.

Maybe…it was more than I thought it was…

GROWL…

"…Are you hungry?" the guy asked.

Arisa scoffed, "I haven't eaten lunch…Crap, If I don't eat soon I'm not going to be a nice person to be around later!"

"Oh, right it's lunch time already…" the guy smiled, "I haven't eaten either yet…Do you want to get something to eat with me? It'll be my treat."

Arisa's eyes shined , "REALLY!?"

"Really! I want to apologized for what happened the last time at the convenience store…" he replied.

"YAY! TORORO SOBA! HERE I COME!" Arisa cheered and skipped ahead.

"Eh!? Are you sure you just want Tororo Soba?" the guy asked.

Arisa turned around, "Come on! Let's go then! It'll get crowded if we don't hurry!"

"Ah, okay…"

"Tororo Soba is my favorite!" Arisa yelled happily, "You should think about what you want for lunch too!"

Arisa turned back around.

The guy smiled for what seemed like it was sorrowful…


"Hey…I never got your name…what was it anyway?" Arisa asked now sitting at the table still in her work uniform. On the other side of the table the man replied, "My name? Kureno…"

"I'm Uotani…Uotani Arisa." Arisa glanced at the waiter as she put the food on the table, "Kureno-san…were you in the area because you had something to do?" she asked. Kureno had his hand on his chin, "No, just wandering around…For no reason in particular…" he grabbed his food from the middle, "I haven't had a day off in a while now. But I didn't have anything to do. So I was just walking around to waste time."

"Are you working today?" Kureno asked with chopsticks in his hand.

"Yeah, at a coffee shop." Arisa said, "And also at the convince store, I work two part-time jobs."

"I'm 26…but your a high-school student right!?" Kureno asked, "Your a hard worker for someone your age!"

Arisa slapped some noodles in her mouth, We're 9 years apart…wouldn't this be against the law?

"Compared too you, that was my first time shopping in a convenience store. I feel sorta embarrassed from saying that…" Kureno said, "But I guess just something I have to deal with…"

Arisa' eyes widened, "WHAT!? ARE YOU A PRINCE OR SOMETHING!?"

"Ahahaha, no, of course not." Kureno said calmly.

"THEN HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU'VE NEVER GONE SHOPPING IN THE CONVENIENCE STORE!?" Arisa shouted.

"Because it's a waste of time…I only went to the store because of special circumstances that day! Usually there's no need for me to do anything necessary. My life and work are both strictly regulated. That's why like today…when I didn't have anything to do…I really didn't know what to do with myself!" Kureno explained.

"That kind of life…are you happy with it?" Arisa asked.

"I'm happy." Kureno smiled, "I don't have any regrets…I'm content with it."

Arisa's eyes widened a bit, it was like it had gotten quieter. For a second in time.

No regrets.

"Surely more than anyone…" Kureno said looking down with a sad smile.

"If that's really the case..then you should smile a little more happily." Arisa said sitting back down.

"Eh…" Kureno said with a confused look as Arisa stood up abruptly.

Just right now…you let it peek through…

I felt it from you…

Even from the first time I met you…

You had the loneliness expression on your face when you smiled.

"I wasted your time…I'm really sorry…" Arisa put her hands on the table and just stared at it.

"You and I…" Arisa said, "We met during a time in whoch you considered unnecessary…but I never thought it was a waste of time…never!"

People around were watching.

"Meeting you at the convenience store…eating soba together right now…more than I imagined…more…than I ever imagined…" she clenched her fist and then shot up, "I WANTED TOO…SEE YOU AGAIN! SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY WHEN I MET YOU TODAY!"

Arisa started walking away, "Anyways thank-you for lunch. I'm leaving!"

Kureno had a look of worry and confusion, "Huh…"

I'm so mad right now!

I'm not even sure why I'm mad!

I'm soooo sorry for wasting your time!

I'm soooo sorry that you had to treat me too lunch!

Arisa started crying, I'm sorry…that I couldn't see you smile, free of that loneliness…

"…Hey!" Kureno shouted with a worried look, "Arisa wait!"

"STOP CALLING OUT MY NAME IF YOU KNOW ME JERK!" Arisa shouted.

"Uh, but…"

"DON'T FOLLOW ME! DON'T TALK TO ME! I'M STILL PISSED RIGHT NOW!" Arisa shouted.

"Please just calm down! Are you okay…? Your crying!" Kureno asked, "PLEASE DON'T CRY!"

Arisa stopped walking in two steps after that.

"I'm sorry…" Kureno apologized, "What I just said back there was thoughtless of me…"

Arisa kept looking at the ground.

"I was really happy when I saw you again too." Kureno admitted, "Especially when you ran after me!" he said.

When you ran after me in this blistering heat…and actually called out to me!

"Wanted to see you…all during this time..."

Arisa's face softened and she looked at Kureno.

I thought about you constantly since then…

Arisa blushed and smiled, "Oh, r-really? Hee, hee."

Then she scolded herself and tried to kick him, "SHUTUP!", him but he blocked.

"Are you being shy…?" Kureno asked.

Arisa's eyes widened.

"Sorry!" Kureno smiled happily.

He's smiling freely now...

Arisa looked up at him.

Kureno put a hand in hers and one in her hair and his face got so close their noses were almost touching, but when he looked down there was a pain…

in his eyes…

He then let go and walked away leaving Arisa there frozen. Her mouth partly opened…

Shock.

In doing that…It was as if he said 'I like you!' to me…


"So Arisa-san did you like that person too?" Megumi asked.

"I think she did…" Simu sad quietly.

"I DON'T KNOW! He was so mysterious! There's a lot of things I still don't understand about him either!" Arisa said as all six off them were sitting at a table, "Like why he left without saying a word! Was it because I had Tororo breath!?"

"Maybe he minded the age difference between you two? 9 years apart is a lot." Saki said with a fork with food on it waiting to enter her mouth.

"That can't be true, it doesn't seem he's the type of man to care about something like that…" Sakani said in a monotoned voice thinking.

"My parents were 8 years apart and they loved each other very much!" Tohru said happily.

"I think…hearing one of my friends falling in love…it really makes me feel lonely doesn't it…" Sakani said.

"Right…" Tohru smiled.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT!? Tohru, Sakani, you two are the ones that are about to become someones girlfriends! And when it happens he'll definitely try to take up all the time you have!" Arisa said, "But I won't let him! On the first date we'll definitely go and crash it! Right Hanajima!?" she pointed to Saki.

Saki pointed to Arisa, "You have my word."

"Do you feel lonely Saki?" Megumi asked solemnly.

Saki smiled turning toward him, "…I'm fine."

It seemed that Simu and Sakani were starring at each other, what about you sissy? Are you…lonely?

No, of course not! I have you!

They gave each other hugs.

"Well, that was random…anyways…" Arisa sighed, "The choice to meet again is in his hands…so I couldn't do anything even if I wanted too…oh well, I guess whatever will be, will be…"

"Is that really…?" Sakani thought, "What if…"

"What if he already has a family…" Saki asked.

"Exactly…" Sakani said turning to Saki.

"Whoa, if that's true then I could just forget about all of this." Arisa said as she turned to the two.

"Even if you say that, you'll be happy if you saw him again, right?" Tohru asked.

Arisa turned to Tohru, "Yeah…"

Arisa looked at the ceiling, "Will I…ever see him again…"

If I could see you again…

I would want you to be…forever by my side…

If I were only able too…Touch the lips from which your words fall from…


Kureno stood there as the door suddenly slid opened and he was facing Akito, "Welcome home, Kureno…"

Akito was wearing a robe sloppily on and the second robe falling off, "I trust nothing bad happened too you while you were 'outside'."

But that's not possible because…

Kureno smiled looking down…as Akito walked toward him.

There probably won't ever be a chance when we'll meet again…

Akito trailed her fingers down Kureno's face.


End of this chapter…sorry this is late, school work piled up in front of my laptop so I had to get it out the way before I could finish this.