A Third Chance
by Ranma Inverse
Chapter One





Author's notes: ^-^; Ah well, I got one review asking me to continue and since I had already written chapter one...here it is! Don't pair Ginta with Mikki? .; I think it's already obvious who i'm pairing with Ginta...MIKKI!!!! I'll write a YuuxMikki too (I like Yuu!), but there's SO many of those and SO little of any alternate pairings! ^_^;
-This Chapter One was revised because of the wonderful Togusa, who gave a very helpful review and was so right! Although, I don't quite think I revised it well enough..I might do another revised version-
. . .

That morning, as Ginta was brushing his teeth and getting ready for school, his phone rang. When he answered it, he was slightly suprised by who answered him back.

"Ginta, I'll be waiting for you at the Midori Cafe after school. I need to talk to you about something."

"Arimi? What's wrong?" he spoke into the phone, only to hear a dialtone in reply. He blinked at it. What could possibly be wrong?

Ginta picked up his bookbag and headed for school. On the way, he came across Mikki who walked with shoulders down, head slumped and back slouching forward slightly.

What was wrong with Mikki? Ginta frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Mikki jumped and looked startled at first, but calmed down. "Oh, Ginta. Hello!" she put on a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Mikki, what's wrong?" he repeated seriously.

The brown-haired girl shook her head, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired."

Ginta sighed and let it go. Together they walked quietly to school.

. . .

As his teacher began to start up another lecture, Ginta's mind drifted away. What could this empty feeling be? How could it be affecting him this way? His gaze went to Mikki, who was listening to the teacher. Mikki. . .

What would have happened, if he hadn't been so pushy while trying to have her fall in love with him again? What if he had been slower, been gentler...but no, he'd been forceful and he'd hurried, desperate to get her attentions. He hadn't done that with Arimi...

Arimi?!

Ginta's eyes widened, then went back to normal and shook his head. He should be thinking of Arimi, not of Mikki. Darnit, why had this started to happen? Come to think of it, had it ever 'started' or was it always there? He shook his brown haired head and tried to pay attention to the teacher, an attempt to keep his mind out of those thoughts.

. . .

"Did you hear? He dumped her for his old girlfriend," one student spoke after school.

"No wonder she's so upset," came the voice of another classmate.

Mikki clenched her bookbag tighter and began to walk faster. Ginta, having heard the gossip turned his head sharply to Mikki. Had Yuu dumped her? Ginta started after her.

When Yuu was about to walk by him, he grabbed the blonde boy's shoulder. Suprised, Yuu turned.

"Ginta?"

"Did you hurt Mikki?!" he growled. Yuu blinked and shrugged.

"I told her what I thought."

At this careless remark, Ginta became angry. He punched Yuu before heading over to where Arimi wanted to meet him. When he got to the Midori Cafe, the expression on Arimi's face only increased the sense that something was wrong. As he sat down he gazed at her questioningly. "Arimi...?" he spoke up, but Arimi shushed him.

Her brown eyes shone with regret, for what he didn't know. Her hair was slightly tangled as if she had been in a rush to get there. "Ginta..." Arimi said quietly.

"What is it?" Ginta asked. Something was definitely wrong. The blue-haired girl never spoke his name like that.

Arimi opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She was struggling to find the words to say, whatever it was that needed to be said.

"I don't love you Ginta," the words burst out suddenly. The blue eyees male widened his eyes at her abruptness and opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

This year has been really wonderful and all, but I've realized I don't love you. You're more like a brother to me, nothing more. I think you're attractive, but nothing more. I still love Yuu. Over time i've come to realize you were just a replacement and I don't want you to live your like as something like that." She explained the words she had blurted out only moments before.

Ginta stared at her as the words sank in. Finally he spoke up. He wasn't sad, though slightly angry at the fact that he had been used as a substitute, as a replacement. "I'm glad you told me."

Brown eyes looked uncertain, so he assured again. "It's good that you told me that Being honest is always best..." why was he saying this? Why wasn't he extremely upset like he should be?

Arimi finally met his eyes and smiled sadly, "I'm happy you don't hate me right now, even though I deserve it."

"You may deserve it, but...you thought you loved me at first so it's not wrong. At least you didn't go after Yuu behind my back."

His now ex-girlfriend smiled at him sheepishly. "I'd never do that, but...haven't you been feeling like somehing's wrong? That things aren't as they should be?" she asked.

Ginta stared at her once again, suprised she was feeling the same thing as he. "That's exactly how i've been feeling! I was planning to talk to you about it today!"

The blue haired woman blinked at him, then smiled comfortingly. "I wish I could think of a reason why you feel that way, but I can't...not unless you love someone else and don't realize it."

"That's not it. I don't know what it could be, but...argh, nevermind. I'll think about it some more and then ask you about it again."

"Alright," Arimi looked around before once again looking at Ginta. "I'm sorry for not being in love with you."

Ginta smiled at her. "It's okay, you're being honest. That's better than living a lie."

Amber colored eyes lightened up slightly from the gloom and she smiled more happily. "We'll be friends again?"

"Yeah."

"That's good."

Silence took hold upon them for awhile until Ginta spoke up again. "I should be going now. See you later." After she spoke goodbye in reply, he left for home.

What was this slightly uplifted feeling that was forming inside him?