The Story of Us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by summer dragonfly



Chapter X
"The Question"



A/N: Obvious, isn't it? Hehehe. A songchapter, Avril Lavigne's "Things I'll Never Say". I've been
telling all my friends to go out and get her CD cuz shes a great singer! Go Avril! ::ahem:: on
with the show!


PS: I don't own the song, Avril does. So please don't sue! (I'm only so broke right now, so it won't
do you good anyway....)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Wow, can you believe it?" Rika said excitely to Jeri as they ate lunch. "Ryo, laying his
life down for us!"

"Yes, it is very brave of him." Jeri tore the crust off her sandwich. "I wish this was all over
with though."

"Me too." Rika sighed.

"I can't wait to get married." Jeri said dremily.

Rika looked at her strangely. "OK, that was random. What's the deal, Jeri?"

"I know I'm still in school, but after I graduate...maybe..." Jeri shook her head. "Never mind."

"Oh, I see." Rika sipped her coffee with a mischievious grin. "Trying to pick up on someone, eh,
Jeri Katou?"

"Rika!" Jeri was blushing.

"Takato maybe?" Rika had to jump out of the way to avoid Jeri's attempt to hit her.

"I don't know." Jeri said, looking down.

"Bleech, they sure have gross coffee here." Rika dumped her cup into a nearby trash can, and sat
down next to Jeri. "You know, Jeri..."

"Yeah?"

"I've seen the way Takato looks at you, you know. We all have."

"STILL?" Jeri was apalled. "I thought that was only a childhood crush."

"Maybe." Rika unwrapped an energy bar.

"What about you?" Jeri asked.

"What ABOUT me?" Rika turned away quickly.

"Don't you want to get married? To Ryo?" Jeri said. *Ah, sweet revenge.*

"That's silly!" Rika started to blush. "I'm only 20!"

"Don't deny it," Jeri smirked. "It's obvious."

"I do love him, but that does mean I want to marry him soon." Rika gasped. "I mean, that DOESN'T
mean I want to marry him soon!" She started stammering.

"Too late." Jeri packed up her stuff. "I'm off to tell him now. Good day."

Rika gasped again in disbelief and chased after her friend. "JERI!"


I'm tuggin' at my hair

I'm pulling at my clothes

I'm trying to keep my cool

I know it shows


"So you and Rika getting serious?" Henry asked, making small talk.

"Huh?" Ryo stopped typing. "What do you mean?"

"He means," said Kazu, "Are you guys---you know--"

"No, I don't, Kazu!" Henry said, his eyes wide. "Eww! No, OK?"

"OK, sorry." Kazu backed off.

"We're all right." Ryo said, plain and simple.

"Oh, OK." Henry went back to his work.

After a while, Ryo turned back to Henry. "Why?"

"Just wondering."

"You see," Kazu butted in again. "He's got a bet with Takato that you and Rika are going to get married
soon."

"Kazu---" Henry rounded on him.

"Well, look at the time!" Kazu didn't even have a watch on. "Time to go to lunch. Bye!" And he
left.

Ryo grinned. "What a weird guy."

"Sorry." Henry apologized sheepishly. "Takato and I didn't mean to interfere with your personal
lives."

"That's OK, really." Ryo put down his pen. "So who thinks I'm going to propose to her?"

"Takato does." Henry said. "But we can call it off---"

"Actually, I think you should keep it." Ryo got up.

"Wha---" Henry got the idea. "Oh..."


I'm staring at my feet

My cheeks are turning red

I'm searching for the words

Inside my head


With the bioemerging of the D-Army less than two weeks away, the team had lots of work and very
little time to themselves. So when Ryo and Rika actually had some time off, they spent it with
each other.

"Aren't they pretty tonight?" Rika admired a constellation. She and Ryo were on her rooftop, star-
gazing.

"Yeah." Ryo looked at her. "You are."

"I meant the stars, silly." Rika smiled at him. "Isn't this nice?"

"Yes, it is." Ryo pointed up into the clear night sky. "Look!"

"A shooting star!" Rika said. She closed her eyes and made a wish.

Ryo looked at her curiously. "Whatcha wish for?"

"If I told you, it won't come true." Rika said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I never got that star wishing crap." Ryo laughed.

"It's not crap!" Rika punched his shoulder playfully. "I truly believe in it."


I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

'Cause I know you're worth it

You're worth it, yeah...


"Rika," He took her hand. "I was thinking yesterday...about us..."

"Us?" Rika said nervously. "What about us?"

"Do you see us going anywhere?" Ryo asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Ryo sat up. "I guess..it just feels...weird. We're just here...with no clear aspect
in the future..."

"Ryo..." Rika sat up, too. "Why can't you just accept it for what it is? We're here now, aren't
we?"

"I guess."

"Then that's all there is to it. We'll think about the future when it gets here." Rika smiled at
him. "Let's just be together, OK?"

"OK."


If I could say what I want to say

I'd say I want to blow you...away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight


*Oh Ryo,* Rika thought as he rested his head in her lap. *If you only knew the truth...that I want
to be with you forever...*

"I wish I could stay with you forever, Ryo." Rika was unaware of the fact that she said this aloud.

"You want to spend forever with me, Rika?" Ryo broke through her reverie.

"Oh!" Rika snapped back to reality. "What? Did I say that?"

"Yeah." Ryo looked up into the moonlight heavens. "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Want to spend forever with me?"

"Uh..." Rika gulped.


If I could say what I want to see

I want to see you go down...on one knee

Marry me today, guess I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say


*YES, I do Ryo!* Her mind screamed. *Tell him, Rika. Tell him.* "Uh..." Rika couldn't get the
words out. She looked at her watch. "It's getting late. Almost midnight."

"You're right." He got up and helped her to her feet. "Come on."

"Well, good night then." Rika said once they were back on the ground. She gave him a hug, holding
on to him tight.

"Uh, Rika---" Ryo said, in pain. "I love you too, but would you mind not cutting off my circulation?"

"Oh!" Rika let go of him. "Was I squeezing you too tight?"

"Yeah, sort of."

"Sorry."

Ryo kissed her. "Good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." Rika closed the gate after him and walked back into the house, feeling too sleepy to argue
with herself.


It don't do me any good

It's just a waste of time

What use is it to you

What's on my mind


"I'm very proud of you all." Yamaki said, smiling. he held up a CD-ROM containing the D-Army
Destroyer program. "It's complete!"

"Yay." They all said tiredly.

"Our readings show that almost all of the D-Army is bursting through the border between the Digital
World and our world. "They'll be here in about a week or so."

"We're all ready." Rika said. "What about you, Ryo?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." He grinned at her.

"It seems they've joined together to form a huge blob." Yamaki held up pictures taken by satellites.

"Gee, where have I seen that before?" Kenta said jokingly.

Rika looked at Ryo, worried for his safety. How he had convinced her that he would be OK, she never
knew. *There's something about Ryo that makes you want to believe him. Maybe it's his undeniable
charm.* Rika speculated. *Whatever it is, it seems to be working....but I'm still so scared for
him...* She walked over to the window and stared out at the city skyscrapers pensively.

Ryo glanced over at her. *I wonder what's wrong.* He walked over and put his arms around her. "Hey."

She turned around and smiled at him. "Hi."

"You want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Rika frowned. "Nothing."


If it ain't coming out

We're not going anywhere

So why can't I just tell you

That I care


"I thought we went through this," Ryo said calmly.

"I know, I know." Rika let out a sigh. "It's just---"

"Just what?"

"Like I said, nothing." Rika said. *Rika, why can't you just tell him? Do you have commitment
problems?* her mind scolded her. "Uh, Ryo---"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever---that is to say...." she turned around and faced him.

"What?"

"Do you ever----" *Consider proposing this early?* her mind finished. *Great, now you got the words,
just say them aloud!*

"Do I ever what, Rika?" Ryo asked her. *What's going on?*

"...do you ever..uh..sing in the shower?" Rika finally spat out. She just wanted to die.

"Huh?" Ryo was confused. "Um---no, not really..."

"Oh, I thought so," Rika was vexed with herself. She grinned nervously and walked away.

Ryo looked after her strangely. *I know she's nervous but...what did she really want to ask me?*

Rika put money in a soda machine and punched the button of the soda she wanted, half angry, half
disappointed in herself. *Why can't I tell him that? I've got nothing to lose.* She sipped the
grape soda. *Except my diginity.* Rika was appalled at her lack of bravery.


'Cause I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

'Cause I know you're worth it

You're worth it, yeah!


After finding nothing interesting to watch, Ryo turned off the TV. He walked around in the lobby,
thinking to himself. Ever since that strange question, Rika had been avoiding him all day. *Is
she mad at me?*

*A week until...until...* Ryo opened the window and gratefully breathed in fresh air. *It's now
or never.*

"But I can't do it until I figure out what SHE wants." Ryo said aloud. "What did she want to ask
me?"

It took about two minutes for Ryo to replay all of the their recent conversations. In the end,
Ryo's sagacity figured it out. *Could it be...? Could she want the same things I do?*

"Only one way to find out." Ryo left the building and got into his car. Before he knew it, he
found himself thinking about a restaurant for a wedding reception.


If I could say what I want to say

I'd say I want to blow you...away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight


Rika collapsed when she came home. She threw herself on the couch and kicked her shoes off. *So
tired...*

When she finally mustered up the strength to go get a glass of water, she noticed that no one
was home. "Mom?" she said, walking through the vacant house. "Grandma?" She then saw a note on
the fridge. "Dear Rika," she read. "Taken your grandmother to the hospital. Signed Mom."

*I haven't seen Mom since I came home again.* Rika felt a bit sad. *Doesn't she want to see me?
...what did I do?*

She jumped as the phone rang. She picked it up, hoping that it was her mother calling. "Hello?"

"Hey, Rika." said Ryo.

Rika tried her best to sound cheerful. "Hi."

"You sound sad." Ryo immediately noticed. "What's up?"

"Just a little tired, that's all."

"Oh---"

"Oh what?"

"Then---this totally messes it up---"

"Messes what up?"

"I was going to invite you to have dinner with me tonight but if you're feeling tired---"

"No, it's OK." Rika said. "Of course I want to have dinner with you tonight."

"Are you sure?"

"Ryo, stop being so stubborn. Yes, I'm sure."

"Great. I'll pick you up at 8. I need to ask you something."

"Ask me something?" Rika wondered what it could be.

"Yeah. See you tonight."

"Wait---Ryo!" He had already hung up. Rika pouted. *What in the world does he want to ask me?*


If I could say what I want to see

I want to see you go down..on one knee

Marry me today, guess I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say


Rika was just putting on her earrings when the doorbell rang. She quickly put on the other earring
and rushed to open the door.

"Hi." Ryo said, standing outside. He gave her a bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you." Rika said. "Come on in."

As she was putting water into a glass vase, Ryo tried to say something, but he couldn't find the
right words. Rika looked at him. "Something wrong?"

"Nope." Ryo said innocently. "Nothing."

Rika laughed. "You're so silly." she put the flowers in the vase and set it on the kitchen table.
"Shall we get going?"

"Oh, yeah, good idea." Ryo said, all jumpy and nervous.

* * *


Rika sensed it. There was something wrong with Ryo. All night he was quiet and nervous, like he
really wanted to say something but his concious was holding him back.

"This restaurant is really beautiful." She looked around at the sparkling fountains. "Makes you
think of peaceful places."

"Hmm."

"Ryo?" She turned towards him and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Yeah?"

"Are you OK? You've been acting really weird all night and it's making me worried."

"Worried? Why?"

"I don't know---wait, didn't you say you have to ask me something?"

"That's right." Ryo said.

"What is it?"

"Uh---it's a rather embarrassing thing, really."

"Oh, I see. You don't want to ask it here?"

Ryo shook his head. "What do you say we---"

"---get out of here?" Rika finished for him.

"Good idea."


What's wrong with my tongue

These words are slipping away

I stutter, I stumble

Like I've got nothing to say


"Ryo, for the last time, whatever you have to say, spit it out!" Rika said, while they were walking
through the park.

"OK---" Ryo gulped. "But this isn't going to be easy---and remember---you can always say no and
I'll still understand---"

"Say no?" Rika said. "To what?"

Ryo took a deep breath and slowly went down on one knee. He drew something from his pocket.

Rika instantly knew. "Oh my God..." she said, her mouth open.

"Rika Nonaka..." He said, opening the black velvet box, revealing the most beautiful diamond Rika
had ever seen, "Will you marry me?"

"Oh my God---" Rika said again, her eyes going from Ryo to the ring. *He---he actually did it.*

Ryo was looking up at her, hopeful. His nervousness had gone. Most of it, anyway.

As soon as Rika took a catch on reality, she knew the answer. *This is what I want. She smiled at
him. "Yes."

"What?"

"Yes. I'll marry you." She got tears in her eyes and dropped down to hug him.

"Are you serious?" Ryo gasped out. She was hugging him too tight again.

"Yeah, I'm serious!" She kissed him.

Ryo laughed and put the ring on her finger. This time he hugged HER.


'Cause I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

'Cause I know you're worth it

You're worth it, yeah!


Ryo's mind was still reviewing the events of twenty minutes ago as the city lights sped by. He
looked down at Rika, who was sleeping, hanging onto his left arm. He smiled at her. *I can't
believe she actually said yes.*

"Wow." he said aloud. "What did I just do?"


If I could say what I want to say

I'd say I want to blow you...away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight


All the memories of their times together flashed through his head. He wasn't having second thoughts,
only a fear---an unexplainable fear---of the future. *That's stupid.* He thought. *I'm going to
spend the rest of my life with the person I love. That's all there is to it.*

In her sleep, Rika was dreaming about the same things. She woke up for a slight moment, looked
up at Ryo, and fell asleep again.


If I could say what I want to see

I want to see you go down..on one knee

Marry me today, guess I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say



With these things I'll never say....




...end of Chapter X!




P.S. Yes, I know, I know, that totally stunk! My worst writing ever. So sappy, wasn't it? I'm an awful
author, aren't I? Please tell me what you think. Ugh...this is the first time I haven't been satisfied
with a final piece of work. Oh well...*imitates Scarlet from Gone With The Wind* tomorrow is
another day...