First Date
"Ohayou, Rika."
"Ohayou, Miyuki…"
"What's wrong? You look troubled," Miyuki said.
"Nothing. Oh, Akira wanted me to give you this," Rika said giving her an envelope, "uh…actually, I do have a question."
"Ask away."
"Is…um…Rukawa busy this Saturday?"
Miyuki smiled, "That antisocial hermit? His life consist of basketball, school and home. He's free every night after 7. On weekends he's free after morning practise at 8. Basically he's never busy and if by chance he is, it's not going to be important."
"But…I heard he got lots of fans, girl fans."
"True. But in his mind, all he thinks about is basketball…and sleeping. He only knows the name of like…four females: me, our mother, Ayako, and now…you."
"Me?" Rika asked smiling.
"Yep. Ooops, I shouldn't make him sound so pathetic. But trust me. He's very free on Saturday," Miyuki said and added, "and Sunday."
.
Sendoh phoned Miyuki.
"You have reached 232-973-3866, Huyuno Miyuki's inbox. If you'd like to leave a message, please wait for the beep."
Sendoh sighed and hung up, 'She didn't open her cell today? Even though Ayako assured me last night everything's ok…I'm really worried.'
"Sendoh hurry up. Taoka-sensei is going to freak. Put down that phone and-"
"Kosh, help me tell him I got something to do, so I won't be attending practise today. Thanks!" Sendoh said leaving a flabbergasted Koshino standing there.
.
Miyuki smiled roller blading home beside Rika, 'Rika want to ask Kaede out. Hope she goes through with it.'
"Your house is here? No wonder I couldn't fine it. I made a wrong turn."
"You tried finding our house?" Miyuki asked with a grin, "why?"
"Uh…look ani's here."
"Sendoh? You must be here for me," she said tugging him away, "Rika, Kaede should be home. Just ring the bell. See you later."
"…"
.
Rukawa opened the door, 'Her?'
"Can I come in?"
He moved aside and let her in, 'What is she doing here? She looks gloomy…nothing happened to Miyu, right?'
"There's something I want to ask you."
"What?"
"Are you busy Saturday?"
"Why?" Rukawa asked.
She looked like she wanted to shriek 'never mind' again and run off.
.
"So why are you here?" Miyuki asked.
"I wanted to apologize for making you cry."
She laughed and pulled out the card, "Is that why you written 'sorry' in 10 differently languages on this card?"
"Yep. It took me a while to find out how to say sorry in all those languages."
"You didn't make me cry Sendoh. But since you apologized, your apology is accepted."
"Anou…"
"What is it?" she asked.
.
"Will you…will you…" Rika took a deep breath, "go out with me on Saturday?"
He looked at her.
"I mean to teach me how to ride a bike," she said quickly, "not like a date or anything…"
"I see…"
'What kind of response is that?' Rika wondered, "is that a yes or a no?"
"Why are you asking me?" he asked.
"Because…"
He sighed, "Ok."
"Great!" she cried, "see you then!"
.
"I want to ask you out for Saturday."
"Why?" she asked.
"Why do you think?"
Miyuki tapped her forehead thoughtfully, "I hate guessing…wait, I got it! Seeing how you're Sendoh Akira, I'll do it."
"See you on Saturday!"
.
Saturday:
Rukawa looked at her, 'We're going biking. Why does she have on make-up, and it looks like she did something to her hair, plus her nails are painted, and she put on perfume. The her today looks very odd and strange…'
"Take that bike."
"To where?" she asked.
"Follow me."
"Hai…"
'There really is something wrong with her today. She's so soft spoken. Is she ill?' he wondered.
.
Miyuki read the note and smiled, 'Kaede's going to teach Rika how to bike? Sounds like an interesting date.'
"Meow."
"Diamond, you hungry? Your master forgot all about you because of Rika? Don't worry I'll feed you," she said going to the kitchen, "what is there for me to eat? And Yur-"
The phone rang, she picked it up as she opened the can of cat food, "Moshi-moshi?"
"Miyuki, you're awake? I'll come over now."
'Oh…yeah…I got a date with Sendoh,' she thought remembering, "sure. See you in a bit."
.
Rika was getting annoyed, "Rukawa…"
"Keep you balance," he muttered laying on the grass.
'I didn't come to see you sleep,' she thought annoyed, 'and how am I suppose to keep balance on a demented bike, where the frame of the front tire is all twisted and bent out of shape?!'
Suddenly the front of the bike sloped down, "Ack!"
She fell to the ground with the bike on her leg. She felt miserable and wanted to cry, 'Stupid bike! Stupid Rukawa! I'm stupid too. Did I really think this will work?! He's a no good, cold, uncaring, idiotic-'
"You ok?" Rukawa asked pull the bike off her.
She was too pissed off to speak, if she opened her mouth curses would come flying out at him.
"You scratched you knee," he pointed out.
Rika continued to ignore him.
He sighed and pulled her up, "We have to wash it."
"Hurts!" she said.
She was talking about his grip on her wrist but she must've misunderstood because Rukawa sighed and picked her up. This was the first time a guy actually carried her, other than her father when she was a kid.
She smiled, 'He's not that horrible a person…'
.
"This place is lovely," Miyuki commented, "I really like seeing the blossomed Sakura trees."
"Well, I thought all girls like stuff like this. I made you something."
"What?"
He held out his grass knitted grasshopper and Miyuki made a face, "You got me a bunch of grass twisted together?"
"It's a grasshopper! I make it myself."
She laughed, "Gomen…it's just…never mind. That explains a lot. No matter how I look at it, it doesn't look like a grasshopper. At most an ant. But thanks anyways, it's the thought that counts. I'll make you something."
"What? A grass nest?"
"You'll see soon. No peeking," she said.
Five minutes later, she finally said, "Done."
She held out a circular band.
"Grass ring," she said, "nice, huh? Much better than your grasshopper."
"Is not."
"Is too!"
Sendoh smiled and took it, "A ring? You want to win me over with a grass ring? You need at least a 3 carat ring."
"I heard of onions rings. But what are carrot rings?" she joked.
.
Rukawa opened the tap and cool water poured over her scrapped knee, "Feel better?"
"A bit," she said coolly.
"Baka."
"I'm not a baka! It's your demented bike, do'aho!"
"Back to normal, I see," he said.
'Normal? What's that suppose to mean?' she wondered, 'is he trying to imply that I normally yell?!'
He turned off the tap, "Come on."
"Where?"
"Disinfectant, for your knee."
"Hurting. Can't walk," she stated, 'Will he carry me again?'
He sighed, "Wuss."
.
Miyuki came out in the grass skirt and he let out a whistle, "You look great."
She laughed, "You too. Nice bod. Hula dancing, interesting choice, though I suddenly feel like I'm in danger of a bleeding nose. Dang! I wish I brought my camera."
He was probably more in danger of a bleeding nose than her, and it really didn't help with her asking, "Can I feel your pecs?"
After he got over his initial shock, he replied, "Sure if I can touch yours."
"Hentai!" she said looking a bit pink.
"Awwww, are you-"
The hula music came on and a skinny girl danced out and upon seeing him shrieked, "Sendoh-san!!"
'What the…'
She actually ran over and bumped Miyuki aide with her hips.
Miyuki was unfazed and let out a soft snicker and gave him a wink.
'This can't be happening.'
.
"Where are we going?" Rika asked.
"Taking you home," he said.
"What? Why? It's so early."
"You're hurt. Can't go biking now."
"But there's still so much we can do," she protested.
"Like?"
"Uh…I'm thirsty, tea?" she suggested, "and I always wanted to see that 3-D stimulator…"
He looked at her oddly.
"What?!" she demanded and remembered to keep her voice soft, "uh…please…won't you come with me?"
He frowned, "Ok. You ok?"
"Sure. I'm fine. Don't worry," she assured him.
He didn't reply but merely looked at her.
"So…lets go," she said strolling off, 'I was so afraid he wouldn't agree. So where to go for tea? At least I know he's worried about me.'
.
"My favourite exhibits? Swan, panthers, and seahorses."
"Ok. I understand girls like beautiful and dangerous things, but why seahorse?"
"It's cute and the males take care of the young. What girl doesn't like that?" she asked and added with a purr, "actually I panthers because they're like me…we stalk our prey."
He laughed.
"What three animals do you like?"
"Penguins, cobras and spiders."
"Spiders?! Ewwww," she exclaimed.
"Exactly. Spiders are a man's best friend when a woman's nearby," he grinned, "makes them jump right into your arms."
"You don't need spiders. You got washboard abs," she teased.
Sendoh changed the subject, he wasn't use to girls teasing with him, "Looks those two monkeys are fighting."
"I think they're mating…" Miyuki said.
'Really?' he wondered, "…"
.
Rika frowned, 'I should've watch this and then went for the drinks. Who knew watching a 3-D stimulation with moving seats can cause this kind of effect. It's worst than an actually roller coaster…'
"You ok?" he asked.
"I'm…" her stomach reflux was working against her.
She ran to the nearest garbage can and threw up. She spotted Rukawa watching her out of the corner of her eye, 'Crap. I must look horrible. Why does he have to see me do such gross things?! This is terrible. Barfing on the first date…'
She took a deep breath and pulled her head up, covering her nose and mouth with her hand, 'Oh, goodness. He's staring at me, probably grossed out.'
He held out a pack of Kleenex, which she took it, "Thanks."
"Water fountain over there," he pointed.
'He's not looking grossed out or amused or smirking. That's good, right?'
.
He took her to a nice bistro to have dinner.
"Are you enjoying the date?"
"Yes, you're good company. The atmosphere here is nice," she said looking at the candle, "ever wonder why the wick never burns out in some candles or take like days while other burn out so soon?"
"Sometimes you ask the oddest questions."
She looked at him, "Yeah. I say whatever comes to my mind, sometimes that's not a good thing. What are normal questions?"
"Um…what are my chances of a second date?"
"That depends…are you paying for dinner?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure."
"Then I say your chances are extremely good. Lets order dessert now."
"Ok…" he said his mind wondering off, 'where am I going to take her on our second date? It should be active…I heard two people engaging in physical activity bond better.'
"Would you two like your pictures taken?" a man asked.
"Sure!" she said, "can you take two? So we can each keep one?"
.
Rukawa yawned, "You can go home by yourself, right?"
'Why are you yawning?! Am I that boring?' she wanted to demand, but forced her self to stay calm, "I don't want to go home."
He looked at her and let out a huge yawn.
"Fine be like that!" she staid storming off and regretting it instantly, 'Why do I get pissed off by him so easily? Why can't I ignore his stupidity like everyone else?'
He walked beside her. She looked at him and smiled to herself.
Rika came back, "Here's your…"
She looked at the sleeping Rukawa, plop against the wall, 'He came to the aquarium with me to sleep?!'
She bent down and was about to punch him, but he looks so adorable. She put down the drinks and poked him in the cheek. No response.
'He's actually pretty cute, I guess I can forgive him.'
She sat beside him and rested her head on his chest. She looked at their surrounding. She was beginning to understand why Rukawa fell asleep, the illusive shimmering water, reflecting blue everywhere…
She yawned.
.
"It's nice here…" Miyuki said laying on the grassy banks with him.
"I like to come here to fish," he said, "you're the first person I brought here."
"I feel honoured. Is there any fish in this creek?"
"Actually, I'm not sure. I've caught garbage bags, aluminium cans, socks, and a bunch of other stuff."
She laughed, "That's better than fish. You're helping clean the community instead of killing innocent fish. Unless you're one of those people that dump everything you caught back…"
"I resent that. I don't litter."
She turned to him, "Why are you staring at me? Did we come to star gaze or what?"
"But you're so much prettier."
She blushed and said, "Get out of here. Save you lines for someone else."
'She's blushing, second time today,' he thought and smiled, "I'm serious, they're not just lines. Why would I pick a pile of rocks zillions of miles away, over something as beautiful as you, that's right next to me?"
She looked away, "Don't people want what they can't have?"
"That depends, can I have you?"
.
Rika couldn't believe she fell asleep and with her head on his thighs no less. The security came and kicked them out saying they shouldn't be engaged in that kind of inappropriate activity there. She felt so embarrassed, 'How can I show my face at the aquarium? It's my favourite place to go relax and calm down, too.'
"This your house?"
"Uh…hai!" she said, 'we got back so soon?'
"Bye."
"Anou…wait," she called, 'I should kiss him now, so he'll understand how I feel…'
"Wha-"
.
"Well, this is it. Thanks for the lovely date," she said.
"May I kiss you good night?"
She looked surprised, "Uh…sure…"
He looked at her and teased, "I do believe someone told me, one should close their eyes upon being kissed."
She stopped biting her lower lip and let out a soft chuckle, "I guess I did say that, huh?"
She closed her eyes.
'I think she'll forgive me if I really kiss her…' Sendoh thought as he slowly inched closer and shut his eyes.
End of First Date
A/N: Wow, Rukawa asked Rika if she was ok a lot of times… ^_^0 oh, well I'll give him a reason for it, later. I sure hope no one's thinking it's happily ever after right here, b/c next chapter might be disappointing then…
Ooops said too much, NEways I'm going back to school, so slower updates. =)