YAY NOTHER CHAPTER!

UM... K, REVIEW ANSWERS.

To GODs little fallen angel:~smacks self over head.~ yes Kish's eyes are gold. Sorry. Oh, and I didn't mean to hurt Kish-

Kish: good.

Author: shut up. Let me finish. Anyway. I didn't mean to hurt him, be patient, it'll all work out in the end. It is an Ichigo/Kish, but I don't wanna give too much away, so that's all your getting, ~blows raspberry~.

To Mew Peach: I've updated!

To Krys: and I've avoided your ninja cupcakes and squeaky mallet!

Deep Blue: ~rubs head.~ I haven't.

Author: yes but that's coz you deserved it, blue. Don't whine.

Deep Blue: bit of a bitch, aren't ya?

Kish: ~winces.~ you have no idea.

Author: MWAHAHAHA!!!! Ahem. Anyway. On we go.

CHAPTER 4 the confession and the dream.

When the mew mews reached the café, Keiichiro immediately took Ichigo from Zakuro's arms.

"I can walk by myself." Ichigo said drearily.

"Oh, no no no!" fawned Lettuce. "You MUST have your rest ichigo-chan!"

Ichigo nodded and thanked her friends, letting Keiichiro take her up to Ryou's room.

A few hours later, Ichigo woke up to the welcoming smell of fresh rice balls.

"Huh?" she murmured, blearily opening one eye. She saw Ryou sat on the edge of the bed holding a plate of rice balls. ~De ja vu? ~ She thought, smiled weakly and sat up.

"here." Ryou handed her the plate. "You need your strength."

She looked down at the rice balls, took one and gingerly bit into it. She smiled at him. "Thank you." She whispered. His eyes widened, and he looked away hurriedly, so Ichigo wouldn't see the fact that he was blushing. "Oh!" she exclaimed, looking down at her watch. "I have to go! My mom'll go spare!" Ichigo got up, faced Ryou and bowed quickly. "Thank you for looking after me Ryou." She made to walk out the door, but she felt Ryou grab her arm. She turned around to face him, and gasped when she saw that he was blushing! "What's up, Ryou?"

He looked away, but still kept a tight hold on her arm. "Ichigo – I – um..." he sighed, exasperatedly.

She looked at him enquiringly, and smiled. "Ryou, you know you can talk to me." (Note the density of our fave little kitty then. ^-^)

"DAMMIT!" He yelled, causing Ichigo to jump back in alarm. "You're so – just STOP smiling like that! It's making this a lot harder!" Ichigo just stood stock still, staring at Ryou. He frowned, and blushed harder. "You're not making this any easier." He looked up at her, and swept her up in his arms. Ryou hugged Ichigo tightly, and she started to feel her cheeks grow hot. "I love you, Ichigo." He whispered.

~No,~ she thought. ~No, this can't be happening!~ she pushed him away. "No. Ryou, please." Ichigo looked up at him, tears once again filling her crystal eyes. "I'm sorry, but, Masaya-"

He looked away. "Yeah, yeah. Masaya. I know." Ryou fixed his gaze on Ichigo once more. "But he's DEAD now. Can't you make room in your heart for just one more?!"

She stared at him, not able to believe what he just said to her. "I can't do this." She whispered, and ran out the cafe.

"Hello, dear." Ichigo's mom Sakura greeted her as Ichigo trailed in miserably.

"Hey, Mom." She replied half-heartedly and walked straight up to her room.

"this is really destroying her." Sakura said to Ichigo's dad. (I would give ANYTHING to know what is name is!)

"Hmm." He replied, and, looking up from the paper, he said, "he was the only boyfriend I liked too."

Sakura rolled her eyes at her husband, and returned to her cleaning.

Ichigo collapsed on her bed and fell asleep immediately after her head hit the pillow.

(dream mode.) Fog, fog everywhere. Ichigo looks around her and sees a figure approach. "Masaya?!" she yells, her voice echoing into oblivion.

It is! "Masaya!!!" she runs towards him crying tears of joy. I thought he was dead! But he's here! He's here!

Masaya stands in front of her, smiling. He's holding a mew aqua!

"Masaya?" Ichigo stops. "What are you doing with a mew aqua?"

He carries on smiling that smile that she had always loved, but this time it makes her shiver inside. "This?" he enquires, holding up the tiny, glittering bottle. "This is for you, Ichigo."

"For me?"

"Yes. This is the strongest type of mew aqua. This is to heal a broken heart."

WHAT?! Ichigo looks at him in alarm.

"This is to help you move on."

"No, Masaya! I don't want to move on!" her voice echoed. "I love you! I don't want to move on!"

he just smiled, and poured the contents into his mouth.

"Masaya?"

He walks up to the frightened Ichigo, and kisses her. He holds her tight as she can feel the mew aqua trickling into her own mouth, and down her throat. He pulls away, wipes his mouth and smiles. "Now you'll be able to find someone that will make you truly happy." He fades away.

"But you made me happy." She murmurs tearfully after him into the emptiness. "You made me happy." (end of dream mode.)

Authors note: well, I hope that chappie was ok, I certainly hope it was long enough. Remember, the more reviews, the faster the chapter goes up! Ciao!

Hanajima. x