OK, MORE REVEIWS ANSWERS. TO GODs little fallen angel.: why WAH?

KISH: well, DUH! I wasn't in that chapter!

Author.: (sighs) you are so full of yourself Kish.

Kish: grumbles.

Author: oh, and to Krys, yup, I love the cliffhangeryness . thank you for the name, ill have to look at that, strange I didn't notice it... enjoy your rice ball!

Kish: you guys torture me.

Author: shut up. It always works out for you in the end. Life cant all be sweetness and light you know Kish. At least you get the gurl in my one. Oops, said too much.

Kish: I get Ichigo??? YAY! Well wattya waitin for! Carry on with the story!!!

Author: alright, alright... sheesh...

CHAPTER 5, LETTUCE IN THE MIDDLE! (SO cheesy, but hey!)

Ichigo opened her eyes, feeling totally miserable.

"ICHIGO!!" she heard her mom shout, "You'll be late for school!"

"CRAP!" Ichigo yelled, and jumped out of bed. She picked up Masha from his bed and said, sighing, "your creator just made my life a living hell!"

"Tweet?" he responded. (he/she? Does anybody know?)

She spent the day in a daze. She didn't want to forget the dream she had about Masaya, but she didn't like what he said. She had always believed that it was really him when he appeared in her dream. ~Does this mean he wont be visiting me anymore?~

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Lettuce asked while they were getting changed for work.

"I dreamt about Masaya again last night." She sighed.

"Oh?"

"He-he told me to move on, but I don't want to. I love him too much."

"Well," she said, clearly when she's on a roll she's very reluctant to stop. "there are people that do like you a lot, Ichigo. There's Kish-" Ichigo gave her a dark look. "I'm just saying! There are also potential dates too, like Keiichiro, Ryou-"

"Ryou?!" Ichigo became very flustered. "No! No! I couldn't! It's wrong! No!"

Lettuce looked taken aback by her friend's abruptness. "Ok Ichigo, I'm sorry!" She half laughed.

You do need to get back on the dating train though." Mint's head popped up from behind Lettuce.

"ARGH! Mint! DON'T DO that!"

"Sorry Lettuce. Ichigo, you do though. As your good friend, Mint Aizawa, you NEED a date!"

Ichigo once again became flustered. "NO! no, really, I couldn't."

"oh don't be such a scaredy-cat. Speaking of cats..." Mint gestured to her head, and Ichigo instinctively reached up to cover them.

"Mint, I know you're just being a good friend, and I really appreciate it, I do! It's just, I don't think I'm ready for another relationship just yet. Sorry."

~I cant tell them what Ryou said!~ she thought worriedly. ~they'll make me go out with him!~

"What's the commotion?" Ichigo jumped. Ryou. She didn't turn around. "aren't you lot meant to be working??"

"Oh, calm down, Ryou." Mint said with a flick of her hand. "It's just girly stuff. The café doesn't open for another hour anyway."

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!!"

Ichigo crept off, leaving them to their mindless bickering. She sank down into a chair, and held her head in her hands.

"Is there anything wrong, miss Momomiya?"

"Sorry, Keiichiro!" Ichigo stood up quickly. "I'll get right back to work!"

Keiichiro's lips twitched slightly. "It's okay, Ichigo, I was just wondering why you didn't pounce into that argument like your usual strawberry-sweet self?"

"Tired." She said automatically.

"why don't you go home and get some rest then?"

"No! I've rested too much! I'm so wide awake that I don't think I'll be able to sleep for a week!" she started buzzing animatedly round the café.

"Ichigo." Keiichiro grabbed her arm. "is this about what Ryou said yesterday?"

"WHAT?!" Poof.

"Ichigo!"

"MEOW! (crap!)"

Keiichiro smiled. "come here kitty."

Ichigo looked frantically around her.

"It's okay, Ichigo."

She gave up. The kitten screwed up her eyes, reached up and gave him a light peck on the lips. Poof!

"Oh Ichigo you daft cat." He stroked her hair affectionately as she sulked on the floor. "what did Ryou say now?"

You mean you don't know?!"

"Of course not. It was just a hunch." She sighed with relief.

Keiichiro watched her closely. "He did say something, though, didn't he?"

She smiled up at him. ~Good.~ she thought. ~He doesn't know.~ "of course not! Now lets get going so the café will be open in time!"

But no matter what Keiichiro knew or didn't know, Ichigo kept avoiding the ever-creepy Ryou.

"Keiichiro?" lettuce said, watching the furiously enthusiastic Ichigo, and incredibly sulky Ryou.

"Mm?" He replied, keeping an eye on the pair also,

"There's something wrong with Ichigo and Ryou, isn't there?"

"Hm, yes, I have noticed something unusual about those two. Ichigo more than normal." He added.

She nodded, thinking. "Keiichiro?"

"Yes, lettuce?"

"Do you think we should, you know, push them in the right direction?"

Keiichiro's lips twitched again, smiling slightly.

"You read my mind, little Lettuce." He studied the two with a keen eye for the rest of the afternoon.

Just before leaving, Zakuro meandered casually over to the scheming pair. "What are you two up to?" she asked in a stern but amused tone.

Lettuce just smiled at her, and Keiichiro tapped his nose playfully.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "You two are so immature." But she gave them a small smile before she turned and sauntered out of the café.

Ichigo got home just as downheartedly as she had done for the past six months. The problem was, she found someone to greet her whom she never would have expected.

Authors note. ARGH! Another cliff hanger! MWAHAHA!!! Remember-

Kish: awww, I wasn't in that one either!

Authoress: Ahem. Remember, the more reviews I get, the faster another chapter –

Kish: why wasn't I in that one???

Authoress: excuse me for a minute. ~grabs kish and ties him to the stair railing. Upside down.~

Authoress: anyway. What was I saying? Oh yes. The more reviews, the faster another chapter goes up. No reviews, no chapter. and I am pretty sure krysofdeath would quite happily reach for her ninja cupcakes towards the ones that have caused the lack of updating! She doesn't like it when people uptdate... ~shrinks quietly in to a corner, thinking terrifying thoughts of those ninja cupcakes.~

Kish: KRYS!!! HELP ME!!!

AUTHORESS MWAHAHAHA! Remember, review! -^ ^-