Author's Note: I guess I was able to update sooner than expected. Damn, the Real Bout anime's ending still has me pissed off, hopefully the manga doesn't end the same way. I think it was easier to choose the anime universe over the manga universe because I don't know the ending for the manga, not to mention I don't want to deal with the characters from Ryoko's Shinsengumi and the other gang. Oh well, that's enough of my ranting, let's get to the story now.



Chapter 4: A Promise That Can't be Kept



History had just come to a close once again. The entire class was well out the door before the bell even rang today, well, almost the entire class. Ryoko was still in her desk, her eyes planted on the scenery outside. She had been locked in thought the entire period, the events that had transpired with the blue-haired fighter the night before were still fresh in her mind. She could remember his gentle caress, his soft skin, and soothing voice, she could recall these things by simply closing her eyes. She could recall the promise he made her that night.

"Shizuma, will you stop fighting?" she had asked him. "For the sake of our child, will you stop?"

"...yeah, I'll stop," he answered.

She was happy to hear him say those words that night, his promise to stop fighting for her. Was it really for her sake, or was it for her child's?

"Shizuma, who did you promise to stop fighting for?" Ryoko had asked herself the millionth time that day. "Was it for me, or was it our child? Oh who am I kidding?!" Ryoko yelled as she leaped out of her seat. "If none of this would've happened he wouldn't have promised me anything! That moron would continue going to Ikeburo every night just to earn a few bucks to watch out for himself. He wouldn't make a promise like that to me in a million years if what happened that night never occurred! But if it never happened, the two of us would never have been able to get together that night," Ryoko began to sink back in her chair, "and I would never... have fallen for that stupid red monkey. We would still... be fighting, constant bickering day in and day out, a vicious cycle I never enjoyed. Shizuma..., it wasn't until all this had happened that I finally realized how I truly felt about you, yet..., I can't even bring myself to express those feelings to you. You're only doing this for me because you feel responsible, right? If that night had never occurred, how would you feel about me, Shizuma?"

"Ryoko," Hitomi's voice echoed down the hall, "Ryoko!" Hitomi stopped before the entrance of the room.

"Huh, oh, hi Hitomi," Ryoko glanced at her friend.

"Ryoko, are you all right?" Hitomi asked as she approached her friend.

"I've been doing some thinking, that's all," Ryoko answered.

"Thinking, Ryoko, about what?" Hitomi asked as the two began to make their way outside the building.

"It's nothing, really," Ryoko answered, her head hanging low once more.

"Something's wrong, I can tell, Ryoko, you always act like this when something's on your mind," Hitomi pointed out, "please, tell me what's on your mind."

"I'm sorry, but I'd rather keep this to myself," Ryoko apologized, not even looking at her friend as she spoke.

"It's about Shizuma Kusanagi, isn't it?" Daisaku suddenly appeared.

"Shizuma?" Ryoko quickly turned to her faithful fan.

"Don't get me wrong, but he's been on your mind this entire week, hasn't he?" Daisaku asked.

"...yeah," Ryoko admitted, "he has."

"Are you worried he won't take responsibility for your child?" Hitomi asked.

"No, it's not that," Ryoko answered, "I know he's willing to take responsibility, he even stopped by my house last night and gave me some money for the baby."

"Then what is it?"

"When this is all over, when I've given birth to our child, what will happen to us?" Ryoko asked as a translucent river began to crawl down her cheek.

Ryoko had numerous situations that she had played out through her mind many times. They were all very different, yet the basic premise was always the same. Ryoko would be watching their child until Shizuma came at the door. He would take their child with a smile on his face and walk out the door without taking a second glance at Ryoko. Moments later, Shizuma would return the child to her arms, leaving her once more without taking a look back. Ryoko didn't want that kind of relationship with Shizuma, she wanted him to always be there, it was greedy, but Ryoko knew that's what she wanted.

"Hey, Ryoko," the voice of her arch rival suddenly snapped her out of that dreadful world.

"Shizuma!" Ryoko quickly turned toward him with a smile stretched across her face.

"You're awfully cheery today," Shizuma pointed out.

"What are you talking about?" Ryoko asked, trying to hide her sadness away with a mask of happiness. "I'm always like this!"

"Yeah, whenever you're not trying to smack me with that stick-for-a-sword of your's!" Shizuma teased.

"Got that right," Ryoko laughed.

"This is weird," Daisaku thought as he watched the two K-fight champions laughing, "I've never seen these two get along so well."

"Hey Ryoko, you want to go grab some lunch," Shizuma suddenly asked her, "of course, you can bring your friends if you want."

"Sure," Ryoko nodded.

"You can go on without us," Hitomi informed Ryoko.

"Hey, but I wanted to..." Daisaku tried to speak for himself only to have his mouth covered by Hitomi's hand.

"Have a nice meal," Hitomi waved with her free hand as she tried to keep Daisaku's mouth shut.

"So what do want to get?" Shizuma asked as the two ventured out of the building.

"It doesn't really matter," Ryoko answered as she walked by Shizuma's side, step by step.

"My sister packed me a lunch today," Shizuma said as they stopped in front of his bike, "she made too much so maybe it's best that we share it," he said as pulled out two boxes out of his bike's knapsack.

'This is most definitely weird. Two lunch boxes are too much for Shizuma?! No way, that can't be right,' Ryoko though to herself. 'If I can recall, he ate those two lunches Azumi Kirabyashi-senpai and I made for Tatsuya-senpai a while back with no problem. I guess he's making it his liberty to take care of me too since I'm carrying our child.'

"Hey, something the matter, Sasquatch?" Shizuma asked, waving his palm before her eyes.

"What'd you call me?!" Ryoko snapped.

'She's cute when she's angry,' Shizuma thought to himself.

"Hey, calm down," Shizuma said in his normal tone of voice, "can't eat if you're getting all huffy."

"Huh, oh, yeah," Ryoko quickly cooled down as she took a seat on a nearby bench.

Shizuma sat right next to Ryoko. He couldn't help but admire the samurai girl as she unfurled the handkerchief binding her meal. Her fingers looked so smooth and slender, despite how many times they would swell from holding her wooden sword so tightly, her arms looked so nice and silky, just watching how she untied her lunch so delicately made Shizuma jealous of the lunch box. His eyes traced down to her legs, they were so long and looked so soft, he wondered how they would feel if they could just wrap around him, he probably wouldn't mind if she did so during a K-fight, though they'd probably suffocate him. He began to look upward, finding her body. It looked so firm, so feminine despite all the workouts and exercises she had gone through in order to try and gain a muscular build. Her breasts, he wondered how they would feel if they were pressed up against him, they looked so firm, but he bet they were as soft as clouds if he were to touch them. Her neck seemed so delicate, just his very touch seemed like it could melt it. He traced her figure to her face now. She looked so beautiful, not a scratch nor scar were apparent despite the many battles she had. Those violet orbs surrounded by white, Shizuma could practically lose himself in them. Her skin looked so silky, so creamy, he wish could he could taste it, she was so easily within reach, yet so far apart. God he loved her, but did she love him?

"Hm?" Ryoko finally realized Shizuma had been staring at her for the last five minutes.

"Gah!" Shizuma fell back from the shock, rolling to the floor in the process.

"Ah ha ha ha," Ryoko couldn't help but chuckle.

Her voice was music to his ears. Such a sweet lullaby, he could easily listen to it for all eternity and not tire of it. She was a goddess to him, yet he seemed like a pauper compared to the samurai girl. It was weird, the two were easily on the same level in terms of skill, but Shizuma somehow felt inferior compared to her. He didn't deserve her, at least that's what he thought.

'I'm lucky to even be sitting here with her, aren't I?' Shizuma thought to himself.

"Oh man, that was just hilarious! Are you okay, Shizuma?" Ryoko asked as she wiped away the tears that had formed from laughing.

"Yeah, I'm cool," Shizuma boasted as he dusted the dust off his jacket, "I just felt like rolling off the bench for now apparent reason."

"Sure," Ryoko rolled her eyes as Shizuma took back his seat.

"Hey Ryoko...," Shizuma called her name in a serious tone, "do you think... friendship can ever bloom into anything else?"

What was this all of a sudden? Shizuma, asking about friendship evolving? How many new sides of her arch rival did Ryoko see these last two days? She didn't seem to mind, in fact, she liked all these new personas that Shizuma continued revealing to her.

"Friendship blooming into something else...," Ryoko repeated his words.

Why was he asking this? Could it be that Shizuma also had feelings for Ryoko? Feelings that weren't forced because of their unborn child?

"Why do you ask?" Ryoko asked, her cheeks beginning to kindle with the burn she felt last night.

"Because, Ryoko, I..."

His fingers slowly reached for her shoulder, holding them ever so gently when it was within his grasp. Her face began searing once more as his lips began to venture toward her's. His breath was so cool, catalyzing the fire in her heart. Her lips looked so tender, the sweet honey that was locked beneath them looked just as tantalizing. Just one taste, he just had to have one, just one, he could die a happy man if he could taste those lips just once. She pushed herself forward, her body was pressing against his now, she felt so comfortable and at east just sitting there. They were so close, their figures would be one if they could just share this one kiss. Ryoko could practically taste the sweet ambrosia that was locked inside his mouth, she just had to get closer and that sweet syrup was her's, all her's.

"Oh Shizuma...," her breath barely spoke his name.

"Attention all students!" the voice of Tamaki, the student announcer for the K-Fights suddenly echoed throughout the entire campus. "A challenge has just been made to the current K-Fight champion, Ryoko Mitsurugi, for the championship! The champion and all those who wish to witness this spectacular event are to report to the auditorium at this very minute!"

"Yeah!" the entire school suddenly roared as the two fighters sat in the very same place, their lips frozen before an invisible barrier.

"I guess that's me," Ryoko sighed as she pulled herself away from Shizuma's arms.

"Are you going to fight?" Shizuma asked.

"No," Ryoko answered. "I can't fight, not while this child is still growing inside me."

"Then why are you going?"

"I... I'm going to report my retirement to the entire school," Ryoko answered.

"I see," Shizuma said as he began to make his way toward his bike.

"You're not going to watch?" Ryoko asked as the street fighter revved his bike.

"Sorry, but there's something I gotta do," Shizuma said as he placed his helmet over his head.

"Oh...," Ryoko's head began to sink back to the floor.

Her eyes began to weigh down, slowly dwindling to the pavement. A drop had splashed onto the gray floor, pulling her chin to the ground even more. Something had suddenly slipped underneath her chin, pushing her face forward once more.

"Hey, keep your chin up, okay?" Shizuma said as his thumb stretched across her cheek, pushing away her tears.

"Okay...," Ryoko nodded, putting on her best smile.

"Crying doesn't befit a woman like you, so smile," Shizuma assured her.

"Thank you, Shizuma," Ryoko sniffed.

"Later," Shizuma waved before his bike suddenly skidded along the road.

"Later," Ryoko uttered as she remained in place.

Shizuma had stopped far from the school when he finally parked his bike. This area wasn't very well kept; animals were constantly barking, graffiti was painted over all the buildings, fences were planted over every alley and corner, even gunshots were heard over all the animal barks. Police sirens also filled the area, as well as four-letter words that would follow every other word one person in the vicinity spoke. Shizuma had to take a look back every so often as he began to walk down one path between two apartment buildings. The screams of men and women being attacked began to flow into Shizuma's ears, cheers of various names blew into his ears with each step Shizuma took. The cries grew louder, the shaking of fences began to rupture in his ears as well. Finally, Shizuma had come to a stop, standing before him was a very tall and muscular man, his face scrunched up and scarred, you can easily tell that this man has had his share of fights. Behind this man was a giant fence, cluttered with many masses outfitted in leather and jeans, the masses huddled in a circle as two other men struck each other with their fists and items that were scattered throughout the floor.

"Welcome to Ikeburo," the muscular man greeted Shizuma, "will you be fighting today, Mr. Kusanagi?"

"Hell yeah!" Shizuma exclaimed as his knuckles cracking as they flattened against his palm.

The man pulled the gate to the arena wide open, just as one of the fighters had been dragged out of the ring. Shizuma stood in the center of all the masses, of all of them booing his name except for one spectator.

"Go Nagi!" Sarah screamed atop of all of the crowd's putdowns.

"Ha ha ha," the man before Shizuma taunted the young street fighter.

This man was huge, three heads taller than Shizuma and two times wider. Muscles poked out of every crevice on his body, each of those muscles lined with marks from previous battles. His head was shaved bald, the reflection of half the spectators was reflected off the thug's skull. Without even waiting for the bell, the man took a hold of Shizuma's shirt, pulling his entire being upward to his height. A loud ting suddenly filled the area at that moment, the thug began to pull his free arm back. Without wasting a second, Shizuma quickly shot his head forward, striking it against the bare skull of his opponent. The man fell with that one blow, a large crater between his eyes and a river of crimson flowing below his nose. The bell rang once more, and the thug was immediately dragged out of the arena.

"That's my Nagi!" Sarah screamed as the rest of the crowd booed once more.

"I'm sorry, Ryoko," Shizuma said as he watched his former opponent thrown out of the arena, "but this is the only way I know how to make a living..."



Author's Note: You readers didn't actually think Shizuma was going to stop fighting just like that, were you? I had this planned from the very beginning, there is no way Shizuma's gonna stop fighting if he makes a promise (unfortunately). I dunno if it's just me, but does this chapter feel rushed? Hopefully I'm not rushing the story... Well, leave me a review, and as usual, I don't take flames.