Disclaimer: I do not own any of these wonderful characters. The characters belong to Yukiru Sugisaki, the creator and manga artist of DN Angel.
Sakura-Angel: All right, chapter two! I was extremely pleased at the feedback I got for the start of this story. Thank you reviewers!
Dark: Sakura-Angel is also sorry for how long she made her readers wait, right?
Sakura-Angel: Yes! I know I said something about over the long weekend, but I'm just stupid and never got around to it.
Dark: Aww, don't beat yourself up over it.
Sakura-Angel: Thanks, Dark.
Dark: Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now start writing!
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"YOU WHAT?"
Risa winced. 'This definetely isn't good...' "Like I said, I sold it to a really hot guy with purple hair," The trembling twin said, a like unnerved.
Riku made a loud frustrated noise. "RISA! I wanted that record!"
The two bickering twins were inside Risa's cozy little shop on the main. It was still light out and the evening air was drifting into the shop. Risa was getting ready to close up. She had to get to a house on the other side of the city for piano lessons. Her face screwed up a bit at the thought of dealing with the immature nine-year old. The look quickly dissolved and the guilt-ridden store owner put on her best I'm-sorry face. "I thought you didn't want it because you didn't say anything..." She heard her sister growl.
"I spent so long looking for the damn thing and he just tossed it away! I need it back!" Riku paced back and forth in the middle of the little shop. 'I won't heal until I get it back...'
An old couple pushed open the door to the shop, jangling the little bell hung above it and interuppting Riku's train of thought at the same time. "Which one of you is the owner of this store?" A rich voice asked.
Risa offered a lopsided grin and put up her hand. "I am, sir."
"Fantastic," he strode up to the counter, where the younger of the two twins was standing. "I need..."
Riku gave up on pacing and gave a quick wave to her sister. Risa acknowledged that her sister didn't want to talk, and nodded back.
Riku pulled the door open hastily and shut it behind her. 'Why can't I just move on?' Her shoes click-clacked on the pavement as she made her way down the main, back to Daisuke's apartment. The air smelt thickly of exhaust and she began to feel woozy. Riku rounded a corner haphazardly and crashed into someone. 'I seem to be doing this a lot lately...' She then realized that her back should've connected with the ground by now, but it hadn't.
"Are you all right, miss?"
Her eyes snapped open. 'Wow.'
Riku was staring straight into the bluest eyes she had ever seen before. They were enigmatic in the way that they were tinged with the slightest bit of grey, but they were also charmingly alert and concerned.
"Yes. Thanks to you." Riku suddenly became very aware of his hands around her waist and tensed.
The stranger must've felt her reaction because he stood her up and released her immediately. "No problem." He stuck out his hand. "Hikari Satoshi."
She stuck out her hand as well and noticed how well dressed he was. "Harada Riku."
"Harada Riku? The one who writes for the local paper?"
She nodded and smiled a little. "That's me."
"What a nice coincidence."
Her smile slipped a little.
"What's the matter?"
"It just feels strange that people know me, but haven't met me." She scratched her head a bit shyly.
"Ah. Well, if it helps, I find your column insightful. You speak the truth." Satoshi carefully moved his torso to avoid a sharp elbow from the crowd on the sidewalk. He paused awhile. "Forgive me for making you uncomfortable."
She smiled a little again. "It's fine."
"Why are you smiling like that?"
She blinked a little more femininely than she would've liked and replied honestly, "You're so polite compared to most of the guys I've met."
His countenance was slightly marred.
"Which is a good thing," she rushed on. "It's nice to meet a guy who knows how to treat a lady like a lady because not many guys are like that," Riku felt kind of stupid with him looking so intently at her. "I'm sorry, I'm just babbling."
"To quote you, it's fine."
"Not a man of many words, huh?"
"No, I suppose not."
She giggled. And she giggled again at the look on his face. "I suppose not," she grinned. "You're great!"
He breathed sharply out of his nose as if mocking the comment. "Whatever you say Miss Riku."
She couldn't stop smiling at how proper he was. "Well, I have to go start another piece, maybe I'll bump into you again?"
"You will," he asserted his statement with a single nod of his head. "I'm inviting you to a celebration my company is having this Saturday night."
Her face lit up at the prospect of finally not being alone on a Saturday night.
"It's on 5th Ave, building 10-1212."
"The radio place?" Her eyebrows quirked.
"Yes."
"You own that place?"
"I am a figurehead of sorts. It's hard to explain, Miss Riku."
"No need. When should I arrive?" A light edge in her voice.
"Eight would be convenient."
"Great!"
"Splendid meeting you, Miss Riku," Satoshi's hand was ready and waiting to be shook.
Riku took it. "Thank you so much for inviting me to your gathering," she nodded and started walking away, as did Satoshi. She suddenly turned around again and put her hand in the air. "And thanks again for saving me!"
He saluted with his back to her.
'Haha! This is awesome!'
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Friday came around the bend, as did Dark on his way to work from the coffeeshop, mocha malt in hand.
'What a girly drink.' Dark thought wryly to himself. 'Too bad it's so damn good.' And he took another sip. The record was tucked firmly between his body and arm as his hands took turns holding his drink.
"What a girly drink."
"Krad! How've you been, you ass?" He slapped his blonde friend's back.
"You're the ass. I hate this expression, but so-so."
"Found a job yet?"
"Shut up."
Dark smirked and took another sip of the malt. "So no, I'm guessing," he replied while biting his straw.
Krad threw a few imaginary daggers at his 'friend' with his eyes.
Dark just laughed and stepped through a puddle.
Krad spazzed. "Fuck! These pants are white, in case you didn't notice! Now I've got fucking rainwater all over them!" He started walking the opposite direction. "Thanks."
Dark just saluted with his back to Krad.
Krad threw a few more daggers.
The purple-haired radio host continued walking down the street and approached the building's main entrance. He pulled open the glass door and gave a small wave to the receptionist who stared at his behind while he walked away quite openly.
Dark took the stairs two at a time for fun and arrived in his studio ahead of his producer. So he plopped into his swivel chair and took a good look at the record. He allowed a small smile to appear on his face. 'What's this?' "Happy Birthday Takeshi! Much love, Riku? Hmm." Dark jumped when he heard tapping on the other side of the glass. He cracked a sheepish smile and gave a small wave to his producer.
"You're on in... 5, 4, 3..."
Dark hurriedly grabbed his headphones. He spoke right into the mircophone. "Good morning Tokyo! May I remind you that it is a Friday and I am taking requests starting right away. So, I am your host Dark Mousy, may I take your orders?" He pressed a random caller button and got a glare from his producer.
"Hello! What can I do you for?" He was feeling diplomatic.
A few laughs echoed on the opposite end of the line. "DO AS INFINITY - HEART!"
"Haha, no need to shout..."
The guitars picked up instantly.
His producer came in his booth and turned off the mic. "It's hard running this station because of all the music you cover, so you better not pull anything elaborate, you hear?"
"Hikki. Calm. Down. Tell you what. You let me do my thing and that party we're having tomorrow night? That banquet-type thing? You can be my date."
"And what makes you think I would want to be your date?!"
"Those meaningful little glances you give me through the glass when you think I'm not looking," he smiled charmingly.
"Ass," she glowered. She trudged towards the door. "Ugh. Pick me up at seven-thirty."
Dark resisted the urge to snicker. "I'll need your address, first of all."
A resigned wave from his producer was all he got. She held up three fingers, then two... what was she doing...? Oh!
He started speaking into the mic again. "So there it was, Heart, very nice song, very nice group."
"What do you think you're doing?"
Dark shrunk a bit. "Mom?"
"No, I'm not your mother. If I was, I'd be ashamed that my son was making such a mockery out of what love is!"
He regained some composure. "Hey lady, I don't think you have a right to do this. I am just expressing my views here and--"
"That is my record you're reading off of, for your information!"
"Ah," he shut up and checked the note. "Riku?"
"Yes. I am Riku Harada and I do not appreciate the way you are delving into my life on air!"
"Look here miss. It's a simple note. How much could this guy have meant to you if he just threw the thing away?"
"How dare you!" She fumed on the other line.
"Again, just my opinion," he folded his hands and glanced at his producer, who was growing livid.
What a jerk. Imagine Riku's surprise when she turned the radio on to hear a private message of hers being read on air! She knew had a bone to pick with this guy right off the bat. "Listen! I have a right to my privacy! I want my record back!"
Dark grinned a bit at how much he was lighting a fire under this girl. "If I remember correctly, I paid for this at a little shop on the main. I paid for it. There was no hold, the owner didn't object, so I bought it and it's mine. Sorry, that's just the way life works. You've just gotta except that you win some and you lose some."
"I will not except that you are poking fun at my love life!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's not it. I am just saying that love ain't what it used to be."
"And you use my life as an example?"
Dark looked over at Hikki. She was making frantic motions with... every part of her body actually. "Sorry Riku, but I've gotta cut this short. Commercial."
He heard a clipped 'Hey!' and whipped off his headphones. 'I wonder how Hikki will kill me today...'
The door whooshed open. "GOD! Do you WANT to lose listeners? We spent a lot of time building your reputation up! You better not blow it by ARGUING with a RANDOM GIRL about, of all things, LOVE!" She paced around the room, her hand to her forehead. "That is a VERY controversial topic! You probably drove off tons of listeners!"
He picked up his slightly warmer-than-before mocha malt and sipped thoughtfully. "Yeah, I probably did, didn't I?"
A glare.
"Which means I'll get kicked off the team and get my contract nulled and I won't have to go to the celebration thing on Saturday, which means I won't have to date you, which is a good thi-- OW!"
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Sakura-Angel: So, an explosive battle between Dark and Riku takes place. How will this bode for their relationship? And with this arguement in play, how will that banquet go on Saturday?
Dark: Hell, even I don't know the answer.
Sakura-Angel: Of course you don't, love.
Dark: Did you just call me 'love'?
Sakura-Angel: Hey, I call everyone 'love' or 'darling'. It's fun. Like with British people. Yay for sweeping generalizations!
Dark: Riiiight.