Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the characteristics. Just this storyline.
Chapter 3Valentine's Day
Today was awfully busy than usual. The café was packed with couples. I'm guessing that the girls forced their boyfriends to come here because when I passed by, many of them were shooting looks at me. Hey, it's not my fault that the protectors of Tokyo just happen to have a headquarter in a form of a café where it attracts many potential customers, particularly the female population.
"Ryou have the other girls working. There's more customers on the way. Also I need some help back in the kitchen." Wipping the flour off of him, Keiichiro told Ryou as more and more customers were lining up at the door.
Ryou nodded. Heading into the backroom, he said to the girls who were idling around. "Alright girls. That's enough. It's time to work because we got customers lining up."
That's weird. There's only four of them.
Ichigo is not here. I'm not surprise really. I guess she must be late because of spending some time with him.
A redhead was seen trying to sneak in. "Ichigo!"
She stopped and looked up to him.
"You're late…again." Ryou said in a demanding voice. "Can't you see that the café is full?"
"Sorry Ryou-kun. I was giving something to Masaya today." Ichigo said looking down in a guilty.
Just looking at her makes me want to rush over there and hug her. But I have to restrain myself. Lowering my voice, I said to her:
"Try not to do that again. Especially when the café is this full."
Ichigo smiled. "No problemo! Let's get to work!"
"Alright. I'll be upstairs in my room if any of you girls need anything." Ryou said and started to walk up to his room.
Closing the door behind him, the young blonde sighed in discontent.
Damn that friar. What went in his brain when he created this? It has been so long. So long since I last celebrated Valentine's day. It was a day before my parents died. Ever since then, I had worked hard to achieve the impossible. The dream that my father worked on for the majority of that life, and how I continued that project. I never receieved any gifts, chocolates, cards or even a "Happy Valentine's Day" from someone. I was too busy focusing on completing my father's dream. Now that I have achieved that dream. What do I do now? I have already graduated high school and college. There's nothing left for me but to socialize and be a "typical teen". But…I don't know how to do that.
You see, having a college degree doesn't necessarily means that you're smart. College doesn't teach you how to commuicate and socialize. Especially when it comes to the girl of your dreams. What do you mean you ask. The rest of the girls that are in the Mew Mew team, I'm nice to them. But their leader…is a different case.
I guess you can tell by now that Ichigo and I don't see each other eye to eye. That was stated when we first met.
Running his fingers through his head, Ryou sighed.
Thinking about this not only makes my head hurts, but so does my heart. There's one thing better about cats, they don't have anything to worry about.
Closing his eyes, Ryou concentrated on his "Alto" form. Where Ryou once stood, now stood a male wildcat. The wildcat jumped on his bed and took a nap.
A couple hours passed by and the café was closing. A door creaked open. Bits of red hair was shown. "Ryou-kun?" Ichigo called.
She came into the room. Looking over Ryou's room, she noticed a stuffed cat on his bed. She grinned and walked near the bed. "You know. That stuffed animal looks like Ryou in his cat form. Well since he's not here, I better leave this."
Ichigo left a pink bundle and a letter.
After she left, Ryou opened his eyes and changed into his human form. "Stuffed animal? She must be denser than I thought she is."
Opening the bundle, he saw two cats joined together by a heart sign. Looking at it, they were made out of white chocolate.
Why would she make this for me? Is this some sort of indication? I better hope she's not bribing me to give her a raise. I better read the note.
Dear Ryou-kun,
I'm guessing you must be surprise why you receive candy. If you're thinking that I'm bribing you for a raise, give me a break. I can do better than that seriously. So you must be wondering why I'm giving this to you. Well here's my explanation.
Ryou-kun…
There are some times where you are an absolute jerk and cold-hearted toward me. In fact, most of the time you are. But there are some times that I remember, where you show me the nice side of you. The side that you would always show to the other girls, but…there's something hidden in that side. I can't tell what it is.
Here it is…thank you. Thank you for everything Ryou-kun. Thank you for giving me that dress to the ball. Thank you for giving me a day off and I had it end where I had a date with Masaya. Thank you for allowing me to witness those moments where you care to me. I also want to thank you for the confidence you have given to me. True while this confidence only appears whenever I'm Mew Ichigo, but nevertheless thank you.
Neverthless? You must have been a huge influence on me.
Please except this gift as a token of starting over. I know our first meeting wasn't very pleasant. Especially when you were being perverted looking down there (1). Don't think that I'm forgetting the time that we spent bickering and those moments where you show your kidness. I just want us to be friends.
Hope to be your friend,
Ichigo
PS. So…does this mean I get a raise? ;) Just joking. (Though I really do want a raise…)
Ryou put down the letter. He smiled, a smile that none of the girls or even Keiichiro has seen. Not since his parent's deaths had he smiled like that. Ryou hid the letter in a safe box along with the napkin that was used as a wrapping for the candy.
I guess I was wrong. There may be hope for me…
Ichigo, you're one of a kind.
Ryou sat down on his bed and took a bite of the candy.
AN:
That's the end of "From the Very First Moment I Laid Eyes on You".
Disappointing that the story only ends in friendship? yes it was.
But!
For my next story, "An Unknown Love Letter" it's Ryou x Ichigo! Thanks to Angelic Ichigo for the plot line!
If you have any more suggestions, either email me or put it in a review. Who knows? I might write a story about it.
Also, I really don't know the japnese names of all the characters that well so if anyone would like, can they email me about it or im me at lady sapphire4 (aim).
Sakura Moon signing out.