Woooohooooo! Chapter 7! We are no where near the ending of this story! Or maybe we are...I don't know how much I want to include in each chapter...but there is MUCH more! You don't think I'd ever end this story with Ichigo never finding out Ryou was a merman. So, ONWARD!
I have not, do not, and will not own TMM or The Little Mermaid or She Will Be Loved or My Immortal or any other owned topics in this story.
Ryou awoke to find himself in a hospital bed. With no water? But...the seven days were up and then he saw Ichigo, sitting in a chair, asleep. He tried to get up, but moaned in pain. The part of the dress was no longer there and in its place were fresh bandages. Ichigo, slouching in her chair, awoke and once she saw he was awake, smiled.
"Ryou! I'm so glad you are awake! I thought maybe you were dead! I'm so glad!" she screamed, hugging him as hard as she could. "Uh...Ichigo...can't...breathe..." he choked out, his face turning blue. Ichigo let go, mentally hitting herself for being so dumb. Something came to her mind that she needed to say. "Um...Ryou...I'm sorry...but...I hope you don't mind...but I kissed you for good luck...hoping you'd get better...its not, you know...love...but it's a friendship kiss..." she replied, her cheeks turning redder by the second. Ryou put his hands through his hair and smiled. "It's ok," he replied. This reminded him of something his father had said awhile ago.
Flashback
"So it depends on how she kisses me that matters as well?" asked a young Ryou. His father smiled; Ryou was so young, so many questions waiting to be answered. "Yes, if she kisses you for good luck, 1 day, if it's unintentional, 1 week, and true love Ryou lasts forever."
End Flashback
"Exactly how many times did you kiss me?" he asked. Her face became as red as a tomato. "Um...uh...look at this plant I gave you, you've been in bed for so many days that it's going to..." Ichigo ended abruptly. Feeling guilty for not telling him because she might have invaded his personal space, she muttered "Three."
"Ah, no wonder, I've been out for awhile...that means...this is my last day on the surface," thought Ryou, depressed. He was going to miss everything and everyone; the dancing game, the movie theater, the people up here, but most of all, he would miss Ichigo. "Ichigo...I'm sorry but...I have to leave tonight," Ryou said in a sad tone. It took awhile for Ichigo to contemplate this, but minutes later, she realized he wasn't joking. "Wh...wh..WHAT!"
Ichigo walked down the hallway with Ryou who was ignoring his pain. "What do you mean you're leaving? Who will I talk to? Can I have your e-mail address? Or maybe your real address so I can come visit? Would your dad mind me visiting? Come on Ryou, why do you have to leave tonight? You just got here 10 days ago! Please just one more day? Please change your mind? Come on Ryou? PLLLLEEAAASSEE?" she said, giving him the lower lip.
He had to admit, it was hard to say no to that, and it was so cute and sad looking. But he had to go; it's not like he could live in Ichigo's bathtub. "I'm sorry Ichigo, but I have to leave," said Ryou. Ichigo was not finished though, but she knew she couldn't change his mind. "Can I help you pack than?" she asked.
"I don't need to pack; I came with nothing and I am leaving with nothing," he replied. The slight smile that had appeared on Ichigo's face had turned into a frown. "Well I could e-mail you? Or visit you? Please, tell me how I can keep in contact with you?" she moaned. Ryou had lost his patience. "ICHIGO! YOU CAN'T KEEP IN CONTACT WITH ME, OK? I'VE OVERSTAYED MY WELCOME AND I NEED TO GO, ALRIGHT!" shouted Ryou.
From Ryou's shouting, tears had appeared in Ichigo's eyes. "Well...well then fine...leave then..." she said. But Ryou had hurt her and she would not let him off that easy. "FINE! LEAVE, AND I HOPE I NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN! EVER!" she shouted back, tears running down her face. She turned around and ran for her room. "Ichigo! I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry!" cried Ryou. But Ichigo had already slammed her door and hadn't heard him. So he just waited in his room, waiting until sun-down, when he would change back into his original form.
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It was that time. Ryou was about to leave, and when down in the main entrance, looked back and said "Farewell Ichigo..." And then he left.
Ichigo was still locked up in her room. Ryou would be leaving about now. She didn't want to leave their friendship on bad terms. She ran out the door seconds after Ryou had left. She found him walking...toward the ocean? She ignored the fact that this was a little strange. She followed him toward the rock where they met and watched him. Minutes later, a bright light surround him. He was changing...she was worried. What if...she ran toward him. She jumped on the rock he had been sitting on as he jumped into the water.
"RYOU!" she yelled. Ryou turned his head before diving in and saw Ichigo standing on the rock; calling him. His eyes widened...and then realized that she needed to know the truth...she deserved it...he swam over to her, revealing his fins and he went. Ichigo saw them and gasped. Once Ryou had reached her, seeing the expression on her face told everything. She stuttered "You're...you're a...a merman..." Ichigo broke into rage. "You jerk, why didn't you tell me the truth? You were lying to me all this time..." she said, more tears coming down her face.
Hadn't she suffered enough? Ryou smiled. "Ichigo, if you really want me...then you have to kiss me...Ichigo...do you love me?" he asked. Ichigo was stunned. She didn't know what to say; her heart was saying one thing, her head another. "I'm...I'm sorry Ryou, but I..." she started out, but he didn't need to hear the rest. Swimming out to sea, the final words he spoke were "Good-bye Ichigo...my love..." and he dived under. It took awhile for Ichigo to realize what had just happened. She franticly started calling him, but no reply. She finally gave up and walked to the castle, in tears.
Wow...this chapter was...short...but I wanted to save some other things for later. I hoped you liked this chapter. Don't worry, Ryou and Ichigo do get together, but you have to keep checking in to find out how. In other news, I got the lead female role in the Christmas play. Anyway, here's the paragraph/summary...
They both turned off there radio's and at the same time, replied "Stupid song". Zakuro had ended her conversation minutes ago, and had gone to get Ichigo to get her to her room to explain everything. King Shirogane had done the same. Once sitting Ichigo down, she started with, "Ok, what's wrong?" Ichigo just stared at her feet, silent.
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King Shirogane did the same, but Ryou had replied with a simple "Nothing". Fate must have been on there side today, because just then, tow servants came and said that both were needed in another room. They left their children in the rooms. Ichigo was still driving herself crazy, telling herself that she did not love Ryou. "I do not love Ryou, I do not love Ryou," she kept saying to herself. But with every word, she began to feel sadder, and by the time she was on her knees looking at the floor, she finally realized and whispered under her breath "I...I...I do love Ryou..." The sun shining in her mother's room glared off...a shiny object. She slowly went toward it, and flicked it. That must have triggered something, because before she knew it, she was staring into King Shirogane's bedroom, and in that bedroom was Ryou, all alone.
Hope this makes you a little excited. Anyway, read and review, over and out. -Nibzo
