What do you mean it took a long time? –cough cough- Yeah, sorry about that. I had writers block. Sad excuse, I know, but it's all I have.

Heh, Rinji is developing quite the fanbase, ain't she? I ramble. Anyhoo, next chapter time! –small Spoiler warning in this chapter-

Keiichiro balanced a bag of groceries in one arm, using his other to twist the handle. He shouldered the door open and walked in. A blur shot past him, nearly causing the man to loose his grip on the bag of groceries.

"Rinji?"

The girl stopped, looking up. "Oh, hello Mr. Keiichiro." She smiled innocently.

Keiichiro placed the heavy bag down, facing the girl. "Something wrong?"

Rinji paused before shaking her head. "Nope."

A skeptical look came over the older man's face, easily detected by the eight-year-old. The girl kicked up dust, smiling sheepishly. "Uh, I'm wanted to go out on a walk…can…you tell Daddy I'm OK?"

Keiichiro sighed, looking around. "I have a feeling I shouldn't be saying this, but…" He winked at the young girl, "Go ahead."

She beamed, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Thank you Mr. Keiichiro!"

Keiichiro shook his head slowly as the girl ran off down the street. "Hm. Now I know she's a Shirogane…"

"Ichigo?"

The red head jerked her head up in surprise, looking up at the boy next to her. "Ah, yes, Masaya?" She chirped.

Masaya's brow furrowed, "Are you OK?"

The truth was, Ichigo wasn't sure. Her mind remained oddly fixated on the conversation she had just had with Ryou. His words kept ringing through her mind. "Just think about how you would feel if your mother wanted nothing to do with you." A shudder shot down her spine. "Fine, Masaya." A fake smile replaced the thoughtful frown. 'He's so sweet. He cares about me.' The words didn't seem to have the same effect as they did the last month.

Masaya smiled warmly and looked ahead once again, talking about his kendo match that weekend. Ichigo nodded and beamed, convincing herself that she was just where she wanted to be. 'Right by Masaya's side…'

The girl jumped suddenly as a crash came from the alleyway next to her. She planted her hands over her head frantically, pushing her ears down to her skull. 'Ugh, why now?' She complained to herself.

Masaya was paying no attention to her. "Hey, I wonder what that was." He gently pushed past Ichigo, walking down the narrow alleyway towards the knocked over trashcans.

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief as she felt her cat ears sink back into her head. "Ah, be careful, Masaya!" She warned, cringing.

Masaya looked over his shoulder to briefly smile at her before looking at the mess of tin trashcans laying on their side. He knelt down to one knee, holding out one hand. "Oh, it's just a kitten."

A loud hiss suddenly erupted from behind the mess and a blue bolted away from Masaya's reach. The teenage boy backed away in surprise, Ichigo gasping in surprise. 'This is insane!' Her mind raced, 'Animals always love Masaya! This whole day is shaping up to be a mess!'

Masaya reappeared next to her, shaking his hand. "Little thing must have been really scared. It scratched me." He held out his hand for Ichigo to see, "Not bad though."

The Iromote Mew smiled in relief. "That's good. What a strange cat."

"Yeah." Masaya shrugged as he looked down the sidewalk. "Oh, there's an ice cream vendor over there. Do you want some ice cream?"

Ichigo didn't pause to think. "Sure!" She chirped.

Masaya laughed lightly. "I'll buy it. You can sit down, if you want. What flavor would you like?"

"Strawberry!" Ichigo chirped as she skipped off towards one of the wire table and chair sets that were gathered near the vendor. 'I'm not going to let all those weird things ruin my date!' She decided defiantly. The red head plopped down, looking off towards the vendor to await her dates return.

"Hi, Mama."

A screech was emitted as Ichigo turned in her seat. Her cat ears vanished as quickly as they had appeared when she saw who it was. Her heart skipped a beat. "R-Rinji!"

The little girl was leaning on the table with her chin resting on her folded arms. She blinked innocently. "Hi." Rinji repeated patiently.

Ichigo had gone into panic mode. "Rinji Shirogane, what the heck are you doing here?" She whispered fiercely.

"I'm on a walk."

Ichigo looked to make sure Masaya wasn't looking. He wasn't. In relief, Ichigo leaned over, obviously angry. "Does Ryou know your out here?"

The cat girl thought. "Mr. Keiichiro does."

The red head clenched her hands. "Listen, Rinji, you need to go back to the café! As in now!"

"Why?" Rinji's eyebrow arched in confusion.

"I'm still on a date!" Ichigo glanced over her shoulder in time to see that Masaya had finished purchasing the ice cream. "And there's no way I'm telling him you're my daughter."

Rinji frowned. "Then what should I do?"

"Go home!" Masaya was coming that way.

The cat girl sighed. "But-"

"Ooooh!" Ichigo looked over her shoulder. She had to think fast, "Go over there and sit down! I'll take you back once I finish my date, OK?"

"But-"

"GO!"

Obediently, Rinji scampered off to a nearby table. Masaya sat across from Ichigo only a few minutes later. "Who was that?"

Ichigo paled a bit. "Who?"

"Wasn't there a girl talking to you?" Masaya's face was quizzical as he handed Ichigo her ice cream.

Ichigo paused. "No." She lied, licking the scoop of ice cream on top of the cone.

"Oh." Masaya smiled, though apparently still confused. "I just though-"

"So!" The pink Mew cut him off, "What about that kendo match you were telling me about?"

Masaya began to ramble again about his kendo. Ichigo smiled and nodded, but she was panicking in her head. Rinji wasn't too far away, and she wouldn't be surprised if the girl popped up and started talking to Masaya. All she could do was hope for the best.

It had been perhaps fifteen minutes when Ichigo dared to peek past Masaya towards Rinji's direction. She couldn't help but gasp. 'She's gone!'

"Ichigo? What's wrong?" Masaya instantly looked behind him, expecting to see some sort of tragedy.

The red head's mind was racing. 'Oh, great. Where did she go?' Before she had even thought it over, Ichigo was on her feet. "Sorry, Masaya, but I just remembered I…uh…needed to get home. Thank you so much! But I really gotta go."

"Oh, well, OK." Masaya stood as well, "I'll see you at school."

"Right, bye!" She waved and ran off.

Ichigo herself couldn't believe she had simply left the man of her dreams standing at the table, watching her run away. But her thoughts turned towards Rinji. "Ooooh, I've gotta tell Ryou!"

I let out a cross between a sigh and a groan as I reached into the refrigerator. I grabbed a gallon of milk and poured it into a cream colored coffee mug. Ever since I had been injected with cat DNA, I had moments where I craved milk.

I lifted the cup to my mouth just as the door flung open. It was so unexpected I nearly spilled it all on the floor. "What's the big-" I cut off when I saw who it was.

Ichigo stood bent over, her breathing hard and slow. She looked up hopelessly. "R-R-Ryou." She panted.

I knew it must be serious if she called me by my first name. I lowered the cup. "What's wrong?"

"R-Rinji is missing."

I paused, looking back into the café area. A long sigh escaped my mouth. "Where'd you here that?"

"I-I saw her, and then she vanished!" The red head sounded annoyed that I wasn't worried.

I closed my eyes. "Ichigo, Rinji's here. She's been here for the past half hour."

Her brown eyes grew huge. "You're joking."

"Rinji!" I called back into the room, refocusing on the tired teenage girl. "She came back not too long ago." An amused smile tugged on my face, "You actually sounded like you were worried."

Ichigo straightened, her teeth clenched. "I left Masaya! Of course I was worried! Ugh, I never should have left! Did you know," She glared at me, "That she actually told me she didn't know her way back? Ugh, I'm such an idiot!" She began cursing her decision.

I caught Rinji peering in around the corner out of the corner of my eye. She was trying not to be seen. "Rinji." I sternly faced her.

My daughter smiled and stepped out. "Yeah, Daddy?" She glanced at Ichigo and tilted her head. "I thought you were on a date, Mama."

"Don't you dare give me that!" Ichigo snapped. "You told me you didn't know the way back."

Rinji didn't make eye contact. She shrugged. "Well, I didn't want to sit watching you on a date with Mr. Masaya. I don't like it."

"Rinji, that's not for you to decide. Don't worry your mother like that." I advised. "You shouldn't leave the café like that, especially alone. Now you go get ready for bed."

"Sorry, Mama. Sorry Daddy." She shot us a pity-inspiring look before vanishing around the corner.

Ichigo glared at me. "I-I wasn't worried."

"You burst in here claiming you lost her? You wouldn't have left Masaya if you weren't worried." I smirked triumphantly.

Ichigo clenched her teeth and growled, but didn't reply. She shook her head. "Shirogane, I…I…" She didn't finish. She simply turned to leave.

"Ichigo."

The Mew shot a look at me impatiently. I sighed. "Thanks for stopping by. If nothing else," I nodded in the direction our daughter had left, "You helped Rinji."

Her look softened. Ichigo shrugged, mumbling. "Shirogane, that girl is too smart for her own good."

"Guess that proves she's my daughter, then."

For the first time in a while, a small smile broke across the girl's face. "Definitely yours, Shirogane." Without another word, Ichigo walked out the door.

Yay! It's finished! With RyouxIchigo fluff! Yay!

Oh, and if anyone was wondering, I'm not going to make Masaya cheat on Ichigo or anything. I'll figure something else out.

Sorry for taking so long.