A/N: Thank you my reviewers. I hope everyone had a nice holiday. Anyways, last chapter was basically about Ryou rejecting Ichigo though she never really cared about him in a romantic way but now she's upset. How does Ryou feel about her question? And how come Mint is happy for Ichigo? It's all in this chapter. Here you go.

…Chapter four Ryou's POV…

Silence engulfed my bedroom along with darkness. I rubbed my eyes and opened my mouth. Thick, sticky spit made me gag and I sat up in my bed, still rubbing my fatigued eyes. I hadn't slept well. Weird dreams aroused in my head and throughout the night I repeatedly woke up and went back to sleep. There was something bothering me. Something that I just couldn't get off my mind. Ichigo.

"Why?" I leaned my elbows on my knees, stooping forward. She was on my mind all night. It was as if that question she asked was haunting me. It lingered in my head until this very second. What had got her to ask such a pathetic and feeble question? Why? She hated me and I hated her. It had been like that since we first met. Yeah sure, I teased her, but she never seemed too bothered by it before. What if she thought I was flirting?

Flirting? Ha! I was an obnoxious boss. I didn't flirt, I mocked. But that damn question. I ran my hand trough my fair colored hair and sighed. I stood up and went to the window, opening the blinds. I gave a bored expression and rolled my eyes.

"Wonderful." I said sarcastically. The wind was blowing and rain clouds loomed in the sky, threatening to pour at any second. I shut my blinds and opened the door to my bedroom. Keiichiro walked by quickly down the hall, talking on the phone.

"Uh-huh… yeah it's fine…. don't be sorry… It's a common thing…yes, yes…. okay…. uh-huh…alright, goodbye." Keiichiro pressed the off button and a tiny click was heard.

"Keiichiro, who was that?" I asked, yawning.

"Huh?" Keiichiro turned around, "Oh Ryou. I didn't realize you were awake. Um, that was Ichigo Momomiya. Her mother is ill and she wont be able to show up today. But she promised to come in on her day off." Keiichiro explained.

I normally would've started complaining about this. Saying things like she's a lazy bum or she's just trying to get out of work. But I answered with a small, "Oh."

Keiichiro stared at me a second and examined my expression, "Are you feeling well?" He asked.

I grinned sheepishly, "I'm fine. Just peachy." I mumbled and looked at the floor. I don't think Keiichiro would've taken that answer but the phone started ringing again and he answered it. I walked out of the hall and down the stairs to the café itself. I stepped on the tile flooring and shivered. It was freezing cold and I had nothing on my feet. I rubbed my bare arms trying to gather warmth. I was still in my pajamas, which consisted of just blue jeans.

I looked up at the clock on the wall. 9:36 AM it read. Tapping my foot angrily, I crossed my arms and mumbled, "I slept in. Great." The café was supposed to open in less than a half an hour. Plus Mint and everyone else was going to show up at any second.

Maybe Mint wasn't going to show up at work either. Maybe no one would show up at work and I would have the day off. And maybe pigs would fly out of my ass. I exhaled a long breath and slumped forward. I was tired. I was always put in a bad mood when I was tired. Then again, I was always in a bad mood.

I sat down at a table, looking out the window and watched as a red thing came bouncing down the sidewalk. For some reason I shot up, thinking it was Ichigo. I ran to the door as the red thing turned the corner. Running out of the café, I jogged to the sidewalk and skidded around the wall.

I felt like I was in hysterics. Sadly my hopes dropped and I found myself staring at a little blond girl with a red umbrella, Pudding. She gave a small grin and then a laugh, "Nice Ryou. I feel so welcomed. But you should put a shirt on, it's raining." Actually it was sprinkling but I didn't correct her.

"I'm sorry. I thought I…saw the mailman. I'm expecting a letter." I lied and smiled.

Pudding shrugged, her beige raincoat lifting with her shoulders. She pranced next to me and handed me her red umbrella. She gave another grin, "This umbrella kinda reminds me of Ichigo. It really is Ichigo's. I borrowed it. I called her last night. She was upset about something, ya know?"

Her gaze shifted from the umbrella to me, "I don't know if you said anything to her or not, Ryou but I have this strange feeling that you need to speak with her. She's kind of had it tough recently and I can't blame her. She misses Mint. Mint was her best friend. Return this to her for me please."

Pudding walked swiftly pass me and into the café. I stood there, holding that stupid umbrella. "Great way to lay it on me Pudding." I said to myself. I guess I had plans for after work.

An hour passed and no one showed up for work. I swept the floor as Pudding took an order from the only costumer. Keiichiro walked down the stairs and over to me, "Wow, this place is like ghost." He commented.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"It's just so quiet and empty," He sighed, "Such a pity that Ichigo's mother is ill. Lettuce's glasses broke. And Zakuro is at another modeling agency. But Mint said she'd show up soon." Keiichiro smiled.

"What? You never told me all that." I said.

"Well I would've but you ran outside." Keiichiro said in a mellow tone and shrugged innocently. He was never a victim of circumstance.

I handed him the broom, "You can sweep." He took it and I walked into the kitchen. I sat up on the counter next to the sink. There was something bugging me. Something that I just couldn't pull my attention away from. And this was defiantly not Ichigo. This bugged me so much more then her question.

The sink was full with dirty dishes! I jumped off the counter and stared at the dishes for the longest time. My eye, I think actually twitched a couple of times. Ichigo forgot to wash the dishes yesterday. Boy she really was a lazy bum.

"You know Ryou, it's said that in some countries staring at dirty dishes is a sign of laziness." A calmed voice behind me droned.

I whirled around staring at sapphire colored eyes. Mint laughed tauntingly and ran her delicate little hand through her indigo colored hair, whipping it off to the side. She cracked a smile at me, "I frightened you didn't I?" she inquired.

"When life on the barn sounds interesting is when you scare me." I said sarcastically. Mint kept smiling at me, but more expectantly, as if she's waiting for something to be answered. I had nothing to answer so I just stared back. Finally she sighed, her gaze turned away from me and at the ceiling for a moment.

"Okay, I couldn't get a hold of Ichigo last night, so I assume you two went out on a date." She asked crossing her arms.

"Huh?" I cocked my eyebrow again.

"So how was it? Romantic? I bet it was awkward. It's always a bit awkward on your first date with an employee. But she's dated Masaya for a while and she said her first date with him wasn't that awkward. So this wasn't really her first date. Though, it might be yours. " She trailed off. I had no idea what she was talking about.

Mint stopped and squealed, "Ohmigosh! I'm so happy for her. You don't realize how happy I am for her. I want to tell her I'm sorry about our fight yesterday but when I stopped by her house she wasn't home."

Mint began to pace around the kitchen, talking about how her first date with Masaya wasn't really that awkward either. I wasn't really listening. I was wondering where she got the idea that Ichigo and I actually went out on a date. Mint went on for another couple of minutes before she turned around and asked if I was still listening.

"Huh?" I murmured still confused.

"I was asking was the date any good. Because you know, Ichigo has been on multiple dates with Masaya before."

"Mint I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't go on a date with Ichigo last night. I only saw her for but a second." I shrugged my shoulders.

"What?" She asked confused.

"I didn't go on any date." I assured her.

She gave me a nasty look, "What kind of guy asks a girl out and cancels on her for no particular reason?"

"I didn't cancel. I didn't even go."

Mint gasped, "You stood Ichigo up?"

"No," I raised my hands to her in a defensive way, "We didn't go!"

"What do you mean 'we' didn't go? You asked her out!" Mint put her hands on her hips, still giving me a nasty look.

I shook my head disagreeing, "I didn't ask her…"

"Yes. You. Did." Pudding shouted at me, as she entered the kitchen, "Gosh, you're stupid! You were right there. Right there by the door when you said, Ichigo will you go on a date with me tonight? Because I heard you!" She pointed at the door and then crossed her arms.

"Then Ichigo left, remember now Ryou?" Mint finished.

Oh god! They were right. But I only did it to stop the fight. I didn't even realize I was asking her until I did. I hadn't though about that all day. Man, I was careless! Or clueless. Either one worked.

"Well I guess you're right." I said rubbing my head, "But you have to understand, it was only to stop that fight you were having with her, Mint. I don't need you guy's in a fight. Then it would make everyone else feel awkward during work. Heh. Heh." I snickered some.

Mint and Pudding stared at me strangely, both crossing their arms. We were silent for a while. Then Mint sighed and pulled off her navy jacket. "Okay, we better stop stalling." When was she one to say that? She never did any work.

The rest of the day was silent and empty. The rain poured down and hit the sidewalk, leaving large puddles. I decided to close up early since not many people were showing up. Mint grabbed her jacket from the closet in the kitchen and slipped it on.

"Good bye ladies." Keiichiro waved, smiling happily.

Mint waved back, opening the door. She stopped and waited a minute as Pudding came running to the door, quickly slipping on her own jacket. I walked to the closet and took out the red umbrella.

"Hey Pudding," I called.

She turned around; "Yeah?" she called back.

"Maybe you should take this." I suggested and lazily held it out.

"She should be fine, I'm giving her a ride home." Mint replied.

There went my chances of getting out of going to Ichigo's house tonight. I nodded and put the umbrella on top of a table. Keiichiro began cleaning up and putting chairs upside down on tables. I leaned against the wall and watched him.

The silence that was in my bedroom this morning now consumed the air once again. The only sound there was, was the silent tap of Keiichiro's footsteps walking around the café. I slid down the side of the wall, sitting on the floor. What had I been thinking with I asked out Ichigo?

It wasn't her question that was my problem; it was now my question that was bugging me. I had asked that question out of carelessness. I made it actually seem that I really had feelings for Ichigo. It was no wonder she asked me if I liked her. My question towards her probably bugged her the rest of the day like hers did to me. I inhaled a breath and stood up. I walked to the table and grabbed the red umbrella.

"I'm going out, Keiichiro." I called and opened the closet door, taking out my black raincoat. I stopped when I noticed Ichigo's sweater from yesterday. She never got it. I took it out, I mine as well take it too her if I was giving back the umbrella.

"It's raining terribly Ryou, I don't think you should." Keiichiro began to protest.

"I'll be fine." I slipped on my coat and walked out the door.

It was raining pretty hard. I walked carefully through puddles of water and listened to the thumps of raindrops hitting Ichigo's umbrella. I carried Ichigo's jacket in my arms and kicked at a small puddle in front of me. There was nobody outside, but it was not like I could see anybody through the sheets of rain. When I did finally make it to Ichigo's house, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Just hand her, her stuff and leave? No, I think she deserved the right to know about the mix up. I slowly rang the doorbell and waited. No one answered, just like Mint had said.

But someone had to be home since she called in sick. Well she called in her mom sick but she was…never mind. I knocked on the door, "Ichigo? It's me, Ryou. Are you there? Ichigo?"

There was a muffled sound but no one came to the door. I knocked on it again, "Ichigo?"

"Y-yes?" she opened the door. She was the one who looked sick. Her face was a bit paler and her eyes were puffy.

Once again I opened my mouth and asked with carelessness, "Want to go out for a little while?"

"What?" She opened the door all the way.

"I came by to give you back your stuff, but now I'm asking if you'd like to go out on a walk with me." I responded.

"Um, I don't know. My mom is still pretty sick. She ate some bad sushi and I think I better stay to make sure she gets better." Ichigo pointed her thumb towards the inside of her house.

"I keep telling you, I'm fine." Ichigo's mother called from inside.

"Uh, mom?" Ichigo turned and looked at her mom.

"I'm fine. Go out and play in the rain, then I can take care of you." Her mother laughed. I smiled.

"I'll buy you a drink." I offered.

Ichigo smiled, "Sure." I held out her jacket and she put it on, while slipping on her shoes.

It wasn't long before the rain began to die down. I told Ichigo about the mix up and she kind of laughed it off. She didn't seem too upset about it at all. I was glad but there was some disappointment in me. I was happy that she understood that it was only to stop the fight but a tiny part of me wanted me to like her; to like her a lot.

Sure she was only an employee and I never had feelings for her before but feelings could change right?

The clouds began to separate and the sun began to set. We stood by the lake in the park and watched the rain clouds turn purple and red. It looked pretty cool. I exhaled a long breath and watched it float in a small cloud in front of my face.

"You know, there was a saying once that said 'Red Sky in the morning is a fisherman's warning, red sky at night is a fisherman's delight.'" Ichigo mentioned and rocked on her heels. I could hear the squishing of the wet grass under her sneakers.

"Oh really?" I stared at her smiling.

"Uh-huh." She nodded.

"So it's going to pretty nice tomorrow eh? Well that's good because I look forward to seeing you at work." I laughed and rubbed my hand on her head, ruffling her scarlet colored hair.

Ichigo blushed intensely and began to mutter something under her breath. She stopped and looked at me, "Y-yeah." She stuttered. I grinned at her and she grinned back.

She hated me and I hated her, but there was always room for some romance.

…To be continued…

A/N: Ugh! There was like a huge drag on in the beginning. I'm so sorry everyone. Anyways, the other day I hurt my hands like really badly and I had to see a doctor about it, so it's been hard for me to type. So sorry again about the wait and any errors I made. Now, Ryou has had a different view of Ichigo. How will their romance progress when Ryou tries to help Ichigo of her jealousy towards her best friend and ex-boyfriend? Until then- KTHM (HAPPY NEW YEAR! Good-bye 2005! Hello 2006!)