A/N: Hey everyone! Well, sorry for the wait. Thanks to all my reviewers. Now, on to the story, I changed the idea around but it has the same references: Everyone makes mistakes, simple, small mistakes. Then there are always misunderstandings. A misunderstanding can always be a mistake. Ichigo just confessed her feelings for Ryou. Ryou accepted them, wanting to be with Ichigo also. Feelings for other people can change, especially an ex. Masaya comes back, wanting to try something new with Ichigo at the wrong time. Ryou catches Ichigo with Masaya, or does he? A simple, small mistake or a misunderstanding? Whichever the one, will Ryou forgive her? Or will she say something to him that'll take their relationship down a whole different path?

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

…Chapter 8 Ryou's POV…

Mint sipped at her tea quietly and set it on the table. She patted the bun her hair was tied into while I watched the steam from her cup elevate into the air. The sweet yet strong aroma of passion tea filled the area around us. Mint sighed then shook her head. Her voice was hoarse and sick sounding but she still tried to talk with elegance, "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you're saying. You think that I should stay low with Masaya for a while?" she pointed at the table, referring to low. "Is that a sexual term by any chance?"

"No!" I began correcting myself quickly, "What I mean is…" Mint interrupted me with a cackling laugh. She stopped laughing and began coughing, turning her head away from me. When she was finished, she wiped the tears from her eyes shaking her head.

"Ryou, forgive me for interrupting but I was kidding. When you're sick you have nothing better to do but to tease people. I know what you're saying though. Come," Mint stood up, "walk with me. I feel like I need to move. I've been cooped up in the house infirmary all weekend. I keep telling them it's just a cold and sore throat but they make it such a big deal."

"Am I being a bit drastic going to Mint like this?" I wondered and stood up. Mint wrapped her arm around mine and we walked down the stone pathway. Millions of different types of flowers sprouted on each side of the pathway. The sky's had cleared from all the rain earlier that week, leaving white and black puffy clouds in the bright blue sky. Mint seemed to enjoy the feeling of the garden and kept quiet as we walked, which gave me time to think to myself.

It was only yesterday but the image of Ichigo with Masaya lingered in my brain every second since then. I didn't know whom else to talk to except Mint. She was my employee but I also considered her a friend. Shouldn't I after all the years I've known her? But what was I doing, talking to Mint? I was almost tattling on Masaya and Ichigo. Half of me said that I should tell Mint that I caught them together; the other half of me knew that, that hug was just a hug. Though I couldn't accept it.

I felt like a chewed up chemistry test that someone failed and fed to their dog. "Odd." I thought still walking with Mint, "Implying myself as a piece of paper." Well I couldn't necessarily say I felt like a piece of paper. But I felt cheated. Like I had given Ichigo something that I cherished deeply and while my back was turned she laughed, threw it on the floor, and squished it with her foot. The sad truth was that I didn't trust Ichigo. We finally tell each other how we feel and she goes off with her ex. Just the thought of her with him again made my cheeks flush furiously with red and my eyes narrowed angrily.

"Is something the matter?" Mint asked and stared up at me. "Obviously." I thought rudely but didn't tell her. "Your cheeks are all red and you look angry." I looked down at her and sighed softly. Mint let go of my arm and wandered over to the small bush with red rose buds sprouting on it.

I walked next to her and she plucked off a bud, twirling it in-between her fingers. "So, you came to me to talk about something. Your sigh said that you have a lot on your mind. People sigh when they're upset or anxious or have something on their minds and just can't seem to get it out. I'm listening now." Mint gazed down at the bud.

"I have a question. Hypothetically, and I'll use Zakuro and Keiichiro as an example, what if Zakuro and Keiichiro were dating but broke up. Then Zakuro and I started having feelings for each other. And one day we reveal our feelings for each other but I catch Zakuro hugging Keiichiro later that day. I take it they're seeing each other behind my back so I ignore her from then on. What would you do if you were dating Keiichiro? And what should I do about Zakuro?"

"Great way to get straight to the point." I thought sarcastically. Mint raised an eyebrow at me and dropped the bud on the floor. Pure shock rolled over her face and she stared at me in disbelief.

"Hypothetically." I said again, hoping it would wipe that expression from her face. She exhaled a long breath and turned around, strands from her bun sprawled out and dangling around her face. She picked another bud from the bush and began pulling the small, dark red petals off the premature flower. Mint let them go carelessly and I watched as they floated to the ground, landing next to her feet. I waited for her reply that hadn't come yet, still watching the dark red petals float to the ground. The petals lay on the floor, slowly dieing. Soon they would become nothing more then a crunchy, unnoticed brown looking leaf. No one would know they were once petals from a bud that grew on a rose bush and no one would care. It was funny how I paid so much attention to just a bud petal when I hardly paid attention to what Ichigo was saying before we confessed our feelings.

"I think I'd let him go." Mint finally spoke.

"What?" I asked, not sure what she was saying.

"If I found out Keiichiro was cheating on me to be with Zakuro I would let him go." She said playing with a strand of her hair, "I mean, not just because it's for Zakuro, but because obviously he lost interest in me so what's the point of staying with someone if they don't want you. Of course, he would need a really good reason why he never told me earlier about their little secret meetings but people move on even if it is really hard."

I nodded, disappointed in her answer. When she looked up at me from playing with her hair her expression changed immediately and she began saying, "But for you, you would need to fight for Zakuro."

"Why? It's like you said, if they loose interest in you, then they don't want to be with you." I replied.

"You're making it sound like we're a toy or an object of some sort that a child decided not to play with anymore." Mint mumbled angrily, "No, if someone doesn't want to be with you anymore then they don't want to be with you. You can't force them to love you. And what I'm saying is how could you give up on Zakuro just like that? She hugs someone and you just turn away? It goes for Keiichiro and me too. If it was just a hug then it was just a hug."

"What if it was a passionate hug?" I asked while my cheeks began to flush at the memory of how close they were together. "What the hell is a passionate hug?"

Mint began to say something when a voice yelled through the garden, "Miss Mint Aizawa, you mustn't be exposed to this cold air while your sick. Please come back inside immediately."

"Oh shit." Mint hissed. I raised my eyebrows not expecting to hear her swear. She crouched down behind another rose bush and began crawling around the row of different bushes, into the grass full of flowers.

"Mint." I called her name quietly, following her.

"Shut up and get down." She whispered with a glare. I did as told and laid on my back in the grass. Yellow, pink, white, and orange flowers sprouted everywhere in the grass, most of them so tall that they hid our bodies from the doctors who were looking for Mint. The breeze blew the flowers and after what seemed forever of silence, I called Mint's name again.

"Mint?" I sat up. The flowers were large indeed. They grew up to around my stomach while I was sitting up. I was impressed with her family's gardening.

"I hate those guy's, they're so bossy." Mint finally said, sitting up in the flowers. I turned around and watched as Mint took yet another flower and picked its petals. This one was fully grown and as Mint let them go, the breeze took them with it. "These flowers are great to hide in though." She stood up, swiping off the pollen and dirt from her light blue sundress. The breeze blew again, ruffling my hair and Mint's dress. The flowers blew softly to the side and I stood up, shoving my hands in my pockets.

I nodded off towards Mint's house, "I got to get going." She didn't look up at me, only pulled off her sandals and nodded with a quiet, "Uh-huh."

"Keiichiro is probably wondering where I am and I think you need to get back inside." I suggested, beginning to walk away.

"Nope." Mint replied and pulled her hair out of her bun. She shook her head and let her hair fall to her shoulders.

"You're sick. You really need to get back inside." I said.

"I'm going down to the pond to go swimming. I can do anything I want. I don't care if I'm sick, I'd rather be having fun while I'm sick then bored." Mint began walking the opposite way as me. I shook my head, disagreeing with her.

"Ryou!" Mint yelled. I turned around, listening to her.

"Never give up on someone if you truly love them! Bye!" Mint yelled waving as she trotted off towards the orchards of fruit trees, where in the middle was a small pond. (I had been there once.) I waved back, walking my own way again.

The Aizawa's residence was a very large home. Not including their 50-acre garden. It was obvious coming from a wealthy family. I guess wealth was something Mint and I had in common (and Zakuro but she was a famous model). Not that I asked for the money, it just kind of came when my parents died. I walked around the house, not wanting to disturb anybody who was inside. Though as much as I didn't want to disturb someone inside, someone outside was beginning to disturb me. As I walked around the corner to the front gate, I noticed someone jumping over it. I watched in curiosity but still walked towards the exit, keeping my distance from the person.

Then the person looked up and over at me. I turned away quickly, pretending that I never saw the fellow. Then the person came walking towards me. "Is he following me?" I wondered, digging my hands in my pockets. The sound of scurrying shoes behind me made me speed up my walk towards the corner of the gate.

"Hey!" The person called and ran faster. I could tell by the deepness in the voice it was a boy but I ignored it, completely not interested in talking to a stranger. Though the person was persistent and kept yelling at me, "Hey! You! Hey! Stop! Wait up a second!" he yelled. Finally when I felt his presence extremely close behind me and the fact that my personally space was being invaded; I lashed around grabbing the boy's shirt. I slammed him against the brick wall that bordered the Aizawa's dwelling and glared at him.

"What. Do. You. Want?" I yelled angrily through my teeth, pausing between each word.

"Whoa, take it easy." The boy said, lifting up his head to stare at me. I frowned, slowly realizing whom the person was. "Masaya?" I asked lifting my eyebrows.

He smiled happily, probably glad that I recognized him, "Yeah, I was trying to catch up with you, but you wouldn't stop."

"I know." I responded. I shoved him against the wall again and then released him, lowering him to the ground. His expression changed to relief and he inhaled a deep breath.

"What do you want?" I sneered crossly.

"I wanted to talk to you about Ichigo…" He began but I stopped him, holding up my hand and walking away.

"No, wait!" He hollered and jogged after me.

"I don't want to hear what you and Momomiya did or what you're planning to do." I rolled my eyes walking through the gates.

"No, you don't understand…" he began again and I once again stopped him.

"There are lots of things I understand. I am a scientist. I see something and take note of it. I don't want to talk to Ichigo right now, nor do I want to see her. What I do expect from Ichigo is for her to be at work on time and ready to take orders from our customers. You should be happy that I didn't tell Mint of your little shenanigans." I gave one last glare and went marching down the sidewalk.

"But, you don't understand!" Masaya called again. I ignored it this time, shaking my head, disagreeing completely.

When I got to the café, Lettuce was already there taking orders from a customer. I was surprised to see her so early; I was also surprised to see her hair not in braids. Her straight hair dangled all the way down her back and as she turned around, her glasses were gone. She grinned at me as I walked by and her cheeks reddened.

"Good morning." She greeted, still smiling.

"Morning." I grinned kind of lazily.

"I take it Mint isn't going to come to work?" She asked, the red in her cheeks deepening.

I wondered what was wrong and answered, "She's sick."

"Um, what about Ichigo?" Lettuce twirled a strand of hair around her finger nervously.

"I'm not sure. When did you decide to let your hair down, and where are your glasses?" I asked.

"Huh?" Lettuce tilted her head and the red in her cheeks began to lighten, "For the past week my hair had been down and I got contacts. You never noticed?" I must've been the rudest person to not notice she had changed. Was I so caught up in Ichigo that I never noticed Lettuce?

"No, I haven't seen you for the past couple of days." I responded, not trying to sound so rude. Lettuce looked disappointed and stared down at her shoes.

"Uh, but it looks really nice on you. It's a real change." I smiled.

Lettuce perked up and smiled. She mumbled a thank you and ran into the kitchen. I sat down at a table and thought for a moment. Did I ever notice any of my employees? Ever since Ichigo and I had started becoming close, I think I forgot about most of my employees, my closest friends. I gazed at the wall for a while before Lettuce came walking back out of the kitchen with a plate full of chocolate covered strawberries in her hands. They reminded me of Ichigo. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the memory of her. It was so pathetic how I thought about her. She went off with her ex on her own, so I had no need to think about her anymore. It had only been a day, but maybe I should have started thinking about different girls. Ichigo wasn't worth it if she wasn't going to be faithful. Was she?

After Lettuce served the customer his food, she walked over to my table and sat down in the chair next to me. "You seem to have a lot on your mind, Ryou." She said.

"I do." I responded.

"Would you, um like to tell me about anything?" She asked twirling her fingers.

"No." Was on the verge of my tongue and I knew, if I hadn't got a good look at Lettuce than I would've said it. Lettuce shook her head, long strands of straight emerald colored hair brushing against her pink cheeks. She titled her head and smiled caringly. I smiled back. At the moment she was the only one who really seemed interested in what I was saying.

"Lettuce," I started, "You know you're a good person right?"

"Oh no!" She blushed deeply and shook her head, "You mustn't flatter me Ryou. I don't deserve it."

"Why do you say that?" I asked, leaning closer to her on the table.

"Um," she blushed, "well, I uh, I need to get the other two orders for the, uh customer. I'll be back in a minute." She stood up from the table and rushed into the kitchen. I snickered quietly to myself and shook my head. Lettuce was very kind but she could never seem to accept it. Maybe that was what I was like, never able to accept anything. I couldn't seem a grasp the fact that my feelings for Ichigo were still there.

"Maybe it's just a crush." I pondered and leaned back in the chair. Crushes never stayed long. They always seem to die when they're not accepted. I stared up at the ceiling.

"Ryou." A voice called as I went into a daze for a minute.

"Huh?" I snapped out of it and looked away from the ceiling. I stared up at Lettuce's face as she asked me if something was the matter. I laughed, "Everything's fine." But as I did that, I lost my balance and the chair tipped back, sending me on a collision to the floor. For a second everything seemed to go in slow motion; the door to café opened, Lettuce squealed in worry, and the customer began laughing his ass off as he saw what was happening. After the second, I slammed against the pink and white tiled floor.

"Are you aright?" Lettuce asked while I opened my eyes.

"It's fine. A small mistake." I said and stared up at her. She was really close my face…I mean REALLY close. If I leaned in just a little I could have kissed her on the lips. It must've been a strange sight to the customer to see a blond haired teenager and a green haired teenager on the floor, their faces so close together that they could kiss. But it probably wasn't because the customer was laughing so hard, chunks of chewed up chocolate and strawberry came spewing out of his mouth. "Idiot." I thought, glaring at him.

"Um Ryou." Lettuce began and I stared into her hazel eyes. I could never really get a good look at them behind her thin-rimed, circular glasses.

"Y-yeah?" I stuttered, never moving from the position on the ground.

"I, uh…" Lettuce closed her eyes.

"I am appalled!" A loud voice shouted from the door. Lettuce and I both turned and looked to where the voice came from. I was shocked to see who was standing there.

"Mint?" I asked propping myself up on my elbow. Lettuce immediately stood up, backing away from me as if I was a deadly disease.

"I cannot believe you Shirogane." Mint shouted (even though it was a noticeable she was straining her voice), her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" I asked standing up, "You're sick. You should be back at home… Or swimming."

Mint walked towards me and began poking me in my chest, "You are the sick person. First off, you loved Ichigo and what is this? You prowling on innocent Lettuce? She has a boyfriend!" Shock overwhelmed me and I turned and looked at Lettuce.

"I was going to tell you right then." Lettuce blushed, folding her hands close to her chest. I swallowed, feeling like a fool. I was an idiot! The door to the café opened again and someone stepped in.

"Second off I came down here to return your wallet. It fell out in the grass." Mint held out the brown, leather wallet. I reached for it but she pulled it back instantly and curled her hands into fists. "You loved Ichigo! What are you doing?" Mint yelled again.

"I liked Ichigo. Yeah, there were feelings but not anymore." I remained staring down at Mint. I couldn't exactly mean it.

"What's the sudden change?" Mint coughed out, throwing her arms in the air.

"She did something I can't forgive." I hissed quietly through my teeth hoping that I wasn't making a scene.

"What was so terrible that you can never forgive her?" Mint screeched. I just shook my head. Mint began to become angry and inpatient for an answer.

"Well," she yelled shoving me, though I didn't even move an inch back, "What did she do? What did Ichigo do?" She repeatedly began asking that and every time I shook my head. Finally she reached up and slapped me. I raised my eyebrows and touched where her slap stung my cheek.

"Tell me damn it!" Mint's fists shook in fury, "Tell me!"

"Why do you care?" I asked angrily.

"Because she's my best friend and you're my boss and in order for us all to obtain peace you both need to be happy. Because I care!" she stomped her foot like a child. Mint was so used to getting what she wanted that this was beginning to piss her off.

"Ichigo cheated on me with Masaya." I blurted out. My eyes widened and I couldn't believe that slipped out. There was a gasp from the corner and Mint and I turned to look at a red haired girl.

"I-Ichigo," Mint's eyes widened with dismay, "How could you?"

"N-no Mint. It's not the truth. It's not the whole thing. It really isn't." Ichigo began walking towards her. Mint shook her head backing towards the café's doors.

"I'll never forgive you." Mint coughed out and turned to run out the doors. But that was before she bumped right into Masaya.

Masaya grabbed her shoulders and asked, "Mint, what's wrong?"

Mint pulled away from Masaya and shoved him, "I never want to speak to you two again, Masaya and Ichigo." Mint yelled, running down the street. Her driver was only around the corner so that was her get away car. No one would catch her after that. Masaya looked coldly at Ichigo and then ran after Mint anyways.

Ichigo turned and looked at me, tears rolling down her cheeks. I wanted to so badly reach out and wipe them away but I stopped myself, turning away.

"Ryou?" Ichigo asked. Lettuce had already left the room and the customer had probably gone to the restrooms.

"Ichigo I don't want to speak to you right now." I said swallowing.

"Please Ryou?" Ichigo pleaded, "You don't understand. What you saw was…"

"Nothing?" I spat furiously, turning around to glare at her.

"Ryou it really wasn't what you thought it was." Ichigo replied.

"I know what I saw. And Ichigo, I don't date girls who aren't faithful. What I saw was beyond merciless. How could you do that? Just go off with your ex behind my back. If you truly cared then you wouldn't have done that, that's why I don't think we should ever speak to each other again." I said half-heartedly. That wasn't really what I meant. I didn't mean it at all.

"Caring? If you truly cared you wouldn't be like this." Ichigo said quietly, "If you truly cared you wouldn't just leave me like this. You wouldn't take what you saw as a fact and never forgive me, never want to see me again." I listened to her, hanging on every edge of her words.

"You would never ever be a jerk if you didn't care. In fact, Mr. Shirogane if you really cared about me then you would have never said anything to Mint. Now she believes something insincere and wont ever talk to me again! You're a jerk! And I don't care if you don't care!" with that she turned around and ran out of the café just like Mint had.

It always seemed to end like that. With her just leaving, making her words slap me in the face like Mint had. There was a muffled sound and I turned around facing the customer. He was a young man, maybe a year older than me. He stared at me through his square-shaped glassed and ran a hand through his bright brown hair.

"You know, this is probably not my place but you should go after her. What that young lady said was right. It's all about how much you care for the person you love no matter what they did. If she really means what she said about the whole thing being a misunderstanding than you should believe her. If you don't than that's your loss. By the way, my compliments on the lovely chocolate covered strawberries." The man said. I was kind of speechless. Lettuce came walking out of the back and looked up and over at the man and me. Her eyes light up and she walked over to the customer.

"Are you leaving?" she asked him.

"You know him?" I asked. She nodded and the man wrapped his arm around Lettuce.

"This is Haru, Ryou. He's my new boyfriend." Lettuce beamed. Haru winked and said, "Nice to meet you, Ryou."

… "A Misunderstanding?" I wondered walking down the side of the street. It was getting late and wandering around thinking was doing me no good. I shoved my hands deep into my pockets and walked up to the house. Ichigo's house that was. I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to actually talk with Ichigo about what happened. I was wrong to assume the worst when I saw her with Masaya.

I lightly tapped on the off-white colored door with the back of my hand, the other still shoved into my pocket. There was silence for a while and then someone opened the door. I could've mistaken the older woman for Ichigo if I hadn't met her before.

"Mrs. Momomiya." I greeted her with a grin.

"Mr. Shirogane." She gave a smug look and I began to shrink under her gaze.

"Um, is uh, Ichigo here, by any chance?" I asked, my fingers jingling the change in my pocket. Was I beginning to loose my cool? Was this woman really that intimidating?

"I'm sorry," she shook her head, "but I haven't seen Ichigo since she left this morning. Didn't she go to work?"

I backed away from the door, "Yeah she did show up for work. Um, I think I have a good idea where she went for her lunch break. I was wondering if she came here, that's all." I lied.

"Oh," Ichigo's mother puckered her lips and began to blush, "Were you going to take my precious baby on a lunch date? That is so romantic!" she swooned. I waved and began to walk away from the patio. "As soon as Mrs. Momomiya shuts that door I'll run to where Ichigo is." I planned in my head. But my planning was interrupted when she grabbed the back of my jacket, yanking me back to the door.

"Or did you do something to upset my poor baby, Mr. Shirogane? Because it is pretty late for lunch." Mrs. Momomiya asked with a tint of annoyance.

"Uh, no Mrs. Momomiya. I would never!" I struggled to get away.

"Okay," she let me go, "Get my baby home soon or I'll send my husband out looking for you two." Ichigo's mother sang.

I fixed the collar of my jacket and imagined Mr. Momomiya coming after Ichigo and I. That was a nightmare I did not look forward too. I listened to Mrs. Momomiya shut the door and I took off. I ran down the street and around the corner. About 2 miles away was the park. That's where I knew Ichigo was. That's where I knew I'd find her.

That's where I knew I would tell her I cared. I cared and I would never let her from my arms again.

…To be continued…

A/N: I am so sorry readers. The wait was very long and I apologize but a lot has been going on. First off, I'm really sick right now. Second off, I just started up softball. And third off…I broke up with my boyfriend so it's been a little hard. I know it's no excuse to really keep you guy's waiting but it's hard on me. Anyways, I noticed my last chapter had an overused plotline and I apologize for that as well. I don't know about this chapter but I felt like I didn't work so hard on it. Um, Haru was my OOC; there was no Haru in the series. He was a spur of the moment kind of thing. You wont hear from him anymore. So if you didn't like him it's okay, he's long gone. So yeah, the next chapter is the last one and I'm going to keep it a surprise (though it'll be kind of obvious). Until then, thank you all of my reviewers- KTHM