A/N: Hell0 t0 y0u! A g00d day t0day is, I h0pe! First chapter's d0ne, s0 0n with the next chappie! In the first chapter 0f Cruel Fate, Fuuk0 n0ticed a change in T0kiya, a very imp0ssible and unexpected yet existing change. N0w that really sent her w0ndering. Well, en0ugh said. I'm n0t making any sense. Read 0n, please.

Disclaimer: N0pe, F0R still ain't mine.

Special thanks:

T0 Ms. Rina Yuki,

Thank y0u f0r the review! N0pe, this isn't a T0kYa fic, it's T0Fuu! I'm really addicted t0 that stuff, and I just can't imagine T0kiya paired up with s0me0ne else. (0n the 0ther hand, I als0 prefer Fuuk0 being with Raiha aside fr0m being with Mi-chan.) Anyway, h0pe y0u'll c0ntinue reading my stuff. G0d bless!

T0 Lime,

2 reviews f0r a chapter? Why, thank y0u very much! Well, here it is – the sec0nd chapter! I hope it'll make you satisfied yet again… Thanks for the support! I really appreciate it! Keep reading…

T0 G-Cleft,

Thanks f0r the review… I h0pe you'll like this chapter… And I just h0pe you'll leave an0ther review… Wahehe…

T0 Nii-chan,

Aww… thanks f0r the review kuya… c0vers her face Ya, I kn0w, I kn0w… I haven't dr0pped by t0 read y0ur Ranma fic… blushes embarrassedly W0uld y0u f0rgive y0ur little nee-chan? My sched g0t really hectic, especially because I had t0 d0 this research stuff (kinda like thesis in c0llege), s0 I rarely had s0me leisure time… S0rry nii-chan… But I pr0mise I'd check it 0ut (I als0 had t0 l00k f0r s0me Ranma sites because I am n0t familiar with the characters). Thanks again and G0d bless…

N0w 0n with the sec0nd chapter…

CRUEL FATE

By: Yuki Kawaii

Wait. Wait a second there. Nope, it couldn't be. I shook my head. Mikagami showed affection towards Yanagi, alright, but that was because she resembled his sister. But the look on his face…

I shook my head, but my mind seemed to agree to my hypothesis. Could it be possible? Could Mi-chan's feelings towards Yanagi evolve to something deeper?

CHAPTER 2: ALTERING HEARTBEAT

Events within the next few days started to clear things out for me. Tokiya's help was always present in everything that Yanagi did, even if it was finishing Recca's notes or doing his projects. Everyone seemed to react normally about the Ice Man starting to melt, except for me. Haven't they noticed that different sparkle in his eyes whenever he and Yanagi were together? Haven't they heard his sighs whenever Recca arrived and stole Yanagi's attention from him? Well, things seemed normal for them. Maybe I was just the one who was overreacting. Maybe all those changes were just because he looked at Yanagi as Mifuyu, his sister. But again, my thoughts and hypotheses were altered when Yanagi's birthday neared.

It was the afternoon before Yanagi's birthday. I was surprised when I saw Tokiya walking out of school through the back gate. Wasn't there an announcement that the student's organization would be having a meeting after class hours? I gave myself a positive answer. But why was he leaving already, and much earlier than usual? Something might be up, I thought. And without noticing it, I was taking quick but careful steps to keep up with him.

Oh my gosh. You know where I found Fridge Boy? Oh, nowhere special, just inside a boutique, examining various bottles that contained nothing but girl stuff. I nonchalantly entered the boutique and he didn't notice me. Seemed like his thoughts were too occupied. Anyway, I needn't ask him why he was there. It suddenly struck me but I was sure that it, or probably she, was the reason.

"Yanagi doesn't use body washes. She uses soaps." I said, and I was sure he heard me. His shoulder stiffened, but after a second he resumed in reading what the labels said, as if deaf.

"Yanagi loves candles, and she'd surely love to receive some of those lavender scented ones. I think she calls it aromatherapy or something like that." I scratched my head. "I have no clear idea, hee hee…" I stuck out my tongue. Wasn't he listening to me! He gave me a cold glare. Very Mikagami-like. Well, I guessed that he was listening after all.

"I want to buy some for her, but seems like I can't afford them now. A nearby store sells them." I continued to speak, but there was no reply. "Ice man, are you listening?" I got pretty annoyed at his unneeded silence.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, monkey." He said bluntly, and put down the soap that he was examining then. He turned to leave.

"Monkey!" I repeated. "Well this monkey can take you there if you want her to." I placed my hands on my hips without realizing that I did. I saw his head slightly turn back to me, and then he started to walk out. What a moron! I sighed. Okay, fine, if you don't need my help then go! Go find the store yourself, I know very well that you're gonna look for it. I stuck out my tongue at him and smeared.

I saw him turn back at me. That cold glare again. He just glared at me and I glared back, and after some seconds he grunted. I thought he was leaving but surprisingly, he entered the boutique again.

"What's taking you so long, monkey?" I stared at him in confusion. Oh, I was just muttering some curses for you, I wanted to reply, but I kept my mouth shut. Now that was new. Usually, I would return his insults until we argue, but that moment was different. He was different and I knew that, even by just silently watching his moves. "Aren't you accompanying me?" He sighed. Oh, so he really wanted to go buy the candles.

I smiled. Wasn't his face a bit softer then? Oh, nevermind. I hopped on and left the boutique with him walking beside me. I nonchalantly reached for his hand and swayed it exaggeratedly like a child, but after a few seconds he pulled it away and glared at me angrily. I laughed and decided to leave him alone for the moment.

Our journey towards the store was erupting with silence. I fed my eyes with the sight of clothes on display in various stores, while he quietly walked beside me. For a split second I felt my hand brush against his. I felt an unusual tingle climb up my spine, and my senses told me not to look at him. But I did. Our eyes locked for a split second and we broke the stare immediately. Hadn't his hand bolted as well when it accidentally touched mine? I shook the thought away. Come on, Fuuko, wake up! It's Fridge Boy walking beside you, not Recca! Stop being a nervous brat, okay!

I was relieved when I saw that we were already there.

I pushed the glass door open and heard the wind chime's graceful sound as it danced with the wind. The old storeowner gave me a smile as well as an afternoon greeting, and I returned his smile before rushing to the candles like a child excitedly rushing to be the first in line to ride a merry-go-round. I inhaled the sweet scent that engulfed my sense of smelling. "Mmm, smells good!" I exclaimed as I inhaled the mixed scents of fruits and flowers once more. I noticed that Tokiya was already standing beside me, examining the candles.

My eyes seemed glued to him as I watched him reading the contents of the label, and I couldn't deny the fact that he really was good-looking. His hands were white and slender like a female's, and his hair was glistening under the remaining rays of sun that found their way to the interior of the store. He looked so neat and so cute as he focused on the packs of lavender candles on the shelf, and then I could almost smell his scent through the mixture of fruit scents around.

Unaware that I was actually staring at him openly, I was caught off-guard when he suddenly turned to me.

He raised an eyebrow. "Hn?" Gosh, I could feel the blood rising to my cheeks. He suddenly looked uncomfortable with us staring at each other that I saw him shift his gaze away. Knock, knock, Fuuko. It's not yet time to sleep so move!

"Oh, you found the lavender ones!" I cried as I childishly hopped to his side. He handed the pack of candles to me and I read what the labels said. "Hmm, this surely is what she had showed me before." I inhaled the sweet scent of lavender. He held out his hand and I handed the pack back. He nodded to me and walked on to the counter, his hair following his movements as it danced behind his back. His silver mane was without doubt more beautiful than my messy bangs, I sighed. I then shook the thought away.

He turned to me as I followed him to the counter. "I see that you are having it wrapped already." I remarked as I looked at the packs of candles that he bought, neatly being wrapped by an aged lady on the other side of the counter. I smiled as I remembered how messy gifts always turned out to be whenever I tried to wrap them. Not my specialty, really.

"How about you?" He asked, knocking me off of my thoughts. 'What about me?' I thought, and the sentence echoed out of my mouth.

"Aren't you going to buy some for Yanagi?" He asked as he picked up the neatly wrapped package from the counter and handed the lady some of his money.

"Oh." My hands went up to my lips in an I-almost-forgot gesture. He glared at me impatiently, and then turned to the old lady and received his change. He carefully slid them into his wallet. And then I suddenly remembered.

"Can't buy a gift now, I'm out of money, you know." I smiled a sheepish smile and he nodded as if suddenly remembering that I really didn't have money left because of some commotion in school. Anyway, push that thought away. He motioned for us to leave.

"Thank you very much!" I called out to the lady in the store and her husband. She smiled back. "Come back again. I wish your relationship more happiness!"

"Eh?" I reacted, and then I started to giggle, much to Tokiya's annoyance. I shook my head, but the old lady couldn't seem to get what I was trying to convey. Anyway, I left her alone to wonder.

"Sorry, ma'am, but I don't prefer monkeys." Tokiya remarked as the glass door closed behind us. I pouted at him and I could see a smirk threatening to show on his face. I answered him back, and we argued all the way until we reached the intersection. I stuck out my tongue at him as I turned right, and he just glared at me and continued on his way until distance emerged between us.

Our trip was a success. The next day, Yanagi was overjoyed when she opened the gift.

"Thank you, Mikagami-san." She gave him a very sweet smile and he looked as if he was trying his best not to blush. I smirked. Yanagi then turned her gaze to me. "And to you, too, Fuuko-chan."

I blinked. Now why was she thanking me? Did Tokiya tell her that I was the one who told him about the candles? Nope, probably not. If he could deny the fact that he bought the candles, he would do it. Same goes with how he bought it. Anyway, I just smiled back at Yanagi, not knowing what to say. I then noticed that she have placed the gift's card at the center table.

I looked at the gift card, which Yanagi carefully removed from the gift before tearing the wrapper away. "To Sakoshita", it was written with Tokiya's neat handwriting, "Happy Birthday. Always take care. From Mikagami and Kirisawa."

I smiled, and I felt like laughing. I glanced at Tokiya but he shifted his gaze away from me. I shrugged. Why was I surprised anyway? After all, he knew that I was financially incapable of buying Yanagi a gift; I should have known that he'd share the gift with me. I spent my allowance to pay for the windowpane that I accidentally shattered at school and he knew about that because he saw the accident when it happened. Heck, why did I have to expose the story of my stupidity anyway? Never mind that.

But still, I couldn't seem to accept what he had done, and that he did that. That happening was just so impossible. It was so nice of him. So unlike him. I shook the thought away as Yanagi took the cake from the fridge. Mmmm, the icing looked totally yummy, having it freeze in the fridge for a while. The word fridge echoed twice in my mind as I imagined the white icing of the cake turning silver.

TSUZUKU

A/N: So, how was it? I edited it up to put more details in it. Seemed like general description of happenings would be too boring for you to read, right? Well that's what I think, and I hope you agree with that. Anyway, thanks for reading my stuff. Hope you'll leave a review! And keep reading my stuff as usual. God bless!

Yuki

Wai, gotta finish this research thingy n0w… pray f0r me… thanks…

Just a tidbit from the next chapter:

"I was scared, very scared. I knew what was happening to me, and I wished that this feeling would just go away. Gosh, I was probably falling in love, and I hated it!"

Chapter 3: Closing the Gap