A/N: Sorry to keep you waiting, but here's the next chapter... also, I want to give a quick thanks to sakuuya for being my beta-reader. :) Enjoy my friends!
Frozen Kisses
Three: A Moment of Silence
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Silence is golden, and duck tape is silver,
The sky is blue, and the grass is green,
Oh, this moment of silence!
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"Sh— Shirogane-san…" his name rolled off her gentle lips. They stood, frozen in silence. Ichigo moved her fingers a bit, just to see if she was still alive.
"Are you open today?" the café doors opened and a young woman walked inside. Ryou quickly looked up and walked over to her.
Yes. Please, have a seat." Ryou greeted her. Ichigo still seemed to be in shock from their moment of silence.
"Thank you very much." The lady smiled brightly at Ryou, who seated her like a gentlemen; he pulled out the chair and gestured for her to sit. The lady grabbed a menu and began to search for something to eat. Ryou walked away and past Ichigo while she still sat quietly down on her chair. We almost… kissed. Ichigo thought as her lips quivered, Shirogane is so… different. Ichigo watched him as he walked into the kitchen…
"Ryou," Keiichirou began, "don't you think we should let Ichigo go home? She needs her Saturday."
"Feh…" Ryou turned his head.
"She'll probably be late again, you know." Keiichirou smiled. Ryou stared down at the floor with his "trademark stance" (hands slipped into his pockets with a casual stance) . Ryou simply turned back around and walked out of the kitchen. Ichigo was over at the lady's table, taking her order.
"You want a triple chocolate devil cake with extra fudge?" Ichigo made sure her order was correct.
"Hai, Onegai." ("Yes, please.") The lady smiled. The whole time Ichigo was standing before her, she couldn't help but think how courteous Ryou was towards her; he smiled and seated her—Ryou would never do that for Ichigo… would he? She's very beautiful, Ichigo thought while her pencil was against her writing pad. The lady had long, light brown, luscious hair that reached to her mid back. She had bright, hazel eyes that twinkled when the sun shined in her direction; she wore a red dress that came down to her knees with black flats that complemented her black bangles. The red lipstick she wore really stood out on her pale, fragile face. The lady looked up at Ichigo with a smile. Ichigo simply smiled back and headed to the kitchen. Ryou stood in her pathway.
"Ichigo." Ryou stopped her.
"Yes, Shirogane-san?" Ichigo asked with innocent eyes.
"You can go home." It seemed as if his sentence was hard to say— his eyes were shut as if he didn't want to make eye contact with her.
"Really Shirogane-san?" Ichigo's eyes lit up.
"I'll take her order and we'll close." He stated.
"Arigatou!" Ichigo smiled and ran over, grabbing her coat and exiting the café.
"You did the right thing, Ryou." Keiichirou smiled and put his hand on Ryou's shoulder. Ryou shut his eyes and thought about the decision he had just made.
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Ichi's going for a walk,
Ichi's going for a walk,
Hurray for Ichi!
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I can't believe Shirogane-san let me leave, Ichigo thought as she stared up at the open sky which was a bright baby blue with puffy clouds everywhere. It was pretty chilly, but nothing like last night—then again her little café dress didn't exactly keep her warm.
"Sigh… what am I going to do today… Aoyama-kun hasn't called me at all today." Ichigo stared at the ground. With every other step, she stepped into a small, melting pile of snow that was still there from last night— it must have been just a little over zero degrees Celsius for it to be slowly melting. Ichigo continued on through the park until she reached the sidewalk that lined down beside the street. Ichigo stepped onto the sidewalk and continued.
"Momomiya-san!" Ichigo heard someone calling her name. Ichigo stopped in her steps and turned around to find Masaya running towards her, trying to catch up.
"Aoyama-kun." Ichigo peeped as she stood there waiting for him to catch up to her. Masaya caught up and placed his hand on top of her shoulder while he caught his breath.
"Hello—" he stopped to catch his breath, "—Momomiya-san." Masaya smiled. He took his hand from her shoulder and stood up straight.
"Hello Aoyama-kun." Ichigo stared up at him blankly— he was actually quite a bit taller than her. He smiled at her.
"Where are you going?" he asked her.
"Um— I'm, actually not sure… I guess I was just walking around because I just came from the café…" she explained.
"Were you working or did the aliens attack?" he stared at her, almost worried that something that had happened.
"I was just working." She said.
"I thought you didn't work on Saturdays…" Masaya scratched his head.
"I thought so too." Ichigo said sarcastically.
"Um… okay." Masaya smiled, still not understanding her.
"Anyways… where were you going Aoyama-kun?" Ichigo asked with a warm smile that lay perfectly between her two rosy cheeks.
"I was actually headed to your house. I was hoping to find you." He said and placed his hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"Really?" Ichigo looked up at him with twinkling eyes.
"Yes." He nodded.
"Well— what do you want to do?" Ichigo looked down and blushed while she cupped her hands together.
"I just thought we could go shopping around town or something." He suggested.
"Okay." Ichigo nodded. Masaya walked and directed them towards the strip mall in the center of Tokyo…
Ichigo never really got the chance to go shopping because of work, school, and being a mew mew all at the same time. She never really got a chance just to be a girl and go— shopping! She'd jump at any chance she got.
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Shopping, shopping,
Ichi is going shopping,
Goody!
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Masaya brought her to the strip mall; there was everything from jewelry stores to pet stores. Ichigo was in heaven. Ichigo cupped her fingers together and held them up to her chin while she had sparkles in her eyes from looking at all the stores.
"It's so wonderful, nya!" Ichigo smiled and immediately ran into a store. Masaya laughed at her a little and just followed.
"Look at all these clothes! – And these shoes! Ooh, look at that! Oh! Look at those!" Ichigo was running around the whole store, checking out everything. She was on cloud nine. Masaya couldn't help but smile at how cute she was.
"I love this!! Ooh, and that is so cute!" Ichigo hugged a stuffed animal that was in the form of a salmon, "— Yet why must you be so tempting?" Ichigo stared at the fish with the wanting to eat it.
By the end of the shopping day, Masaya had bought Ichigo the stuffed fish— even though she couldn't eat it, it was so appetizing to just keep around.
"Thank you so much, Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo hugged tight her little fishy.
"I'm glad you're happy Momomiya-san." Masaya smiled kindly at her…
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"Shirogane!" Ichigo yelled and then freaked out because she had lost her balance, "Whoa!" Ichigo fell and smacked against the ground— or wait, was it the ground? Ichigo blinked her eyes and opened them completely; blue eyes were staring back at her.
"Ichigo…" Ryou let out.
Ichigo's face turned bright red as it was just inches from Ryou's as they laid there in complete silence.
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"Momomiya-san?" Masaya stared at her lost face.
"Huh, what?" Ichigo snapped out of her flashback at stared up at Masaya.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Hai…" ("Yes…") Ichigo just shook her head,"— Aoyama-kun? Will you walk me home?"
"Sure Momomiya-san." He smiled; still, inside of him felt that there truly was something wrong with Ichigo…
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Masaya's walking her home,
Masaya's taking her home,
Yay for home...
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"Thank you, for taking me home." Ichigo snuggled against her fish.
"Well— see you later, Ichigo!" Masaya waved as he left her at her doorstep. Ichigo waved back as she watched him leave. She simply walked inside and closed the door behind her. Why did I think of Shirogane when I was with Aoyama-kun? – I didn't mean to— his face just, appeared. Ichigo thought while disgraced at herself. Ichigo stared down at her stuffed animal; it was a blue salmon. His eyes were a pure black that shined and gave off your reflection when caught in the light. His blue coat was a light navy color that resemble a little of silver. Ichigo hugged him against her bosom tightly.
"I'll call you," Ichigo thought for a moment, "— I'll call you Magomago (1)." Ichigo petted the fish's fluffy exterior as she walked up to her room…
Ichigo hurried inside her room and sat down on her computer chair. She sat Magomago on her lap and pretended it was alive, so she could provide care for it.
Ring, ring!
Ring, ring...
Ichigo's phone went off. Ichigo stood up from the chair, with Magomago still presiding in the grip of her left hand, and answered her phone with her right hand.
"Moshi, moshi?" ("Hello?") Ichigo answered.
"Ichigo-san, it's Keiichirou."
"Oh— what is it, Akasaka-san?" Ichigo asked.
"Ryou wants you and the other mews to come to the café for an emergency meeting." He said.
"Ii yo." ("Okay.") Ichigo nodded.
"Alright. Bai bai, Ichigo-san." Keiichirou hung up. Ichigo placed her phone inside her pocket with Masha hanging outside her pocket from the antennae. Ichigo carried Magomago close to her, and grabbed her bag and left since her coat was still on.
"Ichigo, honey, where are you rushing to?" her mother called.
"I'm just meeting some friends." Ichigo replied and headed out the door.
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Ryou wants Ichi,
Ryou wants Ichi,
Hurray for emergency meeting!
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"What is it?" Ichigo asked while she rushed into the café. Ichigo looked behind her for a split second to look at the snow; it was falling really hard and really picked up over the last hour. It was up to her knees and she really had to plow through it. "It's snowing a lot…" Ichigo's head was covered in snowflakes that were beginning to melt. Ichigo shook her head and all the excess flakes fell to the café floor…
"Ichigo— why do you have a fish?" Mint turned and stared at Magomago. The other mews were already there.
"It's a long story— just don't worry about it, okay?" Ichigo acted offended towards Mint; Mint just looked at her as if she were crazy. Ryou watched as Ichigo stood beside the other mews as they listened to Ryou.
"Okay, mew mews. You're here because I have announcement to make: after careful consideration and judgment," Ryou went on, "— It's evident that the aliens are trying their hardest, now, to destroy the earth; therefore we must always have our guard up… that's why I've decided— to have everyone work on Sundays…"
"What?" everyone gasped in disappointment.
"I have ballet lessons." Mint spoke up.
"I have certain modeling jobs on Sundays." Zakuro commented.
"I have to go home and take care of my brothers and sisters na no da!" Pudding said.
"I have a life, you know— unlike you, Shirogane." Ichigo snapped and folded her arms with Magomago stuffed between them.
"I'm not— busy…" Lettuce admitted. There then was a moment of silence…
"We all have to make sacrifices mew mews— for the sake of the earth." Ryou stated.
"You just want us to work more! Don't you, baka?" Ichigo got up in Ryou's face. Ryou leaned in towards Ichigo's face, and with it being unexpected, Ichigo blushed.
"You don't have to stay here, you know… we can pick up things without you," he said rudely. Ichigo backed away from him. She frowned with a touch of anger.
"Fine. I'll leave, baka!" Ichigo yelled at Ryou, who just crossed his arms.
"Bye, Strawberry," he smirked. Ichigo, fuming, walked over to the café doors, pushed, and twisted the knob. It didn't budge.
"It— uh! Won't— uh, open!" Ichigo kept pushing but it wouldn't open.
"I can't believe you can't even open a door." Mint walked over beside her a gave it a push; "It— it won't open…"
"Of course it opens." Ryou stated in a 'know-it-all' tone. He walked over beside Ichigo and Mint and gave a big push. Still not wanting to believe that it wouldn't open, he continued to push with Ichigo.
"Um…" Lettuce spoke up, and everyone looked at her, "— I think we're… snowed in."
Lettuce pointed at the window. Ichigo ran over and looked. All you saw was white except for the top part, which hadn't been covered yet.
"BAKA!" Ichigo screamed and punched the wall.
Crash!
The café shook a little. Ichigo looked back out the window and didn't see any light.
"Good going, Strawberry." Ryou snapped.
"Why you—!"
(1) - Magomago in japanese means, "confused"...
Please review! I know, I left you wanting more. It's so much fun! xD I'm not sure when the next chapter will be written/put up, but hopefully not too long from now...