Disclaimer: I don't own TMM, just my story and ideas...

NINE

'What? What's going on? Why are Pai and Taruto attacking poor Kish? Poor Kish? What the heck am I thinking? Okay, now I know I'm going insane…' Ichigo shook her head and watched as Pai and Taruto kept yelling at Kish.

"No, never!" Kish shouted, "Come on, Ichigo!" Kish grabbed Ichigo and quickly teleported. They landed in the middle of an alleyway somewhere in Tokyo. Ichigo looked up at Kish, breathing heavily.

"Kish?" she said worriedly. He looked down at her with the sweetest smile, Kish smile.

"You saved me, nya!" Ichigo smiled and hugged him tightly. He seemed shocked at the moment, but then just hugged her back. Ichigo released and looked him in the eyes.

FLASHBACK

'W-why is he hugging me?' she thought. He slowly released and looked into her eyes.

"Ichigo, I've missed you… I-I couldn't live without you…" And without a moment's notice the individual placed his lips on Ichigo and kissed her passionately. She just stood there with her eyes wide open, not knowing whether to embrace him or not. As the figure released, she was able to see him clearly… For some reason she couldn't explain, tears began to stream down her face, and sadness overwhelmed her.

"Kish…" she let out softly.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Nya!" She let out and fell over backwards.

"Ichigo!" Kish quickly helped her back up, "You're acting strange. Is something wrong with my little kitten?" he smirked a little. That's when Ichigo began to hate the fact she just hugged him. She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"What does it matter you jerk?"

"Wait a second here!" Kish began and held his fist in the air. 'Crap, I have to pretend I like him… Dang it.' Ichigo uncrossed her arms and awkwardly smiled at him. Kish began to have a weird look on his face as Ichigo smiled at him.

"Did you eat some cat nip or something?"

"Uh! Iie! - I-I mean, no. Why would you say that, Kish?" she said in a sweet voice.

"That doesn't matter… Now. Now, that we're alone, how about a kiss?" Ichigo stared at him with big eyes as he leaned in towards her.

"I know he's here somewhere!" They heard voices above them. It was Pai and Taruto. They were looking around, most likely searching for them.

"Darn them!" Kish tightened his fist and clenched his teeth. Ichigo stayed quiet as they watched them fly over.

"Whew…" Ichigo let out a sigh. Then, she looked up at the sky and she frowned a little.

"It's going to rain," she said staring at Kish, "Also, it's dark and I'm tired…" after her sentence she began to shiver a little from the over passing breeze. As she closed her eyes and hugged her arms, she felt warmth. She opened her eyes and realized Kish had his arms around her.

"Ichigo… Let's get you somewhere safe." He said in the softest, sweetest whisper you can imagine. Ichigo blushed just feeling him close to her. 'He's so protective, and… he's actually, sweet.' She smiled at her thoughts as he teleported her somewhere.

They ended up next to a clutter of trees. As he sat Ichigo down, she looked around and realized everything looked familiar. It was the park. She looked over and realized it was in front of the café. Ichigo looked over, back at Kish.

"Kish…" she frowned to see a sweet smile on his face, "What are you doing?"

"You can stay here." He stated, standing firm to his ground. At that moment rain started to pour down on them. Ichigo squealed a little as the first drops fell on her. She jumped as she heard loud thunder. She ran over to Kish and leaned her head on his chest and hugged him to stay warm. After a few moments of standing there she knew he wasn't doing anything. He hadn't moved at all.

"Kish?" She looked up at him.

"I have to go, Ichigo."

"Kish." He said nothing and just hugged her tight. Ichigo stood there wide-eyed, taking in the fact he was hugging her.

FLASHBACK

For some reason she couldn't explain, tears began to stream down her face, and sadness overwhelmed her.

"Kish…" she let out softly.

"Ichigo…" he smiled and embraced her, again, with a comforting hug. Ichigo stood there motionless.

END OF FLASHBACK

Kish released Ichigo from his hold and stood there out in front of her. Ichigo stared at him as he stood there in the middle of the rain.

"I'll be back for you Ichigo. I promise…"

"Kish-!"

"… Aishiteru itstudemo…" he let out just before he teleported. Ichigo just stood there for a moment in the rain, taking in everything that just happened.

"He… left me…" she whispered, "-Matte! Why did I just say that?" Ichigo held her hand over her mouth, "I don't love him! - O-or do I?" Ichigo just shook her head and walked inside.

"Mew Mews! Let's go!" before Ichigo could speak everyone came flying at her.

"Yamete kudasai!" She yelled. She stood there in shock as everyone, basically, stopped their attacks in mid-air. They all dropped to the ground staring at Ichigo.

"Where is he?" Ryo made his way through everyone and looked at Ichigo.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? How can you not know? He's the one that needs the collar! How'd you get away?" he asked pointing his finger in her face.

"Get your finger out of my face, jerk!"

"No! And you should talk to me with respect!" he glared at her in the eyes.

"Iie! You bonehead-!" they continued arguing in the background as anime sweat drops ran down the back of everyone else's heads.

"I hope everything's okay…" Lettuce said with a slight smirk on her face. Zakuro just untransformed and walked away as everyone else just stood there and watched them argue.

"Well you're-!"

"Ichigo!" Mint yelled. Both Ryo and Ichigo turned their heads glaring at her. Another sweat drop ran down the back of Mint's head, and she waved her hands in front of her.

"Nothing, nothing!" she said with a nervous smile on her face.

"Ichigo." Keiichirou called out. They looked over at him with calmer faces, "Shouldn't your mother be worried about you? You've been out all day."

"Oh no!" Ichigo shouted, "Where's the phone?" she said running into the kitchen. Ryo just walked over and stood beside Keiichirou with his hands in his pockets all 'cool-like', like he hadn't just argued with anyone. They watched as Ichigo quickly picked up the phone and pushed the numbers.

"Moshi, moshi?"

"Hey, um, Mom?" Ichigo said nervously.

"Oh thank goodness! Honey, where are you?"

"Nando!" Ichigo heard her father in the background, "Is that the little rat?! Why, if she doesn't get home-!" he father continued ranting and raving viciously in the background.

"Well, where are you, Ichigo?"

"I'm at the café. I've just been doing some, extra work, and I'll probably stay with Mint tonight."

"Okay. Just remember to call next time. You scared me."

"Okay mom."

"Nando? Don't hang up! Give me that phone!" her father yelled.

"Bye honey!" her mom said quickly.

"Sore dewa." Ichigo smiled.

"Ichigo-!" she hung up before he dad could say anything.

"How'd it go?" Keiichirou and Ryo walked through the kitchen door.Ichigo just smiled at them.

"Ii desu yo."

"Okay." Keiichirou smiled brightly.

"Hai hai…" Ryo said and just walked back out.

"So, are you going back home?" Keiichirou asked.

"Iie. I actually told them I was staying at Mint's… and she doesn't know about it yet…" Ichigo smirked a little.

"I don't think she will know about it… She just left a minute ago."

"Nani?"

"Yeah, so I don't think you can stay with her." Keiichirou laughed a little.

"Great. So, where am I going to stay?"

"Here. I'm sure I can make a pallet or something for you." He smiled.

"Arigatou." Ichigo smiled back.

The next morning, Ichigo woke up and stretched, smiling at the new day. She had slept in a small, yet comfortable pallet Keiichirou had laid out for her, in a small, empty room in the café. Ichigo stood up and walked outside through her door. Everyone was already there and in the main room. Ichigo stared blankly at them.

"Why is everyone here so early?"

"It's not early." Ryo said rudely.

"It's like ten or something." Mint spoke up.

"Nani? I slept in that late?" Ichigo pulled on her hair, "Before I start I need to go home. I haven't even taken a shower!"

"That's what that smell was last night?" Ryo smirked a little. Ichigo just glared at him.

"Hai hai… I just need to go home, before my dad thinks of anything else to yell at me about. I just hope he's already at work." Ichigo left out of the café and headed back to her house.

FLASHBACK

"Kish…" she frowned to see a sweet smile on his face, "What are you doing?"

"You can stay here." He stated, standing firm to his ground. At that moment rain started to pour down on them. Ichigo squealed a little as the first drops fell on her. She jumped as she heard loud thunder. She ran over to Kish and leaned her head on his chest and hugged him to stay warm. After a few moments of standing there she knew he wasn't doing anything. He hadn't moved at all.

"Kish?" She looked up at him.

"I have to go, Ichigo."

"Kish." He said nothing and just hugged her tight. Ichigo stood there wide-eyed, taking in the fact he was hugging her.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Wow…" Ichigo whispered to herself, "I-I mean, ew… Sigh…" Ichigo just continued on her way home. As she reached her house, she couldn't already hear her mother singing with the radio while she was doing the dishes. Ichigo walked through the front door and waved at her mom as she quickly moved upstairs. Her mom smiled, and waved back silently. Her dad was in the living room watching television, and they didn't want to get him started. Ichigo ran up the stairs and made it into her room. As she opened her door, she heard a voice…

"Ichigo…"

End of chapter nine! Please review!!! Now I'll try to start translating the japanese I use so readers can better understand it...

-Ii desu yo- Good

-Aishiteru itstudemo- I will love you forever/ for eternity

-Ii yo- Okay

-Moshi, moshi?- Hello (If your on the phone.)

-Hai hai- Whatever

-Yamete kudasai- Stop!

I'm sorry to say though that I'll be updating a little later next time, like late on Sunday... Gomen-nasai, for the delay... Love ya'!