Hello! Thank you people who reviewed! I hope I don't let you down! XD --U

Chapter Two

The next day Ryou gave all the workers of the café the day off, himself included. He wanted to get some clothes that reflected his new disposition, and maybe a slightly different haircut.

As Ryou was walking through the mall in his new clothes while carrying bags that held his other purchases, he just happened to see all the girls heading his direction.

He was hoping that they wouldn't see him but then he realized that that was an emotion and he shouldn't care. So instead of evading them, he just kept on walking blank-faced. They probably wouldn't recognize him anyway.

"Oh my…RYOU!"

It was after he heard the voice that he turned to look at the girls.

"R-Ryou?" stuttered a very shocked Ichigo, "What…what's with the, the, that?" she said while motioning towards him, not quite finding the right words to say.

Indeed it probably would come as a shock to all of the girls considering how their boss looked.

He had long baggy black pants with red seams and pockets, most of which were draped with large silver chains. He was also wearing a plain black muscle shirt with a long black unbuttoned button up with red buttons over it. He had updated his dog collar to a black one with a silver and black metal skull on the front of it. He also had a metal bracelet with a chain that connected it to a large silver skull ring on his left hand. And now his hair was side-swooped so it covered his left eye. He had considered getting an ear piercing but decided against it.

Now back to the conversation.

"They're clothes," he said in a monotone voice completely void of emotion.

"Actually my guess would be that there is more metal than fabric," Mint retorted.

Ichigo waved both their comments away, "But why are you dressed like that?"

For a moment Ryou couldn't think of an answer, he then remember he shouldn't care. "What's it to you?"

Ichigo looked shocked he never had said something like that to her before; I mean he had said some mean things but nothing so…defensive.

"Well something must have happened to make you dress like this, and act like this."

"First of I'd like to say that me dressing this way doesn't have to mean anything I might just feel like dressing like this, plenty of completely happy people do. As for the way I am acting, I have my reasons." Everything he said was said completely calmly, no raised voices, no exaggeration on words. Just blank.

"Anyway I'll see you at work tomorrow girls," With that he left to go back to the café to put away his new belongings.

Ichigo as well as the rest of the girls stood there a few moments longer, even Zakuro, but her shock was not as evident.

When they started moving again to continue their shopping Ichigo started to talk.

"You guys thought there was something odd about Ryou right? I mean other than the clothes because he had a point there."

"You're right," said Zakuro, "there was something bothering him, almost like he had put up barriers."

"Barriers?" They all said in unison.

"Yes, I used to put them up before I met you. They're for protection, in a lot of cases people put them up when they have been hurt by someone. There are other types of barriers but the one he reminded me of was my own. You see, he makes himself void of emotion so he can't be hurt by anyone, but in the end it takes a toll on the persons spirit."

"So you think Ryou is doing that?" Ichigo asked.

Zakuro just shrugged.

"If he is I wonder why but he might not—hey look there's Masaya!" Mint pointed ahead of them where Masaya was walking toward them.

Ichigo immediately ran over and latched on to his arm. The others just waved good-bye to her knowing that they might as well leave her.

So here's the second chapter sorry about the shortness I tried. This chap didn't have much of a plot just a dicription of ryou --U sorry bout that… anyway R&R if you like it please!