An Unknown Love Letter
Chapter 3
"Wow. You're early for the first time." Mint said sipping the today's tea as she watched Ichigo came in, out of breath.
"And what does that mean Miss. I-never-do-any-of-the-work-here-besides-drinking?" Ichigo retorted.
"No need to get feisty like a cat Ichigo." Mint said calmly.
"Then why don't you explain why I always turn into a kitten whenever someone kiss me huh?" Ichigo snapped. The realization that she had gotten during her time in school had left her in a bad mood.
Lettuce and Purin quickly ran over them. "Both of you, please stop this!" Lettuce cried out.
"Why are onee-chans fighting? Aren't we all suppose to be working together?" Pudding asked, not understanding what caused the argument to start in the first place.
The two teenagers stopped arguing. It was then that Zakuro decided to speak out after hearing Pudding's proclamation. "What caused you to be moody today Ichigo?" She said, quietly.
"Well you see…" Ichigo trailed off; a sudden thought occurred to her. 'I can't tell the girls about this! Last time I checked, Lettuce has a crush on Ryou and if she founds out that Ryou has a thing for me, she'll be devasted. I don't want to hurt her, but what can I do? I mean now that I know that I like Ryou…gah, this is hurting my brain.' Looking at her impatient friends, she thought 'Though I better come up with a scenario similar to this or Mint is soo going to have my head on a silver platter.'
"…one of my friends told me that just today, she realized that she has feelings for her employee. But her boss, who is a female, has a crush on a co-worker that my friend is crushing on. The good news is that the employee likes my friend, but my friend just happens to be really good friends with her boss." Ichigo said, praying that the girls would believe this and not link it with the actual truth.
"So you're saying that your friend's co-worker likes your friend and so does her boss, but your friend doesn't want to hurt the boss's feelings. Am I correct?" Mint said.
"Yup! And now she wants me to give her an advice. Which I don't know what to say." Ichigo said, after the 'yup' she pumped her fist into the air; but started to lower her voice once she started her next comment.
"She should follow her feelings nya!" Purin exclaimed rolling around her big ball while doing a plates act. As usual, Purin crashed onto the floor of the room where guests were held.
"Purin!" Lettuce called out worriedly.
"Better make sure she doesn't run away from her cleanup duty." Mint said, putting down her teacup and rushed out toward the room along with Lettuce.
Ichigo sweat drop. She turned to find that Zakuro looking at her. "How did your friend…" Zakuro emphasized on the word "friend", "knows that her co-worker holds her in high regards?"
From the way that Zakuro was looking at Ichigo, she could felt beads of sweat from her forehead. 'Please somebody up there, please don't let my ears pop out or her super excellent senses give me away.' Ichigo prayed as she tried to calm herself down. "Umm…I think she read a love poem that was written from her co-worker that was about her. I think." 'So far so good, no ears or tail pop out. Now…only waiting for her reply.'
"I think your friend should go for it." Zakuro said, checking her hair.
"Huh?" Confused, Ichigo pondered about that. 'What does she meant by that?'
"Your friend should go for the co-worker. If the boss and her are such good friends, then surely the boss will understand. Eventually the boss is going to find out that the co-worker likes your friend. So if she's truly her friend, she would want them to be together, right?" Zakuro said, though while she spoke, her eyes never left Ichigo. Standing up, Zakuro said to Ichigo. "I better go check on them, who knows what havoc and chaos they might have created." She paused for a moment and said without turning. "If I were you Ichigo, I'll better start now instead of later." With that said, she walked away from the confused Ichigo and into the commotion created by Purin's act.
Putting her face on the table, Ichigo moaned to herself. "Why am I getting this feeling that she figured it out? Why? Why oh why?" She moaned again.
"Figured about what?"
Feeling the hot breath on her side of her face, Ichigo was startled that her ears and tail popped out. "Eek!"
Ryou smirked. "Never thought I see a day that your ears and tail popped out because of a shock."
"Shut up Shirogane! It's your fault that you made these appeared!" Ichigo said, pointing out her cat ears.
Reaching out toward her ears, Ryou started to scratch them. "Calm down strawberry kitty."
Like any other members of the cat family, Ichigo started to purr at the feeling that was creeping upon her. 'This feels nice…' she though idly. 'I wish he wouldn't stop…HEY! How dare he! That jerk!'
Ichigo yanked Ryou's hand away from her ears and covered them. "Stop that!"
"Why? Enjoying the pleasure?" Ryou smirked.
"Uhhhh….." Ichigo started to say, but feeling some heat rising to her face, she quickly turned away from him and told him. "It's none of your business! If you excuse me, I have work to do." Not bothering to see Ryou's expression on her work comment, she quickly ran toward where the other girls were held.
Ryou's grinned grew wider. He couldn't help but chuckled quietly to himself. 'Ahh, she's so easily predictable. 'One of the things that I like most about her.' Shaking his head, he went up to his room to continue the search for the missing poem.
"What am I going to do?" Ichigo said, moaning about her dilemma. Recalling the even that just took place a moment ago, Ichigo said to herself. 'I don't think I could ever look Shirogane in the eye anymore now that I know what he thinks of me. My ears will pop out. Though, I guess I better take Zakuro's advice. The sooner, the better. Now what should I do?
"Ichigo! Attend table four!" Lettuce yelled at her as she rushed through the kitchens to get the order for this customers.
'Work now, think later.' "Alright!" Rushing over to the waiting table, Ichigo greeted them.
It was closing time. Ichigo and the other girls politely kicked the last customer out of the café, all were eager to go home and take a nice long bubble bath. One by one, the girls started to leave. Only Ichigo and Zakuro were the last ones standing, with an exception of the two guys who were living in the café.
Putting her head on top of the mop, Ichigo sighed. "Back to my original question. What am I going to do?"
"You could reply to his poem." Zakuro said quietly, putting on some moisturizing lotion on her face and hands.
"Huh?"
Zakuro looked at Ichigo.
"What?"
"I said you should write a reply to the poem." Zakuro said. "And I thought cats are suppose to have a great sense of hearing, then again I could be wrong."
Ichigo gulped. 'On no!' Her ears decided to show themselves to the world. Covering them for the second time, she said to Zakuro. "What makes you think that I should write a reply to the poem?"
Zakuro raised an eyebrow. "I thought you knew already. Considering that it was you who told us your little problem."
"How…how did you know…" Ichigo said, shocked and surprised. 'Ok, so I guess she sensed my nervous and fear that I was giving out when I told the girls the story.'
Zakuro gave a small smile. "My DNA matches with those of a grey wolf's DNA."
Falling down to the floor, Ichigo said to herself. "I knew that…" Quickly getting up, she asked to Zakuro. "I still don't get you when you meant by replying to the poem. How would I reply?"
Zakuro shrugged. "I don't know. A love letter perhaps? Though if you're planning to do that, then I suggest you leave it anonmyous. But leave a clue about yourself so that he might figure it out."
"I'll think about it. Thanks Zakuro." Ichigo said, smiling at the tall purple haired model.
"No problem." Zakuro said. Looking out the window, she saw a black car. "My ride's here. See you tomorrow then."
Waving like a little kid, Ichigo called out. "Bye Zakuro!"
"Ichigo? Why are you still here? Did you need a ride home?" Keiichiro's voice entered the hall.
Ichigo shook her head. "Keiichiro…can I ask you a favor?"
"Depends on what it is." Keiichiro smiled.
Ichigo shuffled her foot from one end to another. "I was wondering if you could deliver something to Shirogane."
"Does this has to do with the poem?"
Ichigo's head snapped up. "How did you know?"
Keiichiro chuckled. "One. You shown it to me. Two. Ryou was looking or probably is still looking for it today."
"He…he is?" Ichigo asked.
Keiichiro nodded.
"I better do something then! I mean with the size of his brain, he's bound to figure out. I can't let that happen." Ichigo said confidently.
"Well if you have something planning for Ryou that requires delivery, I'll be more than happy to assist you."
"Thank you Keiichiro! You're the best!" For a moment, Ichigo thought to herself that she could have just kissed Keiichiro for his help. Though that would make it seemed awkward for the both of them, Ichigo decided to go for a more friendly environmental way; a hug.
Keiichiro returned the hug; yet, there was something that caused him to look straight ahead. "No problem. Just give it to me early in the morning or late in the evening so I could put it in his room." He whispered to her ear. Letting go, he said to Ichigo, who was confused at the level of his tone, "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."
"Ok." Ichigo said. Keiichiro left her alone in the hallway. As she was waiting for her ride home, she started to consider several ways where she should write her letter.
"Yo. What was that all about?"
Startled, Ichigo turned around. Tail and ears popped out. "Shirogane! Why are you still here?"
Eyes narrowed. "I could say the same thing. Unless…you had some unfinished business with Keiichiro." Ryou said, trying to hide the green eye monster that was starting to creep out of him.
Feeling the chill that ran through each and every part of her body, Ichigo froze up. 'Oh crap, I hope that he hasn't overheard the conversation I had with Keiichiro.' Gulping, she stuttered. "What…what makes you think that I…I had some unfinished business with…with…Keiichiro?"
Stepping closer to Ichigo, Ryou could feel himself closing on to her. Putting both arms at the side of her head, he said to her. "Then what's with the hug for?"
Getting all upset about it, Ichigo looked at him straight in the eye. Brown met blue. "Why would you care if I hugged Keiichiro or not? My business is not your business!" Looking out toward the window, she noticed a car parked outside of the café. "If you excuse me, my ride is here." Doing a Mint's look, she turned away from Ryou and walked out the door.
Hitting his forehead against the wall, Ryou thought to himself. 'Why…why did I get jealous over a hug? Hell, why did I get jealous over Keiichiro! Does…she likes him?'
"Is there anything wrong Ryou?" Keiichiro worriedly asked. Concern for his friend was evident in his face.
"If you have a cure for a broken heart. Put it in my room." Ryou said, heading toward his room. Bangs were covering his face as he fought hard to keep them in. 'I guess she really does like Keiichiro. Not that I blame her. He is nice and good looking. Probably the guy that every girl would want. Who would want me?'
While all of this occurred in Ryou's mind. Keiichiro prayed to himself. 'Ichigo, you better have that letter done early in the morning, because I'm sensing that Ryou is losing hope in himself.'
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Laying on her bed in her pajamas. Ichigo frowned. 'What was that all about? Why did he has to be such a jerk over a hug? For a moment, I thought he was acting like a jealous boyfriend or whatever.' Silence greeted her after this comment. Realizing her last comment, Ichigo threw herself on the pillow. "That must be why!" She yelled.
"Ichigo, honey. Why aren't you sleeping?" Her mother's voice entered her room.
"I am mom!" Ichigo yelled back.
Ichigo smiled to herself. Then she grabbed a stationary and a pen. She pondered about whether to write his first name or his last name. Finally coming to a conclusion, she decided to write his first name. 'So that he wouldn't guess it was me on the first letter.' "Now how would I write a love letter?"
Two hours passed. "I…I finally did it." Ichigo mumbled, exhausted from writing. "Time for a nap…" she said as sleep overcome her mind and body.
Sakura Moon
Whew. Finally done with this chapter. Hopefully it's good. Thanks for all your reviews...