AN: Divided what was supposed to happen in this one again into two chapters xD But don't worry, don't worry.. No more waiting for the next. :P Made sure it was done before I posted this. I'll just polish that and before I post it too, mkay? Love you guys, really. You're the best! Forgive me for the long AN. Thanks for the reviews~

Alex, hon, you really have no idea how much you help me. I appreciate every single review. I know I'm not the best writer, but I hope you never get tired of my works and keep reading them. I await your review after each chapter or oneshot, actually. I don't believe it's really posted until you review it xD I also understand your stand on the whole 'tux' thing in my last oneshot and believe it or not, I am right there with you. Firsthand experience of bullying brought me to write it like that, though. Trust me, I would've written it another want but for some reason, I couldn't. Thank you for still finishing it, though. :)

Devon, you clever perv :P Thank you for reading it all and taking the time to critique my stories. I enjoy talking to you so much! I can't wait to start on our collab :P I'm sure it would be fun xD Also, I'm eagerly awaiting for your compilation of the best YuiAzu stories. xD

Hephaestus, man, you praise me too much that my head's probably grown an inch or two bigger xD I love your choice of username, btw. He's my favorite greek god :D Huzzah for being both seventeen, struggling with college, and coming from the same country! Hats off to you.

To every one else who's stuck with this story, thank you all soo much. I know it sounds like the story has ended and I'm saying goodbye, but it hasn't yet, don't worry xD Many more things to come! I'm just very grateful. :) Bear with me and stick with me til the end, okay?

Chapter Word Count: 3,414 word(s)
POV: Third person of course~
Summary: Mio discovers what all of it meant. Ritsu goes through pressure, stress, and something else. Ichigo plays a major role.

To Love

Ritsu was exhausted. Her usual sleeping time was cut back due to her work at Norimi's diner. The date for their next gig and performance came closer and closer so they've extended practice time. She would get random spasms in her arms and calves that made her wince in pain. She seriously had to get used to this. Other than that, her stalker seemed to be going at it again. She felt watched especially when she was at the music store and when she spent time with Ichigo. She got so jittery that she called her brother to help her get the stalker to stop. Her brother was no help of course.

"Oh? Nee-chan, what's up? What's with the random call?

"Satoshi, your sister needs help!"

She sobbed into the phone. Her brother knew it was faked, though.

"With what?"

"Somebody's stalking me!"

"Huh? Stalking you? Like, following you around and stuff?"

"Mhmm, mhmm! It's creeping me out! Help me! I can't take it anymore! Just scare the person away or something!"

Ritsu whined. Little rivers of tears ran from her eyes. Her brother sighed.

"Nee-chan, I can't go there right now. Exams are coming and I have to study. I'll love to beat up whoever's messing with you but you know how strict it is here. Other than that, the trainings gotten tougher recently and I can't afford to be left behind. If this goes on longer, though, I swear I'll run there if I have to. Right now, though I can't. Why don't you talk to your friends there? Maybe you can sleep over Yui-san's or your sensei's place."

Ritsu just sighed. She understood. Her baby brother was in a military training camp. Satoshi decided that he wanted to serve the country as a Japanese soldier. Of course, she just couldn't ask him to go to Tokyo whenever she wanted.

"I understand. Okay. I'll still be waiting for you to visit, kay? See you soon, little bro."

They hung up and Ritsu rested her face on her palms. She still felt like someone was watching her, even at that moment. Well, that's because someone was.

Mio thought she should feel sorry for the human girl but she didn't. She actually found all this amusing. She wanted to keep experiencing the thrill of being able to bother the human in some way. She was fascinated by how affected the human was with the benefit of the human not seeing her and not being able to do anything about it. But mostly, she was just fascinated that the human was bothered because of her; that she could cause the human to feel this way.

Sometimes she would reach out and try to touch the human, see if she would respond. And Ritsu did, every single time. The human would jerk back or would turn her head and her amber eyes would meet the invisible Mio's sky orbs again and the angel would feel that tingly, fluttering sensation once more. As each day passed, Mio grew more and more daring in her attempts to get reactions from Ritsu.

Ritsu met Ichigo more often after their official introduction. The brown haired girl came to the diner coincidentally whenever she was working. The girl would order the same thing, a medium burger and a milkshake every time and would occasionally add fries and Ritsu would serve the food at the girl's table and greet her with a grin and her usual 'yo'. After the first few awkward meetings, Ritsu decided to try and talk to the girl. It was probably their third or fourth meeting, she couldn't really remember, when Ritsu somehow mentioned her hometown. It turned out that Ichigo also grew up in the same place and they started sharing little anecdotes of their childhood spent in the same places. Ritsu wondered how they had managed to avoid each other and never meet until now when they went to the same hangouts, the same restaurants and the same parks. After finishing up her meal, Ritsu's shift would end minutes later and they walk to the music store together; Ritsu's regular job and Ichigo's daily violin lessons from Norimi. Sometimes the pxie-haired woman would join them, and sometimes they would just have their lessons at the diner, in the back room when it's not too chaotic.

Ritsu liked Ichigo. Well, as a friend, as someone to talk to, someone to walk to the music store with, and someone to tease. But romantically? Hmmm… She wasn't sure about that yet. After all, it was still too soon. Sure, Ichigo was definitely attractive; very cute, but for some reason Ritsu couldn't place her finger on, she knew that Ichigo wasn't… right for her. Ritsu knew that was the most cliché and stupidest thing she's ever said. She wanted to scratch at her back for how itchy and uncomfortable it made her feel saying that. Maybe she should give it some time? Maybe she should let herself ease into this thing then decide later? She really didn't know but she knew she would have to find out soon. She just didn't want to hurt the girl. She knew of the girl's feelings for her and didn't want to lead the girl on.

Ritsu sighed. She was putting too much thought into this and that really wasn't like her at all. She'll just have to wait and see how things will unfold. This didn't keep Ritsu from feeling pressure and stress whenever the girl would show up, though. Ritsu knew that the girl was probably expecting things to turn romantic soon.

As she spent more time with Ichigo, she also felt the presence of her stalker even more.

Mio raised a brow and wondered who the new human was, the next time she went to observe Ritsu. It was the day after she had told her friends about all that troubled her and all she has been through. And instead of observing Ritsu, she ended up observing the other girl and noticed immediately that the other girl always blushed and giggled and stole glances at Ritsu. Mio felt like there was steam coming out of her ears and she scrunched up her face. The other girl, Ichigo, she heard Ritsu call her, obviously had feelings for Ritsu. Mio decided then and there that she would double her visits until she finds out more on this new human. Mio also wanted to prove to herself that she can make Ritsu feel more than that human ever could. She would try harder to get reactions from Ritsu, until the human could feel and think about nothing and no one else but her. Ritsu was hers.

Mio unknowingly learned about a new human emotion that day; jealousy. She blinked herself back to where she stopped on her rounds.

Two days went by and Mio saw a pattern in the time of Ritsu's and that girl's meet ups; somewhere between mid-morning and noon. Mio tucked that very valuable information safely in her memory. She would time her visits during their meetings and she would make sure to do her very best to ruin them.

She poked Ritsu's nose while the tawny-haired human talked to the other girl. Ritsu just sneezed. She blew into Ritsu's ear and pinched the side of her neck. Ritsu swatted at her ear and neck with two hands and thought that it was just a mosquito or some other insect. She tried plucking an eyebrow hair. Ritsu just scratched her brow. She tried taking Ritsu's headband off but only managed to nudge it a bit and loosen Ritsu's bangs. Ritsu took off her headband and re-placed it on her head. Mio watched Ritsu's bangs fall to her forehead in slow motion. Mio would have dropped dead if angels were capable of dying and muttered prayers under her breath asking the Maker to give her more moments where Ritsu wore her bangs down. Ichigo had a similar reaction to seeing Ritsu without bangs for the first time, and when Mio realized this, she glared daggers at the girl.

Mio dropped on all fours when Ritsu mentioned her hometown and it turned out to be the other girl's hometown also. Mio pouted the whole time the two talked and finally decided that she couldn't take any more of it and blinked herself away.

Mio felt something break when she caught the other girl asking Ritsu if Ritsu would go out with her on a date. Mio learned that day that the jealousy she felt the first time she saw Ritsu with this girl wasn't anywhere near real jealousy. What she felt now was the real thing though. Heavy jealousy that shot her to the ground and then pain pinned her there and kept her from getting up.

It's been a week since Ritsu started working in Norimi's diner. The situation with her stalker only got worse and worse as the days passed and she can't even sleep well at night anymore. That and thoughts about Ichigo bothered her. She had met up with the girl earlier and was surprised when the girl had shyly asked her out on a date. She said yes and now she regretted it. She didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings but it seems like she would be hurting her even more now. She hit her forehead on her desk, groaned from the pain, and muttered 'stupid' under her breath.

The evening of the date came. Ritsu wore something casual but presentable. They were going to a restaurant that was not too fancy but also not cheap and served good food. They had agreed to just meet each other there at their reserved booth. Ritsu decided that she wouldn't let Ichigo wait for her alone so she prepared early and left her home early. Technically, she really didn't have to bring much money with her because Ichigo was the one to ask her out, therefore she should pay, but Ritsu doesn't think she could do that to the girl, especially since she wasn't looking for anything serious, heck she wasn't even looking for anything more than friendship.

Ritsu arrived at the restaurant and quickly sat in their reserved table, but instead of her date being there, an invisible angel stood and studied her with a jealous frown. Ichigo wasn't there yet and she decided to just wait and maybe have a glass of wine or two. The angel leaned forward and Ritsu stiffened slightly, as she felt the air around her become electric. Ritsu's eyes widened, not believing that her stalker followed her even to her date. The human's breathing quickened slightly and the angel took notice of this and smiled triumphantly. Hah. Take that Ichigo. Let's see you make Ritsu react like that with just your presence. Mio stood closer to Ritsu and waited with her for the girl with the curly pigtails.

Ritsu ordered a glass of wine and took a sip. She caught sight of brown hair and saw Ichigo enter the restaurant. Ritsu almost choked on air. The girl had made an effort to look pretty tonight, not that she wasn't pretty enough as it is. The girl really was attractive and now she was just breathtaking. Mio also saw this and felt the fat and ugly feeling the angel has come to know well for the past week, squash her again. The angel saw Ritsu down her drink in one gulp and wipe perspiration on her forehead and the back of her neck. The angel felt herself break even more. No. She turned to see Ichigo smile at Ritsu and greet her.

Mio couldn't believe all that she saw. Everything that happened during the date seemed to happen all just to break and smash the confidence she had. The way the two humans talked, the way they laughed, the way Ritsu teased Ichigo, the way Ichigo looked at Ritsu, all of it seemed to be there to rub the fact that 'Ritsu was not hers' in her face. She couldn't even do anything. She couldn't even try to pester the tawny-haired girl. She just stood there, invisible, and watched Ritsu and Ichigo be perfectly happy in their little world where she did not exist, where she never did and never would. She felt as though she was nothing.

Mio followed them as they exited the restaurant and went to Ichigo's car. The angel sat invisibly at the back and felt different emotions curl inside of her as the two humans settled into a comfortable silence. They reached Ritsu's apartment and Ritsu moved to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Well, Ichigo, that was fun. I guess I should-mmf—"

Ritsu made the mistake of looking up. When Ichigo saw Ritsu's head turn to face her, the girl felt a sudden bolt of dauntlessness rip right through her and she wasted no time and placed her lips on Ritsu's. Ritsu's eyes widened and she froze. Mio was engulfed by her emotions and the angel felt like she was drowning.

The angel felt her whole world crash and she blinked herself away. There was nothing more for her here. The angel thought should never have followed this human, thought that she should've left it at that night where she saved the human and never acted on her curiosity, never let these treacherous feelings cloud her judgment and eat at her being when everything fails. She should've been above this all. She should've let her logic overrule and take over her instead. Then she wouldn't have done stupid things and become stupid herself. She was an angel for crying out loud. If only she had listened to her rational side then she would never have been a shame and embarrassment to her kind. She blinked herself to the beach and decided that this would be the last of this foolishness.

Ritsu's lips were clamped shut and her body was stuck. Ichigo kept her lips firmly planted on Ritsu's and with her seatbelt already unbuckled, she moved to push Ritsu against the car door. Ritsu felt the movement and suddenly became aware. Ritsu's mind went from completely blank to working overdrive; but it was only when she felt Ichigo's tongue probing her lips for entrance that she pushed the other girl back.

Ichigo looked like she had just realized what she did and what the pressure on her shoulders and the wide-eyed look on Ritsu's face meant. The girl sat up straight in her seat, gasped and covered her mouth with a hand. Ichigo's face burned beet red from embarrassment and rejection.

"Ri-ri-ritssu…"

Ritsu couldn't say anything. Her instincts pushed her to comfort the other girl and tell her that it was alright. For some reason, her body wouldn't listen, and it instead moved on its own. Before Ichigo could say more, Ritsu unbuckled her seatbelt and unlocked the door on the passenger side and got off of the car. She closed the car door gently behind her and pushed until she heard a click. She walked to her apartment building and walked up the stairs to her apartment without a single glace back.

Mio stared up at the dark and starry skies. The angel was once again at the beach. There was no other place where she found peace in, no other place that calmed her and no other place that allowed her to clear up her thoughts and relax. She sat on the cool sand and counted the stars.

She thought about what happened and what she just saw. She thought about how she should've seen it coming, should've known it was bound to happen sooner or later, should've known that a first date was the perfect time for a first kiss. She thought how about how stupid she was. She thought of how ironic that she possessed eyes that mirrored the sky that blanketed the earth, the sky that witnessed the lives of billions of people happen, the sky that knew everyone's secrets, the sky that watched and waited and knew, and she had been blind to it all.

She didn't know why she felt so much pain; so much more than all that she has felt since she met and saved the human. Ritsu absolutely had no relation or connection to her. The human was her friend's ward and not hers, so if there was any angel to feel a connection to the human, it should be Mugi. Why her? Of all angels why her? She was finally given the opportunity to advance into the third sphere, so why did it have to be her? She was one of the most dedicated angels, so why? She couldn't understand it at all. Was the Maker behind all of this? He's behind everything isn't he? Why did the Maker choose her?

And then she thought, why Ritsu? As Mugi said, there was nothing special about her, so why?

But then she knew the answer to that. Maybe somehow, at their first meeting, she knew subconsciously that Ritsu would be able to feel her so she came to the human's aid. Angels really do have very sharp perception and intuition, even if hers failed her too many times recently. Ritsu made her feel different. Heck, Ritsu made her feel. How many angels had experienced that?

And then her eyes widened. Does this mean that I was happy being around Ritsu? Does this mean that I enjoyed feeling and wanted to feel more? Why did I suddenly think of myself as special just because I felt? Haven't I always been special just because I was an angel? Am I not special because I never tire, never starve and never thirst? Am I not special because I am one of the few who can hear music at sun rise?

No. She never felt special because of all that. Now that she thought about it, she never felt special, not even once in all of her millennia. She felt lucky, yes, but it was nowhere near special. It was nowhere near how she felt now. Nowhere near how Ristu made her feel.

And what does Ritsu make me feel?

A million thoughts went through her head. She enumerated each emotion, each feeling she became familiar with for the past weeks. Anger, fear, frustration, desperation, curiosity, excitement, disappointment, hurt, impulsiveness, sadness, pain, amazement, surprise, confusion, and… happiness? Yes, happiness. Definitely happiness. So much happiness that her lifetime of millennia cannot compare.

Nothing was more fun than observing the human, no matter how uneventful some of her visits were. Nothing has ever made her smile before Ritsu. The human was a living, breathing comedic act. Ritsu and her other friend, the brown-haired airhead— was it Yui? — have made her wish that she was capable of doubling over in laughter for more times than she could count. And nothing compared to trying to make Ritsu feel her.

But Ritsu wasn't hers. Ritsu can't be hers.

She shifted her eyes to look at the waves. So she wanted the human all to herself, huh? What, was she in love with the human now?

Love.

"It can't be."

She whispered to the night air. Her eyes were as wide as they could be. Her chest felt like it would cave in on itself. She fell on her back. She couldn't hold herself up anymore. She folded her legs and hugged her knees tight to her chest then turned to her side. There was nothing for a long time. It could've been minutes; it could've been an hour. She wasn't aware. Her whole body shut down along with her mind.

She had just realized how much the human meant to her. She had just realized what all of the emotions meant.

In the shortest span of time possible, she fell in love. She, an angel who is not even supposed to feel such complicated human emotions, fell in love, and with a human of all beings out there.

Mio, the third sphere candidate who's lived for millennia and witnessed humans evolve and change, was in love with Ritsu, a 23 year old drummer who can't even eat proper food and pay the rent on time if she didn't work two jobs.

She closed and opened her eyes. It was already twilight. She stood up from her fetal position on the sand and dusted herself of. She scanned the beach. She saw that she was still alone.

What now?

To be continued...