As a totally off-topic note, my friend burned me Full Moon wo Sagashite and I lurve it! It's such a cute show, though sad. My favorite is Takuto, go figure. "New Future" is currently stuck in my head.
Blackberry: Yeah, I think I had heard of it from somewhere before. It's pretty common in anime, really.
Chapter Fifteen - Fairytale
I looked on in horror as Ryou's body crumpled to the ground. He didn't move. Above me the Chimera Anima let out a loud shriek and tried to claw the needle from her breast without any success. That didn't seem important right then. Not that or the rain or how my body hurt to move. What was important... Oh my god! Shirogane!
"SHIROGANE!" I ran towards him. I felt like I was suffocating and would pass out any minute. My legs were jelly and my feet didn't seem to exist. I collapsed onto my knees beside him. Luckily he was still breathing.
"Shirogane..." I squeaked.
He tilted his head up. Those aquamarine eyes that had become so familiar to me seemed to bore down into my body and pierce a place in my heart. Don't feel sorry for me. I don't want any pity. How was it possible not to when those eyes were staring up at you like that, silently echoing the words he had said twice now? I won't let you hurt the person most precious to me! I'm sorry, Ichigo... I... love you.
"Shirogane, don't die," I whimpered.
"Ichigo..."
"You jerk! You can't say that, block me, and then just die!" I shouted at him.
His eyes fell shut as he whispered, "I'm sorry..."
"YOU CAN'T, SHIROGANE, YOU CAN'T BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"
He made no response.
"Nooo!" I yelled, shaking him, "Shirogane! SHIROGANE!"
With an ear-shattering noise, the Chimera swooped down from above me. I screamed, ducking, as claws raked across my back. It felt like my body was burning. It hurt so much. I could feel the crimson liquid running down my back in five parallel lines. I stumbled back up to my feet, facing her angrily.
"I'm doing this for you... Shirogane... so you won't be haunted by your past anymore. I'm not so sure I'll be able to keep my promise to you either, but I'll try," I struck my pose, eyes narrowed, "For the future of the Earth, I, Mew Ichigo, will be of service, nyan!"
I leapt into the air, hoping my emotions would guide me, "Strawberry Bell!" There was a flash of light in front of me as the pink, heart-shaped weapon reappeared.
She showed her teeth, hitting at me again.
"Kyaaa!" I was knocked backwards and onto the ground, landing in a crouching position.
She took a nosedive at me. I leapt quickly out of the way. My cat reflexes were starting to pick up again, and the ears on either side of my head were alert to every sound and movement.
Leaping up again, I called out my attack, "Ribbon Strawberry Check!" I took aim. A beam of pink light struck her side. Turning, she came back at me, enraged. I jumped higher, feeling her black wings strike against my legs as she passed beneath me. Why wasn't she weakening? Didn't Ryou manage to inject her? I had seen him do it... so why hadn't it taken effect yet? Or had it already worn off?
"Ichigo-san! Ichigo, can you hear me?" I knew that voice. That was Keiichiro's voice! But where? Turning, I saw Masha floating nearby.
"Akasaka-san!" I called, trying to listen and keep myself from being turned into monster food at the same time.
"Ichigo-san! Listen, the other girls may not be Mew Mews anymore, but our thoughts are on you. And, we've found a way to transfer some of the Red Data Animals' power to you," he explained through the speaker in Masha.
"Really? How? Tell me!" I had to block a punch with my bell.
"You recall how Masha was able to become the Mew Aqua rod for the other girls? The same thing should be able to happen if we transfer the leftover power from inside the girls' pendants to you through Masha. The weapons only channelled power, but the pendants work in a different way. Masha should be able to change into another instrument."
"Really? Okay! What do I have to do?" I asked.
My enemy was getting impatient and her attacks were getting wilder and harder to block.
"Masha will start glowing, just listen to the words that come to you, Ichigo. I know in her weakened state, you can defeat her!"
"But she hasn't weakened any!" I protested.
"What? Didn't Ryou...? Ichigo-san, where's Ryou? He's not coming in on the radar!"
I bit my lip, "H-he's... he's not... not awake at the moment..."
Keiichiro was silent for what seemed like forever. I didn't have the heart to tell him that his friend was very likely dead... Dead...
"Ichigo-san, you have to stay focused. Can you do that?"
"I... think so..."
"Go for it, Ichigo onee-chan!" Pudding shouted.
"You can do it, Ichigo!" that one was Lettuce.
"Good luck," was all that Zakuro-san said.
"Don't mess this up, Ichigo," darn that Mint...
"We believe in you."
"Masaya... guys..." How could they have such faith in me, when I had so little? "Alright, here I go!"
Masha fluttered over to me and rested in my palms. The Chimera Anima was in the air again, preparing a far more powerful attack.
It isnt a crime to want / A little space to breathe / But you will be fine / The sun again will shine on you / Whatever you do...
Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here when you change your mind / Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here for you baby / Anytime...
Masha began glowing faintly, a soft, warm, many-hued light that at once made me feel relaxed.
"Strawberry Wand."
Masha became heavier in my hand, glowing more intensely and lengthening into a long cream staff. At its tip was a heart shaped design, with a bell positioned in its center, from the base of the heart flowed pastel pink streamers. The handle had an intricate pattern of hearts and stars carved into it. I could do this... I had to do this...
The Chimera streaked towards me like a bullet, plummeting, full-speed. Her claws extended, arms positioned forward. She was coming in for the kill. My knuckles were going white because I was holding the weapon so tightly. As she came closer and closer, everything started to slow down. Was my mind stalling? No. It was the monster herself that was losing momentum. It worked! No time to waste!
"Ribbon Heart's Melody!" I called out, raising the staff in the air. From the tip, the bell sounded lightly, summoning a rainbow wave of energy. It washed over the area, bathing everything in a soothing light. That light drowned the Chimera Anima. Before my eyes, her frightening form began to disintigrate, turning to ash, and then fading completely. Shrinking, the wand poofed back into Masha. He fluttered down to my shoulder.
"We did it, we did it!" he cheered.
I tried to smile. I could hear my friends cheering and the congratulations from Keiichiro and Masaya.
"Masha!" I hissed, "We need to get Shirogane to the hospital!"
"The hospital? Ichigo, is Ryou okay?"
"I-I'm not sure, Lettuce..." I whispered.
"We're where Main- and First Street cross, at the fountain..." Lettuce's voice came softly over the speaker.
Keiichiro sighed worriedly, "We'll be awaiting you there."
"Uh-huh..."
Grunting, I lifted Ryou's heavy body out of the dirt and across my shoulders and began the trek back towards where Akasaka-san and the others were waiting for us.
I thought back to the conversation I had just had with Masaya a few moments ago...
...
"Masaya, there's something I have to talk with you about..." I started.
The dark-haired boy turned to me, smiling gently, "Ichigo, is something the matter?"
"Well, no, not exactly... but I need to talk to you about-" I fumbled for the words.
Masaya blinked at me, his smile fading a bit as he spoke, "It's about Shirogane-san, isn't it?"
I felt my face reddening in embarassment and my eyes fell, "Yeah..."
"Does he make you happy?"
"Actually..." I walked over to stand beside him, "Everytime I'm around him, I usually end up walking away miserable."
I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't understanding at all.
"It's like all we do is argue."
"I see..."
I rubbed the back of my head nervously, "It's just that sometimes, it's like he-"
"The guy thinks a lot of you," Masaya interrupted calmly.
"Huh?"
"I mean it. I can tell..." he insisted, looking off in another direction.
"Do you think so?"
"Yeah. Was there something else you were going to say? You can tell me."
I hesitated, "Well, I wanted to thank you... for being there for me..."
Masaya placed hand on my shoulder, "Likewise, you saved my life, Ichigo."
I looked up at him. I could feel the hot tears well up in my eyes, "I'd do it again. But, Masaya, right now, you don't need saving. It's been wonderful spending these last few years with you. You took care of me, and you loved me, and you gave this stray kitten a home."
He took his hand away slowly and watched my face, "Ofcourse, Ichigo... you know that I love you."
"I know that. I love you too, but, there's someone else who also said that they love me. It's stupid really, but I got to thinking that maybe I wasn't a stray afterall. Maybe I had a home all along without realizing it... I thought 'Suppose this other person is telling the truth, and suppose he loves you just as much as Masaya or more. Suppose he really does care about you but doesn't know how to show you that. Suppose you're with the wrong guy-'." My voice choked up and I could feel Masaya wrap his arms around me, stroking my hair.
"It's okay, Ichigo. If you want to go, I won't hold you here against your will."
I sobbed into his shirt, "I don't know! That jerk makes me so confused!"
"Listen, Ichigo..." Masaya continued gently, looking me in the eyes, "You should go speak with him. If you really do have feelings for him, you should stay with him. If not, I'll be waiting for you."
I sniffled, "Suppose I don't come back to you?"
"It's okay. You've given me so much already, Ichigo. Just promise me that we'll still be friends?"
I nodded quickly, pulling him into a tighter hug.
"Your happiness is what's important to me, even if you end up finding it somewhere else."
I smiled up at him, tears still streaming down my face, "Okay. Arigatou."
...
I'm feeling you pull away / 'cause letting go isnt easy for me / But you'll never fly / With someone elses wings, I know / Wherever you go...
Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here when you change your mind / Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here for you baby / Anytime...
When we reached the fountain, an ambulance was waiting with its red lights flashing. I watched as the doctors carefully laid Ryou's body on a stretcher and hoisted it up into the vehicle. As they sped off, all I could do was stare after them and pray.
"Everything will turn out okay in the end, Ichigo. Don't worry," Masaya comforted, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I told him too late..."
"I don't think so," he said softly.
"Chin up, Ichigo onee-chan! Shirogane onii-chan is one tough cookie na no da!" Pudding announced, trying to cheer me.
Lettuce added, "We can go visit him later, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Ryou's too stubborn to just die on us like that," Mint pointed out.
"I..." It was no use. I fell into Masaya's arms and cried.
...
Keiichiro drove us to the hospital. I'll never figure out how we all managed to pile into his red sports car, but I will say this... Keiichiro may be the perfect gentleman, but when he drives, he's scary! I bet even Masha could drive better.
I really didn't want to go back to that hospital after spending so much time staring at its walls myself. Apparently Ryou had suffered pretty major wounds and he'd lost a lot of blood. That's what the doctors were telling us. They told us they'd let us know if his condition changed for the worst. And that's all they would say.
I had school the next day, not that I benefited at all from it. I was way too distracted. My teachers complained several times when they saw that I was spacing, and every time a cellphone went off, I'd quickly fumble around for mine, only to figure out that the melody wasn't familar, and that the phone call had been for someone else.
After classes had ended, I ran off to the hospital again. I finally convinced one of the nurses to let me in when I explained that I was Ryou's "little sister". When I made my way to the door, however, I found that he already had a visitor. Keiichiro. Ryou was awake it seemed, but his voice was a soft whisper, like it took just about everything he had to carry on a conversation.
"I told you not to do anything reckless," Keiichiro scolded the younger boy.
There was a shifting of covers and Ryou's voice. I had to strain my ears to make it out from the doorway. "I know. I was just doing what my head was telling me to do."
"Are you sure it was your head telling you to?"
"...my heart then."
Keiichiro sighed, "It's a wonder you survived. First Ichigo-san, now you... you're going to make my hair turn gray."
"Sorry about that. How is Ichigo, anyway?"
"She's fine. She has a few bruises, but her Mew Mew powers healed most of the other injuries."
"That's good..."
"They say you might be here for atleast another month..."
"No. I want to go home."
"Ryou! We'd never get you into my apartment, and the new cafe isn't finished yet."
"I'm not staying in this blasted hospital room, Keiichiro!" He started coughing then.
"See? You should take it easy! This is exactly why you need to be here..." Keiichiro murmured in a concerned tone.
"...maybe. It hurts."
I couldn't help but smile slightly. Even in such a condition, Ryou was trying to put on a brave face. It was true, wasn't it? But at that moment, I was also thinking of something else. He opened up to Lettuce and Keiichiro, but not really to me. I was the one he chose to boss around. I guess I was a little jealous.
"Ichigo?" it was Masaya.
"He's..." I started.
Masaya peered around the corner and into the room, "Busy talking to Akasaka-san, hmm? Want to chat, Ichigo?"
I gave a small smile and nodded, "Yeah. I'd like that."
Masaya led me back down the hallway, pausing at a vending machine to get a soda for each of us.
"I still haven't been able to talk to Shirogane..." I confessed.
Masaya popped the top of his soda, my own can was cold to the touch and made my fingertips numb. After taking a sip, Masaya responded with, "It'll be alright. Just give it a little time."
"Yeah, but it's like every other second I'm questioning my own feelings..."
Masaya laughed lightly, "That's why you should take your time. That way you can truthfully tell Shirogane-san how you feel."
"You're right, ofcourse..." I sighed, talking a sip of my own soda. It fizzed and tickled the inside of my mouth, "I also wonder what'll happen to me. My powers haven't gone away yet."
"I don't know much about that," Masaya admitted, "But since your friends returned to normal, you probably will as well. That should happen pretty soon since you aren't needed to fight again, hmm?"
I shook my head, not convinced. "Yeah, but there was a three year gap and everyone else..."
"But when you think about it, Shirogane-san still needed your help. If you had already lost your powers, he wouldn't be with us right now," explained Masaya.
"I guess you have a point, but why me?" I wondered.
"Didn't you say Shirogane-san is also a cat? Maybe that's why. Maybe your powers couldn't disappear until you both no longer needed them."
I sighed loudly, "Yeah, but Shirogane is gonna always be a cat. If that's the case, I'll be stuck too."
Masaya laughed again in a good-natured way, "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure Akasaka-san and Shirogane-san have a way to get you back to normal if it doesn't happen naturally." He petted my head.
I heaved another sigh, whining, "I hope so... Thanks Masaya..."
He grinned down at me, "No problem."
"So, how's the Shirogane report?" Mint demanded, turning the corner and interrupting the peace.
"M-mint!" I yelled. Didn't I still have a bone to pick with her about something? I couldn't remember what...
Stomping up to her, I gave her a sharp glare which she returned smugly. "I swear one of these days, I'll-" I threatened, waving a fist at her.
"You'll what?" she asked.
"Argh!" I didn't know.
"So, how is he?" she asked me, placing her hands on her hips.
"How should I know? I haven't talked to him," I grumbled, crossing my arms.
"Oh, how mean! After everything he's done for you and all that..." she added smartly.
"Shut up, Mint..." I growled, twitching.
"Good afternoon, Aoyama-kun," Mint greeted, "I still can't see how you manage to put up with her."
Masaya laughed nervously, knowing he'd better watch what he said, "Ichigo's just worried, that's all."
Oh great...
"Worried?" Mint asked, raising an eyebrow, "Whatever about?"
"It's none of your business, Mint, so go get your afternoon tea before you act more like a snob than you normally do!" I hissed.
Mint looked taken aback, she stared at me in a shocked way, "Geez, Ichigo. You sure are in a good mood. I didn't come here to make your ruin your day. I actually wanted to know how Ryou is doing."
I huffed, "I still don't know."
"She hasn't talked to Shirogane-san yet. Akasaka-san's visiting with him now," Masaya explained.
"So that's how it is."
"I wonder what will happen now that everything's over..." Lettuce commented shyly. She had just joined us a moment ago and was also still in her school uniform.
"I'll admit I was worried at first, but even so..." Zakuro started. Pudding was with her. It seemed like our little group was magnetized. "...I don't want to break my connections with the rest of you. I was worried that the press might start to figure things out."
"Zakuro-san..." I whispered. She might seem cold and distant on the outside, but I knew inside Zakuro was one of the nicest people around.
"It doesn't matter, Zakuro-san. No matter what happens, I'll never regret any of this," Lettuce voiced out, smiling, "If I had never met you guys, who knows where I'd be now. Probably still cowering in the far corner of Kouyama-san's classroom."
"I agree, na no da! Friends are the best, na no da!" Pudding yelled, happily glomping each of us.
I giggled as I watched her, "You know, you're right... in the end... I'm glad we could go through all of this together. Let's promise to always keep in touch. No matter what." A chorus of agreement sounded around me as we all drifted forward into a group hug. "IT'S A PROMISE!"
...
A few days later Keiichiro had sold his apartment and moved into a bigger complex closer to the cafe site. Apparently Ryou had insisted on getting out of that hospital no matter what, even if it meant he had to be driven to the new location in an ambulance. I still hadn't visited with him. I was taking Masaya's advice. My visit with Ryou would be postponed until I was certain of what I was going to say to him when I got there. It was taking longer than I had expected, on top of that.
It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon. Spring was blooming all around me and cherry petals carpeted the ground to create a cushion for people to walk on. Examining a slit of paper which had the apartment number printed neatly on it, I crossed the busy Tokyo streets and made my way towards their new residence.
I rang the bell and waited impatiently for someone to answer. Keiichiro answered the door with a cheerful expression, "Ichigo-san, so nice to see you."
"Ne, Akasaka-san? Is it alright if we talk? I'm not bothering you am I?"
"Ofcourse not. We're glad to have you." He swung the door open for me and I stepped nervously inside, "What is it that you'd like to talk about?"
"Well..." I let myself in and sat when he motioned to a chair, "It's about... Shirogane..."
"Ryou?" he questioned as he took a seat opposite me, "He'll be up, about, and good as new in a few days. No need to worry."
I shook my head quickly, "Um, no, that's not what I was going to ask you..."
He waited for me to continue.
"Um... does Shirogane, you know, ever say anything about me?"
Now he looked very surprised, "Why, ofcourse, he's always talking about you and the other girls."
"Well, I know that, but I mean, well, what does he say?" I fidgetted.
Keiichiro looked at me questioningly, then smiled, "Maybe that's something you should ask Ryou and not me..." He sweatdropped.
"Akasaka-san... please... Does Ryou really have feelings for me? He said... during the fight he said that he loved me... right before he blacked out, and when..."
Keiichiro placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling slightly, "Ichigo-san, as I said, perhaps that's something you should ask him when he's feeling better."
I blinked up at him. This wasn't working. "You aren't going to answer, are you?"
"Well, what do you think?"
"I think you won't say anything because Shirogane told you not to."
He laughed slightly, "No, I mean, about Ryou."
"Oh..." I clunked myself on the head with my fist and pondered over it for a while, "He didn't sound like he was lying..."
"Hrm..." Keiichiro took a sip of his coffee, "And do you trust him, Ichigo-san?"
I stared. Trust? Do I trust him? I had never really thought about that. Ryou was always teasing and confusing me with his words, but when it all boiled down to it...
"I... I think so..." I replied cautiously.
"You think?"
"I think I do. Trust him..." I murmured.
"Well, I will say this Ichigo-san. Ryou doesn't lie about important matters or matters of the heart. Ryou hardly ever reveals his feelings about anything. Instead, he's the type who keeps both his love and his sorrow bottled up inside. It's a rare occasion to see him unstop that bottle. I wouldn't say he ignores such feelings, rather, I'd say he's more sensitive to them than most. It's just something that Ryou would rather not share with others. Does that help?"
I nodded silently, "Then he did mean it... I just... I guess I just didn't know what to think or how to react."
"And what are you going to do about it now, Ichigo-san?"
I gazed up at Keiichiro. He watched me with interest, hiding his own judgments and opinions behind a fatherly sort of smile.
I grinned back at him, "I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! His room is upstairs, right?"
With that I raced from the room. I could hear the first syllable of a protest from Keiichiro, but it was muted as I turned a corner and thundered up the steps. When I reached the top, I caught my breath and made my way down the hall on tiptoe, realizing I had no idea which room belonged to Ryou.
I will never stand in your way / Wherever your heart may lead you / I will love you the same / And I will be your comfort every day / Do you hear the words I say?
Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here when you change your mind / Take your sweet, sweet time / I will be here for you baby / Anytime...
Turning the last doorknob I came to, I walked cautiously into a sun-filled room. Bingo! I couldn't help but think this was a reversed version of Sleeping Beauty. The blond was resting soundly in his bed. Ryou actually looked rather adorable when he was asleep. It was hard to think that this was the same guy who picked on me most of the time. I tilted my head as I watched him. 'Is this really the way you want to go, Ichigo? Suppose he's even meaner to you if he finds out you have feelings for him? That would be just another thing he could tease you about... but then...' I remembered what he said. Why did it surprise me so much? Hadn't I known all along that Ryou had some sort of affection for me? But before now... I hadn't really paid any attention... I guess the part that surprised me, was that he had actually humbled himself long enough to say it. Ichigo, I... love you. I felt my eyes begin to get misty and I shook it off quickly.
Not only that, but several weeks ago when I had awoken in the hospital... Just get better, dummy. ...Oh yeah, there's something I've been meaning to give you for a long time now... My cheeks burned and my hand travelled involuntarily to my lips. Had he really kissed me? That was a stupid question. Being kissed as a cat was one thing, but this had been totally different. When Masaya's lips touched mine they spoke a few gentle notes somewhere in my heart that lifted my spirits and gave me hope. But with Ryou, it was as if he had put his entire soul into that one kiss, and from it arose a melodious noise that travelled throughout my entire body like static electricity. It made me want to hold onto him and never ever let go; to never let that song cease playing.
'Ichigo!' I scolded myself, 'You can't base your feelings off something like a kiss. So Ryou is a good kisser... no. He's a great kisser, but still! Just days ago you were in love with Masaya! You're just doing this because you feel sorry for him! This isn't what you want! This is what he wants! Besides, what about that blindness thing? Ryou's loneliness is making you blind to everything else. That's what it is.'
I slumped back against the wall. Ryou was right there whenever I was in trouble. Just like Masaya was. And he was also there at times when Masaya wasn't. All of this thinking was giving me a headache.
"You really enjoy confusing me, don't you? I'm never confused when I'm with Masaya, but you make my brain hurt. Keiichiro says the new cafe will be finished soon. I actually visited it the other day... It looks, well, honestly it looks just like the old cafe only it's blue instead of pink. Can you believe it?" I laughed uneasily, knowing I was only talking to myself and trying to free all the nervous energy that had built up inside my body.
"And Masaya only shows one side to me. He's a beautiful, gentle, sweet person who loves this planet. But you... I think I've seen every single facet of your personality. Sometimes you're a gentleman and other times you're a spoiled brat. Sometimes you try to act all tough and other times you seem like you'd break into pieces if I poked you with a feather. And then there are times where I start thinking you're this gorgeous and amazing human being, and not just the bossy owner of Cafe Mew Mew. Would you like to tell me which one you really are?" I frowned at his sleeping figure. I was expecting him to have been awoken by my complaints, but his chest was still moving up and down at a slow, regular pace.
"And despite all that and every time you've flicked my forehead and called me a 'baka strawberry', why is it that I have feelings for you? Why am I thinking about you right now and not Masaya! Why do I have to love you!" Tears were streaming down my face at that moment. I didn't even know why I was working myself up over this. I tried to dry my face with my sleeve. I'd look so stupid if he woke up to see me crying. I whirled and went for the door, but as I took my second step, I realized something was holding me back.
Turning back abruptly I saw that my wrist was caught in someone else's grip. My eyes travelled up the tanned arm only to find that Ryou was in a half-sitting position. Awake.
"Shi-Shirogane! Good morning!" I stammered.
"Do you really?" he asked simply. His eyes focused sharply on me, awaiting an answer.
"Um, what?" I think I was shaking at that point. I can't remember.
"Do you really love me?" he repeated calmly.
My heart froze. I couldn't answer him! But I couldn't exactly lie either... What was I supposed to do? I shifted nervously as he continued to watch me with an unreadable expression. I could feel my face getting hotter.
"I... I do..." Waterfalls started flowing down my face, and again I attacked them with my sleeve, only to be tugged forward gently so that I was standing inches away from him.
"You're not lying?"
"Golly! I wish that I was lying, but I'm not!" I shouted, "Why would I lie about something like that!"
The next thing I knew, I was somehow in Ryou's arms. He was so warm. I could feel his hair brush against my ear as he pulled me closer to him. There was a sense of security there in his embrace, and my heart was beating loudly and rapidly, so that it was the only thing I could hear. I was certain he heard it. They could probably hear it downstairs.
"I love you, Ichigo," he whispered. I don't know how I heard it over all of the noise.
"I... I love you too... Ryou..."
Ryou let me go abruptly, backing me away at arms' length with his hands resting on my shoulders, "I'm sorry... I never should have said anything. The battle's over, I'm sure Masaya's worried sick about you. Um, and thanks..."
"What! That's it?" my voice came out louder than I had intended, "I mean, I don't mean it like that, but, you say that and then I say that and then you just push me away and tell me to go back to my ex-boyfriend? No, nevermind forget it, what I mean is-" I fumbled for the words I was trying to say.
"Huh? But Masaya's your..."
"Oh! You don't know do you?" shuffling my feet I continued, "...I let Masaya go."
"Idiot! Why'd you do that? You're crazy about him-"
"Let me finish!" I scolded, "I thought long and hard about it, and I realized that I didn't love Masaya as much as I believed I did. Yeah, I had a crush on him, he was popular at school, and he has a beautiful smile, but our relationship, after we admitted our feelings for each other, was still more like a friendship. No, I can honestly say that Masaya is my best friend... Did you know? Masaya was adopted. I was probably the first true friend he ever had. He told me that people only made friends with him because they got something out of the friendship, because it was in their best interest. He said I was different. But lately, Masaya has a lot of friends. I can tell that his smile is genuine, and so is the love and admiration that he receives from the people around him. Anyway, ofcourse I love Masaya, but I started to figure out that it wasn't where I belonged. He told me that I should go where I was happiest."
Ryou was watching me. No doubt trying to make sense of my jibberish.
"Where I feel like I belong... the place that's become my home... is Cafe Mew Mew, maybe moreso Tokyo Mew Mew, with the girls, and Keiichiro, too... and you. I did feel sorry for you, maybe that's why I started to think that, but, I don't feel sorry for you anymore, and this feeling... it's still there."
"What feeling?" he asked me quietly.
"The feeling like I got at the party... and when I realized you were Alto... and when you told me that you loved me..." I answered carefully, "It was almost like it made me happy. It was my heart telling me, 'You love him. Your future is with him. So why do you keep running away from home?' If I stay here, I think that maybe one day, that feeling will be happiness."
Ryou smiled ever so slightly, "And why do you keep running away from home, koneko-chan?"
I sweatdropped, "I... I'm not sure... will you take me back anyway?"
"I might..." he started with a smirk, "If you promise you won't run away again."
I giggled, having to wipe the tears from my eyes again, "I'll try. But if you're a meanie again, I might have to go back to Masaya..."
"If you try to go back to Masaya, I might just have to put a collar on you," he countered. His voice broke and he coughed a bit then, "I'm still not much better, am I?"
"No. I bet you worry poor Akasaka-san to death! Anyway, get back to bed before you pass out!" I ordered, glaring at him.
Ryou sighed and shook his head, "Fine."
"Good. Sweet dreams, Ryou."
"No more 'Shirogane'?" he cocked an eyebrow at me.
"No more 'Shirogane, unless you'd prefer 'Ryou-chan'!" I sang out.
Wincing he replied, "No, I think we're good..."
"I think we are too..." I agreed, "And I promise. This time, I won't run away."
Notes: Song lyrics from "Take Your Sweet Time" by Jesse McCartney. It's my favorite one too, Suika.
A/N: "Epilogue - Dreams Come True", is the next and final update. This chapter is already insanely long, so I'm giving the celebration its own chapter. Please stay tuned for that, I mean, if you don't want to read about a super fun party, atleast read to find out why the heck I named this fanfiction what I did. Hmm? It should prove to be a blast! ) LAST CALL FOR PARTY SUGGESTIONS! Now review, please!