Both Kotonoha and Ryuji were stuck in school because they'd been too busy cleaning up their classroom. Ryuji had been grumbling about it since it was only a day before the break would start and he had managed to avoid getting classroom cleanup duty until this point. Of all the days for the teacher to get some guts. The weather wasn't helping his mood either. It was raining heavily outside and it looked like it was going to turn into a storm.
"Looks like we won't be getting home anytime soon," said Kotonoha. She noticed that he was silent. "Ryuji-kun?"
He was looking a little uncomfortable as he looked outside the window. His eyes were on the dark clouds. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning followed by a boom of thunder. The entire room became bathed in darkness when the entire room blacked out.
Kotonoha felt scared and then turned to look where Ryuji had been standing to find him gone. She panicked and looked around, her hands against her chest where her heart was. "Ryuji-kun, where are you?" She heard something in the corner and went to check it out. There she saw Ryuji, sitting on the floor near a corner with his knees pulled up against his chest, his head tucked in and his hands over his ears. 'Something's wrong,' Kotonoha realized as she slowly and carefully approached the boy. 'He looks scared.' She knelt down in front of him and reached over with her hand to touch his arm. He froze at the contact and she recoiled for a second before reaching out to him, her hands on his arms. He looked up at her with an emotion he rarely showed in his eyes. It was fear.
"Ryuji-kun, what's wrong?" she asked. He remained silent. "Ryuji-kun, please talk to me." He muttered something. "What was that?"
He repeated more clearly, averting his eyes from her. "You must think I'm really pathetic right now."
"Why would I think that?" she asked. She wanted him to look at her but still he avoided eye contact.
"Look at me," he shut his eyes. "I'm used to fighting monsters. I fight for a living. But when it comes to thunderstorms-" Another strike of lighting followed by booming thunder caused him to become silent and tuck his head back in.
"You're afraid," she concluded. His silence answered for her. She never knew him to ever be afraid of anything. He was brave and strong. Seeing him so…vulnerable was rare. "You don't like thunderstorms."
"Not really the storm," he told her. "I can handle the rain, and the lightning. It's just-"
FLASH!
BOOM!
He screwed his eyes shut in response and pressed his hands against his ears tightly to drown out the sound. He finished, "It's the thunder."
"Why the thunder?" she asked him. He released his grip from his ears and looked away again, holding his legs.
"Ryuki always had sharp hearing, even as a kid, so his hearing is pretty sensitive. He can literally hear a pin drop from a few yards away if he focused hard enough. This was both a blessing and a curse." He sighed. "Thunderstorms are the worst when you have sharp hearing. The loud booming hurts the ears and well Ryuki turned out to become afraid of it." He finished, "Since I used to be a part of him, I also have the same fear. That's why…I must look pathetic, huh?"
"No," she answered. He was surprised by her answer and then he felt her hold his head and pull him into her chest, her chin resting atop his head as she stroked her hair. "That just means you're human."
"Koto-chan…" he whispered as his face was pressed against her soft bosom. 'Just like mom…' He closed his eyes as she started to hum a soft tune. Whatever it was, the humming seemed to drown out the sound of thunder. He began to relax and eventually fell asleep.
"Ryuji-kun, wake up. The storm's over," Kotonoha said as Ryuji slowly opened his eyes to see that he was looking up at her smiling face. His head was on her lap, her thighs acting as soft pillow, as he slept through the storm. She had stroked his hair the whole time. Embarrassed by the position, he slowly sat up but didn't dare to face her. "Ryuji-kun?"
"Arigatou, Koto-chan," he said with a blush. She smiled warmly and then scooted over to him before wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his back. "Koto-chan, nani?"
"Whenever you need someone to help you relax doing a storm, just come to me. I'll be there for you like you've always been there for me," she told him. He turned his head over his shoulder to look at her face. She pulled herself to his face and both of them shared a kiss.
Maybe thunderstorms weren't so bad after all.
"HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY!"
With Kotonoha's connections, the group of friends was able to catch a free trip to Hawaii. This was like a dream come true for most of them who'd never even been out of Japan. The white sandy beaches, the wide blue ocean, and the bright shining sun were too good to pass up. This was how they were going to spend their last week of spring break together.
Kotonoha was playing some beach volleyball with Sekai, Nanami and Hikari. Ryuji's girlfriend was paired up with Makoto's own girlfriend. Otome was busy sunbathing on a blanket, Makoto was sleeping on a blanket under and umbrella while Taisuke was enjoying the 'view'. By view, I meant he was looking at all the bikini-clad girls. Ryuji was sitting in a deck chair, relaxing with a cool can of strawberry soda as he watched his girlfriend in that sexy little bikini. Her breasts bounced around as she jumped up to send the beach ball back to Nanami. Ryuji was wearing a pair of black swimming trunks with blue flames on them. Taisuke had on a horrid looking red pair of Speedos. Makoto just had on some plain blue trunks. The girls were all dressed in the same bikinis they'd worn to the swimming pool that one time.
Kenzaki and Neko had also shown up to join them. Kenzaki actually looked normal and when Taisuke started to say something, he got an intense glare as a warning for him to shut up. He even received a verbal warning, "Say anything and you'll get a repeat of what happened back at the onsen." Kenzaki was actually wearing some sort of waterproof body paint to cover his metallic colored skin. He still looked like he had claws, though. He just sat against a tree, watching as Neko had fun.
"WOOHOO!" shouted Neko cheerfully as she rode a jet-ski. "This is awesome!" She was wearing a sexy little one piece with sections on the sides cut out and a diamond cut around the stomach. She had her hair in free and it flowed behind her.
"This is the life," said Ryuji as he watched Kotonoha smiling. That smile reminded him why he even bothered to become this world's Rider and protect its Present, Past and Future. He took a sip of soda. He loved the taste of strawberries. It reminded him of Kotonoha's lips.
"Enjoying the view?" asked Kenzaki as he walked up to his fellow Rider.
"Sure am," said Ryuji as he looked at his girlfriend's figure. "And I'm glad Neko-nee is having fun."
"HEY, LOOK! NO HANDS!" shouted Neko as they watched her race by in the water. She had her arms spread to the side and a smile spread on her face.
"We all needed this vacation," said Kenzaki. "I mean after all the stuff that's been going on…"
"Which reminds me, have you gotten a lead on the bastard who screwed up with my mind?" asked Ryuji. He was referring to Nanimo, who he knew was Kenzaki's brother. That had strained their working relationship a little, but Ryuji eventually got over it…by kicking Kenzaki's butt off a moving train. At least Ryuji wasn't swearing eternal revenge upon Kenzaki. Nanimo had now earned the spot at the top of Ryuji's 'list'. It was a list of things that Ryuji didn't like and hated with a passion. Sekai's name had already been crossed out along with Otome's. Taisuke and Makoto's name were still in it but they'd been move somewhere close to the bottom.
"We know he's still in this world, but not exactly sure where," Kenzaki answered with a frown.
"So I can kick his ass then," Ryuji smirked. "Good. I owe him for that brain control stunt he pulled."
A cheer came from the volleyball game to show Nanami and Hikari giving each other a high five. Sekai and Kotonoha were panting from the exertion with the volleyball stuck in the sand of their side of the court. From the looks of things, Nanami and Hikari had scored a point.
"You know, it's a little unfair that you have the tallest girl in the class on your side!" Sekai huffed. "We're getting creamed!"
"Well, that's just good thinking!" Hikari giggled. She patted Nanami's shoulder with a smile.
"And I believe that last point won us the game," Nanami smiled. "Now it's time to pay up."
"Humph!" Sekai pouted. "Wagering snacks doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore."
"We promised, Saionji-san," Kotonoha admonished with a smile.
Almost everyone had come with a cooler filled with treats which would be perfect for a beach trip. Kotonoha and Ryuji brought ice cream sandwiches made by Loki, Sekai and Makoto brought ice cream from Radish, while Nanami, Hikari brought a cooler of popsicles. Sekai and Kotonoha had wagered some of their snacks against Nanami and Hikari's.
"Okay," Sekai nodded as she grabbed her cooler. Reaching inside, she pulled out two paper dishes filled with ice cream. Kotonoha had grabbed two ice cream sandwiches before passing them to the victors.
"Whee!" Hikari giggled as she took the treats.
"You like sweets too much," Nanami sighed as she dug into her ice cream sandwich, "And for good reason. Mmmm."
Over with Otome, she was still lounging in the sun on her stomach with her top undone so to avoid tan lines. Taisuke had ogled her several times, but she didn't notice. She was too busy reading the newest addition of the Sakakino Star. It was becoming THE source of all things Ifrit related ever since they managed to get an interview from the armored hero. She even had the article taped to her wall.
"What are you reading, Katou?" asked Makoto, spotting how engrossed his friend was in the magazine she was reading.
"Newest info about the Kamen Riders," Otome answered. "It's about that new one, Fang. He's only shown up a couple of times, but this article is really good. Very informative."
"What about Wraith? Have they finally printed something on him?" asked a voice. Everyone looked up and saw Warren Smith standing there with a large smile on his face. Grasping onto his index finger with her tiny hand was Tessa. He wore a pair of black swim trunks and still had his shades on. Tessa wore a white swimsuit and water wings. "He's obviously the best."
"Oh, you mean that skull guy?" asked Otome. "Well, he doesn't show much as often so there's not much info on him. He looks cool, though." Tessa beamed as she heard this, proud of her daddy for being a hero.
Nanami watched as Kotonoha went to Ryuji and then sat down on his lap. She was surprised at how much Kotonoha had changed. She used to be a little shy to show affection but she was openly displaying it to Ryuji, her boyfriend. Originally, she never though that Ryuji was right for Kotonoha. He was too much of a badass for a sweet girl like Kotonoha but she'd defended him saying that she already knew him at a deeper level. Nanami had found out what it was a day before spring break began.
Nanami had been watching the clouds all day since she had club activities after school. The weather report had said that rain was coming, but she had been hoping that it would hold off until the end of the school day. Sadly, her luck didn't hold out and it started to rain when the school day ended. Despite her club being held indoors, Nanami didn't want to be caught outside in the mess. Even worse, she had left her umbrella in her desk.
"It's just doesn't pay to be me today," the tall young woman sighed as she walked through the halls.
She was getting close to her class when she heard someone moving. Becoming curious, she followed the source of the noise until she found a classroom. If she recalled, it was Kotonoha's classroom. Daring a peek inside, she saw that both Kotonoha and Ryuji were stuck on classroom cleanup duty. Shrugging, she turned to head to her classroom for her umbrella when…
BOOM!
The power went out in a flash, but Nanami quickly recovered. She looked back to the classroom to see if her friend and her boyfriend were okay. To her surprise, Ryuji was nowhere to be seen.
'How could he move that fast?' Nanami thought to herself in surprise.
Eyeing the events, she almost gasped in surprise when she spotted Ryuji huddled in the corner. Kotonoha was instantly at his side and talking softly to him. Nanami couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could understand the gist of what was happening in front of her.
Ryuji Hasuma, the biggest badass in the entire school, was afraid of thunder.
Naturally, Nanami was a little surprised at the little discovery she just made. She would never have expected someone like Ryuji to be afraid of something like that. Then again, everyone was afraid of something. She had just never considered that he would be scared of something as little as thunder. It definitely didn't fit into the personality that she had pegged him to possessing.
The couple conversed a little more before it seemed that Ryuji had fallen asleep in Kotonoha's chest. Nanami could only smile softly at the romance at the situation. Deciding that she had seen enough, Nanami turned to head to her classroom. Unfortunately, her shoes were wet and made a squeaking noise as she moved them against the floor.
"Who's there?" Kotonoha asked softly, so not to wake her boyfriend.
Knowing it was better to just bite the bullet; Nanami quietly slid the door open and stepped inside. "Yo," she greeted.
Kotonoha blinked in surprise before she spoke, "Kanroji-san? What are you doing here?"
"I was getting my umbrella when I heard you and Hasuma," Nanami answered with a whisper. "I was a little surprised to see him like this."
"Yes, he's like this sometimes," Kotonoha smiled. "Could you please keep this a secret? Ryuji-kun doesn't open up to others and…"
"I can keep a secret," Nanami smiled. "I'm surprised though. I mean he always makes himself look like a tough guy and thunderstorms freak him out?"
"That just means he's more than he seems," Kotonoha defended. "He sees it as a weakness, so don't tell anyone, please?"
"I promise," Nanami said with a hand raised. "At least this shows he has a vulnerable side. I always thought he was fearless by the way he acted."
"We're all afraid of something," Kotonoha stated. "Even small things can be extremely frightening to others."
Nanami nodded in agreement. "So, I've been curious about something," said Nanami. "I mean I know you told us at the onsen but what really made you fall for Hasuma here? Be honest though, is this part of the reason you fell for him? I mean, usually he's…"
"Abrasive?" Kotonoha suggested. "Well, I used to think so too, before I got to know him better."
Nanami listened intently. She had known that Kotonoha started going out with Ryuji after she broke up with Makoto during the festival. Sekai was a little vague about it, but Nanami knew there was a story behind it all.
"When Makoto-kun broke up with me…I was very depressed," Kotonoha sighed as she looked lovingly at her sleeping boyfriend. "I guess you could have called me inconsolable. I was so sure Makoto-kun and I were doing well, but then to suddenly find out he wanted to break up was a bit of a shock."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Nanami frowned. "That must have been hard. Sekai mentioned it was your first relationship."
"It's okay," Kotonoha smiled. "One day I was crying over it when Ryuji-kun found me. He hates to see girls cry so he went to comfort me. He asked me what was wrong and I told him everything. He walked me all the way home to make sure I got there safely."
Nanami was understandably surprised at Kotonoha's explanation of events. She knew that it was possible for Ryuji to be nice, but to hear how he was such a gentleman for Kotonoha in her time of need was a surprise. She was lucky someone like Ryuji found her, rather than a guy like Taisuke who was desperate enough to try and take advantage of the situation.
"So what happened next?" asked Nanami.
"Well, after that, Ryuji-kun would always meet up with me during the day to see how I was doing," Kotonoha smiled. "Back when Katou-san and her friends would bully me, Ryuji-kun would scare them off. We eventually became friends."
"So when did you two start dating?" asked Nanami. "I mean, I assume it was during the festival."
"Yes," Kotonoha sighed dreamily. "It was during the bonfire dance. I realized just how nice it was to be in his arms. I wanted to be sure though, so I asked him to kiss me. It felt like I was floating on air. I didn't even think about how depressed I was or about Makoto-kun and Saionji-san being together."
"Wow," Nanami smiled. If that wasn't romantic then she didn't know what was. Still, there was something she wanted to know. "Um…could I ask you something else?"
"Of course," Kotonoha nodded.
"That day on the festival, some students found Sawanaga all beaten up," Nanami explained. "He mentioned Hasuma did that to him. Why would Hasuma do that?"
"Um," Kotonoha frowned slightly. "Sawanaga-san…got Ryuji-kun angry."
"That's a given," Nanami sighed. "Hasuma is always angry at something. What I want to know is what got him mad enough to pummel Sawanaga like that. Despite his attitude, Hasuma doesn't pick fights for no reason."
"Um…Sawanaga-san had confessed to me that day on the festival," Kotonoha explained hesitantly. "He…was more than a little forward too. Ryuji-kun found us and thought he wanted to hurt me. He got angry after that."
Nanami frowned slightly at the explanation. She had known both Taisuke and Ryuji for a while. It was no secret that they both liked Kotonoha, but after getting to know Ryuji, Nanami knew he wasn't the kind of guy who would pummel someone just to make sure he wouldn't try to take Kotonoha. She also knew that when it came to girls, Taisuke could be downright desperate. It was a little sad considering how Hikari was attracted to the guy.
Kotonoha was hiding something, Nanami could tell that much. There was something she wasn't telling but Nanami didn't want to pry. She looked at Ryuji's face to see his usual hard expression replaced by a serene one. He did look kinda cute.
Hikari dug into her ice cream with a bright smile. She loved treats out on the beach, especially the sweet kind. They even tasted better when they were earned from the heat of battle. Winning the volleyball match was a great victory for her. Ice cream sandwiches were even better.
Looking to her friends, she saw Kotonoha snuggled in Ryuji's lap with a content smile on her face. As much as she tried to rationalize it, she just couldn't figure out just how someone so kind and gentle like Kotonoha could end up with someone so loud and violent like Ryuji. At first she was concerned for her friend's safety. Ryuji had a pretty bad reputation with him and she thought Kotonoha was at risk.
Of course, that opinion began to change, especially after something she'd overheard at the airport.
The group of friends was waiting in the airport for their flight. Kotonoha had called them all and said that her parents had offered to let them use their Hawaiian beach house for the rest of their break. Apparently, Kotonoha had done well in all her subjects and this was her parents' way of rewarding her. The group certainly wasn't complaining as they got their things together. No parents were going to be there either so they would be on their own.
Hikari was gossiping with the other girls about what they were going to do when she heard Ryuji talking. Turning, she spotted him dragging Makoto and Taisuke away from the rest of the group and into the men's washroom. Hikari had a huge crush on Taisuke for some time now and knew all too well about the beat down he'd received during the school festival. She also knew Ryuji had done it. She would rather be caught dead than let it happen again. Maybe if she rescued Taisuke, he would finally ask her out on a date.
Following the trio, she slipped inside the men's washroom to try and get a handle of the situation. Hiding behind a stall, she concentrated on what the boys were saying.
"What do you want, Hasuma?" she heard Taisuke cry out. "We didn't do anything!"
"Exactly," Ryuji snorted. "And I am making sure that it stays that way."
"H-h-how do you plan to do that?" Makoto trembled.
"I'm just going to set some ground rules," Ryuji spoke. "Both of you are not going to do anything inappropriate to Koto-chan, say anything sleazy, or even look at her in a perverted way."
Hikari frowned. Just who did Ryuji think he was? Did he think he owned Kotonoha or something? Why would he try to stop her from talking to the boys? There was nothing wrong with that! Sure, being polite was one thing, but restricting contact? That was just cruel. Wait until she told Kotonoha about this!
"I know that!" Makoto cried. "I'm not going to cheat on Sekai!"
"Well you were sure quick to cheat on Koto-chan at the first sight of another girl showing interest in you!" Ryuji snapped.
"WHAT?" Taisuke and Hikari cried at the same time.
"Hey, Sawanaga, I kick you in the nuts too many times?" asked Ryuji. "Your voice sounded a little high."
"My voice is just fine! That isn't the issue though!" Taisuke snapped. "Makoto! How could you cheat on such a hottie like Katsura-san? You wanted to have two girls or something?"
"Don't get high and mighty," Ryuji growled. "Not after what I saw you try to do to Koto-chan during the school festival!"
"Huh?" asked Makoto. "Taisuke, what did you try to do?"
"I was just trying to convey my feelings to Katsura," Taisuke mumbled.
"And I suppose pinning to the wall and force her to kiss you was part of it?" Ryuji snorted. "At least Itou respects women as more than breasts with legs."
Hikari gasped. This couldn't be true, could it? She didn't hear Taisuke denying it.
"The point I'm making is this," Ryuji said firmly, "You do anything, anything at all, to hurt Koto-chan or any of the girls, and you'll answer to me." He cracked his knuckles to emphasize his point. "Do I make myself clear?" The two boys nodded. Ryuji smirked. "Good, now let's get going. They are waiting for us." Makoto and Taisuke were the first to leave, walking quickly in fear. When he was sure he was alone, Ryuji said, "You do know this is the men's room, right, Kuroda?" Hikari gasped. "Just get out of here." He then walked out of the washroom.
Hikari was still a little muddled as she recalled that conversation. It certainly explained why Ryuji was so mean to Makoto and Taisuke. He was making sure they couldn't hurt Kotonoha anymore. Still, she just couldn't believe that Makoto would cheat on someone like Kotonoha. She was so gentle and kind! Wasn't she good enough? Did Sekai know what her boyfriend did before they started going out? And then there was Taisuke. Was he really so desperate for a relationship with a girl that he tried to get together with Kotonoha by force? She just couldn't see it…but the way Taisuke didn't even try to defend himself…
"Something wrong, Hikari?" Nanami asked. "You've been quiet."
"Huh?" Hikari blinked as she looked up to her tall friend. "Oh, just thinking."
"About what?" asked Nanami as she sat down.
"About Hasuma," Hikari sighed. "He's not what I originally thought. He…really loves Kotonoha, doesn't he?"
"And it's mutual," Nanami smiled. "You can see it when they look at each other."
"Yeah. I'm just a little envious I guess," Hikari sighed. "I wish I had a boyfriend who would care about me like he does for her."
"Well, what about Sawanaga?" asked Nanami. "You have been crushing on him for a while."
"I…don't know anymore," Hikari sighed. "I think I saw a side if him I didn't like."
"What do you mean?" Nanami asked. She was starting to dislike the sound of the conversation.
"I shouldn't tell," Hikari frowned. "It didn't even affect me."
"Really?"
"Let's just say that some people can surprise you," Hikari said as she glanced at Ryuji and then to Taisuke, "Some more so that others."
"Are you two both talking about Ryuji?" questioned Warren as he suddenly seemed to sit down next to them, watching his daughter make a sand castle nearby. The girls hadn't even heard him or saw him move to where he was.
"So, what if we were?" Nanami asked, frowning slightly. She still couldn't believe that Warren had lied about his age. He looked so young to have a daughter already but he'd made it believable during his time at the school.
"Well, you gotta understand a few things about Ryuji," pointed Warren out. "He doesn't like people talking about him behind his back for one." He added, "And well, you gotta understand him better if you're going to be talking about him."
"So, you know about why he's so…" Hikari began, but trailed of finding the right word.
"Confrontational?" Warren supplied, "Or do you mean antagonistic, angry, or basically just someone who seems to be in a perpetual bad mood."
"Pretty much," Hikari accepted.
"Well, I've known for a while now and let me tell you that Ryuji has trust issues," Warren began to explain. "A few years back, someone he loved and was dear to him betrayed him and threw everything he ever felt for them in his face. He was lied to and since then has never been able to trust anyone. He didn't even trust his own friends and distanced himself from others. Gaining his trust was difficult but we all managed to at least get him to trust us at some level. However, it would be hard for anybody to gain his full trust at all."
"Until he met Katsura-san," Nanami realized. "You mean the one who betrayed him was…"
"Someone he loved dearly," Warren nodded. "It was a huge blow to him, added that someone whom he cared for had died shortly before. He just couldn't handle it and shut almost everyone out. He kept moving around, not making any connections, until of course when he met Kotonoha. She's the first person he's ever truly given his heart to since that horrible day. The only person he has given his full trust." He finished, "So, now do you think he's such a bad guy or what?"
Nanami and Hikari were stunned by Warren's story. Tessa ran towards her father, shouting, "Daddy! Come look at my sand castle!" She was tugging on his arm. He laughed and stood up to be dragged by his little girl.
"OK, I guess when someone you trusted does that can make you a little pissed off," Nanami said.
"Tell me about it," Hikari replied, looking towards Ryuji and Kotonoha. The girl had fallen asleep against him while still sitting in his lap, his hand stroking her hair as he had his eyes closed, relaxing. In the right light, he did look really good. Those muscles were well toned and chiseled and he had a cute face when he was calm and relaxed. "I guess he really isn't as bad as he seems."
Nanami wanted to know more about Ryuji but after hearing Warren's story, she knew it would take time. Her eyes widened when she saw Neko ride by on her jet-ski, doing a hand stand, and shouting, "THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOME!" at the top of her lungs.
The group finally headed back to the Hawaiian beach house they were all staying at. Unfortunately, it wasn't because they were tired from all their beach exploits. It was more because Neko had an accident on the jet-ski. In the process of showing off, she'd crashed into a rock. Kenzaki was quick to go get her, but she was already drifting to shore when he got her. She was okay, but Warren diagnosed that she had a concussion and needed rest.
At the moment, Neko was resting in on the couch, waiting for dinner while Kenzaki gave her some painkillers. Makoto and Sekai were seated together on a chair with her in his lap. Hikari and Nanami took the couch while Taisuke was slumped alone in the remaining chair. Kenzaki was seated on the floor next to his girlfriend.
"How you feeling?" he asked gently.
"Feeling good," Neko giggled, "Really good."
"She sounds a little loopy," Hikari frowned.
"The painkillers must be working then," Nanami snickered. She was finding it amusing to see Neko acting so oddly.
Walking into the room, Ryuji brought several bowls of curry that he had whipped up in the kitchen. Setting them down on the table in the centre of the room, he turned to Kenzaki and Neko.
"Feeling better?" he sighed.
"Feeling great, Ifrit-chan!" Neko giggled. "Good stuff!"
Otome walked into the room with a drink in her hands. She was looking down to the loopy Neko and concerned Kenzaki. While it was a little funny in the way she was acting, she didn't laugh. She had gotten hurt and it would tick Kenzaki off if someone laughed at his injured girlfriend.
"Did she just call you 'Ifrit'?" the brunette smiled as she eyed Ryuji.
"She's loopy from the painkillers," Ryuji shrugged. "She's liable to say anything."
"Ken-kun! I want your babies!" Neko suddenly shouted as she began tugging on her boyfriend's arm.
"See?" Ryuji snickered. Seeing Kenzaki's embarrassed blush was definitely something funny to see.
"Point made," Otome nodded. "Besides, I really can't see you as Ifrit. Forgive me for saying, but you really don't fill his shoes."
"No offense taken," Ryuji sighed but there was a slight twitch in his eye at the comment.
"Is anyone hungry?" asked Kotonoha as she brought out a second tray filled with minor sweets and snacks. "Ryuji made curry for us and I have dessert. Dig in if you're hungry."
"Is there anything to drink besides water?" asked Taisuke.
"I think so," Kotonoha answered. "I'll check. I think I saw something."
Turning around, Kotonoha went back into the kitchen. She inspected the cupboards first before heading to the fridge. It was a little bare since the family hadn't been there for a while. Looking to the fridge, she found a couple of bottles that were being kept cold.
"Yebisu?" she blinked while reading the label. "I've never heard of a drink like that." She stared at it, wondering how it tasted. With a shrug, she took one out of the fridge and popped it open. "Maybe I should see if it's still any good." She poured herself a glass and took a drink.
Everyone sat at the table, even Neko who seemed a lot less loopy after smelling the delicious curry. However, nearly everyone was staring at the curry in front of them a little dubiously. Ryuji had cooked it and well they weren't sure if it was any good.
"Itadakimasu!" Ryuji smiled and then looked around the table. "Oi, what's wrong?"
"Ano…is this safe?" Makoto asked.
"What?" Ryuji cocked an eyebrow. "You think it's poisonous or something?" He sounded offended.
Makoto shied away, "No, it's just…"
"If I wanted to kill someone, I'd use the direct approach," Ryuji explained. "I like to work with my hands. Poisoning just isn't my thing." Everyone stared and he snickered, "I'm just kidding! Dig in!" Still, nobody was in a hurry to try it out, except for Kenzaki and Neko. He couldn't feel pain and Neko loved curry so much to even care.
"Hey, where's Koto-chan?" Ryuji wondered out loud.
"Hic!"
Stumbling out of the kitchen, Kotonoha could be seen with a dreamy smile on her face and a half empty bottle in her hands. Her cheeks were also extremely flushed. Everyone looked at her in confusion, never seeing her like this before. She seemed a little uneasy on her feet, but she was still standing. She looked over the collected group before her eyes landed on Ryuji.
"Ryuji-kun!" she squealed. Stumbling forward, she then glomped onto Ryuji with all her drunken might.
"What's wrong with Katsura?" Otome blinked in shock.
"I think…she's drunk!" cried Sekai.
"Ryuji-kuuuuuuuun," Kotonoha giggled. "Kiss?"
"Wha-?" was all Ryuji got out before Kotonoha kissed him, using her lips and tongue to cover Ryuji's mouth and make sure he couldn't say anything.
"Katsura-san!" Taisuke cried. "You just drank beer for no reason?"
"Oh shut up, Sawanaga, you pervert!" Kotonoha snapped drunkenly.
"P-p-p-pervert?" Taisuke squeaked.
"Yes!" Kotonoha slurred. "You are the most perverted (Bleep! Bleep! Bleeeeeeeeeeep!) man I have ever met! Ever since we met I've caught you staring at my boobs and my body too many times to count! Pervert!"
Everyone stared at the girl. She was usually so sweet and innocent. She'd never cursed before in her life and now here she was, cursing like a drunken sailor.
"Well, she got you pegged right," snickered Otome.
"And you, Katou!" Kotonoha snapped. "Why were you such a bitch and bullying me all the time? Was I so sexy that you were jealous? My boobs are bigger than yours so you thought you could look tough and bully me! You pushed all that paperwork onto me because you were sooooooooooooooo lazy!"
Kotonoha's attention then turned towards Sekai and Makoto and she exclaimed, "Makoto-kun, I was the best girlfriend you ever had! Now you missed your chance to sleep with me! I had the bigger boobs so why Saionji!" She then shouted at Sekai, "And you! You stole him from me and you were my best friend! You (bleep!) bitch!"
Everyone just stared, dumbfounded, at Kotonoha as she ranted on. Neko was finding this entertaining. Under any normal circumstances, Ryuji would've been proud of Kotonoha, but she was drunk.
"But…Katou said she was sorry," Kotonoha hiccupped. "She's been real nice. She stopped bullying me and stopped her friends too. We both think Ifrit is really HOT too! But I got first dibs! Anyway (hic) she's been a good friend….so I forgive her.
Stumbling to her feet again, she wobbled over to Otome. At first, the brunette though that she was going to get punched. Instead, Kotonoha adopted a funny smile before leaning down and hugging Otome as tightly as she could.
"Please don't stop being my friend," Kotonoha sighed. "I like you better this way."
Otome blinked, but returned the drunken hug. She felt a little hurt, despite the truth in some of Kotonoha's drunken rant. On the other hand, she was happy to know that Kotonoha had truly forgiven her. Even better, she truly wanted to be friends.
Standing up, Kotonoha turned to Sekai, "And you! I thought you were my friend! Why didn't you tell me you were in love with Makoto-kun? Didn't you think I would understand? I thought we were better friends than that! Then you go behind my back to seduce Makoto-kun!"
Sekai gulped and attempted to explain herself. Her words were cut off as Kotonoha pulled her to her feet. Sekai still tried to come up with an explanation when Kotonoha did something else.
SMACK!
Sekai's head turned from the impact of Kotonoha's hand, her cheek stinging from the slap. Turning to face her friend, Sekai was then assaulted again. This time it was a glomp with Kotonoha's arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Please don't be afraid to tell me things," Kotonoha mumbled. "I don't have many friends. I don't want to lose them over one guy. Even if you have something to say that I would prefer not to hear, but I'll need to know all the same."
"Katsura-san," Sekai sniffled as she returned the hug. Kotonoha really did forgive her! She really did want to be friends even after the whole mess with Makoto. Both girls held each other for a moment before they broke away. Sekai had a bright smile while Kotonoha turned back to Ryuji.
"Still, Makoto-kun is a cheat and Sawanaga-san is a pervert," she sniffed before grinning. "But my Ryuji-kun is a stud!"
Kotonoha then lunged into another glomp. She then took his stunned silence as an opportunity to press her ample chest against his body, making sure he could feel every inch of her breasts.
"OK, Koto-chan, I think it's time for you to go to bed and sleep it off," reasoned Ryuji as she held onto him.
"Oh, Ryuji-kun! Please, make love to me right now!" she giggled. He blushed deeply at her offer. "You know you want to! We've done it lots of times!"
Otome sputtered, "WHAT!"
Everyone was shocked. They'd been sleeping together?
Ryuji, deciding to make an escape, carried Kotonoha bridal style and ran with her to her bedroom.
"Woah," Nanami blinked. "That was random."
"So, dinner and a show," Kenzaki shrugged. "Nice touch."
Ryuji had trouble getting Kotonoha into the room as she kept kissing his face and sucking on the spot on his neck that made him weak in the knees. He managed to kick the door open and lay Kotonoha down on the bed. However, she was keeping a firm grip on his arm and wouldn't let go. He, in turn, couldn't force her to let go less he hurt her.
"Koto-chan…" he sighed. He picked up the bottle of Yebisu and gave it a look of disdain before tossing it perfectly into a waste basket.
Kotonoha mumbled, "I love you, Ryuji-chan." She was hugging his arm to her chest. She turned over and pulled him into the bed, her back facing him as he stumbled next to her. She didn't seem to be in the mood to let go of him and well could he really leave her like this.
"I love you too, Koto-chan," he said as he pulled her against him. She gasped at the contact and smiled, yawning a little. "Looks like I'm gonna miss dinner…"
Suddenly, there were loud screams, "!"
"And looks like they just had the curry," he snickered, closing his eyes as he sniffed her hair. "Oyasumi…"
Ryuji woke up to find himself in a rather compromising position. He was still lying in bed with Kotonoha but sometime during the night she had shifted and holding his face against her bosom. How he never noticed, he would never know, but what worried him was what Kotonoha would endure when she woke up…the dreaded hangover.
He tried to pry himself away but she had a firm grip around his head. The more he moved, the more she held onto him and then she started to moan cutely, which wasn't helping things. 'Great…I'm stimulating her.' As much as he liked the soft pillows he was being pressed against, he needed to get out of bed for some early training.
The door was suddenly thrown open as one of his teammates came in, with his little girl riding on his shoulders. "Good morning, Ryuji!" he exclaimed. He then saw Kotonoha and Ryuji in bed and walked backwards. "Oh…I see you're busy. I'll go now…"
Ryuji, shouted, "Warren, get me out of here!" He was slowly suffocating.
"OK!" Warren went over to pull Ryuji away and was successful. This, of course, woke up Kotonoha as well who yawned and then…
"Itai," she groaned, holding her head. "My head hurts…"
"That, Koto-chan, is called a hangover," Ryuji explained.
"Daddy, what's a hangover?" Tessa asked her father curiously.
"Remember whenever your Uncle Vash wakes up with a headache?" Warren told her. "Well, that's a hangover." He said to the teens. "I'll leave you two alone." He walked out the door.
Ryuji held Kotonoha as she groaned in pain from her hangover. "I'll get you some aspirin. Lie down here." He pushed her gently onto the bed but as soon as he did, Otome came in.
"Good morning!" she greeted and was stunned by the sight. "Ara…" Ryuji was hovering over Kotonoha, in bed, and the girl was lying on it. "I'll leave you two alone now." She slowly shut the door. "I'll help Sekai start breakfast. Bye!"
Ryuji sighed and went to the bathroom and to the medicine cabinet behind the mirror. "Let's see…where's the aspirin? Ah, here it is." He took out one of the bottles. It was a good thing the tap water was filtered so he filled a glass for her. He went to his girlfriend and handed her a pill and the glass. "Here, Koto-chan." She popped the pill into her mouth and drank the water.
"Arigatou, Ryuji-kun," she smiled, relieved. He smiled back. She then asked, "What happened?"
"You got a bit drunk," he told her, gesturing to the waste basket and at the bottle in it.
"Oh my!" she gasped. "I hope I didn't do anything embarrassing!"
Ryuji chuckled at the memory and then decided to do some damage control. "Nah, you just passed out on me," he lied. "Now, lie here in bed. I'll get you your breakfast." He stood up.
"I love you," she said to him. He turned to smile at her.
"I love you too," he responded. It always filled her heart with warmth whenever he told her how much he loved her. He exited the room, leaving Kotonoha to rest.
As soon as Ryuji walked into the dining room, he noticed everyone was staring at him. He decided to speak about last night, but first… "So, how was my curry?"
Taisuke was about to say that it'd been horrible but Makoto covered his friend's mouth. "It was good! Just a tad spicy." Makoto proclaimed.
"Good," Ryuji accepted. "Now, you all must remember what happened last night, right?" They all nodded. "Well, Koto-chan doesn't and since I don't want her to feel embarrassed or humiliated, I want all of you to promise to never mention this, ever. Purge it from your memory. If she ever finds out or I find out you told anybody, I will find you, and I will…" He picked up a spoon and twisted it around like a pretzel before showing it to them. "Do we have an understanding?" They all nodded quickly. "Good. Now, I'm gonna take a shower and then I'm gonna come back here and get Koto-chan her breakfast and mine. Have a nice day." He turned around and walked away.
"Wow," Hikari was amazed as she picked up the twisted spoon.
"Ryuji always did have a way with words," joked Warren.
"That's nothing," said Neko offhandedly. "You should see what he can do with a steel pipe. Now that's impressive."
"Koto-chan, I brought you breakfast in bed," Ryuji announced cheerfully as he came back into the room with a tray of western breakfast foods. There were some pancakes, toast and scrambled eggs. Also included was a glass of freshly squeezed and chilled orange juice.
"Arigatou, Ryuji-kun," she thanked him as he came to the bed and put the tray down in front of her.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her.
"I'm feeling fine now," she told him, "And a little hungry."
"Well, after you got yourself drunk, we skipped dinner."
"We?" she wondered what he meant then gasped. "You mean you missed dinner because of me? I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay," he told her. "I just missed one dinner and well I'll have breakfast later. Right now I'm here to make sure you're doing okay."
"You're very kind," she said, blushing as she looked down. "If only others could see that."
"I only let people see what I want them to see," he said firmly. "Like you for example."
"But you could make more friends," she said.
He snorted, "Like that would ever happen. I just have a hard time trusting people."
"But you trust Neko-san, Kenzaki-san and Warren-san," she told him. "And me."
He smiled warmly and caressed her face, "I trust you the most, Koto-chan. Nobody else has earned that much from me, ever." He pulled his hand away but the sensation still lingered. "Now, eat up."
"Hai!" She dug into her breakfast. "Yummy!"
He smiled fondly as he watched her eat. She was so full of life and happy now. That was his reason for returning.
"Ryuji-kun," she suddenly spoke.
"Yes, Koto-chan?" he replied.
"What exactly happened after you got your own body? You told me you went traveling for a year but you never told me what you did exactly." He frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, it's okay," he waved it off. "It's just…that was the loneliest year I ever experienced.
"Lonely? Didn't you have friends with you?" she asked curiously.
"It was just me, my backpack, the clothes on my back and some cash," he told her. "Other than that I had nothing. It was just me and the open road."
"But why would you want to travel alone? And for a year?" she asked him, wanting to know more.
"It was because I wanted to be stronger. When I became separated from Ryuki, I was actually weaker. I didn't hold the same power he had so I had to work hard to regain it. The only solution was to train myself for a year, and do nothing but train. Thankfully, Ryuki and I have the same bank account that I can access whenever I needed cash."
"Where did you go?" she asked.
He started to brag, "Oh, well, I went all over the world. I would've brought along pictures but I didn't have a camera. Sometimes I would even swim across the ocean just to get to my next destination. I even scaled mountains to boost my stamina and carried rocks while I ran. All I was thinking about was to get stronger."
Kotonoha was amazed. Her boyfriend had done a lot in the name of training. "You must've had fun."
"Not really," he confessed. "I like training and I like fighting. Heck I even entered tournaments to get my fill of fights, but…I never really enjoyed myself."
"Why?" she blinked, perplexed.
"Because you weren't there."
"Ryuji-kun…"
"I was training so I could be the right man for you when I came back to see you. I wanted to be the type of man you would be proud of. The type of man who could protect you."
She was silenced by his confession before she spoke, "You could've come back anyway and even if you weren't strong, I would still take you back."
"Koto-chan?"
"When you left, I was depressed. I always dreamt of seeing you but the Ryuji-kun in my dreams never smiled. Even when we sat together at meals, watching TV, reading or even engaging in a lively conversation…the Ryuji-kun in my dreams never spoke or smiled…" Tears began forming in her eyes. "I realized that I had been crying in my sleep. I missed you." Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her, surprising her. "Ryuji-kun?"
"Gomen," he apologized. "I would've come back sooner…I should've come back sooner…"
She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his body. Others would say he was cold and mean, but not her. She could never see him like that. "It's alright now. You came back to me."
"You know, I've always hated myself," he admitted. "Because I'm a monster I thought nobody would ever love me."
"Ryuji-kun…"
He pulled away to look at her face to face, "I actually cursed my existence for awhile since I may fade away when I die. Nobody would miss me, but…since I met you…I realized how precious my life really is. You made me feel human." He caressed her face. "Whatever pain I went through, it was all worth it if it led to being with you, Ore no Tenshi…"
Kotonoha began to cry at his confession, overwhelmed by emotion. "R-Ryuji-kun…"
"I'm glad to be called your boyfriend, Koto-chan, and that you're my girlfriend." He pulled her into a soft embrace. "I love you, with all my heart, Tenshi-chan."
She began to cry against his chest, muttering, "I'm glad…I'm so happy…Senshi-kun…"
"That's why…" He began to stroke her hair. "That's why I must be stronger for you. I need to protect the one I love."
"GenJyuKen?" Ryuji read as he scanned the scroll in his hand. He'd been taking shelter in a cave because of a serious sandstorm when he stumbled onto a chest. As soon as he touched it, it had opened and inside was this scroll. It was marked with the Japanese characters which read: GenJyuKen (Mythical Beast Fist).
"GenJyu…Ifrit-Ken?" he read the words in the scroll. In it were detailed drawings of martial arts stances and movements with descriptions of what they were. It was a martial arts manual. "This is…this is…" Suddenly, the scroll let out an unearthly light and Ryuji screamed. The energy from the scroll transferred into his body, filling him with the Mythical Ifrit Ki. He unleashed a roar which shook the cave. Dropping the scroll, he headed outside.
The sandstorm was still raging but now Ryuji was no longer afraid of it. He let loose a roar and golden Ki energy exploded off his body and waves. The sand storm ceased. This new power had allowed him to conquer the dreaded sand storm. He looked into his hands and clenched his fists. "Koto-chan…I'm getting close…"
"Yosh! Let's have one more day of fun at the beach!" shouted Taisuke excitedly, back in his hideous pair of Speedos.
"Did he have too much sugar or something at breakfast? I did see him drowning his pancakes in maple syrup," said Kenzaki.
"That's Taisuke for you," stated Makoto. "When it comes to girls in bikinis…"
"Ken-kun! Look at me!" shouted Neko as she had with her a surfboard. She immediately ran into the water to catch some waves. She didn't seem to care about what'd happened yesterday.
"Prep the infirmary," Warren joked.
"Warren-san, it's not like she's going to fall off her board," said Sekai.
"You never know. Neko has been known to do extreme things even if they hurt her."
"HANG 10 DUDES!" Neko cried out as she rode the waves. "YAHOO!"
"At least she's having fun," smiled Kenzaki.
Ryuji was lying on the deck chair with Kotonoha who'd recovered from her hangover. Both were watching Tessa build a sand castle and Kotonoha smiled at the little girl.
"Does it make you think about us having kids of our own, Ryuji-kun?" she asked her boyfriend.
"You saw into my mind, Koto-chan," he remarked. "I think you know the answer to that."
She blushed, remembering the picture of herself and him with what could be their children in his mind. "I do…and I'm looking forward to it, one day."
"Me too," he replied, wrapping an arm around her. "Me too."
The gang of high schoolers, one dad and a kid seemed to be having a fun time on the Hawaiian beach. It would appear that nothing could ruin it.
Then all Hell broke loose.
The beach was in a panic as monsters began appearing out of nowhere. They were large and muscular, with elongated mouths, clawed hands, and razor sharp teeth. The beachgoers all fled at the sight of these monsters and ran for safety. Seeing these monsters just made Warren angry. "Yoma…" growled Warren. He looked toward the others. "Everyone! Get out of here! It's too dangerous here for you guys, so I'll hold em off!"
"No! I don't want daddy to get hurt!" cried Tessa as she latched onto her father's leg. Warren kneeled down in front of her.
"Don't worry, Tessa. It'll take more than a few monsters to hurt your daddy" he said with a smile. He then picked up the girl and handed her to Neko. "Look after her." Neko nodded.
Warren then turned to face the Yoma. He noticed what appeared to be an ordinary human girl standing in the middle of them, but they didn't pay any attention to her. "Great…An Awakened Being too," groaned Warren. He held out his left hand. Shadows began to move and take shape in his hand, turning into a large claymore. Warren grinned. "Neko, please cover Tessa's ears." Neko was a little confused but complied. Warren's smile grew as he charged at the Yoma. "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfuckers!" shouted Warren as he charged at the Yoma.
Ryuji frowned. "Great…" he grumbled. He could see the others staring as Warren went to fight the monsters and also after his display of power. "What? Are you all stupid! Get out of here!"
"But what about…" began Sekai.
"He'll be fine! Now come on!" he shouted for them to run. He carried Kotonoha bridal style as he ran with her.
"Daddy!" Tessa cried as she reached towards her father while in Neko's arms. Kenzaki was running alongside the teenage girl.
"We need to get back to the beach house and then get back to help Warren," Kenzaki told his girlfriend.
"Gotcha," she agreed. "Those monsters are going to pay for ruining my vacation."
Warren was slashing his way through the field of Yoma, making his way towards the girl. However, he had underestimated the number of Yoma and was finding himself overrun.
"Ryuou Giri!" shouted Ryukendo as she unleashed a flurry of slashes on several Yoma, killing them instantly. They exploded from the intense energy forcibly pumped into them from the slashes.
"HAH!" Ifrit shouted as he skated through the horde, freezing them in ice with expert swipes of his blades. They then shattered to pieces as a result.
"Hiyah!" howled Garoh (Hunter Form) as he used his Gasher and sliced off the heads of several Yoma with his flying blade.
"What are you all doing here?" Warren asked.
"Do you need to ask?" Ifrit shot back. "We're here to help you out!" Inside, he was saying, 'And I was getting bored too. I've been itching for a fight!'
"You let us handle the small fry while you take care of the big boss!" added Ryukendo.
"You need an invitation? Just go!" Garoh said gruffly.
Warren smiled widely. He charged through the Yoma that were still paying attention to him and swung his blade at the girl, only for several tendrils to appear from her hair and stop the blade. "Hm, so you are an Awakened Being," said Warren with a grin.
"How did you guess?" asked the girl with a smile.
"A simple Yoma wouldn't have been able to stop my blade." Warren then pushed with more force, cutting through the tendrils. The girl countered by growing more tendrils and throwing Warren back. Warren flipped in the air and landed on his feet. He flicked his wrist and flexed his hand. "Judging by your strength, you're a former Single Digit, weren't you?"
"Correct. I am Rosemary, a former #2."
Warren's grin widened until he looked like his face would tear if he kept going. "Good…It's been a while since I could really cut loose!" He then called out, "SHATTER!"