A/N: Alright folks, you've all been good and patient and now it's time for the fic to start shifting in its more serious tone. This chapter's mostly about Kazu, and it's an important chapter, 'coz it's kinda like the first domino. This chapter should have a different feel to it than the others. I apologize ahead of time if things seem a little... off. So don't miss a beat !
No really, I am sorry. I keep reading over this chapter and no matter how many times I fix it and change it, I just end up not liking it at all. I'm having a hard time making it flow, and it just sounds so confusing, so feel free to hate me. Just, please in your reviews, go easy on me...
Uggh I had SO much trouble picking a title. I shuffled between 'Speeding Bullet' to 'Speed Demons' to 'LeadFoot'. It was such a hard choice .
NOTE! I suck at making up names. So work with me, here… :(
I also don't know if there is a subway where they live or not, but for the sake of the story, let's say that there is. Oh and sorry if things seem to move a little fast in this chapter. I tried.
ALSO, in opening notes, I say also a lot.
Thank You!
Slifer: Don't be sorry for not having time to review. I'M sorry for not seeing your review until after I posted the last chapter! I'm so sorry But as always thank you for your lovely comments and I agree with you. Emiri/Kazu and Ikki/Kazu are both very cute pairings and sometimes it's hard to pick one. As far as Kazu's inferiority complex is concerned, you're just gonna have to sit tight and see, I'm afraid.
Emi Sue: Yeah, I would feel too guilty if I didn't give little Emiri some sense of closure. You seem like you understand everything pretty well, lol. Ikki is kinda thick headed, huh? And sometimes I almost forget to stick Akito into the mix when I've been meaning to, so I had to give him a part. There should be a little more of him in the future. Also, I think Ringo and Simca are cool, only when they are not gawking over Ikki in some way. Sadly, I have to stick them into the story, 'coz she DOES live with Ikki, heh.
ren'ai-iki: I TOLD you that you would like Sano, didn't I? When have I ever steered you wrong with yaoi:P Have you read the manga or watched the anime, yet? Cuz you should! Why haven't you been posting anything? Also, thanks for the plot suggestion, I'll definitely consider it.
Blizzaris: WAH! Another long-ass review! I love it, lol! I thought it would be cute to have Kazu wear his hat in his sleep, cuz he's so damn attached to it. And as for a oneshot with that in mind, I'll think about it. It depends 'coz I was actually going to have a flashback somewhere in the story about where he got it from and why he's so attached to it. But you are just so darn perceptive that you get ahead of me :P And yeah, I had a little too much fun writing Akito's part. I like to embarrass my boys!
E-san: Hah Iron works in mysterious ways. It was really fun to read your guesses! You're close! Just stay tuned and eventually things will start to make more sense, but you're heading in the right direction. And boy if Iron ever got anything on tape or webcam, I'd have to get in contact with him. And of course, once I got into contact with him I would share whatever I find with you!
kyou-ryouko: Doh! I hate with when my reviews get eaten up! But that's ok, your words still made me feel good! So happy I could make your inner fangirl happy with those little teasers. And keep up with your writing! I know a lot more people are reading it than reviewing, so keep it up. They're soooo effing cute and I eat them up!
darissa: yay, I'll take it as a good thing, and as a compliment that you are growing to like Sano! That makes me feel like I'm doing my job! Lol, yeah, both Sano and Simca are perverts in their own way, don't ya think? The real question is, which one is more fun to watch? I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be feeling bad for other people, cuz there are just so many love connections in them mix.
aoh: Thank you! The only way to find out is to stick around!
Arani: aww thank you! It's okay if it took you a while to review, as long as you eventually did it, then I'm happy! I'm happy to hear that you've been reading my work, it's very flattering! I agree with you. Fanfiction is the only thing we have since the series won't actually animate Ikki Kazu love. But boy don't I wish. Anyway, I hope you'll stick around.
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Air Gear
A fiction by Crimson Vixen
Rush
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It felt extremely different.
Back in the day, he was what you classified as the reluctant friend, and now he was the kid who tried to do everything he could to prove that that just wasn't the case. He had always tried to do things on his own, if not for his own personal feelings of self worth, but there were only certain things he actually went through with. Things like this. Things that he still wasn't used to. It wasn't a bad feeling, just weird. He was still adjusting to it.
It was normal for him to do things to prove himself to Ikki without actually telling the crow of these actions. One might even say he was obsessed over it, but in the end, he didn't give a rat's ass what everyone else thought. Just Ikki. Sure it sounded stupid, but Kazu was never one to lie to himself about that kind of thing.
Because let's face it – Ikki is just so damn cool. And as much as Kazu still enjoyed standing obediently at his side, he wanted to feel as though he deserved that spot, so every now and again he would go out and prove to himself that he belonged there. So tonight, he told no one of his whereabouts, and tonight, he would overcome the rumors that he'd been hearing as of late. And he would do it all on his own.
Kazu shivered. Those damn rumors had been plaguing him in his sleep, nagging at his brain during the day and squeezing his chest until his heart was screaming for more room because if the rumors were true, then, well…
He might not have a place to stand anymore.
The part of the city he had wondered into was a place he'd always avoided because he'd never taken the time to find his way around it. It wasn't scary or anything, nor was it deserted, but there were a lot fewer people roaming around and Kazu was rarely comfortable being around places he wasn't familiar with. He had followed the leads he had found and made his way into a darker part of town, taking full notice how the crowds around him lessened. He was glad he had chosen the daytime to do this.
Finally, he found what he was looking for. Slowly, he stepped into the shadows that the two adjacent buildings created, immediately feeling the warmth of the sun vanish as he did so. Sound felt trapped here. It was quiet but noise bounced around easily. He concluded this when he heard someone shift in the darkness; a small motion of a shoe on dirt that made a lot of sound. Right away he knew this was it, and these were the people he was looking for. And that there was no turning back now. Besides, if he did, he would never forgive himself.
Kazu jumped right to the point before any hesitation showed through.
"My name is Mikura Kazu. I'm here to challenge you."
It wasn't about parts. It wasn't about rank.
Instead of the intrigued grunt or hum of acceptance he was expecting, they all cackled darkly, as if he'd just made a pathetic attempt at a joke. They all? Kazu gulped – there were definitely more than one hidden in the darkness. His ears perked and his mind did a quick calculation. There were at least three or four that he could hear.
"And what makes a little runt like you think you have what it takes?"
The voice was gruff, stained with what Kazu could only assume to be a long time commitment to nicotine and whiskey. The blonde briefly shrunk back, recovered from the shock and then stepped up again, puffing out his chest a little. He wasn't going to let these jokers turn him away. He couldn't. There was pride at stake.
"Are you backing down?" Kazu pressed his luck, hoping to threaten the egos that they obviously held. They took the bait.
"…Exactly what is a bean pole like you even doing here?" said one of them, footsteps getting louder on the filthy concrete. As he got closer, Kazu tried to squint through the dark, but still he could not see any facial features. If they were just trying to tease him by keeping themselves hidden, they were doing a damn good job. Either that or they were cowards. Unfortunately, he doubted they were.
Well, honesty had never failed him in the past, so, Kazu told the truth.
"…I heard a rumor on the streets about a really fast rider. It took me a while to find the right info, but he's here, right? A part of your team?"
His nerves started to jitter, hoping he wouldn't land in a giant puddle of embarrassment in front of the people he'd confronted. He also hoped that if he voice was shaking, they wouldn't hear it. He was sure this was the team he'd heard about, so why weren't they responding?
A second later, he heard another laugh, and even though he was shrouded in shadows, Kazu could've sworn he was shaking his head. Fists still clenched, the blonde did his best to bite his tongue. He already felt like it wasn't safe to be here; he didn't want to bark more than he needed to. Ikki did that and it always landed him into trouble. Thing was, Ikki was always able to get out of those situations just as easily.
He wasn't Ikki. That was part of the reason he was here. To show Ikki that he could do something right, on his own, without his or anyone else's help, in a way that would make Ikki proud. Even if... he didn't actually find out about it.
Lifting his chin high, and puffing his chest out even more, he kept his posture strong. One thing was for sure. Even if he was a different person than Ikki…
He's rubbing off on me.
At first the thought was comforting, reassuring. But even if Ikki was able to come home in one piece, he'd always return a little more than disheveled, a little more wise, a little more serious about what he was doing. Kazu gulped, a little louder than he would have liked. Kazu wasn't that way. He enjoyed fighting, but didn't like confrontation.
"Hey Riffle!" the one he was apparently talking to called, over his shoulder it seemed. His voice was sudden and loud, and Kazu jumped. Then, more quietly, facing Kazu, he spoke again. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
But I'm starting to get an idea…
"You just challenged the speeding bullet."
Kazu had heard the rumors, had researched to the best of his ability, obsessed over them, lost sleep over them. In the end he was left with little information - just a rider name and a location - and the speeding bullet was one thing he never forgot. It was his new motivation to get up in the mornings, and the last thing on his mind before going to sleep. It was the very reason he trained as hard as he had been recently. It was why he'd been trying so hard to be just a little bit better, and a little bit faster than before. Because this 'speeding bullet' he'd been focusing on, was indeed, a threat to who he was.
Stealing his thunder, if you will.
Once that was taken, what would he have left?
"What's your bet?"
Kazu blinked, stuffing his clammy hands into his pockets to hide them from the bitter air. He didn't know he was going to be the one calling the shots. He hadn't thought of what to put on the line. In fact, didn't think of any of this though – just show up and go with the flow.
His opponent seemed to be gathering his silence as his answer and laughed. It sounded like he was smiling.
"Oh so it's just a game of egotism. Even better."
Kazu shivered.
"I usually don't take challenges from people like you very seriously, but things have been slow and I could use a good laugh."
The jet's eyes narrowed and his lips twisted to the side, then he let his eyes shift left and right until the silence was broken again. Something felt off.
"How's about…" the voice drawled as though in thought, but Kazu had a gut feeling this guy already knew what he wanted. He was being toyed with, and he just had to bite down on his tongue harder. "If you win, we'll let you scram home without any trouble. We won't even tell anyone about how badly you got beat. I think that's pretty fair."
Kazu swallowed the lump in his through. He didn't want to have to face the punishment for losing. But no matter what the risk, Kazu already told himself he wouldn't back down.
Pride wasn't the only thing at stake here.
So he nodded. The game was set, and the moment he'd been thinking about so much for so long had finally arrived. Like some bad omen, foggy black clouds rolled in, just above the ally where he stood. Kazu looked up at them as if inquiring why him, when a giant hand slapped him on the shoulder, jolting him to attention.
"Come on, string bean, this way," he said in a rather unfriendly manner, tugging his sweatshirt sleeve until he followed all his own. Kazu shrugged him off violently, trying not to announce how he wasn't very fond of people poking at the size of his frame. He wasn't totally proud of it but Kazu partially felt it was part of the reason he was able to move so fast.
"Comin'…"
"The rules are really simple, but I'll spell them out for you anyway," he explained as they walked, leaving the rest of the group to follow them. Kazu didn't look back at them, didn't want to see them. He assumed the one leading him now was the very man he was supposed to race. Speeding Bullet, huh? He certainly looked the part. He was a tall, greasy looking fellow with shiny skin and a boney face. His jet black hair was easily slicked back and he didn't smell of flowers, that was for sure. "Whoever reaches the finish line first wins."
Kazu had a lump in his throat that stubbornly kept his mouth dry. Being a part of Ikki's team, he wasn't allowed to be a coward. At least, that was what he always told himself.
"…Right."
Why was his voice shaking like that? He was Stealth, the jet, able to move so fast that the naked eye couldn't keep up! He was a member of a supposedly legendary team.
He certainly didn't feel like it, though.
"When the light turns green, go straight until you reach the subway. The course follows the tracks underground to the first stop, then you come up to the street and come back here. Got it?"
Kazu took a moment to run it all through his head again. Straight to the subway, follow tracks to the first stop, come back. He hoped he find his way around well enough to make it through without botching it. But that thought wasn't very comforting, considering this place was practically new to him. If this guy was really as fast as they say he was, he really couldn't afford to waste time. A single second could cost him the race. Not to mention the humiliation of losing and getting the crap beat out of him. Or... whatever they planned on doing. He'd been in fights before. But there was just something about these guys. A strange vibe. They weren't any middle schoolers or high schoolers.
"We're starting, runt," a voice cut into his thoughts.
Glowering and rather sick of all the names, though he kinda expected it, Kazu nodded and got into his starting position. Thankfully, his crouching start was verbally left alone for once, and he was able to mentally prep himself in peace. When he lifted his head, the streetlight was yellow. His heart gave a massive thump.
Focus on breathing, focus on where you need to go. No heart attacks, he tried to joke with himself. If you do, you'll lose for sure.
Time slowed for him, like it always did seconds before a race. He noticed he was starting to sweat when the light hit red. He could only hear his own breathing, and everything else around him turned into colors that held no meaning.
It was the longest red light he'd ever seen, but when it finally flicked green...
GO!
His leg muscles strained to push him forward, to give himself a boost, face dipping down low to the street before he was able to spring forward. Wind like thunder roared in his ears, and he glanced back to see how much of a lead he had. But he saw no one.
Fearing the worst, Kazu forced himself to push a little harder, which he knew wasn't the best strategy to use near the start of a race, but he was never faced with this opposition before. When he couldn't find his opponent, he just focused on where he was going, at least until he heard that gruff voice.
"Well I'll be," he laughed, and Kazu turned to see him right alongside him. "I knew there was something I didn't like about you. This could be an interesting day after all."
From what Kazu could sense, there was a bit of jealousy in his tone, even in his posture. To be honest, Kazu didn't blame the guy, for he felt the same way. When you have an amazing and somewhat rare ability, you can't help but feel a little startled and susceptible when you find someone else with that same ability. It was obvious he'd never seen a runner such as himself before and the both of them felt a fuse light inside of them. Briefly, their eyes met in a dangerous way.
Kazu pushed himself even harder.
"Impressive," the other racer quipped insincerely. "But you've still got a lot of growing up to do."
Before Kazu could even register and figure out those words, his opponent jerked to the side, colliding into him – hard! – and the next thing Kazu knew, he was eating concrete and the world was just as he hated it: clear and still. He could hear the laugher of that dirty cheater for a split second before it was gone, he was gone.
Angry, sore, a little scared, he stood up, and without even attempting to shake it off, took off after him. What a horrible way to start such an important race, what an even worse way to end it.
Kazu gave a little more thrust into his legs, then. He pushed harder than before, until the wind burned his face and forced his eyes to leak, until it felt as though his feet weren't even touching the ground anymore.
Moments before, their speed felt treacherously equal, and now he could see him in the distance. He was so close but not getting any closer. His chest ached as he forced himself to go faster still – faster, faster dammit – putting his feet into overdrive and leaning forward to pour his weight into it, already coming close to his limit. He'd never gone so fast in all his life.
Just as he felt himself slowly catching up, or at least he felt like he was, the other rider disappeared to the right. Kazu's eyes barely had time to flicker over to the subway entrance but he caught it right before he passed it. The turn he made was a difficult one – thank goodness he had practiced with those stupid cans. Irritatingly, he had to somewhat skid a little to avoid passing it up, and the sharp turn he made was enough to leave a steaming skid mark on the road behind him. He mentally apologized to his AT's.
Hang in there. You can take it.
Leaping over the stairs instead of grinding the rail or slowing down for them completely, he landed hard at the bottom, trying to ignore the sting on his knees. He didn't expect there to be a massive sea of people but that was what he found.
Let's see, through the subway, through the subway…
He hated wasting time trying to think it all through because he needed to use every second. Sparks flashed and caught his eye. People gasped as some idiot grinded along the rails of one of the tracks and into the tunnel.
Swallowing any doubts he had, he did the same, grabbing a track with his wheels and grinding along with sparks sprinkling out behind him. It was then that a thought struck him.
There were people in the subway, so... didn't that mean these things were still in use? He swallowed hard, finding that keeping balanced on subway tracks wasn't too hard, but keeping up was. He was used to being the one that other people try to catch up to, not being the one trying to catch up with someone else.
Depressing thought…
He pushed. At least the guy was in his sights. That meant there was still hope.
"Come on," Kazu growled, urging his feet to work better, work faster, get serious. He was angry; if he hadn't been caught off guard at the start, he could be ahead right now.
Could be? If he was so great, why couldn't he just catch up? What if he wasn't all that great…
There! He could see it! The first stop, busy with people, but why was it so bright?
"Shit!" the boy cursed. A subway train was coming from the opposite direction. If he didn't time this just right, not only would he lose the race, he might lose his life. Jump too late, get run over by a subway train. Jump too soon, hit the wall, and then get his by a subway train. He didn't have time to weigh his options thoroughly, not with the distance closing so quickly.
Time went frame by frame for him in the next few moments, and several things happen in the next few seconds.
First, he watched his opponent leap off the tracks and grind up the stair rail and into the streets. Second, the train's horn was rattling his ear drums, as if doing so would help him get out of the way any faster. Think faster. There was no time to think! If he leapt to the track next to him and slowed down to let the train pass him by, he would have no time to catch up and would lose the race for sure. If he jumped now he could still make it, but he'd be cutting it close.
He screamed in frustration and closed his eyes, leaping to the side towards the platform and quite possibly the stupidest decision/mistake he'd ever made in his life, just as the train was passing by.
The sound of the horn hurt his ears, but not as much as his heart pounding in his chest, calling him an idiot, among other things, and he landed with a painful thud on the platform, feeling the front of the massive machine knick his wheels in its passing. That tiny knick sent him reeling, breaking the crowd in half as his body slid along the ground and hit the stairs.
His back cracked painfully against the steps and his head jerked back and banged it pretty hard as well. But it was ok, though. If he had jumped just a fraction of a second later… he'd be dead.
Crazy, huh? The things that your adrenaline will make you do if you want to win badly enough?
He sprang to his feet, ignoring the painful throbs coursing through his body. There was no time to reminisce about his near death experience.
"Damn!" he cursed. Don't know the track well enough.
His muscles throbbed, his left leg tensed sorely, his eyes searched frantically. The race was practically half way over and stupid little miscalculations like this were throwing him off. If he didn't spend so much time questioning that jump, he might still be at that guy's heels. Kazu kept scolding himself like this as he sprang up the stairs and back into the open sun. There he stood, shielding his eyes from the light.
People stopped in their tracks to gasp and stare at the battered boy but he paid them no mind. A moment was almost too long but he took it to gather in his surroundings and figure out what direction he was facing.
Anything familiar, anything at all…
Aha! A street he recognized and… there! He knew where to go now – he just hoped he could make it count. Just a dash – just a straight dash to the finish line and he'd be home free. One race to end all of the rumors, to make up for the sleep he'd lost, to prove once and for all that it was he who deserved to hold the title of the fastest rider. And he deserved to stand by Ikki's side!
But where was his newly found rival? He had moved pretty fast, regardless of what had almost happened, so, he couldn't have fallen that far behind, could he? No, no, he wouldn't let… he couldn't lose his title, the only thing he had, to some punk!
He easily raced along the road, eaily dodging the people that got in his way, among street lights and parked cars and the like. After a few seconds of weaving back and forth, he finally set eyes on the finish line. His vision turning an almost blinding white as he raced forward, his eyes fixed on that forsaken swinging streetlight, and with one final thrust he crossed it, collapsing to his knees painfully upon doing so. He skid a little, until his jeans tore at the knees, and once he finally stopped, his hands slapped onto the ground and he sat there on all fours. His breathing was raspy and short, his sides were aching, he needed water… he'd never pushed himself so hard before in a race – never had so many things happened to hold him back.
His ears were ringing and his head was spinning. He stared at the ground, trying to catch the breath that had betrayed him so badly and all he could do was hate himself. Not because of the risk he took, and not because he was struggling to stand tall in front of his enemies, not because he was careless and was definitely going to be sore tomorrow morning…
But because he'd lost. He'd let himself down. He'd let Ikki down. And even thought he other boy had no idea of what was going on, Kazu didn't know how he was going to be able to look the crow in the eyes again.
He, Mikura Kazuma, Stealth, had lost his first race. It didn't feel very good. Briefy he wondered if this was the way people felt when he beat them in races, and then he wondered how they dealed with it. It left a pang in his chest he couldn't swallow down. He eyed the ground and his gloved hands, until a pair of feet stepped into his field of vision.
"I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Usually people lose me in the first five seconds. You managed to make it to the finish line," that voice said almost proudly. It made the blonde feel sick, cradling his tender stomach and leaning forward until his forehead rested on the cool ground. "But a deals a deal."
Kazu's eyes jolted open and he scrambled to his feet, all his pain temporarily forgotten. He bit his lip viciously. Kazu never really liked backing down from a bet, but…
He wasn't sure what he was thinking – hell, maybe he wasn't – but he turned tail and ran. Feeling like a coward, he ran, but the speeding bullet easily moved quick enough to grab his hood and jerk him back hard enough to land him back on the ground. Kazu knew he was in trouble, but even as his challenger and his buddies surrounded him like buzzards to a carcass, he could only torture himself with one thought.
Maybe a speeding bullet is just faster than a speeding jet plane.
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"I knew I'd find you up here," Ringo smiled softly as she made her way onto the roof. Ikki was sprawled out and soaking up the sun, eyes closed in a very relaxed expression. Ringo wasn't sure if the boy heard her. "Ikki?"
"Huh?" Ikki turned his head slightly and caught the girl in his sights. He patted the space next to him and returned to his previous position. Ringo easily took the invitation and sat down, wrapping her arms loosely around her knees. Earlier today she was greatly distracted with the run-in with Simca and it had set her back a bit. But Ikki was up here all alone so it was a good time to get something accomplished. Holding it in was only making her feel miserable.
So… she figured she'd just get it out in little pieces.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ikki wrinkled his nose. Why did girls always ask that?
"I dunno."
Ringo laughed, "How can you not know?"
"M'not sure," Ikki opened his eyes, smiling very faintly. "I just feel a little uneasy, is all. Something feels wrong."
Ringo frowned.
"Maybe you're thinking a little too much," the girl offered. Then, after she got nothing in return, "I've been meaning to talk to you, Ikki."
Right away Ikki was able to sense the worry in her voice and he immediately sat up and shifted his body to face her. He made eye contact, something he learned could make all the difference when listening to someone else speak. He didn't even have to say anything for Ringo to start speaking.
"Ikki, you've been really distracted lately. After that incident with the police, you've been acting differently. I just wanted to know if everything was okay," she said quietly, then added, "and you know you can always talk to me if you need to. I'll listen."
Ikki stared at her for a moment, admiring her sincerity but let out a small chuckle anyway. How girls could have such an easy time saying these sorts of things, without hesitation, was past him.
"Thanks Ringo, but I'm fine," he said simply.
"Are you?" she pressed. "I mean, I wonder if you're really headed in any real direction."
"Say what now?"
"Oh. Well…" Ringo brought a hand up to her bangs and brushed them aside a little. "I know where you want to go as far as AT is concerned. I'm talking about outside AT."
Again, the crow stared for a moment, brain ticking. His direction in life?
"I haven't really thought about it. I don't see any reason to. I'm in middle school – I have lots of time to figure it out."
Then he smiled at himself. Damn, that was a good answer. He'd never been good at planning things out in the long run, just the short run. And really, now, planning your life before you got to live it just felt silly. He was much better at making things happen as he went, at any rate.
"I see," Ringo sighed. "So for now you're just gonna focus on AT. What about school?"
"Hah, I never really had much going for me there to begin with. My grades are shit."
"Hmm. What about girls?"
Right away Ringo blushed, even though she told herself she wouldn't. She didn't know how she had gotten the nerve to ask him such a thing. That kind of thing was personal, wasn't it? What if Ikki saw right through her? Oh man, oh man…
"Eh…" Ikki paused to seriously think about it for a moment. Then he shrugged. "I'm a bit too busy for girls right now. Or at least a serious relationship."
Ringo smiled at Ikki. He really had grown up in a short period of time. He was like a new person entirely, yet was still the Ikki she had always admired.
After looking him over really quick she gathered that he wanted to be left alone. He seemed a little too lost in thought for the conversation to go anywhere, including where she wanted it to, and she greatly respected his wishes, standing up and dusting herself off.
So he wasn't ready for a relationship right now. That was okay – she could wait a little longer before she attempted anything. After bidding him a fond good night, she took a single step before Ikki's hand clutched at her ankle. He gave a small tug and Ringo obediently sat back down.
"Ikki?"
And in that instant, Ikki closed the distance between them and pecked her chastely on the cheek. Ringo blushed bright red and felt her face go hot. Ikki had kissed her, on his own, of his own, free, will! And although the way he did it just screamed brotherly, she couldn't help but feel special in that way that only girls with crushes could feel. It wasn't the kind of thing she dreamed about. But it was a start.
"Thank you, Ringo. For being so concerned. Try not to worry about me so much. I don't have a clue where I'm going but I'll get there just fine. I just don't have time for things like love right now."
Instinctively, she nodded, sensing the finality of the conversation and standing once more. She didn't have the nerve to press the issue of what he had just said. Perhaps directly telling her he wasn't ready for love was a way of telling her to wait a little bit longer.
She had to stifle a laugh, however. Sometimes she wondered if Ikki practiced these kinds of lines in his head before saying them out loud just in order to sound cool. It wasn't really an un-Ikki-like thing to do. As she walked away towards the edge of the roof, she heard Ikki say one last thing, and if it was to himself or to her, she couldn't tell.
"But…I guess… if it happens, it happens. I… don't think love is really something that can be helped."