"Ehhhh?" Ryuuji and Taiga expressed at the same time.
They both faced Ami. She calmly took a sip from her cup of lemonade and set the cup down. She faced them with a serious expression.
"W-W-Why d-d-do you n-n-need Ryuuji to be you b-b-boyfriend?" stuttered Taiga.
Ami pressed a finger on her lips, thinking carelessly, and then she clapped her hands together with a glowing smiling.
"Wouldn't it be fun? Takasu?"
Ryuuju blushed as Taiga looked back and forth at both of them, getting a bit annoyed and jealous by Ami's request. Ami's smile soon faded as she put her arms down. She looked down at her cup.
"To be honest, I don't think I can handle this situation by myself anymore."
Taiga's and Ryuuji's expressions settled, and they looked at Ami curiously.
"What situation?" wondered Ryuuji.
Ami sighed and faced them.
"Well… It seems that fans that become stalkers aren't my only problems. Even photographers or people on set could be weird too."
Ami picked up her cup of lemonade again, but she did not take a drink from it. Instead, she just looked at her reflection from the liquid surface.
"Even on set on my photo session, I had suitors too. They would get me food, flowers, clothes, and other gifts in order to go out with me. I had to always tell the hound dogs to stay away, revealing my real personality in hopes of scaring them off. It did work, but there was one man who did not. I was stunned as to why. At first, I thought I found a person who accepted who I was, but truth be told, he saw me just outside. We talked, but our conversations lagged and became a nuisance to him. We walked together during our breaks, but we didn't enjoy our time. We held hands, but his hands were coarse and unwelcoming. It only lasted for a week when I felt that this arrangement was wrong. I made a mistake by jumping into too early into a relationship, because I thought he understood me... But he didn't. He only said he liked my real personality, because he only cared that he was dating me, getting fame from it. After dinner one night, we were walking to the bus. I thought it would be a good time to tell him that I wanted to break up. Soon, I found myself pinned to a wall in a dark alley. He yelled at me, saying I was his. He then moved in closer to kiss me. I managed to free myself by kicking him and ran as fast as I could home. I was so scared that I told my agent to fire him. The next day, I saw him. He acted like nothing happened, and I asked my agent why he was still here. My agent said it was stupid to fire someone at his degree level. He was basically one of the top hardest workers in the business. Before I could argue, we started shooting. He and I spoke nothing during the entire time at work. Then, as I was getting ready to go home, he confronted me in my room, barging in. I told him to leave, but he ended up confessing his love for me. I quickly rejected and was about to go home, when he grabbed me and shoved me to a corner. He cried for a moment, saying why I rejected him, but then his eyes…"
Ami's hands began to tremble.
"His eyes turned into frustration and anger. He slapped me, grabbed some nearby clothing, and wrapped my mouth shut and bounded my hands and legs. He kept on saying that he loved me and only me and me rejecting him was the worst thing that could happen to him. He also said that he would be the first to defile my lips so that every man would know that he kissed me first and that my first man would always be him. If my agent hadn't open the door and screamed for help, he would've kissed me."
Ryuuji and Taiga looked at each other as tears dropped down from Ami's eyes. Ryuuji looked back at Ami.
"But that happened in the past. What does me being your boyfriend have anything to do about it?"
"As I talked to my parents to describe my week here, they told me that they got a note in the mail, saying that someone would find me. They had mentioned it to the police, but with no name or return address on the note, it was impossible to track from who it was. I knew in my mind who, and I tried to explain to them, but they said it was very unlikely since the boy moved to the other side of Japan after he was fired. After one year, he put that note, saying he would find me. I don't get it. He used to be a nice man."
Ryuuji thought about it and sighed.
"People want fame so bad."
Ami faced him with a confused look.
"Eh?"
"Well, when he was with you, he was getting more attention than without you."
"I guess. But does fame really do that?"
"You shouldn't be talking," Taiga said in a serious tone. "Out of all people, you should know. You are an angel to other people, but when someone gets to know you, you reveal your true colors."
Ami clenched her right fist and was about to retort when she found Taiga's words to be true. Ryuuji saw Ami's saddened expression, and he quickly turned to Taiga.
"That was a bit harsh, Taiga. You should-"
"She's right."
Ryuuji faced Ami.
"Taiga's right. I fancy this mask to make everyone see this false model angel I am, but I'm a cold person when no one looks. I bet this was the same on his case. When we were surrounded by people, he expressed happiness and joy. When it was just the two of us, he was somewhat cold and unwelcoming."
Taiga's smugly looked away from them, crossing her arms.
"But why do you need Ryuuji to be your boyfriend?"
She then whispered, "I mean, we could help you out by telling him off and leaving you alone."
Ami and Ryuuji looked over at Taiga. Feeling their stares, Taigia looked at them, blushing in embarrassment. However, she managed to keep her cool.
"Just answer the question, Stupid Chihuahua."
Ami smiled for a little bit, thanking Taiga in her head, and soon changed her facial expression in a more serious one.
"Even though the day he tied me up was frightening, he told me that he wanted me to be the first. He wanted my first hug from him, my first kiss from him, my first love declaration to him, and probably…"
Ami closed her eyes in embarrassment, and her face reddened.
"He just wanted to get me first, so he could be famous!"
Ami calmed down and opened her eyes. A small blush remained on her face.
"If he just hears that I am with another boy, and we shared our first…then maybe, he will stop."
Ryuuj blushed as he still faced Ami's blushed face. It was cute to him.
"So you hope that if I'm your…boy-oy-f-friend…then this guy will go away?"
Ami nodded nervously. Ryuuji glanced over at Taiga and sighed. He wanted to help Ami, but he did not want to jump in without Taiga's acknowledgement. It would make things awkward between them if he said yes instantly.
"Taiga, do you have anything to say?"
Taiga looked down at her knees, thinking on what to say. It would be easier to just protect Ami from the creep by beating him up. However, that might cause more trouble than help. She lifted her head and saw Ami's pleading eyes. She slightly narrowed her eyes in irritation.
"Just one day, right, Stupid Chihuahua?"
Ami nodded.
"My plan is to find out where he lives, arrange with him to meet on one Sunday, and introduce Ryuuji as my boyfriend, explaining we expressed our love to each other and kissed. After he sees that he can't get as famous anymore, he'll leave me alone."
"A Sunday?" wondered Ryuuji in astonishment. "But if he lives on the other side of Japan, how can we return home in time for school?"
"Then I'm move it to Saturday and rent a hotel to sleep in," Ami said with a wide smile.
Ryuuji blushed as Taiga's skin flustered in red.
"W-WH-WHAT-AT! You-ou-ou an-and Ryuu-j-j-ji in-n a r-room to-to-to-together for the n-n-ni-night! Th-that's t-t-two d-d-days too!"
Ami chuckled a little and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"I'm just kidding."
"STUPDI CHIHAUHUA! D-DON-DON'T M-M-MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME-E!"
Ami turned back at Ryuuji.
"So Ryuuji? Will you help me?"
Ryuuji nodded, "Yes."
Taiga looked back at Ryuuji and silently pouted. In her mind though, she praised Ryuuji for his kindness.
The next day in class, the bell was about to ring to dismiss the students from homeroom so that they could go home. The classroom was a typical Japanese classroom with bulletin boards and posters decorating the walls, giant windows to see the entire schoolyard, a big blackboard in the front of the class, a teacher's podium, and student desks that were perfectly aligned with each other. Ryuuji sat in the middle of the class room and close to the window. Ami sat three seats behind Ryuuji, meaning she too was next to the window. Taiga sat two columns of desks from Ryuuji and two seats behind his row. The rest of the desks were filled with classmates, including Taiga's best friend and Ryuuji's best friend. The teacher, a twenty-nine year old brunette with fair skin and curly, brown hair, finished writing the homework reminders.
"So, all homework is due next Friday. This gives you at least two weeks to complete the packets in the four subjects we focused on last week. Throughout this week, we will also cover materials that you have to solve in your packets."
She looked at the time to see there was only ten minutes of class left.
"So, any questions?" she asked with a smile.
Koji; a skinny male student with short, blue hair and was currently described as the class idiot; raised his hand.
"Yes, Haruta?"
"I just want to make sure it's your birthday tomorrow so I can get a gift."
The teacher named Yuri Koigakubo faked a smile as a small sweat drop appeared next to her right eye.
"Ye-yes. Yes it is."
"Good. That way, I can show up with a gift that suits your age."
"M-my a-age," she stuttered politely.
"Sure. It's so I can be different than the students who give you flowers and chocolate."
"Oh. Don't be so adventurous with your gift. It's find if you give me those things. I will appreciate them."
"Mmm," Koji thought, disregarding what his teacher said, "I can ask around what thir-"
Everyone heard the chalk in Yuri's hand snap. The class was taken back by the aura their teacher produced. She thought to herself, thinking of a way to keep the students' minds occupied and forgetting her age. She soon thought of something. It was an announcement that she herself was confused on when she heard it. She was going to wait to tell the class at the end of the week, but them forgetting about her age and birthday was more important. She smiled and clapped her hands together.
"Oh, yeah. That reminds me. By Monday, we will have a new student."
"Oh?" some of the class chorused in excitement.
"Yes. I haven't been given his name or appearance, but he's coming from Nagoya area and used to work on photo studios. Kawashima, you might know him."
Ami's eyes widened.
"The director for transfer students said this student might've worked in the same set as you."
Yuri smiled.
"I bet he will feel more welcomed if you mention that."
The bell rung, and some of the students and Yuri rushed out of the classroom. Ryuuji packed his bag and left his desk to the door. As he walked by Ami, who was surrounded by her friends, he noticed something. Her eyes were filled with despair.
A/N: Hi readers out there. Thank you for reading this story, since it is my first take in the universe of ToraDora!. I might have been a bit sloppy as to why Ami's past "boyfriend" is out for her, but leaving it like this adds to the curiosity of the past. If you feel that the plot might be predictable or the development of this story feels like "Oh. It's that kind of story", I urge you to continue to at least Chapter 6 when I upload it. This story will be 9-12 chapters long, I think. Thank you for taking time to read my entry in the ToraDora! section.