Clouds swam across the blue sky. Mint looked up and a tear trickled from the corner of her eye as it reminded her of the colour of Ryou's stern gaze. Ichigo had her arm around Pudding, who was crying uncontrollably even though the funeral had yet to begin. Zakuro was watching Lettuce, worried for her friend who was standing slightly to the side, clutching a bunch of lilies in her trembling hands. Lettuce was staring at the ground, thinking hard and although no one knew of the scene that had gone on before Ryou's untimely death, Zakuro knew that they had had a special bond.
The service was short and as expected everyone cried. Even Keiichiro seemed overwhelmed by emotion at the loss of Ryou, however, only one tear escaped from beneath Lettuce's black veil. His small memorial plot was already covered with bright white daisies, pushing their way among the emerald blades of grass and Lettuce silently placed her flowers beside the tiny golden plaque. There was silence for a long time as everyone contemplated the loss of their boss, which was finally broken by the arrival of a late guest. The stranger was about Ryou's height and his rich black hair was windswept. His face was handsome and something about his strong cheekbones and straight nose reminded everyone of Ryou. The stranger stopped beside Lettuce and gazed down at the shining gold letters that marked the date of the late Shirogame-san's death. A strange look passed through his wild green eyes and a frown creased his brow.
"Did you know Shirogame-san?" asked Keiichiro, shattering the cloak of silence that had swept over the small space. The stranger smiled in an odd way and turned his penetrating gaze on Keiichiro.
"Yes…sometimes I think that I know him better than myself," as he spoke the man slid his arm comfortingly around Lettuce's waist. Something un-nerved Zakuro, was it the man's strange resemblance to Ryou, was it the way he spoke about him as if he was still alive, or was it something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. As Zakuro contemplated the stranger's identity, Lettuce snuggled closer into his chest; he slid his arms fully around her and pulled her close, resting his lips gently on the top of her head. As the others slowly dissolved, heading back to café mew mew, unsure of their fate, tears slid from Lettuce's closed eyes and trickled down her face. Her gaze rested lightly on Ryou's name engraved forever on the plaque certifying his death.
"I love you Ryou, I always will," she murmured, burying her face in the stranger's chest. He smiled and patted her head.
"And I love you," he whispered into her green hair. He lifted her chin so that she was staring directly into his eyes and hesitantly lowered his head so that his lips touched hers in the sweetest of kisses. Lettuce closed her eyes, melting into the man's embrace, opening her mouth in invitation as the stranger's tongue flickered at her bottom lip in a familiar way. They broke apart and the man gazed down at Lettuce with love in his eyes. Zakuro watched from the shadows, her brow furrowed as she saw the scene play out. That man was not all that he seemed.