Weeks passed since the day Ken had personally met and befriended Ryuko Matoi, the girl he had fallen in love with. In those weeks, Ken had been a part of some of the craziest adventures of his life. A normal man would have lost every bit of their sanity, but Ken was not a normal man. He was a man in love. As the days went by, all Ken could think of was how to get closer to Ryuko in the way he wanted to, but somewhere along the way he began to lose the will to. Being physically near Ryuko day in and day out made him finally realize the gaps that existed between them; gaps in height, gaps in stature, gaps in everything. He saw that in any attempt to court her would be fruitless, the opportunity was never there, and he had no idea how to open up the opportunity. He would always stay just her friend, and after much debate with himself, he accepted that. Even though it hurt to keep his love inside, he would do it. He would rather have her as a friend then not have her at all.

Unfortunately for Ken, this was not his biggest problem. You see Ken had become quite infamous as "The guy who was always with Ryuko". It was quiet hate, the men of the school would make remarks behind his back and sneer at him when he wasn't looking. He was never faced with this issue, until today.

Today it all came to a head.

Ken, Ryuko, and Mako walked the walls chatting about recent events until they reached Ken's class. Ken waved the two off as he entered the classroom. Not to Ken's surprise his teacher was nowhere in sight. The man had a history of showing up half an hour late to class everyday without fail, so that left the class ample time to goof off, but as Ken entered the class something was different. His class, composed entirely of guys, was up at the blackboard looking at him in a derisive manner. At the front was Hideyasu Kanagawa, the self-proclaimed and appointed(without argument) president of the Ryuko Matoi fan club.

"Ken Yamada. You've been hanging with our beloved Ryuko for sometime now. That is an act I can no longer allow!" He said.

Oh here we go

...

"Oh crap, I borrowed Ken's pen earlier and forgot to give it back. We still got time, let's double back." Ryuko as she about-faced.

"Ken's pen~ Ken's pen~ Ken's pen~," Mako sang as she followed suit.

...

"Could you guys just hop off already," Ken said

"We will not "hop off" as you say. We will not rest until your unworthy being is gone from Ryuko," Hideyasu proclaimed.

The word "unworthy" stung more then Ken would let on.

Other members of the class began to put in their two cents.

"Stop tainting her presence!"

"Scoundrel!"

"You're nothing but a wolf after our precious red riding rood!"

Ken couldn't take anymore.

"If I'm a wolf then what the fuck are you!"

"What are you saying?" Hideyasu asked as he furrowed his brow.

"I'm saying they're gonna need a new word to describe how sick you guys are if Scoundrel is already taken," Ken said.

"How dare you say-"

That was all Hideyasu could say before Ken went on a tirade.

"Every day all you asshats do is lust over her, drool over her like a bunch of wild animals, it's sick. You don't love her, you love your twisted, perverted idea of her. I'm not like you, I...I...I LOVE RYUKO MATOI THE PERSON!"

The crowd began to feel like each word was an arrow to their chest.

"You look at her and all you see is her body, but I see the person with that body. I see the amazing and wonderful person she truly is. She isn't a damn sex object, she's a FUCKING HUMAN BEING."

Ken paused to take a breath and was about to start himself up again until a random voice from the crowd stopped him in his tracks.

"Well if you love her so damn much why haven't you done anything?"

Suddenly the arrows were pointed at him.

"Yeah!"

"Come on tell us ."

"Everytime I see you with her, it's always 100% buddy-buddy."

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

"Speak up little man!"

ugh...ah ahhhhhh

"I KNOW I'M NOT WORTHY"

The crowd was once again silenced. They watched as every bit of anger and bravado vanished, only to be replaced with the most forlorn expression they had ever seen.

"Before I got to know her, I was reaching for the stars. I thought I could do it, but being with her brought me back to earth. She's an angel, and I'm just a lowly mortal who can only look from below."

Ken let out a sigh before he went on.

"Even if I had the ability to actually court her, it still wouldn't work. She's sick and tired of guys vying for her. I didn't want to become a number to her. It is a miracle of god that I'm her friend, and...that...that's...enough for me. I don't want to lose that friendship.

Not a word was said by the group.

"That actually shut you up?" Ken said with a wry simile.

"Uhhhh it ain't that," A random guy said as he pointed to the classroom door.

Ken turned and felt the world stop. In the door's entrance was the blank face of Ryuko Matoi and the nervous face of Mako Mankanshoku.

Without a second thought Ken dashed past them and ran down the halls, neither doing anything to stop him.

Moments later Ryuko turned to his retreating form, a completely unreadable expression her face.

"He...loved me,"

He loved her, truly loved her, but out of value of their friendship, he bottled up those feelings, knowing the pain it would cause him. All her life she had never known a person capable of something like that. Every guy she meet threw himself at her like their was no tomorrow, but he didn't. He respected her, something no guy had ever done. This fact touched her heart deeply.

Ryuko smiled as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Yeeeeeeah, I kinda always knew," Mako said.

"You did?" Ryuko said shocked.

Mako regaled the events of her initial meeting with Ken and told the story of his love at first sight. This caused Ryuko to smile even more, and then without hesitation ran in the direction Ken ran, knowing exactly where he went.

...

Ken sat with his face in his hands, leaning back into his bench as far as possible, lamenting the events that just transpired when he felt a presence come up to him and sit next to him. He sighed, knowing who it was.

"How much did you hear?" Ken asked.

"I came in at hop off," Ryuko answered.

Ken groaned loudly as he sat up in the bench.

"I...just...oh wants the point," Ken said defeated.

"You know you don't have a thing to worry about."

Ken finally looked into Ryuko's eyes with a confused look.

"You really think I'm gonna treat you like those guys now."

Ken responded with a large gulp.

"I would never do that, cause you were right, you're not like them. You're more than could ever be."

"Ryuko..."

"No one's ever loved me they was you do, and you said so eloquently."

"I think our definitions of eloquently vary."

"Hahaha, you're funny...and kind...and sweet...I always enjoy talking to you, being around you."

"R-R-Ryuko...w-what are you saying?"

"I can't say I love you too, it's a...little to soon for me. I'd say, right now...I'd like to love you."

Ken was in utter disbelief, Ryuko was reciprocating his feelings.

"I'm dreaming aren't I."

Ryuko chuckled and quickly pinched Ken's cheek, earning an "Ow' from him.

"Nope," Ryuko said still chuckling.

Still reeling from the pinch, Ryuko frazzled him even further by planting a kiss on the aforementioned cheek, lingering there for several seconds. Ken's whole face proceeded to turn scarlet. Ryuko stood up began walking away.

"You should get back to class, I'll see you later okay." Ryuko said sweetly.

"...Yeah"

Before heading out she turned around one last time.

"Oh and by the way, your height doesn't bother me at all."

One week later Ken Yamada was no longer "The guy who was always with Ryuko Matoi" he was "Ryuko Matoi's boyfriend", a title he wore with pride. He had earned his wings and was now finally able to fly among the stars.

Ken walked among the school hand in hand with Ryuko, always receiving evil stares from other men, but the warmth of Ryuko's hand that always remained with him was all he needed to ignore the stares. The pair reached the spot where the always went their separate ways. They shared a kiss and headed off. As Ken walked to his class he heard a voice call out to him.

You're a remarkable man Ken Yamada

"Huh."

Ken looked about only to find no one.

"Hello."

...

"Weird."

Ken dismissed it and entered his class, counting the seconds until he would meet Ryuko again.