Ran needed to get away. This past year had to be the worst year of her life by far. Ever since Kurama's wedding, it seems that Lum was somehow happier.

And that's something Ran cannot stand. Ataru's eyes no longer roamed in the pink-haired girl's direction and instead focused on Lum as he realized he had to settle. Ran could not ruin her former friend's life anymore.

The only reason she wanted to do so was because Ran herself was unhappy. Her beloved Rei didn't really love her. He just loved her cooking.

They even went as far as to go on several dates and make it official! It wasn't until Ran caught Rei on another woman's lap beginning for a spoonful of her food did Ran realized that it wasn't meant to be. She had to move on.

Ran was over romance... really!

Truly!

Absolutely!

Which was why she was currently searching for her new fling.

What? Can't she have a little fun while looking for something not serious? At least that was her mindset when Ran flew herself in her ship to the place where Kurama found her husband. She had to admit, that Kurama picked herself up a hottie. Had to be something they were feeding the town's boys for sure.

So Ran did what Ran does best: look unassuming yet elegant. She strolled around the park in a pale yellow sundress and white button-up sweater. She held her hand up to her brow, looking lost when in reality she was scouting out her potential flings.

However, she didn't have to search very far as she backed right up into him. "Oh!" Ran stiffened. "I'm sorry! Teehee... how clumsy of me." She jumped and faced the person she jumped into, swaying on her feet wistfully.

"Hey— I know you!"

"Hm?" Ran looked up at the stranger, vaguely recognizing him. With a pompadour like his, he looked like a Yankee. In her opinion, he wants all that attractive. He only gets points for being tall.

She tilted her head questioningly. "Who?"

"From the wedding," he replied. "Or uh, the bachelor party. Name's Kazuma Kuwabara, a friend of the groom."

Ryan's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh right! You..."

Of all the people to run into. She had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes.

"What's your name?" Kuwabara asked.

"Ran."

"Ran...? Just Ran?" Now it was Kuwabara's turn to tilt his head in confusion.

"I'm an alien, so just Ran is fine."

Kuwabara scratched his head. "You are? You look pretty... normal for an alien. Minus the pink hair and all."

Ran raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kuwabara lifted his hands in defense. "Nothing, nothing! Just wasn't expecting that. What brings you all the way here anyway? Looking for um, lady Kurama? They moved to her planet a while ago I heard."

Ran shook her head. "No," she responded. "I'm not here for her."

"Well you look lost, anything I can help you with?" Kuwabara was being sincere in his offer. Would be such a shame to let a girl walk around on her lonesome.

"Hm." Ran weighed her options. While she was waiting for someone better looking, this had to be a sign. She didn't plan on staying with him for long anyway. She decided to test the waters.

Ran clasped her hands together and bent her head, making sure that there was a close distance between herself and Kuwabara. "I actually don't know what I'm doing. I just needed to get away from home. I'm... troubled you see."

"Troubled?" Kuwabara echoed.

Ran sniffed and raised her head towards him. Her eyes welled up with tears. "I recently went through a breakup and all my friends are too busy with their boyfriends to even care about me!"

This wasn't a complete lie. Lum was occupied with Ataru but Ran didn't bother telling her that she and Rei broke up and last Ran heard, Oyuki was planning on getting married as well. Benten though, was happy to be on her own.

"Oh uh," Kuwabara held his breath from how close Ran was to him. She smelled of strong candy-like perfume. "I don't know if I'm the right guy to talk about stuff like this..." he admitted.

Time to turn on the waterworks.

Ran threw herself against him, sobbing into his shirt. "It's truly awful!"

Kuwabara awkwardly patted her back, trying to hide his blush. "Yeah... I can imagine." He reached to pull a handkerchief out of his front shirt pocket but Ran was in the way, clutching onto his clothes.

"Waaaaah!" Ran sobbed. Most of those tears were real. She harbored such heartbreak after carrying her torch for Rei for years. Now that flame was dim. The rest of those tears were to get Kuwabara to pity her which didn't take long.

"Ah jeez..." Kuwabara wanted to take her away from prying eyes, lest everyone in the park would continue to stare at them like he was the one to break her heart. "Let's get out of here." Kuwabara grabbed her arm, eliciting a small gasp from Ryan's lips.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

"To my place," Kuwabara replied.

Well, that was easy! Perhaps too easy. Ran almost took him for a desperate little perv looking to take advantage of her. But one look at his face told her otherwise.

He was genuinely being nice to her.

Ran gulped. "Mister Kuwabara, I—"

"Hm?" Kuwabara turned to face her once again, looking down at her with intense eyes.

Ran then looked down. "Nothing."

It had dawned on her that she was being the desperate little perv trying to take advantage of him. It wasn't often that Ran received a reality check and this one was one of them. All she really wanted was a connection.

Before she could say anything else, Kuwabara had her following him back to his apartment. He still lived with his sister as it was a decent enough arrangement. No point in living by himself when it was just him and her. Not like he was ready to start his own family yet. Not that Shizuru was making any moves either.

In her own words, she had a terrible taste in men and would probably be better off on her own.

Maybe once she got back from her office job she could have a talk with Ran, girl to girl. Better her than me, Kuwabara thought.