Chapter 4: Relationship Obstacles
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Glad to see you all liked my latest chapter. I can't believe it's been a year since I first made this story. Thanks for all the support and hopefully more years of updates are on the way. Hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.
It had been a few days since the battle with Cygnus and so far, things were quiet. Not that Hikaru seemed to mind.
As the school day was almost over, Hikaru was writing in his notebook as a certain red-haired girl was peeking over his shoulder.
"Swim practice getting longer Uruka?" Hikaru deadpans as the peeking stops.
"How'd you know?" She asks walking up in front of him.
"You tend to be more insistent than usual when it comes to copying my homework," Hikaru said.
"Can I please borrow your notebook? I have practice today and I know you probably finished your homework already, right?" Uruka asks leaning in.
"You really need to learn to do your own homework once in a while," Hikaru said but Uruka just whined and hugged him.
"Oh please! Please just let me copy it! You know I hate studying!" Uruka begs.
"Alright. Alright." Hikaru said handing her his notebook. "Just be sure to give it back to me as soon as you finish."
Almost instantly she stopped crying and smiled. "You're the best!" Taking his notebook, she runs out.
"I don't know what's more pathetic. Her whining or the fact that you gave into it." Appearing on his screen, Omega Xis scolds Hikaru.
"Of course, you show up right when school is over. It's not that big of a deal. She always needs help with homework." Hikaru said.
"Why do you always help her? I mean what's in it for you?" Omega Xis asks.
"Because I know Uruka, I don't just let anyone copy my homework," Hikaru assures.
"If you say so." Omega Xis said unconvinced.
As the final bell rang, Hikaru was packing up his things when someone walked up.
"So this is your classroom?" A familiar voice calls out.
Looking up, Hikaru saw Sena in the school uniform approach.
"Hey, Hikaru." She smiles.
"Sena? What are you doing here?" Hikaru said not expecting to see her again.
Flicking her hand forward, Sena was holding his student ID between her fingers.
"You dropped this back at AMAKEN," Sena informs.
"Oh man, I've been looking all over for this. Thank you." Hikaru said taking it back.
"It was the least I could do. And I wanted to thank you for earlier." Sena said grateful.
"It's no trouble. I just did what anyone would have done." Hikaru said.
"I don't know about that, but still maybe we can hang out again sometime. Though hopefully without any craziness like whatever that was." Sena offers.
"Well, you saved me from a lost ID fee. How can I say no?" Hikaru said making her giggle.
"Great, I'll see you around." Sena smiles walking out.
Making his way down to his shoe locker, Hikaru opens it but to his surprise sees a pink envelope with a heart on it.
'This cannot be what I think it is.' Hikaru thought. Reaching inside, Hikaru opens the letter.
"I'll be waiting behind the school." It read.
"What's this? A summons? Do they want to fight you?" Omega Xis asks.
"No, it's not like that. This is…I think it's a love letter but there's no name on it." Hikaru said.
"What a cowardly tactic. If you're sending a message, you should at least have the guts to declare who you are." Omega Xis said before glancing at Hikaru. "So you gonna go talk to this mysterious girl?"
"What? I can't do that. I'm already dating Yukana." Hikaru defends.
"So? That doesn't mean you can't have another girl in your life, right?" Omega Xis asks.
"Yes, it does. I mean if I date another girl behind her back that's called cheating." Hikaru said.
"Then just be open about it. Tell Yukana, you want another human to join your relationship." Omega Xis said.
"I can't do that either," Hikaru said.
"Why not?" Omega Xis asks.
"Because…because…it's complicated," Hikaru said.
"Well, whether you're comfortable with it or not you should at least go tell this girl your answer. Right now, a girl is waiting for you, are you seriously going to just leave her waiting for someone who will never come? Now that's cowardly." Omega Xis said making Hikaru sigh.
"I really hate when you're right about these things. Fine, but I'm only going so I can tell her I'm in a relationship." Hikaru said putting his shoes on.
As he made his way to the back of the school, Hikaru was shocked to see the girl who wrote the note, the one who told him to meet her, was Ranko.
'She's the one who wrote the letter?' Hikaru thought as Ranko approached him.
Leaning in close, Ranko sniffs like an animal and smirks.
"Ha. You're still a virgin aren't you?" Ranko teases startling him.
"Wait what?!" Hikaru said as she leaned in. "Uh, getting a little close aren't you?"
"I can almost hear your heart racing," Ranko said pressing her ample chest against his. "Getting so attracted to someone who isn't your girlfriend." Blowing in his ear, Hikaru froze up. "Wanna have some fun? I promise you'll love it."
Hearing this, Hikaru grabs her by the shoulders and pushes himself free.
"I appreciate the offer but I-I have a girlfriend." Hikaru pants trying to maintain composure.
Ranko however was not done. Looking at him with predator-like eyes and a wicked smirk Ranko makes her way towards him.
"So you want to play like that huh?" Ranko teases advancing on him.
Hikaru tried to back up but she grabbed him by the arm and pressed herself against him again.
'I gotta get out of here and fast.' Hikaru panics.
"Hikaru! Are you here?" Yukana's voice echoed.
Gasping Hikaru turned his head and saw Yukana standing across from them.
'Oh no, this is not going to end well.' Hikaru thought fearing the worst.
He expected her to be furious but Yukana just had an amused look on her face.
"Hey, Hikaru's my boyfriend, back away," Yukana said casually and Ranko immediately let's go.
"My bad," Ranko said acting completely different than how she was with him.
"So how long are you gonna cling to him?" Yukana asks.
"Sorry that you're so jealous." Ranko jokes letting go of him.
"Hikaru, this is my best friend Ranko Honjou. She's a full year older than us." Yukana introduces.
"I may be a year older, but it's pretty clear Yukana is more developed than me in certain areas." Ranko teases.
"Hey, don't say that in front of my boyfriend!" Yukana said making Ranko giggle.
"Nice to meet you Ms. Honjou," Hikaru said nervously.
"Oh don't be so formal. Call me Ranko." Ranko corrects.
'So she's Yukana's friend?' Hikaru said lowering his guard.
"You should have just told me you wanted to meet Hikaru. You didn't have to go through all this." Yukana said.
"But this idea seemed more fun." Ranko laughs. "You should have seen the look on his face when you ran into us. I for real thought he was gonna freak."
'That's an understatement.' Hikaru thought before looking at Yukana. "So how long have you two known each other?"
"Ranko's been my best friend since elementary school." Yukana clarifies.
"And would you believe that even back then Yukana was pretty," Ranko said moving behind Yukana and squeezing her chest.
"Hey stop! I hate when you do this!" Yukana whines making Hikaru blush at the display.
"So be honest how far have you two gotten?" Ranko teased but once she heard that Yukana immediately snapped out of it.
"Okay, that's enough!" Breaking free of Ranko's hold, Yukana walked over to Hikaru.
"Aw no fair," Ranko whines wanting to mess with her more.
"Hikaru let's go home," Yukana said wrapping her arm around his right arm.
"Uh sure," Hikaru said as they walked out.
"Bye Ranko." Yukana waves.
"Bye." Ranko waved back, but once the two of them were far away Ranko's smile turned to a glare filled with rage.
"Ranko's fun but she can be a little dangerous," Yukana warns.
"I think I got that. I'll try to be careful." Hikaru said taking her advice.
'I will destroy them.' Ranko declared.
That night, Hikaru was in his room with his visualizers on his eyes so he could look Omega Xis in the eyes as they talked.
"So humans are only allowed to have a relationship with one other human at a time? So what if another human wants a relationship with another human who's already with someone else?" Omega Xis asks.
"Well, then that can make it complicated because it ends either way with something getting hurt." Hikaru answers.
"But that doesn't make sense. Why go through all that when you can just add another human to the relationship? Everyone wins and no one gets hurt." Omega Xis asks.
"That's not how relationships work," Hikaru said.
"Well, why not?" Omega Xis asks.
"Because…I don't know. Look as far as we know Ranko just did that love letter to mess with me. Right now, the only girl in my life is Yukana. And for the moment, let's keep it that way." Hikaru said when his phone beeped meaning he got a text.
Lifting his glasses, he saw it was from Yukana.
"Next time we get a chance, let's go somewhere, the two of us and Ranko." It read.
"Well looks like another girl trying to join up." Omega Xis said peeking over his shoulder.
"Shut up. It's not like that. She just wants me to get along with her childhood friend." Hikaru believes.
"If you say so." Omega Xis said unconvinced.
The following weekend, Hikaru went to meet Yukana and Ranko.
Wearing his necklace over his purple t-shirt, Hikaru also wore a blue jacket with dark blue jeans and his visualizers hanging atop his head. Meeting with Yukana and Ranko their casual outfits consisted of Yukana wearing a white long-sleeve sweatshirt over blue short shorts and Ranko wore a black hoodie that covered a purple tank top and was wearing white short shorts.
And both were indeed smoking hot in them.
First, the trio went bowling. While Hikaru did okay, Ranko and Yukana were pros. As Yukana rolled the ball and got a strike, Hikaru was about to congratulate her but Ranko beat him to it.
Next, they went to a fast food joint for lunch.
As Yukana offers to feed him a fry, Hikaru slowly opens his mouth but Ranko swoops in and eats it before it reaches him.
After that, they went to a novelty store and when Ranko put a fake mustache and glasses on Hikaru both girls laughed so hard.
Soon, the two girls decided to go clothes shopping.
While Ranko and Yukana had fun looking at clothes, Hikaru wasn't sure what to say in this situation.
"Ranko you should try this one," Yukana said showing her a shirt.
"In that case maybe…this one," Ranko adds grabbing a pair of red shorts.
"Always showing off skin." Yukana shakes her head amused.
Looking around she took two shirts off a rack.
"Hikaru, which one of these do you think would look better on me?" Yukana asks showing a blue sleeveless shirt and a white long sleeve.
"Well, I think you would look good in both," Hikaru said rubbing the back of his head.
Hearing this Ranko narrows her eyes.
"Come on that's not a real answer. Which one do you like?" Yukana asks with a pouty face.
"I guess if I had to choose… that one," Hikaru said pointing to the white shirt.
"Oh interesting choice," Yukana smirks to answer.
"Personally I think you should pick that one," Ranko said pointing to the sleeveless one. You gotta flaunt those arms." Ranko said glancing at him hoping to hear his answer.
"I guess she makes a point." Hikaru shrugs.
As the sun was setting, they finally finished shopping but neither girl bought anything.
"Why didn't you buy anything? I saw some things that looked good on you?" Ranko asks.
"There's always next time," Yukana assures.
As they turned a corner, two older guys walked up to her.
"Hey, we're looking for the station. Do you think you could help us?" One asks.
"Hmm let's see. First, you go down that way and past that light—" Yukana pointed thinking they needed directions.
"Hey, why don't you walk with us?" The other guy suggests. "We'll buy you something to eat."
"Cute pickup line. These guys are smooth." Ranko chuckles.
"You caught us. So what do you say?" The first one asks.
Not liking what these guys were up to, Hikaru tries stepping in. "Uh listen she's kinda busy right now. Why don't you guys hurry along to the station?" Hikaru suggests.
"Hey, what's the problem? We're just offering. If you want you can come too." The second guy offers.
Seeing what they were up to, Hikaru had to play this card to try and get out of this.
"Listen, she's with me, so would just leave already?" Hikaru said but the jerk just glared at him.
"Why don't you beat it?" He said shoving Hikaru to the ground and knocking his visualizers off his head.
"Hikaru!" Gasping Yukana turned to him concerned.
"Why would you waste your time with this loser when you can hang out with real men like us?" The thugs mocked.
Groaning if Hikaru could turn into Mega Man right now, they would be running.
Yukana was about to respond when Ranko stepped forward.
"Alright, that's enough. If you're looking for someone to party with, I'm your girl." Ranko offers.
Hearing this the two boys didn't seem to mind.
"Thanks for making this easy for us." They said as Ranko led them away.
"Well, that was pathetic." Hikaru sighs slowly getting up. Bending down he picks up the visualizers and examines them closely before sighing relieved seeing they weren't damaged.
"Are you okay?" Yukana asks.
"I'm fine, but we should be more worried about Ranko," Hikaru said.
"Oh? Why's that?" Ranko asks walking over to them.
"Ranko, you're okay." Hikaru said.
"Yeah, it's nothing to worry about. Those boys and I just went around the corner and had a little chat." Ranko brushes off.
As the view goes down said alley, we see both boys had gotten their butts kicked as one was thrown in a pile of garbage and one had a garbage can over his head.
After saying goodbye to Yukana, Hikaru had decided to go home.
'Thank goodness Omega Xis didn't come along or he would never let me hear the end of this.' Hikaru thought. 'Ranko was the one who stepped in. This is insane, I could take on things far more dangerous than those two as Mega Man but I can't do anything like this.'
"Welcome home, Mr. Virgin," Ranko calls out.
Surprised, Hikaru saw Ranko standing in front of his house.
"Ranko? What are you doing here?" Hikaru asks not expecting this.
"Even though you weren't exactly the hero back there it was kinda cool seeing you stand up to those jerks. I'm kinda starting to like you." Ranko smiles with a small blush.
"Well thanks but you're the one who—" Before Hikaru could finish Ranko took his hand.
"Come on, let's talk inside," Ranko suggests.
Hikaru was about to bring up his dad but remembered that on weekends he had to take care of stuff at the café so no one was home.
"Wait hang on. This is my house. You can't just invite yourself in." Hikaru objects but Ranko doesn't listen and pulls him inside.
Sitting in the living room, Hikaru had no idea how to process this as Ranko sat down right next to him and stared at him.
Leaning closer, Ranko makes her face inches from his.
"The fact that you let me in means you want me don't you?" Ranko asks with a seductive grin.
"Ranko listen I—" Before he could finish Ranko pressed her chest against his face.
"Stop trying to play cool. I know you're type. Deep down you want this." Ranko said pushing him down onto the couch with her on top of it.
As she leaned in Ranko was about to have her way with him.
"Just be honest with yourself Hikaru. Say you want this and I'll make you forget about everything else." Ranko said pressing against him.
Struggling to fight through the temptation, that first part of what she said stuck with him.
"Be honest?" Hikaru paused and his mind immediately went to Yukana. Even though he accidentally asked her out, all the time he's spent with her has been enjoyable. Special even, and he didn't want to give that up.
Slowly reaching up, Hikaru grabs her shoulders.
"Good boy, now say it." Ranko grinned but Hikaru wasn't playing like that.
"Get off!" Hikaru said pushing her off him causing her to land on the floor. "Listen I don't know what kind of guy you think I am, but I'm not so desperate that I would just do something like this out of nowhere. I really like Yukana and honestly, if I was gonna do it with anyone, I'd rather it be with someone I actually like."
Hearing this, something snapped in Ranko. "I'll never let that happen, you failure!" Getting up she grabs, Hikaru and knocks him to the ground. "Stop playing hard to get you loser! You'll never be good enough for my Yukana! Get that through your head!"
'My Yukana?' Hikaru pauses hearing that part.
"Why did she pick you? Yukana and I share a strong bond…And I refuse to let you take her away from me!" Ranko declares as the doorbell rings but neither pays attention to it.
'Ranko is love with Yukana?' Hikaru thought in disbelief.
"I don't care whether or not you want this. I'm gonna take you right here and now. To the point, you won't even look at another girl for the rest of your life!" Ranko declares.
"Stop it!" A familiar voice calls out.
Looking to the screen side door they saw Yukana making her way in.
"I thought you were being weird so I followed you here! And then I heard screaming coming from inside." Yukana said making both freeze up in worry. "For the record, I rang the doorbell but no one answered!"
'Oh no, did she hear what I just said?' Ranko thought terrified.
'Oh man, where's an FMian when you need one?' Hikaru thought desperately wanting a way out of this.
"Oh Yukana, I just messing around with him. Letting off a little steam." Ranko said covering it up.
"Yeah…just like what she was doing at school," Hikaru said deciding to play along.
"No fair Ranko you cheated!" Yukana said with teary eyes surprising them both. "Hikaru is my boyfriend and worst of all I still hadn't gotten an invite to his house yet, but you did?"
'Oh thank god she didn't hear that earlier part.' Hikaru thought dodging a bullet.
"Don't worry Yukana. I promise I was just testing him. I wanted to see if he would go for another girl, but he remained faithful." Ranko said standing up.
"Really?" Yukana said calming down.
'This girl knows how to change her act quickly.' Hikaru thought as Ranko shot him a glare ordering him to play along.
"Really? So nothing happened?" Yukana asks.
"Nope. Not at all." Hikaru assures.
"I mean I get that you were just testing him but I'm still pissed off that you went this far. That little test of yours almost gave me a heart attack!" Yukana said turning to Ranko and taking a deep breath. "That being said…"
"Yukana?" Ranko pauses awaiting her answer.
"I guess it's nice to know how much you care about our relationship in your own way. Thank you, Ranko. You're the best friend in the world. And that's why I love you." Yukana smiles taking her hand.
Hearing that, Ranko instantly remembers why she fell in love with Yukana.
In a flashback, we see a child Ranko who had the appearance of a tomboy. As she sat on a slide all alone, we saw a child version of Yukana approach her.
As Ranko looks up, Yukana holds out a small flower to cheer her up.
From that one act of kindness, Ranko was happy. And it was all because of Yukana.
Zooming out of the flashback, we see tears run down Ranko's face at the memory.
"Hey, why the long face?" Yukana asks as Ranko slowly chokes on her tears.
"Yukana. I'm sorry. Can you please forgive me?" Ranko pleads.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't cry." Yukana said patting Ranko on the head to make her calm down.
Eventually, the two of them left, leaving Hikaru all by himself.
The next day, we see Mega Man going down the EM Road towards school.
"How could you disable my alarm clock?" Mega Man asks frustrated.
"The noise was annoying." Omega Xis said.
"Yeah, that's what helps wake me up every morning." Mega Man points out.
"Then maybe change it to something that doesn't like an emergency alarm." Omega Xis scolds.
Rolling his eyes, Hikaru would look into it later. As he went down one path, he noticed Ranko walking down his usual route with a suspicious look on her face. Like she was looking for something, or rather someone.
"Hey, it's Ranko." Mega Man said coming to a stop.
"Oh yeah, the human girl that tried to force you to mate with her." Omega Xis said making Hikaru gulp at the memory.
"I just hope she doesn't do anything that crazy for a while." Mega Man prays.
"Why are you so scared of her? It's not like she's an FMian." Omega Xis said.
"I think I'd rather take on an FMian than deal with her again." Mega Man shudders.
As Ranko walks under a shop, a worker was fixing the electric sign when he accidentally pulls too hard and the sign comes loose.
Gasping Mega Man saw it was about to fall on Ranko.
"Oh no!" Diving in, Mega Man reappears and scoops Ranko to safety before pushing the sign away.
"Mega Man?" Ranko gasps in disbelief.
"Isn't this a familiar scene? Hang on a second." Mega Man said before lifting the sign back up to the worker. "Be more careful next time. Someone could have gotten hurt."
"Right sorry." The worker apologized as Mega Man floated down to Ranko.
"That's twice you've saved me. You wouldn't happen to be following me would you?" Ranko teases.
"You wouldn't happen to be getting into these near accidents on purpose would you?" Mega Man counters making her snicker.
"Touche. No, but if it's any consolation I appreciate the save." Ranko smiles.
Seeing the way she was acting, Hikaru hoped she was in a better mood than yesterday.
"You okay by the way? Any bruises or anything?" Mega Man asks.
"I'm fine. I'm tougher than I look." Ranko said.
"I bet you are, but that doesn't mean I can't show concern." Mega Man said making Ranko smile taking the compliment. "But you should be more careful. How come you didn't see the man working?"
"I'm sorry, I guess my head isn't on straight. I'm looking for someone." Ranko said.
"Well, hopefully, this person is as concerned about you showing up to your school in one piece as I am." Mega Man said thinking she was talking about Yukana.
"Why couldn't it be someone like you?" Ranko said.
"Come again?" Mega Man said confused.
"Look at you, you show up right when me and other people need it. You don't care as long as you save those who need it. But more than that you don't want to cause trouble. Nothing like that loser." Ranko mutters in anger.
"Well thanks, I guess." Mega Man said unsure who she was talking about.
"See you around Mega Man." Ranko winks before walking away. As she did Mega Man noticed an extra sway in her hips before she turned a corner.
"What was that about?" Mega Man pauses before going back on the EM road.
A few minutes later, Mega Man enters an ally next to the high school and walks out as Hikaru.
"Okay made it here safe and sound," Hikaru said to himself.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Ranko calls out.
Grabbing him, Ranko pins Hikaru to the wall.
"Ranko hey listen uh—" Hikaru gulps.
"Stop talking." Ranko glares interrupting him. "Let me make something clear. I don't like you and I don't like you in her life. Do you hear me?" She warns acting the exact opposite of how she was with Mega Man.
"Yes." Hikaru nods.
"Oh and uh…promise that you won't tell Yukana how I feel about her, okay?" Ranko requests with a cute blush on her face.
"I'll uh try," Hikaru said not expecting that face. 'Wow she actually looks kinda cute.'
"What are you staring at?! Don't make me hit you!" Shoving Hikaru away Ranko walks to school.
"What just happened?" Hikaru asks trying to process this.
"Wow, this is unexpected. She hates Hikaru but she seems to really like Mega Man." Omega Xis notices making Hikaru freeze up.
"Come again?" Hikaru asks not liking this.
"Wonder how she would react if she ever found out? I mean think of it this way. If you brought her into your relationship, she could be with both Mega Man and Yukana. Since she and Yukana are close, it might work out for you. Plus, that Ranko girl would get off your back." Omega Xis said as Hikaru blushed at the idea of Yukana and Ranko as his girlfriends. The three of them sat together before they both leaned in for a kiss.
"S-Shut up!" Hikaru snaps grabbing his head and snapping out.
"This is what I've been telling you. Sticking to one person causes problems. But if you expand your relationship the problem goes away." Omega Xis points out.
"Ugh! I cannot catch a freaking break!" Hikaru whines not needing this.
Between dealing with FMians trying to hunt Omega Xis down and Ranko trying to break Hikaru and Yukana up, Hikaru was struggling in both parts of his life.