Don't Disappear On Me

Working Title

Prologueg

"Okay Ryou, you're done for the day. Go get some rest."

Seventeen-year-old Ryou Misaki looked up from where he was stocking the shelves, "Thanks, Inoue-san," he replied wiping the sweat from his brow. As he entered the employee locker room, he took off his mandatory apron and stuffs it in the locker, taking out his gear and his cell.

Upon grabbing his cell, he noticed he had a missed call and he called back the number. He didn't wait long for the owner of the number to answer.

~About time you answered your phone,~ griped the owner of the number, his voice sounding oddly familiar, ~What kind of student are you to miss your master's phone call.~

Blinking at the phone for a minute before realization set in, "Old man, how'd you get my number? " He asked confused and annoyed.

~Ha ha ha, that Yata fellow passed it along,~ Anteras replied, ~Said he had it in case he needed you and couldn't reach you by normal means.~

'Yata you bastard,' Ryou griped in his head before shaking it, "Whatever. This obviously isn't a social call is it?"

~Not in the least, ~ Anteras answered, ~we've been trying to reach you for the last three weeks! Where have you been?~

"Would you believe I've been working," Ryou grimaced, sitting down on a small bench in the room, "Some body told my dad that I was the one who prevented the Third Network Crisis, and he threatened to make me move back home if I didn't take a break."

~Ah...I gets it now. Well...two weeks ago, Alkaid's parents got a divorced and well...her and her mom moved to our neck of the woods,~ Anteras sighed over the phone, ~She said that she couldn't get on the game for a while and wanted to tell you personally.~

'Alkaid...' Ryou mind went back to the last message he got from her, about being single-minded and not giving up on him. Ryou blushed visibly before squishing that feeling away.

"Damn...well...okay, thanks for telling me Old man," Ryou said after awhile.

~I am going to keep in contact with you, kid, so you should at least know my name. Mikihisa Ogata. Remember that,~ Mikihisa said, and Ryou could literally feel the man's cocky grin over the phone.

"Ryou Misaki. I'll talk to you later, old man."

~Later kid,~ and with that said, Mikihasa hung up.

Shrugging and sighing, Ryou threw his stuff into his backpack, and he left the grocery store.

It didn't take him long to make it to his apartment complex. He rode the elevator up to the floor where his apartment was and as soon as he stepped off, he ran into somebody.

"Oof," grunted the person as she fell to the floor. Ryou was knocked off balance for a bit before righting himself.

"Sorry," he muttered as he held his hand out for the girl.

"Its no problem," the girl said taking Ryou's hand and was pulled up, "So you live here?" she asked.

"Yeah…why do you ask?" Ryou question confused.

"Good, you can help me set up my computer," she said grabbing onto Ryou's arm and began dragging him down the hallway.

"H-hey! Wait a minute!" His shouts were unheard as the girl dragged him into her apartment.

"Help me," She said pointing to where two computers were set up, and the wires were in disarray, "Usually...my dad does these things, but hes not here."

Ryou sighed, "Fine, but you could have asked me first." Ryou shrugged off his backpack and soon was hooking the computers up, "So, you just move in?" Ryou asked, making small talk.

"Yeah, I just moved in from Sapporo a week ago," The girl answered, "The names Chika Kuramoto by the way."

Ryou stiffened when he recognized the name, but relaxed and continued working, "Ryou Misaki. I heard about you a few months back. You was in the news."

"I've been getting a lot of that lately," Chika grumbled, "So if you saw that, then you play 'The World' right?"

"Yeah, though I haven't been on in three weeks," Ryou said sighing, "My dad basically made me quit playing to relax, but all I've been doing was working."

"I see...do you live with your dad?"

"No. I live alone. My dad is a head of a large company, and is never home so I just moved into my own little apartment," Ryou answered before standing up, "I'm done."

"Sweet! Thanks," Chika replied bowing, "So...uhh...sorry bout dragging you around like that. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Uh..." Ryou sweated a bit, "Would that really be alright?"

"Of course it would, after you did a lot of work for complete strangers," a new voice said, and Ryou saw a woman who looked like Chika but older standing in the door way, "I'm Hana Kuramoto, Chika's mother."

"Ryou Misaki, Kuramoto-san," Ryou said bowing.

"Not only helpful, but polite as well," Hana said with a smile, "Not a week in Tokyo and you're bringing home nice guys."

"Mo-o-om," Chika whined blushing.

"So will you be staying for dinner, Ryou-kun?" Hana asked.

"If its okay. I have to go drop my stuff off at my own apartment first. I didn't notice it at first, but I live right across the hall from here."

"Alright," Hana replied, "Dinner will be ready at 8."

Ryou nodded before grabbing his bag. He turned to the two ladies, "It was an honor meeting you both."

Ryou bowed again before exiting the door.

"Oh my, isn't he a polite boy," Hana said with a smile, "Most definitely a keeper."

"Mo-o-om!"

Meanwhile, Ryou sighed as he entered his own apartment. He couldn't believe it. Alkaid moved right across the hall from him and he didn't even notice. Looking at the clock that hung up on the wall, he decided to take a shower first.

15 minutes later, Ryou emerged refreshed and dressed in some casual clothes; a tee and a pair of shorts. He sat down on his couch and sighed looking at the ceiling.

His mind was going a mile a minute, trying to figure out how to break his identity to Chika without getting hurt. Just when he thought of a good way to tell her, there was a knock at his door.

"Its open," Ryou answered loud enough. Entering his apartment was Chika, and she looked a bit flushed. She sat down in the chair he had and sighed.

"My mom kept teasing me about you so I needed to get away for a moment," She offered, and Ryou nodded to her reason, "So...Ryou, you said you played 'The World' right?"

"Yeah, but like I said, dad threatened me to take a break," Ryou replied sighing, "Said I needed time in the real world."

"Ah I see...so whats your PC name?" She asked.

Ryou panicked a bit, "M-my PC name?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you, I can play 'The World' again, so I want to send you my member address."

"Uhh...Chika...I think you already got my member address," Ryou said sighing. There was no escape from this. She would know, and then she will beat him senseless. He wasn't a genius to how a girl thinks, but not talking to someone for nearly two weeks and then suddenly appearing isn't really good.

"I do?" She asked confused.

"Yes. My PC name..." Ryou sighed, "Is Haseo."

Chika eyes widen, "Y-you're joking right? Tell me you're joking."

"No Alkaid, its really me Haseo, the 'Terror of Death'," Ryou replied. Chika stared at Ryou for a bit. Ryou blinked. Wasn't she going to blow up and pummel him?

"You freaking idiot! I wanted to talk to you!" Chika exclaimed before pouncing on a startled Ryou and pounding on his chest.

'I so totally called this reaction,' Ryou thought in morbid humor. Chika continued before she began to cry. Ryou began to panic, "C-Chika, whats wrong?"

"Y-you don't answer my messages for two weeks and you ask whats wrong? You baka..." She muttered into his chest, "Wasn't you the one that told me not to disappear on you again? And you turn around and do the same thing..."

"Chika..." Ryou held her as she cried. It didn't take long for her to stop and just rest her head on his chest.

"Never do that again," She said, "Never disappear on me like that, you moron."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ryou replied, "I'm right here."

The stayed like that for a few more minutes before Chika got up, "Dinner should be ready soon, but I don't want to face my mom with red eyes and a puffy face."

"Bathroom is right there," Ryou said getting what she was implying. Chika nodded and left to enter the bathroom.

Looking down on his shirt, he groaned. His clean white tee now had tear stains on it. Getting up and taking off the shirt, he walked towards his room. As he passed the bathroom, Chika peaked out and blushed as she saw the bare back of Ryou Misaki. Ryou wasn't athletically built but he did have some muscle build due to working in the grocery store.

Coming out the bathroom like she had never cried, she waited for Ryou to come out his bedroom. Two minutes later, Ryou appeared wearing a Black tee that said "Terror of Death" in red that had two claw marks behind the words. Chika gawked.

"What?" Ryou said shrugging, "If their going to make stuff with my title on it, I might as well wear it."

Chika pouted, "No fair. They didn't make one for me, Sirius, or Taihaku."

"You'd be surprised," Ryou replied dryly, "Come on, we don't want to be late. I do have a reputation to uphold."

Chika snorted, "What reputation?"

Ryou smirked as he walked towards the door, "Why, as the polite and helpful boy next door of course."

Chika blushed and growled, "Not funny Ryou."

Ryou's chuckle could be heard in the hallways.