Not like that

Summary: I have a girlfriend – but we're talking about my best friend, right? Our relationship? No, no, just close friends since childhood. She's going on a date? No, I have a girlfriend. That's not the question? I know what the question was; I'm not avoiding the topic, I'm just saying that I have a girlfriend.

The 'You' does not refer to the reader.

Originally, this was in third person, then I switched to first person and it ended up in second person.

COMPLETE.

*unbeta'd* (I'll beta read later)

You're only hearing half of the conversation of your group of friends at the table with your girlfriend leaning against your shoulder, having a good time. She's laughing heartily and joins in on the word game everyone (but you, because you're just not up for it) is playing and having a jovial time doing so. They're all laughing and yelling at each other and you're wondering how everyone hasn't been kicked out of the diner yet. You sigh and just drag your cup around the table.

"Why isn't Miku here yet?" You cringe at the question and you feel eyes prickling at you for the answer. They think of you as something akin to her keeper, someone to keep track of your loose cannon of a best friend and you feel the pressure bubble beneath your skin. Your girlfriend jerks you with her elbow, insisting you answer and you feel her jealousy flare in the depths of her eyes. She's fixing her bow and then plays with the pearl necklace you bought her on the day of your six month anniversary (whatever the heck that is) and you feel that she's not enjoying the prolonged answer.

Your first thought is, 'I don't know', but then you retract it because another comes to mind, 'She's probably with her new boyfriend', and it kills you on the inside. You don't want to know why and you don't want anyone else finding out so you just drink your cup of coffee as nonchalant as possible before answering with your initial thought. Someone stops you, thankfully and unthankfully; with words that stopped your heart and made you somewhat choke.

"She told me she was going on a date with some guy we met during a basketball game, so…" They all lean in, for some reason, and your girlfriend backs off for a bit. You have no idea what's going on in your head because you're too busy restraining yourself from beating the crap out of the guy who didn't stop Miku – your best friend, remember that – from meeting such a despicable creature. "What do you think about that, Len?" They're grinning like idiots and you're starting to lose your self-control, but you remember to play it cool.

"I have a girlfriend," you answer and realize that you didn't play it cool.

They're all silent and you give a quick glance at your girlfriend and can sense how out of place your comment was. You're not an idiot, you know what the question was and what it meant, and you just chose to sound like a moron for reasons beyond your comprehension. And yet, another one of your friends repeat the question, repeating it slowly so you could understand what the other was really asking. You refrain from growling at the guy – you're not an idiot, you just chose to state that you have a girlfriend to make them all feel bad.

Besides, she likes being stated that she's yours and that she has a boyfriend (just so she could flaunt it to her friends). You're not bothered by it, but, wow, how could you not be? You shove it in the back of your mind and just think of another way to play it, but instead, you screw up with your words once more. Of course you would, because you're a flipping moron who doesn't know when to shut up and think.

"…But we're talking about my best friend, right? Our relationship?" You sound like a ditzy teenager now instead of a guy who chose to play it cool around the others. "Just close friends since childhood." They're giving you a look, the type of look that makes you double take what the heck you just said and wish you could rewind the scenario. It's smart if you just stop talking and calmly think about the next set of words, but you don't – you're already screwing up, might as well go all the way with it.

You see, at the corner of your eye, the confused look of your girlfriend, how she's taking another fiddle with her pearl necklace. She's unsure of what you're trying to say and starts playing with the white ribbon you graciously bought for her on your first date. It made her look cute and it was the only thing you weren't embarrassed to buy when you were pushed into an accessory store by your best friend. Although, she was pretty embarrassed to walk in and find how many things caught her eye (because she's such a tomboy after all). Both of you weren't sure on what to buy and were much too prideful (and embarrassed) to ask any of the lady employees that were eyeing you and giggling after you shot a glance at their direction.

Everyone else didn't feel the time press against your heart as much as you did and you wished that their attention spans were short so that they could switch to a new topic. However, you had to say something or be forced to suffer from their insufferable theories of what might be happening on your best friend's date and how she might be going with it. You don't wanna hear it, but it's either that or admit how you feel about her spending intimate time with a guy who's two years older than the both of you and totally out of your league (…if you were a chick, but you're not, you're totally straight).

The clock's ticking away and you take another quick sip of you coffee. It's getting colder and so is your girlfriend's stare. "She's going on a date? No, I have a girlfriend." How much more words of wisdom are you going to spew today? You don't even know.

"Yes, we know you have a girlfriend," Rin states, frustrated. She's not pleased; your girlfriend (major emphasis there) isn't pleased at all.

You pause and feel like she's mentally preparing a lecture after the two of you are alone. The guys are watching the scene and you're left thinking, 'How do I fix this?' and you're hoping that you find a way or else you'll be even more screwed. Even though she may appear innocent and delicate, she's never afraid to show the devilish side to the sweet girl act. Time is prickling at you and you're not sure what nonsense you're going to spill from your lips, but your thought process is jumbled and your impulsiveness just takes control.

"That's not the question?" you laugh smoothly and take another drink, disliking the lukewarm taste of the coffee. You wish you took part of their word game earlier so you wouldn't be forced under such a terrible interrogation. "I know what the question was; I'm not avoiding the topic," you say that more to yourself than to the others, wishing it was true. Then you continue, waving your hand in the air. "I'm just saying I have a girlfriend. I just like to flaunt it, y'know?" you state and feel her lean against your shoulder, and her nails dig into your arm. She's not letting anyone see it to save her good girl act, and you restrain a flinch.

Oh great, now you two were going to have a talk.

"A-Anyway…" Stuttering wasn't helping the cause of your slip-ups and neither was your girlfriend. "It's fine- I'm fine- Miku can date whoever she wants," you finally say, but it's hesitant and the others could hear it too, especially your girlfriend. She stands up abruptly and grabs her purse – another gift you gave her – and sling it on her shoulder. You're about to question where she's going until she makes eye contact with Gumi, the go to girl in the group of friends you made after you start dating Rin (and one of the few Miku socializes with) and you shut your mouth. Gumi sends a questioning glance at you, but you have no idea on how to respond, so she parts from her boyfriend's secure arm and slides out of the booth with ease.

Your girlfriend snaps her fingers at the boys in her way and they slide out, smart enough to avoid a girl's wrath and wait for her and Gumi to blend in with the other costumers and into the girl's room. You then check out how the others are looking at you and you sink into your seat, feeling the cushion sinking down with you. How much can you screw up in the matter of five minutes anyway? Well, you suppose that doesn't matter since you already lived through such an experience. They all murmur mixed comments of comfort or 'good luck with Rin, you know how she gets'.

Then someone jumps from their seat and you take a look at him, he's pointing frantically at the window and everyone turns to find your best friend waving at them with the college guy you met only a few days ago. Anger boils inside of you and you feel the urge to shatter the window and pull their interlocked hands apart – but you calm down by turning around and ignoring her happy waving. By the time you see everyone settling down, you hear the bell chime and your heart drops into your stomach. She flies through the door with her boyfriend in tow and your heart is dreading every second the pair is nearing your booth.

Don't you wish that you were sitting in a corner? Now you're stuck between several people and unable to escape. You can jump, but that would be too suspicious and suddenly wanting to leave or going ahead to confront Rin, your girlfriend (emphasis, emphasis!) would only bring your best friend to interrogate you (and you don't want that). So, you try to play it cool by mentally yelling that you need to smile already and finish the remains of your cold coffee.

She's coming closer and your body is trembling. You don't like her as a girl; she's like your little brother, that's it. That's what she's supposed to be seen as in your point of view from the first day the two of you became friends to the day you both die (even though that's pretty extreme…). There's a smile on her face and her hair is tied up with the black and purple ribbons, it's actually tied neatly and her hair is properly brushed with a curl here and there. Her mom must've done her hair and has most likely had a field day with it since her little Miku never had an interest with appearance before.

"This is Kiyoteru!" she introduces happily, while bringing him forward with her strength. He's easily pulled in and gives a polite, 'Nice to meet you all' to everyone as they introduce themselves. You're sinking in your seat, feeling outmatched and ignored. She doesn't even greet you the way she usually does (she tackles you into a hug with a headlock and ruffles your hair, even if your girlfriend is around) and you know that she's just blinded by the guy beside her. Well why not? He's not bad looking (much to your chagrin) and he's nothing short of a perfect gentleman with how he's conversing with everyone.

You wish you could just push your way out of the booth and take her into your arms, but you fight the thought. Where are these crazy fantasies coming from? You were never like this before! Now you feel as though she's moving on without you even though you always had an interest in girls while she just wanted to kick her soccer ball under the sun or shoot hoops in the rain. In the present time, you're possibly going to get the cold shoulder treatment from your girlfriend while your best friend is probably making out (oh no, no mental images please) with the guy beside her.

Everyone's lips are moving, but you can't seem to process a piece of what they're saying and you're freaking out.

"So, Miku." You catch, obviously interested. "How far did you get?" You slam your hands on the table at such a vulgar question and feel their eyes stab you with suspicious eyes. Oh…

Miku clears her throat, bringing the attention back to her (you know she did it to save you, she always does that) and winds a few strands around her finger. How feminine of her to do that. "That's disgusting," she spat truthfully and left the guy at a loss for words at how masculine her words came out to be. The Kiyoteru guy chuckles in amusement and checks his clock and you analyze this. Doesn't he seem to be professional-like? Whatever. "You guys have other couples to bother, like Len and Rin!" she comments and it stabs you – painfully stabs you – at the center of your heart when she says it so proudly.

"Those two? Well," there's a growing interest looming the air and you do not like it at all. "Len got in trouble with Rin, so he's not going anywhere today."

"Or for the rest of the week."

You wanna punch their faces to the ground (hating that their words are accurate), but hear your best friend laugh. You know how beautiful it sounds, but right now it's completely captivating and calm down. She knows how to tame you, how to handle you, and how you tend to do something idiotic (if she were here earlier, she would've stopped you from doing any of your slip-ups, and then you remember that it's because of her that you slipped up). She's still curling her hair around her finger while everyone's joking about your misfortune and you just sink down into the cushion.

"Miku, we have to go." She looks disappointed, but nods anyway and hooks her arm around his – much to your displeasure. She waves everyone good-bye and you notice that she's wearing an actual skirt and tank top with a denim jacket. Since when did she start wearing such flirty clothes without him suggesting her to?

Before anyone could utter a word, your girlfriend returns and you know that it's time for the talk. Before your best friend leaves, the two most important girls in your life cross paths (well not as important as your mom, of course) and one of them isn't in the mood for a third party to get involved. You're already skating on thin ice with the girl who lets you make out with her and in an uncertain dance with the girl who's making you feel conflicted with her sudden interest in the male population. Is this a feeling of brother-like protection or the latent feelings you held for her in your continuous friendship throughout the long run?

Either way, your thoughts are smashed apart when your girlfriend (the need to emphasize this is stuck in your throat) is beckoning you and brushes past your best friend (this too is stuck in your throat) without mumbling an apology. Gumi is watching the scene with a scowl on her face and shoots you an annoyed look as you stumble out of the booth and you agree with her – you'd get annoyed if someone was so unsure. She's actually seething with antagonistic feelings towards you (she's usually on the girl's side. No wait, scratch that, always on the girl's side) and you have no idea what kinds of things were said in the girl's room while you were being tormented by the sight of your best friend with another guy.

Your best friend just gives a low whistle as your girlfriend storms out of the diner. "Good luck with that, Len, her feminine charms might be dispelled from you for a while," she joked and you find yourself rolling your eyes. The guys merely laugh and the college guy beside her sighs at her underlying dirt. He urges for them to leave and she nods while letting you go on ahead first. "Go on, Prince Screw Up, your Princess is probably down the block."

You stare at her for what seems like the longest time and then you get it and reluctantly trudge towards the door. Your hands are trembling and your feet are shuffling against the tiled floors of the diner. "He's not good enough for you," you manage to say and sprint out of the place before you could think of anyone hearing you.

Despite the speed you took off in, you managed to hear her squeak, "Len!" and it chills you to the bone. You didn't want to hear her voice at such a tone or pitch when she's talking to you. It sounded too feminine, too much like a girl, nothing like a sister or a friend you merely see as just a friend. Your view of her is changing and you don't like it one bit. By the time you find your girlfriend with her arms crossed and her lips in the form of a stubborn pout, you're out of breath and panting. She's waiting for you to explain and you're waiting for your brain to process any sort of plausible explanation.

"So, Len, who's your actual girlfriend?" she asks while walking towards you with her boots stepping on the ground. You lift up your head to stare at the sky and the first thing you see is – no surprise here – no one (oh wait…that's really confusing…). "It should be me, right? That is what you kept saying at the diner to the guys." Her usually innocent voice is spilling with sarcastic tone and lots and lots of bite that you feel it eating at your conscience. She really likes to rub salt in the wound and you just take it because you learned how to deal with her when she got like this while dating her. Sadly, she's not going to back down at all until she gets her way.

"Y-You are," you say, but she notices the hesitation and removes her pearl necklace.

"Make up your damn mind!" she scolds and throws it at you. What was going on? You've known her to be irrational, but also know that once she makes up her mind, there's no use in changing it. You catch the necklace, look down at it in your hands and then back up at her to find her removing the childish ribbon and shove it in your chest. "Just don't bother me anymore."

"Rin," you start, stronger than usual. You don't want to lose her, she's important to you. She's your girlfriend – not Miku.

"Shut it, Len, you know that this wasn't going to last long anyway," she snaps back and you feel offended. This was actually the longest relationship you've had with a girl. You earnestly believed that Rin would really stay beside you throughout high school (especially after the fallout with Miki when you found that she was more interested in your best friend than you) and couldn't believe what you were hearing. What really hurt was the fact that her declarations that she loved you while the two of you were in her room getting heavy started to replay in your head.

So they were all lies, huh? What a waste of time.

She doesn't even look apologetic and then whips out her phone. "I'm not gonna be you fall back girl when all you've done is ogle over that best friend of yours. Please," she spat and rolled her eyes while dialing something on her phone. You wince, not knowing that you've done that at all while you've been together with Rin – it's been almost a year since the two of you have been together and you were actually planning out the anniversary date. "It's been obvious to everyone."

"Obvious?" you parrot like an idiot. "What do you mean by that? You know I've always liked you," you inform, boiling with frustration while shoving her ex-belongings into your pocket. She scoffs and you're getting irritated with her.

"Just go, you're embarrassing yourself," she states and you're itching to throw a punch, but she's a girl and you're father (and best friend) disciplined you to be nice to the female population. However, she's getting so infuriating, you're about ready to break every rule you know.

"Just tell me why you're suddenly breaking up with me!" you yell and you can sense that you're making a scene. No one needs to tell you, because you're too emotionally distraught to care. Besides, maybe you wanted this to become a scene and make sure that you hold onto Rin and not fall into your disgusting desires of claiming your best friend and converting her into your girlfriend. She seems bothered, but you take this opportune moment of weakness and gather more air in your lungs. "What did I do wrong? Y'know, other than doing everything you wanted me to!"

Rin is speechless and you want to keep attacking, make her guilty for making a rash decision in your relationship. Before you can a car parks right behind her and there appears a guy and you're baffled. You've seen him around, he's been really close to Rin, and now you get it. All the pieces finally fit and you start laughing at how foolish you've been. She looks scared and then you rip the ribbon from your pocket and tie it around her wrist. It's silent between the two of you and the guy doesn't make a sound (good, he's smart).

"Playing me for a fool all along, eh?" you chuckle darkly and then finish tying the ribbon into a puffy bow. "Just keep it, y'know, as a goodbye present."

Then you take a step back and rake your hand through your hair. How much more can a guy take in a day?

"I-I'll leave you two, then," you mutter, feeling your voice crack. Why? You couldn't have seriously…no…actually, you were serious with Rin…she just wasn't serious about you. As you're about to break, someone tackles right into you and pulls you into a headlock. Your eyes snap wide and you discover your best friend ruffling your hair and holding you rather intimately after the headlock. She looks winded and you can feel her heart race from beyond her chest and you listen to it calmly. Maybe it'll calm you down, or maybe it'll just bash some sense into your thick skull.

"Sucks for you," she blurts out roughly and sticks out her tongue after she releases you and latches to your arm. Your ex-girlfriend is flustered and is obviously offended by the way your best friend is talking to her (as usual, she was never fond of the other girl). "Losing your chance on such a guy, but eh, oh well." Then she pulls down her lower eye lid and sticks out her tongue in such a childish matter that it almost makes you laugh. Even though you shouldn't since your heart was stomped on with stiletto-heeled boots. "Now go, wicked witch of the west! Leave and be gone!"

Rin's face is painted a scarlet and you glance between the two girls. Instead of letting out another catty remark in retaliation, she turns away from the two of you and whips open the car door, steps in and slams it shut. The guy at the driver's seat jumps, but he knows what to do and drives off onto the street. It's quiet and then Miku bursts out laughing and tugs at her ribbons. You notice that they got messed up during her run to you and her clothes are somewhat disheveled. The guy isn't anywhere to be seen and you find this a nice development.

Maybe this was a good chance to say something. Not about the sudden change of heart you had during the time span of a few days – no nothing like that because it'd be awkward and you just broke up with your girlfriend. She lets go of your arm and takes the ribbons off and her hair falls down and brushes against the back of her knees. She looks really beautiful and you catch yourself staring and heat up. This wasn't the time to think of her in such a light, and definitely not now since she'd figure you'd be too choked up after ending another bad relationship.

"You should probably go," you tell her, thinking about the guy she left behind for some reason. "H-He might be waiting…"

"Eh…" she mumbles and you watch her attempt to tie her hair up in a single ponytail. She's horrible at it and you find yourself smiling at her lame technique. "My best friend told me he wasn't good enough, I don't know why he's telling me to go to him now. It's quite a perplexing problem." You look at her in surprise and then ease up when she lets her hair drop once more and pockets the ribbons. "As punishment for messing up my outfit, you're going to fix my hair when we get to my house."

"…You're on a date." You feel so stupid for bringing that up again and she just shrugs. How boyish of her, yet you feel somewhat attracted.

"I guess I cancelled it when I ran off. Sheesh, it's like you need saving all the time."

This sparks an idea in your head and you let your impulsive nature take control. "So you were worried about me even though you were in the midst of catching an unsuspecting guy to be your boyfriend?" She's taken aback and looks ready to rumble with your words. With a smirk, she leans in forward, looking up at you (you've grown taller than her since high school started) and places her hands on her hips, trying to look tough.

"That guy isn't my boyfriend, he's my dad's friend's son and I was playing babysitter for him," she explained and punched your cheek. Wait, what? Your thoughts are in a fray and you're wondering why you didn't think of that in the first place. "He called it a date because that's what my dad told him to call it when we hung out. Also-" she tugged harder on your cheek and you were getting overpowered by the pull. "When a girl calls you to ask how you are, you're supposed to pick up. Sheesh, Kiyoteru was worried that he might've done something to upset you!"

You wanted to apologize, but she snapped your cheek back in place and grabbed the collar of your shirt. Your sudden thought was that she might (hopefully will) pull you down at her level and smash her lips on yours, but on the other hand, this wasn't some sort of romance story so that wasn't going to happen. Maybe she'll surprise you, since, she's been doing that today with her appearing outside of the diner and wearing such a cute outfit and coming to your rescue (although the last one isn't a worthwhile thing to say). Then she does a one-eighty once more and starts forcing you to follow her.

"You're gonna explain your mood swings to Kiyoteru or else he'll worry about troubling you," she orders and you look at her in what feels like surprise, but it washes away and you grasp her hand. She loosens her hold and decides to grab hold of your hand instead. You like the feel of her hand more than usual and you squeeze it tight, not wanting to let go. She's rambling about the nonsense you've been pulling for the past couple of days and you just nod and hum every time she wants a response. "You're such a load of trouble, Len, seriously."

She rolled her eyes, you can just tell because you guys are so painfully close. In the heat of the moment, you bring up her hand (after closing the small distance between the two of you) and murmur in a daze, "I like you." You don't even catch it until you stop and she does. You're waiting to hear her response, but she continues to walk, after slipping out of your weakened grasp and then stops. She crosses her arms and taps her foot, and then she looks down and untangles her arms.

"I know," she tells, after craning her head a bit to see you from the corner of her eye. She sticks out her tongue playfully and you feel somewhat annoyed. "You're so obvious." Then she high tails it out of there and you chase after her, angry that she played with you.

"Come back here!" you growl in anguish. So she made you feel conflicted all this time? Was she worse than Rin who strung you along while she was flirting some other guy without you knowing? Woman are so-

"If you're gonna be my boyfriend, you gotta learn how to catch me!" Miku explains and you stop in place, ignoring everyone pass you by as you see Miku's smiling face look back at you and you're dumbstruck, flabbergasted, shocked at what she said. She's waving her arm at you, beckoning you to hurry and then resumes running back to Kiyoteru while you feel a grin on your face and run after her. You just broke up with your long time girlfriend and somehow spill the feelings towards your best friend…and then somehow hooked up with her.

However…

You're panting heavily at the run and find your best friend (or is it girlfriend now?) latched on the arm of Kiyoteru. He looks somewhat amused and apologetic to you and you raise a brow, wondering why he's like that. Your best friend (or is girlfriend? You gotta make up your mind here) isn't pleased with what she saw the moment you appeared five feet before them. "Stupid Len, so slow, now we're not going out," she informs and you're dumbstruck once more. "You gotta work on running."

You start to riot against her comment, but she stops you with a wink and attractive grin.

"I told you the rules; you gotta catch me if you wanna date me." Then she tugs at Kiyoteru arms after leaving you speechless. "C'mon, the movie's probably started now, we might miss SONiKa and Big Al's newest movie!" she urges and Kiyoteru is nodding his head. Now that you look at him, he's akin to an older brother to her and it puts you at ease. She finally gets them to move and you're merely watching, trying to digest the rush of development in your head (why did this happen so fast anyway?) and then you see her taking another look back at you.

You stare right at her and she winks at you once more.

"Try to catch me when I get back to my house." It fills you up with motivation and you nod with a grin.

You were definitely going to improve your running before that movie ends.

Okay so VictimOfDoubt commented that this was a two-timer fic (not forthright or anything, but she did comment on that) and I didn't notice at all. I just saw it as a dilemma of either taking a chance at risking a long time friendship or taking it to the next level...but then you have a girlfriend (Len's case in the story). Also, yeah... I know you wanted her (Rin) to have a happy epilogue and I did say that it was most likely going to happen...but...it sorta didn't go in my favor.

Rin wasn't originally going to be such a frustrating character, but from the phone conversation in the last chapter, the road was somewhat paved to go down this path. Who was the guy and what relationship did Rin have with him? I'll let you, the reader, think of it cause I'm not writing anything more into that. He could be a friend who had hidden feelings for Rin (like how Len did for Miku) or the second boyfriend she had tucked away from Len's eyes, whatever, I didn't want to delve into that matter (Len's just jumping to a conclusion, thinking that the guy is the reason for his and Rin's sudden break up).

Yeah Miku has noticed that Len likes her (she just wanted him to realize it on his own) and what about her feelings to him?Well...I think it's pretty clear.

Do they end up together in the end? I'll let you guys decide.

Rushed? Yeah, most definitely, that's why I gave it an ending like this. I don't like rushed relationships, especially if you get into a relationship after you broke up with someone. Keep in mind that Len and Rin have been together for almost a year in this story, I can't have Len suddenly hook up with Miku. Also, Miku knows this, so that's why she made up the rules.

Also, it's almost three in the morning (as I type this) and I have school, but if I slept before completing this chapter then I would've forgotten about it.

Eh...oh...yeah in this entire two shot, this is the most I've ever used italics. It's really weird.

~Ventus