Disclaimer: Flame of Recca belong to Nobuyuki Anzai

Legend of The Ring

By: Lafine

Tokiya took a deep breath. No, shouting out to the monkey was below his station. No matter how annoying or troublesome Fuuko was, he would NOT shout. Breathe in, breathe out.

          "What did you say, Fuuko-san?"

Fuuko flinched at his cold tone. She knew it wouldn't be good, considering Tokiya used the word '-san' again. It took a lot of time and effort to make him call her name without the polite addition.

          "The ring is stuck, Mi-chan." She pulled the ring again to make it more obvious. She glanced uneasily at Tokiya who could replace the AC with his cold aura. "Are you okay?"

          "Let me try it." Tokiya paid no heed to her question and picked up her hand. He tried to pull the ring out but it didn't budge. He looked around the restaurant and he stopped when he found what he's searching. "Stand up, monkey."

Tokiya was practically dragging Fuuko to the restroom. Fuuko protested loudly, ignoring curios stare from other customers.

          "Mi-chan. That's a MAN restroom. I will NOT go in there."

          "Mikagami, what do you think you're doing with my Fuuko-sama?!" Domon hollered. Tokiya shot him with a cold glare that could freeze the Sahara.

          "Oi, oi Mikagami, relax man, it's just a ring." Recca piped out since Domon had been frozen by the glare. "It'll come out … eventually."

          "Gee, thanks for your HELP, Recca." Fuuko scowled.

Recca grinned impishly. "No prob."

Fuuko was tempted to give Recca her infamous Misawa Mitsuharu Elbow but Tokiya's grip on her wrist was tight. What's his problem? It's only a ring. Yes, she's wrong to try it without permission but it's definitely NOT her fault that the ring decided to stick on her finger.

          "Mi-chan. I'll try the soap and oil when I get home, okay. I'll return it back tomorrow without scratch. Promise." Fuuko decided that aggravating an angry Tokiya wouldn't be good for anyone. After all, he was revengeful. Who could guess what his superior brain can produce if he wanted revenge.

          "Fine." Tokiya said calmly. "Let's go now." With that, he dragged Fuuko again but this time he went to the exit door. Fuuko's loud curses were heard from the street as Tokiya who suddenly didn't care about people whispering and pointing to him dragging her. After the curses grew faint, fainter and then gone, the Hokage team backs to their meal.

          "That was …" Yanagi stopped, finding no matching word for the situation.

          "Interesting." Recca added. "Do you think we should follow them?"

          "That's not a good thing to do, Recca-kun."

          "Okay, hime." Recca saluted. He ate the last sandwich Domon didn't manage to steal before he suddenly stood up in horror. Yanagi looked at her ninja with worry.

"Is there something wrong, Recca-kun." She asked as Recca looked frantic.

"Aww crap, Mikagami and Fuuko didn't pay for their tab."

~*~*~*~*~*

In the end, Tokiya and Fuuko ended up in his apartment since his was much closer. They were in the bathroom, Fuuko's hand was put under the flowing water from the tap and Tokiya was armed with soaps.

          "Mi-chan, hand me the soap." Fuuko asked. Tokiya gave the hard soap he's holding without word. He leaned on the wall watching Fuuko produce a lather of bubbly, slippery substance with the soap. He handed the liquid soap when Fuuko asked again.

Fuuko was holding her giggle inside. She knew that there was no specific soap for guy, but she didn't know that Tokiya uses Dove and strawberry aroma hand soap. She always thought a person like Tokiya would use some antiseptic soap. And the strawberry aroma was sweet, definitely not Tokiya's image. Down his façade, pretty boy cared about his skin. She should check his cabinet maybe he uses body lotion. Fuuko couldn't hold her grin and snickered silently, not realizing Tokiya was watching her the entire time.

Tokiya found Fuuko's expressions were quite interesting to watch. When they were in the street, she had been scowling the entire way. When they arrive in his place, she was pouting and when they entered his bathroom, it turned into surprise. She had said something like how she wishes her bathroom was as large as his but he wasn't listening. And now, her expression was calm as she scrubbed her hand with the soap. There was suspicious twinkle in her eyes. Tokiya looked down to what might have make Fuuko grinned. Agh, the strawberry hand soaps.

          "It's Miyuki-san who bought the soaps." Tokiya said suddenly, breaking Fuuko from her imaginary girly Tokiya gushing about how soft his skin like the girls in advertisement.

          "Huh, what?" Fuuko turned to face Tokiya, her grin was still in her face. "Did you say something?"

          "… Nothing." Tokiya sighed. "Is the ring released yet?"

Fuuko tugged at the ring again. Her fingers were slippery but the ring cling stubbornly to her finger. She tried to twist it to the side and pulled again.

Nope, nothing happened.

          "Let me." Tokiya took Fuuko's hand and tugged at it.

Fuuko's face colored. Tokiya's hand was holding her hand and massaging it, his soft skin (it's the Dove effect) touching her soapy one felt very … weird. She self-consciously remembers that her hands weren't all smooth and soft. How can Tokiya keep his hands soft while he was the one who trained with a sword? An impatient sigh broke her out of her muse.

          "Damn ring."

          "Mi-chan." Fuuko gave a surprised gasp. "I don't know you can curse."

Tokiya gave her an annoyed look. Fuuko grinned, already mastered the Tokiya's eyes language to understand what he meant. "Nothing wrong with that. It just proves you human too."

          "Wash your hand. We'll try the oil and egg this time." Tokiya rinsed his hand and walked out the bathroom. Fuuko followed suit.

This time they went to the kitchen. Fuuko marveled on how spacious Tokiya's apartment is. Her apartment's kitchen was only half of his kitchen's size.

          "No time to wonder, monkey. Your hand." Tokiya extended his hand and captured her. Fuuko didn't know to feel pleased or amazed on how many times Tokiya held her hand. Isn't he afraid of girl's cooties?

          "Geee, Mi-chan. Don't be so impatient." Fuuko grinned. "You can touch my hand as much as you like."

Tokiya dropped the hand instantly. Fuuko couldn't help but laugh. Tokiya scowled at her.

          "Fine, do that on your own."

          "Okay, okay. Sheesh, you're worse than my cranky grandma." Fuuko massaged her hand to get the oil under the ring. Tokiya had poured a generous amount of oil to her hand earlier. She shouldn't tease him earlier. His massage felt nice after she got used to it. "What's the story behind this ring, anyway?"

Tokiya's attention snapped back to Fuuko. "What?"

          "This ring. Is it very important?"

Tokiya mulled over the choice he had. First, don't tell Fuuko anything and two just tell her the story but kept the marriage thing secret. The first one was more to his personality but he realized Fuuko would just nag and annoy him until he tells the story. So he went with choice number two.

          "It was my mother's ring." Tokiya started. What else does he need to say? "I just inherited it today."

          "Oh."

Just 'Oh' Tokiya thought. No sorry or anything for trying it without permission and get the ring stuck to her finger?

          "Mi-chan, do you have anything else to try? This thing doesn't come out no matter how hard I try." Fuuko fumed in exasperation after they fell into silence. She almost threw the oil bottle to express her irritation.

Tokiya sighed and opened his refrigerator to find some eggs. He was planning on having omelet for dinner tonight but it seems he had to change his plan. "Here, try these."

Fuuko looked appalled by the idea. "Mi-chan, you can't throw food like that." She admonished. "Imagine the poor chicken and the breeder's effort to produce those eggs."

          "Then do you have any idea, Kirisawa?" Tokiya was annoyed.

          "We can try the soap again, combined with oil this time."

          "Be my guest."

Fuuko tried that too but it was like the ring was permanently stuck to her finger. She and Tokiya had tried many other ways, other than the egg, but it was to no avail.

          "Mi-chan. Let's continue it tomorrow, okay. My hand's hurt."

Tokiya wasn't listening. He was almost in the edge of losing hope. He didn't mind the ring got stuck to Fuuko's finger like a leech but his parent's will keeps repeating in his head. 'Marry the girl if the ring fits her.'  Maybe he could cut it with Ensui, wait it's already gone, maybe a kitchen knife will do.

          "Don't even think about it, Mikagami Tokiya." Fuuko said warningly.

Or not.

          "Think about what?" He tried to look impassive as always. Fuko's eyes narrowed.

          "I know you for three years. Even if it's not as long as I know Recca, I still know how you think."

          "Like?"

          "You're thinking of cutting my finger with Ensui if the sword weren't long gone."

Damn, she does know him.

          "I weren't thinking about that." Tokiya said. Fuuko snorted as if saying 'Yeah right.' But winced when Tokiya pulled the ring again, making her finger pop.

          "Ow cut it out, Mikagami." Fuuko snatched her hand back to herself and rubbed her red hand. "My finger could get bigger and it will be harder to pull the ring out if that happens."

          "Fine." Tokiya gave up, for the day. "Wash your hand, I'm going to order takeout."

          "Takeout? You're treating me to dinner?" Fuuko stared at Tokiya in disbelief.

Tokiya gave her a look that dared her to say anything about it but Fuuko just grinned. "I want pizza, with double cheese and pepperoni."

Tokiya gave no answer and walked to his phone. He dialed it and said, "Nekohanten? I want to order two special ramen, please deliver it to Toudai apartment room 712. Yes, thank you."

He put down the phone and turned to see Fuuko jaw dropped. "But Mi-chan, I said I want pizza." Fuuko protested.

          "I'm paying so I decide."

          "Agh, you stingy, stingy person." Fuuko mock pouted.

Tokiya smirked. "And you love me for it."

End

AN: Sorry for the long update. Life's had been hectic. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. Now push the button down there and give me your comment on the story. You know you want to ^^