Disclaimer-Go ahead! Sue me! You can have my…quarter.

A/N-In this story, Akira and Aya are dating. Aya did not go to the competition but stayed with Nachan. Nachan broke down and Aya got her to the hospital. Yoshino on the competition, but Aya won it the next year, thus getting herself into COOL. Akira has met Yoshino and Nachan.

Too Much To Ask

Aya stumbled onto the floor outside the stage, breathless. Another COOL performance finished successfully.

"They love you, Aya!" Tetsuya said, hugging her. "Just listen to them!"

"Thanks, Tetsuya-chan," Aya said, her ears filling with the applause. "Where's Akira-kun?"

"He got off on the other side. Look, there he is."

Aya glanced around Tetsuya and saw her boyfriend approach. "Akira-kun, I'm visiting Nachan. It's her last therapy session and we want to celebrate. Come with?"

"Can't." Akira picked up the cigarettes he always left, without fail, on the coffee table.

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

Aya pouted. "That's the lamest excuse. That's not even an excuse. Explain to me why."

"Aya, I…" Akira started angrily.

"I'll go with you," Tetsuya offered, before another infamous Aya/Akira fight broke out.

"I'll go, too," Okada said, picking up the bag of chips he left on the coffee table next to Akira's cigarettes and opening them.

"You just want to go because Nachan's cute," Tetsuya fired at him, purposely trying to distract Aya.

Okada laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Got me there."

"Okada-chan, you loser!" Aya said, turning her back on Akira.

Okada laughed, which was not exactly a pleasant sight because of the mashed Sour Cream and Onion chips in his mouth.

"Well, I'm going to get dressed," Aya said. She glanced back at Akira. "Last call to go with me."

"No, thank you," Akira said shortly.

"Fine, then. Be a jerk." Aya whirled around. "Get dressed, you guys. We're going."

It's the first time I ever felt this lonely

Wish someone would cure this pain

It's funny when you think it's gonna work out

'Till you chose weed over me; you're so lame

"Aya?"

"What?"

Tetsuya was driving. Aya was in the front passenger seat, and Okada was in the back.

"Is everything okay with you and Akira?"

"We're fine. Just peachy. He never wants to spend any time with me and all he ever does is smoke, smoke, smoke, but we're fine! Perfectly okay!"

"Jeez, Aya, don't burst a vein," Okada said.

"I'm sorry. But lately, it's like he goes out of his way to blow me off. He never picks up the phone. I know he has Caller ID, so there's no excuse that he doesn't know it's me. He barely even talks to me anymore, except to fight. God, I could just slap him! Who does he think he is?!"

Thought you were cool until the point

Up until the point you didn't call me when you said you would

Finally figured out you're all the same

Always coming up with some kind of story

"We've all seen you two fighting more often than you used to," Tetsuya said.

"Man, you two are FIERCE!" Okada commented.

"Okada, shut up," Aya snapped.

"Rarr, ftt, ftt," Okada said, imitating a cat, moving his hand as if claws were bared.

"Don't get upset, Aya," Tetsuya said.

"How can I not?! He's smoking up all our time and blowing off every effort I make to improve our relationship. God! Just…God! I need music."

She reached over and turned up the volume, blasting "Crystalballer" by Third Eye Blind.

Okada started singing. "Macramé queens in the afternoon…something something something something too soon…punch drunk off of somebody's joke…"

Tetsuya laughed, and Aya did, too, but her mind didn't stray off the Akira problem.

Every time I try to make you smile

You're always feeling sorry for yourself

Every time I try to make you laugh

You can't; you're too tough

You think you're loveless

Is that too much that I'm asking for?

Aya walked into her apartment, kicking off her shoes and hanging up her keys. Nachan was so happy that she was done with her therapy, and right before Christmas, too. It made Aya glad that her friend was getting over her jealousy issues.

She went into the kitchen. Her answering machine was flashing. She pressed the button.

"You have two new messages. First message."

"Come on, Akira," she muttered. "Call me."

"Hi, Aya-chan!" a bouncy voice said. It was not Akira, but her mother. "Listen, baby, I'm just calling in to ask you to come to Christmas dinner with me. Bring your friends, too, especially that Tetsuya. Kisses!"

BEEP "Second message."

"Hey, Aya. It's Akira. Listen, I want you to come to my house sometime tonight. I've got something to tell you. Bye."

BEEP. "End of messages. Low battery." CLICK

"That's IT?! I've been trying to talk to him for weeks and that's all I get for my pains?! Like Hell I'll come! Selfish pig!"

Thought you'd come around when I ignored you

So I thought you'd have the decency to change

But, babe, I guess you didn't take that warning

'Cause I'm not about to look at your face again

Can't you see that you lie to yourself?

You can't see the world through a mirror

"Aya, why didn't you come?"

Aya looked up from where she was tying her ballet shoe. Akira was standing over her, a lit cigarette in his hand, looking furious.

"After all these weeks of unsuccessfully trying to get you to talk to me, you think I'll just run to you at the snap of your fingers?" She stood up. "Don't think so, Akira. I'm due on stage."

He grabbed her arm. "Listen, Aya. You HAVE to come over, soon. There's something I must tell you."

"So tell me now."

"Now's not good. Come over tonight, okay?"

She glared at him, but relaxed into an affectionate scowl. Maybe he'd finally taken the hint. "Fine. 8 okay?"

"That's good."

She opened her mouth to say more, but he walked away.

It won't be too late when the smoke clears

'Cause I, I am still here

But every time I try to make you smile

You always go on feeling sorry for yourself

Every time I try to make you laugh

You stand like a stone

Alone in your zone

Is that too much that I'm asking for?

Aya fished in her pockets for the keys to Akira's apartment. He had given her his key a few months back.

It was 7: 30. She'd decided to surprise him by coming early. Besides, she was too fidgety to sit at home for another half-hour.

She put the key in the door and turned the lock. She pushed the door open.

"Is she coming?"

Aya stopped in her tracks, the door half-open. That sounded like…Yoshino? What was she doing here? She and Akira barely knew each other! Sure, she had introduced them two months ago, but that was it.

"In a half hour. It's time for her to know the truth. It's not fair to her to keep her in the dark."

"I agree. She should know about us."

Aya's heart stopped. She felt the blood drain from her face. Akira and Yoshino…no, it couldn't be! Her boyfriend and her rival…this was not real. This happened in novels, not in real life.

She stepped inside and shut the door.

Suddenly she was angry, burning angry, killing angry. So this was why he had put her off. He had been cheating on her with Yoshino.

She found herself throwing open the kitchen door, in time to see Yoshino pull away from Akira's kiss.

"Aya!" Yoshino yelped.

"I heard the whole thing," Aya said, and death was in her eyes. "You…you disgusting waste of human beings. I can't believe you, Akira. I threw myself into dancing just so I can join COOL, and here you are, cheating on me with, with THAT!"

"Don't talk about Yoshino that way," Akira said, standing up.

"I'll talk about her any way I want. I knew she was low, but not like this. Well, you know what? Take her. With my blessing. I deserve better than this." She threw her key at Akira. "Give that to her. Unless she already has one."

"Aya…" Yoshino said, approaching.

Yoshino reared back as Aya slapped her.

"You will call me "Fuji" and nothing else. Both of you will. I want any familiarity between us severed."

"Aya, don't you dare…" Akira started.

"Stay away from me!" Aya slapped him, too. "You pig! You made me believe you loved me…" She was crying. "You made me believe you loved me…"

She shoved him away, turned on her heel, and ran for the front door.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Can't find where I am, lying here

Alone in fear

Afraid of the dark

No one to claim

Alone again

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Can't you see that you lie to yourself?

You can't see the world through a mirror

It won't be too late when the smoke clears

'Cause I, I am still here

Every time I try to make you smile

You're always feeling sorry for yourself

Every time I try to make you laugh

You can't; you're too tough

You think you're loveless

It was too much that I asked him for

I HATE Akira and Yoshino, so I think they'd be perfect for each other. Unless the considerably reform by the time the next volume comes out, expect lots of Akira and Yoshino-bashing from me.