The Break-Up

Ichigo took a deep breath to steady herself. Strangely enough, she found she did not truly need it. Her maturity had grown so much from when she had been when she had first been smitten with Masaya. Ichigo smiled. She at least owed it to him to be friendly.

"Masaya... I think we should break up. I'm really sorry, but I just don't feel the same anymore."

There was one very shocked boy standing in front of Ichigo at that moment. It took him a minute to regain his usual blatantly content composure, but he managed to form a small smile as well.

"I apologize, Ichigo, I misheard you. I thought you had suggested that we break up."

"I did. And I apologize as well."

She reached into her pocket and fished out the choker necklace that had always looked too much like a collar. Ichigo hadn't worn it for weeks, but he had never even noticed. He rarely noticed the details in her life. It wasn't surprising that he hadn't seen this coming. She gently took his hand and dropped the red ribbon and bell into it.

"Wha...what? I thought we were in love! I thought that there was something special between us, never to be lost. How do you explain all the amazing moments that we have had together, if not with love?"

Ichigo took a step towards the distressed boy and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. This was so strange... she didn't even feel a sense of loss. All she could perceive at the moment was the impression that a weight had been lifted from her. She bounced back from Aoyama-kun with a light step.

"Well, I would call it infatuation."

And with that, Ichigo turned and walked away with all the dignity of a satisfied cat.