Dawn got up from the futon, and she pulled on her fluffy black coat. She hated being home alone all day, too... She stepped out of the apartment building, breathing soft, thin clouds. She shoved her hands in her pockets, to keep them from freezing. She kept her head bowed down, to avoid harrassment about her scar on her eyebrow. She all of a sudden bumped into a man a good head taller than herself. He had a gorgeous pair of olive green eyes, a seemingly perma-tanned complexion, and a smooth looking auburn ponytail. Dawn's face as red as a beet.
"I-I'm sorry, sir...", she mumbled in Japanese, and scurried off.

As Dawn darted between people in the crowds, she couldn't get the image of the man out of her head... Those eyes of his were hypnotic... She shook off the thought, feeling her face grow red again. She turned the corner, and walked into her favorite manga shop.

"Hello, Dawn!" Dawn froze immediately. Her former stalker had found her. He darted across the shop, and tried to hug her, but she gently pushed him away.

"What have I told you about physical contact, Johnny?..." She slightly growled. Johnny backed away.

"Sorry. Anyway, I picked up a manga you might like!" He grinned, and handed her a manga book with a ninja w/ a bl00dy sword on the front. Dawn smiled, flattered by the thought. Johnny was a sweet guy, but he had gotten way too close. She took the book and read the volume number. Issue number 1. Johnny smiled.
"It's a new series. Premiered this month." Dawn grinned even more. A new series to keep up with.
"Thanks, Johnny. I'm sure it's good. I have to get back home now. See ya."

Dawn stepped outside and put her new manga in her huge coat pocket. She decided she'd read it while on the roof of her apartment building. She entered the lobby, and she saw the man again. He noticed her too, and gave a little wave. She blushed, smiled, and waved back. She assumed he lived there. She got on the elevator to the top floor, and then got off. She went to the end of the hall, passing all the unoccupied apartments. She opened a door at the end of the hall, and started up the stairs on the other side. She reached the top, and lifted the heavy steel door, and climbed up on the roof. She sat down next to the heating vent to keep warm, and closed her eyes.. Finally. Absolute peace... No quirky OCD, no ugly pop outfits, and pure warmth around herself. She reached into her pocket for the manga book, but... IT WAS MISSING?! She panicked and searched the entire roof, until it slid across the rooftop from behind her, and bumped into her heel. She sighed with relief and turned around.

She gasped when she saw who was behind her. He was clad in a black ninja outfit, with leather and metal wrist gaunlets, a headpice that reminded Dawn of a dragon, and kunais were in loopholes on his thighs. Dawn's face became as red as a rose.

"R-R-RYU HAYABUSA!?" She felt like she would faint... Her knees grew wobbly, and she picked up the book nervously.
"Yes..." Oh, man... Dawn's face turned redder. His voice is so s3xy! She had only seen him on the news a few times, and he refused to speak to the reporters. Her hand flew up to her eyebrow, attempting to hide the scar.

He walked up to her, and moved her hand to his own.

"There's no need to be embarrassed by a scar..." He looked into her eyes understandingly. Dawn looked away... If she blushed anymore, she would have a nosebleed!... She looked down at their hands. Ryu's fingers were intertwined with her own.. Her hands were tiny compared to his.

"You're very beautiful, Dawn.." He pushed a loose lock of her hair behind her ear. Her face still got redder.
"H-H-How do you-" Ryu cut Dawn off.
"I noticed you months ago up here... How you were all alone, reading.." He squeezed her hand gently. Dawn fluttered her eyelashes and widened her eyes in disbelief. "He noticed me, out of ALL the girls in Tokyo?..." Dawn thought to herself.

Dawn was flattered. Ryu smiled behind his mask and laughed.
He leaned into closer to her.
"This is the 3rd time I've seen you today... Was that a friend of yours in the manga shop?" Dawn stopped blushing at the thought of Johnny.

"You... could say that... And what do you mean, THIRD time?..." Ryu peeled off his mask, revealing his auburn ponytail. Dawn gasped. Ryu was the gorgeous man from earlier?!

"O-O-Oh..." Her blush was coming back...

He gently lifted her chin up, and smiled. But before he could go any further than that, Dawn's friends, Sonny and Dusk, burst through the roof door. Sonny got sight of Ryu, and jumped up and down, squealing.

"EEEEEEEE! DAWN HAS A BOYFRIEEND!" Dawn stiffened up at the word 'boyfriend'. Sonny knew very well that she was single, and tried to get her a boyfriend AT LEAST once a month. Daw turned beet red and spun around to face Sonny.

"H-H-HE'S NOT MY-" All of a sudden, she was silenced by Ryu. His soft lips met hers for a split-second, and he slipped a piece of paper in her coat pocket before dissappearing in a minty smelling cloud of smoke and oak leaves. Dawn sighed.

"Nice going, Sonny... You ran the only man I ever was even remotely interested in off..." She stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out the paper. It was a note. It read:

'Dawn:
Meet me back up on the roof @ 10 'o clock tonight.'

It was signed with a stamp of an oak leave at the bottom. Dawn smiled. -Fin-

Author's Note: PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT ON THIS PAINTING. I DO NOT WANT MY STORY DELETED. Tell me you liked it on a future/previous painting of mine. Thank you.