The Way I Love You

Summary: When working at a food vendor in a Japanese supermarket, Jino Ryosuke falls in love with Angelina Nakamura. Two years later, he decides to confess. Oneshot. Wrote this with nothing else to do in study hall.

I do own this, and I ask you politely not to steal it.

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He was Jino Ryosuke. Jino, the guy who skated but wasn’t skater, had longish hair but wasn’t sought out by girls, had abs but not a six-pack. He worked in a restaurant stall or vendor called Metsuwa; Sushi and Other. Jino had a couple of friends, Chinen, Jake, Stacy. And…he had a crush on the same girl for two years. Angelina Nakamura.

Jino mindlessly circled a blond lady’s order on a prepared stack of post its and passed it back to the kitchen, where it would be made.

“That’ll be 6.95,” he said, watching her but not really seeing her.

The lady withdrew a five and two one dollar bills and dropped them on the counter. Jino opened the register with a cha-ching! and gave her a nickel back. Beside him, his coworker Carrie handed her a slip of paper bearing the number 42 on it. Blonde lady returned to her table, waiting for the food to be done.

Jino’s eyes drifted to the busier vendor in front of him, where Angelina worked. Angelina. Hell, he shouldn’t have much right to think of her using her first name—he’d only talked to her maybe once a week. He watched as she smiled, happily passing a bowl of udon noodles to a black haired Chinese lady. Hell. He’d waited for…forever, trying to pluck up the courage to ask her out, knowing she might already have a boyfriend. But today was the day. Today was the day he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Carrie took another order, number 43 and expertly tossed it back to the chef and taking the man’s money in the same movement.

Jino knew that today, she would take her lunch break and buy plum ice cream, maybe sit down with a book.

His co-worker spoke into a mini microphone all vendors had, “Number 42 please, number 42!!”

The same blonde woman came up, and thanking Carrie, walked away with a steaming bowl of teriyaki chicken and rice.

Now! He could see her heading towards an empty table in front of her mini restaurant. She left a book there, Twilight, and went to buy her plum ice cream. He’d had some of that before—surprisingly good. Angelina stood in a rather long line, brushing strands of hair out of her face.

“Number 43, number 43 please!” Carrie spoke into the microphone again.

Hurriedly, he announced he was going to take his lunch break to Carrie, who shrugged.

Jino forced himself to walk calmly towards Angelina. When he got close enough, she looked up from her book—he noticed she was halfway through—and smiled. He took that as an ok to go closer and slid into the seat opposite.

“Hello, Jino isn’t it?” she asked with a small smile, putting the book down.

“Yeah. You’re Angelina,” he stated with a bit of a question for her benefit.

She nodded.

“So how’s school?” he asked, mentally kicking herself. Stupid! Who wants to be reminded of school?!

She shrugged. “Alright.”

She was in a few of his classes, top of all, while he stuck around in the Top Ten.

They made small talk, until he finally asked, “D’you have a boyfriend? Or…even a girlfriend?” he teased.

Angelina laughed lightly. “No girlfriend I’m afraid, but a boyfriend.”

No. No. NO!! His heart was sinking, sinking fast.

“In fact, here he comes now!” Jino glanced up and saw the guy, just another average looking person. Another average person whom he hated for taking Angelina away from him.

He stood up abruptly. “Uh, sorry but I think Carrie needs me. See you around,” he numbly left her table and went back to his vendor. When he faced the register, Jino saw her greet the guy with a hug and a kiss, and whisper something in his ear.

She had a boyfriend. It was their last year of high school—he would never find her after college. Angelina, his Angelina would never be accessible.

He’d waited too long.

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How was that? Bit of drabble really. I’d love it if you reviewed! First story of this kind.