Ayumi finally spotted Ienzo not far off from her and began to walk towards him, but the girls had already gotten to her. They grabbed her arm and held her back. Ayumi tried to get free, but she couldn't. "Just leave me alone. I haven't done anything wrong." She said as she turned around to look at them. The girls laughed at her. "You're cute, but you annoyed me. You should have said excuse me when you hit me." The girl who had run into Ayumi said. "You ran into me. Now let me go." Ayumi said as she tried to pull away, but they tightened their grip on her. "Ouch! I'm sorry, now let me go." She said as she finally was released. The girls laughed at her as tears began to run down her cheeks. Ayumi glared at them for a second, but ran out of the store not wanting to be seen crying in public. Her cheeks were bright red from embarrassment.

Ienzo had seen the scene start to unfold and had tried to stop it but Ayumi was already out of the store once he got there. "What did you do to Ayumi?" He was processing the data and this caused his outward appearance to look pleased but he really wasn't. He clutched the little paper bag in his hand harder then he needed to and it threatened to tear but it didn't. His body processed the data slowly much like that of a human would in this situation. He was only now realizing something bad had happened.

Ayumi had run down the street a ways away from the store, but she stopped and looked back. She had left Ienzo in the store alone, but she couldn't bring herself to go back there, not now. She wandered over to a seat and sat down. She kept her head down as she tried to control her tears. She reached up and brushed some of the tears away and felt how hot her face was. She must have looked stupid sitting there. "Looks like I couldn't stop myself from crying. I'm sorry, Ienzo." She said softly as she rubbed her face gently trying to get rid of the heat. She hoped that Ienzo would find her soon. She didn't feel like shopping anymore, but she had to get the groceries for her Grandfather. She pulled out her shopping list and looked at the items on it.

( :P I don't like bullies and Ienzo just ran into his hate... and yayz ice cream!)
The girl who was obviously the leader smirked at him and asked if he enjoyed the show. She tried to start flirting with him and insulted Ayumi some. Ienzo just looked at her for a second before slapping her across the face. "You had that coming from the moment you started to mess with people." He sighed and walked out of the store to find Ayumi. It didn't take long and he sat next to her giving her a side hug. "Sorry for what? You're only being human." He chuckled and looked up when he heard a bell. An ice cream truck. "Do you like ice cream?" He asked. If she did he was going to get her ice cream, period.

Ayumi looked up at Ienzo and tried to smile. "I'm still sorry." She said softly as she look back down at the list. She was happy to see him there and it made her feel a little better. She was surprised to hear the bell and looked up at the ice cream truck and then to Ienzo. She nodded at him and gave him a soft smile. She did like ice cream and it seemed like it would help her calm down. She brushed away the tears that were left behind and shoved her list into her bag. She was not going to let herself ruin Ienzo first trip out.

( :D Ice Cream! Ice Cream will make it all better.)

(Of course it will! :P Yummy! I disclaim the flavor of sea salt ice cream!)
Ienzo took her to the ice cream truck and the man looked at them calling them a cute couple. Ienzo, who didn't see things like a normal person didn't care. He looked at the yummy looking flavors available and saw a blue ice cream. "Oh, that's our new flavor. It's sea salt ice cream." Beyond let his curiosity get the best of him here and he got the sea salt giving it a lick. It was tasty! He looked at the little sign on the side of the cart examining it. 'Couples get half off for valentines sale.' Now that he thought about it he had seen a calendar saying tomorrow was valentine's day. Maybe he should give Ayumi her present tomorrow in honor of tradition even if they weren't a couple.

(Haha :] )

Ayumi blushed at the man's comment. "We're not a couple." She said softly as she looked up at the flavors off ice cream. She frowned at the idea of Sea Salt ice cream it didn't sound good at all to her. She smiled at the man sweetly. "May I have a strawberry ice cream cone?" She asked. She looked over at Ienzo and smiled at him as he ate his ice cream. She thought his choice of ice cream was a bit weird, but she didn't think say anything. She looked over at the sign on the cart and saw the Valentine's flyer. That was it! She could give him his gift tomorrow. She blushed a bit at the idea of her giving him a present even though they weren't a couple, but it couldn't hurt anything. She frowned a bit and wondered if her Grandfather would need anything. She thought for a moment then shook her head. Not unless he was going to face her properly. "Thank you." She said once she got her ice cream cone. She took a lick from hit and smiled. It was delicious. "Come on. We still have to go shopping." She said as she reached out and grabbed Ienzo hand and smiled at him.

The man just smiled at her. "That's what they all say." He then went back to his business. Ienzo held the ice cream cone out to her. "Want to try some? It's salty and sweet at the same time." Ienzo started walking through the park they had stumbled into and toward the grocery store. He had noticed some of the things on her list from earlier and realized it was food. He was happy he had been created how he had because even though he didn't need food he could eat it which gave him the chance to eat the sea salt ice cream. "Are you going to spend Valentine's Day with anyone?" He asked recalling that if she was a student she would have school. Maybe he would make her breakfast or something.

Ayumi frowned at the ice cream cone, but she was curious as to what it tasted like. She shrugged her shoulders and leaned over to take a lick from it. "Oh, it's good!" She said surprised that it actually tasted good. She hadn't been expecting it to taste good. She looked up at Ienzo when he asked her if she was going to spend Valentine's Day with anyone. She shook her head slightly. "No, I hadn't planned on it." She said after she took a lick from her own ice cream cone. She really never spent her Valentine's Day with anyone. She had been asked to, but she had never accept any of the guy's offers. She thought it was meant to be spent with people that she knew not a guy who asked her out the day before. She barely knew some of the boys.

"Really? Why haven't you?" Ienzo asked curiously. He finished the first scoop of his ice cream cone and started to devour the second then eat the cone. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and threw it away in one of the trash cans the park had. "My first meal was something lots of humans apparently enjoy. I must agree with them. Ice cream is delicious." He was surprised only a little by how Ayumi never tried to figure out how he was capable of not only feeling and tasting but eating as well. Robots didn't seem as advanced 45 years ago as they were now and even now they couldn't eat or really feel. Ienzo kind of felt alone now that he thought about it.

"Well....because I don't like the boys, who ask me to spend Valentine's Day with them. Valentine's Day is meant to spend with the one you love." She said as she looked down at her ice cream. She hadn't finished that much of it and Ienzo had already finished his. She giggled at his statement and smiled up at him. "Wow, you really must have liked that...Ienzo? How did you eat that?" She asked a bit embarrassed by the question. It must have seemed like a stupid question. She began to lick her ice cream again as they walked. It was easy to forget that he was a robot and not a human. She could barely tell the difference even now. It was only when he talked that it really showed in his speech.

"As far as the data I've gathered says it is not easy to find some one to love. True love is not easily obtained." He sighed, what good was gathering data when he had no experience to tell her what he though. He wanted to tell her his thoughts on it but he had never been in love to do so. He wasn't surprised when she asked how he ate the ice cream. "Being a robot I do not need it but I was designed with a complex system that allows me to. Dr. Derona is a genius ahead of his time and in order for me to act human he believed I should be able to eat and drink." Dr. Derona had thought of everything Ienzo would need to be human. It took 3 and a half years to plan Ienzo and only 1 and a half to build him. "There is the store!" Ienzo announced.

Ayumi looked up at Ienzo and smiled softly. "Yes, it is hard to find your true love, but I won't give up. He's some where out there." She said as she squeezed his hand and smiled. She just knew that there was a boy out there for her. One that could put up with her crying and everything. "I guess Grandfather is a genius even if he is afraid to talk to his own Granddaughter." She was still upset that he had run away from her and was going to continue to run from her. She sighed and let it go. He would have to talk to her eventually. Ayumi looked up and saw the store and ran to it pulling Ienzo with her. "Let's go!" She giggled. She threw what was left of her ice cream into a garbage can and continued up to the store. She grabbed a little basket to place the items in and began to walk down the isle looking for things she needed.

Ienzo managed to smile at her before he was pulled into the store. He looked at the list and ran deep into the store coming back with a few of the items. He continued this pattern for a little while. "So what else do we need?" He asked and looked at the list. They need cream of mushroom soup. He had no idea what this was but headed to the canned goods looking for it. He returned with it and put it in the basket. "Is that all?" He asked not a bit out of it due to being a robot.

(Nummy soup)

Ayumi watched as Ienzo ran back in forth through the store fetching items. She blinked at him when he arrived with the last few items. She looked down at the list and noticed he had gotten everything. She hadn't been expecting him to finish all the shopping so easily. She laughed at him and patted his shoulder. "Yeah, that's everything Ienzo. Thanks for your help." She said as she made her way to the cashier. She placed all of the items on the counter and took out her shopping money. She paid the cashier and thanked her before she began to grab a few bags to carry home. She turned to look at Ienzo and smiled. "Would you like to help?" She asked him nicely. There were still a few more bags that she had to get. She could have carried them all, but she was guessing that Ienzo wanted to help.

(Oh~! That is nummy soup. ^^)

Ienzo took a majority of the bags to carry. "I'll carry this and you can carry that." It wasn't very heavy at all. He got the hover board in his shoes ready and looked at her. "If you can hold on and hold the groceries I can take us back." He smiled at her. Carrying all of the bags was easy and having to drive a hover board with a passenger also carrying bags wasn't that much harder. It helped that he was programmed to do these things from the beginning and didn't need to learn. "After dinner can we make a cake?" Ienzo asked very interested in this new data he had just collected.

Ayumi looked at Ienzo as he picked up a large amount of bags. She wanted to protest, but she figured it wouldn't matter if she did. He would probably tell her it was no problem and something about being a robot. She sighed, but got onto the hover board with him. "I think I can manage to hold on and carry the bags." She said as she wrapped her hands around him with the bags in her hands as well. She blinked a bit at the thought of making a cake tonight. "Of course we can." She said with a little smile. It wouldn't hurt to make a cake and maybe she could even lure her Grandfather out with the cake.

(Grandpa Bait. In stores now.)
Ienzo was delighted at her answer and started his hover board. They were back at the house soon enough and he put the board back in his shoes before going inside and putting away the groceries. He started to whistle but instead of a whistle an actual beat came out. It was the beat to some techno song and he stopped whistling when the music came from the rose on his necklace. "I like this song." He sighed in content when he finished putting up the groceries and laid down on the couch. He rested his head on the arm and closed his eyes. Since his body imitated breathing he seemed to be asleep. A normal person would be fooled.

"Grandfather! We're home!" She yelled into the house as they walked in. She set her bag on a table and began to pull pots out to prepare for dinner. "Grandfather, stop being stubborn and get out here and help me." She said a little annoyed at him for acting like a child. Ayumi was surprised to see all of the things had been put up already. "Thank you, Ienzo." She said softly as she pulled things out and set them on the counter. She was about ready to begin cooking when she wondered where Ienzo had run off to. She set down her things and looked around. She found him sleeping on the couch and she walked over to sit on the couch lightly next to him. She reach out and lightly ran her hand through his hair. She was a bit surprised to find it was extremely soft."How cute." She said as she looked down at him. She didn't think he had looked tired when they had arrived, but he must have been. Ayumi smiled down at him.

(I think I'll need to stock up on some of that. hehe )

Ienzo had a small mental war on weather or not to tell her he wasn't asleep. He decided not to for now since some data he found said she might hit him. Dr. Derona appeared at the entrance to the hallway. "I haven't been running away. I've been fixing up the old lab into a room." He was covered in dust and dirt from his effort. "You realize he doesn't just fall asleep right?" Dr. Derona asked and disappeared again to take a bath. Ienzo sighed and opened his eyes. No use hiding it. "I do not require normal sleep but I do like to rest. I am thinking of things." Everywhere he went he gathered data from nearby computers. Since many computers he was near had access to the internet he had a lot of data to sort out. He also enjoyed thinking of his day with Ayumi. It had been fun.

Ayumi looked up at him and stood up pointing at him. "Hey, I have things to talk about with you. Don't you dare leave." She said walking around the couch, but he was gone. Ayumi stopped in her tracks at his last comment. Her cheeks were again a bright red. She looked over her shoulder at Ienzo and smiled. She was so embarrassed at herself. She had thought he was asleep the whole time. "That's embarrassing.....Well, I'm to cook dinner." She said as she lowered her head in embarrassment and rushed off to the kitchen to cook. "I'm so stupid. I should have known he wasn't sleeping." She whispered to herself as she gathered up the ingredients to the meal she was preparing. She really had been fooled though. He looked so peaceful it was hard to imagine that he wasn't sleeping. Ayumi sighed a bit, but went on with her business.

Ienzo didn't get why Ayumi made such a fuss about him not being asleep. He found nothing wrong with it. He peeked his head into the kitchen and looked at her. "What are you making?" He asked curiously taking a cautious step inside the kitchen. He looked at the ingredients and searched his data for recipes that called for them. A lot popped up but he narrowed it down to a few. A strange noise was heard down stairs. Obviously Dr. Derona wasn't done with the lab.

Ayumi looked up at Ienzo and quickly went back to her work. She was still embarrassed from her stupidity earlier. She reached over to grab some of the vegetables laying out on the counter and began to chop them up. "I'm making Curry." She said as she worked on the vegetables. She also had a bowl setting out for the cake mix she was going to make. She worked silently as she hurried around the kitchen, but she stopped when she heard the noise from the floor. She raised her eyebrow slightly at it. She had half a mind to go down there and yell at him now, but she sighed and went back to her work. She felt a little odd with Ienzo there watching her. She looked over her shoulder at him and gave a light sigh. "Would you like to help?" She didn't want him to just stand there doing nothing.

Ienzo scurried into the kitchen when she asked if he wanted to help. He observed everything and noted the curry powder. He put some on his tongue and immediately regretted it. He turned off his taste censors to get rid of the horrible heat. "I don't think I'll be eating dinner with the two of you." He stated and grabbed an apron from the cupboard and putting it on. "What do I need to do?" He asked looking at everything before him. A boom was heard downstairs but Ienzo ignored it.

Ayumi was going to warn Ienzo before he ate the curry, but it was too late. She could help, but laugh at him when he said he wouldn't be eating with them. "It's not that bad once it's all prepared." She giggled at him. She smiled as she placed some of the rice out on the counter. She jumped at the noise coming from the basement. "It probably safe to say that you know how to make curry." She said as she looked at him. She was going to go yell at her stupid Grandfather. "Will you please finish this while I go take care of the noise." She began to leave the kitchen. She trusted that Ienzo wasn't going to mess anything up. "Grandfather, stop making so much noise there are other people in this house, you know." She said as she approached the door. She looked in, but didn't see him in there. She turned around to walk back to the kitchen, but she tripped on something in the room. She fell to the ground and landed on her hands roughly. "Ouch!" She yelled out. Her hands were red when she brought them up to look at them. She had tears in her eyes from the burning in her hands.