Dedicated to all Kashino x Ichigo lovers in the world! Rating: K+ Language: English

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Pretend

Reunions are really fun. You get to see the people you used to see everyday, reminded that you barely even see them anymore; exceptions include spouses and best friends. Today was our reunion. My husband and I are hosting it in our mansion. Not to brag or anything, but we have gotten rich. I owe it all to our very, very successful sweets store with branches all over Japan and even overseas. Thankfully the graduates are allowed to bring their families, so no babysitters needed. I saw Hanabusa-kun entertaining the kids with some of the tales of the old days. My five-year-old daughter Yani was playing with the other kids. All our sweets spirits were huddled in the corner talking and having fun.

Lots of things have happened like Rumi-san getting a sweet spirit in high school and Hanabusa and her dating. I wonder how Rumi keeps him in line… When we asked Hanabusa about it a few years ago, he said 'My first love is already taken. I love Rumi with all my heart!' They're married now. The Heiress found somebody else (thankfully). They have a one-year-old son. Pres. Tennouji and Henri-sensei got married. (I have gotten over my obsession thank you very much) I got married too. Andou got married to a girl named Fujisaki Nadeshiko. She's absolutely beautiful and her family owns a Japanese dancing school.

"Hey." I turned to the voice and I found exactly who I was expecting.

"Kashino Makoto? I haven't seen you in a while. How's life?" Kashino looked even better than before. He's also way taller than me. I heard he became a famous patisserie. Whoever married him must be very lucky.

"Great. Wife and kids are awesome too."

"Oh, you got marrired? Well, where is she?"

"Ichigo, you were at our wedding."

"Oh, right. So where is she now?"

"She's sick at home. So, I know you got married too. Where's the lucky—or should I say unlucky—guy?" He looked so hot right now; while sipping some wine. He smirked. Ah, damn! He caught me gaping.

"Away on a business trip." I managed to answer without stuttering.

"Do you have any kids?"

"Yeah; I have a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old daughter. How about you?"

"Same. Maybe they'll be friends one day."

"I hope so. So, do you still have that really loud voice you used to shout at me with?"

"You know I do."

"Very funny." At that moment, when he smirked, I swear I fell in love with him again. He was the only one I could love really. He was 'the one'. I smiled at him, the pained and forced type of smile.

"Hey Ichigo, are you happy?" The question took me by surprise.

"Well, yeah. I've got a good husband and kids. I live in this house and I can make sweets everyday. Yep, I'm pretty happy. How about you?"

"Yep, me too but my wife… she's not you. She's not you." He walked away after that leaving me with a mind full of questions.

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I tried avoiding Kashino after that. Multiple times I caught him staring at me with a little smirk playing on his lips. Sometimes he would be the one who catches me staring at him. I stayed with Rumi and Kana-chan the whole night. It was past midnight and all the kids were tired. I offered to let them stay in a spare room in sleeping bags like a sleepover. All the parents agreed. I just finished setting up the bags and called the dads or moms to bring their children up. I also got my precious Yani and tucked her in with the other kids. I saw Kashino bring his son, Daichi, up.

I walked into the garden with the intention of getting some air but instead, I ended up looking into the fountain. "Yo."

"Hi again."

"So…"

"Hm?"

"Can we stop this now?"

"What are you talking about?" My sentence led to an answer of finality; we will not stop this, at least not yet.

Kashino sighed and sat on the perfectly trimmed grass. He took of his jacket and stared at me. "Aren't you cold?" I asked him.

"Make me warm." He reached out to me; I guess I could do it just this once. I took his hand and sat down in between is legs with my back leaning on his chest.

"Hey Kashino?"

"Hm?"

"If you did propose to me, how would you do it?" I could feel him stiffen just a little bit before relaxing once again and answering my question.

"Well, I'd ask you out to dinner and we'd go to a high class restaurant. After dinner I'd disappear into the kitchen and come out with a strawberry-chocolate cake just for you. One a chocolate plate would be the words 'Marry Me?' You would sit there for sometime before running to the kitchen. An hour later you come back out with a cake of your own and a chocolate plate with the words 'Of Course! :)'"

"Very imaginative you are." I laughed a little. I felt so nice and warm with him. Another question suddenly intrigued me.

"Hey Kashino?"

"What is it this time?" Even though he sounded irritated I could feel him smiling.

"What do you think would happen if we did marry each other?" He laughed the laugh I rarely ever heard.

"Well, for starters at our wedding you father would be crying more than your mother. The first time you get pregnant I nearly faint from surprise, we would open a store that becomes really successful and parents will finally accept me being a patisserie because of you. OR the night before I come home from Paris you call me and ask if we could attend our reunion acting like we were never married to each other or even worse we were married to other people." I turned to face him.

"I just wanted to see how it feels like if I wasn't married to such a great guy like you."

"But I was still pretty surprised when you asked to do that."

Silence…

"I gained something from this little game of pretend."

"And what is that?" he asked.

"I can't live without you. Just the thought if you married to somebody else, having someone else's children and looking really hot in a reunion but knowing I couldn't have you. It hurts."

"I feel the same way."

"You know, everyone thought you end up being forced to marry the Heiress."

"WHAT?"

"I'm serious everybody thought that would happen."

"And who am I married to now?"

"Me." I laughed. It felt good, being here with the love of my life, under stars. I leaned back on his chest, enjoying his company.

"Hey, remember the times we spent before you went to Paris?" I asked him. I might as well tell him the news now.

"Yeah…" he seemed skeptical.

"I'm pregnant with your third child, idiot!"

And then he fainted, again. I sighed. Some things will never change.

Fin…