Mitsuki Koyama sat, as she did everyday. There were silent tears pouring down her cheeks as she stared at the grave of the one she had lost so soon in her life. The roses in the lovely antique vase she had bought just for him were from the flower shop where she was employed. She started to pull off petals; one for each thing he would never experience.
One for their baby, who was growing inside her. You could just barely tell she was expecting. The only physical evidence of her pregnancy was her only slightly rounded belly. She wasn't ready to take this on alone, but she had to. So far she had been doing her best and everything seemed fine.
Two, her graduation from college.
The petals kept falling until none remained, leaving twenty bare stems and an aura of loneliness. Suddenly, a sharp gust of wing passed over the cemetery and the petals were blown up and around in a whirling storm of red, pink and white.
"Excuse me?" Mitsuki felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around.
There stood a man in a black suit, top hat and dress shoes. He was the very air of importance. He had blonde hair and golden brown eyes. He was carrying a compact briefcase and looked as if he had somewhere important to be.
Mitsuki stood and wiped her eyes. The wind whipped her hair all over the place.
"I'm sorry," she said," Am I in your way?"
The man shook his head at the girl. She knew she must have looked a mess, with her plain grey sweatpants and her hair half in a ponytail.
He smile slightly and Mitsuki caught a glimpse of nice white teeth before the smile faded. He had a rather nice smile, though it seemed a little mechanical, as thought he didn't smile often. The wind whistled harshly through the tree tops.
"Not at all ma'am," He said, "My name is Izumi Lio." He placed a bouquet of various flowers onto of Eichi's grave.
Mitsuki tilted her head, and she stared at the flowers for a few seconds. Never before had she seen anyone other than her at this grave, besides when she had brought her friend Meroko, the florist's daughter. She thought for a second and remembered that a couple of times she had seen flowers on the grave that weren't her standard white, red and pink roses. It had confused her at the time but now she understood.
"Did you..." She paused," Know Eichi?"
Izumi looked at her amusedly. Mitsuki failed to see any humor in the situation.
"Nah, I'm just randomly putting these flowers here." Mitsuki frowned slightly and he checked himself. "Sorry, yes. We were pretty good friends." The frown disappeared.
This man, with his obviously expensive suit and apparently organized briefcase knew Eichi? It was not so hard to believe, seeing as Eichi was quite rich, having inherited millions from his late father and then multiplying those millions by using the greatly honed buisness instinct his father had instilled in him. He had started his own publishing buisness at the age of twelve.
"Really?"
Izumi nodded slowly. He looked around at the beautiful trees that decorated the cemetery. He could feel goosebumps begin to pop up all over his arms. It really was chilly out there. He cleared his throat.
"May I ask how you knew him?" He hadn't meant to sound rude, but it had just slipped out. "I mean..." He smiled apologetically. "Sorry..."
Mitsuki smiled. What an awkward conversation. How, in the long relationship she had had with Eichi, had she never managed to meet his best friend? The shock of how little she actually knew her lost love had a stunning impact. She felt herself sag against the gravestone.
"No, that's okay," she whispered, working up the strength to walk slowly and sit on a bench that was adjacent to the grave. " I am Mitsuki Koyama. Me and Eichi were engaged."
Izumi looked at her in surprise. She smiled at him with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"He didn't tell anyone. He was going to tell everybody on my birthday, but..." Izumi noticed her lip quiver and could tell she was about to cry. " He died..."
Izumi put a hand on her shoulder. The poor girl. She couldn't be more than twenty. Well, not like he was much older...
"I'm sorry..." He whispered sadly. Not knowing what else to say he just put his arm around her and stood there with her. It felt awkward to be holding his dead bestfreind's fiance, but he knew it couldn't be helped. This girl was so obviously sick with sadness. She looked like she could hardly even stand.
"No, no." She said looking up at him with slightly watery eyes." It's my fault... I'm just to damn emotional... Fricken hormones..."
Izumi chuckled quietly. No matter if she was so sad, she could still be amused. That was a good thing. He found himself smiling softly down at this little creature nestled in his arm.
"That's alright." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. " C'mon... I believe it is going to rain... I'll give you a ride."
"Oh, no," Mitsuki shook her head," That's alright..." Izumi smiled at her yet again. He began to pull her by the elbow through the cemetary. Her blue eyes stared up at him in question and he just shook his head. Her blonde hair shone brilliantly, even in the gloom of the almost rainy afternoon. He couldn't help think how purely beautiful she was and, even though he felt a little guilty for noticing, he knew he would have had to be blind not to notice it.
" I insist."
Mitsuki sighed and smiled at him. He actually was quite good looking. His eyes were beautiful and his hair was shiny. Mitsuki inwardly scolded herself. She shouldn't be thinking like that. She barely even knew him. Though, he was Eichi's friend and obviously his confidant. At the moment she was finding herself between a rock and a hard place. She was reluctant to take a ride from a complete stranger, but she knew if she got caught in the rain when she was in this state of exhaustion she would catch a cold. Maybe even pneumonia.
"Okay then." Izumi smiled and led her towards his car. Mitsuki stared. There was a chauffeured limosine waiting for them. She looked up at Izumi with a confused expression. He opened the door and gestured for her to get in. She got in and sidled across the seat to the other side so he could get in as well. She was careful to not to get mud on the seats. Izumi got in beside her. He seemed slightly in a rush.
"I wonder why," she thought nestling herself comfortably into the black leather upolstering.
"Takuto."
The driver turned around. He had a calm passive look about him. His tipped hat gave him an air of boyishness. He smirked slightly, in a cat like manner, raising his hat for Mitsuki's benefit and she felt herself blush. He glanced calmly over to Izumi.
"Yes Master Izumi?" He said amusedly.
Izumi looked at Mitsuki and noticed her pink cheeks. He shook his head slowly. What kind of moron was Takuto to flirt with this young woman? He looked out the window.
"Take this lady to her house." Takuto rolled his eyes and grinned at Mitsuki.
"Where is it she lives Master?"
Izumi grunted as if this was something he went through often and wasn't quite sure he liked. He glanced at Mitsuki. His face held a look of puppy like lazyness. He smiled with his eyes half closed.
"Where is it you live, my dear?"
Mitsuki looked at him straight in the eye. My dear? She smiled. Izumi leaned back in his seat and pulled out a pack of Canadian Classic's.
"147 Tori street," She looked ahead. "Please, Mr. Takuto."
Takuto looked at her through the rear view mirror. He had a look of mild surprise at being called Mister. That hardly ever happened. And then there was her address. Tori street? Izumi sat foreward slightly, mildly surprised as well.
" Tori street? I woulda thought you would've been from the high end of town." Mitsuki frowned slightly and Takuto hastened to explain. ":No insult to you or your home was meant, m' lady." He smiled. "I just meant that you had the look of a princess was all."
Mitsuki blushed once more.
"Thank you Mr. Takuto."
Izumi watched this scenario quietly.
"Takuto," He said, only half amused, "I suggest that you keep your mind on the road."
Takuto rolled his eyes and smiled again. That Takuto could be so very blatantly foreward.
"Yessir." He started driving.