Reunion

Taichi was watching the soon-to-be groom and soon-to-be bride from the bar at the reception, remembering some 'funny' events that lead to this spectacular moment. It all started when Taichi was still in London, he entered his flat while inspecting the letters that were delivered, bills, bills, letter from school, letter from Hyoro, and what's this?. Taichi eyed at the last letter suspiciously, looking for the sender's address, it was from Kyoto, Japan.

"Who would send me such an elegantly designed letter from Kyoto?" he thought. Few moments letter, he opened the letter, and didn't know it was actually Pandora's box. The letter is an invitation to Arata and Shinobu's engagement party which will happen in a few weeks.

"Arata? Shinobu? Engagement? What about Chi…" as much as he wanted to overthink things, his phone anticlimactically rang, reading the message, it was an ultimatum from his mom.

"Dear son,

Your two month vacation here in Japan has been settled. We already contacted your school, and your plane ticket has been booked.

See you soon!

P.S.: If you refuse to go home again this time, your dad and I wouldn't mind having a trip in London to get you.

Love, mom."

"Oh shit!" Taichi can only say.

Fast forward to the time when he already arrived to Japan the first thing he did was to track down one of the letter's sender and soon-to-be-groom, Wataya Arata. It might have been a tear-jerking moment if only Taichi greeted the groom with an over-due-hug from a precious childhood friend, instead of punching him in the face the moment he saw him.

Arata didn't know how to react. He was really happy that Taichi visited him after such a long time, at the same his punch really did hurt. What a way to greet a childhood friend you didn't see in years! But definitely he wasn't angry. Subconsciously he expected this kind of reaction. After all there is only one person who can trigger the very rational Mashima Taichi to react irrationally.

"I told you to take care of Chihaya! I left so that you can be happy with your relationship! And yet, you sent me a letter inviting me attend your engagement party with another woman!" Taichi exclaimed.

That's right. Both of them confessed to Chihaya, and the one that got the "yes" that they wanted was Arata. Of course things had been awkward among them after that. Yet being the kind considerate friend he is, he accepted the offer to study medicine in London saying that "It's one of the best medicine schools in the world, why would I pass the chance to study there especially if I can do it?", though his closest friends knew that it was only a façade to give way for Arata and Chihaya.

"Taichi…" he heard Arata's voice for the very first time ever since he left. He didn't usually feel this way but for this particular moment, hearing Arata's voice calmed him down. "We tried… I tried… Two years? No… Right after you left, everything that I and Chihaya thought we had for each other started crumbling. For two years, we acted like we so in love but actually; we never saw each other more than friends," Arata confessed.

For a few minutes, Taichi just stood there reflecting on what Arata just said while Arata dreadfully thought of ways how to conceal his swelling cheek, particularly the fact that Taichi was the one who punched him from his protective soon-to-be wife.

"She's doing fine, right?" Taichi broke of the silence.

"Yeah. Why don't you visit her at Mizusawa, to see it yourself?" Arata replied.

"No need. It's enough for me to hear that she's fine," Taichi handed over a paper bag containing some souvenirs from London.

"You love her right? Shinobu-chan…" Taichi asked.

"She can be troublesome at times, but definitely she's worth it," Arata honestly replied with that goofy smile on his face.

"That's good to hear," Taichi responded. Emotions swelled on his chest – happiness and pride for his friend. "I'm sorry for punching you. Ja," then briskly walked away.

"You'll be attending my engagement party?! You better have the courage to face Chihaya by then! And don't you dare not to attend my engagement party or else you'll have the worse luck you ever experienced in your whole life!" Arata shouted at his friend. Taichi just raised his hand without looking at Arata and continued on his way. Ever since Chihaya rejected him, Taichi tried his best to avoid her to the extent that he left the country without telling her personally.

While on his way home, Taichi finally had the chance to overthink of things, shall he attend Arata's wedding or not? If he did attend, what would he do if he met Chihaya? Is he going to act as if nothing happened, go with the flow, or apologize? What if Chihaya has met someone else? What if she already has a family on her own? What if the Chihaya he'll meet has already become a stranger? What if she already loathed him to her very core? What if… and the list goes on, and on, and on.

When he arrived home, his mother greeted him. "How was your trip? Did the future groom and bride asked for any request from you?" his mom interrogated. As far as he knew, his mom didn't know that he'll be attending any wedding throughout his vacation in Japan. He peeked over his mom's shoulder and saw on the coffee table, a letter with the same design as the one he received in London as if screaming "You can't escape your fate!"

Now here he was at the reception, taking a break from the spotlight. Ever since people noticed that it was him, THE handsome rich brilliant Mashima Taichi, everyone seemed to be taking their time to swarm around him. He can't really blame them, because ever since he arrived in London, he rarely had a chance to keep in touch with anyone except for his family. Though it was tiring, he was also glad that people surrounded him, aside from catching up from what he had missed ever since he studied in London, the crowd around them created a barrier between Chihaya and Taichi restricting any direct contact between them.

He suddenly felt appreciation and gratitude towards Hyoro. Even though he seldom replies to him, his letters still arrive regularly like a magazine subscription. His letters mostly consist of topics about himself like how he finally made it to Class A, or how he's working his way to also become a high school teacher, or how his relationship with Yukari is going; yet he never failed to add details about how the others were doing, which really helped Taichi keep up with all the things people were telling him. Also, Hyoro never mentioned Chihaya, maybe his own way of being a good friend to Taichi.

Patching up what people were talking about; it seems that Chihaya seems to have fulfilled her dream. Ever since she stole the Queen title from Shinobu it has been bouncing back and forth between them. Also, with Miyauchi-sensei's recommendation, Mizusawa High School took her in as their assistant teacher and Karuta Club advisor. Aside from that, she also started her modeling career, taking a particular interest in karuta-related projects, of course.

When circumstances allow it, he would secretly glance towards Chihaya's direction and gaze at her enough for the people he's speaking with not to notice. In terms of physique, she had always been a goddess in his eyes ever since they were children, no matter how boyish or crazy she acted. She already had that beautiful face and gorgeous legs when they were in high school, but seeing her after such a long time, made her look more tantalizing than ever, especially now that her dress emphasized those desirable curves that seemed to have developed while he was away.

Studying her facial expressions made him worry. There were times they were familiar like those images of that were etched in his mind and yet, there were also times that seems that she's faking her smile or laugh. Since when did she learn to mask her emotions? What's making her fake her smiles and laughs? These thoughts ran through Taichi's head. Then a sudden realization materialized. Among the people in this this hall, including Arata, nobody gets as concerned as me when it comes to the implications and details of her movements because I still love her with every fiber of my being. Yet he kept his distance, far from the fire that once burned him to his very core.

Thoughts and images of her plagued his mind even after drowning himself with a bottle of wine hoping that the thoughts would stop and let him sleep peacefully but sadly it didn't. He stupidly laughed at himself for acting like a hopelessly heart-broken romantic again. The last time he drunk himself to sleep was during his first few weeks in London, the thoughts just kept haunting his mind, how alone he was, how far away he is, the heavy pressure rested on his shoulders, the cultural adjustment, and so on. But he was able to recover himself thinking that his mother didn't raise him up to live his life as a hopelessly heart-broken romantic, since then, he worked himself to sleep.

When the bottle of wine didn't bring him to sleep, he went down to the hotel's pub hoping that another bottle or several shots would do the work. But to his surprise the last vacant spot in bar was beside a sleeping woman whose figure and hair were very familiar.

"Miss, you can't just sleep here," the bartender said, trying to wake person up, hoping to be spared from the trouble of taking care an asleep drunk costumer. Upon seeing Taichi took the seat beside the sleeping woman, his composure changed. "Good evening sir! What are you having tonight?" the bartender replied.

"Dry Martini please," Taichi replied looking forward on tasting his drink.

Just in time, as if universe was playing him, the moment he swallowed the last drop of his last ordered drink, a familiar voice called his name. Turning towards the direction where he heard it, a pair of arms encircled his neck; arms belonged to none other than the woman sleeping beside him, Ayase Chihaya.

Finally, having the time to process everything that happened in the hour or two, from meeting the drunk Ayase Chihaya at the pub of the hotel to the finding ways to send her home safely to choosing the very last option because her phone's battery died the moment he touched it and the train station is already closed, to let her sleep in his room in the hotel to this very moment, overthinking while supposed to be enjoying his hot bath.

The places where she touched while hugging him earlier still tingled. A very familiar scenario he recalls. She used to hug him every now and then when they were in high school but knowing her, it's just a friendly innocent gesture, nothing more. But the way she hugged him earlier, it didn't feel like her usual friendly hug, there was something more to it, or maybe his brilliant brain is making a fool out of himself.

Deciding to call it a day, he got out of the tub, dried himself and looked forward to sleeping in the couch. As much as he wished that things were that simple, the universe is currently on bitch mode as of this moment. The moment he stepped out of the bath, a sober Chihaya was already there waiting for him.

"Taichi…" Chihaya called out holding on the sleeve of his bath robe. If there's a skill that he might consider as a curse, it's this ability, the ability to know the meaning behind of Ayase Chihaya's simple gesture.

"Why don't you freshen up first, then we'll talk," Taichi replied while handing her a towel. Chihaya took the towel with her and entered he bath room silently, leaving Taichi alone.

Sighing, Taichi sat on the bed. Ever since the bullying he did to Arata when they were kids, Taichi promised to himself not to act like a coward ever again, yet here he is acting like one.

"It's just a talk... with a friend. There's nothing to be afraid of. There's nothing to be afraid of. Besides, you survived those nerve-wrecking presentations in London with flying colors, there's no way you won't survive this one, right?" he convinced himself.

He found a notebook lying on the bedside as if calling him, Taichi curiously reached it understandingly read its contents hoping to get to know more of its owner.

After taking a bath, Chihaya saw Taichi sitting on the bed reading her journal. Ever since becoming a teacher in Japanese Literature, writing poems has been a hobby of hers. Witnessing Taichi reading her journal made her embarrassed at first, but then seeing his face, as if absorbing every word she has written made feel a little proud of herself. Would he figure out the meaning behind those poems? Would he find them, interesting? Beautiful? Terrible?

Then there was his beautiful form that could rival those Greek statues displayed in museums. For a few moments, she just adored him from where she was standing. She admired his brown hair that seems to be all over the place as always, his long fingers that seem to reach out whatever he wants, and his handsome face that could easily get a girl's attention yet only sought for her attention.

"Were they a lot better than the one I made during that summer break?" Chihaya asked as she sat down beside Taichi.

"Yeah. They were a lot better. As if it's not you who wro…" Before Taichi could finish what he was about to say, Chihaya claimed his lips and gave him a very affectionate kiss. When they broke of, that's the only time Chihaya realized what she had done.

"I'm sorry… I… I shouldn't have done that…" Chihaya apologized.

"Is that what you really wanted to say?" Taichi asked her, firmly holding her wrist while looking her in the eyes as if he could he right through her soul. Of course, he has that brilliant mind, there's no way that he won't figure things it out. The poems she wrote on her journal is about him, how much an idiot she was for hurting him, how she missed him, how much she sought for another chance just to see him again and how much she loved him. Kanade might be the one who introduced to her how beautiful poetry can be, but it was Taichi who made her feel their meaning.

"I… I'm sorry Taichi…" tears were forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry for all the torment you have to experience because of me. When you went to London, little by little I realized everything, how much I love you, and how much pain and suffering I deserve for hurting you so much,

Before, I thought that, if ever there will come a time that I won't be able to play Karuta anymore my life would probably lose its meaning. So, when I finally achieved my dreams of becoming a Karuta coach and obtained the title "Queen", of course everyone felt happy for me. I also thought that I was happy, but every time it comes to my mind that you are somewhere far away that I can't seem to get a hold of you, everything I do seems to feel empty. It felt like half of my soul was taken away from me.

After knowing my feelings for you, there was never a day in life that I prayed for your happiness and well-being, even if it means that you'll be spending the rest of your life with another person. Now that I see have you again in my arms, is it okay for me to be selfish and let me love you?" Chihaya poured her heart out, enough to make Taichi cry from so much love and emotion he received from her.

"If you're okay with a coward and over-thinker like me, my heart is yours, after all, it has been with you for more than half of our lives," he replied, giving her another intimate kiss on the lips. When they got used to their lips, they both untied each other's bath robes and explored each other's bodies, and later on made so much love.

Chihaya was the first one to wake up after their love making. She felt happy and truly contented seeing him right next to him when she woke up but also she remembered how much of a tease he was last night. Taking her revenge, Chihaya, kept on kissing him hard around his neck, knowing that it was something he can't resist.

"Being such a tease early in the morning, are you implying that I didn't satisfy you last night?" Taichi said after waking up, moaning from Chihaya's kisses.

Chihaya blushed from what he said, and tried to counter him. "I'm just getting my revenge from you being such a tease last night!"

"What tease? I'm just satisfying you," Taichi replied, taking his turn to kiss her hard on the neck enough to leave a hickey.

"What on earth did you just do Taichi?!" and they spent the rest of the morning in bed, either bickering at each other or cuddling.

When they checked out of the hotel, they weren't the only one who were checking out too, also Arata and Shinobu. It was Shinobu who first noticed them, when she was about to call them out, Arata stopped her, saying that let the other couple be and he'll deal with them later.

When Taichi arrived at his house, his mother was already there as if waiting for him.

"Welcome home son. It seems that you enjoyed the trip a lot," his mother greeted him.

"Yeah. It was really fun," Taichi managed to reply.

"Oh yeah. Ayase-san called earlier. She wants to thank you for bringing their daughter home, and also told me a very interesting news," Taichi can feel some sort of aura coming out from his mother.

"Don't get me wrong… I know that you like Chihaya ever since you were kids, and I'm really happy that you managed to reconcile while you attended your friend's engagement party, especially now that you look more alive than I ever saw you. But here's one thing I want to be clear between the two of us, you better graduate from medical school and have a stable job before you turn me into a grandmother, do you understand Mashima Taichi?"

"Yes mother…" Taichi replied while clinging for his life.

Later that night, he received a text from Arata together with two photos.

"Thank you for attending our engagement party!" The first photo was a cute picture of Arata and Shinobu. The second one made Taichi feel embarrassed. It was stolen picture of him and Chihaya while checking out of the hotel, lovey-dovey and mushy, but what embarrassed him the most was that, Chihaya's hickey was very evident.

P.S.: I know you love her, but please, let us have our wedding first.

Love, Arata and Shinobu.

A.N.: Waaaahhhhh~ So far the longest one-shot I've wrote... Team Taichi all the way, but I can feel that the author would match Chihaya with Arata~ Stay strong TAICHIHAYA shippers!

Don't forget to read and review! Constructive criticisms are absolutely welcome! Enjoy especially those naughty parts! HAHAHAHAHA

If you wish for more I might add another chapter. =)