Comparison to chocolate
A boring day passed for the Guardians as the meeting droned on and on. Yaya was absent because she had caught a cold from playing in the rain, Tadase had to go to the hospital because of his grandmother and Amu was out on a date with Ikuto, leaving a very pissed Nagihiko and Rima to do all the paper work. They had gotten past the I-hate-your-guts-so-don't-you-dare-talk-to-me-or-I'll-cut-you stage (well more like Rima did, Nagihiko never really hate her) and were now sort-of-friends, which was good or the Guardians may come back to a dead Nagihiko.
Rima was getting more and more ticked off by the second as the amount of paper work got higher and higher.
She gave up with a frustrated sigh and leaned back on the white chair, taking calming breaths to keep herself from exploding.
Nagihiko, who had too given up on the ever growing stacks of paper, looked at Rima with a small smile on his face.
Then, suddenly he turned and dug through his school bag, fishing out a box of chocolates and handed to Rima.
She looked at him skeptically as he said, "It Valentine right? It was suppose to be for everyone but they didn't come so you can have it. Try and guess which chocolate represents who," Nagihiko said as he smiled gently at her.
She frowned slightly at this, what the hell did it mean? After racking her brain for an answer she gave up and stared at the chocolates.
After deciding that they weren't poisoned, Rima picked out one that was in the shape of a strawberry and bit into it, feeling satisfied when it was a dark chocolate with a strawberry centre.
Seeing as how Rima was clueless about his earlier comment, Nagihiko tried to help her out, "Kinda like Amu-chan huh?"
"Huh?" Rima slipped out involuntarily, curiosity taking the better of her.
"Amu-chan has a very cold outer front, thus the bitter chocolate, but when you get to know her she is very sweet and nice so the strawberry cream filling," he explained patiently.
Rima tossed this around in her head for awhile before silently agreeing with him but kept a blank expression on her face as she sipped her tea before selecting her next candy.
She picked out one that was a heart shaped and covered in caramel. Her nose scrunched up from the sweetness of the caramel but slowly she relaxed as the slightly bitter milk chocolate taste settled in her tongue.
"Care to take a guess?" Nagihiko asked, amused by the funny facial expression she displayed a few moments ago.
She pondered on it for a moment before answering, "Yaya."
"Why?" he prompted.
She flashed him a look of annoyance before replying slowly, "Because when you first get to know Yaya she is overly hyper and thus the caramel. But when she wants to she can be mature, sure she'll still be childish like the milk chocolate, it sweet but had a hint of bitter chocolate, which is more mature," Rima announced proudly, smiling happily that she could figure it out.
Nagihiko blushed a little at her cute expression but not enough for her to notice. Clearing his throat, he nodded his head towards the chocolate box, signalling for her to take another one.
She scanned the box and picked out one that was in the shape of a leaf and covered in dark chocolate and nuts.
She took a bite into it and she stuck out her tongue when the bitter aroma of the chocolate filled her mouth before coffee settled in.
"Kairi," she said without hesitation.
"Good, but why?" he asked.
"The mature mix of the chocolate and coffee, shows his adult side and the nuts are the cherry on top," she said.
He smiled as she sipped her tea again before choosing the next piece of chocolate.
After a whole round of guessing and ticking off the names of all the guardians, save Nagihiko and herself, plus Ikuto and Utau, she came down to the last chocolate.
Gingerly, she picked up the peach blossom shaped chocolate and popped it into her mouth.
Her eyes widen as the taste spread through her mouth.
Creamy bitter dark chocolate was the first sensation she tasted but this time it was accompanied with a slight tang of berries. Then, the taste was over ruled and replaced by a new one. Unlike the last one which was tarty, this flavour was soft and gentle on her tongue. It took her awhile but she finally recognised the scent as rose. She closed her eyes instinctively as a small smile graced her lips, but as quickly as the flavour had came, it disappeared, leaving her craving for more. Finally, the two flavours burst into her mouth, dancing about in perfect harmony, only to disappear a second later, leaving a lingering taste.
She was utterly confused.
"Who is this suppose to be?" she asked, an eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
She was so engrossed in who the chocolate represented she failed to notice the blush that had crept into Nagihiko's cheeks as she made her cute facial expressions.
He muttered something under his breath but it was too soft for her to hear it.
"What was that?" she asked impatiently, her temper never was the best.
A dark red blush comparable to Amu's stained his cheeks as he looked her determinedly in the eyes, "It's suppose to be you."
Her expression was priceless, her jaw went slack, her eyes looked like it was ready to pop out from its sockets all while a red blush made its way onto her ivory skin.
Nagihiko would've laughed if he wasn't feeling so nervous.
'Well, it's now or never,' he thought to himself before he opened his mouth, and soon, words came tumbling out nonstop like a waterfall.
"I-I lied. The chocolates were never meant for everybody, just for you," he stuttered out before taking a deep breath to calm his raging nerves, "The last chocolate was meant to represent what you make me feel. When I first met you, you were cold to put it bluntly. But I understood it was because you were afraid of having your first and best friend taken away from you because you felt like Amu was the only one who understood you. But you need to know that there are other people who care for you, I care for you."
He stopped for awhile, looking at Rima's reaction, but when he saw it still remained the same he continued.
"I don't even know when I started caring for you but there was this part of you that made you so irresistible. You showed a soft and caring side, and I grew to love that side of you. At first I thought my liking for you was superficial because I only like one part of you," was it his imagination or did he see her face fall? "But then I started to like the snarky and sarcastic side of you to. Even though I knew it was a mask to hide the pain, it became part of you and I fell in love with that part too and I have no idea why," he chuckled, "I love how you don't hide what you think of others and how you don't just kiss up to them because their popular or rich. I love the way you smile, your real smiles mind you, the way your entire expression will just brighten up and your eyes will light up. I love the way you lose yourself when you get engrossed in a good comedy and the way you laugh when you hear something that amuses you," he paused, took a deep breath and looked her straight into the eyes.
"Rima Mashiro, I am unconditionally in love with you, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked hopefully.
Dead silence passed and Nagihiko lost all hope.
He smiled a force smile at her as he lowered his head, "Sorry, that was out of line, let's forget about it okay?"
And he turned around to leave.
"Wait!" the words came carelessly tumbling out of her mouth as she ran towards him and wrapped her small arms around him.
"I-I love you too!" she blurted out without thinking twice.
Nagihiko's eyes widen in disbelief, was his ears deceiving him? Did Rima Mashiro, the ice queen, just say she liked him, Fujisaki Nagihiko, her sworn enemy?
"I've actually liked you for a long time now, when it started I don't know but I know why I love you. You were patient with me even when I was absolutely horrid to you. And, honestly, even among all the experienced actors and actresses I've hung out with couldn't tell when I was faking tears. I love how you make the effort to notice the little details about me and care enough to remember them. I love how you understand me so much even when I don't explain myself to you. I love you for just being there," she smiled up at him.
And of course, they kissed. The kiss was short and simple but sweet all the same.
They pulled away, faces flushed. Pressing their foreheads together they giggled and signed contently.
"Happy Valentines," they whispered at the same time and giggled.