Ichigo opened the oven and instantly, the room was filled with a delicious scent of sweet strawberries.

It was nearly midnight, and she had decided to practice making a few sweets. They brought back so many amazing memories to her heart.

Just as she set them on the table to cool, her strawberry phone rang. The Pâtissiére slipped off her mittens and reached out for it. Who would be calling at this hour?

Curious, the brunette pressed answer. Instantly, she heard a voice that belonged to no other than Kashino.

"Hi, Ichigo!"

"Makoto!" The brunette couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend's voice. "Is something wrong?"

Kashino shook his head before remembering that Ichigo couldn't see him. "Of course not," He replied. "I just... just..." Kashino froze in place, then quickly covered up his sentence. He couldn't tell her what he was really trying to do, he just couldn't! If only he had the courage. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you..."

"Oh, Makoto!" Ichigo replied. Although he couldn't see her, Kashino could feel the brunette's face melt into a smile. "I love you too! Well, thanks for checking on me." Ichigo's cheerful reply lightened his heart. For once, Kashino was glad she did all the talking. "See you tomorrow!"

"Yep," Kashino replied. "Bye..."

As Ichigo hung up, he sighed. This was hopeless. How could he propose to Ichigo if he didn't have the courage? Whenever he opened his mouth to try, he simply ended up saying something else instead.

How would he be able to do the one thing he had longed to for so long? And would he ever?


Kashino sighed for the thousandth time that afternoon.

"What are you doing?" Chocolat's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Kashino glanced down to see the chocolate he had been tempering spilled all over the ground. Immediately, he bent down and scooped it up with a butter knife, then rinsed the butter knife off until it shone in the light once again.

What a waste. Kashino couldn't help but sigh as the dark chocolate disappeared in the sink.

"What were you thinking?" Kashino could feel Chocolat glaring at him. "I... Um..." He didn't know what to say.

Chocolat lowered her voice and her threatening glare turned into a smirk. Is it... Ichigo?"

Kashino's cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. "I... I was trying t-to..."

"...Propose to her?" She taunted.

Kashino nodded. There was a moment of silence. Then, the Sweets Spirit burst out laughing.

Kashino glared at her. "You're not helping, you know..."

Chocolat rolled her eyes. "Just do it! Nothing will ever happen if you don't."

"B-But..."

His Sweets Spirit was too busy laughing to reply.

Frustrated, the Pâtissier walked out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. He took a seat on his bed, thinking of his conversation with Ichigo earlier that day. How could he propose to Ichigo if he didn't have the courage?

Suddenly, he knew it. How could he not have thought of this before?

His heart filled with new determination, Kashino strode into the kitchen.

He was going to propose to Ichigo, and make it a confession she would never forget!


"A... A surprise?" Ichigo blinked. Her innocent chocolate eyes simply made him want to melt.

Kashino felt his cheeks heat up. But he nodded nonetheless, leading her into his kitchen. "Now, cover your eyes. No peeking!"

Ichigo let her eyes fall closed. It seemed to take forever for him to finally announce, "Now open them!"

Ichigo's chocolate colored eyes widened in shock as they fell upon the surprise. It was three layered cake, covered with chocolate and strawberries in perfectly shaped hearts. The brunette was speechless. Kashino had made a lot of sweets for her in the past, but never before had she seen anything like this!

"Try it!" The Pâtissier's eyes shone with happiness.

"Okay..." Ichigo sliced off a piece of the chocolate strawberry cake. In minutes, half of the cake was already gone. "This is delicious!" She remarked, happily stuffing another piece of cake into her mouth.

Ichigo was about to take a bite from her seventh slice when something stopped her.

There, inside the spoonful of cake, was something that just didn't quite seem to fit in with the ruby colored strawberries. It shimmered in the light like the sun reflecting off the water.

Curious, the brunette uncovered it to see it more carefully.

She gasped when she realized what it truly was. The ring was made out of gold, a stunning diamond in the very center. Her eyes pooled up with tears at the sight of it.

Ichigo looked up to meet the caramel eyes she had learned to love. "M-Makoto..."

Ichigo's heart nearly burst with joy when she heard the three words Kashino said next.

"Marry me, Ichigo."

Fin.