The Three P's (Part 1)
Karasuma believes being the epitome of a gentlemen is defined by the three 'P's; perfection, performance, and planning. A lot of planning. He never forgets his manners and his gentleman ways, makes sure he has control over every situation and finds pride when a date with a lovely woman goes according to his own plan. And it has ALWAYS gone according to plan.
Except that all seems to be in the past. Before a certain woman came into his life. Correction, barged into his life.
Perfection was the first 'P' that found itself tipped on its head.
After being assigned to a new partner for an important assignment, Karasuma decided to take out their files and assess the quality of his new partner. However, during the process of pulling out the files, his assistant ran into his office, tripped over the leg of the table he was sitting on, and promptly elbow the innocent cup of black coffee sitting on his desk next to the report. A roll of toilet paper later, due to the mysterious disappearance of his own tissue box, they were finally able to clean up the mess. Unfortunately, the file was unsalvageable. It wasn't because the paper was soaked, in fact it didn't turn into pulp. It wasn't because the colour of the stain made the words unreadable. It was because he forgot to read the fine print at the bottom, which stated that the file would be destroyed if coffee was poured over it. Damn that fine print. Mistake number one.
Mistakes are avoidable embarrassments he would rather not encounter, as they lower his performance and how perfect his overall image was. Yet the mistakes kept piling up.
Mistake number two was getting smashed the night before he was supposed to meet his new partner.
Mistake number three was being late, due to a horrid hangover, and looking like he just rolled off the wrong side of the bed. His normally slicked back hair was drooping and he had unattractive eye bags.
Mistake number four was accidently staring one second too long at the leggy, correction, physically well attributed new partner and getting punched in the face.
Mistake number five- falling in love with that curvy, smart, goddess during the assignment where they had to pretend to be in love. Key word: Pretend.
Furiously scrunching up the list of mistakes up into a ball and throwing it at the trashcan did not calm him down, as it did not go into the bin as he anticipated. His façade of being perfect was crumbling.
Performance followed the same fate as Perfection. Whenever peak perfection was not achieved, his performance in his mission, the way he handled the situation, and the attempts at being strategic all failed. Miserably, he added.
His spitfire of a partner got herself kidnapped by the target, but somehow still managed to escape and take down the big bad boss herself. Not once did she need his help, and not once did she bat an eyelid when he reprimanded her for not adhering to the plan. Of which leaves him with the third 'P', planning. And also mistake number 6.
"You are my goddess Irina. I have realised that I want to spend the rest of my life with somebody, and I want the rest of my life with you to start as soon as possible."
She merely raised an eyebrow, as if she had heard this a million times.
"All my life I have been striving to find perfection, contentment. With you, I am whole."
Why is she supressing the urge to laugh?
"You are the definition of perfection, and no need of implants nor Botox will change that. Will you…"
"Please stop!" She was laughing, full out laughing at him.
"What do you mean stop?" He asked, puzzled.
"Karasuma, our mission has already ended. You don't need to keep up the image, or the performances any longer. We are not an item, and will not ever be. So I beg you, stop faking your love for me. I'm sure it's non-existent."
"The answer is no?" He said, a small part of his brain was still praying to the gods for luck.
"Karasuma, I don't think we should see each other anymore."
He couldn't take it anymore. 'Mistake' in big red letters was blazing in his vision. Running out of the restaurant, out of the sight of her and the other diners, he began sprinting back home. And promptly tripping over a trashcan that popped up from nowhere.
Mistake number six- Proposing to the girl who has haunted his dreams since the first day he met her.
~millieashford