Finding Happiness
Summary: The key of happiness is letting go the past. OneShot, AU, OOC.
Thank you so much for my beta-readers, thingperson and asucaga4eva.
Edited Version: 2 January 2007.
A 27 years old man sat at his office, papers were scattered all around the table. He sighed at the sight; he really needed to get off from work once in a while. He looked out through the window.
White...
Snow...
Christmas...
He shook his head and a hint of sadness came to his face. He missed his family. Six years ago, they still were a happy family. His father was the owner of one of the biggest companies at Zaft, and his mother was an ordinary housewife. But she was the best mother that he could have. She took care of him, listened to his stories, and comforted him when he was sad.
His father was the busy man, he rarely came home. But he was a good father. When Christmas time was coming, he would do everything to get back home and spend his day with his wife and son.
But his time stopped six years ago. His parents died in an accident exactly on the night of Christmas day. How shocked he was when he picked up the phone and someone told him that his parents were dead because of a car accident. Until now, he could still remember the exact words he was told.
I'm sorry to inform you Mr. Zala, but your father and mother have died.
After the death of his parents, he studied hard to confiscate his father company, and he succeeded with it. He gained respect from the employees. At his young age, he could bring the company into glory.
He looked at his watch, 10.00 pm, he needed to go home. He rose from the chair, took his coat, and he went to the parking lot. He drove his car and stopped when he saw a girl holding her mother's hand, and the father put his hand on the mother's waist. They looked like a happy family. He shook his head and continued to drive till he reached his home.
When he was at his home, he pushed the button on the answering machine.
Hi, it's Mia, I want to remind you, and tomorrow we have the meeting at 8:30 am.
Athrun slumped onto the chair and untied his tie while he was listening to the second message.
Athrun, it's Kira, I hope you don't get angry with this, but I want you to attend the Christmas party this Sunday at my house. I know how you feel about it, but I really want my best friend to come, you work a lot and need refreshment. Okay the party will be held on the 24th at 9:00 pm. See you there.
Athrun frowned, he definitely wouldn't come to the party and Kira knew it, he shouldn't have bothered to ask him. He sighed and looked at the phone, he was tired and Kira knew it, maybe his word was true, he need to take a day off and come to the party.
What's the point? Even if he came, he won't enjoy it.
He shook his head, it doesn't hurt to try. Making a decision, he rose from the chair and dialed Kira's number, telling him that he would come for his sake.
-The night before Christmas-
As he had promised Kira, he came to the party and wore his formal clothes. When Kira saw him, he smiled and waved. Athrun went toward him and greeted him.
"Hi Athrun, thank you for coming."
Athrun nodded his head, "Where is Lacus?"
"Oh she is with my mother." Kira looked around, "Athrun there is someone I want to introduce to you, but apparently she is missing." He gave him a weak smile.
"So who is she?" Athrun raised his eyebrow.
"Well 'she' is my twin sister; I have told you about her right?"
"Yes, you have. She is your long lost twin sister, adopted by the Athha family. She has a kind heart, fiery, and bad temper."
Kira chuckled and slapped his shoulder, "You sure have a good memory."
"I can't help it, you told me so many times." He frowned.
Kira smiled, "Can't help it, okay then, you enjoy yourself, I need to find my sister of mine."
After Kira was disappeared from the sight, he went to the garden and took a seat on the bench, looking up to the sky. Apparently, he was lost in thought that he didn't hear someone approaching.
"Enjoying the sky?"
Athrun jerked his head; he looked at the woman beside him. She wore …., her hair was blonde, her golden eyes were staring at him, and for some reason he thought that she looked like someone he knew.
He sensed the woman was beginning to get nervous with his stare. He looked away from her and looking up again at the sky.
"The sky is okay."
"I see."
There was a pregnant pause and she began to speak again, "My name is Cagalli." She was offering her hand to him.
Athrun looked at her hand and stared, "Athrun."
Cagalli frowned and she raised her voice, "Hey no need to be rude. I try to be polite here."
Athrun was taken aback by her voice, he gave her a long stare and smiled "I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend you, but I'm not good at talking with people."
What a strange guy, she thought. Quickly she nodded her head, "it's ok, I'm sorry I shouted at you. I always get into trouble with my temper." She smiled.
Athrun smiled and chuckled, "Yeah you need to control your temper."
Cagalli examined his face, he was handsome indeed, but there was something bothering him. His smile didn't seem genuine and his eyes were so sad. He looks like me, she thought.
"Are you sad?"
Athrun was surprised, "What?"
"You are smiling, but your eyes look so sad, it's there something bothering you?" She asked with the concern.
Athrun stared at her with amazement; he never thought a stranger could sense his sadness. He can deceive his friends with the exception to Lacus and Kira, both of them knew him so well. But her? He only met her 5 minutes ago, but she managed to look right through him.
He looked at her face, she was beautiful, and she didn't wear so much make up. Athrun wanted to laugh when she was blushing.
"What are you staring at?" She yelled with embarrassment.
Athrun gave her a little laugh, "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you." His smile was vanished and he looked at the ground, clenched his hands into a fist in his lap, "How? How come you know about me being sad?"
Cagalli gave him a weak smile, "Because I was like you too."
"What do you mean?"
She sighed, "When my father died 2 years ago, I felt so empty and sad. Since then I pretended to be happy because I don't like people pitying me. But later on I knew this won't get me anywhere, so with the help of my friends and my brother, I can smile again with my heart." She finished it with a smile and looked at him, "So what has been bothering you?"
"Ah me, well it started from ….." Athrun told her the whole story. He wondered why he could explain to her the whole thing. Maybe because she used to be the same with him? He couldn't tell the reason.
When he finished the story, he looked at her face. He could see there was a pang of sadness in her face; does she feel sad for me?
"I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but you should stop lying to yourself." She smiled and took his hand, "You know what? If your father and mother saw you like this, I bet they will be sad. All parents don't want to see their child hurt. That's why you should stop pretending and accept their death. With that, I'm sure you can find happiness."
Cagalli took of his hand from her and looked at his face, she was afraid that it would offend him, but she was relieved when he gave her that warm smile.
Athrun was astonished; he never thought the woman beside him could comfort him like this. He didn't like talking with women because every time he talked to them they will giggle and chuckle with no reason, but this woman really was different. When she took his hand, he felt so warm and soothing. Touched by her words, he gave her a true smile. Not a smile that reflect his sadness but the smile that he used to give to his parents before the accident.
Cagalli beamed, "That's what I am talking about. So you are not sad anymore?"
He laughed; she is mature, but childish at the same time. "Thank you for lecturing me, I feel better now."
"Well that's a good thing." She replied and then looked at her watch. "Oh 11:50, it's almost Christmas."
Athrun looked at his watched, "You're right, so you want to sit here or go inside?"
"Oh I think I will wait here, I don't really like crowded places. How about you?"
"Same with me."
They waited until the clock reached at 12, when they heard the cheering from inside, Cagalli grinned to him, "Merry Christmas, Athrun."
Athrun nodded and smiled, "Thank you and Merry Christmas to you too."
A minute later they heard steps approaching them from behind and shouted, "Cagalli, so here you are, I have searched for you everywhere."
They looked back at the owner of the voice.
"Kira?"
"Athrun? Cagalli? What are you doing here?"
Athrun raised his eyebrows, "You know her?"
Kira frowned, "Oh course I know her, she is my twin sister."
Athrun gave him a dumb face; he remembered Kira's voice when he told him about his twin.
She is fiery…
What are you staring at?
She has a bad temper
Hey no need to be rude. I'm trying to be polite here
But she has a kind heart
You should stop pretending and accept their death. With that, I'm sure you can find happiness
Athrun messed his hair with his hands, looked at Cagalli then to Kira, How come I didn't notice it, her face looks like Kira's. "Well so she is your twin?"
"Yeah she is, so I assume I don't need to introduce you to her?" Kira replied, raising his eyebrow.
Before he replied Cagalli cut him off, "Yeah, we kind of introduced ourselves."
Kira looked at them and grinned, "Okay, I will go back inside, I need to find Lacus this time."
When he left them, Cagalli asked, "So, Kira has told you about me before?"
"Yeah, he told me everything about you and he was right you are, fiery, have a bad temper, but you have the kind heart. And you look like Kira with different gender, hairs and eyes." He smirked.
Cagalli blushed when he said the 'kind' word, "I see. So err – I think I'll go inside, I'm kind of hungry."
Athrun nodded his head, he smiled when she blushed, she looks cute when she blushes. "Okay, let's go together, I'm hungry too."
Cagalli nodded her head and they walked in together. Inside when they found Kira and Lacus, Cagalli ran to approach them.
Athrun looked at her, she was laughing, he smiled and walked toward them.
-Five years later-
"Daddy! Daddy!" A boy with blued hair waved in front of his father's face.
"What's wrong Alex?" A 32 year old man answered his son.
"Why you are staring through the window?"
"Oh, it's nothing, it's the past." He took his son into his lap and started stroking his hair.
"Care to tell me about what?" he heard the woman's voice He smiled when he saw his wife going towards them and she sat beside them on the couch.
"Well, I was thinking about how we met."
"Really? How, daddy tell me about it, how you met mommy." Alex asked tugging his shirt.
"I will tell you later, now you need to sleep." Athrun informed his 3 year old son.
"No, tell me now."
His wife chuckled, "Stubborn isn't he?"
"He got it from you Cagalli." He grinned. He looked at his son and to his wife, Cagalli.
Athrun told his son about how they met, how they managed to fall in love, but the yawn stopped him. He looked at Alex and he found that he was sleeping, and he looked at his wife, apparently she was sleeping also with her head leaning into his shoulder. He stroked her hair and looked through the window.
White…
Snow…
Christmas…
The scene was the same five years ago, but this time he smiled because he had gotten rid of the sadness and found the happiness with his son and his wife. He looked at Cagalli and kissed the top of her head.
Thank you for coming to me, Cagalli.
AN: I know it's too early saying this but MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone I hope you like this one shot, oh and I am sorry for the OOCness :D