I haven't written a fanfic in years, so forgive me. I tried keeping them in character – toning down the bickering, and heightening up their sweetness, but keeping it all to a believable degree. I don't really expect anything from this. I just totally fell in love with Meteor Garden (four years ago), and very recently, the live drama Hana Yori Dango. So here it is. Enjoy!
Makino Tsukushi remembered feeling the same way exactly four years ago. The day came alive in her memory again, pouncing as quickly as the change in weather that still managed to catch her off guard. That one day stood as a middleground between summer sunshine and blustery days, and it marked an end to a time when she was truly happy. She laughed inwardly, back where she was alone with her thoughts of him and only him, thinking of how she could have felt so free in the presence of someone so overbearingly possessive.
She checked her phone again, its golden façade glinting off the fading sunlight, and realized it was the second time she'd done so in so many seconds. It struck her as surreal, that she, a self-proclaimed tough weed, could pine after a boy, an arrogant rich boy who'd teased her mercilessly about her poverty.
He wasn't all that bright, committing mistakes in both his Japanese and English left and right, and he didn't handle embarrassment all that well either, turning beetroot when someone corrected him. He was a boulder of violence, barking her name with no finesse. Then he would turn the tide of animosity around when he held her gently in the rare occasions that they hugged. He never ceased to infuriate her, as he constantly baited her on her weakness, pushing well-tried and tested buttons that he knew would surely irk her. But she missed him, and that was all she knew. She even missed the crap about Saturn that he repeated over and over again, each time with stubborn conviction…
"Yo, I'm on top of the Domyouji Tower. You better show up, or I'll kill you," were his abrupt instructions. The muted colors of the multitude of clouds swiftly gave way to a faint pinkish orange glow as twilight settled snugly into place, and she'd cursed him into the wind as she ran towards the building from the dango shop. She remembered her forgotten jacket when she was already in the elevator, and by then it was too late to turn around. Thoughtfully fingering the necklace she wore, she knew without looking at her watch that she was beyond late, and that he would be angry. Sure enough, he was fuming.
"You're late! We're going to miss it, and it's your fault."
"Well, I'm sorry if I only half ran myself to death here," she huffed, her breath coming in short spurts of fog.
"Why didn't you take a cab, then?"
"It costs too much, and – "
Domyouji, once again, failed to show compassion with her lower middle-class lifestyle. "Never mind! You poor people are impossible – so inefficient," he glared at her with steel in his eyes. "Now come."
"Why did you call me here, anyway?" Makino jutted her jaw obstinately. It was too cold to hurry anywhere.
"Come now, ask questions later," he said, tugging her hand.
"I don't see what's so important," she grumbled, and that was when she noticed an expensive-looking telescope perched atop a wooden platform. With a silver chrome finish and numerous add-ons that looked complicated, it certainly was impressive. Domyouji growled, all patience lost, and pushed her face to meet the eyepiece of the telescope.
"Is it there? Can you see it?"
Makino couldn't figure out what it was she was supposed to be seeing, until a luminous spherical object revealed itself in a glimmer of milky ivory. Iridescent rings encompassed the sphere, in hypnotizing patterns that seemed to end nowhere. She fell quiet in awe of the sight, while Domyouji anxiously shoved her aside.
"What? Let me see!"
"That is really… That is beautiful," she breathed. He turned to her, smugness radiating from his every feature.
"I told you so! That, my awesome girl, is our homeplanet."
Makino snapped from the trance the ethereal vista cast on her. He continued excitedly, "That's Saturn, and we're both from there. Tonight is the second clearest night this year, so we were guaranteed a spectacular view. I do believe I've outdone even myself."
She was silent. "Are you really that astounded? You really are pitiful, if this is all it takes to overwhelm you. Don't you get it? We share the same fate. The telescope said so," he added defensively, taking her silence for skepticism.
"Idiot! You mean horoscope!" Makino laughed, but not unkindly. "I already knew that. I don't need this –" she made a sweeping gesture toward the sky " – to know where I belong. But thank you," she smiled shyly, and in an uncharacteristic show of affection, kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Domyouji hugged her hard, and she shivered from both the moment and the cold.
"Are you stupid? Why don't you have your jacket?" He shrugged easily out of his overcoat, and palced it around her shoulders. Makino fidgeted slightly before speaking again.
"Why did you say tonight's the second clearest night? It's not like you to settle for second-best, but I'm not complaining. This is beautiful enough."
An odd look came across his face. "The clearest night will be in September, see, and we won't be able to watch for it then."
"Huh? Why not?"
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, most of my business associates are already impressed in dealing with me – I mean, who wouldn't be? I am the great Domyouji – but I believe that even I could exceed my own greatness if I were to attain a degree in business administration."
"So what are you saying?"
He breathed deeply, before shifting his position so his back was turned to her. "I'm saying I'll be leaving at the end of August, to attend Harvard for four years. It was my father's idea. He came to me a few days ago, and announced his wishes for me to get a degree before entering a life of holy moly."
"Holy moly?"
"Our wedding, stupid!"
"You're the one who's stupid! It's holy matrimony, idiot!"
"That's what I said!" he looked livid for a while before calming down considerably, seeming to remember his purpose. "So I hav eto go. I'll be in Boston this time… not New York."
Makino shuddered unconsciously, the bad memories of New York hovering above them in the dark. Domyouji frowned, and rubbed her arms. "You'll catch your death, Makino, I swear –"
"Is he forcing you to go? Your father?" her voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear her.
"No, it's nothing like that. My father has never spoken to me much, and I see him even less. This is the one thing he has ever asked of me. I have to do this for him. For me." He laughed quietly, ruffling his curls with a casual flick of his hand. "Don't worry. I'll come back even greater as a man."
Makino stiffened. He had the said the exact same words before leaving for New York. And New York had proved so hurtful to them both. "Okay, I understand," she smiled despite herself. "I won't make this hard for you."
He looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"
She laughed, almost harshly. "Just go, Domyouji. Let's end this properly."
He looked truly concerned now, and his childlike stare broke her heart. He made to move near her, but she shrank back in warning.
"Don't. If you come near me, I wouldn't be able to leave you," she said, smiling bravely.
"Leave? Why would you want to leave?"
"I don't want New York to happen again. I couldn't bear it if it did. So let's make a clean break, and finish this before I – before someone gets hurt," Makino spoke as if she was dealing with a particularly difficult customer at the dango shop.
Domyouji closed the distance between them in two strides. "You can be such a dummy sometimes, you know that? New York was… complicated, you know that. Because of Ken. But I will never let anything or anyone come between us again, understand? You better get that through your head, 'cause I know it takes you a long time to get used to things. So you better get used to this: you are the girl for me, and I will come back for you. That is a promise."
She looked at him, hopeful and hesitant.
"Believe in me, and what I say, and if you can't, maybe this will help you believe," he said dramatically, patting his front pocket in search of something. "Huh? Where'd it go? Oh, yeah, excuse me," he muttered embarrassedly, reaching over to take something from the coat that hung around Makino. His hand emerged from the pocket with a dark blue velvet box.
"I know my proposal was already world-class, but I never did get to give you a ring, so…" Domyouji knelt slowly, taking her hands in one of his. "Four years will be long, but I am willing to wait." He paused, holding her gaze without touch for the longest moment. Then he pulled open the top of box to reveal a simple silver band with a princess-cut rock encased by golden claws in the center. "It really is up to you, and I trust you to decide, because you are the girl I approve of. It won't be easy. Four years seems like forever, and of course, you'll miss me terribly. But I will wait… Will you?"
Makino looked up to meet her fate headlong in the eye. "Of course I'll wait. I'm in love with you, remember?"
His smile rivaled only her own. "Great answer," said Domyouji, before slipping his promise onto her waiting finger.
