The Moon, the Stars and You
Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers or any of the characters here.
Summary: Emotions are the hardest to keep and love the greatest thing to risk. Natsumi admits her yearning for love as she opens up to Ban. Her life questions are answered, unconscious of the fact that there was another individual present in the room. GinjiNatsumi
Somehow, Ban couldn't fall into deep slumber. Something heavy was bothering him and as he turned to his right, he saw that Ginji had fallen asleep, on top of him apparently. He groaned as he pushed the heavy individual off him and stood up. His joints creaked as he did so, not used to the lightness of his own body. It was half an hour that his fellow Get Backer had fallen asleep actually, and it was normal for him to feel as said.
The brunette looked out the window pane after searching for his lavender spectacles. Judging by the sky outside, it was already late. But what could her do when he couldn't sleep?
Early this evening, Natsumi invited them to stay over at her place, the fact that the two had no place to stay made her feel guilty. She led them to her house, which looked liked an old temple with many large rooms made out of wood. It looked clean, yet the picture it showed was something ancient.
Stomping out of the room, Ban searched endlessly for the kitchen to get a drink or so, opening different rooms and making inferences of which way to go. The whole house seemed to be a live maze! And the harder challenge was not to make any unnecessary noise that could wake the owners of the house and cause more trouble. Feeding and sheltering them was enough weight on their shoulders.
Unintentionally, he had opened the room where Natsumi rested, except that she wasn't there. Her bed seemed to be untouched. Wondering, Ban searched the next room, where he found the missing lass. There she was, seated at the porch, looking sadly at the stars above. Ban walked to her, leaving the door open.
Natsumi looked up at the sudden presence only to see Ban. She smiled cheerfully at him, before looking back.
"How long have you been here?" Ban asked, taking the privilege to sit beside the raven haired girl. He looked at her and noticed quickly that she seemed to be in a trance. She stayed silent and that was enough to affirm his observation. Before he could say anything else, she was first to blurt something out.
"The sky seems so beautiful, yet behind all that is just a simple creation. Something made by the Lord as special as the other thing he had created."
Her words surprised him. Ban never knew that Natsumi was so poetic.
"I never knew you spoke of such words," he said, the idea that came to his mind.
"Sometimes I even surprise myself, but that's the beauty of life. Not expecting things to happen. It only hits you when you start to reminisce those things that had happened. But some things merely slap you and wake you up to witness reality and to get to know yourself better. Like love." Natsumi said nothing after that, and though she was talking so seriously, Ban chuckled.
"You are in love aren't you?" Ban asked, though he already knew the answer. He stared at her eyes and he recognized a similarity in those mysterious gleams. It was comparable to Ginji's.
Natsumi turned to him. "I know you have already figured the answer to that, and that's why I'm opening up. Ban-kun, I'm afraid."
"Of what?"
"Confessions. I know one day I'll have to tell him how I feel about him, and if rejection awaits, I'm afraid that my heart wouldn't take the pain," she said. Ban saw the fright in her eyes, and the tears that threatened to escape from them.
"But didn't you say that surprises make life more beautiful. Apply that saying in your condition now and you may have the answers to your problem." The brunette felt something weird about him, that he was being too sentimental as their conversation continued on. But what could he do?
"This person I am starting to fall in love with has something different. He's sweet and kind. But his innocence makes him blind to see that my friendly gestures are signs of my appreciation for him. He is clueless," Natsumi said, looking back up at the sky.
Silence dawned for a while, before Ban spoke again.
"Then make him more mature. Make him feel what the true meaning of life or you'll end up just standing there, trying hard to accept the fact that he will never know. I have felt what you are currently feeling and I know it's hard. But you have to fight."
Natsumi absorbed what Ban had said to her. Such strong words of wisdom from someone who seemed so happy-go-lucky in the morning.
"Don't be afraid to shout what you feel because he might feel the same way too," Ban continued. Then, no one dared to speak. The silence was serene and enough to lift a person up to the sky. Love was in the air, no doubt about that.
Natsumi was the first to break the silence, however. "The first time I had met him, I knew we would become good friends. As we talk, I wished that our conversation could last forever and when he would leave, I look forward to another meeting. Though we meet each other frequently, I can't help but feel that our time together isn't enough. Witnessing all his gestures, every move he makes seems like I'm watching something magnificent. And that's when I knew I was in love. It's the first time I had felt this and I don't want it to end..."
She paused and opened her mouth to speak once again, but she ran out of words to say. Natsumi sat up with her knees against her chest and leaned against Ban, only to whisper, "I'm in love with your best friend."
Ban closed his eyes, not one bit surprised. Even someone dumb could see that she cared deeply for Ginji, except for Ginji himself.
"I know he feels something for you too, Natsumi-chan, and the reason he can't notice your "signs of love" is because he's too busy with his own. You have the same look in your eyes, something that signals whoever's looking at it that you love someone. Don't be afraid to share your feelings. I know at first it's hard, and that's why I have devised a strategy of my own. Share what's in your heart, to the stars and if you se them twinkle, it means just go on," Ban said smirking. The truth was, he didn't really devise that. Knowing that Ginji and Natsumi have a mutual understanding, he could not help but play a little matchmaker. The stars would always shine, and playing a trick wouldn't do any harm, would it?
Natsumi looked at Ban to see if he was still sane. Apparently, he looked in the right state. "Ok then, if you say so..."
Hesitating a bit, she closed her eyes and imagined Ginji was standing right in front of her, his features so clear in her mind.
"I love you, Amano Ginji. I love you so much."
Ban smiled inwardly, I know you heard that Ginji.
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In fact, Ginji was just outside the room, listening to their conversation. They seemed to be so deep in their talk that he didn't want to disturb them. He had looked for Ban every where in the house when he noticed his partner was gone, and Ginji assumed he did something bad. But when he had found him, he was talking to Natsumi. He came just right in time to hear Natsumi's last words.
I love you too, Natsumi-chan, with all my heart and soul.
END