The Purple Rose

(Garry's POV)

I put on my coat and get ready to leave to meet Ib at our favorite café. *thump thump* My heart is pounding hard. We've been going to this café for years now but I'm so nervous. *tap tap* I put my shoes on and leave the door.

Fiddling with a small box in my pocket, I slowly walk the long way. I did leave early after all. Although I also want to check something before I meet Ib...

I stop and look at the cherry blossoms blowing around me. Then I looked down at my side and imagined Ib walking beside me like we've done in the past.

I continue to walk.

I stop abruptly in my tracks when I pass by the art gallery. A sign on the door says "Closed", but it's always open at this time.

I called the gallery's manager because this is such a special place to me. Where I met Ib... Mary... Those... *I shudder*... dolls.

Finally he answered the phone. "Yes? Hello? Who is this?"

I respond, "Hi, my name is Garry and I was wondering why the art gallery was closed."

He hesitated before he answered, "Ah, yes, I heard about your regular visits here. It hurts me to tell you this, but Guertena suddenly called us and asked us to close. He is taking back all of his art."

My eyes widen and the words have been ripped from my mouth, I can't speak.

"Sir? Are you there?"

I make a barely audible noise and slowly nod my head as if he can see that.

*beeeeep* He hung up.

I blinked and a small tear rolled down my cheek.

Why is this happening, I think silently to myself. This was... I was going to...

My thoughts are interrupted by an alert from my phone. I check it. "Meet Ib at café".

Shoot! I'm late!

I stuff my phone into my pocket and I think I feel something fall out, but instead I start to run.

At last I reach the café and see Ib solemnly stirring her tea through the front window.

I walk in through the door and when she sees that it's me her face instantly brightens and she jumps up to hug me.

"Garry! I was so worried, you're never late!", she says as she buries her face in the fluff of my coat.

I pat her head and lightly hug her, "I'm sorry Ib, I made a phone call on my way here and it took longer than I expected. I don't want to make you worry anymore."

She steps back and sits back down in her seat. "I-It's okay, Garry," she smiles, "At least you're here now."

I sit down too and notice a lukewarm cup of tea in front of me as well as a few macaroons.

"Hehe, I got hungry while I was waiting and I just had to eat some, but be glad I had enough self-control to leave you a few!"

Ib and I always share macaroons when we come here.

"Oh silly you, Ib," I laugh and ruffle her hair a little.

She playfully and scornfully frowns as she smoothens it out. How cute.

"So, Ib, you're 22 now, right? Happy birthday!"

She blushes a little and takes on a giddy smile, "You remembered!"

"Of course, Ib! You know how special you are to me!"

She blushes just a bit more and sheepishly looks at her tea. Then with a jolt she excitedly asks, "Hey Garry, what present did you get me? Did you get me a present? I want to see it now!"

I smile and laugh at her, "Ib, you're so impatient! Calm down, I have something very special for you."

"What, what?!" she stands up with her hands on the table.

"Ib, Ib! Just wait, I'll show you after we finish our tea," I smile devilishly.

She pouts and sits back down. She stares at her full cup of tea for a few seconds...

"Ib, you okay?" I ask because her quietness worried me.

All of a sudden she takes a huge breath and starts to gulp down all her tea.

"Hey!" I put down my tea and reach over to stop her.

She turns her head away from me and finishes it off. "Ahh!" she gasped as she placed her cup down.

"Ib! what was that all about! You could have choked or something!" I ask with such a shocked expression that makes her laugh.

"So, I've finished my tea can I see my present now?" she smiles expectantly.

"Ib, I said when we finish our tea."

She pouts.

"Hey," I hold out one of my macaroons to her, her favorite color of course- red. "I know when the right time to show you will be."

She reluctantly takes the macaroon and nibbles on it, "Fine."

I finish my tea and macaroons while she silently nibbles her macaroon and stares at me.

Finally I get up and tell her that we're going to walk through the park. She gets up and follows me. When I try to hold her hand, she moves it away behind her back.

"Ib..." I stop and she turns around to look at me. I put my hand on her shoulder and smile kind of sadly, "I'm sorry, Ib, I'll show you your present in a minute. You really shouldn't get so upset."

She thinks for a moment and then mischievously looks up at me and says, "I'll forgive you if..."

I shake her shoulder, " If what, Ib? If what?"

She lets out a mischievous giggle, which progresses into a fit of laughter, "Garry!" She can't finish her sentence because she is laughing so hard.

I awkwardly stand there as she laughs.

Taking a few deep breaths as she calms down, she manages, "I was only kidding! I'm not really that upset!"

I scowl and start to walk again.

When we finally walk and talk for a while and bring up a pleasant atmosphere I feel around in my pocket for the small box containing Ib's present in my pocket. I can't feel anything but my phone. I start to panicking and stop holding Ib's hand and frantically search through my coat and on the ground.

Ib takes on a worried expression, "What are you looking for, Garry?"

"I-Ib!" is all I'm able to manage saying.

She runs over and grabs my shoulders, making me stop. "Please calm down, Garry. What is it that you're missing?"

Her frilly bow around her collar and her skirt, the same outfit she wore when we were in the gallery that day, are gently rustled by the smooth breeze and my heart skips a beat.

"Your present..."

She frowns and looks down, "Oh, Garry..." she looks up at me and smiles, removing her hand from her shoulders and clasping them behind her back as she bounces back and forth from her tiptoes to her heels, "Let's find it then!"

I smile a small smile and try to remember when it might have fallen out. "Thanks for being so positive, Ib. Let's do that."

"Now, Garry, can you think of when it might have fallen out of your pocket?"

I'm silent as I think for several moments. "...Ib! I remember!" I suddenly shout and a few people look at me.

"That's great, Garry! Where?" Ib excitedly inquires with her voice spilling into my ears like the sweet taste of my favorite lemon-flavored candy.

"Just follow me," and I quickly begin to walk towards the art gallery.

Ib quickens her pace to keep up with me.

I stop about 50 yards away from the gallery, where it is still concealed by some trees. "Okay Ib, I want you to stay slightly behind me from here on so that you don't see what the present is too early."

"Awww, Garry," she whines. Reluctantly she follows me from a distance. Coming up to the gallery I notice that she stops. "Hey... why were you at the art gallery this morning?" she inquires with a sad look on her face.

"Oh, I was just taking the scenic route, you know. I wanted to see the cherry blossom trees today..." I reply, although only partially truthful.

"Really..." she begins to speak, "Did you know it was being shut down?"

"Yes, it's devastating isn't it?"

She slowly nods her head and looks at the gallery sadly smiling and I see the sun reflected off of a tear that was now quietly making its way down her cheek.

I walk over to her. "It's okay, Ib," I say as I realize her foot is right next to her small present. I slyly move it behind my back without her noticing and see that her shoe is untied. "Oh! You're shoe is untied! I'll tie it for you." I joke, trying to cheer her up, as this is also a perfect excuse to pick up the present. I tie her shoe and sneak the present into my pocket.

"Well, guess what," I say as I stand up.

"Hm?" Ib says as she sniffs and wipes away her one tear.

"I found your present."

She smiles and looks into my purple eyes with her shining red ones, "That's great, Garry."

"So Ib," I turn the box around and around in my pocket. "You know that I love you very, very much, right?"

She appears startled and as her face turns bright red and her eyes widen she says, "G-Garry! Y-yes, but why all of a sudden are you... I-I love you too, but... You're nine years older than I am and... and..."

"Woah, come down. I-I know this, but I just love you so much, Ib, I want to be together with you forever, until the day you die. Not until I die, because I don't want you to be sad when I die, I want you to smile until the end."

She shuffles her feet nervously. "G-Garry I want to be together with you forever too... can... can..." She loudly bursts out these words and appears to brace herself waiting for a response: "Can we please be together forever, Garry!"

I smile at her, and tears of happiness form in the corners of my eyes. Slowly, she opens one eye because her curiosity of my silence was too great.

I open the box in my pocket and take out only a silver ring with roses engraved on it and one small ruby set in it. I hold the ring in my fingers for a second then hold it up to her as she straightens herself up and stares at it.

She started to cry and smile at the same time. "Garry, are you..."

I kneel on one knee and she gasps and starts to cry even more happy tears. "Ib..." I take her left hand, "Would you marry me?"

Calming herself down, she tilted her head and smiled that cute smile of hers. "Sure."

I slip the ring onto her finger and she drops down to my level and hugs me, wrapping her small arms around me. I hug her tightly, as if she is my one and only treasure, the thing I love the most. Which, honestly, she is.

She loosens her hug and I loosen mine and she stares nervously into my eyes. I put my forehead onto hers and return the loving gaze. She slowly closes her eyes and raises her chin. I close my eyes too, and for the first time our lips meet and I feel like nobody else could possibly be anywhere near us, not even in this world. After several seconds we separate our lips and just smile at each other.

Ib stands up, so I do too.

Wiping her skirt and putting her hands on her hips she giggles, "So, shall we start planning the wedding?"

We laugh and happily begin to walk together down the path, surrounded by the cherry blossoms swirling in the breeze.

Several months later, I am now standing in the closed and abandoned museum, dressed nicely in white. No one else is here except for one girl, the most beautiful one of all.

She walks through the doors in a stunning white gown and holding a bouquet of red and blue roses. Among those roses, a single purple rose stands out, signifying the joining of red and blue. Around these beautiful roses, a yellow ribbon is tied, representing a special 'friend' from our memories who helped bring us together.

We exchange our vows, all alone, in this special place, and then kiss once more.

Ib and I- We will be together forever after all.