Keep Holding On
You're not alone; together we stand
I'll be by your side; you know I'll take your hand
-Avril Lavigne
She tossed and turned throughout the whole night restlessly, waking her partner beside her. She's having nightmares again, Oujiro thought to himself looking down to his maiden in distress. He blinked a few times to adjust to the morning's sunshine and air. He put his hand up and stretched his tired bones that lay inside him. He sat on the edge setting himself to get ready for the day's work ahead of him. Misaki turned once more a bolted up for air. She looked around just before Oujiro turned his head to see what the jerky movement was.
"Whew," She said wiping her head from sweat. She yawned and got up from her position to brush her teeth and prepare for the day. "Good morning, Ou-chan," She said before jumping into the bathroom. He smiled and replied with a warm:
"Good morning, sunshine," She giggled making bubbly toothpaste splat everywhere. He walked to the bathroom to see her jumping everywhere trying to clean the toothpaste. Caught in action, she stopped and turned around slowly. She grinned with the toothbrush still in her mouth with oozing toothpaste from her mouth. "You silly," He shook his head while she rinsed her mouth. He soon began brushing his teeth; she went out to take out her cloths.
"Hmm? Black skirt or white frilly one? White frilly one," She hopped into her closet and searched for her white skirt for college classes and work. "Now for shoes," She, also, jumped back into her closet for a pair of shoes. Oujiro looked at his 'hyper' girlfriend from the corner of his eye and shook his head delightfully. She laid the outfit on a chair to fix the some-what untouched bed. On one side it seemed calm and peaceful, yet on the other it looked like she was wailing her arms as if she were drowning.
She looked down to try and remember what- Ah, The reenactment of the death of her grandmother. Her death date was approaching, and nightmares usually come around the time. Oujiro knew about them and just witnessed her first one.
She made her side and tidied up Oujiro's side of the bed, and walked to the kitchen. She made breakfast and a bento for each of them. Though mornings are her favorite time of the day, she wasn't feeling so easy this morning. She probably woke up Oujiro this morning, but he'd never admit it. Those nightmares are the worst, she thought before flipping the pancake once more and putting it on one of them plates.
"Hmph! I'm not going to feel bad this year!" She exclaimed before feeling a kiss on her neck. She shuddered with surprise and great pleasure. "Oujiro, I'm ticklish!" She said pulling up her shoulder to protect her neck from his delicate kisses.
"That's what makes it fun," He said planting his final kiss to her cheek. She smiled and put the sides of the meat onto each of the plates. She put down the napkins and the utensils on top. She and he sat down and discussed what that day's motive was. But then, he totally changed the subject with:
"Hey Misaki-chan, you know you can tell me anything, right; Even if it is a silly nightmare. I want you to feel safe talking with me," She almost choked on her bacon and pancake that was trailing down her mouth all at once. She got herself back together and her confusion began to grow
"Naahh?" He knows? She questioned her mentality and her heart at the same time. He tilted his head with a puzzled expression. "Don't worry. It was just a silly nightmare like last year…and the last year." She continued, "I think I'm used to them," He nodded and went to the room to shower and freshen up. After him, came Misaki.
She got her bag that carried all her papers and documents that she would need later on in the day. She turned on the alarm and tapped off her slippers and put on her shoes, as did Oujiro. They got into their car and finally escaped to work and school.
He dropped her off at her morning classes.
"Have a great day, Oujiro," she said kissing his cheek goodbye. She quickly grabbed her bags and closed the car door. She winked at her Ou-chan in the car and bolted onto the campus. She walked to her class, said hello, and start her school day while Oujiro goes to his job and waits for his afternoon classes to start. Busy schedule, oh so busy.
But concentration hadn't been handy for Misaki herself; she'd get distracted by a snapshot of an image from her nightmare. She'd wince and then ask her professor to excuse her. The professor knew from Misaki's high-school days, she would breakdown because of her grandmother's incident.
She was close to her grandmother. Not surprising because that's who had taken care of her since she was really young. Not being able to let her go, Misaki let her keep her beloved doll she called Hikaru.
Flashing backShe walked to the door and knocked. There was not an answer so he let herself in; she found Grandma dead. Misaki, by herself, panicked when she turned to see her grandmother lying on the messy floor. Blood stained her clothes and Misaki's innocent mind. She ran to the body and checked the pulse. There was none
She heard a sound in the back room and grabbed something to brace herself for the sound was nearing. It was he. The man had blooded clothes and his eyes seemed crazed. She screamed as he neared with a smirk.
"Stay away!" She stepped herself back from the man simultaneously as he stepped to her. "Stay away!" She panicked and ran out the house to the hood of her car. He chased to her and slammed her down on the hood.
"Hey Miss. Pretty. Lookin' mighty fine aren't you?" He licked her neck as he tried to reach to her shirt, but was interrupted by a hit to the head. "Why… you," he fell off of her to his knees as she saw her hero.
"Grandpa," She fainted rolling off her car and into the older man's arms. He shook his head and walked inside and felt his heart ache when he saw his beloved wife on the messy floor. "Grandma," She mumbled in her unconscious state. He called the police and Shuu to hurry down to their avenue.
Everyone came to the scene, even Oujiro and Icchan. Misaki and Oujiro were close, but this incident brought them even closer. He comforted her as much as he could, and ended up madly in love with the girl. Being comforted from the start, Misaki had already had grown feelings for him, but never wanted to admit it.
---&
A few weeks later…
"Hi!" She said opening her door to Oujiro. He replied with a smile and a simple hello. It was Shuu's birthday, and of course everyone loved the idea of a surprise party. Decorations were already set and all he had to pretty much do is hide himself somewhere in the house. So that's what he did.
Ah! He found one. Looking down he saw little Misaki there herself. She looked up and smiled. She adjusted herself and motioned her head for him to come. With a slight blush he sat beside her and waited for the 'SURPRISE!' signal. He heard her excited breaths release from Misaki's mouth. She turned to him and looked at him curiously. "Are you uncomfortable?" she stated in an almost inaudible voice. He shook his head no, but she still wouldn't let him be even the slightest bit uncomfortable. She clumsily turned back to the door and turned to fast and ended up falling into Oujiro's lap.
He shook his head amused and figured out it would too loud to move her back. She blushed madly as he adjusted her within his lap.
They looked to the door and saw the knob turn and keys rattling on the outside. They looked at each other once more and smiled. He felt her small gentle hands onto his own heard the whisper of 'ONE!' He situated Misaki to where they both could jump at the same time with each other without falling. TWO!
"THREEEEEEEEEEEEE! SUUUUURPRISE!" everyone said throwing confetti to the birthday woman. She gasped and put her hand over he mouth to hide. Joyous tears sprang out of her eyes as she thanked everyone. Oujiro smiled and notice his hand was on Misaki waist. She didn't notice at all. He took it off as it burned him to touch her very body; as if it were a flame.
"Mama!" Misaki ran to her mother and hugged her with great love. Shuu enclosed her arms around the girl and nuzzled her head into her head. "Happy Birthday!" She said pulling a box out of her pocket. Glorious! It was a necklace with a pink diamond enwrapped with sparkling diamonds. "I've saved up for this," She said putting it on her mother. Shuu tackled her daughter with kisses and said how much of a wonderful daughter she is.
"Ahem!" Everyone stopped and looked to the man on a chair. "Today is a magnificent day for it is my dear daughter's birthday. She has worked hard. She a survivor from her illness with a growing daughter almost in college. So that's why I donated $12,000 into her college fund so it could help my intelligent granddaughter. She deserves the best, I must say," Misaki gasped and refused.
"I couldn't take that!"
----&
"You can go home if you feel sad, Misaki-chan," Someone interrupted her flashback. "I know it's hard for you," a student said to the dreaming girl.
"Jah, I'm fine!" She said faking her smile.
---&
"No way!" Everyone laughed at the blushing girl. Her grandfather laughed and came off the chair.
"You do indeed," He came to her and hugged her. She hugged him back and smiled to everyone. "Thanks, Granddad!" But she felt dizzy, and her wasn't quite straight. She might need some fresh air, she thought to herself trying to contemplate the sudden claustrophobia. She walked outside…
To see Oujiro gazing at the stars. The wind whispered into her ear a soft song, and flowed through his hair, which eased her ailments and such. She stopped in her steps and gasped at her staring. Blushing with barrages of colors, she tried moving back but was caught by his hawk eye. He turned her with shock and turned back around.
"Sorry! I guess I interrupted something?" She turned to the floor and began to turn around to the door. He nodded opposing her statement.
"N—no I was just thinking. I could use the company," he smiled warmly, continuing making Misaki's heart pound onto her chest like an overloading machine. She nodded and walked to the slightly older teen and stood.
The silence wrapped around her body and choked her mind from saying anything. The moon's pale rays reflected from his eyes adding even more beauty to them.' Wait—why am I thinking this?' She thought kicking a rock to the other side of her.
"I had fun today, Misaki. I'm glad I was invited," He turned to Misaki with the wind adding an extra push to the romantic scene. She smiled back to him and replied with a nod. "You know, Shuu is a wonderful woman. You must be proud of her,"
"Ah. Extremely-," Her head blanked and a surge of pain shot back. "Err," He looked to her curiously. "My head—it's awful," she said collapsing into his arms. She quickly pulled herself together and avoided his face.
"Misaki? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I was just a little dizzy," She smiled and pulled herself from his arms. He frowned in discomfort; he felt like she was lying, but he'd had to stay true to her words and wait to see. There goes his hand again on her waist and she had yet to notice again. Instead of reacting to the scene, Misaki simply laid her head onto his shoulder with an emerging blush.
"Thanks for always being there,"
------&
"You should go home, dear," Her professor reminded. "I know you are more stable than before—Misaki?" She turned to her professor with tears in her eyes.
"I don't know what to do," She stated falling from her chair.
