Author's Note:
It doesn't follow the exact timing of the song, but you can listen to it because the tunes match the atmosphere in each part.
Enchanting
Ren Tsuruga smiled at the guests, as they greeted. Everyone paid their respects to his father, and he was, naturally, the host. Yet again, he was surrounded by people, forcing laughter and faking smiles. He knew there was a wall of insincerity, between everyone who came to the same old tired lonely place. People shifted around, eyes wandering from wall to wall, person to person and lastly, the main attraction of the entire occasion. Ren saw ladies laugh about and rattle about the latest fashion, gossip about the latest rumor or just check other people out to voice out their musings and mock them.
Until then, he was hearing, watching and completely in control of what others perceived him as. Until, he saw her. Like lights turning blur, voices blending in the background and people turning to background posters, he only gazed at her. The student from the art class he attended four years ago.
He glided between the swarms of people while he kept a sharp eye towards her. He smiled at every person who looked his way, and finally, her molten amber eyes met his brown ones as if sensing that his attention. Her face immediately lit up on seeing a familiar face, he assumed. She had no makeup decorating her face, a simple necklace lighted her face into a beautiful picture but he knew she would simply steal every attention this evening. He wished to paint every curve on her face like he always did, carve every clay he had into her face.
Standing in front of her, Ren greeted his junior classmate (and secret love) and smiled brightly at her.
"Have we met before?" she asked, his smile dimming as Kyoko frowned at him with her face not showing any light of recognition. As slowly as the world moved around him, his heart slowed down at those words, completely halting his nerves as he realized that she might've forgotten her art teacher, who, taught her four years ago.
Suddenly, she burst out laughing, stunning him as the world spin around them again, confusing him until he saw that twinkle in her eyes. Unable to help himself, he smiled. Relief washed over him as he looked at her with contempt and playful annoyance.
"I'm sorry, couldn't help but do that. Please forgive me, Tsuruga-san," she apologized, wiping the tiny tear in the corner of her eye. He wouldn't have minded doing that for her, he would've gladly caught every tear that fell. Smiling genuinely, he chuckled.
"Well, I'd demand a painting as a punishment. Wouldn't want Takarada-san to catch you without it, ne?" she laughed at his playfulness. Somethings never change, and she mock bowed as she recalled those treasured classes.
"I will not forget to submit them before the day begins, senpai!" she proclaimed in a timid voice. She straightened out, staring deep into his amused eyes, trying to find out if he'd give her the usual dismissal he would always give.
"Maybe a walk outside this party would erase that mistake from your record." he said thoughtfully, watching a slow smile spread on her face. He held his hand out, watched her as she curtsied and took his hand. Ren made sure that his father wasn't watching.
"It was, enchanting to meet you, Mogami-san," he whispered in the chilly breeze that carried his words. She grinned, letting him lead her away from the large house.
"Oh Tsuruga-san, it was enchanting to meet you too." she whispered back.
They both shared a smile, contently walking side by side looking what lay ahead of them. "How did you like the party so far?" he asked.
She giggled, "I observed the host taking large gulps of the food in the arena, as he looked around. I noticed he hid a few under his coat too. I remembered that day when I baked too many cookies and thought he should've been there to eat them. So far, I was just watching him eat and hide it from his wife." she said with a giddy note.
He hid a smile, as they sauntered much further from the party, comfortable silence settling between them once again.
"How have you been liking the party, Tsuruga-san?" she asked, her voice a little above the cars passing by on the road next to them. Ren chuckled at the ironic question, thinking of ways to respond to her.
"So far," he started the same way as she concluded; earning a look from her at his dramatic tone, "I smiled at every person who saw me and made sure everyone enjoyed the party. I'd say, I'm more than happy to know that you didn't feel anything negatively towards anything."
She gasped as it finally registered in her brain, of who he could possibly be and she couldn't help but halt in her steps staring at his back. He stopped and turned his upper body, a lopsided smile on his face. She bowed extremely low, muttering apologies as he laughed inanely about. Hearing him laugh, she raised her head, biting her lip. Red hue decorated her cheeks, embarrassed of her musings she voiced towards him earlier.
"How could you laugh about it so easily!" she demanded frustrated as he doubled over laughing. He clutched his stomach at her dumbfounded expression.
"First, it was funny that you wouldn't know that he was my father," she groaned, "second, your expression was priceless!"
Punching on his arm, she moved ahead of him, irritated that he'd made fun of her in the middle of the street.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" he looked at her with those big eyes, the ones that actually made his mother give in: puppy eyes.
She huffed, completely under his charm and allowed herself to let her guard down. He grinned, taking her hand in his. Kyoko was shocked, her heart reaching a full stop. She tilted her head and looked at him with a worried expression. Gone was the playfulness and the smiles, replacing with complete worry and seriousness. She couldn't understand what would have made him so serious in just a matter of minutes.
"Please, Kyoko. Don't tell me that you have fallen in love with someone else. I was never in love with someone else, no one would ever wait for me until I'd get done with the day. Because you, were all of my dreams come true. Kyoko, I have waited far too long for this, to realize that I have lost every chance to tell you what you do to me. I love you and have done for four years. I spent forever wondering if you still thought of me, if you ever saw me other than your senior. But now, I am ready to make you feel the same way I do, to make you fall in love with me." he had gotten on his knees on the sidewalk, holding both of her hands.
Kyoko withdrew her hands, stunned. She smiled gently at him, dazed by his sudden confession. And then, she knelt down in front of him, holding his face. They couldn't see anything, no pedestrians, no cars and no police officers. They were wrapped in their own little world, with both touching their foreheads lightly, close eyed.
"I still think of you, wonder if you still eat. Even when I have turned twenty-two, I couldn't find a Ren in any man, couldn't see the same habits in any other man. And that's why, I don't think you should try to make me feel the same way for you," she whispered with her eyes closed. He opened his eyes, his heart running a mile a minute. If there was anything he wanted to do, it would be to know what she was meaning. Slowly, she rose, pulling him with her.
Ren was confused, heartbroken and hurt. She had a large smile on her face as she led him to a place he had not seen in a long time: the lake across their school.
"I wouldn't want you to make me fall in love you because," she looked deep in his eyes, a tender soft smile adorning her face like any flower to a garden and he just knew, he knew what she would say next but he waited anyway, "I feel the same way for you."
His breath hitched as he took her red face in under the moonlight. The stars reflected on the lake along with their entwined hands. He didn't waste anytime in cupping her cheeks, capturing her lips into a sweet chaste kiss, savoring every taste on her lips, mostly of chocolate and fruit punch.
She laughed as they pulled away, her hands deeply digging in his hair and his hands on her waist.
"Guess I fulfilled the punishment?"
He chuckled, pulling away with her hands on his chest. He reached into his back pocket and slid a ring on her finger.
"I think now you just did."
The End.
Author's Note:
I really did want to write this piece. And for another archive, guess I am going to write it but under another title, and plot.
I was cleaning my folders and found this document sitting completely(Metaphorically) dusted and parched. Well, I finally got to post it.
Please let me know what you think of this one shot, it may seem a little rushed so I don't mind if anyone of you gives tips for improvement. Your reviews bring a smile on my dull day!
Mistakes are purely unintentional, please ignore them if minor.
And lastly, thank you for reading this story, and "Unforgettable Love" *Bows her head*
Goodbye!
P.S. For all Gracefully Mistaken readers, the story would be updated in a week!