"Please...I follow you anywhere, take me with you."

"I can't allow that. It's too dangerous."

The two figures hugged each other, shedding their tears. One cupped the other person's cheek, wiping the remain tears off the corner of the person's eye. Slowly, the distance became close.

~PAUSE~

"Kaasaaan..." I whined as it got to the good part.

"You could be doing that right now if you get out from that cocoon of yours."

"But it sooo warmmm~" Closing my eyes, I rolled around with the blanket covered my whole body. I could see mom rolled her eyes before sighing.

"Whatever you say. Now, can you please help me prepare dinner, Dear." She left to the kitchen, leaving me no room to refuse. Reluctantly, I got out from my cocoon and followed mom.

"Do tousan will stop by?" Taking the apron from coat rack.

"Afraid not, Dear. He said there's to lot of work in the office." Figures. My dad always been very busy since I was a little girl. In fact, mom just here for her monthly visit. They somehow tried to be considerate with how less time we spent together. Mom usually stay at my dad side, taking care of his welfare. Eventually, I stayed on my own during my highschool life up until now.

"So, what's are we cooking for today?" Finished tying my purplish apron, I went to her side.

"Your favorites." She just smiled. Not a very good one I believed. Mom only does that when something came up. Weighing whether to ask any further or not, I knew my curiosity will be my death. What can I say, curiosity kill the cat.

"What's the occasion?"

"Hmm, you will know later on." She winked, turning around to boil the water. I could only raised my left eyebrow. I got a premonition that it won't be a good news to me. It never was actually.

After finished all, we sat on the dining table, enjoying our warm tea. To be specific, it was lavender tea. Everybody knows it's for relaxation... Okay, some might. But still, look at mom, she just sat there quietly. I knew something sinister was going on.

"So, any special things you forgot to mention on this special visit of yours, mom?" Impatiently I pressed.

"Hmm...maybe~maybe not~" I can see mom look at me with her evil grin.

"Please, no games." I sighed. Usually this is my greatest offense. However, I'm still no match for master of trickery, which is my own mother. So, I decided not to fall into her trap.

"You are no fun. I thought we love play the guessing game." She puckered her supple lip like a little girl. She's unbelievable.

"Well yeah, just not with you." As ashame to admit it, whenever I played this with mom, she always knew how to keep calm and make me agitate easily. I wonder is it because she was my master or mother.

"Fine, I tell you. Hmm... Where should I start? Oh! How about this... A long long time ago..."

"Okasaan~" I whined.

"Oh, you spoilsport! Well, to sum up, I kind of agree you for a date tomorrow." She then resume sipping her tea. Wait...

"YOU SAY WHAT?!"

"That's why you should let me finish my story. Wait~You don't even let me start." She let out a huff.

"Okasan~What did you do?" I can't understand this at all.

"You know Non-chan, me and your father were worried about you. You don't even have a fixed job." I knew where this coming from. Oh! I believed you haven't really know me yet. Guess I should introduce myself earlier. Hehehe silly me.

I'm simply an ordinary Toujou Nozomi. 23 years old freelance photographer. Yes, I don't have specific job place and I don't even plan to have one either. Just me with my trusty DSLR.

I guess my free-willed nature was worrying my parents. I kind of took any pictures that was interested to me. I thought about opening art gallery for that. But no one know yet, good, I need some times to finalize everything beforehand. This should be a surprise to them.

Okay, enough of that. I had important matters need to be deal right now.

...or I thought so. Yet, here I am. In front a small cafe. The only clue I had just that the person I was meeting with was rich. How I suppose to find one?!

Alright, no more dwelling. It won't go anywhere. Might as well take a little peek, if I'm still got no idea. Well, I could just leave. Hmm...wait, I can do that right now! I don't even want to meet this person to begin with. Okay, for confidence boost, I'll see what the cards going to say.

The Fool.

So much from running away. If I did that I might missed a new journey. A new beginning. The card indicates that meeting with this person can make a change in my life. Well, no harm in following it.

With a new determination, I entered the cafe.

'TING!'

Taking a deep breath, I peered my jade around the cafe. The ambience was very comfy. The aroma was refreshing. Examine every single person, at last I stopped.

"No way..." Astonished. I thought I'd found my date.

Slowly making way to that person, I admired her features. No doubt she is a beauty. With her vibrant golden tresses, everyone will notice her. Yup, I knew my date was a girl. Mom had told me in order to avoid me getting a heart attack. Well, my heart did jumped seeing her beauty.

Hmm...you want to know why I think I got the right person? The cards told me. Hehehe just kidding. I mean everyone will think the same of me. Who the heck even wearing a hot black suit in cafe! As well as at the afternoon. Got the meaning?

Oh, well...not complaining though. She was hot.

As I neared her, I tapped her left shoulder, interrupting her drinking. She turned only to be buried into my big bust. She quickly distance herself from me. Blush plastered all over her face. How cute~ I can't help but giggled from the reaction.

"Are you, might be Ayase Eli?" I smiled. Somehow, I could see her azure scanning all over me. I managed to suppress myself from flustered, which was rewarded by the darkened red face of my date.

"Yes. I'm Ayase Eli."

...

The chiming sound mixed around with the murmurs inside the cafe. Despite that, at the side of the cafe, near the window glass sat two customers, who haven't make any noise yet.

"Here you tea miss." A grey-haired girl, who dressed as a maid brought my Earl Grey to the table. It was weird how quickly she left us, before I even gave my gratitude. Oh, well... I lifted the cup to my mouth and took a sip, after I blew it a bit. I heard my date cleared her throat, so automatically I looked at her.

"Hmm..." The blue orbs of hers were uncertain. I decided to take the first step.

"So, is this cafe usually become your dating spot?" I almost grinned as I hit the jackpot. Fortunately, she didn't drink anything or else...

"Ehem. If you want to change place, I can arrange it." She tried to hide her embarassment by drinking her coffee. At least she'd opened up.

"It's fine. I like here. It's very cozy." My reassurance got a relief sighed from my beauty date.

"Though you are quite boring." I could see she gulped the coffee before coughed hardly. I swore I don't mean to do that...or am I~

"Sorry about that. I don't really have any experience in things like this." She gave me an apologetic face. Oh~ My heart just melted seeing it.

"Then, what make you so desperate to get a date? You even make an online site to search for it." Yep, mom told me where she registered my name into some dating online site. I still can't believe her.

"You're a weird one. Nobody had ever asked me that." She smiled while rubbing the back of her neck. I haven't see her smiling before so it was a new sight for me. A marvelous sight by the way.

"Rather than weird, I prefer to be called special." I gave her my usual amuse smile.

"I-I-I don't mean it like that. Weird as in...a good kind of weird. Wait..that's doesn't sound any better. Erghh..." My date was in quite a mess. She seemed so compose, so serious just a moment ago. I admit this is kind of cute and I love every minute seeing her distress face. Well, I even announced it by my giggling.

"Y-You're messing with me..." The azure looked aside. I thought I'd seen her pouting. POUTING! Kyaa! My fangirling sense just flaring.

"Fufufu, never thought my date was a fragile one." She turned to look at me. Her intense gaze gave me a shiver along with the frown on her porcelain face.

"I did not. Just so you know it, I'm good in everything I do. I can sport, dance and even drink." I don't think the last one really related but now I knew what type of my date is. She just can't accept any weaknesses. A competitive kind of type.

"Thank you for the information. But I think we are off topic already, I haven't hear any reply regarding your reason to have a date with me yet." Well, time to get serious. As I enjoy teasing her, perhaps I wondered the point of our meeting.

"No escaping from you, huh... Alright, I have a proposition to make." She returned to her stoic self. Taking out a thick envelope from her briefcase, that I wasn't even realize it was there, she slide it to me. I looked at the brown envelope before my jade took a peak at the lapis lazuli. She just gave me a silent nod. Hesitantly, I opened it.

Surprise was understatement, I was mortified. Her proposition was hard to even agree with. It costs my entire life. However, I still remain calmed. Mom told me, poker face was important when dealing with this kind of case. I read everything carefully, every single word of it until the last one. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before reopened it.

"I can't decide right way. Maybe you can give me some time to reconsider it." She just smiled.

"I understand. I knew what I'm asking is hard for you to cooperate. I'm glad you are thinking in reconsider it. I really am." I could see she tried to relax her stiff body. I took one more last look to the contract before putting it back into the envelope.

"Did all your past dates declined this offer of yours?" I tried to make a light conversation. The woman in front of me flinched, murmured something inaudible to my ears.

"I'm sorry?" She blushed.

"Y-You're the only one I asked about it. I never thought of it before." The blonde looked down, hiding her flushed face.

"Oh! May I know how many did you date before me?" My heart jumped hearing I'm the only one she ever asked. Stupid me, it could be anyone. I'm just in the right place, in the right time. Nothing to be excited about.

"Umm...I would said ninety nine. However, if you consider being rejected in the same day or by mail..." Surprisingly, I snorted hearing het explanation.

"You...you got rejected by mail...hahaha!" It turned to be a big laughter. How unladylike.

"Hey! I'm not happy about it either. She didn't even meet me yet. Being rejected before we're seeing eye-to-eye was very hurtful." Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a sigh.

"Be grateful I'm here to cheer you up." My lip curved into a small grin, which she replied back with her own appreciation smile.

"Thanks, I'm relief it's you that I've meeting with." The smile turned to be a genuine one. I had to admit. It did took my breath away. I even had to hide my reddened face.

'BRRR!'

The vibration from her mobile phone indicated that our time is up. She quickly finished her last drop of caffein while I'm simply drink it slowly.

"Guess it's time for us to apart. Thank you for spending your time with me." The blonde stood, tightening her black tie and suit. She looked handsomely, yet beautiful at the same time.

Her clear azure then stared at me instinctively. Blush could be seen on her cheek.

"You can keep those. Eventhough you are not planning to agree with it." Her index pointed on the envelope before me. Somehow the atmosphere became a little awkward after that, like she still have something to say. But I beat her to it.

"So, how much time left for me to give the answer?" It was obvious she was in the rushed. If not, the proposal wouldn't even needed in the first place. I'm still don't know the reason behind all these. Not like I even to. Not right now.

"I don't want to push you. But, I much appreciate it if you could decide within this week." Even if her face was emotionless, no one can ignored the pleading in her tone.

"Okay. Well, you better start going now. I'm pretty sure you are busy person." I gave her my sweetest smile. The blush on her face deepened. She gave a small nod and walked, leaving the cafe. However, a second later she returned back.

"Hmm... Did you forget anything?" My jade focus on her but she casted her sight sideway, totally avoiding the eye contact.

"Your name..." She whispered softly.

"Huh?" I look at her confusedly.

"Could you please tell me your name?" I facepalmed. I can't believe her. She's the one inviting for this date and don't even know my name. What a hopeless date. Despite that, I can't stay mad at her. Not when she was blushing furiously, embarrassed by her own incompetence.

I took a glance at my cup. It almost empty. Taking the last gulp, I smiled to the woman near me. The look she gave me, full with anticipation slightly teared down my plan. Just not enough for me to cancel it off.

Stood out from the chair, I closed my distance toward the stoic woman. I maintained the smile as I leaned to her, her ear. She took a sharp breath as my hot breath trickled the shell of the blonde ear.

"Figure out yourself, beautiful." With that I left the cafe, smile still plastered on my face. The most satisfying thing was the blush from the face had spread to her ears.