Chapter 4

The Unstoppable Feelings that Bring Our Hearts Closer to Each Other

Mirai stared fixedly into Kirie's eyes as his chest overflowed with many emotions. His heart was beating faster and he looked into the blue eyes that reflected a gemstone's light. "Kirie," he said, beginning his sentence, "I love you. I always have, and I still love you, even today. My feelings for you have never died out since the day we met, and they never will. S, please…" His feelings grew stronger and his eyes lower slightly to convey what he had to say next. "…Please go out with me, Kirie!" He looked down with a sad expression on his face. "I know you might not think of me as more than the boy you met three years ago, but…" He looked up and gazed into Kirie's eyes again. "I want you to at least give me a chance to prove my worth to you. Let's start a relationship together."

Kirie's eyes widened at the sudden confession. Deep into the depths of her mind, she could tell that what he had told her were his true feelings. She knew that Mirai was still in love with her and she also felt the same way, but…

"I can't," she looked down with mixed emotions reflecting in her eyes. She shook her head without facing Mirai. "I just can't go out with you, Mirai. It would only cause the both of us pain. If we're with each other, it would become too unbearable for us to even be happy. Don't you think so?"

Mirai quickly realized Kirie's sorrow and frowned. "I would never want to hurt you, Kirie. I'll protect you with everything I have, so don't think about feeling any pain from being together with me. I'll always be there to shield you from anyone who tries to harm you." Seeing Kirie turn her head to her left without responding, Mirai stood there for a few seconds before stepping forward and embracing the girl he loved. "Please, trust me, Kirie. I promise I'll protect you no matter what. You won't have to think about anything else if you're with me. You're the only one I love."

Although Kirie did not say anything, she stayed in the heartbreaking enfold, and nodded. Mirai's body heat conducted right through hers and it was a warm sensation that made her happy but also concerned for the former. Mirai couldn't see it, but there was a tender smile that showed on Kiries face as she hugged him back.

They didn't let go of the other for a while, which made it seem like time had stopped in place. Somewhere in Kirie's heart, she felt a twinge of guilt and pain that resonated inside her chest. She had a presentiment and was still worried about what was going to happen to her, or even worse, Mirai. A look of doubt spread onto her face as she held the youth in her arms, wrapping them around his back. Mirai sense Kirie's anxiety and closed his eyes. As the night went by, it was a going to be a long time before they let go of their beloved.

The following day

Out in the city of Roppongi, Mirai and Kirie were holding hands in public. Kirie frowned and turned towards her right, avoiding any eye contact with the college student.

"Hey, Mirai," she began. "Are you really sure we should be doing this? We're not in a private area or any place with fewer people, so it's a little embarrassing to hold hands while we're here. Everyone's watching, you know!"

However, Mirai only smiled without a care in the world. "Haha! Kirie, you're too tense about this. We're dating, so it shouldn't be a problem, right? Try to be yourself while we're out. It wouldn't hurt to let everyone else know that we're a couple."

"Yeah, but…" Kirie trailed off hesitantly. She was not confident about the idea of becoming lover the next day, despite the fact that she reluctantly agreed to be in a relationship with Mirai. "What if someone finds out about this? For example, your parents… What if they don't want us to be together?" She glanced at Mirai with a worried expression on her face. "If they discover our relationship, they might force you to leave me and study abroad so that we won't see each other again."

When Mirai saw his girlfriend's expression, his eyes widened. "Kirie…" It was only a short matter of time before he started to laugh a little. "Ahahaha. Don't worry about a thing. Didn't I tell you that yesterday? I never knew you were such a worrywart before now, but I'm glad you've been thinking about me." His smile became softer as he looked at Kirie. "It's going to be all right, Kirie. I'm here with you, remember? Anyway, my dad wouldn't break us up. He'd understand that you're older than me, and I'm sure he'd love to meet you one day."

Kirie sighed. "Is that how it is? I think your family's more laid back than I would have guessed. But is it really okay for us to be together? Aren't there girls who like you?"

"What, are you jealous already?" Mirai asked innocently. "I don't have an interest in anyone else but you, Kirie. Anyway, to answer your question, there have been girls who have liked me, but I never paid any attention to them. Besides, I've even turned them down whenever they asked me out. Things should be fine now." He closed his eyes and tilted his head to his left with the smile he had on his face. "My side's A-OK. How about yours?"

Kirie frowned once more. "…That's not what I meant. I feel like someone else would be more suited for you, Mirai. Wouldn't you think so if you were in my place?"

"Aw, come on, Kirie!" Mirai blurted out. "I wouldn't think twice about going out with you!" Then, he pouted. "I really mean it when I say that I want to be with you, but you have negative views on how things will work out." His usual expression appeared on his face as he continued. "Look, Kirie. It's not about how we look to others, but rather how we show our love for each other. What matters in a relationship between two people is how you feel about your partner. That's what love is. Trust me; I would never want to leave you, even for a second. If our love ended right here, I'd regret separating from you. You're my one true love, Kirie."

As she gazed into Mirai's eyes, Kirie's eyes widened. Her uncertain emotions were soon filled with hope as she smiled at him. "Mirai…" She nodded at the younger boy. "Un. Thank you."

Mirai smiled back and closed his eyes. "You're welcome. I want to see you smile forever, okay?"

Kirie nodded again, and the two of them made their way towards an ice cream shop for their date.

On the other hand, Yuzuki and Ayame were at a flower field to finish the job Ayame had been assigned to do. She had been taking pictures of the wavy-haired celebrity since the day before, and was currently resuming from where she had left off.

"About a few more shots before we wrap things up for the day," the brunette declared. She smiled and said, "Well, not really. We still have tonight for work, right?"

Yuzuki frowned. "Yeah. It's gonna be a real pain in the neck to get interviewed, especially at night. Those who are in the entertainment industry have to put on fake smiles and do what their agencies tell them to." A smile appeared on his face. "But hey, that's what we do, and it's not that hard to pull something like this off in front of everyone. I have a reputation to keep up for several years to come by, so I'll still be well-known in Tokyo before I hit my forties. Maybe I'll still be in showbiz by the time I'm eighty. Who knows? You might become famous at that age, too."

Ayame let out a laugh as she answered the twenty-four-year-old male. "Aha. I'd rather not be. This is just a job I want to do, that's all. There's not much for someone outside your field to accomplish before they die, but sometimes it's actually worth trying. Living a civilian life isn't too difficult for someone like me, and it's fun every now and then to do something you haven't done before."

Yuzuki tilted his head to his left with a perplexed expression. "? You've never done something like write some coverage about someone before?"

Ayame shook her head. "I have, but it's more like I haven't been put in charge of someone outside my league until now. It's really amazing to even receive an opportunity like this. It just brightens up my day knowing that I'll at least get somewhere with this career. I haven't been able to do anything this important at my previous company." She looked down, thinking back to her memories. "Back then, I was hospitalized for a year and three months. It seemed as if I would never be able to reach outside no matter how long I waited to get discharged from there. I would always look out the window in my room." With a sad smile, she added, "It was so lonely that I wished someone would save me from being trapped in there. Of course, my friend and roommate, Fuko would always come and visit me. But… because she couldn't stay the whole time, I felt like breaking down every second without her."

Tears formed in Ayame's eyes and fell down her cheeks. She brought the back of hand up to her face and wiped the tears coming down the right side of her face and did the same with her other hand. Yuzuki's eyes widened a bit at the sight of Ayame crying several feet in front of him, and he walked over to her, bending down on the young woman's left. He turned his head towards her and sighed. Then, he faced forward.

"Well," he breathed, "there's not much I could have really done to free you from there when you were hospitalized for what seemed like an eternal hell." His shoulder slumped as he stared at the sky. "There is one thing I can tell you, though. If I had met you back before you were sent to that empty room, I would have definitely taken you out without a second thought."

He turned his head to his right and Ayame looked up, gazing into his eyes with surprise as she took her hands away from her face.

"Really?" she asked as the rest of her tears slide down her visage. "You would have done that for me, Yuzuki?"

Another frown formed on the actor's face. "Isn't it obvious? Of course I would. You're…" He caught himself before saying anything else. Then, a couple tints of pink appeared on his cheeks as he got a close look of the hazel eyes staring back at his own eyes. He quickly averted his gaze before retorting in a flustered manner. "I-It's something anyone would have done if their feelings for you were strong enough. I'm sure your friend felt sorry for not being able to do anything for you, but I would have gotten you out no matter what. You can trust my words on that."

Ayame soon realized something as she stared at Yuzuki's posture. He was now sitting on the ground, holding his knees, and would not look at her and hid his expression away from her sight. She knew that there was only one reason for him to behave like that and she had to say it for him to hear.

"Yuzuki, do you… Do you like me?" she asked cautiously as a blush formed on her face.

Yuzuki's eyes widened once more as he looked at the editor next to him. Then, he stared into Ayame's eyes, while his were chockfull of emotions for her. He confirmed the inquiry after nodding.

"Yeah," he said, having a red blush on his face this time. "I like you, Ayame. Ever since the night of the party, I've started to develop feelings for you. The moment I saw your sleeping face when we were alone together in the hotel room, I couldn't help but think about you."

He gazed into Ayame's eyes for a few more seconds before closing his own. He was slowly leaning forward and Ayame closed her eyes, moving towards Yuzuki. Their lips found one another's and touched, their hearts melting with a soft and warm sensation with each lock their mouths made. Never before had their chests overflowed with love and affection for anyone else until that very moment. Their hands were touching and they were at the beautiful scene for hours before finishing up with their passionate kisses.

Later that night, Ayame was sitting in front of her desk in a daze. She placed her fingers up to her lips, still mesmerized from the feeling of Yuzuki's lips.

Just then, a voice called out to her and she knew who it was.

"Working late again, Irodori?" Atsushi asked as he entered the room. "You know, it's going to put you back in your bed if you don't stop to take a break from work soon. You'll end up running a high fever before you know it."

Ayame shook her head without looking back to face her boss. "No, that's not it. It's just…"

"What? Are you thinking about Yuzuki Kitaoji right now?" the man pressed further.

Ayame looked down at her keyboard. "I guess you can say that. I can't stop thinking about him no matter how much time passes by."

Atsushi blinked. "Don't tell me you've fallen for him. He's a celebrity, and reporters tend to follow his kind everywhere whenever he takes a step in their presence. You can't delay things just because of that, Irodori. You're a member of Cinderella; you have a duty to fulfill as an editor here, and we need you!"

Ayame turned around and frowned. "I know. I'm not even letting this affect my job, Jinnai-san. I'm still focused, but Yuzuki's all that comes to mind lately. Whether or not I'm working on this magazine right now also relates to him in every way possible. Is that not what an editor's job is supposed to be? Are we not allowed to think about our clients when we're at work?"

Atsushi gulped at the serious situation he put himself in. "Er… I know that you like him and all, but don't let it get to you, okay? This is just a step toward our goal to keep our company going, and to beat Takuji's team." He nodded firmly. "Yeah, that's it. We're in for the win. Our competition is still taking place in these harsh times, so we need to build up a leading foundation for ourselves."

"You mean, for your reassurance." Ayame's eyes narrowed in an unpleasant way with her mouth becoming a thin line. "Can't you just let it go? We all know that with Takuji in business, there's no way you could ever win against him. He's a magician, after all."

There was yet another heart-wounding effect on the editor-in-chief. "Ugh…!" He reached out with his right hand towards Ayame, relentlessly getting pounded with the beauty's words. "Irodori, you… You are a cold woman, aren't you…?" He felt back, landing on the tile floor with a soft thud.

"As cold as a woman can be," Ayame frowned, staring at the man whom she called her boss. "Unlike you, Jinnai-san, I've still got my work cut out for me. I am a young employee here, so I'm always going to be your junior for as long as I'm working at Cinderella."

Rivers of tears flowed down the (almost) middle-aged man's eyes as he laid where he was while he made a crying sound. "You're so mean! I'm not that old, you know! Uu… Why does it always have to be me…?"

Ayame sighed, shaking her head with closed eyes. "Get a grip, will you? You're so pathetic for the CEO of this editorial department. It really makes me wonder if you really are in charge of everything here."

It was going to be another long night before work ended, which would be in a short amount of time for the employees at Cinderella.

Asuka smiled at Kirie inside the apartment. "You look nice today. Are you going out with Mirai-kun, Kirie-chan?"

Kirie nodded. "Yeah. He said he'd take me to dinner since we're officially dating now." She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. "It'll be our second date as a couple." She closed her eyes with a cheerful expression on her face.

"Sou ka," the white-haired young woman glanced contently at the dark magenta-haired girl. "You should enjoy the time you have together. It sounds fun. Perhaps Takuji and I should go on a date, as well. We could even try to join in with you two later on for dinner."

Kirie frowned. "Unfortunately, I'd rather not have Takuji say anything to humiliate us at the table, so that's a no. It'd be too weird having him around, so maybe you should find another restaurant to eat at if you feel like going out tonight, Asuka."

"But Takuji's a lovable person to be with," Asuka replied. "He's like the bright sun that pulls everyone to him."

Kirie sighed. "That's the problem. Takuji attracts too much attention. Don't you remember what happened yesterday in the office? He practically made everyone else fawn over him just by acting in front of us. His tears weren't even real."

"I'll have you know, my tears are one hundred percent genuine," the mint-haired magician told the younger woman in the house. He walked down the stairs and looked at Kirie. "Don't think that what I do in front of other people is completely fake. I'm Takuji Uramoto, after all. As your father, I'm obliged to make you have a good time, so you'll smile more often. That's my role while I'm still taking care of you, Kirie." He folded his arms together and nodded. "Un. That's what fathers are for."

Kirie narrowed her eyes. "Takuji, you aren't my father. We're a year apart, so you're just a friend I've known since I was eighteen. Besides, you don't even act like a dad."

Takuji smirked with his eyes closed. "But I'm better than your father, right? He doesn't even compare to me and my good looks."

"Uh, yeah," Kirie responded with her left hand on the back of head. "You're swell."

At that moment, the doorbell rang and Kirie rushed towards the door. She placed her hand on the doorknob and opened the door, revealing Mirai's smiling figure in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she looked at him. "Mirai… Um…"

"Hey," Mirai greeted. "I came to get you. Are you ready, Kirie?"

Kirie nodded happily. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Have fun!" Asuka waved at the handsome college who showed up at the doorway.

Takuji grinned with opened eyes. "Make sure to bring her home before ten, Mirai. You have a curfew, too, don't you?"

"Yeah," Mirai affirmed. "You can count on me to walk Kirie home safely. It's dangerous for a girl to be out by herself, so I'll make sure no one lays a hand on her."

Takuji gave the youth a thumbs-up, then he waved. "Yeah! That's my boy!"

Mirai smiled jubilantly before taking Kirie's hand and walking out the door with her. Soon enough, they made their way to the restaurant that he reserved for the two of them and had a lovely dinner together.

"Thanks for agreeing to go out on a date here with me," Mirai smiled lightly at Kirie, who was sitting across from him. "I really wanted to go everywhere with you today, so I hope it's not too much trouble for you."

Kirie smiled back. "It wasn't any trouble at all. I've always wanted to go somewhere with you. When I think about it now, I'm glad I got to be with you, Mirai. I feel like I could go anywhere with you when we're together."

"Kirie…" Mirai felt a blush appearing on his face as his eyes had a softer look to them. "From now on, you can rely on me. I'll always be there to protect you no matter what."

Kirie found herself blushing and nodded. "Un. Thanks, Mirai."

As they chatted, the two of them felt closer than they were three years ago when they first met. It was a warm sensation that brought their feelings together and filled their hearts with the love they had for each other. As long as they had one another, they didn't have to worry about anything. With the night sky lit up with beautiful lights from every building in Roppongi, it only enhanced their feelings as they held hands and looked out the window together.