DISCLAIMER: I really don't think I am that creative to have written something as amazing as Misaki and Takumi, so nothing other than this plot is mine.

ALL ITALICS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE MISAKI'S THOUGHTS! CONTINUATION FROM THE LAST CHAPTER.

PLZ ENJOY AND REVIEW!

Chapter 5: The long drive; part 2

Misaki's breath was caught in her throat, she tried to move but couldn't and suddenly everything felt even more real, as if until now she was just flowing with the wind but now she was smacked back to reality with the unrealness of the situation. And then she registered that he was still waiting for an answer. And after all that talk that they had he was still providing her an option. And also that he meant every word he said, this proposal was a nice reassurance to her that he will follow through his words.

'He wants us to work; and not his definition of work. Not the fact that marrying for carrying out the family to next generation, but marrying for the….. No! We are not there yet. Love is a little far away. Then what exactly are we marrying for? Am I having second thoughts? No, not exactly. He did clear all his reasons, right. I haven't yet. And we both know how this idea of our wedding started. We both deserve a clean slate! I should tell him my initial reason for acceptance. But I should also tell him that, that reason is not the only one in our relation's equation now. But what is that reason? Why do I want this to work SO MUCH? Am I in love? ALREADY? NO! I care about him that is reason enough! And it's the same as his! He wants the best for me, always had. And I want the best for him as well, of course. And our resolved relation is best for both of us. Wait. He is still waiting for a reply, MISAKI! SAY SOMETHING.'

"Yes!" she bobbed her head up and down, "yes I would marry you, Usui!"

He beamed and got up, slipped the emerald and diamond ring with platinum band on her finger. Misaki smiled at his choice of the ring.

"That's a pretty ring."

"Defines you completely and is your favorite stone as well."

"Just my favorite? Don't put this alone on me alone. You love it as well."

He chuckled and then leaned forward their foreheads touching. And Misaki was again about to slip into her internal monologue when he whispered, hot breath fanning across her face, she felt heat rise up her neck.

"I want you to be happy Misa, I want us to be happy with each other." She smiled and nodded again.

The return trip brought a very happy atmosphere surrounding our couple and they could surely notice the change in each other's demeanor.

They were smiling more and seeing that easy smile on Takumi's face brought Misaki some relief. She had missed it for years. That smile which dripped with his pure heart went missing after his mother's death. It was replaced by a discontented smirk. She had done everything in her power back then to bring that smile back to normal. But after a while even she knew that achieving that was quiet difficult, and if it was difficult for Misaki; it was impossible for others.

That smile had since childhood made her sure of her assessment of his thoughts, and maybe that been reason why after his mother's death in final year of the school she was not so sure of their relation any more. And her worries was almost confirmed when he refused to make her as his official date to the prom (at which they all had dragged him) and made everyone give in to his idea of a group date instead.

'If his family had still been here; maybe just maybe this all would have happened a while back. Maybe we would have got together in school like the rest of us. Maybe our lives would not have been so… so conflicting.'

"What are you thinking?"

"About us and our potential future." She was sure it was a constant thought in the back of her mind when their past was in the forefront.

"That surely is an engaging topic." He chuckled, "well we are almost nearing your house."

"It is almost 7. We were there for a while."

"Hmmm."

When they were parked in front of her house; they saw the other car parked as well, which belonged to Usui's grandfather. They got out of the car and went towards the house and were greeted by two black suited giant bodyguards.

"Your grandfather still keeps bodyguards!?"

Usui shrugged, "He is paranoid."

They reached the living room and were greeted by laughter, of her mother and his grandfather.

"Misaki, we were just talking about you both." Her mom commented.

Misaki smiled and greeted Usui's grandfather, the usual; 'how are you? Your company and the weirdly high number of pets.'

"So Takumi, myself and mrs. Ayuzawa here were discussing about the announcement of your engagement to Ayuzawa here. And we decided that the best place to do so was in the party that I have been organizing for a while now. Well I have not been organizing it technically, that is what my employees are for."

Misaki rolled her eyes, ' That is one of the chief reasons why I hated these powerful rich men once, their bad habit of bragging always gets under my skin, and now I am going to marry one. Thank goodness he is not like the rest of them and especially not like his grandfather or his late father, god bless his soul. I think he gets his beautiful character from his mother. She was an exceptionally nice lady and…'

"Lost in thoughts again?" Takumi whispered right beside her ear and she shivered because of the hot warm breath. 'What is that delectable smell that screams Usui from a mile away? Focus Misaki focus!'

"Not exactly!" she whispered back.

"So?" his grandfather questioned, "are you alright with making it public right now?"

"Completely!" Usui's reply held a certain command that reflected upon him being the amazing businessman that he was.

"Unless Misaki has a problem with it."

"No, I am perfectly fine with this."

"Good. Then you all are invited to the party at the Walker Mansion this Friday for my retirement party the official invite would come soon enough, and there I will be announcing officially about their marriage." He then stood up and started making his way out of the house.

"Oh you should stay for the dinner, Mr. Walker." Mrs. Ayzawa was of course the perfect host.

"No but thank you, we should really be going now." Mr. Walker replied, "coming Takumi?"

"You leave first I will drive my own car back home. And I will join you for dinner soon."

The moment Usui's grandfather left and Misaki and Takumi were alone again, he gave her a stern look.

"What?" she asked sensing his gaze.

"Spill!"

"I will ask again, What?"

"Something is bothering you, and you need to tell me."

"What makes you think that?"

"You are doing that thing where your brow meets together and your mouth has a slight curve downwards. That's usually when you are bothered by something." His explanation left Misaki wide eyed and she took a second to recompose.

'I don't think I can ever keep a secret from him.'

"Yeah, you are right. You can't keep a secret from me."

"Wait, did I say that out loud?"

"No."

"Then how do you…"

"Doesn't matter, what matters here is for you to tell me what is on your mind."

"I know, and I will but not right now, it's not a short talk and you need to go back home soon. Can't keep your grandfather from his dinner."

"Okayyyy, then I will call you after dinner."

"You wanna do it on the phone?"

"So it's that serious?"

"It's nothing too serious Takumi, just important."

He came closer and Misaki took a step back. He picked up both her hands from her side and held them encased in his.

"We will do it whatever way you want."

She looked at him skeptically. 'Is he just talking about my pending talk?'

"Okay then, we will meet tomorrow and then I will tell you everything."

"Tell me everything?"

"Yes, you told me everything, why you are marrying me but you still don't know my reason and I believe if we are trying to work on this marriage you deserve to know everything."

"Great. But about tomorrow I have this important meeting with the board members. But if you want I can postpone."

"No! No god no! Don't postpone on the board members, we will talk some other day; after all we are to be married for the rest of our lives now."

"Right, for the rest of our lives."

'There is that smile again, god I love that smile.'

He kissed her hands which were still held in his and said a low voiced 'good night' and left. Her hands still tingled where he kissed and were slowly turning cold where he once held.

"Misaki are you coming to eat dinner or not?"

She was startled and blushed when she realized her hands were still mid air as he had left her. She smiled to herself.

'I think I won't be as miserable in future as I once believed regarding my love life.'

"Coming." She yelled back.

A/N: I am happy at how this drive turned out for our couple here. So what all issues should I raise in her talk with Takumi? You already know her reasons for acceptance of this marriage (given in chapter 1: questions), should I add something else as well? Something you need me to clear or explain? Input is always welcomed.

And I will update as soon as I get this fog in my story cleared on how to proceed. You can obviously help! I am little doubtful on their rate of falling in love with each other. So reviews would be keenly looked forward to.