Chapter 10
It's 4:00 in the morning when Gray continuously shifted in the bed while Juvia was sound asleep next to him. It has been an hour since he woke up and felt confused and guilty at the same time. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being unfair to his girlfriend even if he did couldn't think of any reason to feel that way.
When he woke up an hour ago, from his sleep, he just turned in his side and stared at the sleeping beauty next to him. All he could think of is how did Juvia ever liked him when back in high school, he barely showed any concern for her until that incident with his father. Juvia was like the most gentle and loving person he met back then, and he couldn't understand why she fell for him. As he runs a finger to Juvia's bareback, he softly asks, "Why did you choose me Juvia? Out of all the man who fell for you, why did you fall for me?"
Just sighing in content, Juvia then shifts in the bed and moves closer to the man. Gray then wraps his arms to Juvia's bare waist and dipped his head to Juvia's neck. He softly mumbles again as he inhales her scent, "What did I do to deserve you?"
"Gray" Juvia barely mumbles as she slowly smiles, which Gray watched when he leaned away after hearing his name, "You even dream of me. . . Juvia" And with that Gray leans and softly kisses the lip of the sleeping bluenette who just smiled wider before her face became relax once more.
As Gray just stared at the sleeping beauty, Juvia began to shift again in the bed leaving his side. When he realized that he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore, he quickly sits by the edge of the bed and exhaled deeply before looking back at the sleeping woman in the bed. Gray then stands from the bed and began to pick up his scattered clothes. Soon enough, he began to wear his pants, pulled on his sleeve shirt and wore his shoes. Once he was dressed, he stood before Juvia who was clueless about him leaving. He was just watching Juvia evenly breathe and looked peaceful, so he leans down and kisses her lips softly. When he pulls away, he closely mumbles to her, "I love you Juvia . . . I'll always do" then kisses her temple before he stood up and left the room.
Before Gray totally left the apartment, he left a small note to the bluenette. The note was lightly placed next to the alarm clock of Juvia, which was about to ring when the clock strikes 5 in the morning. Soon enough, the alarm goes off, waking the sleeping beauty from her slumber. Juvia quickly smiles as she reaches out to the clock to turn it off. When she did turn off the alarm, she quickly turns in the bed to glance at the man next to her. Thinking that Gray would be still asleep next to her, she wore a wide smile only to be met with an empty side of the bed. She instantly sits up and grasps the blanket close to her nude chest. She was beginning to worry when she couldn't hear any sound outside her room, making her realize that she was alone, "Gray-sama?" Juvia called out but the silence of the apartment only made her shiver in sadness
When she finally accepted that Gray has left her apartment without even saying good-bye, she couldn't help but feel to cry. As she brings down her feet to the ground, she pulls on the blanket safely to her body and stood up, until she notices a note. Picking up at the small paper, she silently read the message.
Juvia,
I went home already, I have to head to work soon.
I wanted to say goodbye but then I didn't want to wake you up anymore
because you looked peacefully.
I'll see you tonight instead at La Frances Restaurant, 8 p.m.
-Gray
Slowly, a smile appears to Juvia's face as she continuously reread the letter. When she have memorized the message, she safely puts the letter to her drawer and mumbles before closing the drawer, "You scared me Gray-sama…"
And with that Juvia stands up from the bed and started doing her routine before going to work. She wouldn't deny that she wants the time to fly by so fast that it would be night already so that she could see Gray again. But just like every day, she has to wait till the sun sets again.
When the sun has finally shone up above the sky, Gray was already in the office. He was at Fairy Tail earlier than his usual and just took the time to roam around the building, after all, it was his last day. When he returned to his office, he sees the room to be empty. The table was clear, his shelves, his drawers, everything was packed already and most of it was being sent to Los Angeles, to his new office. As Gray walks up to the last box, sitting on his table, he began to check the content of the box. It wasn't much, but it was just some memorabilia he got as he worked in Fairy Tail, Magnolia. As he reminisced to those collectibles, the door to his office suddenly opens and his assistant walks in, "Mr. Fullbuster?" Anna called
"Anna," Gray then turns and looks at his assistant, "What is it?"
"Ano . . . I have your passport and ticket already sir" Anna then hands out the small booklet with the ticket inside. Hesitant to take it from his assistant, Gray just stares at the item first before he slowly takes it.
"Thank you," Gray said as he gazed at the ticket that printed the time of his flight and what plane. As he analyzed his ticket and passport, he suddenly heard a soft sob making him look up. He was quite surprised to see Anna trying to control her sobs as stands before him
"Sir…" Anna weakly calls, "I just…" A soft sob escapes from the woman before trying to continue but Gray beat her to it, "Thank you, Anna," Gray then smiles at the woman, "It was nice working with a person like you. You show so much dedication and understanding, especially to me when I get stressed at work. You have survived working with a man like me who can be distant to people."
"Sir, it nothing. I learned a lot of things from you and its an honor to be your assistant" Anna then bows respectfully before turning her back and leave the office, while holding back her tears.
When Gray's assistant was no longer in the office, Gray then turns to approach the unattended box. But before he could reach the box, the door opened once more and Natsu enters the room. "Yo Ice princess," Natsu calls as he shoves his hands to his pockets "Are you set for tomorrow?"
Gray chuckles at the man at first before he softly smirks and answers, "Yeah, except for this box."
"What's inside?" Natsu asked as he approaches the man to check the box along with him
Gray and Natsu began to pick up some things inside and started recalling those events in their lives. As they shared some laughter and few insults, Natsu and Gray couldn't help but feel the nostalgia.
"Well, the company's gonna be free from an ice blockhead like you" Natsu poorly insults as he tries to make the farewell lighter but he knows from the start it wasn't going to be easy.
"Gray," Natsu finally turns to the raven haired man who was slowly putting the things down, "I'm sorry man, if . . . I insulted you about taking this career."
"Well its expected, you're an idiot," Gray remarks before the two weakly chuckles
"I know, but seriously bro. I'm sorry. I guess I don't have any right to stop you or insult you about your decisions. As a friend, I should have just encouraged you"
"Its fine Natsu, I know you mean well when you said those words" Gray then taps the pinkette's shoulder, "I know you're just reminding me that I'd be leaving my family and friends for this career. And I know how much you put them first before ambition" and with that Natsu quickly hugs the man who was surprised to the gesture. After snapping out of his surprise, Gray taps the back of Natsu as he thanks the man for consistently annoying him to think what is best.
"Alright, this has gone awkward" Natsu comments as he pulls away from Gray who just laughs at his comment, "I'm going to leave first because I need to brush off your stinky smell"
"Shut up, Flame ass!" Gray teases before he softly smiles at the man
"Good luck bro and . . . just remember, we'll wait for your return for your treat" Natsu then smirks playfully before leaving out of the office.
"Thanks…" Gray softly mumbles back as he watches the door close
As the night falls, Juvia excitedly enters the restaurant that Gray mentioned that morning where they would meet up for their dinner. Their meetup was at 8 pm but since she was so excited to see the man, she made sure that she would go to the restaurant earlier than the time. So when she enters the restaurant, the receptionist quickly greets her, "Yes, mademoiselle?"
"Bonjour, um… reservation for Mr. Fullbuster?" Juvia shyly answers as she smiles at the smiling woman
"Ah, oui! This way mademoiselle" The woman then steps out of the counter and leads the bluenette towards the veranda of the restaurant. The woman the pulls the chair of Juvia which Juvia thank for, "Do you need anything else before I leave, mademoiselle?"
"No, I'm good, thank you" Juvia replies as she looks up at the woman. And with that, the receptionist leaves Juvia alone in the veranda.
As Juvia sat down, she took her time to look around and appreciate the place. The veranda was accented by glass lanterns, giving the place a soft and mild aura. Vines were creeping the four poles of the place while pink roses stick up to some vines. It was pure romantic and Juvia couldn't wait to spend the night with her lovely boyfriend.
Without knowing, Gray was already standing half way to the veranda when he suddenly gazes at the woman. He was feeling overwhelmed as he continues to look at the bluenette. Gray noticed that Juvia was wearing the baby blue A-lined dress he bought when he visited crocus before. She was wearing it with a white belt and heels. Gray couldn't deny that Juvia looked like a goddess with her simple beauty and sweet aura. Her happiness were radiating and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he will be the reason to take that happiness away,
"Monsieur, aren't you coming to that table? Your date is waiting already…" The receptionist says as she stares at the raven-haired man who flinches in surprise
"Uh, yeah, I'm on my way…" Gray says back to the woman before he shoves his hands to his pocket to hide his nervousness
With his slow steps, he barely made any sound as he slowly enters the veranda. He knows that Juvia hasn't noticed him yet, so he softly taps the woman by the shoulder, "Hey…" Gray softly mumbles
Surprised to the sudden contact, Juvia slightly jumps in her seat as she looked at the person who tapped her, "Gray-sama?" Juvia innocently calls as she eyed the man sit down in front of her.
As Juvia watches Gray take his seat, Juvia couldn't help but wonder why he seemed odd to her. The last time she saw him was last night and he wasn't acting the way he is now. So Juvia began to feel curious as she tries to read the expression of her boyfriend. And the longer she tries, the more it felt like he was trying to distance himself from her, "Are you alright, Gray-sama?"
Suddenly looking up at the woman, Gray quickly tries to give a relaxed look, "Yeah, why won't I be?"
"Uh, I don't know. . . I was just wondering because you seemed bothered" Juvia fidgeted in her seat as she just gazes at the man who suddenly looks away from her
"Well, I'm fine. Let's order" Gray quickly looks down at his trembling hands, trying to contain his anxiety
Soon enough a waiter came and took the couple's order. As Gray says his order, Juvia kept her gaze to the man, still trying to decipher the man in front of her and she couldn't grasp what is happening to him.
"Did you order what you want?" Gray suddenly asks as he looks at the bluenette
"Huh?" Juvia snaps out of her focus before she looked around and answered again, "Uh, yeah. I did"
"Okay, that's all, thank you," Gray says to the waiter who quickly walks away after
"Are you still worried about me?" Gray quietly asks as he looked down at his lap, trying to avoid Juvia's gaze
"Yes, Gray-sama…But you know what, let's forget it and just enjoy the night" Juvia then smiles at the man who slowly looks back at her. Seeing her smile, Gray suddenly felt a pang in his heart making him more nervous and guilty.
When the food came in, Gray and Juvia silently eats their dinner, which bothered Juvia somehow because this was not like them whenever they have dinner together. So Juvia from time to time starts a small conversation about anything, but it seemed like Gray was not in the mood to join her. He would just give short answers, nods, and a small smile.
"Oh, did you remember Gray-sama?" Juvia smilingly asks before she looks up at the unfocused man, "The time that we went to-"
"Juvia" Gray coldly calls her name as he cuts her off
Juvia was taken aback at first with the cold tone, but shrugging off the oddness, she tried keeping her smile as she answers back, "Uh, yes Gray-sama?"
Gray was silent at first before he answers the woman, "We need to talk"
"Talk?" Juvia unconsciously gulps as she kept her gaze to the man while trying to make her smile present, "A-about what?"
Hesitant to answer and tell her the truth, Gray took a long time before he looks straight back to Juvia who was obviously nervous. "We need to talk about us" Gray began to clench his pants as he tries to stop the shaking of his hands while looking straight to Juvia's eyes
"U-us? Wha-what about us?" Juvia swallows again as she felt her mouth run dry just hearing Gray's serious tone
"I took the promotion," Gray sternly says without blinking making the woman shiver in worry, " I took the position of corporate manager in Fairy Tail Los Angles. And I'm leaving tomorrow."
Stunned to what she just heard, she suddenly clasps her hand to her mouth trying to hide her shock, "Wha-what?" Juvia began to tremble as she tries to control her emotions, "Why'd you say it just now?"
"Never had the courage to say it sooner..." Gray then looks down at his pale knuckles
Juvia then looked down too at her trembling hands as she tries to think of what to say next, "Well, what are we going to do?"
Gray abruptly looks at the bluenette with pure surprise, since he expected her to be mad. But then Juvia just took it lightly and ask what would be their next step. This was not what he expected, he wanted Juvia to shout at him and demand why he did such thing to her. He wanted Juvia to get mad and make him plead for forgive but then even without asking for one, Juvia has forgiven him because that was just how much she loved him.
"Why aren't you mad?"
"Why would I get mad? I love you Gray-sama, I can't get mad at you" Juvia then smiles softly at him making him guiltier
"Well, you should!" Gray unexpectedly cries causing Juvia to flinch in surprise
"No, I don't . . . What is the matter, Gray-sama? What is happening to you?" Juvia slowly forwards as she tries to caress Gray's cheek but then she freezes after hearing Gray's statement
"I want to end us" Gray coldly states making Juvia retract her hand and sit down still her chair
"I'm sorry, what?" Juvia asks trying her best not to cry right there
"Let's end what we have" Gray answers back with the same cold tone and far away gaze
"Gray-sama this is not funny" Juvia suddenly chokes in her sob as her tears were beginning to fall, "What are you saying?"
"You know what I mean…" Gray kept his gaze to his plate because just if he looked at Juvia he might just take it back and he don't want to take back what he said because it was the best for Juvia
"But Gray," Juvia began to cry as she looked at the man who wouldn't even look back at her
"I just don't think we'll work if I'm far. I don't believe in long distance relationship" Gray slowly looks at the woman with all his strength not to give in, "It's the best for us"
Juvia began to shake her head in disagreement as her tears rapidly run her cheek. She shook her head in disbelief as she couldn't come up with a response. Her sobs were making Gray want to hide away and kill himself for making Juvia cry, but he knew to himself that he needed to do this for Juvia's sake.
When Gray couldn't see Juvia's face due to her hair, Gray agonizingly waited for Juvia to say something. Her sobs faded and Gray couldn't take it when Juvia just sat in her chair silently. "Juvia…"
Slowly raising her head to look at the man, Juvia coldly looks at Gray with her tears flowing, "If we end this, will that make you happy?"
Looking down at his hand, Gray coldly answers back, "Yes"
Sobbing once again as Juvia hears the answer that she feared she would hear. Looking down at her hands, she tried her best to stop her sobs and when she did she looks back at Gray once more. She began to wipe her tears away and put on her poker face, "Then we're done" and with that the sound of a chair screech making Gray look up quickly. Juvia swiftly stands as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the veranda and headed out of the restaurant.
As soon as Juvia disappeared behind the front doors of the restaurant, Gray began to stand as well in his seat and start to chase after Juvia. He tried his best to stay in his place but the sight of Juvia walking away from him was like watching her walk away from his life too and that thought was not bearable for him. He felt dying after realizing he can't stand living life without her. It was Juvia who made things possible for him because he learned from Juvia that you shouldn't give up easily, no matter how hard life could be. But after telling her that he would be happy ending their relationship, it was telling her that he had given up on them without even trying to overcome trials. He just made Juvia feel that he was better off without her, which was a lie because he can never get through life without her.
As Gray stood outside the restaurant, he frantically looked at his sides trying to find a bluenette. But no matter how hard he tries, there was just no blue-haired woman. Never giving up, he suddenly runs to his car and speeds off to Juvia's apartment. When he arrives there, he began to bang her door and called out, "Juvia! Please! Answer me if you're in there!" Gray just continued to pound on the door until a neighbor of Juvia peeked out and shouted back, "Will you shut up! Lockser is not there!"
Walking away from the door, Gray suddenly felt exhausted, felt like there was no way to change what he have done. Defeated, he walks back to his car and soon drives back to his condo. When he enters to his place, he went straight to his room and sits down to his bed. Feeling tired and depress, he began to feel his eyes sting. Looking up, he suddenly sees the photo sitting by his table, it was the photo of him and Juvia when they first dated at the same restaurant he just came from. That restaurant was the place he took her for their first date. It was the place he said I love you loud and clear to the woman he saw he'd spend his life with. But now, it was the same place where he destroyed their dreams.
"I'm sorry Juvia!" Gray shouted before he broke down in tears and softly mumbles about being stupid to let her go, "I'm sorry…"
To be continued…