Hey guys!

Yeah yeah I know I took forever to upload this, put all the blame on me please. It turned out that I slipped out of schedule and this chapter took a pretty long time to write, so I'm sorry :(

So anyway, enjoy the chapter! Warning you though, it's almost the end of the journey. Embrace yourself for the finish!

And of course thank you for everyone who read, review, follow, favorite, yadah yadah the story. You guys rocks!

Disclaimer: I didn't own Fairy Tail or any part of it.

© Hiro Mashima

The Time

Weeks after the previous incident, everything seems to be turning to normal. No one knew what happened, so nobody said anything. But there were a couple of changes of course, mostly to the relationship between Jellal and Erza.

It looked like they were getting a lot better with each other. They became pretty close in class, and they like to talk with each other. Even Natsu noticed something was happening between them.

But then again, something also felt off. They became closer and further apart with each other at the same time, if that was possible. It was like there was this thick invisible wall between them. Although it might look like everything was spoken, there were actually a lot of unspoken words.

The bell to marked the end of school day had just ringed. Erza packed her books. She quickly walked outside.

"Erza," called someone.

Erza turned around to found Jellal staring at her. "Meeting?" he asked. Erza smiled weakly and nodded. She knew Jellal didn't need her answer, he knew her so well. You know what, maybe sometimes even more than she knew herself.

"Good luck, I know the festival is going to be amazing," said Jellal again. It was just something that people said out of formality, but Jellal somehow looked really sincere. He smiled sincerely too, which was a progress for someone who rarely smile before.

Erza smiled back and walked outside. She hoped Jellal didn't see her gestures as something rude, it just that she couldn't stand the sight of his smile. The smile that always made her heart warm, and even warmer when she remembered the reasons why he smiled.

"But if it's for you, I'll smile."

Erza's face blushed. She shook her head and try to think straight again.

What happened before all this that made her this close to Jellal now?

Ah she remembered; Jellal was her first love. Or is her first love? She's not that sure.

Erza didn't realize that in the progress of all of this, she became a very confusing woman. Since when did she become this timid, weak, and limb woman? She used to be strong, smart, everyone looked up to her, and there were nothing that could make her scared. Now? She was scared of everything.

She was even scared of her own feelings.

At one end, she wasn't sure of what she's feeling. But then, she was scared as she was hanging Jellal at the same time. Well, it's not like Jellal confessed anything or said anything. But she knew his feelings, so it's just the same, right?

Or maybe Jellal wasn't feeling that way anymore? Maybe Jellal didn't like him at all, maybe Leonora was just bluffing. Maybe she was just hoping too much.

And that thought startled Erza. Was she hoping? Well, there was this side of her that felt dead a little on the thought that Jellal didn't like her. So was she expecting him to like her?

That thought kept Erza so occupied that she didn't realize someone was approaching her. A man tiptoed and teasingly said, "Erza, you are red"

Erza and her amazingly fast reflex made her turn her attention directly to the man with a stare of dagger. And it made the man where the stare fell to shivered. "Aiya Erza… I was just kidding," laughed Loke.

Erza focused her sight on him, managed to deliver a scary message without really saying anything. But then Loke kept on trying, "but you know Erza… you are really red. Never seen you like that before. Is there any guy that you fell for or something?"

Loke was just joking but Erza's reaction wasn't. Her face became as red as her hair.

Loke's eyes turned really wide looking at his friend's reaction. He dropped his jaw and he looked really excited.

"Erza! So you finally find a guy suitable enough for you," he said, half of his brain in disbelief. "Too bad it wasn't me, I always thought a beautiful lady like you would end up with a handsome man like me," he jokingly added.

Erza scoffed at her friend's reaction. No matter how bad a playboy Loke is, she just couldn't hate him. "Please Loke, just go and take care those girlfriends of yours," said the redhead. Loke laughed, he looked so happy everyone could believe it if he said he just won the one million jewel lottery.

Erza walked into the student council room, ready for meeting. She took a quick look at Loke for the last time, founding him giggling like crazy. "What?" she asked rudely. Loke, with full enthusiasm, replied, "it just that, my little Erza is now grown up. She had blossom… OUCH!"

After tasting a piece of Erza's punch, Loke limply walked away. Erza sighed, watching him walked away. Now, she had other things to be worried about.

She should forget about Jellal and focused on the school festival.

O.O

The day of the school festival was here, and Erza was super busy. Not only the head of the student council, she also supervised her class performance for the same time. Her class decided to do a café, where they used the good-looking boys to target woman.

Everyone was in his uniform, fully ready for battle. It would be really nice if the girls also join, but since Erza was not joining their class, they would lose a lot of customers. That's why now they used boys.

Levy designed the uniform, a simple butler uniform. They wore a white shirt with a black vest and red bow tie. The pants were black, the same colour as their shoes. Each of them held a napkin and a menu book, and all of them looked uncomfortable.

"Come on guys! Smile!" said Levy enthusiastically. Natsu roughly fixed his pants that kept on going down. Gray looked like he's going to strip at any moment. Loke was too busy flirting. And the other boys looked confused.

Except for Jellal. The only problem is, Jellal was becoming too handsome. It's as if he's shining. At least it was like that for Erza.

But then, the other girls who were lined up outside the café seem to have the same thought. They were all so excited. Erza sighed; she knew she couldn't open the café unless everyone was prepared. The girls were all ready at the kitchen, now she just needed to throw some motivation for the boys.

Natsu was just in a middle of an argument with Gray when Erza slammed the table. Hard. She had this fiery looked on her eyes. "If I see you two fight again," she then hit her fist to her palm. All of the boys gulped. "Aye sir!" said Natsu out of reflex.

"Listen boys," it's not like they wouldn't listen, but anyway, Erza continued, "We need to work. Now. But we can't work. Unless you guys all are ready. Everybody understand what they need to do?"

Everyone nodded in perfect unison. "Good. Now get out there and serve some customers!" yelled Erza while she pointed her finger to the door.

Magically, everybody moved and served well. Erza nodded, feeling very satisfied. Lucy walked closer to her and she laughed weakly. "They all listen so well to you Erza," said the blonde in amusement. Erza smiled sweetly to her, "Lucy I got to go, make sure that everyone works or they will be dealing with me."

Lucy laughed halfheartedly and waved. She felt sorry for the boys. The redhead walked outside and quickly looked around. It looked like all the committee worked well. Then, she felt someone was grabbing her hand.

Her super fast lightning reflex made her turned around and held that hand tight. But instead of a pervert, she saw Jellal. "Erza, do you have a minute?" asked him.

Erza looked at Jellal's hand that was grabbing her arms tight and shook her head. "Jellal, I need to work. If there's anything you wanted to say, say to me after all of this." Erza turned around and quickly took off.

Jellal sighed. He had built up all the courage he had to just ask Erza, but the timing was never right. He hoped that the time would come.

O.O

It turned out that the time never come after all.

Erza was really busy. She needed to patrol the classes, and then prepared the stage for the talent show, and then checked the bazaar, and then looked after the games, and then check the food, etc. There was just so many things she needed to do that she didn't even has a proper time to rest.

Finally, after the talent show was over, she could sit down and take a breather. Her mind flew to the time when she took down Jellal's offered. She wondered what Jellal was going to say.

But she knew that she still had unfinished business with Jellal. She inwardly promised that after all of this she would find him and talk to him. Meanwhile, maybe it was a good idea for her to tried and resettled her mind and feeling.

She sat down at the student council office and packed a couple of things. All other members were still busy cleaning up the stages that the office was left just like that. She was leaning down to took some papers went the door burst open.

The first thought that appeared in her mind when she turned around to saw was, "Jellal?"

Siegrain walked in and closed the door. Erza's shoulder went down when disappointment washed over her. The blue haired man walked closer to Erza and smiled, "not so happy to see me?"

Erza blushed and turned away, "no… I'm sorry, that was rude."

Siegrain laughed, "It's alright." He inspected the student council office and smiled, "I remember seeing you in front of this room back then. When we were not friends."

Erza turned to look at him, "when you were a jerk," corrected her. They both laughed. Siegrain walked his hand over the office black table, his eye looking distant.

"I always wonder, you know, how if I was the one who is in the same class with you. Will everything be the same?" said Siegrain. His eyes were warm, his mean look escaping his face.

Erza sighed. She wanted to say something but Siegrain raised his hand. "Come on Erza, don't be so melancholic now, alright?" he laughed. He walked outside to the door before turning back to Erza, "just don't let him slip away again, okay? For me."

The redhead looked at Siegrain with a loving smile. No doubt, Siegrain had become her best friend, one that she could always count on. She knew that no matter what happen, they would be the best of friend.

"Thank you, Siegrain. For everything," she finally said.

Siegrain just raised his right hand and closed the door behind him, leaving Erza alone.

And it's funny how human brain works. Listening to what Siegrain's said earlier made Erza remembered the first time she met Jellal. How Jellal looked at her and how he sat down next to her. And what he said as well.

'I see… it's the color of your hair, right?' uttered Jellal that time.

The color of my hair…

It had always intrigued Erza, what Jellal said that day. But now Erza remembered why.

O.O

Jellal was walking outside class 10C when it was already sunset.

He finished cleaning up with the rest of the class and everyone went home already.

He, instead, decided to stay and wait for someone. Who else but Erza.

But looking at how busy the student councils were, he didn't think he would have the time. He sighed and stretched. The day had been pretty hectic for him, considering how vicious high school girls are.

Even though all that Jellal had ever wanted was just some time alone with Erza. He decided that after weeks of being friendly and nice with each other, he would need to end this once and for all. He needed to tell her.

Jellal walked to the stair, decided to go home. Erza was probably too tired to absorb anything he got to say anyway. As he walked closer to the stairs he heard the sound of a footstep coming closer. Looks like someone was running up the staircase. Jellal was about to see who that was when a familiar shade of red hair appeared. The girl ran upstairs and looked at him. In fact, she seemed to be having no intention to stop at all.

"Erz…" was the word that Jellal didn't finish saying, since Erza bumped into his chest.

Jellal, out of reflex, held Erza's body with both of his arm. Erza's arms were both resting on his chest and she looked up.

Their faces were so close, only inches apart. And yet Erza didn't seem to care. She looked at Jellal with a look that said that she got something very important to say.

In that position, it looked like they were embracing each other. But both of them didn't seem to care. At least, this way, they got the time they needed.