Precious

This is a special chapter for this fanfic.

And it is dedicated to the birthday girl, Juju a.k.a jaysama10 (in IG)

A year later..

Shiki settles in both places, her apartment and Hideki's apartment. Hideki was the one who suggested the idea for her to stay both places, since he would be too tired or her being too busy. But Shiki will always went over during the weekends or long holidays.

As he steps into his apartment, he realized that Shiki wasn't around and it was almost midnight. He took out both of his phones, but there wasn't a message nor missed calls. He was afraid of the same incident that took place a year ago, where she was held captive by her stalker and was hurt during the incident. He quickly dials her number and waits for a moment before she picks it up...

"Hello, Hideki. What's up?" Shiki answers her phone and he could hear typing in the background.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm still at work, why?"

"You didn't look at the time?"

"Time? Oh, my god! It's that late?!"

"Yes, it's really late..."

"I really didn't know... ah~~ I have a few more to go tho... and it's gonna be a long weekend too... Ok! I'll finish my work a.s.a.p!" Shiki shouted with enthusiasm.

"Do you need me to pick you up?" he offered.

"Oh, it's ok... I drove here..."

"Shiki, I'm worried..." he said.

"Oh... ok, I could pick my car up tomorrow, I guess..." she gave into his words.

Moments later...

Hideki was at her work place, but this time he was allowed in. This wasn't his first time there, so the security guards knows who he is and let him in without hesitations. He arrived to the floor where she works on, and saw her in her office with her other co-workers.

"You know you can't do that, Hiroshi... Those people have work hard on this article..." he heard her voice.

"Onitsuka, go over this again. Shiki, if that editor didn't missed her deadline - we wouldn't have been here arguing..." he could hear the voice of her boss.

"Hiroshi, publications will go as follow. Starting from this part, this and this..." he hears another voice, belongs to Onitsuka, or the one they kept calling, Demon Lady.

He didn't want to stand outside in the hallway and eavesdropped to their conversations. So he knocked on the glass door.

"I'm sorry, I'm here for Shiki... " he said as he pushed through the door.

"Oh, Ishigami san! I'm sorry, but we're almost done. You can have your girlfriend back real soon, just need her to finish this part..."

"Ok..." he replies and sat down on the sofa that was in their office.

After another 30 minutes of waiting, they finalize their work and went their separate ways. He helped her in taking her laptop and escorted her to his car. Sensing her exhaustion, he asked her if she was hungry, and she nodded her head. It was already late, yet there wasn't much restaurant that was open. So they settled with home cooked meal, instant ramen that is...

"Phew~ It's like I haven't eaten for a week!" she exclaims.

"You're exaggerating a lot, aren't you?" he laughs.

Hideki didn't tell her about taking a few days off, cause Katsuragi called him in the morning, telling him that the twins wanted to throw a party for them. It was something like an anniversary party, and the idea was to make it a surprise party for Shiki. He was nervous since he couldn't surprise her, as she knows that he can't keep anything from her.

"You know, the day after tomorrow... the twins invited us to a party in their place. Nothing formal tho..." Hideki said.

"Eh? How come I'm not aware of that?" she asked.

"Their bodyguard was the one who informed me this morning, and he even said that it will be an outdoor party..." he replies.

"Oh? Where's it held?" she asked again.

"Were you even listening?"

"Hahahahaha..."

"Like I said, it's their place..."

"Oh... you mean their apartment?"

"Yes, seems like that they will be doing it on the roof..."

"Oh..." was her only answer as she was pushed into the shower by Hideki...

The next day.

They went out and about in Tokyo. He brought her to his favorite patisserie, and have coffee and his favorite dessert - pudding. He looks at her while she dig into her cake, she noticed it and looks up. Instinctively, he looks away.

"Why were you staring at me?" she asked as she lifts one of her eyebrows.

"You don't want me to admire your cute face while trying to gobble up that cake? Ok..." he teased her.

"You want me to gobble up that pudding that's on the table, in front of you?" she asked.

"Hm... by all means, here. Cause I know you don't eat much sweets..." he says as he pushed his pudding to her.

"I'll pass..." she replies him, knowing that she lost in that argument.

After finishing their brunch, Hideki took her hand walk along the bustling streets of Tokyo. They passed by a jewelry store, and there was a sales person outside promoting. She saw the couple, and stood in front of them.

"Hi! We're promoting our new wedding designs today, would you two like to come in and have a look?" she asked.

Dumbfounded, both of them were pulled into the shop.

"These are the latest designs, you can have a look..." she said and left them to another sales person. Hideki turns to look at Shiki, and she does the same.

"Are you two going to get married?" said the sales person.

"Erm..." Shiki finding words to replied.

"Not so soon..." Hideki replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My colleague is a little hyper..." he apologizes to them.

"No, it's ok..." Hideki replied and he looks over to Shiki, who was a little dissapointed and she was staring at something.

"Shiki... let's go..." he says as he puts his arm around her.

As they left the place, Shiki's mind was somewhere else... She was thinking about what Hideki said.

Later that day...

They are in the supermarket, and they were going to do some grocery shopping, when suddenly...

"Ai chan?!" a man calls Shiki out from another aisle.

"Yamamoto?" Shiki turns around and replies as she saw the man.

"Yes, it's me! I can't believe you can remember me through out these years!" the man got closed to Shiki, without realizing Hideki was there.

"We were in the same class, of course I can remember..." she giggled.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"We are buying groceries, sorry..." Hideki steps in between them as he says that.

"Wha- Ishigami senpai?" Yamamoto was taken aback, everyone in high school knew what happened to the two of them after Hideki graduated.

After the incident in the supermarket, Hideki couldn't take his eyes off of her. When they reached his apartment and helped put away the groceries, Hideki told Shiki that he will be going out doing something - and will be back in an hour or so.

"Eh? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to pick something up..." he says and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Shiki nods her head and starts heading to the living room as he left the place.

Time pass by, Shiki noticed that she was on her laptop for an hour plus and there was no sign of Hideki. Worried, she tries calling him - but she couldn't get through.

"He must be driving..." she thought to herself, when the door opens.

"I'm back..." Hideki steps into the apartment.

"Oh! I was worried that something might have happened, since i couldn't get through your phone..." she said and saw a few bags in his hands.

"What are those?" she asked as she points to them.

"Shiki... I have something I would like to discuss with you..." he says and puts the bags down onto the coffee table.

"What's the matter?" she asked, staring at him.

"Can you.. erm, come here?" he asked and sat down on the sofa.

"Hideki, are you ok?" she asked worriedly and sits besides him.

Hideki lets out a sigh before continuing what was on his mind.

"Even though we have found each other a year ago. Shiki, after seeing you today... I was still confuse..."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a little... well, maybe not little. I felt jealous when you talked to your friend earlier and to your other friends..."

"They ARE just friends, Hideki. You're always in my heart, remember? You're silly..." she giggled.

"I know... I mean, I want you to stay by my side... always..."

Aren't I doing it now?"

"No... I mean, yes..." he flustered.

"Hideki?" she stares at him, waiting for his answer, he begins to question her than giving her answers.

Hideki lets out another sigh as he noticed he was beginning to get nervous.

"Shiki, will you be my only person that I come home to?"

"Yes..."

"Will you be my only shoulder that I need to lean on?"

"Of course... Hideki, what's wrong?"

"Shiki, a few more questions..."

"Ok..."

"Will you be my only family member?"

"I will..."

"Then... Will you marry me?"

"... what?" she was surprised at the sudden question.

"Will you marry me, Shiki?" he said it again and pulls out a little box out of one of the bags he carried in.

He opens the box and in it, a ring - simple yet elegant. He saw this when he was with her in the jewelry store. It was the ring that he saw Shiki's eyes lay on a couple of times. Shiki stares at it, too shocked from the surprise and tears was beginning to form in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Hideki asked while wiping the stray tears that fell down from her eyes.

"I... I..." she stammered.

"Hm?" he looks at her with a gentle glance.

"I do!!!" she gave a shout.

"Haha, you don't have to shout... cause I already know your answer..." he laughs and touched her cheek.

"You're a meanie! Stop making me cry!!!" she pouted.

"I didn't... haha..." he laughs again.

"Shiki, give me your hand..." he asked and she did what wants by giving him her right hand.

He then took out the ring from its case, and slides it onto her finger.

"There, it fits. I knew this suits you, and you have been eyeing at it too..." he smiles at her.

"How did you know?" she was surprised that he found out.

"I'm a superintendent, and I notice those little things that my wife does..." he proclaimed and she blushed.

The next day, it was the day of the party that the twins planned for them.

Both of them in their casuals, since it was an outdoor barbecue party and Katsuragi did said it wasn't a formal party and it was only for close friends. When they opened the door to rooftop garden, a sudden burst of poppers sends the confetti flying at them.

"Happy Anniversary, you two!!!" everyone who was present shouted.

"Wha-?" Shiki was still in daze, Hideki pushed her into the middle of the party.

"Happy Anniversary, Shiki~~~" shouted the twins again, while Aika gave her a drink.

As Shiki reached out to the drink, Mizuki noticed the ring and asked, "Hey... that's a nice ring you got there..." he pointed, knowing Mizuki - she decided to play cool.

"Yeah, I like the design..."

"Oh? Hm... but this is somehow, the newest design for a wedding ring..." he added as he gave her a smirk.

Then Aika picked up on what Mizuki was hinting, she shouted.

"Ishigami san proposed?!" everyone turned and stares at them.

"Hideki!!!!! You didn't even tell me about it!!!" Yuusuke shouted, he was invited to the party too.

Trying to console a crying Yuusuke, Hideki was pushed from behind by Nagi...

"Nagi?! What are you doing?!" he asked as he was pushed towards Shiki.

"We need your words about this proposal..." he grinned and Hideki went into work mode.

"Nagi, you should join the police force..."

"No..."

"Why not? You have what it takes..."

"No..."

"Why?"

"Shut up and tell us about that damn ring!!!!! Stop asking about me!!!" he raged at Hideki and gave him a strong push that almost made Hideki fell down.

"Nagi!" Shiki shouted at her mischievous brother and all she got from him, was him sticking his tongue out at her.

All eyes were on the couple, and Hideki clears his throat...

"Yes, I did proposed to her last night. Ok, that's it..." he says and Yuusuke jumped at him.

"Oh my god! Congrats, Hideki! Now you are all grown up... Wa!!!" Yuusuke cried.

"I can't believed it either... cyborg proposed something that isn't work related!" Sora said as he stares at Hideki.

"What do you mean?" Hideki snaps back at him.

And as they were enjoying having that conversation, Kana suddenly popped out a question - that left everyone staring at her...

"When are you gonna have a baby?!"

End of chapter...