Part 25

I cracked my eyes open and relished in the beating sunlight.

I felt a warm, strong arm around my waste.

I didn't have to look to know whose it was.

No, nothing happened. We just fell asleep together.

I smile spread across my face and he kissed me on the cheek.

"Morning."

"Morning, Мой мир."

I rolled over onto my other side and looked at him. " 'My world'?"

"Yeah. You don't mind, do you?"

"No. I'm just wondering where that came from."

He just shrugged and kissed my forehead.

I smiled and said, "Boy, is this a 180 from last night. Or from the whole year, for that matter."

He smirked and said, "Mission accomplished."

I laughed and gave him a slight push.

He stroked my hair as we lay in bed, smiling our faces off. Then, he asked, "Can I ask you something."

I nodded.

"… Don't take this the wrong way; I'm not embarrassed. It's just… I kinda don't want to tell everyone about this… at least for a while."

I smiled and kissed his nose. "I was thinking just the same thing; if we tell them, they'll make it a big deal. I want this to just be us. Just for a while."

He smiled and squeezed my hand. "In that case, we're gonna have to make sure that no one figures it out."

"Not gonna be too hard; most of them are oblivious when it comes to this kinda stuff."

He laughed and said, "So, who do we have to watch out for?"

I thought about it for a second and then, said, "Well, Haruhi will figure it out right off the bat, but she'll also realize we want it to be a secret so she won't say anything. Mori may or may not figure it out; it depends on how much he needs to watch over Hunny. Speaking of the little devil, Hunny will be too obsessed with cake and Usa-chan to figure it out. Tamaki… well, enough said. As for the twins, I think Hikaru is still trying to figure out his relationship with Haruhi. That could keep him occupied but it could also make it easier for him to see the signs, as he is, somewhat, experiencing them. Kouru, provided he looks closely enough, could also figure it out. And if one of them figures it out, chances are, they'll tell just to shake things up. In the end, they're the only real threat and we can get around them pretty easily."

He smiled at me. "You've, certainly, learned your stuff."

"After a year, what can you expect?"

We both laughed.

But, my face fell, just a little bit.

"What's wrong?"

I looked at him and decided I could tell him.

"When I was a little kid, I always slept in my mom's bed. On Saturday mornings, we could do just we're doing now; just lie in bed and talk… Come to think of it, it's Saturday today… I miss those times."

He squeezed my hand. "Come on. It's time for lunch."

"Already?"

"Yeah. It's noon."

"Wow, this is the latest I've ever slept in."

He smiled and pushed the covers back. "Come on."

…

We sat on the couch in the parlor, listening to music.

We had spent the day together, enjoying the other's company.

That's when Kyouya looked at his watch and said, "We better go get ready."

I looked at him confused. "We going on a date?"

He smiled and said, "You'll see. I picked out a dress for you. It's hanging in you closet."

"Ok."

I walked up to my room and entered the walk in closet.

I saw the dress immediately.

It was knee length with spaghetti straps. It was white with a hot pink cherry blossom pattern.

I slipped into the dress, put on some white flip flips and curled my hair into ringlets.

I looked out my bed room window; the sun was almost done setting. I had to wonder what Kyouya had planned.

I walked down stairs and found him waiting in front of the patio doors he wore black shorts, black flip flops, and a red short sleeved, button-down shirt.

He smiled at me and motioned for me to spin.

I did so, smiling.

He walked up to me and rested his hands on his waste. "Beautiful."

"You must real proud of yourself."

"I'm proud of both of us."

We pressed our foreheads together just for a second.

"Come on."

He opened the patio door and we started walking.

…

After walking for a while, we entered a wood of weeping willows.

"Where are we going?"

He turned to me and said, "Here."

He pulled so willow branched to reveal a crystal lake.

Set up right by the lake was a blanket, a picnic basket, candles and a CD player.

Now, other girls would find this as just a romantic date. But, for me, it was something different.

Without taking my eyes away from the scene, I asked, "What day is it?"

"… The 14th."

The day my parents were buried.

Ever since the funeral, I always went to a lake, had s picnic and sang to them.

"I can't believe I forgot. I can't believe that you did this."

He squeezed my hand and led me to the blanket.

We sat down.

"How did you know?"

"I knew what today was and I asked your big brother's if you ever did anything special."

I, nodded, solemnly.

"Do you wanna go back and just forget this?"

I shook my head. "I need to do this. Besides, mom and dad will want to know how I'm doing."

I hit play on the CD player and started singing.

God - our heavenly Father.
Oh, God - and my father
Who is also in heaven.
May the light
Of this flickering candle
Illuminate the night the way
Your spirit illuminates my soul.

Papa, can you hear me?
Papa, can you see me?
Papa, can you find me in the night?

Papa, are you near me?
Papa, can you hear me?
Papa, can you help me not be frightened?

Looking at the skies
I seem to see a million eyes
Which ones are yours?
Where are you now that yesterday
Has come and gone
And closed its doors?
The night is so much darker.
The wind is so much colder

The world I see is so much bigger now that I'm alone.

Papa, please forgive me.
Try to understand me.
Papa, don't you know I had no choice?

Can you hear me praying,
Anything I'm saying,
Even though the night is filled with voices?

I remember ev'rything you taught me
Ev'ry book I've ever read.
Can all the words in all the books
Help me to face what lies ahead?
The trees are so much taller
And I feel so much smaller.
The moon is twice as lonely
And the stars are half as bright.

Papa, how I love you.
Papa, how I need you.
Papa, how I miss you
Kissing me goodnight.

By the end of the song, tears were running down my face and I was clutching Kyouya's hand as tightly as I could.

The next song started playing and I gained enough composure to sing.

You taught me everything
Everything you've given me
I'll always keep it inside
You're the driving force in my life, yeah

There isn't anything
Or anyone that I could be
And it just wouldn't feel right
If I didn't have you by my side

You were there for me to love and care for me
When skies were gray
Whenever I was down
You were always there to comfort me

And no one else can be
What you have been to me you will always be
You will always be the girl
In my life for all times

Mama, Mama you know I love you
Mama, Mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like tears from the stars
Mama I just want you to know lovin' you is like food to my soul
Yes it is, yes it is, oh, yes it is, yes it is, yes it is oh

You're always there for me
Have always been around for me even when I was bad
You showed me right from my wrong
Yes you did

And you took up for me
When everyone was downin' me
You always did understand
You gave me strength to go on

There was so many times
Looking back when I was so afraid
And then you come to me and say to me
I can face anything

And no one else can do
What you have done for me
You'll always be, you will always be
The girl in my life, ooh oh

Mama, Mama you know I love you
Mama, Mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like tears from the stars
Mama I just want you to know lovin' you is like food to my soul

Never gonna go a day without you
Fills me up just thinkin' about you
I'll never go a day
Without my mama

Mama, Mama you know I love you
Mama, Mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like tears from the stars
Mama I just want you to know lovin' you is like food to my soul

Lovin' you is like food to my soul, oh yeah
You are the food to my soul, yes you are

The tears were falling heavily as I rested my head on Kyouya's shoulder.

He rubbed my shoulder, rocking me back and forth.

I opened my eyes for a second and something caught my eye.

I jumped up and started running into the water with Kyouya right on my heels.

I was about mid-thigh deep with I stopped.

I, gently, cupped my hands around a white rose and a red carnation and lifted the blossoms from the water.

I smiled through my tears and looked at Kyouya.

"It's mom and dad. It was my very first concert as a singer. Mom and dad got front row seats and, at the end of the concert, mom threw a white rose up on stage and dad threw a red carnation."

He smiled at me and rubbed my shoulders.

We both looked up at the stars, knowing mom and dad were watching over us.