Chapter 29: Plans
Desperately searching for her ring, she found it in Chika's hand, her friend's eyes examining it and rotating it, awed at its existence.
A hand on her heart calmed Chigusa down and she poked Chika on her cheek.
"You scared me Chika!" Chigusa said, annoyed at her discovery but sighing in relief.
"Oh, I'm sorry Chigusa, and I didn't think you'd get mad, I thought you saw me but I guess I'm too short in real life too." Chika said, holding her friend close to her.
After getting her ring back Chigusa sat herself down hearing the bell ring. Inviting Chika to the bench under the tree for lunch, she kindly accepted and was glad to get away from the crowd.
As the Chigusa opened her bento box she noticed her red haired friend holding her lowered head and shaking. Confusion and concern struck Chigusa as she rubbed her friends back and offered to help her with anything.
Chika rose her head up with tear-swelled eyes and stared at her fortunate companion.
"There's nothing wrong Chigusa…..I'm just so happy for you!! I can't believe you're getting married!! I'm so jealous!!" Chika confessed, ending it all with a hug.
Leaves flew off the tree as the wind blew by to emphasize the silence, amplifying the sounds of crying but despite the awkward manner of the moment, hugged her friend.
"Thank you Chika. I'm so happy that I have friends like you who cry joyous tears when I'm happy. In fact, I have a secret to tell you." Chigusa said softly, almost motherly. Chika looked up in surprised, expressing a childish curiosity in the secret.
"I've considered many people but I feel like, you- Chika Kuramoto- are the best pick. I cherish your friendship and how nice you've been to me and would be blessed to have you as my bridesmaid!"
Her face brightened in response, her smile consumed much of her head, and she hugged her friend again.
"Yes! I will! You won't regret it Chigusa!" Chika said, relaxing her body and wiping her tears. "But you better not tell anyone that I cried or I'll beat you."
Chigusa smiled and started to eat once more, this time her friend joining in.
As the final bell ended the school day, Chigusa caught sight of Kaito waiting for her near the entrance and waved Chika goodbye, running to her fiancé. She wrapped her arm around his and rested her head against his arm.
"Love you." She said.
"Love you" he said back, his throat scratched from the single phrase. She noticed it and rubbed it for him as they walked.
He pulled a check from his pocket, revealing the money CC Corporation had handed him. The figure went well above half a million dollars, causing her legs to give in but she caught herself and retained her balance.
"That's…….that's so much money! That can't be all just for the money. We should save some of it, and put it in a bank account, our savings. It could be emergency money." She suggested, getting a nod and a smile in return.
Despite the engagement, Kaito loathed his inability to speak and decided to practice before he enrolled into school next term. He opened a children's book he signed out from the library and began to read the simple colors, trying to pronounce each sound at a time.
Chigusa lied next to him on the bed and held his arm once more, looking at the book but never reading it herself. Kaito coughed with each word but pushed himself to say at least one.
His annoyance at the difficulty was overwhelming and he closed it, laying it on his chest but decided not to give up. He opened it again and began to read again until he finally said it, "Blue".
Chigusa clapped and shoved a cookie in his mouth, surprising him but settling him down when she kissed him on his cheek. Chewing on the cookie and poking her nose, he felt a great pleasure once more in being with her more and more and doing everything with her.
Chigusa concluded that he needed a break and dug under the bed to find a sketchpad and pencil. She handed it to him and went back to her earlier position.
"Can you draw something for me? It'll help you relax." She said, a look of benevolence on her face.
He had learned how to draw effortlessly since his entrance into this world and she was speechless when viewing his passion and rapid movements when drawing. He focused on it and felt his nerves release themselves from all problems and let his head choose what to draw.
Chigusa could not make out the picture, a task that became harder when he began to hide what he was drawing. Attempting to peek at what was drawn, she got a glimpse but to no benefit as she still couldn't recognize it.
After the passage of thirty minutes he revealed it to her, a highly detailed work that surpassed all previous creations. Chigusa gasped as she held the picture, the image of a cute blushing young lady in a wedding gown, her curves clearly visible and her veil covering everything but her lips and chin.
Chigusa focused on the reflection the picture served as and blushed at the exquisite masterpiece. She had now decided what she wanted to wear to her wedding, the dress he had drawn.
She then realized that there remained various dates to arrange and the two sat down to discuss the wedding. They were to wed the day after graduation from high school, the perfect day to leave this place and celebrate the union and love.
The two stared at each other after sighing in relief that all plans had been arranged and after the atmosphere went from affectionate to intensely affectionate, they began to kiss each other, caress each other and hold each other.
The afternoon stayed strong and durable and after their love session, Kaito decided to take a walk around town as he felt the urge to do so. As he walked outside the house and down the sidewalk, calmly listening to the sounds of the breeze touching the trees he had never imagined that this time tomorrow, after this lovely and unbelievable day, he would be shopping for coffin.
