Final and longest chapter ever! Full on romance, a bit of humour here and there and family moments! I used some bits from other chapters which are in italics.
Chapter 36: Confession and mother
Haruka ran to the water fountain and it was completely dark. The dark sky was decorated with scattered stars with the illuminating and magnificent full moon. She sat by the water fountain and buried her face in the palms of her hands. The red haired girl sobbed and sobbed as if she was Cinderella, who cried over her step sisters ruining her dress for the ball.
Riku came running and turned around a corner until he stopped and heard the sound of crying. He peeked and saw the girl he loved sobbing and felt his heart melt. The silver haired teen approached her cautiously and slowly until he stood close to her.
He touched the top of her head and gradually Haruka looked up. Her makeup wasn't smudged because of the fact that she wore waterproof makeup, but nonetheless, her cheeks were puffy, eyes bloodshot red and glistening with tears. The green eyed teen looked so innocent like a small toddler.
He sat down in front of her and took out a tissue from his pocket. Riku wiped her tears and she sniffed. "If you keep on crying like this, you'll make me cry too." Haruka lowered her gaze and fluttered her eyelashes. Her love took her hands and kissed it ever so softly.
"If you are always sad like this, I'll be sad too." Haru looked up at him and smiled just a bit. This was enough to brighten up his world and make him feel relieved. "That's better, much better." He mumbled with a smile. She took the crown off of her head and stared at it, as the diamonds glistened from the moonlight. "I don't deserve this." She said inaudibly, but Riku heard her. He took the crown from her hands and carefully placed it on top of her head again, whilst saying, "Haruka, you're a queen in my eyes." The red haired prom queen blushed at this.
They sat down next to each other in complete silence until Riku broke it. "I never knew you were afraid of clowns." He started a conversation and she smiled.
"Yes, embarrassing isn't it?" Haruka asked whilst scratching the back of her head nervously.
"No, it's not. I'm afraid of being alone and that's pretty stupid." Riku answered and Haru looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
"You have monophobia?" She questioned innocently.
"Yes." He sighed and looked down. Haruka held his hand and he looked up at her into those alluring amazing emerald eyes.
"You will never be alone Riku. You have your parents, you have Sephiroth, you have your friends and you have me. I promise you I won't let you be alone." Haruka declared with might. Riku smiled softly at this as he cupped her jaw. They stared into each other's eyes.
"You care about me that much, don't you?" She placed her hand on top of his and leaned into his touch.
"Of course I do Riku. I've been with you for such a long time and you're really special to me. You're so special to me, that you can't even imagine…" She trailed off. He gleamed at this and Haruka leaned on his shoulder.
"Remember the first time we met?" He asked and she smiled at the memory.
"Yes, I remember it as if it happened just yesterday." She muttered.
"You were so shy when you hid behind your dad and you looked so adorable." Her cheeks went red.
"No I wasn't." She countered back and Riku laughed dryly whilst he shook his head.
"You were. With those red curly pigtails, that little cute red dress, you were too adorable." He pinched her cheeks and she pouted at this.
"So I'm not adorable now?" She asked.
"You still are really adorable, to me. But you've grown up into such a beautiful young woman. You've matured so much, yet you're still the same." She reddened at this.
"Well, you've matured as well. You've grown into a strong, handsome young man. Yet you still are the cute, understanding and kind Riku I knew 11 years ago." They laughed at this and sighed contently.
"So what do you want to do after high school?" Haruka questioned curiously.
"Well, I want to go into business management. I might go to Twilight Town for college." The red haired girl gasped at this and looked at him gobsmacked.
"You're going to Twilight Town for college?" She asked with a frown.
"What's wrong Haruka?" She looked down and hugged her sides.
"It's far away and I might not see you as much." She whispered and Riku heard.
"Why don't you come with me? They have a medical school there." Haruka looked up and raised her voice a little.
"But I don't want to be a doctor anymore!" Riku furrowed his eyebrows together.
"You don't? What do you want to be?"
"I want to do something I will enjoy and I'm good at. I want to be a lawyer." She stated and he smirked at this.
"Well, the college I want to go to specialises in law as well." He sang and she grinned.
"Really? They do? That's awesome! I can show you the usual spot; we can eat sea salt ice cream and watch the sunset at the clock tower!" Haruka hugged him and he laughed as he stroked her hair. Riku leaned closer to her ear and whispered. "Out of everyone, I want you to be the person to come with me and stay with me in college, only you." She smiled at this and felt special. The red haired girl shivered from the chilly wind outside and Riku noticed this. "You cold?" She shook her head no, but nonetheless, he took his blazer off and wrapped it around the red haired girl.
They stayed like this and Haruka needed to tell Riku something. It was itching inside and she needed to tell him. She just hoped that he didn't get angry and flip out. "Riku?"
"Hm?"
"I need to tell you, that…" She gulped and shut her eyes. "That the only reason me and Roxas were going out was because I wanted you to notice me." Haruka waited for Riku's reaction, but he didn't react. He didn't pull away or snap at her. He just continued to hold her in his arms. "Haruka, I've always noticed you, but I was very, very jealous." She looked up at him with twinkling eyes.
"I'm sorry." Haruka apologised and he shook his head.
"You don't have to be." He smiled and she smiled too.
"You're the best Riku."
"I know." Riku shrugged and said cockily. She punched his chest playfully.
"Oh shush you!" The silver haired boy stood up and raised his hand out for her.
"I wanna take you for a walk to the beach." He stated and she pouted.
"Woof." Haruka said plainly and Riku laughed at this and Haruka giggled, but took his hand. She got up and they walked. It was very peaceful and quiet on the streets, with only the sound of soft wind howling. The pair walked with each other hand in hand to the beach.
They both sat on the silky white sand. Haruka and Riku took their crowns off and placed it on the sand with the red haired girl's heels. They stared into the distance at the full moon. It looked exquisitely enchanting as the ocean glistened from the reflected light of the magnificent moon. Time felt perfect and still. Haruka and Riku still held hands.
Riku glanced at the girl who sat next to her and thought, 'Should I tell her?' Then he looked back to the ocean again. 'What if it would ruin our friendship?' He reconsidered the thought. Haruka also glanced at the boy who sat next to her. 'Maybe I should tell him my feelings?' She smiled at this but it soon dropped. 'But what if he doesn't feel the same way?' Haru continued looking into the distance again.
"I-" They began, looked at each other and laughed quietly. "You go first." They said in unison, and both shook their heads. The cute couple stood up together and held hands. Haruka looked up at Riku and he looked down at her. He stared into those translucent emerald green eyes of hers, and she gazed into those sublime and transcendent cyan coloured eyes of his.
"We should say it together." Riku suggested and she nodded.
"Okay, 3…" The silver haired teen began.
"2…"Haruka trailed off.
"1." Riku ended.
"I love you." They confessed in perfect harmony and sync as it sounded so sweet together. Haruka covered her mouth and her eyes brimmed with tears once more. She couldn't believe it, all this time he loved her. Riku just blinked astonished by this; he always thought that she thought of him as a friend. "You've loved me all this time?" Haruka asked, still shocked.
"I realised how much you meant to me when you left. I was so worried and felt so depressed without you. All I could think about was you, Haruka and only you. Then I realised how much I cared when you never replied to my texts. I knew you were different, different from any other girl and that's why I love you." A tear fell from her eye and she smiled at this.
"Riku I've had a deep crush on you since I was 7, and I realised I loved you since I was 10." Riku gasped at this with eyes larger than plates. "You've loved me for that long?" She nodded.
"When I found out that you liked Selphie I was crushed and heartbroken. That's why I went to Twilight Town during the holiday without telling anyone." Haruka said.
"How did you know? When Selphie broke the news, you were asleep." Riku asked. She turned beet red and stared at the ground.
"Well, I uh, kinda followed you 2 into the cave and heard you." Haruka confessed uneasily. Riku however smirked at this.
"You still haven't changed Haruka, I love you." She looked back up at him. "Wait? You're not mad?" She asked not believing this.
"I can never be mad at you Haruka. Plus if you weren't there, it may have been different. You and me would of not have been standing here right now."
"It's destiny, we can't change it no matter what. I'm so thankful for everything that has happened." Haruka spoke wisely.
"And you should be happy of what is going to happen…" Riku trailed off romantically as he wrapped his arms around Haruka's waist. They leaned in closer, just inches away from each other's lips; they could feel each other's lips brushing together just slightly.
"OH MY GOD!" A group exclaimed. They turned to the source and saw their friends and families. Kairi, Namine, Sora, Vanitas, Hayner, Roxas, Olette (wearing casual clothes), Axel with his camera, Hikaru, Kyo, Kimiko and Sephiroth. Haruka and Riku scowled annoyed and shouted in unison. "Way to kill a moment guys!" They all laughed at this and the couple pulled away.
Roxas and Olette ran to their friend, hugged her and screamed. "You did it!" Haruka giggled and hugged back. Hayner ran and jumped onto his friends and they all fell. "Ah! I can't breathe!" Haruka choked and they all got off. She stood up again, brushed some sand off her dress and wiped some sweat of her forehead and gave the thumbs up. "I'm A-Okay!" The others laughed at this. Sora, Wakka, Tidus and Vanitas congratulated Riku.
"I never knew you liked Riku all that time." Kairi said.
"No Kairi, I don't like him, I love him." She stated.
"Aw, that's so cute." Namine giggled. Vanitas walked up to Haruka and smirked.
"You do know that when I meant by, 'giving you a heads up' was this. I knew 'cuz he told me."
'He winked at her and mumbled, "Just giving you a heads up." She furrowed her eyebrows at this and Vanitas walked off, leaving her very confused.'
She remembered it as if it was fresh from her mind and her eyes widened. "So you knew?" Vanitas nodded at this.
"Who knew you loved me Haruka?" Riku asked curiously and she smirked.
"5 people, Axel, Hayner, Olette, Roxas and…" They all anticipated the 5th person and she turned and pointed at Hikaru. "Daddy!" Their jaws hit the ground and Sora asked again.
"Your dad?" Hikaru nodded at this and the 5 people laughed.
Kyo and Kimiko walked up to Haruka. Riku's father placed his hand on her head and rustled her hair. "I knew there was something special about you. I had that gut feeling that you and Riku would be a great pair." Kimiko snorted at this.
"As if! You called me and Harumi evil when we were talking about Riku and Haruka." Riku's mother turned to the red haired girl and kissed her forehead. "Your mother knew you and Riku would fall in love. She was psychic! I am so happy for you dear." Haruka smiled at this and hugged Kimiko who hugged back and they pulled away.
Sephiroth walked up to his brother and blood donor and smirked. "I always teased you both, especially you." He meant Haruka. "I did it for a reason you know, and that reason was because I wanted my dearest little brother to get jealous and angry and realise how special you are to him."
Her green eyes widened as another tear fell down her cheek. "You did that?" She whispered and he nodded with a smirk.
"By the way, thanks a million for the blood. I owe you Haruka. How 'bout a date?" Riku wrapped his arms around Haruka protectively and glared at his brother. Sephiroth raised his hand in a surrender manner. "Alright, alright I get it."
The silver haired boy took his arms of the girl he loved and Axel walked up to her. "Finally!" He exaggerated and she laughed at this.
"You better not make me get hiccups again!" Haruka warned her elder brother. The red haired pyro shook his head and rustled his sister's hair.
"My baby sister, I'm happy for you." He mumbled and out of nowhere Haruka hugged him. He gasped at this and was about to push her off or tell her to get off but he couldn't. Instead he hugged back and cradled her in his arms. "My sweet little sister." Then after a few seconds they pulled away.
"Cinderella…" Hikaru called out and she grinned at this. She looked up at her father and teased.
"Fairy god mother!" Everyone laughed at this and the laughter died down. The green eyed father lifted up his arms and called.
"Haruka." The said girl sniffed and tears fell down her cheeks.
"DADDY!" Haru cried and ran to her father. She pounced onto him; he caught her and lifted her up effortlessly. Haruka hugged him tightly and Hikaru hugged his daughter back.
"My little angel, my little baby, my little Haruka..." He said and she sobbed into his chest. "I'm so happy for you."
"I love you daddy." She cried.
"You'll always be daddy's little girl." They all awww'ed at this and Haruka let go of her father.
"I bet prince charming has been waiting long enough, don't you think Cinderella?" The red haired girl giggled at this and turned to her 'prince charming'.
"You've been waiting long haven't you?" She asked and he smirked.
"Yes I have Haruka." He answered plainly and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Not as long as I have. I've waited 6 years for your love mister." She walked up to him, he wrapped his arms around her waist, she uncrossed her arm and she wrapped her arm around his neck. "And you shouldn't wait any more." He whispered ever so softly. They leaned in closer and you could hear some sniffs and whispers.
"I love you." Riku said simply which meant so much more. Haruka smiled at this as she stared dreamily into his eyes.
"I love you too." They both closed their eyes and finally closed the gap between them. They all cheered and applauded but this didn't distract the love birds. It was as if it was just them on the beach kissing in the moonlight. The kiss was just like their first, the day Haruka told Riku that she and Roxas 'broke up', the day he lied to her about his kissing, the day they kissed each other in the café.
'But then, slowly his lips worked his magic and the kiss was…just… There were no words to describe how amazing and wonderful it was, in Haruka and Riku's opinion.' Yet this kiss was so much more different; emotions of absolute love, extreme affection, immense care, sheer longing, enduring patience all in a passionate, soft, gentle and warm kiss.
(A/N: Recommend you listen to Palm of a tiny hand –CLANNAD at this very moment)
Once they pulled away they gazed into each other's eyes smiling. But they all heard something that made them turn around. It sounded like a faint, distant yet familiar voice, familiar to only Kyo, Kimiko, Axel, Hikaru and Haruka.
They all turned to the source of the voice, which was as silky as velvet and sweet like honey. Their eyes widen; it was Harumi dressed in that same white dress, with the same glow, as she walked on the beach. They all stood there, some with jaws that hit the ground and large gaping eyes, and others stood calm.
Harumi still looked young and so beautiful and Haruka was like an exact replica of her except from the eyes. The woman walked to the group but stopped at Axel. She looked at him with that same warm smile and stroked his cheek. For the first time tears fell down Axel's cheeks as he murmured, "Mom…"
"No matter how old you get, you'll always be mommy's little boy." She spoke and he nodded at this. She took another step forward and turned to Hikaru who gazed at her as if he had fallen in love all over again. "Harumi…" She hushed him with a finger over his lips. Harumi smiled at him and knew what to say.
"I love you."
"I love you too." He answered and she giggled at this. She took a few more steps and stopped at Kimiko and Kyo. First Harumi turned to her best friend. "I knew they'd fall in love!" Kimiko laughed at this and the red haired woman turned to her best friend's husband. "Hmph, and you thought us girls were evil! We are psychic!" The girls laughed at this and Kyo turned red.
Harumi walked up to the pair and looked at Riku closely. "So you're the famous Riku? You ARE really handsome. My daughter chose wisely." Haruka turned red out of embarrassment. "Riku you broke my daughter's heart." Riku frowned at this and looked at the ground. "But you acted well because you supported her and stood by her. Thank you." The silver haired teen looked up and smiled at her.
Blue eyes fell on Haruka and she looked at her mother. "And you young lady. I am so proud and happy for you. My sweet angel!" Haruka hugged her mother who hugged back and patted her head. "What did I tell you before?"
"Dear, these are improvements not changes!"
This echoed into her mind and Haruka cried. "Mama, mama, thank you and I love you so much! I finally have my happy ending." Harumi pulled away from her daughter and kissed her forehead.
"I love you too my lovely daughter. This isn't the end, this is only the beginning." This was the final thing that she said as she turned around. Harumi held her dress up and ran to the distance. That was until she turned around smiled and waved. She blew a kiss at Hikaru and smiled her usual warm and loving smile at her son and daughter. Harumi turned around and disappeared as she glowed immensely.
"Your mom is beautiful." Haruka looked up at Riku and he smiled at her. "But if I said you were beautiful, that would be an understatement because you are much more than that." She blushed at this and they leaned closer as they snuggled together.
"Oh I love you, I love you, and I love you!" She giggled and they kissed.
They all lived happily ever after!
Finally, it's finished! But I will add an epilogue to this! I hoped you enjoyed this story, thank you for reading and please review! A big thank you to my 2 big supporters, 'CirciFox81314' and 'A Nobody's Fate' with my other dear readers, I love you all!
~Parisa01