~Chapter Forty Eight~
Heart to Heart
Stars shine bright.
I just really wanna be with you.
…I celebrate, pray for the day…
When all my wishes will be coming true!
I think of you, everyday.
I've been waiting for a call,
Just the sound of your voice,
Anytime and anyway…
Pray for the day.
~My Heart Beats Like A Drum, by ATC
Disclaimer: Me No Own; You No Sue.
"Someday, I hope you and I will have children together…"
His words, so soft and unexpected, awakened the slumbering feelings inside of me. A primal need for his touch, his love, warmed everything from my ears to the pit of my stomach. It was at that moment that I realized just how much I loved Takashi. I loved him enough to change, and to mature and become someone who could proudly at his side. Yes, I would undoubtedly still make strange references and jokes, but I could also stand strong and talk to him about serious matters – like the future, our coming marriage, and children.
"Me, too," I whispered back, placing my own palm above his, warming the skin with the curled fingers that I wrapped around his thumb. Shyly, I blinked at him through golden eyelashes and admitted, "I want a son and daughter, with beautiful black hair and olive skin, like yours."
He smiled shyly at me, a small blush coloring his cheeks, but I could tell that Takashi was very pleased with this sweet tempered reaction. Most teenagers would refuse to entertain the idea of marriage, let alone children, when so young, as we were. But Takashi and I were not like most teenagers. We were young, inexperienced, but Takashi and I loved each other. We knew what we wanted…
We wanted to be together.
Sammy's P.O.V.
Shifting restlessly, I perched at the edge of the fancy seat in the middle of the vast office, staring first at the chandelier glimmering above me, and then down at the numerous papers and files that littered the cherry wood desk that I waited (rather impatiently) behind. Its surface gleamed under the soft light of the chandelier and desk light, which meant that an army of maids had cleaned in here just recently. This, of course, also meant that it would be rather ill advised that I give in to the painful sensations whirling around in my stomach – think: washing machine – and start vomiting everywhere…
Down the hall, another door opened and closed firmly, having been shut with considerable force. I coughed at the sudden sound, thinking of his impending entrance, and shifted nervously again. My eyes repeatedly blinked and then shifted lower, concentrating on my sweating palms, white knuckles, and freshly painted fingernails; Hikaru and Kaoru picked forest green, to match the long sleeved dress that I wore. My legs and feet, which had been clothed in white tights and chocolate brown boots, were also swinging restlessly beneath the chair. Following the slow, hypnotizing pattern set by the Newton's Cradle in the middle of the desk.
Back, and forth, and back, and forth, and back, and forth, and –
"…Sammy…?"
Eyes wide with fright, I jumped upwards and practically clawed ten manicured fingernails into the cream upholstery of the antique chair, threatening to maim my manicure and the chair in the same go. "NO, IT WASN'T MY FAULT! HIKA-CHAN AND RU-CHAN MADE ME DO IT!" I loudly shrieked, blue eyes nervously darting around the office for an escape route.
What now, what do I do, what – I heard what sounded suspiciously like a giggle – the fuck?
At that moment, I noticed Ellen standing directly behind the chair, her beautiful jade eyes narrowed in wicked amusement. Her arms were wrapped around the ornate headrest, hands against the back and fingers twined in the knots and turns and twists of the antique wood. She slowly smirked at me, pleased with this skittish reaction, and leaned forward, placing her chin upon my shoulder. Anyone walking by would have thought that Ellen and I seemed at peace, like two friends having a nice chat about the weather.
But I knew better!
Mentally, I nodded, firmly of the belief that Ellen was just hanging around to scare me. This is an elaborate scheme to rile me up! How do I know that to be true, you ask? 'Cuz I'm smarter than I look! No, really! I is a smart cookie! Just don't tell Cookie Monster that tidbit of information, okay? He might eat my soulz…
Surprisingly, though, Ellen only stared down at me with what appeared to be curiosity. When my eyes slowly dropped from her face, to her neck, and then to her hands, Ellen permitted her long black hair to fall down and hide the scars permanently carved in her wrists, something that only Okaa-san and I really knew and talked to her about. Her father, I learned about seven years ago, was a man of few words. He despised his daughter because his second wife did not like her and left him, which urged him to drink and smoke far too much. Depressed with this change in her home life and the loss of her father, Ellen began hanging out with the wrong crowd and carving into her skin like turkey dinner. Her words, I might add. Not mine!
She ran away not long after that day, sticking to the streets and fighting for her place in the food chain; however, the police picked her up not three months later and returned her to her house in California, only to discover that her father overdosed while Ellen lived in the streets. Orphaned, Ellen was escorted by Social Services – and the police, due to her nasty attitude and tendency to kick the social service ladies – to Red River's Orphanage. We became somewhat close in the next six months, though I did not talk much and refused to let her touch me. For the longest time, Ellen believed that I'd been physically and sexually abused, until the day that Mark decided to push me into the lake down the street, anyway…
Yeah, I went into hysterics and nearly drowned. Sounds fun, right? Nein!
Thankfully, Ellen braved the cold water and jumped in when I did not resurface. She helped swim us to the shore, her words of comfort whispering in my ear as water rushed into my eyes, making it hard to tell if I was crying or not. Once I was safe and sound, though, Ellen cornered Mark and beat the shit out of him. I spilled the beans about what really happened to me not two hours later. Then, I learned about her story, how her mother died of cancer and her father beat her, how cutting into her wrists helped to ease the pain. I learned that I could trust someone other than the pretend voices – the imaginary friends – that I'd created to hang out with me. Only Southern Belle Sammy stayed behind to keep me company.
Ellen, however, was more than enough for me.
Although considered dangerous by the rest of Red River's Orphanage, Okaa-san could read the pain – and the protective fury – that burned brightly in her eyes. She pitied the troubled teenage girl that was always within screaming distance and brought her here to Japan, with me. Not as a child, her daughter, but as another paid member of her staff. Why, though, would I be adopted and not Ellen?
It's simple: Eleanor Marie McMann, who abhorred adults, refused to have parents again. She was abandoned not twelve months ago and would not take the chance that it could happen again – to her or me. My companion agreed to come to Japan, but only if the Hitachiins employed her as a maid, cook, or other staff member. She wanted to be able to save some money and afford somewhere to live should the Hitachiins become tired of us. No adoption! Final offer!
No one could understand why Jun agreed to her demands, but I guessed that Jun knew her real parents let her down and Ellen could not stand the thought of it happening again. What I did not know, however, was that Ellen wanted to be there to make certain that this did not happen to me, either. Still, I trusted her, and though I was only ten and six years younger than Ellen at the time, I hugged the older girl and promised her that I would always be there for her; Ellen promised the same. A month later, Hiro and Jun returned with the signed paperwork. We arrived in Japan. We slowly learned to trust again. We lived life.
Our second chance, that fresh start…
It was all because of Jun.
"Well, I kinda figured that the rest of the staff didn't voluntarily replace their own shampoo and dye their hair pink," Ellen chuckled, her expression bright with humor because only RJ and Saia, the cook, liked to speak with my maid/friend/big sister figure. "You and the Twins are more than likely the irresponsible parties, then?"
"Uh, I think you mean 'responsible parties,' Ellen," I pointed out in a somewhat bemused drawl; Lucius and Draco Malfoy would be proud! Maybe not, because Muggleborns were seen as a waste of magic, space, and potential, but –
You know what I meant!
A loud bark of laughter escaped from between her parted lips, sounding rough but happy, and the taller American cheerfully countered, "No, Chickadee, I'm fairly sure you and Thing One and Thing Two are more irresponsible than anything else." Jade eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Oi…!" I protested against this perceived verbal abuse, taken aback by the fact that the older girl who I trusted beyond comprehension could betray me so. She was supposed to listen to my woes and support me. Not berate me! Again! Sheesh…
"It is so official, Sammy," Ellen proclaimed in her best Valley Girl Voice. When I whined at the offensive voice, slouched in the chair, and pouted at her, Ellen reached forward to poke my nose and teasingly said, "You're not very mature, either!"
"Real cute, Ellen," I huffed out between small giggles, caught in between annoyance at the truth in this explanation and amusement at the fact that Ellen likened Hikaru and Kaoru to Dr. Seuss characters. Hearing this laughter, Ellen smirked, lifting her index and middle fingers in the classic victory sign. I laughed harder, until I could not breathe, and flipped her The Bird.
A moment of silence passed when I finally managed to breathe normally again, during which time I nervously played with the gold bracelets adorning my wrists. I traced the small designs the designers carved into the metal and mouthed the three words for the characters of faith, love, and happiness. My trembling fingers continued to move over the characters, and I hummed the song with the title "Faith, Love, and Happiness," by Thousand Foot Krutch, knowing that I needed to do something – anything – to keep my mind firmly off of the matter at hand. Otherwise, I might give in to my instincts and then run screaming from the room.
On the plus side, Ellen might find that amusing…
"You know that Hiro and Jun love you, right?" Ellen said in English, her normally loud voice heavier than usual beneath the weight of her emotion. Her eyes searched mine, wanting to know if I believed her or not. "Hiro won't refuse your request." She giggled the moment the words left her lips, too, knowing it to be true because – "All Hell will break free when Jun hears that her precious baby girl is finally getting married."
Tears glittered in my eyes, unshed but there all the same, and I stared straight back into her face, which shone with sincerity that I used to believe only Ellen capable of showing. "You really think so? I mean, yeah, I know I'm not their real daughter, and neither will replace my real parents, but I…"
"You love them," Ellen stated with conviction, her smile crooked, and rested her hand atop mine with familiar pressure. She squeezed the slender fingers roughly, like always, and let the weight of her hand remain there – heavy, certain, and strong.
Nothing about Ellen could really be considered soft. Her black hair was coarse and frizzed in this weather, just like mine, though I considered her thick curls to be absolutely beautiful. Jade eyes were cold and hard, like emeralds, because of her home life and the time spent in the streets. Her brown skin, already darker because of her Hispanic blood, became rougher still because of her frequent days spent running around the beaches back in California, almost ten years ago. Loud and abrasive, Ellen could probably piss off the sweetest person – even a nun.
Yeah. She was pretty much the Whoopi Goldberg of Sister Act.
"Good afternoon, Sammy and Ellen," A voice, though accented, murmured in English. It softly interrupted the moment of silence that indicated the lull in the previous conversation, but neither of us jumped at the intrusion. We were always remarkably calmed by the presence of Hitachiin Hiro.
Glancing upward, I smiled tentatively at the man who raised Hikaru, Kaoru, and I. His eyes, a rich gold in color, matched the Twins perfectly in color, and I found comfort in the familiar glow of warmth hidden in their depths. A small smile played along the contours of his lips, lightening the stern expression that usually colored his face; it also made him appear years younger than his actual thirty five. His hair was cut short in the back and at the sides, but flopped lazily into his eyes, reminding me yet again of Hikaru and Kaoru, though their hair differed in color – Hiro's was midnight black, while Hikaru and Kaoru were redheads. Like their mother, Jun.
"Good afternoon, Hiro-sama," Ellen politely returned, before cracking her trademark smile of mischief and glee. She eyed the sudden apprehension in my smile, which did absolutely nothing for my already pale complexion, and snickered, "Well, I've got work to do, but Sammy wants to talk to ya, so…" She jumped to her feet and flashed another victory sign. "Peace out!"
My adoptive father watched the Californian saunter out of the office while whistling off key and sticking her hands in her apron pockets, with something akin to amused exasperation. "Is there any particular explanation why you requested that we speak in English, Sammy?" Hiro finally asked, his soft voice portraying only curiosity.
"Um, I wanted to speak to you about something rather private – kinda girly, actually," I slowly trailed off into nothingness, however, taking note that the Japanese man paled with each passing second and word that passed from my mouth. "…are you okay, Dad?"
"Are you certain that your mother would not be better suited for this conversation, dear?" Hiro hesitantly asked, obviously distressed by the fact that I mentioned the topic of the conversation being girly in nature. Normally, I talked to him about politics, business, art, music, and other subjects of that nature. He liked that I could hold out against his own noble upbringing and (verbally) beat the shit outta my opponents at formal dinners, charities, and balls.
Blushing, I shifted nervously, fingering the small but incredibly expensive golden locket that Takashi bought me as a courting gift yesterday. We visited the stores around the beach shortly before catching up to the limousines to return home, while Tamaki tricked Haruhi into playing a weird S&M Game. I was embarrassed about the night before, when I bared myself to him for the first time; however, it did not bother me as it might have previously. Especially when Haruhi dryly added that Tamaki blindfolded her to do – well, something strange, obviously! I mean, seriously! A blindfold…? Nice, Tamaki. Real nice!
My boyfriend, in contrast, was very shy at first and could not look me in the eyes, an occurrence that had not happened prior to this event. As it turned out, Takashi was nervous about presenting his first courting gift to me, uncertain whether I would like the jewelry or not. His soon-to-be-fiancée, Takashi wryly pointed out, was not the average woman. But I absolutely loved it! I kissed him senseless for that one, too. He was very pleased with this ecstatic reaction and practically strutted out of Ootori Villa.
Until Mitsukuni kicked him right down the stairs for "acting too much like Tamaki," anyway…
No worries, though! Dear ol' Tamaki managed to break his fall! :D
"Well, Dad," I shyly muttered, pale with the exception of the embarrassed blush that slowly painted itself down my nose, "I would have liked to talk to her about this particular matter, but you always told Hikaru, Kaoru, and I that this one would have to be discussed with you – no ifs, ands, or buts about it."
Leaning back in his desk chair, Hiro folded his hands in front of his torso and stared straight at me, a strange flash of emotion flitting up and down his face. His shoulders straightened and, taking in the nature of the conversation, Hiro murmured, "You are referencing that special conversation that I had with you and the Twins after your mother talked to you about –"
"The Birds and the Bees" I quickly interrupted, staring at my clenched fists and blushing enough for the both of us. To his credit, though, Hiro looked suitably embarrassed about mentioning – alluding to, really – sex in front of his daughter. Adoptive or not, Hiro did not enjoy thinking of his children as ready for marriage and, by extension, sex. To Hiro, I was of equal standing with his biological children, Hikaru and Kaoru.
Hiro really is an awesome parent, I tenderly mused, heart swelling in my chest while I thought of all the times that Otou-san called in sick to stay home and play with Hikaru, Kaoru, and me. We would all play hooky and spend the entire day running around the mansion in our pajamas, just lazing around and watching movie after movie. Thanks to the collection of movies that I brought with me to Japan, Lion King and Aladdin turned out to be the favorites. Hiro was especially fond of Mufasa.
Must be that parental wisdom that the two share…
You know, I really loved Hiro and Jun. Neither would replace my real parents, but I loved the sweet, kind, and wonderful couple, anyway. Hiro and Jun loved Hikaru and Kaoru, with loving – and exasperated – affection devoted to each mischievous prank, witty comment, and generally strange action. We all loved Hikaru and Kaoru for who the redheads were and not who society believed the boys should be. Our parents, being smart and attentive, immediately recognized that Hikaru and Kaoru loved each other – waaaaay more than platonically – but not once did Hiro and Jun give the boys grief for it.
No one mentioned anything about the Twins merely going through another phase (Hiro, Jun, Ellen, and I still remembered the "Fred and Weasley Year," where Hikaru and Kaoru switched personalities without telling us) and eventually growing out of it. Because Hiro and Jun realized that what Hikaru and Kaoru had would not be crushed and would not die. Love like theirs was special. But love like what Takashi and I nurtured between us could be special, too. Thus, I decided to be brave and fight for what – or rather, who – I wanted, like Hikaru and Kaoru.
And I would speak to Hiro about Takashi asking his parents to marry me.
It was silent for another moment, while Hiro closed his golden eyes in thought and seemingly counted to ten for patience. His worried expression suddenly slackened into one of acceptance and content, but Hiro ruined the moment by opening his mouth to surmise – "It is the heir to the Morinozuka Clan, isn't it?"
My head shot up, my cheeks flushed under his scrutiny, and I gawked openly at him with wider than normal blue eyes. Opening and closing my mouth in a strangely fishlike fashion, I blinked at him and incredulously asked, "How did that bit of information meet your ears…?" Only the Host Club could have told him! Which meant…
…Dammit, Kyoya!
However, Hiro decided to slam that theory right outta the park and casually explained, "His father called yesterday, while you and the boys were away, and asked to speak with me about something important."
My father paused in his story and shuffled through his business papers, the likes of which had been stacked high enough that it was almost impossible for him – or me – to see over now. He peeked around the stack, blinking at me, eyes narrowed in thought. Clearly, Hiro was patiently considering how best to continue, and I swallowed, thinking that this had all been a mistake, something that I should not have brought up. Hiro would forbid Takashi and I from getting married, I would have to elope to Las Vegas, and –
"He explained that his eldest child, Morinozuka Takashi, requested his permission to propose to the adoptive daughter of the Hitachiin Family," Hiro explained, shifting through the larger stack of files once more and pushing one in particular to me. It was – my eyes widened – A Contract of Arranged Marriage. "After speaking with him further, I learned that my only daughter had been courting this young man in secret for almost four months and had been entertaining thoughts of marrying him without first discussing the matter with her father…"
Cringe. That, Ladies and Gentlemen, sounded like a parental reprimand to me! What hurt most was the wealth of disappointment in his voice. Such emotions actually strung more than the actual reprimand, though, because I hated to disappoint my parents – Hiro, especially. Jun would forgive me in the next heartbeat, too understanding for her own good, but Hiro was surprisingly vindictive for his quiet and sweet tempered nature; Okaa-san said it was the businessman in him.
"Dad, I can explain," I hesitantly started, placing both hands along the armrests of the chair, squeezing the life out of the material, and crossing my ankles delicately, purely out of habit. He only stared at me, waiting for whatever nonsense spewed from my mouth, and I could feel his disapproval humming in the air.
He leaned back with perhaps the weariest sigh I've heard in years, sounding disappointed, tired, and sad, before regally waving his hand for me to carry on. Actions like this one were common in the real business world, but Hiro did not usually treat his children with such blatant disregard. Professional quirks were always left at the front door. We did not deserve to be treated like business, Hiro insisted time and time again. Now, however…
"Continue…"
My voice trembled for a moment, before I steeled myself and strongly said, "When Takashi asked to start courting, I was wary at first, surprised that someone so strong, smart, calm, and handsome could really want me as me. Wary, I think, of the fact that this man wanted to court someone so strange and different from himself. I slowly realized that Takashi actually cared about me, though, and I started warming up to him, and the rest of his friends, and I started living again. I really enjoy spending time with him, Tamaki, Kyoya, Mitsukuni, and Haruhi. Kiki, Kotoko, and Nekozawa, too! We have such fun, Dad!"
While I continued staring down at my palms, clenching and unclenching fingers to reveal the little scars that I received from jumping off of the cliff yesterday, I thought of all of the people that I'd just named. Relished in the reminder that I could not really be the same person anymore. Reveled in the realization that I had friends who I would die to save or protect. Loved that I had people who cared enough to be angry and yell at me. My father stared down at me as my pained expression softened with each of these memories, a surprised but happy gleam in his eyes. Not that I noticed…
"And I loved the person who I suddenly became because I actually recognized her, Dad. She was that girl, that happy little girl who I used to be, the one who laughed and played with other children – her sister and her best friend. I wanted to be her again. I so wanted to be loved! To have friends again, to have another person who loves me enough to cry and laugh with, to let me care about them, to protect me, to help fight off the demons that I should have conquered long ago…" I whispered, hugging the locket to my chest and thinking of the picture that I'd glued inside. "It is an amazing feeling, Dad, to love and to be loved that much."
Silently, Hiro nodded at this strongly voiced belief and reached forward to tap the hand closest to him, his eyes, smile, and touch gentle. "Your words speak of wisdom beyond somebody of only eighteen years, my dearest daughter, but I hear in them truth that I have not heard since I married Jun."
A faraway expression entered his eyes. "At first, I hated that my parents arranged the marriage between Jun and myself. Here I was, young, talented, and serious about leading the company. And Jun…" He laughed quietly at his memories of his wife, remembering her odd refusal to dance in her heels, and uncharacteristically snorted, "No, Jun was not interested in business pursuits. She was so vivid, different, and loud!"
"Really, Dad?" I asked, honestly startled by the fact that someone so graceful, calm, and cheerful could be considered that loud. Yes, Jun brightened the room merely by stepping out in front of others, but there was a regal bearing to her that made it hard to imagine anything of the sort!
Another laugh, filled with love and happiness, lightened his face. "Kami, Jun was so noisy! She was much like yourself, in fact – happy, hyper, and full of laughter," Hiro assured, laughing, the truth in his words evident in his wide smile that burst to life, "So much life in one person! It amazed me." He smiled gently at the thought of his wife, whom Hiro loved dearly. "It still does…"
Heart in my throat, I met his curious eyes and hesitantly said, "Dad, I…I think that I love Takashi like…you and Mom love each other…"
Surprisingly, Hiro climbed to his feet, walked around the desk within seconds, and wrapped his slender arms around mine. He placed his face down, tucking my chin into his shoulder, pulling me closer. He clung tightly to me, a warmth emanating from his body that I longed to capture, to remember forever and for always. It hurt and healed everything in me, almost simultaneously, and I wanted to cry in happiness, in fear, and in pain. Hiro was not – never could be– Daddy. But I could feel the same strength and love in his arms that I did when Daddy used to hug me.
"I know you do, Hime," Hiro whispered, tightening his hold until I squeezed him back, desperate for these feelings – of happiness, of relief, of amazement, of fear – to hurt less. It was amazing being in love with Takashi, but I missed him so much sometimes that I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut, wrap my arms over my chest, and just cry. He was not dead, not gone, and yet I wanted him beside me. All the time. Forever.
Was it strange to want to be that close to someone every moment of the day, the month, the year?
"Nein, Schatz," I could hear Mutti whispering to me, "It just means you really love him…"
Tears that I did not shed in front of Ellen finally cascaded down my cheeks and into the expensive silk of his business suit, though I immediately heard that it did not bother him when I backed off. I started crying harder, shocked that I could feel like this now, when I was cherished and loved by so many people. It hurt less when I wandered around by myself, with only Hikaru and Kaoru for company. When Ellen was done with her work, I would sometimes visit her, but the older girl liked to explore the city late at night. Otou-san and Okaa-san would spend time with us when time permitted, but I did not see as much of the two since Hikaru, Kaoru, and I passed fifteen years in age. We were now old enough to take care of ourselves. We did, too.
Now that I had friends, and Takashi, I could feel the emotions exploding within my chest, bursting from the heart and into the eyes. Rain whispered down my cheeks in torrents, and I cried for the people that I loved because everything was so strange and stressful right for us now. We did not talk about it much, but the Host Club acknowledged that we were all going to have exams in another six months or so, which meant the end of high school – and the Host Club.
Beyond the shadow of doubt, Takashi, Mitsukuni, Kotoko, and I would graduate from high school and head off to college, to marriage, and to whatever else the future held for us. Tamaki, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi would still be there, but it wouldn't be the same. Even Kiki talked briefly about going back to Canada if her father agreed to managing Simply Sweets while his daughter attended Business School. Everyone would be separating within the next year or so!
Takashi and I would be getting married, too, if Otou-san and Okaa-san gave us permission. I loved him, really I did, but I admit to feeling frightened of being anything less than what Takashi needed and deserved. Even though there was so much planning left before the actual wedding, I wanted to be the best wife that I could be – not perfect, but close – and I wanted to continue to be a good friend to him. And God, I wanted to a good mother! His children, and mine, were going to be given all of the love in the world. So many roles, expectations, and changes filled the future, though! My heart hurt at the thought of everything that I wanted to be, and I…
I'm scared.
Holding him close, I burrowed further into his chest, seeking warmth and gentle reassurance, as only Takashi and Hiro could give me. I breathed in the familiar scent of his expensive aftershave and brokenly whispered, "It frightens me that I love him this much, Dad…"
"You are scared, I know, but it is not necessary to fear change," Hiro said sagely, his smile soft, eyes warm. "Change is only constant in the fact that it always occurs, whether you're aware of its presence or not. You, my dear, have realized that everything will be changing – so soon, too. You will graduate from high school and perhaps attend college next year. It is only September, but I believe the next several months will fly by for you."
When I grimaced into his chest at the mention of all of these changes, Hiro chuckled quietly and kissed the wrinkle above my eyes, smoothing it with his fingers. "You, Samantha, are a very smart and caring young woman. It will not be quite as worrisome as you might think." He smirked. "Besides, I think it will be infinitely more stressful when you're worrying about wedding kimonos, caterers, color schemes, and temples within the next few months."
Blankly, I stared at the man who helped raise me into who I became, a girl with dirty wings that dusted off her feathers and learned to fly again with the help of her family and friends. His words did not make sense! Too many riddles and hidden meanings! What the fuck, Dad?
He smiled down at me, an eyebrow raised in amusement, and prodded his finger against my nose –"As I have said to Morinozuka Akira – I, Hitachiin Hiro, give you, my treasured daughter, permission to enter into holy matrimony with Morinozuka Takashi."
***Author's Note***
So, I know that this was pretty intense with emotions, but shouldn't Sammy be wary of marriage and the political intrigue that surrounds marriage between noblemen and noblewomen? She wasn't born into their world, after all!
Anyway, if you couldn't tell, I italicized all of the English toward the end because I did not want to keep writing that Sammy and Hiro were speaking in English. It is a plethora of dialogue, too, but I think this all needed to be addressed before the next chapter, which features Sammy visiting Morinozuka Manor with her parents! For those of you that asked for more interactions with Satoshi and Akira, I have done so, and for those that wanted Takashi's mother - named Karin - to make her entrance, I have included her, too. You'll also see more of Hiro and meet Jun! Yay!
I hope you all liked the companion chapter to Takashi's POV in Chapter 37: Perseverance! ;)
P.S. Thanks for all of the fantastic reviews and stuff last chapter. Mucho appreciated, Peeps! Please read and review again, yeah? Maybe another update at 630 reviews-ish?
IMPORTANT QUESTION: Does anyone remember that phone call Sammy made a couple of - okay, lots of - chapters ago? Her mysterious friend will be showing up soon! Feel free to guess who it is, what gender, and who that person might end up paired with in the future! It'll be fun for everyone. ;)