Chapter 5

When Layla surprisingly visits her daughter that week, the older blonde breaks the news to Lucy that she knows already about the engagement and that she is ecstatic to meet her soon son-in-law. So with that news, she requested Lucy to meet the man and have a meal with the two. This request has brought so much stress to Lucy because all the news her mother knew were all just rumors she didn't mean to make. Given a week to introduce the man to her mother, Lucy tried her best to find a solution. Until Friday came, Lucy wasn't still able to give Layla a date of the meetup, which her mother wasn't pleased about because the older blonde has been dying to meet the man who has made her daughter say 'Yes' to a wedding proposal. So acting up to her intuition, that the weeks's Friday would be the day that could make a lot of difference, Layla decided to surprise the younger blonde. And as she expected, she has met her daughter's fiancé.
"Oh my goodness! I am so happy to finally meet my daughter's fiancé" Layla immediately exclaimed after she pulled away from the tensed pinkette, "And I knew from the start, you would be asking my daughter's hand"
"Mom!" Lucy suddenly wide-eyed her mother as if telling her to stop, but Layla just smiled mischievously as she shrugged off her daughter.
Laughing sheepishly to the older blonde's comment, Natsu slowly looks at Lucy who was fidgeting in her spot. After some time, Natsu looked back at his soon to be mother-in-law and gave a sarcastic smile, "Well, it was more unexpected than expected…"
"What?" Layla raised a brow as she wonders to Natsu's words.
Quickly hitting Natsu by the rib with her elbow to stop him from talking nonsense, Lucy tries to put on her goody-good smile as she counters back, "No, what . . . Natsu means," Lucy then glances deadly to the pinkette who somehow quivered in fear, "The proposal, I didn't expect it…" Lucy finished as she slowly looks back at the smiling blonde
"Alright if you say so...I'll leave you two first. I just need to make a call" And with that Layla turns around and heads to the stairs to hide within one of the rooms.

When Layla was no longer in the living room, Natsu quickly turned and looked at Lucy with a stern gaze, "What the heck Luce? Why am I brought into this lie?!"
"Will you tone down your voice!" Lucy whispered back loud enough for Natsu only to hear as she pushed the man backward towards the hallway, "Mom might hear you…"
"So what? It's better if she hears it"
"No!" Lucy began to look at Natsu with fear in her eyes along with nervousness because her best friend was about to backstab her, "Please…"
"Luce, you're lying to your mom" Natsu then crossed his arms across his chest as he looked at the blonde in seriousness as if he was scolding her
"I know, and I hate it" Lucy suddenly covered her face with her two hands as she felt embarrassment with her actions, "But I have no choice" Lucy slowly puts gap in her fingers as she peeked at the man in front of her
"Lucy Heartfilia," Natsu all of a sudden stood up straight and gave an aura of seriousness to Lucy, "No"
"Please~" Lucy cooed as she brought her two hands together and gave a pleading look, "Just pretend to be my fiancé for three months"
"Three months?!" Natsu gawked at the blonde, but Lucy quickly shoved her hand to his mouth to stifle his loud voice
"Shhh! And yes three months" Lucy slowly lowered down her hand as she looked at the pinkette with an innocent look, "that's according to Mira's plot"
"Luce! you got to be kidding me, your trusting Mira's plot" Natsu defended as he emphasized the silver-haired woman's name as if it was a dangerous idea to trust the woman's schemes
"Mira's a good friend" Lucy then pouts at the man who just groaned in annoyance
"Yeah she is, but when it comes to love stories," Natsu widened his eyes in emphasis, "she's a devil schemer"
"Oh shut up, she's not"
"Really?" Natsu raised a brow in doubt to Lucy's words
"Well . . . most of the time"
"Most?" Natsu still questioned the blonde who began to twitch in her place
"Often?" Lucy hesitantly answered back but then quickly dismissed the thought, "But who cares, as long as we have a plot"
"You're really weird Lucy" Natsu commented defeatedly as he looked at Lucy
"I'll take that insult, but please~" Lucy then took one step closer to the man as she put on her innocent and pleading look, "be my fake fiancé? For three months?"
As he stared intently at the begging woman, Natsu couldn't help but debate inside him. One part of his brain was shouting 'No' to Lucy's weird scheme because lying was not good, but then another part of his brain was shouting 'Yes' because of the reason his best friend is seeking for his help and he just couldn't resist Lucy's look, "Fine!" Natsu shouted giving up to his inner debate.
Lucy suddenly squealed in excitement making her wrap her arms to the pinkette and began to jump within his personal space, "Oh my god Natsu! Thank you!"
"But!" Natsu quickly counters back making Lucy pull away, keeping her arms to the pinkette's neck, "We have to keep my family out of this, because more people who believe this lie, the more it would be hard to control this situation"
Lucy slowly grins as she ferociously nods at the man, "Yes, I promise" and with that, Lucy begins to hug Natsu again, making the man wrap his arms as well to Lucy's tiny waist.

As soon as Natsu wraps his arms to the blonde, Layla suddenly appears in the hallway and smiles softly to the newly engaged couple, "Aww, it's so nice to see you both so affectionate to one another"
The two then quickly pulls away as they stood straight before the older blonde, pretending to ignore the blush on their faces. "Mom, your back" Lucy states as she looks at her mother who just kept her smile
"Well yes." Layla then walks closer to the couple until she stops a foot away from them, "And I plan to have lunch with you two"
"But-"
"And I won't take no for an answer" Layla cheerfully cuts off Lucy as she looks at her daughter with distinguishable daggers in her eyes, which left her daughter speechless
"Okay," Natsu suddenly claps as if to snap out the awkward silence that was growing, "we'll just um change-I mean, Lucy will just change"
Natsu answered for the blonde instead to save her since she was still stuck in shock. Then in a swift move, Natsu pushes Lucy slowly towards the stairs as he looks at the older blonde who just stares back. Reaching the first step of the stairs, Natsu knew that Layla was still keeping an eye on them, so acting up to his role, Natsu grabs Lucy's hand and pulls her towards the second floor to enter the blonde's bedroom.

When Natsu and Lucy disappeared inside the room, Layla smiles victoriously to herself and mumbles softly, "I'm keeping my eyes on you two…"


When Natsu pushed Lucy inside her bedroom, Lucy immediately snapped out of her bafflement. She quickly changed into her day clothes and readied herself for an early lunch with her mother. Even if Lucy was changing her outfit for the day, she couldn't believe that her scheme is having a progress, which she is not excited for. She did her best to avoid this meetup and to let the lie go on, but it seems like destiny is not siding with her.

Soon enough, the trio left the apartment and started to head out towards the favorite restaurant of Layla in Magnolia. Lucy insisted to her mother that she would be riding with Natsu as he brought his own car. So, getting along with the suggestion, Layla took her own car, while Natsu and Lucy went with their own ride. As Natsu and Lucy rode silently, the two couldn't deny that there was a growing tension between them.
"Okay, speak up," Lucy suddenly spoke as she looked at the man driving, to end the agonizing silence between them, "This has become uncomfortable"
"What do you want me to do?" Natsu asked frustratingly as he gave a quick glance to Lucy before looking back at the road, "Act like everything is fine?"
"Natsu, you agreed to be my fake fiancé…" Lucy kept her eyes to the man who just sighed defeatedly
"I did because you looked like a lost puppy back there. But then, I'm not sure about this Luce" Natsu then slowly pressed the break as the car in front of him halts for the red stoplight.
"In other words, you want me to tell her the truth" Lucy then frowned at Natsu before she looked away and stared at the street instead.
Quickly grabbing the blonde's hand, Natsu gave it a soft squeeze and rubbed the backhand of the blonde, "We'll tell her both, I'll help you. If she starts talking about the engagement, we'll break the real news"
"There is a lot of chance my mother would be talking about the engagement." Lucy stated back as she briefly glanced at Natsu who just returned a soft smile.

Soon enough, the stoplight turned green and after the last turn to a corner, the two cars have arrived at the restaurant. Natsu, Lucy and Layla then stood before the double doors of the restaurant, "Welcome to 8-Island!"
"Uhh, isn't this Yajima-sama's restaurant?" Lucy asked nervously as she unconsciously grabs Natsu's hand, making the man look at the blonde worriedly
"It is, it's his second branch" Layla answered as she looked at her daughter, "Come on"
Despite the anxiety building inside her, Lucy tried her best to walk confidently after her mother. Lucy just felt thankful that Natsu held her hand as she walked side-by-side with him when they entered the restaurant.

The place had an ambiance of being at home, and Lucy finally figures out why her mother chooses this place. It had the same effect on her because somehow her anxiety subsides, making her relax. After taking a deep exhale, Lucy has decided, she'll tell her mother the truth, just like what Natsu wanted her to do. If her mother ever talks about the engagement or the marriage, she'll be telling her the truth, right there.

"We must try their signature dish for Magnolia because in every new town that Yajima-san opens his restaurant, he has a new dish." Layla said as she placed her handbag to the empty chair, when they took an empty table
"Okay," Lucy replied back as she softly smiled to her mother who seem to catch her nervousness
"Are you alright dear?" Layla skeptically looked at the younger blonde who was taken aback by her question
"Uh yeah, sure" Lucy emphasized her response by smiling wide enough to hurt her cheeks
"Alright," Layla just nods to Lucy despite the doubt she felt for her daughter's response.

Soon enough, Layla calls the attention of a waitress and started stating their order. When the waitress has done her job and left, Layla returns her attention to the two and stares back at the couple in front of her.
"What?" Lucy suddenly noticing her mother's gaze, so she immediately smiles warmly to the older blonde, "Nothing, I just admire you two, together." Layla then returns the heartwarming smile at her daughter
"Why? What's with me and Lucy?" Natsu dumbfoundedly asks
"You look good together, Natsu. I'm pretty sure, many people have said that already to you two" Layla states making her smile, even more, when she saw her daughter begin to blush
"Mom~" Lucy shyly scolds before she glances at Natsu who just shrugged off the comment
"Yeah, a lot of people say that." Natsu then leans back to his chair, relaxed, as he uncrosses his arms over his chest, "We're very close, to the point I'd hold her hand like this anywhere" Natsu then raises his and Lucy's entwined hands.
Quickly pulling her hand away from the pinkette, Lucy couldn't help but blush even more when her mother saw her and Natsu holding hands like that. Lucy suddenly slaps Natsu by the shoulder who flinched in surprise, "What was that for?!"
"Why'd you say that?! You're giving mama the wrong impression!" Lucy rebuked as she widens her eyes to the man
"What? I'm just being honest!" Natsu retortingly replies
"Oh you two…" Layla suddenly comments making the two look at her surprised, "You look cute together, fighting like an old married couple."
"Mom~!"
"What? Me and your papa are like that…" Layla then smirks at her daughter who now resembled a tomato because of her red face
"Yeah, so what…" Natsu added as he looked at the blonde who just glared back at him
"Shut up"
"Fine…" Natsu then leans back again as he silently watched at the mother and daughter

Shortly, the food finally arrives and the trio decided to start their meal. Layla, Lucy, and Natsu began to talk about anything. But the weird thing is, Layla hasn't mentioned anything yet about the engagement, which made the two best friends curious. They have been expecting for the older blonde to begin her interrogation but until now it still haven't come.

"So Natsu…" Layla calls the attention of the pinkette who was still eating his fourth plate of the signature dish, "Tell me…"
The two best friends suddenly gulp in nervousness as they thought of the real interrogation is about to begin, "How's your parents? I heard, they are buying a new hotel"
Dropping their jaw, Lucy and Natsu miscalculated once more, "Umm…Yeah, my parents just recently closed a deal"
"Oh, that's nice…" Layla smiles at the two, now making the two think again that the older blonde would be inserting the topic of reception for the wedding
"When will be the reopening of the hotel?"
"Huh?" Natsu was then stunned as he expected a different question. But he quickly snapped out of his confusion when Lucy slapped his thigh, "I mean, um… in six months, the hotel would be probably ready for reopening"
"Ah, that's good…" Layla then smiles at Natsu before she took her bag and placed her credit card at the table and slipped it to Lucy's grasp. When Lucy slowly took the card despite the curiosity, Lucy quickly glanced at her mother, "What's this?"
"Since I have to go and you two haven't eaten your desserts yet, I'll be leaving the card…this is my treat" Layla sternly looks at Lucy who looked like she was about to protest. And with Layla stepped out of her seat and headed to kiss her daughter in the cheek to bid her goodbye. Natsu politely stands and bows to the older blonde who gave a hug in return, "I'll see you soon"
Soon enough, Layla walked out of the restaurant and left the two young adults in confusion.

As Natsu and Lucy just stared ahead, the two felt somehow stupid for assuming that Layla would be bombarding them questions about their couple relationship.
"I feel silly for thinking mom would be flooding us with questions…" Lucy said defeatedly as she slowly blinks and continuously stares ahead
"I wonder why…" Natsu states as he was the same condition as the blonde
"I didn't get to tell her…" Lucy nonchalantly says when suddenly she realized what she said making her snap out of her daze, "Oh my god! I didn't get to tell her the truth!" Lucy quickly looks at the pinkette who lazily looks back. And with that Lucy began to shake the shoulder of the man, to snap him out of his laziness, "Natsu! What am I going to do?!"
"Wi-will y-you s-s-top sh-sha-sha-king me!" Natsu shouted as he endured the blonde's anxiety. With his loud plead, Lucy immediately unleashes her grip to the man, "Sorry…"
"Okay, you still have the afternoon to tell her."
"I can't she has a meeting with the executives…" Lucy matter-of-factly states as she kept her focus to the man
"Well, tomorrow. What's the worst thing that could happen within hours? Right?" Natsu and Lucy then nod to one another as their silent agreement to tell the truth tomorrow.

After some time of staring blankly ahead, Natsu and Lucy finally stood from their spot and left the restaurant. As soon as the two was out of the establishment, Natsu loudly stretches his limbs while Lucy glanced at her surroundings.
"So Luce, what do you want to do next?" Natsu suddenly asked once he finished stretching his arms
"Why? Do you have plans?" Lucy inquired as she looked at the man skeptically
"Well…nothing really, just want to hang out with you today" Natsu then shoves his hands to his pocket as he smirked at the woman
"Hang out? Don't you have work today? I thought you were half day?" Lucy suddenly faces the man, as she places her hands to her hips to emphasize the idea that she was not happy with his habit of skipping work
"Who said so? The moment you said to me last night that you were off, I called my secretary that I'd take a day off too, so I could spend the day with you" Natsu looked at the blonde as if she was becoming a weird creature, then he began to walk away from the restaurant while placing his arms behind his head
Blushing to the idea that Natsu would take a day off at work for her, despite his busy schedule with their car business, Lucy couldn't help but feel special to the guy. Natsu wouldn't obviously state the truth but he'd always do an extra mile for her. But her state of bewilderment suddenly fades away when Natsu began to walk away from his previous spot making her stunned, "Hey Natsu! Where you going?!"
"I'm going for a walk," Natsu shouted back as he kept his pace when he suddenly stops and looks back at the blonde with his usual grin, "You coming?"
Returning the same wide grin, Lucy suddenly sprints towards Natsu and began to walk along with him.

Aimlessly walking in the streets of Magnolia, Natsu suddenly grasps Lucy's hand and entwines them together as they continued their walk. It has become a habit for the pinkette to always hold the blonde's hand, despite the occasional protest of the woman. But for that afternoon, Lucy willingly holds back the warm hands of her best friend, who'd pull and squeeze her hand at times. As they pass by different stores, the two just continued their stroll until Natsu suddenly recalls a store nearby, "Hey Luce, I remembered something"
Lucy then raised a brow at the man as she looked at him, "What did you suddenly remember?"
"The ring…" Natsu said before looking down at the free left hand of the blonde, which Lucy copied before lifting her hand to stare at the ring
"What about this ring?" Lucy asked back as she kept her gaze to the ring
"Well, I remembered that Grandma would always take her jewels to a jewelry shop to clean them every year. And if I'm not mistaken, the shop is just nearby" Natsu suddenly pulls Lucy as he hurries his speed towards a shop he recalls
"Wait!" Lucy forcefully pulls back to halt the man and when Natsu did, Lucy breathlessly asks back, "What are we going to do there exactly?"
"Didn't you say that you couldn't take the ring off?"
"Um, yeah…" Lucy shyly replies as she shrinks in her spot
"Well, maybe they could help! After all, they know stuff about jewels!" And with Natsu began to run again, tagging Lucy along.

Soon enough, Lucy and Natsu arrives at the usual jewelry shop that Natsu's grandmother would always go to. Once they entered the store, they were in awe, at first, seeing all shiny stuff being displayed within a glass box
"Good day sir! What can I do for you?" An attendant suddenly greeted Natsu as soon as he stood before the glass box in the middle of the room, "Would you like some ring for your girlfriend?"
"Uh no! He's not my boyfriend!" Lucy quickly defends as soon as she hears the attendant's words. Quickly acting up to her words, Lucy pulls her hand away from the pinkette and walked towards the opposite display.
Raising a brow at the blonde, at first, as if he thought Lucy was being weird again, Natsu slowly looks back at the attendant and gave a radiating smile, "Yes, you may help me. I was wondering if you could help my fiancé take off the ring placed in her finger"
"Fiancé? Where is she? so we may see the situation…" The attendant smiles back at the pink-haired man when suddenly Natsu points back at the blonde, who was scanning the accessories displayed
"But I thought…"
"Well, yeah, she's no longer my girlfriend, but my fiancée…" Natsu cheekily said back as he leaned one of his elbows to the glass box and stared at the oblivious woman. Just in time to turn to look back at the pink-haired man, Lucy couldn't help but feel conscious with their stares
"Um…did I do something . . . wrong?" Lucy suddenly asks as she looks at all the attendants in the store who held hearts in their eyes while mumbling words between sweet and romantic.
"Fiancée will you come closer please" Natsu calls to Lucy while keeping his grin to his face and began to extend his hand for the blonde to take.
Gawking at the man, Lucy nearly drops her jaw to the floor when Natsu called her 'fiancée' in front of the attendants. But trying to catch her composure again, she clears her throat before she stood tall and slowly walks closer to the man, without holding onto his hand.
"Ma'am, may I see the ring? It's just to check if it could be done by some petroleum jelly or a rearrangement of the ring band" The attendant states as she opens her hand and waits for Lucy to place the hand with the ring

As soon as Lucy hesitantly places her hand to the woman, the attendant audibly gasps as she brought the ring closer to her eyes, "Oh my! Isn't this the infamous engagement ring of the Heartfilia heiress?"
The attendant abruptly looks up and stares at the surprised blonde, "Oh my! It is you!"
"You know what?! Never mind! She doesn't need help!" Natsu quickly snatches the hand of the blonde and began to pull her out of the store along with him.

When the two has finally run away from the store far enough to catch them, Natsu and Lucy found themselves in the Magnolia eco-park. There, the two best friends found their spot to rest under a rainbow Sakura tree. Without knowing, time flew by quickly as Natsu laid down to Lucy's lap while she ran her hand to the pink locks of Natsu as she humming rests her head to the bark of the tree.

When a strong wind suddenly blows at the face of Natsu, he quickly opens an eye and sees the sky be almost dark. Immediately sitting up, Natsu realized that the day is about to end as the sun was beginning to set. And with that Natsu looked at his back and saw Lucy still asleep. Looking at Lucy sound asleep, Natsu couldn't help but softly smile at his best friend, "You must be really tired…"
Natsu then stands to brush off the dirt in his pants and stretch his soring limbs after laying down at the ground. After a few cracking of bones, Natsu crutches down to Lucy and places his arms under Lucy's back and legs. Soon, he hoist Lucy up and carried her bridal style as he walks back to his parked car at the restaurant, "Oi Luce, did you gain weight? You're heavier than before…" Natsu teased softly as he looked down at the sleeping beauty who seemed to be unaware of the insult from her best friend.

Soon enough, Natsu reached the car and places the blonde to the passenger seat, still sound asleep. Within minutes, Natsu was able to return back to the blonde's apartment and carries her back inside. As soon as Natsu places her back to the bed, Natsu gently tucks a loose strand of Lucy's hair behind her ear before smiling genuinely to the woman
"This day has been a wild ride, thanks to you…" Natsu mumbles to the sleeping blonde before he softly caresses Lucy's cheek, "And I'm glad to be your fiancé for at least a day…" Natsu then leans down and gave a peck to the forehead to the sleeping woman, "G'night Luce…sweet dreams" And with that Natsu stood up straight and quickly exits the room to head out of the apartment.


Within a few minutes, Natsu was able to reach his home. As he parked his car to his garage, Natsu tiredly yawned stepping out of his car. When he was sure that his car was safe from being taken, Natsu slowly pulls out his keys to his home and slips it in the keyhole to his front door. When he unlocks the door, he slowly turns the knob then swings the door to his home widely. When suddenly a loud popping sound came and the lights began to turn to life.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" A few voices shouted loud enough to give any old man a heart attack, which Natsu was not exempted to.
"What the fu-?!" Natsu shouted back as he wide eyed at his surroundings. Slowly realizing that it was his family-seeing his mother in front, then his father at the back, while Wendy was at the end of the living room carrying a tray of drinks, then Gajeel , Sting and Rogue standing by the stairs holding their beers- He then lowers his arms from the stance he made in case of defense as he stands straight to look straight into his mother's eyes
"Mom? Dad? Wendy? What are you all doing here? I thought-"
"Well, we want to come over and congratulate you!" Grandine exclaims as she walks closer to the pinkette, who just raised a brow
"Congratulate? Why did I get promoted or something?" Natsu obliviously asks as he slowly steps inside his home and softly closes the door behind him
"No, baka!" Igneel remarked before standing next to his wife and drapes his arm to his wife's shoulder, "For your engagement!"
"Engagement?" Natsu ridiculously repeats
"Yes Natsu-nii! Congratulations with your engagement with Lucy-nee!" Wendy chimes as she clasp her hand in glee when suddenly a loud shriek came from the newly arrived man, "AHHHHHHHH!"

To be continued…