It's now or never, Sukunami.
"Miaka...will you...will you give the honor...will you...well, just...will you..will you excuse me, Miaka? Arghhh! This is never going to work!"
Sukunami Taka balled up a fist and irately punched the mirror.
"Wahhh! The pain! The pain!" Taka jumped up to bandage his bloody hand.
Yuuki Keisuke gave a long-suffering sigh. He should have known better to have had listened to his future brother-in-law...well, very future brother-in-law, who was very much head-over-heels over Miaka. "Taka no baka! We've been over this for an hour! At this rate, Miaka would have eaten the whole main course listening to you stuttering!"
"Gomen, gomen, Keisuke-san..."murmured a very repentant Taka.
Keisuke put down the beer he was drinking on the table. "Listen, it's just five words! Five measly words! 'Will you marry me, Miaka?'! It's that simple!"
"But when I think of actually doing it-"
"Wakatte, wakatte, you feel all nervous and weak, because she is Miaka, the sunshine of your life," Keisuke tiredly voiced over.
Taka looked pleased. "See, see, Keisuke-san, you understand!"
"I wish I didn't," grumbled Keisuke. "Now buck up! This was your idea, dragging me in here to rehearse you!"
"Hai, Keisuke-san!"
"Remember to keep eye contact!"
"Hai, Keisuke-san!"
"And whatever happens, say it!"
There was a pause. Then a timid, "Keisuke-san?"
"Nani?"
"You scare me."
Oro... Keisuke fell on the sofa.
Well, that went like a charm.
Taka opened the refrigerator door, picked up a soda and popped it open.
But he's right, though.
Taka jumped on the bed and guzzled the cola down, closing his eyes.
I have to be firm and whatever happens, I'll have to say it. I have to say it and not melt. But everytime I look at her green-gold eyes, I just lose control of myself...It's not my fault, is it?
He put down the empty can on the nightstand and closed the lamp.
He laid his head down his arms on the pillow and yawned.
I'll have to propose soon...I mean, we'll be out of college soon...
Sore wa, he thought, turning on his side. I'll see what I can do tomorrow... He put his arm under his head and closed his eyes, drifting...Now it's time for sleep, sweet sleep...
"SUKUNAMI TAKA!!!
"DAAA!"
Taka jumped up and climbed up the wall, his teeth chattering.
"Who...who's there?" he squeaked.
"Oi, daijoubu ka, Taka-kun?! You look rather faint."
That voice...
He saw a lithe, glowing figure quickly open the window and slip inside.
"Stay away!" he screamed, jumping down and clutching a baseball bat and holding it like a katana.
The figure gave a "Tsk, tsk. So ka, Taka-kun, is this the new way of greeting your tomodachi?"
Taka slowly lowered his katana-bat."Tomodachi?"
"Hai, tomodachi. I'm sure we've met."
The glowing figure sailed by the door and clicked the light switch open.
"Nu...Nu...Nuriko?!!!" Taka dropped the bat in amazement.
The purple-haired ghost gave a wide smile and brought up a "V" sign with her hand. "Hai!"
"Nani?! What are you doing here? Giving me a heart attack?" Taka sat down the bed, breathing heavily.
"Gomen nasai, I didn't mean to scare you." Nuriko grinned and leaned on the wall.
"What then, did you mean?"
Nuriko kept grinning. "I'm going to help you with your proposal to Miaka."
Taka glanced at her sharply. "Anata?"
"Sure, why not?" Nuriko looked up at the ceiling. "You forgot, didn't you?"
"Forgot what?"
"I gave you a promise once that I'm going to make sure that you and Miaka go like this." Nuriko put up her two index fingers and drew them close. "Remember?"
"Oh yeah, that night before you...anou, before you fought Ashtare..."
Nuriko waved her hand dismissively. "All right, say it, before I died."
"Um, yeah, that too."
"And besides, the rest of the Suzaku Shichiseishi voted me to do this job." Nuriko gave a wink. "We managed to persuade Taiitsukun that it was an emergency and she managed to get me teleported. They got taste, ya know."
"I can imagine," said Taka dryly.
"And you do need help, don't you?"
"I guess..." Taka let his voice trail away. "But then again, I can still do this by myself, you know."
Nuriko giggled. "Oh yeah, I saw your so-called proposal." She stuck out her tongue and pointed her index finger to it, making a face.
"Thank you for the vote of confidence," said Taka sarcastically. "Can we continue this conversation tomorrow? It's eleven-thirty in the night, and I've been practicing the whole night with Keisuke."
"Ah, didn't work out very well with Miaka's onii-san, ne?"
Taka mumbled, "Lucky guess. It's as if Keisuke wanted me to marry Miaka as quickly as possible. What is he, sick of her?"
"Aww, he just cares about you two the way I do," said Nuriko.
"Then you two should get together."
"No thank you, I'd rather have Emperor Hotohori."
"Spare me," grumbled Taka, climbing back to the bed.
"Well, I'll have to be going now," said Nuriko, making her way to the windows. "Just made sure that you'll be following my lead for tomorrow."
"And just what is your lead for tomorrow?"
"You'll see," was the mysterious reply.
"Don't make it extreme or anything, all right?"
Nuriko saluted solemnly. "Ryoukai, Taka-taichou."
"Oh, and Nuriko?"
"Hmm?"
"Try using the door the next time."
Nuriko lifted an eyebrow and quickly sped towards the door and twisted the doorknob. "Sleep well, Taka-kun," she said, with an evil glint in her eye. "We have a long day tomorrow."
She left Taka sleepless the whole night.