A/N Here's the epilogue! It's really short but hey, at least I updated right?
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne but I do own my daydream that started this story. Beautiful Stranger, Epilogue Epilogue
Hitomi switched on the TV. Van had mentioned a live TV interview and she wanted to see him. Sinking back onto the couch, Hitomi's eyes glued themselves to the screen…
"Hello ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome our guest, Van de Fanel!" announced the TV show host.
Van strode out from back stage and plopped down on the chair next to the host. He looked faintly uncomfortable as he faced his screaming audience.
"Welcome Van de Fanel! It's great to have you on the show!"
"Um, thanks…uh…great to be here?" Van replied somewhat awkwardly.
"So let's just start from the beginning, Van. You were born here in Fanelia, is that right?" asked the host.
"Yes, Fanelia is my home town," Van answered, shifting uneasily.
"Tell us, what brings you back here?"
"Oh, well…uh…I haven't been here for so long. I've been so busy with concert tours that I don't have any time to visit. I really miss this play. Home sweet…home, right?" Van had a distinctly uncomfortable look on his face.
"Does your return home have anything to do with a very recent incident?" asked the host.
"Incident? Oh, you mean that breakup with my ex, Merle?" Van said simply. "Well, a little bit. I just needed to get away from the crowds for a while…although it seemed that plan backfired," he added.
The audience laughed at the contradiction in his statement. Van looked briefly bewildered at their response.
"You seem a bit nervous Van," the host commented.
"Hm? Oh. Well I'm sure I've made it plain that I don't like all this publicity. I get a lot of flattering letters, but really! I just want to known for my music. People seem to like looking at my face than listening to my songs though. To tell the truth, I'm pretty disappointed at the responses I'm getting. I'd rather have a small group of hardcore music experts as my fans than all those stupid, idiots I get—uh…" Van coughed. "…right. What was I saying? Oh yes. Well, frankly, I get more letters about my ass than my music."
The audience laughed sheepishly at this.
"Oh…well then," replied the host. "Now let's move on to some recent news. Just a few weeks ago you were in a state of depression from your breakup. But some viewers (who will be kept anonymous) reported that you were kissing a girl in downtown Fanelia just yesterday. Any truth to this Van?"
Van frowned at the rather personal question before answering. "Well, I did meet a girl yesterday and yes, I did kiss her…"
"Oh say it isn't so, Vannie!" someone shouted in the audience. More pleas and assurances that Van was still single soon followed this remark.
Van had the dignity to look embarrassed at some of the more crude remarks shouted at him. "I'm…sorry…?" he said uncertainly. "Well, I do feel that the girl and I have something between us and yes, we are a couple now…"
"Please, tell us about this girl? She must be pretty special if she got you out of depression," the host said gently, throwing a direct look at the audience, who suddenly quieted down.
Van began to smile. "Yes, she really is special. You know, the circumstances we were in were very unique. We both bumped into each other, literally, and she was almost run over. She had just broken off a serious relationship as well, but she was hit harder by it than I was by my breakup."
"Go on," the host urged.
Van shrugged. "What else is there to say? We were strangers but that was okay. I guess when I saw how hurt she was from her breakup I realized how foolish I had been acting recently. I behaved as though the world was crashing over my head. I saw that this she would soon start acting just as stupidly as I did after my breakup. What kind of person would I be if I just let this beautiful stranger walk into something like that?"
"And it was love at first sight?" the host suggested.
Van notched his head to the side in thought. "I don't know," he replied after a moment. "I'm not particularly sure I believe in love at first sight. But there's definitely love in our relationship, at least on my part." He looked directly at the camera while he said this, as if he were trying to catch someone's eye.
"Oh that's nice. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Thank you once again for coming to our show, Van de Fanel!"
"Er…you're welcome…?"
Hitomi switched off the TV and reached for her cell phone. She dialed some numbers and waited patiently for an answer
"Hey it's Van. I'm either running away from my dumbass fans or avoiding the press from hell, so leave a message at the pretty beeping noise!" said the cell phone.
"Hey," she said into the voice mail. "It's me. I just wanted you to know there's love on part too. See you later."
She clicked off her cell phone and settled down on the couch. Van said he'd drop by some time after the interview and Hitomi settled down to wait.
A/N So, what did you think of this story! I actually finished it too! Amazing isn't it? Well, now that this is finished I guess I'll be working on Motorcycles of Escaflowne or possibly starting other fanfics…*ducks as audience throws assorted vegetables at her head* I'm really really sorry for taking such a long time to update!
Okay, here's some of my thoughts. Hitomi's personality in this fanfic is actually almost exactly like mine. What I mean is that I would react the same way if I were in her place. This whole story is actually a daydream I had in which I was in Hitomi's place and some Hong Kong celebrity was in Van's. Yes I know I'm weird.
Review!