Chapter 14
"There." Kohran announced as she placed a band-aid over the cut on Maria's face. "Thank you Kohran." the blonde replied as she let go of the blonde curtain of hair she was holding back. It fell into place over her left eye, covering the band-aid completely. Kohran had opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Yoneda's voice. "YOU WANT TO…WHAT?!" "What's going on?" Kohran asked to the bewildered blonde. "I don't know, but I have the feeling we should go and see…" Maria replied.
"What's the problem?" Ayame asked as she rushed into Yoneda's office. "Close the door Ayame." Yoneda said gruffly. After doing so, Ayame looked at Ohgami, who seemed to be respectfully cowering in fear, then looked at the manager. "Sir?" she asked, nodding her head towards Ohgami. "Listen to what this idiot said to me." Yoneda replied. Both sets of eyes were on Ohgami as he repeated his request. "I want to ask for Maria's hand in marriage." Ayame blinked as her response, her voice failing her at the moment. After a minute, she finally reacted. "OH MY GOD! OHGAMI! YOU LOOK SO SERIOUS!" Yoneda covered his ears and hid under his desk as Ayame continued. "IF I WERE MARIA, I WOULD SAY YES TO YOUR PROPOSAL!" She grinned at Ohgami who immediately relaxed at the ease of the situation. "When are you going to ask her?" Ayame wondered. "Soon…" Ohgami replied. "I'm really nervous about it, but I want to ask before she leaves." "Then let me help you." Ayame volunteered.
Kohran put her ear up to the office door as Maria leaned against the wall. "I said we should go see what was happening. Not listen to what was happening." she stated. "Nee, Maria-han, I think you should listen to this." What could be so important that I absolutely must listen to? Maria wondered as she knelt down near the office door and listened as Ayame spoke.
The words she heard, and the flood of emotions that overwhelmed her; Maria didn't know where she had been at the beginning, or the end of it all. With every word, her heart felt like it was being torn into tiny pieces, and burned excessively. She later found herself on her bed, crying her heart out, recalling what had happened…
"You wanted to talk to me?" "Yes. You see, I've been in love with you for some time now, and I wondered…" "Yes?" "Would you marry me?" "Ohgami! This is so sudden and so unexpected! But yes. I will marry you."
"Maria-han. Are you okay?" "No…" "What's wrong? What did they say?" "Nothing! Leave me alone!" Maria ran upstairs as tears welled up in her eyes. She kept running until she reached her room, and only stopped to open the door, lock it, then slam it shut. And when she reached her bed, she grabbed a pillow, buried her face in it and cried hard.
Now it was noon, and Maria wasn't planning on leaving her room anytime soon, even if Teito was being attacked, she wasn't going to budge. "You're a fool." she whispered to herself. "An idiot!" No arguing with you there. I tried to warn you, but noooo, you had to think with your heart instead of your mind. Ohgami's a jerk. A big J-E-R-K . And you know it! That's the sad thing Maria. Now you'll never want to fight by his side because that idiot two-timed you! "I know." Maria murmured. "Still…oh, why am I still thinking with my heart?!" I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! She looked over at the vase of flowers on her dresser, the ones Ohgami had given her last night. "Or do I?"
"See Ohgami! You did fine!" Ayame exclaimed. "I guess…" "You guess?! Ohgami, if I didn't think that was convincing, I would've said so." "………" "Trust me. Maria will say yes." "I hope you're right Ayame." Ohgami replied as he got up to leave. "Say…whatever happened to the General?" There was a loud thump and then an, "Ow! *hic!*" that came from under Yoneda's desk. "Never mind." Ohgami said, answering his own question.
"Hey everyone! We're back!" Kanna called out as she opened the door to the Theater so Iris could get in. (Her hands were full with candy.) There was absolute silence as a response to the large woman's announcement. "Huh. Wonder where everyone is." "Mmmph, mmph, mmphh." Iris said as she chewed her candy. "What?" Kanna asked. Iris swallowed the candy and looked irritatingly at Kanna. "Iris said, she thinks everyone is upstairs." "Oh. Well let's go look."
"Maria!! Open the door! You can't stay in there forever!" Orihime shouted as she banged on the door. "Orihime's right! Open the door and talk to us!" Sakura called out. "Oi! What's going on?" Kanna asked as she walked upstairs. Everyone was crowded around Maria's room door, banging on it or yelling; doing everything they could to get Maria out, but ignoring Kanna. "HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" the redhead yelled. It stopped everyone in their tracks, and as they all turned to look at Kanna, Iris walked up to the door and put her ear to it. "Oh. Hi Kanna." Reni said. "Maria shut herself up in her room at around nine…she hasn't come out since, and no one knows what's wrong wi-" "BAD ONIICHAN!" Iris screeched as she backed away from the door. "Huh? Iris, what's wrong?" Sumire asked. "BAD, BAD ONIICHAN!" Iris screeched as she ran off in search of her 'big brother.' "I don't get it." Sumire admitted. "Nor I." Reni replied. "I do." Sakura said. "I think…I think Iris read Maria's mind." "WHAT??!!" Kanna exclaimed. She shoved the scripts she was still carrying into Orihime's hands. "Here. Hold these. I'll be right back. WAIT UP IRIS!"
Orihime stared blankly at the scripts, then passed them on to Kohran as she marched up to Maria's door and took a deep breath. "MAAAAAARRRRRIIIIIAAAAAAA!!!!! YOU CAN'T STAY IN THERE FOREVER!!! COME OUT HERE NOW!!!!!" *BANG!* Another bullet had made another nice hole in Maria's door. "GO AWAY!" Came the voice from inside. All the Flower Division members that were there stared blankly at the holes in the door, and then walked away before Maria tried to shoot them again.
Ohgami had just put the velvet box with the engagement ring back in his drawer, when Kanna and Iris knocked down his door. "Hey! What's the big idea, you two?!" "BAD ONIICHAN! YOU MADE MARIA SAD!" Iris exclaimed as Kanna lifted Ohgami up by his shirt. "All right Ohgami! What did you do?" "What do you mean? Kanna, put me down and tell me what's going on!" Iris closed her eyes and stared right at Ohgami for a minute, then she turned to Kanna. "He doesn't know. Iris knows what really happened now. Put him down Kanna." "You sure?" Kanna asked, suspiciously eyeing Ohgami. "Yes. Iris is sure." Iris replied. "Let's go back to Maria's room." She glared at Ohgami who had just been set back down on the floor. "Oniichan, you come with us and set things right." "WILL ONE OF YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?!" "When we get there." Iris replied. "I'm being bossed around by a seven-year-old. Well, that's just great." Ohgami muttered. "DON'T TALK BAD ABOUT IRIS!" the French girl shouted.
Maria closed her eyes as she lay on the queen sized bed in her darkened room. I love him…I hate him…I love him…I hate him………
Do I really? Do I really hate Ohgami? ……………Well, that's an obvious question. Of course I do. He made me feel like I was someone he really loved. And I fell for it. And the way he kissed me…it made me think that things would work out between us…I am a fool. He just used me…
Maria opened her eyes and as they adjusted to the dim light, she noticed that her window was open. That's funny…I could've sworn I closed it. She thought as she got up from her bed to close it. As her hand rested on the window frame, she looked out at Teito and sighed. The silk curtains brushed up against her face, and Maria found herself touching them gently, wishing that Ohgami was there, holding her. But no matter what…I finally realized that…even if you don't love me ……………………………………………………………………………………
Ohgami, I'll still love you back.
