Daphne: Ok, let me just admit this right now.
I FEEL SOOOOOOOOO STUPID!
I had pretty much stopped working on this fic because I was getting bored with it. Then just a few days ago, one reader begged me to continue it. So I read back through the story to see where I had gone wrong, and realized that I had left a perfectly good story waste away!
I am so sorry that I have dissapointed all of the readers of this fic. I feel really guilty, and to make it up to you, I will try to finish it as soon as possible. Granted, I am still working on my other stories, but I find that I just can't abandon this one any longer.
Please forgive me for my stupidity and enjoy this chapter!
~*~*~*~
JUST BREATHE
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 15.
~*~*~*~
"They are *WHAT*?!?!" Hilde gasped, as she sat, listening to her sister.
"Mother and father are moving to Japan...with the Burnsides! Don't ask me why, because normal people wouldn't move along with their friends, but it's true! Gram has asked mom and dad to stay with her, and they've agreed. Dad's going to take over the Japanese end of the business, and Touya's going to be taking over the England end, until Yuki's able to control it himself! Isn't it wonderful?" Heidi gasped, her eyes shining. Hilde was staring blankly at the wall across from her, trying to process this information.
"Truly, Heidi? They are moving nearer?" She breathed. Heidi nodded eagerly. Behind her, Meilei was smiling happily, looking more like her mother than she knew. Her emerald eyes held the same sparkle her mother's did, and her auburn hair hung about her face lovingly.
"Isn't it marvelous? We can all be together!" She exclaimed. Hilde turned to look at her and nodded slowly, as if coming out of a dream.
"Wonderful." She whispered.
"Heidi-love? I think it is time for us to go." Hiro murmured, coming into the room and throwing a smile at Hilde. Heidi immediately went into his arms and was led out, while Meilei hung back, her eyes on her friend.
"Where is Akane?" Hilde asked softly. Meilei smiled.
"She is out on a date with...Luke Terada." Meilei announced, her eyes twinkling even more. Hilde smiled weakly.
"Are they very close?"
"Oh, yes. He was the only one who was keeping her from hysterics the whole time you were missing." Meilei informed her. Hilde nodded.
"I am glad."
"Meilei? Are you ready to go?" Came Isaac's soft voice, as he peeked into the room. Meilei turned and smiled at him, quickly walking to his side.
"I will come back soon, Hilde." She whispered, as she softly closed the door behind her and walked away with Isaac.
If she had stayed a moment longer, she would have heard soft sobs coming from the very room she had just left.
~*~*~*~
Kojii looked around cautiously as he crept through the dark hospital hallway. It was near to Midnight, but he had not been able to get away from the elders until just about an hour ago. He hadn't even eaten anything, but rushed straight to the hospital.
One of the late-night nurses had put up a fuss about him being there, but Hilde's doctor had immediately put an end to that, informing the young man that Hilde had not been well that day, and it would be good for him to check on her.
Kojii, alarmed at the doctor's report, had not hesitated to agree, and was now on his way to her room, his thoughts troubled. She had not been well? Had she had a relapse? What was wrong?
Silently, Kojii made his way into her room, shutting the door tightly behind him. Her room was dark and there was only a little light, from a small night-light in the corner of the room. He slowly made his way over to the bed, and looked down at the sleeping girl in it. Immediately, Kojii knew that the doctor had not exaggerated.
Hilde's face was pale and washed out, and her plum lips were trembling with each sleeping breath she took. There were tear-marks on her cheeks, and her eye-lashes were still damp with tears. Kojii noticed this with growing alarm, and he quickly comforted himself by grasping her limp white hands in one of his bigger ones.
"Oh, Hilde. What's wrong." He whispered, kissing her forehead and gently brushing some of her hair off her face with his free hand. There was a shuddering breath and her amethyst eyes opened and looked at him in first confusion, then growing awareness, then joy.
"Kojii." She breathed. He smiled down at her and gently ran his thumb over her cheek.
"Why were you crying?" He asked.
"No reason. I was being foolish, I suppose." Was he answer. Kojii eyed her sharply and let out a low growl. Without warning, his arms swooped around her and picked her up, causing her to shriek softly. Kojii simply chuckled and then sat into a chair, with her on his lap. He wrapped the hospital blanket that he had picked up along with her, around her tiny body and then held her close.
"I missed holding you like this." He murmured, kissing her cheeks, nose, lips. Hilde's smile beamed out.
"I want to stay with you." She whispered. He pulled away and looked at her, shocked.
"What?"
"I want to stay here, in Hong Kong. I want to stay with you." She repeated. Kojii's heart nearly burst with happiness, but he couldn't forget her other worries.
"But I can't ask you to do that, angel. You need to be close to your family. I am willing to accept that." He sighed. Hilde smiled a dewy smile at him, and cradled his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"I will be close to them. But I need to be close to you, too. I don't think I could live without seeing you every day. I *need* you, Kojii." She whispered. Kojii groaned and pulled her close.
"You'll stay with me? You will never leave?" He asked, his voice pleading. She smiled.
"Only if you want me to." She breathed.
"Stay." Was the only thing he said, before kissing her with all the love he had for her.
~*~*~*~
"Shhh!"
"No, you shhh!"
"Shut up, both of you."
"You'll wake her up!"
"Oh, give it up. She's awake, and she's laughing at us." Xiaolong sighed, as he entered the room designated as Hilde's. It had been three days since she had been allowed to come 'home', to stay with the Li's. Her parents had already left to settle their affairs in England, and Heidi had gone to Japan with Hiro to plan her wedding.
"Can we come in, Miss Hilde?" Deluce asked softly, looking into the dim room. It was the same room that she had stayed in on the night of the storm, and Hilde had been resting for a while, when the children had come in. Hilde turned in her bed to smile at them.
"Come." She murmured, motioning to the bed. Within three seconds, her five students were arranged on the bed. Ying-fa had happily climbed in on one side of her, while Deluce claimed the other. Akito had seated himself next to his sister, and Chang and Xiaolong had settled down near the end of the bed.
"Uncle Kojii said that you might be staying with us." Akito accused, his eyes narrowed. Hilde turned and blushed, eyeing him carefully.
"Perhaps. How much do you know?" She asked. Deluce shrugged.
"Only Kojii was looking a lot happier today, then ever before...well, actually, he's been that way for a while." She commented, putting a finger to her cheek.
"Miss Hilde, I think Kojii likes you." Chang said in a direct voice. Hilde jumped and blushed even redder, as the twins giggled and shared a 'look'.
"Oh? What gives you that idea?"
"Well, he stares at you a lot...and he knew what you smelled like, and he visited you a lot in the hospital." Chang listed.
"Plus, he gets nervous whenever you enter the room." Xiaolong added, his eyes twinkling.
"And he asked us to give you this." Chang added, handing Hilde a plain paper bag. It was taped shut, and Hilde frowned at it uncertainly.
"Open it!" Ying-fa urged, jumping up and down in the bed. Hilde smiled and carefully un-stuck the tape. Inside the bag was a small box, and Hilde gasped as she caught sight of it.
"He asked you to give this to me?" She asked, looking startled. The children nodded and Hilde gently lifted the tiny box out. It was a velvet box, all violet in color. Slowly, she opened the box and gasped breathlessly, as the twins jumped up and down, laughing.
"Uncle Kojii! Come out now!" Akito called. Hilde looked up to see Kojii coming out of the shadows, his face smiling, but tense. He made his way over to the bed, and knelt down, taking the box from her; all this time, his eyes never left hers.
"Hilde Hiiragizawa, you are the most wonderful woman in the world, and I can not think of anything else I could possibly love as much as you. Would you make me the happiest man in the world...and marry me?" He murmured. Hilde's lips trembled, and when she opened them to answer, no sound came out. So she simply nodded, happy tears coursing down her cheeks.
Kojii's face lit up and he gently slid the lovely diamond ring over her finger, then gazed up into her eyes. He stood up, and tenderly pulled her out of the bed, holding her close to him as he rained kisses on her forehead, cheeks, lips.
Chang, Deluce, and Xiaolong watched this scene, slack-jawed, while the twins giggled and clapped silently, their eyes shinning.
"It's just like that day when they were in bed together." Akito whispered to Ying-fa. Unfortunately, the other three heard them.
"WHAT?!?!" Chang hissed, making sure that his older cousin didn't hear. Ying-fa giggled.
"It is true! The morning after that scary storm, Uncle Kojii was in Miss Hilde's room. They told us not to tell, but...we can now. It's ok." The little girl whispered, her eyes glowing.
"Are they going to get married?" Akito asked. Chang raised an eyebrow.
"See that ring on her hand?" He asked. The twins nodded.
"That means they are going to be married." He murmured. The twins silently shrieked in happiness and jumped up and down again.
And Kojii and Hilde were unconscious of this all. They were too wrapped up in each other.
~*~*~*~
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!"
"WHAT?!?!"
"About time!"
Hilde smiled as the responses to her announcement filled the room. She had just told Heidi, Akane, and Meilei about her engagement to Kojii, and suffice to say, the responses were all different.
"NO! Hilde, you can't marry him! He's...well, he's...you just can't!"
"Why?" Hilde asked Heidi, her head tilted to the side. Heidi floundered for something to say, but nothing came out. Akane smirked.
"Well, I can't say I'm completely surprised...I just didn't expect him to do it so soon." She murmured, still watching a livid Heidi struggle for words.
"I wasn't. The twins came out screaming about someone getting married last week, and I just knew that he had done it. But what took you so long to tell us?" Meilei demanded, her emerald eyes twinkling. Hilde sighed.
"I wanted Heidi to be here when I told anyone. So we asked the children not to say anything...but the twins were a little wound up." Hilde giggled, her amethyst eyes sparkling with life.
"Hey, I'm just here for your graduation. I'm not here for your wedding." Heidi huffed. Hilde shot her a pleading look.
"Heidi..."
"Oh, all right. But if he *ever* hurts you in *any* way, I will kill him, and don't think I won't!" She snapped, getting up from her seat and beginning to pace. Hilde smiled and the other two girls laughed.
"We don't doubt you for a minute, Heidi." Akane teased, as Heidi shot her a glare.
"So...have you told daddy?" Heidi finally asked, her eyes narrowing. Hilde blushed.
"Um...Kojii's gone to do it. In fact, he's probably telling both of our fathers at this very moment..."
"YAHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"FINALLY! THEY FINALLY COME TO THEIR SENSES!!!"
The girls looked, startled, in the direction that the two male voices had come from, and then they all began to laugh. The first had obviously been Eriol's, the second was Syaoran's.
"I guess that answers that question." Meilei managed to gasp out as she giggled hysterically. The others couldn't respond, they were laughing so hard.
"It seems to me that there will be a double wedding in our future!" Akane cheered.
No one argued with this statement.
~*~*~*~
I FEEL SOOOOOOOOO STUPID!
I had pretty much stopped working on this fic because I was getting bored with it. Then just a few days ago, one reader begged me to continue it. So I read back through the story to see where I had gone wrong, and realized that I had left a perfectly good story waste away!
I am so sorry that I have dissapointed all of the readers of this fic. I feel really guilty, and to make it up to you, I will try to finish it as soon as possible. Granted, I am still working on my other stories, but I find that I just can't abandon this one any longer.
Please forgive me for my stupidity and enjoy this chapter!
~*~*~*~
JUST BREATHE
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 15.
~*~*~*~
"They are *WHAT*?!?!" Hilde gasped, as she sat, listening to her sister.
"Mother and father are moving to Japan...with the Burnsides! Don't ask me why, because normal people wouldn't move along with their friends, but it's true! Gram has asked mom and dad to stay with her, and they've agreed. Dad's going to take over the Japanese end of the business, and Touya's going to be taking over the England end, until Yuki's able to control it himself! Isn't it wonderful?" Heidi gasped, her eyes shining. Hilde was staring blankly at the wall across from her, trying to process this information.
"Truly, Heidi? They are moving nearer?" She breathed. Heidi nodded eagerly. Behind her, Meilei was smiling happily, looking more like her mother than she knew. Her emerald eyes held the same sparkle her mother's did, and her auburn hair hung about her face lovingly.
"Isn't it marvelous? We can all be together!" She exclaimed. Hilde turned to look at her and nodded slowly, as if coming out of a dream.
"Wonderful." She whispered.
"Heidi-love? I think it is time for us to go." Hiro murmured, coming into the room and throwing a smile at Hilde. Heidi immediately went into his arms and was led out, while Meilei hung back, her eyes on her friend.
"Where is Akane?" Hilde asked softly. Meilei smiled.
"She is out on a date with...Luke Terada." Meilei announced, her eyes twinkling even more. Hilde smiled weakly.
"Are they very close?"
"Oh, yes. He was the only one who was keeping her from hysterics the whole time you were missing." Meilei informed her. Hilde nodded.
"I am glad."
"Meilei? Are you ready to go?" Came Isaac's soft voice, as he peeked into the room. Meilei turned and smiled at him, quickly walking to his side.
"I will come back soon, Hilde." She whispered, as she softly closed the door behind her and walked away with Isaac.
If she had stayed a moment longer, she would have heard soft sobs coming from the very room she had just left.
~*~*~*~
Kojii looked around cautiously as he crept through the dark hospital hallway. It was near to Midnight, but he had not been able to get away from the elders until just about an hour ago. He hadn't even eaten anything, but rushed straight to the hospital.
One of the late-night nurses had put up a fuss about him being there, but Hilde's doctor had immediately put an end to that, informing the young man that Hilde had not been well that day, and it would be good for him to check on her.
Kojii, alarmed at the doctor's report, had not hesitated to agree, and was now on his way to her room, his thoughts troubled. She had not been well? Had she had a relapse? What was wrong?
Silently, Kojii made his way into her room, shutting the door tightly behind him. Her room was dark and there was only a little light, from a small night-light in the corner of the room. He slowly made his way over to the bed, and looked down at the sleeping girl in it. Immediately, Kojii knew that the doctor had not exaggerated.
Hilde's face was pale and washed out, and her plum lips were trembling with each sleeping breath she took. There were tear-marks on her cheeks, and her eye-lashes were still damp with tears. Kojii noticed this with growing alarm, and he quickly comforted himself by grasping her limp white hands in one of his bigger ones.
"Oh, Hilde. What's wrong." He whispered, kissing her forehead and gently brushing some of her hair off her face with his free hand. There was a shuddering breath and her amethyst eyes opened and looked at him in first confusion, then growing awareness, then joy.
"Kojii." She breathed. He smiled down at her and gently ran his thumb over her cheek.
"Why were you crying?" He asked.
"No reason. I was being foolish, I suppose." Was he answer. Kojii eyed her sharply and let out a low growl. Without warning, his arms swooped around her and picked her up, causing her to shriek softly. Kojii simply chuckled and then sat into a chair, with her on his lap. He wrapped the hospital blanket that he had picked up along with her, around her tiny body and then held her close.
"I missed holding you like this." He murmured, kissing her cheeks, nose, lips. Hilde's smile beamed out.
"I want to stay with you." She whispered. He pulled away and looked at her, shocked.
"What?"
"I want to stay here, in Hong Kong. I want to stay with you." She repeated. Kojii's heart nearly burst with happiness, but he couldn't forget her other worries.
"But I can't ask you to do that, angel. You need to be close to your family. I am willing to accept that." He sighed. Hilde smiled a dewy smile at him, and cradled his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"I will be close to them. But I need to be close to you, too. I don't think I could live without seeing you every day. I *need* you, Kojii." She whispered. Kojii groaned and pulled her close.
"You'll stay with me? You will never leave?" He asked, his voice pleading. She smiled.
"Only if you want me to." She breathed.
"Stay." Was the only thing he said, before kissing her with all the love he had for her.
~*~*~*~
"Shhh!"
"No, you shhh!"
"Shut up, both of you."
"You'll wake her up!"
"Oh, give it up. She's awake, and she's laughing at us." Xiaolong sighed, as he entered the room designated as Hilde's. It had been three days since she had been allowed to come 'home', to stay with the Li's. Her parents had already left to settle their affairs in England, and Heidi had gone to Japan with Hiro to plan her wedding.
"Can we come in, Miss Hilde?" Deluce asked softly, looking into the dim room. It was the same room that she had stayed in on the night of the storm, and Hilde had been resting for a while, when the children had come in. Hilde turned in her bed to smile at them.
"Come." She murmured, motioning to the bed. Within three seconds, her five students were arranged on the bed. Ying-fa had happily climbed in on one side of her, while Deluce claimed the other. Akito had seated himself next to his sister, and Chang and Xiaolong had settled down near the end of the bed.
"Uncle Kojii said that you might be staying with us." Akito accused, his eyes narrowed. Hilde turned and blushed, eyeing him carefully.
"Perhaps. How much do you know?" She asked. Deluce shrugged.
"Only Kojii was looking a lot happier today, then ever before...well, actually, he's been that way for a while." She commented, putting a finger to her cheek.
"Miss Hilde, I think Kojii likes you." Chang said in a direct voice. Hilde jumped and blushed even redder, as the twins giggled and shared a 'look'.
"Oh? What gives you that idea?"
"Well, he stares at you a lot...and he knew what you smelled like, and he visited you a lot in the hospital." Chang listed.
"Plus, he gets nervous whenever you enter the room." Xiaolong added, his eyes twinkling.
"And he asked us to give you this." Chang added, handing Hilde a plain paper bag. It was taped shut, and Hilde frowned at it uncertainly.
"Open it!" Ying-fa urged, jumping up and down in the bed. Hilde smiled and carefully un-stuck the tape. Inside the bag was a small box, and Hilde gasped as she caught sight of it.
"He asked you to give this to me?" She asked, looking startled. The children nodded and Hilde gently lifted the tiny box out. It was a velvet box, all violet in color. Slowly, she opened the box and gasped breathlessly, as the twins jumped up and down, laughing.
"Uncle Kojii! Come out now!" Akito called. Hilde looked up to see Kojii coming out of the shadows, his face smiling, but tense. He made his way over to the bed, and knelt down, taking the box from her; all this time, his eyes never left hers.
"Hilde Hiiragizawa, you are the most wonderful woman in the world, and I can not think of anything else I could possibly love as much as you. Would you make me the happiest man in the world...and marry me?" He murmured. Hilde's lips trembled, and when she opened them to answer, no sound came out. So she simply nodded, happy tears coursing down her cheeks.
Kojii's face lit up and he gently slid the lovely diamond ring over her finger, then gazed up into her eyes. He stood up, and tenderly pulled her out of the bed, holding her close to him as he rained kisses on her forehead, cheeks, lips.
Chang, Deluce, and Xiaolong watched this scene, slack-jawed, while the twins giggled and clapped silently, their eyes shinning.
"It's just like that day when they were in bed together." Akito whispered to Ying-fa. Unfortunately, the other three heard them.
"WHAT?!?!" Chang hissed, making sure that his older cousin didn't hear. Ying-fa giggled.
"It is true! The morning after that scary storm, Uncle Kojii was in Miss Hilde's room. They told us not to tell, but...we can now. It's ok." The little girl whispered, her eyes glowing.
"Are they going to get married?" Akito asked. Chang raised an eyebrow.
"See that ring on her hand?" He asked. The twins nodded.
"That means they are going to be married." He murmured. The twins silently shrieked in happiness and jumped up and down again.
And Kojii and Hilde were unconscious of this all. They were too wrapped up in each other.
~*~*~*~
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!"
"WHAT?!?!"
"About time!"
Hilde smiled as the responses to her announcement filled the room. She had just told Heidi, Akane, and Meilei about her engagement to Kojii, and suffice to say, the responses were all different.
"NO! Hilde, you can't marry him! He's...well, he's...you just can't!"
"Why?" Hilde asked Heidi, her head tilted to the side. Heidi floundered for something to say, but nothing came out. Akane smirked.
"Well, I can't say I'm completely surprised...I just didn't expect him to do it so soon." She murmured, still watching a livid Heidi struggle for words.
"I wasn't. The twins came out screaming about someone getting married last week, and I just knew that he had done it. But what took you so long to tell us?" Meilei demanded, her emerald eyes twinkling. Hilde sighed.
"I wanted Heidi to be here when I told anyone. So we asked the children not to say anything...but the twins were a little wound up." Hilde giggled, her amethyst eyes sparkling with life.
"Hey, I'm just here for your graduation. I'm not here for your wedding." Heidi huffed. Hilde shot her a pleading look.
"Heidi..."
"Oh, all right. But if he *ever* hurts you in *any* way, I will kill him, and don't think I won't!" She snapped, getting up from her seat and beginning to pace. Hilde smiled and the other two girls laughed.
"We don't doubt you for a minute, Heidi." Akane teased, as Heidi shot her a glare.
"So...have you told daddy?" Heidi finally asked, her eyes narrowing. Hilde blushed.
"Um...Kojii's gone to do it. In fact, he's probably telling both of our fathers at this very moment..."
"YAHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"FINALLY! THEY FINALLY COME TO THEIR SENSES!!!"
The girls looked, startled, in the direction that the two male voices had come from, and then they all began to laugh. The first had obviously been Eriol's, the second was Syaoran's.
"I guess that answers that question." Meilei managed to gasp out as she giggled hysterically. The others couldn't respond, they were laughing so hard.
"It seems to me that there will be a double wedding in our future!" Akane cheered.
No one argued with this statement.
~*~*~*~