Chapter 19
- Rain's Point Of View -
"Besides Domon, pearls don't lie."
I could feel Domon tighten his grip around my waist, and I smiled, placing my hands on his, giving them a slight squeeze. He remained silent, and I anxiously awaited his reaction.
"That's the reason I bought them."
The smile on my face broadened as I see my parents' do the same. My mother came over and placed her hands on both of ours with a large grin.
"Domon, how do you do it? You've saved my girl twice, risking your own life in the process, stick by her side the entire time, and you love is still as strong as ever. Are you some sort of angel?"
I interrupt before Domon has the chance to answer.
"He sure is. He's my guardian angel."
Domon brings his head so that it just hovers above my shoulder and gives me a peck on the cheek.
"I'm not that great." He says humbly.
"You sure are." I insist.
He shrugs behind me and says with a sly grin, "Okay, maybe I am."
I elbow him with a laugh.
My father interrupts our playfulness with a pretty powerful question.
"So how long are you two planning on keeping this relationship going?"
I turn to look Domon straight in the eye, and I raise a single eyebrow, asking if he wanted me to answer. He shakes his head no, so I let him continue. I figure since he didn't get to tell my father he is in love with me, he can at least tell him how long he plans on being in love with me.
"Well," he starts out, "I suppose you can't judge a relationship's future, since you never really know what's gonna happen, but if all goes well, I don't think I'll ever have a reason to stop loving Rain."
All right, I can't stay quiet after a remark like that.
I turn around to face him with a look of awe. He just smiles at me, and I resist the urge to turn around fully and kiss him. We'll just have to talk about this later.
Okay fine.
We'll kiss about it later.
"Oh." My father says, slightly dumbly.
"Awww!!!" my mother exclaims. Here comes another freak-out-about-Domon-and- Rain-being-in-love session, I can just feel it. In fact, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already, especially after that guardian angel comment.
She jumps up and does a little jig, singing something about "too cute".
What did I tell you?
"But," she says, her voice solemn, "however much we wish to stay to see your love blossom, we have to leave."
"Mom! You can't leave so soon!" I cried, looking to Domon for help.
"Yeah," he says, "we like having you here!"
My mother sent me a sad, longing look before turning to my father. He stood up, and came to the bedside, touching my hand.
"I'm sorry honey," he says sincerely, "Our flight time got changed. I wish we could stay."
My mother comes to stand beside my father, and kisses my cheek.
"No...no stay..." I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. Domon puts his head on my shoulder for comfort.
"We can fly back anytime you need us Rain. But as it seems to me, you have all the support you need right here." My mother says, referring to Domon.
That makes me smile as I lean back on him, and he pulls me closer, if that's humanly possible.
"Okay." I say shakily.
"That's my girl." My father pats my head and nods to Domon.
- Domon's Point Of View -
"It was very nice to see you Domon." Mrs. Mikamura says.
"Take care of Rain for us." Instructs Mr. Mikamura.
I nod my head to both, telling them I will.
"Í love you mom. I love you dad. I'll miss you!"
"We'll miss you too honey." Rain's dad says, kissing her forehead one last time before ushering her mom out the door.
"We love you Rain!" her mother looks back from the hallway as her father shuts the door behind him, "Have a nice time with Domon!"
Then the door closes completely, and Rain falls against me, exhausted, exasperated, and sad. She turns her whole body towards me and cries into my shoulder, her legs crossed behind my back. I hold her and rub her back, calming and soothing her.
When she settled down, she backed up enough to look into my eyes. She sniffles, and I wipe away her tears. She smiles, and I capture her lips briefly, giving her my strength.
"Are you alright now baby?"
She nodded, but despite the brave face she put on, I knew she longed for her parents to return. She threw her arms around me again, and I held her close.
"I love you." I told her, meaning every word.
"I love you too." She said as she squeezed my neck.
I looked her in the eye as she leaves my embrace, and I smile at her, hoping to let her know how much I care. She must know, because she smiles back.
"Domon?"
"Yes?"
"You know what you said before, about never having a reason to stop loving me. Are you really gonna love me forever?"
I smile at her. She sounds like a child.
"Forever isn't long enough."
She smiles and leans in to kiss me, and I slide my hands down the edges of her body, feeling her soft curves. She presses herself into me, and the testosterone starts to surge. I break away, trying to keep it under control. She must think it's something else though, there's a look of confusion and hurt on her face.
"What's wrong?" she asks me, and I hope she doesn't think that I think she is unworthy.
"My body was about to encourage me to go a little too far. I'm sorry." I say sheepishly.
"Oh.' She says, looking away. But then, out of the blue, she sits on my lap, wraps her arms around my neck, and looks up at me with a sort of sad, embarrassed expression.
"Domon? I have a tough question for you."
"Okay."
"Is it...I mean...I don't know how to phrase this, so here it goes...is it hard for you to hold yourself back when your body and your feelings are telling you to have sex with me? Cause if it is, I'm really sorry. I don't want you to be unsatisfied with me and leave this relationship...I love you too much..."
A tear falls down her cheek and I kiss it softly away and hold her close.
"Rain, I could never be unsatisfied with you. You are the most beautiful person in the world, and that is the reason my body keeps going over the edge. I backed away because I don't want to put you in a situation where you feel pressured to have sex with me. I would want it to be something beautiful, something that both you and I would enjoy, not something you were forced into or were having second-guesses about. I could never leave you, I love you so much. Besides, who would be your guardian angel?"
She smiles and kisses me softly, and my hand ducks under the hospital apron to caress her bare skin. I lean back and take Rain with me, so we end up in a laying position, our chests touching and the blanket over us. Under the privacy of the blanket, one hand rests at the small of her back; one strokes the outer side of her breast gently. She coils her arms around me and I press on her back, inviting her closer.
"My mother always told me to respect women in a way that I would want boys to respect my daughter, never forcing anything, never stepping over the line without permission. I did that once with you, and I don't plan on doing it again. If you're not ready, then I'll just wait patiently."
She lets out a breath and pulls me towards her.
"Thank you Domon. Thank you so much."
We're quiet for another minute before Rain adds something else.
"Domon, you should give yourself more credit. Yes, we have had one bad experience, but that's in the past. Every time I'm near you is a good experience, not to mention all the really intimate times I've had with you. No one has ever been so close to me as you have Domon, both literally and emotionally. I love being so close to you, feeling your caress and the warmth of your body against my bare skin. And the way you protect me, the way you hold me, they are all expressions of how much you care. And that is all I need for the rest of my life. So, even though forever isn't long enough, I hope my lifetime is, cause I know any amount of time I spend with you is worth so much more than gold."
- Rain's Point Of View -
"Besides Domon, pearls don't lie."
I could feel Domon tighten his grip around my waist, and I smiled, placing my hands on his, giving them a slight squeeze. He remained silent, and I anxiously awaited his reaction.
"That's the reason I bought them."
The smile on my face broadened as I see my parents' do the same. My mother came over and placed her hands on both of ours with a large grin.
"Domon, how do you do it? You've saved my girl twice, risking your own life in the process, stick by her side the entire time, and you love is still as strong as ever. Are you some sort of angel?"
I interrupt before Domon has the chance to answer.
"He sure is. He's my guardian angel."
Domon brings his head so that it just hovers above my shoulder and gives me a peck on the cheek.
"I'm not that great." He says humbly.
"You sure are." I insist.
He shrugs behind me and says with a sly grin, "Okay, maybe I am."
I elbow him with a laugh.
My father interrupts our playfulness with a pretty powerful question.
"So how long are you two planning on keeping this relationship going?"
I turn to look Domon straight in the eye, and I raise a single eyebrow, asking if he wanted me to answer. He shakes his head no, so I let him continue. I figure since he didn't get to tell my father he is in love with me, he can at least tell him how long he plans on being in love with me.
"Well," he starts out, "I suppose you can't judge a relationship's future, since you never really know what's gonna happen, but if all goes well, I don't think I'll ever have a reason to stop loving Rain."
All right, I can't stay quiet after a remark like that.
I turn around to face him with a look of awe. He just smiles at me, and I resist the urge to turn around fully and kiss him. We'll just have to talk about this later.
Okay fine.
We'll kiss about it later.
"Oh." My father says, slightly dumbly.
"Awww!!!" my mother exclaims. Here comes another freak-out-about-Domon-and- Rain-being-in-love session, I can just feel it. In fact, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already, especially after that guardian angel comment.
She jumps up and does a little jig, singing something about "too cute".
What did I tell you?
"But," she says, her voice solemn, "however much we wish to stay to see your love blossom, we have to leave."
"Mom! You can't leave so soon!" I cried, looking to Domon for help.
"Yeah," he says, "we like having you here!"
My mother sent me a sad, longing look before turning to my father. He stood up, and came to the bedside, touching my hand.
"I'm sorry honey," he says sincerely, "Our flight time got changed. I wish we could stay."
My mother comes to stand beside my father, and kisses my cheek.
"No...no stay..." I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. Domon puts his head on my shoulder for comfort.
"We can fly back anytime you need us Rain. But as it seems to me, you have all the support you need right here." My mother says, referring to Domon.
That makes me smile as I lean back on him, and he pulls me closer, if that's humanly possible.
"Okay." I say shakily.
"That's my girl." My father pats my head and nods to Domon.
- Domon's Point Of View -
"It was very nice to see you Domon." Mrs. Mikamura says.
"Take care of Rain for us." Instructs Mr. Mikamura.
I nod my head to both, telling them I will.
"Í love you mom. I love you dad. I'll miss you!"
"We'll miss you too honey." Rain's dad says, kissing her forehead one last time before ushering her mom out the door.
"We love you Rain!" her mother looks back from the hallway as her father shuts the door behind him, "Have a nice time with Domon!"
Then the door closes completely, and Rain falls against me, exhausted, exasperated, and sad. She turns her whole body towards me and cries into my shoulder, her legs crossed behind my back. I hold her and rub her back, calming and soothing her.
When she settled down, she backed up enough to look into my eyes. She sniffles, and I wipe away her tears. She smiles, and I capture her lips briefly, giving her my strength.
"Are you alright now baby?"
She nodded, but despite the brave face she put on, I knew she longed for her parents to return. She threw her arms around me again, and I held her close.
"I love you." I told her, meaning every word.
"I love you too." She said as she squeezed my neck.
I looked her in the eye as she leaves my embrace, and I smile at her, hoping to let her know how much I care. She must know, because she smiles back.
"Domon?"
"Yes?"
"You know what you said before, about never having a reason to stop loving me. Are you really gonna love me forever?"
I smile at her. She sounds like a child.
"Forever isn't long enough."
She smiles and leans in to kiss me, and I slide my hands down the edges of her body, feeling her soft curves. She presses herself into me, and the testosterone starts to surge. I break away, trying to keep it under control. She must think it's something else though, there's a look of confusion and hurt on her face.
"What's wrong?" she asks me, and I hope she doesn't think that I think she is unworthy.
"My body was about to encourage me to go a little too far. I'm sorry." I say sheepishly.
"Oh.' She says, looking away. But then, out of the blue, she sits on my lap, wraps her arms around my neck, and looks up at me with a sort of sad, embarrassed expression.
"Domon? I have a tough question for you."
"Okay."
"Is it...I mean...I don't know how to phrase this, so here it goes...is it hard for you to hold yourself back when your body and your feelings are telling you to have sex with me? Cause if it is, I'm really sorry. I don't want you to be unsatisfied with me and leave this relationship...I love you too much..."
A tear falls down her cheek and I kiss it softly away and hold her close.
"Rain, I could never be unsatisfied with you. You are the most beautiful person in the world, and that is the reason my body keeps going over the edge. I backed away because I don't want to put you in a situation where you feel pressured to have sex with me. I would want it to be something beautiful, something that both you and I would enjoy, not something you were forced into or were having second-guesses about. I could never leave you, I love you so much. Besides, who would be your guardian angel?"
She smiles and kisses me softly, and my hand ducks under the hospital apron to caress her bare skin. I lean back and take Rain with me, so we end up in a laying position, our chests touching and the blanket over us. Under the privacy of the blanket, one hand rests at the small of her back; one strokes the outer side of her breast gently. She coils her arms around me and I press on her back, inviting her closer.
"My mother always told me to respect women in a way that I would want boys to respect my daughter, never forcing anything, never stepping over the line without permission. I did that once with you, and I don't plan on doing it again. If you're not ready, then I'll just wait patiently."
She lets out a breath and pulls me towards her.
"Thank you Domon. Thank you so much."
We're quiet for another minute before Rain adds something else.
"Domon, you should give yourself more credit. Yes, we have had one bad experience, but that's in the past. Every time I'm near you is a good experience, not to mention all the really intimate times I've had with you. No one has ever been so close to me as you have Domon, both literally and emotionally. I love being so close to you, feeling your caress and the warmth of your body against my bare skin. And the way you protect me, the way you hold me, they are all expressions of how much you care. And that is all I need for the rest of my life. So, even though forever isn't long enough, I hope my lifetime is, cause I know any amount of time I spend with you is worth so much more than gold."