Disclaimers : I don't own Sakura Taisen...
Fourth chapter...hope you'll keep enjoying and reviewing my work...Sorry for making you wait so long...Special thanks to Zauriel, shiny moon, Nanami Da Tomboy, NaRiSa ReI, and Lyss-Blyss for their reviews...( Zauriel, thanks for your attention to me. I'm alright...just very busy recently ).
***
*1953*
He released her, then gazed into her eyes.
She gazed back into his eyes, and found what she'd been looking for all her whole life.
It was love. His love for her.
"You know," he said, as he took her left hand and kissed her ringfinger, " I've just asked my parents if I can ask for your delicate hands in a marriage."
Edelweiss' mouth opened suddenly. "W...what have they said?" asked her curiously.
"They said that they must talk about it first, and, I haven't known the result yet. But, don't worry. With or without their permission, I'll marry you," answered Taro.
"Taro! It's not good," reminded Edelweiss, as she pressed her index finger on his lips.
"Yes...yes...I'm just kidding...However, I'm still respecting my parents," he answered with laughter.
Oogami Ichirou, Shinguji Sakura, and Maria Tachibana were looking curiously at the young couple, who were still staying in their own world, ignoring all the things around them.
"Permission given," said Oogami, calmly, as he walked closer to Taro and Edelweiss.
Taro and Edelweiss startled, than jumped back to make a short distance between them, badly blushing.
"We've been talking about that with Edelweiss' mother," Sakura added, " and she gave her permission too. Right, Maria?"
Maria nodded, as she smiled in joy.
***
*1928*
January ninth passed without any news about Kanna, Maria, Reni, Oogami, or Sakura.
The Shinguji family were waiting patiently and anxiously for some informations about their daughter. Patiently, as usual, and anxiously, as they realized that they were in big trouble with the boy's family.
"His family promised to come this evening," said Katsura to Wakana, almost whispering.
Wakana nodded slightly as she tried to hide her feelings from the older woman. "Let's pray for their sake," she replied softly.
"Our poor Sakura...she's maybe miles away from her happiness...," said Katsura sadly.
***
Oogami's relative was in a big trouble too.
The rather young woman walked-back-and-forth across her large house's hall, trying to calm herself, while she was waiting for the news about where her brother, Ichirou, was, and thinking about the way to tell the girl's family. However, they must delayed the engagement.
"Ichirou...," she muttered, " my poor brother...He's miles away from his happy marriage..."
***
A very usual minibus stopped quietly at a lakeside. The doors opened slowly, then, all of the passengers got out carefully but quickly.
"Where're the properties?" whispered one of them.
"I keep them inside this bag, Maria," answered another passenger, pointing at the huge bag beside her right leg.
"Good, Reni," Maria replied as she tried to keep her voice low.
"The minibus is messed up enough," said one of the men.
Maria smiled. "Good," she whispered again, "we can leave now. Be quick, but be careful."
***
"Yoneda-shihainin!"
Yoneda rose up from his chair suddenly. "What are you doing, Kaede? Don't surprise me like that!"
Kaede ignored Yoneda's pardon. "They...they...they had found the minibus!" cried her loudly.
Yoneda ran towards the door and opened it with one powerfull movement that may frighten little children. "Where are all of them now?!!!" asked him as he held Kaede's arms firmly and shook the younger woman's body.
"Calm down, calm down, Yoneda-shihainin. Let me explain first. The minibus was empty..."
"Empty? Empty?! Empty?!!! So, where are them?"
"Take a breath, Yoneda-shihainin...we don't know where they are, but..."
"But what?"
"They found torn pieces of Kanna's jacket..."
"Torn?!!!"
"Y...Yeah, oh, sorry, I meant, yes. Maria's coat was found as well, soaked up by mud."
"And?"
"There's nothing more to say. They have no more facts or just predicitons to tell us."
"Where's that minibus now?"
"The policemen borrowed it for further investigations. And, I'm sorry, Yoneda-shihainin, but, please stop shaking me! I feel dizzy and queasy!"
***
"Are you tired, Sakura?" asked Oogami worriedly.
Sakura smiled at her beloved. "No," answered her.
Maria smiled as she heard the short conversation between the two lovers. "Well," she said as she stopped walking, "night has come. This is our time to sleep."
"Are you sure that we will sleep here tonight?" asked Kanna, as she pulled herself closer to Maria.
"One hundred percent sure," answered Maria, ignoring Kanna's fear.
"B...b...but...this is a forest, Maria! How if snakes are surrounding us?" asked Kanna again. Cold sweatdrops started to appear on her frightened face.
Maria turned to Kanna. Her green eyes got narrow and narrower. "Then," she said with a serious tone, "I'll ask you to fight them and the rest of us can escape."
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" shouted Kanna, when the others, including Maria, laughed cheerfully.
***
A pleasant sound heard as they do the toast.
"This champagne is rather good, right?" asked Kaede as she put her empty glass on the table.
"Yeah!" answered the other girls. They giggled and gazed at each other.
"It is Iris' first experience with champagne!" cried the exicted Iris.
"Ssh...Iris...this is a secret," whispered Orihime, "don't tell the others that we give you champagne, will you? You're only fifteen."
"Yup!" replied Iris, "Iris will tell nobody that Kaede, Kouran, Sumire, and Orihime give her a glass of champagne!"
"But you tell me!" said Orihime with a low voice.
"Oops...sorry...," Iris closed her mouth with her hands, "Iris promises, she wouldn't tell anybody that Kaede, Kouran, Sumire, and Orihime give her champagne."
"You tell me again!" muttered Orihime, almost hopelessly. "Well, " she said, "we mustn't have given..."
"They contact us! They contact us!" cried Kouran suddenly.
"This is Jean Valjean. Can you manage Teito?"
"This is Javert," answered Kouran, "Teito is OK. We still can take care of The Real Bad Guy and His Comrades. How about The Shipman, Marius, Monsieur Thenardier, Our Director, and Madame Thenardier?"
"They're all right. How about The Fairy, Cossette, Fantine, and Our Public Relations?"
"They're doing well too. Now, tell us about your journey."
"Quite exhausting," answered 'Jean Valjean', "we're surrounded by green now. I can't tell you more. There's something more important to tell."
"What's that?"
"Marius is doing enough. We'll kick her off soon. Make sure that this scene will be exicting enough for The Real Bad Guy."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes :
It was quite uneasy for me to create their code-names, so, I used their roles in Les Miserables as their code-names. Special for Oogami, Kaede, Kayama, and Yoneda, since they had no roles in Les Miserables, I create the code-names by my ownself.
Oogami - Our Director
Kaede - Our Public Relations
Kayama - The Shipman
Yoneda - The Real Bad Guy
What will they do to Marius a.k.a Reni? Will The Real Bad Guy become excited? Let's see...Please send your reviews...