At the moment, got to tell you one thing:

Enjoy folks!

Chapter two

Sonoko seemed to be not only shocked. Somehow he could not seem to read her expression but he figured it would be better if he got away from his fiancée as soon as possible, so he started sitting up.

To his surprise, she raised her hand, beckoning for him to dont move. He stopped cold, observing her puzzled.

"Sonoko, we-" she cut him off with another move of her hand.

Then she quietly closed the door behind her and turned again to the couple. Her smile freaked Shinichi completely out but he did not dare say anything, or make a move for that matter.

"Never thought you had it in you, Kudo!" she grinned at him.

He blushed deeply and immediately went to protect him and Ran.

"Stupid! We did not-"

"I know, I can tell." She grinned wider, looking at his and her fully clothed forms. "It was not what I meant."

He looked confused at his sleeping lovers best friend.

"I meant, that I would never have thought the whole romantic castles with all the tales and stuff we visited today would inspire you to actually tell her how you feel about her!" she grinned and he froze, looking funnily at her.

Then suddenly his blood froze as Sonokos cold gaze pirced through him.

"You DID tell her how you feel about her, didn#'t you?" to his ears it sounded more like a threat than a question or anything else, almost like as if his destiny depended on his answer.

He nodded and saw her face immediately relax.

"I am glad! Congratulations!" she told him with a smile and he nodded, still tense. Then she grinned. "About time, man!"

For the first time he felt his own face relax a little. What did not mean he let his guard down for a second. He was not at all sure about what was to happen now. Seeing the conflict in his eyes, she grinned once more and walked back to the door, taking the handle in her hand and turned a last time to look at him.

"You have half an hour, Romeo, before dinner is ready." Then she stepped through it. He needed one second to comprehend that he was still alive and everything was okay.

"Sonoko!" he called out for her and she stopped, looking back at him.

"Thank you!" was all he said. Was all he needed to say.

She smiled warmly at him, then at Ran and back to him and nodded.

"You better don't hurt her, Kudo, or I will have to cause you real pain!" her words made the hair on his arms stand up in alarm and a cold shudder cross his spine but he remained strong enough to answer.

"I won't."

And she believed him. It was hard to not believe him for he truly meant every word with all his heart. Giving a last smile and nod, she disappeared through the door. Ten seconds later he could hear her screamingly reponse to another girls screaming question.

"She's asleep and I just could not bring myself to wake her, yet! I will when the food is ready, though!"

Shinichis body slowly untensed. He was still confused. This girl was just… irritating. But, for some reasons, he felt their secret was safe with her. Although everything else maybe was not, this secret might have the change of surviving. At least only a little, until they would graduate. It might as well have been a good thing she discovered them for he knew it was hard for Ran to keep such a secret from her best friend. He came to the conclusion, that Sonoko really was weird. Fullstop.

Shinichi shrugged mentally. He turned his attention to way nicer matters. Like the beautiful girl that was still sleeping peacefully in his arms. Looking down at her his gaze immediately softened. She had her one arm still tightly around his midsection and the other, that would have been trapped underneath her, was drawn to her chest instead. Her face looked absolutely content and, as he noticed with pride, her soft, slightly parted lips were a little redder than usual, certainly from his sensual kisses.

Everything inside him was screaming to not do what he knew he had to very soon. To him it looked like a shame, a real crime to wake this beautiful, innocent creature he had the honor of holding in his arms, out of her pure dreams. But he knew there was no helping it. Sooner or later he knew he would have to.

He decided to let her sleep for a few more minutes, the thought of waking her almost broke his heart. He was simply looking at his fiancée with devotion and wonderfilled gaze, still wondering deep down what he ever did to deserve her by his side. And soon, even for the rest of his life. Their life together as husband and wife. His heart started throbbing faster an unknown song of happiness, made only for her and nobody else. He understood that the heavens had gifted him with their most precious angel and here and now he promised solemnly to take care of her with his life, till death do them part.

Afraid the time passed too quickly and against them, he could finally not wait anymore with the unevitable. They might return any moment.

"Sweetheart? Do you hear me?" he whispered down to Ran.

Nothing happened.

"Darling? We have to get up!" no reaction from Ran.

'She sure is sleeping the sleep of the Sleeping beauty!' Shinichi thought. Then an idea came to his mind.

'Of course!'

Of course! What kind of prince would he be if he forgot such a simple thing!

He closed his eyes and bend down, giving Ran a kiss. But it was not only a kiss, it was the special kiss of love that only your one true love can give you. The kiss of love that awakens the princess. And sure enough he felt her lean into the kiss. He deepened the kiss and she accepted without a second of hesitation, kissing him back with equal hunger. Eventually he pulled away.

"See, the princess has awoken!" he whispered gently and she smiled at him with bright eyes.

"Now you have to marry me, oh my prince!"

He grinned even more and took again possession of her hand, kissing it right on her ring.

"This is exactly what I had in mind!"

"Oh Shinichi!" she hugged his head to her. He hugged her back, rubbing her back.

"I can't wait!"

"Me neither!"

Both meaning the day they can finally say: "I do!"

He rubbed his cheek against hers.

"My love, we should get up. Dinner will be ready soon and I really don't want to have to look at Sonoko again from this spot!"

Ran pulled back and looked at him.

"She…?"

"Yeah! They returned and before I could react she had already entered the room. Thankfully alone."

"What did she…"

"Oh she was awfully cool about it. Said she would cause me real pain if I ever hurt you and wished us congratulations!"

"Will she…"

"No, she will keep quiet. I hope."

"Gee, you should have woken me up!"

"No, not for the world my love!"

She looked at him with a slight 'aawww' and kissed him again.

"I guess we really should get going!"

"Unfortunately."

And they pulled apart, under protest of course and walked over to the window. A real prince returned the way he came in, and Shinichi climed out of the window, ready to climb down.

"I bid you adieu, my princess, but be certain I am to return and take you with me next time!"

"I can hardly wait!" she whispered and gave him a sweet kiss before he smiled at her and descended.

"Ran? Are you ready?" Sonokos voice burst inside the room one minute later.

"Yeah." Ran answered with a smile from her spot on the bed. She bend to bind her shoes as she heard Sonokos shocked voice.

"Ran! What is that?"

"What?"

"That! On your finger!"

"Oh that…" Ran looked down at her finger. "It's only dirt from the window."

"I see. You better wash it before coming for dinner."

"Yep!"

And as Ran was about to hobble past Sonoko, she suddenly found herself in the embrace of her best friend.

"Congratulations, Ran! Finally you two made it!"

"Thank you, Sonoko!" Ran hugged her friend back with closed eyes.

---

"Ran! How is your foot, dear?" Jodie asked her.

"It's a little better. Not as green as before anymore!"

All the girls on the table laughed.

"Great, great! Now sit down and eat something. Certainly you will feel better then!"

"Yes. Thank you!"

And the girls around Ran started telling her about their trip to the Sleeping beautys castle and how beautiful it had been. But Ran only smiled and nodded, thinking she had spend her afternoon in a much nicer way. Speaking of it. She looked past one of her friend and caught a look at her fiancé. He was eating with real hunger.

'Stupid me, forgot he had not had something to eat in the afternoon!' Ran thought.

Then suddenly he looked up of his meal and looked around, obviousy feeling observed. As he caught Rans smile he returned it.

Seeing her steady her head with her left hand, he noticed her engagement- ring was gone. Pointing at his own finger, he tried to ask her without words, were the ring was. She looked at her finger, then smiled at him. Placing a hand slowly to her heart was everything she needed to do for him to understand that she had thread it again on her chain and was wearing it close to her heart. After all they had agreed to keep their engagement a secret until their graduation.

Ran looked to see if somebody was paying any attention to her. Seeing that luckily nobody was, she moved her lips slightly, whispering without sound 'I love you!' to Shinichi at the next table.

He understood every word and moved his lips in return with a smile, whispering the same and Ran brightly smiled at him.

The two lovers kept smiling warmly at each other. Sonoko must have seen it, for she leaned closer to Ran and whispered in her ear:

"Awwww, isn't love a great thing?"

Ran nodded while never taking her eyes away from Shinichi.

"The best!" she whispered

The end

I do not know why, but I love this Schooltrips the most of the trilogy. What do YOU guys think? Let me know, will you?