Only You

Chapter 6. The taste of kisses

"When you're finished with that question I'll help you with the rest." Gary Celesi smoothed Eiko's crumpled homework book and smiled politely as she continued to work, nibbling her pencil as she went along.

And…I'm…finished!" Eiko happily closed her homework book and threw her pencil down onto the table pleased.

"But, aren't we going for 'completing all the homework'?" Gary asked, giving her a pretty smile. Eiko frowned grumpily.

"I'll do it later. Now I'm gonna go meet up with Lani and Dirk." Eiko stretched and yawned before packing away her homework in her homework bag and checking her hair in front of her mirror before heading towards the door.

"Eiko," Gary suddenly called out before she exited the room. Eiko turned around to face him even though he didn't face her.

"You are beautiful." Eiko nearly choked (on nothing) and got a real wake up call. So surprised, she didn't realize that she was blushing softly.

W-W-what did he mean by that? A-A sincere c-compliment!

"Uh, thank you, Gary. And, I'll be off now, seeya!" She started power walking towards the door but was stopped again.

"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable Eiko. If you wish, I'll leave the castle." He offered sadly, Eiko spun around quickly and smiled at him hastily.

"N-no! You don't make me uncomfortable! Thank you for complimenting me, you just surprised me that's all. So don't say that, okay?" Eiko encouraged cheerfully, trying not to stutter. Gary looked up at her and smiled sincerely.

"How foolish of me, thank you. I'll leave you in peace now." He proceeded to walk towards the door. Eiko still felt uneasy.

"Wait! Come on, I'll take you out for a drink, okay? Just, joke around again, be light and, whatever." Eiko offered slightly desperately.

"I like you better…w-when you joke."

Gary chuckled to himself politely. He smiled charmingly at a blushing Eiko.

"Sure thing Eiko." He agreed smiling warmly as he followed her out the door.

In a Lindblum bar…

"Really Eiko, you don't have to do this." Gary Celesi offered smiling charmingly at her as they sat in opposite brown wooden chairs over a fancy white table.

"No its okay! I need to get to know you anyway! I'll pay for the food, don't worry!" Eiko exclaimed kindly as the attractive long brown haired waitress walked up to their table holding a round silver tray.

"Can I take your orders?" She lazily asked, looking at her nails instead of her customers.

"I'll take fish ball soup and a glass of lemonade. Eiko?" Gary ordered first, and then settled down in his rocky wooden chair.

"And I'll take the Lindblum special and a glass of grape juice, thanks." Eiko sighed softly as she finished her order, the waitress walking away.

"So, why did you come to Lindblum?"

"My father is a good friend of your father and so am I. He's asked me to stay in Lindblum for a few months." He told her normally, but realized she longed to ask something.

"U-Uh…um…this might sound rude…but how old are you?" She asked stuttering all the way through while blushing furiously.

Gary Celesi smiled charmingly. "I'm 19 Eiko. I might act more mature but really I'm still a young adult not an old man." He explained amused, but then his smile fainted a little.

"But, you'll grow up to become a beautiful young woman. Just like your mother." He looked up at Eiko solemnly and smiled kindly.

Oh man…he's pretty cute and handsome…and so nice…

Man, I think I like him…… (blushes furiously)

"I gotta tell you s-something…"Eiko took a big gulp of air and gathered all her courage together.

"I-I-I……I…like you…"

Silence. Eiko's head was down, blushing so furious she sweated while she waited for his reaction. Suddenly, she saw a hand creep up under her chin and in between her curtain of purple hair. The fingers pushed up her head to face Gary who smiled charmingly and attractively at her.

"I like you too…" He confessed, and in an instant he pressed his lips gently against hers.

For Eiko, it was like time froze, and they just sat there kissing for ages. It felt so strange and different from all the other kisses she's had. Of course she's been kissed before, for all those suitors her father had pushed onto her that she turned down, some of them had forced themselves onto her, hoping she would change her mind when she had a taste at their so-called 'irresistible kissing'. That just made Eiko even angrier at them, and now she's had to fight some suitors down from her. All their kisses were rough even though some suitors looked like the gentlest creatures on Gaia. They were all filled with forcefulness, most with desperateness.

But no, Gary's kiss was different. It was actually gentle and kind. No forcefulness and desperateness, just gentleness and kindness. But yet, there still was no love in it.

When they finally broke off, they realized the irritated waitress standing next to the table, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground while carrying the plate of their ordered food. Gary quickly apologized for them and took the food from her as she stomped off.

"Here." He pushed the Lindblum special and grape juice glass towards her while he took his own food and started eating. Eiko sat there for a moment or two, her brain thinking hard.

So…emotionless…how can that be? Why, he just kissed me…and he just ignores me? Maybe he's expert with kissing by now and doesn't feel the after feeling but that doesn't mean he should ignore me and my questions?

It doesn't feel right…all those kisses…not one of them. Not even Gary's has showed any love in it at all…In a kiss, there must be love in it…or…that couple is not destined to be together…

So…I haven't met my destined one yet…will I ever…? But I just can't put my whole decision on this one kiss…I'll have to hold on longer…

Dad's right. I'll have to marry one day. It's not really that I don't want to marry it's just…all these suitors! All they want is Lindblum, and I'll never marry someone like that…I want…a true love…

"Okay, lets eat!" She faked her happiness and just started eating, trying to put the thought out of her mind.

At night when Eiko got back to her quarters in the castle…

"Mother, can I ask you something?" Eiko gently asked her mother as she tied up her hair fancily.

"What is it Eiko?" Hilda gently asked her daughter, coming down to sit next to her on the bed.

"How did you know…dad was you one?" Eiko asked softly. She looked up at her silent mother sadly.

"I felt it in my heart…when I was being introduced to Cid for the first time in the Banquet Hall…I knew from then on, that he was my true love." Hilda recalled wisely, closing her eyes and nodding softly to herself as if she were replaying it in her mind at that moment.

Eiko thought hard. "Then I must do that, trust my heart." She held up her fist in determination.

"Eiko, you already have your own way of telling if the man is right or wrong for you, you don't need mine. We're all different. I can tell, you use the kisses people give you." Hilda explained, stroking her daughter's back knowingly. Eiko's eyes blurred with water.

"I don't understand it! Why do all these suitors only want me for Lindblum? Why don't they want me for me? I never want to be lonely, but if I'm to marry I'll marry a pure man who doesn't want money or property, but that man seems like he hasn't come yet! And all I'm getting is bitter, tasteless and rough kisses……by this rate I'll never want anyone to kiss me anymore!" Eiko bitterly cried out, letting her tears run freely down her cheeks and onto her dress.

"I know it's hard Eiko, being alone when you were young and having no parents. That's why Cid and I adopted you. Because we love you as your parents." Hilda explained sadly, comforting her crying daughter as best as she could.

After a while Eiko regained control and Hilda finished on Eiko's hair. Hilda smiled warmly at her beautiful daughter dressed in a lavish soft purple silk ball dress without straps and her hair done up in a cute halo of flowers at the back of her head.

"Just make it through tonight's greetings of your new suitors and you'll be fine. Tonight I'll talk to your father about all these suitors so I can get some of your back." Hilda told her cheerfully, Eiko hugged her mother lovingly and felt especially glad they had adopted her.

Awww…poor Eiko! Going through all that loneliness! Well, read and review anyways!