Disclaimer: I own NOTHING at all

Chapter Twenty-One: Afraid of You

Mai Pov

He can't die, no, please God, no.

"Don't leave, please tell me. I want to save him. Please... I can't lose him, you have no idea how much Naru means to me please Ayame, I'll admit it... Because..." I rapidly turned around almost having a whiplash, but I gasped when I met two icy blue eyes looking straight at me, Naru arched a brow as my heart jumps and before I could progress what's going my mouth continued to speak.

"Because I love him so much."

When it finally dawns on me, all I did is gasp and covered my mouth with my hands, with wide eyes, as my heart leaped painfully feeling petrified to the core.

Did I just admit that I love Naru in front of him?

So Naru and I just stare at each other no words spoken. (Okay, that awkward silence came, for a part three with vengeance apparently.)

..

..

...

Naru finally blinks, and instead of saying anything, he turns around going inside the treehouse. I blinked, feeling my body shake in fear but a bit lost in his sudden reaction.

Then he stops in his tracks and lifts his head towards the night sky.

I have no idea how to deal with this or understand what's happening right now. A normal couple, would either accept and act all lovey-dovey or just flat out reject, but this is Naru, with him, nothing is normal.

"Mai, I..." but I blocked him off.

He rejected me once, I can't bear my heart to be broken once again, I'm not ready, I'm not and before Naru could say anything else, I turned around, and ran down the stairs causing Naru, to turn to look at me run.

I felt tears already leaking down my cheeks cuasing me to wipe them off.

He'll reject me, stupid, I'm so stupid, I just messed up a friendship because I couldn't stop myself. I'm so pathetic.

I have no idea where I was heading, all I knew, I must stay away from Naru and from reality.

I came to a step after I couldn't run anymore, I was heaving hard, as I leaned my arm against a palm tree, trying to regain my breath, but I clench into my chest since my heart hurts so much.

I lift my gaze and with a blurry vision, I could see the moonlight reflect beautifully in the ocean waters as the many stars overflowed the sky.

I stare at it, as I sat on the sandy ground and wrap my arms around my legs.

"He'll hate me now!" I protested, burying my head between my lifted legs to cry once again, wanting the earth to swallow me up. My heart aches so much.

I have no idea how long I sat there on the ground, but one thing is, Naru never came after me, which proved my point. I lay on the ground making myself into a ball closing my eyes as I cried myself to sleep, not noticing a shadow overcasting me.

...

...

Upon waking up the next morning, I felt a crab walking on my leg, causing me to jump up and look around my surroundings.

"What happened?" I whispered, feeling my eyes swollen and feeling as well light-headed, that I had to take a hold of my head. Looking towards my left, I yelped in surprise to see Naru sitting next to me, with one leg up, staring out at the ocean, leaning against another palm tree for support just staring at me.

He looks better than he did yesterday.

What happened? Oh, right he was ill.

"Why are you out of our home? You're ill." I asked, a bit confused about why we are on the beach. Naru lifts his gaze to raise a brow.

"I'm feeling better than yesterday," he assures me. I huff out in relief as I rubbed my matted hair, only to blink to feel my eyes very puffy.

"Don't you think we have to talk about something more important?" he asks me. I blinked looking down at him giving him a questionable look.

"Something more important, like?" I was super confused, as he turns his gaze towards the ocean.

"About last night, with Ayame," he patiently told me. I blinked, tilting my head, but then it finally came to me reality finally came back to me.

"Oh, no," I gasped out making Naru look up at me once again, I stood up to wobble due to the dizzy spell, only to have Naru stand up rapidly and wrap his arm around my waist to steady.

I lift my gaze to look at him as I felt my cheeks become very hot as my heart began to speed against my chest.

"Runaway again, and this time I won't chase you." he threatens.

Naru chased after me? Why?

A small part of me was petrified but happy at the same time to hear those words, 'Again,' meaning he did chase me last night.

"I don't care if you don't chase me." I defended myself as I turn to give him a tight hard look, only to notice that he looks pale.

He's lying, he isn't well. Naru... Why did you stay with me all night? Why are you being stubborn?

Guilt plaguing me. I shouldn't have run away, and directly confronted it so it would be easier to get the whole confrontation out of the way.

"You lied to me, you don't look well." I scolded him.

"Of course not, I have a fever, and you would have scolded me," he spat out his eyes are colder than ever, I flinch at his words, he looks so mad.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have run away. I forgot that you have a fever. Let's go... I'll..." but I stopped when Naru returns his gaze towards the ocean.

"You just ran away. Why?" his voice is very strict and thick.

Because I'm scared and this is different. Last time I liked you, but now, I'm so in love with you, it's scary and I don't know how to deal with your rejection.

"Why are you asking me this?" I spit out, while my hands began to shake tremendously. Naru tightens his hold on me.

"You know too damn well why I'm asking you," He said strickly.

I took a hold of his arm so he can remove his hand on my waist.

"Let me go Naru, I don't' want to talk to you." I bluntly told him, he turns his gaze back at me, and I gasped, from one of the coldest stares I have ever seen in Naru.

"Why the hell did you just leave me alone!" He practically yells at me, as I stopped my struggling surprised by his sudden words.

"Because..." I paused, feeling exhausted already.

"Because what Mai?" He paused as I ignored his sight. Tears once again rolled down my cheeks.

"You know... Don't make me repeat myself." I begged him. I was shaking like a leaf at this point.

"Repeat yourself?" his voice drops as he looks down at the sandy ground.

"Yes, now let me go. This isn't going to work. Just let me go, please. I'm scared, okay. I'm afraid of you." I cried out finally telling him.

I felt him grow stiff at my words as his eyes narrow and lift to look at me. He finally lets go of me.

"You're afraid of me?" his voice is bewildered by my own words as though he had many excuses in mind, but that one. I nodded, crying harder.

"I'm terrified of you Naru. I have encountered so many evil spirits as well good, they all scare me, but... You're the one that scares me the most, you petrify me." I admit to him as I fell to the ground feeling so emotionally exhausted.

Covering my eyes with my arm, since I couldn't even face him at this point, I felt so ashamed of myself, but it's true.

"I'm I that horrible for you to be scared of me?" his voice sounded hurt by my words.

I'm not scared of you, but your rejection.

"It's..." but I couldn't even finish, I felt too ashamed of myself.

"I heard you say that you love me, so I was going to ask you something before you went on running off, but the time I found you, you were sleeping," he admits. Finally, I could feel the tension lifting just a tiny bit.

I lowered my arm to look up at him feeling shocked by his sudden words.

"Naru, please, don't. I.. I already know your answer. Why in the world you think I ran away?" I challenged back, not knowing what to say. I think that my words peeved Naru as his eyes narrowed in a tempered way.

"You do? Since when you can hear my damn thoughts." he hissed through his teeth, but then sigh in frustration running his hand through his face, trying to calm down.

"Since you rejected me two years ago." I spit out at him in anger.

He turns his gaze at me, arching a brow,

"That's because I'm no one's substitute." He truly said to me which I couldn't believe it.

"Sub?" I gave him a confused look.

"Yes, a substitute, I'm sure you're smart enough to know what that means. I'm not my brother." he bitter spat at me.

I stare at him not believing he thinks I liked Gene, didn't I told him that I didn't?

"What substituted? Wait. You thought that I saw you as a sub for Gene? Is that the real reason, you told me those words, Me or Gene?" I gasped out not believing this. I mean, I knew that he thought I fell in love with Gene, but seeing him as a sub, never. They may have the same face, but they are two different people.

"Yes. I'm not like Gene, I don't smile as often as I should, I am not a free spirit. So don't confuse me with him. I'm not a sub for him, nor any other man." he hissed out through his teeth. I stare at him this time, with wide eyes.

I slowly stood up fisting my hands heaving a bit hard.

"You stupid idiotic man, for a genius you sure have a brain of a peanut when it comes to telling the difference whom I liked back then. You think so little of me, I told you before, I don't, hear me out, Don't... Love Gene nor did I ever liked him like that. He's like a brother to me. Never once, I have never, not even a minute thought of you as a sub for him. Remember, you lied to us at the beginning. I thought the one that was visiting me in my dreams was you. How the hell was I supposed to know that you had a twin brother. How the hell did I know!" I screamed at him heaving hard, feeling my chest heave.

Naru stares at me silently begins to limp towards the forest. I am now so mad, that I stood up and ran up towards him, and took a hold of his arm making him spin around.

"What?" he growls.

"Don't just leave, you wanted to talk, then let's talk about it. I think it's time. I have been holding this for four freaking years now. I think it's time." I scolded him.

"I'm leaving you alone. You're afraid of me, so let me go." he shrugs his arm, making me lose balance a little.

"Yes, I'm afraid of you. Damn it Naru." I move towards his front, spreading my arms out, so he can stop walking.

"Don't run away."

"Like your the one to talk." He spews out going around me. So I turned immediately taking his arm again.

"No... Now you're going to listen to me. Stop running away.."

"Leave me alone Mai."

"No. I'm your damn wife. Hear me out."

"I don't care if you're my wife. You just admitted you are afraid of me. So I'm giving you space. I'm letting you run away. We'll just figure this case out, and as soon as we get out of this hell-bent island, we will never see each other again. Happy." His voice is so harsh which causes my heart to hurt.

"Don't you get why I'm afraid of you? Let's talk like civilized people."

"No."

"Naru stop being stubborn."

"I'm not. Just go." he waves his hand towards the ocean.

"No. No. No. No... You always want your way. I'm not having this anymore." I move forward and shrug Naru's shoulder making him stumble backward.

"Mai!" he hissed, touching his chest.

"Sorry, didn't mean to, I forgot about your wound, but please listen to me," I begged him now that I took courage, I must seize the opportunity.

Ironic, now it's my turn to beg him to not run away from me. I deserve this for not talking to him last night.

"No." he starts to walk again, I caught his arm and pull him back.

"This is why... I am afraid of you. Cause..." I paused, as Naru shrugs his arm back and starts to walk ahead.

This man makes me feel too many emotions. I can't. I just can't anymore.

"I'M AFRAID OF YOU, BECAUSE I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH OLIVER DAVIS! YOU'RE THE SAME GUY I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT! YOU'RE THE ONLY GUY I EVER LIKED." I screamed out, heaving hard. this reminds me the first time around, I confessed, but more dramatic.

Naru stopped in his tracks, staring at a distance while I was shaking hard.

"I love you so much. I don't know-how. My like for you turned into pure love. I tried so much to forget you completely. I tried to move on. I didn't want to be one of those girls clingy to one guy. Ever since we have been stuck on this island, my love for you grew and grew so much, that I just can't take it anymore. When you left me for five months. I thought I had died like you took a piece of me. I know this doesn't seem realistic, but I love you so much Naru. I don't care how rich or famous you are. I wouldn't care if you were poor. All I know is that I love you. I know how cold you are, I know how irritated you are. I see past that, cause you're not perfect, nor am I. I know what a good man, you do have a soul, you do have a heart. I just know that my heart chose you. Maybe others will say, I'm just too young, and this is passing. I don't think so. I know, that I will love you forever. I just feel it in my heart." I cried out. Taking in a big breath.

Naru continues to remain quiet, as my fear kept spiking up.

"So, that's why I'm afraid because you rejected me once. I can't deal it with it again, I doubt my heart can take it, call me a sadist or something like that. I know that you're not interested in me. I know that you have some other girl in mind, I know that I'm just a burden to you. I know that..." Naru turns around to face me, making me stop mid-sentence.

"How do you know? Since when? Since when you can know my real feelings Mai?" He questions, staring at me deeply.

"Since you rejected me three years ago!" I screamed at him. Naru huffed, yet no emotion seems to pass his face, just coldness. If you can call that emotion.

"Let's do what you said earlier. Let's solve this case, and then when we return, we can go on our separate ways. I can survive that. Eventually, (and hopefully to God) I can fall in love with another man. I won't be a burden to you anymore. You don't even have to be my guardian nor husband, and I will quit, so we won't have any relationship at all." I gasped out.

Naru began to slowly walk towards me causing me to grow nervous.

Naru moves slowly up towards me, and I felt my legs paralyzed. As he stands now in front of me, his cold eyes search mine, but I lower my head.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I knew loving you from the beginning is not going to end well. I hate it, cause you make me feel so much, how dare you." I started once again, anger filling me once again, and rose my sight, and started to shrug his shoulder.

"How dare you think, even for a slight moment in your life that I see you as a substitute. How dare you make me fall in love with you. How dare you walk into my life in that classroom." I kept shrugging his shoulder.

"How dare I?" he whispers, so low, that I stopped shrugging his shoulder, looking up at him. My eyes widen, at his strange look.

"Yes, how dare you steal my heart. Damn you. I never permitted you to do so." I whispered so low, that I felt like banging my head against one of the trees that surround us.

"Are you done?" he simply questions while grasping my arm gently.

"Yes. You already heard me, now let me go." I tried to yank my arm away from him, but he held it tighter.

"No. Now it's time for you to listen to me." He simply suggested. I glance up at him, and gasp, to see a strange emotion pass his eyes. It looks like sadness.

"Now hear me once Mai. I won't repeat myself..." he paused, moving me closer to him. That I slammed against his chest.

"Ne... Naru?" My voice shook, looking up at him.

"Are you willing to hear me?" he lowered his head so he leans against my ear, feeling his warm breath brush against my ear. I let out a small gasp.

"No, 'cause you're going to reject me. I already know what you're going to say, just let me go. I'm saving you the trouble." I shrug him off, but he adjusts me wrapping his free arm around my waist. I leaned my head against his shoulder, crying hard.

"Fine, don't' listen, but I'm still talking." he threatens, as he gently holds me in his arms. I felt my heart hammer hard against my chest, hearing him take a breath.

"Fine. Let separate when we return to Japan. Fine, be afraid of me. Fine, blame me for loving me. Fine, blame me for everything." His voice seems harsh.

I bit my lower lip, hiccupping.

"Then let me go," I told him, but he adjusts me once again.

"You know, I'm a man with few words. I just act on instinct. I just talk when necessary." he started.

"I know that, that's why I'm saving you the trouble," I repeated. I can't hear it. I just can't.

He begins to walk forward causing me to walk backward getting nervous until I felt something firm behind me and it was the palm tree. My eyes widen from shock while I look down.

Did... Did he just pin me against the tree?

I didn't dare to look up.

"Ha, saving me the trouble? Of what? I was a kid back then Mai."

"Kid? That was three years ago,"

"Now I'm twenty-one. I have grown up a lot since then." He admits.

"I know... Yet your feelings haven't. I know you too damn good, just let me go." I pleaded.

"I keep asking you, how do you know?"

"Cause I know you for four years Naru. Since the day I have met you, everything you do is a lie." I defended, that I felt Naru go stiff.

"A lie? Everything I do for you is a lie?"

"That's not what I meant you know that, but your background information was."

"You know the real reason why. Just drop it." I lift my gaze to look dead in his eyes.

"Then stop hesitating, and tell me already. Tell me that you reject me. Okay. So I can move on. I need a wake-up call. Please, I'm begging you." I begged him with desperation, taking a hold of his shirt giving him a pleading look.

Naru stares down at me with hurt in his eyes.

"You want the truth... What do I think? Or you want me to pretend. You sure love to pretend." he bitterly spat at me.

"The damn truth Naru. I can't handle this anymore, just get it over with." I told him the truth.

Naru takes a breath as he moves away from me, freeing me from his trap causing me to breathe a little.

"Truth you say." he turns around just like last time. I just can picture him wearing his inseparable black jacket, instead of this white shirt.

"Yes, damn it Naru. This isn't a drama." I growled out, leaning myself against the palm tree since this is too much for me to handle, I felt lightheaded.

He just stares at the ground for a brief second.

"I have never been in love." he began.

"I know that."

"I don't know how to say it, even if I am." well that caught me off guard. I blinked, turning my gaze at his back.

Is he talking about the other girl? Wait, he fell in love?

That was it, that was the final cut in my heart. I took hold of my chest trying to control my heart which hurts so much.

"Did you fall in love with the other girl?" I wanted to know. Naru nods softly, turning to face me.

"I see."

"I see nothing Mai. I will tell you once now, that girl that I mentioned that's been very important to me; she's has been plaguing my thoughts so much that she tattoed herself in my heart. It's like a disease, I can't even get rid of even if I try to. I want her more than just a friend, you said I like her, but at this point in my life. I have fallen in love with her. Do you want to know her name?"

"Yes, please so. So I can go up to her and congratulate her." I hissed out, hating this and it's not her fault. Naru is like this, and I envy that about her.

He admitted that he loves her... It's... It's a shock.

"Alright, congratulate her if you want." and before I could register anything at this point. Naru moves up towards me, pinning me against the tree once again.

"Ne?" I asked, confused as ever, and Naru grasp my chin in a gentle matter so I won't hurt. My heart was now hammering hard against my chest.

"Naru, what are..." but my eyes widen, as Naru lowers his face and presses his soft lips against mine.

My heart violently jumps, to feel his lips against mine. My whole body warmed up while Naru began to move his lips against mine. I wanted to struggle, to push him away. But, this is my first kiss. Why does this feel right? I shouldn't submit to him. No, but my body is betraying me, I closed my own eyes and kissed him back, moving slowly with him. My tears began to become a mixture in our kiss. I place my hand on his arm and gave it a tight squeeze. We just kept kissing as he smoothly grazes my lips with his. So gentle, yet so powerful, anything I ever felt before.

I felt like I was melting, my knees buckle a little, that I felt Naru run his hand down, and wraps it around my waist, to pin me against him, deepen the kiss.

This felt familiar like we did this before. We haven't right? His lips felt so soft and warm against mine. I just love it.

Is this a dream? Or a nightmare?

I have no idea how long we kissed, but it felt like forever, until I couldn't breathe anymore. He slowly pulls away and opens his eyes to look at me.

"You... You took my first kiss." I complained, looking at him as I touch my lips, my cheeks flared up, as Naru wraps his arm around me, pressing me against his warm chest.

"Her name is Mai Taniyama. She's my twenty-year-old assistant and now my wife, she's a little klutzy and always a danger to herself. She sees the dead and helps me solve cases. Since the moment I met her in her high school, she has intrigued me like no other woman in this world. Without realizing it myself. I started to fall for her. Until I realized a few days ago, that Mai has taken over my heart. So I'm not good at expressing myself." he whispers, pressing his chin on top of my head.

My eyes were so wide in pure shock as fresh tears run down my cheek.

"You... Love me?" I said in a stuttering voice, this I have to be a dream. An unrealistic dream. Naru will never. No.

"Yes." was his answer, moving away from me. He captures my cheeks, wiping my tears away from my cheeks.

"I was a fool back then, and a little too young to understand it completely," he admits. Feeling my heart warm-up, my anger leaving me replacing it with another emotion.

"I'm not dreaming this?" I asked him to make sure I'm not dreaming this.

Naru shook his head.

"No," he assures me... I kept staring at him. My head started to feel so lightheaded.

"So... You love me?"

"Yes, Mai, so damn much it hurts." he simply says once again.

Knowing very well, that he won't admit it again, just this... Is enough. My head is spinning now.

"Mai?" Naru seems concerned now, as my heart is racing so fast, that I took a hold of his arm.

"You're not making this up?" I hiccuped, crying harder. Naru shook his head.

"Since when do I lie about how I feel?" was his question to me.

"But... But I thought you were going to reject me, just like last time. I was prepared for that, not this." I was still in shock, that I had to take hold of the tree. This wasn't what I expected. No. I was ready for reality. His rejection. His cold words.

"Mai, are you okay?" he seems more concerned. I shook my head, sliding down to the ground, holding my head it's spinning a little.

I didn't know how to take this. This is new. Naru bends in front of me, getting on his knees, so he won't put pressure on his injured ankle.

"No. I.." I started to heave, I'm not sure how to react to this. I should be happy, thrilled, but I'm not. I'm scared. Very scared, it's not even funny.

He loves me. Naru, The great Shibuya-kun loves me. He admitted to me. Why is it not registering in my head.

"I think you need.." Naru started, but I stopped him.

"You love me.." was all that came out of my mouth. Covering my mouth, as more tears kept running down my cheeks. Naru gently takes a hold of my shoulder.

"You need to rest Mai." He simply stated. I glance up, his blue eyes seem so soft for a reason.

"I don't know how to register it. I'm scared Naru. Very scared... How do I register this information? What if you decided that you get tired of me. What if you just lie to me. What if... I am petrified." I admitted this whole new fear consuming me as I hiccuped wiping my eyes. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but... This is Naru.

"We'll just take a day at a time," he whispers. I kept staring at him as he takes my hand and presses it against his chest. I can feel his heart beating fast as his cheeks are pink.

"Trust me, Mai, what I told you is complete truth, and you know I won't be saying this so easily. Hear me out Ma and remember it well, my heart now belongs to you, I'm yours, Mai."

O.o

I stare at him, he sat in his corner watching him read one of the books.

I had already taken a bath and he prepared my medicine and I rubbed it on my legs while his fever went down, but his chest bothers him. It's already midday, and we haven't spoken about what happened yesterday morning. I still can't believe it.

I overcame the shock after this morning. All I did was stare at him, and that's all, pinching myself, but finally, I returned to reality.

He loves me and told me he is mine... Then why isn't he doing anything? Or was it a dream? No, he took my first kiss, I... I have an idea what to think of this. I felt confused.

I touched my swollen lips, they burn from Naru's lips. I still taste him.

If it wasn't' for Ayame, I would never have confessed.

Then something dawns on me that my eyes widen.

"Oh no, I forgot!" I shout, standing u, heading downstairs. Naru places his book down and watches me go down. Going towards the door, I slammed it open and started to call out for her.

"Ayame, please come out." I pleaded, but nothing, I felt my heart tighten.

"What are you doing?" I heard behind me. I turned around, to find Naru leaning against the door grasping his chest. I felt my cheeks burn up, but lower my head.

"You're going to die. Ayame said so. I forgot to ask. I need to find a way to save you, and..." I felt my voice tremble as I became frantic.

Naru places his hand on my shoulder and that seems to calm me down a bit.

"You should rest, I'm not dying any time soon, I doubt Ayame meant it literally. Okay." his voice seems tender. I glance up, shaking my head.

"I don't want to lose you. I don't even know where we stand right now. We have admitted we um... Love each other, but we act as nothing happened. I don't even know how to begin or what you want to do. I don't even know if I have to act like your wife, your assistant, or what? We haven't discussed this at all. You even took my first kiss, and I haven't dated yet or had a boyfriend. Sorry, I'm not experienced in this field." I felt so frustrated right now.

Naru stares at me,

"Actually, you're the one that took mine," he murmurs so low, that I had to squint my eyes, to make out what he just said.

"What?"

"Nothing," He stated, turning around placing his hands inside of his pockets and headed in. I hiccuped, going in as well. Naru now stood in front of the window, looking outside. He looks so far in his thoughts. I sighed turning to go upstairs,

See, he's not even trying, maybe he doesn't want to do anything with me.

Naru cleared his throat causing me to stop in my tracks and to turn to look at him.

"Naru?"

"I have been thinking." he began.

"Can you come here," he asks, placing his arms on top of the window flat portion. I bit my lower lip, but I did what he asked. I move to his side and stare at the ocean.

"That was a lot of thinking," I murmured, as he just wraps his hands together.

"As I said before, we take a day at a time. No rush. This is very new to me, and you as you said, we have little experience. One thing is to admit our feelings another is acting on them. This is a big step and life-changing Mai, is not like we can rush it either, it's not like this is a movie, drama, or Manga." actually Naru had a point this is a very big step for us.

"Then how do you see us? I'm willing to do anything you tell me. Even if you ask me to continue to be your assistant and nothing else." I mumbled under my breath, even though in reality I wanted more.

"I'm not a touchy guy and a relationship is more than just kissing and um.." he paused to clear his throat. I blushed, lowering my head.

"Making love?" I whispered as Naru nods in agreement.

"I know. Reality, sucks, doesn't it." I murmured, leaning my head on my now cross arms, looking out, now feeling more at ease that we are talking about this.

"It does. I won't be romantic to you, I won't even try." he started.

"I know."

"For work, I will treat you as always, no favorites.."

"I know, you don't' display emotions. I told you before, loving you is not easy and I know that in work is just professional. " I felt sad about that reality with him.

"Having a relationship will be hard,"

"I know that. Fine, just say it Naru. Say that..."

"I want you next to me Mai," Naru's words stop me from completing my sentence, as I glance up at him with wide eyes.

"Next to you?" I am a little confused by his words, as Naru turns his gaze at me.

"Its going to be hard, but not impossible. We'll give it try." All I knew I stare at him with wide eyes, not believing this.

"You want me to be your girlfriend?" I gasped out, feeling my hands shake.

"I think Girlfriend is a little outdated for us at least. Since we are married. I want you to be my wife, my best friend, and my assistant, and above all.." He paused, I saw his adam apple move swiftly as though he was very nervous. I found it cute, It's rare to see him like this.

"Above all things? What?" I asked, feeling my heart pound hard.

Naru turns his gaze back towards the ocean view.

"My lover." he mumbles as my tummy warms up at his words and my heart jump while feeling a tear escape me.

"I'm still afraid of you.." I admitted, placing my forehead on his arm, not daring to look up at him.

"Why? I thought.." but I shook my head at him, taking a hold of his arm.

"This is why I'm afraid of you. Cause... You can either make me or break me. You have no idea how much I love you. I'm afraid to wake up one morning to find out everything you told me is a lie or my dream. I'm so petrified of you right now. Cause that's how much I love you. I know it won't be easy, your words are right. Love isn't what you see in Tv, nor what you read in a manga, but it's there. I promise to be a good wife, a best friend, a good assistant, and above all things, a good lover. I don't promise, I won't be perfect though, cause I am not, but I will be faithful to you. I want you to feel like you have a home with me. That you can rely on me on anything. I might not be perfect myself, but I want to try, I accept your conditions. Just do me a favor." I whispered,

"What?"

"Do the same for me. Be my loving husband, my best friend, my normal regular boss, and my lover. Just promise me that you'll be faithful, and if you start to get tired of me, tell me beforehand." that ending part made me shiver not in the right way.

"Trust me, you never get me tired. There's always something to do with you. I'll try to keep that up to date, one thing though. I will be faithful. That there's no doubt in that." he assures me. I glance up at him and hiccupped.

"Thank you so much." I murmured, licking my lips. Naru nods, looking out once again.

"So, where do we stand now?" I ask, not understanding where exactly. Naru chuckles at me, as he turns around, and places his hands on both of my arms. Slowly, he moves forward, and my heart started to jump.

He's going to kiss me again? I hope, but he doesn't, Naru gently kisses my forehead and leaned his forehead against mine.

"Sometimes you're so naive," he whispers, wrapping his arms around me holding me tightly.

"Hey, I am not. I am just lost, it's not easy to get you sometimes." I admitted, blushing madly. Naru tightens his grip around me, and his eyes softened.

"We stand on a relationship Mai. From now on, you're my wife and my woman," he admits to me.

I wrap my arms around him, giving him a soft hug, as I place my cheek against his chest, feeling this warmth, this new warmth that I never felt before, which brought me so much happiness.

"Slowly Naru, we'll take this slowly because I'll always be yours and I promise to take care of your heart as best as I can." He smiles at my words, holding me tighter.

Little did we know how this was the beginning of our journey as Husband and Wife and we wouldn't change it for the world.