Chapter 10

Love: Does it conquer all?

Ai, kept reading his grandfather's diary, but no matter how hard she scanned the pages, there was no other next entries. The last entry just said "... you return to the place where you truly belong..." That made her confused. Where does she truly belong? Her grandfather had said that she was not from Orion, and that she will be able to survive should she stay there. So, where does she come from? Who can tell her? Maybe if she goes back to Orion, she'll find out something? But how can she go back?

There was no mention of anything at all that will answer her questions. The rest of the entries were all about his travels in Gaia. But when she was almost in the last pages of the diary, she noticed a torn page. She flipped the diary upside down to check if there's a folded paper stuck in one of the pages, but there wasn't. She was beginning to wonder what was in the missing page and where her grandfather hid it. She only wanted to investigate whether or not she will leave Gaia should she be true to her feelings for Syuusuke. And right now, her grandfather's diary is not helping.

She opened her window and looked at the moon. She felt her necklace's pendant and lifted it so she can look at it. It was shining against the light of the moon, it's royal blue color more beautiful than ever. It was fuller, more resplendent. Grandpa, what are you trying to tell me? She thought to herself.

Over the weekend, Ai was busy trying to decipher her grandfather's diary. On Sunday afternoon, Akemi invited her to go to the park. The two of them were eating ice cream and sitting on the bench. "Ai," Akemi spoke first. "I'm going to confess to Tezuka-kun again. I'm thinking of telling him tomorrow, before the start of the preparations of the festival."

"I wish you all the best Akemi-chan," she said and held her hand. "I hope you'll be happy."

"And you too Ai," her sister said, and then gave her a hug. "Let's do our best!"

The next day, both of them went to school together. It was a normal day at school. The usual classes and club activities went on. However, today is also when Ai decided to do what she always wanted to do.

From far away I look at you -

Unadulterated, flawless, a rare view

Judging from my beating heart

I knew I love you from the start

Sheltered by anonymity

You never once looked at me

Unknown to you, my love is true

Unfazed albeit unrequited by you

Silently, this love grows in me

Until it will be enough for you to see

Knowing our hearts could meet one day

Encourages me to stay this way

That was the poem that Ai decided to post in the bulletin board for today. She doesn't know whether or not Fuji will notice, but that's the best she can do right now to tell him how she feels. She was eating lunch alone in the rooftop when she saw Tezuka and Akemi talking under a tree. She silently cheered for her sister and made a mental note to ask her what happened.

Just as she was about to finish her food, the door towards the rooftop opened. She froze. Her back was facing the entrance so she doesn't know who it was that entered the rooftop, but she has the slightest idea who it was. She didn't turn around and she could feel someone walk towards her.

She waited for the footsteps to stop and it did just right behind her. Then, she could feel someone hugging her from behind and that familiar scent and the feel of his gentle hands around her. She closed her eyes and leaned on him.

"I read it and I understand. It's crystal clear," she heard him speak. "It's okay if you can't say it, I can feel it from your writing. I just have to say it though, I always am, and still is looking at you," he said referring to a certain line from a poem.

She smiled and tilted her head to look at him, "How did you know it was for you?" she asked trying to test him.

She heard him chuckle. "Because it spells my name," he said, turning her around to face him and kissed her fully on the lips. When he broke the kiss, he looks at her violet eyes and smiled.

Ai gently caressed his face and smiled back, trying to convince herself that what just happened isn't a dream. Just when she is about to speak, he captured her lips in another kiss - a slow and lingering kiss. To which the girl responded.

"Just making sure this isn't a dream," Fuji said after the kiss.

Ai chuckled and hugged him. "I hope my feelings reached you."

"Oh they did," he said. "It's just that... I have a feeling that there is something that you're still, and will always be afraid of to tell me. I won't ask what that is, but I hope one day you can tell me. I want you to share your troubles with me so we can solve them together," he finished with a gentle smile on his face.

She hugged him, so happy that he understood. "I'm sorry if I was so distant. I... I just didn't know what to do. I'm scared Syuusuke, yes... But I'm glad you didn't give up on me. You truly are a tensai," she said.

She felt him hug her back and kissed her forehead. "I'll never give up on you Ai," he said. "I'll wait for you patiently."

With those lines, Ai could feel her heart swell with both happiness and sadness. "I'll tell you soon love, eventually," she said, unconsciously calling him with an endearment.

Hearing that, Fuji broke the hug, held her by the shoulders and looked at her in the eye. "I agree with telling me what's bothering you soon, but can you say that again?" he said.

Ai looked at him with question in her eyes. "Say what again?" she said innocently.

"What you called me, what you said," Fuji said with a hint of impatience and amusement.

"I said I will tell you soon l..." she realized what she just said and immediately blushed beet red.

Fuji smiled and looked at her meaningfully.

"Uhm... Love?" she said and then awkwardly laughed. Fuji joined her and said, "That sounded really sweet love."

She laughed harder and hit his hands, but not to forcefully. "You're always ready with a tease," she said.

"I'm not teasing," he said, his eyes full of happiness as he looks at her. "I'm serious. I'll call you love from now on."

"Syuusuke!" she complained. "That's a bit too much in public... Only if it's the two of us, please?" she bargained.

"Well... Okay... But I can't help it if I accidentally slip," he said with a playful wink.

The two of them talked and laughed together during the remaining time they had for lunch, not noticing the scene just below them. Ai's twin sister, Akemi, and the Seigaku team captain are hugging each other.

After classes, Ai was still in her classroom thinking about the things that weighed her mind, and well, heart. She was constantly scared that she might just disappear and will not be able to say goodbye. She kept her necklace close and held it tightly, as if telling it not to be cruel and just let her stay with Syuusuke. She thought about what her grandpa said, that Orion will cease to exist. What does he mean by that? Will it just disappear? She heaved a deep sigh and rested her elbow on the table, chin on her palm and looked outside.

Her reverie was disturbed when she heard the door to their classroom opened, and three people came in. Akemi, Tezuka, and Syuusuke. "What are you still doing here Ai-san?" Tezuka asked.

"I was just thinking about some things," she answered. "And you three? What are you doing together?" she asked, a bit confused why the three of them were together.

"I was on my way here when I saw Tezuka and Akemi," Fuji answered. "I wanted to walk you home."

Ai stood up and gathered her things. She walked over to Fuji, and the brunette took her bag. "Let's go?" he asked and Ai nodded. Before leaving, she looked at Akemi, "Aren't you going home?"

"I will, right after this," she said, signalling that she and Tezuka has to talk first. Ai understood and nodded.

"Wait, are you..." Fuji teased with a mischievous grin.

"Syuusuke, let's go," Ai said, but a little amused at her sister's reaction.

"But... I have to see this..." Fuji said attempting to take out his camera.

"Fuji," Tezuka said with the same serious expression. "You and Ai-san should go home now."

She couldn't help it. Ai laughed a little and Fuji laughed with her. "I was just joking Tezuka," he said. "We'll be off now."

Syuusuke and Ai were walking to her house, for the first time as a couple. Syuusuke had a smile on his face, and so did she. "I think Akemi and Tezuka should be able to settle things once and for all," he said, lacing his fingers with hers.

"I think so too. I hope it will be better for both of them," she said as she tightened her hold on him. "Syuusuke, I just really want to apologize for what happen, for hurting you. I should have been more honest," she said. The image of him with that pained look still lives in her head and she felt really bad that she was the cause of it.

Syuusuke stopped in front of her. "Do you want to go to the park?" he asked instead of answering her.

She smiled at him and nodded. He led her to the park that's near their school and they sat on a bench. "You know what Grandpa Chie told me about you?" he said as he looked at the sky which was a mixture of red and orange.

She was quiet but she leaned her head on his arms, listening to what he was about to say. "He said that you were his favorite because you were gentle and kind. You never want to hurt others and you do things the way you do with that intention," he explained to her, his one hand wrapped itself on her shoulders and tucked her hair behind her ear. "So, from the look in your eyes back then, I knew that there was a reason for you to have said that. And I knew what Grandpa Chie meant. It was obvious that I wasn't the only one who was suffering either."

She was silent and closed her eyes. I love you, a voice in her head said. But right after she that thought, she noticed her necklace glitter. I love you Syuusuke, she said to herself again, with all her heart, and saw that her necklace shone brighter. She knew it, the necklace reacted to her feelings. She wondered if it was only for Syuusuke, or if it will react for someone else too. She had to know.

Syuusuke was a little surprised with her change of mood, it was like she discovered something when she suddenly lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at her necklace. He didn't notice the odd behaviour of the necklace so he thought that she was just missing her grandfather.

Ai looked at Syuusuke and wondered if this was what her grandfather meant about "...there is more to him that meets the eye..." line in his diary. She smiled at him and just suddenly hugged him. "I guess I was stupid for thinking that I'd be able to avoid you," she told him. She was still scared and can't bring herself say the three words to which her necklace reacted too, but she'll show him just how much she loves him. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Syuusuke stroked her hair and hugged her back. "I'd never let you avoid me for too long Ai," the brunette chuckled. "I would find a way for us to be together if you hadn't beat me to it."

The two of them stayed there for a few minutes, and when it was dark, Syuusuke got up. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said, and offered her his hand.

They were already near their house when they saw two people standing in front of Ai's house. Syuusuke could clearly see that these were Akemi and Tezuka. Ai was about to call them out, but Syuusuke covered her mouth and whispered, "Sshhh. Let's just wait for a while," the tensai said and smiled to himself.

And, much to Ai's surprised, Akemi and Tezuka hugged each other, and when they broke the hug, Tezuka captured Akemi's lips in a lingering kiss. Ai sliently gasped as Syuusuke pulled her into a corner to hide when Tezuka waved goodbye to Akemi.

Ai was leaning on the wall with Syuusuke in front of her. She was trapped with both Syuusuke's arms on either side. "Sssshh, we wouldn't want them to get embarrassed," he said, although he made a mental note to tease Akemi the next day.

After a while when Tezuka was out of sight, Ai became aware of their proximity, and so did Syuusuke. When Ai looked up to him, Syuusuke was staring into her violet eyes, as she was into his lovely blue eyes. As if in slow motion, Syuusuke leaned closer and when their lips touched, Ai automatically wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. Syuusuke deepened the kiss, asking for entrance in her mouth, to which she granted. She didn't know when or how to stop. It was a passionate kiss that rendered both of them breathless. Syuusuke broke the kiss, but rested his forehead on her. "I love you Ai," he said and gave her a small peck on the lips again and smiled.

"I... I do too," she said, still careful not to make a mistake.

Syuusuke took a step back and pulled her closer as they walked the remaining distance to her house.

"It'll be the school's festival soon," he said. "I look forward to spending time with you by then. We'll take a lot of pictures. But... Before that, what are you doing this Saturday?" he asked.

She stopped in front of their gate and turned to look at him before going inside. "Nothing, really," she said. And that was true, ever since she came to Gaia, she's been spending weekends in the house or in the nearby park. She didn't get out that much, and she prefers it that way.

"Then, can we go out somewhere? There's a place I really want to show you," he said, taking a few strand of her hair and lets it slide through his fingers.

"That'd be great," she responded. What was this again? She asked herself, a date? She thought and blushed.

"I'll pick you up here at 9 in the morning, okay?" he said as he kissed her forehead and waved goodbye. Ai watched him go until he was out of sight.

That night, Ai read her grandfather's diary again. In one of the older entries about Gaia, his grandfather stated that the necklace reacted to a newly found feeling or emotion that the user didn't experience in Orion. Which explains why it behaved the way it did awhile ago. The way she felt for Syuusuke was, obviously, new to her. But how did her grandfather know this? Does that mean her grandfather fell in love with someone during his stay here before or was it something else?