I know, it's been forever that I uploaded this. I apologize but now the story is finished and I can upload more quickly. This is a special chapter for me since Heiji and Kazuha have one of the sweetest moments I have ever written. They deserve this and I love them so much (just like the person this story is dedicated to ;-p) that's why...read this and enjoy it please!

Chapter thirdteen

Important questions and new beginnings

"Kazuha-chan? Are you ready? Your man is here! And he looks great, too!" Ran smiled and turned to find Kazuha. She merely blushed but did not respond to her friend.

"I… I am not sure about this, Ran!" Kazuha looked at herself in the mirror, turning and looking from the other side as well. Actually, that's what she had been doing the past fifteen minutes, at least, not to say half an hour.

"Kazuha, you look fine!" Ran assured her friend for the umpteenth time.

"Fine?" Kazuha repeated shocked and turned again to the mirror, looking at her backside and turning again to look at that side as well.

"No, not just fine, you look stunning! His eyes will fall off!"

"Do you really think so?"

"I would never lie to you! But if you don't hurry your knight will fall asleep in front of our door, so…"

Kazuha tore her gaze reluctantly from the mirror and looked at her friend uncertain.

"Don't you think I put too much make- up on??"

"You look just beautiful. Come on, take your hand-bag and off you are!" Ran handled her bag and nudged her with gentle force in direction of the door. Stopping in front of it, Ran hugged Kazuha, wished her a beautiful evening and before she could protest, opened the door.

Kazuha immediately shut up and blushed as she looked shyly at Heiji who had been leaning in his usual cool fashion against the door frame but was not standing tall and staring at her with open mouth.

"Doesn't she look so enchanting?" Ran happily asked him over Kazuha's head.

He tried to get a sound out but only moved his mouth mutely for a few moments at first. "Y-yeah…b-b..b-eautiful!" it was a huge compliment coming from Heiji and both girls knew it, because Ran only beaming and Kazuha blushing deeper. She managed with some difficulties a shy 'thank you' and already felt Ran's nudge on her back.

She stepped towards Heiji and he grinned, extending an arm for her to take it. A beautiful smile magically appeared on her lips as she looked at him and took a step forward to accept his arm.

"Actually way too nice for a simple walk in the forest…"

She giggled, looked a last time back at Ran with a grin before they walked out for their walk.

They walked through the forest, talking gently with each other as they tried to remember the surroundings.

They had been following the small river that threat it's way through the place and at some point stepped out of the forest. They came to a bright place where the water of the river gathered in a pond that was shimmering totally beautiful.

"I remember this!" Kazuha beamed with shining eyes as she looked around the beautiful sight.

"Me too!" He stepped next to her and also looked around.

"Oh Heiji, look!" she pointed at the sea who was not mirroring the bright moon that had just made its way through the clouds. "So beautiful!" she whispered and clasped her hands together.

"Beautiful.."he agreed but averted his gaze from the lake to Kazuha. He took a deep breath, held it and slowly exhaled it.

"Kazuha?" he whispered in the pleasantly chilling night's breeze.

"Yes?" she asked, but did not move or take her gaze away from the sight in front of her.

"Kazuha?" he asked again.

"What is it Hei-?" she turned to Heiji and stopped in mid-sentence. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, heartbeat painfully fast.

"Kazuha…" Heiji started slowly, almost carefully, being down on one knee in front of her. She clapped her hands over her mouth and breathed in sharply. "I want to have clear things between us. I have serious intentions!

I don't know what I can tell you that I did not the last time already. I still mean everything I have told you back then with every fibre of my being. You know this is not exactly easy for me since I am so stupid with words and love-matters.

But I know that it's time I do this right. Kazuha, I was serious. If you want me, I promise to take good care of you, to cherish you, to never ever leave you alone again. We'll be two as one, forever.

I want to never have to be without you again, to wake up every morning with your beautiful face being the first thing that I see. I want for you to be forever by my side, caring for me like I care for you, looking after me or that I don't leave the house without pants in my forgetfullness." He grinned at her and saw a tiny smile flicker through her face. He took a deep breath.

"Kazuha… I want to call you my wife, want for you to bear my children, to make me complete and lighten up my day and my life with your presence. I…" he took another breath.

"I love you more than I ever thought I could love something or somebody. More than I ever thought could be possible to love a person. More than my own life. You mean the world to me and I hope you know that.

I want to be the line that threats through your life, be the hand on your back that supports you always and through whatever may happen. Be the one who looks after you when you are sick and makes you healthy again and be there with you when you laugh and smile.

I want to spend my whole life with you for I can not live without you anymore. That's why I am asking you again, this time with…" he took something out of one if his pockets and presented it to her.

"This time WITH ring. I want to ask you, if you want to marry me?!"

Heiji fell silent and looked at her mutely, waiting for an answer. He refused the urge to puke, feeling sick in the stomach. The anxiety was eating him from the inside, his heartbeat throbbing so fast and hard that he was scared to be knocked over by it but he let nothing show on the outside, no matter how nervous he was.

'Why doesn't she say anything? React in any way?'

He was getting more nervous by every second that passed without her moving. She only stood there, hands over mouth, staring at him as if he was a ghost and silent tears were rolling down her face. It looked almost like this was too much for her.

He hardly dared to breathe but waited patiently, knowing what a big step this was for her. And, as suddenly he saw her turn on her heels and run away from him he felt like his world broke apart, along with his heart.

---

"Aahhhh, that feels so great!" Ran almost moaned as she leaned back in the hot water.

"Yeah, it does!" Shinichi, who was already in the water before she had climbed in, sighed and looked at her as she pinned her hair up. He loved it when she did that.

"I wonder what they are doing right now!" she said, looking at Shinichi with a smile.

"I don't wonder, I know!" came his answer as he grinned back.

"Do you know something I don't know?" she eyes him suspiciously.

"Like, what Hattori carries in the pocket of his jacket maybe?" he said, grinning wider as he

watched her eyes widen.

"You…you mean h-he is going to… going to…?"

"Yep!" Shinichi grinned wider.

Ran squeaked and clapped her hands quickly over her mouth. Already unbelievably happy, she could only squeak some more, beaming brightly at Shinichi. Today, Heiji would propose to her properly and she was sure Kazuha would accept, no matter how scared she still might be.

---

As everything inside Heiji shattered to a million little pieces, he tried hard not to start crying. He watched Kazuha go and could not move a limb of his, not even scream after her. So he stayed were he was, looking after her as she still ran away from him.

How do I live without you
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive
How do I
How do I
Oh, how do I live

Have faith, his mother had told him. Why did this cross his mind just now?

Heiji still did not move, could not as he kneeled there petrified and suddenly watched astonished as Kazuha stopped running and instead came to a halt. She didn't move for a moment, then turned to look at him with her face wet. And suddenly she was running again but this time towards him. And she didn't make a halt but almost jumped at him and into his arms with a ferocity that knocked him over with her on top of him.

As she was gripping him in a vise-like grip and cried her fears out on him, he hugged her to him, glad that she had come back to him.

"Oh Heiji, oh Heiji!"

She cried harder and gripped him tightly. She was so overwhelmed by all her emotions she didn't really know what to say. What to tell him. There were so many things that she wanted to let him know, to respond to each and every topic of his beautiful little speech but found herself unable to do so since her throat seemed to have a knot. Heck, she was glad it allowed her at least to breathe.

But, no matter how far away her mind was right now, she knew exactly that she had at least one word to tell him. And, as she was still laying on top of him, crying in his chest while he was rubbing her back, she tried with all her might to get the tears under control before whispering.

"Yes!" she took a deep breath and repeated herself. "Yes!" she was growing louder with every time she said it, filling with happiness. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!" Kazuha pulled back and looked at him, her eyes shining through her tears.

"Yes yes yes!" she repeated and saw his beautiful smile. The beautiful smile that she had caused and that was now hers, officially!

Heiji used all his strength to sit up, keeping her on his legs. He reached for her left hand, all the while smiling stupidly, and put the ring on the right finger. On the finger where it belonged on, now and forever. Kazuha had watched him, her free hand covering her mouth but not her smile which was clearly visible. Done, he kissed her hand and looked at her.

A second later, he had Kazuha glomping him around his neck. "Oh Heiji!" she was so happy that she couldn't really speak. It was a miracle how she got his name out in the first place.

He stroked over her hair, smiling at her. She looked deeply into his eyes and had to smile back. She giggled in her joy, touching his cheek with a hand. "I love you, too!" she whispered and leaned forward to kiss him. Her man, her fiancé, her light in her life, her happiness.

And the kiss was not a simple one, both knew that as they sat there by the lake, in the moonlight. It was like a seal, a promise of their love. The beginning of something so much greater that nobody could yet see the extent of.

And like this, time went by the two lovers, but neither cared, both simply too happy and content to care about anything but themselves at the moment.

---

"So… do you think everything is okay?"

"Ran, quit asking me that! For the seventh time, I think everything went okay between them!"

"You don't have to be this mean!" she looked stubbornly at him before turning away. Suddenly she let out a startled scream, turning to Shinichi. "How dare you?"

"What?" said an extremely innocent boy who pretended he had no idea who had just kissed her neck.

"Don't do that again!" Ran glared at him. "I am mad at you!"

"Hm…." He glided closer to her in the water, nearing his prey. "Are you sure?" he breathed, purposefully leaning close to her neck so that his breath could play along the tender skin.

Ran shuddered and tilted her head to the other side, allowing him more space to work on. "No!" she breathed out and held his head close to her neck. She felt his chuckling against her skin.

"You are mean! Thinking you can seduce me that easily!" she pulled away from him, hearing him groan out a little at the loss of contact. Ran could not help but giggle.

"Oh, look! A bird!" she pointed at the sky behind him with serious expression.

"What?" he turned to look at what she was pointing at but saw nothing.

'I can't believe he actually fell for that!'

"Ran what are you-" a second later he had her glomping him tightly. Wrapping his arms around her with the expression of an idiot, a happy idiot please, he chuckled. "Oh, I see!"

She giggled against him as she held him tighter, winding her arms around him. She loved it when he responded to her touch. Another idea came into her mind.

Ran pushed him gently back on one of the stones in the water, making him sit down. Then she climbed on his lap, grinning seductively and kissed him passionately. One of her hands started massaging the back of his neck and as she felt him purr low in his throat, the purring only growing stronger the more she rubbed, and she felt something. Ran knew that it was absolute cute and everything, but this new feeling deep inside her stomach…

He seemed to feel it as well, for he soon left her mouth, a gasp escaping him, he started kissing down her jaw-line, moaning out in disapproval as soon as her hand left it's actions.

"What?" he whispered as he heard her slight giggle that, to his pleasure, ended in a moan of her own.

"I was just thinking…" she giggled again. "… that if you were a wolf now, or a sweet doggy you would for sure wag with your tail." She giggled on as Shinichi stopped his kisses and pulled back to look down at her with one raised eyebrow. His look alone caused Ran to giggle even harder, leaning her forehead against his chest, all the while giggling furiously.

"I don't know what to say to that. Maybe next time I won't let you drink anything at all!"

"Hey, it was only one glass!"

"Yes, that's the bad thing about it, just look at you!"

She stood up, looked down at herself then put a hand behind her head and one on her hip. "Do I look that bad?"

He looked thoroughly at her, from top to toe, or at least her waist for the rest was still hidden underneath the water and then back in her eyes with red cheeks. "Are you kidding me?" he almost sounded offended.

Smiling at her husband-to-be, she sat back on his lap and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Close your eyes!" her breath against his wet skin that was exposed to the chilly air for maybe a little too long make Shinichi shiver strongly.

He did as he was told, ignoring the nagging voice in his head telling him just what a cute and good little dog he would make, curious what she was planning next. He may know her for all his life already, but she could still surprise the hell out of him and that's something he loved about her to no ends.

She felt powerful and naughty, deciding to act on the need inside of her. Sometimes it scared her a little, the things he could make her feel. She gently took his head between her hands, seeing him relax against her and open his lips the tiniest bit. Ran smiled and moved forward to kiss him.

Shinichi was obviously delighted as he responded to her in kind and tried to wrap his arms around her but she held him back, pressing his arms to his side. As she pulled away, leaving both breathless, she had a whole plan formed.

"No, don't open them yet!" she covered his eyes with a hand.

"W-what?"

"I said don't open them until I tell you!"

"O-okay!?" He was very confused for she had never done something similar with him but complied.

Ran stood up off his lap to both their displeasure and slowly removed her hand, waving it in front of his eyes to check if he was indeed not seeing anything. Satisfied, she stepped out of the water and bend down to him to whisper.

"Now, count 'till fifty, slowly, and then you may open them, understood?"

Although his nature screamed at him to not do it, in his kind of work blind obedience could mean his death, he nodded slowly. And would her sweet voice ask him to strangle himself, he would follow whatever she wanted. 'It's not blind obedience, it's called trust!' he wisely told himself, the thought making him feel all warm inside.

He silently counted as he was told, and when it was time to open his eyes again, looked around but found her nowhere. Confused, he stepped out of the water, looking around for any sign of her. Just then he noticed nothing on the ground behind him. He bend and took the soft cloth in his hand and realized that it was a black, silk- bra. Did she walk to their room without putting her underwear on first?

As his brain started working, he flushed as realization deemed to him. He looked around for other parts of her wardrobe and as he found none quickly moved up the stairs to their room, clutching his towel at the knot on the waist so it would not fall off. He wanted to open the door but saw that something black was hanging on the knob. He gulped and slowly reached out to take it. Flushing even more, he defined it as the last piece of her underwear, anticipation eating him from the inside as Shinichi hurried to her inside, her slip and bra clutched in his hands.

Somehow, as he saw her towel lay on the floor just in the middle of the way from the door to the bedroom, he felt like his natural hunting instincts were stimulated to their limits, like they never have been aroused before.

Feeling like a tiger, or wolf as she had called him before, he grinned satisfied for his prey was cornered in the room, not able to leave, and willing. Male satisfaction and pride flooded his chest as he would never have thought possible. His sexy grin spread.

As he carefully opened the door to the bedroom, the sight that awaited him there took his breath away. His girlfriend, fiancée, wife to be, his beautiful lover was lying there, waiting for him with open arms, spread out on the bed in all her glory as Mother Nature had created her. As God had taken her from the heavens to give her to the world.

Something inside him clicked, taking away all the restrains he might have had. He was on top of her, kissing her passionately in no time, glad that his mate was obviously just as desperate for his touch as he was.

"Shinichi!" she breathed out as she looked with half-closed, passion-filled eyes at him. He seized her slight moan and attacked her mouth again, feeling her nails on his bare back.

"Oh Ran… you taste so…" he moaned and kissed along her throat, licking the soft skin there. She gasped and he repeated the caress. "You make me feel so…"

Ran was pleased at everything that was happening. That's how she had imagined it. "Good!" she breathed against his ear, rubbing his neck and shoulders slowly.

Suddenly he took her hands and pinned them to the ground, kneeling above her and grinned down at his victim. "Does this mean you want me to dominate you?"

This made Ran laugh. She hadn't thought about it this way but now that he was mention it… he was kind of right with his association. In response, she started purring and moved her knee up to gently stroke along the source of his passion, making Shinichi groan out.

"I'll take that as a yes!" was the last thing he said, we don't count moaning, groaning or other verbal utterances as words, before he lowerd himself on top of her again, attacking her lovingly and with all the passion that she made him feel and made race through his veins.

Ran sighed in his mouth as she devoted herself completely to the man she loved more than anything, letting him carry her away to another world that only lovers knew. A world that only he had the key to.

---

"I am glad that I have you with me tonight!" Kazuha looked at Heiji from the futon.

"Me too!" he grinned at her over his shoulder while putting his shoes off. "Geez, it's so hot tonight!" he walked over and opened the window. "Look, only warm air is coming inside!"

He walked to Kazuha and sat next to her. "Do… do you mind if I sleep without shirt?"

'O-only in his boxers?'

"N-no, not at all!" she looked at him through her red cheeks, trying to not show her embarrassment.

He put his shirt off, sighed and lay next to her under the light cover. He turned his head, flashing her a smile. She returned it and scooped closer to him. He opened his arms and she was within their circle in no time.

Kazuha sighed, loving the feelings he send through her even now, when he was only holding her close, his hand trailing light touches down her back while his nose was in her hair. He chuckled a little as her hair tickled him, causing Kazuha to giggle.

'No, I definitely have nothing against a half-naked Heiji!' she thought in delight as she played with her fingernails across his bare chest. How she loved to touch his warm skin nobody could ever guess.

Nor how much she loved him.

She moved her head a little, looking up at him. He pulled back and looked down, something questioning in his eyes. Kazuha smiled and laid her hand on his cheek, pulling him down a little to kiss him sweetly. Her kiss was telling him 'I love you' and his was responding in kind.

She lay back, on this chest this time, letting his heartbeat and his warmth lull her lovingly to sleep. Never had she felt this complete before. Now, everything would turn out for the best.

---

Sunday after lunch, the four thanked Yumi and Hattoji for everything and left the Inn with promises to coming back. They made their way to the station where the train home was already waiting. They had to take different ones since Osaka and Tokyo were lying in the completely different direction. That meant they had to say their goodbyes already in the station.

"Thanks again, man. You were a great help!" Heiji patted Shinichi's back.

"Don't mention it. Now, don't mess up again!" he grinned.

"I'll try!" Heiji grinned back.

Kazuha and Ran were still hugging each other. They didn't want to let go of the other.

"Thank you so much!" Kazuha whispered at her friend.

"It was nothing. Whenever you need me!" Ran smiled at her.

"I'll call you, I promise!" Kazuha told her.

"You better!" Ran "warned" her friend. They chuckled and quietly talked to each other until…

"Kazuha, come already. The train is about to leave!" Heiji screamed.

Kazuha and Ran hugged again, really not wanting to let go until he had to come and drag his girlfriend away. They all laughed, mood happy through the sadness about the departure. Saying their goodbyes, Ran and Shinichi watched with mixed feelings as the train took off.

Half an hour later, Ran was lying with her head on Shinichi's chest, enjoying the peaceful moment. She was looking out of the window, loving the feeling of his hand on her back that was rubbing her gently.

"What do you think?" she quietly asked him. "Did you like our romantic weekend?"

"Definitely to be repeated!" he grinned down at her and Ran smiled back.

"Definitely!"

---

The whole week, Kazuha and Heiji were thinking about the best way to tell their parents about the engagement. Kazuha seemed to be more nervous than Heiji, but that was of course only the cool appearance of the meitantei. Inside, he was just as nervous.

The situation presented itself like this: Hattori Shizuka, Heiji's mother. She was a beautiful woman, not even forty-five. She adored Kazuha ever since so she didn't really present a problem. And in comparison to her husband she was an angel. Hattori Heizo, head of the Osaka police department, feared by criminals who gave him the loving nickname of "Heizo the devil". It was very difficult to predict how he would react to the news. Would he be delighted or go mad? They didn't know it but both options were just as likely. And there still was his right hand, Kazuha's father, Toyama Keijibucho. He was not as…let's say, harsh, as Heizo and, according to Kazuha, he liked Heiji. So… all in all, as résumé… Kazuha and Heiji looked at each other.

"We have to think of something!" both said in unison.

They had come up with a few ideas but neither seemed to fit. Indeed, they had been thinking about it so much that at some point they simply got sick of it and decided on a simple tea-get-together.

At first, they were simply relieved that they had decided on something. But school proved to be difficult as well for they had agreed to wait a little longer to let everybody know. Probably after their parents knew it, preferably for a considerable time longer since neither even wanted to imagine the extends of the consequences should their school get to know that they were together.

But that proved to be more difficult than anticipated for on their second day at least four people had asked them why they weren't fighting anymore, or not that often whereas two could have sworn to have seen them holding hands! Heiji and Kazuha had started sweating but managed to convince them about their unaltered relationship with a made up fight about something totally irrelevant.

At the not convinced audience they knew immediately that they had to do something. Heiji tried hard to imagine, that one of the guys in their class who was in the Kendo team as well and not necessarily bad, had thrown an eye on Kazuha and his jealousy grew as did his anger during the fight he had with Kazuha. This seemed to satisfy the others but Kazuha had afterwards to calm Heiji down secretly for he had talked himself so deeply in rage that he almost believed it himself.

But Kazuha quickly succeeded with a kiss and an "ahou", lovingly scolding him for believing she would want to have another guy. He felt stupid for his actions but was more than happy to repay her with a few, sweet make up kisses until the evil bell announced the next lesson.

Wednesday, around five o'clock in the afternoon, Kazuha and Heiji had their parents gathered around the dinning room table of the Hattori household, having invited them for tea and cake. While Shizuka sat next to Heizo on one side, opposite of Kazuha and Heiji, Toyama sat on their right.

Kazuha had prepared some cakes which were now decorating the table. She could hardly sleep since they had decided on the date to tell their parents about the engagement and it had not become any better. She was shaking a little, trying to look totally calm and relaxed while hiding her trembling hands underneath the table. As everybody had tea and cake, it turned silent. They were looking at the two of them full of expectation. Kazuha looked helplessly at Heiji.

The young man sighed and looked at their parents, taking Kazuha's hand in his without further comment.

"We called you all together today, because we… we have to tell you something, Kazuha and I, that is… well, you see… how to start this…eh…" Heiji was struggling despairingly for words. He cursed inwardly. Give him a murder, let him solve it and give a ton of smart retorts to the culprit, NO PROBLEM, but ask him to tell his parents about his own engagement, poof, he was Mister-finds-no-words.

He really hated it and it made him angry. Why the hell was he so nervous about this anyway? He looked at Kazuha, determined. His look must have frightened her a bit for she was backing away a little but had not much time to do so because he had her already in his arms and was kissing her passionately a second later.

Kazuha blushed like a rose, a dark red one, but did not resist Heiji. She kissed him back and held her eyes for a moment longer closed even after he had pulled away.

"This is what we had to tell you and also… well, you see, as the evidence proves to be… well, what I w-want to say is… I pr-proppposed t-to her and she kind of… well… said y-yes… so…" he was by now deep red himself. Somehow, he was glad that it was out but he didn't have the nerve to wait for their reaction.

"We just thought you might want to know so.. We better leave you alone for some time, so you can start comprehending. We'll go for a small walk!" he stood up, and took Kazuha's hand gently. "Come!" he whispered and pulled her on her feet. She looked at the parents again, then at Heiji and nodded, following his lead, the eyes of the others always on them.

They closed the door behind them and the left guests in the room looked at each other. It was really very hard to define their gazes, to understand what they wanted to say or were thinking. It looked a lot like cluelessness and puzzlement. Like somebody had just tried to explain to them why the world indeed had the shape of a pizza, with scientific evidence!

Suddenly, the only woman in the room broke the silence with one sentence that would have left the kids speechless if they had stayed to listen.

"Whoever is surprised by that news, please raise your hand!"

The men looked at each other, considering all that had passed, then turned their heads to Shizuka, every movement very slow. They waited, neither raising the hand. And suddenly, all three burst out laughing.

No, it was really no surprise for them. Rather a relief, for 'inevitable' really was the word they'd use here. They stood up and hugged each other, the men of course only clapping each other on the back, happy about the news and that their kids finally had become reasonable. Even 'Heizo the devil' seemed like a happy devil. Not even Shizuka had expected him to react this coolly. He must have been wondering when they will realize it as well.

Shizuka had to think about the time, Heizo had proposed to her. He had been really clumsy and stuttering, but just like Heiji, it had happened really fast and with a lot of passion. She smiled at her husband, wondering about just how alike the two men in her life were.

Meanwhile, Heiji was holding the quivering hand of a still nervous Kazuha. They were walking through the city, trying to get other things on their minds. She was, at some point, saying nothing anymore, only stared at the ground in front of her. Heiji observed her for a moment, than looked at the sky and spoke up.

"Do you regret telling them? I know, this was a big step and it includes something… final…"

Kazuha looked surprised at him and he averted his head to look back at her with raised eyebrows and questioning gaze. Suddenly she smiled and gripped his and tighter.

"I don't have any regrets. I know it's final and that's what I want!" Heiji unconsciously breathed out a deep breath. "I was simply wondering what they think of me, of us now. Do you think they're going to have something against it?"

"I don't think so!" he answered her honestly, smiling reassuringly down at Kazuha. "You know my parents love you! My mother always has, always hoping you would become her daughter in law and my dad is still hoping that you knock some sense in my thick head."

Both grinned at each other and she reached up with a hand to ruffle through his hair playfully. "Oh don't worry, I will!"

"That sounds like a threat!" he complained but couldn't get rid of his smile.

"You are right. And my dad likes you a lot, too. Always thinks that I am better off with you than with some total idiot!"

"Uhh… I'll just take that as a compliment!" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you can!" she closed her eyes and smiled lovingly at him.

Just as the enchanted Heiji followed his heart and bend to kiss this beautiful being in front of him that was about to become his, his cell phone started ringing. He groaned, apologized, took it out of his pocket and picked it up.

"Hello? Oh, Inspector Otaki! Yes, yes… oh? Really?… REALLY? In Tokyo? And my.. yes, he's already… I see…." There was a pause where Heiji only listened and looked at Kazuha with distorted eye-brows. "I see. Okay, I will be there in half an hour. Yes, I know. Okay, bye!" and he hung up.

"That was Inspector Otaki. He told me about an emergency. A very important case in Tokyo, concerning some famous thief. He said that the Tokyo police department asked us for help and that our fathers are going, they must be on their way already and that they all want me to help as well. They're flying in about two hours…" he looked at the ground.

"Oh…" was all Kazuha could say as she looked at their joined hands. "How long is it going to…"

"Don't know… a few days probably!"

"Oh… I see…" Kazuha could not ban the sadness from her voice. She gulped.

"I am so sorry!" he quietly added after some time in silence.

"I know." She tried to smile at him but it cracked soon after.

"Oh Kazuha…" he reached out and pulled her against him, hugging her tightly. She welcomed his gesture and quickly hid in the protective circle of his arms.

"It is dangerous, right?"

"Uh… probably…"

She gripped his shirt tighter. Heiji was now rubbing her back in big, reassuring circles, smiling a little at her. "Don't worry! I'll be fine!"

Kazuha pulled a little back and looked worried into his eyes. "Are you taking your-"

"Of course, I always have it with me! How do you think I survived till today?" Heiji grinned and tugged at the chain that was around his neck.

She smiled back, a little assured. "Promise me that you'll take care?"

He nodded and stroked her cheek with a hand. "Of course! After all, I want to be back and by your side as soon as possible!"

"Oh Heiji!" she threw herself in his arms and hugged him around the neck very tightly, having her head pressed to his. He caught her in mid-flight and smiled as he held her tightly. "It's okay."

Kazuha kissed his cheek a few times, then pulled back and looked in his eyes for a few long moments, forgetting everything around them. It was one of these magical moments that nobody could pull away of. He leaned his head a little forward and caught her lips in mid-way and in a honey-sweet kiss. She sighed against him as she gave herself to the kiss, clutching his body against him.

Okay, so he may need to go for a few days. She knew he would be fine because her prayers would be with him the whole time. And she would wait for him. When he came back to her, everything will be all right again. Because they had each other and a mutual and happy future.

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