Note: I'm surprised by the number of reviews that I received over the course of a day. I'm glad that the readers who downloaded the song and heard it had responded so soon :) So, as a treat, I will update for you guys. But a warning: I will not be able to update for an even longer period of time, due to financial reasons. I'm already working full time, and either I'll have to do overtime, or get a part time job as well. So it will be more difficult for me to update. Sorry for any inconveniences, but that's how it is.
And just to get a feel for Natsuki's singing, listening to the song while you read this chapter helps a lot :D
Once Mai gave Natsuki the cue to start, the knight mentally and physically prepared herself.
Well, here it goes…Shizuru; I hope this song can show you my true feelings, finally….
"Namida kakushita hitomi de anata wa doko e yuku (Hiding the tears in your eyes, where are you off to,)
toozakaru yume no kotae sagasu tabibito (A traveler, who's looking for the answers from a fleeting dream?)
dakishimete todokanakute dakedo sono mune ni (I'm embracing you, not reaching you, but still)
nukumori o sukoshi dake wakete agetai (I want to share my warmth with your heart, Even if just a little bit)
koko ni watashi wa iru kara zutto(I will be here, always)
furikaeranai tabiji o anata ga yuku no nara(Even if you go on your journey and never look back,)
watashi wa itsumo anata o oikakeru kaze (I will be the wind, chasing after you for eternity)
doko made mo(Wherever you may be)"
While the song continued into a moment of rest for Natsuki, her eyes never wavered from Shizuru's. The raven-haired woman couldn't help but smile when she looked into the older woman's eyes. She could see the emotions swirling in those ruby depths of Shizuru's soul, and the love that she had for Natsuki could be seen by anyone who looked at the chestnut-haired woman eyes.
"Fuyugareta machi no naka ni anata no hohoemi ga(In the city desolated by winter, your smile)
itsumo tashikana hikari o todokete kureru (Always delivers the clear light)
tsuyosugite wake aenai sabishisa ni itsuka (I hope someday a tear of comfort)
nagusame no hitoshizuku ga todoku youni to (Will reach the too strong sadness that we can't share)
koko ni watashi wa iru kara zutto (I will be here, always)"
Another moment for Natsuki to relax allowed her to look at everyone else in the room. Nao sat there, with her mouth hanging. She had seen Natsuki sing only once before, and that was at the HiME-Sentai karaoke party that Midori had dragged them to. But Natsuki hadn't really taken the singing seriously, and she had no reason to pour her soul into the song. But now was such the occasion, and Nao was more than impressed. As for Mai, she sat there smiling throughout the song. The orange-haired girl knew that Natsuki had a great singing voice. She had heard the raven-haired girl humming to herself a few times, and it was rather good humming. They say that someone who hums well can also sing well, so Mai always had a gut feeling that Natsuki was a great singer, but would never admit it to anyone.
Chie and Aoi were furiously taking pictures and recording the song, because they knew that this moment would never happen again. Meanwhile, Midori was sitting with Yukino and Haruka, who were all just sitting there silently, surprised by Natsuki's hidden talent. They had similar faces to Nao's, but not as….noticeable.
"Furikaeranai futari wa samayoui no hate ni (At the end of our travels where we didn't look back,)
hikari to kaze no sekai o suguri hajimeru (We will begin to create a world of light and wind.)
te o totte (Take my hand)
doko made mo (Whereever you may be)
Te o totte (Take my hand)"
As the song began to fade out, Natsuki closed her eyes to steady her racing heart. While she sang her soul out to Shizuru, the knight's heart had started beating rapidly with all of the emotions that Natsuki was pouring into the song. Hearing the song finish, the emerald-eyed woman stepped off the stage and walked towards Mai. She whispered something in her ear for a minute and when Mai nodded in understanding, the knight made her way to the angel waiting for her. She kept her eyes locked with Shizuru's while walking towards her, even while people patted her on the back and yelled things like, "You were amazing, Kuga-san!" or "That was spectacular Natsuki-san!"
Finally reaching her object, or rather, person, of desire, Natsuki gently grabbed her hand and asked her, "May I dance with you, Shizuru?"
"Yes you may, Natsuki." The crimson-eyed woman didn't even try to hold back a smile as her knight led her to the dance floor. While Natsuki nodded at Mai, Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck while she wrapped her arms around Shizuru's waist.
Hearing the song starting to play, Natsuki and Shizuru began swaying along to the song. The song was none other than Celine Dion's "Then You Look At Me". Natsuki had whispered to Mai that when she led Shizuru to the dance floor and gave her the signal, that she wanted her to play this song. The younger woman heard Shizuru singing along to this song one day, and decided to look up the lyrics to it. When Natsuki found them, she was shocked. The song had described perfectly what her feelings were towards Shizuru.
The knight had decided to play this song while the pair had danced. She knew that Shizuru would know what the song was about. The words were as plain as daylight.
"Laugh and cry
Live and die
Life is a dream we are dreaming
Day by day
I find my way
Look for the soul and the meaning
Then you look at me
And I always see
What I have been searching for
I'm lost as can be
Then you look at me
And I am not lost anymore"
As the song continued to play, more and more people joined in and danced along to the beat. Natsuki held Shizuru close to her, while the older woman had her head resting on her knight's shoulder. The raven-haired woman was whispering the words of the song in Shizuru's ear, while the crimson-eyed woman had tears of joy slowly cascading down her face.
"People run
Sun to sun
Caught in their lives ever flowing
Once begun
Life goes till it's gone
We have to go where it's going
Then you look at me
And I always see
What I have been searching for
I'm lost as can be
Then you look at me
And I am not lost anymore
And you say you see
When you look at me
The reason you love life so
Though lost I have been
I find love again
And life just keeps on running
And life just keeps on running
You look at me and life comes
From...you"
When the song was finally over, the knight had wiped away her angel's tears away and smiled.
"Shizuru, being separated from you these last 5 months have made me realize something so important. You were always there for me when I needed someone, even if I didn't show it. I grew up alone, with no one to help me or love me. I was so foreign to the idea of loving someone, and afraid of it at the same time. So when I met you, I didn't know what this feeling was inside of me. I was afraid of this new emotion that you had evoked within me. I tried pushing you away, so I wouldn't feel that way anymore, but you never left. Slowly, you destroyed the barriers that I had put around my heart to protect myself from getting hurt again. You showed me what it feels like to have someone who loves you. I began to realize that I was falling in love with you."
Natsuki paused so the information would sink in for Shizuru before continuing.
"But I wasn't able to admit this to you for a long time. The thing is….you're the only one who has made me feel this way. I just didn't know what to do. How was I supposed to know how to love someone in return? Hell, I was nervous out of my mind when I tried to kiss you earlier. I didn't have the courage to tell you my feelings before, but I knew that I had to confess sometime soon, before you left my life for good. And I honestly don't know how I could live without you."
The knight stroked Shizuru's cheek softly and wiped away her tears with her other hand. The younger woman knew that Shizuru finally understood how Natsuki felt about her after all this time. The other people in the room had given them the privacy they deserved, and even Nao left the two alone.
The older woman was finally able to stop her tears, and mustered enough strength to reply to Natsuki's sudden confession.
A sudden ending, I know. I'll try to update the rest tomorrow. Enjoy for now and please review!
-Samy