DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fairy Tale. Period.
LOOK AT ME
Chapter Four
"Dad?" I suddenly said at the dinner table. I and my parents were having a late lunch when I suddenly had the courage to speak up.
"Hm?" he said in a strict fashion. He had just put another mouthful of mashed potatoes in his mouth when I started speaking. "Something on your mind?"
"Yeah... I, uh," I struggled to find the most polite words to make him understand, "was thinking and… Uhm…"
"Speak up, Lucy… Stop with the gibberish talk…"
"I want to go to Paris to pursue Fine Arts," I said rapidly.
I cleared my throat for the last time before making sure that I was as good looking as I could get. First time meeting her parents and so I should look my best.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
I knocked on the wooden door as I couldn't seem to find a doorbell.
I looked around to see if anyone, my students, classmates or anyone in particular who knew me, was walking past.
Much to my relief, nobody was and so I knocked on the door again.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
This time, the door opened and a tall woman in her mid or late thirties opened the door. She had blonde hair an pretty eyes; this, I wagered, was Lucy's mother.
"Yes? May I know who you are?" she asked. I was pretty sure that she knew me, too. Then again, she may not even care who I am.
I breathed in deeply to gain confidence before speaking.
"Good afternoon, madam," I said politely as I could. "Is Lucy here?"
"Yes, but—" she said hesitantly, "May I know who you are first?"
"I'm sorry, very rude of me," I said. I could feel cold sweat coming out of my skin but I had to keep it to myself. "My name is Gray Fullbuster, I'm Lucy's cram school teacher."
"I see," she said, looking behind her. "Is there something wrong with my child's performance? Is she in trouble of any kind?"
"No, no!" I said, "I'm actually here to talk to her father."
"Oh, I—"
"Is this a bad time?"
"Well—" she hesitated again, then finally gestured for me to come in, "They're in the dining area but I'm afraid you went here at a very bad time."
"I'm so sorry, madam," I said, "But this just couldn't wait…"
The woman led me to a huge dining room, where a small, circular table was. On one end of the table stood a lanky but very sturdy man in his forties, his hands on the table as if he had just slammed his hands on them; in the other end of the table, Lucy stood in the same manner, but only she looked as if she lost a fight.
"Dear, he's looking for you," the woman said as she approached the man.
"Sir!" Lucy said and immediately bowed to me; she looked a bit humiliated, though and I had the feeling I knew what was happening.
Her father cleared his throat and approached me with his hand held out. "Good day, sir, you are?"
"Gray Fullbuster, I'm your daughter's cram school teacher." I gladly took his hand and shook it.
"Well, you look pretty young to be a cram school teacher!" he joked casually, I saw Lucy roll her eyes in what seemed like disgust.
"I'm actually only four years older than your daughter. I work part time at the cram school; I'm actually a medical student at the university."
"Oh!" The man said, smiling. "You must be a very smart man! My daughter is lucky to have you as a teacher."
He glanced at Lucy who was now looking as if she wanted to melt then and there. "She would do well to follow your example to get into Med School."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, sir," I said, straight to the point. Lucy's eyes just widened, and I knew she knew what I was going to talk to them about. She kept shaking her head, saying 'No! No! No!'
"Pardon?"
"I don't think your daughter belongs in Med School."
"Why?" he asked. "Is it because she's not smart enough? Isn't that why she's in cram school in the first place?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, sir, but I do think your daughter has other interests."
"Don't tell me—Paris again!" he said, raising his hands up in the air like a madman.
"So she's already told you?" I asked. "You should feel very happy, you know? That means she's talented enough to actually study in that Fine Arts Institution."
"What future does she have in arts?" he asked. "Don't tell me she paid you to speak to me!"
"No, I didn't!" Lucy protested from behind.
"Sir, I don't think your daughter is capable of paying me a huge enough amount to buy my dignity," I said flatly. The way this man talks, it's as if Lucy wasn't his daughter at all!
Lucy, her father and her mother were all very silent after that statement and so I opted to speak again.
"As I was saying, your daughter is too talented to keep her from doing what she does best," I started. Thank goodness I've gotten a silver tongue from my mother.
"She's passed an entrance exam to an Arts School in Paris, shouldn't you proud?" I continued.
"Drawing and all that won't make her successful in life," he said sternly.
"But she would be happy," I snapped back calmly. "Have you ever seen how talented she actually is?"
"Gray…" Lucy said and I lost my concentration at the sound of her voice calling my name.
"G-go get your sketchpad," I ordered as calmly as I could, "The one you showed me yesterday."
"B-but—"
"Now, Lucy…" I said.
Lucy obeyed and got her sketchpad from the bag on the chair. She gave it to me and I flipped it open to the page where I saw she drew her family. I gave it to her parents to see.
"Do you want this kind of talent to rust in the bloody operating room?" I emphasized.
Lucy's mother was smiling at her daughter's artwork. I could see how easily she had accepted the fact that Lucy belonged in Paris. I looked at her father; he needed a bit more push.
I flipped the pages again to where her father's portrait was.
"Sir, life isn't about making money or spending it," I said. "So what if she doesn't get the high-paying job you want her to have?
"Isn't it more important that she's happy?"
Lucy giggled as she watched the duck and her ducklings on the river. It was already sunset by then and I finally won her father over to let her study in Paris.
It was a pretty short conversation after I said that her happiness was the most important thing in a career. Needless to say, her father was very touched by her art and finally agreed to support her in her studies.
"Sir, I can't believe you did that for me," she said giggling.
"It was the least I could do," I said. I propped open her sketchbook again and started to look at all her drawings, starting with her portrait of Natsu Dragneel—which I really wanted to crumple and tear apart.
"What made you help me out, anyway?"
"I accepted the studying grant in Germany," I said, "And it was all because of you and that big mouth of yours."
"Oh…" she said. "Oh!"
She seemed extremely excited about the news, more excited that I was, as she balled her hands into a fist and squealed like a school girl.
"Sir, I'm so happy for you!"
"And I, for you," I couldn't dare look at her. If I did, I would probably hold her and tell her everything I've been keeping from her. Instead, I kept flipping the pages over mindlessly.
"How can I thank you sir?"
I didn't answer; I just flipped and flipped until I came upon the portrait of a really good-looking guy with black hair wearing glasses, reading a book.
"Kyaa!" Lucy exclaimed, then she reached for the sketchpad.
"Woah, wait!" I said when I finally figured out that it was me. I stood up to keep the notebook out of her reach and admired it even more as I raised it up. "Hey, this is pretty good!"
"S-sir, please, don't! I—" Lucy, being shorter than I, wasn't able to reach it, of course. It would have been more fun if I had more time, but, I was running out of it.
I closed the sketchpad and put it down. Then I faced her and smiled.
"Lucy, I'm leaving for Germany tonight."
The smile on Lucy's face faded as she stared at me in confusion. I didn't want to give it any special interpretation but how could I not? When all the puzzle pieces were starting to come together to form a big picture in my head?
"Wow," she said, bitter sweetly. "Con-congratulations."
"I'd be studying there for about four or five years and I don't know when I'll be back."
I saw Lucy bite her lower lip.
"So I wanted to help you out before I leave."
"Th-thank you, sir."
"I told you, didn't I? Call me Gray."
"Thank you, Gray."
"Well," I said, looking at my watch. "It's about time for me to leave, so…"
"Oh, yes, yes. I wouldn't want you to be late for your flight."
"I'll be taking this—" I opened the sketchpad again and ripped of the page with my portrait in it "—as payment for my services."
"But—"
"I'll see you someday, Luce," I said, then I turned my back at her.
Damn, I thought. I still couldn't confess to her.
Awwe… The next chapter will be the last…
I enjoyed writing this.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, too! MUCH LOVE~!