Knot
"What is happening?" she asked as the lights started to dim and a spotlight started to shine on Ruka and Imai. Imai had this very confused look on her face and was mouthing angrily at Ruka 'what is this?!' Ruka who was at the other side of the floor just smiled and walked slowly to Imai, you could tell Imai was waiting for an explanation but instead Ruka just held her hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He then brought her to the middle of the dance floor and they started to waltz with us as the spectators. Knowing Ruka he was always into those romantic scenes, he gets even giddier like a girl than Hotaru, they were perfect for each other. Its times like these you remember that they were only ten years old when Hotaru loved blackmailing our little Ruka. Poor Ruka, I bet he didn't even count on falling for her if he didn't really mind her taking his pictures.
"Even with that scowl Hotaru still looks like she's having fun" she said smiling, I smiled too and just watched them as they continued to dance, Ruka twirled Imai around and suddenly got on his knees, when Imai turned around she had this really surprised look on her face and I'm not sure if I'm imagining this but I think Imai was blushing really hard. Ruka brought out a small purple velvet box and Imai seemed pretty nervous, first time I've seen her shaken. The guests around us were murmuring and giving really excited looks. I saw her face and saw her covering her mouth in awe.
"Hotaru, we've been together for a long time and we have always experienced a lot of things together. There were times where you made me happy and times we couldn't even stand each other. You're the one that has given me many opportunities and could only make feel like I'm on top of the world. The very woman who has all my love and affection, the very woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. The very woman I will never let go and want to create a home with. Hotaru, you are that woman and I'm asking you with these many witnesses around us…would you marry me?" Ruka opened the purple velvet box and inside revealed a diamond engagement ring sparkling like a pearl under the sea. Everybody gasped and cooed at the couple, Imai stood there motionless with her mouth slightly ajar. Imai blinked three times and finally said…
"Ruka, you're the only one who would do something this embarrassing" said Imai, Ruka just gave her a grin. Imai took the ring from the box and tried it on her dainty fingers "Just how much did you spend on this?"
"It only took me about 50 million yen" replied Ruka with a sheepish grin, Imai crossed her arms.
"You have to deal with my brother"
"I know"
"You better not get in the way of my work"
"I respect that"
"And don't spend money so carelessly"
"Only for you"
"Ruka stand up" Ruka did as Imai told and Imai suddenly pulled him in a big hug "You are probably the most annoying and irritating guy I've been with…the only man that I love" Ruka hugged back kissing her and caressing her hair. We all clapped and even cheered. Confetti from the ceiling fell down on the now engaged couple, people from the sidelines shouted 'congratulations' and started patting them on the back as they broke their hug. I'm glad this turned out to be a very successful secret engagement party. I saw her run to the happy couple and hugged Imai.
Knot
"Hotaru! I am so happy for you!" I said as I hugged her really tightly.
"Stop squishing me baka" said Hotaru, I let go of her and also congratulated Ruka.
"Thanks Mikan-chan, I know there's no invitation yet but you are definitely welcome to come" said Ruka.
"That was some proposal, I had no idea this was a secret engagement party!" I said shocked when I saw the proposal.
"I bet you didn't know what this was didn't you?" said Ruka to Hotaru, she just gave him one of her many glares, Ruka just let out a nervous laugh "Um so Mikan-chan, did you happen to see Natsume anywhere?" I remained quiet.
"Um yeah I think I did" I said uncomfortable with the fact that I might see HIM in the wedding "So when are you planning on getting married?" I said trying to avoid talking about the previous subject. Hotaru and Ruka looked at each other.
"We'll talk about that later, right now why not enjoy the party?" said Ruka.
"Mikan, shouldn't you get back to Karashima?" said Hotaru with a glint in her eyes, it always meant trouble.
"Ahahaha, you lovebirds are probably busy so I'll relax somewhere" I said walking away, Ruka looked at Hotaru quizzically. I couldn't find Karashima-san anywhere so I decided to go outside to catch my breath. There was a pool just outside the ballroom and I relaxed there on one of the chairs. My heels were killing my feet so I kicked them off and lied back down.
"It sure is hard being a woman, wearing high heels for hours until your feet have blisters. I don't know how the female species survives" I heard a deep voice; I was too tired to look who the owner of the voice was so I just answered on my own.
"They probably survived by bopping the male species over the head with their ego" I replied still closing my eyes.
"Ah, you sure have changed" I opened my eyes and saw him standing over me. I tried giving him a nasty glare and he just chuckled "If you're trying to be as threatening as Imai I'd say you only got close to a puppy" Why does he like torturing me? Is he some kind of sadist? Thinking back, he did love threatening the guys around me in high school.
"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to congratulate Ruka?" I asked.
"I already knew this would happen so I congratulated him in advance" said Natsume "Ah you seem to be in a bad mood so let me fix it" What would this jerk possibly do to make my bad mood go away? Is he finally going to go away? Cause I would be so happy! I heard him go through his pockets and a crinkle of some kind of wrapper. I looked and saw it was the very remembrance of my childhood. I slowly took it from his hand, awestruck.
"Where did you get this? They don't even make these anymore!" I said looking at the white Howalon package, this was my very favorite when I was a kid. Sadly they stop producing these when I was in high school and I felt the world around me completely changed then. To think I would ever see this tasty treat again. It brought me a lot of happy and sad memories from when I first met Hotaru to when grandpa died, these were always given to me by friends when I felt down. And now this person in front of me, the very guy I thought I hated, why is he giving this to me? Why is he being so kind? I gripped the candy package in my hands.
"I didn't know you still get excited over some candy, your already a grown up so act your age" he said in a teasing tone, I automatically stick my tongue out like I have done in our high school days "Hey this is your first time acting childish since the day we finally met, what happened to my favorite idiot?"
"You're the idiot that started this all! You skirt flipping pervert!" How long has it been since I insulted him like this? I almost missed this.
"Hm, so that part hasn't changed huh? Well I'm glad it didn't" he said sitting beside me.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, he has a fiancé and yet he does these things that make me feel…
"What's wrong with cheering a person up? You taught me that" he said lying back on the chair, oh how I hated myself back then. I was so naïve, so dense! Was I cursed to be this unperceptive?
"You know this reminds me of the old days" he said relaxing back on a chair beside me.
"How so?" I asked curiously, he stared at me with his eyebrows raised.
"You don't remember much? That's cruel" he chuckled, I pouted. How was I supposed to remember days that were a long time ago? Over the years I got so caught up in what I was doing I never just sit back and reminisce about the old days.
"It was a dance, I bailed out because I was bored but then you found me hiding and kept bugging me about dancing. I thought you were irritating back then, but I danced with you anyway" he explained, now that he mentioned it I do somewhat remember something. It was dark and I was in a forest then I saw someone. It was a bit hazy for me, I just can't remember. I buried my face in my knees "Gomene", I felt him look at me.
"It's alright, I guess it was a long time ago" he said softly "How are you these days?"
"I'm fine, I'm going back to work the day after tomorrow" I replied looking at the clearness of the water in the pool.
"That's good to know, you were always so healthy back then. I truly believed that idiots couldn't get sick" he said while chuckling.
"I've changed" I said in a monotone voice "Lots of things happened" At that moment I felt my head was going into a daze. I just stared at the night sky completely seeing the memories I had hidden in my head. I felt so distant right now like the stars in the universe. I suddenly wondered how he had been doing all those years when I wasn't there. What did he feel? What did he think? How did he change?
"Hey Natsume" I said turning to him; he seemed completely surprised when I called out his name "How are you?"
End of Chapter
Well this is all I could do for this chapter, sorry if I took so long.