CHAPTER 2

Lantis explored the court desperately searching for someone from his team to pass the ball. He was planning to do a long pass to Felio who was the nearest person to the opponent's ring but the guy from the opponent team who was several inches taller than him had been blocking his way. He found out that the only way to win the competition was to make a three points shoot since his team was two points behind and the playing time was running out. He moved a step backward and decided to do the three points shoot. This time the distance was longer than when he did during the practice. However, he realized that there was no turning back. It definitely not his personality to give up easily and that was the reason why everyone around him called him stubborn.

He jumped and stretched out both of his hands. The ball flew highly over the head of his defenders and successfully entered the ring. On the same time the referee blew his whistle as the sign that playing time was over. Lantis let out a relief sigh when he saw the score board. He could hear his fan club cheering on him and the team as big applause echoed inside the gymnasium. Both teams gave a bow to each other and returned back to their bench.

"You did a great job, Felio san. I'm so proud of you." Fuu smiled brightly at her prince charming.

"I won't have made it this far without your support, Fuu." He replied as he gave her a big hug followed by a quick peck on her cheek.

Hikaru sighed and left the two love birds hugging each other on the bench as she proceeded to Lantis who was sitting on the corner wiping his sweat with a black towel. She felt her heartbeat pace sped up when she realized how charming he was in his no sleeves basketball uniform. His arm muscles fully revealed and his long legs really match his tall body. It seemed that God had spent an extra time when he created him.

"Lantis….err…. would you like something to… drink?" She asked nervously and offered him a 500 ml bottle of sports drink.

"Thanks." He took the bottle and drank it to the half.

"Y-you were great back there. I was amazed by your three points shoot." She praised him as she played with some strands of her scarlet hair.

"Not really, I was just lucky." He answered briefly with a smile on his face. Hikaru felt as if her body was going to be melted by his smile which she thought as the rarest beautiful scenery in the world.

"No problem. Anyway, we need to leave this place as soon as possible and go to the hotel for check in." She added. Lantis nodded and followed her to the exit door after packing all his things and smashed them inside his huge sports bag.

"Lantis!" He heard Felio called him.

"What?"

"Don't you dare to tell me that you already forgot your promise." Felio grinned at him.

"I keep every words I said." Lantis replied firmly.

"Very well, make sure you do that during the night life exploring today."

"I'll try."

"Listen, I don't want to hear any excuses for not doing it today. It's now or never, you understand me?"

"Well, what if…"

"I don't take excuses so, good luck." Felio smiled before he left the place.

"Gentlemen, you can explore the night life in this town as your reward of winning the competition but make sure that all of you get back to the hotel lobby at 10pm." Fuu announced.

"10 pm is too early!" The team members grunted.

"Let's make it 10:30pm then. I don't want to hear any excuses for being late and make sure no one drinks alcohol even though I know that some of you are already twenty years old. Class dismissed!" Fuu revised her announcement.

"Hikaru." Hikaru nearly jumped off when she heard her name being called. She turned her head to the person who just called her and found Lantis standing behind her.

"I was wondering if you'd be kind to join me exploring the town." He asked.

"Oh… yes… certainly." Hikaru answered tensely.

Growl!

Hikaru blushed red as she rubbed her tummy.

"I think we should have dinner first, let's go to that noodle restaurant. I heard that this place is famous for the seafood noodles." Lantis guided his starving friend to a restaurant just about five hundred meters ahead.

"Welcome!" said the restaurant's owner amiably.

"Two seafood noodles, please." Lantis ordered as he sat near the counter.

"Okay. Two seafood noodles for the sweet couple here." He owner said to his employees.

Hikaru felt her face getting as hot as the noodle soup when she heard the word 'couple'. About ten minutes later two big bowls full of seafood noodles appear in front of them.

"It's delicious!" Hikaru gave her compliment delightfully after slurping her noodle.

"Thank you, young lady. I'm glad to hear that." The owner smiled.

"Hikaru, do you have any place you want to visit after we finished our dinner?" Lantis pulled out a pocket size guide book of Nagasaki.

"I want to go to the Glover garden." She answered shyly as she recalled what Fuu told her about the place some days before.

"Hikaru san, you must ask him to the Glover Garden and find a heart shape stone located somewhere on the floor. The legend said that the person who found the love stone will never be apart from the loved one until their last breath. So, go to the top level of the place where you can see the beautiful night scenery of Nagasaki and make a love confession then report to me afterwards." Fuu explained while pointing at the PC screen showing the webpage of Glover Garden.

"You're lucky, young lady. You just have to go straight up from the road in front of this restaurant." The restaurant owner's voice brought her back to reality.

"Really?, thanks for your information." Hikaru replied happily and finished her noodle immediately.

The night scenery of the Glover garden is beautiful. Various plants and flowers being lighted up by small lamps have made the place to become a romantic place for couples. Hikaru saw some couples held their hands and laughed while talking to each other. Inside her heart she wished if only she could hold hands with Lantis and walked around just like them.

"Kyaa!" Hikaru screamed in panic as she tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. Fortunately her hands managed to support her body so she didn't kiss the floor.

"Are you alright?" Lantis asked anxiously as he stretched his hand to help her stand up.

"I'm fine, thanks." She shyly put her hand inside his. She stood up then glanced at the floor where she tripped and found an interesting shape of stone below and smiled.

"Let's go. We're running out of time." He whispered at her. Hikaru gazed at her hand that was fully wrapped in his and flushed at the fact that they were holding hands.

Finally they reached the place where they could see the night scenery of Nagasaki city. Lantis let go of her hand and started to explore the night view of Nagasaki city with his eyes. On the other hand, Hikaru chose to glance at the taller man in front of her. He was wearing a black button up shirt with pale blue jeans, some of his raven strands danced beautifully by the night wind. He elegantly flipped them back and continued admiring the scenery.

Hikaru bit her lower lip as she recalled the memory of what happened it Cephiro several years ago. She remembered that he was asking her about how to confess love in her world but he had not made his move since then. She knew that she might not deserve him because she was the one who killed his elder brother but she had made a promise that she will never ever lie to her own feeling anymore.

"Lantis." She called him. He averted his gaze to her.

"I-I'm sorry about your elder brother and you might not forgive me but I just want you to know that I love you." She confessed in a low voice. There was a long silence between them and she didn't dare to take a look at his face because, she was too nervous to do it.

"And I want you to know that I love you too." Lantis responded as he walked closer to where she stood.

She gasped when she heard his answer and tears of joy fell from her eyes to her cheeks. At last she had given a period for several years of waiting that seemed like forever. He tilted her chin up with two fingers and was about to lean forward to kiss her when the operator voice announcing that the park will soon be closed stopped them.

Hikaru jumped to her hotel bed and smiled like crazy.

"Is there something good happened to you?" Fuu asked looking confused.

"It's nothing, really he...he...he..."

"Stop it, Hikaru. You sounded like those hyenas in Africa." Umi complained as she gave her friend a look of irritation.

"Well, to be honest I have something to report to you." Hikaru replied before she sat up and hugged her pillow.

"Tell me then." Fuu placed her chin on her folded hands.

"I'm now officially in a relationship with Lantis." Hikaru reported with a glee.

"Oh my God!. I'm so happy for you!" Fuu responded cheerfully and gave her friend a big hug.

"Thanks a lot, Fuu."

"So, were there any smoochies after the confession?" Umi asked curiously.

"Err...unfortunately there wasn't any. Blame those staffs in the Glover garden." Hikaru grunted.

"You'll get a lot of smoochies sooner or later so no need to be worry." Fuu winked.

"I hope so. Good night, Fuu."

"Good night, Hikaru san." Fuu turned the light off and fell into a deep slumber.

Hikaru who was too excited to get some sleep stared blankly at the ceiling above her and started to play the love scene at the Glover garden over and over again in her head.

To Be Continued