"Where are we going, Takashi?" Thorne asked, looking up at him as they walked toward his car.
Mori stopped. He grabbed her by the left hand, pulling her closer. He pressed a kiss to her ring finger, and she gasped, her face flushing.
"You'll see."
"O-ok."
He smiled, brushing his thumb over the skin he'd just kissed—the spot where her engagement ring would go.
"We should fix this."
"What?" she blinked.
"Nothing."
He smiled at her and continued to his car, pulling her along by the hand.
As the car started moving, he ran his eyes over his beautiful fiancée. The outfit he'd had delivered to her fit her perfectly—he knew it would suit her, but actually seeing it on her…wow. The necklace was silver with a single diamond, and it stopped right above the neckline of her dress. The dress was lilac, with cap sleeves and a silk band around her waist; the skirt was loose and fell halfway down her calf. Her shoes were silver heels. She'd pulled half of her hair into a bun on the side of her head, and she was only wearing a little bit of makeup; he loved that about her, how she kept things simple. She wasn't like the other girls at school, with their complicated outfits and ridiculous…everything. She would look beautiful in anything, but simple things suited her best—because she didn't need fancy things to stand out. She did that all on her own. The first time he'd seen her—that day they came into the Host Club, and Tamaki cried when Megan said they were transferring to Ouran—Thorne had been wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She hadn't said a word, but—
"Takashi?"
He started, blinking in surprise.
"Mm?"
"Y-you're staring," Thorne blushed.
He blinked again.
"Sorry," he smiled.
"It's ok," she smiled back. "Just…it's kind of embarrassing. What…what were you thinking about?"
"That outfit suits you."
"O-oh. Yeah, I really like it!" she smiled happily at him.
"I'm glad."
"You know me really well," she said softly. "That's what I thought, when I opened it. It…made me really happy."
"Mm," he looked at her; she looked happy. "…The first time I saw you, you were wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The girls at school would never go out dressed so casually. I like that about you."
"Y-you do?"
"Yeah. When I look at you, I don't see some crazy outfit. I just see you. And you're beautiful."
Her face was bright red.
"T-Takashi…. It throws me off when you get talkative like that," she mumbled.
"Sorry."
"I-it's not a bad thing!" she seemed flustered now. "I…I like that side of you, too. I like all your sides. I-I mean, I haven't found anything about you I don't like. I-I mean! W-well, I…."
"You have a talkative side, too."
"W-wha—uh, s-sorry!"
He laughed, and she stared at him.
"Don't apologize. It's cute."
"T-Takashi…thanks."
He smiled at her, then glanced out the window.
"We're here."
Thorne looked out the window, and her eyes widened.
"The NNTT?" she gasped.
"Yeah."
They were staring up at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Mori shifted his gaze to the girl next to him; her eyes sparkled as she stared up at the building.
"There's a ballet today."
"I love the ballet!" she turned to him, beaming.
He smiled.
"I know."
#
"That was amazing!" Thorne said happily, dancing a few steps down the sidewalk. She turned on her toes to face him, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Takashi."
He smiled and took her hand, pulling her around the corner.
"Where are we going now?" she asked.
He just squeezed her hand and kept walking. She followed him down the street, around another corner, and down another street. He led her into a park, slowing down slightly as they walked along the path.
"It's beautiful here," she said.
"Yeah."
He smiled down at her. Suddenly, he pulled her off the path. They walked down the hill, stopping at the edge of a pond. He stood behind her and pointed over her shoulder.
"Look."
She looked where he was pointing; there was a pair of whooper swans in the middle of the pond.
"Oh! They're so pretty! What are they doing here? Whooper swans are only here in the winter; they go back to their breeding grounds in Apr—"
She turned around, stopping mid-word.
He was down on one knee.
"T-Takashi…."
"Thorne," he opened up the box in his hand. "Marry me?"
She smiled.
"Of course!"
She held out her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger. It was white gold, shaped like a flower, with a diamond in the middle of the bloom and small stones beside it. As soon as it was on her finger, she threw her arms around his neck, and he fell back on his back in the grass. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist. She nuzzled her face into his neck, smiling as she felt him kiss the top of her head.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear.
She smiled.
"I love you, too."