"I have to put my past behind me and just look forward," Rui thought. "She probably doesn't' even remember the promise."

Rui glanced out the window to a running city below him. His office was spacious, yet bare. There was nothing in it besides a few chairs, a desk, and a computer. The desk was covered in piles of papers, but there was nothing personal on it. No pictures, no flowers, no memories, it was as simple and as bare as Rui's life.

"Do you still remember me?" Rui quietly whispered, "Are you there below somewhere, Martian?" Rui touched the glass, and saw so many people down below and then just turned away and said firmly to himself "I must be delusional to imagine such nonsense. She does not remember, after all she never called, and what kind of people remember stupid childhood promises. I have to move on."

Rui sat down at his desk and started working, shifting his mind away from the happiest days of his life. He wanted to brush it away as a children's game, a foolish tale that will never come true. But secretly in the last corner of his mind he always hoped of meeting her, hoped that she will fulfill her promise and come on Christmas day to their special hide out. And then…

"And then what would happen" Rui thought. "What would I say? I like you. Then, what? Do you want to go out? What if she's married? This is complete nonsense, how could I let myself think of this garbage. I should move on and stop acting so childish."

Rui looked at the clock and it was time to meet with Umi, he silently sighed and left the office, walking slowly towards the next step of his life. As he was taking steps toward his future, he didn't think of Umi or their future together. He didn't even concern himself of what he would like to do for fun later today. All he thought was work, monotonous but simple and easy. He hated concerning himself with emotions and feelings they were so burdensome.

Tsukasa was walking down towards Tsukushi, not knowing what to do. Should he do it now, later, when? Tsukasa was trying to act normal but every single step he took, every single breath he took, he was so nervous of messing up, of blurring something out, of somehow making Tsukushi mad.

Are you ok?

"I'm just fine" Tsukasa nervously laughed as he walked out of the van. The business was very slow once again, there was no one coming. No money again, and now with Tsubaki losing her job, it was probably going to get bad. Really bad.

"The business has been so slow, I have go do something. Bye!" Tsukasa waved and ran off.

"Where did he run off again" Tsukushi thought "he's been doing quite a lot. We have been so slow. Damn it. What else should I do? Now Tsubaki lost her job, too. What are we suppose to do? How are we going to survive? It's ok we'll survive somehow!"

She started playing with her hair when she reminisced about that night

"I love you"

Those words rang over and over in her head again. He didn't say anything else anymore, but sometimes she would notice Tsukasa looking at her, staring. She might not have noticed it before, but now she did and she felt a little bit uncomfortable around him. Tsukushi was feeling so guilty every single time she looked into his eyes; she was at a loss for words. She wanted to speak so badly, to tell him…

"Tell him what…" she thought "I love you? But do I really love him?" Tsukushi questioned herself while gazing up at the tall skyscrapers. "What about our promise? What about him, Rui? Will he be there this Christmas?" she just shook her head. "No, he won't be. Whom am I kidding? People forget, I lost his phone number, and never called. He probably forgot about me already, and Tsukasa has been here for me as long as I can remember. I love him… I want to be with him for the rest of my life. I would die for him. So I must love him, right?"

Tsukushi was looking so calmly, resting her head on her palm. Her hand leaned against the truck. Tsukasa looked at her from a far. He was hiding because he didn't know what to say, what to do, how to react. Questions were running through his head, but he just shook them out.

"I have to do this! I can do this! There's nothing to worry about!" Tsukasa said again, and again in his head, while he took small steps toward her, trying to keep straight, and not fall. It seemed to him that he was walking on a small piece of wood, and all around him was a vast ocean. The ocean filled with vicious sharks lurking for prey. And if he took a wrong step, he will fall and be shredded to pieces.

"Tsukushi…" Tsukasa quietly whispered, "I have to talk to you…"

Not now, there's a customer waiting.

"Hi, it's you!" Umi said pointing her finger at Tsukushi.

Tsukushi just nodded her head.

"If, you're here to cause any trouble" Tsukasa started but Umi just said:

"Oh, no I would just like the spaghetti."

Sure! Tsukushi just showed quickly and went of to give her another package of noodles. Come again!

"Thank you!" Umi smiled and ran off. She sat down at her desk and took a bite. It tasted horrible, like rubber. Umi just threw it in the garbage can and went off with her work checking the clock for the time left, until she will be able to see Rui.

The business wasn't very good today! Tsukushi shrugged her shoulders with a faint smile on her face. Then she turned around as trying to hide herself away, hide away her pain, her worries. Tsukushi always convinced herself to deal with problems on her own. She didn't want to be a burden on Tsubaki or Tsukasa.

Tsukasa and Tsubaki have seen this throughout years and years, and each time they would reassure her. Each time they would say the same thing repeatedly, but she would just never listen. Tsukasa walked up to her, put his arms tightly around her waist, and pulled her to him.

"Everything's going to be ok," Tsukasa, whispered, his head tilted down. His figure was hovering over her petite body, like an umbrella protecting her from the rain. "We're gonna think of something, ok. So, it's not your fault! So don't worry yourself ok! Everything is going to be fine!"

Tsukushi was still inside Tsukasa's hold, she felt safe and protected. She didn't struggle to get out of his hold. At that moment, she wished this very moment could last an eternity.

"This must be love" she thought and had an unbearable urge to say the three little words. She opened her mouth trying to speak but no words came out, and she just lowered her head.

"Let's go Tsukushi," Tsukasa said, "we'll figure this out somehow."

He took her hand, and she took his. They packed everything in to the van. Tsukasa sat down by the wheel and started going.

Where are we going?

"You'll see" Tsukasa just smiled "it's a surprise."

Meanwhile

"You're late" Rui coldly said.

"I'm sorry I got held up by my boss again," Umi complained as she sat down by the table.

"Work was so hectic today! It was just unbearable! My boss is such a meanie! Nothing ever is good enough for him!" Umi blabbed on.

To Rui Umi's elongated complaints just became simple blah blahs. The words became too intermixed to make any meaning. He took no particular interest in anyone's life not even his, thus he had no particular interest to concern himself with Umi's blabbering.

He noticed her voice to quiet down, and then stop bringing peace to his mind.

"By the way I have something for you" Rui said and pulled out a little box out of his pocket. He set it on the table and gently pushed it towards her.

"For me?"

Umi slowly took the box and with delicate fingers gently opened the box. A wonderful ring sitting in the middle of the cushioned box mesmerized her eyes. The three diamonds sitting at the top of it were dancing in the light. She stared at it and said:

"Why did you give me a ring?"

"Is there a rule that it can't be a ring" Rui coldly replied not taking his eyes off the food he was eating.

Umi looked up at him and smiled:

"Is it just a present?"

"Yes" Rui looked up to her with an annoyed expression. He hated how many times she would ask stupid questions. He watched her face hide the smile and bring a frown.

"Then I don't want it."

"Why not?"

"A ring is like a promise" Umi started, her eyes staring right into Rui's "it is usually for a proposal. I don't want a ring with a mysterious meaning!"

"Mysterious? It's not like I stole it, I bought it."

"You don't understand. But still, I'm not accepting it."

"Then what about the ring?" Rui asked, he was frustrated with this childish game of hide and seek.

"Save it until you're proposing."

Rui's mind pondered back years ago to that magical winter, were he made a promise to meet with the mysterious girl. He recalled the happy memories spent with her, and once they had to part, the pain that he felt. Rui remembered the long days he spend by the telephone waiting to hear her voice – but she never called. She forgot.

"Thirteen years have gone by, and I still haven't received the phone call" Rui thought.

"Then just take it as a proposal" Rui said.

"How can you propose like this?"

"Then what do you want?" Rui asked once more, his patience was wearing thin.

"Well, then at least say Miss Umi will you marry me?"

"Forget it" Rui lost his patience and grabbed the box, but it was stopped by Umi's hand.

"Then… the least you can do is set an engagement date."

"Then, let's get engaged."

Umi lifted the box smiling, and handed it over to Rui, while putting her hand in his. He slowly took the ring and put it on her finger, as it was just another daily chore, while Umi could barely keep her excitement down.

"I have to go" Rui said and got off his chair and without another word left the restaurant.

Tsukasa was driving down the road with a smile on his face and his good energy passed on to Tsukushi. They were both smiling for no reason at all. Tsukushi looked at Tsukasa and was happy, that he was happy. She wanted to get her voice so badly so she could tell Tsukasa that she loved him, too.

Tsukasa turned into a little road and then stopped. He pulled out a scarf from his pocket and said:

"You'll have to close your eyes. But I don't trust you, so I will have to tie this, so you won't cheat!"

Why?

"It's a surprise."

Tsukasa gently wrapped the soft garment around Tsukushi's eyes, making sure there was no way she could take a peak.

"I'll be back soon! I have to do something!"

Hurry Up!

Tsukasa returned after ten minutes. Tsukushi was squirming in her seat, she felt hopeless sitting, not able to see a single light.

"It's better to be mute than blind" Tsukushi thought when Tsukasa interrupted.

"Come on. Let's go!"

He gently opened the door of the van, and took her hand. He helped her get out of the car, and softly led her way to the place. Tsukasa guided her through every little step, helping Tsukushi avoid every rock, every little thing on the road.

"Are you ready?" Tsukasa asked, he let go of her hands, and stood in the back of her. His hands were slightly shaking as he was holding the soft cloth ready to uncover the mystery to Tsukushi. He felt her nod, and he pulled the ends as the cloth fell and beautiful scenery engulfed.

As far as Tsukushi could see, there was no other human being. In front of her was a vast ocean, gently breathing. Small waves crashed into the sand, creating a harmonious melody. Above the ocean, she saw the sky painted in hundreds, thousands of different shades, the Sun slowly going down. Her eyes shifted and she saw a picnic blanket spread across the soft sand. Small candles covered with glass surrounding it and on it a small feast that looked so wonderful. Tsukushi felt sand getting into her shoes, thus she took it off and ran towards the sea with Tsukasa's hand in hers.

Both Tsukasa and Tsukushi gazed at the setting Sun, and then their eyes met for a second, and that is all they needed. Tsukushi looked into Tsukasa's eyes and slowly with her hands showed

I love you, Tsukasa.

Tsukasa didn't even realize when his arms reached across her waits and lifted her up in the air. Spinning her around out of happiness. As soon as he put her down on the ground, she ran to the ocean and splashed him with water. He did the same. After few minutes he looked at her and said

"Let's go eat before the sun sets."

Tsukushi just followed him along. They finished eating, as the Sun was slowly shutting away its final lights. Tsukasa pulled out a little thing from his pocket, kneeled on one knee, took Tsukushi's hand in his and as soon as Tsukushi looked into his eyes he said

"Tsukushi, will you marry me?"

Because I'm rewriting the story it's taking me a long time, since I have too much stuff to do and too little time. Please review, even little things like I like it plz update soon. These little things give me more will to try and write some more, since I know someone is reading and actually likes it. Any suggestions are appreciated.