"Has anyone seen Himawari?" Juleka asks all her friends, from Chloe to Kagami to Adrien to Rose to Nino to Alya, but no one knows where the raven head is.
"If there's a medal for the craziest person on Earth, I'll gladly give it to Himawari." Kagami shakes her head "Come now, let's not waste our time. She might be freezing by the time we finish this conversation."
Kagami can't understand why her friend is acting this way. Surely, there is a better way than leaving the house without telling anyone and not having her phone with her. But this is Himawari Ono they are talking about, for a girl with such an innocent face, what crazy things she can not do?
"That girl…" Chloe grits her teeth "I swear, if this is because of Luka, I'll…"
"I'm pretty sure that what she is doing is because of Luka." Kagami laughs "That girl can do anything for him, remember?"
"When we find her, we will give her the lesson of her life." Chloe huffs, still looking around for the familiar figure.
While her friends are searching around for her, Himawari finds herself walking along the cobblestone wall of the run-down buildings, her ears still following the faint guitar sound. Despite the sheer coldness, the raven head keeps walking, the mental strength inside her has created the energy that helps her push her body to the limit.
Oh humans and what crazy thing they can do for love…
Himawari laughs sarcastically at herself and the funny thought she has in her mind. She is tired, her legs are threatening to give up on her. She has been running around Paris in this cold weather for how long? 30 minutes? An hour? 2 hours? She doesn't know anymore.
Her legs are hurt from the running, her body is numb from the cold. The blue cardigan with the scarf she is wearing is not enough to combat the cold weather, not to mention the light pajamas that are not helping her. The raven head wants to scold herself for being so reckless, if she has prepared beforehand, then maybe she can withstand this cold a bit longer.
Maybe she should go back, it's better for her to keep warm than wandering around in this kind of weather. The thought of her fluffy and cozy blanket sounds nice, she would love to lay on her warm bed right now. Her aunt is probably worried sick about her, she might get an earful of her scolding when she gets home.
Maybe she should give up, it's not like anything is changing if she is able to find him. Will she even have the courage to face him after everything that has happened between them? She has bet on her confidence too much to even realize that she is acting on her intrusive thoughts, that there is no melody coming from anywhere but her own imagination.
Maybe her feelings for him are not as strong as she thought they would be. Maybe his feelings for her have changed. Maybe they have changed. Maybe it's not the same between him and her anymore…
The thought makes her heart aches as she can feel the tears gathering at the corner of her eye, what can she possibly do…?
Lost in her thoughts, Himawari allows her legs to guide her as she walks around the rundown buildings. When she finally takes control of her mind again, the raven head looks up to see a metal staircase in front of her.
This place… she knows this place very well…
It's Luka's secret hideout spot…
Luka is still running around the city, trying to find his lovely raven head. He is worried, so worried that he cursed himself for being so careless like that. It's his fault for not revealing himself sooner.
Every day, he is hiding behind the walls of her house complex, playing the same guitar tune he plays for her whenever they're alone. He knows this will catch her attention because on the first day of doing so, he already saw the familiar raven head poking out of the window, searching for something, or someone.
For the next couple of days, Luka did the same thing. Standing at the same spot, at the same time, playing the same melody that was only meant for his lovely raven head. He was able to ease his worries by watching her from afar, not knowing that his action is the reason for her little stunt.
Luka tried to tell himself many times that he should see her, that he should let her know his side of the story, that he should tell her how he feels. But the thought of seeing her beautiful face in tears stopped him from reaching out to her. What if she refuses to believe him? What if she refuses to listen to him? Or even worse, what if she doesn't feel the same?
While with Marinette, he can slowly move on from her, with Himawari it's a different story. Before he even knows it, she has been the bright melody that played in his mind. That kind and loving smile she always wears on her face, he would do everything to protect it. Because Himawari is precious to him, so precious that he wants her to himself only.
He can't imagine living a life without her by his side. It may sound silly but to him, Himawari is someone he wishes to spend the rest of his life with. They're still high school students, of course everyone will think that they are being young and naïve, but Luka knows what he wants. He wants Himawari to be with him forever and that he can see a future with the lovely raven head. A bright and loving future together.
Himawari…
Where is his lovely raven head?
He wants to see her, to know that she is safe. He wants to hold her tight in his arms, shielding the small body away from this cold weather. He wants to feel the soft raven locks in his hand and taste the sweetness of her lips. Right now, he would do everything for her.
I have to tell her…
He has to tell her about how he feels. He has to tell her how much he loves her, how much he adores her, how much he wishes to be with her forever and ever. No matter what the outcome might be, Luka will tell her the truth. He has wasted so much time pondering his feelings, trying to figure out the truth. But there is only one truth lies in front of him and that is how much he loves Himawari.
Luka loves her, so much that his heart aches as it yearns for the lovely raven head.
"Himawari!"
He runs to the alleyway of the rundown buildings, shouting her name in the hope of getting some kind of response. But there is no one…
The older Couffaine grits his teeth, his grip on the jacket becomes tighter. The weather only gets colder with each minute past by and he still can not find Himawari. God knows how cold she can be right now, not to mention she is still recovering from the fever. If something happens to her, Luka doesn't even know if he can forgive himself.
He leans against the wall of the rundown building, trying to search in his mind for all the places that she can possibly be. He has searched all of them and yet, there is no sight of the lovely raven head.
"Where could she possibly be?"
Running his hand through the teal-colored hair, he cursed at himself for being so useless right now. What can he do? What can he possibly do?
And then, it dawned on him…
This area…
This is where his secret hideout place is…
Could it be…?
Himawari slowly walks up the rundown staircase, her body shivers as she touches the metal rails. Her mind is still wandering back to that melody, the one that has been playing in her head this whole time. Maybe she is imagining things, or maybe she is being delusional, but she wants to see it with her very own eyes, she wants to see the truth. The flickering lights of the rooftop are dimmed, but she is able to make out where her next step should be.
There's a hint of sadness in her eyes, there's no one but herself up here right now. She has had her hope up so high, she is so sure that Luka is here, waiting for her, but everything crashes down in front of her when she finally comes back to her sense.
So I really was being delusional…
Himawary lets out a pitied laugh, what a fool she makes herself to be…
She is tired, her legs are giving up on her as she hurries and finds a seat on the bench, the same one she sits with him months ago. She is such a fool, believing in something that is deemed unrealistic. Of course, he is not here. Of course, her mind is playing tricks with her. Of course, that melody in her head is nothing but a hallucination.
She is so crazy in love that she makes up everything in her head, believing in something that she has no concrete evidence to back up.
Rubbing her frozen hand to wipe away the tears, Himawari tries her best to stay calm, but how can she be with this cruel reality crashing down onto her? She is imagining things, that melody, his feelings, the future she wants for both of them, everything is just a product of her own imagination…
It hurts to acknowledge that…
It hurts so much that the only thing she can do is cry...
"Himawari!"
The raven head startles at the loud voice calling her name. That voice, it can't be…
Gripping the fabric of her pants tightly, she refuses to believe that voice, his voice…
"Himawari!"
She raises her head, this time, a ray of hope lights up her heart. Even if it's just a small light, she wants to bet everything on it. Himawari slowly turns around, amethyst eyes filling with tears when she sees a tall lean figure walking up to her. Her lips quiver, she wants to cry…
"L-Luka…?"
"There you are…"
Luka is right in front of her, still the handsome guitarist that she has fallen in love with. She is not dreaming, is she?
The older Couffaine wraps the fluffy jacket around her, flinching at how cold her skin is. How long has she been in this weather? He needs to take her back home…
But before he can do that, there is something that Luka must do. Crouching in front of the lovely raven head, Luka holds onto her arms lightly, too afraid that he might bruise her if he tightens his grip. And before Himawari even realizes what is happening, the young guitarist has already pulled her into a tight, warm embrace.
His hand sneaks up behind her back, pressing the raven head against him even more as he buries his face against her neck, inhaling the familiar floral scent. She is here, Himawari is right here in his arms.
"You are here… Your truly are here…"
His words make her cry even more as she holds onto him tightly, too afraid to let go.
"I'm sorry…" she said through the hiccups, which Luka finds very cute "I'm sorry…"
She tries to rub the tears away, but he already does it for her. His hand is still cupping her face, feeling a tug in his heart when he realizes that it's not the same puffy cheek he used to feel in his hand. She has lost quite a bit of weight after everything that has happened in the past three weeks.
"No, I'm the one who needs to say sorry." his voice, warm and gentle, lights a fire in her heart "If I have been braver, then maybe… maybe…"
Her hands reach for the one he has on her cheek as she nuzzles lightly against it, stopping him from finishing his words. She smiles at the warmth of his hand on her skin, how she misses the feeling of his skin against her.
She closes her eyes again when she feels his lips touch her forehead, planting a soft kiss. Then he moves down to her eyes, then her cheek, her nose before pulling away.
"I love you…"
Himawari looks at him, her eyes widen a little bit before she softens her gaze. Of course, she should already know his feelings for her. After everything that they have been through, they would be lying if they said that they don't have the same feelings for one another.
The raven head smiles, kissing the palm of his hand gently as she looks at him again, this time, her eyes shine brightly with love and adoration.
"I love you too."
A blush adorns her face, despite the dimmed light, Luka can still see the redness on her cheek clearly. It's very cute and suits her very well. Every time she blushes, the older Couffaine wants nothing more than to hide her face in his chest, preventing everyone from ever witnessing this lovely side of her.
Cupping her face with one hand, he leans down, kissing her cheek one more time. Himawari understands what this means and she nods her head lightly. This time, there are no fireworks, no music playing in the background, no people cheering them on. For some reason, it feels much better being like this, just the two of them sharing this moment together.
At first, it's only a peck on her lips, like a butterfly fluttering its wings. He pulls back a little bit, observing, searching to see any signs of discomfort. When he sees those beautiful amethyst orbs shining, the redness on her cheeks becomes more visible, Luka smiles to himself as he leans in, capturing her lips with his own.
Her lips feel soft against his, with a hint of sweet strawberry taste. He kisses her, slow and gentle, his hand still holding onto her cheek, caressing it lightly. It's addicting, to have her in his arms and kiss her like this, Luka enjoys every single second of it. He can feel how her small hand is resting on his chest, shaking lightly. Whether it is because of the cold weather, or she is being shy, he holds onto it. His big, warm hand covers her small one as they both rest on his chest, allowing the raven head to feel his own heartbeat.
The way he kisses her, so loving and kind, she loves it a lot. There are butterflies in her stomach, her heart is beating fast, the warm and fluffy feeling that has been cast aside for so long is now coming back, making her feel like she's walking on cloud nine.
When he pulls away, Luka can see how her face is turning various shades of red. However, that beautiful smile still adorns her lips. When she notices that he is staring at her, Himawari can't help but turn her head away, hiding from his gaze. This cracks a chuckle from him as he looks at her, finding her method of hiding from him adorable.
"I love you." Luka whispers in her ears, just loud enough for both of them to listen, even when they're the only ones on the rooftop right now.
His confession, once again, brings a smile to her face. A bright one, probably the prettiest he has seen so far.
"I love you too."
