Tennis no Ouji-sama © Konomi Takeshi, Shuheisha, Inc.

- Act LII -
[ The Glass Slipper]

Hikari had to compress her eyes with ice cubes due to her endless streak of crying since the morning. The dazzling sun hurt her eyes so much that she walked with her eyes on the road instead of looking straight. There were a number of times when the security guards had to approach her to keep her from hitting the pole because of it.

After changing into her indoor shoes, Sister Mary approached her to tell her that Benkei's painting was fully recovered all to its glory. Hikari didn't understand why she went all the way just to inform her, later finding out that the painting was recovered by a professional traditional art restorer, under her name.

The artist revealed to her that he was specially requested by Atobe Keigo.

Thus the reason why she was hiding in the toilet, crying again.

What seemed to be her simple rambling turned out to be a huge thing for him that he went all the way simply to put her mind at ease.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you doing that? Why are you—" The mixture of emotions she could no longer make out kept crashing within her chest, over and over. She was so afraid she would run out of tears if this kept up.

"Hey, Hikari-chan. Are you okay?" She could see Kotoha's shadow from the gap below the toilet door.

"I'm not! I can't lie! I really am not okay!" She blew her nose.

"Your love life is so complicated, you know. He loves you that much yet you're still crying like a broken-hearted woman. What do you want exactly?" Kotoha replied flatly. "Oh. I've brought my ritual set if you want to curse him for making you cry."

"No, Kotoha-chan! I'm not cursing anyone!"

"If Satan couldn't help then you might want to go to the Mother Mary statues near the church."

Though she was still crying, Hikari couldn't hold back her chuckle. "Are you betraying your own belief now?"

"Hey, just because I believe in Satan, it doesn't mean everyone has to." Which in Hikari's opinion, was contradicting the reason Satan tempted humans in the first place. "What do you want to do now, Hikari-chan?"

After Munehiro explained the truth to her the day before, she couldn't stop the feeling growing so much that all she wanted was nothing but to run into his arms. She didn't want to be the only one protected by him.

She wanted to protect that fragile side of him…

"I don't know, Kotoha-chan…" However, the fact that he had stirred things between her and her brother, and her brother's disapproval stopped her from doing that. "My brain is mushy and my feelings are a mess… I don't know anymore…"

"Hey, Hikari-chan. Open the door for me, okay?" When she finally did, Kotoha threw her arms around her, massaging her back as Hikari let everything out on her shoulder.

"I love him, Kotoha-chan! I love him so much even after what he has done! This is wrong!"

"Then why are you crying if it's wrong?" Hikari shook her head. "You already know what you should do, Hikari-chan—your heart does. Don't you always tell me that you'd do what your heart told you? You're always a person who does that despite me saying things against your decision."

"B-but my brother—"

"You know him the best, Hikari-chan. You'll find a way to talk to him." Kotoha released her hold around her and said, "Now. Go to the Mother Mary statue and calm yourself there. It's said to be a miraculous spot where you'd get the answer to your problem."

"I-I've never heard about this." Hikari wiped her tears.

"Me too. We're new students after all." Kotoha winked.

"I will. Thank you, Kotoha-chan…" Hikari hugged her once before leaving the toilet. Though she wasn't a hundred percent certain of her decision, she decided to cool her head first.

Remaining in the toilet, Kotoha deeply sighed and placed her palm on the wall. "Damn it! What I've told Hikari was all sincere but I'd be gone to heaven for selling my soul like this!"

When Hikari changed her shoes into outdoor shoes, she heard a commotion occur in the festival spot. She peeked in to see girls running here and there, shrieking "Kyaa! Kyaa!" all over the spots. Not wanting to get involved, Hikari absconded to the church.

The place had always granted the peaceful feeling, the serenity that calmed her mind whenever she went there. Even when entering the place, she was warmly welcomed by a rose garden arch. The statue garden, though wasn't decorated in a fancy way, still was a beautiful spot. The place was surrounded by rectangular ponds where little fishes were living. The statue itself stands in the middle with white roses around it, worshipping the beautiful lady in bronze.

Sitting on the available bench, Hikari took a deep breath as she allowed the voices of nature to sing their calming song to her heart.

"Kotoha-chan isn't lying about this place being able to cool my head down…" Hikari said with a smile. "Say, Mother… Can I tell you a story? This is about the vampire I met months ago." Hikari chuckled at the recollection of the memory. "Now that I'm thinking about it, everything absurd happened in just one single week.

"I didn't trust him at first, hating him even for making me get stuck in a hole. But afterwards, he gave me many things just to win my trust. He did, eventually… I could no longer trust people after what happened in Germany but he had it. He promised me that I could shave his head bald if he did something I didn't approve of." She laughed to herself but ended up having tears cascading down her cheeks.

"I lost my confidence; he gave it back to me. I hate my feet, and he made me love them. He made me love everything I despise about myself. B-but he lied to me… He was playing another role and rejected me just so I'd accept his feelings. Then he took advantage of my brother's injury just so he could win. I can't accept that but…" Hikari craned her head at the statue.

"Even after all of that, I still love him… I love him so much," she said before burying her face in her palms again. "Whoever he is, I love him for everything he is…"

The rustling of bushes startled her and Hikari immediately rose to her feet, putting her hands together in front of her chin as she looked around…

To see him standing near the garden arch, staring at her with both eyes widened.

"Y-you! What are you doing h—mmph" He didn't allow her to finish as his lips silenced her. His hands angled her face as he deepened the kiss. Hikari tightened her hold on his wrist. Her blood was roaring as their tongue mated together in a slow dance until the need for air became vital for both of them. Hikari's lips were trembling upon seeing his smile. The bubbles of euphoria were bloating within her chest, so much that she threw her arms around him. "I… I…"

"Forgive me…" She widened her eyes. "Forgive me for what I've done to your brother in the match, and forgive me… for keeping the truth about 'Louis' from you. When I saw you in Hyotei, I could think of nothing but to disguise as someone else so you wouldn't run away from me…" He rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, my queen… I love you so much that I can't stop thinking about you since I met you in that court… I never thought that I could fall this much before I met you…" Her breath hitched as tears cascaded from her eyes. "I want to be the man who supports you through your rise and fall… Because my heart will never cease to love you."

"I-I love you too…" She wailed. "I d-don't care about your past or whoever your name is… I j-just love the man I met in the abandoned court… I want to be the woman who stays by your side through your rise and f-fall…" She tightened her hold around him.

He gently pulled her down until she sat on the bench again while he was down to one knee. He took the sling bag that was hanging around his body and took out something that made her gasp.

A pair of silver pointe shoes.

"These are specially made to support your special feet." He took the left one and said, "Let me see if it fits." Hikari didn't waste any time taking off her shoes and let them put them on, both smiling at the result. "Now, will you be my queen and make me the happiest man on the earth?"

Her tears kept flowing as she nodded.

However, before he got to kiss her again, Hikari blocked his face with her palm. "What now?"

"What's your name, really?"

"Ahn? Didn't you know already?"

"Nope. I want you to tell me your name. I don't want to be your queen before you tell me that." Her lips stretched into a mischievous smile. He chortled as he held her shoulder, lowering his head so he was on her eye level.

"My name is Atobe Keigo. Louis is… my middle name. It's Keigo Louis Atobe." He caressed her cheeks so lovingly that another tear escaped her eye. "May I know your name too?"

"My name is Tezuka Hikari, Atobe-sa—" He put his forefinger on her lips.

"Keigo. It's Keigo for you, my queen."

"Keigo…" She smiled. "Say that you love me again."

"I love you, Hikari… I'll say it as much as you want."

"I love you too, Keigo…"

"I love you more, Hikari…"

So they sealed their feeling together in a kiss…

AN: It takes a while but here we are, dear readers! Three more chapters until the conclusion of this book. Yes, you might notice the unanswered mysteries because I actually prepared them to be answered in the second book. However, due to the lack of readers in this fandom, I don't feel like I'm continuing the second book (though I already have the unfinished drafts ready). I think I will just wait and see the reader's response when the story finishes before deciding to continue or not because it's sad to write without feedback, you know? XD

Anyway, Keigo is back together again with Hikari. The next two chapters will be two other people's POVs. Guess who these people are to win a chance to take a peek at the first chapter of the second book! =D Sneak peek will be PMed to you!

Favorite, follow, and most importantly—review are gold for me! As I mentioned in the previous chapter, the story is also posted on Wattpad. Since the site allows me to post videos and images, I might be able to pamper your eyes there. Check my account in ReikaNanatsuki!

Thank you for reading and have a nice day!