Chapter 6

"Since this dinner is about your engagement," Layla grinned as she referred to the two young duo, "How about you tell us your story?"

Natsu and Lucy were mum for quite a time before the red-haired man bellowed in laughter.

"Are you kids alright? You look like you're going to cry or something," Igneel teased looking at the two.

Natsu quickly shook his head as he tried to snap out of his surprise, "Yeah, of course…it's just…" he then glanced at Lucy, who he nudged subtly with his elbow.

Lucy jerked in surprise, snapping out of her own overwhelm, and glanced at her best friend. When Natsu tilted his head towards the group, Lucy curiously stared at the pinkette until Grandine spoke up and asked this time.

"So, about that story? Can you tell us how it all started?" Grandine teasingly looked at the young couple, before looking at Layla and Jude, "Did you have any guess that these two were dating?"

"No," Jude sternly answers, before softening his expression and chuckling, "All this time I thought they were just best friends, being overly affectionate to one another,"

Lucy's eyes grew wide in astonishment, "Papa…" she mumbled before she realized that she was about to stop him, "Um, I didn't realize that was what you felt between us," she gestured to herself and Natsu.

"Well," Jude seriously looked at Natsu, "I had always thought Natsu was a decent man and that if he ever thought of asking you out, I wouldn't mind it. But perhaps, being kept in the dark is not what we also expected from the two of you,"

Grandine and Igneel nod in agreement, "I get what Jude is saying," Igneel added, "Why on earth would you keep something like this from us?"

Natsu quickly nudged Lucy's feet under the table. The blonde quickly gave an annoyed look at the pinkette, before noticing the raised brow from the youngest Dragneel. Lucy quickly shifted her expression and chuckled.

"Well, about that…" Lucy fumbles with her fingers as she tries to come up with an excuse, "We…we thought that maybe keeping our relationship secret was the best option for us,"

"Because?" Wendy asked, completely intrigued by the two.

"Because…" Lucy repeats, widening her eyes to Wendy as if that would tell her the answer. But the young blunette just tilted her head in question, "Because of you guys," she opened her arms to everyone on the table.

Everyone at the table looked baffled at them, "Excuse me? But why us?" Grandine curiously questioned.

"Because you guys are famous," Lucy retorts to them but pleasingly taps her shoulder inside her head, "You, the Dragneels are well-known for your big motor corporation in Fiore, while the Heartfilias are a namesake in the fashion clothing industry. Society knows you and yet kept us, your children, out of the limelight. If we went out in public, it would be a media circus. And I don't want that, we don't want that," Lucy then looked at Natsu and gave him a serious look.

Natsu knew that stern look, and internally groaned as he wondered why he agreed to this show, "Exactly," he simply added. But when Lucy kicked him on the shin, making him jerk in his seat, the pinkette groaned quietly before he continued, "We get enough pressure from our friends who comment about our friendship already, which seems like they have guessed right." He mumbled.

Lucy quickly picked up his point, "The point is, our friends didn't know, you guys didn't know, because it meant the world didn't have to know about us,"

Layla, Jude, Igneel, Grandine, and Wendy just stared puzzled at the duo. For some reason, it made sense to them. But at the same time, it was odd, as if they really wanted no one to know about them, yet decided to marry.

"Well," Layla started before looking at her companions, "I guess, you have a right to make these decisions about your relationship. It's just a surprising news that you guys are getting married,"

"Which makes me think, if the media didn't corner you, would you have told any of us, that you both were getting married?" Grandine then looked at her husband, a little alarmed and anticipating a painful answer.

"Probably not," Lucy and Natsu harmoniously answered and then shrugged their shoulders.

As they left the restaurant, the two families casually bid each other goodbye. Lucy and Natsu stayed at the back and stared at them. The blonde couldn't help but sigh at the image in front of her.

"Do you think they bought it?" Natsu asked as he crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"We didn't answer their questions properly, so, I don't know," Lucy replies, shrugging her shoulders.

"Mhm, you got a point," Natsu sighed too, "Wendy could be onto us,"

"Obviously," Lucy muttered before she smiled when Grandine looked their way and beamed at them, "I think, out of them all, Wendy got this sense that something is fishy,"

"Would it be so bad if she knew the truth?" Natsu asked before smiling too at his parents, who seemed to be talking about them.

"Well, if you trust her that she wouldn't rat us out then, sure, let's tell her," Lucy then glanced at Natsu, whose face suddenly scrunched in thought, "What?"

"She's Baba's protégé," Natsu then shook his head, "She'd tell her instantly,"

Lucy's eyes grew wide, "Okay, then we don't," she said in alarm.

"But then again—"

"No," Lucy then gripped the pinkette's arm, "She'd murder us,"

Natsu raised a dubious brow at his best friend, "Oh, come on, baba wouldn't kill us. I bet if we tell her the truth, this whole shitshow would be over,"

Lucy thought about it for a second. It's true. The moment they tell the truth to Porlyusica, this pretension will be over. They wouldn't have to lie to their families, and she'd just have to deal with the media. But then again, something is telling her not to do it, as if this might just cause more trouble.

"…yeah, okay. I get that and I believe you…" Lucy then gulped down the growing knot in her throat, "But what if this causes her to get a heart attack or—or better yet, curse us for eternal life?"

"I thought you didn't believe in magical stuff?" Natsu smirked, teasing the blonde.

"Maybe not in eternal love, but an eternal curse, I do," Lucy shook her head "I'm scared, and I can't do it. You tell her—"

"What?!" Natsu exclaimed a little loud, making the other family members glance at them.

"You both, okay?" Igneel questioned the two, making them nod their head immediately. "Come on, lover boy, time to go home. You'll have years to spend with your soon-to-be wife,"

Everyone sniggered as they watched the couple turn red. Natsu then turned to Lucy and leaned down close to her cheek. He then whispered, "Let's talk tomorrow,"

"Okay," Lucy replies softly, nodding her head. Natsu then pulled back and immediately, Igneel remarked how it was still surprising to see Natsu and Lucy being a lovey-dovey couple.

"You're weird, Dad," Natsu bellowed, shaking his head. He then looked at Lucy for the last time before he waved goodbye to her.

The sun was up and Natsu was wide awake, staring at his ceiling. He didn't know if he was able to catch some sleep. But he sure knows that he had been thinking, nonstop about something. He was lost for words at the three facts he needed to accept.

My family thinks I'm engaged.

I'm engaged to Lucy.

Lucy is wearing his engagement ring…

As soon as his alarm clock blares off, Natsu stands up from his bed and does his short routine. He took a bath, changed clothes, and then headed out.

My family thinks I'm engaged.

I'm engaged to Lucy.

Lucy is wearing his engagement ring…

Natsu's phone rang as he drove on the busy road of Magnolia. Seeing the caller ID, the pinkette couldn't help but grumble. Yet, he tapped the answer button.

"What?" Natsu quickly uttered, face scowling as he knew where the discussion would lead to.

"Iron-butt told me something about you," Gray replies over the line.

"Whatever you heard, it's not true," Natsu grunts, shaking his head in annoyance at his cousin's blabbering.

Gray chuckled over the line, "So, it's not true that you and Lucy are pretending to be husband and wife soon?"

"Shut up!" Natsu bellowed, "It's the other way around—"

"Well, you're the one who said to not believe metal-face," Gray snickered, making Natsu roll his eyes.

"You know what I mean," Natsu then groans, "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to torment you, early morning," Gray chuckles again, "So, what's the plan?"

"I have no idea. This is all Lucy's doing," Natsu grumbles, wriggling the steering wheel, "You ask her,"

"So, you are doing it," Gray questioned.

Natsu stared at his phone for a second before he sighed, "I'm just helping her out with the shitshow. That doesn't mean she'd actually plan to get married,"

"So, there is no wedding?" Gray clarified and patiently waited for the pinkette to answer.

"There is no wedding," Natsu sternly replies before he defeatedly sighs, "You know that for a fact. She just needs an out from that web of lies without causing any family humiliation and societal scrutiny,"

"Right…" Gray sighs as well, "I guess, you just have to work this out,"

"Obviously," Natsu retorts before shaking his head, "I gotta go, ice-brain. I have to see Lucy,"

Gray chortles over the line, "Sure, meet up with your fiancée,"

"Shut up," Natsu counters before an amused smile appears on his lips, "Gotta go, bye," then presses the end button.

On their typical Sunday routine, Natsu and Lucy go to the closest chapel near her place. Magnolia was known for their famous Kardia Cathedral, but they'd prefer to go to the town chapel. It was small, with some of the town's people attending mass. The beauty of that small church is that it was secluded, giving them that feeling of being private like any citizen of Magnolia. Ever since the debacle that Lucy caused to herself, she was relieved to have this quiet Sunday mass as a respite.

After that Sunday mass, the duo indulged themselves in a morning stroll around the chapel's open garden. Mass-goers loitered around, enjoying a brief chat after the mass. As Natsu and Lucy settle on a bench, the two finally acknowledge the growing awkward silence between them.

Lucy looked down at her fumbling hands, "I should probably thank you," she whispered.

Natsu looked at the blonde and watched her do her nervous antics, "Yeah, you probably should," he said, teasingly, but the blonde didn't catch that, making her look at him with surprise.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

Natsu huffed a laugh before looking away from his best friend, "Did you really think that I wouldn't help you out?"

"Well," Lucy then looked away too, and paid half attention to the crowd before them, "You were not thrilled yesterday when it all happened,"

"I think my reaction was pretty normal for a guy who suddenly got engaged without being in a relationship," Natsu scrunches his nose, before looking back at the blonde.

Lucy bit her quivering lip as she kept her eyes on the crowd. Her eyes were watering, but she refused to let it drop. Seeing her like this made the pinkette feel sorry. But at the same time, he was still astounded by everything that happened.

Natsu was the kind of guy who didn't like getting into a relationship for the sake of being with someone. Ever since they were young, Natsu had always given less attention and priority to girls. He knew that girls paid him attention and even asked him out on a date, but he'd always refuse. Not that he isn't interested in girls, because he does find girls attractive, it's just that he doesn't easily get interested in them by their looks. It's always been about the connection he feels with the person. And Lucy has always been that kind of person to him. She is one of the prettiest women he knows, but it's their connection as friends that makes him choose her over other girls.

However, regardless of their tight connection as friends, it was still overwhelming to see your family celebrate and be excited that you were engaged to be married, even if he knew it was only a lie. The only thing tolerable about the lie was that at least he was thought to be married to his best friend.

"Luce, look, I'm sorry if I got mad at you—"

"No, I get it!" Lucy abruptly turns to look at the pinkette. She then grabbed his hand to squeeze it, "Levy and the girls had been scolding me about my lies. I—I know I should have come clean at the beginning, but I just kept on messing things up. And I understand that anybody put in that position wouldn't like that. But—but I am grateful that you're here to help me out,"

Sighing, Natsu suddenly pats Lucy's head, "I'm not angry, I'm just baffled, okay? But I'll get over it,"

Lucy timidly smiles at her best friend.

"So, what happens next?" Natsu asked as he tapped the nose of the teary-eyed blonde.

Lucy sniffs hard, trying to refocus herself as she stares back at Natsu's onyx eyes, "Well, I don't have a plan—yet! But given that you will be helping me out, I guess, you can help me get out of the media's microscopic lens whether I'm really engaged or not. But I'll try my best not to get your name out in public so that they won't follow us around."

"All right, sure we can do that." Natsu nods his head, "But until when are we going to do this?"

"Just until I can get this ring out of my finger," Lucy said before she flaunted the ring to him. "Once it's out, we'll say, we broke up and canceled the engagement. Simple as that,"

Natsu slowly reached out and gently rubbed the stone on Lucy's finger. His lips slowly turned upward, but quickly shook his head when a thought passed by his mind. He then retracts his hand.

"Okay, so, I guess we need to get our story straight," Natsu then raised a brow, "What's our story?"

"What story?" Lucy questioned, furrowing her brows too.

"What's our couple story? How did I ask you out? How did I propose to you? How long have we been together? What was our first kiss like?" Natsu asked while he stared at her directly in the eyes.

Hearing these questions somehow made the blonde red. These were necessary questions if they wanted to make their family and the media believe their pretentious relationship was real. But still, this made Lucy shy and turn beet red.

"Um…let's stick to our real friendship," Lucy subtly shook her head, trying to get her thoughts straight, "We are best of friends ever, who—who fell in love with one another. Suddenly, a year ago, we decided to become a couple. Now, you spontaneously asked me to marry you while we were riding a Ferris wheel, with the threat of puking on me right after I said yes."

Natsu suddenly chuckles as he remembers that proposal joke that he told her if he hypothetically asked her for marriage.

"Why? Out of all the proposal ideas you told me before, why did you have to use that one?" Natsu shook his head, laughing, "I sound so unromantic,"

Lucy chuckles, "I panicked, okay? Baba-Porlyusica asked me how'd you do it. And besides, I don't know if you are romantic, so, I'm sorry if I made you so unromantic," she said, rolling her eyes as she teased him.

"Okay, so that's our story. Now, what's our plan to get that ring out?" Natsu glimpses at the ring again as he swears to notice it shine brighter as if it wanted to be noticed.

"Since I don't believe in that eternal love backstory, I was thinking about a more realistic approach of getting this ring out of my finger, like going to a jewelry store." Lucy then gave a knowing smile at the pinkette, when the man perked up at the suggestion.

"You're right! Baba-Porlyusica has this trusted jewelry shop where she gets her rings shined and maintained. We should probably start there,"

Lucy's spirit went up at the thought of resolving this issue, "I say, let's get this started!" She then stood up and offered her hand, "Ready to get over with this, fiancé?"

Natsu chortles at her new pet name for him, "Sure, why not…" he then grabbed her hand as he stood up. Standing a foot taller than her, he looked at Lucy's brown eyes and softly whispered, "Fiancée." He then entwined their hands as they headed out of the chapel garden.

"Welcome to Bijoux! How may I help you?" a man in an ironed black suit greets as soon as Natsu and Lucy enter the famous luxury jewelry brand store.

Natsu and Lucy kept their hands entwined as they slowly approached the man. The pinkette quickly smiled at him and said, "Hi, um, I was told by my…" Natsu paused as he contemplated whether to bring up his grandmother or not. He then decided to play safe, "My family friend that this store has services for maintaining and resizing rings,"

"Oh, yes, we do. May I see the ring?" the man then opens his palm, waiting for the blonde to offer her hand.

Natsu then pulled up their entwined hands and showed the ring to the jeweler. "Oh…" the man then trails off as he studies the ring properly.

"Well, if you plan to resize it, we'd have to cut in the middle," the man then grabs Lucy's hand. But then the blonde quickly pulls it back.

"Not an option!" she exclaimed, clutching her hand to her chest.

Natsu quickly agrees, nodding his head, "Definitely not an option. We just want the ring to get out of her finger,"

The man furrows his brow, "Uh…I think you can do that without our help. You just pull it off,"

Lucy stared confused at the man, as if questioning why'd he ever thought that they hadn't tried that before. Only then did she realize that the man had no idea of the ring's weird ability not being able to be pulled out of one's finger.

"Well, you see," Lucy then leaned close to the jeweler, "This ring is quite special—"

"Well, aren't all engagement rings?" the man interrupts, making Lucy look back at him stoically while Natsu stifles his laughter.

"Yeah, I know," Lucy muttered, "But that's not the point. My point is that this ring appears to be loose enough to allow me to move it around my finger but when it's being pulled off, it barely budges,"

The man kept his furrowed brows as he slowly took Lucy's hand and inspected it. Soon enough, he started tugging the ring off, but then, just like before, it didn't move an inch.

"Okay, that is odd," the man bafflingly said, staring at the ring, "It can be moved around but not pulled off. How on earth is that possible?"

Lucy suddenly gave a sarcastic smile, "See, I told you, it's a special ring,"

The man gave a deadpan look at the blonde before smirking, "Madam, don't underestimate our brand," he then turned around and headed inside their rooms. Natsu and Lucy looked at each other confused before returning their attention to the man, coming out with a kit in hand.

"Let me see that ring again," the man instructed and quickly grabbed Lucy's hand, inspecting every angle. He even pushed the ring upward and saw a gap, "Ha!" he then grabbed something from his tool kit.

Lucy watched the man grab a swab and dipped it to a certain type of gel. Trusting the jeweler, Lucy held her breath as she watched the man work. He started rubbing the swab around Lucy's ring finger and slowly turned the ring around, to get slippery. When the ring was coated enough with gel, the jeweler then began to pull the ring down. As Lucy hoped that it would work, she suddenly gasped when the man suddenly tumbled backward when he pulled hard. Falling on his bottom, the jeweler quickly groaned, making Natsu alarmed, and leaned over to check on him.

"Are you okay?" Natsu questioned, trying to keep his laughter from coming.

The man quickly glared at the pinkette, "Do I look okay?" he then grumbled as he tried to stand up. When he was fully up, the jeweler couldn't help but glare at Lucy, "What the hell did you do to your ring?"

Lucy's eyes grew big with the man's outburst, "Um…nothing, except wear it when I shouldn't have,"

The jeweler grunts before he grabs Lucy's hand again, "Let me try again. My hand just probably slipped." After that, the man did the same again and this time he made sure to wear gloves so as not to slip from the gel or oil. But just like before he stumbles backwards as his hands slips once more.

"I give up!" the jeweler bellowed, "Let's cut it off!"

"No!" Natsu and Lucy shouted at the same time. The two then stepped back, away from the jeweler. The blonde even clutched her hand close to her chest and hid the ring with her other hand.

"Is there another way without having it cut?" Lucy whines as she pleads to the jeweler.

"Our shop is good at resizing rings, I assure you. You wouldn't notice it," The man then opens his palm again.

But Lucy quickly shook her head, "I can't let it be cut. It's a family heirloom and it's too precious to be mended,"

"It's normal for shops like ours to resize rings, even if they are antiques or heirlooms. Trust me, madam, it's your only option," The man raises a brow but opens his palm once again, waiting for the blonde to offer her hand.

Lucy stared at his hand before she shook her head. She then quickly looked at Natsu and looked guilty at him. "Sorry, Natsu. I can't let anyone cut the ring. It's too precious and sentimental for it to be mended for my sake."

Natsu kept his eyes on the blonde and somehow, he was thankful for Lucy's consideration. Having that ring removed would make their predicament easier to resolve. But he couldn't also tolerate the idea of destroying their long-time family jewelry just because Lucy thought it was fine to use it as a prop for her lies.

Sighing in defeat, Natsu nods his head and takes Lucy's hand. Without hesitation, he entwined their hands and looked back at the jeweler, "Sorry, cutting the ring is not an option. Thank you for helping though," he then began to pull his wallet when the man shook his head.

"No need sir," the man shook his head, "But I do hope you do find a way to get that ridiculous ring out of your fiancé's finger,"

Natsu scoffs and nods his head, "We hope so too."

Left defeated, the duo finds themselves sulking in a café close to Natsu's neighborhood. It was more secluded and less popular to the media. Despite being a Dragneel, Natsu was able to keep his apartment away from the media's radar. He chose wisely; buying a small house that didn't look fancy at all and had neighbors who didn't know him as someone who came from a business tycoon family.

"Maybe we should try another jewelry shop," Lucy muttered, trying to grasp some hope despite the unsuccessful attempt.

"Luce, I don't think a different person putting on a gel or oil on the ring would make a difference. Unless we allow them to cut the ring—"

"Which I know is not an option at all," Lucy then heaved in frustration, "I know that. But what should we do?"

"I don't know," Natsu replies sharply before grabbing his coffee and sipping it for a long time.

Lucy studied the pinkette, who was obviously trying his best to keep himself calm despite the growing rage inside of him. "Natsu, if this ring won't come off, we will have to pretend and I know that it's not an ideal strategy,"

Natsu scrunches his face in annoyance, "Right, yeah…" he then tries to hold back his rant, but it slips out of it as soon as he groans, "Luce, what's even the guarantee that if we pretended to be engaged and then end up canceling it, would make the ring come off?"

"I don't know!" Lucy shrieks in annoyance, "Maybe the ring will suddenly grasp the idea that we are not each other's eternal love!"

"I think the ring should figure that out now," Natsu harshly replies before shaking his head in frustration and looking away from the blonde.

"Deep inside, Natsu, I know you are blaming me for this—" Lucy was then cut off when Natsu snorted in sarcasm. This irked the blonde, "I get it, I messed up. I'm just trying to find a way to get us out of this shitshow,"

"You do realize that the longer you wear that ring and I stick close to you, people will think that I am really engaged to you," Natsu sternly muttered, raising a brow at the blonde.

"Will it be so bad if people thought that we are engaged?" Lucy questioned. Her voice quivered in disappointment, "Is this you, telling me that there is someone out there who will get hurt if they found out that you are engaged to me?"

"What?" Natsu irately questioned, "Why are you assuming again that I'm in a relationship? I already told you, I don't have a girlfriend,"

"Right, that's why you asked your grandmother for your family's engagement ring heirloom because you got bored. Natsu your excuse is so petty that no one would ever believe that." Lucy grumbles as she slumps back into her chair and glares away from the pinkette. "I don't get it why'd you have to keep that secret from me, your friends,"

Natsu rolls his eyes, "What secret am I hiding from you guys? And besides, don't lecture me about not telling each other about our relationships, because if I recall correctly, you were the one who kept a boyfriend away from us,"

Lucy slowly glares at the pinkette as she recalls that actual incident. The blonde slowly turns red in anger, "I kept him away from you because of how much you told me that you didn't like him. You know what, the funny thing is, I never told you about him anyways, and yet you still found a way to ruin my relationship,"

"Excuse me?" Natsu bafflingly gasps at the blonde, "I didn't do anything,"

Lucy scoffed in annoyance, "Yeah, right. You were the last person he talked to before he left Magnolia, breaking up with me,"

"And that was a wise decision!" Natsu bellowed.

"No!" Lucy exclaimed, making some patrons in the café glance at them, "If you didn't ruin my relationship with him, you wouldn't have to pretend to be my fiancé. I wouldn't have had to make up those lies."

The pinkette was suddenly given a dose of reality as he listened to the blonde grit her teeth while she reprimanded him. He then grasps what she had, tugging his chest with an unpleasant feeling.

"What do you mean?"

Lucy scoffs in exasperation, crossing her arms over her chest, "If it weren't for you, I would have probably been engaged to Raito now." Lucy then smiled sarcastically at the pinkette, making the lad even more guilty, "But thanks to your meddling, I don't have a real fiancé, and I've got only a fake fiancé who pretends to want to help me,"

Lucy then stood up, grabbed her purse, and turned away from their table. At that instant, Natsu stood up and tried to catch the blonde.

"Where are you going?" Natsu worriedly asks as he watches the blonde slowly turn her head to regard him briefly.

"Away from here. I don't want to ruin your image by getting you caught in my lies," and with that Lucy walks away from him, leaving him astounded and guilty.

As the day went on, Natsu found himself wandering around Magnolia while he tried calling Lucy on the phone. But the blonde refused to pick up the call and ignored him. The longer it went, the more he got frustrated about the situation.

Soon enough, he arrived at Amici Resto Bar where a lot of workers were still finishing up some structures inside the establishment. Mira and Erza were manning the place, shouting out orders and comments as they watched them finish their task according to their taste as the owner.

Lisanna, who was lazily stacking up table napkins at a tissue dispenser suddenly spots the pinkette and quickly calls on him. Natsu made a beeline towards the youngest Strauss siblings and joined her in doing the task.

"Isn't this a surprise?" Lisanna comments as she smiles at her friend, "Why aren't you with your usual buddy?"

"She walked out on me," Natsu replies, keeping his eyes on the task as he attempts to avoid the scrunched look of the silverette.

"Natsu, you not looking at me won't make me ignore that. Why would Lucy walk out on you?" Lisanna then puts down the dispenser she grabs to hold Natsu's hand.

The pinkette slowly looked up and then sighed in defeat, "We had an unpleasant topic to talk about,"

Lisanna raised a brow, "Wait, Gajeel just told us in the group chat that you and Lucy were engaged. Was that it?"

Natsu looked up with a raised brow, "Hold on, iron-ass told everybody that Lucy and I got engaged?"

Lisanna's eyes grew big, "Yeah? Whoops?"

Natsu then bolted up to leave but Lisanna was quick to pull him down, "Will you calm down, Natsu?! You are such a hotheaded man—"

"Well, who wouldn't?!" Natsu bellowed before he lets the silverette pull him down to sit again, "That metal face is such a sissy for blabbering,"

"You do know that we, your friends, know about that engagement ring that Lucy is wearing. We all know that you two aren't really engaged…unless?"

"Unless what?" Natsu retorts harshly, but Lisanna just laughs it off.

"Unless you have something to tell us?" Lisanna then smirked when Natsu rolled his eyes, "Oh, come on. We all know that you and Lucy have a certain kind of friendship that none of us have with you two. I mean, we are all close, but…not as close as the two of you,"

Natsu heaved impatiently, "Lucy and I have known each other since we were in high school. We just have a shared family background, and our families are close too. So, we bond over things that are similar to us,"

"Yeah, but Gray is your high school buddy too. Gajeel is your cousin, and yet you're not as close to them as with Lucy." Lisanna grinned as she pointed out a fact.

"But Lucy is a girl," Natsu counters.

"But Gray and Gajeel are boys, which is more common for boys to befriend better,"

"No," Natsu shook his head, chuckling, "trust me girls are way better friends. They are sassy but frank as hell. Just look at you, Mira, and Erza. You girls are going to eat us alive if we are shitty people,"

Lisanna chuckles, "Well, you do have a point there. But still, we are not as close to you as you are with Lucy. That tells something,"

"What do you want to hear exactly, Lis? That I have feelings for Lucy?" Natsu stared for a moment at the stunned silverette, "Lucy is my best friend, of course, I'll always have a certain type of feelings for her. But that doesn't mean me and Lucy pretending to be engaged would make us real or something,"

Sighing in defeat, Lisanna slumped back to her seat and stared at the pinkette, "Fine, I won't insist. But why did Lucy walk out on you?"

Natsu then began to look away again and fumbled his hands with the tissue bundles, "I brought up the topic of Raito,"

"What?" Lisanna suddenly sat up straight and then leaned over the table, "What did you say to her?"

"I um…" Natsu tilts his head as he closes his eyes in guilt and mortification, "I told her that she was the first one who kept a secret from her friends that she had a boyfriend,"

"No, you did not," Lisanna uttered resignedly.

"I only said that because she accused me of keeping a secret girlfriend from her," Natsu defensively muttered, looking back at the silverette, "She insists that I got that engagement ring from Baba because I had a girlfriend that none of you guys knew,"

"Well, then why did you get the heirloom from Baba-Porlyusica if you didn't have a girlfriend?" Lisanna quickly questions, taking Lucy's side as she remembers their conversation.

Natsu was mum at that. He, later on, sighed in defeat as he continued to fumble with the tissues, "I was just…preparing for the future,"

"Preparing for what?" Lisanna inquired curiously.

"For the girl I like," Natsu then looked up and stared at the shocked expression of his friend, "Believe it or not, I actually have feelings too. I just haven't dared to tell her…but I guess it's too late now,"

"What? Why?"

"I'm engaged," Natsu muttered, shrugging his shoulders.

Monday morning comes and Natsu quickly wakes up at the sound of his alarm. Just like what he does every day, he planned to do his basic short routine—take a bath, change clothes, and then head out. But given that he and Lucy hadn't talked in the last 16 hours, 23 minutes, and 15 seconds, Natsu couldn't sit still as he constantly checked his phone.

Based on what he had gathered, Lucy had no problem chatting and texting with their friends. But when he calls her, his call always ends up that she isn't available. Grunting at the deliberate avoidance she was making to him, Natsu couldn't help but stag her out a little to their friends, about how she blamed him for causing her and Raito to break up. In the end, his friends would confirm that he did cause the breakup, which he disagrees with, but it was a breakup that was inevitable.

Natsu munched on his sandwich as he stared hard at his sleeping phone. Mentally, Natsu was manifesting that it would light up with Lucy's name surfacing, calling him. But even after eating breakfast, which he didn't usually do at home, he had no choice but to clean up and leave his phone for a moment. Washing his plate and mug, Natsu muttered his annoyance about how Lucy was taking it too far when suddenly his phone rang.

At that sound, Natsu jumped in surprise and quickly turned off the faucet and ditched his dirty dishes to grab his phone. Slipping towards his kitchen island, the pinkette swiftly grabs his phone and checks the caller ID. To his delight it was Lucy.

"Hi, Luce!" Natsu exclaimed as soon as he swiped the green button. His smile was so big that it nearly split his face.

"Get here in my apartment, ASAP!" she whispered, annoyedly.

"What? Why? What's going on—?"

"I'll explain later, just get here, quick," Lucy cuts off, hurriedly.

"Okay-okay," Natsu panicking looked around for his stuff and dashed to grab his wallet, car keys, and satchel bag, "I'm on my way—what's happening?"

"Baba-Porlyusica is here, right now—"

"Shit, I'm coming!" Natsu cussed out loud as he slammed his apartment door shut and sprinted to Lucy's apartment, completely forgetting he had a car.

To be continued…