Hmm. I might make this into 35 chapters.
Thank you to everyone who're still reading! Glad to see some of you are still checking this out.
Tohru was grinning widely as she pressed herself against the glass windows of the gondola she and Momiji is situated in, wanting to appreciate the view with the slow ascent of their ride as the Ferris wheel rotated higher and off the ground. She seemed like a kid looking through a candy shop window who was getting her first view of the tasty treats for the first time.
"Oh my goodness, it really does give the best view!" She gushed, turning to grin at her beau who has his hand at the small of her back, apparently content to watch her instead of the stunning view slowly being revealed outside as they rose past some of the tallest trees and past some higher buildings around the amusement park he had taken her to. A theme park had recently opened in one of Mount Fuji's lakes, boasting one of the record-breaking roller coasters made around the world and a Ferris wheel overlooking the entire area surrounding the mountain, making it the ideal place for families to spend a day together and for couples to spend their romantic day in. It had been featured numerous times in both local and international media, and Tohru mentioned wanting to go see it in passing to Momiji once.
We'll go one of these days. He promised, grinning at her delight.
Today marked the first year they were dating, and he thought it appropriate to surprise her with tickets. She had been overjoyed, not expecting to be able to go this soon to the popular area.
"Did you enjoy today?" He asked, to which she looked at him, eyes round, expression incredulous, almost as if to say 'are you kidding me?'
Still his belle's gaze softened, her smile turning even gentler as she gazed at him, chocolate-brown eyes alight with love and happiness. "Yes. Thank you for taking me here, Momiji. This is a beautiful surprise." She took his hand at the small of her back and squeezed it in her smaller one.
He nodded simply, giving her a small smile of his own. "I'm glad."
Their gondola is nearing the highest point, and it was customary for it to stop for at least a minute once they reached the apex of the ascent.
"So this one is off our bucket list." He thought aloud, folding his thumb as he ticked off a mental list he had made, making her turn to watch him look almost in deep thought.
"There is a list?" Tohru asked, pleasantly surprised.
The blond nodded, turning to grin at her almost mischievously. "Of course. I do want to travel." He turned back once more to his left hand he had held out with his thumb still folded. "There's the Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios after this. It is a must since we're both quite obsessed with theme parks."
The brunette nodded, attention solely on him now, almost dumbfounded at the turn of the conversation. "Okay."
"I'm thinking of visiting Paris so I could show you to the Conservatoire, meet Professor Auciele." He was referring to his violin professor, grinning almost playfully as he folded his ring finger. "He has been pestering me for quite some time, asking me to bring you to meet him. Oh, I also want to visit Germany soon. You know, go back to my roots or something."
She sat down beside him, the view outside almost forgotten in her awe of the plan he was laying out. "That sounds nice."
He wiggled his eyebrows enthusiastically at her, looking quite pleased himself. "I'd like to go on a cruise too. If we're doing the Tokyo Disneyland then the cruise is also a must. Hmm." He paused, looking thoughtful. "We could also go make the pilgrimage to the Umeda Sky Building." He sounded almost teasing, but as he turned his topaz gaze at her, he looked anything but teasing. "We could hang the love lock there, throw the key somewhere else afterwards."
She was almost breathless, her heart pounding in anticipation, surprised at the fact that he had a lot of places in mind that he wanted to visit. With her. "You… you have quite the list there."
"I do." He stood up all of a sudden, just as their gondola finally stopped, finally reaching the highest point. He held a hand out to her. "I want to see the world with you, Tohru."
She took his hand, allowing him to pull her at her feet. He was smiling, drawing her effortlessly to his embrace, wrapping her to his chest as he pulled her to him with her back facing him. "Time for the pictures."
She snapped out of her Momiji-induced trance and laughed, going for her purse and taking out the camera she had brought specifically for this occasion. She began snapping pictures of the view, knowing that being at the summit allows the tourists to do this.
Just as she pointed the camera to the two of them, Momiji lowered his head to her ear, giving her earlobe a kiss. "I feel like this is the world in front of us right now. And I know we've been seeing each other for just a year, but I've known for a long time that I want to see more of this world… with you."
Her eyes widened, heart pounding in her chest. She was starting to recognize what the significance of this moment will be for her as a woman utterly, helplessly and irrevocably in love with the man who held her so gently.
"Marry me, liebe?"
To anyone else, this may be going too fast. But Tohru understood what he was saying. She loved him. He loved her. No sense in waiting for something they both knew they will eventually go through. They differed from everyone else dating for just a year since they knew what they both wanted from the beginning.
The ring he was presenting her with glinted at her, her eyes welling with tears at the lovely sight. Three diamonds, one cut larger than the other two nestled between the smaller ones which were pink in color. The blue velvet box looked soft to the touch, framing the ring in its entirety.
It is lovely.
She turned in his arms, nearly making the gondola sway a little too strongly as she threw her arms around his neck as he chuckled. "Careful, liebe – "
She cut him off as she stood on her tiptoes and reached for his lips, kissing him with all her heart and soul.
"Yes. Yes I will, Momiji." She was a little too breathless as she finally broke apart from him for a breath. He steadied her, looking into her eyes, cheeks flushed, his own eyes a little too wide but glinting with undisguised mirth and affection.
He slipped the ring on her finger, just as the gondola started moving again. She squeaked, startled, and he lowered her to the seat gently, kneeling in front of her as he dropped a kiss to her hair.
"Thank you, princess. You made this night unforgettable by agreeing to put up with my selfishness." He was chuckling again, knowing the statement might sound like he was joking to her, but he was no less genuine with it. She wiped off a tear which had fallen on her cheek, feeling a little too giddy.
"Putting up with your selfishness? It feels more like the other way around." She stated, more amused at this point. "Happy Anniversary, daarin."
The nickname she used to tease him with made the blood rush to his cheeks, and her giggles merely confirmed that she knew of its effect on him. In retaliation, he sat beside her and took her face into his, kissing both her cheeks tenderly, which made her giggles even worse.
"Happy Anniversary, daarin."
In spite of the teasing nicknames, they smiled at each other, the moment turning sweet and more intimate.
Momiji bent and pressed another kiss to her lips, laying his forehead on hers as he pulled away seconds later.
"To more travels with you."