This continues after Chapter 274, Where Rui passes Natsuo the marriage registration sheet.
All time seemed to stop. Natsuo stared back at Rui as if in a daze. Her muffled words echoed in his mind.
“Is this...” Natsuo choked out, the embroidered sheet held shakily in his trembling hands. Rui nodded and gave him a tight smile. Her gentle hands wrapped softly around his shaking ones.
“... A marriage registration sheet, yes.” Rui finished, her eyes averted from Natsuo’s gaze “I just thought that maybe...”
Natsuo lifted his head, finally looking Rui in the eye. Her magenta eyes were brimming with tears, her teeth nervously chewed on her bottom lip. Her once steady hands were now intertwined with each other to stop them from shaking.
“...maybe you were meant to be with Hina-nee after all.” Rui finally finished. Her voice sounded hurt, the words forced, wretched out of her heart with no regards to her own feelings. She finally caught Natsuo’s gaze, her bright innocent eyes looking into his.
Words were unnecessary in the moment. The two faced each other, communicating without speaking. Natsuo immediately understood Rui’s true feelings. She loved him, that much he knew. He knew how she wanted to take all responsibility. For Hina, for Haruka, for Natsuo, for everything. He knew she was no longer thinking of herself, but for everyone else around her.
Natsuo gave her a warm smile before wrapping her in a tight embrace. Rui gasped in shock, frozen for a moment before she returned the hug. Natsuo slowly rubbed the small of her back, comforting and calming her down right when she needed it.
Rui tried to speak, tried to stop her feelings from overflowing from the bottom of her heart, but the words couldn’t come out. At that moment, Rui finally broke. Tears spilled down her face and onto Natsuo’s shirt, creating a field of flowers to mark their melancholy. Natsuo’s supportive arms held her in silence as she sobbed. Her fingers clawed at Natsuo’s shirt, grabbing onto the fabric like her life depended on it.
“You know,” Natsuo muttered. Rui looked up expectantly, her pleading eyes pitiful, “you need to start being honest with your own feelings.” His words resonated in Rui’s chest and she lowered her head slowly.
Natsuo’s gaze landed on the embroidered sheet on the dinner table, his arms still wrapped around the blue-haired girl. His mind wandered to a certain unconscious individual lying motionless in his study room. Heaving a heavy sigh, Natsuo released Rui and forced her to look at him, his hands holding firmly to her shoulders.
“I told you, didn’t I?” Natsuo said slowly, his voice unwavering. “No matter how long it takes, I will wait for you.” Rui’s eyes widened, remembering the long forgotten promise made years ago. Her right hand slowly lifted, trembling as they caressed Natsuo’s cheek. Natsuo grabbed her hand and held on tightly, enveloping her fingers with his warmth.
“So tell me again, Rui.” Natsuo whispered, his face inches away from hers. “What do you want?” Rui froze, before giving him a genuine, warm smile.
“I want...” Rui muttered, automatically leaning in, “...to be with you.” Their lips softly brushed each other before connecting. Tears flowed down Rui’s face once more, but this time it was for a completely different reason.
⧫ ⧫ ⧫
“Are you ready?” Momo’s voice rang out, her excitement barely concealed. Rui turned back slowly, the silk veil wrapping around her hair rustling. She gave her a slight smile, nodded and began walking. Momo jumped along beside her.
“How are you so calm?” Momo questioned, her voice shaking with eagerness “It’s your wedding. You’re getting married, with Natsuo.” Her hands waved around animatedly.
“I am not calm, Momo.” Rui replied, her voice shaking. Her hands clenched into fists. “I’m so nervous right now that I want to just melt.” Momo stopped before tackling Rui into a tight hug. The two stumbled onto the carpeted floor. Rui looked at the hyperactive girl like she’s gone insane.
“I know how that feels!” Momo said excitedly, “The feeling like he would suddenly reject you at the altar. The thought that ‘How the hell am I this lucky?’ Right?” Rui hesitated before nodding. Her gaze averted to the floor.
“But...” Momo suddenly turned serious, waiting for Rui to look back at her. “Rikkun told me he felt the same way,” Rui turned back to Momo, forcing herself to look into the pair of blue eyes steadily gazing at her.
“I’d bet Natsuo feels the same way as well.” Momo continued, “And how do you think he would feel if his bride is 4 minutes late to the wedding?” Rui looked at the clock and gasped. She hurriedly stumbled onto her feet.
“Crap,” Rui muttered under her breath and started running to the polished wooden doors, with Momo right by her side. Rui hurried to a stop, steadying her breaths as she looked at the forbidding doors that will lead to the altar.
“Momo,”
“Mhmm?”
“Thanks.”
Momo gave her a gentle smile and a casual thumbs up. Grinning from ear to ear, Rui pushed open the doors and stepped forwards. Towards her unknown future with the man she loved.
⧫ ⧫ ⧫
Back in a dimly lit room left unattended, a single unconscious individual laid peacefully among the sheets. A single creak shatters the silence, and a pair of emerald green eyes slowly flutters open.
To experience true love is to go on a journey, starting at forever and ending at never(edytowane)
-=-=- END -=-=-