Deadlock
"Hey, Kuga...you ready yet?"
Nao’s voice breaks through my meditation at the altar. I could sense her
irritated stare, digging through my back. But I couldn’t blame her.
Here I am kneeling at the center of the church for God knows how long
already, yet I still couldn’t find the strength I need to stand up and
face the biggest challenge that has come to my life.
"Natsuki, I think it’s better if you go now." Sister Yukariko steps up
behind me and places a comforting hand at my shoulder. "I think God has
already heard your prayer. Do not worry; He will not let you down."
Yet no matter what they say, no matter what they do...they couldn’t
extinguish the large fire burning in my chest and the endless pit of
anxiousness on my stomach.
The clock strikes seven, and reluctantly, I stand up with my head bowed
down. I guess I really have no choice but to face my fears.
"You can do it Natsuki!" My two companions cheered as I speed away on my
bike, towards the inevitable.
----
After picking up a few things at my apartment, I hurried over to the
destined place. This is where it all began. And this is where it will
end.
Ah, there she is, my opponent. My, what a reckless being, her back
turned at me, looking at a flowery bush. Is this really the thing that
I’m afraid of?
I made a slight sound by kicking a small stone at her direction. And
without a second too late, she spins around, face vague with emotion.
'I must not be fooled', I tell myself. I clutched the inside of my
leather jacket to find my weapon ready and in position.
I notice her right hand, holding something at her back. Her red eyes
seem to soften, and her lips turn upwards, when she realized that I had
already read through her plan.
"Can you guess what I have here on my hand, Natsuki?" She teases me with
her disarming smile.
'No, no, no...don’t look at her face!'
"You think you’re the only one with a surprise?"
We lock eyes and count from one to three. But she tricked me! At two,
she suddenly stepped forward and brought out her weapon, pointing it
towards my face. It was a bouquet of long-stem azure roses, as blue as
my hair, wrapped nicely in pink ribbons.
"Happy anniversary, Natsuki!" The Kyoto-ben accent rings to my ear in an
earsplitting tone. "See? I win. Now you have to give me a prize."
All thoughts flush out of my head when I felt that soft lips of hers
connect with mine. Lips that tasted like strawberry ice cream in a hot,
sunny day. And I almost got carried away, if she did not pull away and
gave a low-spirited remark. "I’ve been looking for you the whole day.
Don’t tell me you already replaced me with someone else?"
"My God! No, Shizuru! I would never do that to you!" I pull her close to
me, and place her hands on my chest. "Listen to it. Can’t you hear what
it says? My heart beats only for you, Shizuru."
Her eyes close as she settles in my embrace. Suddenly, I hear bells
chiming and knew that it’s the moment I’ve been waiting, or rather,
dreading for.
I guess this would be it, the end of a new beginning.
I summoned up all my courage, and brought out my weapon. I opened the
black velvet box and presented it to her. Amidst the dark night, it
flashes brightly, and I hear her gasp loud when I brought it in-between
the two of us.
"Fujino Shizuru..."
'This is it. Now or ever, Natsuki...'
I kneel down in front of her and without breaking eye contact, I said in
my most daring voice..."Will you marry me?"
'Oh my god...'
I start to panic when I see her cry without barely moving an inch. My
body felt cold from the unending stare. I know I should never have done
this! Why the hell did I listen to Tokiha?
"Um...Shizuru...it’s alright." I smile at her, though my heart is
bleeding. I heave a defeated sigh and shake my head in regret. "It’s
only a joke! Happy April Fool’s Shizuru!" I laughed hard, though it was
hollow.
I was about to stand when without warning, she tackled me to the ground
mercilessly. I trembled in fear when I saw her eyes, flaring with anger,
and her flushed cheeks.
"What...did...you...say?" She forced out in clenched teeth and strangled
my hands and feet with hers.
"Anou...Shizuru...it was just a joke. No need to be worked out about
it!" I try to push her away, but she was heavier than me.
"What...did...you...say?" She repeats her last statement, but this time,
it came with tears. "It was just a joke, Natsuki? Please tell me the
truth..." And with this, she breaks down and sobs desperately on my
chest.
"Shizuru...I..." I was held speechless. Baffled, confused. Why is she
reacting this way?
'Just tell her the truth, my conscience commands me. Just tell her what
you really want to say.'
So I did.
"Shizuru...forgive me. It was not a joke. I’m serious, Shizuru. But I’d
understand if you’re not ready for it..." I, too, am now desperate.
"Shizuru...I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I am
willing to wait, until you’re ready..."
"Baka...Natsuki no baka..."
"Huh?"
"Natsuki no baka...did you think my answer was no?" She smiles as she
shakes her head, her brown tresses sprawling over my face, letting me
smell the fragrance of her hair. Somehow, I’m feeling relieved with the
sudden radiance in her face.
"Yeah. Since you were speechless and was crying--"
"Hai."
"Huh?"
"Hai, Natsuki."
I grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of my head. "Anou...What do
you mean, Shizuru?"
"Yes...my answer to your question is yes. I want to be your wife, Kuga
Natsuki."
'Whaaaaa...'
My mind goes into overdrive upon hearing those words.
"Natsuki...?"
'Waaaaiiiiittttt...'
"Natsuki?"
"I..."
"Natsuki!"
"Yes, Shizuru?"
"Did you hear what I just said? I said, yes, Natsuki." She glomps me
again to the ground, just as when I was about to get up.
"Ooof! Shizuru, you’re heavy..." My ribs hurt from the contact, but then
again, with just one look at her brilliant smile, at her eyes, which
twinkle with immense joy, and at her face, which speaks volumes of
love...I could hardly pay attention to the pain.
"That’s because you’re feeding me too much." She showers me with kisses.
"Oy! Natsuki! Sorry the band’s late...Eh? Natsuki? Shizuru? Already
jumping the gun, are we?" We look up to see Mai and the rest of the gang
in a uniform outfit, carrying instruments and a picnic basket.
"Natsuki...what’s this all about?"
"Ah...Eh...Shizuru...I forgot that I was about to serenade you first
before asking...Ehehehe..." I tried to look everywhere but her face.
"But since you asked her already, can we just eat Mai’s food?" Mikoto
pops out of nowhere and makes cat-like eyes to Shizuru.
"Alright...alright...but let me do something first," my fiancée held up
her hand in the air to quiet down the crowd. With one clean swoop, she
lifts up my hand and steals away the diamond ring to place it on her own
finger. "Now that’s the celebration’s official...let’s eat!"
"Don’t eat too much, Shizuru. Just imagine, how bloated you will be when
we’ll have kids." That earned me one death grip and an embarrassing kiss
in front of everyone.
"SHIZURU!"
"Hai?"
Sheesh, can Shizuru get any more public?
----
Author’s Note:
A silly attempt of an angst-ridden writer on writing a humorous fic.
Err...
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